The Dressmaker's Gift: a story of resilience and survival

The Dressmaker’s Gift by Fiona Valpy is the story of three women faced with impossible choices during a desperate time. Paris, 1940, the city is occupied by the Nazis, three young seamstresses, Claire, Mireille, and Vivienne, go about their normal lives as best they can. Each hiding secrets. After seeing the horrors of the Nazis first hand, Mireille joins the French Resistance. Claire becomes involved with a German officer and Vivienne keeps her secrets very close to the vest. 2017, Paris, Claire’s granddaughter, Harriet, arrives in the city to begin an internship at a local public relations agency. Still grieving from her mother’s sudden death, Harriet discovers she is living and working in the same building her grandmother lived and worked in many years ago. As she begins to learn the story of her grandmother, she unravels a story darker and more painful than she ever managed. How do they survive history’s darkest times and how will they be judged for those choices? 

Fiona Valpy is a phenomenal storyteller! She has a way to open up the stories of the past through the eyes of those who lived it with all its complicities. The Beekeeper’s Promise (2018) introduced Mireille and in The Dressmaker’s Gift, readers can experience her story. Ms. Valpy doesn’t shy away from the horrors that were experienced during the war. Filled with emotional and heartbreaking moments, The Dressmaker’s Gift is a story of hope, courage and resilience. From the beginning, the story of Claire, Mireille and Vivienne gripped me until I couldn’t let go. Reading the choices they were forced to make and actions that they took to survive, I kept asking myself would we be able to do the same today? What would we do in times of impossible choices? I also enjoyed Harriet’s story as she finds a new sense of purpose and personal strength as she learns her grandmother’s story. I highly recommend The Dressmaker’s Gift as well as The Beekeeper’s Promise. 

The Dressmaker’s Gift is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook. 

Last Dance on the Starlight Pier: dance marathons, the Great Depression, and hopes for a better future

Last Dance on the Starlight Pier by Sarah Bird is a story set in the Great Depression as one woman struggles to rise above her past for a better future. The story opens on July 3, 1932 as Evie Grace Devlin watches in horror as the Starlite Palace burns. She had come to Galveston to escape a dark past in the fading days of vaudeville and become a nurse. When the dream of becoming a nurse doesn’t become a reality, she finds herself in the strange world of dance marathons. There she meets individuals who have been outcasted by their families and communities to make a living in the dance marathons. Evie soon finds herself in the one place she swore to leave behind: the spotlight. In the dreaded spotlight, she finds what she has wanted the most: a family, a purpose and love. Will Evie be able to truly put her past behind her and achieve her dreams? 

I was intrigued by the premise of Last Dance on the Starlight Pier. What’s not to be intrigued by the Great Depression, dance marathons and the resilience of the human spirit? I thoroughly enjoyed the beginning as Evie watched the fire burn and looked forward to discovering the events that led her there. Unfortunately, the story fell terribly flat. It was way too long and incredibly boring. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters, particularly Evie. I found her to be unbelievably naïve despite her dark past. There was too much going on to be enjoyable. Was it a story of Evie and her resilience? Was it a story of the Great Depression, the mob and Prohibition? I felt the political commentary was more indicative of today’s political climate instead of being a reflection of the 1930s. There were just too many agendas trying to be in the forefront that it took away from the story. Unfortunately, I do not recommend Last Dance on Starlight Pier. 

Last Dance on Starlight Pier is available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook

Turning Red: more than just a girl going through puberty

Turning Red is the newest Disney and Pixar film which had limited theater screens while being fully available on Disney+. There was a bit of shock and outrage from Pixar when Disney decided to not put the film into movie theaters and place it on the streaming service. Inspired by her childhood, writer, director and producer, Domee Shi, brings the story to life in Turning Red. Shi was born in Chongqing, Sichuan, and immigrated to Canada at the age of 2 with her parents. They eventually settled in Toronto. She has worked on many Pixar films including Inside Out (2015) before writing and directing Pixar’s short, Bao (2017) which won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. As usual, I will write a brief synopsis of the film, then discuss what I liked and my response to criticism of the film. 

Set in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 2002, Turning Red is the story of Mei Lee (voiced by Rosalie Chiang), a confident, dorky thirteen-year-old Chinese-Canadian girl. She is the dutiful daughter who does well in school, excels at her extracurriculars and helps out at the family temple. But she is also a typical teenager who loves the popular boy band and crushes on a local older boy. She becomes torn between staying her mother's dutiful daughter and being her own individual self. Add in the chaos of adolescence, conflicts over friendships and a family secret. Her protective, and slightly, overbearing mother, Ming, (voiced by Sandra Oh), is never far from her daughter. When a popular boy band is coming to Toronto, Mei, along with her friends Miriam (voiced by Ava Morse), Priya (voiced by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) and Abby (voiced by Hyein Park), set up a plan to attend the concert, with or without their parents’ permission. Unfortunately, the timing couldn’t be worse when the family secret rears its ugly head and Mei turns into a giant red panda every time she experiences strong emotions. She can get rid of the transformation at the next red moon but will she want to? 

