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2008-11 - Historical Fiction - Post November Reviews Here
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory.I'm not too sure what I want to say about this book, actually. I find the story of Henry Tudor and his wives fascinating and something I always want to read more on, fact or fiction. I think that's probably what got me through the book, enjoyed it even. On the other hand, however, I can't say that Gregory's writing is great. Some parts of it can get really boring while some other can get overly dramatic (like soap opera!) that they almost piss me off.
Her depiction of the Boleyns as ambitious and scheming family is interesting even if it's very two dimensional. I watched the movie after finishing the book and actually thought it better because at least Anne Boleyn has a more human side to her on screen than how she is written in the book. Still, it is an interesting take on one of the most fascinating woman in history and for that I give it a two (and a half if there are halves!) stars!
Slaughterhouse-Five, or The Children's Crusade: A Duty Dance with Death by Kurt VonnegutThis is a book I wish I would have read with a group or in a class. I think I would have benefitted from reading it with others and discussing things like the themes and symbolisms while I was reading it. It reminded me a lot of Catch-22, yet this was easier to read and not quite as dark.
It contains lots of recurring things: the "Poo-tee-weet" sound of a bird, the barking of a dog, the blue and ivory color of cold or frozen feet, Three Musketeers (both as a group of three and as a candy bar), and the phrase that Tralfamadorians (the aliens who abduct Billy) say about dead people: "So it goes." Those are just the ones I noticed and remembered while reading. I'm sure there are many more to be found, although I'm not sure that all of these recurring things have deeper meaning.
I don't think this book will ever be a favorite of mine, but I did find it very interesting. I think it is a book you could read again and again and still find new themes, symbolisms and connections. I gave it three stars.
I found the Tralfamadorian's way of seeing time very interesting: "All moments, past, present, and future, always have existed, always will exist. The Tralfamadorians can look at all the different moments just the way we can look at a stretch of the Rocky Mountains, for instance. They can see how permanent all the moments are, and they can look at any moment that interests them. It is just an illusion we have here on Earth that one moment follows another one, like beads on a string, and that once a moment is gone it is gone forever."
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28...Another wonderful book by SKP, where the struggle for the power between Richard´s sons prevails over most of his kingdom. The strong character of Eleanor shows already her fight for women rights on state decisions even in a medieval era. The dialogues between the main characters are very well written within an historical context based on a very careful historical research performed by SKP.
Laura, I just requested from my local library the first book in the trilogy your book is a part. I am a huge fan of E.L. Konigsberg's "The Days of Scarlet and Miniver" which tells the story of Eleanor of Aquitaine. I'm thrilled to find an adult book on the same subject. Thanks for the review!
I just finished The Boleyn Inheritance this afternoon. I'm going to give it 3.5 stars. There was a lot of detail in this book. There really wasn't a lot of information to cover, but Gregory still felt the need to write a 500 page book. I did enjoy this story though, and the way that she wrote it. It was very different from The Other Boleyn Girl, which was written from one person's perspective. This book was written from three different perspectives: Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Jane Boleyn. I'm hoping to get to Girl with a Pearl Earring this month as well, but we shall see!
Just finished The Norman Pretender by Valerie Anand. It's the second in a trilogy that recounts pre-conquest England. The main focus of this book is Harold Godwinson who was the last Saxon King of England. 4.5/5 stars.I also read at the first of the month To Hold The Crown which is a reissue of Jean Plaidy originally titled Uneasy Lies the Head. It tells the story of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York as he takes the crown from Richard III. 3.5 stars, and don't let the new cover fool you it is _not_ a love story, nor is Elizabeth the main focus of the book.
That's two books, now I'm off to #3 for November, The Disputed Crown by Valerie Anand.
Just finished Peony in Love: A Novel by Lisa See. I gave it 5 stars because I was so pleasantly surprised by the story - it just wasn't what I expected.Set in 17th century China it's a story about a girl (Peony), her fascination with the opera Peony Pavillion, her arranged marriage and her various relationships in this world and the afterworld.
I think this was a great story and love the fact that See used many historical truths.
The Disputed Crown by Valerie Anand. This is a third in a trilogy and this book covers the period after William the Conqueror is crowned King of England, although he still battles with constant rebel plots to restore a Saxon ruler to England. 4.5/5 stars.
