Long-Winded and Repetitive Bible-Age Epic

Source: Publisher Website

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman (2011; Pocket Books, 2015, 592pp.)

Today, Israel's fortress of Masada is nothing more than ruins. In 73 AD, it was the last stronghold of a people fleeing from the brutal onslaught of the Roman empire. Told by four different women, The Dovekeepers chronicles the events leading up to the tragic Siege of Masada, which only two women and five children survived.

So, is it any good? Well, the majority of readers on Amazon think so. As for my opinion? Not since I tackled Independent People (a manic-depressive death-trap of a novel on Icelandic sheep-herding) have I experienced such literary agony. I don't know what everyone else read, but for such a reputed epic, it lacks the dramatic tension that kept me from wanting to know what happens next. It begins with Yael, the motherless daughter of a retired assassin, who flees into the desert with her father and a few friends after the Romans sack their city. Having nothing better to do, Yael starts a very open affair with the husband of one of her fellow travelers, much to the devastation of the man's wife. After Yael we hear from Revka, a baker's widow raising her two grandsons while their mad-from-grief father ignores them. Here, the author uses Revka as a vehicle to explore several boring subplots involving other characters, and goes overboard with the detail of what life in Masada was like. Then we have Aziza, the witch's daughter, who has lengthy, in-depth flashbacks about her violent childhood. At last, we have Shirah, Aziza's pagan mother who witnesses the brutal final hours of the fort's residents as the Romans close in, closing the book with a shocking climax that is astonishingly powerful (if only I didn't have to wade through this swamp of a book to get to it!)

My final score for this book is 3 out of 5 stars. Why three and not two (or even one?) Because regardless of my opinion, it's still has merits to recommend it (the ending, for example) and will definitely find an audience with fans of Bible-Age Fiction or long-winded epics. For others who like less description and more action, however, don't even bother picking it up.

A Dense Historical Tale of Murder, Incest, and Ambition

Source: Author Website

Wideacre by Philippa Gregory (1987; Touchstone, 2003, 656pp.)

Set in 1772 England, devious, sensual Beatrice Lacey dominates this finely detailed historical drama of unbridled lust and ambition. Throughout childhood and adolescence, Beatrice’s only desire has been to live out her days on Wideacre, her family’s lush country estate—though thanks to the law of primogeniture (first-born son or closest male relative gets everything), she is barred from inheriting it. Instead, it will go to Harry, her buffoon brother who stands to become the next Squire at their father’s death, while she will be sent away from her beloved land at marriage. Yet mere legal ramifications won’t stop Beatrice. As she vows to fight conventional society and get what she wants, she and her loved ones become entangled in a dangerous web of deceit, manipulation, and murder that threatens to destroy them all.

Wideacre, Gregory’s debut novel from 1987, has many elements found in her later books: intimate historical detail, an intriguing plot, and steamy romance that all make excellent fare for middlebrow readers. (In other words, you can read her for the sex scenes, while legitimately claiming that you're just interested in the history.)

Yet it’s also a very strange book, and definitely not for everyone. It can be a little slow at times, but really picks up towards the end. Some people also may find Beatrice hard to identify with. She’s a very complex character, loving, loyal, and kind in one minute, cruel, vain, and ruthless the next. They might also might be extremely uncomfortable with the incestuous passion that Beatrice shares with her brother, Harry—a relationship which results in two children. And it's not really the kind of accidental sibling romance that you might find in Flowers in the Attic. It’s more of a kinky/S&M/“I hope no one looks over my shoulder to ask what I’m reading” sort of thing. Still, for anyone who has the time or the desire to try something different, have at it! Recommended for fans of Philippa’s more popular work, The Other Boleyn Girl, and for readers of more unconventional literature.

A Hefty but Entertaining Page-Turner

Source: Author Website

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff (Random House, 2008, 514pp.)

A vast and weighty novel, The 19th Wife is a fictional treatise on the unique history of polygamy in Utah. Using two different storylines (one in the past, one in the present), it explores the experiences of the major historical players involved in the fracturing of the Mormon church and beyond. In the historical storyline, we witness the 1875 divorce and excommunication of Ann Eliza Young, the last wife taken by polygamist Brigham Young. Her subsequent quest to end polygamy brings her to the steps of the White House, where she manages to convince President Grant to declare war on Utah’s “marital barbarism.”

