The adventures of Robin Hood’s three children continue in The Heirs of Locksley, the second4+ stars. Final review, first posted on Fantasy Literature:
The adventures of Robin Hood’s three children continue in The Heirs of Locksley, the second novella in Carrie Vaughn‘s ROBIN HOOD STORIES series. It takes a unexpected four-year leap forward from The Ghosts of Sherwood. The eldest, Mary, is now aged twenty and still hasn’t met the young man she’s semi-betrothed to, and her feelings have shifted from fear and uncertainty to irritation that William de Ros still hasn’t bothered to come meet her; in fact, she’s beginning to wonder if he even exists. John (named after Little John) is in his later teens now, and the youngest, Eleanor, is thirteen.
Robin’s old enemy King John died a few years ago, and his thirteen-year-old son Henry is having his second coronation, which historically occurred in May of 1220. Vaughn sets this story in the midst of this actual event, when the nobility have gathered in London for the coronation. Young King Henry III takes a shine to the Locksley children when they’re presented to him, and impulsively announces an archery contest. John and Mary, both excellent archers (especially Mary) who are well-taught by their father, decide, in for a penny, in for a pound, and dress in Lincoln green for the contest.
Friends are made, but also some enemies (not everyone approves of women archers in the thirteenth century). Robin encourages his son John to befriend the lonely young king, and John decides what Henry really needs is to get into some mild mischief. Specifically, he weasels his way into Henry’s chambers late in the evening and suggests that they sneak outside so Henry can try climbing a tree for the first time in his life. While hidden in the tree, Henry and John overhear and see dangerous goings-on that they weren’t intended to. It all gets complicated from there, and great fun.
The Heirs of Locksley, like the first book, is a quick, light read, but it felt more fully fleshed-out than The Ghosts of Sherwood. Vaughn tells a straightforward tale that isn’t particularly complex, but I found it highly entertaining — enough to turn back to the start and reread most of it immediately after I finished. It includes a couple of diverting and rather meta scenes that underscore how Robin Hood is already becoming a legend.
Those who watched King Henry’s coronation archery tournament thought it was a joke at first, the two fresh-faced archers from Nottinghamshire acting like Robin Hood’s heirs, making jokes about shooting Normans … It must have been a joke. Robin Hood was only a story.
The characters continue to grow on me, and Vaughn offers insights into their thoughts and motivations that help bring them to life. Robin still has a wicked grin and a rather rebellious soul, but having children has made him realize that it’s more useful to have royal favor than to be sworn enemies of the king. Mary hopes to find love, or at least a man whose character she can admire, but the practical reality of arranged marriages at this time in England still needs to be dealt with.
Vaughn comments in her author’s note at the end that the legends of Robin Hood don’t really fit into actual history — there were no friars in England during King John’s lifetime, for example — so all of the Robin Hood stories are essentially fanfiction. (It’s reminiscent of Robin McKinley’s afterword in her comparable novel The Outlaws of Sherwood, in which McKinley pointed out the scant historical evidence for longbows in England at this time.) But being brave and honorable, fighting against corruption, helping others: that’s the kind of fanfic we need.
Robin Hood and Marian, 16 years later! Plus three kids. (They got busy!) Add kidnappers (who are maybe in a little over their heads). Review first posRobin Hood and Marian, 16 years later! Plus three kids. (They got busy!) Add kidnappers (who are maybe in a little over their heads). Review first posted on Fantasy Literature:
In The Ghosts of Sherwood, the first of Carrie Vaughn’s two recent Robin Hood novellas, Vaughn revisits the lives of Robin of Locksley and Marian, some eighteen or twenty years after King Richard the Lionheart typically brings about the end of Robin Hood’s merrie (and highly illegal) adventures in Sherwood Forest. King John, for better or worse, has held the throne of England for many years now, and Robin and other barons have successfully pressed for the legal reforms that led to the signing of the Magna Carta. There are divisions between the nobles, however, and Robin of Locksley still has many enemies.
After an absence of many months, Robin and Marian are returning home to their three children: Mary, about age sixteen and a gifted archer; John, a few years younger, and Eleanor, about age nine, who is mute. The family is delighted to be reunited, though Mary and John have a habit of spatting and Marian is annoyed with Robin for arranging a marriage for Mary without consulting either her or Mary first, though Robin protests that he won’t force Mary’s hand. But the dust hasn’t even had time to settle before the three Locksley children are kidnapped.
The Ghosts of Sherwood is a light, quick read that captures the adventurous spirit of the classic Robin Hood tales, while adding some depth to the characters. Vaughn writes primarily from Marian’s and her daughter Mary’s points of view, splitting her time fairly equally between the two generations. She delves into the hearts of her characters, bringing them to life as they interact with each other and deal with the concerns of life in early thirteenth century England, and with the changes and new priorities that age and experience and family life bring.
Twenty years ago Robin would have taken up the bow and shot the man’s cap off. Marian felt him tense beside her. Gathering up his civility like scattered coins. For a moment, she had no idea what he was going to do.
The Ghosts of Sherwood is similar in style to Robin McKinley’s 1988 novel The Outlaws of Sherwood, if rather less harrowing in the climactic scene. In her blog, Vaughn comments: “it’s fun. It’s light. Robin and Marian get to keep their happy ending, they love and support their children. It’s about friends and family and standing together against the world … No matter how dark things get, Robin still has hope and still fights.” That sense of hopefulness and togetherness permeate the pages of this novella. It’s escapist, but it also suggests that loyalty, courage and love go a long way toward combatting the evils of this world.
The Ghosts of Sherwood is over too soon: it feels more like the first several chapters of a longer work, than a stand-alone novella. And in fact, Vaughn has just published a second book in this ROBIN HOOD STORIES series, The Heirs of Locksley, which I dove into immediately upon finishing this one. Hopefully there will be more Locksley family stories to come!
3.5 stars, more if you're a fan of cozy, old-timey family dramas with a little romance. If you've read any other D.E. Stevensen novels, this is fairly3.5 stars, more if you're a fan of cozy, old-timey family dramas with a little romance. If you've read any other D.E. Stevensen novels, this is fairly typical of her work: small English town life in the mid-20th century, often with WWII as a backdrop.
Caroline Dering is a charming, rather quiet widow, about 40 years old, who's juggling the lives of her three children, tight finances, and village life in Ashbridge in the post-WWII years, where everyone knows everyone else's business. Her son James is still far away with the British military; she also has two teenage daughters, one of whom (Leda, age 19) is in love with Derek, the rather aimless son of the local squire. Derek is in law school but isn't doing well and doesn't like it (not that he likes much of anything involving hard work).
Caroline meets a kind, attractive widower, Robert Shepperton, who's moved to the town to recuperate from his war experiences and the loss of his wife in the London bombings. Just when Caroline is starting to get emotionally involved with Robert, her younger sister Harriet, a beautiful and vivacious actress, comes into town and hits it off with Robert as well. Additional drama is supplied by Leda's troubled relationship with Derek.
