What a joy! This book was a delight from start to finish!
The story takes its time, moving slowly but with great atmosphere and nuance. The depictions What a joy! This book was a delight from start to finish!
The story takes its time, moving slowly but with great atmosphere and nuance. The depictions of the relocated British children during WWII were very well-rendered, and this book struck all the right notes of sorrow and hope and fear and loss. The novel's plot is absolutely beautiful—sad but not bleak—with memorable characters on a quest for life and redemption. The author did a phenomenal job of imbuing the whole book with a fairy-tale-like quality, without ever once drawing on any supernatural element. The novel reads almost like a journey, taking its readers on a long adventure through dark and perilous places, and as the tale goes on, the tension grows and the drama unfolds, until finally the readers reach the journey's end and its thoroughly satisfying conclusion....more
A joyful look at a year of Jewish holidays. The short descriptions of this collection function almost as free-verse poems. They capture a bit of the eA joyful look at a year of Jewish holidays. The short descriptions of this collection function almost as free-verse poems. They capture a bit of the emotion and history behind each holiday, and the slender volume would function well both for very young Jewish children and for non-Jews who have never been introduced to these holidays. Don't look for great depth of information here, but if you would like a charming and informational account that conveys a sense of childlike wonder, you won't be disappointed....more
Fantastic book, and well-plotted, with characters so vivid they seem to leap off the page. I enjoyed every moment of this story, and watching the fourFantastic book, and well-plotted, with characters so vivid they seem to leap off the page. I enjoyed every moment of this story, and watching the four main characters grow and change was delightful. Some other good things: • The book centers on shortages and rationing, an aspect of WWII with which I was largely unfamiliar. (How does one even write a WWII novel? What's left to talk about? Well, this, apparently. Educational, and it stands out sharply from the sea of other WWII novels.) • The supporting characters. The teenage son, the elderly cook, the MIA RAF husband—I don't read a lot of books with characters like these, and it was nice to see them here. • The recipes! Don't know if I'll try them, but they were fun to imagine. • The poignant moments. It would be easy for the dramatic moments to be overblown, but these were not. Beautiful, powerful, and unutterably sad at times. • The tone: Not bleak. It was even hopeful. I would recommend this for anyone who is interested in historical fiction, particular with regard to the home front and the families of soldiers who have gone to fight....more
As of this moment, this book has one review and only three ratings (not including mine). That's a pity, because Steve Vernon's Sea Tales deserves to bAs of this moment, this book has one review and only three ratings (not including mine). That's a pity, because Steve Vernon's Sea Tales deserves to be read by a much wider audience. Unfortunately, that audience is not I. I DNF'd after only 4 of the 7 stories.
The writing is great. Moody, atmospheric, gripping. Characters are more nuanced and developed in their few pages here than some other characters are in novels. This author really knows his craft.
That said, I don't care for his style. I stopped reading Stephen King because I decided that gruesome horror tales are not for me, and it turns out, that a large part of what this collection is. I don't know if I'd call this horror, per se—maybe disturbing magical realism—but the subject matter is a little too disturbing for me. If you like authors with excellent skill, are okay with supernatural elements in tales, and can stomach a few morbid and unsettling plot twists, you may love this book....more
An excellent resource. The writing itself was so clear that even complicated subject matter was clearly explained. Furthermore, the book does not assuAn excellent resource. The writing itself was so clear that even complicated subject matter was clearly explained. Furthermore, the book does not assume that the readers have any familiarity with this battle, or with the admirals involved, or with the basic history of sailing or the mechanics thereof. Consequently, everything relevant is explained. Despite this, the book never feels as though it condescends or oversimplifies, nor does it get so bogged down as to become boring.
As for the information itself, this book offers a clear account of the battle, context for its importance in the greater conflict between England and France, and background information on many of the officers involved. Maps chart the position of the different ships at particular times in the battle. Several illustrations add to the charm of the people (and ships). All in all, a remarkable account....more
How charming! Jennifer Beckstrand sure has a light touch, and this series is a lot of fun. I enjoyed this prequel, set during the Korean War, and whilHow charming! Jennifer Beckstrand sure has a light touch, and this series is a lot of fun. I enjoyed this prequel, set during the Korean War, and while there are some somber moments in the story, I am delighted that Beckstrand's sense of humor still shines through. Recommended for fans of the series....more
Haunting, evocative, tragic. A perfect pairing of poetry and illustrations, this little book captures the crushing tragedy of the Holocaust while stilHaunting, evocative, tragic. A perfect pairing of poetry and illustrations, this little book captures the crushing tragedy of the Holocaust while still acknowledging—even celebrating—the Jewish people, their faith, and their history....more
What did I think? I loved it! Beautiful, melancholic, poignant, vast in scope—it was everything it needed to be.
