The Sunday Salon

Time for the ubiquitous month-end reading wrap-up, I guess. Wow, what a reading month! I finished 12 books, with only 30 pages left to go in a 13th (which I’ll definitely be finishing sometime today). Considering some of these books were chunksters, I’m rather impressed with what I’m accomplished! Here’s what I read this month:

Island of Ghosts, by Gillian Bradshaw
The Brontes Went to Woolworths, by Rachel Ferguson
The Regency, by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
A Hollow Crown, by Helen Hollick
The Lute Player, by Norah Lofts
The Mitfords: Letters Between Six Sisters, by Charlotte Mosley
The Sheen on the Silk, by Anne Perry
The Dead Travel Fast, by Deanna Raybourn
Wild Romance, by Chloe Schama
The Unquiet Bones, by Melvin Starr
Brigid of Kildare, by Heather Terrell
Someone at a Distance, by Dorothy Whipple

And the unfinished book is Robert McCammon’s Mister Slaughter, a mystery set in 1702 New York and New Jersey. Of all these books, by far I enjoyed the Dorothy Whipple the most, followed by A Hollow Crown. Least favorite were the Anne Perry and Brigid of Kildare, with everything else sitting in the middle range of roughly 3-3.5 stars. Reviews of some of these are already up; more will be published soon.

Up next I think I’ll read Fitzempress’ Law, by Diana Norman (also known as Ariana Franklin), which I ILL’d through my library, after hearing about it through HFO. I’m such a follower! The novel is a timeslip novel about three modern day kids who go back in time to Henry II’s England. Other books I look forward to reading this month include The Creation of Eve, by Lynn Cullen, and 31 Bond Street, by Ellen Horan, which I’m due to receive from Amazon Vine this upcoming week. There were so many good books offered this month that I hard a hard time deciding what to pick! Plus I’ve got another few books that should be coming through ILL sometime this week, including Hester, by Paula Reed (never received it through LTER, so from the library is comes!).

What have you been reading this month? What do you look forward to reading in the near future?

Review: The Mitfords: Letters Between Six Sisters, ed. by Charlotte Mosley

Pages: 834 (with index)
Original date of publication: 2007
My edition: 2008 (HarperCollins)
Why I decided to read: it’s been on my TBR list for ages, and I’ve always been fascinated by the Mitford sisters
How I acquired my copy: bought secondhand, January 2010

I’ve long been fascinated with the Mitford family, six sisters and a brother whose lives spanned the 20th century. This collection of letters strictly focuses on the sisters: Nancy, Pamela, Diana, Unity, Jessica, and Deborah. In a nutshell, this is who they were:

Nancy (1904-1973): The writer/ reader. Author of The Pursuit of Love, Love in a Cold Climate, and several other novels and biographies. Married Peter Rudd; worked for the London bookseller Heywood Hill and lived for a time in Paris in the 1950s.

Pamela (1907-1994): Married for a time to the physicist Derek Jackson (she was the second of his six wives).

Diana (1910-2003): married Sir Oswald Mosley, leader of the BUF (British Union of Fascists) in the 1930s. Spent some time in prison during the war.

Unity (1914-1948): Hitler-adoring fascist, who spent some time in Germany before and during WWII. Attempted suicide; lived the rest of her life with their mother, Lady Redesdale.

Jessica (1917-1996): the communist, who eloped with Esmond Romilly and later moved to the United States with husband number two, Robert Truhaft.. Author of a couple of autobiographies, especially Hons and Rebels.

Deborah (1920-): Married Andrew Cavendish in 1941, and later became the Duchess of Devonshire. After the death of Andrew’s father, and the heavy death taxes that were imposed, the Cavendishes turned Chatsworth House into a famous tourist attraction.

The Mitford sisters exchanged over12,000 letters over roughly 75 years of correspondence. Although the sisters were completely different from one another and lived all over the world, they kept up a lively correspondence over the years (only 5% of the total of existing letters appear in this 800-page compilation). The short biographies I give of the sisters above don’t do them justice; each of the sisters’ voices are so lively and vibrant. For much of their lives, the Mitfords frequently made the headlines in newspapers, and it’s easy to see why people were so fascinated with them, despite the controversy that followed them. I don’t necessarily agree with the sisters and the choices they made, but I was nonetheless interested to read their story from their POV.

Although the language they used amongst one another confused me a bit at first, I found the girls’ letters extremely easy to read after a while. The footnotes got to be a bit much at times, especially when the editor kept mentioning who famous people were married to (really, do we need to be reminded that Lyndon B. Johnson was married to Lady Bird?), and explaining things like what Boggle is (or do the British not play it?). But on the whole, the footnotes were helpful and informative, especially when the girls began writing in “Honnish.” There’s a strong pro-Diana bias in this book, mostly because the author is her daughter-in-law; and I though the author was a bit too interested in her own connection to this famous family.

