Told from the perspective of a pony and the woman who was once the girl he loved. Both of the characters take an emotional and physical journey. The pony in particular is somewhat like Odysseus with wild adventures and memorable companions. But the heart and social commentary is ever present and that lifts it above a mere travelogue.

The writing really walked the tightrope of 1) highlighting how we dismiss the labor of people who aren't part of "our caste" and 2) showing that laborer is mentally disturbed. This was a hard book to read since everyone - except M - was occasionally sympathetic but more often annoying/monstrous. BUT I recommend.

This book dealt with a moment in time I hadn't read - or even thought - about very much, the fall of the Nationalists and the rise of the Communists and the immediate aftermath. The juxtaposition with the Chinese cultural preference for sons and the treatment of daughters and wives was interesting. The writing often took me out of the book, unfortunately.

Enjoyed this book and the differing perspectives of Kaija and Minna. I thought Tante Tilda was fantastic and would love a book about her. Other characters were a bit one dimensional. My main quibble is the ending. I felt that the story was tied up in a rushed manner and not consistent with the actions and motivations of Kaija and Minna. I could see how they got there but a stronger connection was needed.

I really enjoyed this book. It parallels the movie Thelma and Louise but puts a fresh spin on it. I'm not (too) close to the ages of either character but thought that the depictions were age appropriate. Well written and did not have any "take you out of the book" phrasing/sections that I often rant to my husband about.

I'll confess that after the first section I put the book down for at least a week. Not another "academia is a snake pit" book, I thought, only this time with Latin. But I enjoyed the book when I picked it up again. The author does a good job of making both main characters alternately admirable and repugnant. The twist on the myth of Daphne and Apollo at the end was quite amusing.

I really enjoyed the book despite not having any connection to Italy, Pennsylvania, the Mafia, or deeply dysfunctional families! Even if you are not interested in the life of second and third generation Italian immigrants, the author's journey to understanding his father was quite affecting and universal. The writing was very good and the author wove the story strands together effectively.

The unreliable female narrator is a played out genre in my opinion unless the book is really special and this book isn't. That said I thought the book was well written and although the final twist was maddening I prefer that over a tidy bow!

I enjoyed the depiction of older middle aged people coming to terms with their remaining time and being satisfied with what has occurred and what can occur. And yet something surprising (to them) can still happen. I was a little disappointed in the convenient affair of Edward, Tina's husband. But Tina's subsequent insights into Edward and Daphne were quite sensitive.

I also thought that the evolution of both Tina's and Kristian's writing was quite well done.

I requested this book because my in-laws left Cuba much in the early 60s and I was curious to see a book written by someone who would have grown up like my husband.

I enjoyed the chapters narrated by Elisa. While the actions and words of the characters were dramatic, it was a dramatic time and they were at that dramatic age.

Despite some beautiful writing in places, I found the Marisol chapters to be a combination of overwrought statements and long exposition. For example, perhaps Varadero beach does have "the most beautiful clear water" but after so many "best evers" I was skeptical. The expository statements by Luis and Pablo were really quite fair in giving voice to why people stayed and what is like in Cuba today but they made the book seem like a history lesson.

I feel the author would have been better served focusing on the story.

Despite its many serious topics - ebola-like disease, PTSD, cancer, death - this book is really quite funny. The author doesn't shy away from those topics but uses a light touch and focuses on how they affect the family dynamic. Even the slightly less weighty issues - estrangement in a long term marriage, sibling rivalry, adoption - are resolved in a thoughtful and funny manner. Highly Recommended!

This is a well written addition to the unreliable narrator, "girl" in the title genre.

I really enjoyed the way this book combined the idea of how our environment influences mood and behavior with the connected house. I can see how the latter could make you feel spied upon and vulnerable even in what should be your place of refuge. Luckily One Folgate Street wasn't quite to the level of Hal in 2001: A Space Odyssey!

I rarely read the ghost/horror genre. But I really liked this book.

The writing is excellent. The scenes are very vivid and while the characters don't break new ground (with the exception of Joanna) they are well drawn.

Joanna was a revelation. I found her obsession with Ned before (and after) her death inexplicable and self absorbed as it hurt her daughters so much. But the end chapter really explained why, without seeming like a cop-out. And I teared up in the last few paragraphs, a rarity.

Finally, while I have always had cats, if my dog could be like Tom I might reconsider.

This is my first what I call "erotic horror" book. I do read a lot of fantasy and historical fiction, though. In that vein, I have read a number of books with alchemical motifs and found this book pretty standard in that regard. I particularly enjoyed the references to Art Nouveau architecture as that is one of my interests.

I found the character and actions of Sandrine a bit confusing but that may be because I rarely read horror/demonic possession books and don't know the conventions of that genre. II did enjoy the ending! The sex was pretty hot for a non-bodice ripper, too.

This is a five star story with 2 star writing and organization. I wish the author had chosen a rough chronological order with short side trips into other persons and world happenings. As it was, I found very hard to keep track of the primary subject's - Chaim Soutine - story. The book also suffered - perhaps because it jumped around quite a bit - from very noticeable repetition of phrasing and contradictory statements. A map of Paris and of Frances would have been quite helpful for those who aren't familiar with the geography. And a listing of the various painters with birthdates, birthplaces, major works, etc. would have been useful.

Books about the little people behind the story are always interesting. A recent book in this vein is Longbourn, the story of the help in Pride and Prejudice. And certainly Downton Abbey taps into this, as well. The character of Angelica, the Nurse, was well developed and her trials and tribulations were plausible and fit with the play's doomed romance theme. I particularly enjoyed the depiction of Verona society and the backstory of the play's characters.

The book failed for me in two parts. The first is "the secret." Given the attention in the book to the importance of everyone knowing their place, I had a hard time believing that Angelica thought revealing the secret would be welcomed by its recipient. It was unclear to me whether this was meant to be a sign that the nurse was a bit unhinged - which would make sense for her actions in the Romeo and Juliet part of the book - or whether the author just needed to flesh that part out.

The second failing was really not the fault of the author but rather the actions of Shakespeare's title characters, inexplicable when seen through the eyes of others. But Angelica's insight into Juliet's final act, "Never suffered and so could not bear the slightest sorrow, the hint of unfilled longing, the least glimmering of loss. And so was lost herself," rang true.

I wasn't very knowledgeable about this period of time so I found this book quite enjoyable in that aspect. I would have enjoyed more discussion of the larger societal and political changes but I can see that that might not be consistent with the point of view of the narrator. As to the main character, the intelligent woman chafing at her prescribed role isn't particularly groundbreaking in historical fiction but it was well done.

This is one of those books that is both hard to pick up and hard to put down. Nearly every page contained a tragedy or degradation but it was all so wonderfully written that I was enthralled. The three main characters are well drawn and their actions and feelings are believable. I highly recommend it.

I read this in stops and starts until about halfway through even though I found the descriptions of copying/forging a painting to be fascinating. But once the story started moving, I finished the book quickly. The writing itself was good but I thought Claire was too naive for a woman of her age and experience and the plot developments predictable, however I still would recommend the book.

The author may have the skills needed to write a report for one of his 70 successful missions (per the back cover) but he does not have the ones needed to write a novel. I found myself wincing at his phrasing and sentence construction on nearly every page and thus found it very hard to get into the story.

Luckily the plot was the same stone cold killer, super strategist and sexual dynamo with a (sadly alienated) heart of gold that I've read many times before - see Jason Bourne, Jack Reacher, etc. - so I didn't have to expend much brain power in following along.