"There are more things in Heaven and Earth." — William Shakespeare
"He has a curious way of moving through his rubbish. He leans into it, skimming d"There are more things in Heaven and Earth." — William Shakespeare
"He has a curious way of moving through his rubbish. He leans into it, skimming down the corridors like a fearless biker on a hairpin bend."
The 'he' in the above quote would be Cathal Flood. His name fits, as he is a cantankerous Irish disaster and hoarding is his specialty. At six feet nine inches, Mr. Flood, though frail with age, is still a force to be reckoned with. He has run off every home carer sent his way, and rumor has it that some had barely escaped Bridlemere (the neglected mansion Flood calls home) with their lives.
Enter Maud Dennen, who is not your average carer. She brings with her a retinue of saints and has a backbone made of steel. Good luck to Cathal Flood in dispatching her so easily…
"I look back at Bridlemere from the gate. From the street it’s a wall of dark green, a forest of leylandii grown up around Sleeping Beauty’s castle."
As Maud peels back chaotic layers of rubbish and navigates Cathal’s clowder of cats, she uncovers more than his no-wax flooring. Curious clues begin to pop out of a sink and fly at her from a pantry, and she begins to ask herself: What sinister forces are at work in this house?
"A pearl is an everlasting tear," he whispers. "A swaddled hurt."
Mr. Flood’s Last Resort is altogether a murder mystery, a haunting, and a fight to save what is left of a person once tragedy has taken its toll - all of it wrapped up in a magical realism enchilada. I laughed, cried, and gasped aloud as Maud and Cathal cagily maneuvered around each other while sorting out his mysterious manor. Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with them both.
If you enjoy magical realism done well, this will be your cup of tea. What a fabulous read!...more
I have again ventured into the Gilded Age of New York in the company of Edith Wharton, where Hansom cabs abound and high society ideals are the tight I have again ventured into the Gilded Age of New York in the company of Edith Wharton, where Hansom cabs abound and high society ideals are the tight corsets that hold the upscale world together. This collection of short stories was a joy to read and I won’t spoil the journey by delving into each tale. Instead, dear readers, I’ll highlight two of my favorites and leave the rest to you.
Mrs. Manstey’s View "The view from Mrs. Manstey’s window was not a striking one, but to her at least it was full of interest and beauty." A lovely scene is a wonderous thing, but when it is the only pleasure in one’s life and that bliss is suddenly threatened, you might need to hold on to your bonnet! Sweet Mrs. Manstey stole my heart, and I ached to reach into the pages to help her. I cheered when she stood up for herself and kept my fingers crossed that she would win the day. Winning, however, isn’t always what we imagine it to be…
The Rembrandt "You’re so artistic," my cousin Eleanor Copt began. "Of all Eleanor’s exordiums, it is the one I most dread. When she tells me I’m so clever I know this is merely the preamble to inviting me to meet the last literary obscurity of the moment…" When our narrator’s cousin, Eleanor Copt, invites him to visit one of her latest causes - Mrs. Fontage, who has a Rembrandt in need of evaluation - the museum curator has little choice but to comply with the demands of his irrepressible relative. "Eleanor is out in all weathers: the elements are as powerless against her as man…" This amusing tale had me smiling from ear to ear as our soft-hearted narrator desperately scrambles to manage his cousin while trying to avoid offending Mrs. Fontage with his estimate of her painting. All attempts to delicately extricate himself are futile, and he digs himself a doozy of a hole…
Wharton’s writing is cinematic, her humor is on point, and while her stories are often bittersweet, I devoured them to the last crumb. I urge you to peek behind the curtain of New York’s crème de la crème. You’re sure to be entertained....more
"You Have Arrived at Your Destination — is set in the future, it is set about five minutes in the future…" ~Amor Towles
Sam, and his wife Annie, have ta"You Have Arrived at Your Destination — is set in the future, it is set about five minutes in the future…" ~Amor Towles
Sam, and his wife Annie, have taken the slow path, saving and planning to create a stable home. Now it's time to start a family, which in their case necessitates a course of IVF. At Vitek laboratory, offspring can be ordered from a menu as easily as one could order a burger and fries. Of course, gender and eye color are on offer, but more importantly, a child's future success can be manipulated based on a selection of "contoured" personality traits. Yes siree, Bob, you can manufacture the kind of kid that would make any parent proud.
