The Year in Review: 2010

201 reading stats:

Number of books read: 145

Number of re-reads: 2

Number of distinct authors: 114

Male authors: 12

Female authors: 102

Most frequent author: Cynthia Harrod-Eagles (8)

New-to-me authors: 74

Second-time around authors: 17

Longest book completed: Into the Wildrness (896 pp)

Shortest book completed: The Circular Staircase (148 pp)

Books from series/sequels/trilogies: 35

Number of series represented: 21

Most productive month: March, June (15 each)

Least productive month: November (8)

Books first published in 2010 (my edition):

Reviews posted in 2010:

Genres (some may overlap):

Fiction: 136

Chick lit: 1

Historical fiction: 73

Classics: 47

Mystery: 17

YA: 0

Short Stories: 3

Other:

Nonfiction: 10

History: 7

Biography: 2

Memoir: 4

Women’s Studies: 6

Essays: 3

Other:

Books from the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die list: 2

Virago Modern Classics: 24

Persephones: 15

Author nationalities: US, Sweden, Canada, Britain, Netherlands, Ireland

Settings (country): US, England, Italy, Sweden, France, Romania, Spain, India, Netherlands, Turkey, Jerusalem, Greece, Wales, Belgium, Austria, Egypt, Japan, Ireland, Canada, Burma, Bahamas, Scotland

Settings (US states): Iowa, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Massachusetts

Other fun stats:

Titles with place names in them: 17

Titles with colors: 2

Titles with animals: 5

Goals:

To read more nonfiction

To read more male authors

Books I loved in 2010:

Mrs. Ames, by EF Benson

Henrietta’s War, by Joyce Dennys

The King’s General, by Daphne Du Maurier

Twilight of Avalon, by Anna Elliott

Lady Rose and Mrs. Memmary, by Ruby Ferguson

The Young Pretenders, by Edith Henrietta Fowler

Nightingale Wood, by Stella Gibbons

The Carlyles at Home, by Thea Holme

Penmarric, by Susan Howatch

The Lacquer Lacy, by F Tennyson Jesse

Legacy, by Susan Kay

The Rising Tide, by Molly Keane

The Ladies of Lyndon, by Margaret Kennedy

The Distant Hours, by Kate Morton

Paths of Exile, by Carla Nayland

Good Evening, Mrs. Craven, by Mollie Panter-Downes

Jane and Prudence, by Barbara Pym

Some Tame Gazelle, by Barbara Pym

The Edwardians, by Vita Sackville-West

I Capture the Castle, by Dodie Smith

The Far Cry, by Emma Smith

Mrs. Tim of the Regiment, by DE Stevenson

Clara and Mr. Tiffany, by Susan Vreeland

High Wages, by Dorothy Whipple

Someone at a Distance, by Dorothy Whipple

They Were Sisters, by Dorothy Whipple

The Short list:

Mrs. Tim of the Regiment

Henrietta’s War

I Capture the Castle

High Wages

2010 was quite a year for me, reading wise! I read 145 ½ books this year (despite my optimism, I don’t think I’ll get around to finishing The Little Stranger). The full list can be found here. But still, that’s four more books more than I read last year, 141. My goals for this year were to read more nonfiction and to read more by male authors, which I completely disregarded, unfortunately, reading the exact same number of nonfiction books this year as last and 12 male authors this year in comparison to 19 last year. This may have something to do with the fact that I read more Persephones this year, as well as my discovery of Virago Modern Classics.

Thanks to Virago, I discovered some new favorite authors, namely Molly Keane and Vita Sackville-West; and I also got around to reading my favorite book this year, I Capture the Castle. A very bizarre read, but you have to have that kind of sense of humor to actually appreciate it. I also re-fell in love with DE Stevenson’s books with the read of Mrs. Tim of the Regiment. It’s too bad that DE Stevenson’s books are so hard to find, because she is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Thankfully, Persephone is reprinting miss Buncle Married this upcoming year, and so I’ll get more of my DE Stevenson fix in 2011. Dorothy Whipple is another favorite author, and I managed to read three of her books this year.

