The Silver Boat: Book review and wrap-up post for the "What's in a Name" challenge

By Luanne Rice

From the book jacket:

Three far-flung sisters … come home to Martha’s Vineyard one last time to say good-bye to the family beach house. Memories of their grandmother, mother, and their Irish father, who sailed away the year Dar, the oldest, turned twelve, rise up and expose the fine cracks in their family myth—especially when a cache of old letters reveals enough truth to send them back to their ancestral homeland. Transplanted into the unfamiliar, each sister sees life, her heart, and her relationship to home in a new way.

Just my opinion:

I really enjoy this new style I’m finding in books that deals with relationships and The Silver Boat is right up there on the top of the list. This is the story of three sisters who are each, in their own way, dealing with the death of their mother. They have come together to clear out their mother’s house, a place they tended to gather at certain times each year as a family. After all, they grew up in the house and lived there when their father left to sail solo across the Atlantic to find his heritage in Ireland. They were merely children at the time and didn’t understand the emotional intricacies that led their father back to his homeland.

It’s a wonderful story of learning to accept loss and move on with their own lives, yet they must also find ways to continue the close-knit relationships with each other. After all, they only have each other left.

However, in order to deal with the death of their mother, they must also find out what happened to their father all those years ago. The only way to do that is a pilgrimage – of sorts – to Ireland in search of any clues as to what became of him. It’s a journey that will either bring them closer together or pull them apart.

Luanne Rice is one of my favorite authors. She has such an easy style of writing. When you open one of her books, it’s time to put your feet up and sip a cup of tea while reading through the delicate words on each page. These are books that are difficult to put down and a part of you will be somewhat sad to see the stories end.

If you haven’t read any of Luanne’s books, this new one is a good place to start. It’s a pleasant summer read, so you may want to put a copy in your tote bag for a trip to the beach. It’s a wonderful story and I know you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.

Some favorite passages from the book:

Illness and death were two levels of loss; disappearance without explanation was another.

Dreaming of new places was one thing, but actually leaving was another.

A house was nothing but boards, shingles, bricks, mortar. A structure, inanimate and impermanent.

The ocean never stays still; the wind won’t let it.

*************

Also, with this review, I have completed the "What's in a Name" reading challenge. These are the books I read and the links to my reviews:

1. Number: E=MC2 by Jeff Stewart

2. Jewelry or gem: The Silver Boat by Luanne Rice

3. Size: Too Rich and Too Thin by Barbara DeShong

4. Travel or movement: Finding Frances by Janice M. Van Dyck

5. Evil: A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

6. Life stage: Montana, Mistletoe, Marriage by Patricia Thayer and Donna Alward

 

It was a lot of fun finding books that fit into each category and I plan to take part again next year!

A Discovery of Witches

By Deborah Harkness

From the book jacket:

“Deep in the heart of Oxford’s Bodleian Library, scholar Diana Bishop requests a manuscript called Ashmole 782 in the course of her research. Coming from an old and distinguished lineage of witches, Diana senses that the ancient book might be bound up with magic – but she herself wants nothing to do with sorcery; and after making a few notes on its curious images, she banishes it quickly back to the stacks. But what she doesn’t know is that the old alchemical text has been lost for centuries, and its sudden appearance has set a fantastical underworld stirring. Soon, a distracting horde of daemons, witches and vampires descends upon the Bodleian’s reading rooms. One of these creatures is Matthew Clairmont, an enigmatic and eminent geneticist, practitioner of yoga, and wine connoisseur – and also a vampire with a keen interest in Ashmole 782.”

Just my opinion:

This was an intriguing book, to say the least. I found it interesting and captivating and it provided a unique twist on the age-old tale of vampires and witches.

I truly enjoyed some of the characters, such as easy-going and supportive Marthe, a vampire who really doesn’t have much of a taste for reckless slaughter. She would rather welcome you into the home, cook you a wonderful meal and bring you one of her famous cups of tea. She seems to adore Diana from the start and goes out of her way to make her feel welcome and comfortable.

