Official Review: Fate's Palette by Marcy Von Kohorn

[Renu G]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Fate's Palette" by Marcy Von Kohorn.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Fate’s Palette is a memoir written by Marcy Von Kohorn. The first part is based on an autobiographical manuscript left by her grandfather, Morris, who was a child when his family escaped from Russia, in 1888, and landed in Philadelphia. I was touched reading how he sold merchandise to earn a living as well as his adventures after running away from his family and joining them again. His story of working as an agent for the FBI is unbelievable. Nevertheless, I appreciate how this part of the book brings out the struggles of immigrants and their coping strategies in various situations.

Morris married Mollie in 1900. They had four sons and a daughter, Cecelia, who married Herman. They were the author’s parents. Unfortunately, her father asked for a divorce and married Rose. Marcy felt torn between her father and mother. I think she had a love-hate relationship with Rose and her stepsisters. It seems to add a sad and painful aspect to her memoir and expresses the struggles of children from broken families. There were moments when her sharing brought tears to my eyes.

When the writer grew up, she married Martin, but they were divorced after a few years. According to her, fate intervened, and she met Henry, her second husband, with whom she was very happy in decades to come. His deceased wife had left him three sons. Marcy had two sons in her previous marriage and another son in her second marriage. In 1960, she joined classes to learn Chinese brushwork, and it became an integral aspect of her life. Her paintings are scattered throughout this memoir and add to its beauty. Henry used to play tennis at the national level. The couple traveled to different parts of the world and had visitors from other countries. It’s fun to read about their multicultural experiences. Marcy also describes her family life with her children, in detail, until Henry’s death when he was ninety-two.

A family tree with a timeline would have been appreciated because it is difficult to keep track of so many people and names. Marcy is above ninety, but she looks younger than her sons in the photographs. I found it difficult to believe that she recently renewed her driving license. I was fascinated to know that she resumed her tours and travels to several countries and enjoyed doing so. It is wonderful to see photographs of her closely-knit family. Since Marcy is an artist, the contents of this book are presented artistically. The author seems to be passing her time with sweet memories, just like any person of her age. She is a role model for readers due to her positive outlook towards life and openness to various cultures.

After considering all this, I am happy to rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. The publication is interesting and entertaining, but it seems to be too long and may deter people from selecting it. For this reason, I did not give it four stars. I found a few grammatical errors, but they could easily remain unnoticed. I did not give a lower rating because I enjoyed reading the book. People in the older age group may like this memoir. Counselors dealing with women and children from broken families may find it interesting. It may also appeal to those who are looking for a refreshing read and can appreciate art and artists.

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Fate's Palette
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[Stephanie Elizabeth]

This sounds like a wonderful book that reecounts the main character's life! I like the added touch of her grandfather's manuscript; it gives readers a closer look at the history of the family. Thanks for your lovely review!

[Meg98]

This sounds like a lovely and charming book. I like the premise. Thanks for your great review!

[kdstrack]

I love how the author included some of her paintings in the book. Despite many difficult experiences, she has raised a strong and supporting family. This is an inspiring memoir. Great review!

[Corina Elena]

Great review! I would honestly read this novel mostly for the art scattered through the pages.