Review: The Forge by T.S. Stribling

I am on a mission to read the (fiction) Pulitzers...it's a challenge I set myself years ago, and I'm making slow but steady progress.  The Store, the second book in this trilogy, won the Pulitzer in 1933.  And, of course, I couldn't read the second book without reading the first!  I believe I purchased the book from either Amazon or AbeBooks, as the books are somewhat scarce - I don't think I was able to Mooch it.

The Forge introduces us to the Vaiden family, a seemingly normal family of the pre-Civil War South.  The book is an interesting look into the reactions of plantation owners and Southern aristocrats to the Civil War.  The Vaidens - how should I describe them?  Proud, somewhat dense, blind to their own shortcomings, but also kind-hearted (some of them).  The book follows the various members of the Vaiden family in the time just before, during, and just after the Civil War.  Outwardly, the book is just the simple story of this family, how they cope with the changes in the South after losing the war.  However, Stribling, while being a Southerner himself, takes a somewhat different view of the South than most others writing at the same time.  His tongue-in-cheek portrayal of the dying breed of Southern men and women that he knew as a young boy was often incredibly humorous.

Fair warning:  the book was published in 1931, and it was written about a period in history that was not so, ahem, socially conscious as we are today.  The Southern planters refer to any African-American person as the n-word.  There is a rape scene involving a slave girl and one of the planter's sons.  Women are seen as domestic goddesses and not much else.  Some of the Vaidens join the KKK after the war.  It is definitely a warts-and-all look at life in the Civil War and Reconstruction South.

But Stribling finds the humor in the attitudes and beliefs of the family.  I found myself chuckling at his one-liners quite often.  It is an interesting look at the "typical Civil-War-era Southerner" from a truly non-typical Southern viewpoint.  I didn't think I'd like the book; I guess I expected it to be dry and boring, but I found it really interesting and at times hilarious.  Four out of five Whatevers.  Recommended for Civil War buffs, those who like family sagas (because it is that, too), and anyone who wants to read a classic from one of our forgotten American authors.

2014-7

Saying Goodbye

This is a picture of my husband with our middle cat, Picasso.  We had to say goodbye to Picasso today, and it was the hardest thing I've ever had to do.  He was 14 years old, and I'd had him for 13 and a half of those years.  He lived a good life, but went into congestive heart failure, and we decided to put him to sleep.  I will miss him terribly.  Rest in peace, my beautiful boy.

Review: Guardian of the Balance by Irene Radford

I received this book for review from LibraryThing Early Reviewers.  I wasn't sure about it, didn't know if I would like it or not, since I kind of hate the cover.  But it was an ebook, so I really didn't have to look at the cover too much.  I started it on the way back from a business trip to St. Louis and soon found that I couldn't put it down.

The book covers the life of Arylwren, daughter of The Merlin.  Yes, that Merlin, sorcerer and advisor to Arthur, he of the Round Table.  The book is the first in a series called Merlin's Descendants.  I have not yet read Marion Zimmer Bradley's iconic series, and what little I know of Arthur is from childhood stories and maybe a little from my humanities classes in college (although I don't think we covered much about King Arthur).  Wren, as Merlin's daughter is known, grew up with Arthur, then known as Curyll, and not yet realized as the future king of Britain.  She helps Curyll overcome his stuttering, preparing him for leading men in battle and guiding the whole country as king.  She herself is a powerful sorceress, and she uses her magic to heal others, rather than to control.  Wren battles against Morgaine, a dark sorceress in her own right, for control of the realm.  Will she succeed, or will Morgaine and her minions take over Britain, wielding their power for evil?

To caution the squeamish:  there are some triggers in this book - the females are VERY young when wed; there are a few characters who engage in incest, and it is NOT skimmed over; there are many references to dark magic and demonic entities; and Wren is the victim of domestic violence at least twice.  If any of the above give you pause, this book is not for you.

I, however, do not squick easily.  So I LOVED it.  I really didn't anticipate how much I would enjoy it.  And I was more than pleasantly surprised.  Recommended for fans of medieval literature, of the King Arthur tales specifically, and anyone who likes books with a strong heroine.  I was sad that Wren could never be with her true love, but I did enjoy her healing ability and the other ways in which her life was fulfilling.  Five out of five Whatevers.

2014-6

Review: A Woman of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford

This book was on a list of the 100 Top Books You Must Read or Else You Can't Die, which I acquired...somewhere.  I probably Mooched it, and I am glad I finally read it.  I loved it.  I'd heard of the book, but never knew what it was about.  When I read the description on the back, I wasn't sure I would enjoy it.  It seemed very...eighties (although it was written in 1979, many of the ideals of wealth and privilege made me think of the ME decade).

The book is about Emma Harte, a young Yorkshire girl who lives in poverty, but dreams about becoming a woman of substance some day.  It tells the story of how Emma rises from the poverty of her youth to become a department store mogul and wreaks her own kind of vengeance on those who have wronged her.

