“To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life.” 

-W. Somerset Maugham

 

Novel Blondes November Book Reviews

 

 

An American Princess: The Many Lives of Allene Tew

by Annejet van der Zijl and Michelle Hutchison, ebook

Allene Tew (1872-1955) was a mover and a shaker, an upstart who maneuvered her way into high society and financial security through marriage. She started from humble beginnings, the daughter of a backwater banker and pioneer in Jamestown, New York. While at a local dance, she charmed the wealthy Tod Hostetter and was married at 18. His family objected while hers, of course, did not. The marriage lasted 12 years and produced three children. Sadly, Tod died early, but Allene was well positioned as a now wealthy widow.

With her honed manners and newly acquired inheritance, she moved to New York and proceeded to establish herself as part of the social scene. What followed were four additional marriages, all unique and interesting. Finally, she reached the pinnacle of her social climb was becoming a member of European aristocracy through her fourth marriage. Unfortunately, she did suffer the loss of not only her first and third husbands, but she outlived all of her children. The author weaves a rich tapestry of the Gild Age through the story of mill town girl, Allene Tew.

 

 

A Thousand Pardons: A Novel

by Jonathan Dee, softcover, literary fiction

This one came with high praise for its literary credentials. Nevertheless, ugh, not the right book at the right time, and I don’t know that it would ever become that for me. I thought I had found an under the radar winner, but not so much. What the author treats the reader to is the slow disintegration of a family which, from outward appearances, was living the clichéd American Dream. Helen is married to Ben, who self destructs, as middle-aged men are wont to do, chasing a younger woman who really isn’t all that into him even while sleeping with him. Helen is left to clean up the garbage, alone with the 14-year-old daughter she and Ben adopted as an infant from China. Previously a stay at home suburban mom, Helen joins the workforce and discovers hidden talents in managing the career implosions of celebrities.

The Characters

The main problem I had with this story was that none of the characters were particularly likable, mainly due to their own apathetic response to life and the changes happening. They simply go from being together to apart. Ultimately, they changed their circumstances somewhat and continued on with existing. Bored, complacent, entitled were words that kept bumping around in my brain as I read this one. Grudgingly, I finished it, mainly because I was still waiting for the big reveal, or the aha for the characters, but it never seemed to happen. 

 

 

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, softcover, historical fiction

Just sweet, sweet, sweet, without being so saccharine that it was overwhelming. I had heard of this one for quite some time, but until I found a copy in a thrift shop, it wasn’t on my To Be Read (TBR) pile. Finally, it bubbled to the top and I dug in, enjoying it more with each turn of the page. Juliet Ashton, having written a war column as Izzy Bickerstaff, is looking to change her writing focus by adding more depth. The war (WWII)  is over, and she’s ready to move on to new opportunities as well. Juliet strikes up a letter writing conversation with a farmer named Dawnsey Adams, who lives on Guernsey. Determined to find a story, she decides to visit the island and meet the people who have intrigued her through the letter exchange.

The story is told from the perspective of multiple inhabitants of the island, and what is revealed is a layered story of endurance throughout the war. Spoiler alert: It has a SWEET, HAPPY ENDING and boy was I needing one by the time I read this. It hit the spot, with just the right amount of history, personable characters, and good vibes. By the way, did I mention, Sweet?

 

 

 

The Burglar

by Thomas Perry, suspense/thriller

Surprisingly, this selection was a good change of pace, as I hadn’t read anything in the thriller genre in quite a while. However, I did have some issue with the likability factor of the main character, Elle Stowell. Don’t get me wrong, she’s tough, smart, physically fit and living by her wits, as a thief. Elle breaks into the ubiquitous Hollywood mansion in her version of just another day at the office. When she stumbles upon a triple murder scene in the upstairs master suite, she’s possibly also capture on video camera.

Long story short, she takes the camera, gets chased by the bad guys, and needs to solve the murder before she ends up as the next victim. I rooted for her, mainly because the bad guys were jerks too. In the end, Elle outwits the villains and seems ready to turn a new leaf as the story concludes. Didn’t hate it, but didn’t love it either. 

 

 

 

 

In Conclusion

Overall, I can say it was a successful month of reading distraction. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was definitely my favorite, followed by An American Princess. Sadly, November was the first full month post Hurricane Michael. I was a place to disappear to when I could stop for a moment and lift a book. The post storm shock was wearing off, but the desolate, overwhelming enormity was numbing. Books were a place to hide, and I will admit I used the escape when I could.