Historical Fictionistas discussion

What did you think of The Kitchen God's wife? I have that on my bookshelf.

I'm currently reading The Dark Circle by Linda Grant. It's been shortlisted for the Baileys Womens Prize for Fiction. Only 40 pages in but enjoying it so far

I am reading Parkinson's Disease by Douglas Kenney

Just finished Great Stories by Chekhov, a recent publication of stories from 19th century Russian author Anton Chekhov.

My review (with many quotes to give you an idea of the Russian winter and philosophy)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I started The Secret History of the Mongol Queens: How the Daughters of Genghis Khan Rescued His Empire.

Zoe wrote: "I am currently reading The House at Baker Street by Michelle Birkby and wow is it fun and incredibly full of holmsian thrills love it"

Thanks, Zoe. I'm a newer Sherlock Holmes fan - been reading ACD's original stories for a couple years.

I'm TOTALLY wow'd by the PBS/BBC Sherlock series - have developed a rare and wild fangirl crush on Benedict Cumberbatch. Have DVDs for Series 3 & 4 here to watch.

Just read my first "pastiche" (a new to me word) Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell Paul Kane, 5*s. Paranormal/Horror twist. Review pending.

Added The House at Baker Street Michelle Birkby & sequel to my TBR.

Last year I read Mycroft Holmes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 4.5 stars. Outstanding "pastiche" -- Mycroft is just out of University.

I was particularly surprised to read (last paragraph of my review) of Kareem's lifelong academic interest in SH, as well as how he used some techniques while playing pro basketball.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Penelopiad – Margaret Atwood – 3***
Atwood takes the story of the faithful Penelope, waiting 20 years for Odysseus to return from the Trojan War, and reimagines it. I liked this intelligent, savvy woman.
LINK to my review

Another pretty children's picture book asking the question we've all been asked: Why is the sky blue? Why Blue?


My review (with a couple of the illustrations)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Erica wrote: "What did you think of The Kitchen God's wife? I have that on my bookshelf."

here is my review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "I finished "The Kitchen God's Wife" and starting "The Bear and the Nightingale""

I really enjoyed The Bear and the Nightingale. It's a very unique story.

I read the first chapter in a preview

Just started the new Maisie Dobbs book In This Grave Hour by Jacqueline Winspear, just at the beginning and already remembered why I love this author so much...

I am reading Heresy by S J Parris as reading the next book for book club 😜 am afraid I like to read books in order it's become an obsession of mine

Eric wrote: "I started [book:The Secret History of the Mongol Queens: How the Daughters of Gengh..."

Eric, I fully enjoyed this one - 5 stars from me. Hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

I'm in the last 10% of Mark Twain's Personal Recollections of Joan Of Arc. I've enjoyed Twain's sense of humor although overall it is a slow-paced read.

Alice wrote: " [book:The Secret History of the Mongol Queens: How the Daugh...

Eric, I fully enjoyed this one - 5 stars from me. Hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did."

Thanks, Alice, I put it on my TBR list after I finished the Mongol series by Conn Iggulden, "The Conqueror series."

Finished The Bible Salesman which was a "meh" humor novel. Starting an ARC Moving Forward Sideways Like a Crab which is feeling way more literary than I usually like.

Finished Personal Recollections of Joan Of Arc.

My review:-

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I started The Ashes of London by Andrew Taylor, a historical mystery set in 1666.

Finished The Bedford Boys: One American Town's Ultimate D-Day Sacrifice

My review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/1964561231

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell – Susanna Clarke – 3.5***
Fantasy is really not my thing, but I did enjoy this book. I liked the play / counter play between the two magicians, and particularly enjoyed the scenes where they are influencing the Napoleonic Wars. That being said, however, this was just way too long. I found my mind wandering as much as the plot did. I certainly understand the popularity of the novel, but I wouldn't go out of my way to read another novel by Clarke.
LINK to my review

I've started Embers by Sándor Márai which is set in the last days of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire.

I thought that was a very odd novel, but with beautiful writing.

Finished Lucifer's Hammer. Re-read Stephen King's Danse Macabre, always a pleasure.

A debut novel and a bestseller by an Aussie author. Win-win for me! Plus, it's historical fiction. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman was terrific. 5★


And now a film as well. My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Finished Madonna of the Seven Hills and started the sequel Light on Lucrezia by Jean Plaidy. I got the pair as bargain ebook. So far not that crazy about the writing or the story. I think they both show their age. I'll probably skim the second one.

