Review of Pearls on a String

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Emily Meadows
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Review of Pearls on a String

Post by Emily Meadows »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Pearls on a String" by Jane Merling.]
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4 out of 5 stars
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What would you do if you found a secret box full of old journals, letters, and a wedding ring? That is what Sarah Langner faces in Pearls on a String by Jane Merling when a hidden box of her grandmother’s items is found in an old stairwell of her former home. The box is locked, and Sarah only briefly hesitates before breaking it open to see what is inside. The letters and journals are from the early 1900s and are written in German. Sarah realizes she'll need assistance translating them and that she should probably inform her parents about them. But she hesitates, realizing the box was probably hidden for a reason. With encouragement from a friend, Sarah gets help translating the documents, and what she finds inside is life-changing.

As Sarah begins her journey of discovery about her family, we follow the changes in her life, including her divorce and her move to a new house in Toronto, Canada. In her neighborhood, Sarah meets wonderful friends and adopts a stray cat she names Zipper. She finds a community and a social life she didn’t have before, joining her friends every Friday night at a local pub named the Froggy Bottom. Her relationship with her family is more distant than she’d like it to be, but she enjoys her job, and her career is progressing well. Does Sarah share the contents of the box with her family? What did her grandmother have to hide? You’ll have to read the book to find out; I can’t say more without spoiling the book. 

I enjoyed reading this book. It is historical fiction and romance combined with a bit of mystery. The author did an outstanding job of developing Sarah’s character and building her friendships with Rosemary, her son Joey, and Lorna (who helps translate the documents). We follow Sarah as she navigates her rocky relationship with her father and, later in the book, as she meets a man who becomes an important love interest for her. The story itself weaves between the present (the 1980s) and the past (around 1913), and I appreciated how the author gave readers the perfect amount of the grandmother’s story without it dominating the text.

The writing in the book isn’t overly flowery or lush. Every section of the story is told in a matter-of-fact way that sometimes feels like a journal entry. This was slightly disappointing; the story itself was so good, I wanted the writing to be more descriptive. There were also times when I felt as if the author spent more time than was needed on minute details that unnecessarily distracted me from the story. For example, when Sarah meets her friends at the pub, we spend considerable time getting to know them. It was challenging to remember all of her friends; the author could have included fewer of them without negatively impacting the narrative.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. It was very good. The text felt professionally edited, which made it easy to read. The story was original, and the author did a great job of documenting the lives of immigrants in the early 1900s. I loved the story but wasn’t as in love with the writing, which is why I gave this four stars instead of five. I would recommend this book to people who are interested in reading stories about genealogy, especially stories about German immigrants who moved to the United States before World War I. I would also recommend this book to readers who enjoy relatable stories of family secrets that cause and heal rifts. And finally, if you like a good romance novel, this book will appeal to you as well.

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Pearls on a String
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Seth Jared Bayogos
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Post by Seth Jared Bayogos »

Poetry Collection Review
Review on Pearls on a String by Jane Merling

"Pearls on a String" by Jane Merling is a beautiful collection of poetry that explores the complex themes of love, loss, and the human experience. The poems in this collection are carefully crafted and evoke a range of emotions in the reader.

One of the strengths of this collection is Merling's ability to convey powerful emotions through her words. The poems are often raw and honest, and the language is both simple and evocative. Merling's poetry speaks to the heart and soul of the reader, capturing the essence of the human experience in a way that is both beautiful and poignant.

Another strength of "Pearls on a String" is the range of topics that Merling explores in her poetry. From the joys of love and the beauty of nature to the pain of loss and the complexities of human relationships, Merling covers a wide range of subjects in her poetry. This diversity of topics makes the collection accessible to a wide range of readers and ensures that there is something in the collection for everyone.

Overall, "Pearls on a String" is a beautiful and moving collection of poetry that is sure to touch the hearts of readers. Merling's skillful use of language, her ability to convey powerful emotions, and the diversity of topics she covers all combine to make this collection a must-read for lovers of poetry.
Oluchi23
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Post by Oluchi23 »

"Does Sarah share the contents of the box with her family?" "What did her grandmother have to hide?" These are strong questions that needed answer which are embedded in inside. Adding the book to my bookshelf ASAP. Thanks for the inspiration.
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