Sunny is a 38-year-old American woman who has run from her Book on CD narrated by Mozhan Marnò 3***
Also issued as The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul
Sunny is a 38-year-old American woman who has run from her bad choices, and found a “home� in war-torn Kabul, Afghanistan, running The Coffee Shop and (sort of) living with her boyfriend Tommy, who is a mercenary. She has collected a group of locals around her to help run the business, and whom she, in turn, helps, sometimes in defiance of long-held religious and cultural beliefs.
This is the author’s fiction debut, after her memoir Kabul Beauty School. I found it more engaging than the memoir, though Sunny displays some of the same faults the author had in her own memoir � being willfully blind to local customs, beliefs, traditions. Yes, the traditional treatment of women is appalling, but running headlong into the fray seemed not only naïve but extremely dangerous. That her business thrives is mostly due to the ex-pat community that she serves.
I did love Yazmina and Halajan, two of the women who work with Sunny in the coffee shop, and especially Halajan’s forbidden love story. However, one character’s complete turnaround was totally unrealistic.
There are two sequels, but I’m in no hurry to read them.
Mozhan Marnò does a fine job narrating the audiobook. I really liked the way she interpreted Halajan and Yazmina. ...more
Digital Audiobook narrated by Brid Brennan. 3.5***
From the book jacket: In Northern Ireland during the Troubles, a young woman is caught between allegDigital Audiobook narrated by Brid Brennan. 3.5***
From the book jacket: In Northern Ireland during the Troubles, a young woman is caught between allegiance to community and a dangerous passion. Amid daily reports of violence, Cushla lives a quiet life with her mother in a small town near Belfast. By day she teaches at a parochial school, at night she fills in at her family’s pub. There she meets Michael Agnew, a barrister who’s made a name for himself defending IRA members. Michael is not only Protestant but older, and married, yet Cushla lets herself get drawn in by him and his sophisticated world, and an affair ignites. But a violent incident sets in motion a chain reaction that will threaten everything, and everyone Cushla most wants to protect.
My reactions I had not heard of this book before one of my F2F book club buddies recommended it for discussion. Kennedy packs a lot into a slim volume. I had read Patrick Radden Keefe’s marvelous nonfiction book about the Troubles, Say Nothing, so I knew something about the strife, struggle and terrorism that characterized this time period. But Kennedy’s book made it so personal. It made me think of how often I want to just hide from what is happening around me and be left in peace to live my life � to sing, to dance, to love, to carry on � rather than to face the issues head on and DO something.
Cushla is a marvelous character. She’s caring and passionate about her teaching. She longs for a steady life on her own. She does her best to help her students navigate this troubling time. She wants to understand what cannot be understood. Mostly she wants to live her life without strife and terror. She comes to love Michael despite all their obvious differences � class, religion, politics. Of course, he is married, and I wanted desperately to warn her about the dangers of such a liaison, but �
Brid Brennan does a great job of narrating the audiobook. I did have a few moments where I had trouble understanding phrases in a vernacular with which I’m not familiar, so I was happy that I had the text handy to read those passages. ...more
Book One in the mystery series starring FBI agent Kelly Jones.
A serial killer is targeting women on a New England college campus. The campus is crissBook One in the mystery series starring FBI agent Kelly Jones.
A serial killer is targeting women on a New England college campus. The campus is crisscrossed by a series of tunnels that date back a century or more. Some students use them to avoid bad weather when traversing campus, but mostly they use them as make-out places. One girl gets lost in the darkness when her “friends� get ahead of her. The next day she’s found brutally murdered, and a second body is also found.
This is a brutal, graphic murder mystery. It involves ancient pagan religions, and one deranged person’s attempt to appease those gods with ritualistic sacrifices. But, of course, no one knows that at the outset.
Jones is a tough lady with some history on this campus, as well as personal trauma in her background which fuels her desire to find the perpetrator.