There were a few aspects of Turning Red that I liked. First, its openness. It doesn’t shy away from the rebellion that is often a feature of growing up. Mei is torn between honoring her parents and honoring herself. It is a stage and decision that every child will come to as they grow into adulthood. It also doesn’t shy away from periods. In one scene, after Mei first turns into a panda, her mother thinks she has gotten her period, or as she called it, “the red peony,” and is prepared. Unfortunately, many parents do not prepare for this moment for their daughters and are often caught unaware when it occurs. If this film opens the conversations between mothers and daughters about puberty and periods, that is a great thing. Second, the full acceptance of friends. When Mei reveals the panda to her friends, they are immediately accepting. Mei cries that she’s a freak and Miriam replies “You’re our girl.” They stood by her as she struggled to contain and come to terms with this transformation. It is important that we have a support system through our good times and our struggles. I liked that the film shows that type of friendship. 

While overwhelmingly praised, Turning Red had created a firestorm online. First, many parents were upset that it dared discuss puberty and periods. I have read parental reviews online and many parents were shocked at the topics and angry at Disney. To those parents, I must say, do your research! Any movie, book or tv program geared at kids should not be taken on blind faith as appropriate for your child, Read into it, watch it yourself and decide if you want your child to be exposed to the programs. That is your responsibility as a parent. Second, Clarissa Cruz (2022), writes that “normalizing the emotional and physical messiness of puberty” is refreshing. However, that hasn't be the overall sentiment. In a now deleted review, Sean O’Connell of CinemaBlend called the movie limiting and exhausting (Shivaram, 2022) I’m not sure how the film can be limiting and exhausting, unfortunately, I think Mr O’Connell is being a typical male who is uncomfortable with the topic of female puberty and periods. Gasp! Third, I don't think the fact that the movie features an Asian family and culture takes away from the overall message. While there are some cultural differences when it comes to puberty and coming of age, I believe there is an universality to the story. My oldest daughter who is 10 absolutely loved the movie and related to Mei and her friends.

Turning Red is not a absolute favorite for me. I didn’t have the same emotional response to it as I did with Coco (2017) or Encanto (2021). After watching the film, I was conflicted about how I felt and how the story would deal with puberty and periods. However, after discussing the film with my oldest daughter, I appreciated and enjoyed that it was brave enough to discuss the often taboo topics. It is a stage of life that we all go through, by being open and having honest conversations with our children can lead to a deeper relationship with trust. With that trust, a child would hopefully feel comfortable enough to come to their parents with any questions and for any topic. If Turning Red can be a catalyst to opening that door for parents and children to have that conversation or any meaningful conversation, then I recommend Turning Red. 

References

Cruz, Clarissa (March 13, 2022). What Turning Red means to me as an AAPI parent. Entertainment Weekly. https://ew.com/movies/what-turning-red-means-aapi-parents/?fbclid=IwAR2QiU6_80CkMVCCVjiz2ZsYU915p5vA1Ls7-zeGTUjo81vmYRWXc5VQlPk. Retrieved April 4, 2022.  

Shivaram, Deepa (March 12, 2022). 'Turning Red' is a turning point for Asians in film. Why is it seen as unrelatable?. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2022/03/12/1086040083/turning-red-controversy. Retrieved April 4, 2022. 

Guiding Emily: a story of finding the strength and courage to face new challenges

Guiding Emily is the first book in the Guiding Emily series by Barbara Hinske. It is a story of love, loss and courage. Emily Main had it all. She has a successful career with a technology giant, a handsome fiance, Connor, who is climbing up the corporate ladder and a destination wedding coming up. While on their island wedding and honeymoon, tragedy strikes and they rush home in the hopes to save her vision. Suddenly her idyllic life is thrown into chaos as all treatments are unsuccessful and she must learn to face life without her sight. Meanwhile, a black lab puppy named Garth starts his journey to become a guide dog and the challenges and dedication it takes to become one of the most important tools to those with certain disabilities. How will Emily respond to her new normal? Will she have the support of those around her? 

Guiding Emily is a heartbreaking, yet sweet story of one woman’s journey to a new reality and the dog that would become her sight and her companion. My heart broke for Emily; however, on the flip side I was annoyed with Emily. If she suffered from a disease that she could lose her eyesight with something as simple as violent sneezing, why would she agree to a destination wedding and an activity that she feared could lead to an accident? Why would her fiance even suggest such an activity? Sometimes it takes a tragedy to truly see how a person will respond to emergencies. Overall, I enjoyed Guiding Emily. It was an easy to read story of overcoming a tragedy and becoming stronger in the end. Some aspects of the story were predictable, but still enjoyable. If you love a story of strength, courage and dogs, I recommend Guiding Emily. 

