Traitor's Gate by Jeffrey Archer

 

"But they didn't have to hand over any money, which was all part of Faulkner's plan to make sure they ended up with the wrong picture. William had once told her that it's easy to be conned if you want to believe the conman."

                    -Beth Warwick's thoughts, from the novel

I really didn't like this novel at all. Perhaps because there were numerous characters or maybe I didn't realize this was #6 in a William Warwick series. Then again, I am not a Brit, so I don't really appreciate all the pomp and ceremony involved in the government surrounding the royal family. Of course, it didn't help that the story begins with the effort to retrieve an original painting that was surreptitiously replaced with a fake in a museum only to devolve into a second plot of revenge to steal the Crown Jewels from the Tower of London. I stayed confused through much of the book. Not sure why I finished it except that is what I do!

The part of the story I found entertaining was the Warwick kids working on a school project about an historical character named Colonel Blood who had stolen the Crown Jewels. Very ironic since their father, William of Scotland Yard, would soon be involved with such a heist.

I can't recommend this one. I've rated it a 2. So many mysteries and thrillers out there that MUST be better!

Fox Creek by William Kent Krueger

 

"It is a great web that the Creator spins, and within it, we are all connected. Dreams are sometimes the threads of that connection. In dreams, Ma'iingan [Wolf], I have seen you, too."

                -Henry Meloux, from the novel

The completion of this novel, #19 in the Cork O'Connor series, was bittersweet. I have LOVED them all and this, as far as I knew was the final installment. Then I saw a #20 mentioned and I was thrilled until I saw it wouldn't be released until August, 2024! Oh, the anticipation!

A woman named Dolores Morriseau comes to Henry Meloux, the Ojibwe healer, (and my favorite character to quote) for help with a marital problem. As it turns out, there are hired killers out to find her and it falls to Henry who is close to 100 years old to get her and his great-niece Rainy, also Cork's wife, and himself to a safe place. 

Of course, Cork immediately involves himself in the search along with the brother-in-law of Dolores. It is a difficult endeavor, especially with uncooperative weather. Cork's son, Steven, is assigned the task of finding out more about the husband of Dolores, who as it turned out, is the one the mercenaries actually seek. Steven is paired with the Morriseau sister-in-law in the search for information. (Could they be romantically involved in the next book?)

The format of the novel is interesting and unique to the series with the POVs alternating between Cork, Rainy, Steven and Wolf, the tracker for the "bad guys."

I give Fox Creek a 5 and I look forward to next August. In the meantime, there are two stand-alone novels of Krueger's I haven't read: The Levee and The Devil's Bed.

Back of the Yard by Meg Lelvis

 

"People say time marches on, but to me, time sneaks away, silently fading into memories you keep, and memories you wish you could erase."

                 -Betty O'Leary, from the novel

I always enjoy historical fiction and this one subtitled A Great Depression Family Saga involves a time period I have not read often. Main character Betty O'Leary is born in 1930 in Chicago, back of the stockyards, hence the title. She is the youngest in her Irish family and while Betty is a small child, the family experiences a tragic loss which will affect them all in the future, emotionally and mentally. Betty not only grieves the loss but blames herself for it and feels abandoned when she is sent to live with her aunt and uncle because her mother is incapacitated. So much angst for a young person!

I rated the book a 4 and I especially liked Betty's early years and her experiences with school and books. (That's the elementary school teacher in me!) I was rooting for her all along to find peace, hope and happiness in her life. 

I am personally acquainted with this author, and I will want to read more of her work.

The Barefoot Mailman by Theodore Pratt

 

"He [Steven] understood then that it wouldn't be many years before a regular railroad ran along here, all the way to Miami, just as Doc had predicted. Walking the beach would become a thing of the past. It gave him a queer feeling of life changing, turning over, and of good, familiar things passing."

                      -from the novel

This book was recommended and loaned by a friend who enjoys reading about Florida history. It is set in South Florida around the 1880's, before the "land boom." Main character Steven Pierton has taken on the role of mailman, delivering mail from Jupiter Lighthouse to Miami, walking barefoot the 100 miles along the beach. He has to watch out for outlaws called beachcombers, a negative meaning of a word I've only heard used positively. He occasionally had to escort others along his route, one who became a love interest and one he clashed with over multiple issues, a corrupt land speculator named Sylvanus Hurley. 

I enjoyed the first 2/3 or so of the book but the end got into political battles, turning violent, and I was left a bit confused. I will rate the book a 3; the writing is good, but the novel is far from the best historical fiction set in Florida!

Thanksgiving by Janet Evanovich

"She slowly drove through the streets, observing the newly hung eighteenth-century Christmas decorations. Red velvet bows and evergreen sprays adorned many of the private residences. Traditional Williamsburg wreaths of laurel, trimmed with fresh apples, pineapples, pinecones, and peanuts hung on doors."\

       -from the novel

Since it was November, the title intrigued me. I have never read anything by this author, and I may have had her confused with another. At any rate, I had no idea she is known as a romance writer, probably my least favorite genre. It is highly doubtful I will ever read another of her works.

I was delighted at first when I saw that the setting was Colonial Williamsburg, one of my very favorite historic sites in the US. I was there for a week the first of 3 visits and absolutely fell in love with it. So, it was fun remembering the places mentioned in the story: King's Arms Tavern, Christiana Campbell's, Market Square, College of William and Mary, Duke of Gloucester Street, and Bruton Parish Church, among others. Also, my second visit was just after Thanksgiving and we expected to see Christmas decorations going up but fall colors were a bit late, so we got to enjoy the beauty of that, as well. (And we live in Florida, so we don't see this change of seasons.) 

In this novel, Megan Murphy is a greeter in Colonial Williamsburg after experiencing 3 broken engagements. She meets the new and handsome pediatrician in town and wouldn't you know, falls madly in love. So very predictable and very syrupy sweet! I am rating the book a 2 which is rare for me. In my opinion, there is no literary value and the setting was its only redeeming feature!

