Category Archives: Book Reviews

Book Review: We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves

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We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler is a memorable, deeply moving novel about a loving family that abruptly breaks its close ties when one of the members is suddenly missing.

The story begins in 1966 when Rosemary Cooke is 22 years old and a college student in Davis, California. Ten years have passed since she last saw her beloved brother, and seventeen years since she last saw her sister, Fern. Rosemary rarely speaks to her parents, and she only goes home to Bloomington, Indiana on Thanksgiving.

Rosemary was five years old when her adopted sister suddenly disappeared, resulting in the family becoming profoundly dysfunctional. The sudden change in family dynamics affects every member. As the story develops, we learn through twists and turns what triggered the upset.

An intricate part of the story involves the concerns of animal experimentation by scientists and laboratories. The author goes into shattering, gruesome detail about the
handling of test animals.

Karen Joy Fowler’s voice in this first-person novel is superb. Her wit and depth of characterization and plot is remarkable. I highly recommend We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves.

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Book Review: Goin’ South

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When Dusty Rose and his girlfriend, Cassie Martin, decide to take a month-long horseback riding vacation to Arizona, they anticipate leisurely rides in sunny bright weather. They drive Dusty’s living-quarter horse trailer, leaving Enumclaw, Washington in October, thankful to be leaving Northwest’s fall drizzle to bask in Arizona sunshine.

They stay at various campgrounds along the way. At one of the campsites, they meet a fellow camper who drives what appears to be a furniture truck. He speaks with a Spanish accent and mentions he lives in Mexico, but is in the United States on business. He casts leering eyes at Cassie, and Dusty and Cassie are immediately suspicious of the fellow and make every attempt to avoid him.

One morning, Dusty wakes to find Cassie already up and out of the trailer. He figures she is feeding their horses. But when he finds the horses without her, he becomes alarmed. With a sinking heart, he sees that the furniture truck is also gone.

Goin’ South is a suspenseful read that delves into the horrific business of human trafficking. Author Susie Drougas has done her research on this topic and tells a good story. Drougas is also an accomplished backcountry trail rider which adds authenticity to her stories.

Goin’ South is Book 5 of the Dusty Rose series.

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Book Review: Before the Wind

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Before the Wind by Jim Lynch is a captivating, often hilarious novel about a sailing family, the Johannssens.

The story is narrated by the most seemingly normal member of the family, Josh, now thirty-one, who is the middle of three siblings. Josh’s father is a fanatical sailor and expects the family to live and breathe sailing. Growing up, the family’s every spare moment was spent practicing sailing maneuvers, always with the goal of winning races, especially the famous northwest Swiftsure. Josh’s father and grandfather build and design highly desired boats, though their business is currently on the brink of disaster. Josh’s brilliant though eccentric mother is deep into solving mathematical theories. Bernard, Josh’s older brother has his own version of what he’d like his life to be, and his plan doesn’t necessarily include the family. The youngest child, Ruby, is a sailing genius, but she too, must find her own way.

When the family reunites for one last Swiftsure race, they learn surprising things about one another, truths that will bind them forever.

I loved Before the Wind. Since I have sailed in both Puget Sound and the Pacific, I could appreciate much of the nautical jargon, though the author describes the art of sailing and maintaining a boat with far more intricacy than I will ever know. I especially loved the family dynamics, and the author’s humor in describing life in a marina. Sailors will love this book, but you don’t have to be nautical to appreciate the author’s skill in telling a good story.

Mary E. Trimble
Author: SAILING WITH IMPUNITY

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Book Review – Mothering Sunday: A Romance

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Graham Swift has written a compelling short novel, Mothering Sunday, that takes place in Berkshire, England, 1924. The story centers on the life of Jane, a maid in her early twenties, employed by an upper-class family. It is a rare, beautiful March day on Mothering Sunday, when servants are free to spend the day visiting their parents. An orphan, Jane instead has been bidden to spend time with her lover Paul Sheringham, the son of a neighboring family who is about to be married. His parents are away from home attending a luncheon in honor of his impending marriage. The Sheringham servants, too, were not at home, visiting their parents.

Jane and Paul have been meeting for seven years, but this is the first time they have met in his parents’ home, and likely will be the last time they will be together due to his coming marriage.

I enjoyed the novel’s leisurely pace and its sensuous treatment of an affair between a wealthy young man and a woman with whom he could have no outward or lasting relationship. The novel takes place in the aftermath of the First World War when so many of England’s young men perished in battle. Paul’s marriage, therefore, has special importance as he is the sole surviving son, having lost his two older brothers in war.

Graham Swift’s lean writing style is packed with strong images of sumptuous
scenes, of English homes, lush countryside, and the privileged mannerisms of bygone days. Tragedy and hope mingle as the main characters play out their respective roles. I enjoyed this short novel and vicariously visiting England during the quaintness of this soon-to-be vanished lifestyle.

