Cynthia Sally Haggard's Blog: Cynthia Sally's Blog, page 56

The intensity of emotion on the page makes this novel transcendent (THE BRONZE HORSEMAN by Paullina Simon)

[image error]What I love about THE BRONZE HORSEMAN by Paullina Simons is the intensity of emotion on the page which lifts a boy-meets-girl story and makes it transcendent.

Seventeen-year-old Tatiana Metanova has led a sheltered life. Her family have not run afoul of the authorities in Soviet Russia, she has never had a boyfriend, and she has no idea how lovely she is. One day, she sit on a bench enjoying an ice-cream when she realizes a soldier (Alexander) is staring at her. Their eyes meet and a love affair begins.

Here is an example of what I mean about how emotional this story is. Alexander has just bought her a picnic for her birthday, and they are seated on a bench eating it:

He was spread out all over the bench and sitting conspicuously close. If she breathe, a part of her would touch a part of him. Tatiana was too overwhelmed to speak, as her intense feelings dropped into the brightly lit well inside her.

“Tania?” Alexander asked gently. “Tania, is the food all right?”

“Yes, fine.” After a small throat clearing, she said, “I mean, it’s very nice, thank you.”

…His leg accidentally touched hers.

Tatiana blushed. “No, not since.” She moved her leg and changed the subject to the Germans. She heard him sigh, then talk a little about what was happening at the garrison. But when Alexander was the only one talking, Tatiana was able to gaze at him…She wanted to ask him to put away that soft, smiling look in his ice cream eyes.

This glorious love-affair between two strong-minded characters set against the backdrop of the siege of Leningrad during World War II is a treat to read. Five stars.

The post The intensity of emotion on the page makes this novel transcendent (THE BRONZE HORSEMAN by Paullina Simon) appeared first on Spun Stories.

Reading Sundays: HAUNTED BY DREAMS (Part 3) a short story by Cynthia Sally Haggard

Helena’s life had become folded into a logistical struggle of the little things in life, getting up in the morning, eating, going out, dropping the girls off at day care, showing up for work, doing work, leaving, collecting the children, dinner, playing with her daughters, and getting them ready for bed.

“Well?”

She could feel her underarms becoming damp. What to say? How could she explain to her husband of six years that she was waking up in the middle of the night on the tail end of a dream, [image error]in which her darkly handsome professor was proclaiming his undying love for her, while he popped an expensive sparkler on her finger?

“It’s nothing,” she muttered.

His gaze sharpened. “Nothing?”

“It doesn’t matter.” She pushed the half-open door wide.

“Helena!” he exclaimed in the whispered shout he’d perfected since the children had arrived.

But he no longer had the power to reel her in by the sound of his voice. She shut the door, crawling into the secure tangle of sheets, telling herself he wouldn’t come for her, because she wasn’t important to him any more. She swallowed as she buried her face into the sweaty dimness. Helena had met Dr. Vanderzanden in a Statistics class she’d had to take for her Business degree. She’d been number-phobic and miserable, but wanting to be a good role model for her daughters, she forced herself to attend Dr. Vanderzanden’s office hours. And somehow, she managed to learn enough to pass the course and graduate.

[To be continued.]

The post Reading Sundays: HAUNTED BY DREAMS (Part 3) a short story by Cynthia Sally Haggard appeared first on Spun Stories.

Have a fabulous fourth!

Best wishes for a Happy Fourth of July 2020 from Washington DC!

[image error]

Stay safe…and don’t forget your mask:)

[image error]

The post Have a fabulous fourth! appeared first on Spun Stories.

Simon Brett’s THE TOMB IN TURKEY (FETHERING #16)

[image error]One of the joys of listening to a Simon Brett FETHERING mystery is that the characters are so well-drawn. In this episode, we have two women who seemingly could not be further apart in their tastes. There is Carole Seddon, very proper, very English, not given to traveling or adventure or anything that might take her out of her comfort zone just a teeny-tiny bit. Then there is Jude, a young woman, not proper, not so obviously English, impulsive, emotional, warm and messy. When Jude persuades Carole to go on holiday with her, you know things are going to go wrong. However, Simon Brett is such a good writer that they go wrong in ways you might not expect.