                                                                     A typical Christmas wreath in Colonial Williamsburg

Lightning Strike by William Kent Krueger

 

"But tonight, around this fire, it is not about trying to understand what awaits us beyond this life. It is about enjoying the gift in this moment together, here under these stars, as the night sings to us. What you are afraid you have lost, Corcoran O'Connor, is not lost at all. The joy of your friendships, of your family, of moments like this when our spirits touch, this will always be with you. When the journey ahead takes you to the darkest of places, the joy in these memories will be a part of the light that helps you see your way through. This I promise."

              -Henry Meloux, from the novel

This is my 21st novel by this author and I have loved them all! It is #18 in the Cork O'Connor series. I fear there may only be a couple more. I surely hope Krueger will continue the series.

Lightning Strike was very different in that it portrays Cork as a 12-year-old boy. Others in the series have featured him as an adult, as sheriff of Tamarack County and later, a private investigator. In other episodes, Cork has mentioned his father, Liam, who preceded him as sheriff, but this one has Liam as a main character. We learn more about Cork's mother and Grandmother Dilsey, too, but many other characters reappear such as Henry Meloux, the Mide or healer whose wisdom I love to quote.

The novel begins with adult Cork having just been sworn in as sheriff and looking back to the summer of 1963 when his life would change dramatically. The rest of the book recalls that story beginning with Cork and his young friends discovering the dead body of Big John Manydeeds, an Anishinaabe of the Iron Lake Reservation. At first Liam assumes a suicide but with Cork and friends doing their own investigating, clues to foul play are slowly uncovered.

From this series and other books by Krueger, I have learned much about the native culture in the area around Minnesota. It is very sad to read of the ill treatment of these First Americans. Here is a quote that illustrates: "They tried blankets tainted with smallpox. They tried guns. They tried boarding schools. Now they're trying this [Relocation Act of 1956]. It's all meant to separate us from one another, to wring out what makes us who we are." (Grandma Dilsey)

I found this prequel a page turner; I rate it a 5!

The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel

"But we aren't defined by the names we carry or the religion we practice, or the nation whose flag flies over our heads. I know that now. We're defined by who we are in our hearts, who we choose to be on this earth."      -Eva Traube Abrams, from the novel

From October 4, 2020

This is the second novel I have read by this author and I have become a fan. Of course, she lives in my city so that gave me reason to look for her work in the first place. Page Turners read The Winemaker's Wife several months ago and, in fact, Ms. Harmel joined us briefly on our Zoom meeting to discuss it. What a treat! I rated that book a 5 and the group average was 4.

As my followers know, historical fiction is my genre of choice quite often. The Book of Lost Names was set partly in WWII occupied France, as was The Winemaker's Wife. The Book... involves dual timelines, starting out in 2005 and flashing back to the 1940's for much of the plot. 

In 2005, 86-year-old Eva Traube Abrams, a librarian in Winter Park, Florida (right up the road from us!) comes across a periodical showing an antique book, Epitres et Evangiles, one that she she is all-too-familiar with and knows as The Book of Lost Names. The article is about a librarian in Berlin who is trying to return books taken by the Nazis to their rightful owners. Eva quickly decides to fly to Berlin to retrieve the book.

In 1942, Eva Traube is a graduate student living in Paris, when her father, a Polish Jew, is arrested. She must try to get her mother to Switzerland before she is taken away, as well. En route they end up in the small town of Aurignon. Eva has done such a great job of forging documents for her mother and herself she gets recruited to help forge documents for people, mostly Jewish children, needing to escape to Switzerland. In this way she meets several interesting characters, including Remy Duchamp who works closely with her and they become...close.

The Author's Note was fascinating as Ms. Harmel shared how she became convinced to write this novel. She described the actual historical figures that were the basis for some of her fictional characters. Her research into the role of forgers in the French Resistance was thorough. She says she wanted to "dive deep into the research about both forgery techniques and the fascinating history of Nazi looting and share that with you [the reader], all wrapped up in a story about love, loss, courage, and the highest stakes." She definitely succeeded! Another novel by Harmel that rates a 5 from me.

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from November 16, 2023

I read the novel a second time since it was the November selection for Page Turners. I enjoyed it again and had forgotten enough that it kept me turning pages. The group average rating was 4.0 with almost all votes 3 and above. Some loved the ending, and some found it just a little too perfect. Much of the discussion centered around the Holocaust---other novels, biographies and memoirs we had read and even survivors we had met or heard speak. Most of us highly appreciate Ms. Harmel's research and writing style. 

The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen

 

"And that's what we must learn to deal with: Our place in a world that sees us as used up and irrelevant. This new generation looks only to the future, with little regard for the past and what it could teach them. What we could teach them."        -Maggie's thoughts, from the novel

Maggie Bird is a retired CIA operative living in a small town in Maine happily raising chickens. When a dead woman is found in her driveway, it is evident her past has caught up with her. Fortunately, Maggie has a group of other former spies who are friends living in the area and they take part in the investigation. This greatly frustrates Jo Thibodeau, the town's acting police chief, who is conducting the official inquiry because Maggie's friends always seem to be a few steps ahead of her. They call themselves the Martini Club and indeed the novel is the first of a series called The Martini Club.

Flashbacks take the reader back to Maggie's last mission which had gone tragically wrong. The Spy Coast is pretty much a page-turner. I will rate it 4. I will likely read other fiction by this author.

Gerritsen wrote the Rizzoli and Isles series from which a TV series was produced. I enjoyed those episodes very much. It is interesting that Gerritsen was a physician before she became a very successful writer because Isles was a medical examiner helping with Rizzoli's detective work.

The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger

 

"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."

