Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Youth Fiction - 5 stars

One of our Mother/Daughter book club selections, Number the Stars is the story of Danes and the Jews in Copenhagen Denmark in 1943. As the Nazis increased their presence in Denmark, rationing and relocation became realities for the people. An underground resistence movement also existed that focused on the protection and removal of Jews from Denmark to Sweden. This book, told from the perspective of 10 year-old Annamarie Johansen, touches on these very real subjects in a way that children can understand but not be truly saddened. It is one of the few holocaust books that I could say that about. I know Megan will enjoy reading this book, and I can't wait for the conversations that will come from it.

Ratking by Michael Dibdin

Fiction - 3.5 stars

This book is the first in the Aurelio Zen series of mysteries. I enjoyed the writing style, as Dibdin wrote in a very vivid and conversational way. The story - the patriarch of the Miletti family is kidnapped and Zen is assigned to invesigate - weaves in and out of the lives of the Miletti's, their closest companions, and Zen himself. Zen lives with his mother and is in a relationship with an American woman. He's been caught up in controversy and assigned to a desk job in Rome. But, in the end he's a cop through and through. I really enjoyed the book and I'm really excited to read the next. However, I will say I enjoy the short-lived BBC series more than I enjoyed the book - mostly because of Rufus Sewell.