One thing I was especially interested in was how much the Mitfords read. Nancy especially was a big reader, and she talked a lot about what she read in her letters (she read a lot of memoirs, with a lot of fiction thrown in). Jessica (“Decca”) jokingly says in one letter that she’s a “slow” reader” for having finished Gone With the Wind in just a week! Deborah seems to be the least literary of the sisters; apparently, however, she pretended not to be a reader when she really was one! My favorite quote from her: “I have got to page 652 in C [by Maurice Baring] & there are only 741, what shall I do when it’s finished, I really never will read any more beastly books they are only an extra complication to one’s pathetic life.” (letter to Nancy, 7 May 1944).

The book is good for both people who know a lot about the Mitfords, and for newcomers; in each section of the book, the editor gives an introduction, the better to understand the events that the sisters mention in their letters. The book is also accompanied by a large collection of black and white photographs, depicting the sisters, their brother Tom, parents, and various other important people, at various stages in their lives. Highly recommended to anyone interested in the sisters or the time period. I really enjoyed two of Nancy Mitford’s books, and Jessica Mitford’s Hons and Rebels. I think it might be time to read The Blessing, or Don’t Tell Alfred.

Review: The Unquiet Bones, by Melvin Starr

Pages: 256
Original publication date: 2008
My edition: 2008 (Monarch Books)
Why I decided to read: Amazon recommendation
How I acquired my copy: Bookdepository, December 2009

The Unquiet Bones is the first in a medieval mystery series featuring the adventures of Hugh of Single, surgeon. He’s recently completed his training as a surgeon, and moved to the town of Bampton to practice his trade. When the remains of a young woman turn up in a cesspit, Hugh is called in for his medical expertise; and later, to solve the mystery. He does a fairly substatioal amount of legwork on his journey, trading services rendered for information along the way.

It’s an interesting plot, and there’s a fairly good and unexpected twist about two-thirds of the way through. Starr is technically not the most skilled of writers, but he gives his readers a very detailed picture of a town and its people during the 1360s. Hugh is a bit bland as a main character, and I’d like to see him develop a bit more as the series progresses. The potential romance wasn’t as quite as fleshed out as I thought it should be. I wasn’t quite sure about Hugh as a narrator; it wasn’t quite clear who he’s writing these chronicles for, or why. The accents various characters use are a bit confusing, too; I'm not an expert on English accents, but it sounds as though the author used different regional accents as though he thought that that would make the characters seem more authentic. And I wasn't entirely certain that I liked the John Wyclif bits; he seemed to be thrown into the book unnecessarily, without adding much to the plot. The book took a while to get off the ground—the author starts with this great opening, then spends three chapters talking about various procedures he’s done and how he came to know Sir Gilbert. I suppose much of that information is necessary to know more about the main character, but it took me out of the flow of the story for a moment.

However, I did enjoy the plot twist that I mentioned above, and the descriptions of medieval medicine are excellent. The author has clearly done his research and is passionate about his subject. The book is plotted and paced well, and Hugh’s inquiries into the death of the young woman in the cesspit are realistic. I look forward to reading more of his adventures. The book uses a number of medieval terms, which are easily explained by the glossary in the front of the novel (also, you have to love the cover, which depicts a medieval orthotic device for the foot. Imagine wearing that thing!).

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays asks you to:

--Grab your current read
--Let the book open to a random page.
--Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
--You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from… that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

I’m reading two books today:

“His thoughts were disturbed by the sharper slap of water on the steps, and as he moved forward he saw the outline of a small, swiftly moving Barge. There were armed men standing on the sides, and it slid smoothly to the mooring post and stopped.”

-From The Sheen on the Silk, by Anne Perry

AND:

"I called Blanco out of his kennel and allowed him to carry me across to the King’s apartment, that bleak austere apartment which nevertheless I regarded as a privilege to enter, so highly did Father rate the privacy it afforded. Only state matters with some element of secrecy to them or family affairs were discussed in that room; it had an unused air which combined with its bare stone walls and floor and its severe furnishing to make it cheerless and forbidding."

--From The Lute Player, by Norah Lofts

Review: The Dead Travel Fast, by Deanna Raybourn

Pages:309
Original date of publication: 2010
My edition: 2010 (Mira)
Why I decided to read: I’m a fan of the author’s Lady Julia Grey series
How I acquired my copy: ARC from the publicist

Theodora Lestrange is a budding author who receives an invitation from her friend, Cosmina, to stay in her fiancee’s castle in Transylvania. Seeing this as the perfect opportunity to gain inspiration for the novel she’s always wanted to write, Theodora goes to Transylvania—and finds herself immediately attracted to the castle’s owner, count Andrei Dragulescu.

I’m not quite as fond of this novel as I am of Raybourn’s Lady Julia Grey series, and I’ll tell you why. Theodora Lestrange is a pale copy of Lady Julia, I’m afraid, unrestrainedly modern and not quite as interesting. There’s not quite the same amount of wittiness that Lady Julia gave us time after time. There are also a lot of discrepancies in her character, especially when it came to her friendship with Cosmina.

