Whistling Past The Graveyard by Susan Crandall

I know, I know....its been eons since either of us has posted. It's been a rough few months, but now that summer is almost over and the kids will soon heading back to school I hope to post more often.



Title: Whistling Past The Graveyard
Author: Susan Crandall
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: Like
Alerts/Warnings: Death, Violence at the time of Civil Rights
Premise: "The summer of 1963 begins like any other for nine-year-old Starla Claudelle. Born to teenage parents in Mississippi, Starla is being raised by a strict paternal grandmother, Mamie, whose worst fear is that Starla will turn out like her mother. Starla hasn’t seen her momma since she was three, but is convinced that her mother will keep her promise to take Starla and her daddy to Nashville, where her mother hopes to become a famous singer—and that one day her family will be whole and perfect.

When Starla is grounded on the Fourth of July, she sneaks out to see the parade. After getting caught, Starla’s fear that Mamie will make good on her threats and send her to reform school cause her to panic and run away from home. Once out in the country, Starla is offered a ride by a black woman, Eula, who is traveling with a white baby. She happily accepts a ride, with the ultimate goal of reaching her mother in Nashville.

As the two unlikely companions make their long and sometimes dangerous journey, Starla’s eyes are opened to the harsh realities of 1963 southern segregation. Through talks with Eula, reconnecting with her parents, and encountering a series of surprising misadventures, Starla learns to let go of long-held dreams and realizes family is forged from those who will sacrifice all for you, no matter if bound by blood or by the heart" (Goodreads.com)

Opinions: This book was chosen for book club reading this last year. Unfortunately it was so popular that I was on hold forever at the library and finally got to read it two months after we held our discussion. The biggest hang-up with this book is that, even though is masterfully done, I'm afraid it can be lost in the influx of civil rights era books that have been released in quick succession over the last few years.

Having said that.....I love Starla. Starla is 9. She acts 9. She thinks like a 9 year old. She talks 9. She feels very real to me. And when she ends up running away and is forced to deal with some incredibly adult matters I was there with her as her thoughts battled her emotions to come to grip with reality in the 60s. I loved seeing her growth, her character arc, and her willing to fight for those she loves and for what she feels is right.  The difficulty of this story is that the dark matters revolving around self-worth, abuse, civil rights, and the treatment of others were so intense (especially knowing that Starla is only 9) made me wonder whether or not I could personally handle reading the rest. I love Ms. Cyrena and I love Eula, but Starla is my hero. And in spite of the danger, the darkness, and the heart-wrenching lessons she learns I'm glad that I endured the journey with her.  And it made for an incredible and complex book club discussion.  Overall my favorite line is toward the end when Starla is trying to come to grips with what she learned about the trials she went through....."God's plan ain't a free pass. Uh-uh. He give us moments to make choices, and we make them. We accountable for those choices. God's job ain't to make our lives easier, it's to make us better souls b the lessons he give us."

Nefertiti by Michelle Moran

 


Title: Nefertiti
Author: Michelle Moran
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Adult Historical Fiction
Rating: Liked
Alerts/Warnings: Plague, Murder, Forced Abortion, etc
Premise: "Raised far from the Egyptian court with her sister, Mutnodjmet, the beautiful and ambitious Nefertiti becomes the wife of the radical new pharaoh, Amunhotep, encouraging his plans to overturn Egypt's state religion and making powerful enemies in the process.

Raised far from the Egyptian court with her sister, Mutnodjmet, the beautiful and ambitious Nefertiti becomes the wife of the radical new pharaoh, Amunhotep, encouraging his plans to overturn Egypt's state religion and making powerful enemies in the process. - See more at: http://kcls.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1010114082_nefertiti#sthash.EGQaIuXy.dpuf

Opinions: I found this novel fascinating. It wasn't told from Nefertiti's point of view, but from her sister's, Mutnodjmet. Mutnodjmet's story made me cry, and there were many times I would have loved to just smack Nefertiti in her behalf. But that just shows how intriguing this book is. I became so involved in the story, and some of the choices made that affected a nation, that I struggled to put the book down for the last two days.

This book does take a look at some of the possible difficulties that people faced in Egypt at that time, but also shows the strengths they had and their beliefs. Even though I may disagree with some of their lifestyle decisions, I am completely fascinated by the lives they lived. And Mutnodjmet is now one of my favorite characters of all time, for her loyalty to family, but her strength in learning to stand for what she believed in, in her own way.

