THE FROZEN RIVER

Posted on by Jan tramontano

This novel is an absolute page turner. It encompasses many of the elements of what we think of as compelling historical fiction—context, a crime, a trial, a cover up, a disavowal of the rights of women. In its way, it is also a love story. It's also a tribute to women in history whose lives and achievements are left out of the history books.  The protagonist is Martha Ballard, a real midwife and healer who lived and worked in colonial America. The seeds of this story were formed when the author, Ariel Lawhon, discovered her diaries.  

The Artist’s Wife

Posted on by Jan tramontano

This novel is the second in the Hearts of Glass series that I assume will continue.  I did not read the first one, The Artist’s Apprentice, but The Artist's Wife easily stood on its own. World War I is beginning, Britain is wholly unprepared for war and what its threat means, and the fabric of Edwardian society is unraveling.  The title reflects women's standing. True, the protagonist Alice was married to an artist with whom she apprenticed, but she was the creative force of the duo.

The In Between: A Lyrical Immigrant story

Posted on by Jan tramontano

There is little new to learn about the immigrant experience in Small Worlds. It does not explore unfamiliar, unknown ground. The protagonist has no dreams for his future that isn’t experienced in many coming of age stories. The protagonist, Stephen, born in England to Ghanian parents, articulates a story universal to immigrants everywhere in the world. He wants to find his place in the world where he is accepted and free to be himself. However, what sets it apart from other similar stories is how it is absorbed through the senses. I would describe it as an exquisite meditation on the immigrant experience.For the most part I felt I was like I was in a boat, gently rocked through rich imagery and the distinctive repetition of a ballad.

A MODERN TAKE ON MRS. DALLOWAY

Posted on by Jan tramontano

Ana Turns is loosely based on the Mrs. Dalloway concept. A day in the life of a woman reckoning with her past and present in order to live a richer future.  Although the most notable tribute was Michael Cunningham’s, Pulitzer prize winning THE HOURS, written in 1998,  in many ways, this story is a fresh take on the Virginia Woolf story. With grace, perception of what makes us tick and originality, this book was a wonderful read. It's Ana’s sixtieth birthday. And what are birthdays for (especially the milestones) but to think about the rest of our lives. Her life has been complicated and she understands that if she is to find happiness in her future, she must make peace with her past. Unlike Clarissa, she did not plan her party, which may be part of her overall problem.

The Evolving Dynamics of Family: The Other Mother

Posted on by Jan tramontano

This is a multigenerational tale of a mixed-race family that has many complications. Mixed race is only the beginning. Add into the mix a gay couple who has a baby via sperm donor in the time when AIDS was at its peak. The child, now college age, has many questions about his father and it is with this quest that the book unfolds. THE OTHER MOTHER by Rachel M. Harper, is a novel about l who can be a mother, the different configurations of family, and how the actions of family members may be well-intentioned but destructive..

AMERICAN DIRT: A STORY OF TERROR, DISPLACEMENT AND LOVE

Posted on by Jan tramontano

A book like this is why fiction can have an impact on how we view and think about subjects we may know about, but never personally encounter. And it is a great discussion starter.

A Tale of Family Trauma Elegantly Rendered

Posted on by Jan tramontano

Lately, if I've read a book that has garnered a long list of prizes (2021 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, best book of year by NPR and Publisher's weekly and over the top reviews, I read it with great anticipation and am usually surprised by the acclaim, disappointed with the story or lack thereof, … Continue reading A Tale of Family Trauma Elegantly Rendered

Mary Trumps Them All Too Much and Never Enough

Posted on by Jan tramontano

This week’s blog is a hard one for me to write. I’m breaking all the rules I set for myself. First,  I was going to stay away from best selling books. There are so many books worth reading that could use light beamed their way, I prefer to concentrate my efforts there.  Second, as I’ve said … Continue reading Mary Trumps Them All Too Much and Never Enough

Accident or Hate Crime? The Other Americans by Laila Lalami

Posted on by Jan tramontano

The Other Americans by Pulitzer Prize finalist, Laila Lalami, gives us a fresh look at familiar stories. What separates it from others is how the suspicious death of a Moroccan immigrant reveals the fault lines of our culture through family, love, ingrained prejudice, and the problems parents create for their children.