Category: Reviews

Review: Niccolò Rising

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Niccolo RisingDorothy Dunnett, Niccolò Rising

In 15th-century Bruges, commerce is intimately linked to power: the more astute and skillful the merchant, the greater his position in society. So while nobility and ancient bloodlines are still important, ordinary men and women have unprecedented opportunities to raise their social standing. This novel follows the fortunes of Claes, a dyer’s apprentice whose easygoing demeanor disguises an extremely shrewd mind. Among his friends and employers, Claes is regarded as little more than the village idiot, which makes it all the easier for him to obtain useful knowledge simply by keeping his ears open and his mouth shut. When he learns about a risky business opportunity that could result in a huge payoff, Claes doesn’t hesitate to act on the information. But his quest for riches causes him to offend some powerful people, including a Scottish nobleman who has both financial and personal reasons to hate Claes.

Dorothy Dunnett is one of those authors I really want to like. I’ve heard great things about her books, and I love well-written historical fiction, so I thought she would be right up my alley. But when I tried the first book in her Lymond Chronicles a few years ago, I couldn’t get past the first chapter. I was hoping that this book from a different series would work better for me, but unfortunately it didn’t. My first problem was the number of characters; there are too many people to keep track of, and there’s a lot of hopping between different points of view. Secondly, I couldn’t figure out what was happening for a large portion of the novel. Dunnett likes to allude mysteriously to things instead of describing them directly, which I found incredibly frustrating. I didn’t understand even the main plot until the book was almost over! I think Dunnett’s intention was to build suspense and then have a big reveal at the end, but in my opinion, the resolution didn’t make up for the hundreds of pages of confusion I had to endure first. I did enjoy the setting of late medieval/early Renaissance Bruges, but I wouldn’t recommend this slog of a book to anyone!

Review: Star Crossed

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Star CrossedJennifer Echols, Star Crossed

Wendy Mann is a PR expert whose job is to keep rebellious celebrities in line. She’s great at getting PR nightmares to clean up their acts, but not so great at getting them to thank her for it. As a result, her firm is losing business, and her job is on the line. Wendy has one last chance to prove she’s an asset to the firm: she’ll fly to Las Vegas to rehabilitate the image of a young starlet who’s in the middle of a very messy — and public — fight with her ex-boyfriend. Wendy is confident that she’s up to the challenge…until she discovers that her old college nemesis, Daniel Blackstone, is representing the ex-boyfriend. Daniel is just as good at his job as Wendy is at hers, and he’s just as determined to make sure his client comes out on top. When Wendy and Daniel meet again in Vegas, they are surprised to discover a strong mutual attraction. But can they make a relationship work when they’re on opposite sides of someone else’s breakup?

I’m a big fan of Jennifer Echols’ books and have eagerly devoured each one as it comes out. Sadly, however, I think I should have skipped this one. It’s not a bad book, by any means…the writing is fine, and the story is certainly a fun, easy way to spend an afternoon. My problem is that it’s no different from hundreds of other contemporary romance novels; there was nothing unique or compelling to make it stand out in my mind. I also wasn’t terribly interested in the setup of this book. I don’t particularly care about lifestyles of the rich and famous in Vegas, and I would never have picked up this book if Echols hadn’t written it. I was hoping she would be able to interest me in a book that’s not my usual taste, but unfortunately, I wasn’t convinced. I’m still really looking forward to Echols’ next YA novel, Dirty Little Secret, but I won’t continue with this adult series.

Review: The Count of Monte Cristo

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The Count of Monte CristoAlexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo (trans. Robin Buss)

This classic novel tells the story of Edmond Dantès, a naïve young sailor who seems to be on the verge of getting everything he’s ever wanted: The owner of his ship wants to promote him to captain, and he’s about to marry his true love. But Edmond has jealous rivals, both professionally and romantically, who would like nothing more than to get rid of him and take his place. These men concoct a plan to accuse Edmond of being a Bonapartist — a deadly serious crime in a time when Napoleon has just been exiled to Elba and the French monarchy is still unstable. Although Edmond is innocent, he possesses a highly incriminating letter that seals his doom, and he is sent to France’s most notorious prison. With nothing to do but brood over the cruelty of his fate, Edmond becomes consumed by thoughts of vengeance. When he finally escapes from prison, he creates a new identity as the Count of Monte Cristo and sets out to destroy the men who ruined his life.

