Love these books by Jennifer Worth. This one was one of the best as it wraps up her time at Nonnatus house (a convent which provides widwifery services to the poorest of the poor in the east end London). Such horrifying and beautifully written stories. Makes me feel very lucky to be living in a time when I can give life to my beautiful girls without worrying how I will feed them or if they will fit into our bomb site one bedroom apartment.
This book was an absolute delight to read. I demolished it in two sittings and was very impressed with this debut author's interpretation of the romantic plight of a man who happens to have Aspergers (or so we are led to believe). The book was funny, intelligent and well written. I enjoyed this immensely.
I find these kinds of books kind of boring at times. It wasn't that the stories were disinteresting, rather that when you are following so many connected stories, you never truly relate to one character. Some of the characters were a bit shallow but this is one for a pool side read. I ended up skipping the last few chapters, I needed to return the book to the library and I wasn't so involved that I felt the need to find out what happened in the end. The most interesting part of the book was the way scrapbooking was used to bring all of the characters together and served to tie in the theme of friendship and love.
I found the first Intrepid book to be completely gripping as I was transported into a world which exists behind the scenes. I imagined the protagonist, Alex Morgan, as a hot Aussie James Bond. This book is exactly right for someone who enjoys intelligent escapist action novels. I'm reviewing both Intrepid novels on my blog http://bookgirloz.wordpress.com where we will be hosting a live author chat with Intrepid creator, Chris Allen in July.
My book for the month is Chris Allen’s Intrepid novel, Hunter. I want to be clear here when I say that his publishers sent Hunter (and the previous book, Defender) to me to read, however I am not being paid for the post, nor have my opinions been affected by this fact. Actually, if I didn’t like it, I would have omitted it from the book club because I wan’t this to be a place where you can trust that the books that appear here are ones I actually like.
Chris is a Sydney author, and a retired Army Major, paratrooper and Peacekeeper. It took him ten years to create the Intrepid series, Defender and Hunter. Hunter is actually the second book in the series which follows the protagonist, Alex Morgan who I kind of fell in love with in a literary sense (almost as much as Mr Darcy – but who can actually beat Mr Darcy??) because he reminded me of an Aussie James Bond. I imagined him as a man who is serious but a bit of a larrikin (in an Aussie kind of way), affected by what he has seen, a risk taker, but kind.
For more book reviews, please go to my blog: Coffee Talk with Erin http://bookgirloz.wordpress.com
Chris is a Sydney author, and a retired Army Major, paratrooper and Peacekeeper. It took him ten years to create the Intrepid series, Defender and Hunter. Hunter is actually the second book in the series which follows the protagonist, Alex Morgan who I kind of fell in love with in a literary sense (almost as much as Mr Darcy – but who can actually beat Mr Darcy??) because he reminded me of an Aussie James Bond. I imagined him as a man who is serious but a bit of a larrikin (in an Aussie kind of way), affected by what he has seen, a risk taker, but kind.
For more book reviews, please go to my blog: Coffee Talk with Erin http://bookgirloz.wordpress.com
I will be discussing this book on my book club coffeetalkwitherin.com on August 15th, 2013.
All I can say for now is, wow. That final scene. Read it and join in the discussion of this fabulous Australian writer, Hannah Kent.
All I can say for now is, wow. That final scene. Read it and join in the discussion of this fabulous Australian writer, Hannah Kent.
Love these books by Jennifer Worth. This one was one of the best as it wraps up her time at Nonnatus house (a convent which provides widwifery services to the poorest of the poor in the east end London). Such horrifying and beautifully written stories. Makes me feel very lucky to be living in a time when I can give life to my beautiful girls without worrying how I will feed them or if they will fit into our bomb site one bedroom apartment.
This is a beautiful story about a teenage girl who loses her entire family in a tragic car accident. She literally watches herself being taken into the ICU, her remaining relatives and friends gathering around her and it becomes clear that she must make a choice. Should she stay or go? Dotted within the story are her memories of her family, her best friend and her musician boyfriend who is fighting to see her, to save her. I was most affected by the fact that she finds out that her brother did not survive and prayed that the angels went to look after him so that he wasn't alone and left her to deal with this herself. A lovely story that proves that teenage stories do not have to be about vampires to have impact.
