Sujoya - theoverbookedbibliophile (recovering from
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Books:
2023-favorite-reads
(19)
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| B000JMKVJE
| 3.96
| 81,776
| Nov 07, 2006
| Nov 07, 2006
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it was amazing
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4.5⭐️ “Stories were different, though: they came alive in the telling. Without a human voice to read them aloud, or a pair of wide eyes following them 4.5⭐️ “Stories were different, though: they came alive in the telling. Without a human voice to read them aloud, or a pair of wide eyes following them by flashlight beneath a blanket, they had no real existence in our world. They were like seeds in the beak of a bird, waiting to fall to earth, or the notes of a song laid out on a sheet, yearning for an instrument to bring their music into being. They lay dormant, hoping for the chance to emerge. Once someone started to read them, they could begin to change. They could take root in the imagination, and transform the reader. Stories wanted to be read, David’s mother would whisper. They needed it. It was the reason they forced themselves from their world into ours. They wanted us to give them life.” Twelve-year-old David grapples with the loss of his mother and the changes in his life as his father remarries and they move into his stepmother’s old family home where he struggles to adjust to a new life as WWII rages on. David’s father works as a codebreaker and David resents having to spend time with his stepmother and the new baby in the family. David's only solace is the time he spends with his books - the love for reading and tales of knights and folk tales he shared with his late mother. In his new room, he finds an interesting collection of old books – old tales unlike those he has ever read before and as he reads on, he senses strange occurrences around him. One day out in the woods surrounding the house, a series of shocking events cause David’s reality to blur. As the narrative progresses, we follow David as he is thrust into the fantastical world of Elsewhere where meets friends and foes in his journey to find the king who possesses the Book of Lost Things which he hopes will have the key to his returning home. Through stories, adventure and life-changing experiences, David learns much about life, family, friendship, and courage – a journey that will leave an indelible impact on his life. I absolutely loved The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly! I do not read much fantasy but have always loved fairy tales and particularly enjoyed the author’s take (sinister and twisted for the most part) on the tales and some of our favorite characters from the same. David is an endearing protagonist who will strike a chord in your heart. Masterfully crafted and exceptionally well-written with vivid world-building, this creative, immersive dark fantasy novel kept me engrossed until the very end. I loved how the author has woven the theme of love for reading and the importance of books in our lives throughout this novel. I also loved how the author chose to end the novel (incredibly moving, bittersweet and thoroughly satisfying!). I must mention the enthralling and extensive Author’s Note, where he discusses the tales and fictional characters who inspired the characters in David’s story and a version of each of the tales as well. Though I wouldn’t recommend this one for children, I believe adults who enjoy folklore/fairy tales with darker themes would surely enjoy the read! I paired my reading with the audio narration by Steven Crossley, which truly enhanced my overall experience. Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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Dec 17, 2023
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Dec 26, 2023
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Kindle Edition
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| 198217921X
| 9781982179212
| 198217921X
| 4.29
| 66,130
| Sep 05, 2023
| Sep 05, 2023
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it was amazing
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4.5⭐️ “Our lives and the lives of those we love merge to create a river whose current carries us forward from our beginning to our end. Because we are 4.5⭐️ “Our lives and the lives of those we love merge to create a river whose current carries us forward from our beginning to our end. Because we are only one part of the whole, the river each of us remembers is different, and there are many versions of the stories we tell about the past. In all of them there is truth, and in all of them a good deal of innocent misremembering.” The discovery of the body of one of its influential residents in the Alabaster River on Memorial Day 1958 leaves a community in Minnesota in shock. The victim, Jimmy Quinn, was not without enemies and though not too many people are mourning his death, tensions are high. Sheriff Brody Dern's team and his former colleague and mentor, now part-time deputy Connie Graff, are tasked with investigating the murder. The narrative follows Brody as he tries to unravel the mystery of Quinn’s murder, starting with trying to find out who might have had a grudge against him among his family, neighbors and employees. As the narrative progresses, we also get to know more about the community and the way of life in the small town of Jewel, Minnesota. Though the war ended some years back, the scars and memories remain as do bias, intolerance and prejudices. Fueled more by prejudice and his family's history with the Quinns, Noah Bluestone, a Native American WWII veteran is deemed a suspect by the townspeople. Noah returned from the war with his Japanese wife Kyoko, who was until recently employed by the Quinns. Eventually, when Noah is taken into custody based on evidence found at his home, he refuses to cooperate with Charlotte “Charlie” Bauer, his lawyer, and maintains his silence. Tempers are rising and might soon manifest in a violent act of retribution and Brody and his associates must leave no stone unturned to ensure that the true culprit is brought to justice before anyone else gets hurt. It is not an easy task for a man haunted by his own past and struggling to navigate a complicated personal situation in a town that has more than a fair share of secrets. The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger is a brilliantly penned novel. The author’s vividly described settings capture the time and place brilliantly. The realistic depiction of the inter-personal dynamics in a small town with its flawed characters each with personal struggles and secrets to keep ranging from post-war trauma, physical and emotional wounds, messy personal lives and darkness that lurks behind closed doors. The author is a master storyteller and at no point does the narrative feel weighed down with its large cast of characters and numerous subplots that are seamlessly woven into a consistently paced, immersive narrative that I could not put down. Complex characters, a gripping narrative and sharp writing – William Kent Krueger does not disappoint! Many thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. “We all die, but some of us— those who are blessed or maybe just lucky— have the opportunity before that end to be redeemed. We can let go, forgive others, and also forgive ourselves for the worst of what we are or have been.” Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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Sep 05, 2023
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Sep 05, 2023
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Hardcover
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| 0063281090
| 9780063281097
| 4.04
| 4,379
| Aug 08, 2023
| Aug 08, 2023
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it was amazing
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4.5⭐️ Revolving around themes of Native American history, heritage, identity, trauma and healing A Council of Dolls by Mona Susan Power tells the story 4.5⭐️ Revolving around themes of Native American history, heritage, identity, trauma and healing A Council of Dolls by Mona Susan Power tells the story of three generations of Native American women spanning the nineteenth century to the present day. The narrative is presented to us from the first-person perspectives of Sissy (Jesse), Lillian and Cora. Also sharing their perspectives are the three dolls that bear witness to the sorrows, loss and trauma these three women during their childhood years – their friends, companions, confidantes and source of strength in difficult times- Sissy’s doll Ethel, Lillian’s doll is a Shirley Temple doll she calls Mae and Cora’s is a buckskin doll named Winona. “We've had forces working to get rid of our culture and beliefs, our way of living, for many generations now.” Sissy’s mother Lillian is a strong woman, an activist with a volatile temperament whose childhood experiences, both in her family and in school, have cast a long shadow on her present family life. Growing up in 1960s Chicago, Sissy was too young to comprehend that her Lakhota/Dakhota parents belong to a generation of indigenous people (and those who came before them) who were forced to attend schools meant to strip them of their language, their identity and their roots. Lillian’s mother, Cora is a loving presence in Sissy’s life but has had a difficult life, growing in the Standing Rock Indian Reservation amid tremendous upheaval in the wake of the killing of Hunkpapa Lakhota leader Sitting Bull, and her experiences in an Indian residential school and troubled marriage to Jack, Lillian’s alcoholic father. “We're used to white folks telling us how lucky we are that they are in our lives, telling us we didn't know how to live until they came along. We're used to being made feel dirty, backward, feeble-minded, lax in our conduct, nasty in our manners-just one tiny hair from being a beast in the zoo.” The narrative begins with a glimpse into Sissy’s childhood and a tragic loss, the impact of which follows her into adulthood. The following sections follow Lillian’s and Cora’s stories and are set in the 1920s and late 1800s, respectively. In the final segment of the story, we meet Sissy who is now in her fifties and has changed her name to Jesse, as she collates the stories of her mother and grandmother to understand how their experiences are tied together and their experiences have impacted their family through generations – an endeavor that proves to be a cathartic experience that paves the way for personal healing. I finished this book a few days ago and have been thinking about it ever since. Needless