Reviews by Alice W. (Sacramento, CA)

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North of Crazy
North of Crazy: A Memoir
by Neltje
North of Crazy (6/21/2016)
What is the difference between a memoir and an autobiography that reads like a novel? Whichever this is, memoir or autobiography, North is a fascinating book and reads like fiction...surely it must be fiction. No, truth once again trumps fiction.

Neltje, daughter of the …more
Under the Wide and Starry Sky
Under the Wide and Starry Sky
by Nancy Horan
Under the Wide and Starry Sky (11/26/2013)
This book is long and fascinating. R.L.Stevenson's wife is not at all what one would expect. She is ten plus years older than he. Who would guess? She is a pistol and he is at once kind, generous, sickly and willing to live on the edge...with her of course. He desperately …more
The Drowning Guard
The Drowning Guard: A Novel of the Ottoman Empire
by Linda Lafferty
The Drowining Guard (10/10/2013)
Well, this was not a favorite of mine. I love reading about the Ottoman Empire, the Janniseries (sp), Turkey, but somehow it didn't pull together. I found the writing weak. Even though the main character is not fictional, the plot seemed highly unlikely
Into the Beautiful North
Into the Beautiful North: A Novel
by Luis Alberto Urrea
Into The Beautiful North (4/24/2013)
Reading this book was a bit like going home for me. I was born and raised on the Mexican border, so know the towns and cities. Urrea truly captures the minds and spirits of the Mexicans from towns like Tres Camerones. I was willing to slog through too much description, …more
The Bloodletter's Daughter
The Bloodletter's Daughter: A Novel of Old Bohemia
by Linda Lafferty
The Bloodletter's Daughter (9/22/2012)
Ottoman Empire, Bohemia, Hapsburg, Prague, Vienna, are all names and places that I have heard of, but really had no knowledge nor understanding of what and where they are. This book is a great, simplistic introduction to all of the above and is a fast read. At times, I …more
That Deadman Dance
That Deadman Dance: A Novel
by Kim Scott
That Deadman Dance (12/14/2011)
I was quite disappointed in the rhythm of this book. I have read many novels from and about Australia and always have been fascinated. Perhaps there is an affectation that I don't relate to...I am not sure, but I found myself sighing as the book went on and was never very …more
The Clouds Beneath the Sun
The Clouds Beneath the Sun
by Mackenzie Ford
Clouds Beneath the Sun (8/9/2010)
I chose this book because I have Masaai friends and have lived in a Masaai Village.

I found the descriptions of Kenya close to those in my memories. However the Masaai were not described as I think of them...of course, the story was set at pre-independence and I was there …more
Heresy
Heresy
by S.J. Parris
Heresy (12/19/2009)
Prepare to step into England 1583 as you read this novel. The food, the clothing, the living conditions all become integral to the plot. So enjoy as a mystery evolves and is patiently and painfully investigated by Father Bruno who is himself on the run. Murders are …more
Cleopatra's Daughter
Cleopatra's Daughter
by Michelle Moran
Cleopatra's Daughter (10/2/2009)
Michele Moran brings us a wonderfully colorful picture of Rome through Cleopatra's daughter's eyes. Serena and her twin brother were taken by Octavian from Egypt to the Roman Empire shortly after their mother Cleopatra's suicide. His motives were clearly not in the children' …more
Life Class
Life Class: A Novel
by Pat Barker
Life Class (12/17/2007)
I enjoyed every inch, every word of this book. The characters were young, eager to experience life but they were unpredictable. Just when I was sure that they had established a relationship, the relationship would take an unexpected twist to the extent that their …more
Mozart's Sister
Mozart's Sister
by Rita Charbonnier
Mozart's Sister ( Lost In Translation) (10/12/2007)
I have enjoyed this book enormously, but not because of outstanding or even good writing. The characters and the story are fascinating, so those two things kept me going. I had difficulty relating to the dialogue of the young people. It seemed way too formal, too adult... …more
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