Tides of War: A Novel
by Stella Tillyard
Good Historical Fiction (11/13/2011)
The Tides of War is a very nice historical fiction novel which is set in England during the Peninsular War between 1812 and 1815. This is an era frequently ignored by historical fiction writers, so it was a refreshing setting. Be warned: there are a LOT of characters that pepper the pages, many of them actual historical figures, but it does make it difficult to keep track of everyone initially. Keep reading, though. As the story progresses, the characters become easier to manage and the storyline starts to take precedence. All in all, this is a lovely effort and the only thing I might have changed is moving the List of Characters page from the back of the book to the front.
The Sisters: A Novel
by Nancy Jensen
A Good Book Club Choice (9/27/2011)
The Sisters is a compelling story that spans several decades and follows the story of two sisters who, although separated, lead intertwining lives. While a few of the premises of the story seemed contrived, the exploration of family dysfunction and relationships is noteworthy and I suspect that this novel will prove quite popular with book clubs. This is the author's debut effort and I look forward to her future efforts as her style becomes more mature and refined.
The Borgia Betrayal: A Poisoner Mystery Novel
by Sara Poole
Historical Fiction "Beach Read" (7/4/2011)
I wasn't aware that this book is the second of a proposed trilogy, although I had no difficulty understanding what happened in the plot of the first book....the author does a fine job of "catching you up" to her current plot.
This is a historical fiction thriller-type book with a strong female lead character who is, of course, a poisoner in the employ of the infamous Borgia pope, Alexander VI. There's plenty of intrigue and action here in the late 15th Century Rome and I'm fairly certain the book will interest those who have been following the new Borgia series on television.
I call this a historical fiction "beach read" to differentiate it from serious, in-depth historical fiction. This novel is easy to follow and is more of a thriller simply set in a historical period. Don't expect a lot of detailed, accurate history. In other words: it all depends upon your taste in historical fiction. Some readers, myself included, prefer our historical fiction to be heavy on the historical side. Other readers enjoy less detail and more action....and The Borgia Betrayal falls into this latter category.
Happy reading!
The Paris Wife: A Novel
by Paula McLain
Fascinating portrait (12/22/2010)
A novel written in first-person narrative from the point of view of Hadley Hemingway, Earnest Hemingway's first wife. Hadley married Earnest when he was a young, unknown, aspiring writer and gave up her life in the States to move to Paris with him so that he could immerse himself in his writing.
The narrative is very compelling...I was hooked by the first chapter and it never let up. Despite knowing how the marriage ended, I was riveted to this book.
The author stays true to history while finding truth and poignancy in Hadley's voice. While I didn't always agree with her decisions, she is astonishingly real on these pages.
Highly, highly recommended!
Valley of the Lost
by Vicki Delany
Your Average Mystery (12/16/2008)
Valley of the Lost is evidently the second in a mystery series by Vicki Delany. While the story itself has a fairly tight plot and very sharp dialogue, without reading the first in the series, I was fairly lost with the numerous characters and references to the previous book. It seems likely that most of the character development took place in the first novel. Delany's writes quite well, but it felt rather like picking up a book and starting your read at chapter ten.
To Siberia: A Novel
by Per Petterson
A Challenging Read (10/4/2008)
As an avid historical fiction reader and reviewer, I am drawn to novels written in unique settings and time periods. Predictably, I couldn't wait to read To Siberia, by award-winning author Per Petterson, a novel about two siblings growing up in WWII Denmark and experiencing the Nazi invasion.
The novel is almost poetically written and events unfold as remembered by a 60 year-old woman. She recalls her bleak childhood growing up in a small town in northern Denmark and her special closeness to her brother, Jesper. The invasion of the Nazi's and the long-lasting ramifications of this event even after the war round out this sparse novel.
The story unfolds in snapshots; a snippet here and a snippet there. Time and place often change in the span of a single sentence. This isn't a novel you can whip through easily. It requires a quiet place, free from distractions, to follow and digest the story.
If you are looking for a quick, easy read then this probably isn't the book for you. There are no long, flowery passages and the book is free of sentiment. But if you are willing to put in the effort and pay attention to the author's words, you will be rewarded with images and observations that will stay with you a lifetime.
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