Marianne Perry's Blog, page 3
May 21, 2017
Matrons and Madams by Sharon Johnston
Book Review:
Matrons and Madams by Sharon Johnston
Matrons and Madams by Sharon Johnston is a fiction derived from the life of the author's grandmother. The thirty chapter book spans the years 1912 to 1931. It begins in London, England in 1918 with Clara Durling, a British nurse-mother whose husband dies from complications related to injuries sustained in WW1. Chapter Two switches to 1912, Sydney, Nova Scotia and to Lily Parson who over the course of the novel becomes a widowed teacher-mother. There is an early chapter in New York City with Lily and her sister, Beth but the story is primarily set in Lethridge, Alberta. The action unfolds from both Clara and Lily's point of view with the former's serving the major. Clara becomes the Superintendent of Galt Hospital and Lily, operator of a brothel called The Last Post. As events unfold, a relationship between the women is discovered.
The author tackles a plethora of issues including: Spanish Flu Epidemic; World War One and tragedies suffered by the soldiers; coal mining; suicide; unwed mothers; family secrets; mother-daughter dynamics;suicide; kidnapping;eating disorders;unrealized love; prostitution; venereal disease; prohibition; economic depression; changing political views.
Sharon Johnston chronicles an interesting period in Canadian history and her attention to detail reflects extensive research conducted. In Chapter Eight, she pens a vivid image of the Canadian Shield; Chapter Nine, an excellent depiction of Grosse Ile immigration station in 1919; and Chapter Eleven, a clear picture of the Port of Montreal.
Johnston also draws us into the characters. In Chapter Five, there is a poignant description of Dr. James Barnaby whose war injuries dash his dreams of becoming a surgeon and in Chapter Nineteen, a double-amputee, Dan.
As a recommendation, threading fewer issues and fleshing them out deeper would have deepened understanding of events and heightened the reader's relationship with the story Nevertheless, Matrons and Madams is a good read.
Marianne Perry
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca
Matrons and Madams by Sharon Johnston
Matrons and Madams by Sharon Johnston is a fiction derived from the life of the author's grandmother. The thirty chapter book spans the years 1912 to 1931. It begins in London, England in 1918 with Clara Durling, a British nurse-mother whose husband dies from complications related to injuries sustained in WW1. Chapter Two switches to 1912, Sydney, Nova Scotia and to Lily Parson who over the course of the novel becomes a widowed teacher-mother. There is an early chapter in New York City with Lily and her sister, Beth but the story is primarily set in Lethridge, Alberta. The action unfolds from both Clara and Lily's point of view with the former's serving the major. Clara becomes the Superintendent of Galt Hospital and Lily, operator of a brothel called The Last Post. As events unfold, a relationship between the women is discovered.
The author tackles a plethora of issues including: Spanish Flu Epidemic; World War One and tragedies suffered by the soldiers; coal mining; suicide; unwed mothers; family secrets; mother-daughter dynamics;suicide; kidnapping;eating disorders;unrealized love; prostitution; venereal disease; prohibition; economic depression; changing political views.
Sharon Johnston chronicles an interesting period in Canadian history and her attention to detail reflects extensive research conducted. In Chapter Eight, she pens a vivid image of the Canadian Shield; Chapter Nine, an excellent depiction of Grosse Ile immigration station in 1919; and Chapter Eleven, a clear picture of the Port of Montreal.
Johnston also draws us into the characters. In Chapter Five, there is a poignant description of Dr. James Barnaby whose war injuries dash his dreams of becoming a surgeon and in Chapter Nineteen, a double-amputee, Dan.
As a recommendation, threading fewer issues and fleshing them out deeper would have deepened understanding of events and heightened the reader's relationship with the story Nevertheless, Matrons and Madams is a good read.
Marianne Perry
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca
May 18, 2017
The Accident by Linwood Barclay
A terrific book! Set in Connecticut, it begins with a Prologue where two innocent women meet a tragic fate pulling the reader into the story. Chapters One to Sixty-Three unfold two months later and are told from 1st and 3rd point of view. The Epilogue is three weeks later.
