Who won? Why it's
Zap us your mailing address, Esme, and we'll get this book in the mail to you!
The Kitchen House Winner....
Who won? Why it's
Zap us your mailing address, Esme, and we'll get this book in the mail to you!
Dysfunction Junction
No one does dysfunction quite like author Zoe Heller. Perhaps best known for her Notes on a Scandal, Heller has given us another cast of not-entirely-likeable characters in her latest release, The Believers, the story of a family falling apart at the seams.
Don't go looking for the good guy in this book because there isn't one. The Believers centers on an uber-liberal and self-righteous family living in New York. Liberal attorney Joel, who defends suspected terrorists in court, has been felled by a stroke and his wife and grown children hide behind hypocrisy and lies as they try to find their place in this world without Joel. Joel's snotty British wife Audrey quickly becomes a character you absolutely love to hate --- the best kind, eh?
Part compelling family drama, part character study and part social commentary, The Believers delves into one family's psyche and, for the most part, comes out shining. It would be impossible to read this novel and not become cognizant of your own family dysfunction. Each character both draws you in and repels you at various points, leaving the reader with an increasing need to find the truth within the pages.
Does Heller deliver the truth? Well, that's up to each individual reader. Suffice it to say that tidy, patronizing endings are not a part of Heller's repertoire and for that, A Reader's Respite is very thankful. If you liked Notes on a Scandal, you won't be disappointed with The Believers.
******
FTC (aka Big Brother) Disclosure: This book winged our way from the indomitable Trish at TLC Book Tours. Thanks, Trish!
******
Sound like your cup of tea? Leave us a comment saying so and on March 25th, we'll draw a random winner to receive a copy of Heller's fabulous novel, The Believers. All entrants welcome!
Weekend Cooking: A little bit mean
This weekend, A Reader's Respite has chosen to share a very special recipe with you. And it really *is* a recipe this time. For real. Check it out:
Bon jour
Why would we be sharing a LINK to a fabulous French croissant recipe?
Because A Reader's Respite will be in Paris this entire week and since it isn't feasible to bring a delicious croissant back for each and every one of you, we thought we'd just provide the recipe instead.
Told you we are a little bit mean.
The Relevancy of The Catcher in the Rye (open discussion)
The recent death of J.D. Salinger got us to thinking about what is probably his best-known work, The Catcher in the Rye. First published in 1951, this coming-of-age novel had found it's way into America's classrooms by the early 1960's. It also found it's way OUT of America's classrooms as it became one of the most challenged/banned books in U.S. schools up until even the 1990's..
Now anyone who's ever picked up the novel knows why it was so often challenged by parents. The real question, for us at least, was why was it so often taught? Why do you think this book was deemed important by literature professors?
A Reader's Respite originally had about three pages of questions intended to guide a discussion today. Questions about the reliability of the narrator, the symbolism of Holden's hunting hat, even a question about the source of the title. But then we realized that these questions weren't so important.
What is important is how YOU felt when reading this novel. When did you first read it? If you re-read the novel recently, how have your perceptions changed as an adult? Do you think you'd feel differently about the novel if you'd first read it as an adult? How do you feel about Holden (now and then)?
But perhaps the most important question of all....is The Catcher in the Rye still relevant in the classroom?
Clearly there are no right or wrong answers here today. Every viewpoint (even if you hated the novel) is relevant. We'd love to hear your thoughts!
PS....For anyone interested in review nostalgia, A Reader's Respite found this NYT book review of The Catcher in the Rye dated the year of it's publication.
Notable Non-Fiction
Reading memoirs can be a tricky proposition. The author simply has to have some sort of compelling experience that makes you, the reader, want to pick up the book and learn more. Generally, a reader wants to learn more about the author if
a. they are some sort of celebrity (this is especially true in American culture); or
b. they overcame some sort of adversity and serve as an inspiration to others.
Mary Karr's latest installment of what has become a trilogy of memoirs falls into that last category. She overcame a horrendous childhood (she chronicled that in her best-seller The Liars' Club in 1995), struggled through adolescence (that part was covered in Cherry in 2000), and triumphed over alcoholism in later life - and this is the subject of her latest best-selling memoir, Lit.
Being neither an alcoholic (okay, yet) nor suffering an abusive childhood, A Reader's Respite simply didn't see where we had anything at all in common with Mary Karr. In fact, we might not have even turned the first page had the book not made The New York Times' 10 Best Books of 2009 list.
