Now THIS is a long overdue posting! It encompasses the books I read from the beginning of April to the end of June. So why have I waited until now to make the post? IDK! Maybe I was embarrassed that I only read two books in three months time. And part of the reason I’m posting it now is because the due date for the next book talk post is coming up soon. So here you have a very late and very short book talk. But one thing is definitely not short.
And that is the length of the two books I read! So without further ado…
Beneath a Scarlet Sky
by Mark Sullivan
This is a WWII historical fiction novel set in northern Italy from 1943 to 1945. Although it did not grab me from the beginning and moved rather slowly for me at first, it got better as it went along. Pino Lello is the main character. He’s only 17 years old when his teenage world is interrupted by the war, and he must grow up quickly. He begins in the war effort by helping Jews escape to Switzerland across the alps. Later he returns to his home in Milan where his parents convince him to reluctantly join the Organization Todt. A little further on, circumstances allow him to become the personal driver to General Leyers, which enables him to spy on the Nazis for the resistance. Throughout all of this there is also a heartbreaking love story intertwined. While most of the novel is purported to be based on truth, as the story evolves, Pino seems often to have unbelievable prowess and good fortune. That being said, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it. It is over 500 pages long, so it’s definitely not a quick read. I understand there is a movie or TV series in the works, but it seems to be stalled right now.
The Luminaries
by Eleanor Catton
My son Danny gave me this book for Mother’s Day. He and Erin had both read it. It is a very different book than most that I read. For one thing, it is 830 pages long! But length aside, the author is definitely a very good story teller. I loved the language of the book…words like dapper, miscreant, sundry, purloined, staunch, gaol-house, etc. It is set in mid-19th century New Zealand during gold rush times. I’d never thought of New Zealand when I thought of the gold rush. California is what always comes to my mind in that regard. It was interesting to read the descriptions of the different areas in New Zealand. This book is largely a mystery, but also a romance, and a little bit of a ghost story. There is a large number of characters to keep straight, so I really appreciated the character chart at the beginning of the book. I referred back to it often, especially during the first part of my reading. The author is a master at character development, taking the reader into a character’s inner workings. While I enjoyed the book and am glad to have read it, I would be careful about who I would recommend it to. It’s not for everyone. I would encourage you to read the reviews on Amazon or Good Reads, and decide for yourself.
I’m happy to say that my reading has picked up since the end of June, so be expecting more books in my next “talk”. That’ll be in just a couple of weeks. And while I have a stack of books to choose from right now, I’m always looking for recommendations. So if you’ve read anything lately that you loved, I’d appreciate a word about it in the comments! Happy reading! 📖