Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

About ElCicco

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Married, mom of two, history PhD, feminist. I've been participating in Cannonball Read since CBR4. I love to read, and writing reviews keeps me from reading without thinking. I feel like I owe it to the authors who entertain me to savor their creations. It's like slowing down and enjoying a delicious meal instead of bolting your food. (Learn more about this Cannonballer: ElCicco's Quick Questions interview.)

ElCicco's Reviews:

Gateway to the Russian Novel

Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev

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Cbr14bingo New This is a new translation by Nicolas Paternak Slater and Maya Slater, and it is a novel about the clash of old and new ideas If you have been meaning to read one of the great Russian novels but are put off by the length of those written by Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky, I’d like to suggest that you take a look at the works of Ivan Turgenev. A contemporary of those two illustrious writers and brilliant in his own right, Turgenev covers similar […]

Race/Horse

Horse: A Novel by Geraldine Brooks

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Cbr14bingo Time, Bingo #2 (down) This novel is set in three distinct time periods linked by a Civil War era thoroughbred named Lexington As far as I’m concerned Geraldine Brooks is one of the best historical fiction writers out there. I have read all of her novels. March won the Pulitzer Prize. Caleb’s Crossing, People of the Book, and Year of Wonder: A Novel of the Plague were all outstanding. I felt that The Secret Chord, her previous novel, was not quite up to snuff, […]

Much said beautifully but too much left unsaid

The Maker of Swans: A Novel by Paraic O’Donnell

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Cbr14bingo bird On the face of it, this novel has a lot going for it: murder, a secret society, an English manor, a man servant who has seen it all. And yet the book was quite frustrating to read. On one hand, the prose is exquisite and the premise of the plot arresting. On the other hand, O’Donnell teases the reader without providing a satisfying payoff in the end. I didn’t want to put it down, but ultimately, I felt sort of cheated. The novel […]

So many monsters!

Everyone Knows Your Mother is a Witch: A Novel by Rivka Galchen

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Cbr14bingo Monster The cover and the title of this book got my attention, and then I read the blurb. Did you know that in 1618 Johannes Kepler’s mother was accused of being a witch? (Read more here, here and here). Yes, that Johannes Kepler, the mathematician and astronomer whose works were integral to the Scientific Revolution! Author Rivka Galchen, a medical doctor by training, took this fascinating piece of information and imagined the events surrounding Katharina Kepler’s denunciation and trial. The novel is told from […]

Now I’m hungry

Dessert Person: Recipes and Guidance for Baking With Confidence by Claire Saffitz

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Cbr14bingo Dough BINGO (row 3) While I enjoy cooking shows, I don’t consider myself much of a cook. It isn’t that I’m not interested in improving my skills, it’s just that learning to cook full meals feels overwhelming. It seems like I’m always missing some important ingredient or kitchen tool, plus my kids have a variety of food allergies and intolerances that put some tough limits on me. Baking is one thing I have always enjoyed though and have been willing to take some risks […]

A tale of war with no heroes

Bolla: A Novel by Pajtim Statovci

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Cbr14bingo Serpent I found this book while on vacation at the beach. Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach Delaware, is a wonderful independent bookstore and I highly recommend a visit if you find yourself in the area. Their “staff picks” section is large and always yields some interesting reads I might not otherwise have found, including this book. Naturally, I went in looking for books to help fill bingo squares and the winged serpent on the cover grabbed my attention. This is an incredible novel but […]



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