Oh my goodness. This book was so heartfelt and beautifully written, and above all, FUNNY! I think perhaps it beats the top spot for my favourite and most inspiring writing manuals. Not only does Anne talk give advice for writers, she is open about her own shortfalls and about the shortfalls of the world of publishing. She asks us to write for ourselves, for our children and for the truth, rather than for money, because it isn't all its cracked up to be. I loved her description of how she felt when her book was about to be published, how she felt when the reviews came out. Or how it feels to submit a manuscript to an editor and check the mail fifty times a day. Beautiful.
Dark and yet beautifully funny and uplifting. This is a story about sisters and the unbreakable bond as well as the impact of abusive families on adolescents. I also thought the depth of the characters was well done. The author was sympathetic to the more socially unacceptable characters and showed shades of good and bad in every one.
This book was an absolute delight to read. I demolished it in two sittings and was very impressed with this debut author's interpretation of the romantic plight of a man who happens to have Aspergers (or so we are led to believe). The book was funny, intelligent and well written. I enjoyed this immensely.
I find these kinds of books kind of boring at times. It wasn't that the stories were disinteresting, rather that when you are following so many connected stories, you never truly relate to one character. Some of the characters were a bit shallow but this is one for a pool side read. I ended up skipping the last few chapters, I needed to return the book to the library and I wasn't so involved that I felt the need to find out what happened in the end. The most interesting part of the book was the way scrapbooking was used to bring all of the characters together and served to tie in the theme of friendship and love.
If I didn't have children to, you know, keep alive, I would have just read this book from start to end without stopping. I don't really want to recount the plot, except that it is about a young girl who has terminal cancer who falls in love with the vivacious and smart Augustus, a cancer survivor. I loved that the author hit the spot with the fact that the kids were pretty much socially isolated in that they felt their friends didn't really understand them anymore. They existed in a bubble whereby their friends were alive and well one day, and then hit with a medical blow the next. It is a love story (I am a sucker for a YA romance) but it wasn't mushy. I loved the characters, their wisdom and their limitations. It was funny and sad and it made me almost cry (but not quite). I think what made it a 5 star for me was that I haven't stopped thinking about it since I put it down. It is rare that I find these kinds of books and I think this one is my favourite for the year.
http://coffeetalkwitherin.com/2014/01/15/a-tree-grows-in-brooklyn-by-betty-smith...
Every now and then I find books that I just relish. This book is one of them and I can see why it is so highly rated as a modern classic.
For those of you who have not heard of or read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, the story follows the Nolan family in Brooklyn, USA at the beginning of the 20th Century just prior to and during the First World War. Although we are privy to the lives of all of the characters and their thoughts, it is really the story of Francie, a bookish young girl who I really connected with as a reader. The Nolans live in the tenements, the slums of Brooklyn and for the most part struggle on a daily basis to find the money for food and the rent. Her father is a likeable and yet a largely hopeless man, addicted to drink and but full of affection and life. He is adored by his daughter despite his shortcomings. Katie, the mother, is a hard working woman and the one who holds the family together, working day and night to ensure their survival. Francie and Katie, although alike, are never close as Katie prefers Neely, Francie's brother.
The novel is largely plotless. There is no central event to base the novel around, rather it is a loving description of the hard and yet often joyful life of the poor in Brooklyn during that period. If you like a fast paced book, this isn't it. Having said that, there are major events, including births, deaths, war and family ties which make it such a show more strong book and an incredible read.
The book is a true character novel and one of it's most intriguing and lovingly described characters is Brooklyn itself. Betty Smith is also a master at writing from the perspective of a child, obviously drawing on her own life experience as a migrant child in Brooklyn and she brilliantly explores the difficult decisions adults must always make and how they are perceived by the children involved.
I went through waves of like and dislike for Katie, the mother. She is a proud, hard working woman, ever faithful to her likeable but lazy husband, whom the family cannot depend upon for a regular income due to his alcoholic tendencies. As a mother, she at first seems to be the pits. She prefers her son over her daughter, something that is plain to Francie in every way. Despite Neely's disinterest in further education (and Francie's desperation to finish high school) she pushes him to go and Francie into paid employment. She is fully aware of her favour, and although she tries to hide it, it guides many of her choices. She and Francie seem to be so alike that they hardly understand each other, and it isn't until Francie becomes more of a woman that they begin to need each other. And although her affection is greater for Neely, her respect and expectations are much higher for her daughter who she believes will always be greater than the life of poverty that the Nolans have led so far. I liked Katie more with each page turned because she showed her love to her children in ways that are less obvious. She protected them with every floor she scrubbed and that makes a good mother.
