Juliann Troi

1920s China was an exciting time and place and this novel captures the spirit of that era with a plot involving murder, kidnapping, and a forbidden romance in the midst of rival warlords and international tensions. It all makes for good fiction, but I found myself struggling a bit as a reader early on when characters started to fall in love upon sight or merely upon mention a certain female character. Furthermore, the dialog felt too modern at times, as through the author needed to study some primary sources to get a better hang of how these characters might have actually spoken to each other a century ago. Overall, an interesting read, but not one I found particularly engaging.… (mais)

This beautifully written 7-day journal is the author’s personal account of her experience with the poverty and desperation in Ethiopia. Juliann Troi takes the reader through her days and her work with ICA as they provide food and medical treatment to those in most need. Her descriptive style is flawless, and I appreciate her very personal approach. She describes her discomfort, her admiration for the Ethiopian people, and their hardships.

The story begins with her thoughts upon waking in her own bed following her journey. She has a new appreciation of the simple things we take for granted.

As her journal of the 7-day mission begins the sounds, smells, and sights come to life. The author not only treats us with her descriptions, but also with many photographs of the people and places in Ethiopia. The story describes the hardships and suffering of the Ethiopian people, but also their spirituality, curiosity and love. This is a heart wrenching story of the poorest of the poor.… (mais)