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Welcome to the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library

   Saturday
Open today from 9am to 6pm  •  March 20, 2010

Thoughts on Recent Reads

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This time around I read a couple of Christian fiction novels and a historical novel...here is what I thought of them:

The Pirate's Daughter: A Novel by Margaret Cezair-Thompson
I picked this up because it is set in Jamaica, a country I have visited many times and love. It has Jamaica, pirates (well, the movie version anyway), native beauties, and a hint of hidden treasure. The pirate in question is actually the actor Errol Flynn who on a chance visit to Jamaica is entranced by its beauty and decides to stay. The story is told mostly from the point of view of Ida--a "native beauty" who entices Flynn, and May-the daughter of their union. What follows tells us as much about the turbulent politics and social upheaval of Jamaica during those times as about the tortured love affairs and struggle for survival of these young ladies. The author does a good job of capturing the Jamaican dialect and cultural struggles. The story is drags a bit at times, but if you want a different way of experiencing Jamaica it is a good read. 


Chasing Fireflies: A Novel of Discovery by Charles MartinChasing Fireflies cover
My favorite of these three, Charles Martin is masteful at creating stories with many interweaving threads.  This novel intertwines several stories, that of a six year old abandoned boy, that of the journalist named Chase who takes an interest in this boy because of his own past, and that of Chase's adopted family--who have a whole mess of secrets that Chase is bound and determined to uncover. As Chase finds the answers to his questions he also grapples with issues like justice and forgiveness and the role of fathers in a young boy's life.
This book has many memorable characters, especially "Uncle Willie" who seems too good to be true at times but whose colorful quotes will have you scratching your head in amazement at his creativity. Pick this one up for a good story with many deeper truths contained within. 

Blinded by Travis ThrasherBlinded cover
This one was a quick read, but it packs a powerful punch with its message about the dangers of temptation.  This chilling story puts the reader in the shoes of a business man on a trip to New York who starts out innocently sipping wine and flirting with a pretty young woman. As hour by hour of the night goes by he gets pulled deeper and deeper into a tangle of lust, violence, and out of control behavior.  Just how far will he go? This is a great suspense story with a moral lesson thrown in, read it for one or the other or both.  

 

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Deb

Deb
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check out what I’m reading at http://www.librarything.com/catalog/debs4jc

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  • Friday, January 09, 2009

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