Every year there's a bestselling novel that I can't get onboard with. In years past it has been The Book Thief, Fates and Furies, and The Luminaries, and this year it's The Vegetarian by Han Kang and Commonwealth by Ann Patchett. It's not that I don't understand the underlying complexities within both stories, nor that I don't appreciate the writing, but rather that I … [Read more...]
This is the Story of a Happy Marriage
I've been an Ann Patchett fan for years. I loved State of Wonder and adored The Patron Saint of Liars, so when I was given the opportunity to read about Ann Patchett by Ann Patchett, I jumped. And boy, am I glad I did! Confession: I had no idea she started out writing magazine articles. I consider myself to be pretty up-to-snuff when it comes to the writing histories … [Read more...]
“The Patron Saint of Liars” by Anne Patchett
What a great book! It’s about a woman who runs off to a home for unwedded pregnant girls and ends up staying and raising her daughter there. The book is broken down into thirds with each section being told by a different narrator. The characters were all so lovable even if you didn’t particularly like or understand them. When I first started reading the book, I was intrigued … [Read more...]