I didn’t read anything truly terrible this year, although there were a couple of books that just weren’t to my taste: City of Light, by Lauren Belfer; Island of Ghosts, by Gillian Bradshaw; The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno, by Ellen Bryson; Into the Wilderness, by Sarah Donati; O, Juliet, by Robin Maxwell; The Brothers of Gwynedd Quartet, by Edith Pargeter; The Sheen on the Silk, by Anne Perry; Poison, by Sarah Poole; Mistress of Rome, by Kate Quinn; and Brigid of Kildare, by Heather Terrell.

I’ve found that I’m reading far fewer new books and focusing on the classics. As a result, I’m reading far fewer ARCs, though every now and then I’ll accept one for review. It’s very hard to find newer books that will appeal to me, and so I generally only accept books from authors I’ve read before.

Have a happy new year! Here’s to good reading in 2011.

Review: American Rose, by Karen Abbott

Pages: 397

Original date of publication: 2010

My edition: 2010 (Random House)

Why I decided to read: it was offered through Amazon vine

How I acquired my copy: Vine, October 2010

When Amazon Vine came out with their October newsletter, I told myself that I wouldn’t select anything; I’ve got way too many unread books lying around as it is! But when I saw that Karen Abbott, author of Sin in the Second City, had a new book out, I couldn’t resist. And who could? This nonfictional account of the life of a famous burlesque dancer was begging to be read.

But I was disappointed. Clearly, the author is interested in her topic, but her approach to the book was all wrong to me. The flashes backwards and forwards in time were very distracting to the flow of the book. and I feel as though the author skipped over a lot of stuff in order to get to the racy bits. As a result, I felt that Gypsy Rose Lee’s relationship with Michael Todd could have been fleshed out a lot more—I get the feeling that a lot more was going on there than the author lets on.

The author gives her reader a fascinating account of the death of vaudeville and the rise of burlesque, but I got very little sense of Gypsy Rose Lee herself and what made her so attractive as a performer. In fact, the book isn’t just about her; it’s also about the Minsky brother, Billy Minsky in particular, who ran several burlesque houses in New York City (despite Mayor Laguardia’s attempts to shut them down).

As with many popular history books of this type, it reads like a novel, which I enjoyed, but I expected this book to be more about Gypsy Rose Lee than about the Minsky brothers, who don’t appear to have had much impact on her career (I don’t know much about Gypsy Rose Lee’s life apart from what I’ve read in this book). I enjoyed reading about Gypsy Rose/ Louise’s childhood in vaudeville; what a nightmare of a mother she had! I also enjoyed reading about the relationship between Louise and her sister June, who ran away as a teenager in order to escape their mother. I’d have loved to see an analysis of Rose Hovick’s character, too—despite the fact that she was so dysfunctional, I would love to know exactly what made that woman tick! But the book is well-researched and interesting, despite my criticisms of it.

Review: Strong Poison, by Dorothy L. Sayers

Pages: 261

Original date of publication: 1930

My edition: 2006 (Harper)

Why I decided to read: I felt like reading more Dorothy Sayers

How I acquired my copy: Barnes and Noble, May 2010

Strong Poison is the first Lord Peter Wimsey mystery that features Harriet Vane. When Harriet Vane, a mystery writer, goes on trial for the murder of her lover, who is also an author, Lord Peter sets out to exonerate her—falling in love with her as he does so.

Harriet is less developed as a character, of course, than Lord Peter is—but you can see a lot of promise with her and her relationship with Lord Peter. She’s headstrong, feisty and unconventional, and her conversations with Wimsey are some of the better parts of the book. You can tell that she’s quite a mental match for him; and the comparisons between Harriet and Sayers are very clear. Previously, we’ve seen Wimsey as stoic and a bit arrogant, and it’s nice to see some romance come into his life, and see him brought down a notch.

The plot is a bit predictable, and you can tell who the real murderer is from a mile away. It’s similar to Unnatural Death in that various characters stand to gain a lot of money by the death of the victim, but that the recipient of the money would have gained it anyways, murder or not; and Peter and his confederates spend the bulk of the book trying to prove otherwise. The “whodunit” isn’t quite as important as the “whydunit.” However, I’d say that in this book the mystery takes a back seat to the budding relationship between Harriet and Peter. In addition, Miss Climpson is a recurring character that I enjoy seeing over and over again—here, she’s got her own agency of superfluous women who perform various investigative services for Lord Peter.

