springdellgirl

Summer Reading (Part 1)



So...I just realized that I haven't done a book review since February. Fear not. I HAVE been reading AND having opinions. For me one of the glories of summer is having more time to read. So if you are like me...and in need something to read over the summer...I will do a little series of reviews here on the blog of the books I have been reading and apparently not reviewing. There have been some definite hits and and misses. So in no apparent order or genre I will begin:

Let's start with a fun and entertaining read. To put it succinctly... I loved it. I thought it was even better than The Forgotten Garden which I also loved. But you know me...I love me a Gothic tale.

From Simon & Schuster:

"A long lost letter arrives in the post and Edie Burchill finds herself on a journey to Milderhurst Castle, a great but moldering old house, where the Blythe spinsters live and where her mother was billeted 50 years before as a 13 year old child during WW II. The elder Blythe sisters are twins and have spent most of their lives looking after the third and youngest sister, Juniper, who hasn't been the same since her fianceé jilted her in 1941. Inside the decaying castle, Edie begins to unravel her mother's past. But there are other secrets hidden in the stones of Milderhurst, and Edie is about to learn more than she expected."

This book alternates between 1993, telling Edie Burchill’s story, and fifty years earlier, telling the story of Milderhurst Castle and the Sisters Blythe during the war years. We learn the dark secrets that tie the two families together and the present to the past. It is creepy, tragic and heart-warming. Just like the Forgotten Garden had a story (or fairy tales) within the story, in this book there is the story of The True History of the Mudman. How I wish this story really existed because I would read it in a flash!!

The Sisters Blythe were so intriguing. I don't know what it is about sisters but if ever I come across a book about sisters I seem to always want to read it. It is a definite selling point. I love reading about complicated family relationships. The characters of Percy, Saffy and Juniper were enjoyable. Edie and Meredith could have been fleshed out a little bit more.

I loved the title...and underlying theme...that in an old house the walls can tell the stories of all the inhabitants that have lived and loved there before and that if you are quiet enough you can almost hear the "distant hours". "The ancient walls sing the distant hours..." Beautiful writing. That phrase really affected me and has stayed with me. I have repeated it to myself many times. Having lived in an old house in which the history was nearly palpable and having enjoyed our family's lake house in which you can truly feel the "distant hours" close at hand; I particularly loved that description. I also loved the imagery at the end of the book where the past and present coexist. Fantastic.

I have a few mild complaints and I worry that Kate Morton may be a formulaic writer. I have not yet read The House at Riverton to say for certain. But all in all, it was extremely enjoyable to read and would be fantastic summer reading.

My rating: Excellent


This was one of our book club picks this spring. I really was not sure if I was going to like this book. The subject matter seemed rather daunting...and it was.

From abrahamverghese.com:

"The story is a riveting saga of twin brothers, Marion and Shiva Stone, born of a tragic union between a beautiful Indian nun and a brash British surgeon at a mission hospital in Addis Ababa. Orphaned by their mother's death in childbirth and their father's disappearance, and bound together by a preternatural connection and a shared fascination with medicine, the twins come of age as Ethiopia hovers on the brink of revolution.But it's love, not politics -- their passion for the same woman -- that will tear them apart and force Marion to flee his homeland and make his way to America, finding refuge in his work at an underfunded, overcrowded New York City hospital. When the past catches up to him, wreaking havoc and destruction, Marion has to entrust his life to the two men he has trusted least in the world: the surgeon father who abandoned him and the brother who betrayed him."


This was a weighty yet riveting saga. I was afraid that I would not be able to get drawn into this novel...the setting Ethiopia...a vast amount of medical jargon. I was wrong. As soon as I started reading about Sister Mary Joseph Praise and her journey I was hooked. This is not a light read nor one for the faint-hearted. It's over 500 pages of complicated story-telling; often times slow-moving. The development of the characters and plot were wonderfully structured. This novel has a depth and flavor all its own. Several of the characters were fantastic. The slow development gave them depth and interest. I especially loved Ghosh. He saved the story from being too heavy-handed and depressing. This book is multi-layered. It challenged me in several ways and I find myself months later still digesting it.

My main complaint is that all the detailed medical procedures really slowed the book down. They were extremely detailed and graphic. Some I felt were unnecessary. This book is not a light- hearted read. It is at times very depressing. There are several unpleasant things that occur...some violent and some sexual. But it was an interesting saga. Am I running to the library for another Abraham Verghese book? No. But I will give it this...It was an interesting book to discuss at book club. It produced many varied thoughts, feelings and opinions.

