The Last Empress

by Aimee

**** [3/5]

This was a fairly good book. It tells the story of the last empress of China, but more interestingly it tells the story of China during the Boxer rebellion. The narrative is informative but told from the perspective of the Empress which holds the reader's interest. I am not an expert on the history, but the story seemed to break from some of the traditional perceptions of the Empress. Very interesting book.

The Kite Runner

by Khaled Hosseini

[2/5]

I read this book several years ago when it first was published. I just watched the movie and was reminded of how dark this book about kites really is. The movie is very true to the story and the whole thing is presented in subtitles so it feels very culturally correct even if it is not. This is a boyhood coming of age story set in Afganistan. It tells the story of one boys cruelty to his best friend at an age when he knew better. The end explores this family secret in more detail but it never really feels like the story has closure.

Riders of the Purple Sage

by Zane Grey

*** [3/5]

This a fast paced western story that I picked only because I had never read anything by Zane Grey before. In this particular story I think the Mormons are a bit mis-treated by the author, but the story is compelling and the characters are well formed. No surprising twists but a fun read.