Beautiful book worth reading, discussing and passing along.....
"The Septembers of Shiraz" certainly pulls at the heartstrings yet never crosses the line by going too far in the descriptions of the torture suffered by Issac Amin at the hands of the Revolutionary Guards in Iran during the early 80's. While tales of Jewish persecution abound in modern literature, this novel captured the way in which it has unfortunately been so universal and pervasive, even in such recent times. This novel portrays the way in which fanaticism, regardless of the religion, is so destructive not only to the individual but to the social structure and society. Despite the sadness in my heart while reading it, I highly recommend this novel and think its certainly worth discussing with others (ie book clubs) and passing along to friends/family.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Holy Fools by Joanne Harris
Unique prose and plot are sure to satisfy....
While I can't put "Holy Fools" in the same category as "Chocolat" or "Five Quarters of the Orange" (which is one of my favorites), I have to commend Ms. Harris's continued uniqueness in her prose and chosen topics. As far as historical fiction goes, this book is sure to satisfy. I particularly liked the themes running throughout the novel such as the hypocrisy of religious institution, revenge, true love, the scheming and battling of wits, maternal bonds, and the way secrets take on a life of their own. Definitely an interesting and recommended read.
While I can't put "Holy Fools" in the same category as "Chocolat" or "Five Quarters of the Orange" (which is one of my favorites), I have to commend Ms. Harris's continued uniqueness in her prose and chosen topics. As far as historical fiction goes, this book is sure to satisfy. I particularly liked the themes running throughout the novel such as the hypocrisy of religious institution, revenge, true love, the scheming and battling of wits, maternal bonds, and the way secrets take on a life of their own. Definitely an interesting and recommended read.
Friday, February 6, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman
Brilliant writing and wonderfully educational....
That being said, I found Ms. Ackerman's writing superb, as was her attention to detail and research on her subjects, both animal and human. The omnipresent comparison/contrast between human and animal subjects and how they are treated in this book was poignant, as was the essence of the story she tried to capture. At times I found it slightly monotonous/boring and found myself skimming, but as a whole I enjoyed reading it and learning about their lives and the sacrifices they made to help others.
I wish this novel had been written more as a work of fiction from the zookeeper's wife's perspective instead of from an outsider's perspective. I think it would have greatly enhanced the story and made it more enjoyable to read as a work of historical fiction/ novel.
Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell
Did the editor vanish too? ...
The reviews and recommendations of this book really intrigued and appealed to me. A story of a woman committed to an institution for more than sixty years, whose release upon the closing of the institution to a relative who never know of her existence is truly a unique and creative plot. So too was the writer's desire to tell the story from three perspectives and add multiple sub-plots which certainly enhanced the story. However, the stream-of-consciousness writing and lack of good editing did me in and I was left skimming the last seventy-five pages. Had this book been formatted differently, it would have been a much better read.
I can't recommend this book, although I would love to have read a copy of it in a different format where it didn't jump all over the place.
The reviews and recommendations of this book really intrigued and appealed to me. A story of a woman committed to an institution for more than sixty years, whose release upon the closing of the institution to a relative who never know of her existence is truly a unique and creative plot. So too was the writer's desire to tell the story from three perspectives and add multiple sub-plots which certainly enhanced the story. However, the stream-of-consciousness writing and lack of good editing did me in and I was left skimming the last seventy-five pages. Had this book been formatted differently, it would have been a much better read.
I can't recommend this book, although I would love to have read a copy of it in a different format where it didn't jump all over the place.
Monday, January 12, 2009
The Nineteenth Wife by David Ebershoff
An enjoyable read, especially for lovers of historical fiction...
The 19th Wife is an intriguing, insightful, captivating and educational example of historical fiction at its finest. The novel weaves together the stories of two women, both of whom are their husband's 19th wife in differing examples of pleural/celestial/polygamous marrages and cultures.
Perhaps just as interesting as the storylines themselves is the manner in which the stories are told from varying viewpoints/perspectives: the gay narrator Jordan who was excommunicated from the Firsts of Mesadale, Utah and whose mother is awaiting trial for allegedly killing her husband; Ann Eliza, Mormon Prophet Brigham Young's 19th wife (although her real "number" is debatable) who led the crusade to rid the Mormon church of its polygamous ways; a research student's Masters thesis on the evolution of the Mormon Church and its connection to celestial marriage; varying news articles and wikipedia entries, court documents, secret jail diaries, etc. While some may not prefer this method of storytelling, I found it greatly enhanced my understanding, appreciation and love of this book as a whole. It felt like I had personal access to historical documents and research, as opposed to just learning about their lives from the traditional narrational perspective.
Without going into too much detail, I would HIGHLY recommend this book for those who enjoy historical fiction, those interested in different religions/cultures, those with little or no knowledge about the Mormons or Firsts (like myself- it was really insightful!), bookclubs, and anyone taking religious studies, womens studies or history courses.
The 19th Wife is an intriguing, insightful, captivating and educational example of historical fiction at its finest. The novel weaves together the stories of two women, both of whom are their husband's 19th wife in differing examples of pleural/celestial/polygamous marrages and cultures.
Perhaps just as interesting as the storylines themselves is the manner in which the stories are told from varying viewpoints/perspectives: the gay narrator Jordan who was excommunicated from the Firsts of Mesadale, Utah and whose mother is awaiting trial for allegedly killing her husband; Ann Eliza, Mormon Prophet Brigham Young's 19th wife (although her real "number" is debatable) who led the crusade to rid the Mormon church of its polygamous ways; a research student's Masters thesis on the evolution of the Mormon Church and its connection to celestial marriage; varying news articles and wikipedia entries, court documents, secret jail diaries, etc. While some may not prefer this method of storytelling, I found it greatly enhanced my understanding, appreciation and love of this book as a whole. It felt like I had personal access to historical documents and research, as opposed to just learning about their lives from the traditional narrational perspective.
Without going into too much detail, I would HIGHLY recommend this book for those who enjoy historical fiction, those interested in different religions/cultures, those with little or no knowledge about the Mormons or Firsts (like myself- it was really insightful!), bookclubs, and anyone taking religious studies, womens studies or history courses.
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