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Joan C. (Warwick, RI)
The Sisterhood
This book has everything a reader could ask for - intrigue, romance, heroes, heroines, history, family and religion. Did I miss anything? I'm sure I did, so you need to read Sisterhood to find out what. Flashing the setting back and forth between modern and medieval times in Spain and "New Spain", you read to find out what the connection is between the characters then and now, bu It isn't until the very end that the author enlightens us. Set against the backdrop of a Catholic convent, young female babies and girls are left at the convent's gates because of the mores of the historical period. These children come
…more under the nurturing care, love and teachings of nuns and novices of Las Golondrinas Convent. How wonderful to read a book full of love, hope and kindness and how these themes kept on being "played forward" in "Sisterhood". (less)At the heart of Helen Bryan's novel, The Sisterhood, is a great story. It held my attention on several levels: historical information, women's issues, the Catholic Church. However,the author could not seem to decide if she was writing a work of historical fiction or a romance novel! The vehicle in which she presents her interesting story is weak.
The author is ambitious and tries to present too much information rather than giving more depth to her history.
The book held my attention from beginning to end, and I easily forgave obvious flaws in the writing style.
Anna S. (Auburn, AL)
The Sisterhood
This is a story of the present and the past and how they intertwined. I particularly enjoyed 'past' part of the novel which dealt with the way the Spanish Inquisition led to the founding of an order of nuns in 'New Spain', and their relationship with the Incas.
Had it not been for a couple of improbable coincidences I would have rated this book as a 5 .
Esther L. (Newtown, PA)
I love historical fiction
Thank you to BookBrowse for allowing me to preview The Sisterhood. I read her previous book, War Brides and enjoyed that story. This book was even better. I thoroughly enjoyed the history of the 16th century Spanish convent and the nuns that lived and worked there to make women's lives better and care for many orphans. I was less involved in the modern character of Menina and found the ending a little contrived. I will recommend this book because of its historical details.
Joan P. (Owego, NY)
The Sisterhood
This book is enlightening as well as a good story. Through flashbacks, a young American girl tells the story of Los Golondrinas, an order of nuns with convents in Spain and South America. The reader is introduced to five young girls from the time of the Spanish Inquisition who for various reasons sought asylum in the convent in Spain. We get a good look at the terrors they experienced and the courage of the nuns helping women in a male dominated world. There are love stories, a little art history and even a mystery that keeps the reader enthralled until the end. Even though I liked this book, I found myself
…more flipping back and forth to keep the characters straight. A timeline or list of characters would have made the experience better. (less)When I first started reading The Sisterhood, by Helen Bryan, my first impression was that the main character, Menina, was too "pat." She was beautiful, smart, and I was sure she was not going to be very interesting to follow. I admit I am more drawn to quirky people on the pages I read. As the plot developed, though, I found myself liking the story and the way it moved from one time period to another. The plot was complicated, but followed the theme of secrecy, faith, and the fellowship of women from beginning to end. I am still not sure how present day Menina ended up with the ancient and valuable artifacts ,
…more but that doesn't really detract from the story. It was a fun read, and I think it would be a good choice for a book club. It has a smattering of romance, intrigue, and history, so there would be lots to discuss. (less)This book is very unique in the way it is written. It jumps from one time frame to another. This book has lots of characters. Sometimes it is very hard to keep track of the characters. A lot of events do happen in this book. I would suggest to read the title of every chapter before beginning to read that chapter. Now that I finished the book, I would like to reread it again, knowing what I know regarding the book's format and really focus in on the characters.
Betty B. (Irving, TX)
Sisterhood Through The Ages
The Sisterhood tells a beautiful story of women caring for the abused and neglected through the ages. If you can accept that artifacts from an ancient convent in the mountains of Spain find their way to a convent in South America in the 1500's, then to a 19 year old Southern Baptist college student in Georgia in 2000, you will enjoy this book. It may take a leap of imagination (or faith) at times, but you will enjoy the journey. I thought both the writing and characterizations in the 1500's stronger than the contemporary events or this would have earned 5 stars from me.
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