Review: Borrower of the Night

May 22, 20142 Comments

Elizabeth Peters, Borrower of the Night

This novel introduces Vicky Bliss, a confident, no-nonsense art historian and professor at a small Midwestern university. She and her colleague/boyfriend Tony stumble across a clue to a lost work by Tilman Riemenschneider, a 16th-century German woodcarver. They decide to embark on a friendly competition to see who can discover the artifact first — a competition Vicky is determined to win. She sets off immediately for the supposed location of the artifact, Castle Drachenstein in Rothenburg, Germany. Unfortunately, Tony is hot on her trail, along with several other parties interested in recovering the lost masterwork. As Vicky and her competitors begin their search, they soon realize that something is amiss at Castle Drachenstein, and the root of the trouble lies in the distant past. Is the castle being haunted by the ghost of a former countess, or is there a less supernatural explanation for the danger Vicky finds herself in?

I’ve read and enjoyed the first few books in the Amelia Peabody series, so I was interested to try this series as well. Overall, I thought it was a fun read and a pretty decent mystery. The emphasis wasn’t so much on the “whodunit” aspect of things; rather, the novel focuses on the suspense and danger evoked by the gothic setting. In that respect, I was reminded a lot of Mary Stewart’s novels (which I also really enjoy), and the archaelogical aspect of the plot called to mind “Indiana Jones.” I also liked reading about Vicky, whose sassy comments and progressive (in the 1970s) views always seemed to stir up trouble. I didn’t always like or agree with her, but she was consistently amusing! Overall, I found this book a fun read and will definitely be picking up the sequels at some point.

Review: Letters from Skye

May 12, 20143 Comments

Jessica Brockmole, Letters from Skye

This epistolary novel tells two parallel love stories, each set against the backdrop of a world war. In 1912, Scottish poet Elspeth Dunn receives a fan letter from David Graham, an exuberant young American. Elspeth replies to the letter, and she and Davey soon strike up a regular correspondence. At first they discuss literature and their favorite books, but soon they’re exchanging ideas about everything under the sun, including their most secret dreams. Unsurprisingly, Elspeth and Davey fall in love, but their romance is fraught with complications. When America enters World War I, Davey enlists immediately as an ambulance driver on the battlefields of France. Additionally, Elspeth is already married, so her stolen moments with Davey are as fleeting as they are precious. Meanwhile, in 1940, Elspeth’s daughter Margaret — also involved in a wartime romance — stumbles upon one of Davey’s letters and decides to search for the secrets in her mother’s past.

In theory, I should love this book, since it combines a lot of my favorite things: epistolary novel, WWI and WWII setting, love stories, family secrets. But while I found it an entertaining read, my overall experience was somewhat disappointing. First of all, the story is really about Elspeth and Davey, so the parts about Margaret felt very cursory and not fleshed out at all. I would have liked to know a lot more about her reactions to her mother’s secret, as well as the details of her own romance. Also, the story itself seems very superficial, given the gravity of the WWI backdrop. Even though I enjoy light romances with happy endings, I felt like this book lacked emotional stakes. Elspeth and Davey are likeable characters, and their letters are often very charming, but I was never in any real doubt about the end result of their story. Maybe part of my problem is that this book seems like a copycat of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, only not nearly as good! Overall, this book is a nice, quick read, but it won’t stay with me the way Guernsey has.

Review: Blade of Fortriu

May 11, 20144 Comments

Juliet Marillier, Blade of Fortriu

In this sequel to The Dark Mirror, King Bridei of the Priteni believes his mission is to eradicate the Gaels and their Christian religion from his lands. He is a strong king, brave in battle and devout in his allegiance to the old gods, so he’s the ideal person to unite the Priteni against this outside threat. Bridei is planning a big move against the Gaels, but in order to succeed, he needs the help of a foreign chieftain named Alpin. Bridei therefore proposes to offer his royal hostage, Ana, to Alpin as a bride, hoping this will ensure his loyalty. Ana longs to marry for love, but she knows she has no choice in the matter. She sets out for Alpin’s lands in the company of Faolan, Bridei’s most trusted bodyguard, spy, and assassin. As Ana and Faolan travel together, their relationship deepens, but she is already promised to Alpin. And when she finally arrives at Alpin’s court, Ana discovers a shocking secret that will have drastic implications for both Bridei’s campaign and her own heart.