But we did turn that first page. And then another, and another. And while we had no frame of reference with Karr's alcoholism and childhood demons, we did find a common ground in an unexpected place: religion. In a big way, Lit is about the role that religion/God/a higher power played in Mary's recovery. A self-proclaimed agnostic, one of Mary's biggest obstacles in recovery was figuring out all of the God stuff. All of a sudden, she had A Reader's Respite's attention in a vice-grip.
She relates her struggle with spirituality in a way we've never quite experienced before. Soul-rendering observations mixed with humor and a healthy dose of common sense make the latter part of the book (or the God Part, as we like to call it) riveting. We couldn't put it down.
And we'd like to think that this book changed us in some small way. Or maybe a large way.
There's a reason this one made the NYT list. It's a book that once read, you won't forget.
Dear FTC Guy,
A publicist sent me this book. Bite me.
Sincerely,
A Reader's Respite
If you'd like a chance to read a gently-used copy of this memoir, leave us a comment below and we'll draw a random winner on March 17th. All entrants welcome!
a. they are some sort of celebrity (this is especially true in American culture); or
b. they overcame some sort of adversity and serve as an inspiration to others.
Mary Karr's latest installment of what has become a trilogy of memoirs falls into that last category. She overcame a horrendous childhood (she chronicled that in her best-seller The Liars' Club in 1995), struggled through adolescence (that part was covered in Cherry in 2000), and triumphed over alcoholism in later life - and this is the subject of her latest best-selling memoir, Lit.
Being neither an alcoholic (okay, yet) nor suffering an abusive childhood, A Reader's Respite simply didn't see where we had anything at all in common with Mary Karr. In fact, we might not have even turned the first page had the book not made The New York Times' 10 Best Books of 2009 list.
But we did turn that first page. And then another, and another. And while we had no frame of reference with Karr's alcoholism and childhood demons, we did find a common ground in an unexpected place: religion. In a big way, Lit is about the role that religion/God/a higher power played in Mary's recovery. A self-proclaimed agnostic, one of Mary's biggest obstacles in recovery was figuring out all of the God stuff. All of a sudden, she had A Reader's Respite's attention in a vice-grip.
She relates her struggle with spirituality in a way we've never quite experienced before. Soul-rendering observations mixed with humor and a healthy dose of common sense make the latter part of the book (or the God Part, as we like to call it) riveting. We couldn't put it down.
And we'd like to think that this book changed us in some small way. Or maybe a large way.
There's a reason this one made the NYT list. It's a book that once read, you won't forget.
Dear FTC Guy,
A publicist sent me this book. Bite me.
Sincerely,
A Reader's Respite
********
If you'd like a chance to read a gently-used copy of this memoir, leave us a comment below and we'll draw a random winner on March 17th. All entrants welcome!
Prepare for April 2010.....
What's happening in April, you ask?
That's right. National Poetry Month is coming up quickly. And this year, A Reader's Respite is doggedly determined to overcome our general fear and loathing of that which we don't understand: Poetry.
You see, aside from our strange ability to recite Tennyson's The Charge of the Light Brigade in it's entirety from memory, A Reader's Respite has managed to avoid poetry in all shapes and forms. We suspect that this is yet another result of our sub-par primary education and if it were possible to sue a high school English teacher for gaps in education, Mr. Bellings would be in deep trouble right about now.
We consulted several poetic geniuses and acknowledged experts on the subject and they all recommended the following complicated solution:
Read. More. Poetry.
Easy for them to say. But it's true. Everyone recommends that we read poetry, then some more poetry, and even more poetry to find what we like. What speaks to us.
One especially enjoyable place to explore poetry in a historical context is a fantastic new site comprised of poetry centering around the American Dust Bowl during the Great Depression (we admit that the historical aspect appealed to us....kind of like historical fiction, but historical poetry instead).
Rain: A Dust Bowl Story is a collection of poems - a new one each day - by poet Shelly Shaver, a college professor originally from West Texas. The poems are not disjointed....together they reveal the story of a farming family struggling through the devastation of the Great Depression. Each poem can be taken individually, but together they create an even bigger picture. It's a very cool concept.
The best part about the site is that there is plenty of interaction between the reader and the author....you can ask questions, comment freely, and not feel intimidated if poetry isn't your literary forte.
