November 2013

August 2012

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

At the age of 21, Nell discovers that as a young child, she was found alone on a ship headed for Australia, and that the father she has loved for all these years is merely a man who found her.

Though they loved her like their own, Nell could not continue loving her family the way she had. In an effort of desperation, she sets out on her quest of self discovery, which leads her to the Blackhurst Manor just off the Cornish coast. It is here that Nell begins to piece together her history, learn the truth about her origins, and unbury the secrets of the Montrachet family.

However, it is Nell’s granddaughter Cassandra, suffering with her own abandonment issues, who finishes Nell’s journey and discovers the family’s darkest secret of all. After unexpectedly inheriting the Cliff Cottage on the grounds of Blackhurst Manor and its forgotten garden, Cassandra slowly finds the missing pieces of Nell’s history which lead to her own self discovery and healing. 

Holly says: This historical saga is filed with mystery and secrets, grand passions and tragic woes. It's certainly not great literature, but I loved the characters and the plot. It was a wonderful summer reading book and a delicious book to become lost in! 

Speaking of delicious, we met at my house for dinner and enjoyed a grilled shark fish—don't tell Natalie, the muscles freaked her out enough—and muscle stew. My not-so-forgotten garden provided the veggies for a tian, but the highlight was the peach dessert. Yummy!

Left to right: Sue, Leslie, Natalie, Me (Holly), and Alison. Missing (sadly!) are Karen and Linda.

January 2012

Inside Out and Back Again
by Thanhha Lai

Holly Says: Inside Out & Back Again is a novel in verse. This is the moving story of one girl's year of change, dreams, grief, and healing as she journeys from one country to another, one life to the next. I’m usually not a big fan of novels in verse, but this one surprised me. Ha describes her life in details that truly connected me to her and the other characters.

July 2011

'Frankenstein' (Mary Shelley) has entered fictional history as a book about a man-made monster. However, this is a gross understatement for a book that contains as its central themes ideas about idealism and passion, selfishness and cruelty, good and evil. Under any circumstance this would make for a compelling novel, but it is one that has gained new relevance amidst the contemporary debate about genetically created animals and genetically modified foods.

When it was first published in 1818, 'Frankenstein' must have appeared to be just another horror story, chilling, but ultimately inconceivable in reality. At a time when people believed God to be the author of creation, any serious suggestion that man could create life must have been considered blasphemous. In essence, 'Frankenstein' is the story of a young scientific genius, Victor Frankenstein, whose studies lead him to discover the means of creating life. Compelled by his passion, and thinking of nothing beyond scientific achievement and the consequent academic glory, Frankenstein uses this knowledge to create a quasi-human being. This one action changes the lives of Frankenstein and those around him in ways that he never imagined and he appears powerless to do anything to prevent the terrible consequences of his actions.

Today, two hundred years on, scientists are actually capable of creating a life and, like Victor Frankenstein, nobody really knows how this will affect the world. The modern reader must almost inevitably see 'Frankenstein' in the light of modern science. In this light, Shelley's novel reads like a treatise against genetic science containing a dire warning of the consequences of 'playing God'. However, Shelley's literary priorities may lie in a different direction. 'Frankenstein' also explores the duality of human nature and the way in which people are perceived by society. Shelley suggests that the treatment they receive as a result of social perceptions will ultimately draw out or suppress certain elements of their nature. ~ Review by Katie Dean

We met at Red Butte Gardens for a picnic, and it was delightful~ as soon as the rain stopped!

Holly Says: I found Frankenstein to be fascinating.  Living in a time when consequences seem to be something from the past, I found Frankenstein the ultimate example of living with the ramifications of your actions.  How easy is it to start something, lose control, and then … what?  What responsibilities do we owe to our fellow creatures, and what can happen when we neglect those duties?  I loved Katie Dean’s review above and I loved the book!

Leslie Says: The story was interesting and well written, but overall I found it a boring read and could hardly wait until it was over. Certainly there was food for thought, but I would have been able to get everything out of it that I did if the entire story had been limited to the monster's retelling of his own experience.

