The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

Fiction - 3.5 stars

Sage Singer is a baker for a reason. She works at night to escape people, her own loneliness, the guilt from a hidden relationship, and the memory of her mother’s death.Her constant reminder, a significant facial scar, is her constant companion. Sage meets Josef Weber, an elderly man in Sage’s grief support group, and they strike up an unlikely friendship. They see past each others' scars, and they grow comfortable together.

Everything changes when Josef asks Sage for an unimaginable favor. The request begins a story of horror and heartbreak, and through it, Sage begins a journey of self-discovery that will make her realize who she really is. 

I really liked this book. Though the subject matter is tough (the Holocaust), it is an interesting and easy read. I would recommend it for a book cub read. 

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

Historical Fiction/Religious Fiction - 3.5 stars

Considered a modern classic, The Red Tent is the story of Dinah, only daughter of Jacob. In the Bible, her life is merely mentioned within the Book of Genesis.  Anita Diamant brings all of the biblical characters in the story of Jacob to life.

Told in Dinah’s voice, the book tells of ancient womanhood, the rituals and the difficulties in the red tent. It centers on Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah - the four wives of Jacob. They each love Dinah as her own, and they teach her skills and develop her gift for midwifery. The story moves on to when Dinah marries and tragedy befalls her new life, bringing a curse down on Jacob's house that cannot be reconciled.

While the characters may be familiar, the story of the women of Jacob and their propogation of pagan beliefs was a little too mystical for my taste. Diamant's writing was very reminiscent of The Song of Hannah, as was the abundance of sex and the license taken with the Biblical story. In the end, however, I enjoyed the fact that these people were real people, not just characters in a story. This book brought these people to life, and I did enjoy it. 

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

Fiction - 3.5 stars

In her novel, The Peach Keeper, Sarah Addison Allen blends friendships, sibling relationships, and Southern hospitality into a sweet story with a very happy ending. Thirty-year-old Willa Jackson returned to her rural North Carolina home in Walls of Water to escape her failures. Instead of escaping them, she faces them head-on, reconnects with her family, and begins new relationships that she never thought she'd have.  In the meantime, she becomes involved in a 75-year-old murder mystery involving her grandmother and the beautiful mansion her family occupied in the 1930s. While not a Pulitzer Price winner, the book club candidate is an easy read, perfect for the beach or to read while sitting on your front porch swing, sipping sweet tea. It took me all of two days to read it, and I loved every minute of it.

Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon

Historical Fiction - 5 stars

Swoon! In this eighth installment of the Outlander series, Written in My Own Heart’s Blood, the story of Jamie and Claire Fraser continues into 1778. In the cliffhanger from the previous book,  An Echo in the Bone, Jamie Fraser returns from "the dead" to discover that Lord John has married Claire to protect her from the British Loyalists. Meanwhile,  William has discovered who his father really is, Ian has fallen in love with a Quaker, and Claire is busy trying to stay sane. No spoilers here - I'll merely say that things don't calm down upon Jamie's return.
 
The Frasers are under the illusion that Brianna and her family are safe in twentieth-century Scotland. However, all is not peaceful at Lallybroch. She and Roger embark on their own journeys in search of family.

According to Barnes and Noble review, "Written in My Own Heart’s Blood is the brilliant next chapter in a masterpiece of the imagination unlike any other." I whole-heartedly agree.

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Historical Fiction - 4 stars

The description of Wolf Hall from B&N says:

England in the 1520s is a heartbeat from disaster. If the king dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of twenty years and marry Anne Boleyn. The pope and most of Europe opposes him. Into this impasse steps Thomas Cromwell: a wholly original man, a charmer and a bully, both idealist and opportunist, astute in reading people, and implacable in his ambition. But Henry is volatile: one day tender, one day murderous. Cromwell helps him break the opposition, but what will be the price of his triumph?

