The Three Musketeers

The Three Musketeers, by Alexandre Dumas, pere

This book is well known because of a 1993 movie, and a remake in 2011.  I have not seen the 1993 movie since its release, and have not seen the 2011 movie at all.  But, I would venture a guess that the plots of the movies do not come close to doing justice to the plot of this book.

This book is an excellent read and has such a complicated plot that I do not think movie makers could possibly fit the entire thing into one film.  The reason for this is that there are no side plots.  What you think are side plots actually turn out to be essential to the main plot happening "according to plan" and working out for the good of the main characters.

To attempt a nutshell plot synopsis, D'Artagnan travels to Paris to become a musketeer.  He meets three, Aramis, Porthos, and Athos, and his desire to join their ranks is not realized right away (it takes more than half the book).  Each of the men has their own little love interest and history, as well as a faithful servant.  The book was originally published in installments, which explains the somewhat episodic feel of the plot's events.  But, each scene is absolutely necessary to the main story arc, and the development of the characters is quite enjoyable.

The main villain could be said to be the Cardinal Richelieu, but in my opinion, his true evil-ness is not fully revealed the way it is done in the movie version.  More villainous is the Lady de Winter.  She appears early on, but we do not know who she is yet.  Later, she becomes a target for D'Artagnan, who wants information from her, and still later, the narrative leaves the Musketeers and follows her to England.  It is there that we discover just how evil she is, and in the final few pages of her England journey, the light slowly dawned on me that she had really overcome the setbacks laid on her by "the good guys," and accomplished her task even while being completely locked up in a prison.  Although she caused the destruction of an innocent man by psychological manipulation, I was willing to concede that it was ok, because her performance was truly brilliant, so she deserved to win that one, even if she was evil.  Which makes me wonder, did she actually perform her psychological manipulation on ME instead?

I find myself wishing someone would make a movie with her character exactly as she was originally authored (compare the 2011 movie, which makes her out to be a deadly assassin), perhaps played by Tilda Swinton.  I would even speculate that although the book is called "The Three Musketeers," the main character is actually Lady de Winter.  Her story is the one that unites all the side plots and the others' stories into each other to make them essential.  From an acting perspective, she and Athos have the most substance with which an actor skilled at subtle facial expressions could work.

I recommend this book to anyone with a lot of time (it is a 520 page book), a love for the classics, an interest in historical novels, high adventure, and court intrigue.  Also, there are a lot of big words.  I'd say high school and up; maybe a mature middle schooler would enjoy it.

The Heritage of Lancaster County series

The Heritage of Lancaster County series, by Beverly Lewis

These three books (The Shunning, The Confession, and The Reckoning) tell the tale of a young Amish woman who struggles with being Amish.  Katie's discovery that she was adopted from an "English" (non-Amish) teenage mother only fuels her desire to leave the Amish world behind.  The close-knit quality of the Amish community is a struggle for her to leave, but by the end of the first book, she has left Pennsylvania a shunned woman and is in search of her birth mother.  The second book deals with Katie's (now called Katherine) dying birth-mother and the complexities of being thrown suddenly into another culture, one that appears less honest and forgiving than the one she came from.  This book also introduces the aspect of star-crossed romance, as a former love long thought to be dead attempts to find "his Katie girl" again.  In the third book, Katherine, now a wealthy heiress, returns to Pennsylvania in search of answers to spiritual questions she had had since before Daniel was thought to have died.  Her birth mother's testimony and death had fueled those questions, and the third book deals a lot with Katie's spiritual journey more than her physical journey to find her mother.

The author of this book series is a Christian and the book series is published by a Christian publishing company, so do not expect the main character's spiritual journey to end in any way other than with Christian results.  That being said, the books weave common questions that many people have into the plot line, and are often answered by wise characters that come in and out of Katie's life.  It is quite refreshing to read and experience Christian philosophy in a novel form rather than the sometimes-dry books about Christian theory and apologetics.

One thing that struck me, and perhaps slightly confused me, is that the author's note states that she grew up in Amish country and consulted many Amish for details about Amish life and religious philosophies, and she is indebted to them for their help on the project.  Yet from reading the book, I got the impression that she believes, or at least the character of Katie believes, that the Amish are not "saved" Christians.  This would imply that while Amish believe non-Amish have no hope of reaching heaven, Christians believe the same about the Amish.  If this is the case, it is curious to me that the author's Amish friends would be willing to help her on a book project that seems to derail their religious beliefs.  Perhaps I am over-thinking or misinterpreting the book, but that was one of the first points that came to mind when a friend brought up the topic of the Amish.

One other thing I had a minor issue with is that the details that go into inheriting a wealthy estate in upstate New York seem to have been unrealistically glossed over with, "the lawyer is handling everything."  But I admit those details were not pertinent to the storyline, and at this point I am just being nit-picky.

