Author: Sue Monk Kidd

I picked this book up at one of the thrift shops on Texada. I left it in the cupboard on Texada for those times when I hadn’t brought enough books from home to get me through my time at the studio.

This was a quick read about Jessie, a daughter, wife and mother, who begins to wonder what might lie ahead for her now that her daughter has left the next. When her mother has a mental episode Jessie returns to the remote island where she grew up. Not only does she have to sort out what might be affecting her mother but also she is trying to deal with the circumstances of her father’s death many years ago. Just to add a bit of uncertainty to the story she has also fallen in love with a monk from the monastery next door to her childhood home.

Goodreads Rating: * * *

Author: Rose Tremain

I heard about this book through listening to Eleanor Wachtel interview the author for Writers & Company. Although I enjoyed the book it wasn’t as good as I expected based on the interview.

Everything she said in the interview was quite correct as far as the book was concerned; she spoke a lot about terror and I can’t say I was terrorized. All of her characters are over 60 and that was meant to be one of the themes of the book. There are two sets of siblings and neither of their relationships is easy. Both sets are struggling to come to terms with their past and their parents.

The book is well written (I’m sure very literary) but it wasn’t the psychological thriller I expected.

Goodreads Rating: * * *

Author: Timea E. Nagy

Kathryn told me about this book. She said she couldn’t put it down and I had the same reaction.

It is easily read but the subject matter is disturbing, although not too graphic. The memoir deals with a young woman caught up in human trafficking. She was recruited to come to Canada as a babysitter but instead was forced into the sex trade. She managed to escape after many harrowing experiences and now works to help others caught in similar circumstances.

The co-auther of the book has also lived through difficult circumstances and I’ve ordered her book from the library.

Is there something wrong with me that I’m fascinated by these horrendous stories?

Goodreads Rating: * * * *

Author: Jonathan Evison

Pat is going to be interviewing the author of this book later in the Fall. He asked me to order a couple of his books for him, which I did, but neither of those books appealed to me. But this one looked interesting so I got it on an Inter-Library loan.

It was certainly a quick and easy read. I’m not sure who the narrator is but we are hearing about Harriet’s life from the time she was a young girl and up to her 78-year old, present-day self. We also hear from Bernard, her deceased husband, who isn’t supposed to be back visiting her but there he is. It hasn’t been an easy life for Harriet but she has struggled through.

The story has a lot of back and forth in terms of timelines but the changes are easy enough to follow.

Goodreads Rating: * * *