The Seven O'Clock Club
by Amelia Ireland
Enchanting Story (11/6/2024)
I loved this; it's a really different premise and an excellent read. You wouldn't expect a story about a disparate collection of people who come together for group grief therapy to make such a completely absorbing novel, but it does. Each character has such a unique voice; I could have told which one was speaking in each chapter without looking at the chapter heading, and I pretty much fell in love with each one. The story says some profound things about bereavement and grief and its stages while doing so with delightful touches of humor. The story takes an unexpected turn at a certain point, which I won't say any more about because of spoilers, but I found it engaged me in the novel even more as I raced toward the conclusion. Excellent pacing and even a touch of suspense and romance add to the enjoyment.
The Little Italian Hotel: A Novel
by Phaedra Patrick
The Little Italian Hotel (4/16/2023)
This gentle, heartfelt story is a delight to read. Themes of change, loss, grief, mortality, new beginnings, and moving on are woven throughout the novel. The eclectic, somewhat rag-tag group that congregates at the Hotel Splendido, near Venice, forges new connections while learning to let go of the past as the individual heartaches of its members are soothed by their fellowship with one another in the simple, old-fashioned setting. I love all the characters, from the crusty, elderly Edna to the young and innocent Loretta, and the relationships formed amongst the members of the party are developed so believably. The ending is somewhat ambiguous; the reader is left to guess what the future will hold for Ginny, Nico, and Adrian. I'm not sure how I feel about that--I found it a bit unsatisfying. It's difficult to say why without major spoilers, so I'll refrain, but I recommend the novel highly to readers who enjoy the novels of Maeve Binchy and Jenny Colgan.
In the Time of Our History
by Susanne Pari
In the Time of Our History by Susanne Pari (9/22/2022)
A beautifully written, character-driven gem of a novel, this is one of those stories that makes you sad when you reach the last page because you just aren't ready to let the characters go yet.
The displacement and the sense of not belonging anywhere common to immigrants are explored here, but the main focus is on the multi-generational family relationships within a large Iranian immigrant family. Cultural clashes and misunderstandings among immigrant parents and children raised in America, cousins, aunts, and uncles make up the meat of this novel. The oppression of women and of minorities in two countries, Iran and the United States of America, is also explored throughout the narrative. The relationships, particularly among the female characters, are depicted with tenderness and unflinching honesty. The action shifts in time from the 1970's to the present, now focusing on one set of characters and relationships, and then another. The characters are fully-fleshed and real, and the repercussions of certain decisions and attitudes sound down the generations.
I highly recommend this novel to lovers of historical fiction and multicultural literature.
The Lies I Tell: A Novel
by Julie Clark
Excellent Psychological Thriller (3/24/2022)
This excellent thriller moves between the viewpoints of two protagonists, one a con artist and the other a journalist, who pit themselves against each other in a cat and mouse game that spans decades. The ever-changing perceptions that each character has about the other parallel the reader's view of the two women as the story progresses. The motives of all the characters slip and slide in a constantly shifting prism as the story unwinds: who are the good guys and who are the bad guys here? Who is telling the truth? Who is conning whom?
I found the characters believable, and the twists and turns keep the tension running strong as the novel unfolds. This novel is a lot of fun to read and also raises important questions about money, power, revenge, and justice in modern America.
Two Storm Wood: A Novel
by Philip Gray
Two Storm Wood (12/20/2021)
This is a compelling novel that combines historical fiction, suspense, romance, and social commentary, and has all the best elements of each. The story alternates between two timelines: the latter part of WWI and just after the war. Amy Vanneck's secret fiance, Edward, has enlisted late in the war, having been forced to do so by the influence of her parents. A gentle schoolmaster, he is in a reserved occupation and is unsuited for battle. Amy travels to France to try to recover his body after he goes missing in action. As she searches for his corpse amidst the horrors of the trenches, she uncovers the scene of a gruesome mass murder. Soon she is mired in an investigation of her own, not knowing who to trust amongst the military on the scene. The depictions of the moral ambiguity of war and the reality of trench warfare are harrowing and realistic, and Amy's struggles are authentic for a woman of her time and class. The characters leap off the page to live in the imagination, and the writing is skillful and powerful as the suspense builds towards the final climax. Two Storm Wood is the best war novel I've read in a long time, and I highly recommend it to lovers of historical fiction.
