All posts by Superfast Reader

Wolf’s Brother by Megan Lindholm

American Literature

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 story itself focuses around what could be considered a murder mystery, and the genre-blending is what really kept me turning pages. Megan Lindholm brings the action to a thrilling climax…

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The Reindeer People by Megan Lindholm

American Literature 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 really hate that publishers do this–I’d much rather read one long book than wait for a second installment. This is one of Megan Lindholm/Robin Hobb’s earliest works, and in it…

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My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares

American Literature

Synopsis: Reincarnation dooms Daniel and Sophia to wander the centuries, falling in love with tragic results in just a few but missing each other in most, and when they find themselves in high school together they just might be able to break the cycle and be together. Review: I find the concept of reincarnation tedious and frustrating, so I’m probably not exactly the ideal reader for My Name Is Memory. And now that I’m a mom, I like it even less. I don’t want to…

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The Son Avenger by Sigrid Undset (The Master of Hestviken)

Norwegian Literature

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 as a different kind of woman than the others I’ve seen in Undset’s work, with a rigidity that blossomed into self-awareness and even a kind of independence. She’s mirrored nicely…

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In the Wilderness by Sigrid Undset (The Master of Hestviken)

Norwegian Literature

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 of the book. All he’s done his whole life is justify his misdeeds by claiming his own rights, and that’s just what he’s doing near the end. At this point…

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The Snake Pit by Sigrid Undset (The Master of Hestviken)

Norwegian Literature 3 Comments

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 his childhood love Ingunn, now his wife. I really don’t want to give too much away about the story thus far, because I loved how it unfolded in the previous…

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Dragon Haven by Robin Hobb

American Literature

Synopsis: Outcast dragon keepers escort group of stunted dragons towards what they hope is their ancestral home, while threatened by dangerous lands without and traitors within. Review: Dragon Haven is actually the second half of the story begun in Dragon Keeper, and really they could’ve been just one book. (Though I do not begrudge any extra revenue to the gifted author Robin Hobb.) I really can’t say much about the plot of this book without giving away spoilers, so you’ll just have to be satisfied…

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The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi

American Literature 1 Comment

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 a most unusual situation. Charlotte’s family booked passage aboard the Seahawk for her to return from boarding school to her home in Rhode Island, but upon her arrival aboard ship…

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Winged Wonders: A Celebration of Birds in Human History

British Literature 1 Comment

Synopsis: A compendium of trivia, history, biology, and references to art, mythology, poetry, and literature for 19 different birds. Review: Winged Wonders is a real rara avis of a book. Basically, it’s a collection of all sorts of information related to a bunch of different birds, like the raven, the heron, the cuckoo, the falcon, and many more. There are poems, myths, historical references, and basic biological facts, all of them really compelling and quirky and fun. What I really love about this book is…

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