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murielm99

(32,134 posts)
12. Oh, my, the books I have read this week!
Sun Aug 2, 2020, 01:51 PM
Aug 2020

How Much of These Hills is Gold, by Z. Pam Zhang. It is a first novel, and stunning. The use of language alone is beautiful.

Two Chinese American girls, eleven and twelve, are orphaned in the gold fields. They run away. They steal. They gamble. They cheat.

Lucy, the elder, is the narrator. Her little sister, Sam (Samantha), does not want to be a girl.

The girls must bury their father, and find a place to belong. The story contains themes about racism, feminism, sexual identity and greed. Lots of greed. It is about the land, and belonging to the land.

Critics have hated the ending. I believe that if you get to the end of this book and do not know what the narrator wants, you were not paying attention. I recommend this highly.

I just started The Mercies, by Kiran Millwood Hargrave. She is an established children's author, but this is a book for adults. It is set in Finnmark, Norway, in 1617. Forty fishermen, all the men of the village, have perished in a storm. The women must learn to live on their own.

A new pastor comes to town, a stern Lutheran. Since I was raised Missouri Synod Lutheran, I get it. The people of the town are Norweigan and Sami. The king of Norway wishes to drive out the influence of the Sami religion. The witch burnings commence.

This story is based on true incidents. I am not that far along in the book yet, but it promises to be another good one.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Trump's tweets LakeArenal Aug 2020 #1
Came here to say that exactly! soothsayer Aug 2020 #9
😉 LakeArenal Aug 2020 #11
Motherless Brooklyn - Before I see the movie Runningdawg Aug 2020 #2
Yes it is a great one hermetic Aug 2020 #5
Not sure I do now either... Runningdawg Aug 2020 #46
The Bell Jar MaryMagdaline Aug 2020 #3
That is an old one hermetic Aug 2020 #6
Thought it was about time I read it 😁 MaryMagdaline Aug 2020 #10
The Evening Hour. Liberal Jesus Freak Aug 2020 #4
Sounds good hermetic Aug 2020 #7
Starting the Joe Grey series n/t AmyStrange Aug 2020 #8
Cozies (Cozys?) hermetic Aug 2020 #13
My dictionary says cozies... AmyStrange Aug 2020 #15
LOL hermetic Aug 2020 #16
Ty! SheltieLover Aug 2020 #20
Me too)!) SheltieLover Aug 2020 #21
Can I read some if you do? AmyStrange Aug 2020 #22
Of course!!! SheltieLover Aug 2020 #23
Cozies? AmyStrange Aug 2020 #24
Cozy mysteries SheltieLover Aug 2020 #25
Here are the titles... AmyStrange Aug 2020 #27
Ty!) SheltieLover Aug 2020 #29
Sorry, no library has them... AmyStrange Aug 2020 #32
Shelving Joe Grey for a bit... SheltieLover Aug 2020 #36
Thank you, and... AmyStrange Aug 2020 #40
Yw & ty! SheltieLover Aug 2020 #42
Yes they are, and... AmyStrange Aug 2020 #43
Ty! SheltieLover Aug 2020 #44
How are you liking Joe Grey? SheltieLover Aug 2020 #26
It's an awesome series... AmyStrange Aug 2020 #28
They are funny! SheltieLover Aug 2020 #30
I wish there were more SheltieLover Aug 2020 #31
Mine aren't white collar mysteries... AmyStrange Aug 2020 #33
Lol SheltieLover Aug 2020 #34
They're also finding missing persons and serial killers, and... AmyStrange Aug 2020 #38
Sounds fascinating! SheltieLover Aug 2020 #41
Have you read "The Cat, The Devil, and Lee Fontana"? AmyStrange Aug 2020 #35
Can't recall SheltieLover Aug 2020 #37
I have it on hold. SheltieLover Aug 2020 #39
Oh, my, the books I have read this week! murielm99 Aug 2020 #12
My, you have been busy hermetic Aug 2020 #14
Finished "The Last Full Measure" by Jeff Shaara Number9Dream Aug 2020 #17
A rec for history buffs hermetic Aug 2020 #18
I love Clive Cussler. murielm99 Aug 2020 #19
Just finished "The Dutch House" bif Aug 2020 #45
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