Francie is my favourite character for she is a reader and a hard worker like her mother, however she has the softness of her father's character which makes her more empathetic to the needs of others. I loved her journey as a writer as a child, where she writes stories for her teachers and father. There is a scene where a teacher claimed her stories of life in the slums are “filth”. Francie never quite believes her teacher that the truth can be so filthy. Indeed, both she and her brother agree that life in the slums of Brooklyn could never be so fun than it is.
There are so many things I could say about this book, or so many scenes that moved me, such as the one and only time Francie recieves a doll (through the charity of a rich young girl at Christmas) or the scenes when she falls in love. I loved every moment of the final few pages. I drank this book in and I feel better for having read it. show less
Every now and then I find books that I just relish. This book is one of them and I can see why it is so highly rated as a modern classic.
For those of you who have not heard of or read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, the story follows the Nolan family in Brooklyn, USA at the beginning of the 20th Century just prior to and during the First World War. Although we are privy to the lives of all of the characters and their thoughts, it is really the story of Francie, a bookish young girl who I really connected with as a reader. The Nolans live in the tenements, the slums of Brooklyn and for the most part struggle on a daily basis to find the money for food and the rent. Her father is a likeable and yet a largely hopeless man, addicted to drink and but full of affection and life. He is adored by his daughter despite his shortcomings. Katie, the mother, is a hard working woman and the one who holds the family together, working day and night to ensure their survival. Francie and Katie, although alike, are never close as Katie prefers Neely, Francie's brother.
The novel is largely plotless. There is no central event to base the novel around, rather it is a loving description of the hard and yet often joyful life of the poor in Brooklyn during that period. If you like a fast paced book, this isn't it. Having said that, there are major events, including births, deaths, war and family ties which make it such a show more strong book and an incredible read.
The book is a true character novel and one of it's most intriguing and lovingly described characters is Brooklyn itself. Betty Smith is also a master at writing from the perspective of a child, obviously drawing on her own life experience as a migrant child in Brooklyn and she brilliantly explores the difficult decisions adults must always make and how they are perceived by the children involved.
I went through waves of like and dislike for Katie, the mother. She is a proud, hard working woman, ever faithful to her likeable but lazy husband, whom the family cannot depend upon for a regular income due to his alcoholic tendencies. As a mother, she at first seems to be the pits. She prefers her son over her daughter, something that is plain to Francie in every way. Despite Neely's disinterest in further education (and Francie's desperation to finish high school) she pushes him to go and Francie into paid employment. She is fully aware of her favour, and although she tries to hide it, it guides many of her choices. She and Francie seem to be so alike that they hardly understand each other, and it isn't until Francie becomes more of a woman that they begin to need each other. And although her affection is greater for Neely, her respect and expectations are much higher for her daughter who she believes will always be greater than the life of poverty that the Nolans have led so far. I liked Katie more with each page turned because she showed her love to her children in ways that are less obvious. She protected them with every floor she scrubbed and that makes a good mother.
Francie is my favourite character for she is a reader and a hard worker like her mother, however she has the softness of her father's character which makes her more empathetic to the needs of others. I loved her journey as a writer as a child, where she writes stories for her teachers and father. There is a scene where a teacher claimed her stories of life in the slums are “filth”. Francie never quite believes her teacher that the truth can be so filthy. Indeed, both she and her brother agree that life in the slums of Brooklyn could never be so fun than it is.
