When I started reading this novel I wasn't sure that I was going to like it. I kind of felt like the "ladies" featured were a little bit too sassy and a little bit too willing to open up to each other despite the fact that two of them were virtually strangers to Lisa, the central character. Lisa is divorced, estranged from her beloved daughter, and working part time as a nurse at a local nursing home, Palmetto House. She meets Suzanne and Carrie through Kathy Harper, one of her favorite patients, who also happens to be terminally ill. After Kathy's death the three form a bond and become involved in solving the mystery of Kathy's life and settling her estate, which is complicated by Kathy's dishonest landlady, Wendy.
Once I got into the book, I fell in love with all of the main characters. The three ladies are caring, honest, funny, and generous, and the addition of Suzanne's great aunt, Trudie, to the mix is delightful. Their common bond is that they have all been or are being badly hurt by people that they love and trust, yet they soldiered on to make satisfying lives for themselves. They demonstrate that there is strength in numbers and power in common goals and determination, and together they form a strong friendship and a bond that extends to the new men in their lives. While All the Single Ladies is not "realistic," it is an homage to women who deal with problems head on and with humor and determination. I'm really liking Doroathea Benton Frank!
BIBLIOPHILY
Monday, June 27, 2016
THE ISLAND HOUSE (Nancy Thayer)
This was a bit more involved than Nancy Thayer's usual Nantucket novels, which always explore human emotions but usually seem more linear in terms of storyline. I found the excerpts from the past a bit confusing, although they did accomplish what Thayer set out to do: explaining the background of the many complicated and evolving relationships among and connected with the Vickery family and all of the people who summer at their home on Nantucket. I was a little puzzled at the list of characters in the front of the book, but as I read I realized that it was a good idea! There are many complicated people and relationships involved here and it really helped me to keep them straight.
The intelligent, turbulent Vickery family is headed by Dr. Alistair Vickery, a brilliant but socially awkward surgeon, and his wife Susanna, an unbelievably patient and generous earth mother who welcomes her "summer children" with open arms every year. Their own children are Henry, the oldest (and bi-polar) son, also a brilliant surgeon; Robin, the daughter with a secret; James, the dynamic younger son, now a successful entrepreneur;, and Iris, the youngest. Courtney Hendricks is one of the "summer children," traveling to Nantucket to work every summer since freshman year of college with her roommate and best friend Robin. Summers are complicated on Nantucket, with various unrequited loves, romantic complications, and family dramas, especially involving Henry's bipolar disorder and James' escapades over the years.
I kind of wish this novel had been written sequentially rather than using the flashback technique. I think I would have enjoyed it more. As it is, though, I think it was definitely worth my time and I would recommend it. Just don't expect a simple, easy read!
The intelligent, turbulent Vickery family is headed by Dr. Alistair Vickery, a brilliant but socially awkward surgeon, and his wife Susanna, an unbelievably patient and generous earth mother who welcomes her "summer children" with open arms every year. Their own children are Henry, the oldest (and bi-polar) son, also a brilliant surgeon; Robin, the daughter with a secret; James, the dynamic younger son, now a successful entrepreneur;, and Iris, the youngest. Courtney Hendricks is one of the "summer children," traveling to Nantucket to work every summer since freshman year of college with her roommate and best friend Robin. Summers are complicated on Nantucket, with various unrequited loves, romantic complications, and family dramas, especially involving Henry's bipolar disorder and James' escapades over the years.
I kind of wish this novel had been written sequentially rather than using the flashback technique. I think I would have enjoyed it more. As it is, though, I think it was definitely worth my time and I would recommend it. Just don't expect a simple, easy read!
Monday, June 20, 2016
THE SOUND OF GLASS (Karen White)
I am becoming quite the Karen White fan. Who knew? This is, in some respects a difficult book to read given that the main theme is multi-generational spousal abuse, but things work out to a satisfactory ending for both the main characters and the reader.
Merritt Heyward has lived in Maine all of her life and has been widowed for 2 years. Her husband, Cal, died while fighting a fire and Merritt feels that comments she made during an argument (one of many that they had during their marriage) may have directly contributed to Cal's death. When Merritt receives the news that Cal's grandmother has passed away and that she, as Cal's widow, is now heir to the family home in Beaufort, NC, she decides to move south and start a new life. Nondescript, modest, and shy, Merritt, who hides her physical beauty with nondescript, ill-fitting clothes and no make-up, seems like a typical victim of spousal abuse. She is shocked and horrified when she meets Cal's brother, Gibbes, and initially mistakes him for her late husband. Soon after her arrival Merritt's widowed stepmother, Loralee, arrives unexpectedly with her son, Merritt's half-brother, 10-year-old Owen. Merritt believes Loralee to be a bimbo and has never accepted her as her widowed father's wife, but as she gets to know Loralee she begins to regret never taking the time to get to know her late father's second wife (Merritt's mother died when Merritt was twelve) or her half-brother.
White unravels a long and complicated history of not one, but two troubled families, revealing surprising interconnections and patterns of abuse that span generations. The added mystery of Grandmother Edith's seemingly bizarre hobby in the attic (in addition to making sea-glass wind chimes) is fascinating. I have to admit that I sometimes found Merritt's reserve and Loralee's incredible wisdom and fortitude a bit too much, but I ended up loving them both. This is kind of a combination tear-jerker, redemption, and romance. I want to read more of Karen White!
