The Clock of Life by Nancy Klann-Moren

~ Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader ~ 14 Comments

The Clock of Life by Nancy Klann-Moren
Publisher: AnthonyAnn Books
Publication Date: November 2012
Categories: Coming of Age, Literary
Source: Nancy Klann-Moren
I received this book directly from the author in exchange for an honest review
Description:

In the small town of Hadlee, Mississippi, during the 1980s, Jason Lee Rainey struggles to find his way amongst the old, steadfast Southern attitudes about race, while his friendship with a black boy, Samson Johnson, deepens. By way of stories from others, Jason Lee learns about his larger-than-life father, who was killed in Vietnam.  He longs to become that sort of man, but doesn’t believe he has it in him.
In The Clock Of Life he learns lessons from the past, and the realities of inequality. He flourishes with the bond of friendship; endures the pain of senseless death; finds the courage to stand up for what he believes is right; and comes to realize he is his father’s son.
This story explores how two unsettling chapters in American history, the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War, affect the fate of a family, a town, and two boyhood friends.
My Thoughts:

Most of the characters and their relationships in The Clock of Life were believable. I especially liked the friendship between Jason and Samson. Jason’s uncle was a humorous and melancholy character that I very much enjoyed.

About the Author

The themes of this novel were great, I always appreciate a social justice bent to the books I read. It’s never a bad thing to be reminded of how things used to be, how far we’ve come, and how far we have yet to go.

While there were many aspects this book that I enjoyed there were a few that I didn’t. This story is supposed to take place in the 1980s but read like a tale from the 1930s. While The Clock of Life covers many important topics I felt that it was stretching beyond itself to do so. There were too many things going on, too many serendipitous happenings.

I would call this book a solid novel with a vital message. I look forward to the future work of Klann-Moren.

The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

~ Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader ~ 46 Comments

The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Publication Date: August 2013
Categories: Contemporary Women, Historical
Source: She Reads
Description:

From the New York Times–bestselling author of Me Before You, a spellbinding love story of two women separated by a century but united in their determination to fight for what they love most

Jojo Moyes’s bestseller, Me Before You, catapulted her to wide critical acclaim and has struck a chord with readers everywhere. “Hopelessly and hopefully romantic” (Chicago Tribune), Moyes returns with another irresistible heartbreaker that asks, “Whatever happened to the girl you left behind?”

France, 1916:  Artist Edouard Lefevre leaves his young wife, Sophie, to fight at the front. When their small town falls to the Germans in the midst of World War I, Edouard’s portrait of Sophie draws the eye of the new Kommandant. As the officer’s dangerous obsession deepens, Sophie will risk everything—her family, her reputation, and her life—to see her husband again.

Almost a century later, Sophie’s portrait is given to Liv Halston by her young husband shortly before his sudden death. A chance encounter reveals the painting’s true worth, and a battle begins for who its legitimate owner is—putting Liv’s belief in what is right to the ultimate test.

Like Sarah Blake’s The Postmistress and Tatiana de Rosnay’s Sarah’s Key, The Girl You Left Behind is a breathtaking story of love, loss, and sacrifice told with Moyes’s signature ability to capture our hearts with every turn of the page.

My Thoughts:

About Jojo

Jojo Moyes does it again. The Girl You Left Behind is another heartrending tale that moves briskly to a compelling conclusion.

The writing is twisty and vibrant. It’s the kind of story that keeps surprising you. The only thing I didn’t exactly buy into was Liv’s obsession with the painting. There didn’t seen to be a legitimate reason for her to be so gangbusters about it. It was essential to the story that she wanted to keep that piece of art but it kept snagging on my brain as unrealistic.

I found the history in this book to be fantastic. I was even quite a fan of the romantic elements. That’s not something you’ll hear very often from this reader.

Have you read The Girl You Left Behind? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.