There are so many things I could say about this book, or so many scenes that moved me, such as the one and only time Francie recieves a doll (through the charity of a rich young girl at Christmas) or the scenes when she falls in love. I loved every moment of the final few pages. I drank this book in and I feel better for having read it. show less
Tsunami and the Single Girl: One Woman's Journey to Become an Aid Worker and Find Love by Krissy Nicholson
I found this book to be conflicting. On the one hand, Krissy was taking on the momentous task of being a Human Resources Officer for Oxfam, responding to crisis zones around the world, recruiting, training and retaining staff under the most difficult of circumstances. What an amazing story that is to tell. The other hand, Krissy, a late twenties to mid-thirties something woman, behaves as if she is 17 throughout most of the book. She is a self-acclaimed party girl, a hippy and her purpose seems to be, throughout this book, to find love and settle down. Of course, being an aid worker and hopping on a plane to far flung lands does nothing for this purpose. In fact, she seems to use this to hide away from potential relationships. She seems scared to fall in love and therefore falls for terrible blokes all the way through the book, wondering why she isn't finding the man of her dreams at a night club in the middle of Sri Lanka. She describes very truthfully, all of her naive emotions and expectations, and for that she should be applauded. I guess, however, she kind of annoyed me in the end. I got about two thirds of the the way through and was bored with all of the "I told him I am afraid to fall in love", preferring to hear more of her personal experiences as an aid worker, rather than rattling off her CV from each job. I skipped a few chapters to see what happened in the end and happily went onto my next book. I hate giving a bad review, it wasn't a terrible book, and I'm show more sure it would be great reading for those wanting to become an aid worker or are interested in human rights/international aid, but for me, the writing was inexperienced (which of course is because it is her first book) and I felt like it dragged on. I commend her on her choice of work though and for writing a book about issues that definitely need to be written about. show less
This is a beautiful story about a teenage girl who loses her entire family in a tragic car accident. She literally watches herself being taken into the ICU, her remaining relatives and friends gathering around her and it becomes clear that she must make a choice. Should she stay or go? Dotted within the story are her memories of her family, her best friend and her musician boyfriend who is fighting to see her, to save her. I was most affected by the fact that she finds out that her brother did not survive and prayed that the angels went to look after him so that he wasn't alone and left her to deal with this herself. A lovely story that proves that teenage stories do not have to be about vampires to have impact.
I found the first Intrepid book to be completely gripping as I was transported into a world which exists behind the scenes. I imagined the protagonist, Alex Morgan, as a hot Aussie James Bond. This book is exactly right for someone who enjoys intelligent escapist action novels. I'm reviewing both Intrepid novels on my blog http://bookgirloz.wordpress.com where we will be hosting a live author chat with Intrepid creator, Chris Allen in July.
I thought this was funny, but not funny enough for me to care about what happens to these characters. I wonder whether I have up on them too soon. The main protagonist is a bit of a loser, although we know he shouldn't be, his daughter is disappointed in him, and he is the understudy to the 12th most beautiful man in the world, who never seems to have to try to get acting jobs, as well as being married to the beautiful and scarred Nora. I loved One Day so I wished that this was the same.
My book for the month is Chris Allen’s Intrepid novel, Hunter. I want to be clear here when I say that his publishers sent Hunter (and the previous book, Defender) to me to read, however I am not being paid for the post, nor have my opinions been affected by this fact. Actually, if I didn’t like it, I would have omitted it from the book club because I wan’t this to be a place where you can trust that the books that appear here are ones I actually like.
Chris is a Sydney author, and a retired Army Major, paratrooper and Peacekeeper. It took him ten years to create the Intrepid series, Defender and Hunter. Hunter is actually the second book in the series which follows the protagonist, Alex Morgan who I kind of fell in love with in a literary sense (almost as much as Mr Darcy – but who can actually beat Mr Darcy??) because he reminded me of an Aussie James Bond. I imagined him as a man who is serious but a bit of a larrikin (in an Aussie kind of way), affected by what he has seen, a risk taker, but kind.
For more book reviews, please go to my blog: Coffee Talk with Erin http://bookgirloz.wordpress.com
Chris is a Sydney author, and a retired Army Major, paratrooper and Peacekeeper. It took him ten years to create the Intrepid series, Defender and Hunter. Hunter is actually the second book in the series which follows the protagonist, Alex Morgan who I kind of fell in love with in a literary sense (almost as much as Mr Darcy – but who can actually beat Mr Darcy??) because he reminded me of an Aussie James Bond. I imagined him as a man who is serious but a bit of a larrikin (in an Aussie kind of way), affected by what he has seen, a risk taker, but kind.
For more book reviews, please go to my blog: Coffee Talk with Erin http://bookgirloz.wordpress.com
Dark and yet beautifully funny and uplifting. This is a story about sisters and the unbreakable bond as well as the impact of abusive families on adolescents. I also thought the depth of the characters was well done. The author was sympathetic to the more socially unacceptable characters and showed shades of good and bad in every one.
