Review: And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

As an AP Lit. teacher, I'm always trying to keep current with the newest books out there, and yet that's NOT why I read Khaled Hosseini's newest novel And the Mountains Echoed.  I read this newest novel, because to not read his any one of his novels would feel to me like a deprivation.  To say that I've loved his novels would mean that I've enjoyed them, which isn't really the right word choice.  In fact, I think the correct way of describing my reading experience with each of Hosseini's novels would be provoking.  I mean that in a moving and meaningful sort of way, but in a manner that always leaves me feeling something deep and thoughtful.  For that, I am always drawn to anything Hosseini has published, and I was not disappointed by And the Mountains Echoed.

Review:  The story begins with a tale or myth of sacrifice that parents might recount to their children as some type of bedtime story.  In this opening chapter, the father in the story tells his young son and daughter this myth as he walks across a vast desert--the young son only along on the journey because he wants to help push his much-beloved younger sister into the city.  Little did he know that the sacrificial story his father told him would echo into his own life.

In marvelously poetic language, each chapter is woven like a thread in the tapestry of the tale, adding another character that is important and touches the lives of the original brother, sister, or impoverished father.  We travel from the farmland that the father took his children across the desert into the city, into the streets of Paris, across the sea into Greece, and even farther into the busy streets of California, each adding a character and another layer to the story of this family.

While the constant change in direction can feel jarring in the beginning, it soon becomes apparent that these tales each play a vital role in the development of the plot.  In essence, the storyline is linear and circular all at the same time, if the reader will only be patient enough to see it through.  We meet many different characters who intersect in the journey of these two little children at the beginning of the book, or who impacted them in some way, and what made these people into who they were in the present moment.  In short, Hosseini reminds the reader that we shouldn't judge until we have walked in someone else's shoes.

One of my favorite chapter-tales was story of the American doctor who arrived in Afghanistan to do foreign aide work and service.  During his time, he realized how selfish he was and even how selfish his own children were back home.  Without giving away the entire story, I was blown away by how easy he was to relate to and how completely he affected me.  Why?  Because he returned home and ever so slowly grew numb again to all that he had awakened to in his time in Afghanistan.  I sobbed into those pages and felt the air crush from lungs, because I could see so clearly how mind-numbingly easy we are to forget.  We. Simply. Forget.  Rather than hang onto our endeavors to change the world and make things better, it's easier to forget and grow numb; it's easier to live in our simple lives and forget that life is not so easy for others.  In short, this chapter hit way too close to home.  The mirror was held up to me, and I cried.

After that chapter.  I had to set the book aside for about two weeks.  I would look at it and close my eyes with real sadness.  What power Hosseini had used in language, words, and story to show me my own weaknesses.  That chapter wasn't just about mankind.  It was about me, and I've thought about it ever since.

In short, I was blown away by And the Mountains Echoed.  While some readers have felt the narrative thread was not as cohesive as they would like, in that it was not a linear story with the main characters followed throughout, I have to say that I thought this was his most powerful novel to date.  The echoes of what human connection, family, and kindness can do were not lost on me.  This was a game changer in a novel and whispered of action in ways that telling me never would have done.  Brilliant.  Just brilliant.

Have you read Hosseini's newest novel? If so, which of the chapter tales most stood out to you?

Triple Review: Time to Do a Little Catch Up!

*Tap, tap, tap*  Hello.  Are we still up and running here?  *Clears throat*  Okay, so I've been off the radar a bit.  I've hardly had a chance to read or review as of late, so it kind of feels good to see some open space out ahead to do a few things I've been wanting to do.  In an effort to play catch up a little, I thought I'd do a bunch of min-reviews to get through some of the books I've read so far this year, but haven't yet reviewed.  Here's a few:

Open Heart by Elie Wiesel  is an interesting read about Wiesel's quadruple bipass heart surgery in 2012, but beautiful and poignant.  In this short novella, Wiesel reflects on life and death, his career, his family, and his own stamina to continue.  Throughout much of the book he considers whether he has done enough to share the message of peace, to honor the memory of all those who were killed in the Holocaust.  Although the reviews were mixed, mainly because many felt he spent too much time discussing the painful surgery, I felt moved by his words.  Maybe it is because I have faced my own life-threatening surgery that made his words feel so eloquent and familiar, but on the whole, I'm not sure that there is much that Wiesel can not put words to that can speak from one heart to another.  In short, I thought it was eloquent and beautiful and well worth a quick read.

Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris is a real departure from the previous review in that Harris's Sookie Stackhouse series is a funny, drama-filled, vampire series.  As the 11th in the series, we're pulled into a new drama that surrounds Merlotte's and a possible prejudice-fueled crime against Sam and his two-natured kind.  At the same time, Eric Northman began a plot to take down his vampire master.  All of this drama, once again, pulls in Sookie whether she wants to be pulled in or not.  With the knowledge of her own faerie lineage, Sookie is in way deeper than she ever wanted to be.  Although I will finish out the Sookie series, as I've been a dedicated fan for awhile now, I do feel that this was a bit of a transition novel.  Okay, I get that there was a huge plot point tackled in this novel, but in some way, I just felt that it was setting up novels to come perhaps?  Still, it's a series that I've enjoyed and will finish with.

The Garden Intrigue by Lauren Willig is another long series and 9th in the Pink Carnation series.  In a series of female spies and Victorian age history and antics, The Garden Intrigue continues with secret agent Augustus Whitleby and the American Emma Morris Delagardie.  Although this is more of a male spy, the series itself still centers on the research of Eloise in the modern day, who is uncovering these stories.  Admittedly, I wasn't as into this particular Victorian story and have grown much more interested in the the modern day story of Eloise and Collin.  At this point in the story, Eloise now has to decide if she will return to the States to teach or stay--for what purpose--to continue her relationship with Collin.  As a long time reader, I want to see Eloise and Collin succeed, but it's realistic to say that the relationship is too new and too much is at stake for Eloise to just give everything up to stay in England.  Sadly, the book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger with our modern couple and I'm eager to get my hands on the next book!  I really like this series and will probably be rereading these at some point.  Also, it's nice to note that these are great audio books!

Well, these three reviews scratch the surface.  I might be back to do another triple review!  Now I'm off to get some summer things done so I can go back to my reading.  What are you all up to today?

Review: Hopeless by Coleen Hoover

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever."

