book review, historical fiction

Review: The Piano Player by Maybelle Wallis

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

book review, historical fiction

Review: My Lady Judge by Cora Harrison

My Lady Judge by Cora Harrison follows 15th century Mara, Brehon (Judge) of an area of western Ireland called the Burren. Brehon Law in Ireland was a civil code far more merciful and socially liberal than the criminal laws of England. What's striking about Brehon law, even long before the 15th century, is that women… Continue reading Review: My Lady Judge by Cora Harrison

book review, historical fiction, history

Review: Becoming Belle by Nuala O’ Connor

    Becoming Belle by Nuala O' Connor is a Victorian-set novel about a women ahead of her time. Isabel Maude Penrice Bilton did indeed becoming "Belle," a modern woman who forged her own path and made her own money in a time when a woman's role was restricted and social mores were strict. I'll… Continue reading Review: Becoming Belle by Nuala O’ Connor