The story centres on counterfeit goods and smuggling rings. People on hard times trying to survive and others lashing out in response to grief. There is a horrible accident that leaves a young girl without her mother. The woman's husband is forced to ask who was the wife he was married to when evidence challenges his assumptions. Seemingly pleasant purse parties are revealed to have nefarious motives. Clever for sure!
Barclay is a clear and crisp writer. He includes a few hints of backstory to strengthen the human element. This is a plot driven book that twists and turns. Barclay keeps us guessing about the Prologue finally revealing how it fits in with the overall action in chapter twenty-three.
The chapter sixty-three finale is a wow. Enjoyed The Accident and will read Linwood Barclay again.
Marianne Perry
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca
The story centres on counterfeit goods and smuggling rings. People on hard times trying to survive and others lashing out in response to grief. There is a horrible accident that leaves a young girl without her mother. The woman's husband is forced to ask who was the wife he was married to when evidence challenges his assumptions. Seemingly pleasant purse parties are revealed to have nefarious motives. Clever for sure!
Barclay is a clear and crisp writer. He includes a few hints of backstory to strengthen the human element. This is a plot driven book that twists and turns. Barclay keeps us guessing about the Prologue finally revealing how it fits in with the overall action in chapter twenty-three.
The chapter sixty-three finale is a wow. Enjoyed The Accident and will read Linwood Barclay again.
Marianne Perry
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca
May 2, 2017
Left Neglect by Lisa Genova
Who are you when...?
Left Neglect by Lisa Genova
Set in Boston and Vermont over the course of approximately one year, Left Neglect is the story of 37 year old Sarah Nickerson, a career driven married mother of three who suffers a brain injury as a result of a cell phone distraction while driving.
As a doctor explains in Chapter 8,"She has Left Neglect. It's a pretty common condition for patients who've suffered damage to the right-hemisphere, usually from a hemorrhage or stroke. Her brain isn't paying attention to anything on her left. Left doesn't exist to her."
The novel outlines Sarah's rehabilitation both in the hospital/clinic and at home and the impact her altered condition has on family dynamics. Genova guides the reader through Sarah's re-evaluation of goals, attitudes and priorities. Sarah's estranged three decades relationship with her mother is explored given she becomes the primary caregiver. Also, the accidental drowning of her 3 year old brother, Nate when she a child and the impact her mother endured. The effect Sarah's inability to work creates for her husband, Bob, as he absorbs full financial responsibility is well-depicted as is the adaptation forced by her young son's diagnosis with ADHD.
The chapters focusing on Sarah's struggles are vivid and poignant. Genova uses humor to humanize Sarah and Bob's tensions as they sort out their "new" 10-year old marriage. The parallels between Sarah's trying to relearn basic tasks such as reading a newspaper and Charlie, her ADHD son, attempting to employ strategies to improve his school tasks serves a clever tool helping us understand the severity of Left Neglect.
The book, however, tends to lose focus when Genova shifts into backstory and, as a result, interest wanes. The ending, too, seems tidy, unrealistic and unsatisfactory.
Genova merits praises for the medical and support information she provides in the Author's Note as well as the excellent Readers Group Guide.
Left Neglect is a good read.
Marianne Perry
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca (less)
Left Neglect by Lisa Genova
Set in Boston and Vermont over the course of approximately one year, Left Neglect is the story of 37 year old Sarah Nickerson, a career driven married mother of three who suffers a brain injury as a result of a cell phone distraction while driving.
As a doctor explains in Chapter 8,"She has Left Neglect. It's a pretty common condition for patients who've suffered damage to the right-hemisphere, usually from a hemorrhage or stroke. Her brain isn't paying attention to anything on her left. Left doesn't exist to her."
The novel outlines Sarah's rehabilitation both in the hospital/clinic and at home and the impact her altered condition has on family dynamics. Genova guides the reader through Sarah's re-evaluation of goals, attitudes and priorities. Sarah's estranged three decades relationship with her mother is explored given she becomes the primary caregiver. Also, the accidental drowning of her 3 year old brother, Nate when she a child and the impact her mother endured. The effect Sarah's inability to work creates for her husband, Bob, as he absorbs full financial responsibility is well-depicted as is the adaptation forced by her young son's diagnosis with ADHD.