Fast-forward to present day. In the isolated, polygamy-practicing desert community of Mesadale, one of the town big-shots has been murdered. Suspicion soon falls on BeckyLyn, or Wife #19, as the victim knew her. After she is arrested as the case's prime suspect, the news filters down to her son, Jordan, who was excommunicated from the community six years before when he was caught holding a girl’s hand in public. Although he resents his mother for not standing up for him in his time of need, he doesn’t believe her capable of murder, and returns to his birthplace to help clear her name.

The 19th Wife is told in a variety of different voices, including that of Jordan, Ann Eliza, and even—for one surprising chapter—Brigham Young himself. Although the novel is ultimately dominated by Jordan’s and Ann Eliza’s opinions, the author at least takes the pains to avoid white-washing the whole issue. He confronts Jordan’s bitterness towards religion with a Brigham Young University student, whose faith fills her with a kind of joy, and allows Brigham a chance (through the pages of a prison diary) to explain himself. Although it’s a bit hefty at 500 pages, I found Ebershoff’s novel to be an informative and entertaining page-turner, sure to please fans of Jodi Picoult’s issue-driven novels, as well as book clubs everywhere.

Adventures of a Culinary Pirate Captain

Source: Goodreads

The Last Pirate at Fort Matanzas by Charles Frankhauser (Self-Published, 2013, 118pp.)

As he lies on his deathbed in the infirmary of a prison in St. Augustine, Madrid-born Alberto—a former pirate and restaurant owner—gives us his life story. Beginning with his humble origins as a gardener on a rich man’s garlic plantation, he was involuntary conscripted into Phillip II’s army. After being sent to serve as a cook aboard a merchant ship, he soon is taken hostage by pirates. Due to his ability to whip up a mean dish of Spanish rice, he is spared from walking the plank and is appointed cook. After the ship’s captain is killed, the crew picks Alberto as his successor, as he has been voted “the least likely person to get everyone killed.” The rest, as they say, is history. Comical, charming, irreverent, and highly recommended.

A Quirky Tale of Revenge and Ruin

Pickett’s Charge by Charles McNair (Livingston Press, 2013, 350pp.)

A fantastically quirky tale of revenge and ruin, Pickett’s Charge is set in Alabama during the Civil Rights Movement, and chronicles the efforts of 114-year-old Threadgill Pickett, the last surviving Confederate sympathizer, to seek out and murder the last surviving Union soldier—even if he has to escape from the nursing home to do it! As he sets out on his cross-country journey, he meets a cast of outrageous characters along the way. Although the story may be limited by its heavy use of local landmarks and city names that only Alabama residents would recognize, it’s still a finely layered psychological story.

See my author interview with Charles McNair, published in Weld for Birmingham, here.

Disappointing, With Some Good Elements

Mercy Row: A Philadelphia Story by Harry Hallman (BookBaby, 2013, 176pp.)

Mercy Row is a dark, gritty story set in Depression-era Philadelphia. Focusing on the bloody battles waged between the powerful Byrne family of North Philly and the Italian mafia of South Philly, Hallman’s novella is not for the faint of heart. Its opening scene is one example why: Franklin Garrett, the building supervisor for Byrne Construction, is seen rescuing his boss’s teenage son, Jacob, from the lascivious clutches of another inmate in the holding tank of a jail. While this happens to be the story’s only scene of attempted sexual assault, there’s still plenty of blood and flying bullets, and the body count is rather high. Aside from the gore, though, the first half of the story is actually quite engaging. Out of Garrett’s act of kindness, a partnership is formed between himself and the boss’s ambitious heir apparent. The two get their own gang together to eliminate the Italian competition from Philadelphia and build a new empire. While the two aren’t the most well-rounded of characters, they are still sympathetic enough to make you care about what happens to them. Unfortunately, when the story hits the halfway mark, things start to go downhill. Even though ten years have passed since the first half of the novella, the author glosses over this entire period by simply summarizing events for us in a few paragraphs. The pacing starts to lag, and the author steers the story towards ground already covered by Puzo’s The Godfather. 

Ultimately, Mercy Row will disappoint some readers. Although the story has sympathetic characters doing interesting things, much of the material remains underdeveloped, and makes the story feel more like a rough draft than a finished product.

Kudos to Picoult For Writing Her First (Mostly) Non-Biased Novel Since My Sister's Keeper!

