In The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson, author of Square of Sevens, richly-paints another 18th century story a reader can easily immerse oneself in. Newly widowed Hannah Cole owns a confectionery shop in London, this fact being somewhat scandalous both on account of a woman being the sole owner of a business and… Continue reading Review: The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson
The Piano Player by Maybelle Wallis, the sequel to Heart of Cruelty, picks up about eight years later in Dublin. Dr. William Doughty works in Meath Hospital amidst both the Great Famine and a cholera epidemic. Meanwhile, Jane and her actor husband Edmond are newly arrived in Dublin on their theatre troupe's tour. Jane and… Continue reading Review: The Piano Player by Maybelle Wallis
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
A Daughter's Place by Martha Batiz follows real historical figure, Isabel de Cervantes (a surname she did not gain until much later), the illegitimate daughter of Miguel de Cervantes, the famous author of Don Quixote. In 1599 Madrid, Isabel is plucked from her humble life working in a tavern and supporting her little sister and… Continue reading Review: A Daughter’s Place by Martha Batiz
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
Someday I'll Find You by C.C. Humphreys is partially based on the author's parents' experiences in WWII: Billy Coke, an RCAF pilot, meets Ilse Magnusson, a Norwegian SOE agent, in London during an air raid in 1940. Both musicians, Billy and Ilse form an instant bond and enjoy a whirlwind romance of three days in… Continue reading Review: Someday I’ll Find You by C.C. Humphreys
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