Overall, this book is a very good read.  Although some men might enjoy it, in a movie format it would probably be considered a chick-flick.  I'd recommend it to everyone, but most men probably would not take my suggestion.  I'd also recommend this book to anyone interested in Amish culture, particularly the details of Amish shunnings, since this book explores the technical and also emotional aspects of a shunning.

Summerhill Secrets Series

Summerhill Secrets Series, by Beverly Lewis

This is a series of children's books which I had read years ago, probably in the 7th grade.  I re-read them sometime during October but have taken my pretty time procrastinated in writing about them.  The main character is Merry Hanson, who lives in Pennsylvania Amish country.  She is not Amish, but distantly related to them, and has many friends who are Amish.

The books all read like children's mystery novels, but not all the plots of each book are mystery.  The first book, Whispers Down the Lane, involves Merry's friend Lissa, who has run away from home and has asked Merry to hide her.  Merry finds herself torn between her desire to help her friend, and the possible consequences of harboring a runaway.  Book two is Secret in the Willows and this book is indeed a mystery novel.  Someone had been vandalizing an Amish home, and Merry believed the wrong person was being blamed for it.  Catch a Falling Star (book three) deals with the details of a middle school love triangle, or hexagon, or whatever convoluted shape teenage crushes can create.  Although that is not really a stage of my life I am interested in reliving, I did find the author's depiction of the complexities of middle school relationships to be quite accurate.  Book 4 is Night of the Fireflies and deals with Merry's backstory of losing her twin to cancer, and the events in the present which dredge up those past memories.  It is a significant book for helping readers in its target age group to identify feelings they might be having and discuss them openly with their parents, although it is still fiction and belongs in the children's fiction section of a bookstore, as opposed to the bereavement/grief or parenting sections.  Book five is A Cry in the Dark and continues with that theme when Merry discovers an abandoned baby in her gazebo.

In every book, there is a clear explanation, in terms middle-schoolers can understand, of Amish beliefs and practices and how they differ from "English" people (all non-Amish).  The books are engaging even for an adult to read, although many complex ideas an adult would think of are ignored (the lack of involvement of child protective services when a baby is discovered, simply because Merry's father is a doctor is one that comes to mind).  However, it is refreshing to go back to that child-like mindset and just forget all the complicated things for a while.

These books are very entertaining, and I would recommend them to teenage girls, teenage boys who aren't afraid to be caught reading a book with a female character, and anyone interested in Lancaster Amish lifestyles written from a child's simplistic viewpoint.

The Wild Vine

The Wild Vine:  A Forgotten Grape and the Untold Story of American Wine, by Todd Kliman

This is a pretty fascinating book.  Technically, it is a history book on a completely obscure topic (the history of a grapevine).  But it reads more like a novel that chronicles the history of wine in America.  In addition to an entertaining story, I found myself learning about agriculture, wine, and yes, history.  The common term, "a new chapter in history" is taken quite literally in this book, where each chapter introduces a new event or character in the story.

To sum up the basics:  the New World was promising, not just for expansion and discovery, but as a potential source for new crops.  The hunt was on for a good American wine that could rival Europe's wines.  For 300 years everyone was disappointed at the quality of wine the native grape (Concord) could produce.  Even Thomas Jefferson, for all the things he accomplished in his lifetime, was unable to establish a vineyard that could produce good wine.  Even the European grapevines that were brought to America failed.

Enter Dr. Daniel Norton, a medical doctor and amateur horticulturist dabbling in grapevine genetics.  Half accidentally, half on purpose, a vine was born at his Virginia farm that was pest-and-disease resistant, and produced grapes that made good wine.  As time passed, the vine made it to Missouri, which was set to become America's Napa Valley before California was known for anything but gold, eventually winning a gold medal in an international wine expo in Vienna, and medals in subsequent years as well.

Next chapter up:  Prohibition.  The vineyards were burned, but bootleggers in Missouri saved some vines in a hidden vineyard.  Prohibition was lifted, but Missouri never recovered as a center for wine production, though that is changing today.

The rest of the book finishes the story of the Norton, and its return to its native Virginia.  While reading the author's descriptions of the wine, I really got a sense of the spirit of America.  To the author, if not to the reader, the Norton wine represents the rugged hardiness, the perseverance of the varied culture, and even the melting pot quality of collective "America."  To drink a Norton wine, the book seemed to say to me, is to proudly engage in a patriotic show of love for your country.

Towards the end, I felt a slight shift of focus from historical to almost propagandist writing.  However, it was not enough to turn me off to reading, and I felt drawn to the story enough to give the author the benefit of the doubt- that the Norton wine really IS that good.  This book's story has all the qualities of a great Hollywood story- a main character (the grape) with a cast of supporting actors who all have unique elements they add to the story.  A great victory (the gold medals in Vienna) against affliction from an antagonist (alternately, European wine, California, Nicholas Longworth) and an extreme setback (Prohibition) followed by a come-back.  It includes a surprise twist near the end, though not the kind worthy of an M. Night Shyamalan movie.  It even has sex appeal, though not in the way most would expect.  The characters all have a deep passion and romance for the Norton grape, and a wine which embodies the wildness of early America- well, that's pretty sexy.  It makes me wonder why this book has not already been turned into a movie, and the instant answer that comes to mind is the author's inclusion of nine pages of Bibliography which would suggest the research to indicate it is a true story.  Hollywood can't stomach true stories.

