Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

 

"This Tender Land" by William Kent Krueger stayed with my heart and mind for several months, pondering his story of four orphan runaways during the Depression.  Their lives upended, they teamed up to pursue their dream of being free from the tyranny of the headmistress.  In the same way Kent grabbed me with this story of a minister's family, told by the middle child, Frank.  

It was 1961 in a small Minnesota town, when the body of a young boy was found after being run over by a train.  What follows is the subsequent deaths of four other people that summer and the pain and wounding of a community and of Frank's family.  Frank is curious, adventuresome, courageous and prone to lie easily.  His brother Jake is quiet, perceptive and serves as Frank's conscience.  Their father is a man of faith, never doubting God's goodness and "awful grace"; always choosing to embrace people rather than to accuse.  Not a perfect pastor's family, but perfectly imperfect.  Once again, this story will stay with me because the characters embody faults, weaknesses and sin...but they are quick to show kindness, grace and love in action.  A good read. 

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd

 Sue Monk Kidd is a thoughtful and creative artist of words.  

Having been powerfully moved by "The Invention of Wings" and "The Secret Life of Bees", I knew Kidd to be a thorough researcher of her books.  That holds true for this most recent work.  Her premise is:  What if the Scriptures are silent about Jesus being married?  As I have matured, I have often wrestled with many of the mysteries of God and His Word.  Believing that it is inspired and fully relevant today, I read it with an eye to what I need to act upon.  However, I have also wondered and questioned about the missing details.  There is a gap of time in the Gospels between Jesus speaking as a 12 year old to the religious leaders in the temple, and his public ministry beginning at age 30.  What happened? What kind of a young man was he?  Who were his friends? What kind of relationship did he have with his family?  

In her Author's Note, Kidd states "The story is imagined, but I have tried through extensive research to be true to its historical, cultural, political, and religious backdrop."  She further explains that this wasn't written about Jesus, but Ana.  Ana captured her mind and heart, and she developed her story around this young girl who had a dream to write, when the culture said that she shouldn't and couldn't.  I liked Ana's spirit, her courage, her "rebel" heart.  No, Kidd did not persuade me to believe Jesus was married; but she writes about the possibility with passion and purpose....and the story line is fascinating.  

Elin Hilderbrand's Winter Street series

 "The holidays wouldn't be complete without a little family dysfunction, and Hilderbrand writes it well."―Library Journal

After a rather rough November, I was searching for a light read for the busy Christmas season, something that would cause smiles and laughter rather than an overstimulated brain.  One of my Goodreads' friends had just finished Elin Hilderbrand's four book Winter Street series.  Having read several of Hilderbrand's popular Nantucket beach reads, I grabbed at this idea with gusto!   I pursued multiple libraries online to gather all four in my grubby little hands, so as not to delay the anticipated month-long reading fest!

And the author did not disappoint, these were exactly the type of reads that I desired as my calendar filled with concerts, special luncheons, and preparation for out of town guests.  

Book One,"Winter Street", gave me pause to ponder my initial enthusiasm because the dysfunctional Quinn family had decided quirks which I felt were mostly due to immature and impulsive decisions. This rash behavior began in chapter one with the patriarch and Winter Street Inn owner, Kelley Quinn. The reader is immediately thrust into the fray as the rest of the main characters are introduced: his current wife, his previous wife, four adult children with various spouses/partners and children...all of which contribute to the chaos of that first Christmas which the author so thoroughly details.  Many reviewers complained that the first novel in this series ended abruptly, and had I not been prepared with the entire series; I may have been one of those disgruntled readers.  But diving in to "Winter Stroll" gave me the great satisfaction of putting together the missing threads that had been left dangling.  The same was true of picking up the third book, "Winter Storms", which had originally been cast as the final in a trilogy.  But Hilderbrand was asked by her editor to consider a fourth book, "Winter Solstice", the sequel to the sequel!  And it was such a satisfying ending, putting to rights all of the misfortunes and mishaps that had upended the Quinn family over the four years of Christmases at Winter Inn.