Review:  In the realm of realistic, new adult fiction, this was a definite character study that I'm guessing one could be obsessive about.  There is an emotionally deep love story here, and two characters you feel you know quite well.  Sky has a past, Holder has secrets, and together they have chemistry.   But, can that mend the adult-sized drama that is unfolding?  That's the question that kept me flipping pages until I'd read the novel in one sitting.  The dramatic twists in this young/new adult tale left me feeling like the car ride I was on had dramatically left the roadway and was veering its way through alleys, side streets, and gullies.  In the beginning of the novel, it felt like other young adult stories, with the girl who meets the boy, the two become smitten and a little intrigued with one another, and then starts hanging out.  Then, she learns something shocking about her past and it takes a much more adult turn.

I really wanted to like this book, especially after the gripping reviews I'd read, but it felt overly dramatic with its many twists and turns. Honestly, I think I might just be wearing out with "wounded soul" story lines.  I did like the characters and the mysterious premise around the young relationship, but will admit to feeling worn out by all the turmoil.  Sky is a likable girl, and Holder is a smitten boy who seems almost unreal in his devotion.  Perhaps their sweet love is just too good and has to be challenged? 

Before I start talking myself in circles, I'll just sum it up.  Hopeless isn't a bad read at all.  A little adult in some of its themes and scenes, these lend it the drama that affects the characters' relationship.  Admittedly, I got sucked into the story, but also felt pretty exhausted by its twists and turns.  

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a personal copy of the novel. 

Review: Mob Daughter by Karen Gravano

First off, please don't forget to check out The Great Gatsby Read Along I'm hosting, starting on Wednesday the 10th.  Even if you can't start on the 10th, I think the easy 40 pages a week shouldn't be too hard to jump in when you can. I'll be posting some initial information on Wednesday to get us started, and then have some questions to consider.  Please come join in! 

Now, let me take a pretty odd segue here with a review on an autobiography about the mob.  Yes. Odd.  You can't tell me you don't have strange interests that intermingle from time to time.  :)

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Karen Gravano is the daughter of Sammy “the Bull” Gravano, once one of the mafia's most feared hit men. With nineteen confessed murders, the former Gambino Crime Family underboss—and John Gotti’s right-hand man—is the highest ranking gangster ever to turn State’s evidence and testify against members of his high-profile crime family.

But to Karen, Sammy Gravano was a sometimes elusive but always loving father figure.  He was ever-present at the head of the dinner table.  He made a living running a construction firm and several nightclubs.  He stayed out late, and sometimes he didn’t come home at all.  He hosted “secret” meetings at their house, and had countless whispered conversations with “business associates.” By the age of twelve, Karen knew he was a gangster.  And as she grew up, while her peers worried about clothes and schoolwork, she was coming face-to-face with crime and murder.  Gravano was nineteen years old when her father turned his back on the mob and cooperated with the Feds.  The fabric of her family was ripped apart, and they were instantly rejected by the communities they grew up in.

This is the story of a daughter’s struggle to reconcile the image of her loving father with that of a murdering Mafioso, and how, in healing the rift between the two, she was able to forge a new life."

Review:  I'll readily admit that I've watched Mob Wives on VH1 since it first came out, thanks to a curiosity about the wives and children of former mobsters.  I've read a lot of books about the mob and am interested in the affects it has on the communities and families that it plays out among.  In Mob Daughter, Karen Gravano outlines the life she grew up in, not completely realizing that her father was a major hit man for the mafia.  Gravano recognizes little things that maybe didn't make sense about her childhood, things that other kids might not have had to worry about or live through.  As part of the Gambino Crime Family, Gravano's father was neck deep with what seemed like no way out, and from his daughter's perspective, he was just a man trying to provide for his family.

I am always intrigued by the mob.  After a few other books I've read about the mafia, I don't really have the sense that there is much honor in it at all, as we've been told.  What is meant to protect neighborhoods and families really just terrorized them and destroyed those in its way.  The real desire--money--was all they really cared about. I think that Gravano's story is pretty interesting, since she got into a life of crime herself and has struggled to come to terms with her father's role in the mob and his role in coming out against the mob (oddly feeling sorry or connected to both sides).  Her bias is obviously toward her father as a misunderstood and honorable guy at heart, but as readers we can't help but realize that he has committed some pretty serious crimes.  

As far as mob stories go, I do think this adds another perspective to it all.  It is definitely told with bias and sympathy for the criminal, but I think we get that and can entertain why she might feel that way.  This wasn't my favorite piece of non-fiction on this subject, nor the most comprehensive, but it does have a bit of that human interest element to it that makes it really compelling.  

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the book.

Review: Days of Splendor by Juliet Grey

Seriously.  I think I keep reading books about France, Paris, etc. because I'm dying to go back!  I thought I was going to get to go over to Paris next month, but that fell through, so I just keep reading books that can take me on a journey.  As for a literary journey, Days of Splendor is the second in the Marie Antoinette series, so I would recommend you check out my previous review of Becoming Marie Antoinette if you're interested in reading about Marie Antoinette or that time period in history.

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Paris, 1774. At the tender age of eighteen, Marie Antoinette ascends to the French throne alongside her husband, Louis XVI. But behind the extravagance of the young queen’s elaborate silk gowns and dizzyingly high coiffures, she harbors deeper fears for her future and that of the Bourbon dynasty.

From the early growing pains of marriage to the joy of conceiving a child, from her passion for Swedish military attaché Axel von Fersen to the devastating Affair of the Diamond Necklace, Marie Antoinette tries to rise above the gossip and rivalries that encircle her. But as revolution blossoms in America, a much larger threat looms beyond the gilded gates of Versailles—one that could sweep away the French monarchy forever."

Review:  Picking up where the first book left off, we find Marie Antoinette learning about her role on the throne and how to deal with her lack of a child.  Even more troubling is her entire lack of intimacy with her husband, which would give her that child.  Repeatedly, Antoinette faced the ridicule of the court and the citizens of France.  Why couldn't she produce and heir?  Was she just there in Versailles to spend money and drive the people of France further into poverty?

I'm pretty intrigued by the story of Marie Antoinette and have been for a long time.  The first book really made me feel for this young girl, who was thrown into a world of responsibility, yet sheltered away from the world that swirled around her.  In this installment, her biggest worry is her lack of a child with Louis.  Yes, he has stress to deal with in his position, but he continually runs off hunting and then cannot be intimate with his own wife.   Since we view the story from Antoinette's viewpoint, it's difficult not to want her to just have a child and get some of the stress of the nation off of her shoulders.  