                               -from Epilogue in the novel

This is a novel by my favorite author! I could hardly wait to read it, but I was a little disappointed at first because right away I started missing Cork O'Connor and family of Aurora, Minnesota. (Main characters in the Cork O'Connor mystery series of which I have read 17!) Within 100 pages, I was involved with new characters especially Brody Dern, the sheriff of Jewel, Minnesota, and Charlie, a very assertive female defense attorney. By the last 100 pages when the plot had thickened, I could barely put it down. Another 5 rating for Krueger!

The Prologue hints that a local man, Jimmy Quinn, has been eaten by catfish in the Alabaster River! Who wouldn't want to keep reading to find out how THAT happened? Of course, Sheriff Brody Dern is on the case, hoping the death was suicide or accidental. but that was not to be. 

The main suspect ends up being a Native American man, WWII vet with a Japanese wife, Noah Bluestone. Many locals believe there was no way Bluestone could have committed murder but sadly there are a few bigoted people ready to see him hang, so to speak. 

I really appreciate Krueger's powers of description. I can often visualize the natural environment of the setting and it makes me want to visit the area. I like how he advocates for Native Americans and other outsiders. The Epilogue is interesting in Charlie's point of view. I may recommend this one for Page Turners next year.

Pesos: The Rise and Fall of a Border Family by Pietro La Greca Jr. with Rebecca Paley

"Mexico's real-life Don Corleone, Pietro La Greca, just celebrated his seventieth birthday. So notorious and powerful is La Greca that Mexican newspapers openly talk about his involvement in fraud, smuggling, and money-laundering activities that he conducts with impunity."     

                -from an article the author found in 1994 regarding his father

This book was a free one from Amazon First Reads. Interesting memoir from the son of a guy described above. I rated it a 3. It was very different from anything I have read lately! I was thankful it was pretty short.

The author's father, el jefe, is sometimes called "King of the Peso" along with the reference in the quote. The apple obviously fell far from the tree as Pietro Jr. relates growing up in the shadow of a man he could not respect.  I feel like the subtitle of this book pretty much gives a down and dirty summary, so I don't need to say much more.

 

The Pearl that Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi

 

"I knew nothing of that kind of love. I knew nothing about pearls and shells except that one had to free itself from the other. We were both calmer than we should have been, Benafsha because she had lived her love, and me because I had never known it."

                   -Shekib, from the novel

This novel was suggested by one of our Page Turners. It was difficult to read because of the extreme mistreatment of women in Afghanistan. And the addition of foreign phrases made the story more authentic but challenging. I rate it a 3.

Rahima has a difficult family life with an addicted father and is forced to become a bacha posh, or to present herself as a boy in order to help provide. Her aunt Khala Shaima tells her stories of her great-great-grandmother, Shekiba, who also had to survive a harsh life. These stories inspire her to "break her shell."

Novels like this showing the life of women in other cultures make me even more grateful to be an American!

------------

The Page Turners liked the book, rating it 3.8. Most agreed that it was disturbing to read of such cruelty. Some found the transitions of time setting confusing, as well as the unusual character names. In discussing how Khala Shaima got away with so much more than the other women, one member said, "her disability led to her invisibility." Very interesting!

The extreme oppression of women led to some discussion of our own experiences with being undervalued and underestimated as women back in the day!

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

 

"Lost is not a hopeless place to be. It is a place of patience, of waiting. Lost does not mean gone forever. Lost is a bridge between worlds, where the pain of our past can be transformed into power. You have always held the key to this special place, but now you are ready to unlock the door.             -from the novel

The title of this book seemed to call my name. 

Its dual timeline runs between 1921 and the 1940's with settings of London and Dublin. Opaline Carlisle (later Gray) at age 21 is trying to escape her brother who wants to force her into marriage when she finds work as an assistant in a bookshop. At the later time period Martha Winter is running away from an abusive marriage when she meets Henry Field, a scholar/researcher specializing in antiquarian books. These three strangers are connected over a mysterious vanishing bookshop.

Mentions of a lost manuscript of Emily Bronte made me curious as I'm not sure I've ever read any of her work.

I am not a fan of magical realism but in this novel, I found it intriguing along with various hints of family secrets waiting to be discovered. I liked The Lost Bookshop but didn't love it---a 3 rating.

The Pact by Jodi Picoult

 

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with a parent deciding a certain book is not right for her child. There is a colossal problem with a parent deciding that, therefore, no child should be allowed to read that book."

        -Jodi Picoult

I have read several of Jodi Picoult's novels and I hadn't realized how many involved struggling teen characters until I read the author's thoughts at the end of The Pact. Through her fiction, Picoult has addressed controversial subjects like abortion, sexual abuse, school shootings, transgenderism, and teen suicide, as in The Pact.  Sadly, many of her novels are being banned in some school districts, leading to the quote above.

In The Pact high school students Chris Harte and Emily Gold had been close since infancy, their families were good friends and neighbors. As children they played together, went to school together, took family vacations together and were practically "joined at the hip." As teenagers, they became romantically involved. 

When Emily was in her darkest place, she was determined to commit suicide and coerced Chris into helping her. Emily ended up dead and Chris was charged with murder. The dynamics of the family members' reactions to this horrible situation were intriguing and Chris's trial made the book a page-turner.

Well-written and thoroughly researched, as are all of Picoult's novels, this one was not pleasant to read. Because of that, I rated it a 4. Although The Pact has been banned in some places, I feel it could be a very important and helpful book for high school students to read and discuss.

Sounder by William H. Armstrong

 

"Child, child, you must not go into the woods again. Sounder might come home again. But you must learn to lose. The Lord teaches the old to lose. The young don't know how to learn it. Some people is born to keep. Some is born to lose. We was born to lose, I reckon. But Sounder might come back."

             -the boy's mother, from the novel

I had read this youth novel years ago and found it very cheap in a used bookstore. My goal was to leave it in a LFL where children likely search for books. I decided to reread it first. 