The chapters focusing on Sarah's struggles are vivid and poignant. Genova uses humor to humanize Sarah and Bob's tensions as they sort out their "new" 10-year old marriage. The parallels between Sarah's trying to relearn basic tasks such as reading a newspaper and Charlie, her ADHD son, attempting to employ strategies to improve his school tasks serves a clever tool helping us understand the severity of Left Neglect.
The book, however, tends to lose focus when Genova shifts into backstory and, as a result, interest wanes. The ending, too, seems tidy, unrealistic and unsatisfactory.
Genova merits praises for the medical and support information she provides in the Author's Note as well as the excellent Readers Group Guide.
Left Neglect is a good read.
Marianne Perry
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca (less)
April 27, 2017
The Sleepwalker by Chris Bohjalian
Do you suffer from parasomnia?
I read The Sleepwalker in two days. For several reasons, the story captured my attention. First of all, I knew scant about the sleep disorder, parasomnia and thought it unique to have Annalee Ahlberg, the mother and Lianna and Paige, her daughters afflicted with it.
The details of Annalee's disappearance and whether it murder, suicide or the result of parasomnia; her nuanced marriage to Warren and whether him an unfaithful spouse; the sister's dynamics and cloud as to Paige's parentage; plus Gavin Rikert, the detective and questionable character who'd a previous relationship with Annalee and then, Lianna combined to create a page-turning tale.
Structured in two parts with a twist of a resolution and an epilogue leaving the reader with a pit in his/her stomach, Chris Bohjalian has penned a compelling tale.
Marianne Perry
Author of The Inheritance
http://www.marianneperry.ca
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
I read The Sleepwalker in two days. For several reasons, the story captured my attention. First of all, I knew scant about the sleep disorder, parasomnia and thought it unique to have Annalee Ahlberg, the mother and Lianna and Paige, her daughters afflicted with it.
The details of Annalee's disappearance and whether it murder, suicide or the result of parasomnia; her nuanced marriage to Warren and whether him an unfaithful spouse; the sister's dynamics and cloud as to Paige's parentage; plus Gavin Rikert, the detective and questionable character who'd a previous relationship with Annalee and then, Lianna combined to create a page-turning tale.
Structured in two parts with a twist of a resolution and an epilogue leaving the reader with a pit in his/her stomach, Chris Bohjalian has penned a compelling tale.
Marianne Perry
Author of The Inheritance
http://www.marianneperry.ca
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
April 26, 2017
Hoax or Miracle
Hoax Or Miracle:
Book Review: The Wonder by Emma Donoghue
The Wonder, set in Athlone, a village in the Irish midlands post the 1845-1852 potato famine, unfolds during a two week period in August 1859. It is about Anna O’Donnell, an eleven year old mourning the loss of her older brother, Pat who’d died the previous November. The girl is locked in a fast and appears to have consumed solely water the past four months. Perplexed as to whether Anna’s survival a miracle or hoax, a local committee hires two women to observe her round-the-clock.
Elizabeth (Lib) Wright, a Florence Nightingale trained nurse who ministered during the 1853-1856 Crimean War and Sister Michael, a Roman Catholic nun and nurse are required to work separate shifts. They are ordered to refrain from discussion and issue independent reports as to whether or not Anna fed. Rosaleen and Malachy O’Donnell, Anna’s parents insist their daughter and only child having eaten nothing; an allegation with which Father Thaddeus, the priest and Dr. McBrearty, the doctor overseeing her care concur. The action occurs primarily in Anna’s bedroom in the family cabin and environs.
A blend of fact and fiction, Emma Donoghue studied cases of “fasting girls” between the sixteenth and twentieth centuries as research for The Wonder. Among the issues examined are religion vs. superstition, mysticism vs. medicine, family secrets, parental love, loss and grief and the possibility of redemption and lives renewed.