The best part about the site is that there is plenty of interaction between the reader and the author....you can ask questions, comment freely, and not feel intimidated if poetry isn't your literary forte.
So check it out....pretty cool stuff, even for us poetry illiterates.
And we'll leave you with our sad, sad claim-to-fame:
Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
"Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!" he said:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
"Forward, the Light Brigade!"
Was there a man dismayed?
Not tho' the soldiers knew
Someone had blundered:
Theirs was not to make reply,
Theirs was not to reason why,
Theirs was but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
Cannon to the right of them,
Cannon to the left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volleyed and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell,
Rode the six hundred.
Flashed all their sabres bare,
Flashed as they turned in air,
Sab'ring the gunners there,
Charging and army, while
All the world wondered:
Plunging in the battery smoke,
Right through the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reeled from the sabre-stroke
Shattered and sundered.
Then they rode back, but not--
Not the six hundred.
Cannon to the right of them,
Cannon to the left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that fought so well,
Came thro' the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of the six hundred.
When can their glory fade?
Oh, the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honor the charge they made!
Honor the Light Brigade,
Noble Six Hundred!
The Charge of the Light Brigade, by Lord Alfred Tennyson
Strange title, great novel
It wasn't too long ago that A Reader's Respite was all a-twitter over Hilary Mantel's Booker-winning historical fiction novel, Wolf Hall. Truly, we loved that book (review here). This was historical fiction for the *serious* historical fiction fanatic.
And never did we imagine that we would run into it's rival so soon. But it's true....author Robert Parry has written a whopper of a tale entitled Virgin and the Crab. Yes, the title vaguely suggested some weird venereal disease, but A Reader's Respite has never let a strange title deter us where historical fiction is concerned.
Parry's tome (it weighs in around 490 pages) centers around the long-term friendship of 16th century scholar John Dee with Queen Elizabeth I and the important role he played in her ascent to the throne of England.
The novel opens a short time after the death of Henry VIII and the young, sickly Edward VI has ascended the throne. Like Wolf Hall, a myriad of familiar characters fade in and out of the scenery....their characterizations are nothing short of masterful.
Young Edward's uncles and puppet-masters, Edward and Thomas Seymour are vying for control of the sickly, pubescent King while a young John Dee cements his deep friendship with Elizabeth and begins his meteoric rise in academia. While the Seymour brothers will both meet an untimely end, it is Thomas, "a man of much wit but very little judgement," who will compromise young Elizabeth's reputation and put her through the first of her many tribulations on the road to becoming England's greatest Queen.
Parry writes what is perhaps the best dramatization of Elizabeth's complex relationship with Robert Dudley , her future Master of the Horse and the subject of much did-they-or-didn't-they speculation ("one might wonder just whose side he is on"). But Dudley's formative years are just as compelling as Elizabeth's.
As the son of the powerful Duke of Northumberland, a man whose "...rise to power has not been matched by his intellect or willingness to listen to reason," Robert had good reason to fear for his life. Both his father and his brother Guilford, the unwitting husband of poor little Jane Grey (she of the legendary nine-day rule of England) would be executed for treason. Parry draws a vivid portrait of a time in England when any given man (or woman, for that matter) could find themselves on the wrong side of the executioner's ax at the mere whim of some very unstable minds who wielded religion as a weapon.
After the Protestant King Edward's early demise, an unstable monarchy would teeter even further with all of England paying the price. His elder sister Mary took the throne and did her best to restore Catholicism to England. And while her reign would last little more than five years, the turbulence brought with it must have made those five years seem like a lifetime to Elizabeth, who lived under the constant fear of a traitor's death.
Parry excels at conveying the confusion and fear caused by these so-called Reformations and Counter-Reformations. Mary proceeded to sink into apparent madness and simultaneously earned her famous historical moniker, Bloody Mary, as she began burning various Protestants at the stake for their heresy ("Latin is the language of those who rule our consciences.").
Although we all know that Elizabeth will indeed eventually succeed to the throne and usher in the Golden Age of England, Parry reminds us she did not do so single-handedly. One of the most enigmatic characters to grace the pages of this novel is none other than William Cecil, the future chief advisor to Queen Elizabeth and a great friend of John Dee. Both were instrumental to Elizabeth's survival during the reign of her sister. Cecil's character is circumspect and wise in the matters of State, but also provides unexpected humor in tense times:
As for John Dee himself, he makes for a very sympathetic and compelling protagonist when viewed from 21st century eyes. A man of science and learning, Dee was also - as most learned men of that time were - an astrologist. Monarchs put great store by the heavens in the 16th century and respected men like Dee were often employed to use his knowledge of astrology to choose times for important events, such as royal weddings or coronations.