In conclusion, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves obscure history, or history from a new angle, anyone who loves (or likes) wine, wants to learn more about wine, wants to learn about a native American species, supports local business, or just thinks the cover looks cool (the cover ROCKS).

The 5 People You Meet in Heaven

The Five People You Meet in Heaven, by Mitch Albom

This book is unusual.  Most of the time when you read a book, you know that no matter how many bad things happen to the main character, none of them will be bad enough to kill, except maybe at the end if it is one of those tragic stories.  This book is not like that.  The first chapter is called The End, and it begins with "This is a story about a man named Eddie and it begins at the end, with Eddie dying in the sun."

Thankfully, the book doesn't open with a gruesome death scene, but explains a little about how Eddie got to his predicament that killed him, and then after that, Eddie finds himself somewhere else, where he learns that in heaven, before reaching his own paradise, he must meet five people who had influenced his life on earth in some way.  They will each teach him a lesson explaining life, so that he can make some sense of his time on earth.  Interspersed with Eddie's meetings with these five people, are snippets of the past, letting us get a glimpse of who Eddie was on earth.  After all, we didn't really know him on earth, because the story began on his last day here.  So we need to have some reference point.

I see this book as a work of philosophy, explaining a little to the reader about what life means on earth, and why we are here, and how we should live.  Some people could object to the version of heaven as depicted in this book, but I don't really see the book as a work of theology.  The setting of heaven seems to be simply the author's method for getting the points across.

Each of the five people had some quite startling things to reveal to Eddie, so it was interesting, and a very quick read.  I would suggest this book to anyone.  And everyone.

The Reason for God

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, by Timothy Keller

This book was excellent.  It was broken up into two parts.  In the first part, the author, a NYC pastor who has heard it all, took the most popular objections to Christianity and addressed them.  I would not exactly say that he "refuted" them, because it sounds somewhat abrasive to speak that way.  Instead, he discussed the implications of believing in each objection, and exposed each one as logically unsound.  One particular thing that stands out is that unlike many religious people, the author did not use scripture to "prove" his point.  When a person uses scripture as the foundation for an argument with someone who objects to Christianity, the other person can simply call the validity of scripture into question, thus causing the whole argument to fall apart.  Scripture is useful for a lot of things- teaching, rebuking, correcting, training- but it does not make a sound foundation in an argument about the validity of the word of God.  Mr. Keller uses philosophy and logical thinking to discuss scripture, and through logic explains that many of the objections to Christianity require a belief in some other unproven theory.

Take for example the objection, "There can't be just one true religion."  In the United States, it is culturally important that we be sensitive to other people's beliefs.  This allows multiple religions to have breathing room.  But in the Middle East, almost everyone believes there is just one true religion.  To state that "there can't be just one true religion" also asserts that your cultural beliefs are more important than others, and is a statement of belief which others do not hold and which you cannot empirically prove.

So, in the first part of the book, the author lays out reasons we shouldn't disbelieve, and in the second part of the book, the author explains by topic reasons to have faith in Christianity.  Although this part is important, from a practical standpoint, I found the first part of the book more useful to me in answering not only questions I've heard, but questions I've asked myself.  In particular, the question "How can a loving God send people to hell?" is one that I have wrestled with.  One thing that stood out from that chapter was that it would be very unloving for God to allow people like Hitler into heaven.  The question that follows is how can a loving God NOT send people to hell?"  There would be no justice anywhere if that were the case.  I honestly had never thought of it from that perspective before.

I think that this book is good for anyone who likes to think, who wants to view Christianity from a new perspective, who likes philosophical thought, or who has tough, unanswered questions about God, the Bible, or Christians.  This book is NOT good for someone with a low reading level.  I have done college-level reading in a short time and with no problem, but this book was a challenge for me (only in parts).  In addition to reading (visual input), I had to supplement my absorption of this book by reading some chapters out loud (auditory input) and underlining key points (tactile input) in order to fully understand the concepts discussed.  However, this was not for the entire book, only some of the deeper chapters.  For the most part, if you can read at a high school or college level, you should be okay as long as you are interested in the subject matter.  Lastly, from a Christian perspective, this book is helpful for grounding you in the beliefs you already have or may have been raised with.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories in the Sketch Book, by Washington Irving

This book is a very difficult read.  In fact, I'm going to share with you a little secret.  I started it in October and I haven't finished it yet!  Gasp!

The problem for me, lies in the fact that the book is an anthology.  I loved certain stories.  But others were incredibly boring.  To me, an anthology is an author's way to get things published that would normally get thrown in the editor's trash bin.

