PUSH NOT THE RIVER by James Conroyd Martin

From the book's blurb: "A panoramic and epic novel in the grand romantic style, PUSH NOT THE RIVER is the rich story of Poland in the late 1700s--a time of heartache and turmoil as the country's once peaceful people are being torn apart by neighboring countries and divided loyalties. It is then, at the young and vulnerable age of seventeen, when Lady Anna Maria Berezowska loses both of her parents and must leave the only home she has ever known.

With Empress Catherine's Russian armies streaming in to take their spoils, Anna is quickly thrust into a world of love and hate, loyalty and deceit, patriotism and treason, life and death."


PUSH NOT THE RIVER has me wondering...do I like it or don't I? Yes, I do, somewhat. For the first 85% of the book, I liked it. There were moments of disbelief when certain characters managed to get themselves into and out of situations rather easily, but I could live with that for they needed to continue moving forward for the story to progress.

I knew that the book had been compared in a quote from the cover to Gone with the Wind, and Dr. Zhivago, but for most of the book I felt that the comparison had to do with the history and the situations. The book is well researched and I enjoyed the history presented.

Then came the last 15% of the book and I felt as if the author had Gone with the Wind open in front of him and was copying almost word for word the scenes. Or perhaps, he had recently rewatched the movies.

Yes, he made some changes, but the scene where Anna in Push Not The River and Melanie in Gone With The Wind shoots an enemy soldier from the stairway was just very, very similar. Then came the scene in Push Not The River where Anna is escaping the burning Parga in a carriage. She must cross the river trying to ride and then drive her carriage through the crazed throng. She takes the reins and manages to get across the river, looking back constantly, just as the bridge collapses. Much, much too similar to Scarlet's escape from the burning Atlanta.

As for the Dr. Zhivago comparison: how about a sleigh ride through the snow as a means of escaping from the encroaching enemy army and stopping to watch the smoke rise from the area she has just left.

Since authors cannot copyright scenes, the author had every right to use them, but he should have been absolutely sure they were so much more his scenes than Mitchell's or Pasternak's. I'm not saying the book should not  have been modeled after those much beloved classics, but to  have the scenes so amazingly similar is to invite speculation. Then again, perhaps the scenes were just so well-written that they instantly brought to my mind the scenes from the earlier two classics.

Now, I must confess, that when the book ended, I wanted to know what happened to the main characters. Since this is book one in a trilogy, the author very astutely ended this first book at a momentous point. One that was on the verge of resolving several situations. We see Anna reach a safety of sorts, but what about the other characters. Yes, I wanted to know. So, I read the first couple of chapters of book two and had my questions answered.

This was not a bad book, and if the last few scenes had not been so in my mind from other authors' works, I'm sure I would recommend the book without qualms. However, the last few scenes are there and did diminish my pleasure in the book.

Still, I recommend this book to those, like myself, who enjoy European historical fiction. Some historical fiction novels stay with me because of the characters, some because of the history, and some, when I'm lucky, because of a combination of the two. Push Not The River will stay with me because of the history and the geography I discovered. In that respect, this book is well written.

If you are of Polish descent, I think the history portrayed, and I am assuming it is accurate, will make this book and perhaps the next two, a keeper for you. 

In fact Jan Lorys, direct of the Polish Museum of America states, "Martin's novel transports the reader two hundred years into Poland's glorious past, a world of castles and manor houses. One woman's life provides a metaphor for a country which--with the Third of May Constitution--was the first to attempt democratic reform in modern Europe. While the attempt failed, Push Not the River sings of a people's pride and indomitable hope."

I know that the book is available on Amazon and probably at other major outlets. At the moment, it is only .99 on Amazon Kindle.

Paula McLain's CIRCLING THE SUN is a worthy successor to her The Paris Wife.

Paula McLain's latest novel, Circling the Sun, published in July 2015, is a must read for readers who like a well-written novel with beautifully described scenery, clashes of cultures, desires and lifestyles, and a strong female protagonist. I was drawn into the novel by the expertly crafted writing and the beautifully effective use of descriptive language. I devoured the book because of the storyline, the lives turned upside down and sideways, the friendships, both strong and superficial, and yes, by the descriptions of what I visualized as an almost corrupt, indolent lifestyle.