First of all, this novel is HUGE — the edition I read was over 1200 pages long — so I was surprised to discover how much of a page-turner it was! Although the plot is very slow-moving, Dumas cleverly builds suspense throughout the novel as Edmond’s plan of vengeance slowly reveals itself. The main thing that surprised me about this novel was how little time (comparatively speaking) it spends inside Edmond’s head. About the first quarter of the book is from his point of view, describing his feelings when he is arrested and imprisoned. But when he escapes and returns as the Count of Monte Cristo, the book barely ever relates his thoughts or feelings. Rather, the most developed characters turn out to be Edmond’s enemies (and a few friends), which makes Edmond’s actions more morally ambiguous. All in all, I’m very glad I finally took time to read this novel, whose status as a classic is well-deserved. I’ve been planning to read The Three Musketeers this year as well, and now I’m really looking forward to it!

Review: Hamlet, Revenge!

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Hamlet, Revenge!Michael Innes, Hamlet, Revenge!

Something is rotten at Scamnum Court. The noble English estate is hosting a large house party in order to produce an amateur performance of Hamlet, but things go wrong almost immediately when cryptic threats — some of them taken from the text of Hamlet itself — are delivered to various houseguests. Then Lord Auldearn, a guest who also happens to be the Lord Chancellor of England, is murdered onstage during opening night. The sheer audacity of the murder makes it particularly hard to solve; although the scene of the crime was packed with actors and spectators, it appears that no one saw a thing. Also, there is no shortage of suspects or possible reasons for the crime. Was Lord Auldearn murdered for the confidential state papers in his possession, or was the motive more personal? Inspector Appleby of Scotland Yard must unravel this complex case and discover a diabolically clever murderer.

I have to confess that I spent most of this book being completely bewildered. There were so many characters to keep track of, and I wasn’t sure who would turn out to be important to the plot, so I exhausted myself trying to keep tabs on everyone! This is also a very cerebral mystery; most of the “action” is conversations between Inspector Appleby and his friend Giles Gott. However, I definitely enjoyed the book more as I got further into it, and the ultimate solution was both ingenious and unexpected. I would definitely recommend having read Hamlet, or at least being familiar with the plot, before reading this book; otherwise many of the allusions and plot twists will be very obscure. Overall, I’m not sure this is quite “my kind” of book, but I did enjoy it and would consider reading more by Innes. There’s a whole series featuring Inspector Appleby, and this book is #2, but I was able to follow everything without having read the first book.

Review: The Ashford Affair

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The Ashford AffairLauren Willig, The Ashford Affair

In this book, Willig takes a break from her Pink Carnation series and visits a different setting, the 1920s in England and Kenya. Addie Gillecote is a poor relation living with her aunt and uncle at Ashford Park. Her deceased parents were bohemian artists, so Addie finds it hard to adjust to her new life, which is bound by etiquette and propriety. Her only solace is the friendship of her cousin Bea, who is outgoing and confident where Addie is quiet and modest. The two girls grow up the best of friends, but when they become marriageable young ladies, their relationship changes forever. Bea marries a handsome young earl but soon finds herself unable to control her husband’s wandering eye. Desperately unhappy, she rushes into an affair of her own — with the man Addie loves. Addie and Bea’s story is framed by the contemporary trials of Clemmie Evans, Addie’s granddaughter, who accidentally uncovers a scandalous secret in her family’s history.