Thankfully, as history tells us, she did eventually go on to have children with Louis.  There is some research that says or believes that Louis had a condition known as phimosis, which once circumcised, made him then able to reproduce and have children with Antoinette.  Whether this is true or not, historians still seem to debate.  However, this was part of the story and really added to the drama surrounding Antoinette's crazy life at court.

Beyond the story with Louis, I really liked hearing about Antoinette's time acting and spending time on the grounds of Versailles.  To a full-time working gal, the kind of luxuries she enjoyed sounded pretty heavenly, even though she often described them as tedious.  

Laden with history, intrigue, and romance, Days of Splendor is a great historical read for those interested in France, Versailles, or Marie Antoinette.  The story does not end with this book, and because of that, I'm anxious about the one to follow.  We know from history what happened at Versailles, so I'm a bit nervous to read the next installment.  The writing, descriptions, and details are sometimes a bit slower in this second novel, but I still found the story captivating and interesting to consider.  Although I like to wonder and dream about parts of Marie Antoinette's life at Versailles, there are definitely many things I can see that I would never want to experience!

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the novel.

Review: Pride and Pyramids by Amanda Grange

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Pulled into the craze of Egyptology, the Darcys and their lively children embark on an expedition to find a hidden tomb and uncover its treasure. Not only are immeasurable riches awaiting them in the exotic land of the Sphinx, but also danger and betrayal and the chance to lay an ancient grudge to rest...

Amanda Grange, bestselling author of Mr. Darcy's Diary and Mr. Darcy, Vampyre, teams up with Egyptologist Jacqueline Webb to create a breathtaking historical tale. The Darcys' adventures at the hands of these talented -storytellers open up whole new realms of exploration for lovers of Jane Austen and the Regency world."

Review:  Pride and Pyramids by Amanda Grange, was one of those novels that I thought I wouldn’t like.  I know that sounds like a bad way to approach a book, but I will own up to my hesitation.  Once I got going with the story, however, I found that I really enjoyed it and wanted to keep reading.  

Obviously set post-Pride and Prejudice, we find Elizabeth and William Darcy married with a family of beautiful children.  To their brood, they introduce this journey of a lifetime to Egypt to visit the ancient sites as other upper class members did in their day.  To the story we add the intrigue of a doll, that seems to have taken on a life of its own and overtaken their daughter.  (Strangely, it reminded me of that tiki doll episode of the Brady Bunch when Greg was “cursed” by the doll in Hawaii?  Yes, very much like that.) 

I liked the adventures the family went on, and I enjoyed the idea of them going to Egypt together.  In some ways I thought there was no way William Darcy would have permitted the endangerment of his family on such a major journey, and yet I still kind of liked considering it.  Overall, I just thought it was a really fun, engaging, and entertaining continuation story.  If you like adding to the familiar tale of Pride and Prejudice, then this is a fun story to continue with.

*FTC Disclosure:  Review is based on a library copy of the novel.

Monday Mini-Reviews

What a great week we had last week.  I worked two days and then had the rest of the week off.  It was a nice chunk of time off and I really did spend the majority of it relaxing.  Having said that, I'm so behind on reviews that I want to toss my hands in the air and give up!  I've decided to just own up to the fact that I've entered one of the busiest times in my life.  Between teaching school and online classes, taking an online course for professional development, and various other organizations I'm involved with, I'm always feeling like I'm spread pretty thin.  (Okay.  I'm not "thin"--geesh, I wish!) My time and energy is spread thin, but life is really good.  Honest.  I'm just especially thankful for any and all time off that I get!

With all that's going on, I've made reading my greatest escape.  Because of that, I need to get a bunch of reviews published!  Here are some of what I've read in the last several months:

Review for Nanny Returns by Emma McLaughlin:  As a sequel to The Nanny Diaries, I was eager to revisit Nan and see what she was up to.  Fast forward twelve years from the last time we met Nan.  Now married and remodeling a home in New York City, Nan meets back up with her former young charge Grayer X.  Today, he's an incorrigible teenager who is seemingly messed up by his distant parents, who also has a younger brother being raised in the same way.  Nan gets herself mixed back up with the X-clan and in charge of these two young boys.  Now what should she do, when they are in an even worse situation than when Nan met them before?

Although an interesting read to pick back up with Nan and Grayer's lives, I will admit to being pretty frustrated this time.  Before, we laughed at some of what happened to Nan because it felt like a horror story of a young woman.  Now, the story is of tragedy and loss, and the responsibility of these two kids feels way too daunting.  More than anything, I loved Nan's relationship with her husband, so dragging this past craziness into her marriage made me sad and overwhelmed.  The story was definitely engaging, but really weighty, considering how the past read felt.  I would have liked to have more of Nan's husband in this, and a bit more resolution.  Overall, not a bad read, but just different from the first book and one that felt more serious than I expected.

Review for Born to Be Brad by Brad Goreski:  Brad Goreski is the endearing, quirky-chic dresser that appeared first on The Rachel Zoe Project show on Bravo and later in his own show with the same network.  Who doesn't love a story of someone coming up the ranks from nothing to great wealth and success?  Brad's story is just that.  Having started off as a troubled teenager and adult, dealing with issues of his sexual identity as a gay man, Brad struggled to come out to his family.  His story of drug abuse and failed relationships feels like a real triumph when we fast forward to his successful, current relationship and amazing red-carpet-ready styling in Hollywood, but there is an in between story that his book delves into.  I loved reading about how he became confident and secure in who he was as a person, how he worked and took on opportunities for styling experience wherever possible (hello, Vogue?!?), and how he took risks in branching out and trusting in his own talents to become the stylist he is today. 

Some have critiqued the writing and layout/styling of the book as "frothy" or nothing new.  I didn't find any of that to really take away from the foundation, which was his story.  Honestly, I thought that his personal voice came through very well, which made the story candid and true to who he is as a person.  I also thought the styling fit him, with its bright colors and funny pictures, and matched what he had experienced.  For me, it was an interesting life story and one that I thought was inspiring and made me like and understand Brad a bit better.

Review for Stranger in My Arms by Lisa Kleypas:  Thanks to my good friend Tasha over at Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and Books, I was pushed in the direction of this romance.  I don't always have good luck with a decent romance that doesn't make me roll my eyes from annoyance, so I'm happy to say that Tasha led me in a good direction.  This was one of those romances that tore my heart out and kept me turning pages as fast as I could!

