Review by Beate Levai -- Breaking Sandcastles
Forum rules
Authors and publishers are not able to post replies in the review topics.
Authors and publishers are not able to post replies in the review topics.
-
Beate Levai
- Posts: 15
- Joined: 16 Jun 2017, 07:17
- Favorite Book: Final Notice
- Currently Reading: the girl who knew da vinci
- Bookshelf Size: 32
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-beate-levai.html
- Latest Review: Final Notice by Van Fleisher
Review by Beate Levai -- Breaking Sandcastles
[Following is a volunteer review of "Breaking Sandcastles" by Kirk Burris.]
4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Burris, Kirk. Breaking Sandcastles (pp. 358) Kindle Edition.
The story of Breaking Sandcastles starts at the end of the long marriage of Miss Marion Kelly and Mr. Jonathan Duquesne. One morning, Marion finds her husband lying unconscious on the sand of the yard around their home. While leaning over her husband, scenes from her married life with Jonathan are running in front of Marion’s eyes, like snapshots halted in a split second and stood still forever.
Events taking place in the present time and remembrance of the past run parallel throughout the whole novel.
It was in the 60s when young Jonathan Duquesne (17) first met his teacher, Miss Marion Kelly (28), at his art class. By all means, from the young man’s part it was a coup de foudre, an overwhelming passion from the very first sight.
While lying on his hospital bed, Jonathan (now about 77) is recalling his first four years in Paris. After having graduated high school he did not return home from his summer holiday in Paris but stayed there and started his independent, adult life at the age of 18. Jonathan had a short liaison with his former class-mate Belladonna Franchot Beaumont while he lived in the Franchot’s apartment which was his first location in Paris. Simultaneously with his studies, he regularly appeared on a little square in Montmartre along with other artists and completed quick portraits and pictures of the famous structures of Paris. The earning gained from his paintings provided a sustainable living for him. Four years passed and one day, while he was working on Montmartre, Marion stopped behind his back and their love flared up. Marion broke up with her boyfriend and the couple stayed together.
The heart surgery is inevitable. Jonathan remembers the time when he felt “fearless against any odds”. But then he was young, healthy and very happy.
They traveled to Monte Carlo to have a good time. From Monte Carlo the couple sailed along the French Riviera on a rental yacht. No journey could have been more pleasurable for any lovers as it was for Jonathan and Marion.
It was a severe heart attack and the surgery was complicated as well. Cassidy, the youngest Duquesne child arrives at the hospital. While Marion is away, Jonathan is wheeled back to the surgery theater for another emergency operation.
The first dreadful night in the hospital after Jonathan’s surgery reminds Marion of the devastating night onboard the yacht. Jacques, the sailor, was killed. Marion and Jonathan returned to Paris where Marion, unable to forget about Jonathan’s kissing with Belladonna, broke up with him. Some weeks later, Marion received a favorable job offer from her former employer at the university and she was to return to Kansas City. Jonathan suffered from Marion’s absence and had no idea if he could ever meet her again.
Jealousy from Marion’s part, suspicion on Jonathan’s side and the mystery of a murder committed onboard the yacht destroyed the lovers’ happiness. In order to cheer themselves up, Jonathan invited his friend, Franchot, and his younger brother, Dean, to dine out with him in Moulin Rouge on weekend.
The morning after his heart surgery, Jonathan feels lousy, similarly to his hangover he had in the night spent in Moulin Rouge. As agreed, in the next morning the three men went to the Sunday morning mess to make confession. They ended up in Notre Dame Cathedral. Suddenly Jonathan caught sight of Marion who was also lining up for confession. Prompted by an idea, Jonathan hopped into an empty confessional booth. In the dark, Marion made confession to him. She had not killed anyone onboard the yacht but she had a most unexpected “crime of passion” to confess: she was pregnant with Jonathan’s child. The humor of the scene prevents the situation to be sentimental.
On his hospital bed Jonathan remembers with affection Marion’s outburst in the confession booth and cannot help laughing. He has a sharp pain in his chest.
He returned to Kansas City with Marion and they settled into their married life. Their first son, John, was soon born.
Cassidy recalls the memory of spending a day on the seashore when she was building sandcastles with his father all day long. She learnt sandcastles were not meant to last forever; new sandcastles could be built in any number at any time. But human lives, fragile as they are, cannot be reiterated when they break into half. Jonathan dies before Marion and their son, André arrive at the hospital.