I can’t help but compare this romance to the one between Lady Julia and Brisbane in Raybourn’s Silent series. I think the problem lies in the fact that, whereas the Lady Julia-Brisbane romance had time to evolve over a few novels, here the romance aspect simply seems rushed, and based more upon physical chemistry rather than emotional or mental (how many times are we told about how physically attractive the count is?). We’re told over and over that there’s a mental connection, but I’d rather see it firsthand.

I loved the premise of the book, and I wish that there had been more of the supernatural in it. Theodora is the ultimate skeptic, I know, but I would have liked to have seen more vampires, werewolves, strigoi, or whatever. This book had the potential to be extremely scary, but I thought it fell down in that aspect. Also (and this is a minor point but it annoyed me all the same), the author is very selective about the British spellings she uses (why "faery", for example, and not "mediaeval?").

Deanna Raybourn is a talented writer, and she knows her Victorian period extremely well. She’s obviously put a lot of time and energy into the research and writing of this book, but I for one can’t wait until she returns to the Lady Julia Grey series. If you’re a newcomer to Deanna Rayboun’s novels, this is probably not the place to start.

Review: Heresy, by SJ Parris

Pages: 355
Original date of publication: 2010
My edition: 2010 (Doubleday)
Why I decided to read: interest in the time period
How I acquired my copy: ARC through the Vine, January 2010

Giordano di Bruno, an Italian exile who is wanted for heresy, goes to Oxford in search for a book he believes is there. In addition, he’s also been commissioned by Sir Francis Walsingham to help uncover a Catholic plot to overthrow the Queen (Elizabeth I; this book takes place in 1583). However, his search for the book is waylaid when a College Fellow is savaged to death by a dog. Bruno;s task becomes manifold as he also tries to discover who the murderer is.

OK, so the premise has been done to death. But I liked it nonetheless. The murder aspect is done in a way so that the reader is kept guessing the whole way through. The book is well-researched, too, and gives a lot of feel for the period without it being too overwhelming. However, there are some plot holes. I thought it was a weak moment when Bruno totally forgot about the book he’s looking for, at least for a good long while. I don’t mean to give away spoilers, but I think the author should have wrapped up that strand of the story a bit more. Also, the author falls into the trap of having Sophia Underhill be too feisty, independent, and intelligent. I liked this book for the most part, and I enjoyed the author’s writing style very much.

Giordano di Bruno is an outsider in more ways than one, which is what makes him an appealing character. However, there were a few inconsistencies. Bruno is a master of the art of memory, but he has a hard time remembering the student who drew Doctor Coverdale away from the debate—especially odd considering the student has red hair, and even I with my bad memory would remember someone of that description! For an Italian, his English is remarkably good, isn’t it? Also, his reasoning for why he thinks his mysterious book is at Oxford is a little vague; he’s only basing it on hearsay, and as Bruno says himself, the book could be either at Oxford OR Cambridge. Despite these discrepancies, however, Bruno is an engaging narrator. I expect that this will probably be the first in the series, as there’s a paragraph at the end which sets that up.

The Sunday Salon

Another quiet weekend here, though I have news—I cut my hair short! Whereas it used to be almost all the way down my back, it’s now chin-length and layered. I think all told it was about 12 inches that I had taken off. Why did I do this? Well, I was simply getting tired of the old hair—long hair is just a lot to manage sometimes.

Yesterday I went to Barnes and Noble and bought copies of The Secret Garden and Cranford, with a leftover giftcard.

I’ve decided to join another challenge—the Four Month Challenge, hosted by She Read a Book. Basically, over the course of four months, you read books from several categories. Not sure I need another challenge, but this one looks like it’ll be fun nonetheless!

Read this week:

Island of Ghosts, by Gillian Bradshaw
The Dead Travel Fast, by Deanna Raybourn
The Brontes Went to Woolworths, by Rachel Ferguson
Wild Romance, by Chloe Schama (daughter of Simon)

This morning I started an ARC of The Sheen on the Silk, by Anne Perry, a novel/mystery set in 1282 Constantinople.

Friday Finds

Oh, goodness. More to read, at some point!

Mistress of Rome, by Kate Quinn. I was offered a copy of this by the publicist, and I decided to give it a try. It's about a slave girl from Judaea, during the Roman Empire.

Mini-Shopaholic, by Sophie Kinsella. No description up on Amazon yet, but it looks as though this is a continuation of the Shopaholic series.

Mrs. Tim of the Regiment, by DE Stevenson. I read Miss Buncle’s Book late last year, and I was excited to find that the Bloomsbury Group are reprinting another one of her titles.

Wild Romance, by Chloe Schama. Heard about this through LTER, and requested it through the publisher. It’s fiction based upon a famous love affair and scandal from the 1850s; to be published in March.

31 Bond Street, by Ellen Horan. Mystery set in Victorian New York, to be published next month. I'm still trying to figure out how to snag a review copy of this!

The Alchemy of Murder, by Carol McCleary. Mystery with Nellie Bly as the heroine; to be published in March. Apparently, it's the first in a series.