On the other hand, I detested Matthew Clairmont. His arrogance left a sour taste in my mouth, but then again, isn’t that a typical personality trait of a handsome and powerful vampire. They seem to all have it and Matthew is no exception. That doesn’t mean it takes away from the story. On the contrary. Without his excessive nature, the book wouldn’t have been the same.

As far as the main character goes, I’m a little ambivalent. Here’s a strong, independent woman who has always taken care of herself. Diana has spent years making decisions on her own and becoming educated. Yet, Matthew reduces her to a pile of whimpering goo. That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but there were times I wanted to reach into the book and slap some sense into her. She let him run rough-shod over her, often to the point of emotional abuse. Grrr!

However, the exceptional development of all these characters and the others who are important to the story is what makes it one of the most talked about books of the season. It’s being touted as “Twilight” for grownups, but since I’ve not read that series, I can answer to that accusation!

I will say, though, that I thought the book was a bit over-written. I think the story would have been much more readable if the author had cut out about 100 pages of excess words. Some of the passages were definitely overly descriptive. But I’ve noticed a lot of authors are again writing longer and lengthier novels and I’m not quite sure why that is.

That said, I still liked the book and if you enjoy books about witches, daemons and vampires, you’ll love A Discovery of Witches.

A favorite passage from the book:

Anyone who has read paperback bestsellers or even watched television knows that vampires are breathtaking, but nothing prepares you to actually see one. Their bone structures are so well honed that they seem chiseled by an expert sculptor. Then they move, or speak, and your mind can’t begin to absorb what you’re seeing. Every movement is graceful; every word is musical. And their eyes are arresting, which is precisely how they catch their prey. One long look, a few quiet words, a touch: once you’re caught in a vampire’s snare you don’t stand a chance.

Montana, Mistletoe, Marriage

By Patricia Thayer and Donna Alward

From the back of the book:

"Snowbound Cowboy: Lone wolf Boone Gifford has spent years standing on the outside. Now he’s looking at Christmas—through the window of beautiful Amelia’s home. The snow falls hard—the stranded family needs help. It’s time for the cowboy to step inside.

A Bride for Rocking H Ranch: Kelley is a rancher, housekeeper, doting sister to Amelia, granddaughter and aunt—and the stress of preparing the perfect Christmas at Rocking H ranch is getting to her. But distraction soon arrives in the form of delectable chef Mack Dennison."

I actually sat down and read this book in one sitting. It’s absolutely charming. Here are two sisters who, for entirely different reasons, have accepted spending the rest of their lives alone. They have totally made up their minds to run the family ranch and not think about having men in their futures.

However, the best laid plans aren’t always what come to fruition as they both find men who have similar issues and who are drawn to them. Against their better judgment, they give in and are able to find happiness.

This was a truly fun holiday read and one I’ll definitely add to my shelf of Christmas books I’ve been collecting the past couple years.

Finding Frances

By Janice M. Van Dyck

From the back of the book:

“Frances Baldwin is ready to die. Prepared to deny further medical care that might save her, she asks her son to help her bring closure to a well-lived life. Can William, a philosophical med-school dropout, honor his mother without tearing himself and his family apart? To help her die, he must face off against the medical community and the system that is trying to keep her alive regardless of the quality of life she will lead. To lose her, he must find her and find himself.”

I wasn’t quite sure what to think of this book. I loved the story idea and Frances was actually a very endearing character. However, I found myself not liking William very much. He seemed to fluctuate between a nice guy and someone whom it appeared just wanted his mother to die so he wouldn’t have to deal with it anymore.

At first glance, Frances doesn’t really seem that sick. Her afflictions are undercover – COPD, heart problems, etc., so you really don’t see them on the surface. The doctors and her husband aren’t convinced she’s in as bad of shape as she claims. But she knows she is dying and she is determined to let it happen.

After she is talked into having a surgery that could potentially help but doesn’t, her health care providers finally must admit she’s not going to live much longer. With that acceptance comes a peace for her and she begins preparing for that ultimate event.