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

--Grab your current read

--Open to a random page

--share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

Be sure NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

--Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

“Mrs. Challoner’s was a good school as schools went in those days; there was much of the convent and much of the prison about it. The governesses and teaching staff found themselves members of an abused, ill-paid, and down-trodden profession.”

--From Lady Rose and Mrs. Memmary, by Ruby Ferguson

The Sunday Salon

Alright, so I said I’d be away for a few days, but I couldn’t help it! As the rest of the east coast of the US became snowed under, my family and I flew out to Arizona for (at least for me) a week. Of course, it’s comparatively warm here! Yesterday we celebrated Christmas and then ate an early dinner (roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, of course) before heading to the airport.

As far as book receiving goes, I didn’t get much, since the bulk of what I received was apartment-related. But my mom did give me a year-long Persephone subscription. She gave me the receipt she printed from online, which has the list of books I’m going to get this year. Since I want to be surprised each month, it’s taking all of my will to keep myself from looking at the list!

Whenever I go on vacation, I always overpack, bookwise. Like clothes, I want to have options! I brought: Lady Rose and Mrs. Memmary, by Ruby Ferguson; Thunder on the Right, by Mary Stewart; Henrietta Sees it Through, by Joyce Dennys; and The Winter Journey, by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles, in my suitcase. In my handbag: The Saracen Blade, by Frank Yerby (my current read at the time, which I’ve since finished); Clara and Mr. Tiffany, by Susan Vreeland; Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont, by Elizabeth Taylor; and then in the airport I bought a copy of The Little Stranger, by Sarah Waters. I have two more tucked into my computer bag, too! Of these, I’ve finished The Saracen Blade and finished Clara and Mr. Tiffany nearly in one sitting. Susan Vreeland is such a great writer, and I think this one is one of her best. I’m now reading Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont, which is also very good. What did you get this Christmas?

Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays, everyone! I'll be taking a break from blogging for a few days, but I'll probably schedule a few posts here and there in the meantime. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Review: The Ladies of Lyndon, by Margaret Kennedy

Pages: 320

Original date of publication: 1932

My edition: 1981 (Dial Press)

Why I decided to read: heard about this through LT

How I acquired my copy: the Philly Book Trader, December 2010

Although written in the 1920s, The Ladies of Lyndon is set in Edwardian England and during and after the First World War. Agatha is one of the most sought-after debutantes of her season, and she marries John Clewer in order to become mistress of Lyndon. Her marriage is unhappy, and she finds comfort in her relationship with an old flame.

This is a novel that explores various characters’ search for satisfaction in their lives—oddly enough, it’s John’s brother James who is happiest with his life, although everyone thinks he’s rather “off.” However, because James is the one who’s most comfortable with himself and his life, he’s one of the most endearing characters in this book—along with his wife, Dolly the former housemaid. By marrying her, James raises a lot of eyebrows, but he really and truly doesn’t care what people think—and this is what makes his one of the more self-fulfilled characters in this book.

Agatha, however, is another story. Married at a young age, she’s not quite as self-aware as some of the other characters are, and so she basically gets pushed into her marriage with John. So the road she follows to achieve happiness is interesting and unconventional, to say the least. It’s the characters that drive this novel; and although the plot is in itself interesting, it’s not quite as interesting as the people that populate it. This story could so easily have been cliché, but it’s not. Instead, it’s a wonderfully charming book. This was Margaret Kennedy’s first book (incidentally, it was published when she was my age, 27), and it shows the promise of great things to come. I’ve been trying to track down copies of some of Kennedy’s other books, and can’t wait to read more!