The pace is fast, the lead character is likeable, and the storyline held my attention, but I’m not sure I’d bother to read another in the series. I felt a bit as though the grotesque brutality and graphic descriptions were overkill. And I was disappointed that (view spoiler)[Gagnon resorted to the “big strong man� coming to Jones� rescue, rather than letting this strong woman get the best of the killer on her own. (hide spoiler)] ...more
This novella introduced the reading public to Sherlock Holmes and his trusty sidekick, Dr Watson. The case hAudiobook performed by Frederick Davidson
This novella introduced the reading public to Sherlock Holmes and his trusty sidekick, Dr Watson. The case hinges on a dead body found in a locked room; although the corpse shows no signs of having been attacked, Holmes is convinced it was murder.
I found it a slower read than today’s mystery novels. But I was interested in getting to know Holmes and Watson. We learn how Holmes came to his method of deduction, and begin to see the fast friendship that will develop between these two men.
I did find the interlude set in America rather jarring. I wondered if perhaps my copy of the book had inadvertently included a completely different story. But, of course, I was wrong, and this did serve to give a detailed background of the chief suspect. And, eventually, Holmes explained it all to both Scotland Yard and the reader.
Frederick Davidson did a fine job of narrating the audiobook. He set a good pace, and I did like the way he interpreted Holmes and Watson.
As is my habit when listening to an audiobook, I also had a copy of the text handy. In this case, it came with an introduction (dated 2009) by mystery writer Mark Billingham. I’m so glad I took the time to read that introduction. Gives me a whole new appreciation for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Holmes, Watson and their legion of fans. ...more
In her debut novel, Acevedo tells the story of a teen from Harlem, who finds her voice in writing poetry, but who struggles against her mother’s expecIn her debut novel, Acevedo tells the story of a teen from Harlem, who finds her voice in writing poetry, but who struggles against her mother’s expectations.
I love poetry. I am in awe with how much a poet can convey in so few words. And Acevedo does a truly marvelous job in this novel-in-verse.
Xiomara (sometimes referred to as Xio or simply X) is not the best student, but when it comes to her poetry her English teacher recognizes talent and encourages Xio to express herself. Being a teenager is hard. Xio’s path is further complicated by her early development of “curves� and by her twin brother’s genius status. (He has skipped a grade and attends a different school.) Then there is her mother, who at one time wanted to be a nun, but instead married Xio’s father. Mami insists that Xio attend church and be pious, but Xio isn’t feeling it.
She isn’t at all wild, but she is attracted to a boy in her biology lab. She would like to be able to be a normal teenager, with friends, including boys, but she cannot talk to her mother. So, she pours her feelings into her poetry, written in a leather-bound notebook her twin gave her. As she finds her voice, she also finds the courage to be herself. ...more
From the book jacket: Wen sixteen-year-old Nouf goes missing, along with a truck and her favorite camel, her prominent family calls on Nayir ash-SharqFrom the book jacket: Wen sixteen-year-old Nouf goes missing, along with a truck and her favorite camel, her prominent family calls on Nayir ash-Sharqi, a desert guide, to lead a search party. Ten days later, her body is discovered by anonymous desert travelers. But when the coroner’s office determines that Nouf died from drowning, and her family seems suspiciously uninterested in getting at the truth, Nayir takes it upon himself to find out what really happened to her.
My reaction This was a wonderful debut psychological thriller. I particularly appreciated the setting in Saudi Arabia, and the use of a female lab technician who has some decidedly “modern� sensibilities. Katya Hijazi chafes at the rigid segregation of men and women in this ultra-conservative society. Her widowed father indulges her � to a point; she still must have a driver and escort wherever she goes.
Contrast this strong woman, determined to be as modern as possible within the confines of societal rules, with Nayir. He’s a Palestinian orphan who was raised by a bachelor uncle. He is devoutly Muslim, praying five times a day, refraining from contact with women, and rather rigid in his daily life. He is appalled at this brazen woman, and yet intrigued by, even drawn to her. Theirs is a partnership neither sought, but which both ultimately appreciate.
I’m fascinated by this glimpse into modern-day Saudi Arabia, a country that lives by an ancient code that mystifies this Westerner. I’m interested to see where Ferraris takes this series.