Wolf by Wolf – Ryan Graudin – 2.5**
This is interesting speculative fiction dealing with “what might have been” had Germany & Japan won WW2. The plot moves as quickly as the racers bound from Germania to Tokyo. Yael is a strong heroine – resourceful, intelligent, physically and mentally fit for the challenge. I thought there were several holes in this plot, and I think I would have enjoyed this kind of speculative plot without the “skin shifting” aspect. While I recognize the appeal for the target audience, it really wasn’t the book for me.
LINK to my review

Zoe wrote: "I am reading Heresy by S J Parris as reading the next book for book club 😜 am afraid I like to read books in order it's become an obsession of mine"

Oh yes, I am also practically OCD in wanting to read authors' works in published order, especially any series!!!

Susanna - Censored by GoodReads wrote: "I thought that was a very odd novel, but with beautiful writing."

Susanna, I agree about the beautiful writing - I can't help rereading some of the sentences over and over :)

Reading The Summer Before the War (WWI) and Vampire in Love, and also the short but intriguing Sacrificial Nights for a group read over on Literary Darkness.

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid is an important story many people have loved. Couple fleeing war.


I didn't quite love it, but you might!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Prophecy by S J Parris my local library book club book am very happy to get stuck in

I've just completed The Zookeeper's wife a true story of life in Warsaw during the Nazi invasion. It tells how escaping Jews and Poles were hidden in the zoo villa and in animal cages before being helped to safety elsewhere. In this way hundreds of Jews from the ghetto were saved almost certain death. A true story that reads like a novel

i've finished almost all of susanna kearsley's books this year. :) halfway through Deep South by Paul Theroux right now while also reading Dragonfly in Amber.

PattyMacDotComma wrote: "Exit West by Mohsin Hamid is an important story many people have loved. Couple fleeing war.


I didn't quite love it, but you might!
htt..."

I recently finished Exit West, and I completely agree with you. As I was reading it, it had that "this is an important book" feel, but it was still just an okay read. I don't think I fully got into the author's style, and I personally might have enjoyed it a little more if it was written in a different way. Still powerful, though!

West With the Night – Beryl Markham – 5*****
Markham was an independent woman who lived life to the fullest, and on her own terms. While there has been significant controversy over whether she actually wrote this memoir (vs her third husband ghost-writing it for her), I still highly recommend it! Full of vivid imagery and really gives a sense of what life was like for the colonialists in Kenya in the early part of the 20th century.
LINK to my review

I am reading Lilac Girls by Diane Ackerman

Martha Hall Kelly

I finished "The Bear and the Nightingale" and starting "After You"

I am listening to A Jane Austen Daydream on Audible and reading One Perfect Lie.

Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "I finished "The Bear and the Nightingale" and starting "After You""

i wanted to like After You so much but I hated it! can't wait to hear your thoughts..... :)

I'm rereading The Dreaming Suburb by R.F. Delderfield, set in England between the two world wars. What a fabulous writer he was, His characters are spot on.

The Quarterly Essays are a great offering in Australia at a time when we are swamped by a deluge of short news articles, posts and tweets. These are about 25,000 words, so writers can discuss a subject at length.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The White Queen: One Nation and the Politics of Race by renowned author, journalist, commentator David Marr

Loved the ins and outs of 20 years of Pauline Hanson. 5★ My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Rebecca wrote: "PattyMacDotComma wrote: "Exit West by Mohsin Hamid is an important story many people have loved. Couple fleeing war.
. . .

As I was reading it, it had that "this is an important book" feel, but it was still just an okay read...."

Thanks - nice to feel I've got some company, Rebecca. :)

I just started The Velvet Hours by Alyson Richman, love Paris as a setting for books...

Just finished The Hearth and Eagle by one of my favorite authors, Anya Seton. This is a very good story about a family that lived in Marblehead. The key character is Hesper Honeywood whose life is colored by the three men she loved, two of whom she married. Well done!

Margaret wrote: "I've just completed The Zookeeper's wife a true story of life in Warsaw during the Nazi invasion. It tells how escaping Jews and Poles were hidden in the zoo villa and in animal cages befor..."

A friend of mine was talking about this at lunch on Monday. She'd seen the movie, said it was excellent.

Finished Embers. An intense read that lingers long after reading. 5 stars.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Sins of the Father by Jeffrey Archer , the #2 book of Clifton Chronicles is a nice sequel to the #1 Only Time Will Tell, which was a great and interesting read. So far its going good but not as good as the #1 book. I am looking forward to complete the book.

Working my way through an ARC Moving Forward Sideways Like a Crab which I thought might be too literary for my tastes, but has evolved into a murder mystery!