The Clover House by Henriette Lazaridis Power

The Clover House by Henriette Lazaridis Power
Copyright 2013 
Ballantine Books (an imprint of Random House) - WWII/Contemporary fiction
412 pp., incl. Reader's Guide

Source:  Random House for TLC Tours

What's it about:

Callie Brown's uncle Nestor in Patras, Greece has passed away and left her the contents of his house.  Callie believes something in that house will explain her mother's oddities -- why her stories don't match up to those of of her sisters, why she has always been seemingly unable to love or even speak a kind word, why she was so unhappy in America, why she left Greece in the first place but returned, years later. At the same time, Callie must try to figure out her own problems. Why did a proposal from her boyfriend of three years cause her to panic?  Is it possible for Callie to give her heart to one man?

Where it takes place:

Boston, briefly, and Patras, Greece during WWII and the year 2000

What I liked about The Clover House:

As usual with a book that leaps back and forth between an historical time period and a contemporary story, interconnecting the two, I preferred the historical story.  It's set during WWII in Greece and it was yet another fresh perspective on WWII.  I liked the fact that Callie's mother's stories didn't necessarily match up with those of her sisters and the statement the author was trying to make about memory being unreliable, slanted and -- at times -- perhaps less important than the emotional weight we sometimes attach to it (from a personal standpoint).  

The door to the stairs is just there, across the foyer.  But on that earlier visit, I was looking for the site of an innocent childhood game.  Instead, I learned that even a shared experience can splinter into conflicting memories. 

~p. 348

I also really loved the stories from WWII, which are essentially the stories the author's family told her, with a few modifications for dramatic effect.

What I disliked about The Clover House:

Callie and her mother bear some similarities to my relationship with my own mother -- not in quite so horrid a fashion, but in the manner of "traumatized mother who is unable to share her early experience with her child."  Callie manages to weasel quite a bit of info from her mother and aunts, although the end result is rather like a puzzle that's still missing handful of pieces.  In my case, even as she was dying my mother was still unwilling or unable to talk about the years before my parents married and her only living sibling also won't say a word.  I don't like that, but I accepted it a long time ago and I found that I had very little patience with Callie's quest for information.  She was lucky to have such a big, happy extended family that was welcoming to her.  That would be enough for me.  

I also absolutely hated the contemporary setting -- not the place, but the setting in the midst of the annual Carnival, which sounded a bit like a very extended Mardi Gras with some extra immorality tossed in for good measure.  It's the kind of setting I do my best to avoid in real life -- raucous, drunken crowds.  Blecch.  Not my thing, so I didn't particularly like reading about it.  

Recommendation:

Recommended but not a favorite - Loved the WWII storyline, disliked the main character and I found that the mystery of what happened to Callie's mother unfolded too slowly for my liking.  I was tempted to set the book aside about halfway through, but I'm glad I finished it.  In the end, I found the story was wrapped up in a satisfying way -- a bit like real life in that not everything is complete, but the heroine redeemed herself (although I never really did like her).

There are some strange sentences at the beginning of the book and my immediate thought was, "Oh, no, I hope I don't feel like breaking out a red pen all the way through this book."  I didn't. Although there were times I thought a sentence could have been improved upon, The Clover House is really quite well-written, apart from those few bits at the beginning.  Sometimes the author can be very wise and thought-provoking.  

©2013 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery  or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
Copyright 2013
William Morrow - Historical/contemporary fiction
278 pp. plus extra P.S. insights and reader's guide

Source:  My friend Paula sent me her ARC of Orphan Train and then a copy arrived from HarperCollins.  The finished copy has a very interesting P.S. section with more info on orphan trains.

What it's about:  

Molly is 17 and has been in foster care since her father died.  In trouble for stealing, she can either go to juvenile detention or do community service.  Her boyfriend's mother works for an elderly woman who needs help cleaning out her attic and manages to get Molly lined up to help Vivian as a substitute for more typical community service hours.

Vivian Daly has lived in Maine since her retirement.  In her youth, she immigrated from Ireland but lost her entire family and was sent west on an orphan train.  Her attic holds a wealth of mementoes from a life well-lived.

As Molly and Vivian begin to sort through Vivian's attic, they discover that their lives bear some uncanny parallels.  Orphan Train alternates between Molly's story in present-day Maine and Vivian's tale from her traumatic childhood to just after WWII.

