Edmund Majewski Majewski itibaren Kojomkul, Kırgızistan
An annual read for me - the layers of complexity keep unfolding each time, yet the surface story lines are still equally gripping. I'm amazed at how Austen continually draws me into her era; how shocked and horrified I am along with Lizzie when Lydia runs away with Wickham, how disappointed and sad for Charlotte when she marries Collins, how utterly mortified for her family at the Netherfield ball. I live and think in that time when I am reading it. And the quotable lines are endless! My family and I will try to work in quotes during our normal conversations - a favorite: "Sooo refreshing !"
Okay...Wow. As always, Jodi Picoult delivers on a meaty and very controversial subject. She is by far, one of my favorite authors and I have an incredible amount of respect for her talent. This story was very well written. However, as a Christian woman, I have very strong views about protecting the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman as well as other controversial issues that were brought up in this book. (I'll refrain from mentioning them to avoid spoilers) While she did a wonderful job in helping to see from each of the character's perspectives, I was pretty disappointed in how she portrayed the Christian Church in a sleazy and judgemental light. I have never been a part of a church that led their congregation in this manner and that is not how most Christian's walk in their faith. Picoult's portrayal of the Christian Church alone, is the very reason I wouldn't want to recommend this book to anyone to read.