ezinnbooks

Elizabeth Zinn, author

Amazon Reader Reviews

For Heart's Blood:

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitely a worthwhile read, February 12, 2012

(Sour Lake, TX USA) -

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This review is from: Heart's Blood: A Novel (Paperback)

Perhaps one of the best novels I have read. Fascinating and intricate character development, and a truly captivating story-line. The writing is impeccable, with a richness of visual imagery and fascinating insight of human emotional make-up.

The plot flows easily through its intriguing complexities, and unexpected (although maybe anticipated) turns. Perhaps most rewarding is the careful and clearly written development of the character of the key players, each with very different personalities, and how their interactions impact and shape the lives of the others over several generations.

Is genetics/blood more important to what we are than environment? "Heart's Blood" has an opinion.

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitely a worthwhile read, February 12, 2012

(Sour Lake, TX USA) -

Amazon Verified Purchase()

This review is from: Heart's Blood: A Novel (Paperback)

Definitely a worthwhile read, February 12, 2012

(Sour Lake, TX USA) -

Amazon Verified Purchase()

This review is from: Heart's Blood: A Novel (Paperback)

This book is a page-turner, a great read. I read it while sitting on my deck during summer evenings and could not make myself put it down long enough to go inside and make dinner. That's the kind of book I love...it is time well spent. The superb, flowing writing not only rocks out a moving narrative, but also evokes a riveting sense of place, that place being our troubled and often tragic border with Mexico, a place both stunningly beautiful and violent. This novel captures it all, shifting effortlessly from action to lyricism, giving the reader the best of both. Set in the desert grasslands of the Southwest, it is a family saga that expands beyond its geography, appealing even to readers who have never set foot in this region of our country. It is a fast-moving tale of love and loss, murder and mayhem, tragedy and comedy, youth and age...written with an excellent grasp of the tangled complexities of life on our southern border. I did not want it to end.

5.0 out of 5 stars Heart's Blood, January 17, 2012

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This review is from: Heart's Blood: A Novel (Paperback)

I found this book to be very enjoyable. I was intrigued by its characters and, as in all good books , I was carried along through the unfolding story in a rich and intimate way (which gave me a perspective and understanding of a world I would never otherwise know). I came away with more respect for the strong people who live along the Mexican-American border.

5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book!, February 16, 2012

This review is from: Heart's Blood: A Novel (Paperback)

This was a book that I just did not want to end. The story is compelling and moves along through generations, cultures and landscapes seamlessly. The characters are so varied and so beautifully drawn, you know them through a complex variety of moods, ages, circumstances, just like life. And the sense of place is so powerful and alive. It is obvious how rooted Ms. Zinn is in this beautiful southern AZ landscape, and how immediately she experiences the ancient land, the critters, the air. A powerful and beautiful story.

5.0 out of 5 stars Heart's Blood, January 20, 2012

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This review is from: Heart's Blood: A Novel (Paperback)

Heart's Blood captures a mixture of Anglos, Mexican Americans, Mexicans and Indians along the rural Arizona Border in the late 1900s. The thoughtful book is filled with two generations of memorable characters, loving and evil, often dealing with the universal confusion of family blood connections. The tale is fast moving and fascinating.

For The Happiness Lottery:

4.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing Characters, December 30, 2011

This review is from: The Happiness Lottery: A Novel (Paperback)

Character and plot development is fascinating as the author uses the inner twining of people, events, and psychology of each to tell the story. The dialogue is very natural and provides a whole range of emotion for both the characters and the reader. I finished it in just a few days -- and wished I had the time to finish sooner. Elizabeth Zinn is a fine writer and I look forward to many more novels from her.

5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating Read, December 29, 2011

(Sour Lake, TX USA) -

This review is from: The Happiness Lottery: A Novel (Paperback)

Really fascinating read, and just couldn't put down until finished. Having spent some summers in Michigan, and having lived in Arizona, the rich color of the prose excited so many mind-pictures and memories. Starts out in pretty dramatic fashion, but settles into really interesting character developments, and generally pretty smooth intertwining of people and plots. Am a slow reader, but completed in 2 sittings, so good one or two day project. Well written, and would strongly recommend.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!, January 8, 2012

This review is from: The Happiness Lottery: A Novel (Paperback)

I loved how this book wove characters and generations around and between each other. Each character in the story was well developed and took on form and substance as a unique individual. The interactions between all the characters were so believable, conversations sounded so real, and the way characters helped to reveal each other's stories and selves was just beautiful. I felt for each one of them, and saw how each of their lives evolved out of the past and, with self-awareness, how each person took control of his or her own story. A generous and compassionate look at how we all construct our lives. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Zinn's work.

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