G1204 Book Review of A goddess among men by Daniel Davidsohn
Author: Daniel Davidsohn
ISBN: 978-85-922784-9-6
Publisher: Self published
Type of book: early 20th century to modern times, spun America, goals, ambitions, rubber plants, friendship, partnership, survival, upbringing, America, wealth, unsavory business deals, un-contacted tribes,
Year it was published: 2020
Summary:
From the primitive ruggedness of the Amazon rainforest to the privileged society of New York, three generations experience triumph and tragedy in this saga of loyalty, corruption, greed . . . but one woman has the power to change it all.
In 1907, Julian Welch and Alan Reid meet by chance in the jungles of the Amazon attracted by the riches of the rubber boom. Pioneers in an era of uncertainty, they form an unlikely alliance and establish the foundation for a successful empire, Reid & Welch. However, with Julian's death, the empire is left to Alan, as is the responsibility for Julian's newborn daughter, Christel.
Yet for Christel, there’s no growing up as a privileged heiress. Instead, Alan subjects her to a life few endure, much less overcome. Through her will to survive and being as uncompromising as she is beautiful, Christel puts the horrors of her past behind her and begins to build a seemingly bright future. But when the success built on corruption starts to crumble, Christel will be forced to address the past or pay for the sins of the fathers.
Main characters include Julian Welch, a kind hearted man from Britain who has human sense and decency amongst the ilk. Later on in life he becomes a philanthropist and very generous donor. He also tends to shut his eyes towards his partners questionable activities. Alan Reid was raised by a single mother who worked as a prostitute and he is misogynistic and hates authority or being controlled, which he views as weaknesses to exploit. The last character is Christel Welch, Julians daughter who is very powerful and also tends to be a bit rebellious and loves privacy from others.
Theme:
It's possible to redo the past
Plot:
The story is heavily action oriented and here is definitely a strong hint of promise amongst the numerous characters that dominate the book. While the story would have been classified as historical fiction, I feel as if I didn't go back in time and experience the trials of the two main characters. I really liked he characters and would have liked more insights into their minds.
Author Information:
Amazon.com
Add to Goodreads
Born in 1969, Brazil, Daniel Davidsohn's novels have been called exciting, gripping, and engrossing, garnering him praise and rave reviews. He is passionately attracted to unfamiliar things and enjoys taking readers off the beaten path. His books include From The Nile to The Euphrates (2009), Mare Crisium (2015), A Higher Power (2016), The Karma Code (2017), Leave Her Out, a 2018 Readers' Favorite Book Award Finalist, and A Goddess Among Men (2020).
Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest
This book certainly had a lot of promise with the plot and the idea. I also liked the fact that the story emphasized environment and the strength women possess in dealing with a world created by men. What i think the story neglected though is the psychological scenes of Christel. A lot of the pivotal scenes happened off screen. I am not saying that the story should be nothing but her torture, but I would have liked it more if I got to witness Christels learning a lot more, be it through verbal lessons for instance, or how her environment was so controlled that situations had to be staged and manufactured.
This is for iRead Book Tours
3 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)
Comments
Post a Comment