Category Archives: Books

February 4, 2014 · 5:29 am

Amy Tan’s The Valley of Amazement: BookyMom Review

The Valley of AmazementThe Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Valley of Amazement takes its name from a painting that keeps popping up during the story. Throughout the story this painting winds it’s way through the lives of many of the primary characters leading to false promises and shadowy dreams.

Tan’s book is told from the point of view of three women, grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter as they live through the early part of the 20th century in China and America. Over and over we see deception, loss, separation and moments of joy and happiness are few and far between.

The two older women lead the lives of courtesans in Shanghai and struggle with the implications of this life. I have nothing against this sort of story line. however there were moments about 2/3rds of the way through the book where Tan dwelt on some on the negative aspects of the life. After one or two sad and pathetic scenes of abuse we get the point. I do not think Tan needed to hammer her point home so hard. Editor Please!!!!!

The story starts out strong and Tan uses the narrative voice of a seven year old girl in a courtesan house to bring the reader into the tale. But, as things progress The Valley of Amazement starts to become a soap-opera set in China! Twists and turns give the story an over the top silliness that leaves readers wondering why Tan needed so much silliness in her story.

I am new to Tan’s work, (although I have seen the Joy Luck Club–but of course that doesn’t count!). Her writing was well done and she executed switching voices well. However, the plot really started to become rather goofy and hurt the work.

I suggest skipping it, unless you have a love for the period or simply afore Tan’s work.

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January 24, 2014 · 4:09 pm

Best Book on the Plantagenets Yet!

The Conquering Family (The Plantagenets, #1)The Conquering Family by Thomas B. Costain

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Originally published in 1949, Thomas Costain’s Conquering Family is a history of Henry II and his family. It is the first volume in a series about the Plantagenet Dynasty and is told from a wonderfully British perspective.

The work discusses the succession problems created when Henry I’s son died in the White Ship crash. He continues through the death of that famously hated king, John.

Costain uses his British style to introduce readers to the Plantagenet’s with detail and an entertaining voice. For example, in describing Richard the Loinheart: Richard was always the knight, never the king.

The author also addresses court rumor and works to help readers distinguish fact and fiction. However, because the book has an older publication date there are a few things that historians have discovered in the past 60 years. It seems history is always coming to light. One example of this is Henry II’s illegitimate son, William. New research has discovered William is not Rosamund’s son– the child of one of Henry’s other mistresses, Ida.

Throughout the work, the author provides useful asides. For example, he gives a good description of Strongbow’s conquest of Ireland, the Robin Hood Legend and the life of a villen during the period. These details help paint a picture of the times beyond just what was happening to the Plantagenet dynasty.

One aspect that maybe tough for new readers to this period of history are the author’s speculations. Every once in while he adds his own opinion of events. I enjoyed his ideas, however, people less well versed in the period my be confused and take his musings as fact. As long as you give the book a close reading, I don’t think readers will be confused.

I was reading this concurrent with The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made England by Dan Jones. Jones’ book is more recent (2013) but Constain’s book is much better, more entertaining and readable. Over and over I found myself wishing I was reading Costain’s when I was reading Jones’.

Finally, I had the extra treat of listening to Conquering Family on audio and the narrator David Case does a wonderful job. His voice, accent, and timing add a lot to the book!

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December 13, 2013 · 9:06 pm

Get Healthy!

Life Is Your Best Medicine: A Woman's Guide to Health, Healing, and Wholeness at Every AgeLife Is Your Best Medicine: A Woman’s Guide to Health, Healing, and Wholeness at Every Age by Tieraona Low Dog
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed Life is Your Best Medicine by Dr. Low Dog. The book is a helpful guide for women about living a healthier life.

Low Dog has a very interesting background and worked as an herbalist, mid-wife, massage therapist, and finally a doctor. She combines these different points of view with well researched health data that includes a variety of topics. Unlike some books and authors who push some kind of strange new age approach to healing, as a doctor, Low Dog does a great job combining alternative medical approaches with western medical science and research. There is certainly a place for both and Low Dog does a good job marrying them in a useable and helpful way.

I loved the sections on herbs and the five senses. I highly recommend reading those parts if you are pressed for time and want to skip the rest of the book.

A few of her tips are a little goofy. But, she is speaking to a wide audience who has different levels of health and the practice of healthy behavior.

Some of the data she offers on health studies is flooring… Video game violence, city vs. country walks, on and on.

Well worth a skim, or a full on study.

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December 10, 2013 · 7:15 pm

Wizard of Oz: A Booky Mom Review

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Oz, #1)The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

I listened to the audiobook version of The Wizard of Oz read by actress Anne Hathaway. It was a special Audible.com production and they gave away a free download for the Thanksgiving drive ‘over the river and through the woods’. The audio version worked out very well it was the perfect amount of time for our drive and the story really keep both my kids (5, 7) quite in the backseat!!

Hathaway did a nice job reading the story and provided different voices for each of the characters.