To be fair, there were some stories that were not interesting to me, but which had wonderful insight about life in England in the early 1800s, life in England from an American's perspective, death, immortality through writing, and relationships between men and women.  I can understand why they may have been included in the publishing, but they still did not interest me, and slowed the speed of my progress through the book.

In case you don't know anything about the author, he was American-born, but the majority of the things collected in his Sketch Book were written during a time when he lived in England.  This book was written at the beginning of the 19th century, using a slightly more formal and outmoded pattern of speech.  A reading of this book would be a major accomplishment for a middle-schooler to undertake, because of the amount of vocabulary words and slightly different syntax sometimes used within the book.  It may even be on some advanced high school reading lists (depending on your school).

And now for a quick review of some of my favorite stories:

Rip Van Winkle.  I'm sure you are familiar with this one already.  A man falls asleep for 100 years and wakes up to find everything is changed.  It is a great story, and the detail of the descriptions is very vivid and seems to place you right in the scene.

The County Church; The Widow and Her Son.  These two are placed right next to each other, and take place in the same church.  The first is a visit to the church and observations of the simplicity of faith (vs the big "megachurches" of the city) and the second is a picture of what happens when tragedy hits the church family.  I felt I could relate to the stories and observations made about church life.

The Boar's Head Tavern, Eastcheap.  This one is a unique writing and really only appreciated if you are familiar with Shakespeare's "Henry" plays.  Being a total book nerd, I love Shakespeare.  I also love history so the narrator's quest for the history of the Tavern is also interesting to me.

The Specter Bridegroom.  This was quite a fascinating piece of fiction (rather than some of the others which seem to be observations about life).  I have no idea why the Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle became so famous while this one did not.  I have a mental image of Peter Jackson and Tim Burton teaming up with Johnny Depp to make this into a movie.  I hope it happens, as that would be awesome.

There are plenty more, but I will leave you with those.  If you like somewhat antiquated language, want to read a challenging book for school but think Shakespeare is too challenging, or if you like anthologies or reading the classics, this book is for you.

The Circle Trilogy

The Circle Trilogy, by Ted Dekker

Although this is technically three books titled Black, Red, and White, the copy I read was bound in one hardcover volume. Additionally, the first two books end with cliffhangers, so the trilogy is properly named; it is indeed only one story. Or perhaps I should say two stories.

The story begins with a man in Denver who falls asleep and wakes up in another world. If he is asleep here, he is in the other world, and when he sleeps there, he wakes in this world. Additionally, the other world is actually still earth, but 2000 years in the future. This means that if he learns the history of events on earth, he can wake up here in 2010 and know what is going to happen in the future. Which is essentially what happens. He learns of a coming apocalypse and works to avert it. Additionally, crisis and chaos are about to break out in the other world as well. So, it is essentially two stories happening simultaneously to one character.

Although I admit the time line and storyline made my head spin at times, and occasionally made me feel as if I was watching the life of a man with multiple personality disorder, Ted Dekker has once again woven a captivating story which I found difficult to put down, even when I was frustrated with the time travel element (I really don't handle time travel that well). If this book were a movie it would be the Matrix, except that the world Neo crosses into would be fanciful Narnia with friendly animals and biblical metaphor. Cross that with any Asian action film utilizing "wire-fu," add a Tom Clancy-like politically-motivated apocalypse, and give it the time line from the Terminator movies, and you have the Circle Trilogy.

I would recommend this book to pretty much everyone. There is something in it for all age groups and walks of life, for people who want entertainment, and for people who have questions about life.

Real Sex: The Naked Truth About Chastity

Real Sex: The Naked Truth About Chastity, by Lauren F. Winner

This book is not like the normal "Don't have sex before marriage" books. Many times, I find that the authors of those types of books have been good little boys and girls all their lives and while I'm sure they have valid points, their words often come across as repeating a mantra instead of being a warning sign put up by someone who has "been there, done that." This author stands out in that she has done things in her past which she later came to believe were sinful, and boldly confesses what she did and how it affected her life.

Additionally, this book promotes the concept of chastity over purity or virginity. The difference is that virginity is a state of being, which once altered, can never be restored. Chastity, on the other hand, is a lifestyle. Something that is chosen each and every day. Chastity is something that must be constantly on one's mind and maintained.

The author maintains that many of the reasons given by believers (collectively as "the Church") for reserving sex for marriage are actually quite inadequate. She dedicates two whole chapters highlighting the misinformation we have today about sex: lies our culture tells about sex, and lies the church tells about sex.

This book is not an easy read; the author is well educated and it is evident within her writing. The book is gratifying in that she has an expansive vocabulary and she is willing to use it without second-guessing herself, which I feel presents her as she is, without a facade. The book is also organized as if it is a book of philosophy with each chapter building on the foundation laid by the next, so that in the end we are presented with a relatively flawless argument. However, like all philosophy, this book can be argued back and forth when discussed by the right philosopher. I am not argumentative and choose not to channel Descartes in my discussion of this book.

