Historical Fiction

Quick Review: “Frozen” by Mary Casanova (releasing 9.7.12)

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This novel was a Net Galley ARC download for me, and considered YA but I think it’s good historical fiction for adults, too.

In “Frozen”, Mary Casanova writes an intriguing tale of Sadie Rose, a teenager in Minnesota in the 1920’s. She hasn’t spoken a word in many years, not since the night her mother (a young prostitute) was killed and Sadie was found frozen in a snow bank. Now Sadie is starting to speak, and as her personality blossoms so does her emotions and her feelings for a local young man. Add to this a dynamic,though mentally ill, new friend and the dredging up of Sadie’s mother’s murder – this time with some new information – and you have the makings of compelling and interesting historical fiction!

While I had never read Mary Casanova’s works before, she has written for American Girl. I enjoyed this story and Casanova’s writing, and I thank Net Galley and University of Minnesota Press for my copy.  I believe I read that this story is based on real events, and I’d be curious to find out what exactly the true story is!

“Meet the author” through this You Tube video:

Quick Audiobook Review: “World without End” by Ken Follett

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I loved the book and miniseries “Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett, so I was thrilled to find the audiobook for its sequel, “World without End”, at the library (read by John Lee).

While this story takes place in Kingsbridge, the town that is the setting for “Pillars of the Earth”, it stands alone as a novel, being set 200 years later and with new characters (though references are sometimes made to the previous characters).

The story starts with four children, playing in the woods. They witness a murder and a secret, and this event sets the stage for the events of their lives, which are chronicled. Follett draws us a picture of Medieval England that is vivid and accurate. His characters are unique and the main characters are all quite different. I listened to this story in the car while driving and still could easily follow the plot (which was definitely not for the kids at times!). John Lee’s narration was a great touch to the story; he excels at providing unique character voices.

All in all, a great story!

 

Quick YA Review- Titanic: The Long Night by Diane Hoh

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From Net Galley I received this teen romance/page-turner, telling the story of several teens on board the Titanic for its ill-fated voyage. Elizabeth is a bored, wealthy teen, who seeks to rebel against the conventions of her family and her class (including an impending engagement). Max, another teen, is also in first-class, but has been living the bohemian life as an itinerant artist in Europe (Elizabeth finds him irresistible). Katie has travelled from Ireland with two brother friends: Patrick and Brian (a bit of a love triangle ensues). More characters are met on board as the ship sails toward that fateful night and disaster.

I really enjoyed this read! I found it quick and easy and with accurate details of the disaster.

Thank you Open Road and Net Galley for my download!

Quick Review: The Train of Small Mercies by David Rowell

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I found this great book on the new release shelf of the library a few weeks ago. It tells the story of five different people seeing the funeral train carrying RFK’s body as it travelled through the countryside, headed to Washington, DC. The stories are loosely interwoven, with some reaching completion but most left without complete resolution. I really enjoyed this book and looked forward to reading each character’s piece in it – from the young train porter who is on his first day on the job and just discovered his girlfriend is pregnant, to the young girl and her mother who try to see the train without her father knowing, to the young Vietnam veteran who is still healing. I like the concept of several stories in one, and enjoyed Rowell’s writing style. This is his first novel.

Review: Yellow Crocus by Laila Ibrahim

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Trolling through Net Galley, I found this great read (its been out since 2010). “Yellow Crocus” is the story of a young girl, Lisbeth Wainwright, and her beloved childhood nurse, the slave Mattie. Lisbeth is given to Mattie shortly after birth for nursing (Mattie is taken from her own little son, Samuel) and she grows to love Mattie more than her own mother. Mattie loves Lisbeth in turn, and struggles to seek freedom for her family. In time, Mattie is sent back to the slave quarters and Lisbeth tries to become the young woman that her family and Antebellum Southern society demands of her. In time she must make a life-changing decision – a decision that will affect her family’s life going forward.

I just loved this book! I love reading about this period in history, and I wished the book had continued to and through the Civil War as I was hoping to see Mattie’s character develop through adulthood and into old age. At times in the beginning of the book it felt a little bogged down with totally accurate but minute details of breast-feeding – it pulled me from the flow of the story a bit. Overall, though, I loved the characters, the writing, and the storyline.

Thanks, Net Galley and Flaming Chalice Press for my copy!

