Reviews by Martha P. (Issaquah, WA)

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The Stolen Child
The Stolen Child: A Novel
by Ann Hood
Good, not great (4/24/2024)
This was a fast and easy read that I mostly enjoyed. Most of the story takes place in the 1970s so we are spared cell phones, GPS and online searches for missing people, etc. Jenny, a waitress at IHOP, is bored and wanting to reinvent herself after dropping out of college …more
Day
Day: A Novel
by Michael Cunningham
Don't say "pandemic" (10/25/2023)
Wow. What an intense, close-up look at the difficult time we all endured. The story takes place in one day in three separate years (2019-2021) and follows a family with various underlying issues. Most of the story takes place in NYC which took a huge hit during CoVid. Part …more
The Continental Affair
The Continental Affair: A Novel
by Christine Mangan
Great armchair travel read (7/12/2023)
Henri and Louise meet under unusual circumstances. They are both in Granada, Henri on "business" and Louise running from a troubled past. A large sum of money that Henri is supposed to pick up is found by Louise who decides it is her chance to have a new life. Henri is …more
Metropolis
Metropolis: A Novel
by B. A. Shapiro
Storage unit whodunnit (4/21/2022)
B.A. Shapiro writes a good story, just not the kind of story I can rave about. Lots of different storylines being bounced around with multiple characters who live in or whose lives revolve around a Boston storage unit facility. Some of them are more interesting than others, …more
The Personal Librarian
The Personal Librarian
by Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray
"Shhh!" Not this librarian. (2/21/2021)
Being a former librarian myself there was no other book on the review list that I would have chosen. Belle da Costa Greene was the personal librarian to J.P. Morgan at the Pierpont Morgan Library in NYC in the early 1900s. She was in charge of acquisitions and the …more
Hieroglyphics
Hieroglyphics
by Jill McCorkle
Family history (6/30/2020)
Beautifully written, Jill McCorkle weaves the stories of four characters and their family histories. Lil and Frank, an elderly married couple who had both lost a parent tragically when they were very young and a commonality that drew them together, were the most interesting …more
Women Rowing North
Women Rowing North: Navigating Life's Currents and Flourishing As We Age
by Mary Pipher
Wishing for more (6/7/2019)
As I'm turning 65 this year I thought this would be an appropriate book for me to read and hoped it would provide a kind of "roadmap" or instruction manual for the years to come. Instead I found it somewhat depressing and not very relatable for my own journey. I think some …more
The Last Romantics
The Last Romantics
by Tara Conklin
Another winner (12/18/2018)
I enjoyed The House Girl by Tara Conklin several years ago and was excited to see another book by her in the selections from First Impressions. It did not disappoint. A family saga told from the point of view of the youngest of four siblings it begins in the year 2079 when …more
The Story of Arthur Truluv
The Story of Arthur Truluv: A Novel
by Elizabeth Berg
Sweet story (6/21/2017)
A very lovely story from one of my favorite authors. Arthur, Maddy, and Lucille, the three main characters, have all suffered major losses in their lives but together they find ways to heal. This is a quiet and introspective story of love, acceptance and support and how …more
Miss Jane
Miss Jane
by Brad Watson
Interesting and different (4/25/2016)
I will start by saying I thought the writing was wonderful. The author crafted an interesting story from an unusual subject (genital abnormality) and I never once felt squeamish or put off. Following Jane's life was like stepping into someone else's proverbial shoes and …more
Shelter
Shelter
by Jung Yun
Anger management---not (12/11/2015)
Home invasion, rape, domestic abuse, child abuse, marital discord, financial ruin, drugs, alcohol abuse, infidelity, suicide. Charming! Well-written and, thankfully, a short, fast read. This family is beyond dysfunctional with issues that could keep a platoon of …more
The Devil in Jerusalem
The Devil in Jerusalem
by Naomi Ragen
Not impressed (7/21/2015)
I would have to say that this was one of the least enjoyable reads I have had in a while. Not only was the subject matter disturbing but the writing was pedestrian at best. My feeling was that the subject of cults and their abuse of children does not lend itself well to …more
A Kim Jong-Il Production
A Kim Jong-Il Production: The Extraordinary True Story of a Kidnapped Filmmaker, His Star Actress, and a Young Dictator's Rise to Power
by Paul Fischer
Fun quick read (1/11/2015)
One part biography, one part spy thriller, A Kim Jong Un production is a captivating book all the way till the end. And by "the end" I mean that the last part of the book was a bit of a drag after the climax. Otherwise a great read!
My Brilliant Friend
My Brilliant Friend
by Elena Ferrante
Italian masterpiece (7/2/2012)
I am so glad that this is the first in a trilogy by Elena Ferrante. Her writing and the translation are superb. The characters are so believable you feel like you are reading a memoir instead of a novel. Naples in the 60's, family feuds, friendships that wax and wane, …more
A Good Hard Look
A Good Hard Look: A Novel
by Ann Napolitano
Not impressed (4/18/2011)
In this fictionalized account of the life of a famous and revered Southern author, Flannery O'Connor seems only incidental to the story. I hoped to learn more about Ms. O'Connor than that she had lupus, raised peacocks and was a devout Catholic. Cookie was a stock character, …more
The Paris Wife
The Paris Wife: A Novel
by Paula McLain
An American girl in Paris (1/12/2011)
Paula McLain's story of Hadley Richardson, Ernest Hemingway's first wife, gives the reader a behind-the-scenes look at the very early days in Hemingway's career and the social scene in Paris with Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, etc. While the novel was slow- …more
The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise
The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise: A Novel
by Julia Stuart
History made fun (8/20/2010)
A truly delightful romp through history! If only learning could always be made this pleasurable. Each character imparts his own knowledge of the Tower of London and all it's ghosts, beheadings and royal goings-on. Animals for the menagerie provide more fodder for stories …more
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