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Reviews by Eileen P. (Pittsford, NY)

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The War Reporter
The War Reporter
by Martin Fletcher
Perils of War Journalism (8/3/2015)
If you watch any type of television news, you will see clips from war zones around the world. Often heart-rending images of death, and the after effects of the destruction of someone else's everyday life. Martin Fletcher's latest novel does a phenomenal job of showing the price journalists pay to inform us of these conflicts. It is a fast paced novel which explores the damage done by violence, the tragedy of the war in the Balkans, and how individuals adjust to extraordinary circumstances. It is also a exploration of the power and meaning of love and friendship. It is full of interesting, well-defined characters and well worth reading.
The Well
The Well
by Catherine Chanter
Religion run amok (3/3/2015)
The beginning of The Well captivated me. The premise of the story was interesting, and I appreciated how Chanter made the land where it continued to rain a character in the novel. Unfortunately, as soon as the Sisters of the Rose entered the story, it lost some of its momentum. The religious elements didn't interest me enough, and Ruth's role in the rise of it didn't seem well enough explained. The book is beautifully written, and the imagery in it is stunning, but it wasn't quite enough to overcome my impatience with how the story unfolded.
Whispering Shadows
Whispering Shadows
by Jan-Philipp Sendker
Love and death in modern China (12/20/2014)
An intriguing novel set in modern day China which touches on the lingering aftereffects of the Cultural Revolution as well as the social and political problems facing China today. Sendker does a great job of describing how grief, shame, and love can influence our experience of the world. The love story part of the book was more convincing and interesting than the crime thriller part. Unfortunately, the exploration of issues of trust were problematic.
The Last Good Paradise
The Last Good Paradise
by Tatjana Soli
Frolicking in Paradise (11/1/2014)
Soli has written an entertaining, unpredictable tale about how people's ideas about what will make them happy are often what prevent them from actually being happy. Full of entertaining characters, and a lot of food and drink, she shows how economics and technology influence even our most basic choices. Set primarily in a resort on a remote island in the South Pacific, she aptly shows the human need for connection, and how being forced outside of our comfort zones can reveal what really matters. It would be a fun book club selection.
Mating for Life
Mating for Life
by Marissa Stapley
We can't choose who we love (3/14/2014)
A delightfully charming novel about love in all its form. It is ultimately a hopeful novel with complex characters that the reader comes to care about. The novel is told through a variety of narrators, and I enjoyed watching how the various strands of the stories were woven together to create a complex, beautiful tapestry. It would make a fine book group book as it raises all sorts of questions about love and families and what makes a marriage work.
The Cairo Affair
The Cairo Affair
by Olen Steinhauer
Current events come to life (11/25/2013)
A well-written, fast read that is marvelously entertaining. Steinhauer uses multiple viewpoints to great effect. His characters are believable, and appropriately complicated. The story unfolds in an unexpected, but completely plausible manner. The way he uses recent events in the Middle East is quite remarkable. Highly recommended.
A Thousand Pardons
A Thousand Pardons
by Jonathan Dee
Fairy Tale Gone Wrong (10/14/2012)
The beginning of this book is like something out a fairy tale for middle-aged women. A husband, Ben, engages in strange and destructive behavior. The wife, Helen, finds unexpected talents which lead to lucrative employment. Unfortunately, in the second half of the book, I found Helen's behavior bizarrely unreasonable and out of character. I wasn't willing to buy into the parallels in the couple's choices that Dee seemed to be suggesting. I ended up feeling rather disappointed by the book.
The Headmaster's Wager
The Headmaster's Wager: A Novel
by Vincent Lam
Extraordinary debut (7/25/2012)
Vincent Lam’s masterful story about the Chinese experience in Vietnam from 1966 to 1975 is both an exploration of the dangers of nationalism and a testimony to the power of love. It captures how difficult it is to know how political/world events are going to end and what we can do to protect ourselves and those we love. I found it to be both captivating and heartbreaking. It would be an outstanding discussion book.
The Voluntourist
The Voluntourist: A Six-Country Tale of Love, Loss, Fatherhood, Fate, and Singing Bon Jovi in Bethlehem
by Ken Budd
Striving towards Eat, Pray, Love (4/18/2012)
After the unexpected death of his father, Ken Budd sets off on a quest to make sure that his life matters. This sincere but superficial book is the recounting of that quest. While parts of the book were delightful and funny, other parts I struggled to get through as they contained way too much detail and not enough narrative drive.
Half-Blood Blues
Half-Blood Blues: A Novel
by Esi Edugyan
Marvelous historical fiction (2/4/2012)
If you are at all interested in jazz, love, or how obsession can cloud your thinking, this book is for you. It is stylistically amazing. Edugyan uses a distinct voice for each of the two time periods the story is set in. And what an amazing story it is. Vivid and moving. It is like a kaleidoscope. As the story progresses little bits of information are revealed that change how the reader sees everything that has goes on before. It would be an outstanding book group selection.
