A New York Village Devoted to Books!!

 

Wow, I now want to book a trip to Hobart, New York!! Hobart, New York has a population of about 400 people and is located in the Catskills. They have seven bookstores in their village. 

Apparently the inspiration for the book village in Hobart, New York is based on the thriving Welsh book town, Hay-On-Wye!

Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow-Lives of Plants by Fez Inkwright

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow-Lives of Plants by Fez Inkwright, which was very well narrated by Leslie Howard.

Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow-Lives of Plants by Fez Inkwright is a work of nonfiction and it marks my eighth read of 2025! There's a general introduction for this book, which is followed by each plant presented in alphabetical order. For each poisonous plant listed, there is first a quote about the poisonous plant, followed by information on what makes the plant poisonous, the plant's place in history, its folklore, and what it had been used for historically. I found the information fascinating! I enjoyed how the information was presented by the author. 

Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow-Lives of Plants is a great read for those that who are gardeners, lovers of botany, lovers of folklore, and readers of nonfiction. I would highly recommend this book.

Listening time for Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow-Lives of Plants by Fez Inkwright is 7 hours, 15 minutes.

Below is the publisher's summary for Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow-Lives of Plants by Fez Inkwright, which I found on Amazon's website:

Discover the folklore and history of our most toxic plants.

"If you drink much from a bottle marked 'poison,' it is almost certain to disagree with you, sooner or later." (Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland)

In both history and fiction, some of the most dramatic, notorious deaths have been through poisonings. Concealed and deliberate, it's a crime that requires advance planning and that for many centuries could go virtually undetected. And yet there is a fine line between healing and killing: The difference lies only in the dosage!

In Botanical Curses and Poisons, Fez Inkwright returns to folkloric and historical archives to reveal the fascinating, untold stories behind a variety of lethal plants, witching herbs, and funghi. Going from A to Z, she covers everything from apple (think of the poisoned fruit in "Snow White") and the hallucinogenic angel's trumpet to laurel, which emits toxic fumes, to oleander (a deadly ornamental shrub), with each plant beautifully illustrated by the author herself. This enthralling treasury is packed with insight, lore, and the revealed mysteries of everyday flora-including the prevalence of poisoning in ancient Rome, its use in religion and magic, and common antidotes - making this perfect for gardeners, writers, folklorists, witches, and scientists alike!

I am giving Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow-Lives of Plants by Fez Inkwright a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Jane Austen's Legacy 250 Years After Her Birth

 

I saw this video on Jane Austen's legacy on YouTube when it was fist posted. I meant to share it here on my blog at that time. Better late than never, I suppose!!

The above segment is a nice tribute to Jane Austen's legacy 250 years after her birth. Jane Austen contributed so much to the world of literature. It's nice to see her being honored today. 

It's also astounding to think she only made the equivalent of $70,000 to $80,000 dollars over the course of her lifetime. Jane Austen's characters were consumed with finding financial security, yet Jane Austen died in relative poverty.

I encourage you to watch the above video to learn more about Jane Austen's life, if you are so inclined.

Actress Julianne Moore's Children's Book, FreckleFace Strawberry, Has Been Banned in Some Schools!!

 

Goodness, I didn't even know that actress, Julianne Moore, had even written a children's book! Freckleface Strawberry was published around 20 years ago and is about a young girl coming to terms with her freckles.

Freckleface Strawberry is being cited as inappropriate for children in military schools per Donald Trump's hardline views on what's appropriate for young children to read. The reason's for the book being pulled from military schools sounds like sheer nonsense!!

I do not understand Trump's lunacy for banning books. The very far right conservatives are trying to take us back to the 1950s. I'm sure of it.

Aphrodite's Island by Hilary Green

Aphrodite's Island by Hilary Green is my seventh read of 2025! I listened to the unabridged audio version, which is nicely narrated by Ana Clements.

It's no secret that I love historical fiction and a good mystery too. Aphrodite's Island falls into both genres nicely. Aphrodite's Island is essentially two stories in one. How these two stories meld together makes for fun reading.