Howards End is on the Landing, by Susan Hill. Nonfiction, of the bibliophile sort. The author of The Woman in Black read 40 books from her own collection, not buying anything for a year.

Cranford, by Elizabeth Gaskell. After watching the BBC miniseries the other weekend, I knew I had to read the book itself.

Of the Ring of Earls, by Juliet Dymoke. Historical fiction about the Conquest. It’s a rare book, but I managed to buy my copy rather cheaply through Amazon Marketplace.

Don’t Tell Alfred, by Nancy Mitford. It’s being reprinted next fall by Vintage.

What have you been interested in reading lately?

Cover Deja-Vu #20

Two more of them: the covers of Benjamin Merkle's recently-pulished The White Horse King, and what looks like a Spanish edition of book two of the Crudades Trilogy by Jan Guillou (The Templar Knight).

Review: Someone at a Distance, by Dorothy Whipple

Pages: 413
Original publication date: 1953
My edition: 1999 (Persephone)
Why I decided to read: Intriguing plot; and I’ve read and enjoyed another one of Dorothy Whipple’s books
How I acquired my copy: Persephone bookshop, September 2009

Dorothy Whipple’s Someone at a Distance is a very complicated novel to write about. It’s the story of the Norths, a suburban couple with two teenage children. Avery North’s aging mother engages a young Frenchwoman as her companion, and he develops an attachment to her that develops into an affair and later leads to divorce from his wife Ellen. This novel is a stunning book about the wide-ranging effects an affair can have on several families.

Dorothy Whipple’s language is very simple. Her prose is uncomplicated, yet there’s a lot of meaning behind it. Her upper-middle-class English characters are all absorbed in their own mundane lives, until the arrival of Louise literally shakes them all up. Louise is obviously not meant to be a sympathetic character (unlike Ruth in Susan Glaspell’s Fidelity); and at times she devolves into the stereotypical “other woman.” Much more preferable is Ellen, the sensible English housewife who finds her life shattered during the after the divorce.

It’s a sad subject, yet there are some truly funny moments; the surly Miss Daley going postal on Louise is an example that comes to mind. So in the end, each of the characters get what they deserve—even Avery, towards whom I feel a bit ambivalent. I feel as though he simply sat back and let things happen to him, rather than be an active member of the cast of characters.

It’s interesting that I’ve chosen to read this book now, so shortly after reading another Persephone title, Fidelity—it’s the story of an extramarital affair as told from the conventional point of view. Despite my feelings towards Avery and Louise, I though many of the other characters were well-drawn. Whipple’s description of the angst teenage Anne goes through is very real, as are the difficulties that Ellen must feel as she prepares for a life alone. After all, she’s been married for twenty years, and she’s never had a job or had to pay her own bills; how will she cope? It's funny, then, how Ellen ultimately finds solace in a group of elderly ladies. Like the other Whipple novel I've read, The Priory, this is not a novel in which much “happens,” but it’s a powerfully emotional novel. Whipple’s prose is simple, as I've said, but her way with words is absolutely stellar. She really knew how to play on her readers’ emotions, so that you feel invested in the lives of her characters.

This is Persephone no. 3. Endpaper below:

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays asks you to:

--Grab your current read
--Let the book open to a random page.
--Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
--You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from… that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

I’m reading two books today:

“Grouped by the immense fireplace was a slection of heavy oaken chairs, think with examples of the carver’s art. One—a porter’s chair, I imagined, given its great wooden hood to protect the sitter from draughts—was occupied by a woman.”

--From The Dead Travel Fast, by Deanna Raybourn

AND

“The men slept six to a wagon, but because I was commander, I had a wagon to myself. These were light wagons for campaigning, horse-drawn, not the heavy ox wagons we would have lived in at home.”

--From Island of Ghosts, by Gillian Bradshaw

The Sunday Salon

I’m basically Scrooge when it comes to Valentine’s Day. I’ve never really celebrated it, partly because I don’t have anybody to celebrate it with; but even if I did, I think it’s pretty much an over-the-top holiday, anyways.

A snowy week here on the East Coast of course; I had the day off on Wednesday. I helped shovel snow for a bit, and I got quite a lot of reading done during the day—I managed to finish the 864-page A Hollow Crown. Then around 6:00 we lost power, which didn’t come back on until around 1:00 am. On Thursday morning we were still snowed in, and I worked from home for about two hours before the snow plow guys came to dig us out. It wasn’t until around 8:45 (two hours late) that I was able to get to work—and even then, the roads were slippery! Amazing that yesterday after work I came home to find several packages on my doorstep.

Then yesterday I was still dealing with snow—shoveling snow back from the road so we have a clearer view when pulling out, and salting the ice that’s accumulated. Not fun. But I managed to get a good deal of reading done this weekend as well; so this week I’ve read both A Hollow Crown and The Regency, the 13th book in the Morland Dynasty series. Not much in terms of number of books read, but both are relatively long. Not sure what to read next; any suggestions from this list?

