so-soI am glad I read it, and there were definitely parts of the book I thought were glorious in prose and imagination. But at the end I felt I had finished putting together a piece of furniture, and found myself looking at several screws and bolt or two that were “left over.“ #TOB2025
🤣🔦 Truth
pickThis is set in Poland very close to the border of the Czech Republic, and our main protagonist is a woman in her senior years. She hates her name and disregards most others as inappropriate, is massively into astrology, and flies the flag for animal rights. She is generally perceived as a batty old woman.
On the whole, I did like this. It does require more work from the reader than I'd typically give to the genre, but that's not a bad thing.
pickThis novel is example of why libraries are so essential.I found this in the new book section,calling out my name. I‘m uncertain how to review this combination of facts & imaginative storytelling,centered on a young, Catholic, 14 yr old Polish girl,Czeslawz Kwoka.When the author read an obituary in the NYT of the Polish photographer,Wilhelm Brasse,who took 40,000 + photographs of the inmates in Auschwitz, Tuck clipped out 3 of Czeslawz. ⬇️
so-soFebruary 2025 Book #4
Maybe I expected more from this book since it was recommended by YouTubers with I follow their recommendations, but not always we have the same taste in books, and this is an example. Loved and intrigued by the premise. But I felt disconnected with characters. I thought Irena was arrogant and thinks everyone needed to please her. Some of the translators invited to this event in Ireba‘s house had infatuated feelings 🙄⬇️
pickI can see see why not everyone would love this book, but it worked for me. I was racing to finish it ahead of meeting the author this evening, so I switched back and forth between audio and print. When she was signing my books, I asked her if she wrote the audio descriptions of the photographs (which mention color, even though they're printed in b&w) and she didn't! That added another layer of translation, in my mind. She gave a good talk, too.
bailedThe writing is interesting but the story is boring me a little. I may come back to this one later. DNF
#roll100 pick off the TBR for now this was my #doublespin pick as well.
Reading Madeline's book, I've learned just how important it is to not let education be "stifled or cultures to be erased or books to banned" I could not have come up with better words to share the importance of preserving stories and history, learning from them, and providing access to those in times of war or crisis to the stories that they need to help them survive.
pickAmazing! I absolutely loved this book. This is the second book I have read by Madeline and both were amazing. I cannot wait to read more of her work. I will be adding Madeline to my list of favorite authors for sure.
