June Book Club Reviews

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Gilead by Marilynne Robinson 

Gilead follows the thoughts of John Ames as he recalls the events of his life, his father’s life, and his grandfather’s life across a long letter to his son. All three have been Congregationalist ministers in the town of Gilead, Iowa, though they have had very different perspectives on social issues, politics, and religion. Hoping to collect some wisdom for his young child, who will barely know him, John may also find some deeper understanding within his own life as he puts everything down on paper. 

This novel does have a solid narrative structure, but I found that what I loved about it was the writing itself. A mix between introspective poetry and self-reflection, the work that it suggested was a play, Our Town by Thorton Wilder. Both pieces are pastoral in setting and meditative about life. While John Ames is not yet dead, his narration does come at what he is comfortable calling the end of his life. This isn’t a book to quickly breeze through; this is a book to slow down and take your time with and not worry about whether you’ll be able to finish it in one sitting or not. 

I also appreciate how theological and philosophical issues are drawn out over the course of three generations: John Ames, his father, and his grandfather. This alleviates the pressure to have the main character go through a huge persona shift and gives some room for him to simply wrestle with ideas throughout his life. And while there were some religious perspectives that the ministers engaged with that may not have been my cup of tea, I appreciate that there’s enough calmness and room in the writing to stretch my own philosophical legs and find my own emotional understanding of the characters. 

Review by Adam

The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge

When Faith’s father is found dead under mysterious circumstances, she is determined to untangle the truth from the lies. Searching through his belongings for clues, she discovers a strange tree. A tree that feeds off whispered lies and bears fruit that reveals hidden secrets. A feminist historical fiction with a touch of magic, The Lie Tree is a captivating book.  

Set in a historical yet fantastical Victorian England in the 19th century, the book tackles themes of mystery, lies, feminism, and discrimination that seem absurd yet painfully accurate. Faith Sunderly is a fourteen-year-old girl stuck in the “not quite a child and not quite adult” phase. She is determined to find the truth behind her father’s murder. The fantasy aspect of the book comes from the tree Faith finds that her father was hiding. The tree grows in absolute darkness, seemingly fed on lies. I loved the historical fiction and fantasy mix that Hardinge brought to the book.  

Why do I recommend it for adults? Despite the main character being fourteen, the story feels appropriate for all ages in the same way classics like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer can be read and enjoyed by all ages. I appreciated Faith’s budding feminism, fierce determination, and defiance of authority, which also feels appropriate for all ages. The book also carries religious/mythological themes that I enjoyed reading and speculating about. Part feminist literature and part murder mystery, this take on a classic adventure story isn’t one to be missed.

Review by Liz

The Story of My Life by Helen Keller

Initially written by Keller in 1903, this book has dozens of editions and updates. I read the 2003 copy, listed as “edited by Roger Shattuck” and “with Dorothy Herrmann.” The actual part of the book written by Keller is short, detailed, and fascinating. She thought being blind and deaf was the least interesting thing about her, so she aimed to write down a quick history of her early life, so she didn’t have to keep talking about it. It’s super engrossing to hear about her early years, especially as her life and language opened up when she worked with Anne Sullivan. 

The majority of the book, though, is compiled of Keller’s own writing and letters as a very young child, Sullivan’s letters describing her work and progress with Keller, and writing by others who knew Keller and Sullivan personally. It’s captivating to see her language progress so quickly and uniquely from her firsthand viewpoint. It really puts into perspective the other struggles (mostly mere annoyances) most of us deal with. For anyone who enjoyed The Miracle Worker in any format or wants to read about Keller directly from the source, this is an interesting and extensive read. 

Review by Shelly

Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu

Eric Bittle is a former junior figure skating champion, vlogger, and amateur baker, and he’s heading to college. Besides facing school challenges, he is also a freshman on the university hockey team, which is more intense than the co-ed club team he played on in Georgia. Oh, and let’s not forget his growing crush on team captain Jack. This book collects the first half of the popular webcomic.   

The webcomic Check, Please! is a sweet and funny coming-of-age story of Bitty, who is just the most endearing character, and all his teammates who embrace him with open arms. While it may look like a sportsbook, hockey is only there as a reason Bitty makes friends; it’s about the friendships and relationships formed while in college. Oh, and it’s about baked goods. Oh, how I wish I could try the things that Bitty makes!  

Review by Amelia

Midnight Bayou by Nora Roberts

Declan Fitzgerald fell in love with Manet Hall the first time he saw it, and now 11 years later, he has purchased the dilapidated mansion outside of New Orleans and with it the ghosts who haunt once lived there. Declan is set on restoring the house and starts work on renovating it even though he keeps experiencing visions and bouts of sleepwalking, and he even passes out a time or two. He also wants to solve the mystery of who is haunting Manet Hall, and Lena Simone will help him uncover the truth about Manet Hall and a family secret that connects her to the once-stately mansion.  

I have just returned from visiting my people down in Louisiana, which included a trip to the bayou to see the work being done to rebuild after Hurricane Ida. I wanted something to read that I could easily pick up and put back down, and I felt that revisiting this Nora Roberts novel was the perfect option. She captures the feel of NOLA and the French Quarter and the mysticism and supernatural beliefs of the city and the people who live there. It’s an easy romance read with some paranormal mystery and suspense. It was also made into a Lifetime Movie with Jerry O’Connell as Declan and Faye Dunnaway as Miss Odette. 

Review by Amelia

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

Hannah is happily married to Owen and struggling with her relationship with his daughter, Bailey, who is barely civil to her. Hannah’s husband disappears, and she finds only a note with two words: “Protect her.” She knows the note refers to her stepdaughter Bailey but doesn’t know who she’s supposed to protect her from or why. This kicks off the mystery about what Owen has done, where he is, and who he is. Hannah and Bailey set out to discover the truth while trying to figure out what that might mean for them, their relationship, and the future of their complicated family. 

The Last Thing He Told Me is a very well-paced, page-turning thriller with lots of suspense. I was immediately hooked from the beginning and could not put it down till the end. The characters were brought to life in such a short amount of time, and I quickly became invested in Hannah and Bailey’s relationship, sometimes even more so than the plot. With numerous twists and turns, The Last Thing He Told Me is a well-plotted and entertaining read.  

Review by Sai