Book News: The Pindar Diamond, by Katie Hickman

I don’t normally write about books to be published here, but I got super-excited when I found out about this one. I read the author’s other book, The Aviary Gate, last summer, and enjoyed it. The Pindar Diamond will be coming out on August 17, 2010 (BTW, the publisher's catalogue has a different cover, which I think is better, but I can't find a way to copy and paste it into here).

A tale of lust, greed, and danger set in seventeenth-century Venice, The Pindar Diamond is a gripping and superbly told historical novel.

In a small town on the Italian coast, a mysterious woman washes ashore. She is crippled, mute, and clutches a bundle to her chest—a baby the townspeople insist is a real-life mermaid. It can only bring bad luck; they pay a troupe of acrobats to carry mother and child away.

In the bustling trade center of Venice, merchant Paul Pindar is the subject of his colleagues’ concern. Since his return from Constantinople, they have found him changed; raging over the loss of his beloved, Celia, he has gambled away his fortune at the gaming tables. But when a priceless blue diamond surfaces in the city, Pindar recognizes the opportunity to regain everything he has lost—including, perhaps, the woman he loves.

A celebrated writer of history and travel books, Katie Hickman has always been a master of evoking time and place. With The Pindar Diamond, her follow-up to The Aviary Gate, she brings early-seventeenth-century Italy vividly to life, and also demonstrates her maturity as a novelist. A tale of love and avarice, with a touch of the mystical, The Pindar Diamond is rich with historical detail, and unfolds with urgency and grace. It is accomplished, wholly satisfying historical fiction.

Review: The Victory, by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

Pages: 447
Originally published: 1989
My edition: 2006 )Time Warner)
Why I decided to read: I’ve been enjoying the Morland Dynasty series for about a year now
How I acquired my copy: bought online

#12: 1803-06. Covers the Battle of Trafalgar

In Manchester, James’s wife Mary Anne becomes embroiled in the plight of the working poor. Lucy, Lady Aylesbury, is most of the focus of the 12th book in the Morland Dynasty series. Her lover Weston is a captain in the Navy; her husband Chetwyn develops a friendship with a young man, and their relationship causes much scandal. Haworth, Mary’s husband, is also a captain in the Navy, and witnesses firsthand the Battle of Trafalgar. Lucy’s relationship with Weston sails along (pardon the pun), until…

This is a pretty decent addition to the series, although I felt that Lucy was a bit foolish at times and Chetwyn very hypocritical. Chetwyn is definitely not one of my favorite characters in this series, though I hope he improves with time. Nobody seems particularly happy or optimistic about the future, which can make for some pretty bleak reading a times. Cynthia Harrod-Eagles is especially adept at describing great historical moments; the Battle of Trafalgar is depicted with painstaking precision, significant considering that it is the lynchpin that holds this book in the series together. British naval history is not an area in which my knowledge or interest is strong, but there were several scenes that had me gripped! This entry in the Morland saga is a bit of a downer, but it’s still a good read.

Review: The Love Knot, by Elizabeth Chadwick

Pages: 474
Original date of publication: 1998
My edition: 2006 (Time Warner)
Why I decided to read: It’s Elizabeth Chadwick, what else can I say?
How I acquired my copy: Purchased through bookdepository.
The Love Knot is the story of two young lovers, set during the civil war between Stephen and Matilda. Oliver de Pascal is knight just returned from pilgrimage, who rescues the widow Catrin from a village destroyed by raiders. A romance develops between them, but “forces beyond their control” cleave them apart, helped in part by a difficult decision that Catrin must make. Years later, after war has devastated England, they are drawn back together. The ending is a bit predictable, but it’s the getting there that’s the fun part.

Elizabeth Chadwick’s novels, at least her earlier ones, are a little formulaic. Of course there’s the romance aspect, and there’s a bad guy who’s usually a mercenary soldier. Throw in lots of historical detail and famous persons from the period, and that’s usually what you’ll get. But despite the predictability of Chadwick’s plots, her novels are always detailed in terms of history—be prepared to learn a lot about the 12th century. I do love medieval history, and it’s novels like The Love Knot that enhance my interest in that fascinating time period. It’s a very real novel that explores both the good and bad bits of medieval life.

Another thing I enjoyed about this book was the characters—they’re very three-dimensional, coming as they do with lots of emotional stuff that they must work out in order for the story to come to its resolution. Don’t be put off by the fact that Catrin is a midwife and healer—as written by a less skillful author, this could have become a cliché, but Chadwick manages to make Catrin and her healing knowledge believable. This novel is largely about choices, and how the choices one makes can significantly alter one’s life—as Catrin’s choice does to her and Oliver. The Love Knot isn’t my favorite Elizabeth Chadwick book (I thought the way that Catrin and Oliver came back together was a bit too sudden), but I did enjoy this book nonetheless (incidentally, Elizabeth Cahdwick’s books are also good comfort reads—The Love Knot was the perfect book for me to read while I had a cold).

Snow Day!