The novel is organized in five chapters: nurse, watch, fast, vigil and shift. A reference to the title in Chapter One: Nurse instils intrigue as soon as the story begins. Each chapter starts with several definitions of the term with which it titled; a clever tool alerting the reader as to its theme plus catching his/her attention and prompting contemplation. An epilogue concludes the book.
An intriguing plot, the author excels at creating an authentic sense of place. Vivid descriptions paint a picture of the prevailing poverty as per this excerpt from Chapter One: Nurse of the O’Donnell’s cabin:
“The cabin was in need of a fresh coat of whitewash; pitched thatch brooded over three small squares of glass. At the far end, a cow byre stooped under the same roof.”
“She (Lib) noted a plain table, pushed against the windowless back wall….A curtain of old flour sacks nailed up….The blackened chimney hood was woven of wattle. There was a square hollow on either side of the fire, and what Lib guessed was a salt box nailed high up.”
The inclusion of historical references such as a jaunting car (pony cart), creepies (three-legged log stools), daguerreotype (early photograph) and use of peat as a fuel source serve another tool in this regard.
Details specific to nursing during this period also made this era come alive. Lib Wright nursed at Scutari, a barrack hospital in Istanbul and base during the Crimean War. Pertinent duties were explained in Chapter Two: Watch for which the following are examples:
“At Scutari, the nurses had had to root through storerooms for chloride of lime, tincture of opium, blankets, socks, firewood, flour, lice combs…. Torn up sheets became slings, sacks were stuffed to make tiny mattresses; desperation was the mother of the makeshift.”
Anna’s situation is complex as is the relationship she and Lib develop. Lib’s marital breakdown and the loss of her newborn contribute to the bond. Donoghue’s use of internal dialogue enables us to gain insight of this evolving dynamic. This text is from Chapter Three: Fast:
“Lib lay very still, eyes closed, but light prickled through the ids. Being tired didn’t mean one was capable of sleep, just as the need for food wasn’t the same as a relish for it. Which brought her back, as everything did, to Anna.”
The conclusion though not a surprise answers the question driving the plot. Without revealing the ending, however, I felt the resolution a tad unbelievable and rather disappointing. Whilst most of the characters well-developed, Mr. William Byrne, a newspaper journalist the exception and his role in the final chapter wanting. Nevertheless, Emma Donoghue has penned a riveting tale and The Wonder a good read.
Marianne Perry
Author of The Inheritance
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
http://www.marianneperry.ca
Book Review: The Wonder by Emma Donoghue
The Wonder, set in Athlone, a village in the Irish midlands post the 1845-1852 potato famine, unfolds during a two week period in August 1859. It is about Anna O’Donnell, an eleven year old mourning the loss of her older brother, Pat who’d died the previous November. The girl is locked in a fast and appears to have consumed solely water the past four months. Perplexed as to whether Anna’s survival a miracle or hoax, a local committee hires two women to observe her round-the-clock.
Elizabeth (Lib) Wright, a Florence Nightingale trained nurse who ministered during the 1853-1856 Crimean War and Sister Michael, a Roman Catholic nun and nurse are required to work separate shifts. They are ordered to refrain from discussion and issue independent reports as to whether or not Anna fed. Rosaleen and Malachy O’Donnell, Anna’s parents insist their daughter and only child having eaten nothing; an allegation with which Father Thaddeus, the priest and Dr. McBrearty, the doctor overseeing her care concur. The action occurs primarily in Anna’s bedroom in the family cabin and environs.
A blend of fact and fiction, Emma Donoghue studied cases of “fasting girls” between the sixteenth and twentieth centuries as research for The Wonder. Among the issues examined are religion vs. superstition, mysticism vs. medicine, family secrets, parental love, loss and grief and the possibility of redemption and lives renewed.
The novel is organized in five chapters: nurse, watch, fast, vigil and shift. A reference to the title in Chapter One: Nurse instils intrigue as soon as the story begins. Each chapter starts with several definitions of the term with which it titled; a clever tool alerting the reader as to its theme plus catching his/her attention and prompting contemplation. An epilogue concludes the book.
