Mercury
By Margot Livesay
I'm not generally into crime novels or thrillers, and it wasn't obvious that this was in that genre. It certainly didn't start off that way, but slowly, hints are dropped, and slowly I was hooked into finding out what happens.
A couple, married for 10 years with two kids, find themselves increasingly living separate lives. Viv becomes obsessed with a horse, Mercury and her lost dreams of winning equestrian competitions on a great horse. Her obsession leads to an act of violence, thinking she is protecting the horse from danger.
The book is about relationships, and how little things can lead to much bigger problems, in hindsight.
An interesting read, good writing, well written. The plot was so so.
Rating: 3.4/5
Recommendation: OK.
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
#32 The Train to Warsaw
The Train to Warsaw
By Gwen Edelman
Still on the Warsaw ghetto theme, this delicate novel traces the journey of a Jewish Polish couple who survive the Warsaw ghetto and subsequently live for many years, post-WWII, in London.
The novel is short, and is written in short paragraphs, rather than chapters. The narrative alternates between the two voices of the couple, Jascha and Lilka, describing their train trip to visit Warsaw 40 years after the war, and flashbacks to their memories of living in the ghetto, losing their families, and their escape.
During the few days they spend in current-day Warsaw, deep memories and fears start to surface once again, and they relive the good and the bad of their lives before leaving. They reveal some untold stories to each other, which make them each question their relationship.
Jascha is now a famous novelist, and he wrote a novel about the ghetto. In present day Warsaw he is invited to speak about his writing, as a returning Polish author. Little does the audience know that he will read from his novel about the horrors that the Jews faced behind the wall, while the Poles live a relatively normal life before the city was destroyed by the Germans. At the end of his lecture, only 4 people remain in the audience. The rest have left in shock and disgust.
It is a portrait of a once beautiful city, of people displaced from their homeland by atrocious acts of war, and of an attempt to return to a place that no longer exists.
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommendation: If you're into reading about the Warsaw ghetto.
By Gwen Edelman
Still on the Warsaw ghetto theme, this delicate novel traces the journey of a Jewish Polish couple who survive the Warsaw ghetto and subsequently live for many years, post-WWII, in London.
The novel is short, and is written in short paragraphs, rather than chapters. The narrative alternates between the two voices of the couple, Jascha and Lilka, describing their train trip to visit Warsaw 40 years after the war, and flashbacks to their memories of living in the ghetto, losing their families, and their escape.
During the few days they spend in current-day Warsaw, deep memories and fears start to surface once again, and they relive the good and the bad of their lives before leaving. They reveal some untold stories to each other, which make them each question their relationship.
Jascha is now a famous novelist, and he wrote a novel about the ghetto. In present day Warsaw he is invited to speak about his writing, as a returning Polish author. Little does the audience know that he will read from his novel about the horrors that the Jews faced behind the wall, while the Poles live a relatively normal life before the city was destroyed by the Germans. At the end of his lecture, only 4 people remain in the audience. The rest have left in shock and disgust.
It is a portrait of a once beautiful city, of people displaced from their homeland by atrocious acts of war, and of an attempt to return to a place that no longer exists.
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommendation: If you're into reading about the Warsaw ghetto.
Thursday, March 23, 2017
#31 The Pianist
The Pianist
By Wladyslaw Szpilman
How did I come to find this book? Well, an old friend married a Polish woman and last summer they went to Poland to visit her family. They went to Warsaw, and the first thought that came to my mind was the Warsaw ghetto and the Jews who were forced to live there during WWII. Of course that got me looking up Warsaw, and I found out that the Germans had totally destroyed the city before they left, as a last act of vengeance, just before surrendering the war. Then I found out that the Poles reconstructed the city from the rubble to look exactly like it had looked before it was destroyed, as a symbol of their history and culture. Then I started looking up books about Warsaw, and I came across, "The Pianist".
A horrifying memoir of a young concert pianist, living in Warsaw, and how he survived the ghetto and the final destruction of the city for six years of German occupation. Near the end, he was caught living in the attic of a burned out building by a German officer. The officer spared the young man's life, and brought him food and a blanket, which enabled him to survive. It turns out that the German had helped several Jews and Poles survive through his acts of "kindness".
Another book about the atrocities suffered by the Polish Jews under German rule. Almost all the Jews of Poland were murdered, including the pianist's immediate family. Sent to the gas ovens, shot at random, sent to labour camps. Unthinkable crimes against an innocent people.
The book was made into a movie, directed by Roman Polanski. The movie is available on iTunes, so I'll watch it.
Rating: 4/5
Recommendation: Only if you're into reading about this subject matter.
