Historical Fictionistas discussion
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Ancient History (Old Threads)
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What are you reading in 2021?
I'm reading the Corban Loosestrife series by Cecelia Holland. Just finishing the second book (of six). Brilliantly done.
In the Country We Love – Diane Guerrero – 4****
When Diane Guerrero was fourteen years old she came home from school to find an empty house. Her family had been picked up by ICE and were detained pending deportation. Fortunately for Diane, a family friend agreed to take her in, so that she could remain in school. This is her memoir. The author has an important message to convey about the effects on children of America’s immigration and deportation policies.
My full review HERE
I just enjoyed the tender and funny Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune, the story of a selfish man who uncomfortably learned about friendship, love, and life only after he died. 
4★ Link to my Whispering Door review
I always like the Buzz Books, by Publishers Lunch, which publish the first chapters or excerpts from dozens of upcoming books and are free for anyone to download and read.Buzz Books 2021:Fall/Winter includes selections from famous established authors and some wonderful debuts. There's also non-fiction and Young Adult. I've included a smattering of samples of a few that appeal to me.
5★ Link to my Buzz Books review
Finished Paving the New Road #4 Rowland Sinclair historical mystery series by Sulari Gentill. Rated 5 stars. In this episode Rowland and friends travel to Germany during the rise of Hitler. Best to read this series in order.Link to my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I've been on a tear lately. I just finished three books in the space of a week: True Grit, Weather and Appleseed Below are links to my reviews of Weather & Appleseed. I haven't reviewed True Grit yet, but I recommend it if you like a story with a strong, unique voice. Mattie Ross is so charming: tough and naive at the same time. So blunt that I laughed out loud in several places. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Girls – Emma Cline – 2**
I vividly remember the Manson murders of Sharon Tate et al. I followed the news coverage and could not imagine how these people became so enthralled and obedient to the obviously crazy Charles Manson. Cline’s Evie gives me some insight into how that might have happened. But I cannot bring myself to rate the book even with three stars. The subject was so distasteful to me. I cringed at how Evie is drawn in, at how she was abused, at how she “begged” for the abuse because she was so hungry for attention and for what she thought was evidence of love.
My full review HERE
Currently enjoying Circe very much. I tried this on audio a few years ago and it fizzled, but print seems to be working much better this time around. Glad I gave it another shot.
Finished The Boleyn Deceit #2 Boleyn Trilogy by Laura Andersen. Alternative historical fiction. A fascinating read! Being lazy and linking to my review of #1 The Boleyn King which has no spoilers. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Should warn that this trilogy definitely needs to be read in order and that #1 and #2 end in cliffhangers!
I liked that trilogy too, Peggy. I felt she stayed true to the history of the time while exploring what if Anne Boleyn had had a son. It was very believable.
Laurel wrote: "I liked that trilogy too, Peggy. I felt she stayed true to the history of the time while exploring what if Anne Boleyn had had a son. It was very believable."Laurel; Thanks! I'm starting #3 The Boleyn Reckoning next :)
For such a shy kid, Andy Warhol surprisingly grew up to become a famous Pop Artist and friend of celebrities. Here's another book for kids and their grown-ups. (colourful education!)
4★ Link to my Andy Warhol review with some of the illustrations.
The Rowland Sinclair historical mystery series is terrific. He and friends travel around the world "between the wars" (WWI & WWII), chasing Nazis, dodging gangsters, mixing with the rich and famous (which Rowly is himself). Cameos: JFK, Errol Flyyn, F. Scott Fitzgerald among others.
5★ link to my review of Where There's a Will(known in Australia as A Testament of Character)
Currently reading Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey Into the Heart of America. It's about how small and medium-sized cities (including my hometown, Pittsburgh!) are finding innovative ways to stay relevant and provide quality of life for their residents. Just finished True Grit and Beheld. See reviews here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Am reading A HEART DIVIDED by Jin Yong, ON HE EDGE OF SUNRISE by Cynthia Ripley Miller and AN OBSERVANT WIFE by Naomi Ragen
Lost Children Archive – Valeria Luiselli – 5*****
A cross-country journey from New York to Arizona gives one family – mother, father, 10-year-old boy, five-year-old girl – an opportunity to explore the history of this nation’s native peoples, and to learn about the current fabric of America and the people so desperate to come here. I loved the way this unfolded. Luiselli changes narrators throughout the book, sometimes giving us the mother’s perspective, or the son’s. Both parents work to document things, and this forces the reader to think about how we remember things. I am so looking forward to my F2F book club discussion of this book!