Stevenson frequently used the "sisters fall in love with the same guy" trope but I appreciated that it played out differently here than in a couple of her other books, where it annoyed me a lot more. Harriet is a goodhearted person, not a wench trying to steal the affections of her sister's guy. The story and plot are very straightforward, but occasionally Stevenson hits you with a bit of humorous writing ("Joss [their dog] was an enigma. This was a breed unknown to the villagers, of course.") or an insight that makes you stop and think.
"Selfish people are nearly always unhappy," explained Harriet, taking a brown silk frock out of the wardrobe and examining it carefully before laying it over a chair. "Sometimes they go on for quite a long time before Nemesis descends upon them and knocks them flat, but Nemesis always gets them in the end. I'm sorry for you, Leda."
The ending was too abrupt - that's another frequent thing with Stevenson - but there's always the sequels to assuage my curiosity, if I decide to pursue this series further. (I'm open to it, but it's not super-high on my priority list.)
Vittoria Cottage isn't one of my favorites of Stevenson's books (that would be Miss Buncle's Book, with honorable mentions to Amberwell and Celia's House) but it was an enjoyable read that kept me engaged and turning the pages quickly to find out what happened.
4.5 stars. A very twisty, eerie mystery, set in the 1600s on a ship traveling from Batavia (now Jakarta, Indonesia) to Amsterdam. It’s not much at all4.5 stars. A very twisty, eerie mystery, set in the 1600s on a ship traveling from Batavia (now Jakarta, Indonesia) to Amsterdam. It’s not much at all like The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle except in the complexity of the plot. :)
Full review to come.
Update: CHEERS!! I just got approved for this on NetGalley.
Hard to put this one down! It's set in depression-era rural Kentucky, where an intelligent (if somewhat cluel[image] Pack Horse librarians in the 1940s
Hard to put this one down! It's set in depression-era rural Kentucky, where an intelligent (if somewhat clueless, at least at first) English girl moves after a whirlwind romance and marriage to a handsome guy who's the son of the local bigwig and mine owner. Everything - including the marriage, for very good Reasons - is working out to be a huge disappointment for Alice, so when a lady in a town meeting asks for women to deliver library books by horse to the locals, Alice impulsively volunteers, to the dismay of her husband and the anger of her father-in-law.
It's a well-written historical drama, focusing on the relationships of Alice with the people around her, and spiced up by a murder investigation and trial. Despite the trials and tribulations of Alice and her friends, I'd say this book is ultimately on the lighter side of historic fiction, especially where Jojo Moyes wraps everything up in the end with a nice feel-good bow. But if you like books like Where the Crawdads Sing, I think this one is fairly similar in style.
And I’d love to know more about the actual history of the Pack Horse Librarians of Kentucky!
[image]
I’ve looked into the plagiarism claims relating to similarities between this book and The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. I have to say I’m not convinced at all ... and I’m an IP lawyer. Most of the limited similarities can be explained by coincidence and current trends in historic literature (there's an inescapable logic in having a smart black woman character be part of the packhorse librarians, even though there's no actual history supporting that, or having an uncouth mountain man accost and threaten one of the librarians). The timelines of the novels coming out are awfully close for any copying, even if Moyes did see an ARC (which she asserts she didn't). But I’ll reserve final judgment until I actually read Book Woman of Troublesome Creek....more
4.5 stars. A cozy, heartwarming tale set in a small English village during WWII, about the daughters of Mr. Grace, the local vicar, and their relation4.5 stars. A cozy, heartwarming tale set in a small English village during WWII, about the daughters of Mr. Grace, the local vicar, and their relationships with each other and others (including a little romance). This book was just what I needed tonight.
3.5 stars. This is the first book in the Mrs. Tim series, a novel in the form of journal entries written by the wife of a career British military offi3.5 stars. This is the first book in the Mrs. Tim series, a novel in the form of journal entries written by the wife of a career British military officer, Mrs. Tim Christie. D.E. Stevenson, who wrote this book in 1932, was herself a military wife, and based much of this book on her own real-life journal, so there's definitely a realistic take on the ups and downs of British military life in between the world wars.
The first half is best viewed as an immersion into Hester Christie's day-to-day life. It doesn't really have much of a plot, but she has a wry sense of humor and tells some interesting stories. The second half is more novel-like, as Hester visits a well-to-do friend in Scotland for a few weeks' vacation and there's lots of interpersonal drama, including her friend's son falling in love with the Wrong Girl and a Major Tony Morley (who works closely with Hester's husband Tim) who follows Hester around and has fallen in love with her ... which Hester utterly fails to realize because she's "hedged about with innocence," in Tony's words. Her obliviousness to his love for her never really worked for me, since Hester is otherwise quite observant, but maybe this is what readers in the 30s expected where one of the parties was married? In any case, even though Tim isn't around for most of the book, Hester is unswervingly devoted to him. And Tony, questionable though his motives may be, is a hilarious guy who always brightens up the pages when he appears.
It's a cozy read, definitely of its time in terms of social attitudes and unexamined classism, but that generally comes with the territory in older books. This isn't my favorite book by D.E. Stevenson (that would be Miss Buncle's Book) but I did enjoy getting a glimpse of another, bygone world through Hester Christie's eyes.
These books were very popular in their day (Stevenson wrote three more Mrs. Tim books) but I may or may not ever get around to reading them. I did read her book The Four Graces last week, which I'd recommend more than this one for people who like old-fashioned romances....more
3.5 stars. Sarah Eden, a well-known author of clean historical romances, shifts gears in this unusual twist on the genre: a cat-and-mouse game between3.5 stars. Sarah Eden, a well-known author of clean historical romances, shifts gears in this unusual twist on the genre: a cat-and-mouse game between Elizabeth Black and Fletcher Walker, two Victorian era authors of “penny dreadful” novels.
[image] Victorian-era penny dreadful novel
They really were a penny! And in all likelihood the writing was dreadful too, although I understand the dreadful part is actually referring to the scary villains and monsters that usually populated these thriller-type books. :)
Fletcher is trying to unearth the identity of a “Mr. King,” who’s overtaken Fletcher as the best-selling author of penny dreadful novels. It’s not just pride; Fletcher, who was once a street orphan himself, needs the money to help fund his secret organization of men committed to helping rescue and educate London’s street children. (What exactly Fletcher and this organization plan to do about Mr. King, other than maybe ask him to join their group, isn't entirely clear. It sort of seems like they have something ominous in mind but ... maybe not?)
Anyway, Fletcher asks Miss Elizabeth Black, headmistress of a respectable girl’s school and author of “silver-fork” novels, to help him track down Mr. King - never dreaming that Elizabeth IS Mr. King. Besides the socially-approved silver-fork novels, she has a fondness for writing the more sensational penny dreadful novels ... and plus they make her way more money, which she ALSO needs to help fund her girl's school. Elizabeth, determined to keep her secret from him - it would ruin her socially and professionally if it became known - agrees to “help” Fletcher, really intending to mislead him. Hah!