By Wladyslaw Szpilman
How did I come to find this book? Well, an old friend married a Polish woman and last summer they went to Poland to visit her family. They went to Warsaw, and the first thought that came to my mind was the Warsaw ghetto and the Jews who were forced to live there during WWII. Of course that got me looking up Warsaw, and I found out that the Germans had totally destroyed the city before they left, as a last act of vengeance, just before surrendering the war. Then I found out that the Poles reconstructed the city from the rubble to look exactly like it had looked before it was destroyed, as a symbol of their history and culture. Then I started looking up books about Warsaw, and I came across, "The Pianist".
A horrifying memoir of a young concert pianist, living in Warsaw, and how he survived the ghetto and the final destruction of the city for six years of German occupation. Near the end, he was caught living in the attic of a burned out building by a German officer. The officer spared the young man's life, and brought him food and a blanket, which enabled him to survive. It turns out that the German had helped several Jews and Poles survive through his acts of "kindness".
Another book about the atrocities suffered by the Polish Jews under German rule. Almost all the Jews of Poland were murdered, including the pianist's immediate family. Sent to the gas ovens, shot at random, sent to labour camps. Unthinkable crimes against an innocent people.
The book was made into a movie, directed by Roman Polanski. The movie is available on iTunes, so I'll watch it.
Rating: 4/5
Recommendation: Only if you're into reading about this subject matter.
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
#30 The Other Story
The Other Story
By Tatiana De Rosnay
This novel is by the author of "Sarah's Key", which was a great book. This book, however, does not come close to being great.
The story of an a man who becomes a famous author very young. He goes to an exclusive Italian resort for the weekend, trying to kickstart his second novel. Over the course of three days there, he relives many things from his life that haunt him in different ways.
The book was full of useless detail, long paragraphs (which I generally skip over), some as long as two pages. The plot was slow, and not much really happens. The main character is a victim of his own success, and because he is young he doesn't have the maturity to manage it better.
For any author, the second novel after a first successful novel must be very difficult to write.
Rating: 1/2
Recommendation: No.
By Tatiana De Rosnay
This novel is by the author of "Sarah's Key", which was a great book. This book, however, does not come close to being great.
The story of an a man who becomes a famous author very young. He goes to an exclusive Italian resort for the weekend, trying to kickstart his second novel. Over the course of three days there, he relives many things from his life that haunt him in different ways.
The book was full of useless detail, long paragraphs (which I generally skip over), some as long as two pages. The plot was slow, and not much really happens. The main character is a victim of his own success, and because he is young he doesn't have the maturity to manage it better.
For any author, the second novel after a first successful novel must be very difficult to write.
Rating: 1/2
Recommendation: No.
Saturday, March 18, 2017
#29 The Real Liddy James
The Real Liddy James
By Anne-Marie Casey
A cute novel, chick lit for sure, about a woman who thinks she can do it all. Successful divorce lawyer, mother to two children, divorced, but still having a relationship with her ex and his new partner. But then one day, she crashes, and survives the crash to start a new life.
Rating: 4/5
Recommendation: Cute, easy read.
By Anne-Marie Casey
A cute novel, chick lit for sure, about a woman who thinks she can do it all. Successful divorce lawyer, mother to two children, divorced, but still having a relationship with her ex and his new partner. But then one day, she crashes, and survives the crash to start a new life.
Rating: 4/5
Recommendation: Cute, easy read.
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
#28 More Sunshine Sketches
More Sunshine Sketches:
A New Collection of Drawings and Stories About B.C.'s Beautiful Sunshine Coast
By Terry Barker
A short book of collected newspaper articles published in the Coast Reporter between 2001 - 2002.
Short little stories, an easy read, but of local interest only.
Rating: 4/5
Recommendation: If you live on the Sunshine Coast.
A New Collection of Drawings and Stories About B.C.'s Beautiful Sunshine Coast
By Terry Barker
A short book of collected newspaper articles published in the Coast Reporter between 2001 - 2002.
Short little stories, an easy read, but of local interest only.
Rating: 4/5
Recommendation: If you live on the Sunshine Coast.
#27 Perfume River
Perfume River
By Robert Olen Butler
A contemplative novel, which explores the effects of war on the lives of three generations of men who go to different wars and serve in different capacities and for very different reasons: WWII, the Vietnam War, and finally, the Iraq war.
Well written, the novel mainly focuses on the middle generation, Robert and how he deals with the fall-out from his father's experience fighting in WWII, who supports him to enlist to fight in Vietnam, and how he subsequently suffers from the memories of a Vietnamese woman he fell in love with and lost, and the memories of his seeming cowardice as a non-combat U.S. serviceman.
Intersecting this story is the story of another man who's father fought in the Vietnam war, and how he suffers the sins of his father.
The ending is shocking.
Rating: 3/4
Recommendation: An OK read.
By Robert Olen Butler
A contemplative novel, which explores the effects of war on the lives of three generations of men who go to different wars and serve in different capacities and for very different reasons: WWII, the Vietnam War, and finally, the Iraq war.