The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult (Atria, 2013, 480pp.)

“It was a strange idea, that what happened to me isn’t my tale to tell, but something completely separate from me. I wonder if this had been my problem all along: not being able to dissect the two.”

Sage, a young non-practicing Jewish woman, has lived an intensely private life after a car accident left her with a scarred face. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that she really has no life. She works at a friend’s bakery, preferring to work the lonely overnight shift baking the store’s wares rather than interact with the public. Her relationships are limited to Mary, her former-nun-turned-baker friend, Minka, her beloved Holocaust-survivor grandmother, and Adam, a married mortician with whom she is having an affair.

Then she meets Josef, an elderly German immigrant who makes regular visits to Mary’s bakery during the daytime. Despite his foreign origins, he’s been part of the community for years, working as a trusted high school teacher and baseball coach. At first glance, he seems to be just a lonely widower eager to make friends in his old age. Imagine her shock when, shortly afterward, he reveals that he really has ulterior motives in pursuing their friendship. Decades ago, he was an SS officer during the Holocaust (an overseer for the women’s camp at Auschwitz, no less). This confession, in turn, leads to his two-fold motive in gaining her trust. Because she is ethnically Jewish, she will be able to fulfill his last two end-of-life goals: one, that a Jew receive his confession and forgive him for his crimes, and two, that this same person take his life in compensation for the millions lost. Naturally, she’s a bit apprehensive in agreeing to his proposition. When he senses her hesitation, he asks her to keep their deal secret so that he will not be apprehended by the legal system, and therefore be cheated out of his self-styled chance for redemption. Through multiple first-person viewpoints, Sage, her grandmother, Minka, Josef, and various other characters take turns serving as the titular storyteller to unfurl the remainder of a narrative that takes place over sixty years ago.

Most of Jodi Picoult’s books are centered around controversial issues: assisted suicide (Mercy), same-sex marriage (Sing You Home), the death penalty (Change of Heart), etc. Most of her novels are deeply tainted by the author’s own political bias. With The Storyteller, I would like to give my kudos to Ms. Picoult, who has, for the first time since My Sister’s Keeper, decided to focus on the human story and not solely on the issue itself. 

This doesn’t mean the book is free of flaws, however. As I said, Sage, Minka, and Josef take turns narrating (with one or two other characters). Up until we get to Minka’s narrative, which describes the brutal decimation of Poland’s Jewish population—and, for that matter, Josef’s narrative, which describes his experiences as a Hitler Youth—the story remains focused on Sage the scarred, bread-baking adulteress. In addition to this, the book has its obligatory Picoultian formulas that honestly made me roll my eyes: the foremost of which are the love interest and, of course, what Picoult novel isn’t complete without the “twist” that the author’s fans can see coming a mile away?

So. Thinking about the book as a whole, it’s definitely worth a read. Thinking about it compared to other books, however, I really have to be honest: like some books leave a bad taste in your mouth, this one left that “Jodi Picoult” taste in mine. All her books have the same flavors and flaws in varying degrees. So, while in the universe of Jodi Picoult, this book manages to be one of her better ones. But compared to other fictional works on the Holocaust? It’s about middling—no more, no less.

Click on cover for image source.

A Cynical Portrayal of the Crucifixion

The Testament of Mary by Colm Tóibín (Scribner, 2012, 81pp.)

A very bitter, cynical portrayal of Mary’s reflections on the Crucifixion twenty years after the event, as written by formerly Catholic author Colm Tóibín. At 81 pages long, there are a lot of things that this book isn’t. It’s not quite an exploration of Mary and Jesus’s relationship. For that, the story would need to be much longer. Nor is it a work of great beauty. It’s a broody little parable that has only a few things to say, and then says them. End of story. Do not expect the Pietà, and do not expect The Passion of the Christ. There’s no poignant scene of Mary cradling the body of her dead son after his demise. In fact, we get the impression that she doesn’t believe in her son’s divinity any more than the next atheist. That said, Tóibín’s Mary is also a very human rendition of the mother of Christ. Hers is a story that chronicles a widow’s lonely later years, one that’s based more in domesticity and than religiosity. It’s short, it’s simple, it’s depressing, and it’s slightly thought-provoking. Recommended for the reader who doesn’t mind a somewhat plain, not exactly unorthodox version of Biblical events.