I don't know what it was about the book that I loved so much.  It reminded me in some ways of the L.M. Montgomery books I adored as a girl, although it seemingly didn't have much in common with them.  Maybe it was the young girl protagonist, with big dreams, and the strength of will to make them come true.  It also made me nostalgic for my own youth, when department stores reigned (not many of those left anymore, with the advent of internet shopping).  There was a little too much purple prose for me - are anyone's eyes REALLY emerald green?  Or purple!?  And how much description of fine furniture and clothing does one really need?  Emma's wealthy - we. get. it.  My biggest issue with the book was that I felt some distance from Emma and didn't fully engage with her emotionally.  I wanted to sob when Emma's life turned upside down, but I never did.  And despite the hardships she encountered in her life, things seemed to come very easily for Emma - she almost couldn't fail.  Life just isn't like that.  But I was able to put aside those minor quibbles as I got swept up in Emma's charge to the top.  I couldn't put the book down.  Finishing a 900-page book in two weeks is almost unheard of for me, but I did it.

I honestly would give this book five out of five Whatevers.  It is going on my permanent shelves, as I can imagine myself going back to it for a re-read periodically.  It's also good to know that there are several sequels to dive into, and I've already Mooched those!  Recommended for those who like a good rags-to-riches story, for those who miss the days of monstrous department stores, and who like a good, strong heroine.

2014-5

Review: The Least Likely Bride

This book was included in a sackful of books donated to our household by my mother-in-law.  It is the last in Jane Feather's Bride Trilogy, and, not being someone who can bear to start a series in the middle, I sought out the other two books first.  They were great - not great literature, but a light, fun romp that I basically raced through.  And the third book was no exception.  I read this one in two days.  It was definitely my favorite of the three.

In this book, Olivia, the last of three friends who swore never to marry, meets her match in the person of Anthony Caxton - pirate, smuggler, and Royalist - the political opposite of her father and the very opposite of the man whom she is supposed to marry.  Despite the nightmare of her past which Anthony brings to the surface, Olivia continues to seek out his presence.  As she falls more deeply in love with him, she will have to decide between honor and love, and whether to obey her father and her staid upbringing or to deny her birthright and follow Anthony to the sea. 

I really liked the book.  It had its flaws, but overall it held my attention.  I love books that are packed with action and romance, and this historical romance novel had all of that in spades.  I'd give the book four out of five Whatevers.  The editing could have been better, but I would definitely recommend it to lovers of historical romance, strong female protagonists, and adventure on the high seas.

2014-4

Review: Garment of Shadows by Laurie R. King

I finally finished another book!  This one was pretty quick for me, since I read most of it while being on vacation.  Garment of Shadows is the last published volume in Laurie R. King's Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series.  I purchased it in Kindle format.

This novel begins in medias res - Mary wakes to find herself a prisoner and, worst of all, she doesn't know who she is or how she got there.  She still has her instincts, however, and makes her escape.  Then begins her quest to restore her memory and complete whatever task she had at hand when captured.

What follows is typical of the series - international intrigue, a mystery that needs solving, danger and disaster around every corner.  It was a good book, but not my favorite of the series.  I think I tend to prefer the episodes that happen in England than the ones that occur in foreign locales.

I would give this book three out of five Whatevers.  The writing and characterization are, as always, superb.  Maybe it was the piecemeal way I read the book, maybe I was distracted by other things while trying to digest the storyline, but I just didn't enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed others in the series.  I am, however, terribly sad to say goodbye to Holmes and Russell for the meantime.  I'm not sure when the next book will be out, but I've reached the end of the published volumes.  So now I just have to wait and hope that their next adventure isn't too far away.

2014-3

Review: The San Joaquin Siren by Bill Behrns

I finished The San Joaquin Siren by Bill Behrns on Tuesday night.  I'd started reading it on...Sunday?  It was a quick read, is what I'm trying to say.  It is a memoir by William Behrns, who was a pilot in WWII, flying in the China, Burma, India (CBI) theater.  I don't think I ever really paid much attention to the fact that troops were stationed in that area of the world during World War II.

Behrns takes the reader briefly through his early childhood to his decision to become a pilot.  He describes how he got there, and then how he started flying in the Army Air Corps.  He takes us through his training and finally his time in the CBI theater during WWII.

I don't read much non-fiction, but I do try to work some in every now and again.  This book was a Kindle e-book I won from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program, and I was glad of the chance to read some more non-fiction.  While the subject matter was interesting, however, I found the book only okay.  Mr. Behrns co-wrote the book with Kenneth Moore, but even the assistance of a more skilled writer couldn't disguise the often diary-entry, rote recitation of facts that made the book less than engaging at times.  Behrns basically took us day to day through his time in the CBI theater, by listing a date, then telling us what happened on that date, including names of those involved and facts regarding the mission.  I was lost sometimes by the extensive use of military and aeronautical jargon.  I know next to nothing about planes or the Army, so sometimes a little explanation of terms or abbreviations would have been nice.

Overall, I'd give it two out of five Whatevers.  Maybe those with a military or aeronautical background might enjoy the book more.  I think it could have benefited from better editing or a more nuanced writer.  Recommended for airplane buffs and those who have a strong interest in WWII.

2014-2