Published in the UK as Night Of the Mi’raj ...more
Book two in the Sir John Fielding mystery series. Young Jeremy Proctor has been apprenticed to a printer on Grub Street, but the night before he was tBook two in the Sir John Fielding mystery series. Young Jeremy Proctor has been apprenticed to a printer on Grub Street, but the night before he was to move to Mr Crabbs� establishment to begin his training, the entire Crabb family and the two apprentices to lived with them were brutally murdered. A poet who also resided there was found with the likely weapon in his hand and taken into custody. But he maintains he is innocent. Sir John, though he is blind, is an astute investigator and Jeremy along with some of the colorful residents of Covent Garden help Sir John ferret out the truth.
This was much more complicated than the first book, and I admit my attention wandered a bit. There is religious fervor, multiple personalities, professional jealousy, anti-semitism, dreadful conditions of tenement buildings, and a light-fingered imp of a thief to complicate the case. Still, I love the way that Alexander has taken bits and pieces of history and woven them into these mysteries. Set in 1765 London, the protagonists must rely on their wits and old-fashioned investigative techniques. Sir John is, of course, further hampered by being blind, but Jeremy is an astute observer and honestly relates what he sees to his mentor.
Urrea picks up where he left off in The Hummingbird’s Daughter and continues the story of his great aunt, Teresita Urrea, “The Saint of Cabora� orUrrea picks up where he left off in The Hummingbird’s Daughter and continues the story of his great aunt, Teresita Urrea, “The Saint of Cabora� or “Mexican Joan of Arc,� who fled the 1892 uprising in Mexico with her father, Tomas, to the relative safety of Arizona. But the Mexican government, fearing that she was still fomenting revolutions sent a series of assassins to kill her. And yet pilgrims continued to flock to her, for the tales of her healing powers would not abate.
Trying to find her way she travels across America, from Arizona to Texas, California, St Louis, and New York. She encounters physicians, journalists, famous politicians and tycoons, even European royalty. She also finds love � of a sort � sometimes with decidedly unworthy men. She begins as a naïve, sheltered young woman who wants nothing but to gather herbs and help the women of her area as a midwife / healer. Teresita is in turns sheltered and looked after, abused, taken advantage of, earning and taking charge of her celebrity, and finding peace. She is best served when she listens to the women around her.
As always, Urrea’s writing is full of the mystical and includes many references to indigenous culture (here the Yaqui). Set against the backdrop of historical events in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, he gives us a woman who has earned a place in history and legend. ...more
Spanish journalists / reviewers have called Falcones the “Spain’s new Dan Brown� or proclaimed “A new Ken Follett is born!� I can certainly see why thSpanish journalists / reviewers have called Falcones the “Spain’s new Dan Brown� or proclaimed “A new Ken Follett is born!� I can certainly see why those comparisons are made.
This is an epic historical novel set in 14th-century Barcelona, and focusing on one (fictional) bastaix (a laborer who loaded/off loaded cargo from ships, but also carried the massive stones used to construct the Basillica from the quarry to the construction site). Arnau is motherless due to a cruel feudal system, but he has a loving father. When he and his friend / “brother� Joan (a street urchin who is also motherless) stumble upon the site of the church, Arnau becomes devoted to the Virgin Mary, praying to her and devoting his life to seeing that she is honored with a church worthy of her. He’ll need those prayers, and Joan (who becomes a Dominican and an Inquisitor) to survive what the years have in store for him.
My, oh my, but the medieval era was hard to survive! As if plague, poverty, wars, and a feudal system that virtually enslaved the peasants wasn’t enough, the people also had to deal with the Spanish Inquisition and the hysteria engendered by the Church.
I was perturbed by the way Falcones treated the women in the novel. I fully understand that this is the 14th century and that the system in place did not value women much, but I got the distinct impression that the author shares that sentiment. Perhaps I’m being unfair, but that was the feeling I got. There were only a couple of “good� women; mostly they were immoral, conniving, cruel, and self-centered.
Still, this was an engaging story that kept me turning pages � all 611 of them.