As February's dull skies roll across Michigan, what types of books feed your soul?  Picking up this Hilderbrand series might be the best solution for the doldrums.  If February brings contemplation and reflection, stories by authors such as Leif Erickson or William Kent Krueger, are more descriptive in both setting and characters.  If real life inspiration is needed, biographies or memoirs could be just the ticket.  Quian Julie Wang's "Beautiful Country", Michelle Obama's "Becoming", Cicely Tyson's "Just as I Am", or Philip Yancey's "Where the Light Fell" all contain messages of resilience and hope.

Whether it be light reading that is needed or weightier topics explored, books open avenues to stimulate and refresh...a necessity for a Michigan winter.

Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang

 

Qian writes a poignant memoir of her family's struggles to adapt to America after leaving her home country of China.  She and her mother  came to re-unite with her father, who had been disillusioned with what was happening politically in his home country.  Because her parents had been well respected, educated professionals; they anticipated finding well paying jobs in this land of opportunity.  Unfortunately Qian's story details the wrenching, heartbreaking difficulties that face undocumented immigrants who want a new life in America.

The pain of her continual hunger, the shunning by students and teachers because of her dirty clothing, the harshness of squalid apartment living and bathroom/kitchen sharing with strangers, the disappointments of her parents who take menial jobs in a sweatshop and cleaners, the blatant racism...all of this made me ashamed of our government systems that cannot seem to find a solution to assist immigrants in gaining citizenship more easily.  

We are so quick to judge the immigrants who are fleeing to our country in order to raise their families in a safer environment, thinking they are taking advantage of our healthcare system and draining our tax dollars...Wang tells a different story of fear and loneliness and poverty.  But her perseverance is inspiring as she uses education to crawl out of this oppression.  She is a survivor, now serving as an attorney advocating for education and civil rights, but still affected by the deep scars inflicted during her childhood.

We Begin At the End by Chris Whitaker

"Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness".  Desmond Tutu

Our much anticipated California Thanksgiving fell flat when I tested positive for Covid within a day of arriving at my daughter's home in Santa Cruz.  Dubbed a "breakthrough" case, it didn't feel like I was breaking through anywhere as I quarantined; unable to visit our son's home, unable to travel to the mountain cabin as we had planned, unable to hug or kiss any of my six grands.  Hopeless feelings simmered just under the surface of my "it will be ok" facial facade.  I am not a fan of disrupted plans.

Enter Chris Whitaker's novel, highly recommended by my daughter, which happens to be a  continuing saga of disrupted plans.  It was my lifesaver, in between lonely neighborhood walks in the California sunshine and watching the star studded sky from the hot tub in the evenings.  As the book synopsis states, "Chris Whitaker has written an extraordinary novel about people who deserve so much more than life serves them.  At times devastating, with flashes of humor and hope throughout, it is ultimately an inspiring tale of how the human spirit prevails and how, in the end, love - in all its different guises- wins."

Unaware that it was billed a mystery-thriller by some, I fell in love with the unusual characters before the ever-unraveling plot sucked me in.  Foul mouthed Duchess, the thirteen year old protagonist, lashes out at everyone except her six year old brother, Robin, whom she ferociously defends and protects.   Beautiful, fragile mother Star is desperately loved by the two; but has never recovered from her deep losses so she is  unable to provide the love and security they crave and require.  Robin turns inward while Duchess  proclaims herself an "Outlaw" and builds a deep wall of distrust around her heart. 

