Faces in the Clouds

I quite enjoyed this poignant story Faces in the Clouds by Matt Nable. Twin boys, Stephen and Lawrence, are born to an "army couple". Lawrence is intellectually disabled (likely from the birth experience). The boys grow up with Stephen at times resenting Lawrence being involved with his young social life, though they are always very close. The story follows them growing to adulthood with many changes to their lives along the way. Stephen often longs to "escape" Lawrence, but then feels guilty about doing so. It is a well-written, sometimes sad story. 4/5

Book of Lost Threads

I thoroughly enjoyed Book of Lost Threads by Tess Evans (a brilliant first novel). The story centers on a number of characters in the small Australian fictional town of Opportunity. All the characters are connected to the main character Finn, who as a young man then known as Michael, was paid to be a sperm donor for a lesbian couple, Linsey and Amy. Many years later the daughter of that union, Moss, lands on Finn's doorstep to get to know him after learning his identity. All these wonderful characters have a secret or are "damaged" in some way and the different threads of their individual stories are finally tied together at the end. They are so well drawn that the reader really comes to know them and feel for them. Lily's story of her tea cosies is a delight. Highly recommended. 5/5

Far To Go

I enjoyed Far To Go by Alison Pick, a fictional story of a wealthy Czech Jewish family in 1938/39 as they deal with the Nazi invasion. The story is mainly centered on the Kindertransport which took Jewish children to Britain. Most of the story is told in the third person as the reader learns about the lives of the Bauer family and their nanny, Marta. We see the turmoil their lives are thrown in to and their powerlessness over their own lives. They are able to get their son, Pepik, on the Kindertransport. Part of the story is narrated in the first person and it is some time before we realise the identity of this person. It all comes together at the end as we learn the connection this narrator has with the other characters in this poignant story. 41/2/5

It Takes A Village

This story, It Takes A Village by Christine Stinson was quite sweet. Sophie is growing up in the suburbs of Sydney in the 1950s and 1960s. She discovers quite young that she is illegitimate. She lives with her grandfather after her mother and grandmother died when Sophie was very young. Her next door neighbour, Mrs Hogan, acts as her "mother" and with a number of people in the street is a great help to her. Unfortunately, there are gossips who make her life difficult. Sophie becomes obsessed with discovering who her father is. As she grows up she becomes romantically involved and the story has an almost inevitable conclusion. A pleasant sweet story. 31/2/5

The Memory of Love

I very much enjoyed The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna which is set in the early 2000's in the aftermath of the civil war in Sierra Leone. A British psychologist, Adrian, goes to work there for a short time and his first job is to listen to the story of a dying man, Elias Cole. Other important characters are Kai, a surgeon, who worked to save lives during the war and the beautiful Mamakay who connects all the main characters though that is not immediately obvious. There are love stories as well as tales of horrors committed during the war, which the country has to come to terms with. There are some terrible memories. It is likely a story that could be repeated in many countries that have suffered similar fates. The story is very well written - one that you want to finish but feel bereft when it's over. Highly recommended. 5/5

Someone Else's Son

I enjoyed Someone Else's Son by Sam Hayes which involves the fatal stabbing of a teenage boy, Max, at his school. His girlfriend, Dayna, is there but cannot identify the killer. Max and Dayna are both from dysfunctional families though for very different reasons. Max's parents are divorced. His mother is a wealthy high profile TV personality who specialises in exposing people who have done the wrong thing or tries to find murderers. Now she is faced with the murder of her own son and goes into emotional meltdown as she becomes the "mother" whom she has interviewed many times in similar situations. Max's father is a blind mathematician who lives in an area far below his means, probably to irritate his ex-wife. Dayna lives on an "estate" with her mother, dole-bludging step-father and her little sister. The parents of these teenagers don't really know them at all. Max and Dayna are both bullied at school and find each other because they are both "different". At the time of the murder, they are studying "Romeo and Juliet" and this play is a strong theme for the story. The book jumps into different time zones for each chapter so we learn more background and well as advancing the present story. Good read. 4/5

The Year After

I enjoyed The Year After by Martin Davies, set in late 1919 - the year after the end of WWI. Returned from the War unscathed, Tom Allen had often been a guest before the War at the Stansbury's home, Hannesford Court whose owners were wealthy and had a number of children. A son, Harry Stansbury, was killed in the War and another son, Reggie, was terribly maimed. Tom Allen is intrigued when another guest mentions the sudden death of a German professor staying at the house shortly before the War began. So there is a mystery to be solved, a possible crime and it may involve the Stansburys. Tom narrates his chapters, so is the main character. The other character, Anne, also narrates her part in the story. There are two different fonts to distinguish the characters. Anne was a "companion" at the house before the War - in the background and she has no desire to return to the same position after her own War experiences. So there is romance and intrigue and a look at that time - what life was like. 4/5