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Predictable, Swooning Romance Set Against the Surreal Background Setting of the Circus

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (Algonquin Books, 2007, 350pp.)

Water for Elephants follows two alternating storylines: the first traces the veterinary career of Jacob Jankowsi, a Cornell dropout who finds work with a little-known circus during the Great Depression. The second sees Jacob years later as a bored, temperamental old man in a nursing home. Having nothing but time, the older Jacob slips in and out of memories, mentally revisiting his days with the circus.

The main focus of the “circus” storyline is the love triangle between Jacob, the circus’s equestrian director, August, and August’s beautiful wife Marlena, a performer. Although they all start out as friends, it soon proves to be a disjointed friendship at best. Despite his charming exterior, August is a two-dimensional bully prone to violent rages. Jacob, on the other hand, is relatively sane, competent though naive, and shares a mutual passion with Marlena (also somewhat two-dimensional) for the circus animals.

The story has potential. Honestly, what’s a more romantic setting for a love story than the surreal world of the circus? Unfortunately, the circus merely serves as exquisite background scenery for the main drama, which turns out to be nothing more than a predictable love story between two cardboard characters I could honestly care less about. That said, it’s still worth a single read just for the background material itself.

Eau de Intrigue

The Book of Lost Fragrances (Reincarnationist Series) by M.J. Rose (Atria, 2012, 384pp.)

Ever caught a whiff of a scent that reminds you of a person or place you haven’t visited in years? The premise of Rose’s novel, The Book of Lost Fragrances, is this: what if there was a perfume that made you remember your past lives? The answer is a lot more complicated than you might think.

The L’Etoile family runs a perfume business in Paris, France that has been around for centuries. When a few shards of ancient pottery - brought home to France generations earlier - are rediscovered by the family’s modern descendants, research reveals that the clay pieces may a powerful memory tool. The shards, it turns out, are pieces of a shattered perfume bottle recovered from an Egyptian tomb, and although the perfume itself has long evaporated, the scent remains impregnated in the clay.

Meanwhile, the Chinese government, intent on destroying the Dalai Lama’s political power, hears about the L’Etoile discovery. Fearing that this memory tool will be used to find the next Panchen Lama (the Dalai Lama’s next incarnation), government officials scheme to destroy it. At the same time, Robbie L’Etoile, a devout Buddhist, looks for a way to deliver the shards safely to Tibet’s god-king. The fourth installment of Rose’s Reincarnationist series, The Book of Lost Fragrances uses current world politics and events to form a complex and imaginative stand-alone thriller.

Click on cover for image source.

A Tale Rich in Period Detail

A Handful of Earth by Larisa Walk (Smith Publicity, 2011, 178pp.)

Yaroslava, a tomboy princess, is one of the few survivors left alive after a Mongol onslaught, lead by Batu Khan, overwhelms her small Russian town of Yelnik. When Yaroslava appears to passively accept her fate as a slave, her people grow

suspicious of her. In reality, though, she is planning their escape. To gain the trust of the charismatic Mongol leader, she accepts his offer to become one of his advisors, while inadvertently gaining the hatred of Houri, the Khan’s favorite concubine. Walk’s tale features a strong, resourceful heroine, and her extensive use of period detail brings Medieval Russia to life. My only complaint is that, while the beginning starts out strong, the ending feels rushed. While meant for adults, this novella may appeal to older teenagers as well.

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An Original Take on a Lesser-Known Biblical Figure

Noah’s Wife by T.K. Thorne (Chalet Publishers, 2009, 366pp.)

All Christians are familiar with the Biblical story of Noah, the boat-maker. God forewarned Noah of a cataclysmic flood and told him to build a massive ark. The neighbors made fun--but in the end? The ark floated. They didn’t. Thorne’s debut novel recreates this tale through the eyes of Noah’s wife, Na’amah. An eccentric young woman, Na’amah desires nothing more than to live the simple life of a shepherdess. While most people dismiss her all too quickly as an oddball, she finds love and support with the two men who appreciate her for her unique nature: the gentle Noah, who is several years her senior, and Yanner, her childhood friend who is desperate to win her love. When Na’amah rejects Yanner’s efforts in favor of Noah, Yanner turns to her angry, malicious older brother, Tubal, for help. Noah’s Wife greatly benefits from Thorne’s decision to tell the story in first person. Na’amah’s voice flows through the novel to produce a work that is both imaginative and original. In addition to being graced with a quick-witted, resourceful heroine, the novel also boasts a cast of sympathetic and complex supporting characters. This creative take on a little-known Biblical figure, along with its prehistorical setting, will appeal to fans of The Mists of Avalon and The Clan of the Cave Bear.