The novel starts out set in the country of Cyprus in 1955 with British National Serviceman, Stephen Allenby. During Stephen Allenby's time in Cyprus he falls in love with a 17 year old local girl named, Ariadne. They want to marry each other, but it isn't possible due to the political climate in Cyprus at the time. Ariadne becomes pregnant with Stephen's baby, but they aren't able to connect so that Ariadne may share with Stephen's baby. Due to political climate, they never see each other again. What becomes of Ariadne?

Fast forward to the 1970s, where the point of view switches to Cressida Allenby. Cressida is the young daughter of Stephen Allenby and his wife, Laura, back in England. Laura and Stephen are both working as teachers and their marriage is in shambles. Stephen can't stand working as a teacher, but an opportunity to return to Cyprus for work purposes presents itself and Stephen and his family move there. Stephen hopes the change of scenery will invigorate his married life, but it doesn't. Another major upheaval occurs in Cyprus in the early 1970s due to political instability within Cyprus and expats must evacuate Cyprus asap.

Fast forward to the 1990s. Cressida Allenby is now an adult has lost her mother due to death, is dumped by her longtime boyfriend, and is feeling tired herself. So, Cressida decides to take a holiday in Cyprus to rejuvenate. During her time in Cyprus, Cressida begins to learn that her family's past may not be as it seems and begins investigating the past by reading a newly discovered journal belonging to her late mother and love letters written in Greek by her father to an unknown woman. Cressida begins to question things about her parents and their lives together as a family. Cressida never really knew her father very well and was told by her mother that he'd died when she was really young. Laura refused to discuss anything about Stephen with Cressida, despite Cressida wanting to know more about her father.

Also during this time in Cyprus, Cressida falls for a local man, but Cressida doesn't seem to think he has the same feelings for her... Or so she thinks! Cressida returns to London, England after her holiday in Cyprus and this is where a lot of the plot's twists and turns happen. AND there are a lot of twists and turns!

I won't continue my review any further for those that may want to read this novel. It is a good read.

Listening time for Aphrodite's Island by Hilary Green is 7 hours, 8 minutes.

Below is the publisher's summary for Aphrodite's Island by Hilary Green, which I found on Amazon's website:

One letter can change your whole life.

Cressida thought she knew her family’s history, but when she finds a box of old love letters, it makes her question everything.

Cyprus, 1955.

Seventeen-year-old Ariadne is in love with young British National Serviceman, Stephen Allenby. But her family are deeply involved with an organization campaigning for a union with Greece, and do not approve.

And they’re not the only ones.

It’s only a matter of time before Stephen is sent back to England, leaving Ariadne pregnant and alone. Stephen does his best to move on with his life. He marries Laura and has a baby girl called Cressida, but it’s not long before the cracks start to show and his marriage falls apart …

Cyprus, 1998.

Forty-three years later, Cressida goes to Cyprus to recover from the double trauma of her mother’s death and the desertion of her boyfriend. She wants to find out why her father disappeared from her life when she was six, and she’s convinced the island holds the answers.

The chance discovery of a box of love letters written in Greek to her father leads Cressida on a quest for the truth. Who wrote those letters? And are they somehow linked to her father’s disappearance?

Her search for answers leads her on a heartbreaking journey of love, loss, and discovery.

I am giving Aphrodite's Island by Hilary Green a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars. This is the first 4 star review I've given to a book this year. All of my previous reads this year have been 3 star reads.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

After Oz by Gordon McAlpine

 

I listened to the unabridged audio version of After Oz by Gordon McAlpine, which is well narrated by Maria Ru-Djen. Gordon McAlpine is a new to me author.

I was initially attracted to After Oz by Gordon McAlpine because of it's association with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. After Oz isn't so much a retelling of L. Frank Baum's classic novel, but a novel that comes up with what actually might have happened to Dorothy and her dog, Toto, after she returns to Kansas from the land of Oz... And what a creative storyline Gordon McAlpine writes in After Oz!