The Clockwork Three by Matthew J. Kirby

Title: The Clockwork Three
Author: Matthew J. Kirby
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Junior Steampunk Fiction
Rating:  Fabulous!!!
Alerts/Warnings: Some Violence
Premise: "As mysterious circumstances bring Giuseppe, Frederick, and Hannah together, their lives soon interlock like the turning gears in a clock and they realize that each one holds a key to solving the others' mysteries" (King County Library System).
Opinions: The Clockwork Three is a stand alone novel that is incredibly well written to the point that the story and the people came alive to my imagination and I found myself easy immerse inside of it.  Matthew J. Kirby does a wonderful job of interweaving three individual stories so that you can see how each person's actions can affect someone else.  Giuseppe, Frederick, and Hannah are amazing characters. I love Giuseppe's beautiful talent with music.  I admire the courage of Hannah when she does all she can to take care of her family.  And I am impressed by Fredrick's ingenuity and his heart.  The three youth may not always make the best decisions, but they learn to trust and build friendships with each other and grow through extensive difficulties. I highly recommend this book for all ages to read.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Title: The Help
Author: Kathryn Stockett
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Historical Ficiton
Rating: Love
Alerts/Warnings: There is some cursing and issues of racism. Also there is one chapter dealing with a nude man that has some mildly crass language.
Premise: Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen’s best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody’s business, but she can’t mind her tongue, so she’s lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed. (goodreads.com)

Opinions: I feel like there is a good probablity that most of you will have read this book already. But I very much enjoyed it. So for the couple(?) of you that haven't read this book. I'm here to tell you what all the hulabaloo is about. (I know you are so excited, aren't you?)

The Help follows 3 women, 1 Caucasian and 2 African American, in the South in 1962. None of them are happy with how they are treated. They all want to rise above what everyone wants of them and to be treated with respect.

So they write a book. A book telling the truth about how African American women are treated in the South. Especially in the homes that they work.

This is a powerful look at racism and love and true acceptance. I love the range of characters and the way the story shows you several walks of life and how people choose to handle the problems that come their way. It is moving and beautifully written. This is definately NOT a book for young adults. But it is well worth the read.

She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell

Title: She Walks in Beauty
Author: Siri Mitchell
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: Worship
Alerts/Warnings: Talks about tennements, addiction, brief mention of having a child out of wedlock. The thing that people might find the most troublesome are the issues that are mentioned around the corsets and female body parts not staying where they are supposed to. (This is a novel of society in the 1890's. I have done a great deal of research into this time period and everything is accurate and non graphic. There are mentions of all the things I listed above, but I honestly felt it was accurate and was done in a tasteful way so as to give the necessary information to create a real world, but not so heavy handed so as to offend or distract. But that's my opinion. Take it as you will.)
Premise: For a young society woman seeking a favorable marriage in the late 1890s, so much depends on her social season debut. Clara Carter has been given one goal: secure the affections of the city's most eligible bachelor. Debuting means plenty of work--there are corsets to be fitted, dances to master, manners to perfect. Her training soon pays off, however, as celebrity's spotlight turns Clara into a society-page darling. Yet Clara wonders if this is the life she really wants, especially when she learns her best friend has also set her sights on Franklin De Vries. When a man appears who seems to love her simply for who she is, and gossip backlash turns ugly, Clara realizes it's not just her heart at stake--the future of her family depends on how she plays the game. (goodreads.com)

Opinions: I loved this book. I thought it was a very accurate look at the life of a debutante in the late 1800's. It is disturbing how society wanted a woman to look, to act, to be. We follow Clara who has a brilliant mind and spitfire spirit. Clara has no desire to be a debutante. She has little desire to dance, flirt and woo her way into the heart of the city's most eligable bachelor. Yet, she has little choice. She is a woman in the 1890's. So she does as her father and aunt demand.

This is a really interesting book about trying to be true to yourself and doing what your family wants. I mentioned above that I've done research on this time period (when I was in college for a class project and paper) and I can honestly say that in my opinion it is one of the most brilliantly accurate books about the 1890's that has been written in the twentyfirst century (at least that I have read).

I loved the characters and how they dealt with each other. I also loved the love story and how it all turned up. I found myself surprised several times. This is a wonderfully, fantastic book. I very much enjoyed it. (Can you tell that I liked this book?)

