Cynthia C

This book is set against the lush society of the wealthy NYC society of 1910. The main character, Vera Garland, is in her own way a very modern woman. She happens to be at odds with her leading society matriarch mother, and is also very concerned with those less fortunate. She wants equality for women, and is willing to fight for it.

Vera has a separate identity as an investigative reporter where, in her determination to expose society's ills, often risks her own life.

This book is much more than a story of the 44 carat Hope Diamond, with stories of its supposed curse. Author M.J. Rose gives us a well-written slice-of-life account of the turn of the century elite juxtaposed with those struggling for their lives who live on the fringes.

Rose reminds us that Hope is what we have from one day to the next. Hope is what powers our desires and actions to create better lives for all.

An enjoyable read, filled with intrigue and romance.

I found Ellie and the Harpmaker to be a simply delightful read. I wanted to read it all in one sitting, but life got in the way. You are engaged right from the beginning. The main characters are strongly developed and the writing is very descriptive. For me, the book touched on love, abuse, loneliness, acceptance of one's past and moving ahead to the future, and an appreciation and celebration of our commonalities vs. our differences. Dan and Ellie are 2 very creative individuals, who have had very different backgrounds, yet seem to discover themselves and each other as they enjoy each other's company. You will not be disappointed. I look forward to more books by Hazel Prior.

I loved the title, and found applications for today's soldiers and nurses as they try to cope with life after battle...and PTS. This quote on p. 1 sets the tenor for the book: "There is a kind of man who, having been at war, finds peacetime intolerable...he hates the feeling that what he is doing is not important." This idea plays out through the novel, which is both witty and heartfelt. The settings are important characters in the book too, be it Ceylon, Pakistan, or England. All these settings reflect recovery from WWI and progress in every area of industry. The families try to adjust to these changing times, as the novel edges into WWII. The 4 McCosh sisters and their childhood friends lead the plot lines and themes of fidelity, fertility, the Empire, belief systems, and parental love. The book is very readable but the breadth of all the characters' experiences comes at the expense of depth. Told in brief chapters (50 in total), with various voices in each one, the story for me was not as continuous or chronological as I wanted it to be. I am not a fan of the ending.

I did not really enjoy the book. All the "social strata stuff" became too tedious for me. I wanted to like the book more... just being honest.