It is quite old, published in 1969, but highly acclaimed, winning the prestigious Newbery Award in 1970. It tells a short and pretty sad story about a sharecropping family pre-Civil Rights. When the father is caught stealing food for his family, he is taken to jail leaving behind a wife and several young children. When the family's beloved hunting hound, Sounder, tries to follow the sheriff's wagon, he is shot, disappears and is feared to be dead. The oldest child, called only "the boy" in the novel, searches everywhere for Sounder. (In fact, none of the characters have names other than the dog and the setting is ambiguous making the story more universal, perhaps.) When his father is moved from the jail to a work detail, the boy tries to find him, as well. 

Of course, I will not spoil the ending. I would recommend Sounder for later elementary students. My rating is 4. 

The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama

 

"When they go low, we go high." 

                -Michelle Obama from her speech at the 2016 Democratic Convention.

"We need to keep trying to go high. We must commit and recommit ourselves to the idea. Operating with integrity matters. It will matter forever. It is a tool. At the same time, though, I want to be clear: Going high is something you do rather than merely feel. It's not some call to be complacent and wait around for change, or to sit on the sidelines as others struggle. It is not about accepting the conditions of oppression or letting cruelty and power go unchallenged. 
                  -Michelle Obama, from The Light We Carry

This book was recommended by at least one member of our group and it was quite a departure from anything we have read in Page Turners this year---not the only nonfiction but the only inspirational one. I thought it was very well-written, thought-provoking and uplifting. Mrs. Obama's premise of sharing one's light reminds me of Matthew 5:15:  "Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house." (ESV)

It seems to me that when we share our light in the world, we ARE actually going high, by Mrs. Obama's definition.

It will be quite interesting to see what our group has to say about this book. I have rated it a 5 but readers with other political leanings may disagree. More later....

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

 

"Despite what Elizabeth Zott will tell you, Supper at Six is not just an introduction to chemistry. It's a thirty-minute, five-day-a-week lesson in life. And not in who we are or what we're made of, but rather, who we're capable of becoming."

        -Franklin Roth, journalist, from the novel

This book was highly recommended by a friend and fellow page-turner and had appeared on the NYT Bestseller list for several weeks. I waited a longgg time to get it from the library. I must say the title made me wonder if I'd enjoy it, having been barely tolerant of "chemistry lessons" in college. It was so much more than the title, however, and I did enjoy it very much. My rating: a solid 4.

Elizabeth Zott. a chemist at Hastings Research Institute in S. California in 1952, has a run-in with Calvin Evans, a celebrated scientist who is known as a grudge-holder and something of a social misfit. Elizabeth is ahead of her time in her views on women's rights, pretty much a feminist before it was a thing. She is intelligent, self-assured and assertive but far from socially adept herself. 

As a reader might predict, the two fall in love and move in together. They adopt a dog, Six-Thirty, who is extremely smart, humorously so, because he tells parts of the story! Though Elizabeth refuses Calvin's marriage proposal and has no desire for children, she ends up pregnant and gets fired. A sign of the times!

Elizabeth loses Calvin, the love of her life and is devastated (I'll let you find out how). Fortunately, she has a neighbor, Harriet Sloane, who becomes her dearest friend and helps her through some rough spots.

Elizabeth's daughter, Madeline, called Mad, is VERY precocious. In fact, at a very tender age, she begins researching her father's background leading to an interesting plot twist.

As the quote mentions. Elizabeth takes a job as host on a TV cooking show called "Supper at Six." She uses this platform to encourage her female audience to become all they want to be and teaches "chemistry lessons," much to the producer's chagrin. Wouldn't you know the show is a huge success and Elizabeth becomes a celebrity!

There are many interesting secondary characters, some adding humor and others, profound thoughts, and some that you really loved to hate. It was a challenge to choose one quote when there were many thought-provoking ones. Bonnie Garmus certainly made a hit with this debut novel. I am sure there will be others!

Shakespeare The World As Stage by Bill Bryson

 

"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts. "

     -from As You Like It by William Shakespeare

This book was offered at a discount, and I was intrigued because we have season tickets to a theatre where we see a couple of Shakespeare plays each year. A part of The Eminent Lives series of biographies, it is a pretty short read mostly because of how little is actually known about the famous playwright and poet. I learned there are years and events of his life where next to nothing is known about his whereabouts or actions. Although many plays attributed to Shakespeare are confirmed by numerous scholars, no one really knows in what order they were created.

 I was surprised at how many speculations and theories there have been that Shakespeare could not have written all for which he is credited and even naming other writers thought to be responsible. I learned more about the Shakespearean era than I did about the bard himself, interesting facts about England, especially London, and particularly the theatre of that time, and about his contemporaries. The author has caustic things to say about some of these unfounded theories and ends by saying, "Only one man had the circumstances and gifts to give us such incomparable works, and William Shakespeare of Stratford was unquestionably that man---whoever he was."

I am rating this book a 3---definitely not a page-turner---it kept me reading to the end but was not terribly enjoyable.

The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan

Published on February 5, 2022

"Whatever emotions you carry in your heart, Martel, especially love. God listens loud and clear if you feel love. The Almighty also knows if you are feeling good. The Universal Intelligence responds when you are happy or courageous or even if you are just calm. It understands when you are grateful for the miracle of your existence and rushes to help you when you have a dream that helps other people. The Divine hears all the languages of the heart and beauty."      

     -Corporal Gheorghe, from the novel, in answer to Emil's question,

 "What are the primary languages of God?"

I read Beneath a Scarlet Sky, an historical fiction based on a true story by this author in 2017 and found it an inspiring and memorable read. In the Preface of The Last Green Valley, Sullivan says he thought he might never find another story as touching and transformative as ...Scarlet Sky. Well, he absolutely DID find one! You must read the Preface and the Afterword to know the fascinating background to this novel, based on the survival story of an actual family.

