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Reviews by Karen S. (Allston, MA)

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Happy Land
by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Royalty reigned in a corner of North Carolina's Reconstruction (10/31/2024)

Historical fiction helps me learn about history and events I know very little about. This time I learned about a part of Reconstruction that I had truly never heard about. The story line links the early times and founders of HappyLand in North Carolina, with their modern descendants. The author created a convincing sense of a very separate and protected land, where dreams and royalty reigned. The current event in this book are not protected by the magic of a little known history, and were not as intriguing for me. However, they fit the story and served to unwrap the early days of Happy Land. The struggles, victories, changing relationships, and setbacks for the members of this unique community were interesting throughout the book. I found myself thinking about other attempts to form better communities, and not about the stilted communities that can occur with royalty.

I would recommend this to anyone interested in this era of American history.

Follow the Stars Home
by Diane C. McPhail

Unusual times and protagonist in need of deeper exploration (5/6/2024)

I love historical fiction when it finds the perfect balance between well researched history and the fictional narrative. "Follow the Stars Home" introduced me to an amazing woman in American history and facts about the Mississippi that I had not heard about.

The fictional narrative was entirely Lydia's perspective — almost a diary in that the daily details of her child and musings about her husband were a bit repetitive. Despite the repetition, that did not add to understanding Lydia or her husband or their relationship.
A bit more of the American history, information about the towns they visited, and more of how she came to be such a remarkable person at such a young age in harsh times would have added to the tale and the historical depth.

The title of this book also seemed a bit more fanciful than relevant. I assume this is more about the editors than the author.

That said, I am likely to read more of McPhail's work.

Bad Animals: A Novel
by Sarah Braunstein

Bad Animals: who and where? (1/9/2024)

The plot promises more intrigue than this book delivered for me. Braunstein does a good job conveying Maeve's inner life, but I was looking for more reflections from her external world. Maine, libraries, troubled teens, and an elusive author provide interesting vehicles for this novel. Sometimes I wish an editor had done more editing—I wonder if too much was edited out of this story. When I finished reading, I did not have the satisfying feeling I appreciate when a good story teller ends the tale.

The Stone Home: A Novel
by Crystal Hana Kim

Painful, and then more painful (11/14/2023)

I wouldn't say this is for everyone—it is grim and brutal throughout. That said, I kept reading to the end because Kim was unspooling a story that I wanted to finish. This is historical fiction about a time and place in South Korea that I have not explored, and I am glad to have some exposure.
I will not be looking for more about these "reformatory centers."
That said, I found Kim's writing carried me along. If this was written by a less skillful writer, I would not have finished the book. This is what earned the 4 stars.

Wild and Distant Seas: A Novel
by Tara Karr Roberts

Four generations of women and their quests for self (10/7/2023)

I loved this book and it may have inspired me to read Moby Dick. The quotes from Melville included at various were beautiful and enhanced the story of four gifted women across four generations. Roberts crafts a story of women and self-determination using the legacy of Evangeline and the social constraints on women through the timeline of the look. A sense of place starting and ending in Nantucket, while covering the greater world and its oceans, is a great foil for the memories that propel each character forward.

I guess this qualifies as historical fiction, but it is a unique approach to the genre.

The Witches at the End of the World
by Chelsea Iversen

Who doesn't want some magic now and then? (8/10/2023)

As a New Englander, I may be particularly open to books about magic and witches, This tale set in Norway was surprisingly fun to read while dealing substantively with issues of "outsiders" and villages full of suspicion and rigid loyalty to their church's authority. It is a tale of "life below the surface," on many levels. Themes of loyalty, love, rage and evil permeate this tale of two very different sisters, the daughters of a witch burned in the village they fled as young girls. A good read, and I will recommend it to friends who enjoy stories that include a bit of magic we could all use.

Banyan Moon: A Novel
by Thao Thai

Easy to forgive the flaws in these basically good women, trying their best (5/3/2023)

First the book intrigued me, then it didn't. Then it pulled me back in and held my attention until the end. The story of three women covers mothers and daughters, parenting, family lies, family tensions—common themes in many family-based stories. I found the overlay of "inheritance" -- personal traits, cultural stories, and actual material inheritance-- was an effective vehicle for telling the stories of these women. Spanning the Vietnam War era until present time in Vietnam and the United States, the range of this book is ambitions, and Thai manages it smoothly.
I can see this book appealing to many people.