This was my first time ‘reading’ the story and my knowledge of The Wizard of Oz was primarily limited to the movie. I have also the newer Disney film as well.

I was surprised to learn about all the differences between the film and the book. And, I was even more amazed to learn the shoes were not ruby at all,instead they are silver!!!

I am sure it’s because the movie version is so etched in my mind, but I think the changes in the movie made the story better.

All and all I am glad I finally heard the real version of the story!

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December 7, 2013 · 7:11 pm

Sarum: A Book Review!

Sarum: The Novel of EnglandSarum: The Novel of England by Edward Rutherfurd
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I picked up Sarum by Edward Rutherfurd because I have an interest in that area of England. The book details more than 2000 years of human life in Southern England around what is today Salisbury.

This long book is similar in style to books by Mitchern (think Hawaii, Texas, Alaska).

For me some parts of the book were better than others. I enjoyed the pre-historic sections as well as the building of Stonehenge. The Roman period was well done and I liked the portion about King Alfred. Although, I think he could have done more with that section.

I was very disappointed with Rutherfurd’s handling of the period after 1066 and Henry II. After all, his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine was held under house arrest at Sarum after her failed rebellion against Henry! Clearly, Rutherfurd had to condense history in order to keep the book under the 1000 page mark, but I really like that period.

The building of the famous Salisbury Cathedral was well portrayed.

I did like the author’s treatment of the American Revolution and the letters home about what was happening.

I feel as if the 1st half of the 20th Century was very much glossed over but I liked the discussion of American troops in Britain. I especially enjoyed the social issues the author talked about such as the difference in pat between the British and American soldiers.

All and all, the story was a little slow for me and it got bogged down at certain points. I keep picking up these epics and yet I find myself struggling to get to the end of them. Unless you truly love these very long sweeping stories, stay away.

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November 18, 2013 · 6:18 am

Spartacus—


Ben Kane’s second book on the slave leader, Spartacus does not disappoint.

Kane uses what little (very little) is known about Spartacus to piece together and imagine a gripping story of the man and his troops.

Historical fiction always faces the problem that the reader knows the outcome. Writers in this genre cannot rely on twisting plots to entertain the reader and must use character rather than plot to make the story come alive. Kane does a great job keeping the reader interested in a story that we all know ends poorly for the Hero.

Kane builds relationships between Spartacus and his men– both his loyal followers and the men who might not have been quite so loyal.

And, I was pleasantly surprised to find his battle scene writing to be truly gripping. As a woman, I tend to get a bit bored during battle scenes. It’s one of the things I did not like in Bernard Cornwell’s books. But, I loved Kane’s approach! He immerses the reader in the battle through the eyes of one of the key characters, Carbo. This is great because I was expecting that we’d see it through Spartacus’ point of view. I could truly tell there was a great outpouring of emotion as Kane wrote. Blood, pain, excitement seeped through the final pages.

I also like the through nature of Kane’s writing about the Roman period. He’s afterward and glossary are a welcome edition to the book.

I would recommend this book and thought it was even better than his first one!

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November 12, 2013 · 8:50 pm

Tell the Wolves I’m Home


Tell the Wolves I’m Home is a young adult novel about an early teen in the late 1980’s dealing with the AIDs related death of her uncle.

It is a story of strongly written characters (not to be confused with strong characters)who are dealing with how relationships change over time. Over and over the reader is hit with the idea that we can never really understand other people. June, the main character, realizes she only knew one side of her uncle. June realizes her mother had another dream in life. June realizes her sister is hiding things and reacting to June in negative ways not because of June, but b/c of the sister’s own issues. Things are never what they seem.

It is a lesson that many people in life never really learn. Instead of judging others we should act with compassion. (The theme of compassion is finally realized at the end of the book by June’s mother and June’s forgiveness with her sister.)

Throughout the book we see the guiding hand of Finn, June’s dead uncle, leading all the characters to find each other. He seems to say not only do you need to find each other, but stop trying to “understand” each other and just enjoy the time you have with “only the best people”.

As I said, I thought the characters were well crafted and multi-layers. I a few issues with June’s sister–she seems to be overly dramatic. Additionally, the father is somewhat MIA as a character. I was disappointed by this because the author does such a nice job with other characters I want to see what Brunt would have done with the dad if she allowed herself more time.

I also loved the book because I am only a few years younger than June and I lived very near where she grows up. All the references to the time period and location brought me back to the time and place. (High school parties in the woods, how people dealt with the fear of the unknown that AIDs symbolized at the time, taking the train to New York, the Cloisters — a favorite childhood place of my own as well–, the suburban in the city, 1010 WINS and on and on and on.. If only the garbage barge could have made it into the novel!)

While I really liked the book for the stated reasons, it ended rather abruptly. And, for me, it was not the kind of compelling YA literate that really grabs adult readers — Its no Book Thief or Hunger Games.

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Aside

Sheryl Sandberg meet Bookymom

Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to LeadLean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg

I have so MANY reactions to this book I am not sure I can get them all down…

I expected to HATE the book. But I don’t. Rather it has motivated me to really think about the mom issue and the woman issue.