I started to read The Bruce Trilogy by Nigel Tranter. In November, I intend to read Restoration by Rose Tremain, Queen´s Play by Dorothy Dunnett, Revelation by C.J. Sansom and The Plantagenet Prelude by Jean Plaidy. And perhaps, I will read Trinity by Leon Uris.
Sophie's Choice by William Styron4 stars
I am just going to post the review from the site because I am always afraid of spoiling it for others who have not read it yet!! Powerful read!
"Three stories are told: a young Southerner wants to become a writer; a turbulent love-hate affair between a brilliant Jew and a beautiful Polish woman; and of an awful wound in that woman's past--one that impels both Sophie and Nathan toward destruction."
The White by Deborah Larsen1 star
I'm not sure if I didn't care for this because of the writing style or the time period. I think it's the writing.
This is the voice of Mary Jemison, who, in 1758, at the age of sixteen, was taken by a Shawnee raiding party from her home near what would become Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. In this intimate reimagining of her life story, Mary endures the brutal scalpings of her parents and siblings and is given to two Seneca sisters who treat her as their own—a symbolic replacement for the brother they lost to the white colonists. Renamed Two-Falling-Voices, she gradually becomes integrated into her new family, learning to assist with the hunt and to cultivate corn. She marries a Delaware warrior, raises a family in her adoptive culture, becomes friends with two former slaves, and eventually, remarkably, fulfills her lifelong dream “to own land bordered by sky, as my mother and father had once purchased woods and fields which were dappled with changing light.”
The Book Thief5 stars
I loved this book. Set in Nazi Germany during WW2. I dont want to say too much for those that havent read it. To quote one review "The Book Thief is a story about the power of words to make worlds. In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time." I agree totally and recommend it to everyone.
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer/Annie Barrows
4 Stars
Since a lot of people may want to read this book, I'll be as non-spolierish as I can.
This book is written mostly in correspondence between several people, but mostly by the main character Juliet. It starts out in England in January 1946, just after WWII and continues throughout the year.
I learned a lot of things reading this. We often hear about the horrors of the era, but some of these things I didn't know (of course I will not tell you what they are so I don't spoil it).
It was a lovely book, well written and entertaining.
I read The Luxe by Anna Godbersen and I seriously give it a two. I hate, hate, HATE books that are suppose to be set in one time period but they have the behavor of someone in a different time period. If I didn't know better, I would have thought that this books was set in the present time. I won't ruin it for anyone who wants to read it... but I was disappointed. I thought "How could such a pretty book not be good?" I always thought that not judging a book by its cover was about ugly books being good, but now I know better.However, if you like mindless stories, and don't care about historical accuracy, this will be a great book for you.
Disclaimer: I was almost a history major in college, so I tend to take history very seriously. I understand not everyone is this way.
The Night Watch by Sarah Waters (3 Stars)The book is written chronologically backward - it was strange. I don't mind that part so much as it answers the mystery of the story (the past of each characters and how the ended up as they are at the beginning).
The only thing is that I felt it still left me hanging. Whilst I found out what happened in the past to lead them to the current situation, I found I wanted to find out more about what happens next - not a particularly satisying read.
"I read The Luxe by Anna Godbersen and I seriously give it a two. I hate, hate, HATE books that are suppose to be set in one time period but they have the behavor of someone in a different time period"I'm with you there, I thought it was quite dreadful and well bred young ladies in that period did not behave as portrayed in that book. Let alone having a bearskin rug (!!) in a lady's bedroom.
I just finished Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. Parallel stories of a young Jewish girl and her family rounded up by the French Police in 1942 and transported to "labor camps" along with a journalist researching the story at the 60th anniversary in 2002. The chapters with Sarah were very compelling, but the story in 2002 kind of fell apart at the end. 3/5 stars.
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba BrayYA Historical Fiction-5 stars
This one has made it onto my all-time favorites list. What I love is that this is one of those books I would have never read if I hadn't heard of it from a friend on GR.
Gemma loses her mother tragically on her 16th birthday. Shipped from India back to London to finishing school, she must deal with her mother's loss, her father's opiate addiction, the cattiness of well-to-do girls, and the strange visions she is having. The story is her journey to try and belong, while also trying to understand herself and her mother.
The first in the Gemma Doyle Trilogy. Well written, great characterization. I look forward to reading the rest.. See the link above for a full description.
Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled HosseiniBorn a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss and by fate. As they endure the ever escalating dangers around them-in their home as well as in the streets of Kabul-they come to form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation. With heart-wrenching power and suspense, Hosseini shows how a woman's love for her family can move her to shocking and heroic acts of self-sacrifice, and that in the end it is love, or even the memory of love, that is often the key to survival.
Thought this book was marvellous and thought provoking.
4/5 stars
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is another classic that I've always heard about, but never read - until now! And it's another one that I wish I had read sooner! If someone told me that this was an autobiography, I would believe it. It was extremely believable and well-written. Betty Smith completely drew me into Francie Nolan's world. I feel like I was there and lived that life with her - which is amazing because my life and experiences are very different from Francie's world as a poor young girl growing up in Brooklyn in the early 1900s. I read the bulk of this book in two sittings, but stretched out the last 100 pages over several days because I wasn't ready for it to end yet. This book fulfilled in a very wonderful way one of the reasons I love to read: experiencing someone else's life while going somewhere I would never be able to go on my own. I give A Tree Grows in Brooklyn a very enthusiastic 5 stars!
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel, Lisa See - 5 starsI started this book as I needed a light read after some pretty heavy stuff. It was just what I needed, an easy read and a heart warming story. I found this book completely engrossing and if I had the time I believe I could have read it in one sitting. It also taught me a little more about chinese traditions, foot binding, laotong and the secret female language of nu shu. A beautiful story of love and hardship. This novel was wonderful and I will definately be reading more of Lisa See's work.
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas - three stars.This is a historical novel set in the 1620s, written in the 1840s. M. d'Artagnan, a young man of 19, leaves his native Gascony for Paris in 1627, in hopes of becoming one of King Louis XIII's elite Musketeers. Friendship, intrigue, and romance ensue.
Peony in Love, by Lisa See - four stars.This historical novel is set in 17th-Century China, and revolves around the transition from the Ming dynasty to the Manchu, the drama The Peony Pavilion, and the "lovesick girls" who were obsessed with it. I really liked this one.
Just finished Odalisque by Neal Stephenson. Three stars.It was a good read, but the Baroque Cycle is starting to wear on my nerves a little. It seems pretty hit or miss. Also, calling this historical fiction is a little of a stretch. Yes, he does use historical characters and setting, but I feel like the characters aren't always portrayed too accurately. I can't sympathize with the characters who ofttimes act rather unexpectedly. They flip flop a lot and I never expect them to act normally. I wasn't always sure what the hell was going so that took away from the enjoyment of the book.
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray - 3 starsThis book was okay. I enjoyed the story in general, as well its theme of forgiveness. On the other hand, I really wasn't fond of any of the characters. I guess I was under the impression that Gemma was going to be a stronger heroine. To me, she seemed like a bratty, naive, follower for a good portion of the book.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Davis5 Stars!!
"Francie Nolan, avid reader, penny-candy connoisseur, and adroit observer of human nature, has much to ponder in colorful, turn-of-the-century Brooklyn. She grows up with a sweet, tragic father, a severely realistic mother, and an aunt who gives her love too freely--to men, and to a brother who will always be the favored child. Francie learns early the meaning of hunger and the value of a penny. She is her father's child--romantic and hungry for beauty. But she is her mother's child, too--deeply practical and in constant need of truth. Like the Tree of Heaven that grows out of cement or through cellar gratings, resourceful Francie struggles against all odds to survive and thrive. Betty Smith's poignant, honest novel created a big stir when it was first published over 50 years ago. Her frank writing about life's squalor was alarming to some of the more genteel society, but the book's humor and pathos ensured its place in the realm of classics--and in the hearts of readers, young and old."
They Came to Baghdad by Agatha Christie (5*)I haven't read a Christie in a very long while and I've forgotten how good a story teller she is. The beginning I was a little bit confused due to the many characters and the various threads however they were weaved together splendidly and I thoroughly enjoyed the read - Agatha Christie style :)
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak I found this to be a very touching book about a young orphan girl who made a home in Germany during WW II. She learned powerful lessons of love and loss. I thought the narration by death was clever and also enjoyed the stories written by Liesel and Max. Overall a very powerful story.
I gave it 4 stars.
