The House on the Cerulean Sea is a fantasy about an orphanage of very unusual magical children. Each of the children are interesting and unique characters and this could have been the central part of the story, but it is a tale of redemption, compassion, and humanity as seen through the lead character, Linus Baker. As a worn-out case worker he arrives on the island with … Continue reading →
American Dirt is a harrowing tale of the journey of a Mexican woman and her son fleeing from narcos in Acapulco. It has a straightforward driving narrative of the dangers they face in an attempt to migrate to America. The story is a compelling one that was very successful. It has many admirers, but some detractors too. The author is not Mexican and some people object … Continue reading →
Conclave is a fictional story based on the Vatican’s practice of holding a sequestered meeting of all Cardinals after the death of the Pope, in order to elect a new Pope. Robert Harris writes historical fiction which is thoroughly researched, but he also creates fictional characters who are well-defined, believable, and interesting. In this case, he has created Cardinal Lomeli, the Dean of the … Continue reading →
Nickel Boys is narrated by Elwood Curtis living in New York City in the present time, looking back at a period of time when he attended the Nickel Academy (a reform school in Florida) when he was a teenager. Colson Whitehead tells the story at various points in Ellwood’s life and it isn’t until the end of the story that we find out that there are … Continue reading →
The Cadfael stories are medieval mysteries set in England in the mid 12th century. Brother Cadfael, a Benedictine Welsh monk, is the central character. Before entering the life of a monk in his 40s he was a soldier and a sailor, lived in Palestine, had relationships with several women, and had a wide range of experiences from his travels. When he entered the monastery and became … Continue reading →
Great Expectations was written in 1860, Charles Dickens’ eight novel. It is one of many great classic books by the author. I chose to reread this book after 50+ years. I have read many of his books and have remained a dedicated fan for these decades. The story is well known and has been made into movies and TV series. Some of the … Continue reading →
The Waiting is the 39th book in the Harry Bosch World. I have read all of the books and this one was the latest. Most of the author’s books are police procedurals featuring Harry Bosch, but in recent years, he has added books in the Lincoln Lawyer series, and books featuring Renee Ballard and Maddie Bosch, his daughter. They are sequential, but stand-alone books … Continue reading →
Yellowface is a literary thriller told in the first person narrative by an author. The plot leads to uncomfortable moments for the reader as the author immerses us in psychological anxiety, guilt, ambition, betrayals, and threats. Interlaced into the narrative are themes of racism, cultural appropriation, artistic integrity, fame, misfortune, social media trolling, white privilege, censorship, greed, and the wages of fame. The story … Continue reading →
First Frost is the latest book in the Walt Longmire series by Craig Johnson. The 26 books are western mysteries set in the (fictional) Absaroka County in Wyoming. After growing up on a ranch, he goes to University, then serves in the Marines as a military police officer, doing a tour of Vietnam. After his discharge, he works on an oil rig in Alaska before … Continue reading →
The Return of the Dancing Master is a Swedish-noir novel by Henning Mankell, published in the year 2000. It has been translated from Swedish into English in 2003. Mankell is best know for his Kurt Wallender stories, a detective series with lots of followers, both in book form and on television. This is also a police-procedural story, following a new protagonist, Stephan Lindemann. … Continue reading →