There's a subplot about people devoted to trying to improve the lot of poor children and teens in London (spoiler alert: the villains who prey on the poor take exception to having their schemes interfered with) and just a little romance, complete with the trope (view spoiler)["I'll resist falling in love with you and hurt your feelings by avoiding you with no explanation, because I'm not good enough for you" (hide spoiler)].
These chapters about Fletcher and Elizabeth alternate with chapters from the pulpy novels that the two of them are currently writing, in which monsters of various types abound. It’s occasionally a bit slow, the main characters are almost too altruistic to be true, and the other characters are pretty one-dimensional, but overall it’s a fun and quite different kind of book if you like light historical romances. I enjoyed seeing how the chapters from Fletcher’s and Elizabeth’s penny dreadful novels tied into the main plot ... especially when it happened on purpose. :)
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Thank you!...more
Sam Kean, who wrote the delightfully informative Caesar’s Last Breath in 2017 about the topic of gases, inclReview first posted on Fantasy Literature:
Sam Kean, who wrote the delightfully informative Caesar’s Last Breath in 2017 about the topic of gases, including a section on nuclear bombs, delves more deeply into the history of the atomic bomb in The Bastard Brigade. Though the subtitle might lead one to presume that it focuses solely on the Allies’ Alsos mission, the group charged with thwarting Nazi Germany’s development of the atomic bomb, this book is much more wide-ranging in its topics. The Bastard Brigade is a sweeping account of the development of nuclear physics prior to and during WWII, the race to develop a working atomic bomb, and finally the Alsos mission itself.
Part I, set during the prewar years to 1939, introduces readers to the various personalities who will be significant to this slice of history, along with some of the physics discoveries of the time. In particular, we meet Moe Berg, a Jewish major league baseball player from Newark who found he had a taste for international intrigue; the French wife-husband scientist team of Irène (daughter of Marie and Pierre Curie) and Frederic Joliot-Curie; and Boris Pash (originally Pashkovsky), a refugee from the Russian Revolution who became a high school P.E. and science teacher and, eventually, the leader of the Alsos mission. There are many more scientists, including Werner Heisenberg, Enrico Fermi, and Samuel Goudsmit (who later becomes part of Alsos). And, I suspect just because his name and story are so recognizable, there’s also Joe Kennedy Jr., JFK’s older brother who was (according to Kean) obsessed with proving himself a war hero and outshining his younger brother.
With Part II we launch into the WWII years, with a focus on the groundbreaking physics discoveries of many different scientists around the world. The Germans got off to a substantial head start in nuclear weapons research and development, enough to deeply alarm the Allies, who soon threw tremendous resources into their own nuclear programs. At the same time America was working on developing the atomic bomb, it was also assembling a group of scientists, soldiers and spies and sending them on missions in Nazi territory aimed at scuttling Germany’s nuclear program, whether by stealing uranium, sabotaging manufacturing facilities, trying to convince German scientists to defect, or other efforts.
The Alsos mission wasn’t created until late 1943. This part of the story begins at the end of Part IV, on page 253, more than halfway through the book, although there are several prior missions against Germany’s nuclear bomb program. The most intriguing of these are the British and Norwegian operations in 1942 and 1943 aimed at sabotaging a Nazi-held heavy water plant in Vemork, Norway ― a deadly mission for many men.
Kean relates these and other events in an informal, accessible way, focusing on the most interesting events and the personalities of the various players. Though there’s a detailed index and list of sources, this is not a scholarly text. I did sometimes wonder about Kean’s blithe recreation of long-ago conversations and his conclusions about personal motivations, like Joe Kennedy Jr.’s supposed obsession with outdoing his younger brother’s heroics. Though The Bastard Brigade’s subtitle suggests (a) that this book is all about Alsos, and (b) that Alsos actually did sabotage Germany’s atomic bomb, the book’s scope is far broader than that, and the actual degree of success of the sabotage efforts (and their significance with respect to the end result of the German nuclear program) is much more nuanced. The subtitle is a bit misleading, is what I guess I’m saying.
The Bastard Brigade is more in the nature of a traditional historical book than Kean’s previously-published popular science books. Personally I didn’t find it quite as appealing as Caesar’s Last Breath, but it was informative and kept my attention. I’d give this book a strong thumbs up for readers who are interested in learning more about the development of nuclear physics and bomb technology, and about Germany’s WWII atomic bomb program and the Allied efforts to sabotage it.
Initial post: Woohoo, I just got a hardback ARC! Sam Kean wrote the amazing Caesar's Last Breath and I was absolutely delighted when the publisher offered me his latest book!
Now I just have to keep my husband (a WWII buff) from stealing this one until I'm done. :)...more
This 1952 book by Nevil Shute (author of A Town Like Alice and On the Beach) contrasts the bleakness of post-war London and Great Britain, especially This 1952 book by Nevil Shute (author of A Town Like Alice and On the Beach) contrasts the bleakness of post-war London and Great Britain, especially the ongoing food rationing and general lack of prosperity, with the bright, roomy country of Australia, where massive meals are the order of the day, everyone (almost) has financial security, and the landscape is awe-inspiring.
[image] Merrijig, Australia
Against that backdrop, we have the adventures and romance between Jennifer Morton, a British young woman visiting her relatives in Australia and deciding whether to make her life there, and Carl Zlinter, a Czech doctor who's working as a lumberman in Australia and loves the country ... even though he's not (because of laws) allowed to practice medicine there. But in the lumber camps there's often a need for first aid, and people turn a blind eye when he performs minor surgeries. And then one day there's a major accident ...
The story begins with some scenes from the life of Jack and Jane Dorman, a couple in their 50s who moved to Australia many years ago. Jane, a British woman from an upper class family, married Jack years ago against her parents' wishes.
She was too young, too immature to be able to stand up and state her conviction that there was solid stuff in this young man, the substance for a happy and enduring marriage; she felt that very strongly, but she could never get it out in words.
Jane's Aunt Ethel was her sole supporter. Now, after many years of financial struggles on their Australian sheep ranch, Jack and Jane finally are making a lot of money. Jane, reading between the lines of Ethel's latest letters, gets worried and decides to send Aunt Ethel a gift of ₤500. Meanwhile, back in Great Britain, Ethel's granddaughter Jennifer gets an emergency call about Ethel, and rushes to her home.
Carl is an unusual character for the love interest, with a thick accent and a somewhat timid manner with Jennifer. He's a good guy and a talented surgeon, though, and I ended up really liking him. Ethel was a distinctive character as well, a relic of a bygone era with pride and a deep wish not to be a burden or charity case. Compared to these two, Jennifer is somewhat less memorable, though appealing; a plucky British young woman.
Nevil Shute has a lot to say about the relative merits of post-war England vs. Australia, and it's clear on which side of the fence he stands. I don't know how accurate his portrayal of these countries in the early fifties is, but he does draw Australia as kind of the Promised Land, a place of great opportunity for people both rich and poor. There were a lot of European refugees who emigrated to Australia in the aftermath of WWII, called the "New Australians," and this book talks quite a bit about the Australian immigration program and the work requirements for immigrants. Interesting stuff. Shute's views on colonialism are dated, though that's understandable for a book that's nearly 70 years old.