Much like its predecessor, The Dark Mirror, this book is very slow-paced, and I had trouble getting into it as a result. I find the world of this series fascinating; it’s based on historical facts (the Priteni were real, and Bridei really was their king for a time), but Marillier weaves many fantastical elements into the setting. Half the novel focuses on Ana’s story, while the other half follows Bridei’s campaign against the Gaels. Personally, I was much more interested in Ana’s story, especially since I always enjoy a little romance with my fantasy! Interestingly, the story seems very predictable at first, but it eventually veers into an unexpected direction. I wasn’t entirely pleased with the resolution of Ana’s story, but it does provide some interesting avenues to explore in the final book of the trilogy. I’ll definitely be reading The Well of Shades to see how everything turns out, but I don’t think this series is Marillier’s best work. Try her Sevenwaters books instead!

Review: The Sunne in Splendour

May 10, 20145 Comments

Sharon Kay Penman, The Sunne in Splendour

When most people think of Richard III, they picture a hunchbacked villain who was obsessed with being king and who murdered the princes in the Tower as a result. But in this novel, the last Plantagenet king is portrayed in a very different light: Richard (or Dickon, as most characters call him) is noble and loyal to a fault, and these good traits are ultimately what cause his downfall. The novel begins with Dickon’s childhood, when his father, the Duke of York, is killed in the war against the Lancastrian Henry VI. Dickon’s oldest brother Edward subsequently takes his father’s place in leading the Yorkist faction against Henry; eventually, he is crowned as Edward IV, and Dickon becomes one of his most trusted advisers and most skilled battle commanders. But as Edward obtains more and more power, Dickon becomes disillusioned with his brother’s morally questionable choices, and the struggle of brother against brother mirrors the broader conflict between York and Lancaster.

As always, in this book Sharon Kay Penman manages to bring the Middle Ages to life. I always enjoy her vivid descriptions of daily life during this period, as well as her depictions of medieval religion, warfare, and politics. This book in particular is a fascinating political study, showing that the cutthroat nature of modern politics is rooted in a long tradition. I also like the fact that this novel approaches Richard III from a countercultural perspective. While I don’t know enough about the subject to judge whether Penman’s interpretation is justified, it makes sense to me that Henry Tudor (who acceded to the throne after Richard’s death) would want to do everything in his power to discredit his predecessor. It’s always important to remember that history is written by the victors! All in all, I heartily recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Richard III, the War of the Roses, or the Middle Ages in general.

Review: Waiting on You

May 10, 2014Leave a comment

Kristan Higgins, Waiting on You

This third installment of the Blue Heron series features Colleen O’Rourke, co-owner of the local bar in the small town of Manningsport, New York. Colleen is beautiful, popular, and kind, with a penchant for matchmaking. But while she loves getting other people together, she hasn’t experienced a romance of her own in years — not since her first love, Lucas Campbell, broke her heart. When bad-boy Lucas moved to Manningsport during Colleen’s senior year of high school, she was smitten immediately, and they soon embarked on a passionate, intense relationship. They stayed together despite going to different colleges, and Colleen was convinced that Lucas was her one and only. But shortly after a breakup as unexpected as it was ugly, Colleen heard that Lucas had married someone else. But now Lucas is back in town, and his presence is stirring up some familiar feelings. Do Colleen and Lucas have a second chance, or will she get hurt all over again?

While I really enjoy Kristan Higgins’ contemporary romances, this book wasn’t one of my favorites. I think the biggest problem, for me, was the choppy timeline; it seemed like at least half the book took place in flashback, showing how Colleen and Lucas first met and fell in love. Both characters also have very involved backstories — Lucas’ tough childhood where he always felt like an outsider, Colleen’s reaction to her parents’ difficult divorce — and I didn’t quite get invested in them. I think these backstories were supposed to give the characters depth and make them sympathetic, but to me they felt a bit clichéd. Don’t get me wrong — this is a fun, light, romantic read, and I’d certainly recommend it to fans of contemporary romance. It’s just not my favorite of Higgins’ books, and I’m hoping that she will wrap up the Blue Heron series soon and move on to new endeavors. That said, I wouldn’t mind a book featuring Colleen’s brother Connor as the hero!

Review: One More Thing

May 8, 2014May 8, 20145 Comments

B.J. Novak, One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories

In this collection of (very) short stories, B.J. Novak — formerly a writer, producer, and actor on the US version of “The Office” — uses his comedic imagination to ask a variety of hypothetical questions. What if the hare who lost the fabled race to the tortoise became obsessed with thoughts of a rematch? What if the handsome man you met in a bar turned out to be a brutally violent African warlord? What if you could literally hold a mirror up to Earth? And what if Chris Hansen, of “To Catch a Predator” fame, were forced to go to a Justin Bieber concert at the insistence of his tween daughter? Novak answers these questions and many more in his debut collection of funny, dark, ridiculous, and often poignant stories.