I really enjoy Willig’s Pink Carnation books; they’re a bit silly sometimes, but I love their exuberant treatment of romance and espionage during the Napoleonic Wars. This book has a much more serious tone, which is an interesting departure from Willig’s usual style. Also, where the Pink Carnation books primarily focus on romance, this book is really about the relationship between Addie and Bea. In fact, I think that Bea is the true main character in this novel. She is catty and manipulative and such an unconventional protagonist that the novel felt unique and original to me. The modern-day sections of the book were quite boring by comparison; I didn’t care about Clemmie or her job or her romantic problems at all. It’s understandable that Willig would want to stick with her tried-and-true formula, but I’d like to see her attempt a book without the contemporary framing story. Overall, though, I was very impressed with this book, and I hope Willig continues to write books outside the Pink Carnation universe!

Review: My Life Next Door

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My Life Next DoorHuntley Fitzpatrick, My Life Next Door

All her life, Samantha Reed has been fascinated by her next-door neighbors, the Garretts. They are a loud, messy family with eight children, and they live in a state of almost constant chaos. Samantha’s uptight mother has always told her to stay away from the Garretts, but Samantha is jealous of their seemingly carefree lives. However, she’s only ever watched them from afar…until one day, when Samantha is 17, Jase Garrett climbs up to her bedroom window and introduces himself. Jase is handsome and sweet, and he has a strong sense of responsibility, unlike most of the privileged guys Samantha knows. The more time Samantha spends with Jase, the more she falls for him. But eventually a terrible tragedy forces Samantha to choose between the Garretts and her own family.

I’d heard so many great things about this book that I finally just had to read it! It didn’t quite live up to my very high expectations, but overall I enjoyed the book. I really loved the depiction of the Garretts; it’s rare to see a large family portrayed in fiction at all, much less in a positive light. The romance was sweet and straightforward, without the endless angst and love triangles that fill a lot of YA novels. I also found the plot with Samantha’s mother very interesting…I honestly had no idea where it was going to go! I loved some of the secondary characters, particularly Tim; I would have liked more of his story. Overall, this is a very well-written and enjoyable YA novel, and it would definitely be a perfect summer read!

Review: The Birth of Blue Satan

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The Birth of Blue SatanPatricia Wynn, The Birth of Blue Satan

Set in England during the reign of George I, this book follows the turbulent fortunes of Gideon St. Mars. Gideon is a handsome and rich aristocrat who hopes to marry Isabella Mayfield, the most sought-after beauty in London. His father, however, disapproves of the match, so Gideon visits him in hopes of persuading him to change his mind. Unfortunately, they have a violent quarrel, which becomes a damning piece of evidence against Gideon when his father is murdered later that day. Although Gideon is innocent, his so-called friends in London society immediately begin to suspect and shun him, including Isabella. Only Isabella’s companion, Hester Kean, believes in Gideon’s innocence; with her help, Gideon must hide from the law until he can bring his father’s real murderer to justice.

This is one of those books whose plot seems custom-made for me: a murder mystery, a wrongly accused hero, an interesting period setting, and a slowly developing romance. So perhaps it’s needless to say that I really enjoyed it! The early 18th century is a period I don’t know much about, but it seems fascinating and ripe for dramatic conflict. George I, the first Hanoverian monarch, is on the throne of England, but there are plenty of dissenters who would like to restore the Stuart line to power. This larger conflict is woven into Gideon’s story, and I’m interested to see how events will unfold in future installments of the series. The only jarring aspect of this book, for me, was that all the women were addressed as “Mrs.” regardless of their marital status. An author’s note explains that this was apparently the custom at that time, but it definitely confused me at first! Otherwise, though, I liked this book a lot and will definitely seek out the sequels.

