The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

I had really wanted to read this book and was disappointed when I wasn't going to be able to attend our neighborhood book group when we were going to discuss this. I tend to read my own selections when this happens. But, then, the date was changed and I ordered the book for my Kindle and got to reading. What an incredible read - an historical lesson, a page turner and tearjerker all rolled into one remarkable book.

The Nightingale begins with an elderly woman, about ready to move into an assisted living facility, going through some memorabilia in a trunk in her attic. The reader is told of an old passport that obviously has had some disturbing memories tied to it. The in flashback, the novel begins its story of two diametrically different sisters who live in rural France during the Nazi occupation of the country. Vianne lives on the family homestead, Le Jardin, while Isabelle is being disciplined at a boarding school for showing her defiant and rebellious attitude.  The sisters' mother died when they were young leaving their father to try to cope with raising the two girls. He couldn't cope with this and virtually left the girls to fend for themselves. Vianne marries the postmaster, Antoine,  the village in the Loire Valley and has a daughter, Sophia. Their life is then torn apart when Antoine goes off to war and Vianne is left to maintain the house, teach in the local school, and raise Sophia.  Add to this the arrival of Isabelle, who has been sent by their father when he shuns her living with him in Paris.

As the novel unfolds the horrific crimes of the time are revealed without sugar-coating the events or feelings of the time. Vianne's home is requisitioned by a Wehrmark officer and he billets there. Isabelle joins the resistance movement and guides downed airmen over the Pyrenees to Spain and safety. Jewish friends of the family disappear overnight and children are left as orphans. The result of this is a heart-wrenching story of a time that was filled with calculated torture, persecution, and lack of compassion for the human race.

Kristen Hannah has given her readers a novel that takes twists and turns and will, ultimately, keep the reader not wanting the book to end. A definite must read that will stay with her readers long after the book is closed.

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

My Brilliant Friend is the first of the Neapolitan novels by Ferrante. Set in Naples in the 1950s it is the account of two friends growing up in a poor Italian neighborhood outside of the seaside town. It was recommended to me by a college friend and I took the bait and requested it from the library, both in hard copy and eBook versions. It is quite a popular book and it took a few weeks before a copy was available. 

The novel opens with a troubling phone call from Rino, Lila's brother, to Elena questioning whether she has seen or heard from her friend. Elena sees this as another one of Lila's idiosyncrasies and doesn't seem too worried. From this opening chapter, the narrator remembers her days as a child growing up. She recounts their friendship from age eight to about sixteen in a world that is filled with turmoil, violence and the love and hate of family. As close as the two friends are, they are at times polar opposites. Lila is the beauty who is bright and intelligent. Elena is plain, pimply, and  always worried about her body image, bookish and a hard working student. At a time it was unusual for girls to go to school, Elena, with the help of Maestra Oliverio, convinces her parents that it is in her best interest to continue to attend beyond the primary grades. 

As the story unfolds, the girls develop different interests amid the backdrop of often times brutal fits of anger, temper, and even murder. It does not seem to be an anomaly, but rather a way of life that is expected and customary. My Brilliant Friend builds to the culmination of the story as Lila prepares for her wedding day. But the reader is left wondering whether that marriage will be one of joy or troubled as so many were in that small village. 

I have had an ambivalent reaction to the book. There were times as I was reading it that I really got into the book and story and then at other times I just couldn't wait until I finished it. I will probably pick up the 2nd in the series at sometime, but at this point I am not longing to read it.

Grace: A Biography by Thilo Wydra

December was biography month for the Gables Book Group. It's always tough to decide what to choose for these discussions. When Grace was one of Amazon's deals of the day, and I wanted a book for my iPad to take on a trip, I decide on this one. 

Grace Kelly has always had a bit of fascination for me. Although I had only watched a few of her films, it seemed that the "rags to riches" story of a princess was what dreams were made of. This biography dispelled so many preconceived notions I had about her. 

Her childhood was not a happy one. Her father's nearly abusive treatment of her because she wasn't an athlete and she wanted to follow her heart to become an actress. She had some help from an uncle, but her understated glamour paved the way to her successful career. The book details many of the affairs that she had with her leading men, However, the real hallmark of the treatise is the insight into the movies in which she starred. I did go back and rewatch High Noon and To Catch a Thief.  I realized I had never seen the movie for which she won her Academy Award, The Country Girl. What a powerful performance!