What I find refreshing is that Ms. Winner chooses not to base her argument on the writings of Paul, because of the ambiguity of the translation of the original Greek which is highly debated in many churches. Paul's writings augment her argument, but the foundation lies in the Old Testament and God's vision for what married life should look like, instead of Paul's tendency to promote proper moral behavior with less emphasis on a rightly-ordered sexual life within a spiritual journey. Throughout the book, and specifically in chapter 7, the author discusses the idea of sex within marriage and chastity outside of marriage as a spiritual discipline, which are on the same level as training yourself to do daily devotions, prayer, learning forgiveness or mercy, worship, and fasting.

Another interesting topic is the idea that sex is not a private event. Sex leads to parenthood, which is where the future generation learns to interact with society. It is the basis for all our cultures and societies, therefore everyone has a responsibility to society to make good choices regarding sex and to be held accountable for their actions by those who are affected by the society or culture (everyone). In this way, chastity becomes a civic duty and a lifestyle, in the same way that marriage is viewed communally and as a lifestyle.

I would recommend this book to anyone with questions about the morality of sex, anyone who is tired of "the Church's" pat answers about why sex is wrong, and anyone interested in a look at sexual ethics from an educational, rather than religious, standpoint.

The Thirteenth Tale

The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield

Although a modern novel, this book seems to be styled after the 19th century gothic novels that are mentioned in its pages. It really reads like one of the old classics, and I wonder why it is not yet a movie.

The plot is somewhat complicated, but is this: Margaret Lea works in a second-hand bookshop owned by her father and has known books all her life. However, she's never dealt with modern fiction, so she is surprised when a famous author contacts her to be her biographer. Adding to the surprise is that every newspaper interviewer who has asked about her life is given a different story, and questions arise about why the author has decided finally to share her story.

This author, Vida Winter, is known for publishing a book of twelve re-fashioned fairy tales, however in the original publication the title of the book problaimed it to be thirteen. Ever since then, the public has wondered about the thirteenth tale.

If the thirteenth tale is actually the story of her early life, then it involves death in childbirth, grief, incest, illegitimate-or-maybe-not children, rape, a ghost, a governess, a mansion in decay, more death, more illegitimate children, and a horrible fire. I'd love to share more, but I don't think I can without spoilers. The story is very intriguing, and while the reader may always have some kind of guess as to where the author is going with the plot, the author is always one step ahead, and merely leading you to be just where she wants you. At the same time that Margaret Lea has an "AHA" moment, the reader also has one, or perhaps a few moments later. All the pieces suddenly come together, and you realize the clues have been there all along, throughout the entire story, but you have no idea why you didn't piece it together before this.

It was quite a fascinating read, and I would suggest it to anyone who likes a good plot, a good ghost story, 19th century literature, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, or anything written by Austen or a Bronte for that matter.

The Boleyn Inheritance

The Boleyn Inheritance, by Philippa Gregory

This book is about two of the wives of Henry VIII. It begins with Anne of Cleves, wife number 4, and depicts his dislike of her, his interest in one of her maids-in-waiting, the trial against her, his marriage to Katherine Howard, and the eventual downfall of Katherine as well.

In the Author's Note at the end, we are told that these two Queens are the ones historians know the least about, and I assume that this is why it is easier to write a novel about them instead of one of the other Queens. I know for my own writings, I would prefer to make my own story instead of trying to be a fiction writer conforming to an actual, non-fiction person. However, references are made to other historical figures about whom historians know quite a lot: the characters essentially tell the stories of Katherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, and Jane Seymour (Henry's the first three wives). Because I'm at the end of my "historical novel phase," I got the idea from this book that it would be unnecessary for me to read the author's book, "The Other Boleyn Girl" because I got the gist of the story from this one, and I was glad because I'm tired of reading historical novels.

I thought this book was one of the have-trouble-putting-down types, but I think the author knew that, and was kind enough to insert a few episodes here and there which felt "conclusive" enough to put the book down long enough to eat, shower, and get other things done.

I found myself identifying a lot with Anne of Cleves, not really because I am German and a Protestant, but because I think that if I were in her place, I would have made many of the same choices she made. In the end, she was the lady of two estates, living as a single woman in the 16th century, which is quite remarkable. That being said, I am quite glad I live in a country with no monarchy, no one trying to place themselves in a position closer to the throne through marriage or accusations. I am very glad we change leaders every 4 or 8 years, and very glad that, usually, the common people choose who leads.

The plot and language of the book are gripping. The author does not go overboard on descriptions, but does not leave the reader in the dark about things either. Some of the scenes appeared to be repetitive, although I assumed this was because the book was written from three different perspectives (Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard, Jane Boleyn) and therefore the same event could be seen by three different eyes. For the most part, however, once an event occurs, the plot moves forward when the next chapter shifts to another character, instead of staying on the same event.