He was also a man after every book-lover's heart: he possessed the largest personal library in England. Bibliophiles everywhere will recognize Dee's personal triumph as he passes by "...the numerous printers and booksellers clustered around the walls of the church yard, and resisting just for once the lure of the printed word..." *Sigh* Bibliophiles really are still alike, even five centuries later.
If you were a fan of Mantel's Wolf Hall, A Reader's Respite won't hesitate to recommend this gem of a novel to you. Like Mantel's prize-winning novel, Virgin and the Crab is best enjoyed by the seasoned Tudor reader who possesses at least a cursory knowledge of the characters who flit in and out of the pages. We suspect that it won't be long before a big-name publisher snaps up this novel (are you listening, big-name publishers?) and you start hearing historical fiction fanatics buzzing.
FTC Notice: Okay FTC, this is the part where A Reader's Respite lets everyone know that our copy of this novel came from the author himself. A fabulous book sent to us directly from it's author....don't begrudge us this rare pleasure.
A Reader's Respite loved this book so much that we were reluctant to part with it (this is one novel that will stand up for re-reads). But being a true historical fiction lover, we're compelled to share something so enjoyable with our fellow aficionados out there. So if you love Tudor historical fiction, leave us a comment saying so and we'll draw a random winner to receive our copy of Virgin and the Crab on March 5. All comers welcome!
And never did we imagine that we would run into it's rival so soon. But it's true....author Robert Parry has written a whopper of a tale entitled Virgin and the Crab. Yes, the title vaguely suggested some weird venereal disease, but A Reader's Respite has never let a strange title deter us where historical fiction is concerned.
Parry's tome (it weighs in around 490 pages) centers around the long-term friendship of 16th century scholar John Dee with Queen Elizabeth I and the important role he played in her ascent to the throne of England.
The novel opens a short time after the death of Henry VIII and the young, sickly Edward VI has ascended the throne. Like Wolf Hall, a myriad of familiar characters fade in and out of the scenery....their characterizations are nothing short of masterful.
Edward VI. Poor kid, he never stood a chance....
Parry writes what is perhaps the best dramatization of Elizabeth's complex relationship with Robert Dudley , her future Master of the Horse and the subject of much did-they-or-didn't-they speculation ("one might wonder just whose side he is on"). But Dudley's formative years are just as compelling as Elizabeth's.
the dashing young Dudley
As the son of the powerful Duke of Northumberland, a man whose "...rise to power has not been matched by his intellect or willingness to listen to reason," Robert had good reason to fear for his life. Both his father and his brother Guilford, the unwitting husband of poor little Jane Grey (she of the legendary nine-day rule of England) would be executed for treason. Parry draws a vivid portrait of a time in England when any given man (or woman, for that matter) could find themselves on the wrong side of the executioner's ax at the mere whim of some very unstable minds who wielded religion as a weapon.
After the Protestant King Edward's early demise, an unstable monarchy would teeter even further with all of England paying the price. His elder sister Mary took the throne and did her best to restore Catholicism to England. And while her reign would last little more than five years, the turbulence brought with it must have made those five years seem like a lifetime to Elizabeth, who lived under the constant fear of a traitor's death.
poor Mary, she really did get a bad historical rap, didn't she?
Parry excels at conveying the confusion and fear caused by these so-called Reformations and Counter-Reformations. Mary proceeded to sink into apparent madness and simultaneously earned her famous historical moniker, Bloody Mary, as she began burning various Protestants at the stake for their heresy ("Latin is the language of those who rule our consciences.").
Although we all know that Elizabeth will indeed eventually succeed to the throne and usher in the Golden Age of England, Parry reminds us she did not do so single-handedly. One of the most enigmatic characters to grace the pages of this novel is none other than William Cecil, the future chief advisor to Queen Elizabeth and a great friend of John Dee. Both were instrumental to Elizabeth's survival during the reign of her sister. Cecil's character is circumspect and wise in the matters of State, but also provides unexpected humor in tense times:
'Nonsense. And anyway, are you suggesting I know nothing about fighting? Is that it? Just because I'm a lawyer. I'll have you know, Dee, my grandfather fought at the battle of Bosworth Field in fourteen eighty five.'