The Far Country isn't as memorable as A Town Like Alice, one of my favorite comfort reads, and the ending left too many loose threads for my taste. I really wanted an epilogue or a few more chapters! But I enjoyed it and downed the whole thing in one evening.
June 2019 buddy read with the Retro Reads group....more
99c Kindle sale, June 3, 2019. If you like sweet historical romances, a Kindle sale on a Sarah Eden novel is definitely worth taking note of. It’s par99c Kindle sale, June 3, 2019. If you like sweet historical romances, a Kindle sale on a Sarah Eden novel is definitely worth taking note of. It’s part of a series, but readable on a stand-alone basis (which is what I did).
Set in a small Wyoming town in the late 1800s, this novel deals with some serious themes, the difficulties of going blind and the historic hatred and prejudice between the Irish and the English. It lightens that with a good dose of humorous banter and the importance of family. And I have to admit it brought tears to my eyes a couple of times. 😭 In a good way....more
An older woman looks back on her life, thinks about her family, and tries to decide what to do with a valuable painting that she's inherited from her An older woman looks back on her life, thinks about her family, and tries to decide what to do with a valuable painting that she's inherited from her father, an artist.
I read this back in the day and honestly don't remember any of the details, but I do remember enjoying this read. ...more
A lost girl, about four years old, turns up at the ancient Swan inn and tavern by the Thames River in 1887, Review first posted on Fantasy Literature:
A lost girl, about four years old, turns up at the ancient Swan inn and tavern by the Thames River in 1887, on the night of the winter solstice. An injured man staggers into the inn, holding the apparently drowned girl in his arms, and promptly collapses. When the local midwife and nurse, Rita, arrives, she privately confirms that the girl is not breathing and has no pulse, though she mysteriously has no sign of drowning or other injury. But a few minutes later the girl suddenly lives and breathes again, stunning Rita and the others at the inn.
The girl is wordless, and it’s soon discovered that she doesn’t belong to Daunt, the man who carried her into the inn. Who, then, does she belong to? Several people raise a claim: Robin Armstrong, the wastrel oldest son of a black gentleman farmer, Robert, claims her as his lost daughter Alice. Lily White, an abused woman whose younger sister may have died many years ago, insists (against all evidence) that the girl is her little sister Ann. Helena and Anthony Vaughan, a couple whose two-year old daughter was kidnapped two years ago, claim the girl as their daughter Amelia, although it soon becomes clear that Anthony has grave doubts, though those are undermined by Helena’s passionate conviction and her joy after two years of inconsolable grief.
These and others are unique, interesting characters with strong backstories that flow like tributaries into the main river of the tale. The Swan inn is a place that specializes in storytelling, and the river that runs past the inn and flows in an out of the story throughout the novel, carries its own stories ― particularly Quietly the mythic ferryman, a gaunt figure who appears to those who are in trouble on the water, helping them either to life and safety or to “another shore.” A diverse cast of unusual characters, some tragedy, a mystery or three, a challenging romance, and a little magical realism spice up the plot of Once Upon a River.
Water flows throughout the tale, a potent symbol that Diane Setterfield, for the most part, uses effectively (I did find the closing paragraph too pat). Everyone’s life has been touched by the river to one degree or another. Daunt is a photographer who’s endlessly fascinated by the river. Rita was born to a despairing mother who threw herself into the river, dying just after giving birth to Rita. Helena has always loved boating on the river, until her daughter’s kidnapping and disappearance two years ago.
It had seemed then that her daughter’s absence had flooded Helena, flooded them both, and that with their words they were trying to bail themselves out. But the words were eggcups, and what they were describing was an ocean of absence, too vast to be contained in such modest vessels. She bailed and she bailed, but no matter how often she repeated the effort, she could not get to the end of it.
Setterfield’s language is lovely and her storytelling is beautiful, with depths to it that most fantasy authors don’t aspire to. I also admire her ability to develop multi-layered characters and build a world that I felt wholly immersed in.
Bill’s (my co-review at Fantasy Literature) primary complaint is that Once Upon a River becomes too concrete and obvious in its symbolism, structure and plot. That wasn’t an aspect that bothered me; I’m generally just happy to see symbolism make an appearance at all (I strongly suspect that my literary tastes aren’t as exacting as Bill’s). What did vex me was that the pacing of the novel was so languid until it finally picked up in the final third. But then it was fascinating to see all the various tributaries (plot threads) of the story come together, although Setterfield makes a little too much use of coincidence in tying the threads together and wrapping up her story. Though perhaps one might call those coincidences fate, or Providence, or even Quietly the ferryman watching over the river and the people whose lives are touched by it.
Like the river that is the fluid, adaptable symbol for this Victorian-era story, Once Upon a River meanders at first, but gains force as it flows toward a compelling conclusion. It’s a profound and meaningful voyage that I enjoyed and would recommend to readers who enjoy thoughtful historic tales with a dash of fantasy.
Many thanks to Simon and Schuster for the review copy!...more
4+ stars. This historical novel of WWII focuses on an unusual aspect of the war: the British women who were deployed to France under Britain's Special4+ stars. This historical novel of WWII focuses on an unusual aspect of the war: the British women who were deployed to France under Britain's Special Operations Executive or SOE program to work with the Resistance as radio operators, saboteurs, and couriers.
[image] Real-life SOE agent Christine Granville with members of the French Resistance in 1944
Most of the reason for this dangerous venture is that most men were too suspiciously visible in France (since most men were off at war). It was a highly perilous job for these women.
"You're transmitting in Occupied France and the Germans will do anything to stop you." Then her expression grew serious. "Six weeks."
"Excuse me?"
"That's the average life expectancy of a radio operator in France. Six weeks."
We follow this group of women - especially Marie, a young single mother - as they are recruited, go through intensive training, and then are sent over to France ... fully prepared or not.
This is also a dual timeline novel, but not quite like any I've ever read before. The secondary timeline is only a couple of years later, in 1946, when Grace Healey, a young American war widow, finds an abandoned suitcase in Grand Central Terminal in NYC, and impulsively takes a set of a dozen photographs of women from the suitcase. When she tries to return the photos later, the suitcase is gone, and this sends her on a search for the owner of the suitcase and the story behind the women in the photos.
Excellent but heart-wrenching historical fiction. I recommend it.
Bonus material: There's an excellent web page, The Female Spies of the SOE, that tells the true stories of several of the 55 women who served as SOE agents, including Noor Inayat Khan, who was executed in Dachau after being captured and betrayed, and Nancy Grace August Wake, given the nickname “the white mouse” by the Gestapo "because of her uncanny ability to evade capture. When she learned one of the resistance groups no longer had a radio for communication, she rode almost 300 kilometers on a bicycle to make radio contact with the SEO headquarters and arrange for an equipment drop. Despite many close calls, Wake survived the war."
I received a free copy of this book for review from the publisher. Thank you!!
Content notes: wartime violence and death. Otherwise this is pretty much clean....more
The Overstory is a powerful, literary novel, shortlisted for the 2018 Man Booker Prize. It sings, in part, a paean to the wonders of trees and the multitude of wonders that old-growth forests and a variety of trees brings to our world. It also mourns a tragedy: how humans relentlessly annihilate these priceless resources, and what drives some people to eco-terrorism.
