The Widower's Tale by Julia Glass

My latest:  Percy Darling is 70 years old, a retired Harvard librarian, father of two grown daughters, grandfather to three and pretty much settled into life.  He's been a widow for 30 years and because of the guilt he still feels surrounding his wife's passing, he's done with love.  Sounds as though Percy's life is one simply waiting for the end but in reality, the next several months have something of a surprise in store for our main character. 

Julia Glass weaves an intricate tale of family and the highs and lows that comes with it.  As usual, she tosses in some interesting characters, some you love (Sarah) and some you wish would go away.  Like Maeve Binchy, she does a great job at tying seemingly unconnected characters together and manages to make a hodge podge of people become symbiotic.  This is my fourth read by Julia Glass and though it isn't my favorite - it is still a great read and definitely worth your time!

I See You Everywhere by Julia Glass

So my most recent read is about Louisa and Clement, sisters, 4 years apart who live their lives, it seems, in competition with each other. The novel spans 25 years and takes the reader through seemingly ordinary times in the ladies lives, told in one or the other's point of view. The older of the two, Louisa is the more solid sister always on the hunt for love - someone to make her life full. She's the one who's sacrificed her "art" to live a life that's more sensible. Clem, is the "favorite" child, the adventuress who can't commit and doesn't want to. In addition to never committing to a relationship, she never fully commits to life either. She moves from place to place, looking for something to which she can connect. As time passes, the two sisters seem to grow increasingly closer (even though the miles always keep them apart). The jealousy that Louisa feels for Clem seems to wan and we see that all is not necessarily peaches and cream in Clem's unfulfilled life.

This novel was interesting because I thought when adding it to my list, I would feel some sort of understanding toward the sister's circumstances; their relationship. The opposite was true, however because I couldn't relate at all to the jealousy and competition constantly pulling at the seams of their connection. I don't feel that toward Anne or Maggie. I don't feel that we're constantly trying to "one up" the other and I don't feel like I'm being emotionally sabotaged by them. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy this novel. I did like it but it wasn't nearly as compelling as Julia Glass's other books (Three Junes or The Whole World Over). It's interesting to see the other side of sisterly relationships and after reading this book I thank God I have a different kind of relationship - friendship - with my sisters.

By the way - I'm now on to my next novel which I'm soooooo exited about (The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo)...I can't wait to read this and 61 pages in - I already love it! Later.

The Whole World Over by Julia Glass

I am now onto the next one: The Whole World Over by Julia Glass. This is her second novel - I read the first (Three Junes) and loved it. This one's about Greenie Duquette - a baker, mother and wife. She's currently living in New York and through a twist of fate, she is wooed by the governor of New Mexico to be his personal chef. In the meantime, Greenie's husband, Alan is left behind and he along with others are forced to deal with the consequences of Greenie's actions. I really look forward to reading this one. The author is great at creating, with her characters, those 6 degrees of of separation that is said to connect us all. I'll let you know.

Update:  So I've finished The Whole World Over by Julia Glass. Very, very good. The author was able to include a few of the characters from her first book (Three Junes) into this one, which I always love. I know it sounds silly, but sometimes, after I've really enjoyed a book, I think about the characters and what they may be doing "now". I know these are works of fiction but when an author can do that for his/her readers, well, it's something special. Anyway, it was a really good read with lots of twists and turns and unpredictability. Glass is very good at connecting her different characters and entwining their lives together by the end of the book. Definitely recommended.

Three Junes by Julia Glass

I've had this book forever and now it's time. This is an award winning, debut novel about the Mcleod family. It is spread over three pivitol summers, (one in Greece, one in Greenwich Village and one in Scotland) and traces the members of a Scottish family as they deal with the joys and longings, fulfillments and betrayals of love in all its forms. So far (and I've only read 7 pages), it reads like a Maeve Binch or Rosamonde Pilcher (a good thing). I'll let you know.

Update:  I finished Three Junes by Julia Glass. It was terrific. I love books like this where the characters seem totally unrelated without any connection to other characters and in the end, they all meet up in a "six degrees of separation" type thing. Very reminiscent of Maeve Binchy and Rosamunde Pilcher. I have Glass's second book as well and will read that soon, I think.