Daughters of the Revolution by Carolyn Cooke

This slim novel takes place during a pivotal time in American history for women's rights and equality - the late 1960's through the 1980's. While the novel jumps around quite a bit, it centers on an exclusive yet struggling New England boys-only prep school and its old-school headmaster.

The headmaster, Goddard Byrd, (who likes to be called "God,")has repeatedly stated that females will be admitted to his school over his dead body, something that anticlimactically comes to pass when a clerical error makes way for Carole Faust to enter the school. Rather than attempting to assimilate to the school and its expectations, Carole challenges God and the rules as often as she can. As EV Hellman and her mother struggle following the untimely death of their dad/husband, a Goode School alumnus, they find themselves also uniquely tied to both the school and its headmaster, not to mention Carole Faust.

This book is not only an interesting microcosm of what went on in the larger world during the unrest of the 60's and 70's, it can easily be applied to the economic conditions in our country today. It is a witty, well-written and thought-provoking story, and one that we can all relate to on one level or another.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter: Kim Edwards

The Memory Keeper's Daughter begins in 1964 with two of the main characters, David and Norah Henry, having their first child. Caused by a combination of inclement weather and an unavailable doctor, David, an orthopedic surgeon, is forced to deliver his own, healthy son. However, when his wife unexpectantly delivers a second baby, David immediately recognizes that his son's twin has Down's Syndrome and makes a difficult decision that changes the course of his, Norah's, and their son's lives. Feeling he is saving his wife the heartache of raising, and quite possibly burying a child with Down's Syndrome, he tells his nurse, Caroline, to take the baby to a home. He tells his wife that their daughter died. Upon seeing the home, Caroline is unable to leave the child. She keeps and raises her as her own daughter, partly out of the desire to finally start her own family and partly out of her secret love for David.

The story spans from 1964 to 1988 and readers watch as the two children grow up separately and experience the damage that lies, loss, and anger to do to the two separate famililes, so silently bound together. At the end, the readers see both the healing power and the realities of redemptive love and forgiveness.

The concept of the book is what drew me to it. This is a plot different from any I have read before. The presentation, however, is not entirely impressive. Although the characters and relationships are very well-developed, the story drags between long sections divided among the two families. The characters almost seem too well-developed, the familial issues being drilled over and over into readers' heads. Long story short (no pun intended), the story is compelling and well-told, but the author probably could have made her point and a more succinct book in about 75 less pages.

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Vampires and Witches and Daemon's...oh my! In this imaginative debut novel from non-fiction author Harkness, we are introduced to Diana Bishop, a Yale historian who is a visiting scholar at Oxford University in England, studying ancient alchemy. Oh, and she is also a non-practicing witch, last in the line of a powerful family of witches. In the course of her research she unknowingly calls up a bewitched manuscript, which turns her non-magical life on its ear.

One of the creatures who is drawn to both Diana and this manuscript is Matthew Clairmont, a smoldering yet ice-cold vampire who immediately stakes his claim on the witch, monitors her activities and defends her from the onslaught of magical activity that she has unwillingly instigated. As daemons, witches and other vampires descend upon Oxford, Matthew moves in closer and closer to Diana until their attraction to one another cannot be denied. Not only has the manuscript stirred things up, the burgeoning relationship between a witch and a vampire has also brought further unwanted attention to Diana. Finally, with her life in danger for reasons she does not understand, she takes refuge first at Matthew's ancestral home in France, then back in her upstate New York hometown with her quirky aunt and her partner.

This book is kind of like "Twilight" for grown-ups. It is smartly written, with references to all types of historical figures and works of literature. It is a very dense book - it took me what seemed like forever to finish it - but I enjoyed the journey. If you've read Elizabeth Kostova's "The Historian" this book was highly reminiscent. Best of all, if you enjoy this book and want more (the author does leave one hanging!) she is working on the sequel right now!

The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart

Beefeater Balthazar Jones was struggling along living in the Tower of London with his wife while working as a Yeoman Warder in the Queen's service. Since the untimely death of their son, he and his wife, Hebe, have drifted through life and further apart. When he is offered the newly recreated position of "Keeper of the Wild Menagerie," - caretaker of the various animals that have been gifted to the queen over time - he reluctantly agrees despite the fact his only qualification for the job is the fact that he is the most recent caretaker for an ancient tortoise named Mrs. Cook.

As the animals are moved in, Balthazar learns to care for and understand them, and they bring him comfort (particularly the bearded pig,)as his personal life continues to disintegrate. Along the way the reader becomes acquainted with the other cast of characters that reside within the tower walls, in addition to those who Hebe encounters on a daily basis.

This is a quietly sweet and funny tale - there is heartbreak, joy, mirth, triumph and even ghosts. Anyone who enjoys British history or quirky characters will enjoy this unusual book.

July Book Clubs

What: Summer Book Club
When: Wednesday, July 6th
Where: Arrowhead Community Center, Channahon
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Discussing: The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard

What: Bookies Book Club

When: Saturday, July 9th

Where: Minooka Village Hall

Time: 10:00 a.m.

Discussing: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaffer and Breaking Night by Liz Murray

As always the books are available at the library! Hope to see you there!

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