2011 A to Z Challenge

I enjoyed doing the A to Z challenge in 2010, although I didn’t finish it. But I think I’ll give it a second try in 2011, doing the Authors and Titles options. This, of course, is figure-it-out-as-I-go…

Titles:

Alas, Poor Lady, by Rachel Ferguson

The Bolter, by Robin Osborne

Cassandra at the Wedding, by Dorothy Baker

The Du Mauriers, by Daphne Du Maurier

Every Eye, by Isobel English

Few Eggs and No Oranges, by Vere Hodgson

The Glass-Blowers, by Daphne Du Maurier

The Heroine's Bookshelf, by Erin Blakemore

The Invisible Bridge, by Julie Orringer

Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte

K

The Lion of Mortimer, by Juliet Dymoke

Mrs. Miniver, by Jan Struther

N

The Outcast, by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

Pearl Buck of China, by Hilary Spurling

Q

Reuben Sachs, by Amy Levy

Sisters by a River, by Barbara Comyns

Thunder on the Right, by Mary Stewart

Unbeaten Tracks in Japan, by Isabella Bird

A Very Great Profession, by Nicola Beauman

The Winter Journey, by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

X

Y

Z

Authors:

Adam, Ruth: A Woman's Place

Bagnold, Enid: The Loved and Envied

Chadwick, Elizabeth: The Falcons of Montabard

Dennys, Joyce: Henrietta Sees it Through

Eden, Emily: Up the Country

Findlater, Mary: Crossriggs

Gortner, CW: The Tudor Secret

Holtby, Winifred: Anderby Wold

I

Jesse, F Tennyson: A Pin to See the Peepshow

Keane, Molly: Devoted Ladies

Larson, Erik: In the Garden of Beasts

Moran, Michelle: Madame Tussaud

Nicolson, Juliet: The Perfect Summer

Oliphant, Margaret: Hester

Plampin, Matthew: The Devil's Acre

Quindlen, Anna: How Reading Changed My Life

Raybourn, Deanna: The Dark Enquiry

Sinclair, May: The Three Sisters

Taylor, Elizabeth: In a Summer Season

U

V

West, Rebecca: Harriet Hume

Xiaolong, Qiu: Death of a Red Heroine

Young, EH: The Curate's Wife

Z

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

--Grab your current read

--Open to a random page

--share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

Be sure NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

--Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

“This was a masterstroke, Pietro knew. To mention the name of the officiating priest was to lull suspicion.”

--From The Saracen Blade, by Frank Yerby

Review: The Hidden Shore, by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

Pages: 584

Original date of publication: 1996

My edition: 2007 (Sphere)

Why I decided to read: I’m working my way through the Morland Dynasty series

How I acquired my copy: Amazon.com, December 2009

#19: Covers 1843-1848; early Victorian period

Finally, with Nicholas Morland’s death in The Abyss, the series shifts focus from the Morland brothers to other members of the family; in this case, specifically, Charlotte, daughter of Rosalind and Marcus. She has spent the first 21 years of her life living on relative poverty; but at her father’s death discovers that she’s a wealthy heiress. She is vaulted into high society London, in the company of her cousin Fanny, who is already out but not married. Charlotte forms an attachment to Oliver Fleetwood (who has a “reputation”), but disappointment leads her to become involved in philanthropy and medicine.

It’s a relief for the series to move away from the Morland brothers. In some of the previous books, there was a lot of tension and build-up, so it’s good to see some of that released with this installment in the series. Charlotte is a delightful character, quiet but strong-willed and independent. Fanny, the flirt, is the first of the two girls to fall in love; and although circumstances contrive to keep Charlotte and Oliver apart, you hope (and maybe even know?) that a happy ending is in store for them. I loved watching Charlotte’s evolution as a character. Cynthia Harrod-Eagles could have made Charlotte be gauche and naive; but she’s one of those characters who can easily stand back from her surroundings and just observe. She doesn’t allow herself to get caught up in the trappings of her life, even though many young women in her position would be. In this way, get to see the Morlands from the outside looking in, which was a fun treat, since they’re such an eccentric, eclectic bunch.

The Hidden Shore is kind of an in-between book; there are no major historical events going on, although the Crimean War is just on the horizon (it’s funny that Cavendish, whose health his parents worry about wants to go into the cavalry, and everyone keeps saying that no fighting will ever take place that he’ll have to participate in).

The Sunday Salon

We’re less than a week away from Christmas, and all I can think is, is it really Christmas already? Come to think of it, the end of the year too. Amazingly, all of my Christmas shopping is done; I just need to wrap stuff. My family and I are headed out to Arizona on Christmas Day for a week, and I’m looking forward to hanging out there—especially since it’s been so cold here in Philly recently. I feel as though I’m not really ready for the cold—cold weather in January and February I can prepare for, but not December!

