For as much as I enjoy Jurassic Park (the movie,) I've actually never read any Michael Crichton but have always intended to. I randomly stumbled across Dragon Teeth, released posthumously, which centers around the "bone wars" of early paleontology in the 1870s American West. Dragon Teeth follows 18-year-old William Johnson of Philadelphia, a Yale student… Continue reading Review: Dragon Teeth by Michael Crichton
Inanna by Emily H. Wilson is a historical fantasy retelling of the Epic of Gilgamesh and the mythology of the ancient Sumerian Gods. To be honest, I have not read the Epic of Gilgamesh and only knew a little bit about ancient Sumer and its gods when I went into this book. That said, perhaps… Continue reading Review: Inanna by Emily H. Wilson
Night Watch by Jayne Anne Phillips follows a family though the American Civil War from its start to tenuous post-war reconstruction. The novel begins in 1874 West Virginia with young ConaLee and her mute mother Eliza being taken to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum by a man known only as "Papa," but who is not, in… Continue reading Review: Night Watch by Jayne Anne Phillips
The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave is a 17th century tale concerning the Vardo, Norway witch trials. If you think this sounds familiar, that's because The Witches of Vardo by Anna Bergman features the same subject matter. While there are some shared character names and similar beautiful writing styles, the stories themselves are quiet different.… Continue reading Review: The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
This Savage World by Anna Housego opens in 1770s London where young Maggie Bloodworth is trying to make her way in a city unforgiving to the poor. She is taken on as an apprentice midwife and eventually learns her trade with enough skill to stand on her own two feet. As Maggie's life progresses, she… Continue reading Review: This Savage World by Anna Housego
Lost Souls of Leningrad by Suzanne Parry follows professional violinist Sofya ("Sofi") and her teenaged granddaughter Yelena ("Lena") as they navigate the events leading up to, during, and after the brutal and infamous 1941 Siege of Leningrad . Having rekindled her old love with Admiral Vasili, Sofi gains valuable insider information that war is coming.… Continue reading Review: Lost Souls of Leningrad by Suzanne Parry
I somehow only recently discovered A Mercy by Toni Morrison, but the 17th century Americas POVs and exploration therein immediately drew me because I feel like many historical fiction narratives of enslaved people are set in the 19th century. A Mercy follows a small cast of characters, namely Florens, a young enslaved girl who is… Continue reading Review: A Mercy by Toni Morrison
TW: This book has depictions of physical and sexual abuse Hearty of Cruelty by Maybelle Wallis follows 20-year-old Jane Verity, reduced to a Birmingham workhouse in 1840 after a scandalous affair with an actor, Edmond. While Edmond has gone off to seek his fame and fortune in the theatre world, Jane has been cast out… Continue reading Review: Heart of Cruelty by Maybelle Wallis
The Shadow Key by Susan Stokes-Chapman is another 18th century tale of mystery and magic akin to the author's debut Pandora. I view Stokes-Chapman's work in a similar aesthetic and sensibility to my own writing in blending historical fiction with speculative, gothic, and/or magical elements. The Shadow Key takes readers to the wild and beautiful… Continue reading Review: The Shadow Key by Susan Stokes-Chapman
The Phoenix Crown takes place in 1906 San Francisco in the events leading up to, during, and after the famous earthquake. Gemma Garland is an opera singer trying to start her life over in San Francisco, but the artist friend she moved out to live with has mysteriously disappeared. Suling Feng lives in Chinatown and… Continue reading Review: The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang
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