After Oz is a combination mystery/thriller/suspense novel and historical fiction novel set in the late 1890s than it is a fantasy novel. Although, the events of After Oz are centered on Dorothy Gale's life after the tornado and her 'subsequent' visit to Oz occurred,  Dorothy herself isn't really the main character of After Oz. In fact, I would have liked to see Dorothy's character play a larger role in After Oz, but I am getting ahead of myself.

After Oz begins with the tornado and its aftermath. The setting is in Kansas, of course, during the late 1890s in a rural farming community. Dorothy had gone missing just prior to the tornado and is found with her dog, Toto, a few days later disoriented in a neighbor's pumpkin patch.

Physically, Dorothy is unhurt, but her fantastical tale of Oz with its flying monkeys, talking beasts, the scarecrow, the tin man, and both a good witch and a bad witch have the very conservative and religious townsfolk up in arms over Dorothy's mental frame of mind. The fact that Dorothy states she accidentally killed the 'bad witch' while in Oz with water that melts the 'bad witch' only further solidified that her mental health is off.

A few days later, a local woman within the community is found dead in her home. No one in the community liked the dead woman and many people often called her a witch. To make matters worse, the woman's face was melted a way through the use of lye. Due to Dorothy's statement that she killed a bad witch while visiting Oz and the way in which the 'bad witch' was supposedly killed, the locals feel that Dorothy killed the local woman. Long story short, Dorothy is committed to an insane asylum for the crime of murder and she's only eleven years old girl.

It isn't until 28 year old psychologist, Dr. Evelyn Grace Wilford, discovers Dorothy's case and comes to the asylum where Dorothy has been committed and evaluates Dorothy for herself. Dr. Wilford determines that Dorothy is innocent of murder and is set out to prove it by finding the guilty party. This leads Dr. Wilford back to Dorothy's hometown where she interviews the important townsfolk pertinent to Dorothy's case. After Oz becomes more of a mystery/thriller/suspense novel at this time and is primarily told through the point of view of Dr. Wilford and also an unknown narrator from the community. Lots of twists and turn happen within After Oz and an unexpected ending as well.

The storyline for After Oz is intriguing and captivating. The writing was good and the characters were interesting. I enjoyed After Oz quite a but, but the overly abundant religious overtones, some of the narrow minded townsfolk, and what seemed liked some implausibilities here and there with regards to what life might be like during the late 1890s made After Oz a tad less appealing.

Below is the publisher's summary for After Oz by Gordon McAlpine from the Goodread's website:

Gripping and emotionally riveting, this whimsical tale is an empowering and timely retelling of The Wizard of Oz where one little girl is forced to face head-on the prejudices of the Midwest in the late 19th century.

Kansas, 1896. After a tornado destroys the Gale family farm, 11-year-old Dorothy goes missing. As the days pass by, the Gales are increasingly terrified the worst has happened. But when the girl turns up unharmed four days later, the townsfolk breathe in a sigh of relief. That is, until Dorothy herself relates her account of the events that took place after her disappearance.

In vivid detail, Dorothy describes a fantastical land and its magical inhabitants, from the scarecrow, the tin man, and the cowardly lion to the wizard and the witch. Her recollections are not only regarded as delusional, but also as pagan and diabolical in nature, especially when the body of a local spinster is found.

Making connections between the evil witch Dorothy claims to have defeated and the ill-tempered old crone, authorities find what they believe to be incriminating evidence, sentencing Dorothy to the Topeka Insane Asylum.

When 28-year-old psychologist Dr. Evelyn Grace Wilford arrives at the asylum to interview Dorothy, she begins to wonder if Dorothy truly committed the crime or if something unfathomable has really occurred.

In a small town full of insidious secrets, will Evelyn be able to save Dorothy from her terrible circumstances? Or is something menacing lurking just out of sight?