Afterwards I looked up the Cathedral of the Sea and found that it’s location in Barcelona is one I must have passed several times when I visited that city. Yet, I have no memory of it. Having read this book I really want to go back to Barcelona and spend time marveling at the feat of medieval engineering and thinking about the many bastiaxos who toiled to bring the architect’s design to life. ...more
Based on the true, but little known, story of the first renowned female artist during the Renaissance period, this is a captivating work of historicalBased on the true, but little known, story of the first renowned female artist during the Renaissance period, this is a captivating work of historical fiction. Sofonisba Anguisola (Sofi) studied under Michelangelo, though, as a woman, she was not allowed to draw the naked figure. Still, her reputation garnered her an invitation from King Felipe II of Spain to join his court as a drawing instructor for his young bride, Elisabeth of Valois, the daughter of King Henri II of France and his wife, Catherine de� Medici.
I knew nothing about this extraordinary woman, and only a little about the court of King Felipe II. I had not realized the extent of his empire or how very powerful he was. I also was unaware of his relationship to the infamous Don Juan.
Cullen crafts a compelling story that includes intrigue, romance, mystery, politics and the frustration felt by a woman shackled by society’s conventions. Sofi is a strong woman: intelligent, observant, loyal, talented, and determined to live her own life. Her role in the novel, however, is mostly as observer to what is going on in the court, especially in regard to Elizabeth and her flirtations with Felipe’s son, Don Carlos, and with Don Juan.
The author’s notes at the end include more information about Sofonisba herself. I want to look up all her paintings now. ...more
I remember seeing the author when she was on the book tour for this debut novel. I was intrigued by the premise: a yAudiobook performed by Emily Bauer
I remember seeing the author when she was on the book tour for this debut novel. I was intrigued by the premise: a young librarian working in the children’s section befriends a 10-year-old boy who seems to have some family issues, and then finds him “sleeping� in the library when he’s run away from home. I knew that the two of them take a bit of a road trip, so I wasn’t surprised by that.
However, I WAS surprised by all the other stuff Makkai threw in here: conspiracy theories, Russian mafia (?), a theatre troupe as roommates, and a possible love interest (?). I never anticipated that the librarian would be such a complete ditz. Lucy Hull doesn’t have the common sense God gave a goose.
I also never got much of a sense of the boy’s parents. Yes, I realize that what little we know is from Ian’s perspective and the little that Lucy has observed in her work as the children’s librarian, but it seemed that they completely dropped out of the story line as soon as the road trip began. Ian, precocious though he may be, was frequently a typical ten-year-old bratty kid, given to whining if things didn’t go his way. I hated the interludes where Makkai would give lists such as “How a ten-year-old boy brushes his teeth.�
I also had problems with the logistics of what Makkai reported. Lucy leaves town with $200 and she stubbornly tries to refuse any money from her parents. If the exact date is mentioned, I missed it, but they have cell phones and computers, although she’s still checking books out using printed cards and date stamps. In any case, $200 won’t go far, even staying at Motel 8, with two rooms each night, and fast food, and gasoline. And then, at the end, (view spoiler)[ she’s gotten some money from her dad, but says she down to “just enough to get us home� and she gives it all to Ian to take the bus (alone � oh, wait, with a stranger who will take care of him), while she drives from Vermont back to Illinois. With what gas money? Is she finally going to use her credit cards? So suddenly she’s no longer afraid they’ll be able to track her this way? (hide spoiler)]
I’m going to stop writing because if I continue, I’ll probably drop the rating down to zero.
Emily Bauer is the narrator of the audiobook. She isn’t credited on the jacket cover, nor on any on-line record I could find, but her name is given at the outset. She does a great job of voicing Ian, making him a believable 10-year-old. But the voice she uses for Lucy? Well, she makes HER sound like she’s younger than Ian! ...more
Azar Nafisi is probably best known for her earlier memoir Reading Lolita In Tehran which chronicles her attempts aAudiobook read by the author 2**
Azar Nafisi is probably best known for her earlier memoir Reading Lolita In Tehran which chronicles her attempts at teaching Western literature to a select group of female students during the time when Iran was led by the Taliban. In this book she looks are her life, growing up in Tehran.
Both her parents dealt with life by telling stories. Her mother, intelligent but never able to fulfill her own dreams and ambitions, reinvented herself and her family in the stories she told of her own upbringing. Nafisi’s father turned to classic literature, bringing the enchanting tales of the Persian Book of Kings to his children to illustrate and teach them. But Nafisi learned also to NOT tell, to keep secrets from her mother about her father’s affairs, to tell other stories to cover up the betrayal.
