Gena's Reads

Language Arts by Stephanie Kallos is a novel about an English teacher, who teaches his students Language Arts, while he himself has a grown autistic son who is completely non-verbal. It is a sad, beautiful and compelling story. Kallos is a masterful storyteller and throughout the novel, she weaves in stories of the father’s early handwriting education by his formidable fourth grade teacher, his letters to his grown daughter, and stories of his early marriage to his wife, from whom…

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Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya is a coming of age story set in New Mexico. Antonio Marez is six years old when Ultima, a curandera, one who heals with plants and magic, comes to live with his family. As he grows up in rural New Mexico and struggles to fulfill his mother’s and father’s dreams, he is guided on an inner journey by Ultima.  A compelling book that sheds light on New Mexican culture and landscape; a wonderful story…

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Lucky Us by Amy Bloom is a novel about a young girl named Eva, growing up in the shadow of her older sister Iris after her mother leaves her on her father’s doorstep when she was is just a child. The story moves from Ohio to Hollywood, to New York and Europe with a cast of offbeat characters hard to forget. Bloom weaves their stories together masterfully and in the end redefines what family means. A totally original, entertaining and…

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Flame Tree Road by Shona Patel is a novel set in Bengal at the end of the 19th century. The main character, Biren Roy, is a nobel man inspired by Gandhi, Tagore, Vivekananda, Ramakrisna and Sri Aurobindo. Those are big shoes to fill, and Roy does a good job, working ceaselessly for women’s rights in India. This is a beautifully written, yet tragically sad novel. All the women Roy cares for are lost to him. The novel becomes almost predictable…

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The Winter Witch by Paula Brackston is a novel set in 19th century Wales that follows young, silent Morgana as she begins her new life in an arranged marriage to a man she doesn’t know. She soon falls in love with the wild country around her husband’s farm, and begins to feel happy, until the townspeople slowly start to suspect something strange about her and begin turning against her. Full of mystery and magic, beauty and romance, this is an…

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Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a novel based on the Nigeria-Biafra War of 1967-1970. It follows three people as their lives unfold in this very difficult time. Adichie writes with great honesty, she brings the personal element to this tragic part of Nigerias history. This is a beautifully written, yet hard to read novel. Adichie is one of the most talented writers I’ve read in a long time. Highly recommended.

The Witch’s Daughter by Paula Brackston is a tale of witchcraft and sorcery that moves through time from the 1600’s to the present day. What’s not to love? Although I found the story entertaining, the warlock Gideon, who pursues the witch Bess Hawksmith through the centuries is such a repulsive character, it basically ruined the book for me. Disappointing.

Ishmael’s Oranges by Claire Hajaj is a novel about the conflict between Palestinians and Jews for the land that is now Israel. beginning in 1948 Jaffa, moving to London, Beirut and back again, the novel follows the life of Salim, a displaced Palestinian boy who falls in love with Jude, a Jewish girl he meets in London. They try desperately to overcome their families prejudices and hatred of each others culture. They commit to raising children who are the best…

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For the Time Being by Annie Dillard, author of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, is a book of Dillard’s reflections on what it means to be here and why. She reflects on clouds, sand, the writings of Teilhard de Chardin to name a few. Her thinking and her writing go to places that only she can go. Fans of Dillard will probably enjoy this book. I found it interesting, thoughtful, but not nearly as eloquent as Pilgrim at Tinker Creek.

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. It is the story of Ifemelu, a beautiful Nigerian girl who leaves military-ruled Nigeria for America and leaves behind Obinze, the love of her life. It is about her experience as a non-American black woman in America, which she begins to blog about. Obinze is not granted a visa for America, but goes instead to London and lives the life of an illegal…

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