Lady Hawskworth's husband has supposedly been lost at sea.  That's what she believes until her husband, that she had no love lost with before he left, has returned.  With the return of her supposed husband, everyone is left scrambling to figure out if he really is Earl Hawksworth or just some convincing swindler? 

This was a really romantic mystery at the heart of it.  Is he her husband or is he not?  Was Lady Hawksworth so starved for real love that she just overlooked the real identity of this man now that he appears to value her more than before?  All of these questions are a constant throughout the story, so between these unknowns and the growing love between the characters, I couldn't stop reading this book.  Yes, it's a romance, so be prepared for some sex scenes, but it's not the crux of the story--thankfully.  Overall, I really got into this romance and was on an emotional roller coaster through a huge portion of the novel. 

Thanks Tasha!  This was a great read and I need to ask for more suggestions!  :)

Well, thanks for sticking with me through a slew of reviews.  I'm still awfully wordy and could have made these individual posts, but it's nice to get them all out of the way!  Now, off to a crazy week ahead.

Review: Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

Okay.  First of all, can I say how angry I am that I missed Charlaine Harris being here on Saturday?!?  I was grading book reports for end of term grades on Saturday, so I didn't end up making it.  Yep.  Angry.  I hope one of our awesome book bloggers in this area got to go and posts some pics for me!

Anyway, I didn't get to go, but I did finish Dead in the Family recently.  I'm still behind the most recent release, but I'm getting caught up!

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Sookie Stackhouse is dealing with a whole host of family problems, ranging from her own kin (a non-human fairy and a telepathic second cousin) demanding a place in her life, to her lover Eric's vampire sire, an ancient being who arrives with Eric's 'brother' in tow at a most inopportune moment. And Sookie's tracking down a distant relation of her ailing neighbour (and ex), Vampire Bill Compton.

In addition to the multitude of family issues complicating her life, the werewolf pack of Shreveport has asked Sookie for a special favour, and since Sookie is an obliging young woman, she agrees. But this favour for the wolves has dire results for Sookie, who is still recovering from the trauma of her abduction during the Fairy War."

Review:  I still love the Sookie Stackhouse series and will keep reading the books until I'm worn out--whichever comes first, I'll never know.  I will admit that I pick them up and find myself trying to remember how the previous book ended and what details I've maybe watched in the show on HBO, so that I can distinguish the stories.  This book was no exception to that.  I found that I still knew where I was at with the vampires, but the ever-changing wolf pack and who has died or been killed off by whom was still a struggle for me.

If you're looking for the progression of the Sookie and Eric storyline, then this was not quite the book for that.  The series seems to now be focusing more and more on Sookie's past, her parents, and her grandmother.  For now, that's definitely enough to keep me reading!  I'm glad there is still stuff to uncover, so I'll be there. 

In the end, what CAN you say about the tenth book in a series?  If you've read this far in a series, or plan on it, then you understand the writer's style and storytelling techniques.  This wasn't one of the ten that stood out the most to me, but I still really enjoy them for pure reading escape.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the novel.

Review: Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened.

Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped."

Review:  I had mixed feelings about this book. In the beginning I really liked how different it was from many of the other young adult "break up" novels I'd read, with its chapters each centered around some item that came from their relationship.  Throughout the novel we see these gifts or relics of their relationship that each have a story behind them.  Min reminisces about each item, telling Ed what her experience was with them and how she felt.  It was an interesting idea for a break up, which is why it first caught my attention.  What person hasn't wanted to open up and spill their emotions about certain events and items to their ex?  I know I have!

After a certain point, as the story built and we learned how this couple came to be, I did start to lose interest.  I think that to some degree, because I knew it was this letter to Ed, I felt like she was verging on being mental to need to keep harping on it all.  I suppose it was my concern for how Min would come across to her ex that made me check out.  Having said that, I think this novel is unique and brings this almost fresh approach to the break up story.    Although I felt it was all a bit overdone by the end, I still think it was an interesting read.

Just as a side note, the other day one of my students came walking in with this book.  When I asked her what she thought, she gushed (yes gushed!) and said, "I love how he gets a teen break up."  I guess that's my answer.  Although it wore me out, maybe it's the extended emotional mess that teens really feel and I just forget?  It was fun getting that view from my student.  Thankfully they reign in my cynical eye, right?

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on an advance review copy from Amazon's "Amazon Vine" program.

Review: The Mafia by Marco Gasparini

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "An illustrated history of the Mafia, focusing on this highly developed criminal organization both as a cult subject and an important social phenomenon. Movie classics like The Godfather epitomize our fascination with the underworld of the Mafia, conjuring images of cigar-smoking dons and shoot-outs in pizzerias. But behind the romantic myths of "men of honor" and omertà lies a very real world of murder, racketeering, and organized crime. Marco Gasparini traces the evolution of the Mafia from nineteenth-century Sicily to the streets of twentieth-century New York, to the international cartels that rule the illegal drug and arms trades today..."

Review: Like many people, I've had a fascination and curiosity about the mafia and what fuels it today.  This book, however, really helped me put together the history of the mafia in what was essentially a coffee table book that nails down the background, beginnings, and big players in this legendary crime powerhouse.  What I especially liked about this book was the organized way that Gasparini broke down the history.  In the book, he takes us back to the foundation in Sicily, Italy and what the mafia meant in the beginning.  Since I had often heard ex-mafia family members say on television that it was an organization that was created to "take care of ones own," especially here in the United States, I always thought it had some creepy, honor code behind it.  What I found through this book, however, was that it really was motivated by thug mentality that hid behind a code of honor.  Originally, it was a band of men who grouped together to basically tax all the landowners and workers in their area.  When people were too poor or resisted their brute ways, they sliced their faces and terrorized their families to make a point to everyone that this is what would happen if they resisted their control.  Needless to say, the history and reports over the last century have blown my mind.  The number of retaliations, murders, and criminal activities are shocking to me.  

Gasparini really helped to put a human face to the victims.  In the book, he showed news clippings and pictures of people the mafia held as ransom (one a little boy that they kidnapped to prevent his father who was in prison from ratting them out, who they later murdered) or were caught in the crossfires of grudge matches.  I can't even imagine what judge or police officer would dare go against these men, especially when so many of them were murdered along the way.  It was all pretty nauseating and frightening.  To be honest, the one thing the book leaves open is how the mafia can be stopped.  From the way the book lays out their history, their power seems endless.  Yes, they have captured and put away hundreds of powerful players and their pawns, but the system is very much still in place.  It's all very frightening.

