The Help by Kathryn Stockett
by
Natasa Djordjevic
- 9:12 AM
“Ever morning, until you dead in the ground, you gone have to make this decision. You gone have to ask yourself, "Am I gone believe what them fools say about me today?”
This is a great story, fictional but true to life, about life in Mississippi during the early 1960s. It is told from the perspective of two black maids and one white woman. The white woman, Skeeter, wants to become a writer, so she secretly interviews black maids to find out what it is like for them to work for their white employees. The maids’ primary responsibility is to care for the young white children, who form a strong affection for them. This is an amazing first novel by the author who draws upon memories of her own family’s maid who stayed involved with her even after the author’s parents divorced when she was six years old.
I had lots of favorite characters I was rooting for, and also a few that I disliked. The well-executed plot is gripping and the characters grow on you. The author deftly painted a realistic picture of what Jackson, Mississippi had to be like in the early sixties and although this is well before my time, I felt part of the community and the drama that took place in this small town.
The stories were more inspirational than sad. I felt pure admiration for the day-to-day lives these women lived, the constant humiliations, and the courage it took to just go on. There sure was a complex social structure in place and, in those days, it must have seemed as if there would never be changes. I can’t recommend this book highly enough. It doesn’t matter if you enjoy reading historical novels, mysteries, or romance - this book has a little of everything in it. This is one of those stories that will stay with you long after you have finished reading it .
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
by
Natasa Djordjevic
- 9:50 AM
Refreshing take on a well known tale: First of the Tudors by Joanna Hickson
by
Natasa Djordjevic
- 9:59 AM
An excellent account of the well-known history of the War of the Roses but still provides a refreshing take on the tale.
King Henry VI is the rightful King of England, although the thought of as a well-intentioned and devout King his rule is threatened. Various rumors spread throughout the land that the king suffers not only from mental illness but also that his Queen has been unfaithful. Thankfully Henry has the loyalty of his half brother Jasper Tudor. The honorable Earl of Pembroke who will stop at nothing to ensure that the Lancastrians hold the throne. Along with him is his lover Jane, who narrates her side of the story where she becomes the caretaker of Henry Tudor. Henry is Jasper’s nephew, the son of Margaret Beaufort, and the late Edmund Tudor, but importantly he is the boy who will someday become King Henry VII.
The story of the Tudor dynasty is a perfect soap opera of intrigue, bastardy, war, and shifting allegiances. Not a simple story to write and the author enjoys uneven success in creating an easy-flowing narrative. There are enormous leaps in time and more characters and locations than are comfortable to keep in mind. Hickson does a fine job of keeping the story moving, and while the reader may be a bit lost from time to time, the engaging characters and plot carry along eager to know what happens next.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
by
Natasa Djordjevic
- 10:24 AM
Fresh new look on Anne Boleyn's rise and fall: "To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn" by Sandra Byrd
by
Natasa Djordjevic
- 9:47 AM
A tremendous believable account of the tragic story of Anne Boleyn, without being overwhelming, believable, realistic characters, and multiple absorbing themes—this book has it all. This story brought historical characters to life with both affection and unflinching honesty.
To Die For involves Meg Wyatt, Anne’s friend from childhood, and follows her life and Anne’s life as their stars rise at Court and through Anne’s demise. The entire story took only a day to get through because I so wanted to know what happened to Meg. We all know how Anne’s story ended, but between her birth and untimely death, there is a lot of speculation on who she really was. Ms. Byrd did an excellent job making Anne as a woman relatable, Anne as a friend realistic, and Anne as a queen unshakable and Meg a friend in and lady in the truest sense. I think she did both of the ladies ' justice.
It seemed well researched historically, and the conversations fit well for the characters. This is a very well-written and interesting story. It is also a very different look at Anne Boleyn, far different from any other I’ve read. But because the story is so well developed, it all seems plausible. And I really enjoyed the steadfast friendship that Ms. Byrd portraits between her main characters.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
by
Natasa Djordjevic
- 8:15 AM
Book Wrap Up July
by
Natasa Djordjevic
- 10:05 AM
The description of the book sounded intriguing. That’s where it ended. It was one of those books where the beginning seems fine, but then the author skips back and forth between periods and doesn’t make the characters genuine enough.
The Queen's Handmaid by Tracy L. Higley (☆☆☆☆)
The book is rich in history and drama. It follows the story of Egyptian Queen, Galilean Governor, a beautiful servant girl, and how their stories come together with prophecy, self-discovery, and revelation. The author does an excellent job of making you feel you’re there.
The Physician by Noah Gordon (☆☆☆☆)
This is a novel of adventure and romance, intrigue and betrayal, culture and religion, politics. Gordon weaves an interesting story, and all his characters are well-developed and believable but flawed, still very likable. His descriptions of life in the Middle Ages are vivid.
The King's Speech: How One Man Saved the British Monarchy by Mark Logue (☆☆☆☆☆)
This book is fantastic! The writing style is simple to follow. I loved how they would explain what events were occurring, and how that would bring Bertie and Lionel together and develop their amazing friendship.