In my review of A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray, I said that I wouldn't rush out and buy the sequel, but that I would get it from the library one of these days. One of these days came sooner than I thought, because I found myself jumping at the chance to choose Rebel Angels as one of my historical fiction reads for this month. I didn't enjoy Rebel Angels quite as much as A Great and Terrible Beauty for most of the book. Some of my irritation with the characters from last time spilled over into this time. I knew some of the wrong choices they would make right from the beginning and it really irritated me - especially when I was right. For most of the book, I was planning to give it a three-star rating. I did end up giving it 4 stars, but my reason is a little spoilerish, so you can read my full review here if you like.
I enjoyed finding a few literary references that were probably just part of the historical setting, but still fun. One example is that Miss Moore has an apartment on Baker Street. I don't think the address was ever mentioned, but the time period works out so she could have been living next door to Sherlock Holmes. :)
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen 4*Well, I sat in bed thinking oh, I'll just read a few chapters before I sleep but I read the whole book! I couldn't put it down, it was so rich of description of life in a circus and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Jacob Jankowski is ninety or ninety-three or he's not particularly sure how old he is now. A circus has come to town and everybody is excited. For him though, it transported him back 70 years ago when he first joined the circus and met the love of his life.
I appreciate books with endings that surprises me and this one definitely did. I liked that it kept me guessing til the last paragraph
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Faboulously ahead of her time. Bronte took the time to examine issues that I feel were truly ahead of her time. LOVED THIS BOOK. Easy to read and understand....
Unloved orphan left to evil-stepmother like aunt finds happiness at a school for orphans. The trials and tribulations of Jane after exiting school kept me highly interested. I often gasped out loud with feelings of sympathy and empathy for Jane.
Must read classic!
I read The Conjuror's Bird The Conjuror's Birdby Martin DaviesMartin Davies and gave it four stars. It's a book that I've picked up in bookstores before and contemplated buying, but always ended up putting it down until now.
This book follows the journey of John Fitzgerald in his search to find the only known specimen of the Mysterious Bird of Ulieta, last known to be in the possession of naturalist Joseph Banks.
The book jumps from past to present, slowly unravelling historical and current mysteries, with unexpected conclusions.
The characters are interesting and well created, and the story is well paced and enthralling. It also managed to present ornithology, a topic I've never really looked into, in a fascinating manner, accessible to anyone.
Belladonna At Belstone, by Michael Jecks. 3 Stars.In this historical mystery, it is 1321, and at St. Mary's Priory at Belstone, on Dartmoor, the Prioress, Lady Elizabeth, is accused of incompetence (and worse), and one of her novices has died under suspicious circumstances. The Bishop of Exeter is off to the convent to investigate, accompanied by Sir Baldwin Furnshill, the local Keeper of the King's Peace, and Simon Puttock, the local Bailiff. Meanwhile, England at large verges ever nearer to civil war - the king, Edward II, is incompetent and not very popular.
The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory. 4 Stars (would give 3 1/2 if I had the option)This was my first Philippa Gregory book, and the chronological first in the Tudor series, though not the first written.
Interesting story (being the ignorant American that I am, I'm not familiar with the Tudor histories). Strong lead character, well rounded (not a typical heroine, Catalina had her flaws and was very ambitious and stubborn).
The story stalled occasionally, repeating itself or offering too much description and slowing the tempo down.
I look forward to the next (most popular) installment, The Other Boleyn Girl, and should enjoy having the insight given to me by this novel.
Julie, I'm glad you made it through. The stalling due to repetition and too much detail is a trend in all of Gregory's books, but if you get past it, they're pretty good overall. I think The Other Boleyn Girl is at M & D's house, because I thought Dad would read it first.
The Holy Thief: The Nineteenth Chronicle of Brother Cadfael, by Ellis Peters. 3 stars.In the nineteenth installment in the Brother Cadfael series, the abbey is entertaining two parties of travelers: a pair of monks from their sister monastery at Ramsey, and a troubladour from Provence, with his footman and singing slave-girl. They are also expecting a flood, and are preparing to evacuate the relics of the abbey, especially the prized reliquary with the bones of St. Winifred, to higher ground. Theft and murder ensue, and Brother Cadfael does some investigating.
The Other Boleyn Girl, by Philippa Gregory - 4 stars.I'd read The Constant Princess, and like you Julie, I thought it was slow in parts. The Other Boleyn Girl is not like that at all, and I felt I got through it quite quickly!