This story of Emil and Adeline Martel's evacuation by the Nazis from an imminent invasion by Stalin's forces in 1944 Ukraine is mind-boggling. This journey is known historically as the Long Trek. The Martels claimed they were "fleeing the bear (Russia) and running with the wolves (Nazis)." This crossing as a family (with 2 young sons) was grueling, to say the least, fraught with many dangers, but when Emil and Adeline are separated and must find each other again, the obstacles they face are all the more horrendous. Often events were so violent, so sad, I had to put the book aside for a while. 

Although there is almost no humor in this story, there is much wisdom expressed, especially by secondary characters: Mrs. Kantor, the elderly employer of the very young Adeline; Frau Schmidt, Adeline's land lady; and Corporal Gheorghe, who one might describe as a savior for Emil. See the quote for an example.

I have read many historical fictions set during WWII, many with accounts of Nazi atrocities and the Holocaust. I always find them emotionally intense, often heart-breaking and more often than not, inspiring. In this novel, I learned of Holodomor, or Terror-Famine, inflicted by Stalin's regime, another example of genocide in which millions of Ukrainians died. Important to know Stalin ranks right up there with Hitler on the cruelty scale! And how sadly ironic to hear of the current threat to Ukraine by Putin's Russia!

This fictionalized account of the Martels' amazing survival story gets a 5 rating from me, certainly a page-turner. One cannot help but be inspired by their faith, resilience, determination and strength. I recommend it highly.

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Updated on August 24, 2023

An unusually large group of Page Turners gathered today to discuss The Last Green Valley----19 people! It may have been a change of venue or maybe the fact that some of the summer travels are over. We met at the Orange County Public Library downtown where we had a room to conduct our meeting and then a tour of the library. This year is the 100th birthday of the library and the history surprised many of us. We were very impressed with features offered, particularly the technology available. 

The novel received a 4.1 average rating with no votes below 3. I believe we all learned some European history that we did not know before and were inspired by the struggles the Martel family overcame. Most of us found it difficult to read because of the horrific violence and inhumanity they experienced.

The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

 

"Mi'ija, in a world as wrong as this one, all we can do is to make things as right as we can."

    -Estevan to Taylor, from the novel

I have read novels by this author so when this one was offered on Kindle at a discount, I purchased it. I discovered later it is Kingsolver's debut novel. Perhaps, that is why it was not as compelling as others. I will rate it a 3.

In rural Kentucky young Marietta "Missy" Greer is dissatisfied with her life and decides to take off on her own heading west. After making a stop in Oklahoma on Cherokee land, a stranger forces her to take a 3-year-old Native American girl with no explanation. She and the child, whom she calls Turtle, then continue on until they reach Tucson, AZ. Somewhere early in this journey to a new life, she changes her name to Taylor.

In Tucson, Taylor takes her limping vehicle to Mattie, the owner of Jesus Is Lord Used Tires, who ends up giving her a job. She also meets Lou Ann Ruiz, who coincidentally is from Kentucky, and they become roommates and friends.

Mattie gives safe haven to refugees, including the Guatemalan couple Estevan (quoted above) and Esperanza. In getting to know these two, Taylor empathizes with their struggle to seek a better life. Late in the book she says to Estevan, "But how can you say a person is illegal?" (A question I ask myself.)

I was curious about the title since I had never heard of bean trees. I learned that the wisteria plant after flowering produces seed pods that look like beans. After a quick bit of research, it seems these are poisonous.

Kingsolver is a skilled writer so I am sure I will read more of her work.

Photo shows a "bean tree."

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

 

"You may not see it now, but whatever we learn has a purpose and whatever we do affects everything and everyone else, if even in the tiniest way. Why, when a housefly flaps his wings, a breeze goes round the world; when a speck of dust falls to the ground, the entire planet weighs a little more; and when you stamp your food, the earth moves slightly off its course. Whenever you laugh gladness spreads like the ripples in a pond; and whenever you're sad, no one anywhere can be really happy. And it's much the same thing with knowledge, for whenever you learn something new, the whole world becomes that much richer."

                -the Princess of Pure Reason, from the novel

In past years, I have not read a great deal of fantasy but when I was teaching later elementary grades, I had several favorites, including this one. Since I am a great believer in education and a logophile (lover of words), this novel is special. Juster uses SO much figurative language, adding great humor with personification, paradox, onomatopoeia, idioms and puns, as well as repetition and a liberal sprinkling of synonyms and homonyms. I haven't read it in years but enjoyed it still. I will rate it 5.

Main character Milo is a bored kid who sees almost everything as a waste of time. One day he returns home from school and finds a surprise---a tollbooth with a map and an instruction manual and a note that says "FOR MILO, WHO HAS PLENTY OF TIME." When he drives his toy car through the tollbooth, he goes "beyond Expectations" where he meets the Whether Man. Soon after he reaches the Doldrums and comes across the watchdog, Tock, who will become a loyal companion on his journey. The two of them enter Dictionopolis where there is a Word Market being held. When they get in the middle of a riot caused by the Spelling Bee and the Humbug, they are jailed by Officer Short Shrift. In prison they meet Faintly Macabre, the not-so-wicked Which (not Witch), who tells them the story of how the Kingdom of Wisdom became divided by the sibling rivalry of two brothers---Azaz who would become king of Dictionopolis and the Mathemagician who would rule Digitopolis. In their conflict they have banished the Princesses Rhyme and Reason and everyone in the land has been unhappy in their absence.

After the Which tells them how to get out of jail, Milo and Tock join up with the Humbug and set out to the Castle in the Air to rescue the princesses. A favorite part is when Milo climbs into a wagon and says "How are you going to make it move? It doesn't have a ....."  and the duke says, "Be very quiet...for it goes without saying."

