Italian drama and Typhoid Mary

 Happy Tuesday!  I thought I would take some time to catch up on the blog for tv and book chat. Here a few I finished.

Finished a buddy read with Susan at The Cue Card - The Story of a New Name by Elena  Ferrante. This is book two in the series. I rounded up to 4 stars.  The characters are complicated and you want to read more about the interactions between Lila and Elena but wow, what a vile bunch of characters surrounding them.  

Elena and Lila have been friends since they were very young and always had a tempetuous relationship.  At times they are fiercely loyal to one another and other times, barely controlling their jealousy with sharp comments or snubs.  Definitely a different friendship than any I have ever experienced.  They are young women now, Lila married at 16 to the overbearing Stefano.  He beats her, he buys her the best of everything but he will never break her spirit.  Sadly, Lila realizes too late she should have not married him.

Elena continues with her studies and excels with her educational pursuits. While she has a bit of envy about Lila's financial stabilty and standing in their community, Lila in turn has some envy about Elena being able to continue school and escaping the life in the neighborhood.

Jealousy, barbed comments, love and more in this novel.

📚📚📚📚📚📚

I also finished Fever by Mary Beth Keane.

This is a historical fiction relying heavy on facts about Mary Mallon,  an Irish woman, also known as Typhoid Mary.  She was arrested in 1907 because she was suspected of spreading disease.  The story details historical facts about her incarceration, testing ad nauseum, her employers and more. After her arrest she was held at a hospital for medical testing then moved to North Brother Island where she remained in quarantine for decades.

It's quite an interesting story and the author keeps you engaged with the personal details about Mary's life. 

Other books I have read by Keane are Ask Again, Yes and The Half Moon.  Looking forward to The Walking People.

As for watching, we have finished season one of Landman and Billy Bob Thorton is fantastic in the lead role.

It's spin time at the Classics Club so I will get my spin post up or scheduled before the weekend. I'm hoping for one of the British authors such as Graham Greene, Ann Bronte, Forester or Hardy.  We will see.

As I write we have two more nights in our home and then off to a hotel with Loki, then closing on the new place. Catch up with you later :-)

Sharing with:

Deb at Readerbuzz for Sunday Salon

Joy for British Isles Friday