Stuff it does well: • The first book wWhat did I think? I loved it! Beautiful, melancholic, poignant, vast in scope—it was everything it needed to be.
Stuff it does well: • The first book was an immigrant tale, too, but this, in many ways, does a stellar job of showing some of the long-term difficulties of making a home in a new land. The first book’s conflicts were more immediate, whereas this book shows more long-term issues, as well as the strain on families and children. • The timeline. The first book described some events that all happened in pretty short order. This book, however, takes many years to unfold. This gives Wecker a bit more latitude as she explores the characters' relationships over time. (It also gives her a chance to work in a few significant events from history . . . ) • Character development. Any sequel ought to expand the characters. It ought to let them grow a bit, and it should give the readers a chance to see these characters in a whole new light. This does that, not just with Chava and Ahmad, but with the supporting characters, too. • Historical detail. Some big events from the early 20th century are woven into this story, such as the sinking of Titanic and the tensions of WWI. Smaller details are worked in as well, little touches that add a great deal to the tale.
Stuff that disappoints: • Some of the conflict felt a little forced. Chava and Ahmad are a couple for much of this tale, but we never get to see them in a supportive relationship. They never feel like a team, they way there were in the first story. They argue all the time, and it’s about things that would be resolved easily if the characters would just talk to each other. These magical beings who never sleep spend hour after hour together every day but don’t ever talk about their feelings. I suppose it’s possible, but it just feels, well, contrived. I won’t give any spoilers here, but it does fall into that sequel trap of having minor problems become major for really no reason. There are genuine threats at different parts of the story, and the plot is sprinkled with some legit sorrowful and poignant moments, but there are also so many instances when the bad stuff gets dragged on too long, when if only Character A had told Character B about xyz, the whole thing could have been cleared up a lot sooner. • The epilogue. Again, no specific spoilers, but it’s very open-ended, and it raises a bunch of questions. Not sure it was necessary. I had the distinct impression she was trying to set things up for a third installment, although as far as I know, this is a duology.
Final thoughts: • The tone is great. It’s been a while since I read the first one, but I think this book’s style is a great match. It seems to blend seamlessly with its predecessor, and it picks up right where the first left off. • Different enough focus to justify itself. This isn’t just a re-hash. The first book told of the Golem and the Jinni coming to New York and making a life in a new country. It led up to an intense climax in which they had to face the main villain. This book, however, isn’t about a single life-changing event, such as arriving somewhere new. It’s about living with the consequences of such an event. In the first book, Chava and Ahmad needed to survive. Here, they need to find a way to live a meaningful life in a rapidly changing foreign land. There is no villain, no final showdown—just a handful of characters over the course of 15 years looking for meaning and purpose. It all leads to connection. Instead of building to a big life-and-death battle, the real climax of this story happen as the characters come together and watch out for each other. It’s a beautiful culmination of much of the novel’s conflict.
This book is a tough one to review, since it has some good information in it, but the execution is poor. It might have benefited from some better editThis book is a tough one to review, since it has some good information in it, but the execution is poor. It might have benefited from some better editing.
First off, I'd like to acknowledge the author's own experience. Near the start of the book, he mentions that he was a veteran of Korea, and when I looked him up online, I saw that he had served with the Eighth Army and received a Bronze Star. He must have shown remarkable strength and courage.
As for the book, honestly, I think he should have written a memoir. This account seems to aim for objectivity, but it doesn't always succeed. I don't blame the author: he was obviously very close to the subject here, and objectivity is difficult even for those without a personal stake in the events described. I give him credit for caring.