I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in historical English politics, or in the stories of any of the first 5 wives of Henry VIII.

In the Company of the Courtesan

In the Company of the Courtesan, by Sarah Dunant

As you can tell from the title, this book is about a successful courtesan, Fiammetta, and her loyal dwarf Bucino. The story begins in 1527 with the sack of Rome by Charles III, the Duke of Bourbon, in the name of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Fiammetta and Bucino lived in Rome at the time, and the first several pages depict their efforts to survive the war zone and escape. The events described, although from Bucino's point of view instead of third person, are roughly exactly as described in Wikipedia, with the names of actual historical figures appearing alongside the fictional characters created for the purpose of the book.

Bucino and Fiammetta escape to Venice, where they attempt to begin their lives again. While there, they meet or are influenced by more historical figures, such as the artist Titian, the writer Pietro Aretino, the architect Jacopo Sansovino, Niccolo Machiavelli, and the healer/witch Elena "La Draga" Crusichi. With the exception of the architect and Machiavelli, these characters play large parts in the plot of the story, and in the end, we discover Fiammetta to be the unknown courtesan who posed for Titian's "Venus of Urbino" which depicts nothing from Urbino at all, but the painting eventually was owned by the Duke of Urbino and received its title from him.

Because the story is written from the point of view of Bucino, this book is unique in that a "deformed" character is the hero. In many books and movies, the hero must be perfect in appearance and morals, unless of course he is an anti-hero, in which case he must be perfect in appearance but a complete jerk. Bucino is neither a jerk, nor perfect in appearance. He is business-like, and can be gruff when business demands it, and occasionally makes mistakes like any human, but on the whole I think that he is a great character, loyal to Fiammetta, and kind to everyone he meets until they give him a reason not to be kind.

I would be extremely interested in seeing this book turned into a movie, if only because there are so many great actors out there who are passed up for the main roles because their growth was stunted or they don't look like Hollywood expects people to look. The exception would be Martin Klebba, who became fairly well-known after Pirates of the Caribbean, but who has since starred in a few projects. But lets face it, there are too few movies out there with abnormal-appearing actors in the main character roles.

For a book about a courtesan, this book is surprising in that there are no sex scenes. Sure, there are some pretty specific descriptions of body parts, but after the first few times, the reader begins to realize that these parts are tools of the trade for the characters and to omit those references would be like a book about a construction worker that omitted any reference to a hammer and nails. In fact, one of the things I particularly like was that the author was often able to use crude descriptions and beautiful poetry within the same sentence. Bucino mentions that this is something Fiammetta is able to do, and says that it is in a way a reflection of herself, however I would venture to argue that it is more a description of the cities of Rome and Venice- beautiful sculpture and architecture, holy and pious cities, that are also known for their corruption and prostitution.

The plot of the book was somewhat rambling, but still entertaining, especially in the last half of the book. It is also interesting to note that all the little adventures or episodes that occur become more intertwined in the last third or quarter of the book, and as the plot progresses, you begin to see how everything actually was connected. I enjoy books like that, although I'm sure it never happens in real life (which is probably why I enjoy books like that).

All in all, I would recommend this book to adults who are interested in non-conventional characters, the history of Italy (specifically Venice), or who have an interest in art with a preference for Titian over, say the artists with Ninja Turtle namesakes.

The Illuminator

The Illuminator, by Brenda Rickman Vantrease

This book takes place in the late fourteenth century. I found it to be a transparent description of life in that era. In no way does it romanticize or idealize the exploitation of the people by those in power. The power that the church held over the people is maddening, as is the general treatment of the serfs. Many books avoid the gritty details; this is not one of them. I have to say though, that when I read a book I intend to escape for a little while. This book was no vacation, and at times it irritated me that the fourteenth century couldn't have been nicer.

The plot of the book intertwines the lives of actual historical characters with fictional characters. The author writes from several characters' points-of-view, so it is sometimes difficult to figure out just who the main character is. In the end, one can deduce that those still living must have been the main characters. Here is the gist of it: Lady Kathryn is a widow trying to hold onto her lands long enough for her oldest son to come of age and inherit them. Finn is an illuminator of holy manuscripts with a daughter roughly the same age as Kathryn's twin sons. Because of his daughter, he can't stay at the monastery while doing his work, which is just as well because he has had dealings with John Wycliff (the guy who translated the Bible into the common language). Side plots include the stories of Half-Tom the Dwarf and Julian the Anchoress of Norwich (Julian is an actual historical figure). About midway through the book all hell breaks loose for the characters involved, and it appears as if the evils of church and crown are going to triumph. It was at this point that I realized this book was intended to bring to light the events leading up to the Peasant's Revolt of 1381. When I stopped reading it as an historical romance and started reading it as historical fiction, the book began to make more sense.