I also don’t like these short, short days—I get up at 5 in order to work out and take the train in to work; and when I get off at 7:30, it’s still a bit dark out! Then when I go home at 4:30 it gets dark while I’m riding home. I can’t wait for my new apartment to be finished so I can move in! My mom, dad and I went down there after brunch in order to see the place, and it’s really moving along! It’s a mess, but the cabinets are in and the tile is down in the bathroom; and some of the appliances are in-ish. I’m especially excited about my new walk-in closet. They had to take some space out of my bedroom, but I do love that I’m going to have my ironing board in the closet, so I don’t have to keep lugging it out every time I need to use it.

Meanwhile, lots of reading was done; they were all short books, though (The Ladies of Lyndon, by Margaret Kennedy, Strong Poison, by Dorothy L. Sayers, and Tell it to a Stranger, by Elizabeth Berridge). I’m nearly done with Loving Without Tears, by Molly Keane.

What are your plans for the holiday?

Review: Amberwell, by DE Stevenson

Pages: 224

Original date o f publication: 1955

My edition: 1967 (Fontana Books)

Why I decided to read: I’m on a mission to read all of the DE Stevenson books I can find

How I acquired my copy: Ebay, June 2010

Amberwell is the story of a family living in Scotland in the early part of the 20^th century. The Ayrtons live at Amberwell, a sprawling house built by an ancestor in the 18^th century. Anne, Nell, Roger, Constance, and Thomas are different as different could be, and they all grow up to pursue their own paths. Constance opts for a traditional marriage; Anne, told that she’ll end a spinster, runs off to marry a school teacher; and in WWII, Roger becomes a soldier, while Nell surprises everyone by turning into Amberwell’s capable chatelaine.

DE Stevenson’s books should really all be back in print (though I don't know who would buy them but me!). There’s a small revival of her books going on; Miss Buncle’s Book was reprinted by Persephone (and they’re re-doing Miss Buncle Married at some point next year) and Mrs. Tim of the Regiment was reprinted by the Bloomsbury Group. DE Stevenson wrote in a very accessible way, free of dramatics or histrionics. There’s a bit of drama in this book, but it never gets to that over-the-top point. There’s emotion and pathos in the relationships that these five siblings have with each other. Anne’s situation is especially moving, since she’s forced into a marriage that she ultimately doesn’t care for. The whole family is dysfunctional but you can almost understand why they behave the way they do, even Aunt Beatrice the frustrated spinster. This is a very subtle, understated and underrated book; I wish that more of DE Stevenson’s books would be republished because she’s truly a wonderful writer (and she of her out-of-print books are going for outrageous prices on ebay or Amazon Marketplace).

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

--Grab your current read

--Open to a random page

--share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

Be sure NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

--Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

“As the first notes came drawling out in a melancholy procession he felt a twinge of liking for the music. It certainly had grandeuer—a black Spanish kind.”

--From Tell It to a Stranger, by Elizabeth Berridge

Review: The Thorn Birds, by Colleen McCullough

Pages: 673

Original date of publication: 1977

My edition: 2010 (Avon)

Why I decided to read: re-discovered it in Borders while browsing

How I acquired my copy: Borders, November 2010

The Thorn Birds is actually a re-read. I first read this at about this time of year when I was thirteen, and ever since then it’s kind of been one of the books that defined my adolescence. The Thorn Birds is a classic about one family in New Zealand and Australia from WWI to the 1960s, especially focusing on the relationship between Meggie Cleary and Father Ralph de Bricassart.

Fourteen years after my first reading of this book, my opinion of it has changed somewhat. One of the things I remember most about it was that there was a lot of sex in it—and I mean a lot. This time around, I kind of skipped through all that stuff in order to get to the heart of the story—Meggie and Ralph. I must have been much more of a romantic the first time I read this book, because this time I found myself rolling my eyes at the dialogue and at how many times the reader was told how good looking Meggie and Ralph both were.

