White Dog Fell from the Sky: A Novel by Eleanor Morse Review

White Dog Fell from the Sky: A Novel by Eleanor Morse
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An extraordinary novel of love, friendship, and betrayal for admirers of Abraham Verghese and Edwidge Danticat

Eleanor Morse’s rich and intimate portrait of Botswana, and of three people whose intertwined lives are at once tragic and remarkable, is an absorbing and deeply moving story.

In apartheid South Africa in 1976, medical student Isaac Muthethe is forced to flee his country after witnessing a friend murdered by white members of the South African Defense Force. He is smuggled into Botswana, where he is hired as a gardener by a young American woman, Alice Mendelssohn, who has abandoned her Ph.D. studies to follow her husband to Africa. When Isaac goes missing and Alice goes searching for him, what she finds will change her life and inextricably bind her to this sunburned, beautiful land.

Like the African terrain that Alice loves, Morse’s novel is alternately austere and lush, spare and lyrical. She is a writer of great and wide-ranging gifts.


My thoughts: The book begins in Botswana as Isaac Muthethe, a black South African 27 year old man, is unceremoniously dumped on the ground after being smuggled out of his home country under a coffin in a hearse. As Isaac gains consciousness, he realizes he has nothing but the clothes on his back and memories of those he loves, and the sudden acquisition of a white dog who simply attaches herself to Isaac and adopts him or he her.

Isaac's skills consist of what he can no longer claim nor use. He was a medical student in South Africa but now he is suspected of belonging to the South Africa Defense Force, an underground rebellion against apartheid. The year is 1976. Apartheid is alive and well in South Africa and although not actively practiced in Botswana, apartheid's echo can still be heard and felt.

Isaac finds himself hired as a gardener, having absolutely no experience whatsoever, for an American woman named Alice who is at the beginning of her own journey of coming into her own. Both characters take different journeys but both encounter different prisons, literal and figurative. They both find grief and death then circle back around to rediscover humanity and the anchors of keeping the memories alive of those they've met, loved, and connected with.

There is simply far too much to summarize or discuss in a book review. This would be an excellent choice for a book club book because of the parallels and symbolism which were subtle and would need a good discussion to tease them all out. On the other hand, taken at face value, the book is an excellent education in apartheid and politics in South Africa and Botswana.

Excellent book.

This Dark Road to Mercy by Wiley Cash

This Dark Road to Mercy by Wiley Cash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Description: The critically-acclaimed author of the New York Times bestseller A Land More Kind Than Home returns with a resonant novel of love and atonement, blood and vengeance, involving two young sisters, a wayward father, and an enemy determined to see him pay for his sins

When their mother dies unexpectedly, twelve-year-old Easter and her six-year-old sister Ruby are shuffled into the foster care system in Gastonia, North Carolina, a town not far from the Appalachian mountains. But just as they settle into their new life, their errant father, Wade, an ex-minor league baseball player whom they haven't seen in years, suddenly appears and wants to spend more time with them. Unfortunately, Wade has signed away legal rights to his daughters, and the only way he can get Easter and Ruby back is to steal them away in the middle of the night.

Brady Weller, the girls' court-appointed guardian, begins looking for Wade, and he quickly turns up unsettling information linking Wade to a recent armored car heist, one with a whopping $14.5 million missing. But Brady Weller isn't the only one hunting the desperate father. Robert Pruitt, a shady and mercurial man nursing a years-old vendetta, is also determined to find Wade and claim his due.

My thoughts: I could summarize the story for you but that is not why I loved the book. It's the same reason I loved his first book. It's the way the author writes. I can't pinpoint it but I think he writes the way he thinks which is as natural to him as breathing. It's not contrived or pompous. It's an interesting story that is told through the perspective of a 12 year old girl named Easter, a cold blooded ex con named Pruitt, and a middle aged guardian ad lidem with personal regrets who takes a personal approach to keeping Easter and Ruby safe.

Each perspective is told with distinction and believability. When Easter is talking to the reader, I believe I am listening to a 12 year old girl's thoughts. Same with the other two but particularly Easter. The book was as easy to read and follow as watching a movie. The author does not try to impress by throwing in poetry or referring to Faust or Byron. He uses baseball and the Maguire/Sosa summer as the setting. The story tells itself by easily getting into the thoughts and observations of the characters. It simply flowed just right.