This is a perfect read for any time of the year. For summer, when one wants something light as one lazes by a pool in Turkey (or Italy). Or perfect for curling up by the fire in winter, when one dreams of summer and the holidays it brings.

Five stars.

The post Simon Brett’s THE TOMB IN TURKEY (FETHERING #16) appeared first on Spun Stories.

THE STRANGLING ON THE STAGE by Simon Brett, narrated by the author (FETHERING #15)

[image error]This is another alliterative title (#15) from Simon Brett’s Fethering series. Here we find out two beloved friends, Jude (who has many surnames and whose past is obscure) and her rather pent-up friend Carole Seddon, a retired civil servant, this time investigating a mysterious death by strangulation on the stage of the local amateur dramatic (“amdram”) society.

What makes this death so interesting, is that NO-ONE amongst the usually self-dramatizing and egotistical members of this society seems the least interested in Richie Good’s death. They all pass it off as an accident, and are more than willing to forget what happened to this rather unpleasant member of their society.

Carole and Jude are not so sure, however, and so we meet a rather bizarre cast of characters (pun intended) including Richie Good’s dry-eyed widow Glenda, absorbed in her cleaning of her Minnie Mouse collection, and Elizaveta Dalrymple, Grande Dame of the society.

I will not say more, so as not to spoil anything for those of you who have not experienced this. But if you love British humor, and eccentric characters, this is for you. Five stars.

The post THE STRANGLING ON THE STAGE by Simon Brett, narrated by the author (FETHERING #15) appeared first on Spun Stories.

THE STRANGLING ON THE STAGE by Simon Brett, narrated by the author

[image error]This is another alliterative title (#15) from Simon Brett’s Fethering series. Here we find out two beloved friends, Jude (who has many surnames and whose past is obscure) and her rather pent-up friend Carole Seddon, a retired civil servant, this time investigating a mysterious death by strangulation on the stage of the local amateur dramatic (“amdram”) society.

What makes this death so interesting, is that NO-ONE amongst the usually self-dramatizing and egotistical members of this society seems the least interested in Richie Good’s death. They all pass it off as an accident, and are more than willing to forget what happened to this rather unpleasant member of their society.

Carole and Jude are not so sure, however, and so we meet a rather bizarre cast of characters (pun intended) including Richie Good’s dry-eyed widow Glenda, absorbed in her cleaning of her Minnie Mouse collection, and Elizaveta Dalrymple, Grande Dame of the society.

I will not say more, so as not to spoil anything for those of you who have not experienced this. But if you love British humor, and eccentric characters, this is for you. Five stars.

The post THE STRANGLING ON THE STAGE by Simon Brett, narrated by the author appeared first on Spun Stories.

THE CORPSE ON THE COURT by Simon Brett, narrated by the author (FETHERING #14)

[image error]This volume finds Jude entangled in a passionate love-affair with a silver-tongued gentleman by the name of Piers Targett. Carole Seddon, hurt at being abandoned by her friend & neighbor for a man, decides to do some investigating herself. While Carole investigates “The Lady of the Lake” murder, Jude finds herself drawn into the game of Real Tennis, its genteel players, and (of course) discovers a dead body on the court.

I won’t say more so as not to spoil this for those of you who have not yet experienced this gem of a book from Simon Brett. Suffice it to say that this is not only an entertaining glimpse at everyone’s foibles (including those of Jude) but also an interesting peek into a sport I have never heard of. Like most people, I equated tennis with lawn tennis (the kind played at Wimbledon.) I had never heard to this much more strenuous game, that was played by Henry VIII (he of the VI wives) in his youth.

Another un-put-downable novel. If it is raining hard, or you are stuck in a horrid commute, read this! Five stars.

The post THE CORPSE ON THE COURT by Simon Brett, narrated by the author (FETHERING #14) appeared first on Spun Stories.

THE CORPSE ON THE COURT by Simon Brett, narrated by the author

[image error]This volume finds Jude entangled in a passionate love-affair with a silver-tongued gentleman by the name of Piers Targett. Carole Seddon, hurt at being abandoned by her friend & neighbor for a man, decides to do some investigating herself. While Carole investigates “The Lady of the Lake” murder, Jude finds herself drawn into the game of Real Tennis, its genteel players, and (of course) discovers a dead body on the court.