Christy by Catherine Marshall

Title: Christy
Author: Catherine Marshall
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Adult Historical Fiction
Rating: Adore
Alerts/Warnings: Some violence and death
Premise: "Young Christy Huddleston begins a new life in the mountain hamlet of Cutter Gap as a teacher at a mission school where she comes to know and care for the wild highland people." (Pleasant Grove Library System)
Opinions: I read this book as part of book club and was hesitant about reading it at first. The descriptiveness can be overwhelming at times, but the story completely endearing. Christy is an intriguing character, full of her own preconceived notions about life when she leaves her privileged upbringing to help those less fortunate than herself as she goes to work as a teacher. She soon finds herself being taught instead and growing greatly from her time with the wonderfully vivid mountain folk. The trials that she and the other characters endure are at times heart wrenching and called for lots of Kleenex on my part. Then there is the love story aspect where Christy must decide between two incredibly different men. Overall, I found this story a completely engaging read and was grateful that my book club suggested we read it.

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy

Title: The Scarlet Pimpernel
Author: Baroness Emmuska Orczy
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Adult Historical Fiction
Rating: Fabulous
Alerts/Warnings: Some swearing, some description of violence associated with the French Revolution
Premise: "In 1792, during the French Revolution's Reign of Terror, an English aristocrat known to be an ineffectual fop is actually a master of disguises who, with a small band of dedicated friends, undertakes dangerous missions to save members of the French nobility from the guillotine. His friends and foes know him only as the Scarlet Pimpernel. But a ruthless French agent is sworn to discover his identity and hunt him down." (King County Library System)
Opinions: This is a fantastic story about love and overcoming pride. It is also a wonderful and slightly unusual look into aristocratic society and how they dealt with the French revolution from not only the French aspect, but from the English who did what they could to help those in need. The story is a bit difficult to get into at first due to the various dialects used to show differentiation in social classes. If you can get past that then this book is hard to put down and full of wonderful twists and turns.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Title: Jane Eyre
Author: Charlotte Bronte
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Adult Historical Romance/Classic
Rating: Fabulous
Alerts/Warnings: Some violence/Death
Premise: "
Opinions: This is a beautiful, but dark, tale of love and honor. I love to follow Jane as she discovers herself and the path the she wants to follow in life. I love the incredibly complex characters throughout the story and the twist of mystery within. This is not a frivolous story, but one of people who feel so real, people who make mistakes and poor choices and must pay for them. This is a story of a hard life and how to endure it and come out on top. If you want to read a story about a woman of great strength than read this book.

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

Title: Les Miserables
Author: Victor Hugo
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Adult Classic/Historical Fiction
Rating: Fabulous
Alerts/Warnings: some intense scenes, cruelty and death (it has been a while since I've read this so I don't recall specific details of language)
Premise: "In this story of the trials of the peasant Jean Valjean--a man unjustly imprisoned, baffled by destiny, and hounded by his nemesis, the magnificently realized, ambiguously malevolent police detective Javert--Hugo achieves the sort of rare imaginative resonance that allows a work of art to transcend its genre." (Good Reads Description)
Opinions: I read the unabridged version in college. The size alone is daunting, but I have to say it was one of the best books I have ever read. In fact, if you want to get the true beauty of the story than I must insist that you read the unabridged version. Way too much is cut out of the abridged version (the story is still basically covered, but you miss the beauty, the majesty of the story). The depth of character is fully blossomed within the unabridged story, where as it is just beginning to flower in the abridged. This is a story about Jean Valjean and all the people that enter into his life who influenced it (for good or bad) and how he overcomes some of the greatest obstacles to find the true self within. The characters are poignant and the plot fascinating and heart-wrenching. This is a story of growth, love, sacrifice and so much more. This is a definite FABULOUS read.

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

Title: Rebecca
Author: Daphne Du Maurier
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Adult Historical Fiction/Suspense
Rating: Love
Alerts/Warnings: Murder
Premise: "Working as a lady's companion, the heroine of Rebecca learns her place. Life begins to look very bleak until, on a trip to the South of France, she meets Maxim de Winter, a handsome widower whose sudden proposal of marriage takes her by surprise. She accepts, but whisked from glamorous Monte Carlo to the ominous and brooding Manderley, the new Mrs de Winter finds Max a changed man. And the memory of his dead wife Rebecca is forever kept alive by the forbidding Mrs Danvers." (Good Reads Description)
Opinions: My mother got me hooked on Daphne Du Maurier books when I was a pre-teen. They are all filled with mystery and a touch of romance. Rebecca, in particular is one of my favorites of her books. It is an extremely intense book full of suspense and intrigue. Even Alfred Hitchcock loved it enough to make a movie out the storyline. I love the mystery, and the uncertainty of a young woman returning to her new husband's home trying to enter the middle of a pre-existing, well-running, high-brow society and wondering if she would ever fit in or would she always be compared to his first wife, Rebecca. And the ending....ahhhhh!!! Can't spoil it for you. ;-) This book is perfect for a cold, rainy day, to read by a fire while wrapped in blanket and eating chocolate.