Etched in Sand: A True Story of Five Siblings Who Survived an Unspeakable Childhood on Long Island by Regina Calcaterra

Etched in Sand: A True Story of Five Siblings Who Survived an Unspeakable Childhood on Long Island by Regina Calcaterra
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Description: Regina’s Calcaterra memoir, Etched in Sand, is an inspiring and triumphant coming-of-age story of tenacity and hope.

Regina Calcaterra is a successful lawyer, New York State official, and activist. Her painful early life, however, was quite different. Regina and her four siblings survived an abusive and painful childhood only to find themselves faced with the challenges of the foster-care system and intermittent homelessness in the shadows of Manhattan and the Hamptons.

A true-life rags-to-riches story, Etched in Sand chronicles Regina’s rising above her past, while fighting to keep her brother and three sisters together through it all.

Beautifully written, with heartbreaking honesty, Etched in Sand is an unforgettable reminder that regardless of social status, the American Dream is still within reach for those who have the desire and the determination to succeed.


My thoughts: Regina is the middle child of a mentally ill and abusive woman. Each child has a different father. The oldest three do not know who their biological fathers are. They are often homeless, living out of a car, or unattended in a house without food, heat, electricity or water. When their mother is at home, they are beaten ruthlessly, physically and emotionally.

The oldest three children try to protect the younger two from their mothers' rampages and moods. They have discovered that life in foster care is not easier nor better. They are split up and exposed to physical and sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and generally not often taken care of. The goal is to stay together and protect each other. The problem is that they are still children. Their voices lack volume and power. They often feel helpless, hopeless, and powerless. Do they try to keep together by keeping the secrets of the crazy mother or do they trust a social service worker to keep them safe?

We know that Regina grows up to get a law degree. We know she works in the public sector that write policy. She is deeply involved in protecting children and families. We know she works for the state of New York. Hers is one voice and one story. It is a compelling story because we want to hear success stories. We want to hear how we are doing a good job in this country. But Regina's story is bitter sweet. It is a courageous act to openly disclose her past. She is courageous in describing how she was brutalized, victimized, powerless, and feeling weak and unworthy. It's not so much overcoming her past but embracing it, keeping what was good (her siblings and the experiences she had to make her who she is today), and healing her wounds. She is an amazing woman who took her experiences and integrated them into her strong drive to make a better future for other foster kids.

Regina details not only the way the system broke down and damaged her and her siblings, but also the way it succeeded. There were holes in the net that Regina and especially her sister, Rosie, fell through but sometimes Regina was caught. I think Rosie eventually found a community that held her up but not until she was grown. It is difficult to read Regina's story. Regina tells her history honestly, includes interpretations and how she was feeling but does not mire the book up with justifications for herself. She allows the reader to conclude how to interpret her mother's actions (she's a nut job).

This is one story with four others possible. Each child in the family has a different experience. Celia marries young and has her own struggles. Camille marries young but chooses a husband that is completely foreign to Regina. He loves Camille and their children with devotion and affection. Regina's story is this book. Norm is somewhat a mystery, and Rosie's experiences included years of isolation when her sisters could no longer protect her and social services did not intervene.

This is not a book that slams social services or Child and Family Protective Services. Regina, herself, spends years in foster care. Some placements were horrendous. Others were not so bad. She does build an affectionate relationship with at least one set of foster parents that continues to this day. The fact is that these five children survived a horrible childhood and are contributing members of society today and are raising a new generation of children who will never know the horrors of abuse and foster care is nothing short of miraculous. Regina even hints at this fact, acknowledging that she believed she had these experiences for a reason. She was committed to using her knowledge to make the world a better place. Although not expressly written, it is clear that Regina has a strong connection with God and believes He had a hand in her life by strategically placing her and others on the same path.

I am in awe at Regina's perseverance and perspective. I really want to give it to a 14 year old girl I know that is struggling in foster care. It may not have appropriate language for a 14 year old but it is definitely a genuine recounting of an adult child that survived foster care, homelessness, and crazy experiences. Not only did she survive, but she brought her siblings with her.

Highly recommend.

The Dark Road to Mercy by Wiley Cash

This Dark Road to Mercy by Wiley Cash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Description: The critically-acclaimed author of the New York Times bestseller A Land More Kind Than Home returns with a resonant novel of love and atonement, blood and vengeance, involving two young sisters, a wayward father, and an enemy determined to see him pay for his sins

When their mother dies unexpectedly, twelve-year-old Easter and her six-year-old sister Ruby are shuffled into the foster care system in Gastonia, North Carolina, a town not far from the Appalachian mountains. But just as they settle into their new life, their errant father, Wade, an ex-minor league baseball player whom they haven't seen in years, suddenly appears and wants to spend more time with them. Unfortunately, Wade has signed away legal rights to his daughters, and the only way he can get Easter and Ruby back is to steal them away in the middle of the night.