to say, this is not an easy read. Combining fact and fiction, the author has poured heart and soul into a narrative that is powerful in its simplicity, matter of fact yet intimate, insightful and thought-provoking. The use of magical realism and related symbolism to trace the impact of generational trauma in a Native American family through the eyes of the dolls who were their companions is unique and interesting. Initially, the three narratives set years apart, felt a tad disjointed but eventually the three threads are woven into a cohesive and profoundly impactful narrative that highlights Native American history, beliefs and ‘lore and the impact of colonization, the atrocities inflicted upon generations of indigenous people including war and massacres, indoctrination and the horrific treatment meted out to children in residential schools for Native American children and and the hardships generations of indigenous people have endured to preserve their history, culture and heritage. In her Note, the author talks about her extensive research, her family history and the real people and events that inspired this novel. Overall, I found this to be a heart-wrenching, informative and impactful read that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to those who enjoy character-driven fiction rooted in history. Many thanks to Mariner Books for the gifted copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. “We've learned that healing the present doesn't only clear waters flowing into the future, recovery also flows backward and alleviates the suffering of ancestors. So they can settle down their tears in dark memories, their guilt and shame, their vengeance. And because Time is our relative, a flexible being that moves through every thought and memory, branching into a million rivers of possibility, healing even one of its streams will eventually heal the world.” Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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Aug 09, 2023
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Aug 10, 2023
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Hardcover
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| 0593534565
| 9780593534564
| 0593534565
| 4.53
| 37,964
| Mar 07, 2023
| Mar 07, 2023
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it was amazing
| The story opens in 1914 in a residential public school in the English countryside. WWI rages on and many have their schoolmates and family members in The story opens in 1914 in a residential public school in the English countryside. WWI rages on and many have their schoolmates and family members in service. The young students eagerly and impatiently wait to get their hands on the most recent issue of their school newspaper, The Preshutian, to peruse the lists of names of past students who have lost their lives or have been wounded on the front. Among the present students are Sidney Ellwood and Henry (Heinrich) Gaunt, who harbor feelings for one another but are unable to express the same. Henry is half-German and a pacifist but feels compelled to enlist for the sake of his family and to prove his loyalty to England. Being handed a white feather (meant to symbolize cowardice) in public by a young lady, despite his not being nineteen which was then the minimum age to enlist, prompts him to enlist as soon as becomes eligible. Ellwood, of Jewish descent, is a “poet” at heart but also signs up as soon as he is of age as do many of their classmates. The narrative follows Henry and Ellwood through WWI and its aftermath as they brave the violence and horrors of war, all the while navigating through their feelings for one another. In Memoriam by Alice Winn transports us to the trenches of the Great War as we follow those young men who bravely served their country, putting their hopes and dreams on hold in the interest of the greater good. The narrative is non-linear but not difficult to follow. Interspersed throughout the narrative are correspondence between Ellwood and Gaunt and pages from The Preshutian, with the lists of those wounded, missing and those who were killed in action, with a poignant “In Memoriam” section comprising the obituaries of alumni who have lost their lives on the front. Lord Tennyson’s work is referenced multiple times throughout the narrative (the title of the book is taken from “In Memoriam A.H.H.)” with The Charge of the Light Brigade of particular significance. In describing the war effort, the author also alludes to social class distinction among the officers and references imperialist Britain and how colonization contributed to diversity within the ranks. “We told those Algerians that their civilisation was no good, that they must have ours instead, we carried our white man’s burden dutifully, enlightening Indians—Indians! They who built the Taj Mahal! And Egyptians! For we knew better than their pyramids! We swarmed through Africa and America because we were better than they, of course we were, we were making war humane, and now it has broken down and they are dragged into hell with us.” We meet several characters in the course of Henry and Ellwood’s journey, some for a longer duration than others, but each of them are important in how they are impacted what they experience. Not everyone will survive the war and for those who return, what they have experienced and witnessed will leave an indelible imprint on their lives. The author is unflinching in her depiction of both the the physical and emotional trauma that these young soldiers endure and how these experiences impact their perceptions of country and honor as well as their personal relationships and general worldview. Author Alice Winn pays great attention to detail. The scenes from the trenches of Loos and Somme are vividly descriptive and heartbreaking but exquisitely written. This is a tender love story - a story of bravery and sacrifice - and also a coming-of-age tale wherein the author captures the camaraderie and the competitiveness among school friends and the innocence and hopefulness of boyhood beautifully and how a generation of young men (some as young as fifteen) were led to experience the harsh reality of a country at war, exposing them to horrors they could have never imagined. There are a few melodramatic moments but this does not detract from the overall reading experience. “I actually believed that the principles of our civilisation, our civilisation that has developed further than any other in the history of the world, giving us telephones and trains and flying, for God’s sake, we can fly, I thought, surely such a civilisation, that prides itself on conquering the beast in man and seeks only to bend towards beauty and prosperity, surely, surely, surely, it would not shatter in such a vile and disgusting way. The Hague Convention sought to make war more humane. We had reached a point in history where we believed it was possible to make war humane. “ Please read the Author’s Note where she discusses the historical context and the people, places and true events that inspired this novel. This is certainly one of the most compelling debut novels I have read this year. I can’t wait to read more from this talented new author. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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Jun 23, 2023
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Jun 23, 2023
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Hardcover
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| 1335005625
| 9781335005625
| 1335005625
| 4.09
| 52,865
| Nov 09, 2020
| Sep 05, 2023
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really liked it
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4.5⭐️ Librarian Sayuri Komachi greets all visitors at the library at Hatori Community House with this simple question, the answer to which doesn’t alwa 4.5⭐️ Librarian Sayuri Komachi greets all visitors at the library at Hatori Community House with this simple question, the answer to which doesn’t always come easily to the person to whom the question is directed. “What are you looking for?” Along with her recommendations, she adds a title that is seemingly unrelated to the patron’s query. She also adds a handmade ”bonus gift” to her patrons, that strangely resonates with the person on a deeply personal level. “Life is one revelation after another. Things don’t always go to plan, no matter what your circumstances. But the flip side is all the unexpected, wonderful things that you could never have imagined happening. Ultimately it’s all for the best that many things don’t turn out the way we hoped. Try not to think of upset plans or schedules as personal failure or bad luck. If you can do that, then you can change, in your own self and in your life overall.” What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama (translated by Alison Watts) follows the stories of five such people, each of whom is searching for a purpose or a new direction in life. A twenty-one-year-old sales assistant feels stagnated in her career and is unable to find value in her work-life, a thirty-five-year-old accountant feels trapped in his regular job but hesitates to sacrifice stable employment in the interest of pursuing his passion for antiques as a career; an unemployed thirty-year-old aspiring illustrator is consumed by thoughts of his unfulfilled dreams to be an artist; a forty-year-old former magazine editor transferred to an unfulfilling but less demanding position after returning from maternity leave struggles with her need to branch out while maintaining a work-home balance and finally a recent retiree who questions his worth in society. After a life devoted to his career. Each of these characters, though at different junctures in life, is plagued by feelings of self-doubt and insecurity, but Ms. Komachi’s helpful suggestions prove to be profoundly impactful. Through these five interconnected stories, the author explores the need for human connection, friendship, community and above all, the fact that change and personal growth are possible at every stage in life. This short novel is an ode to the role of libraries, librarians and the transformative power of books. How books enable readers to gain perspective and inspire clarity of thought and personal change is an underlying theme in this novel. I do wish we had gotten to know a bit more about the kind and perceptive librarian Ms. Komachi, which is my only complaint. “Readers make their own personal connections to words, irrespective of the writer’s intentions, and each reader gains something unique.” Beautifully written in simple yet elegant prose, with realistic and well-thought-out characters and situations, insightful and inspiring, this is a sweet and heartwarming read. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would not hesitate to recommend it to those who enjoy stories that revolve around libraries and the profound impact of books and reading on our lives. Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Expected Date of Publication: September 5, 2023 Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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Sep 2023