The circumstances surrounding her meeting and marriage to Prince Ranier of Monaco was quite interesting and so orchestrated. The lasting friendship that she forged with Alfred Hitchcock was a lifesaver for her in an otherwise somewhat unhappy life. She became pregnant on her honeymoon and from that time her role was a dutiful wife and nourishing mother.  She did give much of her time, in addition, to charitable causes in the principality. 

Her tragic death as a result of a horrific car accident on the cliffs of Monaco sent reverberations around the world.

I remember that I watched the funeral saddened by the loss of an American princess and a loving mother. 

I was very fortunate to have visited the palace and her grave while on a trip to Nice. It was a very simple tomb and certainly not the elaborate or embellished memorial that you would imagine. 

Wydra's book was an easy read, but it could have used some tighter editing. There were numerous sentences that were repeated or events that were rehashed. It almost seemed that the editor didn't read it straight  through to catch those repetitions. All in all,  an informative read, but there are probably better biographies of Grace Kelly.

The Light in the Ruins by Chris Bohjalian

Alternating between 1943 and 1955, Bohjalian crafts a mystery, historical fiction and psychological thriller in his book, The Light in the Ruins. Interspersed with those chapters is a narrator's viewpoint on the murders he has committed and is about to commit. 

Outside of Florence, there is, what once was a bucolic Tuscan villa - Villa Chimera. Owned by the Marchese and Marchesa Rosati, it is a sanctuary for their family from the horrific brutality of the war. Living with Antonio and Beatrice is their daughter, Christina, and daughter-in-law Francesca and her two children Their son, Vittore works in Florence at the Uffizi and their other son, Marco, Francesca's husband is serving in the Italian army. Life in the villa changes drastically one day when Nazi soldiers arrive wanting to see the caves of earlier Etruscan burial grounds. The soldiers subsequently occupy the villa for an outpost and Christina becomes romantically involved with one

In 1955 Serafina Bettini is working as a homicide detective in Florence when she is called to investigate the chilling murder of Francesca Rosati. The body is discovered in her apartment with her heart cut out. As the investigation continues, the reader begins to learn more about Serafina and her involvement in the war. She has suffered brutal wounds that have left her scarred and without a portion of her ear. 

As the narrative moves back and forth between the time periods and through flashbacks in the minds of the main characters, the connections between the characters begin to be elucidated. The serial killer's narration reveals that his/her revenge will be taken on the Rosatis, one by one.

The Light in the Ruins is another example of the masterful and powerful storytelling of Chris Bohjalian. It is gruesome, to be sure, but is also a gripping chronicle of the war in Italy. The struggle between citizens, the Partisans, and the Nazis shows the multi-faceted effects of a conflict. How does one balance doing what is right when it comes to saving one's family? Its strength lies in historical and political analysis. The revelation of the serial killer is a bit of a shock with so many possibilities - a man, woman, Italian, Nazi, an acquaintance or one who needs to exact revenge on the rich landholders?  The meaning behind the title of the book is illuminated at the end, much as the dock light in Gatsby does for that novel.  Bohjalian needs to be on the list of "must read" authors.

The Paris Wife by Paula McClain

It is unfortunate that students in high school never get to know the story behind the story. It is almost certain that every student reads at least one Ernest Hemingway novel, novella, or short story. Maybe, if there is time, a teacher when teaching about the author will mention Hemingway's service in wartime, his fascination with bullfighting and his tragic end of life. What is left out is his struggle to become a writer, his bohemian life-style in Paris, and unfortunately, his treatment of women. These are the things that make an author come alive and therefore his works.

The Paris Wife is a fictionalized account of Hemingway's marriage to his first wife, Hadley Richardson. There is enough history here that the reader knows that not too much of the book has been fictionalized. Richardson and Hemingway are introduced as young people who are living in Chicago. They become infatuated with each other, fall in love and are eventually married. Hemingway is writing for The Toronto Star and the Cooperative Commonwealth.  Hadley's mother was very over-protective of her as a child, she heard the gunshot that was the cause of her father's suicide and when she met Hemingway a bit unsure of such a relationship. They were married after less than a year, a courtship that was carried on mostly by short visits and letters. They decided that they would go to Rome to live for a while, but Sherwood Anderson convinced them that Paris was a better place to be.