Brady Weller, the girls' court-appointed guardian, begins looking for Wade, and he quickly turns up unsettling information linking Wade to a recent armored car heist, one with a whopping $14.5 million missing. But Brady Weller isn't the only one hunting the desperate father. Robert Pruitt, a shady and mercurial man nursing a years-old vendetta, is also determined to find Wade and claim his due.

My thoughts: I could summarize the story for you but that is not why I loved the book. It's the same reason I loved his first book. It's the way the author writes. I can't pinpoint it but I think he writes the way he thinks which is as natural to him as breathing. It's not contrived or pompous. It's an interesting story that is told through the perspective of a 12 year old girl named Easter, a cold blooded ex con named Pruitt, and a middle aged guardian ad lidem with personal regrets who takes a personal approach to keeping Easter and Ruby safe.

Each perspective is told with distinction and believability. When Easter is talking to the reader, I believe I am listening to a 12 year old girl's thoughts. Same with the other two but particularly Easter. The book was as easy to read and follow as watching a movie. The author does not try to impress by throwing in poetry or referring to Faust or Byron. He uses baseball and the Maguire/Sosa summer as the setting. The story tells itself by easily getting into the thoughts and observations of the characters. It simply flowed just right.

Survival Lessons by Alice Hoffman GIVEAWAY

Just in case you've missed the memo, I love Alice Hoffman's books, writing style, perspectives, and epiphany moments. 

In case you've missed it, The Dovekeepers was my first introduction to Hoffman. It was a big WOW. Upcoming is Museum of Extraordinary Things. Where do these ideas come from?

Survival Lessons is a collection of essays Hoffman wrote when diagnosed with breast cancer. She spent hours and hours with nothing to do during her treatments. So she wrote books inside her head. She prioritized her life and articulated stunning essays that whittle what's really important into chapters that strike that soft spot inside your heart when you read them. That one spot that yells, "Yes!"

I'm certain she still has much wisdom to share and probably has learned a few lessons since she wrote this book. But I think you'll love the wisdom she invokes. She wants you to have a copy. I know she does. Here's your chance for a signed copy by a New York Times Best Selling Author:

Fill out the form below.

That's it. Wasn't that fun? Ends December 15th.

Survival Lessons by Alice Hoffman

One of America's most beloved writers shares her suggestions for finding beauty in the world even during the toughest times.

Survival Lessons provides a road map of how to reclaim your life from this day forward, with ways to re-envision everything—from relationships with friends and family to the way you see yourself. As Alice Hoffman says, “In many ways I wrote Survival Lessons to remind myself of the beauty of life, something that’s all too easy to overlook during the crisis of illness or loss. I forgot that our lives are made up of equal parts of sorrow and joy, and that it is impossible to have one without the other. I wrote to remind myself that despite everything that was happening to me, there were still choices I could make.”

Wise, gentle, and wry, Alice Hoffman teaches all of us how to choose what matters most.

Read an excerpt here.

My thoughts: I love Alice Hoffman's work. I've read two historical novels by her, both vastly different and both incredibly well written; The Dovekeeper and Museum of Extraordinary Things. She exhibits her craft by enchanting me. Completely.

Apparently, Hoffman is also the author of Young Adult books, along with her women's fiction and historical fiction. Survival Lessons is a short, easy-to-read book that begins with her own breast cancer diagnosis. There are no how-to books on surviving breast cancer treatments. Or maybe there are but not what she was looking for. So she wrote a series of essays that encompass a way of thinking and looking at life. The overall theme is choose the way you spend your life, live in the moment, and enjoy. There are also underlying lessons, barely concealed and symbolic.

"I know why my grandmother always told me to bring along a sweater on cold nights. She was telling me I had to take care of myself, to watch out for chills and pneumonia. But she was also telling me that life if worth fighting for. I have every blanket she ever made for me even though they are heavy as armor. My grandmother's spirit is in every stitch, and her love for me is there as well."