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May 23, 2023
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Hardcover
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| 1953861148
| 9781953861146
| 1953861148
| 3.96
| 3,066
| Dec 24, 2004
| Mar 14, 2023
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really liked it
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*Shortlisted for International Booker Prize 2023* “Life is sweeping away the dust that keeps piling up, as she mopped the floor with a rag, and someti *Shortlisted for International Booker Prize 2023* “Life is sweeping away the dust that keeps piling up, as she mopped the floor with a rag, and sometimes she would add, Death is nothing more than dust piling up.” As the story begins, we meet twenty-seven-year-old Chunhui as she returns to the ruins of her village after a stint in prison for a crime she did not commit. As she looks round her, she sees the ruins of the mountain village of Pyeongdae, a village once made prosperous through the industriousness of her mother Geumbok – a woman who rose from an impoverished life to become a wealthy entrepreneur in a predominantly patriarchal society. Chunhui, Geumbok’s mute daughter with a large build and uncanny strength, is more than often treated with neglect and indifference by her mother. Chunhui, though mute, was capable of communicating with an elephant named Jumbo she had known since she was a child and who was her only friend. The lives of mother and daughter are impacted by the legacy of an “old crone” and her one-eyed daughter whose stories are directly to Geumbok’s good fortune and ultimate downfall and tragic death in Pyeongdae. The story continues as we flow Chunhui as struggles to survive a solitary life among the ruins of her mother’s legacy, striving to make a living on her own using and improving on the skills she learned when was younger. The narrative switches between past and present as we follow the stories of these different characters and the people and events that impact their lives. The author incorporates themes of ambition, loss, gender identity and politics, motherhood, and found family into this rich and engrossing narrative. Though Geumbok’s story dominates the larger part of the narrative and we follow her struggles as she overcomes seemingly insurmountable obstacles to carve a niche to herself in a hostile world dominated by the will of men, I found Chunhui’s story to be the most emotionally impactful. Despite its fairy tale like quality and moments of humor, Whale by Myeong-kwan Cheon (translated by Chi-Young Kim) story is drenched in tragedy, violence and abuse, mostly directed toward women. The symbolism of the whale - an animal Geumbok sees for the first time in a harbor city which leaves a lasting impression – and the impact of the same on her life and her action in different stages of Geumbok’s life are well constructed. A significant change Geumbok exacts in her life toward the end of her life is particularly significant in summing up her disillusionment with the way women were perceived and treated in that era and how she, in turn, viewed the men in her life in terms of power and influence. The tone of the narrative varies between satirical and humorous to dark and disturbing, often detached and matter of fact. As we follow the stories of these women , the author takes us through the changing social, economic and political landscape of South Korea spanning the Korean War, communism and its aftermath and the emergence of capitalism, modernization and economic prosperity as well issues pertaining to gender roles and politics. Initially I found the different threads of the story a tad disjointed but the author skillfully weaves it all together together in a fantastical story steeped with magical realism and folklore, larger than life characters, and vivid imagery. The non-linear narrative and somewhat inconsistent pacing takes a while to get used to but does not detract from the overall reading experience. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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May 19, 2023
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May 20, 2023
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Paperback
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| 9781609458386
| 4.37
| 25,868
| Aug 18, 2021
| May 16, 2023
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it was amazing
| In January 2003, an unsigned postcard is delivered to the Berest home with a picture of the Opera Garnier in Paris addressed to the author’s late gran In January 2003, an unsigned postcard is delivered to the Berest home with a picture of the Opera Garnier in Paris addressed to the author’s late grandmother. Handwritten, on the back of the postcard were four names – Ephraïm, Emma, Jacques, and Noémie – the names of four members of the Rabinovitch family, all of whom lost their lives during the Holocaust at Auschwitz. Ephraïm and Emma were the parents of Anne’s grandmother Myriam who was the only member of the Rabinovitch family who survived the Holocaust. However, that traumatic era in family history was seldom discussed at the Berest home and though Anne and her mother were Jewish, faith did not play a significant role in Anne’s upbringing. In fact, after the postcard arrived, it was filed away without much thought given to it. This novel is inspired by the author’s investigation of her family’s history. Fifteen years later, after an uncomfortable Passover gathering at a friend's home and an unfortunate incident with her six-year-old daughter at school, Anne begins to ponder over her family history and more importantly her identity as a Jew. She recalls the postcard with the names of her ancestors and decides to use that as a starting point for research realizing that by understanding her painful family history and the struggles her mother and grandmother endured will she be able to begin to understand her legacy and how it has impacted her life. What follows is an in-depth exploration of the history of the Rabinovich family spanning four generations from 1918-19 to the present day. Anne’s research begins with whatever information she can glean from her mother, existing documentation and her mother’s own research into Myriam’s family. Anne’s journey is one of looking backward in an effort to move forward. “I found myself confronted with a latent contradiction. On one side, there was the utopia my parents described as a model society to be built, instilling in us, day after day, the idea that religion was an evil to be fought against. And on the other side, hidden away in some dark crevice of our family life, was the existence of a hidden identity, a mysterious heritage, a strange lineage that drew its raison d’être from the very heart of religion. We were all one big family, no matter the color of our skin or our country of origin; we were all connected to one another through our humanity. But, in the midst of this enlightened discourse, there was that word that kept returning, circling back like a dark star, like some bizarre constellation, surrounded by a halo of mystery. Jew.” Meticulously researched, informative and insightful, thought-provoking and profoundly moving, The Postcard by Anne Berest (translated by Tina Kover from the original French) is the story of a family, the story of war-torn Europe, the Holocaust and the story of survival and generational trauma. The author also explores anti-Semitism both in the context of the Holocaust as well as in contemporary times. The narrative moves between past and present with the past timeline tracing the family history beginning in the pre-WWII years and how Ephraim and Emma moved their family from Russia to Latvia, with a few years in Palestine, and finally, France from where they were deported to Auschwitz, where they perished in 1942. The author vividly describes the oppression of Jews in Nazi-occupied France and the atrocities exacted upon the Jewish population per the dictates of the Nazi regime. Myriam’s story in the later years of the war gives us a glimpse into the Resistance movement in France and the post-war years after the liberation of the concentration camps. Much of what we learn of Myriam's later life is from memories shared by Lelia. The present-day timeline follows Anne and Lelia as they leave no stone unturned in trying to track down the identity of the person who sent the postcard. The author skillfully weaves the different timelines and characters into a gripping and well-paced narrative. Part –memoir, part historical fiction, this is an important book that I would not hesitate to recommend. A must-read for those who enjoy historical fiction with an element of mystery and appreciate stories inspired by true events. Many thanks to Europa Editions and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this extraordinary novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. “I see obstacles where others do not. I struggle endlessly to make a connection between the thought of my family and the mythologized occurrence that is genocide. And that struggle is what constitutes me. It is the thing that defines me. For almost forty years, I have tried to draw a shape that resembles me, but without success. Today, though, I can connect those disparate dots. I can see, in the constellation of fragments scattered over the page, a silhouette in which I recognize myself at last: I am the daughter, and the granddaughter, of survivors.” ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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May 15, 2023
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May 15, 2023
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Hardcover
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| 4.45
| 202,362
| May 02, 2023
| May 02, 2023
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really liked it
