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Great House
6.7
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Shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction 2011, Nicole Krauss's Great House is a haunting story...
While the Women are Sleeping
Book
Celebrated as one of the greatest writers of his generation, Javier Marias is best known for his spy...
Buried Secrets
Book
The brilliant new crime novel from Lisa Cutts - the author who puts the reader at the heart of a...
David McK (3576 KP) rated Lion of Macedon (Greek series #1) in Books
Jul 7, 2020
The first of David Gemmell's forays into ancient Greece, followed up by Dark Prince, with Gemmell returning to the setting (if not the characters) towards the end of his life with his Troy series (Lord of the Silver Bow, Shield of Thunder and Fall of Kings - the latter being completed by his wife following his death in 2006).
Unlike the Troy books, however, this is set (much) later in the ancient Greek world, even well after the battle of Thermopylae, and follows the life and times of the half-Spartan/half Macedonian Parmenion - the actual Lion of Macedon of the title - of whom little is apparently known, other than that he was an actual Macedonian general in the service of Philip II of Macedon (who doesn't even appear in this until about 2/3rd of the way through the book): the father (or was he?) of the most famous Macedonian of all: Alexander. As in Alexander the Great.
I add the 'or was he' question to the above as this novel provides an alternative patronage. It also, unlike his later Troy series, mixes on some of Gemmell's more 'fantastical' elements (I hesitate to even use that word), with the philosopher Aristotle reimagined and the inclusion of the Stones of Power (aka the Siptrassi Stones - as an aside, I'm not sure where these novels were written in relation to those?), albeit not to the extent of Dark Prince. The themes of redemption, honour, courage and Good (the Source) Vs Evil are as strong as any other in his oeuvre!
Unlike the Troy books, however, this is set (much) later in the ancient Greek world, even well after the battle of Thermopylae, and follows the life and times of the half-Spartan/half Macedonian Parmenion - the actual Lion of Macedon of the title - of whom little is apparently known, other than that he was an actual Macedonian general in the service of Philip II of Macedon (who doesn't even appear in this until about 2/3rd of the way through the book): the father (or was he?) of the most famous Macedonian of all: Alexander. As in Alexander the Great.
I add the 'or was he' question to the above as this novel provides an alternative patronage. It also, unlike his later Troy series, mixes on some of Gemmell's more 'fantastical' elements (I hesitate to even use that word), with the philosopher Aristotle reimagined and the inclusion of the Stones of Power (aka the Siptrassi Stones - as an aside, I'm not sure where these novels were written in relation to those?), albeit not to the extent of Dark Prince. The themes of redemption, honour, courage and Good (the Source) Vs Evil are as strong as any other in his oeuvre!
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Book
If it is true that great art comes from great suffering, then the art of Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821 -...
Great Men' in the Second World War: The Rise and Fall of the Big Three
Book
Great Men in the Second World War provides a new perspective on the role of the individual in...
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Flesh and Blood (DI Amy Winter #4) in Books
May 5, 2021
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.
Not until reading the 4th book in Caroline Mitchell's DI Amy Winter series did I figure out how to read the series without losing sleep. I started reading it first thing in the morning. Her novels are brilliantly written police procedurals, full of exciting characters and backstories, that are hard to put down.
As with the prior three installments, Flesh and Blood, focuses on Amy Winter's professional life and personal life. This time her team is tasked with investigating a wave of apparent suicides at several seaside resorts. The main reason her team travels to Clacton is it is Winter's boss’s, DCI Donovan, a prior partner who is the latest apparent suicide victim.
After the team's last case and ensuing news coverage, their profile has gone up, and they are under the microscope by the press, public, and their higherups. Their presence and help are not welcomed in Clacton, but Amy, as usual, plows on and is determined to find the truth...no matter where or who they need to investigate.
Mitchell has established a well-formed world around DI WInter's childhood, biological and adoptive parents, work, and personal life. It would be remiss to not read the series from the beginning.
This 200-word review will be published on Philomathinphila.com.
Not until reading the 4th book in Caroline Mitchell's DI Amy Winter series did I figure out how to read the series without losing sleep. I started reading it first thing in the morning. Her novels are brilliantly written police procedurals, full of exciting characters and backstories, that are hard to put down.
As with the prior three installments, Flesh and Blood, focuses on Amy Winter's professional life and personal life. This time her team is tasked with investigating a wave of apparent suicides at several seaside resorts. The main reason her team travels to Clacton is it is Winter's boss’s, DCI Donovan, a prior partner who is the latest apparent suicide victim.