McClain vividly describes their life in Paris from their impoverished accommodation, to the dance halls, the sights and sounds of the Latin Quarter, and of course their association with the members of the "Lost Generation." I have always been fascinated with how all of these incredibly creative people converged in this city and managed to produce volumes of literature. From Stein to Dos Passos to James Joyce to Ezra Pound, Fitzgerald and Hemingway. There is an energy that one senses that was passed from one to the other. The wives, including Alice B. Toklas, were an important support group and one has the distinct impression that that's who Hadley was.  

The gradual disintegration of the marriage was hastened by the attention paid to Hemingway by one of Hadley's best friends, Pauline Pfeiffer, a wealthy fashion designer who was living in Paris. The Hemingways' lives were marked often by traveling to Austria, Pamplona, and even back to North America. It was not uncommon that the two traveled separately. It was during one of these trips when Ernest returned to Paris without Hadley that he began an affair with Pauline. They eventually agreed to a divorce, but remained on amicable terms for the sake of their child, Bumpy (John Hadley Nicanor Hemingway).  Pauline eventually becomes Hemingway's second wife and Hadley marries Paul Mowrer. 

The Paris Wife was a good read, albeit sometimes the writing seemed choppy, that is a glimpse into the life of Hemingway in Paris. Despite knowing the outcome of the relationship, the reader does root for the two to make it through the rough times of the marriage. Hemingway is not always the villain, and Hadley is not always the persecuted and maligned wife. She is, however, a woman who gave up dreams of pursuing her own career in music for that of her husband. She was supportive and encouraging. It will be interesting to read Hemingway's version of the Parisian life in A Moveable Feast. A good read that was both educational, enlightening, and enjoyable. 

The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson

I really enjoyed 13 Little Blue Envelopes and was excited to learn that Maureen Johnson had written a sequel. This was a fast and equally enjoyable read. At the end of the previous novel, Ginny Blackstone's backpack was stolen and with it the last little blue envelope in it. As The Last Little Blue Envelope opens, Ginny is struggling with writing the college admission essay that asks what is the turning point in your life. Of course it was the trip to England to follow her Aunt Peg's instructions. Then everything changes and she is contacted by Oliver, a mysterious young man, who has come into possession of the last little blue envelope. And so another adventure ensues.

Ginny contacts her Uncle Richard, OKs it with her parents, and takes off to find out Peg's last instructions. Although this adventure is not nearly as extensive as the last journey, there is still the excitement, twists, and a satisfying resolution. In addition to Oliver, Ginny's friend Keith and his new girlfriend, Ellis join her on a journey to Paris, Belgium, Amsterdam, and eventually Ireland. The foursome must try to evade the police, while finding themselves in the midst of a very strange hostel overrun by cats. The tension between Keith and Ginny heightens as the book progresses. Ellis is a very likable character who is a real friend to Ginny.

Although the book could stand on its own, the reader will enjoy it much more if she has read Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes. It is a great story and Johnson's attention to details of international travel is spot on. Dublin on New Year's Eve was enough for one to start packing a suitcase and boarding that plane to cross the pond- Guiness at Temple Bar, crossing the River Liffey, and the bells of Christchurch. Maybe that should be put on my bucket list. A good and satisfying read.

Fall of Giants by Ken Follett

I don't think that I have ever taken so long to read a book in my life. I actually started this book back in October, 2010. It wasn't that Fall of Giants wasn't good, it was life got in the way. Classes, book club books, and the Anglican Adventure trip were bumps in the road to finishing it. In fact, it really was just the opposite. The book was incredibly interesting and enjoyable. Follett has woven a story that just begins in this first installment of The Century Trilogy.

The novel opens in Wales in 1911 when the 13 year-old Billy Williams makes his first trip down into the coal mines. After a near brush with death, he asserts his leadership and becomes a force with which to be reckoned. Billy's sister, Ethel is a maid in the household of the Fitzherberts, a wealthy earl whose home is a mansion compared to the humble abode of the miners. She is a conscientious worker and moves up the ladder to become a head of the household staff. She also becomes the lover of the earl and when becoming pregnant is sent from the estate with hush money.

Intertwined with these characters are Russian peasant brothers, a Russian princess, a son of a U.S. Senator, Woodrow Wilson, Winston Churchill, and diplomats from Germany. It is so very helpful that the author includes six pages of a listing of all the characters. The scene of actions is as diverse moving from Wales to Russia, London, and Buffalo. It is enlivened with descriptions and the actions of World War I and the Russian Revolution. Although Follett may take some liberty with historical accuracy, the book is so very informative and educational. I have never studied the Russian Revolution in such depth.