If you're at all interested in learning some of the history of the mafia, but don't want to read a 400 page break down, this is a great place to turn.  Although it seems like a giant coffee table-like book, there is plenty of history and information to help fill you in.  I highly recommend it and think it is a great way into what I'm now realizing is a pretty convoluted history.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the book.

Re-Read Review: Austenland by Shannon Hale

As a BAD book blogger, I haven't been supporting Utah Book Month as I should.  We really do have a lot of great authors here in Utah, many of whom come out and support our local get togethers and local events.  They are really awesome!  Right now I'm in the middle of reading Bree Despain's third novel in her Dark Divine series and I'm getting ready to read Shannon Hale's Midnight in Austenland.  Before I pick up Hale's next novel though, I went back to re-read Austenland so I could remember some of the details, and it was even better the second time through!

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Jane Hayes is a seemingly normal young New Yorker, but she has a secret. Her obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, is ruining her love life: no real man can compare. But when a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-crazed women, Jane's fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become realer than she ever could have imagined.

Decked out in empire-waist gowns, Jane struggles to master Regency etiquette and flirts with gardeners and gentlemen;or maybe even, she suspects, with the actors who are playing them. It's all a game, Jane knows. And yet the longer she stays, the more her insecurities seem to fall away, and the more she wonders: Is she about to kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?"

Review:  This was a fun book to read from the get go.  I liked the it the first time, and I loved it on the second go around.  I distinctly remember not liking the Darcy-esque character in this novel, which is ironic, right?  Aren't we supposed to not like him and then realize how prejudice we were?  Yes, I do think that's the case.  The first time I read it, I just remember  being sucked into the re-enactment of our favorite, romantic read, Pride and Prejudice.  This time, I remembered some of what was to come and paid more attention to the characters that I knew were the nice guys--you know, the way you watch the romantic lead in a movie when you know that's how he'll end up?  You just seem to notice all the sweet things they do to show that they're not the person they are putting on.  That was the case in this re-read; I picked up on some fun interactions that I didn't the first time around.

As far as sweet escape reading goes, this is high on that list.  I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting Austenland and its twist on the Jane Austen tale.  The ending is very reminiscent of a great chick film, which I loved.  I'm in need of another one of these, so I hope the film comes out soon!  On the whole, this was just a real delight to dive into and relive all over again!  Now I'm ready for the movie to come out, which I'm hoping will come out before the end of the year.  

All right.  Now I can head off to read Midnight in Austenland!

By the way, here is a fun film exclusive if you're interested in the movie that will be coming out.

Review: Rather Paris by Jon Hart and Cooking Update

Let me follow up on yesterday's post about that Tart Tatin.  This was my first attempt at this famous dessert, so I guess it's all right if it isn't perfect, right?  I think my pan was a bit smaller than what the recipe anticipated, so there was too much sauce.  It basically went to the bottom of the plate and made the crust stick to the plate in a carmel-y, ooey-gooey mess.  Yummy, but messy.  I'll try it again sometime later.  By the way, in case you're wondering about the diet--as I talk about a gooey dessert--I've managed to lose 8 pounds over five weeks.  It has been slow, and I could probably lose a lot more if I'd avoid Easter desserts, but isn't this a normal life?  I'm fine with a slow loss.  At least I'm still losing!

Speaking of a French dessert, I had to share Rather Paris, which is a travel book that is part of a variety of travel/food books by Jon Hart centered on Paris.  This little guide jumped out at me on my last trip to the library, as it's such a short and unique little guidebook.  Having been published back in December of 2011, this particular book is really up to date on amazing stores, restaurants, cafes, and so much more in the various neighborhoods of Paris. 

If I were heading back to Paris this summer (I wish), I would definitely take this little booklet in my bag.  It's half the size and about a quarter of the weight of most travel/guide books.  In fact, this doesn't even feel like a "travel" book, but is more of an amazing insider look at a handful of great places throughout Paris.  If you were looking for a place to pick up paint, baby clothes, or even handbags, Rather Paris features a short blurb, address, and picture for your convenience. 

On a quick side note, I would NOT say this is a book that you would rely on for all information on Paris.  This is a mere supplement to the million of other books out there.  On a scale of what's new and fresh, I simply thought this was a nice and fun new option.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the book.

Review: Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey

Admittedly, I've gone through a huge I-want-to-read-everything-I-can-get-my-hands-on-about-Paris phase.  This was just one of the many I found that dig into France's history and give me that fix that I'm looking for.  Before I started Becoming Marie Antoinette, I didn't know this was just the first in what would be a series, so I wondered why it didn't cover more time, but I still really enjoyed it and can't wait for the next to come out in May.

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Raised alongside her numerous brothers and sisters by the formidable empress of Austria, ten-year-old Maria Antonia knew that her idyllic existence would one day be sacrificed to her mother’s political ambitions. What she never anticipated was that the day in question would come so soon.

Before she can journey from sunlit picnics with her sisters in Vienna to the glitter, glamour, and gossip of Versailles, Antonia must change everything about herself in order to be accepted as dauphin of France and the wife of the awkward teenage boy who will one day be Louis XVI. Yet nothing can prepare her for the ingenuity and influence it will take to become queen."

Review:  Marie Antoinette and Versailles are two things that people continue to be intrigued about.  How would it be to be that wealthy and to have that much recognition?  What was she really like and what must Versailles have been like in its day?  In Juliet Grey's novel, we get a bit of an idea in this piece of historical fiction. 

Much of the novel surrounds Marie Antoinette's childhood and teen years, wherein she was groomed and prepared for an eventual marriage to Louis XVI of France.  Although Austrian, Marie was forced to change things about herself to become more of what her French husband might like.  There is an especially traumatic scene with a doctor/dentist, where she is given a pretty barbaric set of braces to change her teeth.  Having had braces as a teenager, I couldn't even fathom the pain she went through--without numbing medication--to get those braces.  Excruciating is all I have to say about that scene!

Throughout the novel we are privy to Marie's preparations and emotional upheaval about her own future.  It had to be frightening to need to model yourself so much after the desires of someone you didn't even know, not to mention the fear that must have come from knowing you would be giving up your entire world for another.  However, Marie does just that and moves into her marriage with Louis XVI, which becomes an even newer and different trial of loneliness and confusion.  