'Oh wonderful!' Dee exclaims. 'Do you think he might be persuaded to come with us?'
As for John Dee himself, he makes for a very sympathetic and compelling protagonist when viewed from 21st century eyes. A man of science and learning, Dee was also - as most learned men of that time were - an astrologist. Monarchs put great store by the heavens in the 16th century and respected men like Dee were often employed to use his knowledge of astrology to choose times for important events, such as royal weddings or coronations.
He was also a man after every book-lover's heart: he possessed the largest personal library in England. Bibliophiles everywhere will recognize Dee's personal triumph as he passes by "...the numerous printers and booksellers clustered around the walls of the church yard, and resisting just for once the lure of the printed word..." *Sigh* Bibliophiles really are still alike, even five centuries later.
If you were a fan of Mantel's Wolf Hall, A Reader's Respite won't hesitate to recommend this gem of a novel to you. Like Mantel's prize-winning novel, Virgin and the Crab is best enjoyed by the seasoned Tudor reader who possesses at least a cursory knowledge of the characters who flit in and out of the pages. We suspect that it won't be long before a big-name publisher snaps up this novel (are you listening, big-name publishers?) and you start hearing historical fiction fanatics buzzing.
FTC Notice: Okay FTC, this is the part where A Reader's Respite lets everyone know that our copy of this novel came from the author himself. A fabulous book sent to us directly from it's author....don't begrudge us this rare pleasure.
*****
A Reader's Respite loved this book so much that we were reluctant to part with it (this is one novel that will stand up for re-reads). But being a true historical fiction lover, we're compelled to share something so enjoyable with our fellow aficionados out there. So if you love Tudor historical fiction, leave us a comment saying so and we'll draw a random winner to receive our copy of Virgin and the Crab on March 5. All comers welcome!
Look who won a virgin.....
errrr.....or at least a book with the word Virgin in the title....
Zap us your mailing address so we can ship this out Pony Express....
Avisannschild of She Reads and Reads!
Zap us your mailing address so we can ship this out Pony Express....
Winners, Well-Wishes, and Book Blogger Dishes
Okay, so that title was more difficult to rhyme than I thought it would be (work with me here, folks). A Reader's Respite is pleased to announce that we are back in business after a week off caring for Kid 2 after her surgery. The surgery was a minor one, but at only 22 months, Kid 2 had never experienced general anesthesia, so Mr. RR and I were a tad apprehensive.
But she came out of the surgery with flying colors and bearing more than a slight resemblance to Rocky Balboa:
Thank goodness for bloggy-friends is all we can say.....Amy from Passages to the Past was in constant contact with A Reader's Respite from the time we arrived at Seattle Children's Hospital till we came home from the hospital (and beyond). So if we haven't said so yet: Thank you, Amy. You kept us from pacing a rut in the hospital floor!
And Kid 2 has recuperated nicely, too:
********
And now on to other business....in all of the hullabaloo, A Reader's Respite missed announcing a winner of Sarah Dunant's novel Sacred Hearts, but we hope the entrants haven't given up on us. Kid 2 was feeling well enough this morning to hit the randomizer button and pick us a winner!
Zap us your mailing address, Sheila!
********
And now on to the best part of the day....Weekend Cooking with Beth Fish Reads. Today A Reader's Respite thought we'd share our favorite Book-Blogger dish ever. Here's what you'll need:
- One book blogging buddy who lives nearby
- A small collection of the absolute WORST books you've read in the past few months (really...they have to be just awful!)
- A local restaurant that serves sinful breakfast dishes
Mix all and enjoy! If you do it right, the result is a fabulous few hours full of laughter at the awful books (which you then must exchange with each other), tons of good book recommendations, a full tummy and dirty dishes that you don't have to clean up after. It's terrific fun!
A Reader's Respite Takes a Short Respite....
A Reader's Respite will be taking a short respite this week from work, blogging, etc. as we take Kid 2, age 22 months (a.k.a. Little Kid, Sweetie Pie, and She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed) into the hospital for surgery this fine Tuesday morning. While we expect the surgery to go smooth as silk, A Reader's Respite will be spending the next week with Kid 2 as she recuperates, reading her stories and protecting her from Kid 1, age four (a.k.a Big Kid, Smart Mouth, Get-Your-Butt-in-Time-Out-Right-Now-Mister).