In their quest to find Rhyme and Reason, the three companions meet many more very odd, sometimes scary characters like Chroma the Great, who conducts all the colors of the land; Kakofonous A. Discord, Doctor of Dissonance; the Dodecahedron with 12 faces; the Terrible Trivium and the Senses Taker. I will not spoil the ending although you may be able to predict it.

This novel has been compared to Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It also makes me think of the The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Desolation Mountain by William Kent Krueger

 

"We give thanks to the Creator and we pray that in the battle between love and fear, which is always raging in the human heart, love will triumph.... Love will win. In the end, love always wins."

                 -Henry Meloux, from the novel

This was number 17 in the Cork O'Connor series. I've read them all and hate to think about the end! (There are only two more that I know of.) Another page-turner and another 5 rating. It might be obvious that Krueger is one of my favorite authors. 

This novel begins with a plane crash killing a United States senator, Olympia McCarthy, and there are numerous mysterious circumstances. Officially reported as pilot error, it soon becomes obvious there's something more nefarious going on. Cork's young adult son, Stephen, has seen a vision that even the Mide Meloux can't interpret and soon there are many authorities---NTSB, FBI, DoD---practically stepping on each other to investigate. Cork meets up with Bo Thorson, formerly of the Secret Service, with whom he had worked a case in the past. They try to do their own sleuthing as the situation begins to look like domestic terrorism. Some eyewitnesses, including Stephen O'Connor may be in serious danger, making the investigation even more intense. Many twists and turns keep the plot moving and the story gripping.

Mentions of The BFG by Roald Dahl (a favorite children's book and author) and To Kill a Mockingbird (an all-time favorite of mine) were interesting. I always love the profound thinking of Henry Meloux, an Obijwe healer, what some might call a medicine man. I have taken to starting each Cork O'Connor blog with a quote from him. Henry is over 100 years old in this installment and I can hardly stand to think of his death coming in a future one. I will be looking for #18 Lightening Strike soon! And I have received notice that a new novel, not of the series, will be released in September. I just hope Mr. Krueger keeps cranking them out!

The Broadway Butterfly by Sara Divello

 

"That was the life of a crime reporter: to bear witness to the ripple effects of tragedy, and to have one's own life irrevocably intertwined with the people involved. And then to pick up and move on---always onward---to the next case, the next story, the next unbelievable set of facts. And so she would."

               -Julia Harpman, from the novel

I must admit this one was free with Amazon Prime---a good choice though. I am rating it a 4. A true crime story, it was suspenseful enough to keep me reading although I found the editing a bit careless and many characters were confusing, especially ones in law enforcement and politics. It was obvious the author spent countless hours researching and she admits that in her "Backstory" at the end.

My favorite character, and I would have to say the protagonist, is Julia Harpman, a bulldog of a crime reporter at a time (early 1900's) when women in many fields were not taken seriously and faced gender discrimination. She is captured by the murder of a beautiful, young model, Dot King, who became known as the Broadway Butterfly and is determined to hold the perpetrator to account. There are two suspects and the plot twists and turns, keeping the reader guessing as to "who dunnit."

One of the fascinating parts for me was the Postscript, where Ms. Divello describes the real people who are her characters. Many historical fictions I read have few real people and more fictional characters. This one is almost like a documentary of a true crime of 1923 but it does draw the reader in like a work of fiction. I enjoyed it.

The Listening Life by Adam S. McHugh

"The very first word of the Rule of St. Benedict, that famous text that has guided the life of monastic communities since the sixth century, is listen. I want for us to put listening back where it belongs, at the beginning, in every aspect of life and faith. Listening isn't only something we do in the preparatory stages of life, as though it's a phase we grow out of once we reach a certain age. Nor is it just a pleasant medicine that we need to inject a little more of into our relationships. Listening ought to be at the heart of our spirituality, our relationships, our mission as the body of Christ, our relationship to culture and the world. We are invited to approach everything with the goal of listening first. We are called to participate in the listening life."

                 -from the Introduction

I chose this book as a summer study for our adult Sunday school class after being introduced to it at a church workshop event. I have finished the book, but the group will not conclude the study until the end of August. I have found it enlightening and helpful, sometimes humorous but tedious in places. I will rate it a 3.

The quote pretty much sums up the purpose of McHugh's book. His nine chapters include "Listening to....God, Scripture, Creation, Others, People in Pain." In teaching this series, I have come across a number of powerful quotes which I have shared with our group. 

Examples:

 “One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.” Bryant McGill 

“Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you would have rather talked.” Mark Twain  

And there are many scriptures that reflect the importance of listening also like Mark 4:1-20.

I believe the book has inspired me to be a better listener and I am thankful. I only hope it has affected others positively as well.

Here is a relevant message I spotted recently on a church marquis.

The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni

 

"God gave you extraordinary eyes, Samuel, because he intends for you to lead an extraordinary life....Our skin, our hair, and our eyes are simply the shell that surrounds our soul, and our soul is who we are. What counts in on the inside."

              -Samuel's mother, to her very young son

This book was highly recommended by one or more of our Page Turners and at the time, I was skeptical about the title. It ended up being an awesome read---a true page-turner. I have rated it a 5 but would give it a 6 if allowed!

The novel chronicles much of the life of Samuel Hill, born with ocular albinism, an affliction with which I was unfamiliar. This cause the eyes to be red although other traits of albinism are not present. The story takes Sam from a precocious 6-year-old to his teens and later adult years. After being an outsider who is bullied for most of his youth, it takes Sam many years to accept that his life has indeed been extraordinary as his mother predicted. (See quote.)

There are unique, loveable characters like dear friends Ernie and Mickie and ones to hate like David Bateman. The reader goes through a roller coaster of emotions---anger at the abuse of power and mistreatment, especially of a child, sadness at tragic loss, frustration through failed romances and happiness in a life fulfilled. (I hope that's not too much of a spoiler.)

This last photo shows ocular albinism and is pretty much how I visualized Sam's eyes. However, the images online showed great variations of this rare genetic disorder.