The book paints a blossoming friendship between Marie and Louis, as they had little by way of passion or desire in their marriage.  It does seem pretty weird that the two didn't have a physical relationship for so long.  Historians have come up with a few medical reasons why Louis XVI might not have been able to consummate the marriage, but no one knows for sure, because it obviously did eventually happen. Much of the final section of the book surrounds Marie's frustration and confusion over her lack of a sexual relationship with her husband.  Had it not really been based in history, I would have also found it all a bit exhausting to keep dwelling on it, but I think I would be pretty confused if I had to wait years to finally have a real marriage. 
 
As mentioned above, there are some really interesting scenes that jumped out at me and had me look at Marie Antoinette's story in a different way.  I've always thought it must be lonely and somehow difficult to be a monarch--as strange as that sounds--but never in quite the way I did after reading Grey's novel.  There is a lot of detail to the novel, and a lot of back story of her childhood that are pretty interesting to consider.  In a sense, the novel helped to humanize Marie Antoinette for me as she maybe had not been before.  Overall, I enjoyed the novel, and with the open ending of this first book, I'm eager to see Marie grow into a woman and to see her story find some resolution.  I'll definitely be reaching for the next book when it comes out in May!   


*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the book.

Film Review: Never Let Me Go (2010)

When I was in grad school, I had to read Kazuo Ishiguro's novel Never Let Me Go for a Contemporary British Fiction course.  Talk about a trip!  I was familiar with his other novel, Remains of the Day, with its quiet reserve and social conversation.  That was what I expected with this newest novel, but that is not quite the direction it headed in. 

If you're unfamiliar with the synopsis of the novel and movie, it can be halting.  The premise of the story is built around a group of children raised together as what seems to be normal children, sent away to boarding school, to learn and develop skills and talents like any other child.  There are whisperings of odd things to come, but no one knows for certain what it all means or how they might actually be different from other children.  It is only, after various revelations and their development over time that we learn the shocking truth of the real lives these children will one day lead.  In short, they have been genetically engineered for medical use down the road.

There is a love story built into the plot that adds a depth to the tragedy that plays out, but does not take over the entire story altogether.  It's hard to reveal too much, without revealing some of the tragic twists that are revealed over the course of the film and novel, but they really are pretty shocking to learn. We as viewers (and readers) feel as shocked and blindsided by truths as the characters must.

The thing I found interesting about the film is the equal bits of what I like to call sepia-colored-restraint that fell over the film like a mist.  The same restraint that you find in the novel also plays out in the film.  Had I not already been familiar with the book, I would have found some of the conversations and plot twists jarring against the slow moving story.

Original Novel Cover

One of the things I found a bit odd in the film were the details added about their sexual development.  In the book they seemed normal and part of what you would expect for children growing into adulthood, but in the film they felt startling and exaggerated.  I'm not sure if that is one of the differences between the way the subject is taken on by the author versus the film director, or if it is a "Hollywood" device?  I suppose that anything corporeal felt that way in the film though, since so much of it ends up being psychological as you uncover more and more of the truth behind the story.

I can't say that I loved the film, but I didn't love the book either.  I definitely appreciate the genius of Ishiguro and what he accomplishes in so many different ways.  How he manages to going from a calm book about a butler and his worldview to a startling mental thriller really baffles me.  For that, I give the author kudos.  As for the film, I think I need more time to mull it over.

Other Reviews I Appreciated:
Roger Ebert --As typical of his style, Ebert really puts this movie eloquently.
The Guardian --I felt like this article really mirrored my own thoughts.
The New York Times --Great response to the film's methods and message.

Review: Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "After a month in New York, Cordelia Grey and Letty Larkspur are small-town girls no longer. They spend their afternoons with Astrid Donal at the Greys' lush Long Island estate and their nights in Manhattan's bustling metropolis. But Letty's not content to be a mere socialite. She is ready at last to chase her Broadway dreams - no matter the cost.

Cordelia is still reeling from the death of her father at the hands of Thom Hale, the man she thought she loved. Now she is set to honor Darius Grey's legacy... and take her revenge.

Promised to Cordelia's half brother, Astrid is caught up in a world of dazzling jewels and glittering nights - and the sparkle is blinding. Charlie Grey is a gangster playing a dangerous game; and for Astrid, Cordelia, and Letty, the stakes could be deadly."
  
Review:  At a time when I feel as though a good historical read has fallen by the wayside, Anna Godbersen's novels always seem to deliver.  As the follow up to Bright Young Things, we pick back up with Cordelia and Letty trying to make a life for themselves in busy New York City during the days of the prohibition.  In the case of a second novel, there is a lot to remember about the first book that I couldn't always piece together.  Having said that, I did, slowly pull the story back into one whole so I could enjoy the rest of the story. 

 In what reminds me of a Gossip Girls type of a story, the drama is high and the action is even higher.  There's a little bit of everything here, with its showgirls, prohibition, gangsters, wealth, and prestige.  However, the glitz and glamour are offset by moments of poverty and crime.  There were moments of girls languishing by the pool, in sorrow over whatever male interest wasn't paying them enough attention.  That was annoying, but I would suppose, pretty important in the development of a relationship?  I can't say that this was my favorite of Godbersen's novels, as the lead female characters feel a bit unreachable and  not relatable to me (while her Luxe series characters felt much more real in my estimation), this was still agood YA historical read.  I plan on grabbing whatever follow-up comes out next so I can find out what happens to these characters. 

*This review was based on a library copy of the novel.

Review: Friendship Bread by Darien Gee

Have you ever made that Amish Friendship Bread?  It's been awhile since I received a bag of starter, but I have to admit to being freaked out by the stuff.  There seems to be something kind of wrong about not refrigerating a food product. Having said that, Friendship Bread by Darien Gee didn't freak me out at all, and as you can see from the book and title, it has friendship bread throughout the story.  I'm still not sure how/why the bread works, but I will admit that it tastes pretty good, and I haven't heard of anyone keeling over from eating it, so I guess it must be all right!

