The Red Scarf by Kate Furnivall

Another "must read" by Kate Furnivall....

I was so excited to start "The Red Scarf" after having loved "The Russian Concubine," and even more thrilled upon completion of the book, since I loved this one even more!

Ms. Furnival is a brilliant writer whose characters really come to life and jump off the page. This story of two women in a labor camp in Siberia who have to overcome many obstacles on their paths to "freedom" is intricately woven, multi-layered, fantastically researched and entirely unique and fascinating. There is so much to their stories and the more complex themes of good vs. evil and morality come into play at every step, especially towards the end of the novel, which will leave you satisfied yet longing for more of Ms. Furnival's writing.

This would make a dynamic book club selection, as there is so much to discuss....politics, religion, fear, truth, punishment, life and death, labor camps, Russian history/communism, work camps, good/evil, forgiveness, altruism, gypsies, etc. I HIGHLY recommend this novel and can't wait to share it with my friends and family.

The Devil and Miss Prym by Paolo Coelho

Not for me....

I can't understand how this book is so popular and a "national bestseller." I'm hoping it is due to the fact that The Alchemist was such a wonderful book that others (like myself) eagerly await another hit by this writer. However, after having read three other books by Mr. Coelho since The Alchemist, I'm finally throwing in the towel because I just don't think they're anything more than ok. Sure, they have all been centered on larger issues of morality, life, and the tough questions we find ourselves asking (such as whether man inherently good or evil, as this book tries to examine). But they have all, this one most of all, seemed too trite to me, considering the weight of their underlying themes. While I appreciate how Mr. Coelho tries to explore interesting and difficult questions, I found this novel in particular undreadable and didn't care enough to find out what the townspeople did at the end of the book...I simply stopped reading.