Sue Says: I liked the book but I didn't totally love it. It was very thought-provoking and the story was much different from the popular perceptions and I'm glad I read it.

Karen Says: I had a hard time enjoying this book, about 100 pages in (it is only about 190 pages) it got a little better for me. But this is what I love about book clubs, I never would have read this book if Holly hadn't chosen it. Now I am off to read a something a little less dark.

Linda Says: : I am giving it 3 stars for being well-written however, this is not my kind of book. It was dark and depressing from beginning to end. Since it was written as a horror story, I think she accomplished her goal - but the story itself was "not my cup of tea."

September 2010

Holly picked her book in remembrance of 9/11. We read Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer and gave it 3 1/2 stars. We lunched at the downtown Paradise Bakery at 615 E 400 S.

Holly says: After finishing Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, I stand by my initial impression. What the ..!? [You need to read the book to get this inside joke.] It’s interesting that the author wrote about 9/11 from the point of view of a child. An anxious, troubled, disturbed child named Oskar, bringing an unusual perspective to such a destructive event. Safran Foer is one of the more controversial novelists of the past decade, not for the content of his writing, but rather for its unconventional style and the extremely polarized responses this style has elicited from readers. For that reason alone, I recommend reading it. I agree with Alison, the style resembles, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time— I like The Curious Incident... much better!

Karen says: It was good to read this book over the September 11th weekend, it helped me remember, and made me mourn again for not only those involved, but also for my children who have only known a post-9/11 world.

March 2010

Holly chose "A Northern Light" by Jennifer Donnelly and we gave it 4 1/2 stars.  We had a delightful lunch at the Beehive Tea Room in downtown Salt Lake City at 12 W Broadway.

Leslie says: A delightful read.
My thoughts at the end were regarding the author's summary of the actual trial. She said that people in the courtroom wept as they heard the letters read aloud. I thought about how tragic it is that under similar circumstances, those letters probably wouldn't inspire weeping today. In a world where someone shoots another man in the face four times because he got lawn mower clippings blown on his clothing as he walked down the street, we are absolutely desensitized to this kind of murder. In comparison it seems almost gentle. So sad to not be moved to tears by this woman's horrible fate. I think it is a very good thing to be reminded of different times, in the context of a novel that helps us really connect with the characters and feel more for them than we might if we read the story in the newspaper.

Sue says: This book is based on a true murder case in New York that was then novelized in "An American Tragedy" by Theodore Dreiser. I read that book several years ago and it was very interesting as Dreiser delved into modern ideas of psychology to explain Chester Gillette's actions. This book tells the story of a teenage girl working at the resort where they stayed and how the life of Grace Brown, the deceased girlfriend, intersects with hers. It is a powerful story of women and their emergence as writers and includes many fun literary references. Mattie struggles to resolve the divide she sees between having words and having love. She repeatedly comes face-to-face with real-life examples of having to choose and it scares her. It finally scares her into actions that she will regret and some she will prize.
Quotes I liked: "She wasn't what he wanted; he wanted Daisy. But he couldn't have Daisy, so he finally took what was offered. Like we all do."
"I know it is a bad thing to break a promise, but I think now that it is a worse thing to let a promise break you."
"Jane Austen ruins you for farm boys and loggers."

October 2009

Holly picked "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman and we gave it 3 1/2 stars.  We ate at Lone Star Taqueria in Salt Lake City at 2265 Fort Union Blvd.

Holly says: Who knew the graveyard was such a jungle?

Alison says: I adored this Newbery Award winner! I will admit I was a little worried that it would be too "creepy" for my taste - but I was hooked from the first page. The following quote from the Newbery website sums it up well:

A delicious mix of murder, fantasy, humor and human longing, the tale of Nobody Owens is told in magical, haunting prose. A child marked for death by an ancient league of assassins escapes into an abandoned graveyard, where he is reared and protected by its spirit denizens.

Sue says:What a fun book! I really had no expectations when I started it and didn't know anything about it except that it was the pick for this month's book club. It has a very unusual story with fun characters and a satisfying conclusion. It is essentially a coming-of-age book, but with some very different aspects. Who knew so many interesting things happen in a graveyard?