Category Archives: Book Reviews

Book Review Lady Tan’s Circle of Women

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Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See

About the book

In 15th century China two women are born under the same sign, the Metal Snake. But life will take the friends on very different paths.

According to Confucius, ‘an educated woman is a worthless woman’, but Tan Yunxian – born into an elite family, yet haunted by death, separation and loneliness – is being raised by her grandparents to be of use. She begins her training in medicine with her grandmother and, as she navigates the male world of medicine, requiring tact and diplomacy, she struggles against the confining world of her class.

From a young age, Yunxian learns about women’s illnesses, many of which relate to childbearing, alongside a young midwife-in-training, Meiling. The two girls find fast friendship and a mutual purpose – despite the prohibition that a doctor should never touch blood while a midwife comes in frequent contact with it – and they vow to be forever friends, sharing in each other’s joys and struggles. No mud, no lotus, they tell themselves: from adversity beauty can bloom.

How might a woman like Yunxian break free of tradition, go on to treat women and girls from every level of society, and lead a life of such importance that many of her remedies are still used five centuries later? How might the power of friendship support or complicate these efforts? Lady Tan’s Circle of Women is a captivating story of women helping other women. It is also a triumphant reimagining of the life of a woman who was remarkable in the Ming dynasty and would be considered remarkable today.

Comments

All members at our meeting enjoyed this story.

Historically we found the story fascinating. Chinese history in the mid 14th century, the Ming Dynasty. Although the story is a fictional account the historical detail throughout is enthralling.

The level of research of 15th century China is admirable. 

The story is centred around the real life of a female doctor, Tan Yunxian.

At the age of fifty she published a book about her medical cases, all of which were female. This book remains in print to this day thanks to her male descendants from the 17th century.

There is little to nothing known about the real Tan Yunxians life so the story revolves around the fictitious life story of a girl, born into a family of privilege in the Confucian period in China. 

The story beautifully details the lifestyle of females in her aristocratic family. Fortunately for Tan her family highly respects education and learning. 

Foot binding, social and class restrictions along with the educational requirements for young women to make them good daughters, good wives and then good mothers is engagingly well written throughout Tan’s life.

Our group also loved the detail of research by Lisa See into the medical cures that Lady Tan used and the descriptions of her diagnostic methodology with each of her patients. The novel also details the lack of appropriate medical diagnosis offered to women during this time.

There is an engaging story that runs through the novel with each character giving inciteful detail into the lives of the people of that class and sex during the time period, particularly midwives.

Tan Yunxian, through Lisa See, has been given her place in history with recognition of her medical brilliance, her ongoing self education and learning, and her care for her fellow females, no matter their class or social standing during this incredibly repressive time for so many in human history.

Read by MJ Readers Book Club

Book Review The woman on the bridge

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Summary

Dublin. The 1920s. As war tears Ireland apart, two young people fall in love amongst events that will bring tragedy and tough choices as they fight for a better future.

In a country fighting for freedom, it’s hard to live a normal life. Winnie O’Leary supports the cause, but she doesn’t go looking for trouble. Then rebel Joseph Burke steps into her workplace. Winnie is furious with him about a broken window. She’s not interested in romance. But love comes when you least expect it.

Joseph’s family shelter fugitives and smuggle weapons. Joseph would never ask Winnie to join the fight; but his mother and sisters demand commitment. Will Winnie choose Joseph, and put her own loved ones in deadly danger? Or wait for a time of peace that may never come?

Ireland’s tumultuous independence struggle is the backdrop for an unforgettable story of courage and heartbreak, in which heroes are made of ordinary people. Inspired by the story of Sheila O’Flanagan’s grandmother, The Woman on the Bridge is the unmissable, compulsive new novel from a bestselling author.

Comments

This is a sad story of inequality and oppression set in Ireland during the time of ‘the troubles’ which is the background for the novel. It begins in 1920 and is based on the life of the author’s grandmother. England’s military presence and the bullying tactics of some of the troops worsen the impoverished conditions of the Irish people and the civil unrest and politics splits families and friendships.

The reader views this through the story of two young people caught up in the activism and the impact that this has on their families as their own relationship develops.

Whilst some of the historical content was interesting to read, we all found this story to be mundane and shallow. It was essentially a romance set in a turbulent time in Irish history.

Read by – Dundas Readers – Rated 5/10

Book Review This wild wild country

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This wild, wild country by Inga Vesper

About the book

Three women. An isolated town. A decades-old mystery.

