Blog shutting down

Sadly Google is shutting down all my Blogs.  I'm told this process may take some months so I am not adding any more posts to my Blogs.  I must find a new home for my book Blog.

A Long Way From Home

I enjoyed A Long Way From Home by Peter Carey which is set against the background of the Redex Trial, a race around Australia to prove the reliability of the cars used.  A couple, Irene and Titch, leave their children and set off with their next-door neighbour, Willie, as navigator.  All these are great characters with different goals.  Later in the story, we learn more about Willie's background as an indigenous man, something he was unaware of and this takes the story in a different direction.  A good read. 4/5

In Sunshine and Shadow

I very much enjoyed In Sunshine and Shadow by Eve Puodžiūnaitė Wicks which is the story of the Lithuanian community in Queensland.  The author has produced a beautiful book with photographs, poetry, and oral history which tells the story of Lithuania since it was first independent in 1918.  Then followed many years of turbulence with invasions by the Russians, Germans and again Russians until they finally achieved independence again in 1990.  The oral history excerpts are included in the narrative so we learn that real people were involved in the events that shaped their country and the refugees who settled in Australia.  This is a great example of how oral history can enrich storytelling. 5/5

The Daughters of Mars

I very much enjoyed The Daughters of Mars by Tom Keneally which tells a fictional story about two sisters who served as nurses during World War I.  Naomi and Sally Durance are very different personalities.  The story follows them when the War begins and their voyage to Egypt.  There they see the Australian troops before they're deployed to Gallipoli.  Later they're nursing on Lemnos and witness the carnage visited upon those soldiers from Gallipoli.  Eventually, they end up on the Western Front where men are cut down in that terrible conflict.  We learn through their experiences the terrible consequences of the battles we have heard about.  It's a big book for a big story.  I liked the detail the author gives to his descriptions.  I wanted to know what happened to these characters that I had invested in, their dedication and courage in the face of the horror they witnessed. 5/5

Don't Let Go

I enjoyed Don't Let Go by Harlan Coben which is set in a small town in America.  Police Officer, Nap Dumas, investigates the apparent suicide of his brother Leo 15 years earlier.  Too many coincidences lead him to new information and clues about what happened.  Lots of twists to keep readers interested. 4/5

Bridge of Clay

I enjoyed Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak (author of The Book Thief).  The story is set in a Sydney suburb and a property in the country, west of Sydney.  The narrator is Matthew, the eldest of five boys.  He tells the story of his parents and much of the story is about his brother Clay.  It's about men and boys dealing with tragedy.  Clay moves to his father's property west of their family home.  Together Clay and his father build a bridge which helps them heal.  The story has a slow start, but persevere.  This a big beautifully written book. 41/2/5

Scrublands

I enjoyed Scrublands by Chris Hammer which is set in a small outback town "west of Sydney."  Journalist, Martin Scarsden, arrives in the town to follow up on how the town is coping one year after their priest shot five parishioners.  Martin meets a young mother who runs a bookshop/cafe and learns more about the townspeople.  There are a number of interesting characters and Martin discovers some shocking information about the priest and those he killed.  There is a lot going on in the town beneath the surface.  He ends up with a more compelling story than the one he was sent to write. 4/5