As if her family life weren’t turmoil enough, Nafisi was growing up in Tehran during times of strife, revolution and changes in power.
I had high hopes for this memoir. Nafisi is clearly an intelligent and strong-willed woman. But I really didn’t connect with her story. Her parents come off as seriously flawed, but she seems to easily forgive her father’s transgressions, while blaming her mother for everything. By the end of the memoir she seems to have come to a more mature understanding of her parents� marriage and of their individual strengths and successes, as well as their failings.
But I was just tired of it. I finished it only because it was for my F2F book group.
Nafisi reads the abridged audio version herself. Not sure why she chose to abridge the work, but clearly she agreed with shortening it, as she narrated herself. Makes me think the original text should also have been shortened. Her delivery is marred by the loud breaths she takes between phrases. ook group....more
I’ve read and reviewed Atwood’s novel previously (See my review HERE), so I’ll confine this review to the adaptation.
Nault is a Canadian artist and ilI’ve read and reviewed Atwood’s novel previously (See my review HERE), so I’ll confine this review to the adaptation.
Nault is a Canadian artist and illustrator and her interpretation of Atwood’s novel is marvelous.
Her imagery is even more vivid and memorable than some of the same scenes as described by Atwood. I’m thinking particularly of “the Ceremony� where the Commander tries to impregnate Offred each month, or the scenes of Offred walking past the wall where “traitors� are hung.
She uses just enough text to keep the story moving and to explain the images. Of course, I’d read the original (two or three times), but I don’t think I would have missed much had this been my only experience with Atwood’s story.
The final chapter, called “Historical Notes,� is perhaps too brief, but certainly conveys the relevant information, and is less likely to be skipped over than in Atwood’s original.
I do NOT recommend that readers skip the original work, but this would be a great introduction or supplement to the novel. ...more
Grace Carter is the middle daughter of five and she feels guilty that she survived her birth, while her twin brother, Isaac, did not. But Grace also hGrace Carter is the middle daughter of five and she feels guilty that she survived her birth, while her twin brother, Isaac, did not. But Grace also has a special gift, which she calls the “Knowing.� The problem is that her father, a Christian preacher, does not believe this is a gift from God, but rather the Devil’s temptations. The novel follows Grace from age eleven to her early teens, as she tries to gain her father’s approval and love, while remaining true to herself.
I picked this up while trolling my public library’s shelves. I was a bit skeptical, but saw an author blurb from Lesley Kagen, whose books I enjoy, so though I give this a go. I’m glad I did.
I was quickly immersed in the story and eager to see how things would work out for Grace. The setting is a small town in Michigan in the late 1960s. Grace is a typical pre-teen in many respects; she wonders about boys and about getting her period; she fights with her sisters, and has dinner or sleepovers with her friend, Lola; she enjoys time spent with her family and at social activities sponsored by her father’s church. But there is that special gift that sets her apart and which she feels must keep secret from everyone. She just wants to fit in, but she can’t explain how she knows the things she knows, and she realizes that many people are leery of her because of it.
To add to her struggles growing up, Grace’s mother suffers from depression, particularly post-partum depression, so when her baby sister Marilyn is born just as Grace is entering her teens, things take a decided turn for the worse in Grace’s household.
Edwards includes a mystery regarding a pedophile in the area, and I thought this was unnecessary. That plot line comes and goes and is never really focused on, though it does give Grace an excuse to speak with the Sheriff and his wife. Also, some of the scenes got a bit mystical, especially when Grace is visiting patients at the hospital who are otherwise unresponsive.
All in all, though, it was a totally satisfying coming-of-age story. ...more
SUBTITLE: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland
From the book jacket: In December 1972, Jean McDigital audiobook read by Matthew Blaney
SUBTITLE: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland
From the book jacket: In December 1972, Jean McConville, a thirty-eight-year-old mother of ten, was dragged from her Belfast home by masked intruders, her children clinging to her legs. They never saw her again. Her abduction was one of the most notorious episodes of the vicious conflict known at the Troubles. Everyone in the neighborhood knew the IRA was responsible. But in a climate of fear and paranoia, no one would speak of it. � Keefe’s book � uses the McConville case as a starting point for the tale of a society wracked by a violent guerrilla war, a war whose consequences have never been reckoned with.
