"In a field of wilted blue, she is the peace amid the madness, an extra weight in my pack that I would joyfully bear to where the world is bluer still."
-from Edgar's journal
This is another novel downloaded to my Kindle free from Amazon First Reads. It started out slowly but piqued my interest much more in the second half. The setting is post-WWI and primarily England. The Watts family is still grieving eldest son Edgar, lost in the war and presumed dead, when a young French woman, Mariette, shows up at the estate. She claims to have been Edgar's wife and the mother of his son, whom she has brought to present to his family. The matriarch, Abigail, is doubtful and when middle brother Lawrence finds out, he is even more skeptical of the relationship, thinking Mariette a gold-digger. Younger brother Rudy believes the young woman and quickly becomes fond of her and the child. When she mysteriously disappears, Rudy sets out to find her AND the truth of what has happened to Edgar.
This novel certainly reminds the reader of the horrors of war and particularly the invisible injuries to military men. What we today call post-traumatic stress disorder was then known as shell shock or "Soldier's Heart." Sometimes the ones affected were even called "malingerers," otherwise known as fakers! I am so glad those with PTSD can receive treatment nowadays.
I am rating the book a 3. It took a while to get into. It was around chapter 19 when Mariette begins telling her story that I became more involved in the plot.
Monday, January 27, 2020
Monday, January 20, 2020
The Names of the Dead by Kevin Wignall
"It doesn't matter that you don't believe. There's still so much for you to find inside....Here is your guide. And here is your sword of truth. Be sure to look at both before you leave this prison, and God will help you find a way, Wes."
-Patrice, upon giving Wes his Bible
This book was a quick read after finally trudging through World Without End---only a few days as opposed to weeks. A spy novel of sorts, it was pretty much a page-turner.
Protagonist James "Wes" Wesley, has been imprisoned in France as a result of having been framed for a crime. He receives early release after being informed his ex-wife, Rachel Richards, has been killed in an apparent terrorist attack in Spain and her young son, Ethan, is missing. Wes is subsequently surprised to learn that Ethan is his child. Predictably Wes sets out to avenge Rachel's death and find Ethan but it becomes evident quickly that he is on the hit list of those who betrayed him originally. After escaping the first hired killers, Wes meets Mia Pavic, a young autistic Croatian woman who becomes his driver and, in more ways than one, his savior.
I found Mia to be a very likeable character, more so than the central Wes who is a bitter man with violent tendencies. Fortunately, Mia's religious faith and simple philosophy have something of a calming influence on Wes. It was unique that Bible scriptures were noted through the novel, the Bible having been given to Wes by fellow inmate Patrice. (see quote above)
Several places where Mia and Wes found themselves were familiar to me, places I had visited recently---Malaga, Barcelona, Lisbon. Somehow that makes the story more personal.
I give a rating of 4 to The Names of the Dead. I liked it enough to look for another by this author.
-Patrice, upon giving Wes his Bible
This book was a quick read after finally trudging through World Without End---only a few days as opposed to weeks. A spy novel of sorts, it was pretty much a page-turner.
Protagonist James "Wes" Wesley, has been imprisoned in France as a result of having been framed for a crime. He receives early release after being informed his ex-wife, Rachel Richards, has been killed in an apparent terrorist attack in Spain and her young son, Ethan, is missing. Wes is subsequently surprised to learn that Ethan is his child. Predictably Wes sets out to avenge Rachel's death and find Ethan but it becomes evident quickly that he is on the hit list of those who betrayed him originally. After escaping the first hired killers, Wes meets Mia Pavic, a young autistic Croatian woman who becomes his driver and, in more ways than one, his savior.
I found Mia to be a very likeable character, more so than the central Wes who is a bitter man with violent tendencies. Fortunately, Mia's religious faith and simple philosophy have something of a calming influence on Wes. It was unique that Bible scriptures were noted through the novel, the Bible having been given to Wes by fellow inmate Patrice. (see quote above)
Several places where Mia and Wes found themselves were familiar to me, places I had visited recently---Malaga, Barcelona, Lisbon. Somehow that makes the story more personal.
I give a rating of 4 to The Names of the Dead. I liked it enough to look for another by this author.
World Without End by Ken Follett
"Caris had to fight back her own grief. Her loss was nothing compared with theirs. She did not know why God so often took the best people and left the wicked alive to do more wrong. The whole idea of a benevolent deity watching over everyone seemed unbelievable at moments such as this."
-from the novel
Wow! What an amazing story! Several years ago our group read Pillars of the Earth, the first in Follett's Kingsbridge series. It was well-liked, being rated 4.7. World Without End is a sequel set in the town of Kingsbridge, England in the 14th century, some 200 years after the original story. There are rare references to the building of the local cathedral from book one but this novel can be enjoyed in its own right.
