The characters in this novel are what gets you so involved in the book. Arlene is quirky, Burr is sweet, Arlene's mom is not quite there, and Aunt Flo takes over mom duties but is such a strong person! It is hard to put this book down. You want to know why things happened, and you suspect there's more behind the story than what Arlene is giving you.
I'm going to look up some other Joshilyn Jackson novels, I'm interested in reading some more of her works!
Rating:
(4.5/5)
Read for:
Lucy doesn't much like this plan though. She loves her home and decides to run away so her parents cannot leave. However, she breaks her ankle and gets stuck in the forest where no one can find her. Meanwhile, her parents find some of Lucy's clothing on the strand where she enjoys to swim, and conclude that Lucy has drown. The Gaults are so grief stricken that they leave Ireland and become nomads, moving around Europe. This part of the book was a bit unbelievable. Would parents really assume their child has drown after finding clothes near the sea? Would they not wait for a while for any other traces of their child?
The Gaults pay their housekeepers, who although are secondary characters, are the warmest, most interesting characters in the novel, to keep up their house in case they ever decide to return to Ireland. During this upkeep, Henry finds Lucy, who is close to death from having not eaten for a long time. Since the Gaults left so quickly, and are continuously traveling around Europe, it is impossible to find them to send word.
This novel is about grief, loss, and acceptance. All of the main characters are so stricken with grief that they cannot function. Lucy turns away any chances at happiness because she feels that she should not be forgiven for running away. While it is a very well written novel and it brings you into the story quickly, the ending is a bit of a disappointment. The novel gets slower and slower and then just ends without a climax. Which is kind of sad, because it has potential to be an amazing story.
Rating:
(3.5/5)
Hosseini paints a terrifying picture of everyday Afghan life from the time of the Soviet invasion until the present time. Mariam and Laila must live with daily rocket attacks and the increase in adherence to Muslim laws. Mariam and Laila learn to love each other and make sacrifices to save the family.
This is a real tear-jerker
Rating:
(4.0/5)
This book questions what it means to be normal vs. crazy, why people want to live vs. die, and why life is worth living. I found this book better than Coelho's The Alchemist, however, it was still way too deep and philosophical for me. If you're into that sort of thing, you might enjoy this book. I think this will be the last Coelho book for me.
Rating:
(3/5)
Dr. Nielson is required to perform breast biopsies and tissue samples on herself with informed help from her colleagues none of whom are trained medical personnel. She then starts on chemotherapy. The medical information and possible diagnoses are all stated matter-of-factly. What also comes through is the fear and terror associated with cancer. These are presented as a series of e-mails with her oncologist.
She also presents her personal life;a divorce from a jerk and her non-relationship with her children. I do not understand her motive for continually bringing up her relationship with her children. I sincerely hope it is not to 'guilt' them. I also do not understand if she wished a relationship why she would go to the South Pole in the first place where she would not be able to even try to mend fences. I felt the personal references should probably been dealt with once and then 'forgotten'.
Rating:
(4.0/5)
The story focuses around two women: Mariam and Laila. Hosseini gives the story of each of these women first, which leaves you wondering how they are going to be brought together. Mariam is a "bastard" child, whose father is ashamed of her, but tries to lessen his guilt by visiting her once a week. Laila comes from a very liberal family, where here mother wears makeup and only a scarf over her hair. When Mariam is married to Rasheed, her life takes a turn for the worse. Rasheed is verbally and physically abusive.
This story follows the Afghan history, from Soviet invasion up to 9/11 and the dissolution of Taliban power. Mariam and Laila live through war and are brought together by it. Though their individual stories are sad and depressing, together they give each other hope and love.
It is always interesting to read about histories of places I am not too familiar with. The Kite Runner gave me a general idea of what has happened in Afghanistan, and this book seems to go into greater detail.
The characters are written extremely well. Hosseini takes you inside Afghan family life during war, and gives you an idea of how horrible the family dynamics can get. This book lived up to my expectations and was just as good a read as The Kite Runner.
Rating:
(4.5/5)
The story is about Tom's life as an outsider and a non-racist. First the school is rife with abuse and Tom is the focal point for the hatred for the English. Courtenay portrays South Africa from WW II to about the 1960s. The story is riveting but the history is equally interesting. Tom is an intelligent compassionate young man who only wants justice.
Rating:
(4.5/5)
Nielson first paints a picture of her life before she discusses anything about the Pole so that the reader can understand where she comes from. Her past is marked with a horrible marriage, including a real jerk of an ex-husband, and three teenage children that will not talk to her. Something about her story doesn't sit right with me. I'm not sure if it's because I've been lucky enough never to have known anyone in that type of relationship. I think the main problem was that once the children found out their mother had cancer, they did not contact her and did not even want to talk to her.
Nielson then talks about what life is like at the bottom of the world. The way these people come together as a community is amazing. About half way through her stay, Nielson finds a lump in her breast. She then has to deal with the struggle as the only doctor on the base, being sick, and wondering if she has cancer or not.
This book is about survival: mental and physical. It's a truly amazing story, both from surviving disease and the harsh conditions of the pole. I stayed up quite late a few nights ago finishing it! I recommend this book!
Rating:
(4.5/5)
Christopher is emotionally distant and takes everything very literally. This leads to the most inventive investigation and a most interesting read
Rating:
(4.0/5)
I enjoyed this book the most in the series. The childen were required to think outside the box to help their situation. Though really, all these books are very much the same, it's a little hard to differentiate between them all.
Rating:
(4/5)