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Book Review: H is for Hawk

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H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald is both a memoir and an extraordinary experience with one of nature’s most vicious predators, a goshawk.

As a child in England, Macdonald was fascinated by nature and spent hours observing wildlife, particularly birds. She fulfills a life-long dream of becoming a falconer when she acquires a goshawk whom she names Mabel. She begins to train the goshawk, taking tiny steps toward the day she can let the bird fly free to hunt, yet trust it to return to her.

The goshawk, a medium-large raptor, is bigger, fiercer and wilder than most hawks and is often considered the “true” hawk. Historically, goshawks have had relationships with humans, often as hunting partners.

Like any special-interest subject, falconry has its own vocabulary: wings are sails, claws are pounces, tail a train, when they wipe their beaks, they feak, when they frantically flap their wings, they bate, to mention only a few of the many terms of precision used by falconers.

When Macdonald’s father, a press photographer, suddenly dies, she is thrown into despair. In her writing she recalls the profound lessons she has learned from this patient man as she struggles with the pain of loss and the challenges of working with her hawk.

In parallel, the author frequently refers to the unpublished journal of T. H. White, a well-known English writer who was also a falconer, albeit an unsuccessful one.

H is for Hawk is a beautiful book on so many levels. Helen Macdonald fearlessly exposes her emotionally raw grief as she immerses herself in the complexities and challenges of falconry. I highly recommend H is for Hawk.

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Book Review — Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project

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Author Jack Mayer has written a gripping true story about courage, hope and determination that shines light on a dark period of history.

When three girls from a rural Kansas high school researched a project for 1999’s National History Day, they started something bigger than anyone would have imagined. Under the guidance of their teacher, Norman Conrad, students Liz Chambers, Megan Stewart, and Sabrina Coons began what would be life-changing for all involved. From a tiny reference in a news magazine, they researched the story of Irena Sendler, a Polish Catholic who organized a network of social workers to save hundreds of Jewish children during World War II. This remarkable feat was suppressed by communist Poland and remained virtually unknown for 60 years.

As the students delved into their Holocaust history project, they fashioned their research into a 15-minute play they called “Life in a Jar.” The play was first seen in Kansas, then the Midwest, then New York, Los Angeles, Montreal and finally Poland where they elevated Irena Sendler to a national hero.

Under German occupation, all Polish Jews in Warsaw were rounded up and forced to live in a ghetto. They could only take what they could carry. Conditions worsened by the day as Jews were deprived of even everyday necessities. The 400,000 Jews sealed behind brick walls lived in unbelievably crowded conditions–sometimes more than 20 people in a two-bedroom apartment. People were starving and dying from untreated sickness, starvation and absolute poverty.

When it became apparent that Jews were systematically being taken away and murdered, Irena Sendler approached the condemned parents to convince them to give up their children so that they could be placed with non-Jewish families, or in Catholic orphanages. Sendler felt it important to keep some sort of record of the rescued children’s names, their new Christian name, and where they were taken. Lists were made and hidden in milk jars, then buried under an old apple tree. In all, 2,500 children were saved. Most were never reunited with their families.

Life in a Jar is an extraordinary story of exceptional people. The students’ individual stories are an integral part of the strength of the project. Irena Sendler’s story of tolerance and respect of all people is inspirational. I highly recommend this story of Kansas teens who “rescued the rescuer.”

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Book Review: Where’d You Go, Bernadette

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I loved this hilarious and touching novel by Maria Semple. Where’d You Go, Bernadette is filled with charm, intelligence and rare wisdom.

Fifteen year old Bee lives in Seattle with her parents in their 12,000 square-foot home, a former Catholic school for wayward girls. The building is in deplorable condition with blackberry vines growing through the floorboards, a roof that leaks, and an overpowering musty odor.

However, the family’s obnoxious living style has nothing to do with their intelligence.
The entire family is brilliant. Bee, with a straight-A average, has been accepted at a prestigious boarding school. Her mother, Bernadette, is an award-winning architect, and Bee’s father, Elgin, is a high-level executive at Microsoft. The family moved to Seattle when Microsoft bought Elgin’s facial-recognition program and offered him a job.

As a reward for Bee’s perfect grades, the family plans to celebrate by taking a cruise to Antarctica. Bee’s highly intelligent but agoraphobic mother, throws herself into preparations for the trip, ordering equipment on-line at terrifying speed. All the while Bernadette is nearing a meltdown trying to cope with living in Seattle, a place she never wanted to be.

The book rapidly moves forward through Bee’s first-person accounts, emails between Bernadette and her personal secretary who supposedly lives in India, and gossipy emails between two mothers whose children also go to Bee’s school.

Situations occur that build on one another, complicating their lives. And then Bernadette disappears.