Her biggest roadblock continues to be her husband, who selfishly doesn’t want to continue through life alone. He’s come to rely on her taking care of him and isn’t sure how he will fend for himself.

Yet, amid all this turmoil, the redeeming light comes from a new closeness between Frances and her daughter. Their love takes on a deeper meaning and I enjoyed watching that relationship develop.

This really is a good book. I just wished I could accept William more, but without his character, the book probably wouldn’t have been the same. It’s a great first novel by this new author and she does an excellent job of approaching this controversial issue with style and grace.

E=MC2: Simple Physics

By Jeff Stewart

From the back of the book:

“Ever wonder why balloons rise, apples fall, and golf balls sometimes go awry? Does trying to decipher the meaning of electromagnetism throw off your equilibrium? For those of us who aren’t as mathematical as Newton, E=MC2 disproves the theory that physics is all work and no play.”

I’ve always been a writer. Although math came easy to me, as well, I never studied science very much. So, I didn’t learn much about energy, waves, electricity or what’s inside an atom.

Now, along comes a book that explains what physics is and how it works in simple language anyone can understand. The topics are explained using everyday examples, such as car crashes, hot air balloons, falling, etc.

This is an absolutely fascinating book and I plan to read it more in depth when I have more time in the future. It’s a keeper and it may actually make me sound like I know what I’m talking about if someone asks me about the Doppler Effect … hmm, like that’s going to happen!

It’s another book in the Blackboard Books series. I’ve read several of them and enjoyed each one. I’m sure you will, too.

Author Ross Anthony and his interesting journals

Back in November, I took part in the blog campaign “Green Books Review.” This campaign is organized by Eco-Libris, a company working to “green up” the book industry by promoting the adoption of green practices, balancing out books by planting trees and supporting green books.

At the time, I had some correspondence with self-published author Ross Anthony. He was considering using recycled paper for his books and wondered what I thought of the idea.

One thing I noticed was the quality of the books published with recycled paper. They were actually very nice and the pages were slightly thicker than new paper.

Ross gave it a go and the result is the following two books, which he sent me to review. In the case of “Riding Chili” and “Circle Earth,” Ross used a very thick paper and it definitely works for these books.

Each book is a journal of sorts, with Ross relating his travels across the U.S. and Europe. Using the heavier paper gives the books a “journal” feel and I really enjoyed that as I was reading them.

So, without further ado, here are my reviews for Ross’ books.

Zen Repair and the Art of Riding Chili

By Ross Anthony

From the back of the book:

“Get on. Ride a dirt bike named Chili across 14 states. Need some time to think? Or to rediscover your dreams? Coast to coast, open roads await your open mind.”

I can just imagine how fun it must have been to travel across the U.S. with no definite itinerary … just the desire to ride, relax, enjoy the scenery and meet the road head-on.

Ross Anthony creates such a fun read. He talks about the places he sees and the people he meets. And every now and then, he throws in a picture to whet the appetite.

Reading his words makes me feel like I’m right there with him, on the back of the bike (even though I’d be scared to death – I prefer four tires between me and the road), with the wind blowing around me and the dust getting in my eyes.

This book is surely a keeper and I do plan to read it again someday when I want to get away from it all and travel the open road.

Circle Earth and the Circumference of the Planet

By Ross Anthony

From the back of the book:

“Come with me around the world.”

I actually liked this book a little better than “Riding Chili,” but I think that’s because Ross included some little sketches along with his writing (plus photos, too).

Ross wrote this journal 20 years before he published it. He relates his trip across Europe, the Middle East and Asia in such an honest and straight forward way, you can’t help but enjoy it!

Starting out in Phoenix, Arizona, and heading east to take in a couple sites prior to boarding the plane for London, Ross talks about his apprehensions of the trip. After all, he will be subject to his whims as he goes to foreign countries where he will have to totally rely on strangers he meets for all his needs.

He traveled by train, bus and hitchhiking. He met all sorts of people with such a wide range of personalities and the reader learns about all of them.

Again, this is a marvelous account of what had to be a unique and magical trip. It’s one more book for my personal library that will find a special place on my shelf.