Synopsis:  Centered on a multi-character story of women in a small town in Illinois, each woman has a unique story of love, lost, and longing.  We are introduced to Julia Everts, mother of one daughter and wife to a wonderful husband who would do anything to make her happy.  Their wound centered on the earlier loss of their young son, long before their daughter was born.  With his loss came a lifetime of wounds that threatened to tear the entire family apart.  Another character, Hannah, has moved into town after her fellow cellist husband was found cheating on her.  She had not only given up on her career in order to marry her husband, but she had also agreed to move to this small town under the idea that she would start the life of a housewife with the husband she loved.  Now, she was facing divorce and a lifetime of unhappiness, or so she believed.  Finally, we have Madeline, who owns and operates a local tea shop and bakery.  Madeline is the oldest in the group, with grown children of her own, and a love for cooking and making other people happy.

To this town, filled with many other characters and stories, these three women unite in the tea shop one day to reveal heartaches and longings.  Having had "friendship bread" starters dropped off at their homes, it strangely transports their homes and lives into places of conversation and sharing, with an eye for others who also suffer in silence.  Together, the three women make fast friends.  Stories are revealed, and wounds begin to heal--all over a loaf of nice, warm friendship bread.

Review:  I really love the clear, freshness of Gee's writing.  There is a simpleness to it that makes the structure flow, even when the story itself is filled with complexity and difficulty.  In short, you can get lost in the story, understanding exactly what you suppose the author meant and wanted for her characters and story.

Friendship Bread has a lot of stories going on at once.  At times I wanted to just settle down to one, but I finally worked through these narratives to get to the meat of their collective story.  The stories felt familiar, with things that women all over the world experience, but in a way that we cared about what happened for each character.

In a funny way, the bread starter was the thread that not only pulled the characters together, but it also pulled the story together.  That single thread kept families talking and characters intermixing with one another, helping to lift other people along the way.  The story surrounding Julia Everts and her family dominates much of the story, and I really cared about what happened to her, especially in her marriage.  I almost wish we could have spent more time with them, but I got the overall picture by the end.  

Although it contains recipes and the cooking and sharing of food, this is really about the characters and how something as simple as a bread starter could pull people out of their busy lives and back into their families and relationships.  I liked the book and think that the recipes at the end of the novel are just an added treat.  I plan on sharing this one with my mother, who I know will love all the complex stories and friendships.  This might just be one of those stories I share with other women I know, just like those bags of friendship bread.

Check out "Friendship Bread Kitchen" for more information about the novel and lots of great recipes that you can make from these starters.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a review copy provided by the Amazon Vine program.  No monies were exchanged for this review.

Have you ever gotten a bag of this friendship bread, and have you ever deviated from the recipe to make your own variations?

Review: My Jane Austen Summer by Cindy Jones

I think I can safely get near my computer to actually spend some time posting something today!  For whatever reason, I've had a headache turned migraine that has been taunting me for days now.  The idea of getting near the computer made me shudder with horror.  After a nice handful of ibuprofen and nursing a big glass of water, I'm doing a lot better and really wanted to get back to reviewing.  Now I can post my review of My Jane Austen Summer before the summer is actually over!

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "A down on her luck woman goes on an Austen-inspired journey of self-discovery in Jones's middling debut. After Lily Berry loses her mother, gets dumped by her boyfriend, and is fired, she finds in her passion for all things Jane Austen (Jane, indeed, is Lily's imaginary friend) an escape route: she travels to England to participate in a Jane Austen re-enacting festival. Full of enthusiasm—but not acting talent—Lily is not embraced by many of the Janeites, but this doesn't prevent her from meeting a charismatic actor, contending with an impossible roommate, and struggling with dark family secrets, all while trying to find the courage to be the protagonist of her own story. While Jones does a credible job of creating a heroine in transition, Lily's process of self-realization isn't nearly as involving as the subplots, which is quite unfortunate, considering how much time is devoted to sussing out her issues."

Review:  My Jane Austen Summer started out like a great, yummy read.  Lily Berry has just broken up with her boyfriend, is feeling completely out of sorts, and turns to an opportunity to travel to England to participate in a Jane Austen festival to save her from her mess of a life.  What's not to love about that kind of premise?  I know I'd love to run off to England to find myself and to revel in Jane Austen a bit more!  Although I thought she was kind of a weepy, pathetic mess at the beginning, I could see that it was a good set up for us to watch the evolution of a character from nauseating sap to a confident woman.  Somehow, I can't really say that happened.  Even now, I'm not sure that Lily Berry is a changed woman, with more confidence.  In fact, once she left the U.S. and we establish the core group of people she is around in England and get to know their stories, it all started to run in way too many directions without resolutions that I was looking for.

One thing that really confused me was the introduction of a Jane Austen-like ghost that often showed up when Lily was doing certain things?  It took me awhile to realize that she really was talking about a non-speaking ghost-like figure, and not just an internal, "What would Jane Austen do" sort of query.  It just felt strange, and I'm not sure that we needed a ghost Austen to propel the story in any way.  Also, there were too many odd conflicts.  Had we focused on two or three of them, the story might have felt much more driven by a compelling character story.  As it stands, having the money issues, ex-boyfriend/lacking esteem issue, crazy roommate issue, ghost Austen issue, dead mother and lousy dad issue, quiet new guy she liked issue, wanting to act issue, the festival losing money and wanting to help issue, and so on and so forth were just too many to follow.  You would just get into one of these, and the story would switch gears.  It was just a bit too much, and I genuinely wanted to see how one or two of these were resolved, but not all at once.  In fact, I don't know that any of these were resolved, but just lived through.  Let's be honest, if you introduce love interests, you generally like to see the heroine of the book either completely get over them or find someone else who is better than the first guy.  At the end of the book, I had to flip back to make sure I read things correctly, because I wasn't sure what happened.

In the end, the book seemed to be more about character development than resolution.  We're all a work in progress, but I suppose I just wanted more resolved and settled by the end.  I really loved the premise and even liked the subtlety of the writing, which reminded me a bit of Austen's tone, but with the idea of an Austen themed novel or even Mansfield Park take, I expected a stronger connection to the main character and a romantic resolution that felt satisfying.  Overall, with the Austen themes and personal issues of the main character, I wanted it to work, but it somehow lost me by the end.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a copy provided by Amazon Vine as part of their reviewer program.

Review: The Professor's Daughter by Sfar and Guibert

Thanks for the web and great book bloggers, I get to hear about graphic novels that I wouldn't know about otherwise.  I recently saw Joann Sfar and Emmanuel Guibert's graphic novel The Professor's Daughter reviewed on the blogosphere and ran out to check it out.  To be honest, I struggle to find graphic novels on my own, so I sure appreciate seeing them reviewed elsewhere.  From time to time, a nice graphic novel can get me back into my reading groove!