Annie has spent a considerable amount of time with the employees of Vitek, designing her and Sam's prospective progeny. We join this story on the day her choices are shown to her husband, the unveiling of which will turn his vanilla world upside down.
If you could give your baby a leg-up through genetic manipulation, would you? And is it wrong to take a shortcut to manufacture the best possible life for your child? These are just a couple of the questions that Towles' thought-provoking short story raises. This was an intriguing deviation from his usual style of writing, but it doesn’t quite reach the heights of his other works....more
"A glass-blower, remember, breathes life into a vessel, giving it shape and form and sometimes beauty; but he can with that same breath, shatter an"A glass-blower, remember, breathes life into a vessel, giving it shape and form and sometimes beauty; but he can with that same breath, shatter and destroy it."
I tiptoed into the first pages of this novel, fearful that I would be disappointed because historical fiction isn't my usual choice.
The month was June, the year 1844, and eighty-year-old Madame Sophie Duval, née Busson, would come face to face with her past via a chance encounter between her daughter and a long-lost relative whom Madame Duval never imagined would cross their path. What followed was a brilliant reimagining of du Maurier's own family history of master glass blowers in eighteenth-century France.
Not knowing what to expect made this tale all the sweeter, so I will not reveal too much except to say that I felt as if I knew each character intimately, taking part in their tragedies and triumphs. I could almost feel the heat of the wood burning in glass house furnaces and smell the acrid smoke-filled air from muskets firing as France descended into revolution.
The story was intriguing, exciting, and, at times, heartbreaking. I was spellbound! Silly me. I had nothing to fear. Daphne du Maurier has never let me down.
All the stars for this fabulous read. I never wanted to reach the end....more
"There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." — Oscar Wilde
Published in 1905, The House o"There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." — Oscar Wilde
Published in 1905, The House of Mirth was set in New York in the late 1800s — America's Gilded Age.
Miss Lily Bart was one of the 'in crowd'; high society was what she was born and bred for. She was blessed with remarkable beauty and her prospects of a 'good marriage' seemed to be set in stone. But no one in her well-to-do circle should have counted those unhatched chickens, for Lily had a streak of independence a mile wide — and it went against her baser instincts to accept any of the suitors who had dented her sofa cushions over the years.
But an unfortunate illness left Miss Bart without family or means and placed her at the mercy of an aunt's reluctant offer to take her in. Lily quickly realized her situation was tenuous and, at twenty-nine, had resigned herself to bite the bullet and choose from one of the Dapper Dans, whose numbers were dwindling by the day.
Enter Lawrence Selden, the Rhett Butler of this story, darkly handsome with a twinkle in his eye. Mr. Selden had been upfront with Lily. He had no wish to marry her but found her game-playing with the other fellows all very amusing. She could be herself with him because he wasn't a prospect; so good friends they would be.
The rich and the righteous had set standards for unmarried young women. Even a toe over the line of what was considered proper would get one tossed out of society on one's ear, and there were those who would have loved nothing more than to witness the downfall of charming Miss Bart. Will Lily succeed in walking the line?
As one of the most beautiful snowfalls I've ever seen softly coated Kansas in white, I read the final pages of this captivating novel. This did not have the same humor I experienced with my previous read of her work, but the characters leapt flamboyantly from each page. The tale was touching and sometimes harsh, with writing that was dependably on-point. I shed a few tears before all was said and done and the brilliant, unexpected ending put this squarely in the five-star category.
The House of Mirth will be a hard one to beat this year. If you are a fan of the television show The Gilded Age, this book is for you.
A few of the quotes that I highlighted: "She was so evidently the victim of the civilization which had produced her, that the links of her bracelet seemed like manacles chaining her to her fate."
"Miss Corby's role was jocularity: she always entered the conversation with a handspring."
"It was one of those still November days when the air is haunted with the light of summer…"...more
“Halloa! Below there!” When he heard a voice thus calling to him, he was standing at the door of his box, with a flag in his hand, furled round its sh“Halloa! Below there!” When he heard a voice thus calling to him, he was standing at the door of his box, with a flag in his hand, furled round its short pole. One would have thought, considering the nature of the ground, that he could not have doubted from what quarter the voice came; but instead of looking up to where I stood on the top of the steep cutting nearly over his head, he turned himself about, and looked down the line.”
As this eerie short story unfolds, we meet a signalman whose seemingly ordinary life also involves swimming in the murky waters of otherworldly happenings. Will he react to what appears to be a supernatural warning in time to effect a change? Or is a change even possible?