What I loved about Orphan Train:

I absolutely loved learning about the orphan trains in America -- a piece of history that was totally unknown to me -- and thought the author did a fantastic job of comparing life as a foster child with life as an orphan who was more likely to end up being used as a common laborer than loved and adopted.  But, most importantly, I loved both Molly and Vivian (or Niamh, pronounced "Neev", her given name).  I cared about them and because I wanted to know how their stories would end the pages flew.

One scene I particularly loved is a conversation in which Vivian asks Molly what she got in trouble for stealing. When Vivian finds out Molly stole a copy of Jane Eyre, Vivian's reaction is priceless.

What I disliked:

The only thing I disliked about Orphan Train was the fact that I thought it would have been a bit nicer to reveal Vivian's story through dialogue with Molly, rather than in alternating chapters.  I think it would have given the book a little more emotional impact.  But, it wasn't written that way and I still loved Orphan Train.

Recommendation:

Highly recommended.  Likable characters, a fascinating storyline with nicely-drawn parallels, a fascinating peek into a part of American History I knew nothing about and a satisfying ending made Orphan Train a book I set down with a (mildly soggy) smile on my face.

No malarkey or twaddle, this week:

I have a lot of catch-up to do, after last week's unexpected loss of blogging mojo, so I'm going to try to write at least one review per day.  "Try" is the operative word.  I still don't feel much like writing, but we'll see how it goes.

©2013 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery  or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian and a Fiona Friday pic

The Sandcastle Girls is a dual tale of romance, betrayal and genocide in 1915, paired with the story of a modern woman uncovering her grandparents' past. It's told partly from the viewpoint of an American/Armenian couple and partly by their granddaughter, who serves as the fictional narrator describing her own story about her childhood and research to uncover her grandparents' experience in Aleppo, Syria in 1915.

I knew absolutely nothing about the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and that genocide is so deeply described that it's almost a character in and of itself. The truth about the genocide is not widely known (although I hope The Sandcastle Girls will help change that) and at least one country doesn't even acknowledge that it occurred; this I learned from the book and the extra materials I read near the beginning, when I was confused about who was killing whom, where and why. A little online research helped me to get into the story. The main characters are an American woman who has gone to Aleppo with some minor training in nursing and an Armenian engineer who managed to escape slaughter but lost his wife and daughter. What did they experience and why did they remain tight-lipped about those years?

Because their granddaughter is the narrator but the story switches from her viewpoint in 1st person to a 3rd person omniscient account, it is actually a little jumpy and can be confusing. The jumps in viewpoint and time period, although not the smoothest, didn't completely ruin the story for me, though. The addition of the granddaughter's emotions definitely added some impact. When she cried, I cried.

Recommended with a graphic violence and disturbing-situations warning. An emotional read, at once gripping, horrifying and romantic with three-dimensional characters, believable dialogue, and a unique setting. Be advised that even with the underlying romantic theme, The Sandcastle Girls is a tale of graphic violence and intensity. The images will stick with you.

I got my copy of The Sandcastle Girls from Goodreads for review (my first "win" from Goodreads!), so I promptly posted my review and then altered it a bit for the blog. After writing my own review, I read a few reviews at Goodreads because I was curious what others thought.

There was a 2-star review that I thought was particularly interesting and well-written. Even though I rated it 4/5, I agree with the reviewer that the alternating viewpoints were jarring. She also brought up the lack of maps. Since I looked up maps and information early in my reading of the book, I'd actually completely forgotten about how desperately I needed them. I had no understanding of the Ottoman Empire and where the events occurred. Going into the book, I really was completely confused. Maps and a bit more background info up front would definitely have helped. I set the book aside until I could make sense of the setting. But, it's not unusual for me to stop reading to look up additional information to round out the reading of a novel in a new-to-me historical setting.

Fiona Friday pic - Fiona thanks us for providing an additional place to scratch; Isabel finds the dolly simply smells interesting.

They are still totally into everything, here. The packing has slowed due to illness and I think the cats appreciate it. They don't like a lot of frantic activity. They like a little playtime, a little nap time, a little food. Anything else is just annoying.

Happy Weekend!

Bookfool

©2012 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Mariana by Susanna Kearsley

Mariana by Susanna Kearsley

Copyright: 1994/2012

2012 Release by Sourcebooks Landmark - Fiction with historical and paranormal elements

364 pages

Reason for Reading: I've desired to read more by Susanna Kearsley since I read The Winter Sea.

