The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman 365 pages What’s it about? It is 1941 and Hanni Kohn is desperate to get her 12-year-old daughter Lea out of Berlin and to safety. Seeking out a renowned rabbi, she instead meets Ettie, his precocious teenage daughter. Hanni and Ettie come to an unusual agreement. Ettie will create a mystical golem to protect Lea on her journey. For this, Ettie will get enough money for she and her sister to escape Berlin themselves. Set in France during the second World War, this novel follows Lea and her protector Ava as they leave Germany and try to travel through France to safety. In alternating storylines we also meet Victor and Julien, brothers who each escape capture as the Jews are being rounded up in Paris. When Julien and Lea meet they vow to stay alive for each other. What did it make me think about? How much I love Alice Hoffman's writing and how thankful I am that she is such a prolific writer! Should I read it? I am obviously a fan of Alice Hoffman and would read anything she wrote. This novel takes on good versus evil and Alice Hoffman writes a very unique story. This is a beautiful book! Quote- "Night after night, in the trees or in the grass, Lea dreamed of her mother. She heard Hanni's voice in the wind, in birdsong, in falling leaves. I was with you when the roses bloomed with silver petals, when you saw Paris for the first time, when that you looked at you, when you learned prayers at the convent, when you ran through the woods. Every time Ava took your hand, it was my hand that you held." If you liked this try- The Golem and the Jinni by Helen Wecker The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr Love & Treasure by Ayelet Waldman 9 stars |
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If You Want to Make God Laugh by Bianca Marais
423 pages What’s it about? This novel is set in South Africa as Apartheid ends and the AIDS crisis begins. Zodwa is just 17-years-old and living in a squatters camp outside of Johannesburg when she gives birth to a son. Not far away, two white middle aged sisters have both separately returned to the family farm to recover from personal setbacks. Who knows what to expect when a baby is discovered on their doorstep. What did it make me think about? This book touches on so many different topics- poverty, racism, AIDS, fear, and family just being a few. Should I read it? Bianca Marais can write a story! I really enjoyed Hum if You Don't Know the Words and I have been looking forward to reading this book as well. I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy going back and forth from three different perspectives but I quickly forgot all about it. Learning something about South Africa through these novels has been so interesting. I would definitely recommend this book. Quote- "Zodwa allows herself to be rocked as her mother cries. She can't help but think that sometimes it's easier to stagger under the weight of our heaviest burdens with our heads bowed down, just so we don't have to witness the pain that our suffering causes those who love us most." If you like this try- Hum If You Don't Know The Words by Bianca Marais Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie 8 1/2 stars
NAMED ONE OF FALL’S MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS BY People • Time • Entertainment Weekly • Vanity Fair • BuzzFeed • Vogue • USA Today • The Seattle Times • HuffPost • Newsday • Vulture • Bustle • Vox • PopSugar • Good Housekeeping • LitHub • Book Riot
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― Charles William Eliot
ratings
3 to 4- I found some aspect of this book redeeming but would not recommend it.
5 to 6- I really enjoyed something about this book (characters, plot, meaning etc.) but it was uneven. Some aspects were stronger than others.
7 to 8- It was a good book. I liked lots of aspects of this book. I would recommend it.
9 to 10- I was sorry to turn the last page. I highly recommend this book!