An intriguing plot, the author excels at creating an authentic sense of place. Vivid descriptions paint a picture of the prevailing poverty as per this excerpt from Chapter One: Nurse of the O’Donnell’s cabin:
“The cabin was in need of a fresh coat of whitewash; pitched thatch brooded over three small squares of glass. At the far end, a cow byre stooped under the same roof.”
“She (Lib) noted a plain table, pushed against the windowless back wall….A curtain of old flour sacks nailed up….The blackened chimney hood was woven of wattle. There was a square hollow on either side of the fire, and what Lib guessed was a salt box nailed high up.”
The inclusion of historical references such as a jaunting car (pony cart), creepies (three-legged log stools), daguerreotype (early photograph) and use of peat as a fuel source serve another tool in this regard.
Details specific to nursing during this period also made this era come alive. Lib Wright nursed at Scutari, a barrack hospital in Istanbul and base during the Crimean War. Pertinent duties were explained in Chapter Two: Watch for which the following are examples:
“At Scutari, the nurses had had to root through storerooms for chloride of lime, tincture of opium, blankets, socks, firewood, flour, lice combs…. Torn up sheets became slings, sacks were stuffed to make tiny mattresses; desperation was the mother of the makeshift.”
Anna’s situation is complex as is the relationship she and Lib develop. Lib’s marital breakdown and the loss of her newborn contribute to the bond. Donoghue’s use of internal dialogue enables us to gain insight of this evolving dynamic. This text is from Chapter Three: Fast:
“Lib lay very still, eyes closed, but light prickled through the ids. Being tired didn’t mean one was capable of sleep, just as the need for food wasn’t the same as a relish for it. Which brought her back, as everything did, to Anna.”
The conclusion though not a surprise answers the question driving the plot. Without revealing the ending, however, I felt the resolution a tad unbelievable and rather disappointing. Whilst most of the characters well-developed, Mr. William Byrne, a newspaper journalist the exception and his role in the final chapter wanting. Nevertheless, Emma Donoghue has penned a riveting tale and The Wonder a good read.
Marianne Perry
Author of The Inheritance
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
http://www.marianneperry.ca
April 13, 2017
Behind Her Eyes: Book Review
Book Review:
Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough
Sarah Pinborough has penned an interesting book. A psychological three hundred paged thriller set in London, England, it is divided into three parts told from the third point of view: Then, Later and Now. Though effective in layering the action, the sequence of events is somewhat muddled.
The story is told from the viewpoint of the two major female characters, Louise and Adele. The chapters revert back and forth, which helps us understand the women plus the unfolding situation. The plot focuses on traumatic issues such as marital infidelity, family trauma and mental health. No one is whom they seem and the truth reveals what we assume false.
There is a thread of the supernatural throughout that I didn't feel was developed fully. As a result, it reduced the quality of an otherwise twisting and turning story. The ending from Rob's point of view was also unsatisfactory; too quick and neat though a surprise, for sure. Nevertheless, a worthwhile read.
Marianne Perry
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca (less)
Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough
Sarah Pinborough has penned an interesting book. A psychological three hundred paged thriller set in London, England, it is divided into three parts told from the third point of view: Then, Later and Now. Though effective in layering the action, the sequence of events is somewhat muddled.
The story is told from the viewpoint of the two major female characters, Louise and Adele. The chapters revert back and forth, which helps us understand the women plus the unfolding situation. The plot focuses on traumatic issues such as marital infidelity, family trauma and mental health. No one is whom they seem and the truth reveals what we assume false.
There is a thread of the supernatural throughout that I didn't feel was developed fully. As a result, it reduced the quality of an otherwise twisting and turning story. The ending from Rob's point of view was also unsatisfactory; too quick and neat though a surprise, for sure. Nevertheless, a worthwhile read.
Marianne Perry
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca (less)
April 6, 2017
Fatal by John Lescroart. Book Review
Fatal by John Lescroart
This is my first John Lescroart novel and I have mixed feelings about it. The 300 page book was effectively organized into three parts covering about a seven month span. The structure and short chapters helped keep the plot fast-paced.
