This year will just not be remembers as a good reading year. At this point I am just happy I pick up books and read at all. And I have some good ones too. But I am drifting more to known authors that I know I will enjoy instead of trying too hard with things that might be a fail and keep me in a book slump. Nevertheless I also managed to read a book for my RatW challenge and that was a tough one. Let’s have our Book Talk September, call we?
Greta by Kateřina Tučková | ★★★★✶
Book Blurb: 1945. Allied forces liberate Nazi-occupied Brno, Moravia. For Gerta Schnirch, daughter of a Czech mother and a German father aligned with Hitler, it’s not deliverance; it’s a sentence. She has been branded an enemy of the state. Caught in the changing tides of a war that shattered her family—and her innocence—Gerta must obey the official order: she, along with all ethnic Germans, is to be expelled from Czechoslovakia. With nothing but the clothes on her back and an infant daughter, she’s herded among thousands, driven from the only home she’s ever known. But the injustice only makes Gerta stronger, more empowered, and more resolved to seek justice. Her journey is a relentless quest for a seemingly impossible forgiveness. And one day, she will return.
Spanning decades and generations, Kateřina Tučková’s breathtaking novel illuminates a long-neglected episode in Czech history. One of exclusion and prejudice, of collective shame versus personal guilt, all through the eyes of a charismatic woman whose courage will affect all the lives she’s touched. Especially that of the daughter she loved, fought for, shielded, and would come to inspire.
First Sentence: The edges of the rough road crumble into the ditch.
What I thought: The author deserves more recognition. It is my second book by her and again I am blow away. While this book is tough and violent and hard it is so so necessary that this story get’s told. There are so many WWII books out but this one while starting in the 1040s actually tells the story of the German population in Czechoslovakia after the war. The children, women and elderly that got caught up in politics, maybe not even identified as German. The ones you were abused and shamed and violated. The first third of the book weaves in the constant violence against the people and women (read: lots of rape but luckily not graphic), the helplessness, the uncertainty. It sketches the characters resilience and also shines a light of resignation and depression. I think the multiple set of character each handling the situation and life they happened to be born in differently is quite close to real life stories. A lot of research again (like the first book). At times it is a bit dense to read as we learn a lot about history and politics but it is so worth to learn something new. The last third of the book also weaves in other POV beside Gerta that enhances the different aspects of history. I find it is worth reading and I highly recommend.
Curious count: 9
Characters: Gerta, Barbora, Zipfelková, Karel,
Setting: Brno and Perná – cities in Czechislovakia
Medium: eBook through Kindle unlimited
Original Language and Title: Czech “Vyhnání Gerty Schnirch”
Publications: German title “Gerta: Das deutsche Mädchen”
Recommend to: Everyone loving historic fiction and wants to read about a different aspect of WWII.
Author’s Origin: born in Brno, Czechoslovakia | October 31, 1980
Read Around the World: Logged for Czech Republic in my Read Around the World Challenge
Impossible to Forget by Imogen Clark | ★★★★☆
Book Blurb: Just turned eighteen, Romany is on the cusp of taking her first steps into adulthood when tragedy strikes, and she finds herself suddenly alone without her mother, Angie, the only parent she has ever known. In her final letter, Angie has charged her four closest friends with guiding Romany through her last year of school—but is there an ulterior motive to her unusual dying wish? Each of the four guardians possesses an outlook on life that Angie wants to give her daughter as a legacy.
First Sentence: My dear friends, when you are readings this, I must be dead.
What I thought: this was a fun read. I like this author and they are all entertaining to read. Not overly complicated but also not so flat and predictable. Solid fiction. I liked the friendship here even though two of the group were just demanding and the other two felt like they get pushed around. But through the book you understood dynamics more and I felt a bit different. However not sure I would stick out this kind of friendship over decades.
Curious count: 11
Characters: Romany y- daughter, Angie – late mother to Romany, Leon, Maggie, Tiger – university friends, Hope – new friend to Angie
Setting: smaller town in England
Medium: eBook through Kindle unlimited
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: no translation found
Recommend to: Everyone loving a friendship story.
Author’s Origin: born in Great Britain | unknown
We Slaves of Surinam by Anton de Kom | ★★★☆☆
Book Blurb: We Slaves of Suriname tells the history of the formation of the former Dutch colony of Suriname in South America from the perspective of Anton De Kom, the son of a slave who became a tireless resistance fighter and a member of the Communist Party. A key account of decolonialist history, We Slaves of Surinameintegrates the experience of Suriname’s oppressed, multiethnic people into the greater history of South America and adds to the narrative of struggles against slavery, imperialism, and racism. In his scathingly defiant account, De Kom translates his personal anger at the brutal legacy of the Dutch into a beautiful, passionate history and call-to-arms.
First Sentence: From 2° to 6° south latitude and from 54° to 58° west longitude, between the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the rugged Tumuk-Humak Mountains, which form the watershed with the Amazona basin, bounded by the broad Corantijn and Marowijne rivers that separate us from British and French Guiana, rich in vast forests where the greenheart, the barlak, the kapok tree, and the noble brownheart grow, rich in wide rivers where herons, wieswiesies, ibises, and flamingos find their breeding grounds, rich in natural resources—gold and bauxite, rubber, sugar, bananas, and coffee… poor in people, even poorer in humanity.
