Code Name Verity

I very much enjoyed Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein which is set in Britain and France during World War II.  Friends Maddie and Julie defy the conventions for women of the time.  Maddie is an accomplished mechanic and pilot and Julie is trained to spy.  When the usual pilot is unavailable, Maddie is asked to fly the plane that will be dropping Julie in to France to work with the Resistance.  The reader learns her story when she is captured after a stupid mistake - looking the wrong (British) way when crossing the road.  Julie is subjected to horrific treatment but is encouraged to write her story, naming names, places, codes etc.  So the story is told from her perspective.  Then in Part 2, we read about Maddie's side of the story.  This was a beautifully written tale with the characters well-drawn.  The reader "sees inside the heads" of each young woman.  Highly recommended. 41/2/5

The Saint Zita Society

I enjoyed The Saint Zita Society by Ruth Rendell which is set in an exclusive street in London populated by a number of "characters".  The Society, comprised of domestic staff, meets occasionally to discuss issues such as people leaving their bags of dog droppings under trees in the area.  The Still family have a number of staff including a nanny, au pair, and chauffeur.  Mrs Still has a lover who visits when Mr Still isn't home.  This situation results in tragic consequences and a number of the characters are affected.  The author is adept at creating quirky characters and there are many in this story.  4/5

The Long Shadow

I enjoyed The Long Shadow by Liza Marklund which is set in Sweden and Spain.  The author has based her story around a community of Swedes who have moved to their "place in the sun" as a holiday destination or to live.  This may well be the case in reality.  A Swedish journalist, Annika Bengtzon, is sent to Spain to write about a shocking murder there.  She becomes involved with the case and learns more about the Swedish community there.  She discovers that drugs crimes and corruption are happening and she tries to learn more as the mystery deepens.  I found this story a little hard to follow at times.  This is not the first book about this character as the author sometimes makes references to events that may have occurred in a previous book.  Anyway, it was fairly entertaining. 31/2/5

Bittersweet

I read Bittersweet by Colleen McCullough which is set in a country town in New South Wales, Australia in the 1920s. Four daughters (two sets of twins - Edda, Grace, Kitty and Tufts) are born to different mothers with their father being the local Rector.  They decide to do nursing training in the local hospital to become qualified nurses.  They are all very different personalities.  The older twins' mother died in childbirth and they were brought up by their stepmother who gave birth to the second set of twins.  The story is set against the events in the 1920s and 1930s when the Depression impacted on Australia and follows the lives of the four women and their marriage and career ambitions.  I think the story is a bit of a "soap opera", particularly with the romances.  A wealthy man, Charles Burdum comes to town and helps it through the Depression.  He is a central character with his life facing ups and downs. It is an "easy" read. 3/5

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

I very much enjoyed Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford which is mainly set in Seattle from 1941.  Henry Lee in 1986, looks back on his life during the War when he learns that a lot of effects belonging to Japanese-Americans who were interned have been found in the basement of an old hotel.  Henry has not long lost his beloved wife to cancer so feels free to explore that time of his life.  When he was 12 and following the Japanese sudden entry in to the War, he had to wear a badge stating that he was Chinese to avoid being harassed by people who might mistake him for being Japanese.  He attends a "western" school, also attended by a Japanese-American girl (who is second generation American).  He becomes very fond of her and is devastated when her family, along with all the Japanese in the town are interned.  Then in 1986 Henry tries to find out what happened to her after they lost touch during the War.  This is a beautifully written story of love, prejudice and also pride. 41/2/5

Death Comes to Pemberley

I enjoyed Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James which is a "sequel" to Pride and Prejudice.  This book is a "stand alone" but it might be a good idea to read (re-read) Jane Austen's novel so you are then familiar with the characters portrayed in this more recent book.  The Darcys have been married several years and have children.  One rainy evening Wickham and his wife Lydia (Elizabeth Darcy's sister) are on their way to the Darcy's home, Pemberley.  On the way an incident occurs and Wickham's friend Captain Denny, who has been travelling with them is murdered.  Suspicion falls on Wickham and Darcy must take control to ensure justice prevails. There are some secrets which are finally revealed when the situation is concluded.  The author has successfully "channeled" Jane Austen to write in a similar style with a credible story that can follow on from Pride and Prejudice. 4/5

March 2014 Book Club

We had a good time at our Book Club meeting on Monday evening.  There were a few absentees with one member being overseas, another with work commitments and another didn't return in time from a good weekend interstate. Our hostess' home is close to the Story Bridge which was lit up in blue that evening - a very pretty site.  We enjoyed a good chat and discussed the books we'd read during the previous month.  Thank you to our hostess who provided a beautiful venue, delicious supper and terrific books to read in the coming month.