Her comments on the mommy wars are very accurate. Both sides are trying so hard to justify themselves that it’s a fight to the finish. But what is being lost in the fight are the kids.

But throughout the book I got the impression I get from many modern liberal women— you are free to make choices as long as it’s the feminist choice.

Sandburg wants women to have more ambition, but why is taking care of kids not ambitious?

She also completely blows past the hard science issues of biology and the difference in men and women with a few comments on how her hubs cannot breast feed. And, she cites only one study on the impact on children of working mothers— when there are many others that speak to negative effects of day care And positive effects of stay at homes until kids hit 4th grade for upper and upper middle class families.

Our real problem is that feminists won’t allow a real discussion and study of how working effects kids and families. It may have no effect, it may be negative and it may be positive. But a liberal dominated agenda that ignores studies they don’t like wont help us get to the bottom of what’s going on…

I am also for more involved dads. But in the real world and not the rarefied air Sandberg inhabits— I know a handful and they mainly only take of the kids b/c they don’t have jobs and their wives do. That is not an active choice— but it is a change that may have a long-term pay off in changing the culture— ie women working outside the home in the war.

Lets also talk about men who don’t want to date powerful, successful women. Many women who value getting married make dating harder on themselves by being successful and can barely get a date much less put men through tests!

And she’s pushing a capitalist paradigm in a quickly changing post-capitalist world. Most women got into the workforce not by choice but for money. B/c over the last several decades a single income isn’t enough…. We need to dig even deeper and think about what’s happening to the American system and change our thinking about the myth of Horatio Alger.

She also complexity ignores sexual harassment–which is a huge issue for young women in the work place.

I have tons more to say— but I have a four-year old who needs me–

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November 8, 2013 · 4:28 am
October 28, 2013 · 11:28 pm

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children: Creepy Books for Halloween?

It may seem like The Bookymom fell off a cliff. But, I promise I haven’t. It’s just that I am working my way through a 900 pager and it’s October — Halloween time which means lots of kid fun, but limited reading time.

In the meantime, I have taken a break from the 900 pager to read something that I was hoping would put me in a spooky/creepy mood. I picked up Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. Let me start by saying it did not meet my spooky expectations. But, before I start with what was lacking in the book, I’ll say what I did like.

Miss Peregrine is published by Quirk Books, a publishing company that is always printing clever and interesting concept books.  Think:  , and . My favorite of these was Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters.

Miss Peregrine follows the pattern of Quirk Books and is an interesting and clever idea.  Author Ransom Riggs collected old pictures and pieced them together into a story about children with strange talents/supernatural powers.  They are being hunted by evil creatures and hidden by special women who watch over and protect them.  I love the idea.  Very clever and the pictures add a lot to the story.

However as I read the book, I could tell that certain elements of the story were thrown in so Riggs could make use of a certain photo. Additionally, the story development leaves a little something to be desired and the plot is not as well as developed as I would like.

I also have an issue with the “love interest” aspect of the story.  It seems to happen a little quickly and (without giving too much away) I think the main character Jacob’s attitude toward his love interest is a little to simplistic and not written with enough emotion/conflict.

Based on my criticism you may wonder why I am looking forward to the next book, . As Miss Peregrine ends the kids are about to embark on an exciting time traveling adventure. I am interested to see where Riggs is going to take these special children.

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October 10, 2013 · 5:58 pm

MaddAddam: A BookyMom Review


Disclaimer: I am going to be a spoiler and the content of this review is absolutely NOT for kids!!!

MaddAddam is the final book in a three book series by Margaret Atwood. Now, if you haven’t read the 1st two books, this review and this book is not for you.

In this novel we finally see what happens in the aftermath of a human created plague. There are genetically engineered “new human beings” and strange engineered animals and a few surviving people running around.

We pick up with Zeb and Toby and the engineered Cracker people. Painballers (ex-cons who have fought to the death in gladiator style shows meant to entertain the old world before most people where killed) are still on the loose and the Crakers have come to live with what’s left of the MaddAddamites and God’s Gardeners.

There are three main narrators, Toby, a third-party that priced Zeb’s point of view and a young Cracker.

It’s been so long between the release of the three books that I feel as if I need to go back and re-read Crake and Oryx (which is still the best of the three).

I do love the Crakers and their simple approach to the world around them. Toby is recruited by them to tell quasi-religious stories. The best is when “FUCK” is transformed into some-kind of invisible spiritual protector.

So reviewers find the relationship between Toby and Zeb bothersome, ESP Toby’s female jealousy. That didn’t really bother about her character. It’s a little immature, but I think it’s supposed to help her seem less one-dimensional.

We find out what happens to Adam One. And, we discover Zeb and Adam have different fathers. I didn’t like that and I am not really sure why it was added. It doesn’t do much to move the story forward in my opinion.

All and all– it’s any okay book. I am screaming from the hills to advise people to get the book. As I said before, the biggest thing to come out of reading this is my desire to re-read book one— because that is excellent!

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