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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2568 KP) rated Murder in Little Italy in Books
May 18, 2019
An Irish Death in Little Italy
Midwife Sarah Brant is called to the Ruocco family for a birth in their home over their Italian restaurant. Antonio’s new Irish wife is in labor, but she is two months early. However, when the baby arrives, Sarah begins to suspect that the baby is actually full term and Nainsi lied about when she got pregnant. When Sarah returns for her follow up visit the next day, she finds that Nainsi died in the night – although she quickly realizes that Nainsi didn’t die from complications from child birth and sends for Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy. Since Frank is Irish, his presence draws suspicion from the family. As the racial tensions in the city over this incident begin to rise, Frank must find a way to solve the case. Can he do it with Sarah’s help?
This is another engrossing trip back in time. These books suck me into another time and place. The mystery here is strong and takes up much of the book, only allowing for brief updates on ongoing stories. However, the case is more than enough to keep us turning pages. Frank and Sarah continue to be strong leads. Frank is a little more dominant in this book, but Sarah still makes significant contributions to solving the case. There are twists, red herrings, and a strong group of suspects. I really could have believed anyone was guilty until Frank and Sarah figured things out at the end. As always, this book was over all too quickly. You can bet I’ll be back in time with these characters soon.
This is another engrossing trip back in time. These books suck me into another time and place. The mystery here is strong and takes up much of the book, only allowing for brief updates on ongoing stories. However, the case is more than enough to keep us turning pages. Frank and Sarah continue to be strong leads. Frank is a little more dominant in this book, but Sarah still makes significant contributions to solving the case. There are twists, red herrings, and a strong group of suspects. I really could have believed anyone was guilty until Frank and Sarah figured things out at the end. As always, this book was over all too quickly. You can bet I’ll be back in time with these characters soon.
ClareR (6225 KP) rated Remembered in Books
Jul 8, 2019
This is set in two time periods: the ‘present’ of February 1910, and 1843-1867. This second time period is during slavery in the USA, and follows the story of Spring and her sister Tempe. This was a time when black people were property, treated no better than cattle (their white owner even talks about ‘breeding’ them), and goes up to the emancipation and what happens afterwards.
In the ‘present’ timeline, we see Spring sitting by her sons deathbed in hospital, with the ghost of Tempe.
There are several newspaper articles that start chapters, and they go some way to explaining what is happening in the story - at least from a white mans perspective. Spring’s son, Edward, is accused of driving a Philadelphia streetcar into a department store and endangering the lives of white people. It’s not explicitly said (that I can remember), but Edwards injuries aren’t just from the crash. Spring arrives at the hospital knowing that he’s unlikely to survive. Mainly because the ghost of her sister is telling her so, and encouraging her to tell him the true story of his birth, in order that he can ‘go home’ and not become an earth bound ghost.
So we get to see for ourselves what motherhood really is - it’s not about who gives birth to a baby, but about who loves and brings that child up.
It’s a difficult story to read, as it should be. This was a difficult and terrible time in history, but I did enjoy reading it. I can see why it was nominated for the 2019 Women’s Prize. It’s well worth reading.
In the ‘present’ timeline, we see Spring sitting by her sons deathbed in hospital, with the ghost of Tempe.
There are several newspaper articles that start chapters, and they go some way to explaining what is happening in the story - at least from a white mans perspective. Spring’s son, Edward, is accused of driving a Philadelphia streetcar into a department store and endangering the lives of white people. It’s not explicitly said (that I can remember), but Edwards injuries aren’t just from the crash. Spring arrives at the hospital knowing that he’s unlikely to survive. Mainly because the ghost of her sister is telling her so, and encouraging her to tell him the true story of his birth, in order that he can ‘go home’ and not become an earth bound ghost.
So we get to see for ourselves what motherhood really is - it’s not about who gives birth to a baby, but about who loves and brings that child up.
It’s a difficult story to read, as it should be. This was a difficult and terrible time in history, but I did enjoy reading it. I can see why it was nominated for the 2019 Women’s Prize. It’s well worth reading.
The Life of Saul Bellow: To Fame and Fortune, 1915-1964
Book
2015 will mark the centenary of Saul Bellow's birth as well as the tenth anniversary of his death....
There's Something I've Been Dying to Tell You
Book
By turns, it is riotous, deeply serious, practical and sad. Reading it is like being at her kitchen...
MO
Movies of the 70s
Book
The Birth of the Blockbuster How the prodigies of the 1970s revolutionized cinema The 1970s: that...
Gaz Coombes recommended The Man Who Sold The World by David Bowie in Music (curated)
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Life After Life in Books
Sep 29, 2017
Mind-blowing account about different choices
This is really quite a unique novel about the roads taken if a person was given a choice. The story surrounds a woman named Ursula, who dies in various different ways until she makes the right choices. At some points she is aware that she is sensing deja vu, at others, she thinks she's becoming unstable. All throughout however, only snow is a consistent factor in gauging her bearings.
It almost feels like Jacob's Ladder has been amalgamated with Groundhog Day, but in a much more epic fashion, exploring death, conflict, and fate. From dying at birth, to dying during the Second World War, some of the paths are deeply depressing, but bravo to Kate Atkinson for writing a complex yet clear book.
It almost feels like Jacob's Ladder has been amalgamated with Groundhog Day, but in a much more epic fashion, exploring death, conflict, and fate. From dying at birth, to dying during the Second World War, some of the paths are deeply depressing, but bravo to Kate Atkinson for writing a complex yet clear book.
Lindsay (1812 KP) rated The Amish Midwife in Books
Feb 15, 2018
This was about Lexie finding her biological family. She is searching for her Identity. Her father died and told her about a box that came and when she finds it set her on mission to find her birth parents. She goes to Pennsylvania to help a midwife in trouble. Though she was to start working in Philly.
She learns some Amish words though her patients that she learns with some true meaning. People in her family are hiding information about her. She arrives at Marta Bayer home and Marta get angry at her. If you want to read more about the surprise or not for she finds a surprise that will be quite suprising to find out. Does Lexie get her Story. You need to read to find out.
She learns some Amish words though her patients that she learns with some true meaning. People in her family are hiding information about her. She arrives at Marta Bayer home and Marta get angry at her. If you want to read more about the surprise or not for she finds a surprise that will be quite suprising to find out. Does Lexie get her Story. You need to read to find out.
James Koppert (2698 KP) rated The Vegetarian in Books
Nov 12, 2019
The Vegetarian
There is a dark irony in this novel where the person at the centre, who is dying due to her insanity is the one person who seems most at peace and dare I say happy in her beautiful ignorance. The others are playing their roles and thinking themselves resigned to a state of resignation walking forward with regret. There are also string themes of patriarchy and it's oppression of the females but written almost as if the men are unwilling partakers as if they feel they have no choice but to be oppressive due to their place in the world from birth. This book is so filled with pain the words scream at you. It is bitterness and darkness buying your mind. A very bleak but captivating read and worthy of its accolades
Paradoxical Undressing
Book
Kristin Hersh was a preternaturally bright teenager, starting university at fifteen and with her...





