Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann

Rating: 3 of 5 stars 

Pages: 336 pages
Published: May 2021

I snagged an electronic copy of Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann from my local library and read along with the Modern Mrs. Darcy book club’s study on Greek mythology themes in modern day fiction. The story is set in the fictional east Texas town of Olympus and opens with disgraced family member March returning after having been banished because of an illicit affair he had with his brother’s wife. Within days of his arrival, his half siblings are involved in the death of a local which results in a detrimental spiral of cascading events that further divide this already dysfunctional family. 

I really wanted to enjoy this story. I like being a part of the MMD book club and because this was a monthly selection, the author joined us for a chat. I also was intrigued with the story being set in Texas. And while I find Swann to be a skilled and talented writer, this plot just did not do it for me. The characters were unlikeable, and there was not much diversity. And the ending offered very little hope. I trudged through hoping to get a different perspective from my reading friends. Unfortunately, the author chat also fell flat, and none of my peers seemed to enjoy the storyline either.

Recommendation: Perhaps, if I was a smarter person who was more interested in Greek mythology, that aspect would have appealed to me, and I could have appreciated the novel more. My recommendation is a hard pass, but I wouldn’t mind trying another book by this author. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

Rating: 5 of 5 stars 

Pages: 478 pages
Published: July 2024

At 500 pages in hardback, The God of the Woods looks long but it doesn't feel long. This mystery truly captivated me. And not necessarily because of the mystery but more so the lyrical prose that guided the reader through the story. There were a lot of characters with two vacillating time periods, but the author crafted the plot in such a way that I never felt lost or overwhelmed. 

The novel opens in 1975 where 13-year old Barbara Van Laar has gone missing from a summer camp owned by her family. While this is tragic enough, her brother also vanished 14 years earlier. A full-scale search ensues, and the reader is provided clues to the dark family's past that seemingly make everyone feel like a suspect. Coupled with the frantic search and family secrets is a challenging economic dynamic among the community that creates even more suspects in the disappearance of both children. 

There's a lot going on with this book, but it done really well and there is a complete ending that I found satisfying, but I will warn future readers, it's not tied up all nicely in a bow at the end. One of my favorite parts of this book was the writing. Here are a couple of my favorite, poignant passages. 

It came from the Greek god Pan: the god of the woods. He liked to trick people, to confuse and disorient them until they lost their bearings, and their minds. -p. 40

The best part of being married to George Barlow for a decade was learning that it’s all right not to do everything that’s expected of you all the time. This is a notion that has been positively liberating for me. The way we were raised - the way our parents raised us, I mean - it trained us to think it’s our job to be absolutely correct in everything that we do. But it isn’t, Bunny. Do you see? We can have our own thoughts, our own inner lives. We can do as we please, if we only learn not to care so much about what people think. -p. 112-113

Rich people, thought Judy-she thought this then, and she thinks it now-generally become most enraged when they sense they’re about to be held accountable for their wrongs. -p. 158

Recommendation: Barnes & Noble selected this book for one of its summer monthly reads, and it was a good selection, indeed. I highly recommend this one. Don't rush to learn the ending, but rather take your time and enjoy the journey. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

Read More