However, his exaggerations in some places are so significant that they cast the book's other information—likely factual and highly researched—into doubt. I came into this knowing next to nothing about General MacArthur, and when he started describing the ways that MacArthur failed during the early stages of the war, I believed him absolutely. But then, I noticed that some of Weintraub's remarks were a bit over-the-top. He stated, for example, that MacArthur "always . . . ignored reality." If someone is always ignoring reality, then we're getting into the topic of mental illness, of severe, dehabilitating illness. I don't know MacArthur's situation, but I'm pretty sure that even if he was an arrogant self-absorbed egomaniac, as this book depicts, that he was at least able to function. I don't think he would have become so powerful in the military by "always" ignoring reality. I'm not defending him, and I'm not condemning him. I'm merely suggesting that by making such hyperbolic remarks about him, Weintraub is undercutting his own authority as a researcher. Soldiers make comments to the press, and Weintraub suggests swear words for them that were "likely" present, and only removed for propriety's sake. (Or, maybe the soldier was polite enough not to swear for ten seconds while talking to a newspaper representative.) Powerful people back in the States are discussing MacArthur's ability to lead troops effectively, and Weintraub makes guesses as to what these men were thinking at the time. A war correspondent who was in Korea during the disaster places the blame for some of the unwise military decisions on some other officers, not on MacArthur, and Weintraub states that she likely was just lying because she was a woman. (To Weintraub's credit, he was not trying to condemn all women; rather, he was trying to suggest that MacArthur's kindness in allowing her to be present had clouded her judgment of his character. It still comes off as prejudiced, but at least I can follow his reasoning, to a point.)
I guess what I'm trying to say is that this sort of bias is fine for a memoir. He was in Korea, and he lived through a powerful experience there. If he had written a memoir, and if it railed against MacArthur, both justly and unjustly, it would have all been valid in that sense. It would have been his own voice, his own journey, his account from when the history was unfolding. Or, if he had shown just a bit more restraint in writing this—if he had limited himself to the factual accounts of MacArthur's errors, which, I have to admit, seem awfully compelling—then this book would have been weighty and powerful indeed.
I'm sad that I'm left with an account I don't wholly trust. I'm sad that so much research has brought so little illumination. I'm grateful for the perspective he offers, just the same. I'm glad that I had the chance to learn about some of the events of the war, and about some of the men who fought it. I learned about racial tensions in the military, and about some survivors (one in particular who was an amputee) who readjusted gracefully to civilian life. I learned about the heroism of the marines, who took days to walk a few miles because they were so badly frozen and wounded, and because they helped their injured companions, and who arrived singing—literally singing!—their Marines' hymn. And I felt the emotion. When he described the desperate refugees hoping to be rescued, I was on the edge of my seat. When I learned about their escape, and about the babies born on the ship that carried them away to a better future, I felt joy. When I read about the POWs and their treatment, I felt sick inside. Again, this is all well-researched and quite powerful. I learned so much about so many of the minutiae, but not as much as I'd hoped about the big picture. In terms of the war itself, of the strategies and military decisions, I didn't gain understanding; I merely gained one man's opinion. I'm grateful that I read it, and that it gave me a lot to think about. There is a lot of good content here. It wouldn't have taken much editing to make this far better....more
What a pleasure to listen to this series of lectures! Drout covers the history of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, beginning with their migration into BWhat a pleasure to listen to this series of lectures! Drout covers the history of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, beginning with their migration into Britain. Drout’s love for this culture really shines through, and his excitement is both genuine and contagious. If his goal was to teach history, he succeeded; if his goal was to get people excited, well, he succeeded there, too. A few of the events he described were things I’d read about before, but he put a unique spin on them. For example, I had already read about the custom of passing a lyre around a hall so that people could take turns singing. But Drout made me laugh when he described this as “Medieval Karaoke Night” and then added the disclaimer, “I am not making this up.” What a fun way of looking at it! It’s so lovely when the author’s personality shines through.
He describes different facets of Anglo-Saxon life, from the extreme amount of labor that was involved in making a book, to the relatively poor living conditions of the masses, to the king who lamented that most of his people never bothered to learn a language other than English. Drout tells of the heroes and the idiots who shaped the course of British history, and he traces the development of certain ideas and practices across the centuries. He traces the fall of this culture, which was conquered and, in many respects, completely destroyed by William.
My two favorite elements of this lecture series are both literary. I enjoyed learning about King Alfred, who pushed for books in the vernacular, who fostered increased literacy among his subjects and his court, and who worked as both translator and author. And I absolutely adored Drout’s in-depth look at a variety of works of literature. Not just Beowulf—although that is, of course, the subject of one lecture—but also many of the great works of that period. “The Wanderer,” “The Seafarer,” “Judith” (he uses the phrase “Braveheart speech” to describe this warrior woman), religious poetry, wisdom poems, “The Dream of the Rood,” King Alfred’s writings, and more: Drout paints a vivid portrait of these and other writings, and he offers in-depth literary analysis. As if that weren’t enough, he also reads from these texts in the original Old English, which is such a beautiful and melodic language.
