A Disturbing Treasure

I read a book, not too long ago, that I did not write a review for. Not because it wasn't good, but because I wasn't sure how to describe it or how to describe how it made me feel. The book has stuck with me for some time now, haunting me in the oddest ways. Most recently, I took a little vacation to a nearby town, and I kept thinking about passages from the book and the characters in the story. Please allow me to explain.

If you read my blog, you know I love to find random books I've never heard of. In one of my treasure hunts through a bookstore, I came across The Turtle Catcher by Nicole Helget. I loved the cover (because I am a cover lover), and the title of the book seemed odd when compared to the picture. It pulled me in, and I read the back cover. The hook was complete.

I don't usually do this, but I'd like to just quote the back of the book...

"In the tumultuous days after World War I, Herman Richter returns from the front to find his only sister, Liesel, allied with Lester Sutter, the "slow" son of a rival clan who spends his days expertly trapping lake turtles. Liesel has sought Lester's friendship in the wake of her parents' deaths and in the shadow of a dark secret of her own. But what begins as a yearning for something of a human touch quickly unwinds into a shocking, suspenseful tragedy that haunts New Germany, Minnesota, for generations. The Turtle Catcher is a lyrical, vibrant, beautifully wrought look at a fascinating piece of American history - and the echoing dangers of family secrets."

I couldn't say it better myself...without giving something away. It is a story you need to unfold for yourself. I won't lie, there are parts that show the horror of many things: war, betrayal, cruelty, secrets. There were times I found my hand covering my mouth in disbelief, as I shook my head from side to side, to think such things could happen. And they did. Yes, it's fiction, but it's also realistic - particularly for that time in history.

The book played out even more vividly in my mind when I took a little vacation to Fredericksburg, Texas, for a couple of days over Thanksgiving holidays. The small town is rich in history. It was founded by Germans in 1846 and their culture is everywhere. I didn't mean to associate it with the book I had read, it just happened. In my mind, the town was very much like the one described in the novel. As I walked up and down the main street in town, I could imagine what it would have been like in the days after World War I.

While I warn you that parts of the novel will disturb you, as the reality of human cruelty is always disturbing, the novel is very worthy of your reading time. It is well-written, interesting, and pulls you in from the very beginning.

It also does what is most important for a book to do: it makes you think.
 

Another Good Summer Read!

Can you believe it? I scored another good summer read from a first time author - and it was another random pick! I just LOVE that! I just finished (and by "just" I mean "just put it down") The Mourning Hours by Paula Treick DeBoard, and I really liked it! 

Why did I pick it? Well, I liked the cover because I am sentimentally attached to fireflies in mason jars (part of my childhood), I was intrigued by the play on words for the title, and the preview on the back of the book interested me. There were no reviews or recommendations on, or in, the book - so, I almost took it as a challenge. I also liked her dedication page. I suppose I felt a common bond with an author who writes, "For my Tea Time friends, because I always said I would." My book club friends can relate to that, as they try to encourage me in my writing endeavors. ;)

Now, to sum it up and not give anything away...

I read this novel in a few days (of course, I'm a teacher on summer break). I usually like to sprinkle a few shorter reads in between big novels or series. I knew this would be one of my shorter reads. While it wasn't a difficult read, it was an interesting one! The first couple of chapters didn't flow for me at first, but once I got into the main story, the storyteller did a good job of pulling me in to the family's life.

The narrator of the story is an adult woman who is having to return to her childhood home because something has happened. As the reader, we don't yet know what that event is. The trip "back home" takes the narrator back in time to when she was nine and tragedy struck her family. She tells the story of what happened and how it changed her life, and the life of her family, forever. The back of the book states, "The Mourning Hours is a gripping portrayal of a family straining against extraordinary pressure, and a powerful tale of loyalty, betrayal and forgiveness."

One more thing I just have to mention. It was only after I purchased the book that I noticed the publisher was Harlequin MIRA. Harlequin? Really? I only associate them with romance novels. So, researcher that I am, I looked it up. Some of the information I found seemed to indicate that this part of Harlequin publishing focuses on "relationship novels," but I did find some references to "romance" on other books published under the "MIRA" label. That being said, let me assure you The Mourning Hours is not a romance novel. 

I hope you'll give Ms. DeBoard's novel a try! I also hope you give other new authors a try from time to time. I love to go to bookstores that have a special section dedicated to new writers. Classics are great, national bestsellers are usually a good bet, but...sometimes, be sure you're giving the unknown a try. I'll tell you what I tell my students, "A careful, good preview of any book should usually result in a good read." :)

If you'd like a little more info: http://www.paulatreickdeboard.com/mourning_hours.html