I look forward to hearing what our group has to say about the novel when we meet next week. More then...

-----------------------------------------------

Page Turners met on our regular day, light in numbers but heavy in thoughts and experiences to share. We admitted we had never heard of ocular albinism. Much of our discussion centered around being proactive mothers (like Sam's) and bullying. Several former teachers shared how they related to Sam's school years. We hardly needed the discussion questions I had found at readingroupguides.com because we had plenty to say. The average rating was 4.5, highest of 2023 so far.

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

"Girls of the '30s and '40s joined the SOE to train as spies against the Nazis because they had been inspired by books and stories about women like Louise de Bettignies---and they weren't inspired by her feminine graces. They were inspired by her courage, her toughness, and her unflinching drive, just as I imagined Charlie being inspired by Eve's. Such women were 'fleurs de mal' indeed---with steel, with endurance, and with flair, they thrived in evil and inspired others in doing so."

           -from the Author's Note

I wasn't far into this novel when I realized I had probably read it. In searching my blog site, I had indeed read it WITH the Page Turners book club in July of 2020. I had purchased the Kindle version at a bargain price and since I HAD paid for it, I decided I should continue reading. I am glad since I did enjoy it; I'd forgotten enough details to keep me turning pages. (Only figuratively on Kindle!:)) Originally, I rated the book a 4. I'm not sure why because this time it gets a 5. I look forward to reading another by Kate Quinn.

Here is a copy of what I wrote after my first reading:

"There are two kinds of flowers when it comes to women. The kind that sit safe in a beautiful vase, or the kind that survive in any conditions...even in evil...Which are you?"

              -Eve to Charlie, from the novel

This is the third novel about the French resistance that I have read in a few months but they have all been different enough to keep my interest. This one was more related to WWI than the other two. I found it very engaging----quite the page-turner especially toward the end. My rating is a 4.

Nineteen-year-old Charlotte "Charlie" St. Claire, with her mother accompanying her, is on her way to Switzerland to have an abortion in 1947.  While they are in Southampton, England awaiting passage to France, Charlie who has been obsessed with finding her missing French cousin, Rose, takes off to London to find a woman named Evelyn Gardiner, who may know something of how Rose disappeared during WWII. This begins a huge adventure as Charlie takes off with the drunken, crotchety ex-spy Evelyn, called Eve, and her driver, Finn, a hot-tempered but charming ex-convict Scotsman, to parts of France searching for Rose. Eventually their quest would include hunting down a cruel man named Rene from Eve's past on whom she has long-dreamed of taking revenge.

In this dual timeline novel, one learns of the Alice Network, a spy-ring of mostly women who worked against the Germans when they occupied northwestern France in WWI (1915-19) including Eve's part in that mission. In the Author's Note, Ms. Quinn tells of the actual women who were a part of the network, like heroine Louise de Bettignies, and distinguishes historical characters from the ones she invented. The second timeline, of course, is a couple of months in 1947, telling Charlie's story. 

I felt the characters were very well-drawn to the point where I could really like them (like Charlie) or purely hate them (like Rene)! All the main characters---Eve, Charlie and Finn---all undergo some personality changes in the course of those two months. The Epilogue then extends the story. 

I got very curious about the car Finn was driving on the road trip, a Lagonda LG6, a British made vehicle I had never heard of. I am attaching a picture. Hopefully the one Charlie, Eve and Finn were riding in was NOT a 2-seater!

Sulfur Springs by William Kent Krueger

 

"You have work ahead of you, Niece. It will probably be hard work, work that will test you. That is one of the things love does. It tests us in different ways. But love is also fear's worst enemy. In what is ahead of you, hold to your love and not your fear. And when you imagine, imagine the best of what might be."

             -Henry Meloux to Rainy, from the novel

If you follow my blog, you will know I am a huge fan of this author and I enjoy the Cork O'Connor series immensely! I practically inhaled this one---finished in 2 days.

This installment has Cork married to Rainy Bisonette, a bit of a surprise. I had read Manitou Canyon, #15, in May and had forgotten it ended with a hint of romantic events to come. 

Early on, Rainy gets a mysterious and troubling voice message from her son Peter in Arizona and then is unable to reach him. He had indicated that he was in trouble so Rainy and Cork, a darn good private investigator, set out to find him and help however they can. This is quite a departure for the series since the action takes place in the desert of the Southwest, not the usual mountains, lakes and woodlands of Minnesota.

When Rainy's ex-husband Berto, father of Peter, joins the search, Cork can't help feeling nervous about their emotional connection. In the quest for Peter, Cork and the others come across questionable policing, drug cartel activity, anti-immigration gangs, as well as a group called Los Angeles del Desierto, or Desert Angels. who try to protect the fugitives. Cork is always trying to figure out who to trust when he realizes his life is in danger.  All this adds to the urgency to read on to the climax. Will they rescue Peter? Will Cork and Rainy get back to Minnesota in one piece? I'll not be a spoiler!

It looks like there are only 3 more Cork O'Connor mysteries. I hope Mr. Krueger is writing another as I finish this! Sulfur Springs rates a 5. I look forward to Desolation Mountain.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

 

"My father felt it his duty to continue to treat animals long after he stopped getting paid. He couldn't stand by and watch a horse colic or a cow labor with a breech calf even though it meant personal ruin. The parallel is undeniable. There is no question that I am the only thing standing between these animals and the business practices of August and Uncle Al, and what my father would do---what my father would want me to do---is look after them, and I am filled with that absolute and unwavering conviction. No matter what I did last night, I cannot leave these animals. I am their shepherd, their protector. It's more than a duty. It's a covenant with my father."

                             -Jacob, from the novel

I love, love, love this book! It was one of the first novels our Page Turners read when we began in 2008 and one of the highest rated ever with a 4.8 out of 5. I just enjoyed it again for a summer reading challenge which required I reread a favorite. I finished it in 2 days---such a page-turner!

