Review: Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline (She Reads Book Club Selection)

I was very pleased when my book club, She Reads, announced that our May selection was the new release from Christina Baker Kline. ORPHAN TRAIN had already caught my attention mainly because of the historical element and, of course, the characters.

ORPHAN TRAIN tells the stories of two seemingly very different people from two separate times. First there is Molly Ayer, a Penobscot Indian teenage girl living in Maine with a foster family. One of many in her young life. Though things with her current foster family aren't great, Molly tries to make the best of it and tries to get along until she she's eighteen, which is only months away. She is a good student, has a boyfriend, Jack, and is a vegetarian, which only adds to the strain between Molly and her foster mother.  Molly ends up on probation and has to perform 50 hours of community service for stealing a book from the local library - a move Molly admits was pretty dumb. With Jack's help, Molly is able to work off her hours helping ninety-one year old Vivian Daly clean out the attic of the old mansion she lives in. Molly figures it will be easy work that will go by quickly so she can mark off her hours and be done with the community service.

Vivian Daly is a frail woman with no family but an attic full of memories from the Depression Era of which she grew up in. Right away, Molly can see that each box holds deep memories for Vivian and she is having trouble letting go and in fact, may not want to get rid of after all.

When Molly gets an interesting assignment for one of her classes to interview someone who has had to move through life taking only the belongings that they could carry and the most important items to them, she decides to interview Vivian.  As Vivian tells her fascinating story of being an immigrant from Ireland in the late 20's, to becoming an orphan soon after and being put on a train to Minnesota by the Childrens Aid Society to find a home, Molly realizes they have more in common than she could possibly have thought. As the days go by, a bond develops between these two women and both their lives are changed forever.

My Thoughts:

I won't beat around the bush - I absolutely loved this novel. Vivian's story, though heartbreaking, was riveting and was so well told. It was actually Vivian's perspective as well, so it was first hand knowledge of all the tragic circumstances ten-year old Vivian went through. Alternating between Vivian telling her story and then back to 2011 with Molly's story being told as it was happening by a third party was the perfect way to tell both of these women's stories. But I must say, Vivian is who completely sucked me in. I'm a sucker for good historical fiction and the era in which her story took place was fascinating to me. First was The Depression, then World War II. Vivian's life was affected deeply by both of these events.

What I liked about his book is that these two people, over seventy years apart were living similar lives as orphans and foster children. Sadly, their experiences were similar, yet they found a connection to each other and were able to make each other's lives better and give them hope. Their bond was touching and genuine. It goes to show that just by meeting one person that you think you have nothing in common with, it can change your life. This was a terrific selection by our book club and I thank them for the opportunity to read it.

ORPHAN TRAIN
Author: Christina Baker Kline
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Published:: April 2, 2013
Length: 304 pages
Recommend: YES!

[TSS] Review: And Then I Found You by Patti Callahan Henry

The She Reads Book Club selection for April is a heartwarming, yet difficult story of unplanned pregnancy, adoption and the 'not-knowing' that comes with those circumstances.  AND THEN I FOUND YOU is a story centered around Kate Vaughn, who lives in Bluffton, South Carolina, where she grew up and met her first love at the tender age of thirteen.  Katie always knew that Jack Adams was the only guy for her, and even though they were 'together' all through high school, Jack's family moved to Birmingham, Alabama but their bond remained strong. Even when they went to separate colleges, their commitment to each other was in tact. But Katie's decision to take a job in Arizona helping troubled teens through introducing them to the wilderness, the stress of a long distance romance really began to take its toll. Jack was close to achieving his dream of becoming a lawyer and working in his father's firm in Birmingham, and he was ready to start his life there with Katie, but each time Katie postponed her relocation to Alabama for one more season, Jack felt forced to move forward with his life, even if it meant doing so without Katie.

Katie went to see Jack to plead with him to wait just once more for her. They spent a very intimate night together and when Katie returned to Arizona, she thought she'd gotten through to him, but soon she discovered he'd moved on and eventually married another.  Katie was dealt a double-blow when she realized she was carrying Jack's baby. Both their worlds were turned upside down and the decision was ultimately made to put the baby up for adoption.

Thirteen years later, a friend's request popped up on Kate' Facebook page from a young girl named Emily. Though she'd spent every day of her life since giving birth wondering about her daughter, she wasn't at all prepared for the new reality that was happening now. So many questions, possibilities, and fears rose instantly to the surface. The first person she thought of was Jack, who had written her every year on the birth date of their daughter, they called Luna. What did this mean for Kate and her current love, Rowan, who was anxious for a commitment from her and what did it mean for Jack, who had his own family in Birmingham?