Dickens was a master of the written word. In the space of eighteen pages, he has spun a tale that made me wonder what I would do should I be presented with a preternatural omen.
Many thanks to Fran for digging up this spooky tale! See her review HERE....more
Antarctica is my third book by the undeniably talented Claire Keegan. She has an almost magical ability to draw the reader in with a paucity of words.Antarctica is my third book by the undeniably talented Claire Keegan. She has an almost magical ability to draw the reader in with a paucity of words. This, her debut collection of short stories, was filled with the same beautiful prose and healthy dose of longing that weaves its way through everything I’ve read of hers thus far.
To my mind, the overarching theme of this collection was "escape." Escape from a dull marriage, a psychotic lover, poor life choices, and even loneliness. Almost everyone, at one time or another, has dreamed of a different life for themselves, and I believe that this is why many of these stories are so relatable.
A word of warning: several of these tales include themes that might be considered disturbing. The initial story scared the bejesus out of me! And while this was not my favorite read by this author to date, there is no denying that it is beautifully done.
Thank you to Candi for her wonderful review that prompted me to add this! See her write-up here....more
"Dandelion Wine. The words were summer on the tongue. The wine was summer caught and stoppered…"
As I turned the first page, I found myself in an Illin"Dandelion Wine. The words were summer on the tongue. The wine was summer caught and stoppered…"
As I turned the first page, I found myself in an Illinois berg by the name of Green Town. The year was 1928; a summer packed with possibilities had just begun for Douglas Spaulding and his pals.
"Sandwich outdoors isn’t a sandwich anymore. Tastes different than indoors, notice? Got more spice. Tastes like mint and pinesap. Does wonders for the appetite."
I delighted in Bradbury’s cinematic imagery as I met the town’s inhabitants one by one and discovered what lay behind their closed doors.
"Some people turn sad awfully young. No special reason, it seems, but they seem almost to be born that way. They bruise easier, tire faster, cry quicker, remember longer."
This read like a string of short stories with Doug Spalding as the hub that tied them all together; each person he encountered took center stage and shared their part of the story.
"Gardening is the handiest excuse for being a philosopher. Nobody guesses, nobody accuses, nobody knows, but there you are, Plato in the peonies, Socrates force-growing his own hemlock. A man toting a sack of blood manure across his lawn is kin to Atlas letting the world spin easy on his shoulder."
When my journey began, I imagined a coming-of-age tale. And it was to a small extent, but more than that, it was an exploration of love, loss, aging, and a realization that where we are is precisely where we are meant to be.
"No matter how hard you try to be what you once were, you can only be what you are here and now."
Bradbury’s poetic prose flowed like a lazy river, expertly carrying me through this enchanting novel. If you haven’t read Dandelion Wine, I highly recommend that you spend some time in small-town Illinois....more
“Iona Potapov, the sledge-driver, is all white like a ghost. He sits on the box without stirring, bent as double as the living body can be bent.”
F“Iona Potapov, the sledge-driver, is all white like a ghost. He sits on the box without stirring, bent as double as the living body can be bent.”
From the outset, the cold seeped into my bones as I imagined the forlorn Iona, his heart in tatters, snow gently blanketing him and his mare. As he drives his sledge, conveying a succession of uncaring passengers to and fro, he tries to unburden himself by revealing his recent loss. But none will grace him with a moment of their precious time.
In the space of five pages, Chekov made me long to wrap an arm around Iona and intently listen so he could share his pain. To evoke such deep emotion with a finite number of words is a true gift.
When a group of ladies who lunch receive the honor of hosting Osric Dane, the celebrated author, their excitement and trepidation concerning the visitWhen a group of ladies who lunch receive the honor of hosting Osric Dane, the celebrated author, their excitement and trepidation concerning the visit stirs a fluff amongst the members.
As the event draws near, each woman reveals their upper-crust considerations, save one: Mrs. Roby. She is, as they say, the odd one out with this crowd. But perhaps they shouldn't be so hasty to dismiss someone deemed an ill fit? Will she be their salvation or their downfall?
Awash with beautiful prose and subtle comedy, I urge you to read this delightful short story and find out how 'lunch is served.'
A big thank you to Antoinette for directing me to this fabulous short story. Antoinette's review
Here are a few quotes I adored: “Mrs. Ballinger is one of the ladies who pursue Culture in bands, as though it were dangerous to meet alone.”