The Golden Son by Shilpi Somaya Gowda (☆☆☆☆)
This was a brilliant book for those who enjoy the knowledge of the world and how different and similar cultures can be. The characters were so well written. It was very enjoyable to read.
Fatal Throne by Candace Fleming (☆☆☆☆)
Fatal Throne reimagines the wives of Henry VIII. Each queen tells their side of the story of what it was like to be the wife of Henry VIII. This book covers the major plot points without getting bogged down by all the intrigue that happened at court during the time. It is for sure an interesting take on the wives of Henry VIII!
At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen (☆☆)
I had expectations for this novel that were not met. Although the writing was good, I found the story unbelievable and not very interesting. I could not relate to these characters at all.
The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski (☆☆☆)
It was an engaging read, full of drama and romance. Lots of conflicts, which I found to be a little stressful. There were definite twists in the plot I wasn’t expecting.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
by
Natasa Djordjevic
- 8:52 AM
Interesting Perspective on Van Gogh's Life: "Sunflowers" by Sheramy Bundrick
by
Natasa Djordjevic
- 8:46 AM
"I'd heard about him but had never seen him, the foreigner with the funny name who wandered the countryside painting pictures."
Sunflowers is a rich novel of historical fiction that combines in-depth factual research with a vivid portrayal of Vincent van Gogh’s world. The author paints a softer, more human image of Vincent van Gogh. She deals compassionately with his mental illness, passionately with his talent and delicately with many of the social issues surrounding 19th century France. The author sets her novel in the last year of van Gogh’s life, which was a fertile ground for art, history, and mental illness
.
Sunflowers is told in the first-person perspective of Rachel, a young girl whose parents had died and her only option was to live with her spinster aunt. Instead, she ended up on a train to Arles, France, and forced into the life of prostitution. Rachel develops a friendship with Van Gogh after she finds him sketching her when she seeks refuge from the brothel in a public garden. A naive girl and innocent at heart, Rachel is deeply moved by van Gogh’s artistry. She sees past his erratic moodiness into the heart of his gift and slowly falls in love with him. He too falls in love with her, but that love competes with his passion for his art and weakness from his illness. Sunflowers tell the story of how these two unique souls make their way through the world, both together and individually.
The authors' passion for art and the artist is clear in her writing and style. There is also very strong character development in Sunflowers and I like how the author took factual information about Vincent Van Gogh’s life and added the fictional elements. The descriptions are so well written that I could vividly see his paintings in my head and feel emotions he meant to convey through his art.
This story is an emotional, artistic, whimsical journey through the life of a troubled artist. It makes Vincent a person instead of just a historical figure and gives life also to those who influenced him and loved him.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
by
Natasa Djordjevic
- 8:09 AM
The Romanov Empress: A Novel of Tsarina Maria Feodorovna by C.W. Gortner
by
Natasa Djordjevic
- 8:29 AM
I love it when I read a book featuring a strong female character, and that’s exactly what I found in this book. The author did an impressive job of painting a picture of the setting and the characters for the reader. Full of excitement, intrigue. The hardships they went through were written so realistically, I felt like I was right there in it all.
Princess Dagmar of Denmark or Minnie is a daughter to Denmark’s King Christian IX and sister to Alexandra, who would marry Edward VII and become Queen of the United Kingdom. Minnie knows she too must marry and would rather marry for love. When she meets Nicholas Alexandrovich or Nixa, the Tsarevich of Russia, Minnie is taken. However, as fate would have it, Minnie marries Nixa’s brother, Sasha, Tsarevich Alexander of Russia, and eventually becomes Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna of Russia. Minnie must adjust to Russia, a new religion, and rules of the royalty. Minnie exceeds in her role and is a driving force within the Russian government. Although, times are changing in Russia and things become dangerous for Minnie and her family. Minnie sees that the government also needs to change. When her beloved Sasha passes Minnie’s son, Nicholas becomes Tsar. Nicholas’ wife, Alexandra, is not as diplomatic as Minnie and finds herself in a war of wills with Minnie. As actual war finds its way to Russia’s door, Nicholas heeds his wife’s opinion and that of her mystic Rasputin over Minnie’s and brings the downfall of the Russian empire with him.
With historically accurate detail, The Romanov Empress gives an in-depth and entertaining look at the amazing woman behind the story’s last Tsar of Russia. Told from Minnie’s point of view from the time she was a teenager through her son’s death, we get a full view of her life.
As always, Gortner does a magnificent job in setting his scenes. Maria’s dazzling wedding, endless parties and charities in the early years, rumblings of unrest in bombings galore, and the eventual takeover of Russia by the Bolsheviks suck the reader in by the author’s generous usage of descriptions and sensory details. He strikes a subtle balance between descriptive passages and dialogue that gives the reader a wonderful imaginary world to explore the events portrayed. All this without going overboard and drowning the reader in too many details.
The Romanov Empress does a superb job of making Maria Feodorovna come alive. The writing is very eloquent and elegant. Mr. Gortner also breathes new life into the Russian imperial court with all their customs and traditions. I also thought he did a marvelous job in portraying the mindset of the Romanovs.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
by
Natasa Djordjevic
- 8:56 AM
