Surviving the Death of a Sibling by T. J. Wray

 What an insightful book.  A friend recently handed me this book because of a comment I had made to her about not finding a book about sibling loss when I had needed it- almost 15 years ago after the deaths of both of my sisters to breast cancer.  The author shares her journey of grief after the loss of her adult brother.  She also includes quotes from many other sibling survivors, most with the same feelings that I had gone through:  struggling to believe that my grief was equally as deep as my brothers-in-law, as my nieces and nephews, and as my parents.  Somehow there was much more information for those grievers, which made me believe that I was just "supposed to get over it" because we had our own families now, because their spouses would feel the effect of the deaths more profoundly, because their kids no longer had their moms.  And I bought into that, trying my best to be supportive and loving for them.  But I at some point fell into a deep hole, one that took time to crawl out of.

T. J. Wray walks us through the stages of grief in a very personal way directed to us siblings.  I will pass this book on to others, hopefully in time to assist them when they need it most.

The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See

Having read two previous novels by Lisa See, I knew that I would learn a whole new historical aspect of the Asian culture.  In The Tea Girl of  Hummingbird Lane,  See introduces a little known region of China and the ancient making of tea.  In China Dolls, she delves into the Chinese entertainment industry during World War II. In this story, a fascinating village in Korea is her focus.  

On the Korean island of JeJu during the 1930's and 1940's, women divers were the main breadwinners. The men of the island were the childcare and homecare givers.  This unbelievable tale by See is based on the true story of these remarkable women and what they endured under both Japanese and American captivity both during and after the wars that changed their lives.

Although I deeply appreciated the chronicle  of the historical events, this novel had some graphic images detailed of the Bukchon Massacre that were difficult for me.  I also tend to think that the author does not make me connect with the characters, as the story seems "sterile" and matter of fact, not emotional.  Most of my Book Club really enjoyed this, but it just wasn't the best for me.

The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel

An engaging and evocative novel reminiscent of The Lost Girls of Paris and The Alice Network, The Book of Lost Names is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of bravery and love in the face of evil. 

I loved how this book opened...an aging librarian who opens up a newspaper and is transported to her secret life as a World War II forger.....almost 40 years before.  The elderly Eva is a bit  unlikable  as she refuses to communicate with her son, hops on a plane to France and tries to face her past on her own.  But the story of 23 year old Eva is one of courage as she joins the resistance in France, by forging documents for children so they can be transported into Switzerland.  Since their names must be changed, Eva finds a way to keep track of their original names in "The Book of Lost Names".

As a fan of the World War II romance genre, this was another good read for me, especially the different focus on forgery and also a different country in the war effort against the Nazis.

The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi

 This was a very interesting story.  I listened to the Hoopla audiobook, and could hardly put down my earbuds!.  Learning much about Indian culture while  I followed this brave woman from an abusive marriage to making her own way as a competent businesswoman. So many quirky

characters, so much compassion from each of them, so many twists and turns.  I totally agree with this quote:  "Everything a great novel needs is here: The protagonist balancing impossible burdens with her bountiful talents; the many other characters, each so colorful and complex, each necessary to the intricate and delicate plot, Such a satisfying novel!"--Sandra Scofield, author of The Last Draft

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

 "It was otherworldly somehow, magical in its vast expanse. An incomparable

landscape.”

Although I have been a great fan of award winning Kristin Hannah's twenty-plus novels over many years, I hesitated to pick this one up.  Alaska has been pretty far down on my bucket list travels, and the Covid pandemic gave me enough stress and sadness without voluntarily picking up a book about abuse, PTSD and estranged families.  Nevertheless, a good friend had this comment: "It was the first book in a long time that kept me awake into the night and where I cried real tears at several points."  So I took the plunge.

The ever-moving Allbright family pile into their VW bus in 1974, heading to Alaska, which had become America's 49th state in 1959.  Dad Ernt believes another new start in an isolated wild place will make his demons recede: "Dad wanted a new beginning. Needed it.  And Mama needed him to be happy.  So they would try again in a new place, hoping geography would be the answer.  They would go to Alaska in search of this new dream.  Leni would do as she was asked and do it with a good attitude.  She would be the new girl in school again.  Because that was what love was."  This quote from the first chapter becomes the repetitious mantra of the Allbright family.  Perhaps this is the part of the book that was the most difficult for me because  Ernt doesn't change, Mom Cora continues to make excuses for his behavior and daughter Leni has a distorted perception of love.  I just wanted someone to step up and be a responsible adult before tragedy struck...but the reality in dysfunctional families is that healing from these cycles takes a long time.

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

 "A bank robbery.  A hostage drama.  A stairwell full of police officers on their way to storm an apartment.  It was easy to get to this point, much easier than you might think.  All it took was one single really bad idea."

And so begins the "comedy-mystery" of the latest Fredrik Bachman story.  But it is so much more than that.  I am a fan of Backman's character developments; the way he makes me actually empathize with the most despicable characters, the way he unshutters my eyes to see beneath the surface of what makes people tick.

"A Man Called Ove" introduced me to Backman several years ago.  On a lengthy roadtrip, this was an audiobook that made me laugh out loud throughout most of it because Ove was such a grumpy old man who said the most outrageous things...but my tears at the end came because I could identify with Ove's deep hurts.  I could overlook his crusty exterior and fall in love with him.  That is the essence of Fredrik Bachman.

On any given day, we brush elbows or exchange greetings with people we really don't know.  The surly clerk at the local grocery store may have a daughter dealing with addictions.  The new couple at church may have just come through a huge financial loss.  On your daily neighborhood walk, you conscientiously greet the older resident who walks her dog, not realizing that dog is her only friend in this increasingly lonely world.  Could the unfriendly teenager who doesn't meet your gaze be facing intense insecurity, just longing for a friend?  And the handsome young man who treats your unruly lawn might have a devastating divorce looming ahead.  We just don't have a clue.  It's these kinds of strangers who are thrown together in this novel.  The bank robber.  The real estate agent.  The bank executive.  The pregnant couple.  The retirees.  The ninety year old.  The actor.  The father-son police officers.  All are thrown into an unusual hostage situation.  All have stories.  All survive.  However, the witty banter and hilarity surrounding these unforgettable strangers is purely Bachman.  Surprising twists make us smile and wonder how it all will end.  And especially, how will each of their once hidden life issues be resolved?

Jack, the younger police officer in the story, once asks his minister mom how she could bear to sit beside people when they were dying in their final hours without being able to save them.  She tightly holds his hand and says, " We can't change the world, and a lot of the time we can't even change people.  No more than one bit at a time.  So we do what we can to help whenever we get the chance, sweetheart.  We save those we can.  We do our best.  Then we try to find a way to convince ourselves that that will just have to...be enough.  So we can live with our failures without drowning."  

Nine strangers reaching out to help, because they were given the chance. A satisfying ending.

No Time Like the Future, an Optimist Looks at Mortality by Michael J. Fox