Amnesty

This book is beautifully written. Amnesty tells the life story of Maura Jaeger, from her own perspective. You actually see the world through Maura's eyes. While this may seem like a limited fiew for a book, random thoughts, snapshot memories, arguments, whole days, journal entries combine to allow the reader a chance to climb inside Maura's thoughts and see things from her perspective. Louise A. Blum did an excellent job of expressing the difference between being alone and experiencing loneliness. Maura Jaeger sees time spent alone as a time of power and inner peace. It is also a way for her to reflect, and at times, is her way to let the wild animal of her inner self pace and collect energy. Yet when actual loneliness swallows her, she feels a total loss of her power; life has swept her into its current and she is carried to an unknown and presumably unhappy future. Like the paper families that Maura constructs as a child, only to burn them or set them adrift in a river; the lonely Maura has no control over her future. She floats aimlessly through these lonely times, and all her dreams and hopes are destroyed before she can help herself. It's when she moves from loneliness to being alone that Maura Jaeger finds the strength to stop being alone. Then she has the power to reach out and take charge of her life. Maura's inability to communicate with those she loves, her fear of connecting, and her desire to find a place of acceptance in the world, will strike a chord with many. I had mixed feelings on whether the ending was happy or sad. Maybe it's where you are in your life when you read it that makes the difference. In any case, this is a beautiful, memorable book and I've recommended it to many!

One of the best lesbian novels I have read in a while. Touching and at times amusing. Expect the Unexpected.

This book was very touching and I found myself able to relate to it well. The characters are all very real and touching. I loved the part where she transferd to a public school after going all her life to a private one and her coment that the kids seemed more alike in the public school even though they didn't wear uniforms.