I am giving After Oz by Gordon McAlpine a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

The Sacrifice by Rin Chupeco

 

I finished listening to unabridged audio version The Sacrifice by Rin Chupeco, which is well narrated by Pun Bandhu over the President's Day Weekend. This is my fifth read for 2025.

The Sacrifice falls into the young adult genre with horror/fantasy elements mixed into the novel. The novel itself is set in the Philippines on an island named, Kisapmata, that most of the locals won't go near due to the island being haunted by a Diwata. Diwata, according to what I discovered from performing a Google search, is defined as follows:

Diwata "refers to a fairy, nature spirit, celestial being, or mythological god/goddess. It's rooted in Filipino mythology and folklore, often associated with natural elements like mountains, forests, and bodies of water."

Diwata in The Sacrifice essentially means a 'God'... And, yes, there is quite a bit of natural elements associated throughout the novel itself as well. I enjoyed the Filipino folklore/mythology being referenced in a novel. I would actually have enjoyed learning more about Filipino folklore/mythology in this novel... Bring it on!

The basic premise of The Sacrifice is that a Hollywood film crew arrives on the island to film the unusual happenings that have been observed/noted over the years on Kisapmata. The Hollywood film crew wants to capture any unusual phenomenon and turn it into a reality television show/series. Things go south fast from the very start of the novel! The main character is Alon, a nonbinary teen, that is a local and tour guide for the Hollywood film crew. Alon knows the history of the Kisapmata and is the only person willing to discuss the island's history with the film crew. As we come to realize over time, there's a lot more to Alon than what there appears to be on the surface! 

Alon also has a dog that seems to understand more than what a dog would normally understand. Alon and another teen named, Chase, have an attraction to each other. Chase is the son of one of the television executives for the television show. Chase happens to be a successful social media influencer and is going through a rough break up with a girlfriend. The attraction Chase feels for Alon is palpable, but doesn't go very far beyond an attraction as it isn't the primary focus of the novel. 

The main focus of The Sacrifice is all that is going on on the island since the arrival of the film crew. The crew members are essentially held hostage on Kisapmata by the Diwata. Communications to the mainland have gone down and a storm is preventing rescue teams from moving in to take the film crew off the island. Most of the crew members start having hallucinations. Alon has to play interference and protect most of the crew members from the Diwata. Film crew members start turning on each other as the novel moves forward. All things come to a head at the end of the novel.

Also worth noting, Rin Chupeco is a new to me author. Since reading The Sacrifice, I've learned that she is of Chinese-Filipino decent, is pansexual, lives with her partner, and two children. 

I am always on the lookout for novels written by Pacific Islanders or Filipino-American writers as my husband was born in the Philippines and moved to the United States as a young child with his family.

Below is the publisher's summary for The Sacrifice by Rin Chupeco from Amazon's website:

An island oasis turns deadly when a terrifying legend threatens to kill off visitors one by one in this haunting novel from the highly acclaimed author of The Girl from the Well and the Bone Witch trilogy.

Pristine beaches, lush greenery, and perfect weather, the island of Kisapmata would be the vacation destination…if not for the curse. The Filipino locals speak of it in hushed voices and refuse to step foot on the island. They know the lives it has claimed. They won't be next.

A Hollywood film crew won't be dissuaded. Legend claims a Dreamer god sleeps, waiting to grant unimaginable powers in exchange for eight sacrifices. The producers are determined to document the evidence. And they convince Alon, a local teen, to be their guide.

Within minutes of their arrival, a giant sinkhole appears, revealing a giant balete tree with a mummified corpse entwined in its gnarled branches. And the crew start seeing strange visions. Alon knows they are falling victim to the island's curse. If Alon can't convince them to leave, there is no telling who will survive. Or how much the Dreamer god will destroy…

I am giving The Sacrifice by Rin Chupeco 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Top Eleven Tuesday - Books I Never Reviewed in 2022

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Top Ten Tuesday was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

In 2022, I essentially didn't write/publish many posts. However, I read many great books that year. I tried to narrow down my choices of just ten books I loved, but didn't review in 2022. So, instead, I chose 11 books to highlight in this week's post.