The Prologue starts the story off with a BANG and leaves you wanting---needing---to read on! You will not solve the mystery until near the end when the event repeats and you learn what REALLY happened.

Jacob Jankowski tells his story from his 90-something-year-old perspective in a few alternating chapters with his memories of his time with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, a fictional train circus. The young Jacob is about to sit exams for his veterinary degree when his parents are killed and he finds they were greatly in debt so there will be no inheritance. He doesn't set out to join the circus but that's what happens. 

While Jacob meets some friendly, helpful sorts, and a young, beautiful performer, he discovers some of the men in charge, Uncle Al, the boss and August, the equestrian director and superintendent of animals, are very cruel. As an almost-vet who was raised by a vet (see quote), he has a very hard time coping with the abuse, especially of Rosie, the elephant. Even the workers are often mistreated (an understatement!).

The Author's Note was particularly interesting where Ms. Gruen shares how she came to write the novel and some of the recorded events of circus history she researched and included in this story. Water for Elephants gets a 5 rating from me---AGAIN! I now want to view the film version a second time and find another by this author.

Forever by Judy Blume

 

"In the old days girls were divided into two groups---those who did and those who didn't. My mother told me that. Nice girls didn't, naturally. They were the ones boys wanted to marry. I'm glad those days are over but I still get angry when older people assume that everyone in my generation screws around."

                   -Katherine, from the novel

After hearing of more and more banned books (and this is one) and viewing an interview with Judy Blume, I decided I wanted to read this one. As an upper elementary teacher, I read MANY Judy Blume novels, mostly meant for 8–12-year-olds. I had found her to be a wonderful author of children's literature. This one is more appropriate for young adults. It involves young love and has considerable sexual content, probably leading to the controversy. 

Ironically, I read Forever in one day. I gave it a 3 rating. I imagine it would be higher for its targeted teenaged audience. I wouldn't want to see young children reading this book, but I believe it is appropriate for high schoolers since it presents issues with which they are faced and suggests a practical and safe approach toward sex.

I think I will soon try to read a couple of Blume's adult novels which seem geared towards women: Summer Sisters, Smart Women and Wifey.

This Body I Wore: A Memoir by Diana Goetsch

 

"Over the years, much of what I've detailed in this book was told to several therapists, none of whom so much as suggested I might be trans. But even if they had, it wouldn't have made a difference. There is simply no knowing a thing if it is a self-secret, perhaps because that thing refuses to know itself in your presence. It is like a valley, spread out before you, hiding in plain sight."

                   -from the memoir

I chose to read this book as a part of a summer reading challenge; I needed a memoir. When it was offered in an email and I had no other memoirs in mind, I decided to go ahead with it. It would not have been a book I would have selected otherwise but I am glad I read it since it gave me insight into the struggles of people born to the wrong gender. 

Goetsch shares much of her life (some 50 years) living as a male named Douglas and wondering why she was so of often lonely and depressed, unable to sustain a loving relationship. Douglas was attracted to women but really longed to BE a woman. In his younger days, he was a crossdresser and played at being a woman but remained a male in his school and working life. For many years he was hardly aware of transgenderism as evidenced in the quote above. She, Diana, finally found her true self through her Buddhist faith.

I was floored that there are so many identifications that fall under the LGBTQ umbrella! I was reading this during Pride Month and had recently seen a TV sitcom involving, in a nice way, a drag queen/transvestite/crossdresser. (I wasn't quite sure which of those.) Also we attended a performance of "A Streetcar Named Desire" in which the lead, Blanche DuBois, was played by a trans woman. So many coincidences!

I rated the book a 3. It is well-written and very personal---the author is apparently a well-known poet and includes some of his poetry in the memoir. I believe it could be extremely helpful for people who are struggling with gender identity. 

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald

 

"It was funny, she thought, how often we stuck to the safe path in life, pulling on blinders and keeping our eyes to the ground, doing our best not to look at the fantastic view. Without seeing the heights we had reached, the opportunities actually awaiting us out there; without realizing we should just jump and fly, at least for a moment.          -Sara, from the novel

This book was recommended by a friend, and it was really a fun read---much different than anything I've read lately. It was truly unique in that it is quite literally a book about books! Plus one of the main characters is dead from the start!

Sara Lindqvist travels from her home in Sweden to the fading small town of Broken Wheel, Iowa, to meet her pen pal, Amy Harris. Sara, who had worked in a bookshop, had been sharing a correspondence with Amy about their mutual love of books. She arrives only to find that Amy has passed away and she had just missed the funeral. Of course, Sara is shocked and confused about what she should do but the residents of the town, who have apparently adored Amy, take it upon themselves to welcome Sara. She feels as if she already knows some of the citizens from hearing about them in Amy's letters, which are sprinkled throughout the novel. They included the prim and proper (and bossy) Caroline Rohde and "Poor George'" who is suffering a broken family and Tom Harris, a relative of Amy, who is single and seems rather cold at first. 

Sara decides to open a bookshop in Broken Wheel against everyone's advice. As you might predict, it ends up being a blessing to the town and provides Sara with a sense of belonging and purpose that she has been missing.

I enjoyed the mention of so many well-known books, a number of my favorites like To Kill a Mockingbird, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. The author even lists the books and authors mentioned in a special section of the book. Among them authors I enjoy so much like Jodi Picoult, Mark Twain, Fannie Flagg and John Grisham. 

In one scene, Sara is talking to a customer about the smells of different books and that "New books always had the strongest aroma." This made me realize the reader misses this feature while reading in a digital format.

According to an author bio, Ms. Bivald is Swedish and worked in a bookshop herself so one could assume there is at least some resemblance to her main character, Sara. This is her debut novel, and a good one. I rate it a 5, very enjoyable. I may recommend this for Page Turners for next year.