I did not like This Tender Land so I was reluctant to dive into the Alabaster River (you'll have to read the book) but I thoroughly eLoved this book!
I did not like This Tender Land so I was reluctant to dive into the Alabaster River (you'll have to read the book) but I thoroughly enjoyed this tale of damaged people damaging others and themselves in their quests for salvation or revenge.
The story moves quickly with many twists that seem plausible. The end is sensible and satisfying. The main character, Brody Dern, is a bit flat and predictable until late in the novel, and the remaining characters resonate with small-town normalcy and strength. Krueger describes the Midwest like nobody else; I spent several years in Minnesota and Kansas and I could feel his appreciation and love of the area throughout the entire book.
I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a well-written mystery set in a normal town with regular people....more
I’m not exactly a fan of Donoghue’s novels, but I enjoyed this because it’s about girls and their lives, both public and private, and their dreams tooI’m not exactly a fan of Donoghue’s novels, but I enjoyed this because it’s about girls and their lives, both public and private, and their dreams too. The characters seemed very alive to me, and knowing it based on a true story interested me.
I liked it, not a great read but entertaining....more
If you want to feel good about yourself, your beliefs and the US of A, skip this novel.
This stunning book was the hardest read I've experienced sinceIf you want to feel good about yourself, your beliefs and the US of A, skip this novel.
This stunning book was the hardest read I've experienced since "A Little Life" although they are nothing alike.
I rarely weep while reading, but this book moved me several times with its unanticipated turns and keen observations of our collective emotional natures, identity and race. Mott understands people of all ages and he expresses this perception through the deep characters he invents. The two protagonists interact as simply as a 12-year old boy would with a trusted 30-year old, and each supporting character screams authenticity.
This is not an emollient about the glories of living in rural or even urban America in the 21st century, nor is it a condemnation of American life. It can be delicate, lyrical, Somehow Mott achieves a gentle yet searing study of the human condition in the modern world.
If I were still teaching HS literature, I would do my best to get this ino the grade 11 curriculum. Time to jettison Mark Twain for Jason Mott....more
Fun read, especially as I chose it to coincide with a trip to Rome so I could explore the actual places in which Francesca and her lot find themselvesFun read, especially as I chose it to coincide with a trip to Rome so I could explore the actual places in which Francesca and her lot find themselves racing against time to save European Jewery and install Borgia as pope.
I already knew a lot about the background as I was raised Catholic and have a minor in history, but it was really fun to read about the poisoner’s art through a young woman’s experience.
Definitely recommend and I will read the other books in this trilogy....more
Starting this novel presented a challenge, as I am not a sci-if fan, but I am a literary snob, so once I grasped the concept and content of this pWow.
Starting this novel presented a challenge, as I am not a sci-if fan, but I am a literary snob, so once I grasped the concept and content of this puzzling book, it took off like a fresh Pony Express rider.
I’d understood going in that this is a political and intellectual novel (not that these concepts are aligned any more) and it surely is, but I embraced the ideas for the sake of the read. I enjoyed the fast pace and strange delicacy of the language as well as her attempts to avoid stereotypes, which she managed for the most part. I was satisfied with the fates of the main characters and see a doorway into a sequel, which I will read....more
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