Because I am mildly familiar with the historical events of the time period, there were some parts of the plot that did not surprise me. Also, because I have spent a lot of time analyzing the plots of fictional TV shows, movies, and books, there were a few created (non-historical) plot twists that did not surprise me. One in particular was Half-Tom's choice of a wife at the end. It was clear for a portion of the book which girl captured his eye however, even before they met, I had thought to myself, "I bet she and Half-Tom will find each other by the end of the book." And they did. Other parts of the plot seemed a little cliched as well: the identity of the priest's murderer, the way in which the blame was laid on the innocent non-murderer, the greedy, conniving and evil Sheriff of Notting- I mean... Norwich, who steals loyalties and tries to marry into more wealth.

A note about the language of the book: the author writes in a very descriptive language, however, it did not strike me as unique. The plot was entertaining enough to keep me reading, but I did not find myself thoroughly invested in the settings or the characters. In other words, the picture painted by the language of the book did not draw me into the story, but allowed me to stand outside and observe with interest.

All in all, I would recommend this book to adults with an interest in life in the fourteenth century and historical events involving the church and politics, as well as someone seeking a thought provoking discussion on what it means to have a meaningful religious life.

The Darwin Awards: Evolution in Action

The Darwin Awards: Evolution in Action, by Wendy Northcutt

Most people by now know about the Darwin Awards. Darwin's theories state that those organisms with superior physical or mental capabilities will survive to pass on their superior genes to the next generation. The Darwin Awards celebrate those individuals who support Darwin's theories by removing their dumb genes from the gene pool. Only those people who have successfully killed or castrated themselves through their stupidity are eligible for the award.

This book is a collection of the stories of yearly Darwin Award winners, as well as honorable mentions (those who have stupid accidents but are still capable of passing their genes along), personal accounts (stories from followers of the Darwin Awards who have to add their own two cents), and urban legends (stories of stupidity that have not been proven as truth).

It is an entertaining and somewhat morbid read, not a daunting length, and not challenging as far as the writing or reading level is concerned. I would recommend this book to anyone who revels in the justice of stupidity being rewarded by death, and anyone who is not turned off by gruesome or bloody tales.

The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

As a story, this book is somewhat complex, with some foreshadow and a few jumps in the story line. However, its not as complex as some of the other classics and required high school readings. In a nutshell, the narrator is telling a story about a man who fell in love with a woman whose husband is cheating on her with another married woman. The shady morals are only hinted at as being wrong, but the overall message comes across as: when you screw around with the wrong kind of love, people die. Its kind of a morbid message to be sending to a high school English class, however there is a greater reason to use this book for educational purposes.

F. Scott Fitzgerald is a genius with the English language. His writing contains just enough sarcasm to suit my tastes, and yet appears to be an accurate image of the picture he is trying to portray. Take, for example, "the intimate revelations of young men or at least the terms in which they express them are usually plagiaristic." In many cases, the narrator does more than simply narrate. He uses words which are not neutral, which insert his own feelings into the story.

Also of note is the following metaphor: "The lawn started at the beach and ran toward the front door for a quarter of a mile, jumping over sun-dials and brick walks and burning gardens- finally when it reached the house drifting up the side in bright vines as though from the momentum of its run." Many authors today use descriptive language like, "the lawn was a brilliant emerald green, and the gardens" ...etc. It is rare to find an author using a metaphor to describe the setting, rather than 15 adjectives. This particular metaphor is fascinating for its movement. It is not a passive metaphor, and a lawn, which usually just sits there, is transformed into an active and living part of the setting.

While not using adjectives is refreshing, Mr. Fitzgerald's use of adjectives in other, surprising places is another reason I love this book. "And now the orchestra is playing yellow cocktail music." Yellow music? In some strange way, it really does tell you what kind of music is playing.

Rather than bore you with everything in the book that I underlined in fascination, I'll simply give you what I consider to be the author's crowning accomplishment: "Mr. Wolfshiem swallowed a new sentence he was starting and lapsed into a somnambulatory abstraction." If more authors were capable of using words like somnambulatory in a sentence, and more high schoolers were made to read things like this, our society would learn to quit using curse words and begin to actually express themselves (for real!). We'd have less people depressed and unable to share their emotions. We would have more potential, as a country, to do great things.

I recommend this book to everyone, especially those who feel they received a less-than-adequate high school education.

The Pale Horse

The Pale Horse, by Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie is a wonderful writer. The plot for this book was so complex that I had to make myself a diagram for myself showing each character's relationship to everyone else. In a nutshell, a dying woman gives a priest a list of names. She dies, and the priest is killed. The police have no idea what the list of names means, but many of them are turning up dead, of natural causes. Dr. Corrigan sees the name Corrigan on the list and takes it upon himself to solve the mystery even though he is a medical examiner for the police and not actually a detective. He shares info with Mark Easterbrook, the main character, who also is not with the police, and Mark manages to solve the crime, largely without the help of the police.

I have a feeling Agatha Christie's trust in the local authorities equals my trust in doctors, because the police take such a small role in the case.