Based upon the life of Beryl Clutterbuck Purves Markham, the first woman to fly solo East to West across the Atlantic ocean, the book is more about training and raising horses than it is about flying. It is more about the unfettered childhood and young adult years of this English girl raised in Kenya than it is about her adult adventures as a pilot. It is more about disappointment and disillusionment that it is about soaring happiness and successes. But, through it all it is most about a spirit that doesn't give up, that won't be beaten, and that forever dreams.

This is a historical novel, but not as one usually thinks of historical novels. The time period is not one from centuries past with ladies' maids ready to dress the heroine in London's finest. It is about a time period that some of us know from earlier pieces of literature, specifically Isak Dineesn's  Out of Africa. The people, the landscape, the problems, and the society of that epic are central to this work.  In fact, Beryl's and Karen Blixen's lives are tied together. They become wary friends as they both strive to hold the love of the same man.

Part I begins with Beryl and her father being abandoned by her mother and brother because her mother could not face life in Kenya. Beryl was four years old. She grew up on a plot of land that her father intended to turn into his dream. During her childhood, she was not schooled, wore no shoes, had no proper training, and in the eyes of society ran wild. Her friends were the nearby natives. She loved them and their ways. She spent as much time as possible with them and they welcomed her. As she matured, Father and daughter worked together to build a farm, a riding stable, and to establish her father as a well-respected member of the "horsey" set of English ex-pats living in Africa. Still, she was living her unfettered life.

All of that, of course, did change. Beryl had to grow up, to find her place in the world and to conform to the white, English society that she was rightfully a part of, even in far off Kenya. She tried, she really did, but the only things that made her happy were her days spent with the horses, with her native friends, and finally with her love.  The outside world brought confusion, confinement, and changes in her free spirited character.

Beryl's life and accomplishments are beautifully portrayed by Ms. McLain. Beryl was a beauty and a tomboy. She had a strong sense of self, but was lost in society. The trials and tribulations she endured
were often enlarged by Beryl's own desire to be none other than herself. This desire to be true to oneself is described by Beryl while talking with Karen. Beryl says "We're all of us afraid of many things, but if you make yourself smaller or let your fear confine you, then you really aren't your own person at all--are you? The real question is whether or not you will risk what it takes to be happy."

Beryl took those risks and tried at the same time to be true to herself. Was she ever truly happy? I don't know. I've tried to find out. I've since read more about Beryl through other works about her. I guess my next step is to read her memoir, West with the Night,  published in the 1942. But even that will not give me the full picture for she lived another 40+ years after it's publication.

I highly recommend this book. I can see many in-depth discussions by book clubs after reading it. I received this book as a pre-publication uncorrected proof. There was no readers' guide for book clubs. Perhaps the final copy had that added feature. By the way, her record setting flight is only part of the book as the prologue and the author's note.

Available wherever books are sold and online.

TWILIGHT OF MEMORY and VJ DAY...

From the History Channel: "On August 14, 1945, it was announced that Japan had surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, effectively ending World War II. Since then, both August 14 and August 15 have been known as 'Victory over Japan Day,' or simply 'V-J Day'. " August 15th is recognized as VJ day along with August 14 because most of the world did not hear of the surrender until the 15th. The formal surrender would not come until early September.

Officials in the United States heard of the surrender on the 14 and from Washington President Harry Truman went on the radio airwaves to announce the news and proclaim,  “This is the day we have been waiting for since Pearl Harbor. This is the day when Fascism finally dies, as we always knew it would.”

Jubilant Americans declared August 14 “Victory over Japan Day,” or “V-J Day.” (May 8, 1945–when the Allies accepted Nazi Germany’s official surrender–had previously been dubbed “Victory in Europe Day,” or “V-E Day.”)"

 

Images from the Library of Congress.

As most of the world celebrated, the main characters in my historical fiction, TWILIGHT OF MEMORY, remembering what the war had cost them, reflected quietly. For Henry, the loss came just months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. His Japanese-American fiancé, along with her entire community disappeared from their western Colorado home. Even by the end of the war, a hard fought war which had almost cost Henry his life as a member of the U.S. Army 10th Mountain Division, Henry had no knowledge of her whereabouts.

With the help of an English Nurse, Daisy, Henry had eventually learned to move forward. Daisy in turn, allowed Henry to help her heal from the loss of  her entire family in the London Blitz. Healing together in Italy, they learned to look beyond war. 

Now, in August of 1945, as the war finally ends, they do not join the wild celebrations around them, but sit together and quietly look from the past to the future. After moments of shared silence and personal reflection they turn to each other. 