Concomitant with the war story is the crusade for women's suffrage in the U.K. The political activists present cogent arguments for the expansion of the franchise and the equalization of wages for women workers. In The Fall of Giants the theme of liberal activism and furthering the rights of all people is most evident. One needs to be broadminded and not provincial, forward thinking, and not beholden to the status quo.

To relate completely all the actions and intricacies of the plot would take more time and space than the 850 pages of the novel. With the end of the wars, the peace negotiations and signing of the Versailles treaty, the novel ends in 1924, leaving the reader anxious to have the second part the trilogy at hand. The characters have changed and are at pivotal places in their lives. It doesn't seem fair that we need to wait another year for the continuation of the story. A grand novel with some flaws, yes, but so intriguing and captivating.

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

The novel opens with the question, "What would you think of a postmistress who chose not to deliver the mail?" It is question that engages the reader and gives pause for thought. At first I was incensed that someone would do this, but then I realized that there must be a reasonable back story. Set in the small village of Franklin on Cape Cod, London and other venues in Europe, The Postmistress is the story of Frankie Bard, a reporter who works with Edward R. Murrow in London, Emma Fitch, newly wed wife of Franklin's doctor, and Iris James, the postmistress and how their lives become intertwined.

The strength of the novel is in the character development, the way Blake creates independent individuals who are also products of their time. I can picture Iris in her uniform carefully sorting and delivering mail. How is it that she didn't carry out her duty? Emma is so quiet, so innocent. She keeps to herself after Will has gone to London to regain the confidence and put off the guilt he feels after a devastating tragedy. She endures the day to day life opening herself to few who look to support her. Frankie is adventurous and outspoken. Her radio broadcasts are filled with human interest at the same time urging those to listen and be aware of the world situation even though a listener might not be directly affected. Her call to action against the Germans falls, for the most part, on deaf ears. As she travels throughout Germany, France, and Spain she interviews and records voices of refugees and Jews who are being forced to relocate. Their stories are deeply touching, but we still turned away from help.

There is also a quiet to the book, a poignancy that allows the reader to contemplate the action that happens. Whether it is Iris dealing with a moral dilemma, Emma waiting for letters from Will or Frankie comforting a young child, the reader is deeply affected. As the seasons and pages turned, the realization that war is horrible on so many fronts stands out to the reader and becomes the real message of the book.

The Rembrandt Affair by Daniel Silva

Daniel Silva is a master of the intelligent thriller, spy novel. His latest, The Rembrandt Affair will not disappoint the millions of his fans. It is the next in the series about Gabriel Allon, Israeli intelligence agent and professional art restorer. Silva takes us back to Cornwall, England ( I will get there in my lifetime) where Allon is living a quiet life with his wife Chiara, also a former Israeli operative. The action begins immediately and Silva has his reader hooked. A friend and fellow art restorer has been working on a mysterious Rembrandt painting. He is murdered and the canvas stolen, the action that sets the stage for the novel.

At first Gabriel becomes involved as a favor to Julian Isherwood, Allon's friend and proprietor of a sometimes profitable art gallery in London. However, as the action escalates, Allon becomes immersed with the history of the painting that takes him to Amsterdam and secrets of the Holocaust. The Rembrandt Affair is somewhat a departure from the usual Silva novel. Evidenced by his interview with a "hidden child", there are many poignant moments in the book. Allon is on the move and he or his colleagues travel to Glastonbury, London, Buenos Aires, Paris, Lake Geneva, and of course Jerusalem. A familiar team is assembled with the likes of Shamron, Uzi Navot, archaeologist, and Eli Lavon. Add to the mix a very attractive British journalist, Zoe Reed, CIA operatives from Langley, British M16 personnel, and you have a group of agents who will search for the painting and in the process encounter nefarious and ruthless business magnates who are willing to undermine world peace for in exchange for amassing wealth.

There is not as much violence in this novel as in the previous Allon books, nor the arms descriptions that the reader has come to expect. Instead we are treated to an array of electronic devices and the tasks that they can accomplish. It was enough to send the best technophile into overdrive. In an interview with Matt Lauer on the Today Show, Silva responds to 3 disturbing accusations about defiling the art world, his writing process, and putting his marriage in jeopardy. In The Rembrandt Affair we also get an insight into some of Silva's political beliefs - his support of Israel, skepticism about global warming, and the ineffectiveness of the Homeland Security department. Silva's writing is accomplished and polished, his characters are more than believable and the reader needs to remember that this is really fiction, and the plot moves more quickly than the reader can turn the page. And now we have to wait at least another year before we are treated to the next Allon installment. Not FAIR!