1. My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor
2. My Life As A White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland
3. Jubilee by Margaret Walker
4. The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson
5. Tomorrow Will Be Different: Love, Loss, and the Fight for Trans Equality by Sarah McBride

6. H Is For Hawk by Helen MacDonald

7. The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater

8. All American Boys by Jason Reynolds

9. Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya

10. The Modern Gentleman by Meghan Quinn
11. Where the Lost Dogs Go: A Story of Love, Search, and the Power of Reunion by Susannah Charleson

Which books have you not reviewed?

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

Toxicology by Jessica Hagedorn

Toxicology is the 4th novel I've read by Filipino-American writer and playwright, Jessica Hagedorn. Incidentally, Toxicology is also my 4th read of 2025. Hagedorn's writing is edgy, artsy, unique and quite a wild ride. If you haven't read any of her novels, then you're in for a treat!

Quite frankly, Toxicology wasn't what I was expecting. It is edgy, unique, and artsy as to be expected from Jessica Hagedorn, but not as engaging as her other novels. I liked the characters and the storyline for Toxicology, which is written in a unique voice only Jessica Hagedorn can bring to the table... BUT, some of the imagery just went over my head. I liked Toxicology, but it just didn't resonate with me like her previous novels did.

If you want to explore Jessica Hagedorn's writing, I wouldn't recommend starting with Toxicology. Try reading Dogeaters or The Gangster of Love instead.

Below is the publisher's summary for Toxicology by Jessica Hagedorn found Amazon's website:

A bold new novel about the intersection of art, love, fame, and money from the acclaimed author of Dogeaters.

Jessica Hagedorn's edgy and entertaining new novel centers on the lives of two women who are neighbors in Manhattan's West Village. Mimi Smith is a filmmaker of low-budget slasher movies in search of new material. Her neighbor Eleanor Delacroix is a legendary writer of erotic fiction, now nearing eighty and addicted to cocaine and gin. Their personal and artistic lives begin to collide in unexpected ways as Eleanor grieves over the recent death of her live-in lover, the renowned painter Yvonne Wilder, and as Mimi deals with the challenges presented by her newly sober brother Carmelo; her drug-dealing boyfriend, who has mysteriously disappeared; and her wayward fourteen-year-old daughter, Violet. Looming over all these characters is the ghost of Agnes-an "illegal" and cousin of Mimi's who might have been murdered by her New Jersey employers. Toxicology is a dark yet playful exploration of money, desire, mortality, and the connection between creativity and self-destruction.

I am giving Toxicology by Jessica Hagedorn a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Top Eleven Tuesday - Books I Read and Loved Before I Began Blogging!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Top Ten Tuesday was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Below are eleven books I read and loved prior to blogging. I almost wish I was reading these books for the 1st time again now, so that I could review them here on my blog. Maybe I could reread them again in the future and blog about them then?

1. The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi
2. Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper -- Case Closed by Patricia Cornwell
3. East of Eden by John Steinbeck
4. The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
5. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
6. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

7. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

8. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

9. A Hero of Our Time by Mikhail Lermontov

10. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

11. Twenty-Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

Which books have you read before you began blogging and loved? Would you ever consider rereading these books and reviewing them on your blog?

Author, Tom Robbins Dies at Age 92

 

I read a single novel by Tom Robbins decades ago now. I can't even remember the name of the novel I read by Robbins, nor if I even liked it or not! Rest in Peace, Mr. Robbins!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters

 

Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters had been on my reading wishlist for a longtime. I'm so glad I finally listened to the unabridged audio version of this classic. 

Listening time for Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters is 4 hours, 24 minutes, which makes for a quick read if that's your thing!

The audio edition I listened to of Spoon River Anthology was dramatized by a full cast of narrators, which I truly enjoyed. I almost felt like I was listening to an old-time radio broadcast due to the different, unique narrations for each character in this book.