The Overstory is brilliantly organized in a form that reflects an actual tree. It begins with a section aptly titled “Roots,” a set of eight apparently unconnected stories in which we meet nine disparate characters: An artist whose family home in Iowa boasts one of the last healthy American chestnut trees. The engineer daughter of a Chinese immigrant. An odd, unmotivated teenager inspired by a book about human behavior and psychology. An intellectual property attorney who falls in love with an unconventional stenographer. A Vietnam veteran who stumbles into a job planting seedlings to replace mature trees that have been cut down. A brilliant computer programmer, permanently disabled by a fall from a tree. A postdoc, hearing- and speech-impaired woman who studies trees, discovering that they communicate with each other, and is ridiculed for her conclusions. And a beautiful, careless college undergrad who dies from an accidental electrocution and returns to life with a vision and a purpose. And all of these characters have been deeply affected by trees, in one way or another.
Richard Powers traces the lives of these nine people ― often back to their childhood or even their ancestors ― to explore how they have developed into the people they are. These introductory stories of their lives are excellent and insightful; good enough that they could stand alone as individual short stories. But Powers is just getting started.
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In the next section, “Trunk,” their lives come together and begin to affect each other. Four of them become eco-warriors, part of the tree-hugging movement whose proponents will do almost anything to stop the logging and stripping of irreplaceable mature redwoods and old-growth forests. “Trunk” culminates in a terrible, unexpected event that will change their lives forever. And so we proceed to “Crown” and then the shorter, final section, “Seeds.”
The Overstory is a little bit magical realism, with messages being shared with some of the characters by some mystical source, and a little bit science fiction, as the genius computer programmer develops video games that turn into a type of artificial intelligence. But mostly Richard Powers is trying to convince us, as readers, of the wondrous nature of trees, and to treat trees, and our world generally, with deeper respect. The novel shifts its focus somewhat in the final section, with a somewhat cryptic hint that trees may well outlast humanity.
Parts of The Overstory rate five stars, easily, but personally I hit a bit of a wall with the lengthy middle section, “Trunk.” As brilliantly written as the book is, it’s also sometimes slow-paced, repetitious and didactic, as Powers delves into the evils of the corporations and groups who are indiscriminately cutting down trees and eliminating forests, and the worst of the tactics they use against those who try to oppose them. I think this novel would have benefited by being edited down by about a hundred pages and by being less overtly preachy. But Powers is clearly angry, and wants us to share that anger and be moved to take action. It may be message fiction, but this is potent stuff. Also, as Powers points out more than once, trees live very slowly compared to humans, and that is echoed in the deliberate pacing of The Overstory.
For readers already of the view that humans are doing profound damage to the ecology of our world, The Overstory will give you additional arguments and inspiration. For those more skeptical, it may cause you to reexamine some of your views. The Overstory isn’t an easy read, but it’s a powerful and persuasive work of art.
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I received a free copy from the publisher for review. Thank you!
Content notes: some, very limited adult content (language, violence, sexual situations). This isn’t a book for younger readers in any case.
Initial post: This hefty, literary book looks a little intimidating, but interesting. The Secret Life of Trees. Off we go!...more
$1.99 Kindle sale, July 17, 2019. This is a moving dual timeline historical novel set in Cuba, both in modern times and during the 1958-59 period of F$1.99 Kindle sale, July 17, 2019. This is a moving dual timeline historical novel set in Cuba, both in modern times and during the 1958-59 period of Fidel Castro and the Cuban Revolution, with a couple of romantic subplots to spice things up.
[image] Havana, Cuba (the author specifically mentions how many old cars and vehicles are still on the streets - most Cubans can't replace them with newer cars so they take loving care of them)
[image] El Malecón
Cuba's past is seen through the eyes of Elisa in 1958-59, a young woman from a wealthy upper class family who starts a secret romance with a revolutionary who fights against the corrupt regime of Fulgencio Batista, alongside Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. In the modern timeline, we have Elisa's Cuban-American granddaughter Marisol, a journalist of "light" topics who hugely misses her recently deceased grandmother.
The story begins with Elisa and her family leaving Cuba after Castro has taken control, then jumps back about a year to show how things got to that point. Her chapters alternate with Marisol's, who takes a first-time trip to Cuba to scatter her grandmother Elisa’s ashes in the country she grew up in and loved, the place she always longed to return to. Marisol stays with the family of Ana, her grandmother’s best friend, unearths long-hidden secrets, and finds her own romance that is fraught with difficulties due to the political turmoil.
Next Year in Havana is well-written and VERY well researched, thought not quite as engaging for me as I’d hoped. I think that's because the story is told through the viewpoints of two women who are on the periphery of the action. That, together with the focus on their romances, gives this book somewhat less heft than I expected. Still, it's a great way to absorb some of the history of the Cuban Revolution, along with a deeply felt and sometimes heart-wrenching story about love: both romantic love and love for one's country.
I also thought Chanel Cleeton, a Cuban American author, did an excellent job of showing the problems, shortcomings, hopes and desires of all of the different factions that play a role in the story. While she's coming, very understandably, from an anti-Castro position, she shows the injustice of the Batista government and the idealistic desires that many of the revolutionaries had. She also acknowledges the limitations in viewpoint of the Cubans who immigrated to America, a nuance that impressed me.
[image] Havana slum
Next Year in Havana is a 2018 “Reese’s Book Club” selection. Many thanks to Berkley Publishing for the review copy!
Content notes: some sexual content (view spoiler)[including an out-of-wedlock pregnancy (hide spoiler)] but nothing at all explicit. Limited violence, also not graphic....more
My recent read of Kearsley's Bellewether left me slightly dissatisfied, but I knew (and was assure4+ stars. Review first posted on Fantasy Literature:
My recent read of Kearsley's Bellewether left me slightly dissatisfied, but I knew (and was assured by historical novel-loving friends) that she was capable of far more engaging storytelling, so I dove into her older duology of Jacobite-era novels, The Winter Sea and The Firebird. Both of these books ― in which Kearsley employs her favored dual-timeline approach with romance subplots, a paranormal element, and stellar historical research ― were thoroughly enjoyable.
In The Winter Sea, Carolyn (Carrie) MClelland is a successful author of historical novels who is having trouble settling on the subject of her next book. She’s been staying in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, researching the role of the French in supporting the Jacobite uprisings in the eighteenth century, but can’t find the right approach for her novel. While driving to visit her agent in Scotland, she impulsively stops at Slains Castle in Cruden Bay, where the Earl of Erroll and his mother met with Nathaniel Hooke and other Jacobites to plan young James Stuart’s return to the English throne that had been held by his father, James II and VII, until he was deposed in 1688.