I will be discussing this book on my book club coffeetalkwitherin.com on August 15th, 2013.
All I can say for now is, wow. That final scene. Read it and join in the discussion of this fabulous Australian writer, Hannah Kent.
All I can say for now is, wow. That final scene. Read it and join in the discussion of this fabulous Australian writer, Hannah Kent.
I have to say, I find these books utterly addictive. The other night I was up until 2am (knowing full well my three year old would most likely get me up at 6am) reading them, and I think it is because the brothers, The Elementals, despite their special "powers", are so damn realistic. I could imagine teaching these guys. They are moody, they funny, they fight, they are vulnerable but proud, they protect those they love and they are total shits to their older brother who is their guardian. I think if I were a teenage girl I might be a little bit in love with these guys.
Oh my goodness. This book was so heartfelt and beautifully written, and above all, FUNNY! I think perhaps it beats the top spot for my favourite and most inspiring writing manuals. Not only does Anne talk give advice for writers, she is open about her own shortfalls and about the shortfalls of the world of publishing. She asks us to write for ourselves, for our children and for the truth, rather than for money, because it isn't all its cracked up to be. I loved her description of how she felt when her book was about to be published, how she felt when the reviews came out. Or how it feels to submit a manuscript to an editor and check the mail fifty times a day. Beautiful.
If I didn't have children to, you know, keep alive, I would have just read this book from start to end without stopping. I don't really want to recount the plot, except that it is about a young girl who has terminal cancer who falls in love with the vivacious and smart Augustus, a cancer survivor. I loved that the author hit the spot with the fact that the kids were pretty much socially isolated in that they felt their friends didn't really understand them anymore. They existed in a bubble whereby their friends were alive and well one day, and then hit with a medical blow the next. It is a love story (I am a sucker for a YA romance) but it wasn't mushy. I loved the characters, their wisdom and their limitations. It was funny and sad and it made me almost cry (but not quite). I think what made it a 5 star for me was that I haven't stopped thinking about it since I put it down. It is rare that I find these kinds of books and I think this one is my favourite for the year.
I am in two minds as to whether this is a 3 or a 4 star book. I LOVED The Bronze Horseman, but Children of Liberty wasn't so great. Bellagrand was a good read, but it wasn't in the same league of The Bronze Horseman for various reasons. It was supposed to be a love story, but the antagonist was Alexander's father Harry, whose communist ideals were put above his family, his son's wellbeing and above all, his wife - who by the way placed him above all else, despite knowing his limitations. Harry frustrated me because his behaviour was beyond reproach. However, by the end, the person I hated most was Gina, who had a choice to leave Alexander in the US, to save him even if she could not save herself or Harry, but she chose to stand by her husband to the detriment of her son. As a mother I couldn't comprehend that and although she did secretly bring US dollars to the Soviet Union without her husband's knowledge and she did try to go to the American embassy, it was too late then. I guess without the terrible decisions made by Harry and supported by Gina, we would not have had Alexander and Tatiana. It does seem unfair that I am placing so much blame on the mother and not the father in this story, but it was like Harry was out of his mind. He was negligent, both as a father and as a husband, he was pig headed, he was ignorant and he was short sighted. He was everything a good antagonist should be, which is why I thought about giving the book 4 stars. He was a well written show more character, and I had intense feelings towards him. The reason why it was 3 stars is the love story fell short for me, which was central to the story really. I did like learning about how Alexander became who he was, how he was a soldier even before we met him in The Bronze Horseman, how he took on characteristics of both his mother and his father, and how he rejected others. show less
http://coffeetalkwitherin.com/2014/01/15/a-tree-grows-in-brooklyn-by-betty-smith...
Every now and then I find books that I just relish. This book is one of them and I can see why it is so highly rated as a modern classic.
For those of you who have not heard of or read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, the story follows the Nolan family in Brooklyn, USA at the beginning of the 20th Century just prior to and during the First World War. Although we are privy to the lives of all of the characters and their thoughts, it is really the story of Francie, a bookish young girl who I really connected with as a reader. The Nolans live in the tenements, the slums of Brooklyn and for the most part struggle on a daily basis to find the money for food and the rent. Her father is a likeable and yet a largely hopeless man, addicted to drink and but full of affection and life. He is adored by his daughter despite his shortcomings. Katie, the mother, is a hard working woman and the one who holds the family together, working day and night to ensure their survival. Francie and Katie, although alike, are never close as Katie prefers Neely, Francie's brother.
