Kate’s 2¢: “The nesting dolls: a novel” by Alina Adams

“The nesting dolls: a novel” by Alina Adams

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   I enjoyed this book for all the reasons other reviewers stated; although, I sometimes got confused when a lot of Hebrew or Russian names, places, and phrases were used.

“Adams’ sweeping tale offers captivating explorations of her characters and their complexities, particularly when it comes to their struggles between the pull of the heart and the realities in which they live.” – Booklist

“The Nesting Dolls is a vividly rendered, sweeping historical novel. Alina Adams deftly portrays three generations of women, beautifully weaving their coming of age stories about love, sacrifice, family, and ultimately survival. I absolutely devoured this compulsively readable gem of a novel.” (Jillan Cantor, USA Today bestselling author of The Lost Letter and In Another Time)

“A moving saga of three generations of women determined to triumph over the forces of history no matter the cost. The Nesting Dolls is memorable story of courage that is both inspiring and bittersweet.” (David R. Gillham, New York Times bestselling author of City of Women and Annelies)

“The author’s wry Soviet-Jewish humor enlivens the well-developed characters, who make fatal mistakes as well as selfless sacrifices. This is a satisfying, life-affirming saga.” – Publisher’s Weekly

“The novel adds a degree of nuance to a historical narrative that is often flattened: It depicts some of the subtleties and complexities of being a Jew in the Soviet Union, offering a partial corrective to the frequent oversimplification of a chapter of history that is anything but simple.” – The Kirkus Review

From: www.alinaadams.com/

Alina Adams is a New York Times best-selling author, romance and mystery writer, soap opera industry insider, and a pioneer in online storytelling and continuing drama.

Adams, was born in Odessa, Ukraine,  the Soviet Union and immigrated with her parents to Brighton, CA, U.S. at age seven, where she learned English by watching  TV

From NLS/BARD/LOC:        

The nesting dolls: a novel DB109355

Adams, Alina. Reading time: 12 hours, 33 minutes.

Read by Nancy Peterson.

Historical Fiction

Family

Psychological Fiction

“Spanning nearly a century, from 1930s Siberia to contemporary Brighton Beach, a pause resisting, epic family saga centering on three generations of women in one Russian Jewish family–each striving to break free of fate and history, each yearning for love and personal fulfillment–and how the consequences of their choices ripple through time. Odessa, 1931. Marrying the handsome, wealthy Edward Gordon, Daria–born Dvora Kaganovitch–has fulfilled her mother’s dreams. But a woman’s plans are no match for the crushing power of Stalin’s repressive Soviet state. To survive, Daria is forced to rely on the kindness of a man who takes pride in his own coarseness. Odessa, 1970. Brilliant young Natasha Crystal is determined to study mathematics. But the Soviets do not allow Jewish students–even those as brilliant as Natasha– to attend an institute as prestigious as Odessa University. With her hopes for the future dashed, Natasha must find a new purpose–one that leads her into the path of a d

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Kate’s 2¢: “Firekeeper’s daughter” by Angeline Boulley

“Firekeeper’s daughter” by Angeline Boulley

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   The stereotype is that whiskey is the down-fall of the Indian; however, in this narrative arc, deadly Met is the cause of young people’s deaths. The FBI want to find who is making and distributing the deadly pills and drink; while Daunis wants to save her people  and learn what really happened to her uncle.

   Woven into the narrative are many Native American traditional celebrations, spiritual and physical beliefs,  and profound insights into the culture of the tribe.

   Here are a few interesting take-aways from the story:

–My father’s family, the Firekeeper’s side, is as much a part of Sugar Island as it’s spring fed streams and sugar maple trees.

My grandmothers could not be more different. One views the world as a surface, while the other saw connections and teachings that run deeper than our known world.  

–The seven grandfathers: love, humility, respect, honesty, bravery, wisdom, and truth.

–It is hard to explain how feeling connected to everyone and everything here, yet, feeling that no one ever sees the whole me.

–The Thunder Birds flash lightening. They bring our ancestors back to us from the other world to check on us.

–Scientific method: observe, question, research, hypothesize, experiment, analyze, conclude; which brings order from chaos.

–My whole life I’ve been seeking validation of my identity from others. Now that it’s within my reach, I realize, I don’t need it.

–Indian time really means that things happen when they’re supposed to happen.

–I love my elders…I thought I had no resource, but they were here for me.

–Lies, in whatever form, are exhausting.

–sage, cedar, sweet grass and tobacco are used to purify and cleanse.

–When a loved one dies, the love stays alive in the present.

–The intent of banishment, is to rid the reservation of dealers, while showing compassion for to members who are struggling with addiction.

   Isabella Star LaBlanc did a good job of reading this story for the NLS and, I feel it aided in my enjoying listening for 14 hours, 16 minutes

From Wikipedia:

Angeline Boulley is a Chippewa (Ojibwe) author and has worked to improve education for Indigenous children. Her debut work, Firekeeper’s Daughter, was named one of the top 100 young adult novels of all time by Time magazine,[1] was a New York Times best seller,[2]

It is being adapted for television at Netflix by Higher Ground Productions, former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s production company.

   Boulley is an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.[4] She was born in 1966 and raised in “Bahweting (the place of the rapids) in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.”[5]

She is a graduate of Central Michigan University.[6]

Her “father is a traditional firekeeper, who strikes ceremonial fires at spiritual activities in the tribal community and ensures protocols are followed, while providing cultural teachings through stories told around the fire.”[5]

   Boulley has worked in “Indian education at the tribal, state, and national levels.”[5] At the tribal level, she served as the Educational Director and Assistant Director.[5] She also served on the Board of Regents at Bay Mills Community College before becoming the Director for the Office of Indian Education at the U.S. Department of Education.[5]

At present, Boulley works as a full-time author.[5]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Firekeeper’s daughter DB102762

Boulley, Angeline Reading time: 14 hours, 16 minutes.

Isabella Star LaBlanc

Suspense Fiction

Young Adult

Daunis, who is part Ojibwe, defers attending the University of Michigan to care for her mother. When Daunis witnesses a shocking murder, she reluctantly agrees to go undercover, drawing on her knowledge of chemistry and Ojibwe traditional medicine to track down the source of a new drug. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2021.

Download Firekeeper’s daughter DB102762