Guiding Emily is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook. 

214 Palmer Street: a psychological suspense thriller with one house, one secret, and a woman with nothing to lose

214 Palmer Street by Karen McQuestion is psychological suspense thriller about one house with a secret and a woman with nothing to lose. Sarah Aden tells Maggie Scott, the elderly neighbor of the Caldwells’ at 214 Palmer Street, that she’s the housesitter. At the last minute, Cady asks Sarah to stay for the month that she’s gone. Since she’s warm and pleasant, Maggie is happy that the house won’t be empty for so long but inside Sarah’s panicking. No one was supposed to see her there. Sarah is on a mission. There’s a secret buried with the house and she is determined to discover the truth. What Sarah doesn’t know is that someone else knows that she’s in the house. Someone else suspects that the house holds the key to a mystery that she has spent decades trying to unravel. Will the truth be revealed? 

Psychological suspense thrillers have grown in popularity and Karen McQuestion has found a new genre to explore. From the opening chapter, I am intrigued with the idea of a mysterious person inside a house that’s supposed to be empty. With alternating points of view, the story takes the reader on the twists and turns of a wild roller coaster. I enjoyed that the story wasn’t so complicated that my head was buzzing with so many details and red herrings that I failed to pick up on the clues but it wasn’t too simple that I figured out the secret before it was revealed. It had characters to like, characters to hate and characters that you aren’t sure you can or should trust. Even right to the end, you weren’t sure if all was truly well with how the events played out. Overall, I really enjoyed and recommend 214 Palmer Street. 

214 Palmer Street is available in eBook and audiobook

In a Garden Burning Gold: a fantasy adventure about family, power and magic

In a Garden Burning Gold by Rory Power is a magical fantasy story about twins, Rhea and Lexos, who must find a way to keep their family in power against growing opposition. Rhea and Lexos have incredible magical abilities, along with their family, they can control the seasons, the tides, and the stars. Their magic also helps keep their father on the throne of their kingdom. However, over the past century, their father has become an unpredictable tyrant, with an ever growing temper, which has fueled a rebellion within their borders as well as attacks from rival nations. Rhea and Lexos now must fight to keep the kingdom, and the family, together while fighting treachery, deceit and drama that threatens the bonds they hold dear. Could their determination to bring peace find themselves on the opposing sides of the battlefield? 

Fantasy is not a genre I generally read but In a Garden Burning Gold, with its gorgeous cover and intriguing premise, had me taking a chance. At the core of the story is a family who must test the bonds of their family, to see how far they can bend before they break. The story itself is beautifully written with flowing language. However, the story was like a roller coaster of slow building anticipation to the sudden free fall of action. The slow parts were almost painfully slow which I found myself spacing out. The villain reveal was a bit surprising but as I looked back on the clues leading up to the reveal, it did make sense and was very predictable if I had paid closer attention. If you are a fantasy reader, I would recommend In a Garden Burning Gold. 

In a Garden Burning Gold is available April 5 in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook

 

The Orchid Inn: a story of sisters, heartbreaks, tragedies and finding new life

The Orchid Inn by Aisling Delaney is the first book in the Orchid Island series. It is the story of three sisters, each with their own heartbreaks and tragedies, gather together at their grandmother’s bed and breakfast, the Orchid Inn, for the summer. Ave Flynn has hit rock bottom. Her husband has left her, wiped out their savings, all on the same day that she loses her job at a high powered law firm for “insulting” a billionaire client. Her only thought is to gather Moira, her 13 year old daughter, and head to Orchid Island. Little does she know that her sisters are also on their way, Sarah is left penniless when her millionaire boyfriend suddenly dies, leaving her with nothing. Charlotte comes to the island to figure out how her decisions had led her life down the path she seems to be on. One thing is haunting all three sisters: the disappearance of their father 17 years prior. Will they ever get the answers they need? Will the explanations be enough? Will they finally have the chance to chase the dreams they never dared to before? 

The Orchid Inn was a hard book to stay engaged in. While it started off well with the majority of the book covering the women’s journeys to the island and their stories. But that last half of the story sped by and the end seemed abrupt with any resolution or fallout left for the next book. Ava was a hard character to care for especially her attitude about Sarah’s life choices. Ava and Sarah hadn’t spoken for ten years. Once they are both at the island, they seem to forgive and forget fairly quickly. It seemed to be a theme of the story: tell your story and you will be forgiven. I’m all for forgiving those who have hurt us; but realistically, it doesn’t always happen in one conversation, especially with deep hurts. The sisters’ mother was a real piece of work who loved to say “I told you so” when her daughters’ lives were falling apart. I was looking forward to an endearing, even a hard-hitting story of sisters, their pasts and their drive to move on. Unfortunately, The Orchid Inn did not live up to my expectations.

The Orchid Inn is available in paperback