"FIFTY WORDS FOR RAIN" BY ASHA LEMMIE
This is an impressive first novel of prejudice, power and love unfolding in post-WWII Japan - a setting where the old traditions meet the new. A biracial child is taken in by her extremely wealthy grandparents only to be secreted away to not bring shame to the family. But there she meets her half-brother, a talented musician, and they forge a bond that carries throughout the book. The plot is full of ups and downs, sometimes defying reality. But then, that happens in real life, as well. So enjoy the ride!
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"THE LADY OF GALWAY MANOR" BY JENNIFER DEIBEL
English hierarchy meets Irish pride in this novel taking place in Ireland during the early 1920's during the Irish War of Independence. Anna DeLacy's father is sent from England to act as landlord of one of the Irish parishes and Anna is able to procure an apprenticeship in a jewelry shop. Love never runs smooth as Anna and the jeweler, Stephen, fall in and out of love with a proliferation of misunderstandings. In fact, the book might have been stronger with a few less misunderstandings.
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"THE HIGH SIERRA : A LOVE STORY" BY KIM STANLEY ROBINSON
This is a formidable book, over 500 pages, but oh what a book it is! Truly a "love story" about a lifetime of hiking in the High Sierras of mid-eastern California. Veteran traveler and author Robinson recalls his adventures from teenage to the present day, centering on these particular mountains and their special draw. His narration flows in many short chapters - back and forth between history and the present, comparisons with other mountain ranges, and a delightful variety of life experiences. An outdoor treat.
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"JOAN IS OKAY" BY WEIKE WANG
This thin volume is a delightful bit of contemporary writing with a simple plot with no particular aim except to follow the thought processes of a young, female, Chinese-American physician. Joan is devoted to her job as a doctor in ICU at a New York hospital and content with her life. Her brother has a different outlook on life - climbing the corporate ladder to material success. We follow Joan as she works through what gives her life special meaning.
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"THE WICKED WIDOW" BY BEATRIZ WILLIAMS
We follow two generations of rich New Yorkers as they live through, and survive (primarily) the Prohibition era and the present-day. There is plenty of big money and easy living, a little too much sex and mayhem, and a lot of secrets - revealed over time. But there are also a couple of interesting characters that shine through. Does the plot all ring true? Not really. But if you're into complicated mysteries, high living city folk and a few killings and "disappearances" now and then, give this book a try.
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"HONOR" BY THRITY UMRIGAR
This engrossing novel deals with the complexities of life in India, where there is still bitter conflict between urban and deeply rural cultures, new ideas versus ancient traditions, and where the caste system still lives in some areas. An American newswoman goes to India, working on the story of a young Hindu woman killed by her own family for marrying a Muslim. It's not an easy book to read, but the soul-searching going on throughout gives us pause as to the privilege we have here.
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"WASTELANDS" BY CORBAN ADDISON
This is not a book I would have been drawn to, had it not been one the library sent to me for review. However, it is a fascinating story, extremely well written and with a theme that resonated with this old farm girl. It traces the history of the proliferation of the Smithfield hog farms in eastern North Carolina and the ensuing lawsuits that made the national news a couple of years ago. Not a book to escape the world but to be drawn into the nitty-gritty of big business over the little guy.
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"CHORUS" BY REBECCA KAUFFMAN
This is a small book with common, but profound, stories surrounding one family. Seven children, growing up together in a mainly ordinary household - the exception being that their chronically-ill mother dies a mysterious death. The book is fashioned as a series of short vignettes that focus on various scenes (not in chronological order) throughout a lifetime. It may help the reader to make a few notes along the way to sort out the characters as they go through life. Poignant, revealing, unsettling. Insights on life.
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"THE FORGOTTEN GARDEN" BY KATE MORTON
If you're looking for an English garden mystery that covers a century, is peopled with a wide variety of characters, all sorts of twists and turns and perplexities, and is definitely not a quick read, here's a book for you. As for myself, I slogged through as the plot shifted between 1913, 1975, 1907, 2005, 1900, and back again and again. I was not enamored, as the convoluted plot and cast of characters never really caught my interest. However, this may be much more your cup of tea than mine.
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