She provides a brief history of her friend, Maclin, then Macklin's perfect brownie recipe. An epilogue on the recipe says,  "Maclin's brownies will not appear to be perfect. They will sink in the middle. The top will crack. You'll want to throw them out. Don't. They will be everything they should be and more." Isn't that the way we should look at ourselves? At others? At our life? It doesn't look perfect but it is everything it should be and more.

I love Alice Hoffman's writing. I love essays. I couldn't be more happy with Survival Lessons.

Songs of Willow Frost by Jamie Ford

Songs of Willow Frost by Jamie Ford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Twelve-year-old William Eng, a Chinese-American boy, has lived at Seattle’s Sacred Heart Orphanage ever since his mother’s listless body was carried away from their small apartment five years ago. On his birthday—or rather, the day the nuns designate as his birthday—William and the other orphans are taken to the historical Moore Theatre, where William glimpses an actress on the silver screen who goes by the name of Willow Frost. Struck by her features, William is convinced that the movie star is his mother, Liu Song.

Determined to find Willow, and prove his mother is still alive, William escapes from Sacred Heart with his friend Charlotte. The pair navigates the streets of Seattle, where they must not only survive, but confront the mysteries of William’s past and his connection to the exotic film star. The story of Willow Frost, however, is far more complicated than the Hollywood fantasy William sees onscreen.

Shifting between the Great Depression and the 1920s, Songs of Willow Frost takes readers on an emotional journey of discovery. Jamie Ford’s sweeping book will resonate with anyone who has ever longed for the comforts of family and a place to call home.


My thoughts: Jamie Ford writes an engaging historical novel on engaging and less known aspects about history. His first novel detailed the Japanese Internment camps. His protagonist was a Chinese American boy. This has worked for him since one of the protagonists is again a Chinese American boy.

This book is set in the Great Depression with the supporting story set in the same place but before the Crash. The pivotal point occurs right after the Crash. The premise is that William is now 12 years old and living in an orphanage when he recognizes that a beautiful actress is his mother. He runs away with his best friend, Charlotte, and tracks her down to find out why she abandoned him.

The story is a tragic one that encompasses the realities of women and children at this time period. Although William is at an orphanage, his life is not horrible, just not pleasant except for his friends, Sunny and Charlotte. There is also a contrast story with Charlotte and Liu Song. Both are heart breaking.

The reader quickly understands Liu Song's cage and her choices. The bright hope is only Colin who sweeps her off her feet and will someday offer to save her. I applaud that scene with a standing ovation. I won't say anything more about this but you will know it when you read it.

The book offers a snapshot of the times and the birth of the silver screen. The book is not as striking as his first novel but it is not a sophomore slump. It is a much darker reality and the reading is heavier. The ending is full of hope yet the story will continue. Not a second book but like life.

*I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

My Name Used to Be Muhammad by Tito Momen

My Name Used to Be Muhammad: A True Story of a Muslim Who Became a Christian by Tito Momen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a frank and honest description of a very intriguing yet incredibly difficult paradigm shift; Islam to Christianity. Momen had an interesting and unique upbringing in Nigeria which is an integral part of his story. He was raised to be far more observant than the rest of Muslims his age, not only within the religion but also in his village. He was curious and intelligent which put him on the path for a colorful ride.

What I appreciated about the book was that Momen does not belabor his own sins, faults, or experiences yet he does not hide them. He goes from nearly militant Muslim who has simple questions, to rebellious and acting out, to Christian to imprisoned. He shares his experience factually including his darkest moments of discouragement and the turning of tides when the miracles occur that strengthen his resolve and testimony.

I like the way he tells his story as it does not feel forced or contrived. He is honest, sincere and open. He clearly explains how Jesus is the literal Son of God and how the atonement makes sense in his understanding of sacrifice. It's so simple and beautiful as he explains it. It is also one of the most difficult accounts to read due to the politics of Nigeria and Cairo. Also a very touching relationship shift at the end.

Somewhere in France by Jennifer Robson

Somewhere in France: A Novel of the Great War by Jennifer Robson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lady Elizabeth Neville-Ashford wants to travel the world, pursue a career, and marry for love. But in 1914, the stifling restrictions of aristocratic British society and her mother’s rigid expectations forbid Lily from following her heart. When war breaks out, the spirited young woman seizes her chance for independence. Defying her parents, she moves to London and eventually becomes an ambulance driver in the newly formed Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps—an exciting and treacherous job that takes her close to the Western Front.

