Author Archives: Teresa

The Doctor’s Wife

Posted on January 21, 2019

Ever since Kae was a little girl, she was fascinated by the Hanaoka family, especially Otsugi, a beautiful woman who married into the family. So Kae was delighted when Otsugi approached her family to ask if Kae would marry her … Continue reading →

Posted in Classics, Fiction, Historical Fiction | Leave a comment

House of Broken Angels

Posted on January 19, 2019

My reading of contenders for the 2019 Tournament of Books continues with this much-lauded novel by Luis Alberto Urrea. Alas, although I’m not sure if it’s my mood or the book itself, this ended up being not a great book … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction | 6 Comments

My Mother’s House and Sido

Posted on January 16, 2019

These two novella/memoirs by Colette are fine examples of well-written books that appear to do exactly what they set out to do but that still fail to engage me. I can see that the writing is lovely and effective at … Continue reading →

Posted in Classics | 4 Comments

Love in a Cold Climate

Posted on January 14, 2019

Nancy Mitford’s 1949 follow-up to The Pursuit of Love is more of a companion piece to the earlier novel than a sequel. She fills in a few gaps in the narrative here are there — like narrator Fanny’s own marriage — … Continue reading →

Posted in Classics, Fiction | 3 Comments

The Golden State

Posted on January 13, 2019

Daphne, the narrator of Lydia Kiesling’s debut novel, is exhausted and frustrated and in terrible need of a break. She’s been raising her daughter, Honey, on her own since her husband, Engin, was barred from entry to the United States … Continue reading →

Posted in Contemporary, Fiction | Leave a comment

The Pursuit of Love

Posted on January 9, 2019

Fanny, the narrator of this 1945 novel by Nancy Mitford, was abandoned by her parents at an early age and raised by her Aunt Emily, who proved to be an excellent mother. Her childhood involved Alconleigh, home of her Uncle … Continue reading →

Posted in Classics, Fiction | 4 Comments

Faithful Place

Posted on January 6, 2019

Frank Mackey was far from my favorite character in The Likeness. He caused all sorts of trouble for Cassie and Sam, largely because of his own arrogance. So I wasn’t sure that I wanted to spend a whole book with him. … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Mysteries/Crime | 8 Comments

The Parking Lot Attendant

Posted on January 3, 2019

As this novel by Nafkote Tamirat opens, its unnamed narrator lives in a colony on an unnamed island with her father. The colonists are seeking to form their own country, and the colony’s mysterious leaders, the Danga, are suspicious of … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction | 2 Comments

2018 in Review

Posted on January 1, 2019

Happy New Year, everyone! In recognition of the new year, I’m continuing my tradition of looking back at my reading from the previous year. This year, I read 93 books, falling a few books short of my loose goal of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 19 Comments

Speak No Evil

Posted on December 31, 2018

Uzodinma Iweala’s Speak No Evil is the story of two best friends, Niro and Meredith, both high school seniors in Washington, DC. Niro, who carries most of the narrative, is a track star bound for Harvard, but his future starts to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Contemporary, Fiction | Leave a comment