At 1000+ pages, I hesitated to select it for the Page Turners but was influenced by a couple of factors: 1) I found a copy on my bookshelf which I'd forgotten about, 2) no meeting in December meant we had almost 2 months to read the novel, 3) polling the group showed some interest.
I thought I might give the book a 4 rating because it took me SO long to finish it---almost a month---very frustrating. However, I was fascinated by the story so I upgraded my rating to a 5. I am not sure why Follett could not have published the saga in 2 or 3 novels instead of one tome! I learned it took 3 years to write.
Early in the novel, 4 preteens---brothers Merthin and Ralph and friends Caris and Gwenda---while galivanting in the woods come upon a frightening scene. A knight has buried a mysterious letter and is subsequently attacked by several men. The story then revolves around the four as they grown into adulthood---one becoming a gifted architect, another a depraved nobleman, another a nun with a gift of healing and the last a farm wife working her fingers to the bone. Of course, numerous secondary characters come and go, including many who succumb to the Black Death, or plague.
It has been a long time since I read a novel set in the Middle Ages and I was jolted once again by the cruelty of punishments and the terrible lack of regard for women. It may be a long time before I take on such a lengthy book again but I really enjoyed World Without End. It remains to be seen how the Page Turners will react. I already have heard from a few they did not read it. More after the meeting this week......
____________________
We had a smaller number of folks at our meeting---only 12. People traveling, sick or simply did not want to read the book. Our average rating for World Without End was 3.8; it was liked by most but not really loved. Only one person other than me rated it a 5. It seemed we were all impressed with the amount of research done by the author but most were intimidated by 1000+ pages!
We could agree we learned a great deal about the 14th century, enough to be grateful we live NOW. Also we thought the women characters were strong and Ralph was the one we loved to hate. The discussion questions issued by the publisher, easily found on LitLovers.com, were very thought-provoking. "What does the book's title mean?" was especially appropriate. One member recalled Prior Godwyn saying, in a sermon, "...world without end, amen." Someone else thought the symbolism of the bridge and tower pointed to the lifting of Kingsbridge to a place of prominence in the world. As always the discussion was enlightening.
-from the novel
Wow! What an amazing story! Several years ago our group read Pillars of the Earth, the first in Follett's Kingsbridge series. It was well-liked, being rated 4.7. World Without End is a sequel set in the town of Kingsbridge, England in the 14th century, some 200 years after the original story. There are rare references to the building of the local cathedral from book one but this novel can be enjoyed in its own right.
At 1000+ pages, I hesitated to select it for the Page Turners but was influenced by a couple of factors: 1) I found a copy on my bookshelf which I'd forgotten about, 2) no meeting in December meant we had almost 2 months to read the novel, 3) polling the group showed some interest.
I thought I might give the book a 4 rating because it took me SO long to finish it---almost a month---very frustrating. However, I was fascinated by the story so I upgraded my rating to a 5. I am not sure why Follett could not have published the saga in 2 or 3 novels instead of one tome! I learned it took 3 years to write.
Early in the novel, 4 preteens---brothers Merthin and Ralph and friends Caris and Gwenda---while galivanting in the woods come upon a frightening scene. A knight has buried a mysterious letter and is subsequently attacked by several men. The story then revolves around the four as they grown into adulthood---one becoming a gifted architect, another a depraved nobleman, another a nun with a gift of healing and the last a farm wife working her fingers to the bone. Of course, numerous secondary characters come and go, including many who succumb to the Black Death, or plague.
It has been a long time since I read a novel set in the Middle Ages and I was jolted once again by the cruelty of punishments and the terrible lack of regard for women. It may be a long time before I take on such a lengthy book again but I really enjoyed World Without End. It remains to be seen how the Page Turners will react. I already have heard from a few they did not read it. More after the meeting this week......
____________________
We had a smaller number of folks at our meeting---only 12. People traveling, sick or simply did not want to read the book. Our average rating for World Without End was 3.8; it was liked by most but not really loved. Only one person other than me rated it a 5. It seemed we were all impressed with the amount of research done by the author but most were intimidated by 1000+ pages!
We could agree we learned a great deal about the 14th century, enough to be grateful we live NOW. Also we thought the women characters were strong and Ralph was the one we loved to hate. The discussion questions issued by the publisher, easily found on LitLovers.com, were very thought-provoking. "What does the book's title mean?" was especially appropriate. One member recalled Prior Godwyn saying, in a sermon, "...world without end, amen." Someone else thought the symbolism of the bridge and tower pointed to the lifting of Kingsbridge to a place of prominence in the world. As always the discussion was enlightening.
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