Hopeful: book review
‘The Woman On The Stairs’ written by Bernhard Schlink is a charming book set in Germany involving creativity, love and hope.
Three men are all in love with the same woman and a painting of Irene is later the pivot that brings them together again.
Well worth a read.
<a href="http://Hopeful“>
Review of ‘Savior’ by Martha Kennedy
Historical novels are not my usual choice, but this novel immersed me back in the time of knights and crusaders in the C13th. The protagonist, Rudolph, a young Swiss man is suffering from depression. He believes Satan has claimed his soul and the only way to rid him-self from this dilemma is to travel by horse to the Holy Land where he hopes to end his life fighting for the religion he’s lost touch with. He leaves behind his beautiful fiancé.
Rudolph travels with his younger brother, Conrad, who is full of life and hope. Rudolph has much to learn and the story follows his journey of finding himself through living with a hermit, who helps him discover, ’The truth is everywhere yet so difficult to see.’ This time is delightfully told with philosophical questions posed.
His return home has surprises in store. Will his fiancé still be waiting for him? Does he want this sort of future? This book looks at life from a depressive’s stance, through to his overcoming this disability. It also looks at the effect of loss and loneliness on other characters in the story. We are left guessing how the story will resolve itself until the last page.
Martha Kennedy skillfully writes, whisking us back into a time of long ago.
http://marthakennedy.wordpress.com/2014/09/29/savior-is-for-sale/
Book Review
‘Six Weeks in Summer’, written by Helen Meikle has a strong voice. The protagonist, Meg Cornwell, a freshly widowed, isolated woman, pulled at my heart- strings. A woman who had been overshadowed by her husband and his family, gradually begins to find herself and blossoms, as she discovers her strengths and shakes off the past.
Meikle captivates her audience, drawing them into a group of disparate characters. These lives very soon become entangled and, I too, felt part of this coterie, not wanting the story to finish.
The bullying antagonists are duly dealt with in an inventive way, bringing joy and warmth to the fragility of those other broken lives.
For those of you who have enjoyed Alexander McCall Smith’s tales of Scotland, here is an Australian story that is equally charming.
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/469629
helen meikle’s scribblefest
Barbara Pyett 