THE EXTRAORDINARY DEATHS OF MRS. KIP, by SARA BRUNSVOLD, 2022, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

Inspiring and Thought-provoking

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip
The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip features an indomitable woman, who through her generous spirit of love, instigated and inspired many others.

Woven into the story is the poignant history in the late 1970s of the immigration of a large group of Laotian refugees to Kansas City.

The author cleverly pieces into this novel the points she is trying to get across through the life-changing experience of reporter Aidyn Kelley as she interviews Clara Kip.

Reading it will cause you to ponder many things about life. How turning your desires over to God can open doors to unexpected blessings for yourself and others. How death is only a step in the continuation of life. And much more.

Personally Relatable

I can personally relate to most everything in this book. I’ll just share a few instances. As a writer I can relate to Aidyn. And I can relate to many of Mrs. Kip’s experiences.

She, in the process of her own death, showers God’s love on another person in the hospice. The detailed descriptions of the end of life in the book brought to mind the same things my late husband went through. He passed into heaven exactly two years ago today. Like Clara Kip, he was quite a character, also refusing a wheelchair and walking around on his own until he fell so many times that he was confined to his bed. He joked with staff and friends, and even had me bring his guitar so he could entertain them with hymns. Sadly, his ability to do so only lasted a couple of days.

Clara Kip inspired the immigration and integration of Laotian refugees. In the 1980s the church I was a member of sponsored refugees from Viet Nam. Now in 2022, my church is in process of sponsoring refugees from war-torn Ukraine. We are gearing up to help them with housing and provisions as well as English and spiritual nourishment.

Hopefully I’ve given you enough of a taste of what The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip is about to interest you, without giving away too many spoilers. My thanks to the publisher for sending me the paperback version to review. I’m glad I chose it.

Click on the Links

Revell has an on-line book club now, called Beyond the Book, where you can discuss books with authors and readers. Find it at facebook.com/groups/RevellBeyondtheBook.

Connect with the author at SARABRUNSVOLD.COM.

Buy the book here:

This website is a participant in the Indigo Affiliate Program which allows it to earn commissions from Indigo if you make a purchase on indigo.ca after linking through this website.

The Paris Library, by Janet Skeslien Charles, 2021, Simon & Schuster Canada

Authentic History Portrayed in a Dual Timeline Novel

The Paris Library

The Paris Library is based on the actual American Library in Paris. The author worked there as Programs Manager in 2010. She now divides her time between Paris and Montana, the other setting in the book.

The story is effectively written as a dual timeline novel. Young Lily, growing up in smalltown Montana, is fascinated by the mysterious Odile, the widow next door. They become fast friends, and Odile’s story of working in the Paris library during WWII emerges. Amazingly, the dedicated staff and volunteers kept the library open throughout the war. The Author’s Note at the end of the book fills in more details about the real people she based the characters on, plus other facts about the library that she didn’t include in the story.

The Personal WWII Within Each of Us

The Paris Library is about so much more than history, though. It’s about relationships–family, friends, lovers. Coworkers and community. Betrayal and forgiveness. The power of the tongue, for good and for evil. Most of us reading The Paris Library have not lived in the centre of a major war. Although the blatant evils of war are obvious, we often fail to see the evil in ourselves, caused by just a few words of betrayal that slip out of our mouths unintentionally. The war opened Odile’s eyes to her own guilt, and she is able to pass on the awareness to Lily before she ruins her own relationships.

I was lucky to find The Paris Library in a little free library on the roadside. Thank you to whoever left it there. Such a worthwhile read.

This website is a participant in the Indigo Affiliate Program which allows it to earn commissions from Indigo if you make a purchase on indigo.ca after linking through this website. Get the book here https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/home/search/?keywords=the%20paris%20library#suggest=1&internal=1 by clicking on the link.

Learn more about the author at JSkeslienCharles.com.