All in all, highly informative. A well-rounded picture of many different elements of this particular history and culture....more
Well this was certainly different: a celebration of cats that’s too disturbing for me to recommend wholeheartedly to other cat-lovers.
What’s good: QuiWell this was certainly different: a celebration of cats that’s too disturbing for me to recommend wholeheartedly to other cat-lovers.
What’s good: Quite a lot. Beautiful illustrations, bite-sized chunks of information, a wide range of countries, historical context about felines, a timeline—the list goes on and on. I appreciated the mini-biographies for the 30 courageous cats, but I also liked that in between these sections, the author included things that expanded the focus beyond these 30 felines. For example, one section describes a cat’s physical characteristics. Another lists cats with amazing survival stories. These aren’t the 30 cats referred to in the title; they’re simply other cats who are noteworthy. Quick, informative, and fun.
What’s troubling: The cat deaths. Or maybe it’s not just the deaths themselves, but the vague way the book hints at them. For example, there was a cat sent into outer space. She survived the journey and returned safely to Earth. The author makes a big deal about saying that this cat survived the trip; she went to space and lived to tell about it. The author also says that scientists were interested in learning what effects the space travel had had on her brain. And that’s it. Except at the bottom of each cat’s page are the years for its birth and death, and this cat’s death year is the same as her spaceflight. So my initial reaction was horror, because it sounded as though she survived the journey only to be killed by the same scientists who sent her on the mission in the first place . . . and yet I wasn’t sure. It wasn’t stated outright, and so I was left to wonder about it. Eventually, I looked it up, and yes, it was exactly what it sounded like: she came home safely, and they killed her and examined her brain. And now I’m still horrified but also disgusted.
There were other cats whose violent ends are hinted at but never explicitly stated, such as the cat whom pilots took in their planes during WWII missions in 1945. It also died in 1945. (That isn’t a coincidence.) I can’t decide how I feel about this particular approach. I expect that she’s trying to shield her child viewers from something uncomfortable and upsetting, but she’s dropping enough hints that it might be unsettling anyway. And if the hints go unnoticed, then she’s perhaps being misleading. One final example that seems to go the other direction is that of Mrs. Chippy, a male cat who sailed on Ernest Shackleton’s ship. The cat was named Mrs. Chippy because he belonged to (and constantly followed) the ship’s carpenter, who was called Chippy. When the ship was destroyed by ice, Shackleton decided that they couldn’t risk taking the cat away with them. The author states that they gave the cat its favorite food, and that it lay down for a sleep from which it would never awake. So from this, I knew that the healthy cat was killed. But based on this text, I was picturing a cat freezing to death slowly on the ice, or perhaps drowning. I looked for more information online, and it looks as though the cat was shot. As much as I hate the idea, at least it was a much quicker death than I’d envisioned. So how much information is too little? Are kids going to imagine something that’s worse than it was? Or are children going to assume a happy ending where there wasn’t one, as with the cat in space? Would it have been better for some of these cats to have been left off altogether? I don’t know. I was so distressed after reading the section on Mrs. Chippy that I went back to re-read some of the happier chapters until I felt a little better. So this book was both the cause of and the cure for my disquiet.