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Updated Rating: 4.5⭐️ Audio Narration: 5⭐️ Update (May 11, 2023): I just finished the audiobook narrated by the author! You'd think that after a 700+ r Updated Rating: 4.5⭐️ Audio Narration: 5⭐️ Update (May 11, 2023): I just finished the audiobook narrated by the author! You'd think that after a 700+ read, I'd shy away from a 30+ hour listen, but I couldn't stop thinking about this book! I had mentioned in my review of the novel that it felt like the author poured his heart and soul into the writing and I now say the same for the audio narration. The author’s calm, heartfelt narration is simply outstanding! I would definitely recommend the book, pairing the book with the audio narration or simply opting for the audiobook if you find the page count daunting! “All families have secrets, but not all secrets are meant to deceive.” Dr. Abraham Verghese’s The Covenant of Water follows three generations of an Indian Malayali Christian family in Kerala spanning from 1900 to the 1970s. As the novel begins, we meet twelve-year-old Mariamma preparing for her wedding day. Her groom is a forty-year-old widower with a young son – the owner of a vast expanse of land in Parambil. Unbeknownst to her at the time of marriage (and revealed to her after a tragic loss) is the fact that her husband’s side of the family is plagued by a “condition” that has caused several family tragedies related to drowning across generations. We follow Mariamma or Big Ammachi as she is called and her family through the following decades, and how the condition impacts the lives of those whom she holds dear. Parallel to the Parambil narrative, we also follow the stories of Digby Kilgour, a Scottish doctor who joins the Indian Medical Services in British India as well as Dr. Rune Orquist, who devotes his life to the care of leprosy patients. Though the different threads of the story might seem a tad disjointed, the author weaves these threads into an expansive, breathtakingly beautiful narrative. “What defines a family isn’t blood but the secrets they share.” The novel deals with themes of family, tradition, legacy, grief, love and sacrifice and also explores sensitive issues such as colonialism, discrimination and addiction. I enjoyed this story – the characters, the setting, the elegant prose and descriptive detail, the history of the Parambil family, the portrayal of India and Indians under British rule and how India transitioned into an independent nation and the social and political changes that followed. Dr. Verghese draws upon the history of spice trade in India and the culture, traditions and rituals of the Malayali Christian community in India. The author also incorporates how the advancement of medical sciences has contributed to gaining insight into illnesses that were once difficult to define into the narrative. The writing is descriptive with great attention to detail. There are several characters and subplots woven into this narrative and while the volume might appear a tad intimidating, this story was not ambiguous or too complicated to follow. There are a few minor issues that I should mention. First and foremost, this is an extremely lengthy novel (730+ pages). Those who follow my reviews will know that I don’t find lengthy novels daunting and I’m more than happy to be swept away by a long, fulfilling read as I was with this book, but I feel that this story could have been shorter. Though the author brings all the threads of this story together in a satisfying ending, the multitude of themes, characters and subplots do not allow all the themes to be explored with equal depth, which is understandable. A few significant historical details from the period are mentioned but not explored beyond how they immediately impact the characters in question. There are several descriptive scenes of medical/surgical procedures in the course of this story, which might not make for interesting reading for those not interested in the same. The narrative does suffer from minor repetitiveness but not so much that would detract from the overall reading experience. The Author has taken inspiration from his mother, who jotted down facts about her life and their family history in a forty-page manuscript in answer to her granddaughter’s questions. It is evident from Dr. Verghese's writing that he has poured his heart and soul into this novel. Evocative, insightful, heartbreaking yet hopeful, The Covenant of Water is a memorable read. Many thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. "Ammachi, when I come to the end of a book, and I look up, just four days have passed. But in that time, I've lived through three generations and learned more about the world and about myself than I do during a year in school. Ahab, Queequeg, Ophelia, and other characters die on the page so that we might live better lives." Connect with me! My Blog The StoryGraph ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 2023
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May 04, 2023
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May 05, 2023
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Hardcover
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| 1956763732
| 9781956763737
| 1956763732
| 4.30
| 9,122
| May 02, 2023
| May 02, 2023
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it was amazing
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“For the first time in all my days on the road, it occurred to me to ask where I should go. The woman didn’t hesitate. She spoke with surprising firmn
“For the first time in all my days on the road, it occurred to me to ask where I should go. The woman didn’t hesitate. She spoke with surprising firmness. “La Esperanza,” she said. The word meant hope.” Our protagonist Irene, heartbroken and lost after an unimaginable tragedy, leaves her life in San Francisco, destination unknown. After a period of wandering, she lands up in the town of La Esperanza in Central America and rents a room at La Llorona a hotel at the edge of a lake close to a looming volcano - “a place of extraordinary beauty— heartbreaking beauty, you might say. Heartbreaking, because it was falling apart. Wherever I looked there was something magical. And something broken. It was the broken part that allowed me to feel at home in this place.” Little did she know at the time that she would soon assume responsibility for the hotel and make a life for herself in this foreign land surrounded by strangers who will become an integral part of her life. The narrative is shared from Irene’s perspective in the first-person PoV and we move back and forth between past and present with flashbacks that give us a glimpse into her unhappy, unstable childhood with her hippie mother and the tragic circumstances that resulted in her coming to live with her grandmother at a young age as well as the events that lead her to La Llorona. When she inherits the hotel, it is in a state of disrepair and we bear witness to the trials and tribulations she faces in restoring it to its former glory. The story follows Irene, her life at La Llorona, the people she meets and how her experiences impact her life and encourage her to open up to whatever life has to offer. Irene, a former illustrator and once-aspiring artist, finds inspiration in the natural beauty of La Llorona. Not all her experiences are pleasant and not all the people she meets are trustworthy but each experience is significant and allows her to grow as a person and gives her a sense of worth after a lifetime of feeling disconnected and wary of attachments. As Leila, the former owner of La Llorona had explained to Irene “You may not find what you’re looking for when you come to this lake,” she’d told me. “But you’ll probably find what you need.” The Bird Hotel by Joyce Maynard is a stunningly beautiful novel that touches upon themes of grief, survival, kindness and found family. Elegant prose, masterful storytelling and vivid descriptions of the land and its natural beauty transported me to La Llorona with Irene and I didn’t want to leave. There's a lot packed into this novel without it becoming too heavy or convoluted. I was invested in Irene’s story from the very first page. The descriptions of the characters and their thoughts and reactions are realistic and never exaggerated. The author captures the beauty of the locale both in its tranquility - the vegetation, the flora, birds and the turquoise lake - and in its turbulence and ferocity– the natural disasters, hurricanes and volcanic eruptions that wreak havoc in the lives of the community of La Esperanza. We meet guests from all around the world who come to La Llorona motivated by personal quests or simply in need of respite from the world outside. The author skillfully weaves the stories of other foreigners who settle in the area as well as the descriptions of the Mayan customs and traditions practiced by the indigenous community of the Mayan village into the narrative. ( In her Acknowledgments, the author clarifies that she has written from the perspective of an American expat. The author has maintained a home for over twenty years in a Mayan village in Guatemala). The beautifully descriptive writing, realistic characterizations and fluid narrative made for an immersive reading experience. “It’s not important what took place before. It’s what you do now that matters.” Many thanks to Skyhorse Publishing and NetGalley for the much-appreciated digital review copy of this beautiful novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Apr 27, 2023
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May 2023
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May 01, 2023
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Hardcover
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| 1250863465
| 9781250863461
| 1250863465
| 4.15
| 12,455
| Mar 21, 2023
| Mar 21, 2023
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it was amazing