“Miss Van Vluyck adjusted her spectacles as though they were the black cap of condemnation.”
“Her mind was a hotel where facts came and went like transient lodgers, without leaving their address behind, and frequently without paying for their board.”
“Osric Dane received the homage of the smile as a matter of course; but the accompanying question obviously embarrassed her, and it became clear to her observers that she was not quick at shifting her facial scenery.”...more
"Measure your wealth by what you'd have left if you lost all your money." ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Kino, an impoverished pearl diver, one in a long li"Measure your wealth by what you'd have left if you lost all your money." ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Kino, an impoverished pearl diver, one in a long line of the same, lives with his wife, Juana, and their infant son in a brush hut among a colony of friends in a Mexican coastal village. They can barely scratch together enough to feed themselves, but what they lack is made up for with love.
When a scorpion stings their baby, and they can't afford to pay a doctor, Kino and his wife desperately launch their canoe, searching for that elusive pearl which could mean the difference between life and death.
There is something to be said for the art in simplicity. Steinbeck's scant-yet-beautiful writing style painted a vibrant picture of this family and their journey. I was wholly invested from the beginning.
I read The Pearl, a novella, in the space of a few hours. Its symbolic message led me to consider the meaning of true wealth and the price we pay to capture our own 'pearls.'
If you haven't read it, I highly recommend this thought-provoking tale....more
“Mostly it is loss which teaches us about the worth of things.” ― Arthur Schopenhauer
I will admit, I was primarily drawn to this book because I have ga“Mostly it is loss which teaches us about the worth of things.” ― Arthur Schopenhauer
I will admit, I was primarily drawn to this book because I have gamed since the days of Pong, and many of the descriptions I’ve read about this storyline appealed to the gamer in me. That being said, this is not just a book for people who love to game. This is also a book for people who are looking for an epic read.
“There is an order to any victory. There is an optimal way to play any game.”
Isn’t that as true in life as it is in gaming? Aren’t we all trying to play our best ‘game’ to get to that pot of gold, whatever it may be? This is what lies at the core of this story; the chance encounters we have on our journey. Some people whom we meet along the way might turn into lifelong influencers and will travel with us. There are always going to be a few key players in our game of life who will change our path for better and worse. We don’t know how any of these characters will fit into our ending narrative until the game is done, but we must play.
Gabrielle Zevin’s prose is absolutely divine. Her tremendous talent for world-building and rich character development had me hooked from the beginning. I was emotionally wrung out by the end of this book but with a smile on my heart.
I don’t want to give away too much, but I hope you don’t pass on this one just because of the quirky cover. Behind it is a world that will leave a lasting impression. This book is easily my favorite contemporary read of the year!...more
"How soft and gentle her name sounds when I whisper it. It lingers on the tongue, insidious and slow, almost like poison..." ― Daphne du Maurier
As"How soft and gentle her name sounds when I whisper it. It lingers on the tongue, insidious and slow, almost like poison..." ― Daphne du Maurier
As I stare at the blinking cursor on my screen, thinking about all I’ve witnessed between the covers of My Cousin Rachel, I find myself missing Cornwall and wishing my adventure was not over. But every good story must come to an end, and what an ending it was!
This torrid tale is narrated by Phillip Ashley who, after the death of his parents, has been raised from infanthood by Ambrose Ashley, his bachelor uncle. Ambrose is a well-to-do English landowner, and as it turns out, these two fellows are kindred spirits, enjoying a life of having dogs in the house and smoking tobacco whenever they please without a woman telling them what to do. Once Phillip has completed his education, his uncle determines that the time has come to hand the affairs of the Ashley estate over to his heir while he sets off on his travels. Doctors have suggested that Ambrose might enjoy better health if he spends his winters in a warm, dry climate away from cold rainy days in England. And so it goes for two winters, with Ambrose returning each spring laden with exotic plants and fascinating stories of faraway lands.
Ambrose spends the third winter in Italy. But as spring approaches, he writes that he will stay on because he has become acquainted with their cousin Rachel. Oh my, how this news throws our hero into a state! Phillip had never come second to anyone where Ambrose was concerned. Who is this cousin? And what spell has she cast to keep Ambrose for so long in Italy? (view spoiler)[Then comes a letter that Phillip could never have imagined — Ambrose had married their cousin.