To be fair, there were only a few cats with disturbing deaths. Many lived long lives and died of natural causes. Some are still alive at the moment. But between even this small amount of disturbing content and the confusing way that it was handled, I feel compelled to take off a star. I’m giving this one a 4....more
This was a lovely WWII story about a very young woman trying to keep her spirits up during the Blitz. I have read several nonfiction accounts praisingThis was a lovely WWII story about a very young woman trying to keep her spirits up during the Blitz. I have read several nonfiction accounts praising the British for their staunch refusal to flee or despair; they kept living their lives as normally as possible in an impossible situation. I loved this book for many reasons, not least of which was the writing style. Pearce seems to have channeled the correct voice for her characters: the slang feels natural, and the mix of optimism, fear, and determination seems spot-on. The characters she has written are lovable, even when the mess up. They are young and brave; they are naive and rash. The whole story feels incredibly realistic because the characters embody the same attitudes that historians describe. The tone might feel too light to some—but that's because it's told in first person from someone who is trying, very deliberately, to be upbeat. My only complaint, such as it is, would have been for the book to be a little bit longer. I felt that the ending was a little bit rushed. And yet, I can't help thinking that the ending is a lot stronger because of the ambiguity. The author didn't spell everything out, and that's probably a good thing. An excellent story....more
Most of these were interesting, although some don’t seem very mysterious, and their inclusion is a bit of a stretch. Some of the people I was expectinMost of these were interesting, although some don’t seem very mysterious, and their inclusion is a bit of a stretch. Some of the people I was expecting to read about weren’t included at all, although I think they are probably featured in other books of this same series. It’s divided into sections by type of mystery (e.g. disappearance), and each section is chronological, which was wonderful. There are illustrations—portraits, photos of interest, and other pictures of the people involved. There is also plenty of background information, with pictures of vehicles and terrain, and maps, too, to help set the scene. This book also makes clear what is known and what is conjecture. It explores a few different theories for the different people involved, and it tells what evidence has led to those suppositions. In the hands of a lesser author, this fascinating and slightly morbid subject matter might be used only for its shock value; here, however, the book’s emphasis is exactly where it belongs: on the historical record, and the analysis of facts....more
This moody and atmospheric tale weaves a story of hope and heartbreak across two timelines. Four unwanted children languLoved it, loved it—SO amazing!
This moody and atmospheric tale weaves a story of hope and heartbreak across two timelines. Four unwanted children languish in boarding school in the 1950s, and a modern woman comes to terms with the murder of her sister years before. The connection between them is a single spooky location, a haunted boarding school that is so well-described in this novel that it’s practically another character. This is a ghost story, but it’s also a mystery with flesh-and-blood characters following concrete evidence—in fact, it’s an almost-perfect blend of the realistic and the supernatural. There is some romance, some intrigue, some terrifying villains, some amazing character development, and some strong protagonists, both male and female. The characters are memorable, and I found myself thinking of them long after the story’s end. Fabulous!...more
Quite a remarkable Sherlock collection. I am amazed at how cohesive a whole is formed from these several separate stories, and I can’t remember the laQuite a remarkable Sherlock collection. I am amazed at how cohesive a whole is formed from these several separate stories, and I can’t remember the last time I had such an enjoyable experience. I strongly disliked this collection at first, and I am still amazed at how drasticallly my opinion changed as the stories were crafted.
The book opens with a preface about how Sherlock retired to the South Downs to keep bees. I don’t know why this book starts out with that image, but I suppose it is partly Doyle’s way of assuring his readers that he will not kill off Holmes as he did before. That said, although the idea of a man living peacefully alone with a bunch of bees can be soothing, the preface felt, to me, to be rather melancholic. No matter how successful his career, he has finished with it now. Although he was once young and strong and surrounded by admirers, now he is old and alone, and he takes no interest in the concerns of the police or the mysteries of everyday life. Earlier, his mind rebelled at stagnation, and now he seems to desire it. The stories, then, before they have even begun, have already been presented as historical cases from a now long-retired detective who, as far as we know, has no contact with anyone from his former life at Baker Street. I think retirement can be a beautiful thing, and I don’t blame Sherlock for wanting rest, but his total separation from everything he’s known is described almost as an afterthought, and I found it to be a little depressing. (Plus, I felt a bit cheated dramatically. How can I worry about Sherlock putting himself in danger if I know he’s going to retire to the South Downs?)
But then the stories started, and oh! Such stories! Even at this late point in the series, it is easy to see character development, and—was Doyle getting sentimental?—at least two different events in two different stories that demonstrate the genuine warmth between Holmes and Watson. One of the stories begins with Watson explaining that he had just had a message from Holmes to publish one his accounts of their adventures, and this the first occasion to show that even in retirement, Holmes is still in touch with Watson. And these stories are magnificent. There is one that fleshes out his brother Mycroft and showcases the siblings’ cooperation and respect. We get to see Watson’s suffering as he is helpless to save his friend in “The Dying Detective,” and we see a very sick Sherlock trying to recover his health in a completely different milieu in “Devil’s Foot.” These are two of my favorite Sherlock stories, period. They’re definitely in my top five, and possibly in my top three. Sherlock is also definitely thinking with his heart in this collection; his genuine worry about an innocent lady and his desire to protect her drive the “Carfax” story, and his kindness keeps coming to the fore in many of these tales. The tone is softer, the characters (after all these years) are open and trusting, and even poor Lestrade gets to shine. Holmes and Watson have come to rely on his support, and he can be depended on to back them up. It’s a far cry from the awkward and competitive relationship they had early on.