My full review HERE
I read 13 books in September, some of which were historical books. I'll leave out those that weren't.My 5 star ratings:
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, which is about Evelyn Hugo's glamorous life in the 20th century.
The First Mountain Man, which is a western.
My 4 star ratings:
Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster, which is a non-fiction book about the power plant in Pripyat.
The Last Mountain Man, which is also a western.
My 3 star rating:
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, about the second world war.
October won't be so easy though. I'm aiming for 4 to 5 books. Yesterday I started Lonesome Dove, which is a western too. That one will take me a while.
And then for the rest of this year, in terms of historical fiction I've listed Blood on the Divide, Absaroka Ambush, Forty Guns West, and Cheyenne Challenge, which are also all westerns. Yes, I can't help it but I love them.
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Rainbow Valley – L M Montgomery – 3***
Book seven in the classic series about Anne Shirley and her family. Anne’s six children have discovered their own “magical” place where they can play and indulge their imaginations. When a new family moves into an old mansion nearby, they welcome the Meredith kids into their hideaway. These books are just delightful reads. A nice gentle escape from today’s harsher realities. Like the other books in the series, this one is full of charming characters, believably innocent fun, and a few humorous miscalculations.
My full review HERE
Nikki wrote: "I read 13 books in September, some of which were historical books. I'll leave out those that weren't.My 5 star ratings:
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, which is about Evelyn H..."
If you liked Lonesome Dove, you might also enjoy True Grit. Here's a link to my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I just finished The Burning Chambers( 4 stars) and it was very good. There is a book #2 The City of Tears which I am looking forward to reading
Kathryn; I also loved True Grit! I had avoided reading it as I wasn't fond of the movie with John Wayne. The book is WAY better! A few years back there was a re-make with Jeff Bridges that captured the charm of the book :)
Don't forget to remember! Having said that, you're probably remembering it all wrong anyway. Neuroscientist Lisa Genova has got it all covered in Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting, which explains a lot about why we argue about memories and worry about dementia.
Interesting, easy read and excellent resource.
5★ Link to my review of Remember
Aussie journalist and author Tim Ayliffe's John Bailey is the war-weary journo who discovers what working for The Greater Good really means. Dirty politicians, spies, criminals. Murder in contemporary Sydney. Love it!
4.5★ Link to my Greater Good review
Peggyzbooksnmusic wrote: "Kathryn; I also loved True Grit! I had avoided reading it as I wasn't fond of the movie with John Wayne. The book is WAY better! A few years back there was a re-make with Jeff Bridges..."I have not seen either movie, but now that I read the book I think I want to see one or both movies. Thanks for the recommendation on the newer version.
Kathryn wrote: "Peggyzbooksnmusic wrote: "Kathryn; I also loved True Grit! I had avoided reading it as I wasn't fond of the movie with John Wayne. The book is WAY better! A few years back there was a..."You're welcome!
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian – Sherman Alexie – 5*****
This young adult novel tells the story of Junior Spirit, a Spokane Indian living on the reservation with his parents and older sister. I loved this book. I could not help but think of all the kids out there like Junior – kids with limited abilities in one aspect, but extraordinary abilities in other aspects. Kids who just need someone to believe in them, and for an adult to step in to stop the bullying and give them a chance to grow and excel.
My full review HERE
Finished The Boleyn Reckoning the conclusion of the Boleyn Trilogy by Laura Andersen. Intriguing alternative historical fiction. What if Anne Boleyn had a son with Henry VIII? No beheading, no marriage to Jane Seymour and no Prince Arthur! Best to read #1 & #2 first. Rated series 4 stars.
Just finished The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai for my IRL book club (kinda...it's virtual?, but with "real" people...that I can see!) Excellent read - 20th century experiences of a Vietnamese family from WWII thru the Vietnam War. Especially interesting for those of us who grew up with the war on the 6:00 news.
What is it about kids and bottoms?! A Brief History of Underpants by Christine Van Zandt uses plays on words ("brief" history) and cartoons by Harry Briggs to tell interesting "back" stories from ancient times to the space age. 