After having retired from Hallmark, Jonathan became a renowned free-lance artist. This made it possible for him to establish the Duquesne Scholarship for Struggling Artists. In the course of the years more and more students were supported from the fund. Almost 400 people got together to commemorate Jonathan Duquesne.
Marion remembers another death in the family: their eldest son, John, died in a car crash at the age of 8 on his birthday party.
Two months after Jonathan’s decease, one night Marion completed Jonathan’s last, unfinished painting with Jonathan’s help. The next morning Cassidy finds her dead in her bed. She died of aneurism at the age of 86.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.
Evidently, the author likes the characters of his novel and treats them generously. It is the love story of a schoolboy and his much older art teacher. They first met at a high school in Kansas City when the boy was only 17 and his teacher was 28. Such scenario of a love story is destined to come to a sour end. It was all the more so, at the harsh moral standards of the 60s when lovers in such situation were definitely separated from each other. In this case, however, Jonathan and Marion entered into a romantic relationship in Paris four years after Jonathan’s graduating high school when the young man had already begun his adult life. They started their married life soon after their returning to Kansas City and no rigid moral expectations had an adverse impact on them.
The novel focuses on showing the deep affection and bonding between two persons resulting in their happy family life, and for Jonathan, a prosperous career as an artist. All the characters show positive attitude even in the direst situations.
Although each chapter is spiced with some surprising twist, the story goes on effortlessly. It attracts the reader’s attention from the beginning to the end without making them emotionally exhausted. The parallels between present events and past memories make deeper impression on the reader than a plain story telling.
It is apparent that the whole text is meticulously revised. The style is smooth and easy-going. Lifelike descriptions of Paris make one recognize the places and feel the ambiance of the town.
As this book depicts the long and happy lives of two people in love, I wondered what the title “Breaking Sandcastles” was intended to mean. I think I have got the answer from Jonathan who explains the wisdom of life and death to his little daughter in simple terms: “Cass, sandcastles aren’t meant to last forever. They are here for a short time to be enjoyed, and then they rejoin the rest of the grains, becoming one with the beach again.” It may give comfort to the reader over the deaths of both Jonathan and Marion at the end of the book. Indeed, these two warm, shining souls were with us only for a short time to be enjoyed.
This is a beautiful book written with empathy and a good sense of humor.
******
Breaking Sandcastles
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Beate Levai's review? Post a comment saying so!
4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Burris, Kirk. Breaking Sandcastles (pp. 358) Kindle Edition.
The story of Breaking Sandcastles starts at the end of the long marriage of Miss Marion Kelly and Mr. Jonathan Duquesne. One morning, Marion finds her husband lying unconscious on the sand of the yard around their home. While leaning over her husband, scenes from her married life with Jonathan are running in front of Marion’s eyes, like snapshots halted in a split second and stood still forever.
Events taking place in the present time and remembrance of the past run parallel throughout the whole novel.
It was in the 60s when young Jonathan Duquesne (17) first met his teacher, Miss Marion Kelly (28), at his art class. By all means, from the young man’s part it was a coup de foudre, an overwhelming passion from the very first sight.
While lying on his hospital bed, Jonathan (now about 77) is recalling his first four years in Paris. After having graduated high school he did not return home from his summer holiday in Paris but stayed there and started his independent, adult life at the age of 18. Jonathan had a short liaison with his former class-mate Belladonna Franchot Beaumont while he lived in the Franchot’s apartment which was his first location in Paris. Simultaneously with his studies, he regularly appeared on a little square in Montmartre along with other artists and completed quick portraits and pictures of the famous structures of Paris. The earning gained from his paintings provided a sustainable living for him. Four years passed and one day, while he was working on Montmartre, Marion stopped behind his back and their love flared up. Marion broke up with her boyfriend and the couple stayed together.
The heart surgery is inevitable. Jonathan remembers the time when he felt “fearless against any odds”. But then he was young, healthy and very happy.
They traveled to Monte Carlo to have a good time. From Monte Carlo the couple sailed along the French Riviera on a rental yacht. No journey could have been more pleasurable for any lovers as it was for Jonathan and Marion.
It was a severe heart attack and the surgery was complicated as well. Cassidy, the youngest Duquesne child arrives at the hospital. While Marion is away, Jonathan is wheeled back to the surgery theater for another emergency operation.