And then, at the end of all of it, comes “His Last Bow.” Right from he beginning, this story is different. It’s told in 3rd person, and it takes place post-bees. This is a much older, steadier Sherlock Holmes. No longer is he working to support himself, or even sleuthing “for the game’s own sake”—not here. Now, the stakes are higher, the need is greater, and a threat so terrible in its magnitude has drawn Sherlock out of retirement and plunged him once more into his former profession. And now, the preface finally makes sense for me. Sherlock retires, and then Sherlock keeps going. In this story, we see for the first time the work that he has accomplished during his time on the South Downs. So even then, he has not been idle. And now, afterward, Sherlock comes back when he is needed, so that he can continue to do what he had always done. I like the idea of more, of change, of surprise. Just when you think everything has ended, there is still more to come. I like the idea of Sherlock rising up from obscurity, of standing tall, of doing, of saving, of protecting. He came back from the dead, as it were, in “The Return of Sherlock Holmes,” but this, this is his real resurrection. And it took my breath away.
Last of all, three of my favorite Sherlock Holmes quotes are found in this collection: “I play the game for the game’s own sake.” “I thought I knew my Watson.” And finally, “Quick, man, if you love me.” Beautiful moments, all....more
World War II, nazis, intrigue, secrets, romance, fine art, a stolen baby, a locked room—what a story! Too bad I didn’t like it.
Don’t get me wrong—it’sWorld War II, nazis, intrigue, secrets, romance, fine art, a stolen baby, a locked room—what a story! Too bad I didn’t like it.
Don’t get me wrong—it’s not bad. In fact, It’s pretty solid in many respects. But despite the amazing content, I thought it was boring. I know that’s only my opinion, and other people loved it (and I’m glad they did), but I thought the first half, at least, was really, really boring. I wouldn’t have finished it if it hadn’t been a book club read, and even then, it was a close call. I don’t know how a story with this much going on could be anything less than gripping, but this was. Again, this is only my opinion, and it was only my own experience. That said, the story picked up about halfway through and got a lot better, and I enjoyed most of the rest of the book. I think with better editing this could have been a much stronger narrative. There are lots of details about things that don’t matter, and stuff that’s really interesting is shoved into the background and never addressed.
My thoughts: The plot, once it gets going, is really pretty good. There are plenty of twists and turns, and not every character is being honest. The secrets are nicely set up. I don’t know much about art, but I didn’t need to in order to follow the story. The artwork is central to the plot, but information about art that’s important to the story is explained in the story. I didn’t like the romance; the whole good-girl-falls-for-bad-boy type has been done before, and this doesn’t take it in any new direction. He says he’s bad for her and should leave. Then he doesn’t. He says she’s somehow special, different from everyone else (but he doesn’t say how).
The whole book really fell apart for me with the storyline about the brother. The very first chapter introduces Flora, her brother, and their parents. They’re nice people, and Swan really made me want to know more about them. The brother has a terrible secret, but we don’t know what. He’s in trouble, but we don’t know why. Chapter one ends with him about to tell Flora. Chapter two opens with Flora already knowing, but the readers don’t, and she has gone off to Paris to look into the apartment with artwork, something completely unrelated to her brother’s crisis, whatever that is. In chapter two, I wanted to know. As the story progresses, Flora is troubled, but we readers still don’t know why. If the main character is bothered by something, readers probably should know about it. The author keeps dropping tantalizing hints about the brother’s mysterious trouble, but now we’re shut out of both characters’ minds. A third of the way through, I still wanted to know. Half way through, I felt really distant from all the characters, but I was still kinda curious. The big reveal (the one that the characters themselves knew from chapter one) doesn’t happen until 73% into the story, and by then, I really didn’t care. She was trying to sustain the tension, I think, but she killed it.
And that leads me to my biggest issue: I don’t know anything about Flora. She spends almost three quarters of the book struggling with some mysterious problem, so how she feels or what she does is never really described. She’s the main character, but she doens’t have much personality, and she just goes along with everything that happens to her. She never came alive in the way that other book characters did for me. I know how Jane Eyre or Samwise Gamgee might react in a given situation because I know their characters so well. I have no idea what Flora would do in any circumstance.