The Temple House Vanishing
by Rachel Donohue
The Temple House Vanishing (4/29/2021)
This eerie mystery told in dual timelines and from dual points of view evokes a darkly menacing atmosphere from the beginning. The setting is Temple House, an isolated, gothic structure originally the home of an eccentric collector and later a school for adolescent girls run by nuns in an isolated part of Ireland. In the present day, the school is deserted and decaying. The year marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the disappearance of Louisa, a scholarship student and outsider, and the young, charismatic art teacher Mr. Lavelle. Their vanishing is still a mystery, but a young reporter is determined to revisit the event by interviewing those close to the pair. In particular, there is Helen, former prefect at Temple House and adolescent enemy of Louisa, now a wealthy socialite, and Victoria, an emotionally unstable academic who was the student closest to both Mr. Lavelle and Louisa. The story is told from the viewpoints of the young woman simply called the Journalist and of Louisa, the vanished. The author does an excellent job of revealing the obsessive nature of the relationships between characters as the story alternates between the present day and the past. The all-consuming character of adolescent love with its loneliness, jealousy, and obsessiveness, is explored along with the clash between the artistic sensibilities of Lavelle, Victoria, and Louisa and the oppressive Catholicism of the nuns. The writing is excellent and the claustrophobic atmosphere builds to a final explosion as the mystery is revealed in the ending pages. This novel will certainly provoke some interesting discussions among book club members.
The Mystery of Mrs. Christie
by Marie Benedict
The Mystery of Mrs. Christie (10/27/2020)
Benedict's novel is an interesting fictionalized take on the well-known disappearance of the mystery writer Agatha Christie in 1926 when her whereabouts were unknown for eleven days. Her car was found abandoned with a bag of clothes inside. Although it was unknown to the press at the time, Mrs. Christie's husband had just told her that he wanted a divorce in order to marry his mistress. Her vanishing caused a sensation in newspapers all across England, the police and public wondering if she had become a victim of foul play in the style of one of her own novels.
The author has organized the story using alternating dual timelines, one encompassing the early years of Christie's romance, marriage, and writing career, and the other the eleven days following her disappearance. The former timeline chapters tell the story from Mrs. Christie's point of view, and the latter from the viewpoint of her husband, Archie. For the reader, this makes an interesting juxtaposition between two different interpretations of events. The circumstances, attitudes, and emotions which motivate the actions of the characters are well-developed in the chapters dealing with the earlier time frame and the novelist's imagination fills in the gaps in what is known about the real-life events.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and I think the dual-timeline approach works well for the most part. The pace moves along well and the characters are believable and well-drawn. There is some dialogue that doesn't quite ring true for me in terms of the speech of that particular social class during that time period in England, but this problem may be addressed in the final edition of the book.
All in all, I'd rate the novel as an enjoyable story well worth reading.
Piranesi
by Susanna Clarke
Piranesi (8/12/2020)
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke is a surreal marvel of a story. Piranesi lives in a world enclosed by walls, a vast labyrinthine structure confining an ocean, that he names the House. The House contains huge rooms filled with statues and winding halls that connect them. The tides of the ocean sweep through the halls, bringing Piranesi fish and sometimes floods. The only other beings in this world are birds, which occasionally nest in the rooms, skeletons, and a man whom Piranesi names the Other. As the story unwinds, Piranesi becomes aware that the Other comes from a different world, and that there are more of his kind who have visited the House before and may come again. The Other warns Piranesi against these visitors, but as more information becomes available to him, Piranesi wonders if the Other is indeed the wise companion he has always trusted. Then the woman Raphael appears. Who is his friend, and who is his enemy?
Told from the point of view of Piranesi by means of his journal entries, Clarke's novel is full of fabulous imagery and startling revelations. The entries document Piranesi's shifting perceptions as he wanders through the maze of the House and of his own divided mind.
Clarke's poetic language and a compelling plot make the reader's journey through the story mesmerizing. I finished the book in two days because it was so hard to stop reading! I highly recommend the book for those who enjoy literary fantasy and mystery.
The Woman Before Wallis: A Novel of Windsors, Vanderbilts, and Royal Scandal
by Bryn Turnbull
The Woman Before Wallis (7/10/2020)
"A Novel of Windsors, Vanderbilts, and Royal Scandal"—thus reads the subtitle of Bryn Turnbull's new novel The Woman Before Wallis. The period of European and American history between the wars, especially the mid-twenties to late thirties, is one which retains its fascination for many of us. Mix in the private lives of the rich, famous, and aristocratic, and you have a novel with all the right ingredients!
Bryn Turnbull's characters have depth and credibility, and her research into the real people they are based upon seems solid. The story jumps between timelines a bit, so the reader must pay attention to the chapter headings, but the story flows well as the main character progresses from her young, naïve self to an older woman who has suffered betrayal but still retains a bit of her youthful romanticism.
I thoroughly enjoyed the novel, which is by turns humorous, surprising, tender, and sad.