The months crawl by while Phillip waits for the couple to return to England, wallowing in misery over the thought of changes that will surely be thrust upon him. But instead of newlyweds, a short correspondence arrives that strikes fear into Phillip's soul. Four short sentences would send him racing toward Italy and Ambrose, praying that he wasn’t too late. (hide spoiler)]
The tension in this story was scrumptiously persistent, and because I grew quite fond of Phillip, I read every page with my heart in my throat, hoping for the best.
Bravo again to du Maurier for completely wrecking me in the most beautiful of ways.
If you haven’t read this gothic thriller, don’t miss it. Your visit to Cornwall will be unforgettable!...more
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”-Aesop
In this poignant novella, I became acquainted with Bill Furlong, an Irish businessman “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”-Aesop
In this poignant novella, I became acquainted with Bill Furlong, an Irish businessman who provides wood, coal, and the like to the small community in which he has always lived. He has carved out a good life with his wife and five daughters.
Furlong is an everyday hero in a world that has dealt him some harsh blows. He was born to a young unwed mother whose employer, a wealthy widowed landowner, generously took them into her home despite the stigma of Bill’s illegitimacy. This humanitarian sacrifice shaped the man he would become and, in a pay-it-forward fashion, he extends kindness to those less fortunate even when it comes at great cost to himself. His selflessness made me admire him all the more.
Claire Keegan has the incredible ability to take a seemingly ordinary story and, without fluff or fanfare, turn it into something extraordinary. The characters are deep and the tale is touching.
I did feel the ending was a bit abrupt, which is why I've given a 4.5 rating instead of the full five stars. I still highly recommend this splendid read because Keegan has yet again captured me with the magnificence of her storytelling.
I look forward to enjoying more of her work in the future....more
"It's important in life to conclude things properly. Only then can you let go. Otherwise, you are left with words you should have said but never did, "It's important in life to conclude things properly. Only then can you let go. Otherwise, you are left with words you should have said but never did, and your heart is heavy with remorse." ― Yann Martel, Life of Pi
I have struggled to write this review. Not because I didn’t love Life of Pi, because I absolutely did, but because it is difficult to put into words where this incredible tale has taken me.
Throughout the reading, I have found myself utterly horrified and fascinated in equal measure. I can honestly say I’ve never pondered life, religion, survival - and how far a human can be pushed - as deeply as I have since I began my journey with Piscine Molitor Patel. I questioned faith and contemplated how far it could carry someone who's hanging on by a thread. I asked myself if I could have survived even half of what Pi had endured? Probably not, but who knows how strong the will to live is until it's put to the test? This is undoubtedly a book that gave me pause for thought.
Nature is as volatile as it is beautiful and, as an animal lover, I must warn those who might be disturbed by scenes of savagery (i.e. the natural order of life and death as it exists in the animal kingdom). This story is dazzling, funny, gruesome, allegorical and altogether unforgettable. Life of Pi is a powerful read....more
For the past several weeks, I’ve hung out in the company of the British residents who reside at Pendrick Court. And what a delightful time I’ve had geFor the past several weeks, I’ve hung out in the company of the British residents who reside at Pendrick Court. And what a delightful time I’ve had getting to know each one of them.
From the first page, I felt like I was moving among the characters as they went about their everyday business. Then, just as I was settling in with tea and biscuits, the eviction letters came and threw us all into a state. What would the tenants do now? The two months they were given to move was hardly enough time, and most of them had lived at Pendrick Court for several years. But from this tragedy, friendships are forged as the residents come together and form a plan to thwart the dastardly landlord who had no qualms about seeing them homeless. The ensuing plot was priceless! I have laughed, and I have cried - and would have gladly joined in to help my newfound friends.
There are characters here for everyone to love, along with one or two pantomime baddies who are easy to loathe. Humor interlaced with darkness rounded out a delicious read.
Garwood’s prose is snappy and intelligently written. This story is filled with love, loss, laughter, and yes, even murder. I couldn't have asked for a more entertaining read. If you are a fan of a great underdog tale, witty British humor and unexpected twists, then this is the book for you! I highly recommend A Faulty Eviction!...more
"The start of a new novel carried with it a sense of occasion, and the alphabets in Luna’s mind started to shuffle their letters in anticipation. S"The start of a new novel carried with it a sense of occasion, and the alphabets in Luna’s mind started to shuffle their letters in anticipation. She opened the book and began to read."
Writing a review for a story as impressive as In the Shadow of Time is difficult. I have long been a fan of Kevin Ansbro’s writing style because of his flamboyant prose and phenomenal storytelling, but this book exceeded expectations.
