Book Wrap Up August
by
Natasa Djordjevic
- 10:10 AM
The Girl in the Tree by Şebnem İşigüzel (✫✫✫)
Unusual style with a powerful message of a young woman struggling for self-discovery amidst an oppressive government. An unlikely love story provides an attentive ear. I liked this book but found myself confused by the way the author jumped backward and forwards and I could barely figure out what was current!
The Book of Fires by Jane Borodale (✫✫✫)
Well written, although slightly disjointed in places, the author has captured the mind of a young woman in a terrible predicament for the times, has introduced a very different theme of fireworks to run through the book, and the outcome was unexpected, which I enjoyed most.
Life and Death are Wearing Me Out by Mo Yan (✫✫✫✫)
I enjoyed this book. It gives insight into the formation and change of Communist China from 1950 until 2005. The author does this through the eyes of a man forced to be reborn several times as different animals. It also gives an unusual depiction of Chinese customs and myths. This book had a feeling of reality and authenticity. I found it to be an excellent read.
Where the Light Falls by Allison Pataki (✫✫✫✫)
“Where the Light Falls” is a splendid tale set against the backdrop of the French Revolutions. The novel successfully evokes all the fear and terrors of the time. It is a tale of two men - their lives become irretrievably interwoven because of their circumstances and family. A rivalry turns to hatred and escalates as the story unfolds.
