A Single Witness is based on a true story in which a man is convicted of raping his daughter and sentenced to hard labor. But it’s not quite as simple as that in the novel. Anna Maria hardly comes out of it as a “winner.” Christine Balint develops the story from the scant historical record. There are no winners; there may not even be any “justice.”
Category: Book Reviews
Book Reviews
A review of Dear Palestine by Emma Goldman-Sherman
Goldman-Sherman is a poet uniquely able to identify with the oppressed, knowing what it is to be controlled, fed lies while vulnerable, and used at the pleasure of another. If family can hurt family, it is because Abraham’s sons continue to live and die. Philadelphia can only survive and bear a courageous witness, sharing in ways the reader won’t easily forget.
A review of Gran Partita by Matthew McDonald
Gran Partita is a postcard from a rare place, a musician cum poet’s work, or rather a series of them. It ranges around the world as well as within the mind of a creative.It is an eclectic collection that bucks strict theming, opting instead to name its sections after classical movement forms that have a rough correlation, but allow for expressive musicality.
A review of How to Start a Residential Cleaning Business by Nats Cleaning
What lingers after reading this book is a sense of quiet confidence. It reminds us that success does not always come from complicated ideas but from practical action, consistency, and the courage to begin. What an inspiring message for all readers, whether we want to start a new business of our own or grow our existing business.
A Review of Jazz June: A Self-Portrait in Essays by Clifford Thompson
So, why start the collection with outer space? With a childhood self looking up to the night sky in awe? For me, the undercurrent of this book is an older narrator looking back at a young self who is perplexed by an unknown or hidden world. This makes for a relatable sensation: the older self understanding something the younger self didn’t grasp. Maybe that’s why beginning with the moons is so beautiful.
A review of Through a Glass Darkly by Libby Hathorn
Central to the work is the instability of what we see, how identity is shaped not only by what is visible, but by what is obscured or misinterpreted. The title’s allusion to partial vision comes through Evie’s growing self-recognition, rendered in language that is both delicate and exacting. Hathorn avoids overt dramatisation, instead trusting the cumulative power of small moments: a shift in tone, an image or character that recurs with altered meaning, from happiness in all of its forms, dreams, time, marriage and divorce, care and los
A Review of Perdido by MF Drummy
Drummy’s debut collection, Perdido, takes the reader through physical and emotional landscapes, revealing the bittersweet beauty of our real and metaphorical deserts. The backdrop of human loss sits behind the comforts that remain: the places we’ve been, the memories we hold, our loving relationships, and hope’s constancy glimmering at the edges.
A Review of Identifying the Pathogen by Jennifer Militello
Inquisitive and morbid, this body of work breathes new life into the corpse of Anna Morandi Manzolini, a woman largely forgotten by the march of time. Militello preserves Morandi Manzolini’s cadaver with the utmost precision, refusing to let the world forget her and all women alike who have persisted in the face of systemic gender injustice.
A review of Goddess of Swizzle by Shirley Brewer
Getting drunk on Shirley Brewer’s words, binging on her rich imagery and drinking in her joyous perspective are truly the bacchanalian treats offered by Goddess of Swizzle.
A review of Bring Us Home From Sorrow by Joanne Fedler
Though Bring Us Home From Sorrow is a book that moves through death and deep grief, it is expansive and even in its darkest moments, uplifting. It reminds us that none of us are alone – that we are all held in our grief by the communities we belong to and the unique forms of grief and love that everyone experiences.