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4.5⭐️(rounded up) “Knowledge allows remembering, and remembering is honoring.” In an effort to flee post-war –Vietnam in search of a new life, a family 4.5⭐️(rounded up) “Knowledge allows remembering, and remembering is honoring.” In an effort to flee post-war –Vietnam in search of a new life, a family decides to flee to the United States, where they have family waiting for them. Sixteen-year-old Anh, ten-year-old Thanh and Minh thirteen at the time, are the first to embark on this perilous journey, with their parents and remaining siblings to follow. In a tragic turn of events, their parents and younger siblings do not survive the first leg of the journey. Anh and her brothers are rejected for asylum in the United States and eventually are admitted into the United Kingdom – a journey that takes two years and stretches at refugee camps in Hong Kong and finally in the UK, where they await resettlement. We go on to follow Anh, now responsible for her younger brothers as she and her siblings process their losses, cope with the trauma they have witnessed and endured and strive to adjust to life in their adopted country. The narrative is presented to us in three threads. The first is the story of Anh and her two siblings, presented in the third person narrative format predominantly from Anh’s perspective that follows their story from 1978 to the present day. The second thread is the first-person narrative of Dao, one of their younger brothers who did not survive the journey along with their parents, floating in the afterlife and keeping watch over his three surviving siblings. The third thread is that of a writer (whose identity is revealed later on in the narrative) in the present day who is drafting a story based on Anh’s experiences, documenting her research. The threads do come across as a tad disjointed and it took a while to get used to the abrupt change in narrative especially when the writer’s thread is presented to us. “I am trying to carve out a story between the macabre and the fairy tale, so that a glimmer of truth can appear.” Wandering Souls by Cecile Pin is a beautifully written, well-researched, insightful and thought-provoking story. The story touches upon themes of immigration, the refugee crisis, grief, loss, survivor's guilt, generational trauma and healing. While the story sheds a light on the perilous journey of Vietnamese boat refugees and refugees and immigrants all around the world who are compelled to embark on dangerous journeys seeking sanctuary, the author also sheds a light on generational trauma and how grief casts a shadow on the lives of those who are both, directly and indirectly, affected by a loss. I can’t help pondering over the significance of the title of this novel. The novel references Operation Wandering Soul - a psychological warfare campaign exercised by US troops during the Vietnam War that revolved around the Vietnamese belief that their dead must be given a proper burial in their hometown, failing which their souls would aimlessly wander the earth. We also meet a wandering soul, Dao, Anh’s younger sibling. The term "wandering souls" also signifies the sense of displacement and loss that refugees struggle with in their search for a sense of home and belongingness in their adopted country. The author references several horrific real events such as the rape and torture of Vietnamese refugees by Thai fishermen on the Thai island of Koh Kra in 1979 and the Essex Lorry Deaths of 2019 while also giving us a glimpse into the immigration policies and politics in the UK during that period. Overall, this is an incredibly moving and impactful read and a stunning debut. I can’t wait to read more from this talented new author. I paired my reading with excellent audio narration by Aoife Hinds, Ioanna Kimbook and Ainsleigh Barber that brought these characters and this story to life. “We fill in the gaps. We find stories in every little moment and gather them up readily. We imagine that the unknown isn’t the worst scenario and we try to make sense of the senseless. We look for the silver linings and the whys and what- ifs and what- should- have- beens. We try to solve the puzzle, pieces scattered through time and space and the deepest corners of our memories. And what better way is there of doing that, what better way is there of processing our past, than by rewriting it?” Connect with me! My Blog The StoryGraph ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Apr 05, 2023
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Apr 08, 2023
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Apr 10, 2023
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Hardcover
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| 0593598830
| 9780593598832
| 0593598830
| 4.07
| 139,424
| May 30, 2023
| May 30, 2023
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it was amazing
| 4.5⭐ ( rounded up..can't stop thinking about this one!) “I want to live on a magical island with my favorite author and be his sidekick……” Who wouldn’t 4.5⭐ ( rounded up..can't stop thinking about this one!) “I want to live on a magical island with my favorite author and be his sidekick……” Who wouldn’t want that? Twenty-six-year-old Lucy Hart, remembers the time she ran away from home at the age of thirteen to meet Jack Masterson, a famous children’s book author whose Clock Island series captured the hearts and imagination of generations of readers. She did meet the author, though her plans to stay with him didn’t quite pan out. The series remains her favorite and she shares that love with seven-year-old Christopher a student of hers, recently orphaned and now in foster care. Lucy carries the pain of an unhappy childhood and cares deeply for Christopher. She dreams of becoming his foster parent and eventually adopting him. However, her meager income as a teacher’s aide and less than suitable living arrangements make her an unsuitable candidate for the same. When her favorite author invites her to participate in a contest to win the only copy of his new manuscript, written after an almost six-year hiatus, Lucy jumps at the opportunity to visit Clock Island, Masterson's private island in Maine that is modeled after the setting for his books. Not only is she excited to meet her favorite author once again but winning the contest would greatly improve Lucy’s financial situation and thus, her chances of being approved as a guardian for Christopher. “What did the kids in the books have to do to get their wishes? First, they had to make a wish. Then they had to get to Clock Island. After that, they answered riddles or played strange games. Then they had to face their fears.” On Clock Island, Lucy meets her co-contestants – three others like herself who had once run away from unhappy situations at home when they were children to meet “The Mastermind” who they believed had the power to make their wishes come true. Now as adults, they are back at Clock Island and they all have their reasons for wanting to with the contest. Lucy also meets Hugo Reese again, the illustrator for the series. Jack’s contest consists of a series of games and riddles and ultimately just like the characters in his books, a special challenge wherein they would have to face their fears. But news of Jack Masterson’s new book is making waves and there are scheming lawyers, book collectors and publishers to get their hands on that coveted manuscript. Lucy has a lot on her plate –dodging shady people with their shadier offers, her dynamic with Hugo, the stress of winning the contest and securing a future for Christopher and herself- and it’s not going to be an easy ride. The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer is a beautiful story. Remember Willy Wonka? Instead of a chocolate factory, here get to have a look at Masterson's “writing factory” fully equipped with a huge collection of typewriters and his raven, Thurl Ravenscroft,also his “co-writer”. The narrative is shared for the most part from Lucy’s perspective and a few chapters from that of Hugo with excepts from one of the Clock Island books interspersed throughout the narrative. Jack Masterson is a quirky character with a heart of gold. Lucy Hart is endearing and I was invested in her story from the very beginning. Her journey is one of catharsis and growth. The dynamics between the Jack and Hugo and Lucy and Christopher - the friendship, concern and empathy and sense of family will touch your heart. Christopher did seem a bit mature for his age but his reservations can be explained by the trauma he has endured. I also liked that the author also looks at the potential perils involved when impressionable minds are influenced to embark on risky ventures. Some moments will break your heart and others will have your heart singing with joy. Overall this a lovely story that touches on themes of family, childhood, loss, kindness, love and sacrifice. As an introvert who grew up with her nose always in a book (Enid Blyton books, The Trixie Belden series, and The Chronicles of Narnia were among my favorite childhood series) and an adult who struggles to keep from squealing with excitement every time she visits The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Disney World (I read the Harry Potter books when I was well into my twenties), I was captivated by this story and the idea of Clock Island as the reclusive author’s not—so—humble abode. Meg Shaffer does a brilliant job of highlighting the role that books play in the lives of children (and adults) and the refuge they provide and in doing so reinforces the fact that books remain your constant companion through the darkest of times. Though not fantasy per se, this story is magical in its own way. Read this book with your heart and you won’t be disappointed! Many thanks to author Meg Shaffer, Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and NetGalley for the much-appreciated digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. “The stories write us, you see. We read something that moves us, touches us, speaks to us and it … it changes us.” ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 26, 2023
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Feb 28, 2023
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Feb 28, 2023
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Hardcover
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| 0857529404
| 9780857529404
| 0857529404
| 4.28
| 101,681
| Mar 07, 2023
| Jan 01, 2023
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it was amazing
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“There is a kind of sadness that transcends sadness, that runs like hot syrup into every crevice of your being, beginning in the heart then oozing int
