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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gritty Fabulous Debut, March 13, 2011
This review is from: Yesterday's Tomorrow (Paperback)
I intended to take this book in chunks, but when I reached my first self-imposed stopping point, I ignored it. Yesterday's Tomorrow is so compelling that I had to keep turning pages. Delicious characters who live so fully that they allow themselves to get filthy and face evil and temptation from friends as well as obvious foes will make you remember them for a long time. Cathy's story isn't about women's rights, although the late sixties in America is a testing time. The character of Kristin isn't out to prove that a woman can do a war-time correspondent job; she's out to prove that she has an eye for a story like no one else. A chance meeting with international journalists gives Kristin a roommate in Saigon; the roommate has a brother who's a mysterious photo-journalist. Although Kristin has defied her mother and her boss to go to Vietnam, she quickly grows up, finds the right connections and the chance to write the story of a lifetime on the unspoken role of the US government behind the scenes. Luke lives fast and recklessly, and when he and Kristen are thrown together as a team for Life magazine, they share secrets that bind them long after the war is over.
I remember all those messed-up soldiers coming home. I was in junior high and very impressionable, and lived through some pretty gruesome aftereffects in our neighborhood, including the stabbing of a neighbor's wife. As I read the book I wondered if Cathy had lived through the era, and found out later that she had researched well. The book is so complex in that Cathy touches on women's rights, racism, espionage, the fallout of war on orphans, temptation and the aftermath, besides a raw faith element. All of the beautiful ingredients create a rich and sensuously satisfying meal. She also has a great book trailer.
When I first received this book for review, I read the opening and part of the first chapter, then went to check out the author. I still have trouble believing that this is Cathy's debut novel. I read a lot of books for review and I rarely give raves, but this book is rave-worthy. For readers who like thought-provoking, gritty, death-defying and fast-paced realism in their recent history entertainment, or for those who just want a taste of what it was like for people going through this devastating time in American history, Yesterday's Tomorrow will satisfy you for the moment and stay with you long afterward.
Lisa Lickel
LisaLickel.com
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Compelling, Fresh Fiction, March 13, 2011
This review is from: Yesterday's Tomorrow (Paperback)
It takes a talented author to stir a reader's emotions at a deep level, but Catherine West managed it with no problem in her debut novel Yesterday's Tomorrow. The story centers around Kristin Taylor, a twentysomething journalist who goes to Vietnam to continue her father's legacy of touching people's lives with the written word. She's unprepared for the gritty reality of war and the emotions--and sometimes lack of emotions--that go with it, but she's spunky and determined to stay in Vietnam and report the truth about the war. She traveled to the country without a visa or a press pass, but finds work with Time magazine shortly after arriving. A photographer, Luke Maddox, reluctantly introduces her to the cuontry and the media's way of life there. Kristin and Luke, along with Jonno, who is a soldier who, for medical reasons, spends most of his time chauffering Luke around, travel into the dese jungles and throughout the war ravaged country visiting men who are involved in the war and hearing and reporting their stories.
Kristin and Luke, who are still only reluctant acquaintances, are assigned by Time magazine to be partners. Kristin will write and Luke will take the pictures. As the two of them get to know each other while still trying to keep secrets, their witty dialogue and back-and-forth sarcastic comments keep the reader interested in their relationship and wondering if anything romantic could ever develop between two people with such distinct and strong personalities.
I laughed. I cried. I know it's completely cliche to say so, but I really did. The story made me feel every emotion along with the characters. Fear. Guilt. Hope. Finally--peace. It will appeal to a wide variety of readers. Romance fans, I think you'll enojoy the sparks that fly between these characters. Women's fiction and Karen Kingsbury fans? I can almost guarantee you'll love Catherine West's heart-tugging story telling.
Kudos to Cathy for crafting a story in such a controversial setting and making it about MORE than just Vietnam or the political climate. The story is well integrated in its setting but the characters and their journeys as people are the focus of the book. Very well done--this debut novel is only the first of many compelling stories I'm anticipating from Catherine West. She's definitely an author to watch.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Exceptional writing and riveting story, May 2, 2011
This review is from: Yesterday's Tomorrow (Paperback)
A harrowing and affecting debut novel that throws you head first into the catastrophic reality of the Vietnam War both in the field and on the homefront. Cathy introduces us to the untold stories that permeate wartime. This is an era in the world's history that we can not escape or ignore because it set the ground work for where we are today as a society.
The rhythm and flow of the narrative takes the reader from extreme action-packed highs, to insightful and suspenseful twists and turns, through to contemplative and heart-wrenching moments. Cathy's writing engages all of your senses and transports the reader so that they are immersed in the congested and sweltering streets and exotic and terrorizing jungle of Vietnam. These characters will burrow themselves into your heart as their stories began to unravel and they have to reacclimatize to a life juxtaposed by what they experienced in Vietnam. The romantic elements were an added treat that adds to the complexity and richness of this story.
This is a book that you have to experience to fully appreciate it. I can throw out pages and pages of superlatives and never get close to describing how much I was touched by this book. Cathy is the fresh voice that modern historical inspirational fiction has been waiting for, especially with the brave undertaking of such a pivotal and controversial point in history. This story is for the reader that craves intelligent, mature and substantial storylines. Put her on your reader radar because this debut novelist is just getting started!
Rating: 10/10
**Heartfelt thank you to Cathy West for sending me a review copy**
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