What a wonderful novel!
931570
What a wonderful concept of novel. Pen pals during wartime. Each character brings tears, laughter, knowledge of life. I would highly recommend this novel. We would all be richer with a pen pal. This is second novel I have read by Suzanne Hayes and look forward to the next.
2502252
I thoroughly enjoyed this lovely historical romance novel!  The author presented several wonderful characters with whom the reader falls in love, and keeps the story moving with humor and drama, well-combined.  I look forward to reading more of this author's works!
3652868
Such a well-written novel!  In just a few pages it had one crying and then laughing out loud.  It is the story of a widow trying to cope with her loss and trying at the same time to begin a new life.  It was just a delight!
4760049
This beautifully written novel will entertain, make you laugh and cry, and wish it had not ended. It is poignant, funny, surprising, and a wonderful read!
4673018
I really enjoyed this novel. I loved the character development - the author succeeded in creating relatable characters with whom I could empathize within a setting that combined the natural and super-natural. The reader learns early on that there is nothing predictable in this story, keeping us wanting to read more to find out what is going to happen.
3421508
This is one of the most wonderful novels of the last twenty years. It captures your attention and may 'require' that you read it almost without interruption (as I did). The characters are charming and warm and immediately become a part of your circle of beloved friends - you will miss them when you finish the book. I continue to think about this book and talk about it with family and friends. I will be reading it again in he not too distant future.
3334826
I am in the process of reading this book, almost finished.  It is SO hard to put down.  Ms. Edwards has written a wonderful story about the lives of several different characters entertwining and evolving around community.  It is very well written.  It is full of life lessons we can all relate to and use in our everyday lives.  I can't wait to get to the end, but also don't want to get there.  It is such an enjoyable ride, and I don't want it to be over.  Perhaps a sequel to this novel would be in order!  Thank you Ms. Edwards for this incredible work of art!  God bless!
520038
This book was amazing! I had the pleasure of reading this novel for a joint book club meeting in which the author was present. The book had my attention from beginning to end and was so real in dealing with issues that I could not put it down. No character was perfect and the plot was something we see everyday.

In meeting the author she was so pleasant and hilarious. She is truly a woman with a good heart and she has a loyal reader for life now. I recommend this book because while enjoying the characters you do learn about the power of forgiveness, fighting for your marriage, and the age old tale "What goes around comes around..." Enjoy like I did.
4604318
This is a wonderful novel, just chock full of heart and insight. I love the fact that the author not only created an easy to love and root for pair in her main characters, but she let us see the inside real selves of even the most peripheral of the minor characters, and all this done with a keen understanding of humanity.
2038860
What an excellent novel! I felt a large range of feelings as I read this book. Having studied a little about chimpanzee-human and cross-species studies in a Humanities class regarding animals and humans in the society, I felt the need to discuss the phenomenal feelings and connections that struck me. The more I read this novel, the harder it was to stop.
The characters were well developed, and I especially loved the way Fowler decided to have the narrator being telling her story from the middle. This added more suspense and kept me on my toes as I was reading. In addition, being from Davis, California and attending the University myself, there were multiple scenes where I was able to imagine myself as the narrator Rosemary.
The relationship between Fern, the chimpanzee of the study, and Rosie and also Lowell was deep and strong. Knowing this will give you a lot of faith in the characters actions. I was absolutely hooked because of the ranges of emotions that hit me by surprise. This novel covered many different aspects, including ethics, psychology, hate, and at the heart of the novel, love. This is not exactly a love story, but one that builds off the relationship of characters. There was enough push and pull, and various actions that made me reconsider and analyze my inner thoughts. I have never been so fascinated about a cross-species study than I have after learning about the different interactions between Fern and the Cooke siblings. This is a beautiful book, but definitely be prepared and strap up for an emotional roller coaster!
4693974
I completely and totally enjoyed this wonderful novel!

Ms. McKenna has spun a delightful tale that has depth, humor, and realism. I do hope she considers writing a sequel with these two great characters!
438161
If I could give this novel ten stars, I would because this is everything that a novel should be.  The twists and turns in the plot capture your interest and hold you captive yet it is the rich lyrical use of language that truly make the book memorable. This is an author who uses words like magic to weave you into a spell of love and intrigue.

The epilogue of this plot-driven novel is satisfying at all levels and the author does the reader the great service of truly wrapping up the novel to a lovely and believable ending.

The only negative that I would caution about is that on occasion the jump from the novel being told in the voice of Joanna to the voice of Kamla is not a smooth transition.  However, it is hard to conceive of any way in which the author could have made the transition less jarring.

In the beginning it is somewhat disappointing that Aidan is not a fully drawn out character that would allow the reader to fully understand why Joanna is so driven in her search for the truth. Yet as the novel progresses, it becomes more clear why the author is so clever in slowly revealing the complexities of this character.

The insights into history and culture whet your appetite to learn more about Asia in the post World War II era.  This is a book that will capture the delight of book clubs for the foreseeable future!
2198171
I cannot say enough about how wonderful this novel is.  Others already have.  The Booker Prize people have.

Read it!

I plan to read it a third time eventually.

The first read-through is wonderful.  But it leaves you with so many questions.  Not that the second read-through answers all your questions, but it does clarify a lot.  And you have the pure joy of already knowing so much, that you can also notice how wonderfully the book is plotted and so on.  And the humor shines through all the more!

This is a book for the Ages.  A book to read, to savor, to recommend...
819296
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel! So many times I was on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happens next. It has a fabulous message without preaching at you.  The characters are well developed, it's easy to understand their motivations and you really feel for them.  I'm very much looking forward to the next novel!
4742926
What a wonderful story. I enjoyed it so very much!
1376846
This was a wonderful novel - can you believe I was sorry when my flight landed and I had to put it down!

This is the best Swords & Socery novel I have read in 10 years.  There is something wonderfully evocative about it - similar to the way the Lord of the Rings resonates back to a collective memory of a mystical era.

Patrick - please write the rest quickly!
4430598
This is a beautifully constructed novel that had me hooked from the first page. I was fully immersed and surprised at how well I was taken in, sometimes even perhaps when I shouldn't have been. As a PhD-level scientist, I did not find the book's complexity to be a problem--quite the contrary, it was refreshing to read a book that didn't insult my intelligence. I loved every footnote, every sub-footnote, every scribble. Bravo, Mr. Scher! Well done! I hope you keep writing novels, because I will read every one.