Outlander
by Diana Gabaldon
Something for everyone? (4/10/2011)
Let me start by saying normally I am not a huge fan of historical fiction, romance novels nor stories about time travel, (which is why I wanted to read this recommended book). Certainly Gabaldon is an excellent writer who has done her homework regarding historical 18th century heroics. I would recommend this book to those who like an ambitious read (800 pages!), a strong heroine, and an interesting love story. I can't say I enjoyed it enough myself to commit to the ongoing stories in the series right away nor recommend it to my book club (too long), but for a vacation read where one may want to get lost in a saga -and learn something about 18th century Scottish life, I think the author accomplishes this - with strong, memorable characters and a good, ambitious tale to tell!
A Girl Made of Dust
by Nathalie Abi-Ezzi
A sensitive portrayal of heartbreaking Lebanese conflict (5/26/2009)
I wanted to read this book particularly because we have so few available novels in English that take place in and describe the recent Lebanese war years from a personal perspective and I wanted to know more about this period and country's cultural history from this aspect. I found the book sensitive to its subject, interesting, and meaningful.
The characters are real, and sensitively drawn and their experiences poignant. It is hard to imagine that children of Ms Abi-Ezzi's generation who were born and grew up during these times, from 1974 onward only know of an existence within a country of constant political conflict. This novel gives us some insight into a child's experience, interpretation and understanding of a very complex world, still living in distressing circumstances. I would like to read more books on the subject from different perspectives.