I got off from work, so I'm stranded indoors for the meanwhile. What does a bookish person do when they have off from work due to snow? They read! So I'm going off to do so...

Review: Brigid of Kildare, by Heather Terrell

Pages: 235
Original publication date: 2010
My edition: 2010 (Ballantine)
Why I decided to read: Interest in the subject matter
How I acquired my copy: ARC through the Vine
Brigid of Kildare is a split-time novel. The story goes back and forth between Bridgid, a 5th-century woman chosen by Saint Patrick himself to convert the Irish into Christianity; and a modern-day appraiser of medieval objects named Alex, who is invited to Kildare to appraise a book that the nuns there own. The story is told as both a straight narrative and a series of letters written by a Roman spy named Decius, sent to Ireland to uncover possibly heresy.

The idea of the story is appealing, but the execution of the book is rather lackluster, I’m afraid. It’s rare that I complain that a book I don’t like is too short; but I thought that the story could have been fleshed out a lot more, especially the characters of Alexandra, who never comes across as more than a cold appraiser. Where’s her personality? Even Brigid herself wasn’t that appealing of a character, suffering from a lack of character development over the span of about 15 years. The author’s grasp of early medieval Christianity is sound, but I thought she resorted to clichés in many places, especially when it came to the Irish people. Another reader here says that there’s not a lot of historical detail here, and I agree with their assessment. In fact, had the headings of the chapters not given the dates, I wouldn’t have known that parts of the book took place in the 5th century. The book might appeal to fans of religious fiction, but those looking for a good historical tale will be disappointed.

Review: The Splendour Falls, by Susanna Kearsley

Pages: 380
Original date of publication: 1995
My edition: 1995
Why I decided to read: I’ve read and enjoyed Susanna Kearsley’s other novels
How I acquired my copy: The author generously gave it to me!
When Emily Branon’s cousin Harry suggests a holiday to Chinon, France, she jumps at the opportunity. Harry, a scholar, is “potty for Plantagenets,” and wants to visit the town to do a bit of research. But when Emily arrives in Chinon, she finds that her cousin has disappeared, and she makes the acquaintance of a few foreigners in the town, including a set of brothers from Canada, a German artist, and a violinist. Emily finds herself drawn in by the story of two women named Isabelle—one the wife of King John of England, the other a girl living during WWII, both of whom hid treasures beyond price.

This book is another strong one from Susanna Kearsley, who manages to draw her reader into her story. Having been in contact with the author herself, she’s been influenced by the novels of Mary Stewart, and that’s much in evidence here. Both authors use the settings of their novels as jumping-off places for the story, and feature strong romantic elements and a mystery. Susanna Kearsley’s novels are a little bit more rooted in the history of a place, though, and her plots are a little more grounded in reality. The Splendour Falls is good, escapist reading.

With novels like these, I feel like the narrator or main character should be at least a little bit cynical; that way, the novel ends up being more believable. While I felt that Emily was a cit too skeptical at times, especially about romance, I thought that the plot moved along at a good pace (albeit a bit predictable at times). It’s a little dated too (the author has one of her characters listen to music on a cassette player, but also keep in mind that this book was published 15 years ago). Still, I enjoyed this novel, and I’d recommend any of Kearsley’s novels to anyone who likes to read a good story with well-defined characters.

The Sunday Salon

I spent our snow day at home with my mom; we were basically trapped all weekend, until out snow-blow guy came and got us out this morning. Not a terrible lot of stuff got read, though I did finish The Mitfords: Letters Between Six Sisters last night, and I read about 300 pages in A Hollow Crown over the weekend. On the flip side, though, I did get a number of reviews written, and I participated in Weekly Geeks, where I talked about Helen Hollick. This week I also read Someone at a Distance, by Dorothy Whipple; The Unquiet Bones, by Melvin Starr; and Brigid of Kildare, by Heather Terrell (coming out on Tuesday; reviews of all to follow).

Did you hear about the Amtrak train which got stuck in rural Pennsylvania over the weekend? At least the people onboard had things to read!

My mom and I have been watching on DVD the BBC miniseries Cranford, based on the Elizabeth Gaskell book. Both of us loved it so much I went and bought a copy of the novel. Cranford is the story of a small, provincial town and the effect that the modern age has upon it. The story revolves around a group of the town’s spinsters, especially Miss Matty Jenkyns (played in the five-part miniseries by Judy Dench) and her sister Deborah (played by Eileen Atkins). The cast is stellar (it also includes the extraordinarily funny Imelda Staunton as Miss Pole), and the acting is superb. It’s a must-watch, even if you haven’t read the book.

I got to thinking recently about book buying. I do a lot of mine online, especially for some of the rarer stuff (for example, I bought a few Juliet Dymoke books on Amazon Marketplace this week). It’s so easy to buy stuff online, isn’t it? I’m really trying to cut back on the book buying, especially since I have so many unread books lying on my floor (62 at last count), and I buy books faster than I actually read them! I really need to read and review a lot of them before I can buy any more—so that’s going to be something I’m committing myself to from here on out. No more book buying for the rest of February, and I expect you all to hold me to it! Where do you buy your books? And do you have to force yourself to control your spending if your TBR pile gets out of control?

