Merry Christmas

 

This is my second attempt at a blog this month. The first was too dark to post. So I’m rethinking and rebooting. I’ve struggled with a number of issues like I’m guessing most people right now. So I’m going to re-focus.

I can’t be with my children or grandchildren this year. To say coming to terms with this has been hard is an understatement. Then I remembered. So many people don’t have this problem because they will never have that opportunity again. As of now, I do. So.

I choose to be grateful that everyone is being careful. I choose to be grateful that everyone is happy and healthy. This is no small thing. It’s huge. I choose to be grateful there is a vaccine on the horizon. So maybe by next Christmas, hopefully sooner, they will be in my arms again.

Merry Christmas with Love.

This painting just made me happy because it looks like hope.

THE WITCH ELM- DECEMBER 2020 BOOK SELECTION

 

Tana French is definitely one of my favorite authors. I’ve read or listened to all but her most recent novel. Set in Ireland, her novels are typically police procedural thrillers centering around different detectives in The Dublin Murder Squad.

My latest read by French was The Witch Elm. This is a slow-burning, standalone novel which shows how one decision, one event, can have a life-altering effect. As a result, the main character, Toby, navigates a series of horrific, sad and morally ambiguous circumstances. The novel deftly weaves the strands of seemingly unrelated events that impact the future of all the characters. French’s novels are not known for easy endings that wrap things up in a tidy bow. Still, this one is quite somber. It explores the darker side of human nature and poses the question of what one is capable of under certain circumstances. This is not a favorite by this author, but I still admire the masterful plot.

French’s most recent novel The Searcher, is also a standalone. I look forward to it. Hopefully it will be a bit lighter.