Synopsis: A group of misfit classics students at a small Northeastern college take things too far. Review: Love The Secret History! Have read it at least 3 maybe 4 times since it came out back when I was in college. And that’s all I have to say because I finished it at 11pm and had [...]
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
June 22nd, 2010 · 5 Comments
Tags: American Literature
Wolf’s Brother by Megan Lindholm
June 20th, 2010 · No Comments
Synopsis: As a group of reindeer herdspeople approach their summer grounds, simmering tensions and unspoken accusations bubble up with murderous results. Review: Wolf’s Brother is the completion of the story begun in The Reindeer People, and I was more than satisfied with the resolution. While the book’s setting recalls Clan of the Cave Bear, the [...]
Tags: American Literature
The Reindeer People by Megan Lindholm
June 18th, 2010 · 1 Comment
Synopsis: An outcast healer and her shaman-bewitched son become caught up in the politics and intrigue among a group of reindeer herdsman. Review: The Reindeer People is only the first part of the story, and ends on a most incomplete note, so I’m glad that I’ve got Wolf’s Brother on hand to start immediately. I [...]
Tags: American Literature
The Son Avenger by Sigrid Undset (The Master of Hestviken)
June 13th, 2010 · No Comments
Synopsis: With Olav Audunsson facing the end of his lonely days, his children Eirik and Cecilia find themselves trapped in the repercussions of Olav’s as-yet unconfessed sins. Review: There was so much I loved in The Son Avenger, particularly Cecilia’s journey of wife- and motherhood with Eirik’s less-than-reputable childhood friend Jorund. She really came alive [...]
Tags: Norwegian Literature
In the Wilderness by Sigrid Undset (The Master of Hestviken)
June 11th, 2010 · No Comments
Synopsis: Medieval feudal lord now widower Olav Audunsson grapples with the sins of old that make each day a torment. Review: In the Wilderness had a strong transitional quality to it. I am hoping that the next book completes his spiritual journey because I was really unsatisfied with where he ended up at the end [...]
Tags: Norwegian Literature
The Snake Pit by Sigrid Undset (The Master of Hestviken)
June 9th, 2010 · 1 Comment
Synopsis: Olav Audunsson finally brings Ingunn Steinfinnsdatter back to his ancestral home as his wife, each harboring a dark secret that threatens the happiness they dreamed of as children. Review: The Snake Pit follows closely on the tragic events of The Axe, focusing on the far-reaching effects of sin in the lives of Olav and [...]
Tags: Norwegian Literature
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
June 1st, 2010 · No Comments
Synopsis: The only girl aboard a ship bound for America, 13-year-old Charlotte Doyle finds herself embroiled in mutiny and a murder plot, and only ingenuity, bravery, and mad rigging skills will save her. Review: Set in 1832, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle is a fast-paced, Gothic-tinged action story featuring a most intrepid heroine in [...]
Tags: American Literature
Holes by Louis Sachar
May 31st, 2010 · No Comments
Synopsis: Sent to a camp for juvenile delinquents, Stanley Yelnats is forced to dig holes for the duration of his sentence, but when he figures out that the Warden is looking for something, he decides to take action. Review: The reputation of Holes is well-deserved. It’s a fast-paced read with plenty of original plot elements [...]
Tags: American Literature
The Year of the Warrior by Lars Walker
May 28th, 2010 · No Comments
Synopsis: Captured by Vikings, Aillil escapes slavery by claiming to be a priest, and despite his practical atheism finds himself doing God’s work as the brave, noble hersir Erling Skjalgsson tries to bring order to the violent world of 10th Century Norway. Review: The Year of the Warrior is a prequel to Lars Walker‘s more [...]
Tags: American Literature
The Axe by Sigrid Undset (The Master of Hestviken)
May 21st, 2010 · 1 Comment
Synopsis: Betrothed as children, Olav and Ingunn grew up together, but when Ingunn’s parents die, they take an irrevocable step that jeopardizes their futures and the social system that surrounds them. Review: The Axe begins a 4-book series by Sigrid Undset, the Nobel Prize-winning author of the acclaimed and beloved Kristin Lavransdatter books. Like that [...]
Tags: Norwegian Literature



