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Name : Cathie D.

My Reviews

Wave by Sonali Deraniyagala
 
Book Club Recommended
Wave - Sonali Deraniyagala

Heartbreaking account of a woman who lost her husband, 2 sons, and her parents in the 2004 tsunami diaster. The writing is poignant and the heartbreak is real. This isn't a glossed over hollywood version of someone coming through an unthinkable disaster and finding peace at the end of the tragedy. For Sonali there probably will never be any peace.

This is a courageous telling of truth. Her thoughts are not pleasant. They don't have to be. I have seen a lot of written comments that she was mean, selfish, etc. I have no idea if these statements are true.
Many have also written that she didn't reach out to other survivors or talk about their pain. This is HER own personal story. It is not about altruism or sharing grief; she has been desperately trying to not feel anything since that day. Why do some need to negate pain and look for happy endings?

She is human. She has been a part of a tragic unthinkable event that most of us could never begin to fathom. She writes how everything is a memory of a life that was once and never will be again. In just reading her account of the everyday associations that trigger memories of a family, a normalcy, a life no longer recognizable, I was in awe of her honesty. She does not sugar coat her actions or her thoughts. She tells the truth. She could have lied and said I tried to save everyone or I have moved on but then she could have written a fiction novel too. This is honest raw grief and survival when you can't understand why you're still here. It would be the same grief as someone losing their entire family in a fire or a car accident. It is loss beyond what the human mind can fathom.

This book will stay with me forever. It opened my eyes to everything that holds a memory.

 
Book Club Recommended
Epic, Fun, Adventurous
Jonathan Strange

Amazing story about 2 magicians and the fight to restore magic back to England. This is not about magic tricks; it is about all forces that make things magical. And it is about the magic behind all forces.

It is about storytellers and tales. It is about knowing the tales and how to conjure up the magic in them; it is about how to reawaken one's senses.

Defending Jacob: A Novel by William Landay
 
Book Club Recommended
Dramatic, Interesting, Insightful
Defending Jacob

This 3 star book only got bumped to a 4 star because of a surprise ending and some twists in the final few chapters.

Gone Girl: A Novel by Gillian Flynn
 
Book Club Recommended
Dramatic, Dark, Interesting
Gone Girl

This is one very sick, twisted, demented book, and I gave it a four star rating. It keeps you hooked.

 
Book Club Recommended
Dramatic, Interesting, Insightful
The Light Between Oceans

An amazing beautifully written haunting story about life, lies, commitment, time.

 
Book Club Recommended
Fun, Interesting, Insightful
The Rosie Project

Don Tillman is this century's Forrest Gump, but with brains and lacking in the skill of emotions; think of Sheldon from Big Bang Theory in a body that could possibly be as sexy as Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird, if he would just have any clothes and style sense. Or think of Spencer from Criminal Minds. Tillman has no social skills and no understanding of social nuances but he does have a willingness to try and learn some socially acceptable behaviours if it means it will help with The Wife Project, The Father Project and especially The Rosie Project.

I laughed so hard, was touched with his simplicity, frustrated at his lack of understanding and empathy, and by the 2nd last chapter had tears in my eyes and an ache in my heart for this lonely complex man. This book is his journey in trying to be a part, rather than apart from. By the end I had fallen in love with Don Tillman (but I don't think I could be in the same room with him).

An amazing novel in societal norms, feelings, miscommunication, friendships and love.

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