After the team's last case and ensuing news coverage, their profile has gone up, and they are under the microscope by the press, public, and their higherups. Their presence and help are not welcomed in Clacton, but Amy, as usual, plows on and is determined to find the truth...no matter where or who they need to investigate.
Mitchell has established a well-formed world around DI WInter's childhood, biological and adoptive parents, work, and personal life. It would be remiss to not read the series from the beginning.
This 200-word review will be published on Philomathinphila.com.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Before She Was Helen in Books
Sep 9, 2020
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.
Having read Caroline B. Cooney's Janie Johnson series, which many people call The Face on the Milk Carton series, I was thrilled to read her latest novel, Before She Was Helen.
While Cooney is well-known for her YA novels, Before She Was Helen, is not categorized as young adult, but as adult fiction. Her main character is Clemmie, a still-working but living in a retirement community teacher, who intentionally built a bland and quiet life for herself. Everything changes when she does a wellness check on her next-door neighbor. She photographs a stunning and beautiful object. Thinking her family would enjoy it, she shares the photo with them. The picture quickly makes its rounds on the internet, and Clemmie's life changes in a blink, and all her carefully kept secrets are threatened.
For anyone who has read Cooney, you can identify her writing style. Her words word flow in an easy and distinct manner. It is as if she writes how she talks and does not change her vernacular or style. Reading Before She Was Helen was like reading a familiar book that I never read before.
Goodreads does not list any other books set for publication as of yet.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 9/8/20.
Having read Caroline B. Cooney's Janie Johnson series, which many people call The Face on the Milk Carton series, I was thrilled to read her latest novel, Before She Was Helen.
While Cooney is well-known for her YA novels, Before She Was Helen, is not categorized as young adult, but as adult fiction. Her main character is Clemmie, a still-working but living in a retirement community teacher, who intentionally built a bland and quiet life for herself. Everything changes when she does a wellness check on her next-door neighbor. She photographs a stunning and beautiful object. Thinking her family would enjoy it, she shares the photo with them. The picture quickly makes its rounds on the internet, and Clemmie's life changes in a blink, and all her carefully kept secrets are threatened.
For anyone who has read Cooney, you can identify her writing style. Her words word flow in an easy and distinct manner. It is as if she writes how she talks and does not change her vernacular or style. Reading Before She Was Helen was like reading a familiar book that I never read before.
Goodreads does not list any other books set for publication as of yet.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 9/8/20.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Don't Look for Me in Books
Sep 16, 2020
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.
Although I have Wendy Walker's novels on my "to-read list," I have not had the pleasure of reading any until now. Why have I waited so long to read any of her work?
I could not put down her latest novel, Don't Look for Me. Told from two points of view, Molly Harper and her daughter Nic, we discover a family broken by tragedy, an accident from years ago. Molly is wracked with guilt and struggling to keep her family together. Nic, broken by guilt and anger, lashes out at Molly. Later Molly's car is found abandoned on the side of the road. The police think she walked away from her life. Nic refuses to believe her mom would leave them when they are all still recovering from tragedy. If she did not just walk away, then what happened to Molly?
Walker's brilliant writing leaves you unable to put the book down. She creates hard-to-forget characters. Often when an author includes numerous characters, they are flat. Walker's are fully formed, and her writing style leads you to suspect many outcomes.
I am sorry I waited so long to read Walker, but I am going to make up for time lost.
This review was published on Philomathinphila.com, on 9/15/20.
Although I have Wendy Walker's novels on my "to-read list," I have not had the pleasure of reading any until now. Why have I waited so long to read any of her work?
I could not put down her latest novel, Don't Look for Me. Told from two points of view, Molly Harper and her daughter Nic, we discover a family broken by tragedy, an accident from years ago. Molly is wracked with guilt and struggling to keep her family together. Nic, broken by guilt and anger, lashes out at Molly. Later Molly's car is found abandoned on the side of the road. The police think she walked away from her life. Nic refuses to believe her mom would leave them when they are all still recovering from tragedy. If she did not just walk away, then what happened to Molly?
Walker's brilliant writing leaves you unable to put the book down. She creates hard-to-forget characters. Often when an author includes numerous characters, they are flat. Walker's are fully formed, and her writing style leads you to suspect many outcomes.
I am sorry I waited so long to read Walker, but I am going to make up for time lost.
This review was published on Philomathinphila.com, on 9/15/20.