Review: The Carlyles at Home, Thea Holme

Pages: 200
Original publication date: 1964
My edition: 2002 (Persephone)
Why I decided to read: Browsing in the Persephone bookshop
How I acquired my copy: bought from the Persephone shop in Lambs Conduit Street, London when I was there in September
The Carlyles At Home is an account of the years that Thomas and Jane Carlyle lived at 5 (now 24) Cheyne Row, London, moving there in 1834 and covering the years up until Jane’s death in 1866. Thomas Carlyle was, of course, a famous writer and essayist, and the couple hobnobbed with many famous people (as a side note, it was interesting to learn that John Stuart Mill's maid accidentally burned the manuscript of Carlyle's The French Revolution, thinking it was waste paper!). Carlyle's relationship with his wife was stormy, to say the least; but this book is less about all of that than it is about the couple's domestic arrangements.

The book is short (about 200 pages), but it covers a lot of ground, from the animals the couple kept (the story of their dog, Nero, is especially touching), to the clothing they wore both inside and outside the house, to the various repairs and restorations the Carlyles made to the house (it turns out that 19th century contractors are much like their modern-day counterparts), to the wacky, noisy neighbors at number 6 (and the not-soundproffed soudproof room they had built), to their Servant Problem (34 maids-of-all-work in 32 years), it’s all here. And all very interesting, despite the fact that the domestic matters of famous people are frequently overlooked in favor of their accomplishments.

The book draws heavily from the voluminous correspondence that the Carlyles maintained over the years—it turns out that not only was Carlyle a writer, but Jane was as well. Her letters are witty and funny, and prove that the story of the woman behind the man is as interesting as the story of the man himself. Really, this book is more about Jane. Although I appreciate the tone of their correspondence, I’m not sure I would have wanted to live with the Carlyles—it seems as though Thomas was always complaining about something, or that Jane was constantly sick and in a bad temper. Their marriage has been described as unhappy, but in this book, I don't see that at all.

I thought the organization of the book could have withstood some better organization; it’s organized by subject matter and not chronologically, so things could often get confusing. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this glimpse into the lives of two intelligent, interesting people, written by an actress who lived in the Carlyles house nearly a hundred years after Jane’s death (the house is now a museum; her husband was the curator there). Although a strong female is at the heart of this account, it’s not an overly feminist book.

This is Persephone no. 32 (endpaper below; it's the 1857 portrait of Thomas and Jane at home; Carlyle here is wearing the silk, striped dressing gown that's made mention of in the book)

Weekly Geeks: Fun Facts about Helen Hollick

For Weekly Geeks this week, I would like to revisit one of my favorites from the past. This particular geeky assignment was posted by Dewey back in November of 2008, just weeks before she died. Here's what she posted then:

This week’s theme is: fun facts about authors.

How to:

1. Choose a writer you like.
2. Using resources such as Wikipedia, the author’s website, whatever you can find, make a list of interesting facts about the author.
3. Post your fun facts list in your blog, maybe with a photo of the writer, a collage of his or her books, whatever you want.
4. Come sign the Mr Linky below with the url to your fun facts post.
5. As you run into (or deliberately seek out) other Weekly Geeks’ lists, add links to your post for authors you like or authors you think your readers are interested in.

As you can see, the task is simple this week! Of course, if you did this one before, pick a different author to write about. If you are like me, and can't choose just one, go ahead and write about two (or three.)

I remember this challenge from last November well. The last time I participated, I chose Victoria Holt as my author—I chose her because I was reading and enjoying Mistress of Mellyn at the time. This time I figured I’d do the same with my current read: A Hollow Crown, Helen Hollick (I needed something chunky, as with about two feet of snow on the ground, I'm trapped for the present moment!).

Hollick is the author of the Arthurian trilogy series, which many of you have read (I haven’t, yet), as well as a couple of novels set before and during the Conquest (A Hollow Crown and Harold the King). She also write a historical fantasy series called the Seat Witch series. Technically, AHC, which is about Emma of Normandy, wife to King Aethelred of England and then Cnut, is a prequel to Harold the King, which is set during the conquest, but it was written afterwards. A Hollow Crown opens with Emma's marriage in 1002, and follows her story up through 1042. Emma was the mother of Edward the Confessor, and the great-aunt of William the Conqueror. At over 800 pages, it's an ambitious undertaking, but I'm really enjoying the story. Well not enjoying so much (there's a fair amount of violence and death 150 pages in, but what else can you expect from Danish raiders?), but Hollick is a very good writer who tells her story well.