The Chosen by Chaim Potok

Title: The Chosen

Author: Chaim Potok

Reviewer: Stephanie

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: Worship

Alerts/Warnings: none (although I would definately not give it to child under 12)

Premise: In 1940s Brooklyn, New York, an accident throws Reuven Malther and Danny Saunders together. Despite their differences (Reuven is a Modern Orthodox Jew with an intellectual, Zionist father; Danny is the brilliant son and rightful heir to a Hasidic rebbe), the young men form a deep, if unlikely, friendship. Together they negotiate adolescence, family conflicts, the crisis of faith engendered when Holocaust stories begin to emerge in the U.S., loss, love, and the journey to adulthood. The intellectual and spiritual clashes between fathers, between each son and his own father, and between the two young men, provide a unique backdrop for this exploration of fathers, sons, faith, loyalty, and, ultimately, the power of love.

Opinions: I read this book for the first time when it was assigned for me by my high school english teacher. I vividly remember reading it, and at least once a year since I have reread this book. There is something about the way the story is presented and how it evolves and grows. I think I enjoy it more as a 30 year old than I did as an 18 year old. But it has moved and touched me every time I have read it.

Reuben and Danny start out as enemies, but we learn that even enemies can become friends if you listen to someone else. This book is great if you like analyzing books for themes and motifs, but even if you don't it is an amazing story of being true to yourself, your religion and your inner beliefs.

This is an amazing, amazing, amazing book. Have I said it was amazing? Cause it is.

PS If you've read this or after you do, I have a question for you. Who do you think is the Chosen?

The President's Lady by Irving Stone

Title: The President's Lady: a novel about Rachel and Andrew Jackson
Author: Irving Stone
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Adult Historical Fiction
Rating: Fabulous
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: A biographical sketch of the romance between Rachel and Andrew Jackson.
Opinions: I first learned about Andrew Jackson's romance with his wife Rachel through another book that I read and couldn't wait to learn more. Even though this story is biographical fiction it was meticulously researched and brings to life their incredible love story. The struggles this couple faced were incredible, including downstream effects of a previous marriage on Rachel's end that led to many duel's as Andrew fought for the honor of his wife. It also describes Jackson's struggle as he becomes President just when his wife passes away. I highly recommend this for everyone to read.

A Woman's Place by Lynn N. Austin

Title: A Woman's Place
Author: Lynn N. Austin
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Adult Historical Fiction
Rating: Fabulous
Alerts/Warnings: Some violence associated with racial tension.
Premise: "As America rises to meet the challenge of World War II, the call for defense workers unites four women at Seneca Shipyards in Michigan. As their lives intersect, this unlikely gathering of women will encourage, shape, and influence one another as they learn valuable lessons about themselves and about life, love, and faith." (King County Library System)
Opinions: This book follows the lives of four women during the 1940's as they struggle to find their role in supporting their loved ones who have gone off to fight in World War Two. Jean is right out of high school and wants to support her six brothers who've gone off to war. Helen is a spinster trying to avoid being alone in her home. Ginny feels under appreciated being a wife and a mother. And Rosa, who had eloped with a soldier, is living with her husband's family and trying to find her self worth. Each woman finds a job working at a shipyard in Michigan and struggles to redefine what a "woman's place" means. I felt very connected to each of the women and loved getting to know them better and to see their strengths and cheer them on as they worked to overcome their weaknesses.

Ashes by Kathryn Lasky

Title: Ashes
Author: Kathryn Lasky
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Teen Historical Fiction
Rating: Adore
Alerts/Warnings: Some language, Some brief mentions of sex and nudity (not graphic)
Premise: In 1932 Berlin, thirteen-year-old Gaby Schramm witnesses the beginning of Hitler's rise to power, as soldiers become ubiquitous, her beloved literature teacher starts wearing a jewelled swastika pin, and the family's dear friend, Albert Einstein, leaves the country while Gaby's parents secretly bury his books and papers in their small yard.
Opinions: This was a very interesting book. I've read many books that are about Germany in the late 30's early 40's. I have never before read a book that chronicled Hitler's rise to power. Kathryn Lasky obviously did her research. I learned buckets about why Germany wanted Hitler and the fear and distrust that many people had in each other as they lived their lives. Gaby is an interesting character. She has a great love for reading, her family and her friends. She is friends with Jews and scientists. She is also friends with people who become Nazis and she tries to wrap her head around how they could want to follow Hitler. It is a fascinating novel and I enjoyed reading it. There are a few curse words. A brief mention of nudity and sex, though nothing graphic. I really liked this book. I finished it yesterday, and I can't stop thinking about what I would have done in Gaby's situation. This is a fabulously fascinating book that I hope you enjoy.