The aperitivo whispered of fantasy as I met a fair-skinned child and her dying parents in Silkeborg Forest, Denmark, circa 1970. "It was their intention that the chalk-skinned infant would prove easy for a passer-by to spot, reminiscent perhaps of a religious icon looking down from a wall niche in a church." But fantasy is not where this road leads, and my journey had only begun as the feisty Dr. Sofia Ustinova, a world-renowned physicist, came into view.
Cut to England in the year 2020 as Sofia watched her beast of a husband leave their Surrey mansion with great relief before she settled in for what promised to be a relaxing time with her cat Copernicus and a good tome. Although she didn't know it, the universe had bigger plans for her and her feline companion... "…an alarming noise screamed through the house, rattling it to its foundations and sending the cat scrambling for cover."
While still in England, albeit a week later, I became acquainted with Hugo Wilde, a nobleman, an assassin, and a hunky bad boy, who took center stage. With a grin on my face that was almost painful, I discovered that he and his pal Vincent were as amusing as they were deadly. "My God, you are such a peacock," grinned Vincent O’Toole, Wilde’s right-hand man and chief tormentor. "Do you deliberately order those shirts a size too small so you can show off your pretty-boy muscles?" Hugo’s next assignment would challenge everything he’d ever believed to be true.
My fellow bibliophiles, what I’ve written here is but a nibble of the big adventure that lay behind the beautiful cover. There was never a moment to pause because the many moving parts came together like a well-oiled machine, whisking the narrative along at a swift pace. This enthralling saga so transported me, that my house could have caught on fire, and I would not have noticed.
In true Ansbro style, the prose is scrumptious, with a delicious poetic filling in a multilayered story. He blends darkness with humor like a fine chocolatier tempers chocolate. This story will make you laugh and it might also make you cry.
Please excuse me while I clear the stars from my eyes after reading this incredible tale. And if you are looking for the book to read this year or any year, I highly recommend In the Shadow of Time. This is one for the ages!...more
"Crazy people are not crazy if one accepts their reasoning" - Gabriel García Márquez
I turned to the first page, anticipating what wonders Márquez"Crazy people are not crazy if one accepts their reasoning" - Gabriel García Márquez
I turned to the first page, anticipating what wonders Márquez would reveal. Sentence by sentence, I drank in the always-enchanting prose this author has to offer as the story inched along. Then I reached the summit of the first hill and whoosh! Down I went through the bends, turns and loop-de-loops of this captivating story, which centers on the life of a twelve-year-old girl, Sierva Maria.
Set in eighteenth-century South America, the story begins on Sierva’s name day, when our birthday girl is bitten by a stray dog while strolling the marketplace with her caretaker. The author transported me to a time when the effects of a common illness could be seen as possession and illustrated the fatal outcome that could befall those imagined to have contracted diseases, such as rabies.
Sierva is of noble birth, but her family is on the cusp of ruin. With a mother who wallows in obsessions of her own and a father who can barely take care of himself, the girl is subjected to all manner of voodoo-esque cures. But does she even have rabies? That is the million-dollar question left to the studious priest, Father Cayetano Delaura.
Rich characters grace these pages; could a forbidden love, forged in the fiery pits of exorcism, save our long-haired beauty? And will love conquer all?
Gabriel García Márquez’s writing is delicious - and magical realism is his gift to the reader. Of Love and Other Demons is certainly Márquez-lite, and if you were considering dipping your toes into his sumptuous world, this would be a great place to start. At 160 pages, it is a delectable bite of the author’s extraordinary talent....more
"For to serve the ones we love and receive their approval in return, need life be any more complicated than that?"
I met our hero, Pushkin, during the "For to serve the ones we love and receive their approval in return, need life be any more complicated than that?"
I met our hero, Pushkin, during the last days of the Tsar. His life in a small village was so satisfactory that he was without want of anything more. His wife Irina, however, was a cat of a different color. The bright lights and big city called and she, being a woman of strong determination, would have what she desired.
Moscow, though alien to Pushkin, folded him into the lives of those who had no sunshine; only endless lines for essential items. His poetic soul brought joy to people in a time of despair, and he found a new purpose in a place where he struggled to find solid footing at first.
Oh, how I’ve missed the delicious writing of Towles. The Line was like rain in the middle of a drought. I will leave it to you to discover the many sparkling facets of this precious jewel.
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