My rating: Good...interesting

I am a big fan of Sara Gruen's book Water For Elephants that completely transported me to another era and subculture so I was excited to read her new book. Unfortunately this one didn't do it for me.
From barnesandnoble.com:

"Isabel Duncan, a scientist at the Great Ape Language Lab, doesn't understand people, but apes she gets—especially the bonobos Sam, Bonzi, Lola, Mbongo, Jelani, and Makena, who are capable of reason and communication through American Sign Language. Isabel feels more comfortable in their world than she's ever felt among humans—until she meets John Thigpen, a very married reporter writing a human interest feature. But when an explosion rocks the lab, John's piece turns into the story of a lifetime—and Isabel must connect with her own kind to save her family of apes from a new form of human exploitation. "

I found this book to be silly and ridiculous...almost slapstick comedy (bad comedy) at times. The main character, John Thigpen, finds himself in the most ridiculous situations and it negates the actually interesting storyline concerning the Bonobos. There was such poor character development that the characters are clichés. You've got the bumbling reporter, the Hollywood wife, the meddling mother-in-law, the studious animal researcher, the radical...and on and on.

If the novel would have been a serious story about language acquisition and cognition in great apes...with serious characters...and a real plot...it could have been a great book. Who wouldn't be fascinated by the ability to have a two-way conversation with a great ape.

Unfortunately, the story tried to be comedic and ended up completely ridiculous. It was also quite a soap box for Sara Gruen concerning mistreatment of animals (show us...don't tell us), her feelings about reality TV, and her political agenda. That was a complete turn-off. I found myself grumbling "Here she goes again..." I found it tiresome.


My Rating: Lame (Interesting subject matter but ridiculous characters and plot.)



This was another book club pick. Since all of us are mothers of young boys we wanted to read a book that we could share with our sons(and daughters.) I always seem to be able to find books to share with my girls but finding one that my son and I can read together has proven to be a bit more challenging.
From goodreads.com:

"They have always scared him in the past—the Rangers, with their dark cloaksand shadowy ways. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now 15-year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger's apprentice. What he doesn't yet realize is that the Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom. Highly trained in the skills of battle and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles reach the people. And as Will is about to learn, there is a large battle brewing. The exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is gathering his forces for an attack on the kingdom. This time, he will not be denied. . "

This was a great choice and I am NOT a Fantasy fan so that is saying something. It was a nice coming of age story with a straight forward quest...although I did find it to have shades of a somewhat simplified Lord of the Rings-esque type tale. I particularly liked the fact that the characters did not use any magic...just hard work and natural talents. The plot was fairly predictable but still enjoyable and fun to share with, not only my ten year old son, but the whole family.

My rating: Good.



From Goodreads:

"President George W. Bush describes the critical decisions of his presidency and personal life. Decision Points is the extraordinary memoir of America’s 43rd president. Shattering the conventions of political autobiography, George W. Bush offers a strikingly candid journey through the defining decisions of his life."

This book shocked the heck out of me. I opened it with great trepidation. What in the world would George Bush have to say and how would he say it. I was so pleasantly surprised. I THOROUGHLY (yes!! All caps!!) enjoyed this book. This may be hard to believe but when I had time to read at the end of the day I was actually excited to get back to the book. I KNOW!!

President Bush divided the book into themes rather than telling the story chronologically. It gives a few biographical chapters and then gets right to his "decision points". I am not lying when I say it is highly readable. Delving into his mind and getting his personal perspective was fascinating. His behind the scenes insights on Iraq, Afghanistan, Katrina, stem cell research, foreign policy, world leaders, his religious faith, his appointments, the financial crisis, and the current political climate had me flying through the pages and I found his account of September 11th incredibly moving.

I learned much about the way the US Government is run and how it conducts it's business. I learned a lot about foreign policy. I learned more about what the office of the President of the United States entails and thus have more respect for the office and those who serve. I also have a greater appreciation for freedom and the blessing it is in my life.

I was pleasantly surprised by the high ratings it has received from Goodreads readers and others elsewhere. Bush fan or foe...A highly enjoyable read.

My rating: Excellent...For Reals.

(This would be so much fun to pick for Book Club and to discuss...but I doubt everyone would read it. Bummer.)