Alchemy and Meggy Swann by Karen Cushman

Title: Alchemy and Meggy Swann
Author: Karen Cushman
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: Adore
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: In 1573, the crippled, scorned, and destitute Meggy Swann goes to London, where she meets her father, an impoverished alchemist, and eventually discovers that although her legs are bent and weak, she has many other strengths. (King County Library System)
Opinions: Meggy is an interesting character. I didn't particularly like her at the beginning of the book. As she grew in the story, I grew to like her too. Meggy has been shunned be everyone she has ever met except her Gran. Then when Gran dies, she is sent by her mother to live with her father, who wants nothing to do with his crippled daughter. However, in London Meggy learns and grows and discovers that there are others who see the inside of a person and their character strengths and not just physical deformites.
Karen Cushman is amazing at historical fiction. She does her research and you feel that in her books. The setting is an amazing and rich character in the book as well as any of the other characters. While this isn't my favorite of her books ("The Loud Silence of Francine Green" is), I definately enjoyed reading it, learned alot and didn't want to put it down.

Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith

Title: Flygirl
Author: Sherri L. Smith
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Rating: Love
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: During World War II, a light-skinned African American girl "passes" for white in order to join the Women Airforce Service Pilots. (King County Library System)
Opinions: This was a unique book that dealt with several issues. This book was about inequality and discrimination against women and African Americans. Ida Mae is a light skinned African American who joins applies and is accepted to the WASP program during WW2. However, she is accepted because they do not know she is African American. She never tells anyone about who she really is and lets them make their own assumptions. She is a strong, vibrant character with a big heart. I loved Ida Mae. (I also LOVE Patsy!! What a fabulous minor character. I would love to read a book from her perspective.)

This book is full of information about WASP and WW2. It also gives you a peek into what life would have been life for an African American woman in the 1940's. This is a stellar book that I would recommend to anyone. A truly FabulousRead.

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan

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Title: Esperanza Rising
Author: Pam Munoz Ryan
Reviewer: Stephanie
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: Love
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: Esperanza and her mother are forced to leave their life of wealth and privilege in Mexico to go work in the labor camps of Southern California, where they must adapt to the harsh circumstances facing Mexican farm workers on the eve of the Great Depression. (King County Library System)

Opinions: Esperanza had a cushy life full of beauty, privledge and love. Yet when several unexpected events happen she ends up having to leave her beautiful and privledged life in Mexico behind for a chance to maintain the love in her life with her mother. So they go to California where Esperanza now has to work for the first time in her life. She learns menial tasks that were beneath her in Mexico. As Esperanza rises like a phoenix out of the ashes of her old life she becomes stronger and a better person.

I love this book. It is beautifully written. The prose is moving and the characters are very well developed. The symbolism throughout the book was moving and powerful. I love the way the story is divided into fruit and vegetable seasons instead of chapters. Not only do you have a beautifully organic feel to the book, you have a connection to the characters and the location. Added bonus you get a true feel for what it would have been like for the workers during the Great Depression.

This is a fabulous book and I hope you love it as much as I do each time I read it.

Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson

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Title: Hattie Big Sky
Author: Kirby Larson
Guest Reviewer: Janelle
Genre: YA Historical fiction
Rating: Like
Alerts/Warnings: None

Premise: After inheriting her uncle's homesteading claim in Montana, sixteen-year-old orphan Hattie Brooks travels from Iowa in 1917 to make a home for herself and encounters some unexpected problems related to the war being fought in Europe. Alone in the world, teen-aged Hattie is driven to prove up on her uncle's homesteading claim. For years, sixteen-year-old Hattie's been shuttled between relatives. Tired of being Hattie Here-and-There, she courageously leaves Iowa to prove up on her late uncle's homestead claim near Vida, Montana. With a stubborn stick-to-itiveness, Hattie faces frost, drought and blizzards. Despite many hardships, Hattie forges ahead, sharing her adventures with her friends--especially Charlie, fighting in France--through letters and articles for her hometown paper. Her backbreaking quest for a home is lightened by her neighbors, the Muellers. But she feels threatened by pressure to be a "Loyal" American, forbidding friendships with folks of German descent. Despite everything, Hattie's determined to stay until a tragedy causes her to discover the true meaning of home. (King County Library System)


Opinions: Hattie’s character was rich and real, and I enjoyed the peek into mid-century homesteading life. It may not have ended exactly the way I wanted it to, but it was comforting to see Hattie finally feel like she belonged somewhere.