A Walk Across the Sun July 19, 2012

A Walk Across the Sun is, quite honestly, one of those books that you cannot put down.  From the first page, the reader is drawn into the lovely and traditional world of India; as the story unfolds, we are taken from India to Washington, DC, from Paris to New York City and Atlanta.  Corban Addison finely describes the sad world of underage sex trafficking while simultaneously taking us along with the people who fight to end it.

The story centers on two sisters, Ahalya and Sita, who are suddenly orphaned by the tsunami of 2004.  Both are sold to a brothel owner and imprisoned in the world of sex trafficking.  Meanwhile, D.C. lawyer Thomas Clarke decides to take a sabbatical in India, spending a year working with C.A.S.E, the Coalition Against Sexual Exploitation.  The stories of these three characters weave intricately in and out; you are drawn into the story and feel as though you’re in Bombay, too.

As said above, A Walk Across the Sun is an excellent book.  The characters are well-developed, the story flows at a realistic pace, and the plot is top-notch.  To me, international sex trade isn’t a subject that has been explored much.  It is a problem worth taking a second look at, and perhaps a spectacular work of fiction is just the thing to get the ball rolling.  Find A Walk Across the Sun today, and spend your weekend curled up with a solid piece of work.

The House at Tyneford June 20, 2012

From the moment you pick up The House at Tyneford and open to the first page, you realize this book is not like other books.

Set in the English countryside during the opening of World War II, The House at Tyneford depicts a struggle I’m sure occurred in many households.  Elise, a Jewish woman from Austria, applies as a maid to a country home in England.  The plan is to work there until her parents, headed to America, can send for her.  What follows is a soon-to-be-classic story of love, loss, yearning, laughter and family, all set against the backdrop of World War II.

Natasha Solomons sets the scene perfectly.  I’ve been to Vienna, and she captures the magic, the beauty, and the feeling like nothing else I’ve ever read.  When we move to the shores of England, Solomons made me feel as though I was there, smelling the salty air, feeling the wind on my face.  And the characters were as well-rounded as the scenery; solemn Mr. Rivers, playful Kit, strict Mrs. Ellsworth, determined Mr. Wrexham, beautiful Anna and uncertain Elise – they were alive in my head, and I didn’t want the book to end because that meant I would have to say goodbye to them all.

In short, when you pick up The House at Tyneford be prepared to keep it open all day.  Perfect for a rainy afternoon, you can brew yourself a cup of tea, curl up next to the fire, and immerse yourself in 1940’s England.  You will enjoy yourself.

The Witch’s Daughter March 28, 2012

The Witch’s Daughter, by Paula Brackston, reminded me of the kind of novel one would read in a college-level modern literature class.  Ripe with imagery, intrigue, mystery, and love, The Witch’s Daughter was a lovely way to spend my afternoons.

Elizabeth, the protagonist, is a self-proclaimed witch, but her story is full of holes.  Those missing pieces are filled in through three separate stories, each told in a different time period.  Brackston brilliantly transports us from the 1600’s to London at the turn of the century to World War I, all while peppering the story with modern interludes.  The story moves at a brisk pace, pulling you in from the very first page.  You need to know what happens to Bess, how Elise will manage the front lines of a bitter war, if Tegan will realize the true identity of her new boyfriend.

Brackston has penned a fascinating book; I look forward to other pieces of literature she is sure to publish in the future.