Review: A Girl Like You

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A Girl Like YouGemma Burgess, A Girl Like You

Abigail Wood has just had a terrible realization: she doesn’t know how to be single. She’s been with the same man since college but is recently on the market again, and now she’s trying to navigate the London dating scene…with no clue what she’s doing. Her sister Sophie and best friend Plum shower her with well-meaning (and often contradictory) advice, but Abigail still seems to end up dating — and getting dumped by — the wrong men. Desperate, she seeks help from her flatmate Robert, a smooth-talking man who can seemingly get any woman he wants. Abigail decides to try Robert’s tips, and she’s shocked (and pleased) to discover that they actually work! Abigail becomes more confident in her career as well as her love life, and she’s never been happier. But when she meets a guy she really, really wants to impress, she’s suddenly not sure that she can keep following Robert’s advice.

I really loved Gemma Burgess’ first book, The Dating Detox, so when I found out she’d written another one, I put it on my wishlist immediately. I’m happy to say that it didn’t disappoint! If you like chick lit, I can’t recommend this author highly enough. Abigail is a fun heroine with a sassy, tongue-in-cheek style, and I think that she’s a very relatable character — sort of a much-less-obnoxious Carrie Bradshaw. I certainly can’t imagine myself doing some of the things that Abigail does, but it was fun to escape into her world for a while! I also loved Abigail’s friends, who have their own lives apart from her drama but who still manage to be there and support her. The overall plot of which man Abigail will end up with is fairly transparent, but it was still fun watching her realize it. I’m disappointed that I don’t have any more Gemma Burgess books to read…hopefully she’ll write another one soon!

Review: A Natural History of Dragons

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A Natural History of DragonsMarie Brennan, A Natural History of Dragons

This book purports to be the memoir of Lady Isabella Trent, a woman living in something analogous to 19th-century England. But in this world, dragons are real, and they are perceived as another species of wild predator like a lion or a bear. Isabella relates her lifelong obsession with dragons, beginning with her childhood. She is a curious and scientific young woman who dreams of studying dragons and adding to the world’s knowledge about them. But since such pursuits are not suitable for a lady, Isabella’s dream seems unattainable — until a fortunate marriage and a chance meeting give her the opportunity to join a scientific expedition that plans to study dragons. But Isabella’s joy at her good fortune is soon tempered by various mysteries and misfortunes that befall the expedition.

This is one of those books that pretty much deliver what you’d expect from the synopsis. If you’re intrigued by the idea of Victorian-esque setting plus dragons, you’ll probably enjoy this novel. I liked it a lot; I think Isabella is an extremely well rendered character, and her world is both convincing and interesting. I should note that in this world, dragons are seen simply as animals to be studied. They don’t (as far as this book indicates) have any magical powers or the ability to reason or communicate. So these are definitely not your standard fantasy-type dragons. Also, I think there must be sequels planned, because while the main plot of this book is resolved, there’s still a lot more to be said about Isabella’s life and work with dragons. I definitely plan to read the next book when it comes out!

The Cinderella Deal

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The Cinderella DealJennifer Crusie, The Cinderella Deal

Daisy Flattery is a free spirit, an artist with a penchant for adopting stray animals and telling stories that are “unreal but not untrue.” She couldn’t be more unlike her upstairs neighbor, Lincoln Blaise, a reserved academic who dreams of becoming a college professor. But fate brings Daisy and Linc together in a surprising way: Linc has just been interviewed for a great job at a small liberal-arts college, but the unspoken catch is that he needs a wife if he wants to get hired. Linc immediately invents a fiancée and offers Daisy money to pose as the lucky woman. Daisy doesn’t like Linc much, but she’s flat broke, so she accepts his proposal. But the more time they spend together, the more Daisy and Linc realize that their fake relationship might actually have a real future.

Is the premise of this book preposterous? Yes, yes it is…but this book was such a fun little read! Despite the incredibly familiar opposites-attract plot, this book seemed like a breath of fresh air to me. I just really loved both Daisy and Linc; despite appearances, they are both fundamentally kind, big-hearted people who are ready to take a chance on love. There’s a great mixture of romance and humor, and I think it would make a wonderful chick flick. I also enjoyed the book’s setting, which is primarily a small college town with plenty of quirky secondary characters. I would definitely recommend this book to people who are feeling grumpy or depressed — it’s an instant mood-lifter!