I have written a more detailed review, but in brief. The book is very historically inaccurate, so avoid if your a fan of fact. Anne is not portrayed as a very nice person at all, so avoid if your a fan of Anne Boleyn. Mary Boleyn is portrayed as a sweet, innocent, butter wouldn't melt young lady, which according to history isn't entirely true. All that said I really enjoyed this book, great story and I really liked the characters.
I was a little put off by the sexual content, although quite rare, Ms Gregory can be a raunchy madam!
Orphans of the Storm by Katie FlynnSynopsis:
Jess and Nancy, girls from very different backgrounds, are nursing in France during the Great War. They have much in common for both have lost their lovers in the trenches, so when the war is over and they return to nurse in Liverpool, their future seems bleak. Very soon, however, their paths diverge. Nancy marries an Australian stockman and goes to live on a cattle station in the Outback, while Jess marries a Liverpudlian. Both have children; Nancy's eldest is Pete, and Jess has a daughter, Debbie, yet their lives couldn't be more different. When the second world war is declared, Pete joins the Royal Air Force and comes to England, promising his mother that he will visit her old friend. In the thick of the May blitz, with half of Liverpool demolished and thousands dead, Pete arrives in the city to find Jess's home destroyed and her daughter missing. Pete decides that whatever the cost, he must find her...From the rigours of the Australian Outback to war-ravaged Liverpool, Debbie and Pete are drawn together...and torn apart...
Review:
What a lovely story! It took me a while to get into the book, and even longer for the story to actually start but definitely worth a read. It's written in very simple language and the story is pretty typical, but it's a nice book to settle down with if you've been doing a lot of work or are going through a hard time. I may consider getting hold of a couple more Katie Flynns as exam time comes around! 8/10
Ted Bell's first YA novel is chockablock* with adventurous ideas. So chockablock, in fact, that I'm afraid he put every idea he's ever had into this one story and didn't save anything for his next book. In Nick of Time, we have lighthouses, castles, underground caves, pirates, treasure chests, bilingual talking parrots, Nazis, spies, reclusive millionaires, several types of boats, experimental submarines, aeroplanes, dognapping, and a time travel device invented by Leonardo da Vinci. And that's only in the first 100 pages! All of these elements combine to make a story that is historical fiction, science fiction, mystery, spy thriller, and adventure. I would have enjoyed this book a lot more with a more focused story. What's wrong with a simple spy thriller set in the time before the start of World War II? Or a time travel adventure to help a great-great-grandfather defeat an evil pirate? Either one would have been nice. Combining all of the ideas in one story made this feel, at times, like a parody of the various genre.
This wasn't a terrible book. I did like some of the characters enough to read to the end to find out what happened to them. But this also won't be on the top of my purchase list for my library. I wanted it to be a fantastically exhilarating read, but it just didn't quite get there for me. I gave it two stars.
On a side note, I'm really afraid that a sequel will somehow involve a Peter Pan story. I hope he doesn't go that way. There have been too many of those lately.
*Chockablock was used twice within ten pages towards the beginning of the book. The first time, I thought it was fun to see the word in use. The second time, I almost stopped reading. Luckily, he didn't use the word again. Chockablock is a word like "plethora" that needs to be used sparingly - if at all. Too frequent use of a word like that (twice within ten pages is really pushing it) and it just becomes pretentious. Of course, I’ve managed to use it four times in this review. :)
For the Term of his Natural Life by Marcus Clarke (3 stars)This is the first Australian historical fiction dealing with convicts that I’ve read (as far as I can remember anyway) and I was truly looking forward to it. It’s a classic written in the late 19th century so I guess it was contemporary fiction when it was first written.
Basically, the story follows an intrinsically good man who has a run of ‘bad luck’ throughout the book for a period of 20 years of his life. It is amazing just how much ‘bad luck’ a person can have and yet despite the harshness of a convict’s life, he has managed to preserve his humanity though there are periods where, understandably, he fell into the pits of despair and misery.
I continued to read and hope for a better luck – something to turn around his present misery right to the last page! And the end… Oh, the end…!!! I will leave you to read for yourself.
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (5 stars)I just finished this this morning, and I think I only started it Tuesday morning. What a great book. I really had a lot of trouble putting it down. I really enjoyed the way that Bray wrote the story of the four girls. After reading other views of this book, I can understand where some people can be annoyed by the characterization of the characters, but I can also see why Bray did it. I mean, at that age, what girl (especially back then) was going to go against the norm?