Click on the cover for image source.

Click *here* to see more Fairy Tales, Myths, & Classics Rewritten.

Good Plot Spoiled By Unlikable Characters

The Virgin’s Lover (Tudor Court) by Philippa Gregory (Touchstone, 2004, 448pp.)

Most British history buffs will be familiar with the name of Robert Dudley, one of Elizabeth I’s many court favorites. Here, Gregory explores the sultry romance that might haven taken place between them during the first unsteady years of the Virgin Queen’s reign. A man of insurmountable pride and ambition, Dudley is bold enough to see himself as future king. His efforts are complicated by his 11-year-old marriage to his faithful, childish wife Amy, who refuses to boost him to glory by allowing him to divorce her. His chances at success plunge when Amy dies under suspicious circumstances--a crime which to this day remains unsolved. Once again, Gregory turns history into a fresh, engaging story that is difficult to put down. Unfortunately, although the plot itself is absorbing, her main characters just aren’t that likable. While the three main characters who form the story’s love triangle are understandable in their motives, they lack the charisma that protagonists need to ensnare the reader’s sympathy. Elizabeth, historically portrayed as a ferocious female leader, is turned into a simpering lover who constantly bemoans how she can’t live without Dudley by her side. She counts on him to govern her every decision, and blames her constant, faithful advisor, William Cecil, when things go awry. Dudley himself is arrogant. The line between his ambition and the true affection he feels for Elizabeth is blurred, making his motivations unclear. As for Amy, whose suffering is enough to make her a candidate for martyrdom, she becomes both admirable and extremely pathetic in her staunch efforts to keep her marriage afloat. A novel with an absorbing plot that will keep the reader turning the pages--just as long as they don’t let the characters annoy them too much.

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Good Read, But Not Recommended As A Starting Point In This Series

The Constant Princess (Tudor Court) by Philippa Gregory (Touchstone, 2005, 400pp.)

Katherine of Aragon: most fans of Gregory’s Tudor books know her as a supporting character from the author’s bestselling novel, The Other Boleyn Girl, the first of Henry VIII’s ill-fated wives, cast aside in favor of her vivacious young rival, Anne Boleyn. The Constant Princess is a prequel that chronicles the childhood and adolescence of Katherine--born Catalina of Spain--and her two marriages to two very different brothers: Arthur and Henry Tudor. Gregory recognizes the potential that Katherine the historical figure has to offer as a fictional character, and uses this novel to examine the inner strength of a queen usually overshadowed by her ambitious usurper. For a reader familiar with English history, this will be a satisfying, if flawed, read. Gregory’s method of storytelling in this novel is a bit peculiar: she alternates between third-person past tense and first-person present tense, so that readers get the full picture with Katherine’s voice acting as a running commentary on events. Not only is the switch between styles jarring, this reviewer can see no aspects of this method that betters the story in any way. Another factor that detracts from the novel’s quality is its dependence on the reader’s familiarity with English history, or, if not that, Gregory’s novel, The Other Boleyn Girl, published four years before this one. The last pages of the book describes Katherine’s successful campaign against the Scots in 1513, as well as the revelation of a long-desired pregnancy (disappointingly, it did not produce the much-needed male heir, but a daughter who would become known as Bloody Mary, scourge of the Protestant cause). The narrative then jumps ahead to 1529, where the reader finds Katherine, calm and collected, on trial by her husband, who seeks to annul their marriage in order to marry the younger, more fertile Anne, since the medieval Catholic church did not recognize divorce. Although this is a nice way to celebrate her remarkable strength of character and bring her character arc full circle, readers not familiar with historical events may find themselves confused by our heroine’s sudden change in fortunes. Therefore, this book is not recommended as a starting point for readers coming to the series for the first time.

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History Comes to Life

Mary, Queen of Scotland and the Isles by Margaret George (St. Martin’s Press, 1992, 870pp.)