We apologize for any inconvenience, but it's time to go into Mommy Mode. Never fear, we have a ton of great reviews (and giveaways) coming up shortly!
We apologize for any inconvenience, but it's time to go into Mommy Mode. Never fear, we have a ton of great reviews (and giveaways) coming up shortly!
New American Historical Fiction
A Reader's Respite struggles with American historical fiction. Let's face it, 233 years isn't very much to draw from. So historical fiction set in America is usually lumped in the Western genre or tends to romanticize the Civil War.
Author Kathleen Grissom, though, chose to set her novel entitled The Kitchen House on a small Virginia tobacco plantation in years 1791 through 1810, which we found unique and intriguing. The story is told from the point of view of two women: Lavinia, an Irish indentured servant girl, and Belle, the mulatto daughter of the plantation owner.
Grissom opens the novel with a terrifying prologue, then skips back ten years to recount the events that led up to the prologue. She tells the story via Lavinia and Belle in alternating chapters. A Reader's Respite enjoyed this technique for the most part, although we soon were keenly aware that Belle's chapters were significantly shorter than Lavinia's chapters - and for no discernible reason, which gave a slightly one-sided feel to the novel.
The great crux of the story is one giant family secret that leads to assumptions which leads to tragedy. While that is a fantastic premise, the principle characters had 384 pages and countless opportunities to correct the wrong assumptions. Of course they didn't and that's what furthered the plot, but this became slightly frustrating after 200 pages or so.
Aside from that, Grissom clearly excels at characterization. Motivations are key to understanding characters in this novel and the development of each character pushes the plot along at a nice pace.
Don't look for national politics or events of the time to play a large role in this story. Rather, it is a microcosm of a society that justifies slavery of fellow human beings and the unavoidable fall-out that must follow.
Not a great novel, but a good one and we do recommend it.
Sound like something you'd be interested in reading? Leave us a comment and on February 23rd, we'll draw one random winner to receive our every-so-slightly used copy, which came to us from the publisher. And that, my friends, is a FTC disclosure and a giveaway in one sentence. A Reader's Respite excels at multi-tasking.
Author Kathleen Grissom, though, chose to set her novel entitled The Kitchen House on a small Virginia tobacco plantation in years 1791 through 1810, which we found unique and intriguing. The story is told from the point of view of two women: Lavinia, an Irish indentured servant girl, and Belle, the mulatto daughter of the plantation owner.
Grissom opens the novel with a terrifying prologue, then skips back ten years to recount the events that led up to the prologue. She tells the story via Lavinia and Belle in alternating chapters. A Reader's Respite enjoyed this technique for the most part, although we soon were keenly aware that Belle's chapters were significantly shorter than Lavinia's chapters - and for no discernible reason, which gave a slightly one-sided feel to the novel.
The great crux of the story is one giant family secret that leads to assumptions which leads to tragedy. While that is a fantastic premise, the principle characters had 384 pages and countless opportunities to correct the wrong assumptions. Of course they didn't and that's what furthered the plot, but this became slightly frustrating after 200 pages or so.
Aside from that, Grissom clearly excels at characterization. Motivations are key to understanding characters in this novel and the development of each character pushes the plot along at a nice pace.
Don't look for national politics or events of the time to play a large role in this story. Rather, it is a microcosm of a society that justifies slavery of fellow human beings and the unavoidable fall-out that must follow.
Not a great novel, but a good one and we do recommend it.
********
Sound like something you'd be interested in reading? Leave us a comment and on February 23rd, we'll draw one random winner to receive our every-so-slightly used copy, which came to us from the publisher. And that, my friends, is a FTC disclosure and a giveaway in one sentence. A Reader's Respite excels at multi-tasking.
WTF Wednesday
After being out of the country (and away from the all-mighty internet) for a few days, A Reader's Respite opened our feed reader to find the following posts about one particular, shall-remain-nameless, book:
- 37 glowing reviews of the same novel, which shall remain nameless here;
- 4 Guest Posts from author of said nameless novel;
- 25 Giveaways and/or contests surrounding said nameless novel;
- and a partridge in a pear tree.
While we applaud this author's masterful
Or, we could just laugh and say WTF.....
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