“There is a kind of sadness that transcends sadness, that runs like hot syrup into every crevice of your being, beginning in the heart then oozing into your very cells and bloodstream, so that nothing— not earth or sky or even your own palm— ever looks the same. This is the sadness that changes everything.” In 1948, a chance meeting between seventeen-year-old Victoria “Torie” Nash meets a young man by the name of Wilson “Wil” Moon, a drifter of Native American descent triggers a sequence of events that changes Victoria's life forever. Victoria, the only female in her household, since her mother perished in a tragic car accident when she was twelve, was responsible for taking care of the household while her father and other men of the family and those in their employ worked their family’s peach farm in Iola, Colorado. Victoria is lonely and Wilson is kind and caring and makes her happy. She keeps her relationship with Wilson secret for good reason. But in a tragic turn of events, Victoria finds herself alone and fending for herself, knowing that neither her life will ever be the same again nor will she. “Just as a single rainstorm can erode the banks and change the course of a river, so can a single circumstance of a girl’s life erase who she was before.” The narrative follows Victoria over the next four decades as she builds a life for herself after enduring tragic loss and much more. Eventually, in the late 1950s, she leaves Iola when she accepts a buyout offer by the government as they plan to flood Iola and two neighboring towns to build the Blue Mesa Reservoir. She remembers Wil’s words and decides to “go as a river” and take life as it comes doing the best she can do. Her move to Paonia comes with its own set of challenges but Victoria leads a quiet life with dignity, with the memories of the places and the people she has left behind. Some wounds are deeper than others and some decisions, taken in moments of despair will haunt her throughout the years. “Strength, I had learned, was like this littered forest floor, built of small triumphs and infinite blunders, sunny hours followed by sudden storms that tore it all down. We are one and all alike if for no other reason than the excruciating and beautiful way we grow piece by unpredictable piece, falling, pushing from the debris, rising again, and hoping for the best.” Go as a River by Shelley Read is a stunningly beautiful novel. I honestly could not believe that this was the author’s debut novel. The beautiful prose and the vivid descriptions of the landscape and nature make for an immersive read. The story touches upon themes of discrimination, love, loss, motherhood, sacrifice, resilience, friendship and how one defines family and home. Each of the characters in this story is well-fleshed out. Strong and resilient, compassionate and kind, Victoria is a memorable character. I was completely invested in Victoria’s story, sharing her sorrows and pain, rejoicing in her triumphs and hoping that eventually, she would find some peace and happiness. The story is presented to us from the first-person PoV of Victoria in 1971 who recalls her past and the events that led to her being at the reservoir on that day. The narrative is well –structured and the relatively slower pace is perfect for the story. I’m glad the author chose to end the novel on a hopeful note but not too neatly tied up, which would have been unconvincing. Overall, I found this to be a powerfully evocative story that will stay with me. I originally read this on loan from my library and loved it so much that I just had to order a personal copy. I decided on the UK edition for the beautiful cover! “Imagine a town silent, forgotten, decomposing at the bottom of a lake that once was a river. If this makes you wonder whether the joys and pain of a place wash away as the floodwaters rise and swallow, I can tell you they do not. The landscapes of our youths create us, and we carry them within us, storied by all they gave and stole, in who we become.” Note: I enjoy reading up on historical facts that inspire fiction whenever I come across something new. While reading up on the flooding of Iola after reading this novel, I came across an article from 2018. In 2018, The Blue Mesa Reservoir dried out during a severe drought, causing what remained of the long-submerged town of Iola to reemerge. https://coloradosun.com/2018/12/10/io... Connect with me! My Blog The StoryGraph ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Apr 18, 2023
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Apr 20, 2023
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Feb 16, 2023
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Hardcover
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| 1250284376
| 9781250284372
| 1250284376
| 4.09
| 22,177
| May 02, 2023
| May 02, 2023
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it was amazing
| “I think each story has its own life. In the beginning, it lives in the writer’s mind, and it grows and changes while it’s there. Changes the writer, “I think each story has its own life. In the beginning, it lives in the writer’s mind, and it grows and changes while it’s there. Changes the writer, too, I’d bet.” He smiled at her, then continued. “At some point it’s written down, and that’s the book readers hold in their hands. But the story isn’t done, because it goes on to live in the readers’ heads, in a way that’s particular to each of them. We’re all caretakers of the stories, Alice. Writers are just the lucky ones that get to know them first.” No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister is a story about a book, “Theo” written by Alice Wein. It is also the story of the twenty-five-year-old author, Alice, who has poured her heart and soul into her debut novel. It is also the story of nine people who read her book – or rather, a collection of stories each of which features someone who has read “Theo” and the difference it has made in their lives - a literary agent and her assistant who is also a new mother, an actor turned audiobook narrator, a homeless teenager, a professional diver who tests his own boundaries, an artist seeking inspiration from the world around her, a bookseller who embarks on a personal relationship only to find it less than fulfilling, a coordinator who works in the movie business and a widower in his sixties grieving the recent loss of his wife - people from different walk of life, in different stages in life, facing his/her/their own set of challenges. While I wouldn’t call these stories interconnected in the true sense of the term, they are connected by a common thread – “Theo” by Alice Wein. No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister is a special book. Beautifully written, intimate and thought-provoking with characters who are real and relatable, these stories made me think of some of the books that I have loved and the stories that have stayed with me through the years – the books that came to me at the very right moment and left an indelible impact. Overall, this is an emotional read that I would not hesitate to recommend. I believe this book would appeal to those fond of character-driven short stories. “No two persons ever read the same book, or saw the same picture.” -The Writings of Madame Swetchine, 1860 Like all books, this one will touch us in different ways. But I am confident that all of us who love to read would agree that books are much more than a hobby for us – they are our friends, our refuge, our sanctuary - they teach us, they make us cry, they make us smile, give us perspective and so much more. It is this sentiment that the author expresses so beautifully through this novel. “Maybe not consciously, but that was the beauty of books, wasn’t it? They took you places you didn’t know you needed to go.” Many thanks to author Erica Bauermeister, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 25, 2023
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Mar 29, 2023
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Feb 15, 2023
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 1590171993
| 9781590171998
| 1590171993
| 4.34
| 180,448
| 1965
| Jun 20, 2006
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it was amazing
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Have you ever read a book that leaves you so overwhelmed you don't have words to explain why or how? For me, it's this one! "He had wanted the singlen Have you ever read a book that leaves you so overwhelmed you don't have words to explain why or how? For me, it's this one! "He had wanted the singleness and the still connective passion of marriage; he had had that, too, and he had not known what to do with it, and it had died. He had wanted love; and he had had love, and had relinquished it, had let it go into the chaos of potentiality." A simple story of a man from humble origins who pursues a career in academics. This is the story of the life of William Stoner - his early life, his days as a student, his love for English Literature, his marriage and family and his career as an English professor- a life lived with quiet dignity, with its share of ups and downs, regrets, disappointments and small triumphs. It could be anybody's story."Unremarkable" is a word one might use when when talking about William Stoner and in fact, the beginning of the novel stresses that point but then, why does his story feel so significant? I read Stoner by John Edward Williams slowly over a week. It will take much longer than that to frame my thoughts or maybe I'd prefer to just keep thinking about this book for as long as I can. "And he had wanted to be a teacher, and he had become one; yet he knew, he had always known, that for most of his life he had been an indifferent one." In short, all I can say right now is that this is a beautifully penned, insightful and thought-provoking novel that I regret not having read earlier in life. This simple, quiet story affected me on a deeply personal level. Thank you to everyone who recommended this book to me. "He had conceived wisdom, and at the end of the long years he had found ignorance. And what else? he thought. What else?" ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 2023
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Feb 09, 2023
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Feb 09, 2023
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Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 1662601395
| 9781662601392
| 1662601395
| 4.19
| 8,847
| 1952
| Jan 17, 2023
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it was amazing
