Book Review - Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth

This book intertwines the fairy story of Rapunzel with that of a witch in Renaissance Italy, and that of an actual historical figure, Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de la Force, a French writer who is said to have been a great influence on Sir Walter Scott, the father of modern fiction. Charlotte collected words:

"I liked to roll words over my tongue like a lump of molten honeycomb, savouring the sweetness, the crackle, the crunch. Cerulean, azure, blue. Shadowy, somber, secret. Voluptous, sensuous, amorous. Kiss, hiss, abyss.

Some words sounded dangerous. Pagan. Tiger.

Some words seemed to shine. Crystal. Glissade.

Some words changed their meaning as I grew older. Ravishing."

Charlotte's story covers her Huguenot family's fall in fortunes and her time at the sensual and extravagant French court of the Sun-King, Louis IV. Rapunzel's story is told by a nun in a strict convent and also in the first person by the witch's victim. And the witch's story becomes rather more complex than first thought. The author incorporates a great deal of historical detail seamlessly into the story, for example, you learn about Charlotte's clothing as she plays a game of strip poker with her lover; and about the food of the day as her childhood household prepares a great banquet for the visiting King. The chapters are headed by excerpts from different poets exploring the Rapunzel story, which adds to the deliciousness of the experience. This is a great read by an accomplished Australian wordsmith and highly recommended.

Wendy

Recommended Reads

Don't fall into the new year unprepared! Start off fresh and strong with a good read recommended by someone in your local area- why not try...

The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo by Stieg Larson

Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella

Can't Anyone Help Me? by Jackie Holmes

Roseannearchy by Roseanne Barr

The Japanese Lover by Rain Mannicka

Catalyst by Anne McCaffrey

Symphony by Jude Morgan

The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry

Book Review - The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce

Harold Fry has been retired for some months when he gets a letter from a woman he had worked with many years before. As a result, he sets off, unexpectedly, on a walking pilgrimage to the nursing home where she is dying of cancer. Harold is an unassuming quiet man who has had an unexciting life but as he walks, he gains a broader perspective:

"He had learned that it was the smallness of people that filled him with wonder and tenderness, and the loneliness of that too. The world was made up of people putting one foot in front of the other; and a life may appear ordinary simply because the person living it had done so for a long time. Harold could no longer pass a stranger without acknowledging the truth that everyone was the same, and also unique; and that this was the dilemma of being human."

This a beautiful novel, full of immersive descriptions of the countryside and gentle observations of people. How Harold and his wife deal with the emerging issues from their lives is an addictive read, and a redemptive one.

Wendy

Book Review - The Love Letter by Fiona Walker

Fiona Walker is firmly in Bridget Jones territory as her characters inhabit both the world of business and that of English country homes where complicated family trees and fortunes wreak havoc with continuity of the local hunt and arts festivals. Allegra (Legs) North ran out on her fiancée, Francis, to have an affair with her married boss, Conrad. She has to return to the family home to set up a deal for her publishing company's best author, Gordon Lapsis, who she only knows via email. Along the way, she meets Byrne, a long lost Irish family connection as she tries to sort out her parents' marriage breakdown and resolve her own feelings for all the difficult and demanding men in her life. As Sir Walter Scott said in the Lay of the Last Minstrel , "What shall be the maiden's fate? Who shall be the maiden's mate?" This is a funny contemporary romance with a large & attractive cast and lovely English coastal setting. Suspend disbelief and enjoy!

Wendy

Book Review - Return to Grace by Karen Harper

This is a mystery romance and includes a clash of cultures as Grace, a lapsed Amish woman returns to her community after an act of violence against her worldly friends. Who has attacked her group? What is the secret of the Amish graveyard and will the FBI agent and the Amish barn builder be able to work together to solve the mystery while they compete for Grace's love. As the mystery unfolds and more people are victims of whoever is spreading violence in their erstwhile peaceful valley, Grace has to decide whether her future lies in the valley or the outside world. Karen Harper has set several novels in this fictional Amish community and although not Amish, she has made several research trips to Amish areas. Her portrayal of their culture feels authentic (although less immersive then Jodi Picoult's Plain Fact) and her characters are believable, apart from the fact that whilst still recovering from a wrist injury, Grace takes on a job as a cleaner. This is an enjoyable escapist read.
 Wendy