Carrie finds the ruins of Slains Castle unexpectedly appealing to her imagination; she hears the voice of a woman in her mind saying, “So, you see, my heart is held forever by this place. I cannot leave.” Neither can Carrie leave: she promptly rents a cottage in the vicinity of Slains Castle and begins writing her novel at a rapid pace she’s never before achieved. She hears the characters in her mind and even dreams about them, and decides to name her novel’s main character Sophia. Carrie knows her McClelland ancestors had crossed from southwest Scotland into Ireland, and that one of her ancestors from the 1700s was named Sophia Paterson. It’s a bit spooky when Carrie finds out that Sophia actually lived for a few years in Slains Castle. But when Carrie’s research shows more and more connections with the novel she’s writing ― not just names, but the events she’s dreaming and writing about ― Carrie and those around her begin to wonder what kind of connection she has to the past, and to Sophia.
Kearsley’s use of “genetic memory” as the reason for Carrie’s vivid dreams and recollections of events in the life of Sophia Paterson, down to knowing Sophia’s thoughts and feelings, was a bit of an eye-roller for me. (Scientifically speaking, genetic memory isn’t the physical encoding of specific memories in a body, but “a much vaguer tendency to encode a readiness to respond in certain ways to certain stimuli.”) But if you’re able to suspend disbelief and accept it as a story-telling device, The Winter Sea is a deeply interesting look at the lives of characters who were instrumental in the 1708 attempted invasion of Scotland by naval forces supporting James Stuart. Kearsley deftly weaves together both historical and fictional characters in her novels, and invariably provides a detailed afterword where she explains the historical background and where she’s taken liberties with actual history in writing her story.
The Winter Sea switches back and forth between Carrie’s story in modern times, researching and writing her novel and dealing with the competing romantic attentions of the two attractive sons of her Scottish landlord, and Sophia in the early 1700s, an orphaned young woman who has come to stay with her relatives at Slains Castle. Anne, the Countess of Erroll and an actual historical figure, is a fascinating woman in her own right, independent, determined and capable of playing a significant role in the Jacobite rebellions. Sophia finds both love and heartbreak at Slains, as she meets some of the movers and shakers of the time. The Winter Sea has some sorrowful moments and gets extra tearjerker points for making me weep in public (I’m sure the person sitting next to me on the plane was amused).
Sophia’s daughter’s story, and Russia’s role in the Jacobite cause in the years following this novel, are explored in its sequel, The Firebird. I highly recommend this pair of novels to readers who enjoy historical fiction with a side of romance and a slight paranormal element.
October 15, 2018 buddy read with Dichotomy Girl and Teresa....more
In this 1958 novel by Rumer Godden (one of those once well-known authors that I’d never heard of before I started han4.5 stars.
[image] Greengage plums
In this 1958 novel by Rumer Godden (one of those once well-known authors that I’d never heard of before I started hanging out online with GR friends who love older books), five English children, ages 5 to 16, are taken by their mother to France for an educational vacation - touring the battlefields of France so they’ll have more appreciation for the sacrifices of others. The kids will get a life lesson, all right: it’s just not the one their mother intended.
Their mother is bitten on the leg by a horsefly just before the trip and winds up in the hospital; the children end up living largely unsupervised at their hotel for a few weeks. A gentleman who’s sleeping with one of the proprietors of the hotel takes them under his wing, at least to some extent, but it’s clear from the start that he has his own reasons for keeping them around.
The Greengage Summer is a coming of age story, narrated by 13 year old Cecil (a girl), that starts out very languid and slow-paced, but then the tension starts building as they realize something is very off with one of their friends at the hotel, and (view spoiler)[some horrifying events happen (hide spoiler)]. I couldn’t put it down for the second half.
The greengage plums used in the title have an interesting symbolism: they're so sweet, but these phrases and words were typically used in connection with them:
"we made ourselves ill from eating the greengages" "as if the first greengage had been an Eden apple, I was suddenly older and wiser" "There were a few, on the trees, overripe in the sun but still firm under the leaves; I ate both kinds and they added to the chaotic feeling in my stomach." "Greengage indigestion!"
This summer was a definitely a loss of Eden experience for the Grey siblings.
It’s a rather sobering look into human nature and our weaknesses. The characterization is excellent, subtle and with depth, and sometimes disturbing. If you like I Capture the Castle, give The Greengage Summer a read.
Well worth reading, but there’s a ton of mostly-untranslated French in it. Good thing the Kindle has a translation feature! I used it constantly.
January 2019 group read with the Retro Reads group.
Content notes: some adult material, though not explicit, including lots of swearing in French that mostly went over my head because the Kindle translated it into pretty innocuous words. 😂...more
I've watched The Shawshank Redemption movie any number of times on cable TV (at least the last half of it; I almost always manage to miss the f[image]
I've watched The Shawshank Redemption movie any number of times on cable TV (at least the last half of it; I almost always manage to miss the first half). So a few weeks ago when my husband asked me to find Stephen King's story The Body (the basis for the movie Stand by Me), I was delighted to find the novella Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption in the same collection. My husband hasn't read his story yet, but I've read mine. :)
A lifetime convict, Red (in the story, a redheaded man of Irish descent :( - no Morgan Freeman) narrates the story of Andy Dufresne, his unjust imprisonment for murder in Shawshank Prison, and his life and times in prison. Andy is a standoffish guy, but Red is the guy who can get almost anything for you (he draws the line at weapons and hard drugs). Gradually the two become friends. Red watches as Andy deals with the prison rapists called the sisters, and then becomes valuable to the prison guards and the warden himself because of his financial wizardry. Despite his circumstances, Andy has hope and a self-confidence that Red admires.
It was so interesting to see where the movie follows the original story and where it diverges. I like some of the changes introduced in the movie, actually, (view spoiler)[especially Andy's final fleecing of Warden Norton and the warden's final fate (hide spoiler)]. But the theme of personal redemption came through for me more strongly in this story.
Remember that hope is a good thing, Red, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.
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Content notes: disturbing discussion of prison rape and prison life, a couple of uses of the N word to describe how prisoners are treated, an F-bomb or two....more
[image] Where do the crawdads sing? [image] Way out yonder, "in the dark reaches of the marsh."
Really lovely writing! This debut novel does a nice job of[image] Where do the crawdads sing? [image] Way out yonder, "in the dark reaches of the marsh."
Really lovely writing! This debut novel does a nice job of combining the heartbreaking story of an abandoned (at age 7!) young girl growing up in the marsh area off the coast of North Carolina in the 50's and 60's, a whodunnit murder mystery and a little bit of romance. I felt like I really was there in the marshes with Kya Clark, feeling a part of nature but wanting human connections as well.
The early abuse and neglect of Kya is pretty harrowing stuff. Possibly it goes down easier when the writing is lyrical and poetic (Exhibit 1: see Angela's Ashes) but it was still hard to read that part.
Where the Crawdads Sing sucked me right in and was almost impossible to put down. (view spoiler)[But I really wanted to know what became of her father! (hide spoiler)] Maybe not the most mind-boggling mystery or compelling love story I've ever read, but all in all it was a fine book.
Maybe one of the lesser Georgette Heyer novels, but I still found it charming!
Gilly is a 24 year old duke, orphaned at a young age. Raised by his conMaybe one of the lesser Georgette Heyer novels, but I still found it charming!
