Sunspots by Karen S. Bell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really like Karen Bell's writing and feel she should be lauded for writing such a captivating story in a beautifully sophisticated style. As an avid reader, I’ve encountered a great variety of literary voices, and find the stories written with eloquence are the easiest to embrace and finish. Sloppy writing or unnatural, even pretentious, language for a character can move my focus to the awry wording rather than enjoying the story that’s being told.
This never happened with Karen’s story, which contained clear, descriptive language and evocative dialogue that gave the reader the feeling of reliving the story with the main character, Aurora. The story itself deals with the complexities of life including loss and depression, plus the support and strength needed to move on and grow. This story has some elements of a mystery novel, which really makes it intriguing as you find out more and more.
As you turn the pages, you’ll find yourself guessing. I think there was a good build up until you finally see all the pieces clearly about Jake and Aurora’s relationship. The story is not linear, so the reader moves through various memories, conversations, and forward to current happenings in Aurora’s life as she learns more about her relationship with Jake and ultimately herself. I really enjoyed the mystical elements and could relate to the way Aurora must work on changing certain patterns in her life.
Some of the darker parts were difficult to read, but I was happy to see they helped this character to develop emotionally as well. I don’t want to spoil the ending, but I can promise you won’t finish reading on a bleak note! There was plenty to look forward to on each page, so I thoroughly recommend reading this book! I'll be looking forward to exploring some of Karen's other works.
Disclosure - As a Quality Reads UK Book Club member, I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation for my book review. This book review is based on my thoughts, opinion and understanding of the book. This book review does not reflect the opinion of other book club members.
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Sunday, July 6, 2014
Sunspots by Karen S. Bell @KarenSueBell #AmReading #Romance #GoodReads
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
As I lie in bed with these thoughts, I finally notice that Marina has quietly come back into my room and is sitting in the armchair watching me. She offers me some more medicine and I shake my head, “no.” I don’t want to sleep, and I don’t want to be awake. There is no comfort in anything. She says, “Come. We’ll have a nice cup of tea.” And I follow her downstairs and into the kitchen, zombie-like. I watch her with dull eyes that do not see her movements as she opens cupboards and finds a teapot, cups, and tea bags. I listen with deaf ears to her hum a Russian tune. I sit patiently with no patience sipping the tea I cannot taste. In silence, we sit. In silence, we speak without speaking. Marina’s life force wills me to feel her love.
And then she tells me her plan. “Maybe, I’ll stay with you awhile. Nothing back in Brooklyn right now.” I answer, mouthing words that I want to feel and yet cannot feel because I have closed myself off to the emotions of life, “Oh yes, please stay, Marina. I couldn’t bear all this alone.” I’m overwhelmed by her generosity, my loss, and the hidden truths lurking under the surface waiting to be revealed. Then the cordoned off person inside me breaks through all my controls again and unwonted tears erupt in a torrent of suppressed anguish. I am enveloped in her arms and her soothing voice whispers calming words as I try to regain the safety of stoicism.
Marina and I, sisters of a sort, sit together in my huge kitchen, in my huge house, sharing the huge hole in my heart as my tears pour down my face, flowing as if someone has turned on a spigot. Two small souls in a too-big kitchen of a too-big house silently wondering about the business problems of which his lawyer spoke using carefully chosen words somberly executed while his eyes burned with deep meaning. Problems that would have to be sorted out after I finished sitting “Shivah.” How can one cope with all of this? When will I wake up from this nightmare?
Eventually, it is dawn and I must sit on the wooden bench that signifies my mourning as memories cloud the present and I relive a life that is no more.
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