Although, I enjoyed Spoon River Anthology, I initially found it difficult to follow the flow of various monologues written in free verse poetry. It's a unique way to write a book. It was pretty easy to grasp the concept right away and go with the flow of the book shortly after I began listening to it.

Have you ever wondered what someone say if they came back from the grave? The Spoon River Anthology answers this scenario in its own unique way by having the characters from the fictional town of Spoon River, discuss their life here on Earth after they've already died. Each character is quite colorful. Some of the characters were horrible people, while others were good people.

Below is the publisher's summary for Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters from Amazon's website:

In 1915, Edgar Lee Masters published a book of dramatic monologues written in free verse about a fictional town called Spoon River, based on the Midwestern towns where he grew up. The shocking scandals and secret tragedies of Spoon River were immediately recognized by readers as authentic. Masters raises the dead “sleeping on the hill” in their village cemetery to tell the truth about their lives, and their testimony topples the American myth of the moral superiority of small-town life. Spoon River, as undeniably corrupt and cruel as the big city, is home to murderers, drunkards, crooked bankers, lechers, bitter wives, abusive husbands, failed dreamers, and a few good souls. The freshness of this masterpiece undiminished, Spoon River Anthology remains a landmark of American literature.

I am giving Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

Marsh's Library is the Oldest Public Library in Dublin, Ireland!

 

Marsh's Library in Dublin, Ireland was founded in 1707 and was the 1st public library in Ireland! Marsh's library has a collection of over 25,000 books, 300 manuscripts, and was founded by Narcissus Marsh. I obtained this information from Wikipedia. Click on the above link to read more about Marsh's Library!

Side note, I don't think the library locks patrons/readers inside cages any longer in an effort to prevent them from stealing their rare books. However, it sounds like they did at one time. 

View the following photo of the "caged" reading rooms where readers sat inside while they were reviewing rare books.

Additionally, I discovered that Marsh's Library is situated next to St Patrick's Cathedral. Author, Jonathan Swift, is buried at St. Patrick's Cathedral. So, it may be worthwhile to visit St. Patrick's Cathedral and also Swift's burial site before or after visiting Marsh's Library.

Below is a short video, which showcases the interior of Marsh's Library!

Marsh's Library looks amazing!! I would love to visit this library along with St. Patrick's Cathedral some day.

Death Comes For The Archbishop by Willa Cather

 

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Death Comes For The Archbishop by Willa Cather, which was nicely narrated by Pete Cross. Listening time for Death Comes For The Archbishop by Willa Cather is 7 hours, 35 minutes.

Death Comes For The Archbishop is the second book I've read by Willa Cather. I had enjoyed this novel so much more than I did My Mortal Enemy by Willa Cather.

I enjoy reading the classics and historical fiction and Death Comes For The Archbishop by Willa Cather fits this bill very well. 

Death Comes For The Archbishop is loosely based on the life of Jean-Baptiste Lamy, a French-American Roman Catholic prelate who served as the first Archbishop of Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

I loved how Willa Cather chronicles what life may have actually been like in the US Southwest during a time period where life was still greatly influenced by Mexican and Native American customs and beliefs despite the fact that the area was governed by American Law. Plus, I read about the lives of the bishops infiltrating the US Southwest and what life was like for them during this time as well. It all made for interesting reading that felt like reading the actual, real life historical events as they unfolded.

Below is the publisher's summary for Death Comes For The Archbishop by Willa Cather from Chirp's website:

In 1851, Father Jean Marie Latour becomes the Apostolic Vicar to New Mexico. While the area is American by law, it’s still Mexican and Indian by custom and belief. During the years that follow, Latour tirelessly but gently spreads his faith while facing external and internal obstacles. Loosely based on the life of Jean-Baptiste Lamy and the construction of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, this novel chronicles the events that occur after the capture of the southwest by American forces during the Mexican-American war.

I am giving Death Comes For The Archbishop by Willa Cather a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!