My reactions I confess that while I had heard of “The Troubles� I had never really studied the causes of the conflict, nor did I closely follow the politics at play. I remember reading about bombings and noting how the London underground would be shut down due to bomb threats, but the events seemed so distant from my late teen / early adult years in America that I paid little attention.
I’m so glad that my F2F book club chose this book, because I learned about not only the conflict portrayed, but perhaps a little about how a young person becomes radicalized and how festering dissatisfaction can turn from angry rhetoric to acts of terrorism.
Keefe is an accomplished investigative journalist, and he certainly did his homework here. Of the book’s 443 pages, fully 90 were devoted to meticulous notes (printed in teeny tiny print) citing his sources. It was also very interesting reading about the role that the Boston College’s John J Burns Library archives played in some final conclusions.
Blaney does a superb job of narrating the audiobook. His Irish accent comes through, making me feel as if I’m listening the author, or the individuals profiled. The text copy does include photos sprinkled throughout, which, of course, are not accessible to the listener; I’m glad I had a copy of the hardcover edition on hand....more
From the book jacket: Welcome to the Rosehaven Convalescence Center in beautiful Listre, North Carolina. Here’s Mrs. Lil Olive out on the front porch,From the book jacket: Welcome to the Rosehaven Convalescence Center in beautiful Listre, North Carolina. Here’s Mrs. Lil Olive out on the front porch, talking and rocking right along with the regulars. � But all talk and no action isn’t Lil’s strong suit. She’s restless. She wants some adventure. And before long, tranquil Rosehaven is turned upside down. Lil and the girls steal a car and hit the highway.
My reactions Not nearly so fun � and funny � as the jacket blurb. Yes, there are some humorous escapades, but much more is devoted to Lil’s nephew Carl, a quiet, unassuming bachelor who can’t seem to find his way to a happy and fulfilled life, and to “preacher� L Ray Flowers, who has a checkered past and an uncertain future ministry.
The parts devoted to Flowers and his preaching were just strange. The sections devoted to Carl were poignant and a little sad, though I came to care for him and all those nice people out there who make no waves and just go about life one day at a time.
I will say that the episode (short though it was) involving the stolen car was really quite a hoot. ...more
Winterson’s semi-autobiographical debut novel has a protagonist who is also named Jeanette. She’s the adopted chilAudible audiobook read by the author
Winterson’s semi-autobiographical debut novel has a protagonist who is also named Jeanette. She’s the adopted child of a fervent believer in an evangelical church, and is being raised to become an evangelical preacher. But Jeaneatte is attracted to girls, and this is viewed by her mother, her pastor and followers of her church as a sign that she is possessed of demons and cannot possibly be trusted to “speak the truth.� Her struggles to balance her faith, her love of God and her budding sexuality form the basis of the story.
Winterson’s novel is a glimpse at one teenager’s path out of childhood and into adulthood. Oh, the angst of teen years! The confusion and questions that adults don’t seem to want to answer (heck, they don’t want you to even ask), the emotional roller coaster of attraction vs guilt. The first time one realizes that other people � people who seem like perfectly nice people � live differently that one’s own family.
First published in 1985, I can see why it became so popular. But I’m long past this stage of life and I’ve read many books treating coming-of-age, including those featuring LGBTQ characters. I thought it was fine for its genre, but not particularly memorable to me.
The author narrates the audio version herself, and does a fine job of it. ...more
Digital audiobook (abridged) performed by Robin Miles & Dion Graham
This is a collection of short stories, dealing with various social issues facing ADigital audiobook (abridged) performed by Robin Miles & Dion Graham
This is a collection of short stories, dealing with various social issues facing African people throughout numerous countries on the continent. One story may deal with the Rwandan genocide (My Parents� Bedroom), while another explores the competing goals of a family at Christmas (An Ex-Mas Feast), and yet another shows how a desperate uncle raising children orphaned by AIDS is coerced into an agreement he cannot keep (Fattening for Gabon). Two stories deal with the differences between Muslims and Christians (Luxurious Hearses focuses on a Muslim youth living with his mother in Nigeria’s north who is hoping to reunite with his Christian father in the south, while two six-year-old Best Friends in Ethiopia try to understand why their parents now tell them they must not play with one another (What Language Is That?).
