Mattia Goddard

This book! Ahhh! It was wonderful and funny and entertaining and everything good. First I learned the backstage life of an SNL writer (SNL -TNO -wink wink) then the pandemic hits and the book moves into an epistolary format. I happen to love that form of storytelling. Here it's email. Then, part 3 in our romcom is these two endearing characters together. This is not my usual genre, but after Prep, I'm a big Curtis Sittenfeld fan and loads of people I trust loved this read. I know exactly why. This book hits all the right notes. This was the absolute right palate cleanser for me after my last bloody, violent mystery. Highly recommend this one.

Kingsolver so adeptly writes in the voice of a young man, taking us on his truly epic journey. His life is hard, dark and disturbing at just about every turn. But we the readers see his good heart, his never ending search for love and belonging and ultimately, his cathartic redemption. Our book club thoroughly enjoyed this read- a new and timely take on David Copperfield. I highly recommend this read if you enjoy getting to know all the characters that make up a protagonist's life and you want to take the time to settle in and follow Demon's arc. Kingsolver's writing is magical. She is a gifted wordsmith and, in my opinion, one of our greatest living novelists.

I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish this one last night and oh my was it worth it. I enjoyed every page of this book. This book feels original with a main character I was actually rooting for. How unusual is that? I loved how this story was revealed and at 287 pages it moves quickly without sacrificing character development. I'm impressed. Stan Lee trusted her and I see why. She's an excellent storyteller.

I don't know how I came across this book as I usually do not pick up YA. There's a reason for that. This book is for your teenager- a young teenager. There is no cursing and no sex which is exceedingly rare and thus I know it will appeal to parents of readers. I did not love this book mainly because the main character was so self-involved, which is not unexpected in a 15 year old who has suffered trauma. So I think this book is excellent for teenagers, just not for this 40-something year old. One thing I loved- the map of the private island at the front of the book. I needed help visualizing all the houses and spots the narrator referenced. The map was a great choice.

I've just completed a most beautiful literary journey. It's as though I myself am now returning from the 1930s town of Pottstown, Pennsylvania. What a world James McBride has created! Winner of many accolades including the National Book Award, this book is full of the most delightfully fleshed out characters- each and every one. McBride does not hesitate to give his readers a quick side story about just about all of his cast of characters. It works precisely because his writing is lyric and lovely. There is xenophobia here-and nationalism- all as a precursor to World War II- but there is also human kindness and generosity and the understanding that we are all the same. Our wants and fears and dreams- our humanity binds us together. It is heartbreaking and heartwarming. This writer is a master storyteller. If character driven novels are your thing- this book is for you.