The novel is largely plotless. There is no central event to base the novel around, rather it is a loving description of the hard and yet often joyful life of the poor in Brooklyn during that period. If you like a fast paced book, this isn't it. Having said that, there are major events, including births, deaths, war and family ties which make it such a show more strong book and an incredible read.
The book is a true character novel and one of it's most intriguing and lovingly described characters is Brooklyn itself. Betty Smith is also a master at writing from the perspective of a child, obviously drawing on her own life experience as a migrant child in Brooklyn and she brilliantly explores the difficult decisions adults must always make and how they are perceived by the children involved.
I went through waves of like and dislike for Katie, the mother. She is a proud, hard working woman, ever faithful to her likeable but lazy husband, whom the family cannot depend upon for a regular income due to his alcoholic tendencies. As a mother, she at first seems to be the pits. She prefers her son over her daughter, something that is plain to Francie in every way. Despite Neely's disinterest in further education (and Francie's desperation to finish high school) she pushes him to go and Francie into paid employment. She is fully aware of her favour, and although she tries to hide it, it guides many of her choices. She and Francie seem to be so alike that they hardly understand each other, and it isn't until Francie becomes more of a woman that they begin to need each other. And although her affection is greater for Neely, her respect and expectations are much higher for her daughter who she believes will always be greater than the life of poverty that the Nolans have led so far. I liked Katie more with each page turned because she showed her love to her children in ways that are less obvious. She protected them with every floor she scrubbed and that makes a good mother.
Francie is my favourite character for she is a reader and a hard worker like her mother, however she has the softness of her father's character which makes her more empathetic to the needs of others. I loved her journey as a writer as a child, where she writes stories for her teachers and father. There is a scene where a teacher claimed her stories of life in the slums are “filth”. Francie never quite believes her teacher that the truth can be so filthy. Indeed, both she and her brother agree that life in the slums of Brooklyn could never be so fun than it is.
There are so many things I could say about this book, or so many scenes that moved me, such as the one and only time Francie recieves a doll (through the charity of a rich young girl at Christmas) or the scenes when she falls in love. I loved every moment of the final few pages. I drank this book in and I feel better for having read it. show less
Every now and then I find books that I just relish. This book is one of them and I can see why it is so highly rated as a modern classic.
For those of you who have not heard of or read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, the story follows the Nolan family in Brooklyn, USA at the beginning of the 20th Century just prior to and during the First World War. Although we are privy to the lives of all of the characters and their thoughts, it is really the story of Francie, a bookish young girl who I really connected with as a reader. The Nolans live in the tenements, the slums of Brooklyn and for the most part struggle on a daily basis to find the money for food and the rent. Her father is a likeable and yet a largely hopeless man, addicted to drink and but full of affection and life. He is adored by his daughter despite his shortcomings. Katie, the mother, is a hard working woman and the one who holds the family together, working day and night to ensure their survival. Francie and Katie, although alike, are never close as Katie prefers Neely, Francie's brother.
The novel is largely plotless. There is no central event to base the novel around, rather it is a loving description of the hard and yet often joyful life of the poor in Brooklyn during that period. If you like a fast paced book, this isn't it. Having said that, there are major events, including births, deaths, war and family ties which make it such a show more strong book and an incredible read.
The book is a true character novel and one of it's most intriguing and lovingly described characters is Brooklyn itself. Betty Smith is also a master at writing from the perspective of a child, obviously drawing on her own life experience as a migrant child in Brooklyn and she brilliantly explores the difficult decisions adults must always make and how they are perceived by the children involved.
I went through waves of like and dislike for Katie, the mother. She is a proud, hard working woman, ever faithful to her likeable but lazy husband, whom the family cannot depend upon for a regular income due to his alcoholic tendencies. As a mother, she at first seems to be the pits. She prefers her son over her daughter, something that is plain to Francie in every way. Despite Neely's disinterest in further education (and Francie's desperation to finish high school) she pushes him to go and Francie into paid employment. She is fully aware of her favour, and although she tries to hide it, it guides many of her choices. She and Francie seem to be so alike that they hardly understand each other, and it isn't until Francie becomes more of a woman that they begin to need each other. And although her affection is greater for Neely, her respect and expectations are much higher for her daughter who she believes will always be greater than the life of poverty that the Nolans have led so far. I liked Katie more with each page turned because she showed her love to her children in ways that are less obvious. She protected them with every floor she scrubbed and that makes a good mother.