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4.5⭐️ “My life always appeared rather insignificant, without remarkable events, apart from my marriage and the birth of the children. Instead, ever sin 4.5⭐️ “My life always appeared rather insignificant, without remarkable events, apart from my marriage and the birth of the children. Instead, ever since I happened to start keeping a diary, I seem to have discovered that a word or an intonation can be just as important, or even more, than the facts we’re accustomed to consider important. If we can learn to understand the smallest things that happen every day, then maybe we can learn to truly understand the secret meaning of life. But I don’t know if it’s a good thing, I’m afraid not.” In November 1950 forty –three-year-old Valeria Cossati purchases a black notebook from a tobacconist – a “forbidden” item as the tobacco is not permitted to sell anything but tobacco to his customers. Her journal entries give us a window into Valeria’s home, her family, and Valeria herself as documented over the next six months. Valeria’s life revolves around her family – her husband Michele, and her two grown children Riccardo and Mirella. Financially they are getting by but are not well-off. Valeria is not simply a housewife but also works to supplement her husband’s income- a fact that is frowned upon by her own mother whose family comes from more affluent origins. Valeria is trapped in a conventional marriage despite her having the freedom to work. She is conflicted but unable to express her true feelings, correctly assuming that it would fracture the delicate balance she has established within her family more often that not at the cost of stifling her own wishes and desires. “I often have a desire to confide in a living person, not only in this notebook. But I’ve never been able to. Stronger than the desire to confide is the fear of destroying something that I’ve been constructing day by day, for twenty years, the only thing I possess.” Valeria is anxious and consumed by feelings of guilt and fears that her secret diary will be discovered. Multiple times throughout her diary she shares how difficult it is for her to hide this diary and how she keeps changing where she keeps it. She yearns for a “space” that she can call her own – her bedroom is occupied by her husband who spends time listening to music or reading in his free time, her children have their own rooms and she is left to write her entries at night after everyone is asleep in constant fear of being discovered. “Because when I write in this notebook, I feel I’m committing a serious sin, a sacrilege: it’s as if I were talking to the devil. Opening it, my hands tremble; I’m afraid. I see the white pages, the dense parallel lines ready to receive the chronicle of my future days, and even before I’ve lived them, I’m distressed. I know that my reactions to the facts I write down in detail lead me to know myself more intimately every day. Maybe there are people who, knowing themselves, are able to improve; but the better I know myself, the more lost I become.” Valeria’s “forbidden” notebook, proves to be an outlet for her most private thoughts, a place she can vent her frustrations, anger, and disappointment towards her marriage, her husband, her children and life in general. Valeria’s diary gives her a voice and the opportunity to be herself and understand herself even though she is unable to share the same with anyone. Valeria struggles as she reflects on her marriage and tries to hold onto the values and principles she has adhered to all her life. She is unable to reconcile with the way her children, her daughter in particular chooses to lead their own. Her husband attributes her conflicts with Marilla to “maternal jealousy” which gives you an idea of how marginalized Valeria is in her own home. She also shares her budding friendship with a colleague, a friendship that does not come with a preconceived set of expectations, unlike all her other relationships Forbidden Notebook by Alba de Céspedes, translated by Ann Goldstein is a stunningly insightful novel that is both timeless and relevant in its appeal and impactful in its message. The Foreword by Jhumpa Lahiri provides insight into the historical context of this novel. The narrative is shared from Valeria’s perspective through a series of journal entries. Originally published in its original Italian as a series in the magazine La Settimana Incom Illustrata, between December 1950 and June 1951, Valeria’s journal entries give us a glimpse into the societal norms and social class distinctions, gender roles and expectations and the generational differences in terms of mindset and ambition in the post-war years. Mirella and Valeria and their arguments on how women should lead their lives give us insight into how women perceived their roles in a changing society. What strikes you as hypocritical is Valeria’s family’s attitude toward her need for privacy. When mentioned in passing, the very idea of Valeria keeping a locked drawer for her personal use like the other members of her family or even owning a diary where she might write down her thoughts is laughable to the rest of her family. Her husband goes one step further to point out that their daughter Mirella could need a private diary, given her youth and need to keep secrets but why would Valeria need a diary? What could she possibly write in it? Her family’s regard for Valeria despite her being an earning member of the family differs greatly from the respect Michele receives. This is a nuanced and complex novel but the prose is simple yet elegant and the author writes beautifully, engaging the reader from the very first page. The ending might leave you disheartened but will compel you to think about Valeria long after you’ve finished reading her diary. I paired my reading with the exceptional audio narration by Cassandra Campbell which transported me to Valeria's world. “When I started writing, I thought I’d reached the point where conclusions could be drawn about one’s own life. But every experience—even the one that comes from this long questioning of myself in the notebook—teaches me that all life passes in the anguished attempt to draw conclusions and not succeeding. At least for me it’s like that: everything seems, at the same time, good and bad, just and unjust, even transient and eternal.” ...more |
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Jan 28, 2023
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| 0593320700
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| 0593320700
| 4.07
| 7,107
| Feb 14, 2023
| Feb 14, 2023
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it was amazing
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“In life, there is a savage side and a beautiful side.” Set in Chillicothe, Ohio, On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel revolves around twin sisters A “In life, there is a savage side and a beautiful side.” Set in Chillicothe, Ohio, On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel revolves around twin sisters Arcade ”Arc” and Farren “Daffy” Doggs. Raised by their addict mother Adelyn and their Aunt Clover both of whom are prostitutes, Arc and Daffy spend their time dreaming of a life away from the hell they call home, drawing on the cement floor of their home with markers gifted to them by their maternal grandmother Mamaw Milkweed. The time the sisters spend with her, listening to her stories full of magic, life lessons and words of wisdom is the only bright spot in their miserable childhood. “Wings were the one gift we kept giving ourselves. Each year we would draw them with more feathers, hoping they would be big enough to be real. No matter how hard we wished, or how large we drew the wings, we never got more than a foot off the ground, the highest we could jump on any given day.” Their childhood comes to an abrupt end after their grandmother dies in a tragic accident when they were nine years old. Sexually abused and with no one looking out for them, they are left to fend for themselves. Unfortunately, the darkness of their childhood follows them into their adult lives and what follows is a painful cycle of sexual abuse and prostitution, violence and substance abuse, and ultimately tragedy. The friends they make along the way lead into some beautiful heartfelt moments of friendship and support but with each of them struggling to step out of the darkness in their lives, the friends are unable to keep themselves and one another out of harm’s way. As evil lurks in their community, targeting women like themselves, law enforcement turns a blind eye only compounding the tragedy in the lives of these women who have been profiled, judged and victimized their whole lives. “When a woman disappears, how is she remembered? By her beautiful smile? Her pretty face? The drugs in her system? Or by the johns who all have dope breath and graceless desires?” On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel is a dark, brutal, atmospheric and heartbreaking read. The narrative flits between the past and the present day when Arc and Daffy are twenty years old. The author develops her characters with meticulous detail and weaves their stories together seamlessly. I put down this book multiple times but was unable to stay away from it for too long. Exceptionally well-written, this is a compelling read that will stay with me for a long time. With consistent pacing and a tightly woven plot, featuring Arc and Daffy and their friends Thursday, Nell, Violet and Indigo the author tells an emotionally hard-hitting story inspired by the unsolved murders of the Chillicothe Six. This is not an easy read but a powerful one. Many thanks to the author, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and NetGalley for the much-appreciated digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own, The book is due to be released on February 14, 2023. “We humans have always been in pain. History tells us that in the artifacts civilizations have left behind. Pain is there in the broken vases, the fractured poetry, the overwhelming music we have played for centuries. We belong to grief until the engine goes out. Then we belong to the dirt, our bodies identical to other fallen things.” ⚠ child-neglect, sexual abuse of a minor, sexual violence and substance abuse. ...more |
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Jan 23, 2023
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| 1538724219
| 9781538724217
| 1538724219
| 4.25
| 8,528
| Feb 17, 2023
| Feb 21, 2023
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it was amazing