Assigned to a field hospital in France, Lily is reunited with Robert Fraser, her dear brother Edward’s best friend. The handsome Scottish surgeon has always encouraged Lily’s dreams. She doesn’t care that Robbie grew up in poverty—she yearns for their friendly affection to become something more. Lily is the most beautiful—and forbidden—woman Robbie has ever known. Fearful for her life, he’s determined to keep her safe, even if it means breaking her heart.

In a world divided by class, filled with uncertainty and death, can their hope for love survive. . . or will it become another casualty of this tragic war?

If you like romance novels, this will be an appealing book. I like historical fiction and non-fiction so I read the book. I have no real complaints about the book except that it is a romance novel. Of course I like a good romance woven between the pages of a good book with a strong primary story. The Great War and making something of oneself regardless of social and economic origin is a good primary story. I've read other books on this war with a little romance sprinkled in that I liked better. This book gives a good description of the horrors of war and working in a triage hospital. It also provides plenty of description of a romance that leaves very little to the imagination.

I'm not criticizing, I'm just saying that I don't purposely pursue romance novels. If you like romance novels, the historical fiction aspect will add interest. That's all I'm saying.

The Rent Collector by Camron Wright

The Rent Collector by Camron Wright
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Survival for Ki Lim and Sang Ly is a daily battle at Stung Meanchey, the largest municipal waste dump in all of Cambodia. They make their living scavenging recyclables from the trash. Life would be hard enough without the worry for their chronically ill child, Nisay, and the added expense of medicines that are not working. Just when things seem worst, Sang Ly learns a secret about the bad-tempered rent collector who comes demanding money--a secret that sets in motion a tide that will change the life of everyone it sweeps past. The Rent Collector is a story of hope, of one woman's journey to save her son and another woman's chance at redemption.


The Rent Collector belongs to many genres. The story gives the reader a basic history of Cambodia and life under the dictatorship of Pol Pot. What the reader needs to know is that Cambodia has been a country void of hope and joy for a very long time. When the Khmer Rouge declared victory, the country welcomed the end of civil war, not understanding the cost of peace. Although the book does not mention it, Pol Pot is viewed by many to be the Cambodian equivalent of Hitler. His reign lasted four years. Estimates vary, but at least 2.2 million people died in Cambodia, including intellectuals, teachers, and anyone that could be found to be literate.

It is not common to find a literate adult Cambodia today. Living conditions are often dangerous and disease and malnutrition rampant. Even knowing these things about Cambodia, I still struggled with the idea of living in a dump. I think the story is in the strength of the people who live day to day in Cambodia. I struggled with the literature part of the story. It was an interesting concept to add but it felt contrived. The last story didn't pack the punch to end it.

The real story was how to find happiness and joy wherever you are. The secondary story of literacy, although relevant, didn't do much for me. The other secondary story of the book - redemption, forgiveness, and survival carried me through to the end. I am deeply interested in viewing the author's son's documentary on living in a Cambodia Dump.

The Whole Golden World by Kristina Riggle Review

The Whole Golden World by Kristina Riggle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads: An astonlshing novel from the acclaimed author of Keepsake that pushes the boundaries of storytelling. At turns shocking, provocative, and heart-wrenching, and inspired by a true story The Whole Golden World forces us to ask the question "How well do we really know our children?"

To the outside Diana and Joe have a perfect family-three lovely children, a beautiful home, and a café that's finally taking off. But their world is rocked when it's discovered that their oldest daughter, 17-year-old Morgan is having an affair with her married teacher, TJ Hill.

Their town rocks with the scandal. When the case goes to trial, the family is torn further apart when Morgan sides not with her parents-as a manipulated teenage girl; but with TJ himself-as a woman who loves a 30-year-old man.

Told from the perspectives of Morgan, Diana, and TJ's wife, Rain, this is an unforgettable story that fully explores the surprising, even shocking, events that change the lives of two families.

My thoughts: This is not a comfortable book to read but I found it relevant and intriguing. The story centers around Morgan, an honor student who feels stifled by the responsibilities of being a back-up mother to her 14 year old brothers who were born premature and fraternal twins. Morgan's mother has never recovered from the scare of almost losing them and may be a little on the hovering side. She expects Morgan to do the same when she (Dinah) can not be around at school.

Meanwhile, Dinah's husband, Joe, is an assistant principal at the high school. He is the eyes and ears at the school. Imagine his chagrin when his children get in trouble. But not Morgan. She's the one people forget about because she has so much good sense. She is wise beyond her years.