On to the author herself: according to Wikipedia, Helen Hollick was born in 1953, and worked for a number of years as a library assistant, where she developed her interest in the medieval period. Her Arthurian trilogy was accepted just around the time of her 40th birthday. She lives in Walthamstow, England with her husband and adult daughter, both of which ironically suffer from dyslexia. She is a member of the society of authors, and served as a consultant on the film 1066. In 2009, Sourcebooks began reprinting her Arthurian trilogy; Harold the King and A Hollow Crown are due to be republished in the near future (I heard somewhere that one of them is getting a new title?).

Photograph of the author taken from the author’s website.

Review: The Road to Jerusalem, by Jan Guillou

Pages: 380
Original publication date: 1998 (in Swedish)
My edition: 2009 (Harper)
Why I decided to read: Elizabeth Chadwick recommended on her website.
How I acquired my copy: bought from bookdepository UK
Arn of Gotha is born in 1150, the younger son of a wealthy landowner. After a miracle occurs, Arn is sent to a monastery, where he is trained in both spiritual and physical matters—in the latter, by a former Knight Templar. The novel covers Arn’s early years, up until the time he is sent off to fight as a Knight Templar himself. The outcome of the novel is inevitable, but it’s the way that Arn gets there that is particularly interesting.

It’s not an easy read, by any stretch; I don’t know if it’s Jan Guillou’s writing style or the way the translator translated the book, but there were certain passages that were a bit slow going for me. There’s also a lot in here about faith and sin, although I didn’t find the religious bits off putting. Rather, it led an air of veracity to the whole novel. There’s also a fair amount of Swedish history thrown in, though Guillou doesn’t hit his reader over the head with it. The political maneuverings of medieval Sweden can be a bit confusing, though.

More than anything, though, this is a coming of age novel, set in a place that I really didn’t know much about 9I’m familiar with 12th-century history in other parts of Europe, but Sweden was a whole new ball game for me). It was a little hard for me to believe that Arn could be such an innocent about certain things, but I think the author handled Arn’s development as the central character especially well. The Road to Jerusalem is the first book in a trilogy that continues with The Knight Templar and Birth of the Kingdom.

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays asks you to:

--Grab your current read
--Let the book open to a random page.
--Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
--You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from… that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

“Since Marianne departure from the house in Kensington, a flood of books and manuscripts had crept unhindered from room to room, from floor to floor, until now you could hardly open the front door for books. In some of the great lofty rooms, John had scooped out places for himself, where he read, ate, smoked and slept.”

--From Someone at a Distance, by Dorothy Whipple

Review: O, Juliet, by Robin Maxwell

Pages: 352
Original publication date: 2010
My edition: 2010 (NAL Trade)
Why I decided to read: I enjoyed Maxwell's novel on Elizabeth I a few years ago; the idea of a novel on Romeo and Juliet intrigued me.
How I acquired my copy: ARC through Amazon Vine
O, Juliet is the story of Juliet Capelletti, daughter of a merchant in Florence, who, betrothed to her father’s partner Jacopo Strozzi, falls in love with Romeo Monticecco, whose family own a rival company. The story is told primarily from the point of view of Juliet, and attempts to follow Shakespeare’s play.

I was so prepared to love this novel, but I simply didn’t. O Juliet is faithful neither to Shakespeare’s play, nor is it faithful to the historical story of Romeo and Juliet (and there really were a Romeo and Juliet, who lived in Verona in the early 14th century). Maxwell, for some inexplicable reason, chooses to set her story in 15th century Verona, which really had me scratching my head—especially when Cosimo de Medici entered the picture, since he doesn’t seem to add anything to the story.

The characters in this novel are not really believable and I found it hard to be empathetic towards them. Juliet comes across as an empty-headed girl, and the author’s attempts to give her book smarts really didn’t work for me. I also didn’t love Romeo’s character; he seems a bit wishy-washy. And their relationship seemed to be based more on hormones, not the great, abiding love of Shakespeare’s story. There’s also the rather buffoonish Strozzi (who’s never given much of a personality beyond his physical characteristics). Really, did we need to be told over and over how bad his breath is?

Bad characters can sometimes be excused, if the plot is any good; but here, it’s just awful. The author could have created something really awesome if she’d chosen to focus on the REAL Romeo and Juliet story (not necessarily Shakespeare’s version). If memory serves me right, in the original story, the Montagues and Capulets were on different sides of the Guelph/ Ghibelline political struggle in Italy in the late Middle Ages. THAT would have been a great story, given the story much more of a sense of conflict. In this novel, however, the main source of tension between the Monticeccos and Capellettis is caused by jealousy and petty rivalry in business. Not all that interesting, in my opinion, and not worthy of the title of "ancient grudge" that Shakespeare mentions in his play (the grudge is centuries old; so old in fact, that nobody remembers when it started. So the fight in this novel between two merchants, both presumably self-made men in early modern Florence, don't exactly have a deep-seated animosity towards one another).

As a side note, the writing is atrocious, and the author uses more clichés than I could count. It was a pretty quick, easy read, and not one I’d particularly recommend. As I’ve said before, the novel draws heavily from Shakespeare’s play, and doesn’t add anything new or insightful to either Romeo or Juliet’s characters.