Our on-line book club met this week to discuss Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah. Since the characters in the book toast with vodka and do a three-part statements of likes, dislikes and something you may now know, we started off the same way--one with vodka, but I think mostly wine was enjoyed by others!
I enjoyed the book, but once again, it was a mixed review from our members. Karen, who picked the book, liked it the least and gave it a 2 rating. She felt like the mother in the books actions were ridiculous and everyone's reactions towards each other just didn't make sense. It did have a bit too much repetition in it about how each of the characters felt about each other, without much closure or understanding until they are almost at the end of the book.
I did learn a lot about Russian life before and during WWII. I did not know how atrocious life was in Leningrad; bad before the war, but even worse during it.
I think the book pointed out that we may not really know each other, that people keep secrets. It also reinforces the knowledge of how much of an impact past experiences, or growing up molds us, for the better or worse. I gave the book a 3.5 rating, and I would recommend it. I have heard lots of good things about Hannah's newest book, The Four Winds. I will check it out. I have also read The Great Alone by her. It had great insight into abusive relationships, but pretty dark and depressing.
The highest rating Winter Garden got was a 4, and overall it came in at 3.2. As always great fun to visit with these good friends!
I read Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Stout this month too.
It won the Pulitzer Prize in 2009 and I had many people recommend it. The lead character, Olive, is a curmudgeon who has good intentions but often doesn't know how to use them. I was not in love with the book, as I thought most of the people in it were depressed and sad. There was not a lot of joy. How Olive's husband Henry stays so cheerful around Olive is hard to imagine. There were some laugh out loud parts, and it was well written, but the book did not make my top list of favorites. I would give it a 3 at best. If you read it, what did you think and why?
I am also hooked on the Paul Dorion series about a game warden in Maine. I have read another 4 this month, with another 8 to go! They are fun and easy reads with a good story line.
I was in between books, and picked one off my book shelf to read this week. It was Cry Wolf by Tami Hoag. I love mysteries and the mystery part was enjoyable but it was too much of a romance novel thrown in with the mystery. I am not big on romance books, so I would not recommend this one.