I really enjoyed this story of a spoiled young California girl, who elects to sign up as a nurse in Vietnam, largely to win her military minded father's approval. Her beloved brother has been killed there and is considered a hero for his service. She is transformed by the experience. The book exposes the futility of this war that never should have been, and mourns the thousands of young lives sacrificed to a pointless cause. An excellent read.
Like the earlier books in the Strike and Robin series, this is a non-put-downable mystery thriller that kept me enthralled for 3 days straight. JK Rowling knows how to grab and keep her readers' attention. Highly recommended but advisable to read these in order.
This is another family saga set in a fishing village on the west coast of Ireland. Plenty rain and angst. But the characters are complex and the story held my attention from start to end. A good read.
Five short essays on recovery from from loss, and finding happiness in everyday affairs. She writes like a poet - the stories are carefully crafted and evoke a sense of beauty and connection. I loved this book.
From the TalkEasy interview I have posted in links: Quoting Ocean, the moral question of the novel is 'What is the function of altruism when there's no way out? What is kindness, what is goodness, when it doesn't lead anywhere? Does goodness matter in an ant farm?'