Throughout the story, evidence seemed to be suggesting that a certain person was the murderer. In the end, the solution to the mystery came out of the blue, and the murderer was a completely different person. This plot twist was a delight to read. I do have to mention though, that there seemed to be way too many coincidences in the plot. Too many people just happened to know Mark, or just happened to bump into Mark, or just happened to be friends with someone involved. I was willing to overlook it because it was an enjoyable story, however, someone more skeptical might dismiss the book because "that would never happen in real life."

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery read, and anyone looking for a beautifully complex plot.

The Sunroom

The Sunroom, by Beverly Lewis

Becky is a young girl who plays the piano. Her mother becomes very ill and Becky is not allowed into the hospital. She adopts a mother role at her young age, in order to take care of her younger sister in her mother's absence. She also makes a deal with God in order to heal her mother.

Those are the circumstances. In actuality, the book is a study on the mind of a young child encountering hardships. It seems to capture the mindset of a child, despite the author being an adult. I believe the author accomplished this by using her childhood diary as a reference. The story is based on her mother's illness when she was a child.

It is a heartwarming story (how could it not be with a name like the Sunroom?) which I recommend to everyone. If you are interested in the old question, "why does God let bad things happen?" or if you have experienced an illness in the family, or if you want to remember life from a child's perspective, this is an excellent book for you.

The Queen's Fool

The Queen's Fool, by Philippa Gregory

Set in 1553, this book follows the fictional story of Hannah Green, a Spanish Jew hiding from the Inquisition in England. She has the gift of Sight, and is sent to King Edward's court to be a holy fool and predict the future. Also, on the side, she is required to spy for the people who hired her, who are not always on the right side. As it turns out, she always manages to escape accusations of disloyalty, even when power shifts to Queen Mary and then Queen Elizabeth. No one else seems to be able to accomplish such a thing.

It is a very intriguing book, and is more about spying and romance than anything else. There seemed to be an anachronism; at one point, a character makes fun of Christopher Columbus' ideas, but by 1553, Columbus has already been proven right. Another thing that confused me is that Queen Mary becomes pregnant and waits more than 9 months for her baby. Mention is made of her large belly, but at 11 months they are still waiting for the baby. At some point in there, there must have been a miscarriage but one would think her maids would have noticed a lack of belly. This seems to occur twice. I am not familiar with British history, but I am certain I have never heard of an incident like this occurring.

This book was difficult to put down and very well written. I would recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction, spy stories, or a good romance involving a tomboy-like character who falls in love with her culture, and therefore, with the boy wooing her.

PS. I read this in September and only got around to reviewing it now. Sorry!

The Mermaid Chair

The Mermaid Chair, by Sue Monk Kidd

I almost didn't read this book. Within the first few pages I discovered it seemed to be a romance novel about an affair, and that's not really my type of book. However, within the first few pages, the main character's mother deliberately cuts her finger off for no apparent reason other than being crazy, and that was intriguing enough to make me continue reading.

As it turns out, the book is about parental love, a small island community where a person can get back in touch with nature and their roots, solving a mystery, questioning religion, and finding out where you belong.

While the story was good, what really attracted me to the book was the author's descriptive writing style. I had recently read a commentary about elements that make up a good fiction novel, and one of the elements mentioned was unexpected descriptions. Here is an example: "The water was inking into purple." The author could have said the water color was changing to purple but that would be expected. The story becomes more vivid when you use an unexpected verb like "ink." Is "ink" even a verb? I don't know. The book was filled with descriptions like that and so, I felt more involved in the story than many other books I've read.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes colorful descriptions, anyone who grew up on a barrier island, and to most women. If this book were a movie it would be a chick-flick. But it would be a very good chick-flick.

Fair is the Rose

Fair is the Rose, by Liz Curtis Higgs

This is the sequel to Thorn in My Heart. It follows the Biblical story of Jacob's marriage, first to Leah, then to Rachel. In 1790s Scotland, divorce is unheard of, and so is marriage to two women at once. The way in which the author manages to stick to the Biblical story and still make it realistic as a historical novel is ingenious.

Although the whole series is written from the points of view of several characters, each book is about the plight of a main character. In Thorn, the main plight was Leah's. In Fair is the Rose, the main character in distress was Rachel. As with all love triangles, however, everyone is in distress over something at all times.

There is just as much sneaking and conniving and drama as in the first book, kind of in a soap opera way, but much less cliche. I admire the author's ability to take an old theme (unrequited and/or betrayed love) and make it interesting and fresh.

One thing that bothered me about the book is that the character of Leah was so developed in the first book, and I connected so much to her, that in the second book I really struggled to line up behind Rachel and cheer her on. By the end, I think that I managed to get on board, but I still felt guilty for shifting my loyalties. However, now that I have started the third book, I realize what the author was trying to do there. I'll tell you all about it when I review the third book.

As before, anyone with an interest in re-inventing Biblical stories, historical Scotland, or deep and scandalous and heart-wrenching drama will be interested in reading this book series.