My Thoughts:

I'm going to be straight up and say I initially wasn't all that gung ho for this novel. I tend to shy away from books with a lot of family heartbreak and misery, but I am very happy to say I really enjoyed this book. It wasn't all tears and sadness like I imagined it would be. Right away, I liked Katie and I loved Jack, even though he did frustrate me a lot. His goodness always won out and I never could stay upset with him for long.  I was surprised to learn that the story was inspired by an actual event in the author's own family, which obviously made it even more believable. It was also so well written that I felt I was living through this with a friend. With all the social media out there, our world is a much different place than it used to be and I'm sure there are many stories of people finding lost loved ones via Facebook. It made this book very relevant to our times and lent an incredible realness to it.

Although I had a pretty good idea how this story was going to end early on, I really did enjoy both the story and the characters. I appreciated all the complicated emotions they went through during what I can only imagine must be an extraordinary experience. For anyone who has been involved in adoption, on either side, to them I must say that I believe Patti Callahan Henry did a very respectful job with this most delicate subject matter.  Though I've never read any of Ms. Henry's previous novels, I wouldn't hesitate now to pick up any of them.

I encourage you to stop by the She Reads blog for links to more reviews of this endearing novel. I would like to thank both the She Reads Book Club and the publisher for supplying me with my review copy.  This book is hitting shelves this Tuesday, April 9th.

AND THEN I FOUND YOU
Author: Patti Callahan Henry
Publisher: St. Martins Press
Published: April 9, 2013
Pages: 272
Source: Publisher

Review: The Silence of Bonaventure Arrrow by Rita Leganski

The March selection of the She Reads Book Club is a debut novel by Rita Leganski. THE SILENCE OF BONAVENTURE ARROW had such a unique description I could hardly wait to get started.

Typically, when writing a review, I compose my own synopsis, being ever so careful not to give anything away so as to not spoil the story for those who haven't yet read it. This book, however, has so many aspects to it, I didn't feel I could do it justice, therefore, I'm using the description from Harper Collins, which I find offers just the right amount of insight to this most intriguing novel.

Conceived in love and possibility, Bonaventure Arrow didn't make a peep when he was born and the doctor nearly took him for dead.  No one knows Bonaventure's silence  is filled with resonance - a miraculous gift of rarified hearing that encompasses the Universe of Every Single Sound.  Growing up in the big house on Christopher Street in Bayou Cymbaline, Bonaventure can hear flowers grow, a thousand shades of blue, and the miniature tempests that rage inside raindrops.  He can also hear the gentle voice of his father, William Arrow, shot dead before Bonaventure was born by a mysterious stranger known only as The Wanderer. 

Bonaventure's remarkable gift of listening promises salvation to the souls who love him: his beautiful, young mother, Dancy, haunted by the death of her husband; his Grand-mere Latice, plagued by grief and long-buried guilt she locks away in a chapel; and his father, William, whose roaming spirit must fix the wreckage of the past. With the help of Trinidad Prefontaine, a Creople housekeeper endowed with her own special gifts, Bonaventure will find the key to long-buried mysteries and soothe a chorus of family secrets clamoring to be healed. 

My Thoughts:

This book intrigued me right away. I've recently begun reading books that dabble with the mystery of hoodoo, charms and spells. I have a very open mind and I'm fascinated by these things. To me, its a sort of magical realism, which I've always enjoyed. Therefore, the allure of this story about a mute boy with special gifts had me from the get-go. I also loved the setting of this book. New Orleans is a fascinating place full of mystery and I loved that about this book.

 Bonaventure instantly captured my heart. He's a sweet child who knows only love and his innocence is heightened by his muteness. I won't call it a disability, because its part of his muteness that allows his incredible hearing to be such a  gift. But even the people closest to him - his mother, and Grand-mere Latice, are unaware of his special gift. But his father knows.  I love his relationship with William and Bonaventure's willingness to accept his extraordinary ability to communicate with the father who died before he was even born.  I had a real feel for the characters in this book. Many were flawed and one was despicable, but they were all woven into this story with a purpose.

For me, the star of this novel was not Bonaventure, as I had expected, but Rita Leganski's beautiful prose. The lyrical way in which she writes is really what kept guiding me through this book. As I said earlier, the premise of the story did have me from the get-go, but as it went on, I suppose I was sidetracked by how much time was spent in the past, developing the characters of the two grandmothers and Dancy, and even Trinidad. I realize character development is necessary, but I felt they took the story over. I don't mean that as harshly as it sounds. I'm only saying that I was prepared for Bonaventure to be the guiding light but in the end, I found him to be an accessory to their stories.  For me, while the magical realism elements were present, I felt they took a back seat to the other stories being told.  An though the ending was not a surprise for me, I was satisfied with the story's outcome.