Ever heard of Mary, Queen of Scots? If you have, you probably know her for her untimely execution in 1587 for plotting against Elizabeth I. But how did she get there? What was she like in private life? How did she influence history? George paints a rich and extensive portrait of the life of the infamous Scottish queen. Her Mary is a unique creature, spirited, deeply religious, and merciful to a fault. Although George’s main players are well developed, her plentiful, two-dimensional supporting cast can make it a chore to remember who is who, and what role they play in the story. However, this flaw is a minor one, and does not detract from the book’s overall quality. Readers unfamiliar with British history should have little to no trouble grasping the plot this biographical novel that makes history come alive.

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Fine Background Material, Poor Plot-Line

Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant (Random House, 2009, 432pp.)

In Renaissance Italy, 16-year-old Serafina is separated from her lover after her father forces her to join the Convent of St. Caterina. Here, she is forced to contend with the likes of Madonna Chiara, a wily abbess who will stop at nothing to remain in power, Suora (Italian for “sister”) Umiliana, the novice mistress who abstains from all worldly comforts (and thinks that everyone else should, too), and Suora Magdalena, the elderly “living saint,” prone to fits of religious “ecstasy” (or perhaps they’re just catatonic seizures?). The focus of the book is the platonic relationship between novice Serafina and Suora Zuana, the convent's dispensary (apothecary) mistress. Unfortunately, this relationship is a rather ordinary one, and doesn’t carry the story very well. But while Sacred Hearts loses points for the foreground action, it's the details on the sidelines (and in the background) that make this novel appealing. Dunant’s depiction of life in a Benedictine nunnery—daily chores, social interactions, as well as her strong supporting cast—makes for a flawed, yet intriguing read.

Arctic Island Parable Makes For Extremely Dry Reading

The Solitude of Thomas Cave by Georgina Harding (Bloomsbury, 2007, 237pp.)

A sailor makes a bet with his crew-mates that he can spend a winter alone on an Arctic island. They leave him with food, shelter, and weapons, never expecting to see him again. In the remaining pages, he experiences hunger, freezing temperatures, vivid hallucinations, and meets the true face of God Himself. The wisdom he gains from nature is an attitude of calm in the face of the sheer chaos represented by the unadulterated wilderness. The language is poetic and gorgeous, the tale itself a lyrical commentary about humanity’s impact on nature. But don’t be fooled by the paltry 200-page length of this little book. This tale of a seventeenth century Moses is by no means a light read: it’s about as dry and slow-moving as parables come.

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An Engrossing But Predictable Thriller

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane (HarperCollins, 2003, 380pp.)

US Marshal Teddy Daniels is sent to Shutter Island, home to the Ashecliff Hospital for the Criminally Insane, to investigate the possible escape of Rachel Solando, a patient who was committed for drowning her three children. None of the hospital staff seem very eager to help, and each clue brings more questions than answers to this baffling case. Who can Teddy trust? Is Ashecliff Hospital what it seems? Teddy is a sympathetic and complex tragic hero, one whom readers will root for until the very last page. While Shutter Island proves to be an engrossing psychological thriller, it unfortunately does not add anything new to the genre. The story’s “twist” is one that has become so formulaic, some readers may figure out the truth long before the big reveal at the end.

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Fascinating World of Friendship and Foot Binding in 19th Century China

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See (Random House, 2005, 285pp.)

A story of two girls in nineteenth century China, Lily and Snow Flower, who become laotong, sworn sisters in a bond of sacred friendship. Together, they survive foot binding, marriage, childbirth, and the Taiping Rebellion. The author explores an oppressive yet fascinating world where foot binding is not only fashionable but necessary for women to marry well, and where women are confined to the upstairs rooms for the rest of their lives, using their own secret-code language, nu shu, to communicate with each other. While the story See has chosen to focus on—that of two women—has fascinating potential, her book suffers from the author’s choice of narrator. Lily tells us her story in a voice that is regrettably detached, a POV which is usually chosen by authors for its intimacy with character. Lily skims along the surface of her life’s story in two hundred pages—not nearly enough time to explore a complex relationship between two women, let alone two lifetimes. This hurried tone cripples any sense of character development, presenting the reader with the mere shadows of two women instead of the emotional wallop of flesh and blood characters. There is too much telling and not enough showing to make the reader really care. It is the background world, unfortunately, that outshines everything, and makes the novel seem more like an excuse to explore the world of historical China than to tell a story about two women.

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