Countdown

Four Three Two One really grabbed me right away and it kept me most of the way, but I feel like the editor just really didn't do this book justice.  I really would and will recommend this book but will be honest that I did think it was a little too long in some places.  But I will do so by way of encouraging them to stick with it.  Because I do think this is a really good book.  With a good message, too about different POVs and about forgiveness and healing. 

I told you so!

Kinda!

When I was ripping on The Stand here, I wanted to make it clear that I don't always pan a book because I don't like the author.  But Hillbilly Elegy:  a Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis is proof- kinda.  I mean, I don't dislike J.D. Vance at all.  I really, really liked him.  But I didn't expect too, since I am biased against conservatives and he is a conservative.  But man, now that I read what REAL self-proclaimed conservatives are saying about him, I figure there is no reason at all not to like this guy!  They really rip him a new one.  As conservative and liberals are want to do.  

Spoilers but not worth reading the book anyway

The Keeper of the Doves is set in Kentucky at the turn of the century- 1800s to 1900s, not the most recent one. It is told from the perspective of a young girl, Amy, who is the fifth of five girls in a rich family. It is a sweet story and a sad story and it takes a cheapo shot by going for the "dead dog" deal. I really don't see the point in killing off beloved family pets. It pretty much ruined the story for me. Oh, it is nicely written, a book about understanding the differences in people, yadda, yadda, yadda. But it jumps the the shark as if it's trying to be a girl's Where the Red Fern Grows. Not enough is good about the book to make it profound. It's one of those pretentious books that tries to be important by showing that people aren't all bad or all good or truth is sometimes hard to know because of perception and wacky recluses are nice or whatever but really, it just ends up being a kill the pet story.
If the book wanted to prove the power of words, it did. Put in words about a dead dog and it kills your whole book.