Francie is my favourite character for she is a reader and a hard worker like her mother, however she has the softness of her father's character which makes her more empathetic to the needs of others. I loved her journey as a writer as a child, where she writes stories for her teachers and father. There is a scene where a teacher claimed her stories of life in the slums are “filth”. Francie never quite believes her teacher that the truth can be so filthy. Indeed, both she and her brother agree that life in the slums of Brooklyn could never be so fun than it is.
There are so many things I could say about this book, or so many scenes that moved me, such as the one and only time Francie recieves a doll (through the charity of a rich young girl at Christmas) or the scenes when she falls in love. I loved every moment of the final few pages. I drank this book in and I feel better for having read it. show less
I really wanted to like this book, the first in a saga following a family in England just prior to the Second World War. It had some really strong characters, all with their own internal conflicts, and the themes were interesting too. That is, it sounded interesting. Its just that the story (or the plot) lacked...plot!? The book just went on and on and yes, the characters experienced some growth, there were horrible things that happened, such as a still born baby and sexual abuse by a philandering father...terrible, terrible things which should have made me feel more, but the writing didn't allow me to. It was like the incessant rambling of an old grandmother than everyone has stopped listening to long ago (although I listen to everything my nonna says!). The chapters were really long, which I don't like and although big things supposedly happened, they were surrounded with little things that were just boring. I read to about halfway, decided I didn't really care what happened and then stopped reading.
I found the beginning of The Rest of Us to be a bit slow, but by the end I was hardly putting it down. I found the characters to be as frustrating as they were likeable, each dealing with their own dark sides. The friendship between Tatie (the main protagonist) and Hallie was very interesting and I saw some of my own friendships in theirs. Some of the time you could see that they hardly liked each other, they frustrated each other, they didn't trust each other to say the right thing. But they were also completely faithful to their friendship, especially in the end. I didn't like Rhinehart much at first. He seemed to be taking Tatie for a ride, seeing only his own problems, causing her to lose faith with her own abilities, but they seemed to grow together as the novel progressed and I liked him more as I read on. Finally, Tatie, who seems to be a nervy, worrying type, always trying to do the right thing (although she doesn't always succeed) was well written. I liked how she stayed by Hallie's side when she had a breakdown. She showed strength when she always appeared slightly week. I am glad I picked this book up at the library on a whim. I was completely moved in the final few pages and I hope to see some more work from Jessica Lott soon.
Tsunami and the Single Girl: One Woman's Journey to Become an Aid Worker and Find Love by Krissy Nicholson
I found this book to be conflicting. On the one hand, Krissy was taking on the momentous task of being a Human Resources Officer for Oxfam, responding to crisis zones around the world, recruiting, training and retaining staff under the most difficult of circumstances. What an amazing story that is to tell. The other hand, Krissy, a late twenties to mid-thirties something woman, behaves as if she is 17 throughout most of the book. She is a self-acclaimed party girl, a hippy and her purpose seems to be, throughout this book, to find love and settle down. Of course, being an aid worker and hopping on a plane to far flung lands does nothing for this purpose. In fact, she seems to use this to hide away from potential relationships. She seems scared to fall in love and therefore falls for terrible blokes all the way through the book, wondering why she isn't finding the man of her dreams at a night club in the middle of Sri Lanka. She describes very truthfully, all of her naive emotions and expectations, and for that she should be applauded. I guess, however, she kind of annoyed me in the end. I got about two thirds of the the way through and was bored with all of the "I told him I am afraid to fall in love", preferring to hear more of her personal experiences as an aid worker, rather than rattling off her CV from each job. I skipped a few chapters to see what happened in the end and happily went onto my next book. I hate giving a bad review, it wasn't a terrible book, and I'm show more sure it would be great reading for those wanting to become an aid worker or are interested in human rights/international aid, but for me, the writing was inexperienced (which of course is because it is her first book) and I felt like it dragged on. I commend her on her choice of work though and for writing a book about issues that definitely need to be written about. show less