Quick Review: The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka

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I had heard of this book and was thrilled to find it in the new release section of our library. At just over 120 pages, it is  quick read and I read it in a few hours. Julie Otsuka has told the story of Japanese “picture brides”, coming to America (California) to their new husbands, marrying and having families, and then enduring the hardships of WWII and relocation. What makes this book so unique is the voice – or voices – that Otsuka writes in. Described as “incantory”, the voice is each individual voice of the women, along with being all of them. As each voice has a story, collectively they tell a story. While I’m sure some readers may not enjoy this technique, I thought it was quite brilliant. It makes the book read almost like poetry and reinforces the fact that each person’s story is their own. Otsuka is the author of “When the Emperor Was Divine”, which I’ll need to read!


REVIEW: The Whipping Club by Deborah Henry

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I received this novel through Net Galley and was excited to read it. Taking place in the 1950’s and 60’s in Ireland, it tells the story of a young, Catholic woman, Marian, who finds herself in love with a Jewish colleague at the school where they teach. When she discovers she is pregnant, she goes away to a “home” to have the baby and then puts the baby up for adoption, thinking he will have a better life in America. Ten years later, and now married to her then boyfriend and with a young daughter, she discovers that their son has lived in a nearby orphanage all his years. Marian and her husband try to get custody of their son, Adrian, and work to fit him into their family, even as they continue to struggle as an inter-faith couple. But first they must convince the establishment that they are capable and worthy of raising their son.

While I really enjoyed this book, and particularly couldn’t put it down in the last few chapters, I was a bit disheartened at the portrayal of the religious people in this book as fanatical, sadistic, and depraved (full disclosure: I’m Catholic). I guess I’m just tired of reading books and seeing movies where 99% of the nuns/priest/brothers are portrayed as evil. That said, I know that deplorable conditions existed in some places (anyone see the movie “The Magdalenes”??).

Beyond that, I found the main character portrayals and the depth of emotions in the main characters the strengths in this novel. How would it feel to find your son after all those years? How do you unite a family that has never been a family yet? How much does our religion guide our lives and relationships?

A thought-provoking book! I’ll look forward to more from Ms. Henry.

Thanks for my copy, Net Galley and T.S. Poetry Press!!

Quick Review: Lois Lenski’s “Indian Captive”

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My friends at Open Road Publishers and Net Galley kindly sent me a digital download of “Indian Captive” by Lois Lenski to review. This middle grade novel was originally published over 50 years ago, and Open Road re-released it in December. It tells the story of Mary Jemison, a young Pennsylvania girl taken by Indians when she was ten. Mary lived many years with the Seneca, and grew to love her Native American family, ultimately choosing to never leave them.

I had first read this book as a young girl in the 1970’s. I was struck by how much of the story stayed with me and seemed familiar as I re-read it a few weeks ago. It is at turns terrifying and interesting, all the more so since it is based on a true story. Lenski spent months doing meticulous research for this novel and it was a Newbery Honor book. I’d be curious how many current day adult readers had mixed feelings over the events portrayed in this novel – which occurs at the time of the French and Indian War.

Younger readers may find the text challenging and the story lengthy. I’d recommend it for grades 5 and up – and stronger grade 4 readers.

Thanks, Net Galley and Open Road for my copy!

Review: I am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley

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Love, love, love.

I just love the character of young chemistry wiz Flavia deLuce in this series of books by Alan Bradley. I know they are often billed as YA, but I think they are fine for adults. If you follow me, you know I just adored “The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie” and while I continued to love the characters and writing in the next two books, I was disappointed in the plot lines.

This time, however, I was thrilled. In this installment, it is Christmas time, and Flavia is determined to “trap” Father Christmas up on the roof to prove his existence to her two unfeeling and scornful sisters. Meanwhile, her father has rented their home estate to be used for a movie featuring a famous actress. In all the excitement of filming and house guests, along with Christmas and snowstorms, a murder occurs, and Flavia is determined to figure out who the murderer is (while they are all snowed in!).

If you’ve read the other books, or even if you haven’t, I highly recommend this one!

(and thanks to Father Christmas who brought me mine!)

REVIEW: Ghost on Black Mountain by Ann Hite

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Back in October I read a great book that I found at the local BJ’s – “Ghost on Black Mountain”. This novel tells the story of Black Mountain and its ghosts through the voices of five depression era women.

Nellie Clay comes to Black Mountain as a young bride – not realizing her husband is pretty much evil incarnate. Nellie’s story is intertwined with her mother’s, her housekeeper’s, her daughter’s, and more as we see the lives of these people and the community in which they live. Set in Depression-era North Carolina, the story centers around a murder and the ghosts that it conjures – and set free.

I just loved this book. I loved the voices, the story, the peek into mountain culture of that time. Ann Hite is a great writer and this story goes on my unforgettable list!