Books of 2007

Books of 2007

Paradise Park, by Alllegra Goodman. I loved Kaaterskill Falls, by the same author, but this was a disappointment. It dragged on and the main character irritated me.

Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro. Hmmm. Not sure what to think. Too science-fiction-y for my taste. Couldn't really love the characters because they weren't "real." About people who were cloned to be "donors." Creepy.

The Whole World Over, by Julia Glass. LOVED. What great characters. Five stars. It came to life for me. A great great book. Oddly, because I did not like Three Junes nearly as much.

Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte. I can't believe I'd never read this (or did I? I have a vague recollection of reading it in high school.) Excellent. You don't see characters like Jane in modern fiction. The imperfections of the characters was endearing. I think I liked it better than Pride & Prejudice.

The Boleyn Interitance, by Phillipa Gregory. Good, fluffy, but I felt like I was reading something that was well researched. I'm a sucker for novels about Henry VIII. This book drove home what a complete nutcase Henry VIII was, notwithstanding the era in which he ruled. Boggles the mind. Reminds me to pursue books by Alison Wier.

What Came Before He Shot Her, by Elizabeth George. Not a Linley/Havers book. More a psychological drama about the life of the boy who shot one of the main characters in the Linley series, Lady Helen, (who bugged the crap out of me, now that she's dead, I can go back to reading Elizabeth George again. Now if only she would kill off the irritating Deborah.) The British colloquialisms are a little thick, but it does add to the overall atmosphere. A little bit manipulative, but I am enjoying it.

Baker Towers, by Jennifer Haigh. Very good - by the same author as Mrs. Kimble. I like the characters very much, especially Joyce, and I see too much of myself in her. Interesting to see the family dynamics.

Innocent Traitor, Alison Weir. I loved this book - started it and finished it in Hawaii. About Lady Jane Grey, a cousin of Elizabeth and Mary. Her conniving parents put her on the throne after Edward dies and is ultimately beheaded by Mary.

The Winthrop Woman, Anya Seton. I am on a historical fiction streak. This one is about Elizabeth Winthrop, the niece and daughter in law of John Winthrop, one of the first governors of the colonies. This is not a period in history that I have found particularly interesting until this book came along. Elizabeth is a Puritan in name only, and I enjoy seeing that people have been conflicted by religious fundamentalism for centuries. The Puritans were pretty much crazy and horrible and the English were happy to see them gone from their country. It continues to amaze me that this book was written in 1958.