The Little Italian Hotel: A Novel
by Phaedra Patrick

An Italian vacation /escape should be much more interesting (4/7/2023)

I expected to like this book more—an adventure in Italy is a great starting point. The story did not make me struggle with big ideas and issues, and it did not develop characters fully enough for me to really engage with them. They were all pleasant enough. The daily "plans" felt contrived but were convenient. The formulaic revelations and ostensible personal growth for characters did not evoke the sympathy or sense of triumph that a good story should evoke..

This is a fine "beach book" but will not make the list when friends ask for a really good read.

Sisters of the Lost Nation
by Nick Medina

Two Sisters and All of Their People (10/26/2022)

I liked this book even more than I expected. The ambitious mix of folklore, telling new stories, and coming of age when you don't fit in, actually worked quite well. Medina created a compelling setting and characters that I cared about, especially the two teenage sisters. Their conflicts and love were very believable. The time shifts in the story could have been annoying, but they were not. The real story of a missing girl from the Blackfeet reservation provides somber context for this modern story, a context that is probably not well known.
I was pleased to see that Medina has written several books and story collections, and I may give one a look, though I do not generally like horror stories. Sisters of the Lost Nation has some elements of a horror story, but is too serious and real to be labelled as such, at least in my opinion.

In the Time of Our History
by Susanne Pari

Interesting Iranian family struggling just like us, yet in their own way (9/5/2022)

This is a very readable book from a wonderful storyteller. Although this book tells the story of an Iranian family in the US, pre 9/11, the themes are familiar and somewhat cross cultural: gender stereotypes held and shattered, traditions and transition to a new culture, traditions that hide and cover abuse, the role of "protectors" in families and communities. I found it easy to empathize with a number of the characters, despite their shortcomings. A few characters and relationships seemed to be less developed and more about them would have enriched the story.

A good read and I will look for Pari's earlier work. I would recommend to readers who are interested in Iranian culture in the US and those who like stories about interesting families.

The Family Izquierdo: A Novel
by Rubén Degollado

Total is less than the sum of the parts (8/8/2022)

I expected to enjoy this book more as I like novels set in the Mexican culture and geography. The writing is lovely in many places, but I felt that the author kept the reader at a distance from all of the characters. The device of switching between characters and time frames in each chapter may have been intended to tie things together, but it did not accomplish this for me. I found it disjointed. The extensive details about religious matters seemed a bit overdone— and outweighed the more interesting exploration of redemption and forgiveness. The mental health struggles of various characters were treated almost casually, which was odd given the impact of these struggles on the lives of individuals and the entire family.

That said, the Izquierdo family is quite interesting and another rendering of their story and curses might capture my interest.

What Ben Franklin Would Have Told Me
by Donna Gordon

Heartwarming and human, great storytelling (7/11/2022)

I loved reading this book, starting with the first page. The implausible meeting of the main characters, Lee and Tomas, is totally believable thanks to the author's careful rendering. All of the characters are compelling, and their humanity is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. The story line covers topics I knew a bit about, while educating me in the service of the story line, not in a heavy handed manner.

Some books are mostly a personal pleasure. This is one I will enjoy discussing with the friends who are currently reading it, and those who are now off to get their own copy.

Fly Girl: A Memoir
by Ann Hood

Nicely told tales from a charming stoyteller (3/29/2022)

This memoir covering the author's years as a TWA flight attendant is a fun read. I graduated college around the same time as the author, and it was fun to read about her experiences during a time period I know well. By coincidence, I read this book while flying domestically. As the coffee service and snack carts rolled down the aisle I was comparing many snippets from the book to the present flying experience.

Hood comments that her stories about her flight attendant days seem to be of great interest when she is in social occasions, and I can easily imagine her recounting many of the events in this book—she is a storyteller and she shares many amusing tales. It is a memoir, and readers will follow her journey from naïve young adult to competent-and-confident young adult.

The bad old days of sexism and ageism sounded all too familiar, and not so distant.

On a Night of a Thousand Stars
by Andrea Yaryura Clark

Such a promising stoy line, but..... (2/3/2022)

I love historical fiction and Argentina's Dirty War has generated several books I have loved and that taught me a lot about this era. This book is about a love story, the aftermath of the Dirty War, and some useful to know history about the Dirty War. The characters were easy to like and the storytelling moved along at a good pace.