It’s not a bad book, certainly, and when it finally gets going, it’s really something. In fact, this book does something very unusual for a WWII novel: (view spoiler)[It turns an evil nazi into a sympathetic character. (hide spoiler)] Now THAT’s really interesting. It just took too long to happen that I’m not sure it was worth the wait. This book is like a picture that focuses on the wrong thing. It’s definitely solid, and parts of it are interesting, but it could have been so much more.
EDIT: Stumbled across this book on Goodreads. It’s only been two years, but I barely remember it. I don’t even recall what the big secret with the brother was, nor did I remember that there was a romance subplot until I reread my review. Overall, not very memorable....more
This was a difficult book to read. It’s an inspiring story of survival and integrity, but it’s also a story of a mentally ill narcissist and possible This was a difficult book to read. It’s an inspiring story of survival and integrity, but it’s also a story of a mentally ill narcissist and possible serial killer. He was a war hero who may have cracked in Korea, and she was a little girl who found that she was strong. When Terry Jo was 11 years old, her family’s dream vacation at sea turned to tragedy. She was awakened in the night, found her brother and mother murdered, and barely escaped with her life. She spent four days alone on the ocean with no food or water, and, against all odds, she managed to survive. This is her story: a thorough account of the events that led to that horrible night, and a glimpse of the dreadful aftermath....more
Some of these were good, and some weren’t, but this is definitely a case of the whole being better than the sum of its parts. I enjoyed the experienceSome of these were good, and some weren’t, but this is definitely a case of the whole being better than the sum of its parts. I enjoyed the experience of listening to these stories far more than I enjoyed some of the individual contributions. These stories are all related to Sherlock in some way, but there is tremendous variety in each interpretation. Some of the stories are about Sherlock, or about minor characters in the Sherlock stories, or about Doyle, or about people who have read the Sherlock stories; the tones are pleasant, or bleak, or serious, or humorous. They are parodies, or straight retellings, or brand-new stories. They are set in modern day, or Victorian England, or WWII. There is one crossover and one graphic novel. This collection, one big celebration of Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock culture, offers the unique chance to see the iconic character from a variety of perspectives. And while some of these stories would get 5 stars from me and some others only 2, I relished the chance to see Sherlock from someone else’s eyes....more
A highly detailed, clear, non-biased account into a great tragedy of WWII. Well-written and engaging.
The last voyage of the ship U.S.S. Indianapolis wA highly detailed, clear, non-biased account into a great tragedy of WWII. Well-written and engaging.
The last voyage of the ship U.S.S. Indianapolis was one of those events where everything goes wrong. The sinking was only the beginning of the nightmare for the 900 men who went alive into the water. Many days (and many deaths) later, only 316 were alive tell of it.
This is not a happy story: injury, dehydration, insanity, and sharks all claimed victims in the water. This isn’t even a story with a single clear “bad guy.” Who caused the disaster? Was it the man who fired the torpedo, the submarine commander, Hashimoto? He is described in great detail here: a loyal Japanese military man, also a family man with a wife and kids, and a man of honesty and dignity. Or was the disaster caused by the U.S. Navy brass, who refused the Indianapolis’ request for an escort? Or by the internal workings of the navy itself, whose SOPs at the time made it all too easy for the ship, once sunk, not to be missed? How many lives might have been saved if the navy had only gone looking for the ship and its crew? And who was blamed for the senseless loss of life? The Indianapolis’ captain, McVay, remains the only skipper in US navy history to be courtmartialed for losing a ship a wartime. His conviction and subsequent suicide—tragedies compounded on an already-tragic situation—were shocking and infuriating.
The book’s afterward offers a look at some of the survivors, and it describes an unexpected turn of events regarding McVay’s conviction. An 11-year-old schoolboy, while watching the movie Jaws, became deeply moved at the scene which mentions the Indianapolis. He began investigating the tragedy, met with survivors, was named an honorary survivor, and, along with many of McVay’s surviving crew, spearheaded the movement to get the former captain exonerated. I am in awe of this child who took on the navy, of the survivors whose strength allowed them to endure unthinkable suffering, and of the victims whose deaths were keenly felt, not only by their loved ones, but the whole nation. This book provides a clear account of some shocking casualties of war, as well as of the courage and cowardice that so often go hand-in-hand....more
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