With respect to the plot, however, I found it jumbled and the various events poorly integrated. The specific reason there was a terrorist incident, for example, was not clearly articulated.
The characters, mainly married couples, were sketched but undeveloped with almost nil back story and, hence, I found it difficult to connect with them. Anorexia surfaces as an issue with one character and I felt an understanding of the disease and the difficulty in treatment lacking.
The suspense with regards to murder and deceit was well captured in the author's writing and Lescroart certainly kept us guessing as to the culprit(s).
Set in San Francisco, Lescroart also crafted a vivid sense of place. The crime(s) were solved in the last chapters but I felt the solution rushed and tidied up quickly to simply end the book. I also found the concluding scene depicting a budding relationship between two of the characters maudlin.
Though disappointed, I did enjoy the thread of the story and would read another one of Lescroart's novels.
Marianne Perry
www.marianneperry.ca
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
This is my first John Lescroart novel and I have mixed feelings about it. The 300 page book was effectively organized into three parts covering about a seven month span. The structure and short chapters helped keep the plot fast-paced.
With respect to the plot, however, I found it jumbled and the various events poorly integrated. The specific reason there was a terrorist incident, for example, was not clearly articulated.
The characters, mainly married couples, were sketched but undeveloped with almost nil back story and, hence, I found it difficult to connect with them. Anorexia surfaces as an issue with one character and I felt an understanding of the disease and the difficulty in treatment lacking.
The suspense with regards to murder and deceit was well captured in the author's writing and Lescroart certainly kept us guessing as to the culprit(s).
Set in San Francisco, Lescroart also crafted a vivid sense of place. The crime(s) were solved in the last chapters but I felt the solution rushed and tidied up quickly to simply end the book. I also found the concluding scene depicting a budding relationship between two of the characters maudlin.
Though disappointed, I did enjoy the thread of the story and would read another one of Lescroart's novels.
Marianne Perry
www.marianneperry.ca
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
February 17, 2017
Should You Trust Lo?
Should You Trust Lo?
Book Review:
The Woman In Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
Did Laura (Lo) Blackstock witness a woman’s body being thrown overboard in the cabin next to hers? Had she too much alcohol to drink at the reception and her recollection, therefore, suspect or given a history of anxiety issues, this a hallucination? A travel journalist based in North London, England, Lo accepts an assignment on the maiden voyage of the Aurora Borealis, a ten-cabin luxury liner on a week-long cruise of the Norwegian fjords and Swedish archipelago islands. Prior to this, however, she is burglarized. Traumatized by the break-in plus troubled over a conflicted relationship with her boyfriend, Judah Lewis, a foreign correspondent, Ruth Ware challenges us from the start. Can we trust Lo?
The Woman In Cabin 10 begins with a harrowing Prologue. It has thirty-seven chapters divided into eight parts that focus on pivotal events. The author uses email messages, Facebook comments, website forums and news sites plus news articles to tell her story. These varied techniques quicken the intriguing plot.
The novel is rife with twists and turns. Does the woman in cabin 10 really exist? Is the owner of the vessel and his crew involved in a cover-up? Wouldn’t a murder threaten the ship’s future and employment of all concerned?
If a murder is proven, how will the issue of international waters impact the crime? This Chapter 20 excerpt from the conversation between Lo and Lord Richard Bullmer, director of the Northern Lights Company which owns the Aurora speaks to the situation.
“The Norwegian police may not be able to act if the incident took place in British or international waters-it’s a question of legal jurisdiction, you understand, not their willingness to investigate. It will all depend.”
Lo encounters mostly non-existent internet signal on board and, therefore, is unable to contact the police or Judah for help. Is this real or purposed?
Ware populates her novel with eclectic characters: financiers, ex-model, travel expert, photographer, etc. One male had a complicated relationship with Lo in the past. Are these people who they present themselves to be?
Ware excels at describing the “gobsmacking interior” of the boutique ship. I cite this example from Chapter 5:
“That one chandelier has more than two thousand Swarovski crystals.”