With all that being said, I did enjoy the book and I loved Rita Leganski's writing. The direction of the story was different than what I originally expected but the writing kept me going.  As a debut, I felt Laganski did a great job and I will definitely be open to reading more of her work in the future.

THE SILENCE OF BONAVENTURE ARROW
Author: Rita Leganski
Publisher: Harper Paperbacks
Published: February 26, 2013
Length: 400 pp
Source: She Reads Book Club and Publisher

Teaser Tuesday: The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow

Today I'm excited to share a teaser from Rita Leganski's novel THE SILENCE OF BONAVENTURE ARROW, which is the She Reads Book Club March selection. I'm not quite half way through this intriguing book but it is definitely interesting. The story that takes place in and around New Orleans in the 1950's.  Bonaventure Arrow was born shortly after his father, William, was murdered, yet he is able to have a connection with his father through sound. Bonaventure is not your normal child. He never developed his speech so he communicates through gestures. The doctors have no answers and what no one is aware of is Bonaventure's special ability when it comes to hearing. He hears everything: grass growing, flowers blooming, the earth moving.  There is also another force working its way toward Bonaventure in the form of a Creole woman with a special gift of her own, she calls The Knowing.  The two are on a an inevitable course that will eventually bring them together.

Here are my teasers . . .

In the cities of the dead, statues and etchings mark resting places and a populace of angels stands in constant pose directing the departed toward heaven.  Broken flowers and weeping willows pay reverent homage, while poppies bestow eternal sleep.  Doves bequeath peace, Christ's bleeding heart wears a crown of thorns, and lambs mark the graves of children.  Every statue and every design keeps vigil over the dead.  Some say they drive evil spirits away - a task well noted in New Orleans.  ~ Location 519 Kindle Edition

There is so much more to this story, but I don't want to spoil anything so I'll leave it at that! I hope you enjoyed my teasers and of your interested in more teasers, please visit Should Be Reading every Tuesday.

Review: The River Witch by Kimberly Brock

One of the first things that caught my attention about this book was the title. THE RIVER WITCH. That is a great title. When I first noticed this book going around the blogs, my curiosity was piqued right away. As a lover of Southern Gothic Fiction, I simply couldn't pass it up.

What the Book is About: (No Spoilers)


Twenty-four year old Roslyn Byrne has hit rock bottom physically, mentally and professionally. Living through a car crash that left her body mangled, a miscarriage of a child she hadn't planned on but now can't seem to let go of, and her professional ballet career in ruins, time is the only medicine left to heal her body, heart, and spirit. So much of the recent past is still a nightmarish blur to Roslyn so she decides to turn to her roots and beliefs of her late grandmother for help in getting her mind and body strong again.

Roslyn  rents a house on Manny's Island, Georgia from the Trezevant family for the summer. Along with the house, comes stories of the family, their ancestors, and tales of hoodoo spells and conjure women, but that doesn't deter Roslyn, it draws her nearer to it, and to the mystical, healing music she remembered from her grandmother when she was just a girl.

As Roslyn begins to settle in to her summer hideaway, she meets Demascus, the daughter of the man who used to live in the house. The two become reluctant friends and soon Roslyn develops a protectiveness over the girl who grows pumpkins in the river bank so close to where the alligators live. Alligators that Demascus believes Roslyn has summoned. Rumors about Roslyn are rampant in the small island community but she faces them head on along with her own demons.

My Thoughts

This book is full of mystique and peculiar customs that is the perfect backdrop for this story that I found very original. Through Kimberly Brock's lyrical prose, I painted a vivid picture in my mind of Manny's Island and the house on the canal.  I could even hear the howling mating sounds of the alligators that kept Roslyn up at night.

The characters of this novel have a mystery about them as well. These are people who don't live in the hustle -bustle of the modern world. I had the feeling of being transported back to a time when people had a connection to the land they lived and worked on. Demascus' father was the most mysterious of all. He was a complex man, hard to figure out, yet something about him makes you want to keep trying.  Demascus was a wonderful character, reminding me so much of another little girl named Scout, that we all know and love.

I really enjoyed this book and the idea of the hoodoo charms and spells of the conjure women. I was impressed with how Ms. Brock wrote a story set in modern day but made it feel like a trip back in time to another place. I was captivated by that. This is a true Southern Gothic story that will stay with me for some time. In my opinion, there aren't enough of these types of books and I will be anxiously waiting for Kimberly Brock's next release. THE RIVER WITCH is a perfect example of why I am so fond of Southern Fiction.

THE RIVER WITCH
Author: Kimberly Brock (@Kimberlydbrock)
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books
Published: April 2012
Length: 246 pp