While this description is certainly accurate, it does not get to the meat of what the book is about. It is really a biopic of the life of Thomas Cromwell, beginning with his adolescence and continuing through the death of Thomas More and the beginning of Henry's disenchantment with Anne Boleyn. Cromwell certainly lived an adventurous life, which prepared him for the political wrangling of Henry's court. I liked this book as it deals in one of my favorite historical periods. However, I can only give it 4 stars as Mantel's writing style can be difficult. This winner of the 2009 Man Booker Prize is informative and sweeping, but not for fans of light reading.

 

The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

Historical Fiction -4.5 stars

I am a huge Philippa Gregory fan, and this book is no exception. This standalone sequel to The White Queen is told through the eyes of Lady Margaret Beaufort. As a girl, she had visions of being Joan of Arc and performing some grand feat for God. Instead, she was rejected by her first fiancé, she became first a mother and then a widow at 13, and then married (Henry Stafford)and was widowed again several years later. She wed her fourth husband (Lord Stanley) in a pure business arrangement, including being granted a vow of chastity. While not at the altar or mourning, Lady Margaret was maneuvering in court and out to place her son, Henry, onto the throne as he was the next Lancaster heir. The Red Queen offers a portrait of a woman who refused to believe that she was not the most important in God's eyes. Her arrogance and unrelenting desire for her son to be king prove to be successful as her son becomes Henry VII, father to Henry VIII and grandfather to Elizabeth I. I recommend the book, but I do not like Margaret. Her nickname, "t' old bitch", proves absolutely true.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Historical Fiction - 4.5 stars

When I first began reading this book, I'll admit I was a little skeptical. One reason was the endorsement from Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love on the front cover. I do not think it is a secret that I thought her book was silly, unrelatable, and I didn't care for it. The second reason was that it is written completely in correspondence format - letters and wires mainly. This turned out to be a surprisingly nice change from the traditional novel format. The book itself was a glimpse into a part of history that few people know about, the German occupation of the channel islands off the coast of Britain. This was a fascinating story of a writer, Juliet, who travels to Guernsey and learns the story of a heroic young woman, Elizabeth. The star of the book is the history itself, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves to watch a story unfold. The perfect book club book, too!

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.

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

Historical Fiction - 3.5 stars

I absolutely loved this book! The story of Carrie McLellan, a historical fiction writer who moves to a small village on the eastern Scottish coast, unfolds while she is writing her latest book which features an ancestor who is closer than Carrie knows. With comparisons of Kearsley to Diana Gabaldon (my favorite writer!), it was handed to me by my friend Susan who thought of me when she read it. I can see why, as the historical research and the setting make this book as close to perfect for me as any out there. My only complaint is the lack of detail that Kearsley gives the main character and her main character's appearances. Other than lovely with bright hair, I have no image of Sophia. Nevertheless, I loved the story and the characters. Totally recommend this book to anyone who likes history or Scotland.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Fiction - 5 stars

If you've never read this book, you absolutely are missing one of the best stories ever told. It is the story of Huck Finn and Jim, the runaway slave that he takes with him down the Mississippi. This sequel to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is truly a classic, and I am glad to have read it. 

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Fiction - 5 stars

Not for the faint of heart, this 1500+ page (in small print, I might add) tomme is a masterpiece of storytelling if ever there was one. The story of several characters and timelines, some seemingly insignificant, weaves through the book to culminate into a satisfying and epic conclusion. It only took me two years to read it!

By the way, the movie starring Jim Caviezel is a good adaptation, but nothing beats the book.

The Help, by Katherine Stockett

Historical Fiction - 4.5 stars

What a wonderful book. It is an easy read, and it manages to take a very serious, painful subject for many and make it a humorous and touching account of life. Writing from the perspective of three very different main characters, it is a snapshot of the 1960's as it was in many southern cities. The murder of Medgar Evers plays a prominent role in showing the tension and fear behind the humor in the book. I waited to see the movie until after I'd read the book, and I'm so glad I did.  

