A brief, unassuming exploration of cataclysmic loss that delicately thrums the heartstrings and replenishes the spirit.
A woman reflects on the catastrophic history of the Caribbean island of Montserrat and its effect upon her family in this continuation of a story begun in Bruno’s previous novel (Down Memory Lane: With Marguerite and Family, 2010, etc.).
Marguerite, now living in Montpellier in southern France, misses her former life on Montserrat. Her homeland was first devastated by Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and later, by two volcanoes in 1995 and 1997; the latter resulted in the evacuation of the town of Plymouth and the deaths of 19 people who tried to stand their ground. Displaced residents like Marguerite, with their personal possessions and way of life irrevocably destroyed, have little to rely upon but their memories and each other. The tragedies devastated Marguerite’s husband, George, who’s no longer himself. Their newly married daughter, Clementine, and her husband, Christophe, are presumed dead, possibly due to arson; they were registered at a hotel that was consumed by flames. Soon, Marguerite and George learn that the couple is still alive, but they have no clue as to their whereabouts. A distressed Marguerite finds comfort in a visit to the Black Madonna in Barcelona, where she hears a mysterious voice whisper, “Nil Desperandum!” (“Do not despair!”). Although the tale begins with Marguerite, the focus seamlessly shifts to honeymooners Clementine and Christophe, who discuss the locales they visit, including Martinique; they eventually return to Little Bay, an area of Montserrat that has been reopened to the public. Their conversations don’t merely offer sparkling history lessons, but also their perspectives on their loss as they prepare to build a new life together. Bruno’s touching story of devastation and spiritual renewal builds quietly and surely, without treacle or theatrics. In simple, straightforward language, the novel examines the layers of physical and emotional upheaval that come with successive tragedies. It gently addresses themes of despair, hope, faith and rebirth, noting that there is “more mystery to life than the common man dreams.”
A brief, unassuming exploration of cataclysmic loss that delicately thrums the heartstrings and replenishes the spirit.Pub Date: March 8, 2013
ISBN: 978-1466329720
Page Count: 110
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Mostly conservative in its stance and choices but common-sensical and current.
Savvy counsel and starter lists for fretting parents.
New York Times Book Review editor Paul (My Life With Bob: Flawed Heroine Keeps Book of Books, Plot Ensues, 2017, etc.) and Russo, the children’s book editor for that publication, provide standard-issue but deftly noninvasive strategies for making books and reading integral elements in children’s lives. Some of it is easier said than done, but all is intended to promote “the natural, timeless, time-stopping joys of reading” for pleasure. Mediumwise, print reigns supreme, with mild approval for audio and video books but discouraging words about reading apps and the hazards of children becoming “slaves to the screen.” In a series of chapters keyed to stages of childhood, infancy to the teen years, the authors supplement their advice with short lists of developmentally appropriate titles—by their lights, anyway: Ellen Raskin’s Westing Game on a list for teens?—all kitted out with enticing annotations. The authors enlarge their offerings with thematic lists, from “Books That Made Us Laugh” to “Historical Fiction.” In each set, the authors go for a mix of recent and perennially popular favorites, leaving off mention of publication dates so that hoary classics like Janice May Udry’s A Tree Is Nice seem as fresh as David Wiesner’s Flotsam and Carson Ellis’ Du Iz Tak? and sidestepping controversial titles and themes in the sections for younger and middle-grade readers—with a few exceptions, such as a cautionary note that some grown-ups see “relentless overparenting” in Margaret Wise Brown’s Runaway Bunny. Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series doesn’t make the cut except for a passing reference to its “troubling treatment of Indians.” The teen lists tend to be edgier, salted with the provocative likes of Art Spiegelman’s Maus and Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give, and a nod to current demands for more LGBTQ and other #ownvoices books casts at least a glance beyond the mainstream. Yaccarino leads a quartet of illustrators who supplement the occasional book cover thumbnails with vignettes and larger views of children happily absorbed in reading.
Mostly conservative in its stance and choices but common-sensical and current.Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5235-0530-2
Page Count: 216
Publisher: Workman
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Romance feels deeply liberating in Zalmanek’s hands.
Stories and guidance designed to keep the fires burning in your relationship.
This book is about adventures, unusual and exciting experiences in love–particularly with established couples–that speak of abiding affection. And they speak loudly, because you have to work to keep these adventures moving. They range from daily, loving gestures–the little threads that sew you together–to grand celebrations. Zalmanek, a self-proclaimed “Romantic Adventurer,” begins with the baby steps needed to get started. Fearless where she treads, Zalmanek is happy to give tips on everything from marriage proposals to divorce ceremonies. Each chapter is filled with episodes of romantic adventure intended to jump-start the imagination in the form of illustrative stories from people who have taken one of her workshops. She stresses the importance of being an attentive and aware mate–to understand your lover’s surprise quotient, for example–to explore the sensual acts that please the two of you, to learn how to give (and receive) unexpected gifts and to develop your own romantic traditions. She wants you to cherish the act of intimacy, to step back for a moment, regain some perspective and realize how important it is to keep adding fuel to the fire that drives your romance. Best of all, she makes it sound like an awful lot of fun.
Romance feels deeply liberating in Zalmanek’s hands.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2006
ISBN: 0-9766879-0-9
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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