The Moment She Was Gone

The Moment She Was Gone by Evan Hunter was a quick January read for me. I even took it to Mexico and finished it shortly after we returned. Camille had rescued the book from the discard pile at Wheldon Library to read during her Intersession, so I picked it up when she was done.

I liked it. It definitely held my interest because of the quirky, complex characters, and the author's writing style is easy and informal. It is basically a psychological mystery. The plot revolves around a family's conflicts when a mentally ill family member continually goes missing.

The author is an interesting fellow who has written many bestsellers, including The Blackboard Jungle, as well as the screenplay for Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds. He has also written more than fifty detective thrillers under the pseudonym Ed McBain.

The Rebellion of Jane Clarke

The Rebellion of Jane Clarke is my favorite of the trilogy of pre-Revolutionary War novels by Sally Gunning. Jane Clarke is an honest and expressive heroine, and the riveting historical elements — including the Boston Massacre and descent into madness of famous patriot James Otis — add depth to the story.

I heartily agree with this sentiment written by Geraldine Brooks on the jacket cover.

"Beautifully researched and ardently imagined, Gunning's writing is so vivid you can taste the salt in the Cape Cod air . . . Her Satucket novels are destined to become classics."

Bound

Sally Gunning returns to pre-Revolutionary War New England in her second piece of historical fiction, Bound. This book tells the story of Alice Cole, who has been 'bound' into indentured servitude at the age of seven when her family experiences misfortune journeying from London to Boston.

After escaping an abusive master outside of Boston, Alice connects with the characters from Gunning's first book, The Widow's War, and joins them in Satucket on Cape Cod. From there the story follows Alice's quest for freedom and happiness, while also chronicling the historical unrest brewing between the colonies and England.

Alice is a compelling character because she unabashedly shares with the reader her deepest and most brutally honest emotions. She is basically a kind and decent girl who because of unfortunate circumstances is sometimes forced to behave dishonorably. Her frankness and introspection help the reader to empathize with Alice and root for her to find peace and contentment in her life.

The Widow's War

I can't decide if The Widow's War: A Novel by Sally Gunning is carefully crafted historical fiction or a trashy romance novel. I guess I like it because it's a little of both. This is the first book I read on my iPhone, after downloading it onto iBooks for 99 cents—all 1,384 pages of it on that tiny screen! But I've discovered that I love reading on these little electronic devices!

While the morals and values of the story's heroine may be questionable, the author defends the book's carnal elements noting that according to her research, "The Puritans were anything but pure." I appreciate her attention to historical details and her authentic depiction of colonial life on Cape Cod. Interestingly, the book's 18th century characters wrestle with the same emotional demons as many contemporary people. When the Indian Cowett and the widow Lyddie discuss sins such as adultery, he explains that, unlike the English, Indian men and women are free to leave one mate and try another whenever they wish.

"Then where lies the sin?" Lyddie asked.

"When the trying comes before the leaving."

The Help

I miss Connie's Nook! I had a hard time lugging around this hardcover copy of The Help by Kathryn Stockett. And, it took me fooooreverrrr to read this cumbersome book.

The movie premiers on August 10, and I just finished reading last night. I hope the story comes to life for me on the big screen because it certainly put me to sleep every night in written form.

I like the premise of the story, although it did seem vaguely familiar—like I had heard of something with a strikingly similar plot recently. Trouble is, I lost interest in the characters who I felt were very stereotypical.

The author admits in her afterword, "I was scared that I was crossing a terrible line, writing in the voice of a black person." Rightly so, and I also think she was not particularly effective in capturing the nuances of the language. I found myself having to reread passages several times before I identified what the character was trying to say, even though I had no problem deciphering the African-American vernacular in Walter Mosley's book, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey.

Overall, I was mostly disappointed by this book that received many rave reviews and recommendations from friends.

UPDATE:

Loved the movie. Saw it with teacher friends Saturday night and thought it presented the perfect combination of humor and reverence for the subject matter. This is very unusual for me, but I believe I identified with the movie's point of view more than the book's.