1933. Cornelia Stover is not the kind of woman the men of Boldville, New Mexico, expect her to be. But, one day, she stumbles upon a secret hidden out in the hills . . .

1970. Decades later, Joanna Riley, a former cop, packs up her car in the middle of the night and drives west, fleeing an abusive marriage and a life she can no longer bear. Eventually, she runs out of gas and finds herself in Boldville, a sleepy desert town in the foothills of the Gila Mountains.

Joanna was looking for somewhere to hide, but something is off about this place. In a commune on the outskirts a young man has been found dead and Joanna knows a cover up when she sees it. Soon, she and Glitter, a young, disaffected hippie, find themselves caught up in a dark mystery that goes to the very heart of Boldville. A mystery that leads them all the way back to the unexplained disappearance of Glitter’s grandmother Cornelia forty years before . . .

Comments

We all found this book difficult to read. The story moves backwards and forwards in time, the multiple storylines are miserable and confusing. There are numerous characters whose lives and stories are based on murders, gold rush fever, 1970s hippy communes, drugs, bikie gangs, misogyny, wife abuse, secrets, lies and deceit.

There were too many unlikeable characters and themes to make this an enjoyable read.

Read by Dundas Readers – Rating 2/10

Book Review Jessica

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Jessica by Bryce Courtenay

About the book

Jessica is based on the inspiring true story of a young girl’s fight for justice against tremendous odds.
A tomboy, Jessica is the pride of her father, as they work together on the struggling family farm. One quiet day, the peace of the bush is devastated by a terrible murder. Only Jessica is able to save the killer from the lynch mob – but will justice prevail in the courts?

Nine months later, a baby is born … with Jessica determined to guard the secret of the father’s identity. The rivalry of Jessica and her beautiful sister for the love of the same man will echo throughout their lives – until finally the truth must be told.

Set in the harsh Australian bush against the outbreak of World War I, this novel is heartbreaking in its innocence, and shattering in its brutality.

Comments

Our group was divided in their enjoyment of this book with some finding the story an enjoyable and informative read while others were very put off by the nastiness of some characters all throughout the book. So many morally bankrupt people.

The characters were found to be very one dimensional, either “Black or White” in their moral and ethical “goodness.”

Another criticism was about the story line which, to some, was very convoluted.

A few of our readers know the region this story was set in and found the author struggled to describe the Australian bush adequately.

However, those that liked the book really enjoyed it! 

There was agreement that the second half of the book was more enjoyable and informative than the first half of the book. The characters were more dimensional and the legal proceedings regarding stolen generation children and families were thought provoking and revealing. 

Some readers did not enjoy the first half of the book enough to continue on for the second half developments. They found this book depressing

We found this was definitely not a book for people who have inter-family traumas, and some found it to be a long read waiting for something good to happen.

Read by MJ Readers

Book Review The woman in the Library

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The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill

About the book

Hannah Tigone, bestselling Australian crime author, is crafting a new novel that begins in the Boston Public Library: four strangers; Winifred, Cain, Marigold and Whit are sitting at the same table when a bloodcurdling scream breaks the silence. A woman has been murdered. They are all suspects, and, as it turns out, each character has their own secrets and motivations – and one of them is a murderer.

 While crafting this new thriller, Hannah shares each chapter with her biggest fan and aspirational novelist, Leo. But Leo seems to know a lot about violence, motive, and how exactly to kill someone. Perhaps he is not all that he seems…

Comments

Four complete strangers, one of whom is a crime writer, are brought together in the Reading Room of Boston Public Library by the sound of a woman screaming. After learning that a young woman has been murdered, they become firm friends almost immediately! For the remainder of the novel we meet each of them; a law graduate who works as a journalist, a writer who has spent time in jail for murder, a Psychology student and our intrepid author.

The novel takes the form of a story within a story and as if that’s not confusing enough, each chapter ends with an email exchange between the actual author (who lives in Australia) and her friend in Boston. These emails involve suggestions about the developing story which become increasingly disturbing and violent. The style of writing where we learn various ‘bits’ about the four main characters as well as the email exchange is very disruptive of the flow of the story.

The narrative drags on from one improbable event to another involving these four naïve, self-obsessed and unrealistic characters. Everyone in our group felt the same about this book, which is quite unusual. We did not find it engaging, found the characters implausible and couldn’t wait for the story to end.

4/10

Read by Dundas Readers