Anyway, I'm looking forward to reading the sequel as part of the 12 Books of Christmas challenge.
That's great, Mel. I'm reading this book for one of the book groups for December so really looking forward to it :)
Virgin Earth: A Novel, by Philippa Gregory. 4 stars.As the English Civil War is brewing, John Tradescant, the Royal Gardener, is conflicted both in his politics (he serves the king, but finds him weak and foolish), and in his personal life. His adored wife is dead. His beloved children are in England, while his dreams are in Virginia.
Sorry this is so long but I'm just going to post all my November reads in one shot, they're mainly all historical mysteries...Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn
rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the first in the Lady Julia Grey series and it was fantastic. The mystery was pretty well written and I look forward to reading the next book in the series. Lady Grey makes for an interesting narrator and I look forward to the budding relationship between her and the mysterious Nicholas Brisbane. Her family is quite a hoot too... the March clan are definitely an interesting bunch.
The Shadow in the North by Philip Pullman
rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Sally Lockhart and her friends find themselves embroiled in yet another sinister mystery. This is the second in this great series featuring the fiercely independent Sally who suffers two great blows in this book that had me crying like a baby... I'm such a sucker!
Silent in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn
rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Lady Julia returns from her sojourn to Italy after a summons from her father that she and her recalcitrant brothers are expected to spend the Christmas holiday at their homestead. Once she arrives at Belmont Abbey she is surprised to find the mysterious Nicholas Brisbane is one of her fathers guests along with his new betrothed! Luckily Lady Julia has brought along the young Italian Count Fornacci and quickly decides that she will fight fire with fire! She promptly realizes there is more to this engagement and decides she will find the truth igniting Brisbanes ire.
That mystery becomes secondary when things take a deadly turn and they both discover the body of a house guest. They are forced to work together (much to Brisbane's dismay) to find a murderer while the family party is trapped at the Abbey thanks to a snowstorm.
The book is written beautifully with several smaller mysteries deftly entwined throughout the book. Raybourn has created such a colorful cast of characters that they are all an absolute joy! I absolutely adore the outrageous and impish March clan and it's fun to see Julia discover the inner March she has repressed for so long.
Brisbane continues to be as much an enigma to us as he is to Lady Jane but what a lovely little puzzle he is to solve and there is nothing Lady Jane loves more than a puzzle. The attraction between the two continues to grow even as he tries to push her away. He'll have quite a battle though as Lady Jane is not the meek lady we met in the beginning of book one, she has grown into a strong woman who knows what she wants and is unwilling to settle for anything less. With the mystery of Mariah Young finally revealed in the end (I was nicely surprised to find that it wasn't what I expected) Lady Julia now has some ammunition of her own when she meets Brisbane once more.
The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer
rating: 3 out of 5 stars
This was Heyer's first book (published at the age of 19!) and she was quite the talent even then. She had the basics of her storytelling down pat from the beginning and you'll find the requisite colorful cast of supporting players that make Heyer such a joy to read.
What Angels Fear by C.S. Harris
rating: 4 out of 5 stars
This is the first in the Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series set in Regency England. It's a well written whodunit with an appealing lead character and some interesting supporting players. The author did a good job of keeping you guessing throughout and she leaves a couple of threads to tempt you to the next book which I look forward to picking up soon.
Clouds Before the Sun by Janet Wright MatthewsMy mother bought me this book as a gift many years back and I didn't actually know that this was an historical novel until I started reading it couple of weeks ago. The basic story is a poor gentlelady who went to a Cornish farm with the intention to pick up her dead sister's baby daughter and sell the farm. Only the farm turned out to need more work before it can be sold, and then mysteriously the cattle starts dying, fulfilling the fear of a curse in the farm.
The book, for me, is vague in many points. It never really clearly defined in which time period it is situated in. It also never really delve into the characters well enough for me to care about them. Things sort of just happened out of the blue and mostly are things that make you roll your eyes for their cliches. Overall, it is a substandard work and I'll give it one out of five stars!
Pick-a-Shelf
Books mentioned in this topic
Slaughterhouse-Five, or The Children's Crusade (other topics)Girl with a Pearl Earring (other topics)
The Boleyn Inheritance (other topics)
Peony in Love (other topics)
The White (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Kurt Vonnegut (other topics)Betty Smith (other topics)
Libba Bray (other topics)
Martin Davies (other topics)
Katie Flynn (other topics)
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