She presents the turbulent sea as a metaphor for Lo’s confusion as the following Chapter 19 excerpt shows:
“I watched the sea rise and fall outside the window, its ceaseless movement echoing the restless thoughts that were running around inside my head.”
The wife of the Aurora’s owner, a wealthy heiress, suffers from cancer. Ware deftly captures the scourge of this disease in this Chapter 10 excerpt:
“To see someone like Anna Bullmer, so privileges, with every advantage that money could buy-the latest medicine, the best doctors and treatments available-to see her fighting for her life like this, before our very eyes, was almost unbearable.”
The concluding chapters are a bit of a stretch with respect what happens to Lo and the ultimate resolution. Nevertheless, Ruth Ware pens an exciting mystery that is a goodread.
Marianne Perry
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca
Book Review:
The Woman In Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
Did Laura (Lo) Blackstock witness a woman’s body being thrown overboard in the cabin next to hers? Had she too much alcohol to drink at the reception and her recollection, therefore, suspect or given a history of anxiety issues, this a hallucination? A travel journalist based in North London, England, Lo accepts an assignment on the maiden voyage of the Aurora Borealis, a ten-cabin luxury liner on a week-long cruise of the Norwegian fjords and Swedish archipelago islands. Prior to this, however, she is burglarized. Traumatized by the break-in plus troubled over a conflicted relationship with her boyfriend, Judah Lewis, a foreign correspondent, Ruth Ware challenges us from the start. Can we trust Lo?
The Woman In Cabin 10 begins with a harrowing Prologue. It has thirty-seven chapters divided into eight parts that focus on pivotal events. The author uses email messages, Facebook comments, website forums and news sites plus news articles to tell her story. These varied techniques quicken the intriguing plot.
The novel is rife with twists and turns. Does the woman in cabin 10 really exist? Is the owner of the vessel and his crew involved in a cover-up? Wouldn’t a murder threaten the ship’s future and employment of all concerned?
If a murder is proven, how will the issue of international waters impact the crime? This Chapter 20 excerpt from the conversation between Lo and Lord Richard Bullmer, director of the Northern Lights Company which owns the Aurora speaks to the situation.
“The Norwegian police may not be able to act if the incident took place in British or international waters-it’s a question of legal jurisdiction, you understand, not their willingness to investigate. It will all depend.”
Lo encounters mostly non-existent internet signal on board and, therefore, is unable to contact the police or Judah for help. Is this real or purposed?
Ware populates her novel with eclectic characters: financiers, ex-model, travel expert, photographer, etc. One male had a complicated relationship with Lo in the past. Are these people who they present themselves to be?
Ware excels at describing the “gobsmacking interior” of the boutique ship. I cite this example from Chapter 5:
“That one chandelier has more than two thousand Swarovski crystals.”
She presents the turbulent sea as a metaphor for Lo’s confusion as the following Chapter 19 excerpt shows:
“I watched the sea rise and fall outside the window, its ceaseless movement echoing the restless thoughts that were running around inside my head.”
The wife of the Aurora’s owner, a wealthy heiress, suffers from cancer. Ware deftly captures the scourge of this disease in this Chapter 10 excerpt:
“To see someone like Anna Bullmer, so privileges, with every advantage that money could buy-the latest medicine, the best doctors and treatments available-to see her fighting for her life like this, before our very eyes, was almost unbearable.”
The concluding chapters are a bit of a stretch with respect what happens to Lo and the ultimate resolution. Nevertheless, Ruth Ware pens an exciting mystery that is a goodread.
Marianne Perry
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca
January 25, 2017
Finding Mercy Book Review
Finding Mercy Book Review
Finding Mercy is the sequel to Traces of Mercy. It, too, is written by Michael Landon Jr. and Cindy Kelley.
Charlotte Chapman, aka Mercy, is a Confederate sniper who has amnesia. The Civil War has ended and she is reunited with her family. She learns her mother died in childbirth and her father is deceased. She meets her stepmother and two step-siblings.
