Didn't Finish

 ENIGMA GIRLS

Maybe I just didn't give it a good chance.  It was very boring to the point where I was reading.  It was more like a text book. I couldn't get into it, so I didn't - get very far into it, that is.   Maybe if I get to where I have absolutely NOTHING to read, I'll check it out again.  Unlikely.

THE BEST MINDS

I read quite a bit in this book; it's the story of two Jewish boys growing up in New York.  They are best friends; so far where I had read to, it was a series of adventures and what they did together and in their spare time.  I couldn't figure out where the book was headed so I read a few reviews.  It does turn very dark, so I decided not to continue reading it.  Sometimes I feel like - even though my life is great - I have my own dark turns, so didn't need this one.    I also consulted with my personal book chef - Margo Gee.  She advised me to not continue reading it, where is the way I was already leaning.  SO, It's gone.  

On to other great reads.  I hope I have a good one to finish out the year.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer: In the Midst of Wickedness

 

Remarkable person.  But, there are so many people that it was hard to keep straight who was who, for me.  Allen makes a list of main characters and this would have been a good idea in this book.  

But, having said that, I'll just say that it's a true story of a German family who are appalled at the audacity of Hitler and what he does to other countries and to people.  It's a book about people who are willing to stand up for what they think is right and fight for the good of the people.  Several members of the Bonhoeffer family are involved in a plot to kill Hitler.  They are good Christians.  In fact, Dietrich Bonhoeffer is actually a minister.  

It reminds me of the scripture in the Book of Mormon...better that one man should die than a whole nation dwindle in unbelief.  The Bonhoeffers were not familiar with that scripture, but those are the feelings they had when they were in on the plot to kill Hitler.  It's an important story, but I didn't think it was really that well written; confusing at times about who was who, etc.  It's actually from a series of books for younger children about Christian heroes.  I liked that about it; it was not over long which the adult version is totally too long.  

Daughters of Shendong

Women were nothing in the Chinese culture; just another mouth to feed.  And, just someone to raise to send off to another man's home.  

So, having four daughters was a total failure for Mother.  She was easily expendable when the Chinese regime changed ram Chiang Kai-shek to Mao Zedong and the Ang family fled their ancestral home in 1949, leaving Mother to cope for herself.  From then on, Mother and her three daughters are on their own as they struggle to survive in a harsh landscape.  With hunger, cold,  Chinese cadres always on their tails, it is just starve or eke out survival somehow.  

This story is based on the author's grandmother.  It was so difficult to plow my way thru as it was one disaster and failure and challenge after another.  I just know that I would have been dead very early on!  

I have recommended it to a couple of people because it is a look at a China at the end of Chiang Kai-shek's reign.  I certainly hope many things have changed in the last 75 years.  

Lion Women of Tehran

 

This is the story of two women growing up in Tehran.  It's a story of politics and friendship.  The story line covers a couple of decades.

Ellie and Homa grew up together in an impoverished section of the city.  Ellie's mother marries her uncle and they move to a wealthy part of Tehran.  Elli and Homa lose contact until their senior year in high school when Homa is able to get into the prestigious high school that Ellie attends.  Homa is very radical and wants to change the culture for Iranian women.

While imprisoned for protesting the Shah, Homa is raped and gives birth to a baby girl.  Meanwhile, Ellie has married her long-time sweetheart, they move to America and are childless but not by choice.  Eventually things become so horrible in Iran, that Homa asks Ellie to let her daughter live with her in America.  

This book shows how repressive regimes can be towards women.  It's so very sad, but ends on a hopeful note that perhaps things might change.  

I give it 3.5 stars.

The Things We Cannot Say

 

Written in two time periods; contemporary and during WWII, this is the story of an incredibly brave lady in Poland and her granddaughter years later in America.

I was so annoyed at the contemporary mother that I couldn't enjoy that portion of the story.  She was an over-the-top mother of two children; one autistic and the other quite genius even tho she was only about 13 years old.  

Alina is a young lady living in Poland and is deeply in love with her best friend, Tomasz, who is a spy for Poland.  War separates them and the story line gets a little complicated at some point when Tomasz disappears.  This portion of the story is quite brutal and points out the true horrors of war.  

Fast forward to contemporary America where Alice is concerned for her grandmother who is dying from a stroke and unable to speak.  She insists, even tho Alice's life is very complicated and busy at this time, that Alice must go to Poland to solve the mystery of Alina's life.

Man, Alice is so over-the -top as a mother.  She berates her husband, belittles him, but worst of all, has no confidence that HE can take care of the children while she is away for one week.    I was so annoyed at her the entire book.  However, reviewers on Amazon really loved this book.  It's so fascinating how books affect us differently.

I give it three stars.