Miss Austen
by Gill Hornby
Miss Austen (3/1/2020)
The Miss Austen of Gill Hornby's beautifully-imagined novel is not Jane, but her sister Cassandra, whose life was intricately bound up in her family, especially her famous sibling. Those familiar with Jane's novels will enjoy the prose style, reminiscent of Austen's own, which transports the reader into the life of the early nineteenth century spinsters. The story has parallels to Austen's novels, perhaps especially Persuasion. The lives of Jane and Cassandra and their niece, unmarried women of limited means, are depicted through their correspondence and through the narrative, which alternates between their present (1840) and their past (1813-1817). Cassandra has the gift of finding joy in her changing circumstances and her choices, narrow though these were. The novel explores the plight of women who could not or chose not to marry in such a society. Family members and acquaintances are portrayed with compassion and a sly wit which brings to mind many of the characters in Jane Austen's own novels. Highly recommended for Austen lovers!
Ellie and the Harpmaker
by Hazel Prior
Ellie and the Harpmaker (4/4/2019)
A sweet story about two social misfits who find a second chance at love with one another. Memorable characters and the Exmoor setting make the book very enjoyable. The novel explores the healing power of music and the value of confidence in one's own creative powers (whatever those may be) and ability to love and to give. This is a book to cheer the heart!
My Lovely Wife
by Samantha Downing
My Lovely Wife (11/3/2018)
Dysfunctional doesn't begin to describe the marriage and family relationships of the two main characters in this novel. Harlan Coben and Meg Gardiner both apparently liked this dark psychological thriller, and I read it with high expectations. It is well written, suspenseful and twisty. However, none of the characters is remotely sympathetic. I don't mind characters with flaws--in fact, they aren't interesting or believable without them--but if I can't find anything to like in them, why should I care what happens to them? A reader has to have at least one character to root for!
Meet Me at the Museum
by Anne Youngson
Meet Me at the Museum (5/4/2018)
A gentle story about second chances, Meet Me at the Museum is a story about a friendship conducted entirely through letters. The characters explore themes of family, stagnation and change, finding joy in one's circumstances, love and loss, and the importance of place in our lives. As they continue to correspond, they share more with each other and learn more about each other than either one does with the people they actually live and work with. If you enjoy character-driven novels, and are in the mood for a story that is thought-provoking but not action-packed, this one is worth reading.
The French Girl
by Lexie Elliott
The French Girl (9/13/2017)
The re-opening of a cold case by French authorities plunges six college friends into turmoil in this fast-paced mystery. Nineteen-year-old Severine was the "mademoiselle next door" to the family holiday home of one of the group. Missing for years, her body has recently been discovered in a well on the property. Though Theo, her neighbor, has since been killed in Afghanistan, everyone else who stayed with him during that fateful summer faces questioning by the French investigator. Kate, Tom, Lara, Seb and Caro find themselves reliving the past, with its tangled relationships, jealousies, and conflicting memories. Before long, it becomes obvious that one of them must have killed Severine. The tension increases with the mounting pressure on their lives and the revelation of the true feelings of each one of the group. I loved the characters, and the suspense built nicely throughout. I read it in two sittings over a couple of days, and I look forward to more from this author!
The Book of Summer
by Michelle Gable
The Book of Summer by Michelle Gable (3/12/2017)
Cliff House, the beloved summer home for three generations of the Young family women, is about to fall into the sea. Erosion is claiming the bluff it stands on in Siasconset, Nantucket Island. Dr. Bess Codman, pregnant and with a crumbling marriage, comes home to convince her mother to move out before the inevitable happens. Cliff House has been home, a place of precious memories, secrets, and solace since her great-grandmother had it built during the Depression years.
As Bess deals with its loss and the ramifications for herself and her mother, the story turns back and forth between the present day and the days of the Second World War, the time of her grandmother, Ruby. Many heartaches and buried family secrets of the past and present are revealed as the novel continues.
Themes of home and homesickness for both time and place, and of family love, secrets, and tragic misunderstandings weave throughout the story. I found the novel a bit hard to get into at first, but it soon hooked me. The characters of Ruby and her family—parents, brother, husband-- are especially well-drawn, and those chapters vividly evoke the era and setting. The tragedies that beset Ruby during wartime are relentless, and her determination to "remain strong" in the face of them makes the book compelling reading. Some of the book's present-day characters are somewhat less compelling, less believable to me, and I found myself getting a bit impatient with them. The conceit of the "Book of Summer," a visitor's book kept at Cliff House for those who stayed there to write in each year, serves to move the narrative forward, however unlikely it seems that people would write such intimate thoughts and feelings in an actual visitor's book in a summer home. In spite of these minor objections, the novel is definitely worth the time spent reading it. An author's note at the back informs us that the book is based upon the "real-life erosion of the Sankaty Bluff in Siasconset--known as Sconset—the easternmost spot on Nantucket Island," the solutions for which are a cause of debate and controversy to the present day.