A Clash of Kings, by George R.R. Martin

Historical Fantasy - 5 stars

The Second in the Song of Fire and Ice series, A Clash of Kings picks up where Game of Thrones left off. Martin continues to develop his characters and keep the reader guessing as to the fate of all in these books. This is a very long, complex story, and I can't say anything else because if you aren't reading the books, you might be watching the show on HBO. I don't want to ruin the next season. It's sufficient to say that I can't wait to read the next one. However, sticking to my promise to myself, I'm going with a classic next.

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

Historical Fiction - 3 stars

A stark, somewhat depressing tale of betrayal and relationships in a small northern town in the 1910s, A Reliable Wife is an interesting read. Loosely based on the odd and tragic happenings in a real life  rural Midwestern community near the turn of the century, the somewhat predictable intrigue is still interesting because of the realistic basis. Goolrick does a good job creating complex relationships from relatively simple characters, and weaves a tale that closes out in the end. I would recommend it, but it is not a summer beach read. Save it for the winter.   

Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier

Historical Fiction - 3.5 stars

We picked this book up while in Cherokee, NC this summer, and because it was from the author of Cold Mountain, I was excited to read this tale of southerners, mountain folk, and Cherokees before, during, and after the removal to the West. I was not disappointed with the descriptions of life in North Carolina in the early 1800s, and I thoroughly enjoyed Frazier's delving into the politics involved from Jackson's reign and beyond (what can I say, I'm a nerd!). I would have given the book 4 stars had it not been for Frazier opining about the ways of men and women, and the philosophies of life that he offers so freely. He shows his age and generation in these opinions, and I am not sure they reflect the time period accurately. What is accurate to the time period is the completely male-centric point of view of the book. In all, I enjoyed the history, and it is definitely worth the read if you have any interest in the time period or in the Cherokee story.   

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

Fiction - 4 stars

I loved this book! It is the story of the Price family, a Georgia family who moves to the African Congo on a mission trip in the early 1960s on the brink of modern Zaire's "independence" from Belgian control. Told from the perspectives of the female Prices, each chapter gives a different perspective on the same historical events, and this makes for a fantstic read. You truly get to know the characters as they remain consistent throughout the book. Kingsolver describes life in rural Africa with raw, vivid, and heartbreaking detail.  It spans two + decades, and is a truly satisfying tale. I am so glad Zachary is reading this for school as it gave me the chance to borrow it for a little while.

The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

Historical Fiction - 3 stars
This could have been such a great book. The story was wonderful, the characterization was wonderful, and  the history was mostly accurate. I absolutely loved the transition within the book from pre-WWI England to late 20s England, and the vast cultural changes that happened in a span of 13 years. However, I could not get over the author's annoying over-use of blatant foreshadowing. I even said out loud, a few times, "Just tell the story already!" It is worth the read, but just be patient.

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

Historical Fiction - 3.5 stars

Sarah's Key is a story of the holocaust. Set in 1940s and modern France, it tells two stories that eventually intertwine into a heartbreaking tale of the Vel D'Hiv roundup in Paris, where french Jews were forced into a coliseum and sent to death camps, most never to return. I cannot reveal too much, but can say that this is a decently written book that delves into an area of history that most people have never learned about. It was an eye-opening read.

An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon

Historical Fiction - 4.5 stars

This book is a beast. At 800+ pages, it is not my favorite of the Outlander series, but it is still a great read. The middle drags a bit, and you only get glimpses of the greatness that is Jamie and Claire. Gabaldon does develop other characters, like Young Ian and William, and introduces some new "friends. " My only regret is that it takes her 3 years to write, and I have to wait that long to resolve the cliffhangers.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Youth historical fiction - 5 stars
This is a beautifully drawn and written work of historical fiction for children. Deemed an instant classic, it is good for all ages, but especially the 8-12 set. Selznick writes about Hugo, who lives in a train station in Paris, and he eventually meets Papa Georges, a character based on the real-life Georges Melies, an inventor and silent film maker from the 1930s. At our book club meeting, Susan was kind enough to bring a projector and show some clips of this era. Megan's favorite was George Melies' A Trip to the Moon, thought to be the first science fiction film in history. We highly recommend this book.