But despite the cheesiness of some parts of this book, the story is actually quite good. I especially enjoyed Justine’s story and her relationship with Rain. However, Luke drops off the face of the planet once Meggie leaves him; I would have liked to have seen more of a resolution to that story. It just didn’t make sense to me that someone like him would have taken Meggie’s defection so lightly. The relationship between Meggie and Ralph becomes almost nonexistent as Justine and Dane’s stories take center stage. And Dane, frankly, isn’t all that interesting!

From my first reading, I don’t remember Australia having so much of a role in the book, but actually it’s almost a character unto itself. McCullough’s descriptions of the places she writes about are beautiful. The story moves at a fast pace and it only took me a few days to finish; still, it’s not quite as good as I remember it being from the first time I read it. But people change!

The Sunday Salon

On Sunday evenings, I always feel a little bit of a letdown. The weekends always seem so short, and there’s all this anticipation about the week ahead. Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been busy with a major project at work that’s made me a bit anxious, since this is really my chance to prove myself. Last weekend my best friend from high school came to visit; I haven’t seen her in three years, and I took her down town to see my new apartment and explore the city.

This weekend, I’m battling a cold, but it’s not quite as bad as it could be. I’ve spent a good portion of the weekend watching TV and writing reviews, since I’m sorely behind in that. What I usually do with my reviews is schedule them to post automatically; as of about 15 minutes ago, I had none. Currently, I’m reading some more Dorothy Sayers (Strong Poison, which is the one where we meet Harriet Vane).

As far as book buying goes, my vow to acquire less has promptly gone down the tube; I bought three Viragos at the Book Trader last weekend, and then I’ve been participating in the Virago Secret Santa thing on LT; a couple of days ago, a doorstopper of a package landed on my doorstep. We’re not supposed to open them for another week or so, so it’s been a test of wills with me not to rip open the package and see what’s inside! I’m kind of concerned about what I’m getting for my Secret Santa person; I ordered my books online at Awesomebooks and they still haven’t arrived! That on top of having to pack the books off and send them! Also frustrating is the fact that I haven’t bought gifts for nearly everyone on my list… better get started… how has your holiday season been going so far?

Review: Some Tame Gazelle, by Barbara Pym

Pages: 252

Original date of publication: 1950

My edition: 1984 (Perennial)

Why I decided to read: I’m on a quest to read all of Pym’s novels

How I acquired my copy: secondhand bookstore near my office, November 2010

Some Tame Gazelle was Barbara Pym’s first novel. Her writing style is rather quaint and old-fashioned, which is probably why her books fell out of fashion, but it’s the quaintness that makes this novel so good. Some Tame Gazelle is less polished than some of Pym’s later novels (such as Excellent Women or Jane and Prudence), but it shares some of the same themes.

This one is set in a tiny village and focuses on the life of two spinsters in late middle age, Harriet and Belinda Bede. There’s a new, young curate in the village for whom Harriet develops a fondness; her sister has an unrequited love for the vicar, whose wife doesn’t love him. Added to this is a pompous Archdeacon and an Italian count who frequently proposes marriage to Harriet. As I’ve said, this book isn’t quite as refined as some of Pym’s later books, but you can see hints of what’s to come. Pym has a wicked sense of humor when talking about her characters, poking fun at them in a very backhanded kind of way.

Pym has frequently been described as a 20^th-century Jane Austen, and it’s easy to see where the comparison comes from. Pym had a way of getting to the heart of her characters in describing them in just a few sentences. I wish that Barbara Pym’s novels would stop coming into print and then back out, because she’s such a timeless, classic author. There’s not much “action in her novels, and sometimes she goes overboard with the literary quotes and references, but her novels are a smashing good read—every one of them, at least, that I’ve read.

Weekly Geeks

Do you plan on participating in any reading challenges in 2011? Are you planning on hosting any reading challenges? Perhaps you'd like to share an idea for a reading challenge--to see if there is any interest! Share with us which challenges look tempting to you! (You don't have to "officially" join any of the challenges for this weekly geek. Just let us know which ones you'd be most interested in.) You might want to spend some time browsing A Novel Challenge. Are there any challenges you are looking forward to that haven't been announced yet? Regardless of your challenge plans, are you starting to plan ahead for next year? Do you make lists or goals? Are you a person who enjoys reading more if it is structured? Or are you all about being free to read what you want, when you want?