The Typewriter's Tale
by Michiel Heyns
The Typewriter's Tale (1/16/2017)
Michiel Heyns' novel, told from the point of view of the writer Henry James's stenographer, is an interesting read. If you enjoy reading Henry James, or other novelists of his era (turn of the twentieth century), you will probably enjoy this book. The characters are believable and engaging, and the historical figures, such as James and Edith Wharton, as well as other prominent figures of the time, seem true-to-life. As the author remarks in an afterword, "I have been consciously unfair to the James family and to Edith Wharton; they are here represented not as they in themselves 'really' were, but as they might have been experienced by a sensitive and marginalised young Englishwoman." The Englishwoman is question is Frieda Wroth, employed by Henry James as a typewriter, to type his novels and correspondence from his dictation. She struggles throughout the course of the novel to find her own voice, rather than serve merely as a "receiver" of the work of others. As her emotions and loyalties are engaged and challenged, she pursues her goals to the background of the era's fascination with spiritualism, and of women's suffrage and the restrictions of her sex and class which were being challenged at the time. The book is well worth reading, though the prose, consciously written in the style of a turn-of-the-century novelist, may be challenging to stick with for some readers.
I See You
by Clare Mackintosh
I See You (10/30/2016)
A psychological thriller in the vein of Girl on a Train, Clare Mackintosh's novel is a story that is hard to put down. The characters are believable and well-drawn, and the story line grabs the reader quickly and doesn't let go until the final page.
Zoe Walker has two grown children, a new live-in partner, an ex-husband who still loves her, and a job in an estate agent's office, where she is largely unappreciated. One evening as she rides the underground home from work, she sees her own photo in an ad for a dating agency. Soon, she realizes that other women whose picture appears in the same add have been victims of assault and even murder.
There are enough red herrings and twists and turns in the narrative to keep the reader guessing about who is friend and who is foe in this fast-paced mystery. The ending packs a punch at the last minute, and leaves the reader with the message "to be continued...!"
This novel is highly recommended!
The Comet Seekers
by Helen Sedgwick
The Comet Seekers (9/3/2016)
This novel tells the story of two protagonists, Roisin, an Irish astronomer, and Francois, a French chef. Themes of longing and loss, belonging and freedom, longing for the past and hope for the future, sound throughout the narrative. The stories of secondary characters whose lives impact those of Roisin and Francois intertwine throughout.
The novel's structure revolves around the appearance, at intervals through history, of comets in the skies. As the book progresses, we see how the stories of all these characters run parallel, touch briefly, and then intersect each other. The reader must pay careful attention to the chapter headings (Halley's Comet, Comet Giacobini, etc.) in order to keep track of the narrative as it shoots between time periods and points of view. The absence of quotation marks when characters are speaking may also be challenging. This novel is worth the attention, though. The writing is graceful and compelling and the quirky characters moving and enchanting.
Romance, magic realism, ghost story, historical novel, fantasy; all are elements that combine to make this book a wonderful read.
The Secret Language of Stones: A Daughters of La Lune Novel
by M. J. Rose
The Secret Language of Stones (4/29/2016)
Paris, 1918: the long world war is finally drawing to an end, and Opaline Duplessi, a young apprentice to a Russian emigre jeweler, prays for an end to the suffering which she encounters all too closely. Opaline is a lithomancer, whose powers are concentrated through precious stones. She fashions mourning talismans for mothers, sisters and wives who have lost loved ones in battle. After she places something belonging to the departed in a piece of jewelry she creates, Opaline receives messages to pass along to the bereaved. Once the messages are delivered, Opaline hears no more from the dead, until one day she has an encounter with the tortured spirit of a young commander who blames himself for the loss of his entire unit in battle. An enduring connection begins, which leads Opaline into a new realm of adventure, both in the physical world and in the realm of the mind and spirit. Set against the background of the Great War and the Russian Revolution, M.J. Rose's novel will appeal to fans of historical fiction and romance, especially those interested in occult phenomena. The characters are intriguing and well-drawn, and the author skillfully evokes the atmosphere of mystery, danger and romance of the Palais Royal. If the occult aspects of the story seem a bit over the top at times, the story is gripping enough to keep the reader engaged until the final denouement which occurs in the epilogue.
The Language of Secrets
by Ausma Zehanat Khan
The Language of Secrets (11/15/2015)
Set in Canada, Ausma Zehanant Khan's second novel, the Language of Secrets, is the story of a Muslim Canadian police detective investigating the murder of his former friend,who, unbeknownst to him, is an undercover agent for Canada's federal intelligence agency, INSET. His investigation is hampered by the politics of the area, INSET agents who are concerned that his investigation will hamper their operation, and by his sister, Ruksh, who has become engaged to the main suspect, a charismatic radical. Khan's novel is fast-paced, with complex,engaging characters and intricate plotting. The subject matter is extremely timely and implicitly warns us of the danger of making facile judgments about a very complicated issue. Above all, the story grabs us from the beginning sentences and doesn't let go until the final resolution. An absorbing read!
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