What I thought: This was an historic book and if you look at when it was written and how it was written you can see the historic relevance. At times it was hard to read because of all the historic, chronological reciting of generals and colony managers. But the wit and sarcasm that goes into the details is amazing and at times it’s also poetic. It is a strange interesting book and I am glad I read it. I did a lot of googling to look at the country on Google Maps as well read up things online about historical events. Did you know that Surinam is one of the worst slave colonies in all the colonies?
Curious count: I think 3
Medium: hardcover through library
Original Language and Title: Dutch “Wij slaven van Suriname”
Publications: German title “Wir Sklaven von Surinam”
Recommend to: Everyone wanting to learn about Surinam and likes historic accounts.
Author’s Origin: born in Paramaribo, Surinam | February 22, 1898
Read Around the World: Logged for Surinam in my Read Around the World Challenge
Fake Skating by Lynn Painter | ★★★☆☆
Book Blurb: From play dates on the playground to sneaking into movie theaters, Dani and Alec were inseparable as kids. Until Dani moved away. Years later, Dani is back in Minnesota, and exited to reconnect with the nerdy and comforting Alec. But teenage Alec is NOTHING like the boy she remembers. He’s the hockey STAR in a town where hockey players are worshipped as gods.
First Sentence: There was no way this was actually happening.
What I thought: The was fun entertainment. A bit lame at times and the big issue in the end was a bit lame but I liked the setting of ice skating and hockey. The grumpy grandpa was cool and I would have liked more of this character and why he was so grumpy.
Curious count: not counted as it was an audiobook
Characters: Dani Collins – Highschool senior with a wish to go to Harvard, Alec aka Zeus – hockey star,
Setting: Southview – small town in Minnesota
Medium: audiobook through library
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: German title “Fake Skating”
Recommend to: Everyone loving a romance with sports heroes.
Author’s Origin: born in Champaign, U.S.A. | unknown
Vom Mut, das Glück zu suchen by Fabio Genovesie | ★★✶☆☆
Book Blurb: As if the fact that he’s studying law—even though he has absolutely no interest in the subject—weren’t bad enough, Fabio is also drafted into civilian service. He had wanted to go to Seville and meet a girl. Instead, he’s supposed to work as a teacher in the Apuan Alps. Shortly after his arrival, however, Fabio realizes that there hasn’t been a school in the (almost) deserted monastery for a long time—just an eccentric 80-year-old priest in a tracksuit…
A humorous and clever novel about an unusual friendship that offers answers to life’s big and small questions.
First Sentence: The best summer of my life was December 10, 1982. | Der schönste Sommer meines Lebens war der 10. Dezember 1982.
What I thought: I had some issues with this book. The titles promises something else but at least half the book is about bicycle raising. No indications on the blurb. Ok, I was open enough to read this but then at 60% he starts calling women „pussies“ and doormats. By then I knew it’s not a book I can recommend in my church bulletin. At 70% we are following a dream where Jim Morris wants to show his penis to a crowed. WTF? Why do men write these stupid books? And why am I reading them. However I kept on reading because it was well written and I wanted to know what is happening. It ended on a pretty good note and I can see how this is a book that can give some guidance for people in the early 20s to find there way. But I am over the repeated view of men towards women. Without these two passages I might have given it a 3-4 star rating. It just didn’t sit well with me. Also, is this an autobiography because the main character is called like the author. Anyway its a weird book.
Curious count: 1
Characters: Fabio, priest, chicken girl
Setting: monestary up in a hill
Medium: eBook through library
Original Language and Title: Italian “Cadrò, sognando di volare”
Publications: German title “Vom Mut, das Glück zu suchen”, no other translations found
Recommend to: No one. Unless you want to read about bike racing and can ignore the rest.
Author’s Origin: born in Forte dei Marmi | 1974
Read Around the World: Logged for Italy in my Read Around the World Challenge
Additional note: read for the church bulletin
Book Stats for September
Books I couldn’t finish
Keeping track of the books that weren’t right for me. This month it was:
- Pumpkin Patch Kisses by Katie Spring – stopped at 22% – I just knew it’s not something I would read without eye-rolls. Too predictable.
- Hilda – didn’t keep my interest so I stopped at 20%
- Time Tourist Outfitters – stopped at 5%, the AI said it’s not a book for me and I might have looked for things I don’t like. Maybe I’ll try again later.
New books on the shelves
Always buying books even though I am trying to reduce my TBR pile. Here is this month purchases. Please hold me accountable and ask if I read them or just piled them up.
- Her Side of the Story by Alba de Céspedes – 1€, bought at the book flea market
- Clean by Alia Trabucco Zerán – 1 €, bought at the book flea market
- Clara by Christine Eichel – 1 €, bought at the book flea market
QUESTIONS
