This book ended differently than his other books. It was sadder and yet more inspiring. The female who became a spy was courageous and brave. I liked the book and would recommend it.

The plot was fairly predictable, but the descriptions of the unusual setting, the weather and the seed vault made for an interesting read.

Once I entered the world of Jane Eyre, I was hooked. I can see why there is longstanding appeal of this romantic novel by Charlotte Bronte. The story of an orphan who survived adversity and emerged heroically never gets old. The somewhat antiquated style of writing was charming and easy to follow. The addition of lines of French monologue in spots only added to the allure of this book. There were copious notes in the back of the book that explained expressions used or elements of history with which the reader may not have been familiar. Though its length of 500+ pages may have seemed daunting, the pages flew by, enveloped by the love story of Jane and Mr. Rochester. Highly recommend.

It was a really good volume but I didn’t like how Nagato, Konan, and Tamiko just immediately thought morays was great, like he was an enemy shinobi, why do you just immediately think he’s great

This book captured my interest even more because of the one kidnapping and efforts Gabriel went to to save the kidnapped person. I will not spoil the book so that is as far as I will go.

This was a great book to read while visiting Savannah. The book incorporates past and present making it a very interesting read.

I love how Jeanne Birdsall makes very exciting twists and I also love how she makes the characters grow up it not all at once. She is an amazing author and I think everyone should red her first novel the Penderwick

Takes me into the land of Hilo with extreme details

Interesting multigenerational historical fiction inspired by a community of the formerly-enslaved, situated in the mountains of Western NC/SC. Nikki (a DC real estate agent) goes to visit her grandmother, Mother Rita, hoping to ease the estrangement between mother and daughter. But instead Rita tells her a story of the land—how her great-great-great grandmother Luella was the queen of a kingdom on the very land Rita is fighting to keep. Touching and interesting, it's a tale of perseverance and hope.

As I have read it, the Scarlet Letter is a fictional story inspired by historical events with major themes of religion, guilt, and human morals. Hester Prynne is publicly shamed for having a child outside her marriage and is forced to wear a red garment on her clothes as a constant reminder of her shame and guilt. Her daughter, Pearl, also serves as a reminder of her crime and plays a supernatural role in the story. It is revealed that Hester’s husband is not dead, but now goes by Roger Chillingworth and chooses to hide his identity, now becoming the village doctor. Hester had her affair with the Young Minister Mr. Dimmesdale but she keeps this fact a secret from the public during the course of her punishment. Despite this, Mr. Dimmesdale suffers by becoming physically weak and holding a hand over his heart, which conceals a (physical or metaphorical) letter A mark on his skin: the same letter sewn into Hester’s garment. Over time, Roger Chillingworth figures out that Mr. Dimmesdale is the man behind the crime and he begins to enjoy watching him suffer, causing him to become evil and connected to the devil (the minister does not realize this until Hester tells him). As years, progress, Mr. Dimmesdale's health continues to decline; Roger Chillingworth, who originally moved in with the minister to watch his health, becomes consumed by revenge and only worsens his state. After meeting in the woods and telling Mr. Dimmesdale of his "enemy", Hester and Mr. Dimmesdale devise a plan to travel to Europe (but soon realize they will never be able to escape the devil personified in Roger Chillingworth). In the climax event of the story, the Election Proceedings, Mr. Dimmesdale becomes revitalized (due to his motivation to speak the truth and the promise that his suffering will soon be over) and delivers an electrifying Election Sermon. As soon as the minister finished his sermon, all the energy left his body and he began to die. Wanting to die entirely truthful, he calls Pearl and Hester onto the scaffold and finally admits his part in the sin and his remorse for deceiving everyone over 7 years. He also reveals a literal Scarlet Letter "A" on his chest. After making a few final remarks to Hester, Pearl, and the general public, Mr. Dimmesdale dies on the scaffold, causing the public to go into shock. Roger Chillingworth dies within the same year and leaves Hester and Pearl with estates in both Europe and the colonies, causing the family to gain great wealth. The story ends with Hester returning to her New England cottage to live out the end of her life (continuing to wear the scarlet letter) and suggests that Pearl is living a happy married life in Europe with a newborn child. Overall, I thought the story was interesting, unique, and a great example of symbolism. The text even refers to talismans throughout the text and I believe they are a major part of the story's depth. The scaffold and scarlet letter are the most prevalent physical talismans, but Roger Chillingworth and Pearl serve as physical symbols for morals and virtue. I also think there is symbolism in the usage of reflections and alter personalities, though I’m not sure if it reflects different realms or the evil and pure sides of humans. Pearl is a very special case in the story, serving as a symbol in a variety of ways. I interpreted her as being a supernatural being who sends messages from Heaven and the universe (like a bridge or messenger between the spiritual and living world). At the same time, she is a deeply natural/wild being, known for being one with the forest and utilizing the color green. There is symbolism in her name, Pearl, as it usually represents purity, despite Pearl consistently being described as a physical representation of the Scarlet Letter. With Mr. Dimmesdale's death, Pearl is described as finally developing empathy and no longer tormenting her mother as a "messenger of anguish". To me, this implies that Pearl knew more than she was letting on, was a spiritual being with a mission to communicate spiritual messages, and was only able to be a fully functional member of society (for the time standards) when both parents were truthful and present in her life. In a way, Pearl carried the central themes of the text.