Glorious Boy highlights a place often overlooked in WWII fiction: the Andaman Islands. Located between India and Thailand, the Andamans were part of British Colonial India. On the eve of WWII, American Anthropologist Claire marries British surgeon Shep Durant. Shep is soon posted to the Andamans as a colonial doctor, and Claire takes the opportunity… Continue reading Review: Glorious Boy by Aimee Liu
Queen's Peril by E. K. Johnston is the follow-up to the acclaimed Queen's Shadow, although a prequel. Queen's Peril starts when Padme (Naberrie) Amidala is elected Queen of Naboo and finishes with the end of Episode I: The Phantom Menace. While QP was a quick, entertaining read (Padme, the handmaidens, and Naboo are my happy… Continue reading Review: Queen’s Peril by E. K. Johnston
More Miracle Than Bird by Alice Miller tells the true story of Georgie Hyde-Lees, who at the age of 25, married famous Irish poet W.B. Yeats (then 52.) Miller's narrative focuses on Georgie working as a nurse in London during WWI. While trying to strike it out on her own at the soldier's hospital,… Continue reading Review: More Miracle Than Bird by Alice Miller
The Secrets We Kept is a book about one of my favorite books: Doctor Zhivago. In 2002, I discovered Docotor Zhivago through the 2002 mini series with Keira Knightley. I fell in love with the story and then read the book, and I instantly became obsessed. Doctor Zhivago was a huge creative and literary influence… Continue reading Review: The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott
Little by Edward Carey tells the extraordinary, fascinating origin story of the real Madame Tussaud: Marie Grosholtz. Some people may not know that Madame Tussaud was a real person, as she seems more like a legend given the various wax museums around the world bearing her name. Marie was real (referred to by the nickname… Continue reading Review: Little by Edward Carey
Also known as Daughter of Albion: A Novel of Ancient Britain in other countries. Skin by Ilka Tampke takes place in the 1st century AD, when the Roman Empire began to encroach upon the British Isles. Although rooted in the history and culture of ancient tribal Britain, Tampke weaves a magical element into the story… Continue reading Review: Skin by Ilka Tampke
Mary Toft; or, The Rabbit Queen by Dexter Palmer fictionalizes the true story of an 18th century Englishwoman who convinced doctors of all rankings--even the King's own--that she could birth rabbits. This unique historical nugget seems stranger than fiction, and Palmer vividly fills in the blanks and the world in which Mary Toft conducts… Continue reading Review: Mary Toft; or, The Rabbit Queen by Dexter Palmer
I will be taking a brief hiatus on reviews to do some pure enjoyment reading of some thick Fantasy novels I've had on my to-do list for a while (which don't really fit the theme of my usual reviews, despite the few Sci-Fi ones I slid in.) I have more Historical Fiction ARC reviews coming… Continue reading Hiatus
Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier is based on the life of Mary Anning, an early 19th century fossil hunter, collector, and paleontologist (although without a formal education.) I first discovered Mary Anning during a visit to the National History Museum in London. I was fascinated by this young woman, whom I somehow had never… Continue reading Review: Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier
One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus is an alt-history novel, of sorts, in which the US government agreed to the true to life request of the Cheyenne tribe to send white brides to them in order to help integrate the Cheyenne into white society and thus survive. In reality, President Grant refused, but Jim… Continue reading Review: One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus
