Time for a few book reviews I think! These are three books I have read in 2021 that I awarded a five-star rating. These were so good! I highly recommend all three of these books.
I am a big fan of Susan Meissner's writing and was very excited to pick up The Nature of Fragile Things when it was published in early February. The book is the story of an Irish immigrant, Sophie Whalen, who is desperate to get out of a New York tenement in 1905. She answers an ad for a mail-order bride and travels to San Francisco to marry a man she has never met. Ostensibly, she is to be Martin's wife in name only, and serve as a mother to his five-year-old daughter, and keep his house for him. Money does not seem to be an issue, and they move into a lovely home in a very good neighborhood in San Francisco. Her husband is quite distant and is often away from their home, traveling for business a majority of the time. He seems to be a man with a lot of secrets. Sophie soon bonds with her young stepdaughter, who is so traumatized by the death of her real mother, that she does not speak. Her husband's behavior is increasingly suspicious, and then one spring evening when her husband is once again, away from home, Sophie finds a young pregnant woman at her door who claims to be her husband's wife. Also, this particular day is the eve of the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Things are set in motion that take Sophie to Arizona, where the mystery deepens further. I don't want to give any spoilers, but this was a complex story full of well-developed characters, the bonds between women, and a strong sense of place. The descriptions of the earthquake were a.m.a.z.i.n.g. I really enjoyed this book.
The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue. This outstanding book is set in Dublin in 1918 during the Spanish Influenza pandemic. Almost all the action in the book takes place over three days in a maternity ward populated by pregnant women who also have the flu. Nurse Julia Powell is working alone, struggling to care for all her patients when she unexpectedly gets the help of a volunteer, Bridie Sweeney, with whom she develops a friendship and intimate closeness. The female characters in this book are strong and fascinating. Included in the cast of characters is a real-life person, Dr. Katherine Lynn, an Irish nationalist and obstetrician. Lots of hardship, poverty, a hard look at the care orphans received at the hands of the sisters of the Catholic Church and how poorly women were treated in general. I was so enthralled with this story that I could not stop listening to the audible version. I also have the hardback and look forward to reading the physical copy. Emma Donoghue is an excellent author. An interesting side note about this book: the author started it in 2018 as a tribute to the 100 year anniversary of the Spanish Flu epidemic. It was published in 2020, but she of course, had absolutely no prior knowledge of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a masterfully constructed story that coincidentally was extremely timely in terms of its theme and release date.
Monogamy by Sue Miller was an incredibly well-written book, and I hope I can do justice to it in my description. It made me feel such a broad range of emotions as I read it. I felt so drawn into the lives of Graham and Annie (a couple happily married for 30 years), making me feel as if they were real people I actually knew. In fact, they reminded me so clearly of people that I do know! A certain type of intelligent, well-spoken, and accomplished person who seems to live the sort of life I would emulate if possible. The sort of image I, myself, would like to project to the world. Then we get a deeper look into the lives and minds of the individual characters who make up the personalities in the book. And wow. Things are not quite what they seem on the surface. Graham briefly engages in some regrettable behavior that changes everything. Then he suddenly dies (not a spoiler, it is in the book description), and his wife is left to deal with not just her grief of missing him, but the ruination of her loving memories of him. Grief, pain, anger, sadness. Such a complicated mix of emotions. It sure made me think of how our actions and secrets can change others' perceptions of us if they are revealed. You never know when your life could end and leave all sorts of very important things unresolved. I will be thinking about this book for a long time. It was so thought-provoking and well done.
So those are my top three favorite books so far this year. I have a few others that I also adored, and will recommend them in a future post.
27 responses to “Favorite Books of 2021 So Far”
Thank you,thank you. I usually love the books you recommend!
Thank you,thank you. I usually love the books you recommend!
Thank you,thank you. I usually love the books you recommend!
Thanks for the book reviews. More for my TBR queue!
Thanks for the book reviews. More for my TBR queue!
Thanks for the book reviews. More for my TBR queue!
Your book reviews are always very professional & honest. I like the personal observations you include, such as the Spanish flu/COVID coincidence & how a turn of events can change everything in an instant. Thanks for the effort you put into your blog writing–it’s appreciated! Stay well!
Your book reviews are always very professional & honest. I like the personal observations you include, such as the Spanish flu/COVID coincidence & how a turn of events can change everything in an instant. Thanks for the effort you put into your blog writing–it’s appreciated! Stay well!
Your book reviews are always very professional & honest. I like the personal observations you include, such as the Spanish flu/COVID coincidence & how a turn of events can change everything in an instant. Thanks for the effort you put into your blog writing–it’s appreciated! Stay well!
I just finished “Monogamy” and totally agree with your comments! I’m still thinking about that book, and how the husbands actions affected the rest of his wife’s life. Found that one in the “new” section of the library, so when I return today I’ll look for the other two. I appreciate your recommendations AND your lovely blog!
I just finished “Monogamy” and totally agree with your comments! I’m still thinking about that book, and how the husbands actions affected the rest of his wife’s life. Found that one in the “new” section of the library, so when I return today I’ll look for the other two. I appreciate your recommendations AND your lovely blog!
I just finished “Monogamy” and totally agree with your comments! I’m still thinking about that book, and how the husbands actions affected the rest of his wife’s life. Found that one in the “new” section of the library, so when I return today I’ll look for the other two. I appreciate your recommendations AND your lovely blog!
Thank you for these great reviews. I will be searching these out now. I always love a great book.
Thank you for these great reviews. I will be searching these out now. I always love a great book.
Thank you for these great reviews. I will be searching these out now. I always love a great book.
Thank you for sharing. I am ready to read some new books. Good timing for me. I so appreciate you putting books out there for us to enjoy. I’ve been reading more with being at home more due to the pandemic.
Thank you for sharing. I am ready to read some new books. Good timing for me. I so appreciate you putting books out there for us to enjoy. I’ve been reading more with being at home more due to the pandemic.
Thank you for sharing. I am ready to read some new books. Good timing for me. I so appreciate you putting books out there for us to enjoy. I’ve been reading more with being at home more due to the pandemic.
I was happy to see your review of the new Susan Meissner book. I loved “As Bright as Heaven” and “The Last Year of the War.” I will look forward to reading this new one, as well as the other two you reviewed. Appreciate your posting books you enjoyed
I was happy to see your review of the new Susan Meissner book. I loved “As Bright as Heaven” and “The Last Year of the War.” I will look forward to reading this new one, as well as the other two you reviewed. Appreciate your posting books you enjoyed
I was happy to see your review of the new Susan Meissner book. I loved “As Bright as Heaven” and “The Last Year of the War.” I will look forward to reading this new one, as well as the other two you reviewed. Appreciate your posting books you enjoyed
Thank you for sharing. I have not read the 3 books you mentioned in the article but I have read “The Fall of Marigolds” by Susan Meissner, it is very interesting to me.
Thank you for sharing. I have not read the 3 books you mentioned in the article but I have read “The Fall of Marigolds” by Susan Meissner, it is very interesting to me.
Thank you for sharing. I have not read the 3 books you mentioned in the article but I have read “The Fall of Marigolds” by Susan Meissner, it is very interesting to me.
Thank you so much for your recommendations.
Thank you so much for your recommendations.
Thank you so much for your recommendations.