All are beautifully written even when heart-wrenchingly difficult to read. Uwem focuses an unblinking eye on serious issues and while the reader is fortunate to not have to face such dilemmas, the reactions of the characters are totally understandable and relatable. The local English dialect used in some of the stories was sometimes difficult to get used to, but really gave a sense of place to the narrative.
The audiobook is abridged, with narrators reading only three of the stories. Still, Robin Miles and Dion Graham do a wonderful job of performing the text. And it is sometimes easier to understand the local dialect by hearing it than reading it on the page....more
Father Odran Yates has spent thirty years as a teacher and librarian at a boys� school. He has no real ambition toBook on CD performed by Gerald Boyle
Father Odran Yates has spent thirty years as a teacher and librarian at a boys� school. He has no real ambition to rise in the ranks of the Church. Although he excelled academically and even served a year in Rome as the Pope’s night attendant, he has been content “behind the high walls and closed gates of this private and erudite enclave.� But just as the scandal of predatory pedophile priests erupts, the bishop moves Odran to a local parish whose priest has been removed. That priest is Odran’s best friend from seminary. Odran must come to terms with the ugly truth of a long-term coverup by the Church, and with his own role.
What marvelous writing! Odran narrates the story, but moves from time period to time period, from 2001 back to 1964, then forward to 2010, and back to 1972, etc. Through his recollections he reveals his history of loneliness � the family tragedy that leads to his entering the seminary, the experiences there (good and bad), his obsession with a woman in a coffee shop, his conflicted feelings about his mother, sister and nephews, and his struggles to understand and embrace his Church and his country.
His final realizations about his life are painful to witness. My heart about broke for Odran, and at the same time I was appalled at his willful ignorance.
Boyne gives us characters who are conflicted and run the gamut of human behavior and emotion. Some are angry and lash out, other are cowed and submissive. Some are understanding and compassionate, others defensive and determined to hide. There are times when I just want to slap Odran, and others when I long to comfort and console him.
This is a book I will be thinking about for a long time.
Gerald Boyle does a marvelous job of narrating the audiobook. He has many characters to deal with and he has the vocal skills to deftly handle this.
UPDATE June 2022: I first read this in January 2021. I really can’t improve on my original review. BUT, I have recommended it to my F2F book club and discussion will be next month. I can hardly wait!...more
Audio book read by Ann Marie Lee 3.5*** (rounded up)
From the book jacket: When she was eighteen years old, Carolyn Jessop was coerced into an arranged Audio book read by Ann Marie Lee 3.5*** (rounded up)
From the book jacket: When she was eighteen years old, Carolyn Jessop was coerced into an arranged marriage with a total stranger: a man thirty-two years her senior. Merril Jessop already had three wives. But arranged plural marriages were an integral part of Carolyn’s heritage; she was born into and raised in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), the radical offshoot of the Mormon Church that had settled in small communities along the Arizona-Utah border. Over the next fifteen years, Carolyn had eight children and withstood her husband’s psychological abuse and the watchful eyes of his other wives, who were locked in a constant battle for supremacy.
My reactions: I had heard of the FLDS, and even read a book about this cult (for that’s was the author calls it), but I found her first-hand account fascinating. About each time that I was ready to just shake my head and give up, Jessop reminded me that she had been completely indoctrinated into this way of life and that she truly believed she had no other options. Still, she began to see the flaws in the system.
And once Warren Jeffs began to take over leadership of the group and became increasingly paranoid and erratic in his edicts, Carolyn decided that she simply had to find another way of life. She was fortunate in that she had been able to attend college, and had taught for a time in a public school. She also had a couple of relatives who had left the sect and agreed to help her. Her escape is a harrowing story, worthy of any psychological thriller.
Ann Marie Lee does a fine job of performing the audio version of this memoir. She sets a good pace and really brings the narrative alive.
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