Sonia Francis

Character driven and relatable. Small town vibes and a community trying to heal after a body is found in the river. Beautiful writing and descriptions of Minnesota landscape

So enlightening . Historical fiction readers will love this. A simple read,told by a young protagonist, but so profound.

Echoes of American Dirt. Edge of your seat page turner. The tone was one of urgency and trepidation at times. One family - two Scenarios. Some of the family in USA. The rest in Coloumbia. Each going through harrowing experiences to meet each other again. Themes of immigration and the plight of Immigrants

Beautifully written. Painfully sad.

Cather’s writing is timeless. I am always drawn into the prairie settings , the frontier and the pioneers who she drew stories from. Song Of The Lark is a coming of age story. We see Thea’s character , the protagonist in this brilliantly constructed novel develop exponentially. She escapes the small town in Colorado to follow her dream and to end up at The Metropolitan Opera House in New York City . Brilliant, intricate , heartfelt.

Post reconstruction 1865 and the question remains; What is freedom? If not dignity, respect , recognition and respect. This debut novel creates an unforgettable cast of characters all well rounded and with a story of their own. Two confederate soldiers harboring a secret of their sexual affair, two freed brothers hoping to go north to find their mother who has been sold , a homestead white couple who takes them in to work for them. One of the brothers witnesses a homosexual act by the soldiers and is killed for it. A harrowing, gripping and moving story of humanity and love in the midst of harrowing situations. The characters will be forever etched in memory.

Themes of morality, guilt, a divided self , family and forgiveness. This novel by Alan Paton is another soaring masterpiece. The setting is South Africa- the biggest sin for this protagonist is having sex with a white girl.Under apartheid rule this is unforgivable.This novel’s prose is hypnotic. The language is so lyrical that you cannot put it down and will stay with you long after you turn the last page.