Merritt Heyward has lived in Maine all of her life and has been widowed for 2 years. Her husband, Cal, died while fighting a fire and Merritt feels that comments she made during an argument (one of many that they had during their marriage) may have directly contributed to Cal's death. When Merritt receives the news that Cal's grandmother has passed away and that she, as Cal's widow, is now heir to the family home in Beaufort, NC, she decides to move south and start a new life. Nondescript, modest, and shy, Merritt, who hides her physical beauty with nondescript, ill-fitting clothes and no make-up, seems like a typical victim of spousal abuse. She is shocked and horrified when she meets Cal's brother, Gibbes, and initially mistakes him for her late husband. Soon after her arrival Merritt's widowed stepmother, Loralee, arrives unexpectedly with her son, Merritt's half-brother, 10-year-old Owen. Merritt believes Loralee to be a bimbo and has never accepted her as her widowed father's wife, but as she gets to know Loralee she begins to regret never taking the time to get to know her late father's second wife (Merritt's mother died when Merritt was twelve) or her half-brother.
White unravels a long and complicated history of not one, but two troubled families, revealing surprising interconnections and patterns of abuse that span generations. The added mystery of Grandmother Edith's seemingly bizarre hobby in the attic (in addition to making sea-glass wind chimes) is fascinating. I have to admit that I sometimes found Merritt's reserve and Loralee's incredible wisdom and fortitude a bit too much, but I ended up loving them both. This is kind of a combination tear-jerker, redemption, and romance. I want to read more of Karen White!
SPLINTERS OF LIGHT (Rachel Herron)
Maybe writing novels about Early Onset Alzheimer's is the latest trend. It certainly seems to be. I think that people are both fascinated and terrified when confronted with an insider's view of this devastating disease, kind of like seeing a horrible accident and not being able to look away while simultaneously being grateful that it wasn't you.
Herron's protagonist is Nora Glass, a successful 44-year-old writer who believes that she is most likely experiencing early signs of menopause: forgetfulness, the inability to find certain words, fatigue. When she goes through extensive testing and finally receives a diagnosis of EOAD, she seeks a second opinion, a third, and even a fourth, all confirming that she does have the disease. As a successful newspaper columnist for the past 10 years, Nora has been offering insightful advice on living and surviving life as a single mother to Ellie, now a rebellious 16-year-old, but she now finds herself at a loss as to how to deal with the news that she won't live to see her daughter graduate from college, marry, and have children of her own. Telling her twin sister, Mariana, her neighbor/lover, Harrison, and her daughter about what the future holds feels like an impossible burden to unload on her loved ones, but as her episodes of "getting stuck" and her forgetfulness get worse she is finally forced to share the news with her loved ones.
The relationships in this novel are volatile, yet intensely loving. As we have seen in many other novels, tragedy can bring people together or tear them apart, depending on their commitment to each other. At first, I was a little bit worried about reading this, especially since I've read two other novels about EOAD fairly recently and I tend to develop moods based on what I'm currently reading. I shouldn't have worried, though. Herron, if you believe this is possible, manages to present the reader with the positive side of a terminal illness, although it takes a lot of angst to get there. I would wholeheartedly recommend Splinters of Light. It was a wonderful experience.
Herron's protagonist is Nora Glass, a successful 44-year-old writer who believes that she is most likely experiencing early signs of menopause: forgetfulness, the inability to find certain words, fatigue. When she goes through extensive testing and finally receives a diagnosis of EOAD, she seeks a second opinion, a third, and even a fourth, all confirming that she does have the disease. As a successful newspaper columnist for the past 10 years, Nora has been offering insightful advice on living and surviving life as a single mother to Ellie, now a rebellious 16-year-old, but she now finds herself at a loss as to how to deal with the news that she won't live to see her daughter graduate from college, marry, and have children of her own. Telling her twin sister, Mariana, her neighbor/lover, Harrison, and her daughter about what the future holds feels like an impossible burden to unload on her loved ones, but as her episodes of "getting stuck" and her forgetfulness get worse she is finally forced to share the news with her loved ones.
The relationships in this novel are volatile, yet intensely loving. As we have seen in many other novels, tragedy can bring people together or tear them apart, depending on their commitment to each other. At first, I was a little bit worried about reading this, especially since I've read two other novels about EOAD fairly recently and I tend to develop moods based on what I'm currently reading. I shouldn't have worried, though. Herron, if you believe this is possible, manages to present the reader with the positive side of a terminal illness, although it takes a lot of angst to get there. I would wholeheartedly recommend Splinters of Light. It was a wonderful experience.
Friday, June 10, 2016
ALL SUMMER LONG (Dorothea Benton Frank)
I have seen Dorothea Benton Frank's novels, of course. I've ordered them for our library! I have never read one until now, though, and I am excited to read more. There is enough depth to her characters and their relationships to keep you interested, and it is, quite frankly, refreshing to read about people who are truly and realistically in love with each other.
Olivia is a high-end interior designer who has agreed to move from new York City to South Carolina's Low Country with her retired history professor husband, Nick. Moving back to the South of his childhood has been a longtime dream of Nick's, but what he doesn't know is that with the move Olivia's client base is drying up and their finances have become precarious.
All Summer Long is filled with exotic locales, a glimpse into the lives of the rich and famous, a lovely sense of place, and several interesting story lines. Some of the characters are ridiculous, but the central theme revolves around commitment to marriage, communication, and loyalty. I really enjoyed this novel and would recommend it as a great vacation read.
Olivia is a high-end interior designer who has agreed to move from new York City to South Carolina's Low Country with her retired history professor husband, Nick. Moving back to the South of his childhood has been a longtime dream of Nick's, but what he doesn't know is that with the move Olivia's client base is drying up and their finances have become precarious.
All Summer Long is filled with exotic locales, a glimpse into the lives of the rich and famous, a lovely sense of place, and several interesting story lines. Some of the characters are ridiculous, but the central theme revolves around commitment to marriage, communication, and loyalty. I really enjoyed this novel and would recommend it as a great vacation read.
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