You can see where this is going, can't you?

TJ is a young teacher carrying his own baggage. He lives in the shadow of his successful brother who married a beautiful Italian woman, went to medical school, became a doctor, and lives in a beautiful house. He's bitter and obsessed with his lack. TJ is married to Rain, a woman who is his educational and intellectual inferior. She came from a trashy home but she was loved. She feels lucky to have TJ. TJ feels lucky to have her. But Rain wants a baby. It eats away at their relationship.

Morgan and TJ become friends at school. And then more. The opening scene is a court room. TJ has allegedly had a sexual relationship with a student, Morgan. Morgan's parents support the prosecution. Morgan is on the side of the defendant. She is livid at her parents. The story then flashes back to the beginning of the school year and how the situation evolved.

The author does an extraordinary job developing the relationships between the characters. The reader is not force fed the dynamics but left with enough detail to understand how each character might have the interpretations he or she has. It also underlines the culpability of all of the players in the story with the bolded context that the age difference is not as much the issue as the covert exploitation of power. Make no mistake that you will feel empathy for TJ. He feels greatly victimized and in some ways he is. But the bottom line is that he is held to a higher standard because of his position as a teacher and Morgan as a student.

The author explores all of the feelings of the characters as they are conflicting and understandable. It is a well written book with an ending that is natural yet somewhat heartbreaking. I liked the ending, just to clarify. It's a good book. Just not comfortable to consider.

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Conceptually, I liked the story line. Juliette returns after the first book with a new home; a literal and metaphorical group of rebels who are readying to take down a corrupt government. They are in a safe training center where they each learn to harness their Energy, a natural gift they have that tends to manifest in different ways. Juliette happens to have two very strong manifestations of Energy. One is that nobody has ever been able to touch her without suffering death or severe bodily damage. Until she met Adam. That's Book 1. Also Book 1 is the accidental discovery that one other person can touch her. Someone who is clearly very evil. Or maybe he's just misunderstood and has daddy issues.

So Book 2 begins with Juliette frustrated because she can't seem to control her energy and she and Adam never have time alone. When they do have time alone, the time is spent with very few uttered words, sensual descriptions (not sexual) and I can appreciate how well written these first encounters are worded. I felt the sexual tension and only vaguely recognized afterward that they were clean. I'm not suggesting you hand this book over to 12 year old girl but it is descriptively inoffensive. One scene pushes the line, but still well written.

My problem with the book is the way it is written. It's all through Juliette's tortured and slightly OCD and tangential mind. She has diarrhea of her thoughts and nothing is filtered. It analyzes and over-analyzes every little thing, repeating words and phrases and it just. Moves. So. Slowly. A question is asked. The reader has to wade through 3 or 4 pages of tangential thought, some not even connected, then maybe the answer will be given. There is no rhyme nor reason to Juliette's thoughts and I felt ambivalence for both her and Adam. And, Adam? Written far too angsty. Not even realistic. I found I much preferred Warner for his pragmatism. Some angst but he is written to believe himself to be damaged and heartless. Yes, we realize he's human too, but there are much fewer wasted words surrounding him.

Have a story to tell? Tell it. Use words judiciously. There were times the author was masterful at using words. Other times it felt contrived just to keep the reader hanging on for the answer to a question by filling pages and pages of a confused, innocent teenage girl's mind in free association.

There is a good story here. When action happens, it happens fast and without many words. The majority of the book is free association. I just found myself irritated with the writing style.

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Gilbert is an incredibly talented author who writes beautiful prose and provides pondering points in human history. I love a good novel that incorporates history and intellect while maintaining the integrity of the writing process. Gilbert does this and ties many but not all of the themes together. I understand why readers have rated this book so highly. It is difficult to summarize the huge task of Gilbert's novel. Yet for all the positive points I've listed, it simply failed to engage me. The story does not gallop or trot. It spreads as slowly as Alma's moss. Moss does not fascinate me. Ambrose's orchids did not fascinate me. I drew the conclusion of the symbolism and appreciated it but I found the story far too slow and inclusive of every thought that crosses Alma's brilliant mind, every sexual fantasy of Alma's frustrated "quim" and frankly, I completely missed the point of those interludes.

I don't know why I don't stop reading a book after the first 50 pages or so if it hasn't grabbed my attention. For this I apologize. This novel has received rave reviews. Besides a few a-ha moments, I thought the story was pointless and somewhat redundant.

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