22. Book Review: The Girl You Left Behind (2014)

The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

Synopsis

France, 1916: Artist Edouard Lefevre leaves his young wife, Sophie, to fight at the front. When their small town falls to the Germans in the midst of World War I, Edouard’s portrait of Sophie draws the eye of the new Kommandant. As the officer’s dangerous obsession deepens, Sophie will risk everything—her family, her reputation, and her life—to see her husband again. 

 Almost a century later, Sophie’s portrait is given to Liv Halston by her young husband shortly before his sudden death. A chance encounter reveals the painting’s true worth, and a battle begins for who its legitimate owner is—putting Liv’s belief in what is right to the ultimate test. 

 Review

I just love Jojo Moyes. I love the way she tells a tale and the heart with which she tells it.  Each book she writes is so enjoyable and heart wrenching to read.  I loved reading this book on the heels of The Goldfinch as it's story was a bit lighter (although at some points this story was quite heavy) but mostly because it followed the theme of art and what it means to those who behold it. And I have said this before and I'll say it again, she writes a darn good love story.  This book is a great beach read or summer vacation read. It goes quickly but deeply.

Other books you may like…

Suite Francaise

The Secret Keeper: A Novel

21. Book Review: The Goldfinch (2014)

The Goldfinch: A Novel by Donna Tartt

Synopsis

Theo Decker, a 13-year-old New Yorker, miraculously survives an accident that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by the family of a wealthy friend. Bewildered by his strange new home on Park Avenue, disturbed by schoolmates who don't know how to talk to him, and tormented above all by his longing for his mother, he clings to the one thing that reminds him of her: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws Theo into the underworld of art. 

 As an adult, Theo moves silkily between the drawing rooms of the rich and the dusty labyrinth of an antiques store where he works. He is alienated and in love--and at the center of a narrowing, ever more dangerous circle. 

 The Goldfinch is a mesmerizing, stay-up-all-night and tell-all-your-friends triumph, an old-fashioned story of loss and obsession, survival and self-invention, and the ruthless machinations of fate.

Review

After hearing so many polarizing opinions (I LOVED IT! I HATED IT!) reviews about this book I was pretty sure I was going to avoid it.  I was afraid it was overhyped and I usually like to know in advance of reading a book if I am going to remotely like it… and since it was polarizing I didn't think I would take the chance or I would at least just wait for a copy to show up at the library randomly (fate! then it's meant to be, right?!).  

Then it became the next book club selection for my book club and I realized I was actually glad it was "assigned" reading.  Now I could find out what all the hype was about with out buying into the hype (or something… that was my reasoning).  Let me say that this book really did live up the hype. It was moving and sad and thought-provoking and redeeming and full to the brim with humanity.  It was quite a long book but I read it less than a week… just pouring over the pages and absorbing them and not even realizing what was going on around me.  And for all it's depth and sadness and tragic story lines… it absolutely redeemed itself at the end.  And even if it hadn't of (which it absolutely did - the last chapter is so beautiful and meant to be read and re-read) it still would have been an amazing literary experience.  I am now quite curious as to what this authors other books are like.  This is a great book club selection with so many juicy parts to dissect and discuss among friends.

Other books you may like…

The Interestings: A Novel
Tell the Wolves I'm Home: A Novel

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo  

(for some reason The Goldfinch reminded me so much of Dragon Tattoo… plus, Goldfinch even references Dragon Tattoo… funny, huh?!)

20. Book Review: What Alice Forgot (2014)

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

Synopsis

Alice Love is twenty-nine, crazy about her husband, and pregnant with her first child. 

 So imagine Alice’s surprise when she comes to on the floor of a gym (a gym! She HATES the gym) and is whisked off to the hospital where she discovers the honeymoon is truly over — she’s getting divorced, she has three kids, and she’s actually 39 years old. Alice must reconstruct the events of a lost decade, and find out whether it’s possible to reconstruct her life at the same time. She has to figure out why her sister hardly talks to her, and how is it that she’s become one of those super skinny moms with really expensive clothes. Ultimately, Alice must discover whether forgetting is a blessing or a curse, and whether it’s possible to start over… 

 Review

I absolutely LOVED the premise and the story line of this book. But with one caveat, this book seemed to take me FOREVER to read.  The story line moved dreadfully slow at some points and Elizabeth & Frannie's story lines seem to detract at times from Alice's - or I just found myself only wanting to read about Alice.  But that is the only bad thing I am going to say about this book.  Because really it was so well written and so visual - I could totally picture the whole thing.  The meringue pie making scene was so hilarious and one I think I will always remember.

What I loved most about this book was the way it made me look at my own life (and isn't that what we love so much about books?) as if it were through Alice's point of view.  What decisions do we make in life that take us to where we are now versus ten years ago or ten years in the future?  Are we building the life we always imagined or are we off course?  This book was a thinker for sure. And for a reader that is usually hypercritical of book endings, I really liked the way this book ended.  To make the book even more interesting I just heard about a real-life example of memory loss like this that mirrored the book quite closely on The American Life's recent episode.  Check that out - it's in Act 2 and is definitely worth a listen!

Other books you may like…

The Husband's Secret by the same author (review found here)

The Light Between Oceans: A Novel