Too much math and science for my taste but found the friendship intriguing.
A Sitting in St. James by Rita Williams-Garcia was too ambitious and not ambitious enough. The writing level was suitable for YA. My dissatisfaction is with the author's need to address multiple societal issues in one story. I have this complaint with many authors right now. Select one to two threads and weave those together and go deep. In an effort to cover all there is to write about, the author came up short on all accounts. I was born and raised in New Orleans and spoon fed the glories of Creole Louisiana, the Ante-bellum South, plantation culture, and the mixed heritages found in port cities. Perhaps my discontent is that of someone with surface knowledge wanting to learn so much more.
This came as a recommendation from find your next read type of book service. It did not resonate. If the author, Sarah Domet, intended to create empathy for the girls, the "Guineveres", it was lost on me. Less time on the saints and more time on the family circumstances that brought the girls to the Sisters of Supreme Adoration convent might have helped move the story along and help me to connect with Vere, Gwen, Win, and Ginny. I attended a girls only Catholic school so have some appreciation for the religious schooling the girls received, the role of the sisters, Sister Fran and even Father James. That felt all too familiar. The pain the pain of abandonment transferred to soldiers who could not reject their love felt possible but contrived. Heartache but not for the reader.
Came close to giving this a 5-star. Ann Patchett is a well-known, celebrated, world-renowned author. Through these essays, she perfectly captures what is ordinary in all of us. You can relate because you have been a child, a teen, a college student, a young adult, parent, etc. If you haven't, you might or know someone who will. She graciously reminds us we are not so different.
I don't completely understand why this title is short-listed for some major books awards. The story of Marian Graves is compelling, and very very good, particularly during the war years. The story of Hadley Baxter added nothing but about 300 extra pages (12 extra listening hours). Marian's story could stand alone. I will acknowledge that the audiobook version of a title may have let me down again. The narrator for Marian Graves felt true to Marian's personality. The narrator for Hadley Baxter was grating and almost kept me from finishing on more than one listen.
ABF. All but finished. The premise started off intriguing but by about five lifetimes in the tale felt like a lifetime. The author didn’t appear to know understand how to bring this to and end so it went off the deep end.
Poignant family study crossing three generations. Joy can be found in simplicity. Heartache can be found in the simplest most mundane actions. As a native of New Orleans, I found the references to people, places, and local culture pulling me in. You want this family to survive.
This book ultimately
annoyed me on so many levels. I found the main characters implausible, and irritating. I selected the audiobook. I often find audiobooks disappointing if the narrator(s) portraying the roles come across forced and unbelievable. The book was recommended to me based on a survey of favorites. It was a miss.
I have read each title in the series. This one is about 300 pages too long. At 900+ pages it loses its impetus and impact.