I hadn’t started thinking about challenges for 2011, but I’ve participated in some in the past and found them to be fun. One of my favorites for 2009 was the Pub Challenge; for two years running I’ve done the A to Z Challenge, which I might participate in again this upcoming year if someone is doing it. I didn’t complete it this year (didn’t get an author for X in), but I had fun with it. Another challenge I did this year that I had fun with was the Chunkster Challenge. When I do challenges, I typically make lists of books to read, though I never really stick with them. I think I enjoy reading more if I go along with no set pattern or reading goals. However, if I do participate in the A to Z Challenge (if it’s offered), I have a number of books in mind to read for it.

Review: The Distant Hours, by Kate Morton

Pages: 562

Original date of publication: 2010

My edition: 2010 (Atria)

Why I decided to read: I love all of Kate Morton’s books

How I acquired my copy: Amazon preorder, November 2010

Kate Morton is one of the few authors I’ll buy in hardcover. I first heard about her through the Amazon Vine program, when The House at Riverton was offered, and I’ve been hooked ever since; I even bought The Forgotten Garden when it was out in the UK but not in the US. The Distant Hours takes place in a crumbling old castle and features three elderly spinsters who harbor a dark secret dating from WWI. Their story is contrasted with that of Edie, a young woman in 1992 who investigates the story.

Like Morton’s previous books, there’s a Gothic undertone to the book, but it’s never overt. The emphasis here is on telling a good story, and that Kate Morton does very well. Each of the characters, minus Edie, has skeletons in the closet, but the skeletons aren’t what you think they’ll be. I love how everything is revealed bit by bit, leaving the reader to guess at what will happen—again, it’s not what you think! I love Kate Morton’s characterizations, too; we’re not supposed to like or sympathize with Percy, but you do anyways. You get a very vivid picture of each of the characters with each of their quirks. This is one of those books that keeps you reading and reading, leaving you wanting to read more. The novel is long, but it never felt that way at all. In many places, it’s kind of a gothic version of I Capture the Castle.

The “present day”, 1992, is a bit dated, but I can understand why the author chose to have the book be set at that date instead of now. Despite the dated “present day,” I never got the feeling that the author was trying to hit her reader over the head with the fact that it’s 1992. This is another really great novel from Kate Morton; I’m only sad that I’ll have to wait until she writes her next!

Review: The King's Daughter, by Christie Dickason

Pages: 468

Original date of publication:

My edition: 2010 (Harper)

Why I decided to read: Saw it in a bookshop in London

How I acquired my copy: LTER, October 2010

I’m reading historical fiction less and less lately, but when I found out about this one, I thought I’d give it a try, since I’ve enjoyed three of Christie Dickason’s other novels. In this one, she remains in the seventeenth century, focusing on the life of Elizabeth, the daughter of James I. She and her brother were widely popular, so much so that their father tried to keep them away from the public as much as possible. This novel focuses on Elizabeth’s early life, primarily with the arrangement of her marriage and all that that entails.

Christie Dickason is a good writer, but there were some points in the novel where I found myself rolling my eyes. Elizabeth is a royal daughter, but in this book the author has her dressing in men’s clothing and running off to brothels in Southwark. And nobody would have noticed this? Elizabeth’s friendship with Tallie is interesting, but Elizabeth’s attitude towards the musician is a little too PC to be believable. In fact, in many places, Elizabeth has a modern-day sensibility, especially when it comes to her impending marriage—which she would have been brought up to expect. I never truly “bought” her as a living, breathing seventeenth-century person. I just didn’t care for her in the end.

I love the historical details that the author uses throughout, since she really knows the period she’s writing about. However, there’s way too much detail on clothing. Also, James I comes across as a drunken buffoon, which turns him into a one-dimensional character at times. There’s a lot of name-dropping in this novel, but none of it really added to the plot. For example, the author gives her reader a full biography of Arbella Stuart, but her story adds nothing to the main plot. The novel moves at a very swift pace, but there were other chapters that were written from the point of view of another major character, which distracted from the overall flow of the book.