General Chat

I don't think anybody else did Tess, thanks for reviewing it.

Berona - IO agree with Persie.

Third Review.
-
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. by Jamie Ford.

The story emcompassed the memories of Henry, a first generation Chinese/American boy living in Seattle. His memory is given a jolt by the discovery of property stored in the basement of The Panama Hotel by Japenese Americans before they were sent to camps in 1942.

Henry tells us of his school days, where he is the only "Chinese" boy in the school - and has great difficulty fitting in or being accepted by either culture.
He meets" new girl" Keiko at school, (a Japenese/American girl) and the two become firm friends. Still rather isolated from the other pupils at school.
Henry has to keep his friendship with Keiko a secret from his parents - as they had been affested by previous Japanese aggression against China, when they lived there.
The two explore the sometimes hostile streets, but do have a friend in Sheldon, a Black Jazz musician, who plays sax on the streets of seattle. He and his music become important to both children, they even manage to see/hear him at a Jazz Club!

Then Pearl Harbour is attacked by the Japanese, Americans of Japanese extraction become "the enemy" and are sent away to camps.

Keiko and Henry are seperated but try to maintain their friendship ......

I felt that I got to know Henry and wanted everything to go well for him. The story also throws a light on what happened to Japanese Americans and how they coped. (a real eye opener).
I moving story of two (or three) cultures, love and seperation. Henry "comes of age" during all this turmoil.


Highly recommended.



:-) :-) :-)


P.S. Did anyone else read it?

I like your review of The Garden Party Berona .. you have got it in a nutshell.

Persie

The Garden Party
Poor Alice - all she wanted, was to have a nice garden party with all of her family around to celebrate her marriage, birthday and her husband's birthday and retirement - but trying to organise it was another matter, with so much going on with her children and their families. It showed that once the children become parents themselves, they have their own lives and commitments. Grandparents just have to sit back and perhaps enjoy them separately, if they can't get them all together. It all turned out well in the end though, and Alice had her garden party.

The Mourning Wedding
I was a little confused with the aristocratic names (Fotheringay, Fortescue, etc) and again with all the titles and this was my first Daisy Dalrymple book. I wasn't rapt in it but it held my interest to see who really was the culprit. Not bad - but not good either.

Thanks Tess

2nd Review

The Garden Party by Sarah Challis.

When I started this book I wasn't too sure that I would like it. Gradually I warmed to the people and the plot. Initially being impatient with Alice, I became keen for things to turn out well for her, and for David to get his (much needed) wake-up call, before it was too late.
From a rather nicey-nice story (Alice with her unrealistic expectations) to total reality - truth hitting her in the face - this story vastly improved as the plot deepened and we learned more about the thoughts and feelings of many of the people.

Noone actually out of the ordinery, just various family members trying to make a go of it in this tale of modern life - including blended families, internet interaction and the possible hurdles of retirement.

I really enjoyed reading this Sarah Challis offering.

:-) :-) :-)

Yes Tess it is easier to write the review immediately after reading as I have found to my cost.

Nudged for Berona... she is around now...

Note to self -
I really must write review of each book as I finish it, instead of waiting for review date and then feeling overwhelmed by the task.

:-P

First review.

A Mourning Wedding.
Can't remember if I have read any of the Daisy Dalrymple Mysteries before, but her name seems familiar.

Despite the subject (murder) this was quite a 'light' book - shortish and easy to read.

It drew a picture of how the 'other half'' lives between the wars. ((1920's) I almost expected a friend of Bertie Wooster to turn up.
Set in a Counrty house and peopled by the well-heeled, with marvelous descriptions of breakfasts eaten and clothes worn. Eveyone is gathered for a wedding, many family members (including people not liked by the brides family), sitting around and gossiping ... Then along comes a murder!!....
Not too thought provoking - except for 'who dun it?' However the family relationships got a bit confusing so I was grateful for the family tree at the front of the book.
It ashows just how much times have changed since then - especially as we now have (apparently) equal op's for everyone.
Quite an interesting read - both because of the murder mystery and the period setting.
I could quite easily become a Daisy Dalrymple fan..

Will try to get back with my other reviews tomorrow (Sunday) i.e
The Garden Party and
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.

No rush Tess, thanks for suggestions.

Sorry I haven't done my reviews yet. Will try my best to do them after my grandsons go to bed tonight.


Have just posted my suggestions.

okey dokey :-) :-)

Thank you Mersey The Garden party was very involved wasn't it?

Don't forget your suggestions if you haven't done them already.

Review The Garden Party - Sarah Challis

I wasn't too sure on this book when I first started reading it. I think the reason was that it was abit too complicated , too much going on for me, and there were times I could not keep up with it.......

The book tells the story of the Baxter family. Alice the mother of the family aims to hold/host a party for her 60th birthday and to coincide with her and her husband's 40th wedding anniversary. There are all kinds of plot going on in the book but Alice seems to be the main link them all in it.
Relationships can be fragile at times especially among families and this book doe portray that very well.

Just an ok book for me....


I was also going to review The Mourning Wedding -Carola Dunn but I gave up ...apologies

Review - The Devils Music - Jane Rusbridge

The storyline for this book is based on family relationshios especially the bond between a mothers and her children. The characters came across strong when reading especially Andrew the on. It has it all in this book, love, secrets, twist and turns, and misunderstandings.

The book took me by suprise, after reading it I realised this wa the authors first book. I would recommend it and it is a very easy to read and very poignant at times....

Mine i in the process of being done....finishing it right now :-D

Think it is going to be slow going anyway Perse.

I will be back in morning should still be your 20th..

Up to the top again, may have to send out reminders later. :-)

Only managed to read one book this time but finally got Kate Atkinsons 'Life After Life' so will revue that when I've finished it.

The Garden Party by Sarah Challis

I usually enjoy Sarah Challis' books and this was no exception, although it is not one of my favourites. She always seems to take an everyday event, put a different twist on it and produce an intriguing, engrossing story. I love the way her characters develop, both young and old, and the humour she brings to even distressing events. What a complicated family they are! Alice's husband David appears weak and boring, perhaps his strength has been sapped by Alice's 'organising', but his life soon becomes more exciting as he is almost led blindly into an affair. All Alice's certainties seem to be shaken until at the end they fall back into what we hope will be a better pattern.