After reading a personal article in The Guardian by Whitaker, I have a greater understanding of the depth of pain he has lived through...and that transferral of pain to his characters jumped off the pages and into my heart, many times causing tears of empathy for these wounded individuals.  As I turned the final page feeling depleted and wrung out because of the complicated twists and turns of the narrative, I realized that Whitaker managed to keep me hopeful in the midst of disastrous circumstances.  Hope came, as it usually does, in the form of loving  folks who allow Duchess the space she needs to grieve, to heal, to let go.  Grandpa Hal offers a second chance to the family he had long ago deserted.  Spirited Dolly doesn't allow Duchess's crusty exterior to chase her away.  Police Chief Walk overlooks flaws in the community members as he serves them tirelessly and gives much grace to Star's family over the years.  And tenacious Thomas Noble "sees" the real Duchess the first time he sets eyes on her...and loves her anyway.  

I believe that God uses the caring people in our lives to bring hope when we have lost ours.  It took a while for my hopelessness over Thanksgiving to dissolve. I blame that on my daughter.  She reassured me  that it was still good to see us even without hugs; that our Turkey Day celebration was still a celebration without the bigger table of people that we had anticipated; and that my milder symptoms of  the virus gave cause for us to be grateful.  All true. She elicited hopefulness in my spirit with her loving words.  

In these topsy-turvy times, I pray an inordinate infusion of Hope be granted to you in 2022.

  

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

“When you get . . . to the end, you see that love and family are all there is. Nothing else matters.”

― Kristin Hannah, Firefly Lane 

I think that families are complicated. Wonderful memories from childhood crash like cymbals into painful memories from childhood. The hilariously funny anecdote shared at Thanksgiving by a sibling somehow clashes with your memory of that hurtful event.  Annoying behaviors that should have been left behind in childhood continue to re-surface in adult life.  Grade-school competition in athletics or academics transforms itself into heated discussions over politics, current events and the best way to cook the turkey; all with the goal of "winning" the debate.  Nonetheless, our best selves will still step forward with mostly anticipation, making plans for our finest Christmas gathering ever because our complicated families still long for a bit of perfection.  Firefly Lane is a book primarily about friendship,  but ultimately undergirded by family.

Though this was one of Kristin Hannah's earlier novels (2008), it grabbed hearts and propelled this former attorney into her journey as a well loved and very popular author. I purposely chose to re-read this just recently after watching several episodes of the new Netflix show of the same name.  As usually occurs, many changes take place in the transferral from page to screen...and I was not a fan.  As if families are not already in very tough straits, Netflix chose to change the Malarkey family dynamics by adding divorce, sexual identity issues, and affairs into the mix.  From my perspective, the book totally outshines this false TV representation, with changes presumably added to be culturally current.  Family groups are becoming increasingly diverse, and I acknowledge that...but don't change a story to get more viewers.

Growing up in the seventies, Kate Malarkey is shunned by the high school crowd as a book-loving introvert; but her stable mostly functional home sustains her.  When she meets beautiful and courageous Tully, her world is upended by a friendship that develops and lasts over her lifetime.  Ever grateful Kate believes that Tully has saved her, but what really happens is that the Malarkey family saves Tully.  When Mrs. Malarkey figures out that Tully's mom, a drug addicted hippie, is incapable of loving her; Margie steps in to shower praise, encouragement and unconditional love on this insecure young girl.  That's why the Netflix version doesn't work....Tully changes because the Malarkeys are relatively stable, supportive and connected.  They have the time and compassion to fully embrace Tully, not being encumbered by these other difficult challenges that Netflix throws in.  They open their arms to Kate's friend and she becomes family.  Hannah's book recognizes this important element.

"Fly Away", the sequel to Firefly Lane, gives "the rest of the story" as Paul Harvey liked to say.  A bit more melancholy, Hannah diligently weaves a saga of redemption that brings her characters full circle with an abundance of forgiveness and love.  Families can survive even after unimaginable transitions and losses.

Love.  Family.  Laughter.  Maybe that's why we don't give up on our picture-perfect Christmas...because when it's all said and done, we can forgive the messed up memories and the old competitions and the sibling insults.  We come together to remember the best of us, to leave a legacy.  

Have yourselves a Merry Little Christmas...and don't make it complicated.

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