Strindberg’s Star by Jan Walletin Four worms
Unique blend of myth, mystery, and mayhem. Unappealing main character with some science fiction thrown in to the mix. Unsettling descriptions of the horrors of armed conflict upon civilians. Perhaps a bit was lost in translation to English but overall a very strong book.
Kingdom of Strangers by Zoe Ferraris Three and a half worms
Peek into the secretive society of Saudi Arabia. Lifting the veil of crime and punishment. Well written mystery with some wit. Unnecessary to repeatedly remind reader of weekend days. Good to have a glossary of terminology. Hope for more of Katya’s adventures.
Master and God by Lindsey Davis Two and a half worms
Mixed bag of a book with both good and bad elements. Flawed main characters is a positive. Star-crossed to the point of pain. Side stories about minor characters and hints about their future is a negative. Need a map and succession/genealogy chart because so many names are similar. Irritating at times and well done at others. Uneven overall.
The Divining by Barbara Wood Two and a half worms
Romantic journey of a young woman’s self-discovery. Hopefully, the author actually based some of the story on fact. Veiled proselytizing. Of course, the two main characters were nauseatingly beautiful.
Nanjing Requiem by Ha Jin Two worms
Cold account of the horrors of WWII inflicted upon Chinese civilians. Lacked emotional insight of the characters and the relationships didn’t connect authentically. Proselytizing was very evident.
Read previous review on June 18th.
Cup of tea or glass of wine, both go fine with a book.
© 2012 Ima B. Musing
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