The Moonstone reads like a run-of-the-mill detective novel, however, it was written in 1868. It didn’t just stand the test of time but is also groundbreaking
Blasco de Castiglione is now a professional soldier, in love with Violante, a beautiful nun-to-be, and with the Donna Gabriella who has captured his heart
The themes of betrayal, friendship, intrigue, and justice start slowly but are brought more and more to the foreground as the hero’s journey of advances
I found the book quite boring in the beginning, but the story got better when the narrative was moved from San Francisco to Chile
I felt that the book is most poignant when the characters are interacting. The sense of desperation they feel everyday is something that’s felt on every page
The Rain God by Arturo Islas is a complex and layered novel beautifully portrays family dynamics and assimilation struggles in a small immigrant town.
The Books of Jacob is a superb masterpiece. In my humble, layperson’s opinion, the book is in the same class as Tolstoy’s War and Peace.
This was a very enjoyable yarn, convincing and lovely. A good story, with a bunch of pop-culture references, just enough tech-talk to make sense
The research the author did shine, and I’ve learned several things about Latvia, the region, the way Latvian Jews viewed the Soviets, and a bit of history
I enjoyed reading about life in Jordan, the country always fascinated me with its culture and history. From legends about Petra, stories of King Hussain