A Partial History of Lost Causes
A Partial History of Lost Causes: A Novel
by Jennifer duBois
Phenomenal Debut (12/6/2011)
DuBois has written a marvelous meditation on what gives life meaning, what makes life worth living, and what is it about ourselves that makes us the same person as we move through time. This is a deeply philosophical novel, but it is also a tremendously engaging novel with interesting characters and two compelling, intertwined plot-lines that beautifully illustrate the odd similarities between individual health challenges and politics in oppressive countries.
The Darkening Field
The Darkening Field: A Novel
by William Ryan
Second in series (11/6/2011)
This is the second book in the series featuring Captain Alexei Korolev. My pleasure in reading it was somewhat dimmed by not having read the first book in the series. However, the book captured my imagination, and raised all sorts of interesting questions about the strength of individuals’ loyalties and the compromises that must be made in oppressive societies. It would make a daring, but rewarding book club selection.
Salvage the Bones
Salvage the Bones: A Novel
by Jesmyn Ward
Lyric and heartbreaking (6/29/2011)
What an incredible book! Salvage the Bones is a moving portrayal of a family, made up mostly of children, trying to do their best amidst rural poverty. The social and natural landscape where these characters live is unforgiving and harsh, but Jasmyn Ward shows how it is also a place where kindness and love play a particularly important role. It would be an excellent discussion book as it raises so many important social issues in an enlightening and nonjudgmental way.
Outlander
Outlander
by Diana Gabaldon
An airplane book (3/11/2011)
As long as you aren't bothered by sexual violence and physical abuse, this would be a perfectly adequate choice for a long plane flight. In that case, its length would be a virtue rather than a defect. This plot-driven story doesn't require much thought or concentration. Unfortunately, its rather pedestrian prose makes it difficult to empathize with the characters.
Ever By My Side
Ever By My Side: A Memoir in Eight Acts Pets
by Dr. Nick Trout
A book about love (12/27/2010)
This book arrived the day after my darling 12-year-old cat died. Fran and I adored each other and the prospect of reading a book about pets made me a little nervous, but it quickly became apparent that this lovely book is about much more than a veterinarian's experiences with his pets. It’s about relationships between species and between generations, and how sometimes we need to experience something in order to truly appreciate what others have gone through.
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
by Amy Chua
Creating remarkable children (10/31/2010)
In the beginning, Chua seems so confident of the superiority of her child-raising methodology that I was sure this book was going to be just another ruthless salvo in the Mommy Wars, but Chua's shining intelligence, devotion to her children, and her ability to admit her flaws turns this book into a wonderful meditation on what it means to do one's best. This past September, my son started college. While I was reading this book, I would read him passages and say 'This is what I was trying to do.' I can only hope that he has half as much resilience, self-confidence, and drive as Sophia and Lulu.
Man in the Woods
Man in the Woods
by Scott Spencer
The darkness inside (7/7/2010)
Man in the Woods is a sequel to Scott Spencer’s A Ship Made of Paper. While I enjoyed Man in the Woods, I found myself wondering more than once if I would had a better understanding of the characters and their motivations if I had read the previous novel first. Even so, Man in the Woods would make an excellent discussion book. Not only would it be interesting to discuss the moral issues the book raises, but it would also be easy to have an engaging discussion about the plausibility of the characters' responses to the choices they face.
The Girl Who Fell from the Sky
The Girl Who Fell from the Sky
by Heidi W. Durrow
Who Am I? (2/28/2010)
This beautifully written novel explores the many ways that grief can change lives. Durrow uses five diverse narrators to slowly unveil the shocking tragedy that has become one of the central event of all of their lives. This moving and unique novel would be an excellent discussion book. It raises numerous questions about racial identity, adolescent sexuality, and the numerous ways that parents can harm their children.
Arcadia Falls
Arcadia Falls
by Carol Goodman
Modern Day Fairytale (12/19/2009)
Arcadia Falls is an entertaining, easy read. In spots, it is a little too predictable and there are a few too many coincidences. Even so, I think it would be a terrific discussion book as it raises a number of excellent questions about love, loyalty, and how the past can haunt the future.
The Lieutenant
The Lieutenant
by Kate Grenville
Australia's origins and the importance of words (9/23/2009)
In this beautifully written and delightful novel, Grenville seamlessly weaves historical fact together with a multitude of philosophical questions in order to create a vivid and compelling story. As Daniel Rooke and his fellow Englishmen explore a new and challenging land, Rooke makes equally important discoveries about what kind of man he is and what friendship can mean. The Lieutenant would be an outstanding discussion book.
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