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Reviews by Eileen C. (New York, NY)

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This Strange Eventful History: A Novel
by Claire Messud
Evocative and poignant (4/21/2024)
In this beautifully written multigenerational saga--covering the years from 1940 to 2010--Claire Messud uses multiple viewpoints to explore how various social and political forces shape the lives of a family--based on her own family--and how the stories we tell ourselvesmore
Devil Makes Three: A Novel
by Ben Fountain
Love in Times of Turmoil (9/22/2023)
Haiti is a place of contradictions. Full of beauty and culturally rich, it has also been hit, time and again, by political turmoil and humanitarian crises. Its prominent place in the news recently makes this deeply humane book, set in 1991 after the overthrow of Presidentmore
This Other Eden: A Novel
by Paul Harding
Heartbreaking and luminous (1/13/2023)
Set in the 1910s, This Other Eden is about a mixed race community forced to leave a small island off the coast of Maine that their families have lived on for more than 100 years. By showing how great harm can come from good intentions, Harding transforms historical eventsmore
Dinosaurs: A Novel
by Lydia Millet
Life-affirming (9/16/2022)
In this gentle novel, Lydia Millet uses deceptively simple prose to explore the psychological intricacies of a wealthy, 45-year-old white man, uncomfortable with his privilege, who is trying to do good in the world. This seemingly quiet novel is actually a powerful andmore
Exiles: Aaron Falk Mystery #3
by Jane Harper
Come for the mystery, stay for the moving portrayal of a community (8/10/2022)
While there is a mystery (or two) in this entertaining novel, it is really an exploration of community, guilt, and how relationships with others shape and change us. Jane Harper's South Australian wine country is an important character, and Aaron Falk is, as always, someonemore
On a Night of a Thousand Stars
by Andrea Yaryura Clark
Love in the Time of Terror (2/11/2022)
On a Night of a Thousand Stars starts off extraordinarily strong. The equanimity of a wealthy family from Argentina, currently living a life of privilege in the United States, is disrupted when an old family friend suggests that the family's past contains a secret. Andreamore
Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey
by Florence Williams
When Rivers Aren't Enough (11/23/2021)
In Heartbreak, Williams tackles a complex and difficult subject. When her husband leaves their 25-year-old marriage, Williams is heartbroken. As a nature advocate and science writer, she sets out to discover why she is so devastated—it was a sufficient marriage, one shemore
Blind Man's Bluff: A Memoir
by James Tate Hill
The grief of non-acceptance (8/3/2021)
James Tate Hill's moving memoir is an excellent case study of what happens when we refuse to accept things as they are and when we are overly invested in other people's opinions. Hill is a problem solver with a sense of humor, but by trying to hide the severity of hismore
A Theater for Dreamers
by Polly Samson
Watching the dreamers dream (3/19/2021)
Recently, we watched the perfect pandemic television show, "The Durrells in Corfu." Although "A Theater for Dreamers" is set decades later and on the Greek island of Hydra rather than Corfu, it had the same memorizing quality. Samson uses the adventures of a fictional youngmore
Hieroglyphics
by Jill McCorkle
Memories of love and destruction (6/15/2020)
Hieroglyphics is a multi-layered novel full of empathy and powered by a desire to understand what happens when parental ties are damaged prematurely. It is an exploration of how we make sense of our lives when there has been a major disruption in them and the rolemore
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz
by Erik Larson
Churchill and the Blitz (2/1/2020)
It is easy to forget that the outcome of World War Two wasn't inevitable and that the United States wasn't particularly eager to become involved. Larson has written a gripping, well-researched book which humanizes historical figures who have become—in some cases, with goodmore
The Shadow King: A Novel
by Maaza Mengiste
Women in war (7/12/2019)
A lyrical, riveting book about mythology and war. Mengiste brings Ethiopian history to life. She effectively uses multiple voices to tell the story of women who are not only caregivers but also fighters during the Italian invasion of 1935. The beauty of the writingmore
Beirut Hellfire Society
by Rawi Hage
The absurdity of life during a senseless war (5/26/2019)
A riotous, profane, sensual, philosophical examination of the absurdity of life during a senseless war. This examination of violence and how people respond to death—by either turning towards life or trying to protect themselves against it—contains a great deal of pathos andmore
Ellie and the Harpmaker
by Hazel Prior
The magic of music and love (4/2/2019)
A lovely fairytale about the power of love and music, and the things we do to protect ourselves and the people we love. Although it started off a little slowly, soon enough the story of Dan and Ellie became captivating and the ending brought tears. Told in alternatingmore
The Travelling Cat Chronicles
by Hiro Arikawa, Philip Gabriel
Love and devotion (5/7/2018)
A beautifully written, moving book about love and death. Narrated by a wise and sassy stray cat who is taken in by a kind-hearted man, it is also a story of friendship and devotion. Although the ending caused a cascade of tears, it wasn't for the usual reason pet storiesmore
Meet Me at the Museum
by Anne Youngson
Love in the time of grief (4/2/2018)
What a delightful book. It is moving—it brought me to tears more than once—beautifully written, and insightful. Anne Youngson's insights into human nature, love, what makes life meaningful, and the importance of family are remarkable. I turned down more than one page somore
The Milk Lady of Bangalore: An Unexpected Adventure
by Shoba Narayan
Milk, cows, and cow patties (12/13/2017)
In the beginning, I thought this book was about how the author adjusted returning to India with its rather unusual customs after spending close to 20 years in New York City. Then I thought perhaps it is about a kind of friendship that developed between a wealthy woman and amore
As Bright as Heaven
by Susan Meissner
Love in the time of social upheaval (10/29/2017)
The early 20th century was a fascinating time full of unique challenges and social change. Susan Meissner has written a well-researched and easy to read novel about a family who moves to Philadelphia just before the outbreak of the Spanish Flu. Telling the story frommore
Wonder Valley
by Ivy Pochoda
Finding a way to be in the world (6/26/2017)
A compelling novel about family and friends and moral responsibility and the role of drugs and alcohol play in some people's lives. Although a number of the characters live morally problematic lives, Pochoda portrays them with a compassion and empathy that enabled me tomore
My Last Lament
by James William Brown
Love in the time of terror (3/12/2017)
Set during a difficult time in Greece's history, Brown's engrossing novel explores important questions about love, family, and what happens to our relationships and sense of self during times of strife and terror. It is about resilience and what kind of power individualsmore
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