| Happy Publication Day! (U.S.) “A library is the only place you can go—from cradle to grave—that is free, safe, democratic and no one will try to flog y Happy Publication Day! (U.S.) “A library is the only place you can go—from cradle to grave—that is free, safe, democratic and no one will try to flog you anything. You don’t have to part with a penny to travel the world. It’s the heartbeat of a community, offering precious resources to people in need. It’s a place just to be, to dream and to escape—with books. And what’s more precious than that? So, here’s to all library workers. We need you.” -From The Author’s Note, The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson During WWII, the unfinished Bethnal Green Station not only provided shelter to five thousand people who slept in the bunkers constructed in the tunnels – a safe haven amid the devastation caused by the Blitz but also housed a theatre that hosted opera and ballet, a coffee shop, doctor’s quarters and a wartime nursery and a library. Set in 1944, The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson follows twenty-five-year-old Clara Button, a young widow working as a librarian in the underground library in the Bethnal Green Tube Station and her close friend and assistant Ruby Munroe. Widowed after losing her husband in Dunkirk, Clara is the heart and soul of the library and friend to its patrons- the children, factory workers and those sheltering underground to whom reading provided an escape from the reality outside. Clara’s job isn’t easy, having to deal with misogyny, censorship and petty politics, and her personal losses but she is determined to help everyone who needs her assistance including evacuees fleeing their homes, women facing abusive relationships, those working multiple jobs just to provide for their loved ones and those needing the sanctuary of the library to cope with everything that is happening on the outside. Both Clara and Ruby have much to deal with on the personal front - for Clara it is the loss of her husband, the secrets she harbors and her conflicted feeling for an ambulance worker she meets when he saves her from being attacked outside her home and Ruby is dealing with the tragic death of her elder sister and domestic violence at home with her abusive stepfather’s violence directed toward her mother. As the narrative progresses, we see how both Clara and Ruby not only stand up for their friends and family but are also compelled to make choices that would significantly impact their own stories. Narrated from the perspectives of Clara and Ruby in alternating chapters, The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson is a beautifully written story that combines fact and fiction while touching upon themes of war, loss, hope and survival, and the significance of libraries and librarians in our communities, especially during difficult times (the author also incorporates a discussion on present times and the need for libraries in the context of the pandemic). The author writes with compassion capturing the life and times of wartime Britain – the loss, death and destruction caused by the war, and the hope and resilience of those trying to make the most of what they have. The author incorporates real events such as the Bethnal Green Tube Disaster of 1943 and the Hughes Mansions Tragedy of 1945 into the narrative. I loved learning about the subterranean community and found the Author’s Notes at the end of the book extremely informative. The historical context and the stories of libraries destroyed during the Blitz (with stock images) make this story come to life. I love how the author based some of the characters in this story on actual people who lived down in the bunkers of Bethnal Green Station during those difficult times. I also loved learning about the books that were popular during the war years. The author does a brilliant job of not only painting a realistic picture of life in wartime Britain but also gives us an insight into societal changes during those times that also impacted reading habits and preferences, especially among women. Informative and enlightening, heart-wrenching yet hopeful, this is a story that will stay with me. Fans of historical fiction and stories revolving around libraries would certainly enjoy this novel. Many thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this exceptional novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. “We have lost so very much, but we have not lost heart nor hope. Books help to keep us human in an inhumane world. Don’t you agree?” ...more |
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Jan 22, 2023
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| 0812997158
| 9780812997156
| 0812997158
| 4.46
| 5,749
| Jan 03, 2023
| Jan 03, 2023
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it was amazing
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**Winner of the 2024 Women's Prize for Fiction** “Imagine the places you grew up, the places you studied, places that belonged to your people, burned. **Winner of the 2024 Women's Prize for Fiction** “Imagine the places you grew up, the places you studied, places that belonged to your people, burned. But I should stop pretending that I know you. Perhaps you do not have to imagine. Perhaps your library, too, went up in smoke.” In 1981 Jaffna, sixteen-year-old Sashikala “Sashi” Kulenthiren dreams of becoming a doctor just like her eldest brother Niranjan and her late grandfather, who was a renowned physician in Colombo. But as the civil war in Sri Lanka intensifies and violence ensues between the warring factions- the Sinhalese government and the Tamil militants who are fighting for an independent state free of persecution of the Tamils, life as she has known it shall be changed forever. When one of her brothers loses his life in an act of anti-Tamil violence and two of her brothers and a family friend join the “movement” Sashi finds herself making choices and being drawn into a life she had never imagined for herself- a medical student also working as a medic for those serving in the movement. As she bears witness to the politics, the violence, and the activism of the 1980s she eventually embarks on exposing the true plight of civilians caught in the crossfire between the warring factions of the Sinhalese government, Tamil militants and the Indian peacekeeping forces through the written word with the help of one of her professors taking risks that could endanger her life and those of her associates. “I want you to understand: it does not matter if you cannot imagine the future. Still, relentless, it comes.” Brotherless Night by V.V. Ganeshananthan is a compelling read. Set in the early stages of Sri Lanka’s three-decade civil war, the author takes us through the turbulence of 1980s Jaffna/Colombo, including Black July and its aftermath, combining historical fact with fiction. The author writes with passion yet does not fill the pages with any excess – be it words or sentimentality. Narrated in the first person by our protagonist, Sashi, the tone is direct, often matter-of-fact, yet there is much depth to the words, the characters and their stories. At times, this book reads as a true account rather than a work of fiction. This is one of those rare books that is difficult to read yet impossible to put down. “It did not occur to me to count or prove, to measure our losses for history or for other people to understand or believe. I did not collect the evidence of my own destroyed life; I did not know people would ask me for it.” 4.5⭐️ Many thanks to the author, Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the digital ARC of this exceptionally well-written novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. ...more |
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| 125028080X
| 9781250280800
| 125028080X
| 4.07
| 201,401
| Feb 02, 2023
| Mar 07, 2023
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it was amazing
| 4.5⭐ In 2019, twenty-nine-year-old Kate Ayres flees London to escape an abusive relationship and finds sanctuary in Weyward Cottage, Crows Beck, Cumbri 4.5⭐ In 2019, twenty-nine-year-old Kate Ayres flees London to escape an abusive relationship and finds sanctuary in Weyward Cottage, Crows Beck, Cumbria – a property left for her by her late Aunt Violet. As she embarks on rebuilding her life, her curiosity about the property prompts her to research her family history. As she learns more about her incredible legacy and the women who came before her, not only does Kate begin to see herself in a new light but also understands that she too possesses the power to take control of her life just like her ancestors. In 1942, sixteen-year-old Violet Ayres leads a suffocating life in her home at Orton Hall where lives with her father and younger brother. She does not know much about her late mother except for what she overhears in hushed conversations among the household staff. She dreams of becoming a scientist, studying animals and traveling the world. But an unfortunate turn of events finds her cast out of her home, fending for herself alone in a cottage that once belonged to her mother. In 1619, twenty-one-year-old Altha Weyward, a healer with a deep connection to nature just like her late mother Jennet is on trial after the death of a man in her village. Accused of witchcraft and imprisoned in a dark cell, she waits for the verdict which will seal her fate. “I am trying to think of where the beginning is. Who decides where things begin and end? I do not know if time moves in a straight line, or a circle. Here, the years do not pass so much as loop back on themselves: winter becomes spring becomes summer becomes autumn becomes winter again. Sometimes I think that all of time is happening at once. So you could say that this story begins now, as I sit down to write it, or you could say that it began when the first Weyward woman was born, so many moons ago.” Combining elements of women’s fiction, historical fiction and magical realism author Emilia Hart expertly weaves the three different threads of this story into a compelling narrative. The narrative is shared through multiple perspectives. We follow Kate’s story in the present day with separate chapters detailing Violet‘s and Altha’s stories interspersed throughout the novel. Superb characterizations, vivid imagery, atmospheric settings and simple yet elegant writing make for an immersive reading experience. The narrative has strong feminine overtones and though several (not all) of the male characters are unlikable, the author does not indulge in verbose male-bashing or farfetched revenge drama but instead weaves a narrative highlighting the personal growth and resilience of these women and the comfort and strength they harness from their deep connection to nature, that sees them through the adversity they face in their lives. It is sad that despite living centuries apart each of these women had to endure instances of neglect, abuse and oppression. The symbolism of Weyward cottage and how it continues to be a safe haven and a source of strength for the Weyward women through the centuries is particularly significant. This is a story about family, legacy and courage. Emilia Hart’s Weyward is an impressive debut that I would not hesitate to recommend. I also must mention that the cover art for this novel is absolutely stunning. Many thanks to author Emilia Hart, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the much-appreciated digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. “Witch. The word slithers from the mouth like a serpent, drips from the tongue as thick and black as tar. We never thought of ourselves as witches, my mother and I. For this was a word invented by men, a word that brings power to those who speak it, not those it describes. A word that builds gallows and pyres, turns breathing women into corpses.” ...more |
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Feb 19, 2023
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Jun 30, 2022
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