The Secret Supper by Javier Sierra

If you thought The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown, the pick up a copy of The Secret Supper. It is a fascinating account of the painting of the masterpiece by Leonoardo DaVinci on the refectory wall of the convent of the church Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. It is more erudite and less Hollywood-esque than Brown's best seller and gives the reader another perspective in the mystery that surrounds.

Told in flashback by narrator Father Agostino Leyre the novel is set in 1497. The Vatican has been receiving mysterious correspondence from "the Soothsayer." The messages warn that the Catholic Church will in harm's way if DaVinci is allowed to continue to paint. Father Leyre is sent to Milan to investigate the death of the Duchess, one that was foretold before it happened. Was the Duke trying to establish an alternate culture based on the glory of Athens, why were there more murders and how were they connected. It is all for the good Father, whose official title is Master General of the Secretariat of Keys of Bethany, to solve. He has a note, written in Latin, that will hopefully help shed some light on the motives for the murders.

There are numerous subplots to this novel and all the historical people are referenced and mentioned as they are woven into the story. Cathars, Savanarola, The Church of John, and the influence of Mary Magdalene are covered. To read this book is an interesting and captivating journey for those who are fascinated by the life and works of Leonardo as well as the machinations of the Vatican.

Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy

Reading a Maeve Binchy book is like sitting down with a cup of tea and some old friends in a quaint little sidewalk cafe. It is watching the world go by and knowing that everyone you see has a story. Heart and Soul is quintessential Binchy. The novel opens as Clara Casey takes the job as director of St. Brigid's new heart clinic. As she staffs the clinic we get to meet all the main characters of the book, many of whom have appeared in Binchy's previous books. There is Fiona, a nurse whom we met in Nights of Rain and Stars, Brenda from Quentins and the Feathers from Scarlet Feather. Dr. Declan Carroll signs on as the cardiologist for the clinic and Ania, a Polish immigrant trying to start anew after her life is turned upside down, is hired to provide support where needed. We also get glimpses into the lives of Clara's daughters, Linda and Adi.

The lives of all these characters intersect and merge as Binchy weaves her tale of life in Dublin. It is a story of love, hurt, joys and of course, sorrow and tragedy. We witness self-proclaimed aristocrats treat Ania as nothing more than a servant as she and their son Carl grow closer together. Our hearts ache for Father Bryan Flynn as he tries to defend his reputation from hurtful accusations. Through her writing Binchy makes us care about these people. They are her friends and we come to think of them as ours.

The read is a fast one, but one that is also to be savored. Upon completion, you are filled with a sense of literary satisfaction much as that cup of tea satisfies that need for comfort in a hectic world.

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

It has been some while since I posted to the blog, although I did read this title a few months ago. Time has been taken up with classes, my Latin class, a flower sale and of course the Burgen und Berge trip to Europe. Suffice it to say in a month reading will once again become a priority in my life.

Ginny is a normal seventeen year old living in New Jersey whose life changes when she receives a letter from her Aunt Peg, a free spirited woman who would often disappear for months at a time only to show up with incredible tales of adventures. In the letter is a an ATM card and instructions for Ginny to get a passport, book a ticket to London and follow all subsequent instructions in the 12 Little Blue Envelopes. She cannot take a mobile phone, laptop, have any electronic contact with her friends, and must fit everything that she does take into a backpack. The book's adventure begins as she journeys to London and is directed to a flat that her aunt once shared with Richard.

As she finished the tasks in one envelope, Ginny is directed to the next. As she does this she travels all over Europe from Scotland to Rome to Amsterdam. Johnson's description of the places she visits is accurate and enticing. As one who loves to travel and experience different cultures and venues, this book proved to be quite intriguing. There are twists, turns, and a mystery all wrapped up in the pages.

Along the way she meets many people. She is adopted by an American family, the Knapps, in Amsterdam. Being awakened in the morning by a cheery "mother" with a schedule of the day's events hit a nerve as I saw a bit of me in her. It began with a visit to the museum at 9 am and ended with bedtime at 10 pm. Everything in the middle of the itinerary was scheduled to the minute.

This was a delightful book and one that would appeal to all who have a penchant for adventure and travel. The ending took me a bit by surprise, but I won't spoil it by sharing here. You'll have to read it and find out for yourself.