Gilly is a 24 year old duke, orphaned at a young age. Raised by his concerned but overbearing uncle and a slew of devoted servants, he’s been coddled and ordered around all his life. Gilly is a kindhearted guy and doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but he’s had enough of it.
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When his cousin Matt confides in him that he’s being blackmailed for breach of promise to marry Belinda, a beautiful young girl of no social status (the foundling of the title), Gilly decides that rescuing Matt from his indiscretions - Matt unwisely wrote some incriminating letters to Belinda - is his chance to be on his own and do something. Or, as Gilly puts it, “to see if I am a man, or only a Duke.” Crazy adventures ensue. Belinda is an original character, sweet and easily swayed, but stubbornly fixed on certain specific items. Like, say, getting a purple dress.
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The Foundling starts off slow and takes about 1/4 of the book to really get rolling, but I'm glad I stuck with it! It's mostly a coming-of-age story, with lots of adventure, a good amount of farcical humor, and a dollop of romance.
I'd still recommend several other Heyer novels over this one (Venetia, Frederica, The Grand Sophy and Devil's Cub are all good places to start), but if you're a Heyer fan this is one that's worth looking for....more
Susanna Kearsley is a popular Canadian novelist who writes historical fiction, favoring the dua3.33 stars. Review first posted on Fantasy Literature:
Susanna Kearsley is a popular Canadian novelist who writes historical fiction, favoring the dual-timeline model with a current plotline and a historical one that intersect in one way or another. Her novels are generally spiced with a mystery, a romance (or perhaps two, one in each of the timelines) … and a paranormal element, such as time travel, ghostly spirits, or a character with psychic abilities.
Bellewether, Kearsley’s first novel in three years, is of the dual-timeline model. The historical plotline, set in about 1760, alternates between the points of view of Lydia Wilde and Jean-Philippe de Sabran, a French Canadian lieutenant who was captured during the French and Indian War (part of the Seven Years’ War) and is now billeted at Lydia’s Long Island home along with another French officer. Jean-Philippe speaks no English and Lydia ― for good reason ― carries a deep prejudice against Frenchmen and their military in particular, but neither of these things stop Jean-Philippe and Lydia from noticing each other.
In modern times, the story follows Charlotte (Charley) van Hoek, a museum curator who has moved up to the town of Millbank on the north shore of Long Island, to be with her grieving niece. In Millbank, the home of her ancestors (and where Charley’s estranged grandmother still lives), Charley also finds a welcome job as curator for the Wilde House, the Wilde's ancestral home now turned museum, though there are a few museum trustees who opposed her hiring and are still looking to make life difficult for Charley.
Charley begins researching the Wilde family history, and becomes particularly interested in the story of Lydia and her rumored romance with a French prisoner of war. Local legend has it that the Frenchman was going to run away with Lydia but was killed by Lydia’s brother, and that his spirit now haunts the Wilde House. Charley, of course, doesn’t believe in ghosts. But then some inexplicable things start to happen …
Bellewether is meticulously researched and clearly a labor of love for Kearsley, who incorporates several elements of her own family history into this novel, which she explains in a detailed afterword. Bellewether deals sensitively with issues like slavery and racial and national prejudice. The Wilde family keeps a teenaged black slave, Violet, which initially deeply offends Jean-Philippe, who has his own reasons for hating slavery, but it soon becomes clear that Violet’s history and situation are complicated.
I found Bellewether interesting but oddly placid. One might think that a novel including a centuries-old mystery, wartime romances and conflicts, and ghostly dealings would be gripping, but the characters always feel somewhat distant and the novel rather long-winded and slow-paced. It just never fully captured my heart or imagination. Everything works out suspiciously easily and neatly, and there’s very little intensity in any of the interpersonal relationships, including the understated, slow-burn romances in both timelines.
The title Bellewether is from the name of a beautiful, swift ship owned by Lydia’s brother. It’s nicely evocative, but a bit of stretch to name the novel after this ship, which plays only a minor role in the plot. With just a little imagination, though, one might envision a particular member of Lydia’s family is playing the role of a bellwether sheep, the leader of the flock. And that’s all I’m going to say about that!
Bellewether is a worthy, respectable novel, if you enjoy cozy, deliberately-paced historical reads with just a dash of romance and the supernatural.
I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher and NetGalley for review. Thank you!...more
[image] With just a whiff of Twelfth Night about it, this Georgian era novel by Georgette Heyer is lots of cross-dressing, romantic, swashbuckling fun:[image] With just a whiff of Twelfth Night about it, this Georgian era novel by Georgette Heyer is lots of cross-dressing, romantic, swashbuckling fun: hidden identities, love interests - two for the price of one! (also, a little difficult when you’re posing as the opposite sex, but trust love to find a way), a couple of sword fights, an attempted elopement or two, a bit of a mystery, and a master manipulator pulling the strings.
A brother and sister, Peter and Kate Merriot, are traveling to London in the late 1740s, soon after the unsuccessful Jacobite rebellion. They stop at an inn and discover an elopement in process: Letitia Grayson, a lovely and naive young heiress, is running away with Gregory Markham. But Letty has realized that Markham is an unkind brute and is trying to back out. The Merriots decide they need to get involved and help Letty out, to great comic effect.
The villain is successfully sent on a wild goose chase, just before Sir Anthony Fanshawe, a “mountain” of a man (think very large but swift-on-his-feet linebacker type) arrives to whisk Letty back to London. She’s happy to go along once she realizes that Sir Anthony doesn’t have any romantic intentions toward her. But someone else is interested in Sir Anthony: Peter Merriot, who is actually Prudence, while her brother Robin is playing the role of Kate. Prudence and Robin are in hiding because they (especially Robin) got involved on the wrong side of the Jacobite Rebellion. The cross-dressing is supposed to be helping to keep them from being recognized. Just roll with it.
Sir Anthony looks like a big, mentally slow guy (we meet his type occasionally in Heyerville, as in The Toll-Gate and The Unknown Ajax) but Prudence is fairly certain that his sleepy-looking eyes are seeing a lot more than they seem to. Meanwhile, Robin is very interested in Letty, who thinks he’s a girl and her new bestie. And then Prudence and Robin’s father sweeps into town, announcing to all and sundry that he’s the Lost Viscount, an heir to a great estate. Prudence and Robin, who are familiar with their father’s crazy, elaborate schemes, are dubious...
Anyway, it’s loads of fun in a distinctly old-fashioned way (fair enough, this book was written in 1928). You have to be on board with alpha-type guys masterfully taking charge of situations, stealing kisses, and so forth. At the same time, you have this really interesting character in Prudence, who has had to masquerade as a boy or young man so often in life that she's EXTREMELY self-sufficient for a lady of that time, and the book actually deals with that issue, although I don't think it completely comes to grips with the tension between Prudence's independence and her love interest's desire to protect her and take care of things for her.
It was still early days in Heyer’s career but she’s starting to hit her stride here, with some delightful, witty dialogue and memorable characters. I wasn’t really fond of the brilliant but immensely narcissistic father, but he had his amusing moments.