I won’t say more so as not to spoil this for those of you who have not yet experienced this gem of a book from Simon Brett. Suffice it to say that this is not only an entertaining glimpse at everyone’s foibles (including those of Jude) but also an interesting peek into a sport I have never heard of. Like most people, I equated tennis with lawn tennis (the kind play at Wimbledon.) I had never heard to this much more strenuous game, that was played by Henry VIII (he of the VI wives) in his youth.

Another un-put-downable novel. If it is raining hard, or you are stuck in a horrid commute, read this! Five stars.

The post THE CORPSE ON THE COURT by Simon Brett, narrated by the author appeared first on Spun Stories.

Reading Sundays: HAUNTED BY DREAMS (Part 2) a short story by Cynthia Sally Haggard

She retreated, back into the safe darkness of the bedroom, when he raised his well-shaped head and looked at her.

“What is it this time?”

Helena paused. “I have dreams.”

“You mean we should get out of this dump? Go to Italy?” he sneered.

Helena curled her hands together in front of her. In hindsight, she wished she’d let it go at that. Why not let him think she was dreaming of better things to come? But something about the tone of his voice goaded her to tell the truth.

“I don’t mean those kind of dreams. I mean the kind you have when you’re asleep.”

That got his attention. Jake considered himself an expert on the subconscious. He gave her a speculative look.

Helena’s embarrassment increased as she realized that she’d stopped having conversations with her husband, unless they were to do with the children. [image error]Four-year-old Annabelle and eighteen-month-old Maia kept their parents busy, and Helena’s life had become folded into a logistical struggle of the little things in life, getting up in the morning, eating, going out, dropping the girls off at day care, showing up for work, doing work, leaving, collecting the children, dinner, playing with her daughters, and getting them ready for bed.

“Well?”

[To be continued.]

The post Reading Sundays: HAUNTED BY DREAMS (Part 2) a short story by Cynthia Sally Haggard appeared first on Spun Stories.

Octavia Randolph’s THE CIRCLE OF CERIDWEN series. Narrated by Nano Nagle

Fifteen-year-old Ceridwen faces a plight common to most girls of her age: the unpalatable choice between taking a man she finds repulsive as a husband, or taking the veil and living a life she may not be called to.  Like most people of that time, her parents are dead. She has lost her uncle some years before. She has been brought up by the local prior, who wants her off his hands now that she has grown up.

As none of the options suits Ceridwen, she bravely decides to leave. So, what does a young woman of 15 take with her when she decides to travel out into the unknown in the year 871?

She takes: a mare, 40 pieces of silver, a comb, a wax writing tablet, a shift (chemise) 2 pairs of woolen stockings, the other woolen gown, a cloak, a small bronze cooking pot, food bags of barley & rye, turnips & cabbage, a few pasties and loaves, a leathern flask with a stopper, a tinderbox with iron and flint, a cow-skin for a ground sheet and two blankets.

Thus, Ceridwen makes her journey from Wessex, the home of the Anglo-Saxons, towards Jorvik (York), the home of the Vikings looking for work as a spinner, housekeeper or maiden to some great lady.

What could possibly go wrong?

I loved this series because it brought the time of Alfred the Great so vividly to life. It brought us back to the struggles between Christianity and Paganism, between the Anglo-Saxons settled in England and the Vikings who appeared in their long-ships every spring to raid, pillage and take young women and boys for hostages. Through all six volumes: THE CIRCLE OF CERIDWEN (#1),[image error] CERIDWEN OF KILTON (#2),[image error] THE CLAIMING (#3),[image error] THE HALL OF TYR (#4),[image error] TINDR (#5),[image error] and SILVER HAMMER, GOLDEN CROSS (#6)[image error] Nano Nagle’s voice ebbs and flows, pronouncing everything flawlessly, as we leave Ceridwen’s village in the Midlands for her great Adventure of Life. Five Stars.

The post Octavia Randolph’s THE CIRCLE OF CERIDWEN series. Narrated by Nano Nagle appeared first on Spun Stories.