BookPikks

This book is one of the strangest books that I have ever read. It’s an unexpected combination of historical fiction with fantasy. The first four chapters tell the story of young slave number 47, who has lived on a cotton plantation for his entire life. But then he meets Tall John and his whole world changes. John introduces the concepts of equality and freedom to 47, and begins to open up a whole new world for him. Then things get strange. There are visions, space crafts, aliens, healing potions, invisibility lights, time travel, near death experiences. . . You name it and this book has it. I love the theme of true freedom that is woven through the book, but the whole fantasy aspect of the book is just too confusing.

Haruf is an excellent writer. His books weave a group of small town characters together in such unexpected ways. I picked this book up at the library recently, knowing that I had read it before and enjoyed it, but not remembering exactly what it was about or how it ended. So as not to ruin the story (either for you or for myself if I pick it up again in 5 years), I won’t say much except to strongly recommend that you read it.

Another Hannah Wolfe mystery. This one was my least favorite of the 3 that Dunant has written. She’s starting to fall into the predictable trap of Carolyn Keene, where you can predict who the bad guy is from the first time you meet him (or her.)

Lily lives in medieval England with her mother and her father, who is the town executioner. Because of her father’s job, the entire family is shunned, even though Lily and her mother have the gift of healing. Lily believes that the path of her life as executioner’s daughter is set, until she is forced to help her father with an execution. Then she realizes that somehow, she must change her future. While the story was good, the book ended too soon. I want to know more about what happened to Lily after she decided that she needed to change.

Joe Hanada’s family is forced into an internment camp during World War II. They are separated from Joe’s father and from their friends, home, town and most of their belongings. In spite of the hardships, Joe still loves America, and simply longs for the freedom to go home.

It was interesting to read this fictional account of a Japanese family, after reading In Defense of Internment, by Michelle Malkin last year. While this book ignores the valid war-time reasons for internment, Malkin didn’t address the human suffering of the thousands of innocents who were interred. Both books do, however, bring to light the failures of our government to protect the rights of citizens and the security of our country. Hindsight is 20-20.