That Sir Anthony, though. He’s a keeper! As is Prudence. [image] Definitely my two favorite characters!...more
3.5 stars. Martha, Eric and George is the third book in the MARTHA series; this one was written in 1964 and has surprisingly strong feminist ideas for3.5 stars. Martha, Eric and George is the third book in the MARTHA series; this one was written in 1964 and has surprisingly strong feminist ideas for a book that's over 50 years old. It's set 10 years after Martha In Paris, which should be read before this one. (Serious spoilers here for that second book, by the way.)
At the end of Martha in Paris, 18-19 year old Martha dumped her newborn baby on the Paris doorstep of her former boyfriend Eric and blithely left with never a second thought. Eric gets left with all the baggage of having an illegitimate child, including social scorn and being held back from promotions at his job. It's clear that the author, Margery Sharp, got some serious glee out of having the guy deal with the fallout of a out-of-wedlock child rather than the woman.
Martha has (intentionally) left Eric with no way to find her again. There's another young woman who Eric starts seeing, who's a much better match for him than Martha, actually, but he holds back on any kind of commitment because of the issues with his child, George ... not to mention the interference of his mother, with whom he lives, and who likes things just the way they are, thank you very much.
But ten years later (there's a big leap in time fairly early in this book) Martha's artistic career is a wild success, and her mentor sends her back to Paris for a showing. Eric catches wind of her return and decides it's high time for Martha to pay the fiddler and take her son. Martha has no intention of getting involved; she's devoted entirely to her artistic profession and intends for it to stay that way.
Martha is not quite as dislikable for me as she was in book 2, and this book gets extra points for developing her character so well and for a surprising twist in the character of ten year old George. It was also intriguing seeing Eric's interfering mother running around sowing discord.
An interesting book about unusual characters and the choices they make....more
This 1962 book (which I picked up on a $1.99 Kindle sale along with the other two books in this series) is a 9-years-later sequel to The Eye of Love. This 1962 book (which I picked up on a $1.99 Kindle sale along with the other two books in this series) is a 9-years-later sequel to The Eye of Love. Martha, an 18 year old Brit who was a willful 9 year old budding artist in the first book and one of an ensemble of characters, is now the main character, as she's sent by her mentor, old Mr. Joyce, to study art in Paris. Since the first book was set in 1932, this one would be 1941, but WWII never makes any kind of appearance, even as a backdrop. It was like some alternative world where Martha skipped the 40s and time-jumped straight to the 1950s.
This book seriously wasn't what I expected.
What I expected: *Charming, fun Paris! *Lush descriptions of art. *A delightful romance, starring a chunky, sympathetic heroine.
What I got: *A Paris setting, but thin on the details, charming or otherwise. *Way less art than I expected, considering how devoted Martha is to it. *A manipulative, self-centered heroine with almost a complete lack of empathy for others - an interesting character, but extremely hard to like. *A romance that happens only because the shy bank clerk is completely deluded as to the actual character of Martha. *And (view spoiler)[an unwanted out-of-wedlock pregnancy (hide spoiler)], which turns out to be the main focus of the story.
This would have been edgy reading in 1962, but not so much now. Read it if you're interested in a character study of an unpleasant and quirky but talented young woman.
Also, it ends on somewhat of a cliffhanger. To get the rest of the story, you need to read Martha, Eric and George ... another 10-years-later sequel....more
DNF at 25%. This 1915 semi-autobiographical novel by W. Somerset Maugham just isn’t working for me. Of Human Bondage meanders slowly through the childDNF at 25%. This 1915 semi-autobiographical novel by W. Somerset Maugham just isn’t working for me. Of Human Bondage meanders slowly through the childhood and young adult life and times of Philip Carey, an orphaned young man with a rather tough life and a LOT of hang ups.
It’s insightful but prosy and very long-winded, with characters who aren’t particularly appealing making lots of poor decisions (and I didn't even get to the biggest one! Thank you, Wikipedia plot summary).
I know this is generally considered Maugham’s masterpiece and my literary GR friends pretty much all gave it 5 stars, but I just can’t with it right now. Maybe later some day....more
3.5 stars, more if you really like inspirational historical fiction; less if you're not particularly fond of the genre. Julie Klassen creates an ensem3.5 stars, more if you really like inspirational historical fiction; less if you're not particularly fond of the genre. Julie Klassen creates an ensemble set of characters in the fictional village of Ivy Hill, not too far from London, in the 1820s. Jane Bell is the innkeeper, a young widow who married down socially and now has no idea what to do with the inn that she's inherited. The story alternates between Jane, her widowed mother-in-law, and some other local characters.
It's all very reminiscent of The Widow of Larkspur Inn, so if you like that type of book you'll probably enjoy this. It's sweet at heart but a bit predictable (though a couple of plot twists surprised me). The spiritual/inspirational element is also there, but fairly low-key.
This novel is the first in a trilogy (I think? maybe more), and while it doesn't end on a cliffhanger, it definitely leaves several major plot threads not tied up. The second book was recently published, and the third is supposed to come later in 2018....more
The Eye of Love, written in 1957 but set in 1932, is kind of an odd duck of a novel. There's a love story but it's a very offbeat one, more about humaThe Eye of Love, written in 1957 but set in 1932, is kind of an odd duck of a novel. There's a love story but it's a very offbeat one, more about humanity generally than romance feelz. And there's an ensemble set of quirky characters, all of whom get a fair amount of focus.
The main story revolves around the star-crossed romance of Harry Gibson and Dolores Diver: she's a skinny, ex-shop girl who's now 40; he's the portly owner of a fur coat store who's in his 50s. She's been his kept woman for ten years (because, you know, important merchants just don't marry shop girls, at least in that day). But they're deeply in love. He's her King Hal; she's his Spanish rose. Awww! And even though everyone else in the world thinks they're unattractive people, they're beautiful to each other because they love each other.
But then the trouble hits, right at the start of the novel: Harry's store is on the verge of bankruptcy (depression era, remember) and his mother convinces him that he needs to marry one Miranda Joyce, spinster daughter of the owner of a prestigious line of stores, and then the businesses will be merged. Everyone - Miranda, her father, Harry - understands the plan. It breaks Harry's heart to break up with his beloved Miss Diver, but he does, after a truly weepy, bathetic scene in which both are trying to Be Brave and Carry On.
It was no use, it was too soon to talk rationally, they had to break off and comfort each other. “Dolores!” cried Mr Gibson—his voice shaking too. “My Big Harry! My King Hal!” cried Miss Diver. “My Spanish rose!” cried Mr Gibson. They clung in genuine and ridiculous grief, collapsed together on the Rexine settee.
The story follows these characters, as well as Miss Diver's 9 year old stolid but artistic orphaned niece Martha, over the next several months. It wasn't really my type of novel, but if you appreciate offbeat characters who are well-drawn, in a historical setting, with some dry humor, you may want to check it out. I bought the two sequels (in which the niece Martha becomes the main character) on a Kindle sale at the same time, so at some point I'll probably still give them a read....more
Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽
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