Reader Review: "Circle of Days"

by Cathryn Conroy (Dublin, Ohio): Has Ken Follett jumped the shark on these historical fiction epics he so expertly writes?
His newest novel is about the origins of Stonehenge on England's Salisbury Plain. While it's fascinating, he had to have just made up most of it out of his head since so little is verifiably known about Stonehenge, the construction of which began in 3100 BCE.
Bottom line: It's just not as riveting as his previous books, especially when compared with the Kingsbridge five-novel series that begins with "The Pillars of the Earth." This is a long book at 700 pages, and the actual construction of Stonehenge—moving the first monolithic stone—begins about 75 percent into the story.
Until then, two things happen: 1. Follett populates the novel with people stories of those who lived on and shared this land with each other, including the herders of animals who lived on the Great Plain and the farmers and the woodlanders who lived nearby. Each group has the same type of characters: the smart thinkers, the bullies, and the creative ones. There is a lot infighting in each group and violent battles between the groups. It's the good guys vs. the bad guys over and over and over again. And the bad guys never change.
2. The details of the engineering required to construct Stonehenge is a major part of the novel. (Unless you're an engineer, this can become a bit of a slog.)
The three groups of people—herders, farmers, and woodlanders—come together for several festive days for rites at the Monument to welcome the new seasons, especially the summer solstice, which is their new year. It is a time for honoring the sun god, trading goods, and enjoying a bit of revelry, which involves some extraordinary sexual practices.
Follett creates an interesting and plausible vision of why Stonehenge was needed. A group of priestesses live on the site they call the Monument, which is constructed just like what we know as Stonehenge but out of wood. It is their job to count the days of the year using the Monument as their guide. When the Monument is set on fire (see above: bullies and battles) and is essentially destroyed, the long-held dream of constructing it out of stone is finally begun, a process we know from archaeologists took more than 1,500 years.
While parts of the book are fascinating, too much of it is stilted, convoluted, and tedious. The characters seem one-dimensional, since their life experiences do not result in change or growth. And worst of all, the dialogue is often wooden and monotonous.
That said, there is enough of an interesting story to it that I am giving it four stars. Maybe I went into it expecting too much.




https://www.bookbrowse.com/reader_review...le-of-days

Reader Review: "Isola"

by Cathryn Conroy (Dublin, Ohio): Oh, this book is horrifying. Not because it's a horror story or a terrifying thriller, but rather because the premise of the story is grounded in one human being's horrifying, reprehensible treatment of another. It is evil personified. And we readers cannot even comfort ourselves with the thought that it is total fiction because it's based on a true story.
Horrifying though it may be, this is a must-read book!
It is 1531 in Périgord, France. Marguerite de La Rocque is orphaned at age three, and her great wealth is legally placed into the hands of her guardian, Jean-François de la Rocque de Roberval, who was her father's cousin. This duplicitous and devious man barely provided enough financial resources for Marguerite to live with her beloved nursemaid Damienne, while he proceeded to spend and then lose her vast fortune.
When Marguerite is 20, Roberval sold the estate in which she and Damienne were living and forced her to accompany him on his ship that was setting sail to New France, a vast territory in North America, including parts of Canada, where he was determined he would make his fortune. While on board the ship, the mercurial Roberval decides that Marguerite has betrayed him by having an affair with his secretary, Auguste Dupré. So he brutally punishes the couple, along with Damienne who will never leave her mistress, by abandoning them on an uninhabited island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, off Newfoundland. Of course, he assumes the trio will die miserable, long drawn-out deaths when the brutal snowy and icy winter comes—if they live that long.
Beautifully written by Allegra Goodman with vivid characters and a jaw-dropping plot, this is a remarkable tale of one woman's resilience, perseverance, courage, and stamina in the most appalling of circumstances. It is an historical fiction page-turner, a gripping, unflinching tale that is haunting and gritty.




https://www.bookbrowse.com/reader_review...4993/isola

Sundance 2026: Josephine, Union County, The Musical

On three films from the U.S. Dramatic Competition program of Sundance 2026, including one of the best of the fest, and one of the worst.


https://www.rogerebert.com/festivals/sun...he-musical

Marvel’s “Wonder Man” Builds a Bleary Showbiz Buddy Comedy For the MCU

Though its ambition surpasses its grasp, it leaves one yearning for more of this dynamic duo in the franchise's ever-inconsistent future.


https://www.rogerebert.com/streaming/won...eview-2026

Sundance 2026: Once Upon a Time in Harlem, Wicker, The Gallerist

On three films from the Premieres section at Sundance 2026, including one of the best of the entire fest.


https://www.rogerebert.com/festivals/sun...-gallerist

Sundance 2026: Leviticus, Buddy, Mum I’m Alien Pregnant

On three films from the Sundance Midnight Madness program.


https://www.rogerebert.com/festivals/sun...n-pregnant

Sundance 2026: The Shitheads, The History of Concrete, The Invite

The last Sundance seems heavy on comedies this year. Here are some thoughts on two, along with a documentary that might be the funniest movie of the trio.


https://www.rogerebert.com/festivals/sun...the-invite

Reader Review: "Skipping Christmas"

by Anthony Conty (Parkville, MD): Did any author have a better start to their career than John Grisham? "The Firm," "The Pelican Brief," "The Client," "The Chamber," and "The Rainmaker" broke an extended reading drought. I DNFed a few of his middle works and did not return. "Skipping Christmas" is a cute piece of writing that reminds you of his skill and gifts.
"Skipping Christmas" became the critically panned movie "Christmas with the Kranks," starring Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis, but the book was fairly popular in 2001. It made a nice Christmas gift. Protagonist Luther questions the forced Christmas Spirit and calculates that a cruise will cost less. Even though we anticipate a change by story's end, we question the process as well.
The usual hijinks ensue, and you wonder how the novel would be different now as opposed to 2001. With housing authorities, you anticipate snide, indirect punishment for pure, unbridled nonconformity. When the Kranks' plans inevitably unravel, you do not know what to root for. Is this a "true meaning of Christmas" piece or a thought-provoking alternative to the commercialized norm?
In the spoiler alert department, a famous critic came up with a solution to their predicament that would have made most of the story unnecessary, but I enjoyed the ride. We expect syrupy lessons in a holiday movie and appreciate the resolution if it allows us to yearn for Christmas. Grisham isn't reinventing the wheel here, but he knows that.
The only knock on this I can say is that I didn't really laugh out loud, as the jacket said I would in its promotional statements. It was a nice Holiday story without going overboard in delivering a Yuletide message. Storytelling is Grisham's gift, and here he does not disappoint. It holds up well 25 years later and satisfies me.




https://www.bookbrowse.com/reader_review...-christmas

Lightning in a Bottle: Angus MacLachlan on “A Little Prayer”

The writer-director talks about his latest film, his process, and art’s ability to expand personal horizons.



https://www.rogerebert.com/interviews/an...-interview

The 8 Biggest Snubs of the 2026 Oscar Nominations

Our picks for the biggest snubs of Oscar morning, including Chase Infiniti, Jafar Panahi, Eva Victor, and more.


https://www.rogerebert.com/festivals/the...ominations