Almost in a whisper Henry said, "I'm glad it's finally over and laid to rest. Now, my darling, no more heartache. We can go home in peace."

"Home," Daisy repeated as she kissed Henry passionately.

 "Home," she repeated more softly as she allowed the lovely, peaceful images Henry had verbally painted of his valley in western Colorado to fill her with hope.

 But what waited for them at home?

Available as paperback and Kindle at

http://www.amazon.com/Twilight-Memory-Julia-Faye-Smith/dp/1495420205

PRISONER OF THE QUEEN: Tales from the Tudor Court, Book 2 didn't disappoint.

I must admit that I read almost anything that comes across my desk that is Tudor. Yes, I'm one of those Tudor freaks. I especially love the Grey sisters, Jane, Katherine, and Mary. It is fascinating how many different interpretations our present day historical novelists can weave among these three women. I relish them all, and usually agree with each one, no matter how contradictory it is to other views I have read and with which I have agreed. As I said, a Tudor freak!

In PRISONER OF THE QUEEN, Eliza Knight paints a captivating picture of the middle Grey sister, Katherine. Younger that Jane, the 9 Days Queen, and older than Mary, the most elusive of the three, she is bright, usually cheery, and knowledgeable. That's why I like her story. Was she really devious as many suggest? Was she a pawn, as others, including Ms. Knight suggest? I don't know, but I love learning more and more about her.

Lady Katherine Grey states, "I have served three queens in my life. One was my sister. One was my savior. And one my bitterest enemy." In this new release we see Katherine in each of these relationships.

We see her, also, in another relation, a most disastrous relationship...love. Her love for and marriage to the only man she claimed to have ever loved led to a predictable but unwanted outcome. While her life was always precarious due to her Royal Blood and direct line to the throne, it was the secret marriage and the children of that marriage, that was her final undoing at the hands of her cousin Queen Elizabeth I.

This is an emotional story. All the major female characters are blood relatives of King Henry VIII. We should not expect any less of these characters with that bloodline in their recent heritage. This book fulfills that expectation.

The book was well researched, well-written, and easy to read. So often, the story of these three sisters, nieces to King Henry, is not clearly presented. I'm happy to say Ms. Knight kept the genealogical bumps to a minimum and gave us a main character easy to know and understand.

I highly recommend this book.
Published by Lake Union Publishing, the release date is August 11, 2015. It can be preordered at Amazon. Kindle price is $3.99.

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THE FAR END OF HAPPY by Kathryn Craft called me back for a re-read. I so happy it did!

 Below you will find my original review of this book. I read the book quickly, and now I see,  superficially. This past week I took my time and re-read the book, savoring every word. The raw emotion still grips the reader even when reading slowly and picturing the scenes in all their minute detail. The psychological insights, the slow but steady development of the characters as they interact with each other during the 12 hours of this plotline, and the suspense mounts with each passing hour.  The slow reading showed me depth of detail, beauty of words, and suspense that I had rushed through on the first read.

So...if you have not read this wonderfully crafted 12 hour story, I encourage you to do so. Not many authors could craft a story with so many interwoven plots into a 12 hour ordeal, but Kathryn Craft has done it. Based upon her first husband's suicide, this story draws the reader in to her real life tragedy.  For me, it did so even more the second time around.

Don't forget to read the author's notes for they add to the story.  I think this book could lend itself to great book club discussions. There is even a reader's guide included.

Enjoy!

Original book review:
BOOK TRAILER LINK:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhh5cxMCTVY

 

ABOUT THE FAR END OF HAPPY:

 

The Far End of Happy is a powerful new novel based on author Kathryn Craft’s personal experience with a stand-off involving her husband.  Here Craft delivers “real, raw emotion” (Library Journal) exploring a marriage unraveled by mental illness; and one man’s spiral towards a violent conclusion that tests the courage, love, and hope of the three women he leaves behind.

When the emotionally troubled Jeff engages police in a deadly stand-off, his wife, mother-in-law, and mother struggle to understand why the man they love has turned his back on the life they have given him, the one they all believe is still worth living.

“Framing the novel within a 12-hour period keeps the pages turning (Library Journal).” Narrating from the alternating perspectives of three women, whose lives will be forever altered by Jeff Farnham, gives an intimate look at the steps a woman will take to get the help her husband so urgently needs while desperately trying to keep her children safe.