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Joann Sfar and Emmanuel Guibert bring the true spirit of Victorian London to life in this witty, engaging, sepia-colored tale of a proper but mischievous young girl and the mummy who opens his eyes for the first time in 3,000 years and instantly falls in love with her. Will the love between Lillian and Imhotep IV survive when their fathers, the London police, and even the Royal Archeological Society are all determined to keep them apart?"

Review:  The Professor's Daughter is a quick piece of "what if" set in Victorian London.  Who hasn't looked at a mummy in a museum and wondered about Ancient Egypt or what that person was like in their time?  Even more interesting is to think about is what would happen if they perked up and rose from the dead?  In this graphic novel, Imhotep IV happens to be alive, all taped up, and out on the town with one of the curator's daughter, young Lillian.  They have a lovely day and in a very withheld, Victorian way, fall in love.  

I really enjoyed this short graphic novel.  The story develops really quickly, but has this lovely subtle development.  Honestly, I didn't catch the love story element and actually just thought Lillian and Imhotep were great friends and enjoying a day out in London!  There was a fun bit of tension in the story when Imhotep realizes they want to get him back in the museum, but it wasn't so supernatural or over the top that you couldn't kind of sit back and just watch the story unfold.  The sepia colors and subdued Victorian story were just a fun overlay on this tale.  It ended in a way that felt a teeny bit abrupt to me, but on the other hand, I'm not sure what else I wanted to happen.  On the whole, it was a fun diversion and nice idea for a graphic novel.

*FTC Disclosure:  Review is based off a library copy of the book.

Review: Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi

Synopsis:  Set in Burgdorf, Germany around the time of WWII, we are introduced to the "Zwerg" (dwarf) Trudi Montag.  Besides the obvious difficulties Trudi must face by being smaller in stature than those in her community, she must also grapple with the challenges of a country at war.  Through Trudi and the people of Burgdorf we get a memorable story of how one town survived as the Nazi regime created chaos and evil wherever they went.

Review:  Ursula Hegi's novel Stones from the River was unlike any WWII novel I have ever encountered.  Although we are exposed to some of the injustice Jews encountered during the Nazi regime, the story centers more on the everyday people of Burgdorf and how they responded to the economic hardships Germany faced as well as Hitler's changes to their culture and lifestyles. 

In a pretty interesting sort of way Hegi managed to show a side of the WWII story that we might not have considered, in particular how the everyday citizen in Germany was affected by the evil surrounding them.  Often we think about what people had to know and why they didn't do more to defend the Jews.  Although the story doesn't focus on that, I got a better feel for why people didn't do more than they did.  The fear people felt and the harsh reality of living day to day made the crazy stories they heard about their Jewish neighbors seem like impossibilities.  We watch as the men in the town head off to war, either to never return home again or to never be the same.  Women who remained behind either suffered from providing for children alone, from despair and loneliness, or from the guilt they felt from moving on to new loves.  Also, the tension surrounding Trudi Montag's dwarfism lends the story a new twist; Trudi isn't a Jew, but she knows what it is to be different and sometimes an outsider.

Overall, I felt that the novel did an interesting job of telling a character story, most of all.  The characters felt real and present.  I did find the distance in the story strange at times.  For instance, Trudi tells of what they heard happened to their town's Jews, but not of her own thoughts or opinions.  We understand that she hated Hitler and wished him to be taken out of power, but she was as powerless as everyone else to ever express these opinions.  In short, the novel felt mostly like a retelling, but with an interesting perspective on what the average German did during the war and how they might have felt.  For that, I was glad to have had a book that allowed me to rethink Germany and the impact the war had on everyone there, and not just the Jews.


*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the novel.

Review: Mr. Darcy and the Secret of Becoming a Gentleman by Maria Hamilton

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "When Elizabeth Bennet refuses his hand, Darcy is devastated and makes it his mission to change. By every civility in his power, Darcy slowly tries to win her affections, but Elizabeth is not easily swayed. Darcy vows to unlock the secrets that will make her his. He curses himself for his social awkwardness and appearance of pride, and sets out to right the wrongs he's done her family.  Elizabeth's family and friends misunderstand his intentions, and being in Elizabeth's presence proves to be both excruciating for the shy Darcy-and a dream come true. For the first time in his life, he must please a woman worth having, and the transformation leads him to a depth of understanding and love that he never could have imagined."

Review:  Overall, Mr. Darcy and the Secret of Becoming a Gentleman was a fun departure from the original story, asking the reader to consider "what if" Darcy decided to change from that first tongue lashing by Elizabeth?  Could he have changed and won her over by showing her who he really was?  These questions fuel this new story line as Darcy works to show Elizabeth that he isn't the pompous rich guy she has come to believe him.  He ends up showing back up at her home to interact with her family and to try to be more social.  

With these twists, some other story lines drop out from the original.  I won't give away which ones those might be, but you can imagine who might or might not show up in the story if Darcy stuck around.  One interesting change is in Mrs. Bennet, who soon recognizes that Darcy might be a better match for her Jane than she originally thought.  He quite wins her over with his charm and pocket change!  Not only does he win her over, but he also fuels the gossip mongers who all think he has eyes for Jane.  That, of course, makes Elizabeth slightly jealous and confused.  Her intrigue leads her to consider this man she wrote off, to wonder if she made a big mistake in jilting him.

Romance is all over in this retelling of Pride and Prejudice.  For the most part it is all good, clean romance, with some later interludes that make for a dramatic departure from the story we all know and love!  I wouldn't say it's salacious in any way, but might be shocking.  At times I'll admit to being annoyed by the miscommunication and constant fact checking Darcy and Elizabeth demonstrated; they just seemed so unsure of what the other meant, that they were constantly self conscious of everything they said or did.  Eventually, the "I'm sorry, that's not what I meant..." felt overdone at times.  I do get that this added extra tension and work to Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship forced them to draw together more.  I guess I just didn't want them to have to always feel so insecure.

The "what if" story between Darcy and Elizabeth is a relaxing continuation of sorts, for anyone who enjoys Pride and Prejudice and likes to read other retellings.  The story is romantic and filled with human missteps that keep the story moving in a new direction, and although the outcome isn't surprising, the journey is different and new.  

*FTC Disclosure:  Review is based on an advanced copy provided by the publisher.