Threads of Hope

Barbara Davis’s The Keeper of Happy Endings is a beautifully woven tale of love, resilience, and second chances that spans decades. The novel intertwines the stories of Soline Roussel, a Parisian seamstress with a gift for crafting wedding gowns said to ensure happy marriages, and Rory Grant, a young woman in Boston grappling with her own heartbreak and loss.

Soline’s life is marked by tragedy, including the loss of her fiancé during World War II and the destruction of her Parisian shop. Years later, Rory stumbles upon Soline’s story while seeking her own path after a failed engagement and the disappearance of her mother. Their lives intersect in unexpected ways, revealing secrets, healing wounds, and celebrating the power of hope.

Our book club found the characters multidimensional with deeply felt struggles and triumphs. Davis moves through dual timelines very well blending historical and contemporary settings with emotional depth. Themes of grief, love, and destiny are explored with a touch of mysticism, adding a magical quality to the narrative.

The novel’s pace is gentle but engaging and the story is heartfelt and memorable. Our book club talked about how she rebuilt her life after such a tragic lost. We talked about the importance we place on some treasures that we hold on to for years. Some of us didn’t like the fact that Rory is drawn to the burned up building. They found it too convenient. But for me it added a bit of mysticism and what’s wrong with that.

Rating 7.5

Exile and Identity

Michelle Cameron’s Babylon: A Novel of Jewish Captivity is a compelling historical fiction that delves into the Judean exile in Babylon during the 6th century BCE. The narrative follows Sarah, a young Judean woman whose life is irrevocably altered when Nebuchadnezzar’s army conquers Jerusalem, leading to her enslavement and forced march to Babylon. The novel spans multiple generations, exploring the challenges Sarah and her descendants face in preserving their faith and identity amidst a foreign culture.

Cameron’s meticulous research brings to life the ancient world, vividly depicting the opulence of Babylonian society and the complexities of palace intrigues. The characters are richly developed, each grappling with themes of assimilation, faith, and resilience. The portrayal of Sarah’s son, Uri, as a scribe transcribing foundational stories of the Hebrew faith, adds depth to the narrative, highlighting the importance of storytelling in cultural preservation.

Critics have lauded the novel for its immersive storytelling and historical accuracy. The Historical Novel Society describes it as a “beautifully crafted masterpiece” that offers a Judean perspective on exile, enriched with detailed descriptions of ancient customs and politics.

Our book club enjoyed this novel. First, the story is truly captivating. You find hours have gone by and you’ve forgetten to get dinner ready. We talked about Sarah’s struggle to maintain her faith and the broader challenges of exile and assimilation. We talked about what choices we’d make if we were in Sarah’s situation. And then we discussed how we’d might try to preserve our cultural traditions and adapt to a foreign society. We certainly had a lively discussion.

Rating: 8.5

The Nightingale

What makes a person a hero? Do they jump right into a situation or evaluate and make a conscious choice to help others?

In “The Nightingale,” by Kristin Hannah, two sisters face World War II in Nazi-occupied France, with very different ideas of how to make it through the war. The oldest sister, Vianne is married with a young daughter, Sophie, when her husband leaves to fight against Germany. Isabelle, the younger sister, is sent to live with Vianne. They both view their circumstances differently – one wants to fight, the other to endure without making waves.

Throughout the story, both sisters make choices that send them on a collision course with the Nazis. Vianne believes that everything will be fine as long as she just does what she’s asked. However, when a Nazi officer is stationed at her home, her belief that she can simply follow orders starts to crumble as she witnesses the wrongs and eventually the atrocities of her captors. She does what she can to insure the welfare of her daughter and their home. Vianne slowly becomes a hero out of necessity and moral conviction.

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1920’s Paris – Ooh la la

BFBC Hemingway marriage
www.jfklibrary.org

Our June book club met for a lively dinner on June 7th.  This month’s book was “The Paris Wife,” by Paula McLain.

We were introduced to Hadley Richardson, Ernest Hemingway’s first wife as the newlyweds made their way to Paris from their first home in Chicago.  Paris was the cultural crossroads for new emerging artists, who were stripping away the old confines and creating their own art. Paris was almost a requirement for these artists.

McLain walks us around Paris and around the Hemingway marriage.  Both are intriguing.  We know Hemingway will become a renowned writer, but we see his insecurities and his bravado.  We watch as Hadley makes a home on a shoe-string allowance, and offers Hemingway comfort and serenity when he needs it.  Hadley respected Hemingway and believed in his abilities as a writer and as a person.  Her love for him almost transfers to the readers and we tolerate some of Hemingway’s not so shinning moments, until, of course, he goes too far.  Read my review under the author’s name on the right side of my website.

A must read for book clubs!

http://bit.ly/14bgC84
http://bit.ly/14bgC84

May’s Book Club – 2013

korean war
Koreanwar-educator.org

We met on May 10th for our monthly book club.  The book was “The Coldest Night,” by Robert Olmstead.  What a  beautifully written book!  (See my Review on the right under Olmstead).  Although we had mixed reviews at book club about the book, everyone agreed it was really well written.  Some of the  ladies didn’t like the love story, which created some lively discussion.   The love story left some flat.  But the depiction of the war in North Korea is harrowing, and I couldn’t put the book down while I was reading it.  CNN even did a story about how Hollywood has basically ignored the Korean War entirely and certainly never produced any movie on the battle at the Chosin Reservation.  The Korean War has at times been called the forgotten war – sandwiched between the all-encompassing WWII and the highly-contested Vietnam War.   I love books that I learn something from and this book is full of information and beautifully presented.   The Chosin battle is scarier than any horror novel I have read, but what a read.

Overall, a wonderful night with friends and a wonderful book.