So…. Why only a "good-average" review? Somehow, this just was not a book I felt I must recommend to friends who like historic fiction, or the ones that are students of political activism South America. A story about big events has to make tradeoffs unless it plans to be a very long book, but a bit more depth on some characters and the general state of Argentina could have illuminated the struggles of the main characters in a compelling way. For example, I found the treatment of the mothers of the disappeared on the plaza to be oddly cavalier-- they are little more than a prop in this story.

Overall, a fine read—and it would probably be a "good beach read" for people who like historical fiction.

Housebreaking
by Colleen Hubbard

Classic New England and believably preposterous (9/30/2021)

My response to this overall quite enjoyable book includes an appreciation for the storytelling, and some reservations about the writing. I love it when an author can make me suspend belief and tell a story where the preposterous is believable enough. In the author's "behind the book" notes she explains her own story and why the setting in New England was quite real to her. The main character, Del, and her various friends/allies are engaging and complex.
At times I found the writing a bit over-determined when writing snarkily about certain antagonists, and the ending seemed a bit abrupt to me. Playing out the end for a story that carried me so easily would have improved the book for me. I will definitely recommend this to others, especially those in the mood for a triumph of spirit over adversity that is not maudlin.

Blind Man's Bluff: A Memoir
by James Tate Hill

Delightful and insightful- exceeded my expectations (8/6/2021)

I loved this book and the manner in which it did not follow the more predictable story lines for a memoir about vision loss. This is less medical and more about growing up and struggling. The loss of vision is a context that sharpens the struggles of so many people—falling in love, falling out of love, learning to drive, finding new apartments, managing college social life and studies.

This author had a writing style I personally like very much: spare descriptions of events that manage to convey an enormous amount of detail and feelings. James has great appreciation for his close friends great forbearance for the many slights he experiences from the sighted-but-unaware people in his world.

The Sunset Route: Freight Trains, Forgiveness, and Freedom on the Rails in the American West
by Carrot Quinn

An engaging memoir with honesty, but a few guardrails. guardrails (7/7/2021)

I typically like memoirs, and it is tough to be critical as the authors are writing their own story. Carrot's story has some unique elements, as she is a current day version of the romanticized freight train riders of years past. Her writing is engaging, and she makes the scenes visible to me , though I cannot "feel" them as I do in the best memoirs. I was left with questions about the years living with her grandparents and the development of her writing interest and talent. Just how did she get from all the early trauma to her current state? It took more than dangerous trips on freight trains and the few sister/fellow travelers she introduces.
Comparisons to "Educated", "Wild" and other recent memoirs came to mind as I read this.

A Million Things
by Emily Spurr

A seemingly "small story" about a million things (5/1/2021)

I loved this book about unthinkable abandonment and how that feels to a 10 year old with an "old soul." The fragile and oddly reliable relationships were completely real to me, even though it was all from Rae's perspective. On occasion It seems a bit unrealistic for a 10 year old to be so mature and capable, but then I thought again and remembered how much some kids deal with. Spurr's storytelling drew me in from the very beginning, and her portraits of people were comforting, despite everything. A number of flawed people, but no human demons. The book is a quick read, though I did not want to rush it, and let it unfold at its own pace.
For dog lovers, Splinters is a gem.

The Personal Librarian
by Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray

Already recommending to many friends! (2/4/2021)

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict was a page turner for me, and I loved every page. Somehow this author included history, art, race and identity, social norms, family ties and secrets in this great story. The backdrop of the developing Pierpont Morgan Library and brewing World War adds to the fascination. I seldom see an author cover so many themes so well in one book. Belle da Costa Greene was an extraordinary figure for many reasons, yet I had never heard of her. I am glad this very readable piece of historical fiction introduced me to her. A final word of praise: I really appreciated the author's note at the end describing how closely she incorporated known history, where she altered a few minor points and how she filled in the missing parts of the story Belle never revealed.

The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World: A Novel
by Laura Imai Messina

Spare writing that goes straight to the heart (12/17/2020)

This book was a gentle and irresistible invitation for me to inhabit the world of two very likeable Japanese adults who are grieving their losses from the 2011 tsunami. This author conveys their pain without insisting that the reader feel horrible, and allows us to root for the magic of the phone booth at the end of the world.
I appreciated that the book focused on Yui and Takeshi, without straying too far into the lives of the people closest to them. For me, this provided a clean and simpler focus that enhanced the story and inner lives of Yui and Takeshi.
This is not a story about a tsunami and the country it ravaged, it is really the story of grieving individuals, stumbling toward hope and supported by a unique and spiritual place.

Reviews by Karen S. (Allston, MA)

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Reviews by Karen S. (Allston, MA)

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