BOOK REVIEWS Courtesy of Beaverdale Books
‘Once Was Lost’
By Sara Zarr
Little Brown & Co
Pub Date: 10/1/09
$16.99
217 pp
Sara Zarr caught my attention with her first novel, “Story of a Girl.” She followed that up with “Sweethearts,” and her third novel “Once Was Lost” is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Zarr’s teen-aged girls are not upbeat and cheery, not rich or popular, just normal teens.
As the pastor’s daughter, Sam has never been truly accepted with others her age. She’s been covering for her alcoholic mother for months, but with her mom’s removal to rehab, Sam feels abandoned and lonely. Her clueless father and secretive friends add to her torment. After a local girl is kidnapped, the town’s hopelessness and frustration add to and reflect Sam’s own secret feelings.
This novel was impossible for me to put down. I yearned for Sam to be understood and noticed. The book is being marketed to teens, but seriously adults, you’ll love it, too. Recommended for ages 12 and up. CV — Review by Laura Flaugher
’The Calligrapher’s Daughter’
By Eugenia Kim
Henry Holt & Co
Pub Date: 8/4/09
$26
286 pp
Fans of Lisa See and Gail Tsukiyama will love this epic novel set in Korea during WWII. Najin is the daughter of a well-known calligrapher. Her father’s work graces the walls of royalty, and she grows up in comfort. However, politics change as Japan takes control of Korea, and Najin’s family begins to struggle.
After a quick marriage and an attempt to follow her husband to America, Najin finds her visa denied. She is left alone to live in the home of her in-laws, sleeping in a corner and serving the household much like a slave would. Things worsen as the Japanese take her into custody as a suspected spy, and as her own parents’ health declines, she wonders if her life and her family will ever be whole again.
This fascinating novel adds to the beautiful Asian-inspired literature so many of us enjoy. Korea’s little-known history makes this story special. CV
— Review by Laura Flaugher