 

ABOUT KATHRYN CRAFT:

A former dance critic who wrote for The Morning Call daily newspaper in Allentown, Pennsylvania, for nineteen years. Craft wrote exclusively nonfiction until she was plunged in the kind of real-life drama that demands attention. In 1997, after fifteen years of marriage, her husband committed suicide in a police standoff, leaving her and their two young sons.

The Far End of Happy was born from Craft’s need to make sense of what her husband had done. Kathryn has been a leader in the southeastern Pennsylvania writing scene for more than a decade and is also the author of The Art of Falling. She lives in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Website: www.kathryncraft.com

 

Get to know OVE in Fredrik Backman's A MAN CALLED OVE

From the book's cover: "Ove's well-ordered, solitary world gets a shake up one November morning with the appearance of new neighbors, a chatty young couple and their boisterous daughters, who announce their arrival by accidentally flattening Ove’s mailbox with their U-Haul. What follows is a heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendships, and a community's unexpected reassessment of the one person they thought they had all figured out."

Well, it's official, I am joining the thousands singing the praises of A MAN CALLED OVE. I really wasn't sure that I would like this book or Ove, for there are enough curmudgeons in the world without a writer giving us a new one, but the one Backman gave us is a real gem.

If you want a curmudgeon, he is perfect. If you want varied characters, you'll find plenty. If you want to be able to truly see a character grow and change, follow Ove and his antics.

In short, read A MAN CALLED OVE and get to know him and his wacky neighbors. Watch as they come to embrace the cantankerous old man and as he comes to care deeply for them. Funny in just the right places; heartwarming when it should be.

Now available everywhere.

THE READERS OF BROKEN WHEEL RECOMMEND......Delilghtful, fun reading that reminds us of why we have read certain books.

Delightful. Delightful. Delightful!
I loved this book!

Sara loves books. Sara hates her mundane life in Sweden. Sara's dearest friend is her pen pal Amy, a single elderly lady living in Broken Wheel, Iowa. Broken Wheel is a sad broken town with little to recommend it except its characters, er...residents. What a group!

Sara saves her money and accepts pen pal Amy's invitation to visit Broken Wheel. The fun begins upon her arrival which happens on the day of Amy's funeral...oh my, what to do?

Sara has a visa for 2 months and doesn't want to return home.  The town jumps in and works feverishly to help her remain for that time or even longer. That is, after all, "what Amy would want."

It was through their mutual love of books that they became pen pals. Amy was a book collector; Sara, much younger, a book lover.  Everyone and everything in the book is related to literature, to books most of us have read. I loved that.

 Sara has magically 'inherited' anything that was Amy's, but doesn't feel it is truly hers. It belongs, she feels, to the town which Amy loved and which loved her in return. What to do? Open a bookstore in one of the vacant buildings in 'downtown' Broken Wheel using Amy's many books as stock, of course.

Certainly, something needs to be done to help Broken Wheel which is dying quickly, but a book store? One problem, now that Amy is dead, is that NO ONE in Broken Wheel reads or wants to read. As a former indie book store owner in a small town, I know that can be a huge problem. Never, fear. Sara is determined!

This book is a great character study for we get to know almost every character in town and Sara works feverishly to connect them to a piece of literature, to introduce them to the wonderful world of reading. This determination on Sara's part and the resistance on the townspeople's part is charmingly humorous. You'll love sad, scruffy George reading Kinsella's books, and Jen being introduced to Idgie because they are both strong women.

It took me a couple of chapters to become involved with the characters, but once that happened, I couldn't put it down. I loved the development of the characters and the rebirth of the town. At times, one storyline or another is drawn out a little too long, but those instances are minimal.

Mixed with the character development is a hint at many issues causing dissection in today's society. There is nothing heavy handed here and the issues are handled beautifully.

Finally, there is Tom. Sara's biggest challenge.

                "Once you let a book into your life, the most unexpected things can happen..."

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend  was written by  Katarina Bivalk, a Swedish author who lives outside of Stockholm and grew up working part-time in a bookshop. Obviously, she had time to do a lot of reading, and we are the beneficiaries of her passion. This is her first novel. I hope it will not be her last.

I recommend The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend to those who love soft, easy reading. It is not quite a chick-lit, but close. Read it and see if any of your favorite books are mentioned, many are.

 

Published June 18th.

Available at major book stores and online.