Which line stood out from all the others in The Golden Manuscripts?
“Everyone has a home they’ve set roots in. We may not be aware of it, but a significant part of who we think we are—who others think we are—depends on where we’ve lived. The place we call home. A place I don’t have. Not yet. But I will.”
General Summary for Context:
Clarissa is a graduate student with a deep and passionate love for illuminated manuscripts. A magazine article questioning the validity of current manuscripts for sale catches her eye and sets Clarissa on a path to find the truth. This journey parallels her own personal journey to find where she belongs in life. Along the way, Clarissa is joined by her brother, Arthur and her friend, Nathan who are finding their own place in life.
Concise Review:
I loved this coming of age story!! Clarissa’s character has moved and moved throughout her life and has never felt like she truly belonged. She lacks confidence in herself and her decisions. Through the search for the origin of the manuscripts, she begins to find her sense of purpose. The author’s use of flashbacks moves seamlessly through the story and gives a strong foundation as to why the characters feel the way they do. Her beautiful use of rich vocabulary paints a picture that you can visualize of paintings, sculptures, and manuscripts as well as the characters’ intense emotions. The deep discussions of family dynamics connected to me as a reader because families are filled with unique personalities and ways of handling things. I like how Clarissa’s character handled the topic of racism in the fact that she simply didn’t respond to a blatant attempt to be baited. Instead, the writer kept her character building her self-confidence throughout the story and when this incident happens, Clarissa is regal and strong. There are so many beautiful moments in this book.
General Thoughts on the Novel
I would give this novel a 5-star review. Ms. Journey met so many sensitive topics with poise and compassion for her heroine and the background characters. I truly enjoyed reading her work. Well done ♥️
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