Brief description:

Julia Beckett has believed that the old stone house in the West Country was destined to be her home since she first saw it through the car window as a small girl. Years later, she finds out the house is on the market, buys it and moves from her London home, where she works as an illustrator of children's books. But, strange things are happening in the ancient stone home. Julia keeps finding herself thrown back in time, experiencing history through the eyes of Mariana Farr, a young lady who lived in the house during the 16th century and fell in love with the local landowner, Richard deMornay.

What became of Mariana and Richard? Will Julia survive her jaunts back into the mind and heart of Mariana or does she risk becoming trapped in the past? In the present day, will Julia fall in love or is she locked in a dead-end relationship?

What I loved about Mariana:

Gosh. I loved everything about this book -- the setting, the characters, the plot, the dialogue, the denouement. You know how some books just grab you by the hair and don't let go until you reach their extremely satisfying conclusion? That was Mariana, for me. It has that element of "time travel" that I love (although it's not really time travel, but you'll have to read it to find out exactly what the deal is), a hint of romance without anything gushy, a nice dollop of history, and it's stunningly believable for a book with a premise in which a heroine keeps getting yanked back in time.

What I disliked about Mariana:

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Recommendation:

5/5 - Highly recommended. Smooth, believable transitions between the 16th century and present-day England, excellent dialogue, nicely rounded characters, a solid plot and satisfying denouement made this book a perfect escape for this reader.

I have two more Susanna Kearsley books to read - one on my shelves and the other in ebook format. It will be interesting to find out whether I feel the same about all of her books.

Cover thoughts:

I'm going to describe my thoughts about the cover image shown above, although I actually have two copies of Mariana, thanks to the fact that I put it on my wish list at Paperback Swap the moment I closed The Winter Sea and I completely forgot it was on my wish list when Sourcebooks offered it for review. I tried to halt the ARC when I found out a copy was coming from PBS, but it was too late. The two copies arrived almost simultaneously.

At any rate, when Julia moves into her house, she's informed that there used to be a ghost that periodically showed up in the garden and she was known as the "Lady in Green". Although the ghost ceased to make appearances something on the order of 30 years before Julia's arrival, that ghost does become important to the plot, so it's very fitting that the cover shows a woman wrapped in a green shawl, although I can't say I'm in love with the bare shoulder. But, come to think of it, there is a moment when a woman in the book is wrapped in nothing but a shawl. There is also a man on a horse who becomes a key character, so the distant figure of the man on horseback is similarly apropos. I like the look and I think it fits the story well!

Some side remarks:

While this book is not strictly "historical", there are enough historical elements to satisfy fans of that genre. It also contains a paranormal element, but it is completely fitting and neither weird, otherworldly or forced. Mariana, it must be remembered, was published long before the paranormal craze.

Since we're talking about green, how about a lizard pic?

Nicely camouflaged, isn't he? This is a tiny fellow, maybe 2" long in the body. He's not used to me, yet. The anole lizards actually can become quite relaxed after being photographed multiple times, I've found. This one kept running away, but he's young.

©2012 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

A Cottage by the Sea by Ciji Ware

A Cottage by the Sea by Ciji Ware
Copyright 2010
Sourcebooks Landmark
Orig. Publ'd 1997
529 pages

Blythe Barton Stowe has heard tales of her Cornish ancestry all her life. When her divorce is finalized on the same day her ex-husband, Christopher Stowe, announces that his new lover -- Blythe's sister, Ellie -- is pregnant, her lawyer's suggestion that she leave the country to avoid the paparazzi makes total sense.

Whisked off to a remote cottage on the Cornish coast, Blythe finds comfort in the tiny Painters Cottage on a crumbling estate and finds herself falling for Lucas Teague, the landed gentleman who is trying to save the Barton Hall estate despite pressure from the Inland Revenue.

When Blythe touches a carefully scripted family tree and utters a name, she finds herself transported in time, able to view scenes from the tragic history of Barton Hall. Is she relieving the centuries-old tragedy? Or, is it possible for Blythe to find new love and purpose in the home of her ancestral past? Each time Blythe is transported in time, she finds out new details of her family's shocking history and each day brings her closer to true love. But, handsome Lucas Teague, a widower, is distant and cold with his own child and there is nothing Blythe wants more than a family. Can they reconcile their differences and deal with their own difficult pasts in order to make things work, or is Blythe destined to relive the tragedy her ancestral namesake suffered?

