Genny S. reviewed on 5/26/2010 + 141 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

In the past year, I have read only three books which totally held my attention and fascinated me. One was The Master Butchers Singing Club (the other two were Ahab's Wife and Water for Elephants). This novel by Louise Erdich takes place between WWI and WWII and the post-war years and is the story of a German immigrant, Fidelis and his family after WWI who move to a small town in North Dakota. Once settled, he and his wife Eva and their sons become fast friends with a local woman, Delphine Watzks who has also had a difficult adjustment to life in this small town. When Eva dies, Delphine and Fidelis marry and she raises his sons. The stoic and emotionless Fidelis seems a difficult man to love because of his aloofness. The only time he is able to demonstrate any zest for life is when he is interacting with his singing club. Delphine has led a mysterious life and much of it has been wasted on her drunken father, and yet she is able to make the effort to show warmth and love to her new family of men. This is a truly wonderful book. I could not put it down. Genny

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