Summary: A wife admits to having a terminal illness resulting in her husband having to put aside his dreams of them retreating to an idyllic life on an island. Their savings are spent on medical bills.
Thoughts: Riveting, horrifying insight into the appalling American medical system. Thank goodness we live in Australia and have Medicare. I now get why Barack Obama wanted to bring in ObamaCare. Mandatory reading for all Australians to make us grateful for what we have.
Summary: Two brothers, one successful, one not, reunite when their nephew is arrested. The story weaves around the relationship between three siblings and their lives to this point.
Thoughts: I’d never read this author before, but Marieke Hardy raves about her on the ABC Book Club, and as my reading tastes are similar to Marieke’s (we both adore Anne Tyler), I thought I’d give it a try. Thank you Marieke! Lovely writing, old-fashioned, but just glorious to read. The plot was almost an after-thought. When the writing is this lovely, I just read, no matter what it’s about.
Summary: Twelve-year-old Alice meets Bigfoot Millie one night and the two become friends, despite their disparate lives, upbringing, and social standing.
Thoughts: A slightly unexpected choice, I admit. I’d read all her others and just put this on the reserve list at the library. When I picked it up and saw it was a Young Adult, I almost put it back. I’m glad I didn’t. It was cute. Unusual, thought-provoking, lovely. I’m hoping there’s a follow-up – the end lends itself to a continuation.
Summary: Follows the lives of four classmates, particularly the tormented Jude, and how the others relate to him and each other.
Thoughts: What a harrowing, difficult, disturbing read. But un-put-down-able. And highly recommended. It won’t be for everyone, but the story is incredible. The characters vary from unlikable and shallow to heart-breakingly tormented. And you just want to climb into the book and give Jude a hug. You’ll probably cry. I didn’t, but I could see how people would. It stays with you for weeks after, and unlike me, I couldn’t just pick up the next book once I’d finished this one. I had to give it a few days to settle. Haunting. Brilliant. Slightly scared to read her other novel, The People In the Trees.
Summary: A group of people meet at a house party in England the early 1930s. The novel follows their diverse lives over the next few years.
Thoughts: Caro Fraser writes elegantly. She’s English. I love English authors. They seem to have a fantastic command of the language, and describe things so beautifully. The guests at the house party are diverse, their lives inter-twine, the ending is in some cases predictable, in others not, and the book was a glorious escape, without the fluff and superficiality.
Summary: Magda’s memoir of her early life, including her father’s activities during the Second World War.
Thoughts: I didn’t want to read this book, given the war stories and the Polish father connection. I have awful memories of mine, and steer clear of anything war-related. But the book was on my Book Club reading list (and from memory I think I actually selected it – mainly to see what all the rave reviews were about). I was engrossed from the first few pages. Magda writes so well, her stories are interesting, but not long-winded. I didn’t know much about her, not being a TV watcher, but she has had such an interesting life. I would have liked more on her recent years, but perhaps that’s coming in a follow-up. A surprisingly wonderful read, and an easy read, given it’s a memoir.
Summary: Mute Edgar lives with his parents and several dogs on a farm. A series of tragic events lead Edgar to flee into the mountains with three dogs while he plans how to right the wrongs which led to his father’s death.
Thoughts: Beautiful descriptions, and very unusual protagonist, and story, and not knowing how it’s going to end kept me reading with bated breath. What a shame this is David’s only novel. I’ve been waiting for years for a follow-up, but he probably knows that if you’ve created a masterpiece, it should stand alone in all it’s glory.
Summary: The early days of Barack’s life, including how he got into politics. Ends with his marriage to Michelle, but no details about their relationship.
Thoughts: Beautifully written, insightful, powerful, thought-provoking. I didn’t understand much of the American racial issues, but that didn’t matter. Barack’s writing is just gorgeous. What a clever, intelligent, good man. Someone I respect, admire, look up to, and there’s not many people in today’s world who I can say that about. I was eager to read about how he met Michelle and their flourishing relationship, but there was none of that! Very disappointed in this small lack of content, but I loved the book despite this major omission.
Summary: Several inter-twining stories, including Sarah and her daughter Marni who are living on the breadline until an unexpected lottery win catapults them into financial freedom; the Detective who is investigating a series of abductions; and a smarmy barrister. All who end up coming together in a fairly unlikely scenario. All loose ends are neatly tied together with a ‘happy-ever-after’ ending.
Thoughts: I’ve read all of Joy Dettman’s books. Her first few were amazing – detailed, insightful, unexpected. Jacaranda Blue remains one of my favourites. But her Woody Creek series was too much. If she’d stopped after the first two or three, then fine. But to continue on a long-winded, rambling, completely unbelievable and ridiculous story… She lost me after that, so I read this with some trepidation. A light, fluffy, easy read. Don’t expect to be kept awake with deep thoughts afterwards.
Summary: Autobiography which takes up Deborah’s story after she flees Kabul. She is traumatised and lost after her recent experiences, and describes her road to recovery, which culminates in her buying a house in Mexico and setting up a beauty salon which sponsors young Mexican girls to go to hairdressing college.
Thoughts: Interesting, adventurous, slightly self-indulgent, skipped over some potentially good bits, which resulted in a bit of missing story line. But fine for a light, easy read. Her willingness to help disadvantaged women in poorer countries is admirable.