Wit and imagination make this novel special. Irreverent, keen observations about Seattle traffic, Canadians, family relationships, human nature, and Antarctica are hilarious. At times I laughed right out loud. For a refreshing look at our world, read Where’d You Go, Bernadette.

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Book Review: Where the Crawdads Sing

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Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens is a memorable book on many levels: complicated family dynamics, a little girl’s struggle to survive, wildlife, and the nature of people. The story takes place almost entirely in North Carolina marshland and toggles between the 1950s and 1960s.

Catherine Danielle Clark, called Kya, watches as one at a time her family members leave home because of her abusive father. First her older siblings, then her mother, and finally her beloved older brother closest to her in age. It’s not unusual for her father to leave her alone for days. When he’s home and sober, life isn’t too bad. At least she feels some protection and they sometimes fish together. But then one day he doesn’t come home at all. She’s seven years old and alone in the world with no one to protect, guide, or provide for her.

Toggling into the 1960s, a young man’s body is found. It looks as though he’s fallen, or perhaps pushed from an old fire tower. Clues are scarce, but people have their suspicions.

Kya remembers seeing her mother prepare some food, but she soon runs out of money to even buy grits. She gathers mussels and trades them for cash to a kind black man who sells gasoline to boaters from a pier in the closest town, Barkley Cove.

As the story develops, we see how Kya views a world that ignores her. Very few people even take notice of “the Marsh Girl.” Her heart and soul develop in the marsh. For her, the marsh is family.

I found this a remarkable story, emotional and moving. I couldn’t put the book down. And I learned a lot, too, about life “way out yonder, where the crawdads sing.”

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Book Review–Change of Leads: The Lost Shoe

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I loved The Lost Shoe, A. K. Brauneis’ exciting novel that takes place in Wyoming Territory in the late 1800’s.

Lifelong friends, Napoleon Nash and his nephew Jackson Kiefer are trying to work themselves out of lives of crime. The Governor of Wyoming Territory has promised them a secret pardon if they can prove themselves worthy of freedom. In exchange, they are required to perform tasks known only by the Governor and a few select people. In the meantime, hefty “dead or alive” bounties still posted make life a challenge.

While stopping in a small town to have their horses shod, the two happen to run into an old friend who invites them to visit his ranch. Against their better judgement, they accept the offer. The heart-warming visit with the rancher and his family makes them realize how much they long for normal lives and they are even more impatient to finish their agreement with the Governor and become free men.

Their world takes a turn for the worse when they are discovered by an ambitious marshall who is unaware of the Governor’s promise of freedom. As their lives spin dangerously out of control, the two must muster up their courage, count on the few friends they have left, and struggle toward an ever-dwindling chance of freedom.

Brauneis writes with authority about conditions that took place in Wyoming in the mid-and late 1880s. The novel’s characters have great love and rapport with their horses, and the author’s own equine knowledge is obvious. The book is written with heart, a quality I greatly admire. Trial scenes in a court of law are particularly compelling.

The Lost Shoe is the first book of The Navarre Link Chronicles: Change of Leads. The author has also written a prequel to the series, Ice.

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Book Review: News of the World

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Paulette Jiles has written a truly exquisite novel, News of the World. The story begins in 1870, Texas. I rarely read a book twice, but I found myself rereading some of my favorite parts in this tender novel.

Captain Jefferson Kidd, a respected man in his seventies and a veteran of two wars, makes his living by traveling through Texas reading to audiences hungry for news. World news, local news, exotic news, he reads any news that takes people from the here and now and fires their imagination with the happenings of elsewhere. He slants his newspaper reading to the taste of his audience at a dime a person. On one of his trips he is approached by an acquaintance, a freighter, who has been commissioned by the Army to return a ten-year old girl, a Kiowa captive, to her family 400 miles away. The freighter cannot leave his business that long, and gives the Captain the $50 gold piece the Army has given him to have the girl returned to her relatives.

Captain Kidd agrees, but with some misgivings. The girl, Johanna, though white with blond hair and blue eyes, acts thoroughly Kiowan. She was six when her captors brutally killed her mother, father and sister. But, surprisingly, she longs for her Kiowa family. She doesn’t remember any English, nor does she have mannerisms of the “civilized.” Captain Kidd sympathizes with the girl who has been torn away from her birth family, and now from her adopted family.

With the $50 gold piece, he purchases a wagon and they begin their journey through unsettled and unforgiving territory, all the while watching for thieves, Indians, the often-corrupt federal army, and always on the lookout for those who would kidnap the girl to sell. He must also watch for her attempts to escape. The two face many dangers and physical hardships traveling across Texas.

As the miles pass, they draw closer to one another. Johanna senses Captain Kidd’s kindness and generous heart, and he worries that his little charge won’t be able to accept yet another drastic change in her life.

News of the World is an outstanding novel. I loved it; a sheer delight to read.

 

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