A Century of November : A Novel (Michigan Literary Fiction Awards)

Rating:
Summary: Classic tale beautifully told
Review: I bought the book based on a glowing review in the paper, something I do more and more hesitantly these days, having been disappointed lots of times in the purchase. But this was worth every word the reviewer gave it. It's an old, old story: guy leaves town looking for something. But Wetherell's telling of it comes alive because of reams of period (WWI) research, all of it subsumed to character and plot; a gorgeous handling of language and freshness of image; and odd twists in the progression of the story that only serve to make it more believable. A book for you, if you love a great and simple story immaculately told.

Rating:
Summary: Perfect for a Rainy Saturday
Review: I read this book in a single day, a rainy Saturday that perfectly fit the mood of the story. In the waning days of WWI, a Vancouver Island apple farmer travels to Belgium to find the spot where his son was killed.

I've asked my wife's book group to read it because I think it may be a "guy" book, but not in the usual sense, not a violent guy book. We've known many quiet dads as tertiary characters in other novels; this book lets us see through the eyes of a quiet dad. Quiet on the outside, anyway.

Well paced, beautifully told. Well worth a Saturday afternoon.