The first dreadful night in the hospital after Jonathan’s surgery reminds Marion of the devastating night onboard the yacht. Jacques, the sailor, was killed. Marion and Jonathan returned to Paris where Marion, unable to forget about Jonathan’s kissing with Belladonna, broke up with him. Some weeks later, Marion received a favorable job offer from her former employer at the university and she was to return to Kansas City. Jonathan suffered from Marion’s absence and had no idea if he could ever meet her again.
Jealousy from Marion’s part, suspicion on Jonathan’s side and the mystery of a murder committed onboard the yacht destroyed the lovers’ happiness. In order to cheer themselves up, Jonathan invited his friend, Franchot, and his younger brother, Dean, to dine out with him in Moulin Rouge on weekend.
The morning after his heart surgery, Jonathan feels lousy, similarly to his hangover he had in the night spent in Moulin Rouge. As agreed, in the next morning the three men went to the Sunday morning mess to make confession. They ended up in Notre Dame Cathedral. Suddenly Jonathan caught sight of Marion who was also lining up for confession. Prompted by an idea, Jonathan hopped into an empty confessional booth. In the dark, Marion made confession to him. She had not killed anyone onboard the yacht but she had a most unexpected “crime of passion” to confess: she was pregnant with Jonathan’s child. The humor of the scene prevents the situation to be sentimental.
On his hospital bed Jonathan remembers with affection Marion’s outburst in the confession booth and cannot help laughing. He has a sharp pain in his chest.
He returned to Kansas City with Marion and they settled into their married life. Their first son, John, was soon born.
Cassidy recalls the memory of spending a day on the seashore when she was building sandcastles with his father all day long. She learnt sandcastles were not meant to last forever; new sandcastles could be built in any number at any time. But human lives, fragile as they are, cannot be reiterated when they break into half. Jonathan dies before Marion and their son, André arrive at the hospital.
After having retired from Hallmark, Jonathan became a renowned free-lance artist. This made it possible for him to establish the Duquesne Scholarship for Struggling Artists. In the course of the years more and more students were supported from the fund. Almost 400 people got together to commemorate Jonathan Duquesne.
Marion remembers another death in the family: their eldest son, John, died in a car crash at the age of 8 on his birthday party.
Two months after Jonathan’s decease, one night Marion completed Jonathan’s last, unfinished painting with Jonathan’s help. The next morning Cassidy finds her dead in her bed. She died of aneurism at the age of 86.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.
Evidently, the author likes the characters of his novel and treats them generously. It is the love story of a schoolboy and his much older art teacher. They first met at a high school in Kansas City when the boy was only 17 and his teacher was 28. Such scenario of a love story is destined to come to a sour end. It was all the more so, at the harsh moral standards of the 60s when lovers in such situation were definitely separated from each other. In this case, however, Jonathan and Marion entered into a romantic relationship in Paris four years after Jonathan’s graduating high school when the young man had already begun his adult life. They started their married life soon after their returning to Kansas City and no rigid moral expectations had an adverse impact on them.
The novel focuses on showing the deep affection and bonding between two persons resulting in their happy family life, and for Jonathan, a prosperous career as an artist. All the characters show positive attitude even in the direst situations.
Although each chapter is spiced with some surprising twist, the story goes on effortlessly. It attracts the reader’s attention from the beginning to the end without making them emotionally exhausted. The parallels between present events and past memories make deeper impression on the reader than a plain story telling.
It is apparent that the whole text is meticulously revised. The style is smooth and easy-going. Lifelike descriptions of Paris make one recognize the places and feel the ambiance of the town.
As this book depicts the long and happy lives of two people in love, I wondered what the title “Breaking Sandcastles” was intended to mean. I think I have got the answer from Jonathan who explains the wisdom of life and death to his little daughter in simple terms: “Cass, sandcastles aren’t meant to last forever. They are here for a short time to be enjoyed, and then they rejoin the rest of the grains, becoming one with the beach again.” It may give comfort to the reader over the deaths of both Jonathan and Marion at the end of the book. Indeed, these two warm, shining souls were with us only for a short time to be enjoyed.
This is a beautiful book written with empathy and a good sense of humor.
******
Breaking Sandcastles
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Beate Levai's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: Final Notice by Van Fleisher