Well written, the novel mainly focuses on the middle generation, Robert and how he deals with the fall-out from his father's experience fighting in WWII, who supports him to enlist to fight in Vietnam, and how he subsequently suffers from the memories of a Vietnamese woman he fell in love with and lost, and the memories of his seeming cowardice as a non-combat U.S. serviceman.
Intersecting this story is the story of another man who's father fought in the Vietnam war, and how he suffers the sins of his father.
The ending is shocking.
Rating: 3/4
Recommendation: An OK read.
Friday, March 10, 2017
#26 Lucky Boy
Lucky Boy
By Shanthi Sekaran
This book was beautifully written, well paced, but challenging subject matter. This was a book that was hard to put down.
The story tells of Soli, an illegal Mexican migrant who arrives in California only to discover she's pregnant. Her life intersects with an American couple who are unable to have children. Soli ends up in jail, her son sent to child services. The American couple end up fostering her son and hope to adopt him. Soli has no way to defend herself in the penal system, and endures horrific conditions until she manages to escape. Finally, she "kidnaps" her son and takes him back to Mexico.
The question is: who deserves this boy? The birth mother or the rich American couple? A story with a challenging moral question, but in the end, the question is answered, and I think correctly.
This is a story of love for a child. Both women were his mother, but only one was his birth mother.
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommendation: Yes.
By Shanthi Sekaran
This book was beautifully written, well paced, but challenging subject matter. This was a book that was hard to put down.
The story tells of Soli, an illegal Mexican migrant who arrives in California only to discover she's pregnant. Her life intersects with an American couple who are unable to have children. Soli ends up in jail, her son sent to child services. The American couple end up fostering her son and hope to adopt him. Soli has no way to defend herself in the penal system, and endures horrific conditions until she manages to escape. Finally, she "kidnaps" her son and takes him back to Mexico.
The question is: who deserves this boy? The birth mother or the rich American couple? A story with a challenging moral question, but in the end, the question is answered, and I think correctly.
This is a story of love for a child. Both women were his mother, but only one was his birth mother.
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommendation: Yes.
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
#25 Never Mind the Bullocks
Never Mind the Bullocks
By Vanessa Able
A travel book about a British woman who drives 10,000 km around India in a Tata Nano, the world's cheapest car.
The book focuses mainly on the driving and not so much about what she sees and who she meets in the non-driving parts of the book. Of course, I had to read this book, which I found in the stacks at the Sechelt library! Must have been a donation, as it probably wouldn't have rated high on a purchase list.
Entertaining, and an interesting look at the Nano, which has since proved to be a failure in India's auto market.
Rating: 4/5
Recommendation: If you're interested in all things India, sure, read this book. Probably not so interesting for a general audience.
By Vanessa Able
A travel book about a British woman who drives 10,000 km around India in a Tata Nano, the world's cheapest car.
The book focuses mainly on the driving and not so much about what she sees and who she meets in the non-driving parts of the book. Of course, I had to read this book, which I found in the stacks at the Sechelt library! Must have been a donation, as it probably wouldn't have rated high on a purchase list.
Entertaining, and an interesting look at the Nano, which has since proved to be a failure in India's auto market.
Rating: 4/5
Recommendation: If you're interested in all things India, sure, read this book. Probably not so interesting for a general audience.
Thursday, March 2, 2017
#24 The Chilbury Ladies' Choir
The Chilbury Ladies' Choir
By Jennifer Ryan
A charming novel, about the lives of the women left behind in a small English village during WWII, once all the men had gone off to fight. The narrative is told through the diary entries and letters of the various main characters in the story. From a dishonest midwife to a local nurse, from a 13-year old girl with a lovely singing voice to her older sister in love with the wrong man, their voices carry the story along. There's a bit of intrigue, a mystery, a baby swap, some gypsies, black market dealings, and a couple of love stories.
I guess you'd call it chick lit with a serious setting.
Apparently, women were encouraged to write journals during this time, in order to record the hardships and their experiences of war at home, and of course, letters were the main way of communication by the general public.
Rating: 4/5
Recommendation: Yes.
By Jennifer Ryan
A charming novel, about the lives of the women left behind in a small English village during WWII, once all the men had gone off to fight. The narrative is told through the diary entries and letters of the various main characters in the story. From a dishonest midwife to a local nurse, from a 13-year old girl with a lovely singing voice to her older sister in love with the wrong man, their voices carry the story along. There's a bit of intrigue, a mystery, a baby swap, some gypsies, black market dealings, and a couple of love stories.
I guess you'd call it chick lit with a serious setting.
Apparently, women were encouraged to write journals during this time, in order to record the hardships and their experiences of war at home, and of course, letters were the main way of communication by the general public.
Rating: 4/5
Recommendation: Yes.
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