A Cottage by the Sea is a book I've found myself struggling to describe, hence the lengthy description, above. It's a little paranormal, a little historical, but mostly a contemporary romance. Blythe grew up on a ranch and has been told about her Cornish ancestry all her life, but she's not actually certain that it's factual. Maybe her beloved grandmother made the whole story up. Regardless, it's important for her to get away from the public eye because her ex-husband is a famous film director and the paparazzi is going nuts over their love triangle story.

Blythe is not only wrestling with her husband and sister's betrayal and her own frustration at no longer having the chance to have a baby, but also is still dealing with the grief from the loss of the grandmother who reared her. I don't want to go into anything that will spoil the storyline, so let's just say she makes herself right at home in Cornwall and quickly finds a purpose in helping Lucas Teague save his estate.

The most interesting parts of this book, to me, were the references to Daphne Du Maurier's books and the location. I believe the paranormal aspect is patterned after the time travel in Du Maurier's The House on the Strand. Du Maurier lived 1/2 mile from where the real cottage fictionalized in the novel exists and the rest of the setting was based on actual buildings and a National Trust path. The author did an excellent job of describing time and place, both in the present and the past.

I disliked the details of the business Blythe and Lucas created in order to save the estate because they bored me just a bit -- always a funny thing to find myself bored by business details, given the fact that I have a business degree. Maybe I went into the wrong field. At any rate, I liked the book but I didn't love it. I liked being transported in time, expected and enjoyed the romance and found the conflict a bit overwrought. Toward the end of the book, I thought it became a bit repetitious and predictable but the conclusion was satisfying. Still, the whole "Is Blythe reliving the tragedy of her ancestors?" bit was practically mined to death. I think fully 100 pages could have been chopped from this chunkster without harming the storyline one bit.

Bottom line:

An enjoyable escapist romantic read that is a bit too long and repetitious but nowhere near the point of abandonment. Ciji Ware is an excellent writer. I can't say this book compares to the first of her works that I read, the historical Island of the Swans. At times, I even visualized myself happily scratching out certain sentences with a red pen. But, it was a good vacation read and I definitely recommend it, particularly to those who like an unusual blend of romance with paranormal and historical facets. Slight family warning: Some sex scenes run from PG-13 to R. I don't believe anything would warp a youngster for life, though.

The mail has arrived!

And, holy moly . . . the book pile was a doozy. This is what happens when you go away for a week, I guess. I received:

Vanishing and other stories by Deborah Willis - short story collection from HarperCollins
The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May and June by Robin Benway -YA from Razorbill received via Shelf Awareness
The Case of the Crooked Carnival by Torrey & Johansen Newman - surprise from Sterling Kids
The Outer Banks House by Diann Ducharme and
The King's Mistress by Emma Campion - from Random House, both via Shelf Awareness
The Tower, The Zoo and The Tortoise by Julia Stuart - from Doubleday via Shelf Awareness
A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron - from the author (just started reading this one)
In a Heartbeat by Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy - for FirstWild tour
Someone Like Me by John W. Quinn - unsolicited, from History Publishing Company -- love this publisher and will definitely read it
Of Bees and Mist by Erick Setiawan - from Simon & Schuster, and
31 Hours by Masha Hamilton - surprise from Unbridled Books

I have, in fact, already read 31 Hours by Masha Hamilton. You know how some books that you gush about when you close them disappear from your mind right away and others that you don't particularly love or maybe even like end up rolling around in your head and really stick with you? Well, 31 Hours is one that I initially wasn't thrilled with, at the time I closed it, but it has totally stuck with me and the more I think about that ending I disliked, the more perfect it has become in my mind. So, if you look up my review, bear that in mind . . . it's better now than it was when I closed it. I assume I was sent a promotional copy because it's coming out in paperback, but that's just a guess.

Speaking of looking up reviews . . . my search feature appears to be totally malfunctioning, so that I have to guess when I read a book or look it up in my "books read" lists in the sidebar and then page back to find reviews and create links to them. I wonder what's up with that? Maybe my first experience as an empty nester should involve taking a class so that I can learn how to create my own self-hosted website. There are times Blogger doesn't seem worth the angst and a messed-up search feature is a very, very bad thing, in my opinion.

Just snapped a pic of Fiona, so I should have a Fiona Friday image up by this evening. Happy, happy Friday!