Currently Browsing: Historical Fiction
Mar 13, 2010
Remarkable Creatures is one of those wonderful books where the author is deliberately writing fiction, and never claiming that it is anything but, but she is basing that fiction on a lesser known historical figure and in turn not just bringing that figure to life, but reviving interest in that figure in a way that a straight history never could. This book is about Mary Anning, arguably the greatest fossil...
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Remarkable Creatures – Tracey Chevalier
Feb 17, 2009
London – Edward Rutherford
I have set myself a task this year (along with trying to complete 75 books) to finish all of the books that I have started at some stage in the past few years. In many cases, I don’t remember the story so I am going back and starting the book again. But my thought is, if I have started it, at least give it another try. London is one of those books. In fact, I believe I have started it a couple of... read more
Feb 3, 2009
The Portrait of Mrs Charbuque – Jeffrey Ford
Combine an unusual plot with a beautifully written book, and you are sure to have a winning combination. Jeffrey Ford managed to achieve that in The Portrait of Mrs Charbuque with only a few minor flaws. This was a book exploring madness and obsession, mystery and unhappiness, all put together in a nineteenth century setting that was completely believable and completely gorgeous. This is the story of an... read more
Jan 7, 2009
People of the Book – Geraldine Brooks
Geraldine Brooks is an Australian, Pulitzer-Prize winning author. I had read A Year of Wonders several years back and remember being struck not just by the singularity of the story idea but by how subtly and beautifully it was written. When my Mum recommended People of the Book it took me a little while before I realised it was by the same author. But the imagination and the style were unmistakable. The... read more
Dec 24, 2008
The Kommandant’s Girl – Pam Jenoff
The story is set in Poland near the beginning of the war. Emma, a young Jewish girl, newly married, finds her life thrown into turmoil when her husband, Jacob, disappears to join the Resistance soon after the Nazis invade. Returning to her parent’s, she discovers that they and her entire community have been rounded up and put into the Ghetto. In despair, she goes to join them, wondering whether she... read more
Dec 20, 2008
Mistress of the Art of Death – Ariana Franklin
As the author states at the end of Mistress of the Art of Death: It is almost impossible to write a comprehensible story set in the twelfth century without being anachronistic, in part at least. Nevertheless, Ariana Franklin has managed to do just that, and irrespective of anachronisms, has produced a fabulous tale with pace, great characters and a fascinating storyline. The story is set in Cambridge in... read more
Dec 2, 2008
An Instance of the Fingerpost – Iain Pears
The last time I read An Instance of the Fingerpost I was on a plane back to Australia. I remember not being able to put it down – it lasted me most of the flight and stayed with me for a long time afterwards. I have just read it for a second time as a part of my reading group, and I am pleased to say I enjoyed it just as much, and gained even more out of it this time that I had last time. Set in... read more
Jun 19, 2008
The Collector of Worlds – Ilya Troyanov
I received this book as an Early Reviewer on LibraryThing and started it soon after I had come down from the hype of the previous book I had finished. Perhaps it was because of that proximity to my previous read, but what a come down it was. Although I fought my way to the end of this book, it was like trying to swim in treacle for much of it and I found myself wondering whether I could... read more
