book review: Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

Maisie Dobbs (Maisie Dobbs, #1)Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first in a mystery series that takes place after World War I in Britain. I really loved this book. Maisie Dobbs is an intrepid young woman who, through intelligence and hard work and determination, moves from the lower class into the embryonic middle class that was developing in Britain after World War I. Maisie herself is a lovely character–spunky, determined, and original.
Maisie is called upon to investigate the movements of a woman whose husband suspects she is being unfaithful. This investigation takes on a life of its own and touches upon the issues–physical and mental–of the soldiers returning from World War I and how to treat them. The horrors of warfare and the impact that war has on both the soldiers and their families are depicted with unusual eloquence and passion. It is the most touching part of the book, and it resonated with me, especially given our own society’s struggles with the same issues.
Oh, and there is also a mystery to solve and several flashbacks to help flesh out Maisie’s life and how she came to be what she is.
The main characters are fully developed, three dimensional characters, and the mystery is interesting, although the evolution of Maisie is even more interesting. I look forward to reading the next book in the series!

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book review: Covenant with Hell by Priscilla Royal

Covenant with Hell  (Medieval Mystery, #10)Covenant with Hell by Priscilla Royal

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you’ve read my reviews of Priscilla Royal’s previous 9 books, you know that I love this series. This 10th addition to the series is no exception. The book takes place at Our Lady of Walsingham shrine, and there is a lot of great background explaining the shrine and its origins. Our two main characters, Prioress Eleanor and Brother Thomas, are back, although since the mystery takes place at the shrine, none of the other regulars make an appearance.
The mystery itself is relatively straightforward. A young nun has been killed, there is a plot to assassinate Edward I (I’m sure fans of the Welsh trilogy by Sharon Kay Penman wish it had succeeded, but I digress), and the question is whether the two events are related and, if so, who is the killer, and who is the assassin?
There is also plenty of historical detail about the medieval attitude towards religion and religious artifacts. The author, as always, does a fabulous job of integrating these details in a seamless way with the story, so you never feel like you’re being lectured–you just absorb the details while reading the story.
The mystery is wrapped up in a satisfactory fashion with a convenient dangling hook that I hope means many more books in the series to come!

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book review: Sup with the Devil by Barbara Hamilton

Sup with the Devil (Abigail Adams #3)Sup with the Devil by Barbara Hamilton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is book #3 in a historical mystery series with Abigail Adams as the protagonist. I have enjoyed this series immensely so far, and this book is no exception. A student at Harvard College has been murdered, and his slave is accused of the deed. Abigail is convinced of the slave’s innocence and sets out to find the real killer.
Integrated into the mystery is the increasing tension between the British and the patriots stemming from the dumping of tea in Boston Harbor. Characters such as Sam Adams and Paul Revere dot the story as well as Abigail’s husband, of course. Given the fact that I think the best thing John Adams ever did in his entire life is to marry Abigail, he is drawn fairly, although probably in a more positive light than I would be inclined to do (I am not a fan). That being said, I enjoy the author’s depiction of Abigail immensely and have no problem with her depiction of Abigail’s husband, as the book is told from Abigail’s point of view, and no one doubts the couple’s love for each other.
I also very much liked the book’s portrayal of the philosophical dilemma regarding the impending war and what methods are justified morally to win the war. It is a topic that is still relevant and is eloquently discussed in the story without being heavy-handed.
The mystery is reasonably interesting, and the historic backdrop is well-drawn, accurately depicted, and well integrated into the story.
I started out as a fan of the author’s fantasy books (writing as Barbara Hambly), but this historical mystery series is a strong addition to her work. I highly recommend them!

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A B’Not Mitzvah in St. Thomas

A close friend of our son’s held her bat mitzvah in St. Thomas (U.S. Virgin Islands) at the site of a historic Jewish synagogue first built in the late 1700s. Her younger sister was having her bat mitzvah at the same time (the plural of bat mitzvah being b’not mitzvah, which is pretty much the extent of my Hebrew).

The ceremony was very touching and both girls did a fabulous job! The synagogue itself was beautiful, with its sand floor and whitewashed walls. The Torah was one that had survived the Holocaust, and the ceremony also honored two young girls, ages 7 and 10, who did not survive.

We arrived late Thursday afternoon, admired the beautiful views, and took it easy.

IMG_2849

view of St. Thomas

Friday was pool day. (Actually, every day was pool day.) Evidently, 10+ hours in a pool in one day is a totally fine way to spend a day for a 13 year old boy. So that’s exactly what we did. There was also the beach, the ocean, and kayaking.

Pool Day(s)!

Pool Day(s)!

Saturday’s ceremony itself was beautiful. Both girls did a fabulous job with their readings. The rabbi exuded such genuine warmth of spirit in everything he uttered.

The extrovert in our family had the time of his life at the party on Saturday night. There was food (a minor consideration when there’s a party), a speech to be given (that was surprisingly poised and articulate and heartfelt by the son), and dancing (with everyone).

A high point for me was the half-dozen or so moms who made a point to come up to me and tell me how kind and sweet our 13 year old was to all of the younger kids who were there. Even the little girl who announced that our son was her new boyfriend did not faze him, and he happily danced with her without (much) embarrassment.

Sunday consisted of more time in the pool and a snorkeling trip to St. John’s where we saw a variety of colorful fish and a stingray. Oh, and then there was more time in the pool.

All in all, it was a very meaningful trip to have our son be with his friend during this very important occasion and, of course, it was tremendous fun as well!

a fun trip!

a fun trip!

book review: Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the EndBeing Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is a very thoughtful look at how we are dealing with the elderly as they age and grow more infirm. The first half of the book deals with alternative (and better) options to nursing homes and discusses how nursing homes place a premium on safety and health of its residents but place little importance on their ability to have freedom and control over their lives. The author discusses how there is movement to create new living environments that give the elderly more freedom and control of their lives and improve the quality of their lives as they become more frail.
The second half of the book discusses medicine’s limitations in extending life and how, through a series of often default actions, we try to extend life at the cost of the quality of that life. The author discusses how palliative and hospice care can improve the quality of a person’s end-of-life, but that clear communication by the person, their caregivers, and their medical personnel are necessary in order to arrive at a decision that respects the person’s wishes with respect to continuing treatment for a terminal illness. (This issue is more than just having a do-not-resuscitate order in place but also deals with the question of how many different medications/chemotherapy sessions/etc. should be utilized and whether they are justified given their odds of success. In other words, how much is enough?)
The author is a surgeon and writes with clarity and an interesting personal voice. He raises important and interesting questions about how we deal with aging and death both as a society and on a personal level. It’s an extremely thought-provoking book, and I highly recommend it for everyone!

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