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February 21, 2024 In Fiction

Wild and Distant Seas by Tara Karr Roberts

Ishmael, he of Moby Dick notability, is the impetus for this far-ranging and entertaining novel of three women who seek his whereabouts and answers to their questions about his abandonment of them. Well-written and continuously engaging.

February 14, 2024 In Fiction

The Fury by Alex Michaelides

A truly engaging tale with echoes of Agatha Christie will keep the reader’s attention riveted throughout this thriller/mystery with a magnificent twist at the end. As it should be.

February 14, 2024 In Fiction

One Hour of Fervor by Muriel Barbery

The completion of a story left untold in the author’s book A Single Rose, this loving tribute to Japanese culture is an enlightening experience for westerners. Beautifully told and exquisitely translated, it is a profoundly pleasurable read.

January 24, 2024 In Fiction

You Dreamed of Empires by Álvaro Enrigue

A wildly imaginative tale of the clash between the Spanish, as represented by Cortes and the American natives, led by Moctezuma. Bloody and violent, this depiction of a tragic historic encounter is enlightening, if grim.