Her family clings to past beliefs and is still operating a rice plantation in Georgia. Though her memory does not return, she has snippets of her former life. Through her interactions with former slaves and observations of how her family and others treat them, she learns of her previous disrespectful attitudes and vows to improve their living conditions. This is a clever tool to inform the reader of historical events without sounding didactic. Charlotte says, "Is that what I used to sound like?" when she hears abrasive comments.
Through events, Charlotte discovers her family intends to rob her of inheriting the estate as her father wished and takes matters in her own hands to ensure justice administered. An exciting plot and well-developed characters, the authors pen vivid descriptive passages as well as apt insights as to suffering amnesia. I felt the ending too rushed but would recommend this as a good read.
Marianne Perry
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca
Finding Mercy is the sequel to Traces of Mercy. It, too, is written by Michael Landon Jr. and Cindy Kelley.
Charlotte Chapman, aka Mercy, is a Confederate sniper who has amnesia. The Civil War has ended and she is reunited with her family. She learns her mother died in childbirth and her father is deceased. She meets her stepmother and two step-siblings.
Her family clings to past beliefs and is still operating a rice plantation in Georgia. Though her memory does not return, she has snippets of her former life. Through her interactions with former slaves and observations of how her family and others treat them, she learns of her previous disrespectful attitudes and vows to improve their living conditions. This is a clever tool to inform the reader of historical events without sounding didactic. Charlotte says, "Is that what I used to sound like?" when she hears abrasive comments.
Through events, Charlotte discovers her family intends to rob her of inheriting the estate as her father wished and takes matters in her own hands to ensure justice administered. An exciting plot and well-developed characters, the authors pen vivid descriptive passages as well as apt insights as to suffering amnesia. I felt the ending too rushed but would recommend this as a good read.
Marianne Perry
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca
January 10, 2017
Traces of Mercy Book Review
Traces of Mercy opens April 1865 in Tennessee near the end of the American Civil War. We meet a Confederate sniper with a stellar record who refuses to shoot his Union foe tending to his brother during the final moments of his life. He gives the sniper a Mercy Medallion in gratitude. The sniper is subsequently injured, he loses his memory, the war ends and we learn the sniper is female they name Mercy because of the medallion.
As events unfold we meet a convent of Catholic Irish nuns who take care for Mercy. Mercy falls in love with a Union officer in St. Louis, Missouri whose family are railroad developers. They discover she is a Confederate sniper though her amnesia remains and their impending marriage is cancelled. Determined to re-establish her relationship, however, she attempts a criminal act and is captured. She escapes a conviction of treason and subsequent hanging and the book concludes with her on her own determined to solve the mystery of her identity.
The story is told in a series of first-person journal entries Mercy pens that shed insight into her character and the dilemma her amnesia causes; third-person POV unfold the plot.
A suspenseful tale with layered characters, the last line will compel readers to pick up the next book in order to discover what happens to Mercy.
In particular, I favored many of the quotes for the reflection prompted and the timelessness of the tale thus forth created. For example, "Quiet can be very loud."
Written by Michael Landon Jr. and Cindy Keller, the novel is a good read.
Marianne Perry
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca (less)
As events unfold we meet a convent of Catholic Irish nuns who take care for Mercy. Mercy falls in love with a Union officer in St. Louis, Missouri whose family are railroad developers. They discover she is a Confederate sniper though her amnesia remains and their impending marriage is cancelled. Determined to re-establish her relationship, however, she attempts a criminal act and is captured. She escapes a conviction of treason and subsequent hanging and the book concludes with her on her own determined to solve the mystery of her identity.
The story is told in a series of first-person journal entries Mercy pens that shed insight into her character and the dilemma her amnesia causes; third-person POV unfold the plot.
A suspenseful tale with layered characters, the last line will compel readers to pick up the next book in order to discover what happens to Mercy.
In particular, I favored many of the quotes for the reflection prompted and the timelessness of the tale thus forth created. For example, "Quiet can be very loud."
Written by Michael Landon Jr. and Cindy Keller, the novel is a good read.
Marianne Perry
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca (less)
