The Houseguest

Although on a sentence level, this book was often impressive, I found it generally overwritten, and most of the characters without presence, many of whom felt clichéd. Too many structural elements seemed rather "by the book"--and author Brooks is a writer's workshop product, according to the blurb.......more

I wasn't expecting too much when I read the cover copy, which promised the story of a "volatile and alluring" refugee who stirred up the home of her hosts, so much so that the patriarch, Abe, became "consumed by his desire" and went on a hodge podge journey through actors and activists to find her.......more

This was an ok read - in the beginning it was really interesting as it was set at a time when America was practising isolationism and were indifferent to the plight of the Jews and the general situation in Europe. It was a new perspective that I've not been exposed to before - how there were two sch......more

A rare look at lives impacted by WWII from the other side of the ocean - frustrating, hearbreaking and mysterious.......more

I felt like this was work to finish. The characters felt as superficial as their actions or inactions in the book. The stories jumped and rambled and felt very stilted. Ultimately, I did not care what happened to any of them. The historical references were just that, mentions of events or organizati......more