3.5★ Link to my Brief History of Undies review with several illustrations
I do like a short story. Alexander McCall Smith has written a collection of stories inspired by early 20th-century photos, including the title story Pianos and Flowers: Brief Encounters of the Romantic Kind. I especially loved Blackmail!
3.5★ Link to my review of Pianos and Flowers with a couple of the photographs.
I am reading Sister Séance, which I won here through the giveaway thread. Whether it is good or bad at this point, I cannot tell. Pretty confusing, with all the characters (and lot of them) being thrown out in the very early chapters. I know one other person got a copy of this book. If you are reading this, I wonder if you have started it and are willing to discuss? Whether I end up loving it (not likely as horror is not really my thing, but I needed a spooky book for a Halloween challenge) or hating it, I will finish it.
Tim Winton is one of Australia's best and most-awarded authors and an all-time favourite of mine. An Open Swimmer was his first novel, written when he was still at uni, and his writing was already magic. I had some trouble with the story.
3.5★ Link to my Open Swimmer review
Stephen King is known for his horror thrillers, but this is just a good story about a ghost, stranded in the Horror House of the amusement park, Joyland. It's just what I felt like reading!
4.5★ Link to my Joyland review
Pride – Ibi Zoboi – 4****
This YA romance is set in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn, and features a Dominican/Haitian family. The Benitez sisters are F I N E and everyone in the neighborhood knows it. Then the wealthy Darcy family moves into the hood, and sparks fly between the handsome brothers and the two oldest Benitez girls. All told, a totally satisfying retelling of the beloved Jane Austen classic, Pride and Prejudice.
My full review HERE
Out Of Africa – Isak Dinesen / Karen Blixen – 5*****
What glorious writing. I first read this in 1998, and re-read it for my book club in 2013. I revisited it again in 2017 and now, here I am again. If you're expecting the movie you'll be greatly disappointed - Denys Finch-Hatton is barely mentioned. No, the great love of her life was Africa itself. While I still love Dineson’s writing, and love the way she puts me right into early 20th century Africa, I am more attuned to social justice these days, and have to cringe a bit at some of the references to the indigenous tribes. The colonialists had such a superior attitude. But this a product of the era and of the social status of the writer, and we must give her her due.
My full review HERE
Just finished The Magician. Very readable, but ultimately flawed, in my opinion. Here's a link to my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just finished Under a Pole Star. Here are some thoughts:1. I'm glad we picked Arctic Fury for the November Arctic Group Read and not this book (even though I nominated it!).
2. It was looooooong.
3. It was disappointing...I wanted arctic adventure, but that was only about 40% of the book. 40% of the remaining was sex. 10% of a more modern (AKA 1948) timeline and the rest was auxiliary characters.
On the plus side, I got this off my TBR list and racked up lots of miles on the Million Mile Challenge...it bounced back and forth between London, New York and Greenland.
I just finished Bardelys the Magnificent, by Rafael Sabatini.
Finished Gentlemen Formerly Dressed #5 Rowland Sinclair historical mystery by Sulari Gentill. Rated 5 stars. Another fantastic entry in this series which takes place in early 1930's Australia and Europe.
The Body At the Tower – Y S Lee – 3***
Book Two in the YA historical mystery series about “The Agency” – an organization of female detectives in Victorian London – and featuring orphan and former thief, Mary Quinn. I enjoyed this quite a bit. It was somewhat repetitious in places, but Mary is a wonderful heroine – bright, resourceful, compassionate, observant and mentally strong. I like that Lee has made Mary half-Chinese, and that her ethnicity poses additional problems (and opportunities) for her in mid-19th-century England.
My full review HERE
I recently reviewed the Andy Warhol book from this series by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, and he always makes me think of Marilyn Monroe, whose rise from lonely little girl to fabulous movie star is captured here (sadly no Warhol pictures).
5★ Link to my review of Marilyn Monroe with several illustrations.
The Incredible Winston Browne by Sean Dietrich is a warm, poignant heartstring-tugger about small town America in the 1950s. Readers will eat it up, I bet.
4★ Link to my Winston Browne review
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Historical Fictionistas
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Louisa May Alcott (other topics)Marie Benedict (other topics)
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C.S. Harris (other topics)
Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara (other topics)
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Like a historical romance mixed with family secrets and murder? This novel may be for you. Grace, Lady of Cassio is rich with details of the food, clothing and manners of Britain under the Plantagenets.