The first thing to say about these stories is that most of them are very short, some no more than a page or two. So most of the stories don’t have time to delve deeply into plot or character; rather, they focus sharply on a single joke or idea (see, for example, “The Comedy Central Roast of Nelson Mandela” or “The Market Was Down”). In that sense, it’s easy to see the influence of Novak’s TV background. However, even if you aren’t a fan of “The Office” or its style of comedy, you should still find plenty to enjoy in this book! I was very impressed by how smart Novak obviously is; clever wordplay and literary allusions abound. Several of the stories are laugh-out-loud funny, but the comedy is often followed by a swift stab to the gut. One story in particular, “The Ghost of Mark Twain,” gave me chills. Overall, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up this book, but I was very pleasantly surprised!

I was fortunate to be able to attend a book signing with Novak at which he read a few of the stories out loud. Having heard the stories in his own voice, I would strongly recommend the audiobook to those of you who enjoy that format. Apparently Novak reads many of the stories himself, although there are some “special guest appearances” by other actors such as Mindy Kaling and Lena Dunham.

Library sale score, part 2

May 6, 20142 Comments

So obviously I had to return to the book sale on Sunday. I mean, come on, it was half-price day! I didn’t go too crazy, but I did pick up a few more books:

L.C. Tyler, The Herring-Seller’s Apprentice and Ten Little Herrings — Frankly, it was the titles that sold me on these! Also, the publisher’s blurb indicated that “fans of the Golden Age of mystery and truly intelligent cozies” would like them. Sold!

Emma Straub, Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures — I love old movies from the glory days of Hollywood, yet somehow I’ve read few (if any!) books set in that world.

Caroline Preston, The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt: A Novel in Pictures — I remember seeing this in a bookstore and admiring it, but I didn’t want to spend so much money on what was essentially a novelty book. But for $1.50, why not?

And that’s the last book sale post, I promise! Well, at least until October. 🙂

Library sale score

May 3, 201412 Comments

This weekend is my library’s semi-annual book sale, so of course I’ve been there twice already! Here’s what I’ve picked up so far:

Evelyn Waugh, The Loved One — Supposed to be one of his funniest books, and it’s dedicated to Nancy Mitford! I have a craving to read this back-to-back with Mitford’s The Blessing, which she dedicated to Waugh. But would such reciprocity create a tear in the space-time continuum?

Donna Moore, Old Dogs — Someone recommended this to me as a hilarious caper, and how could I resist that?

Elisabeth Sanxay Holding, The Innocent Mrs. Duff / The Blank Wall — This author is supposed to be one of the pioneering novelists of suspense.

Jennifer Robson, Somewhere in France — I’d been eyeing this WWI-era novel in Barnes & Noble, so I’m glad I had the chance to pick it up for a much lower price!

Sophie Kinsella, I’ve Got Your Number — Read this a couple years ago and thought that it was one of Kinsella’s best books.

Georgette Heyer, Simon the Coldheart — I’m only a few Heyers away from a complete collection at this point!

Georgette Heyer, The Grand Sophy — I actually already had a copy of this one. *blush* But it’s my favorite Heyer, and this edition is nicer and has a prettier cover!

Paula Byrne, The Real Jane Austen: A Life in Small Things — I do love me some Austen, and I’ve read and enjoyed some of Byrne’s other work, so this one should be a winner!

Total cost: $24, and everything is in very good shape! I’d like to get back to the book sale tomorrow, but I don’t know if I can make it work. But either way, I’m definitely pleased with my haul!

Bookish Update: April 2014

May 3, 2014Leave a comment

Currently reading: Blade of Fortriu by Juliet Marillier

Books read in April:

Polly Shulman, The Grimm Legacy
Lauren Owen, The Quick
Anne Sexton, Transformations
Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö, Roseanna
Ismail Kadare, Broken April
B.J. Novak, One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories
Kristan Higgins, Waiting on You
Sharon Kay Penman, The Sunne in Splendour

Favorite: One More Thing — I really enjoyed this witty, creative, sharp collection of short stories!

Least favorite: The Grimm Legacy — I loved the premise, but the book was just too juvenile for me.

Books acquired in April: ZERO! Are you shocked? I’m kind of shocked!

Review: Broken April

May 3, 20142 Comments

Ismail Kadare, Broken April (trans. from the Albanian)

In the remote mountains of Albania, communities live by the ancient rule of the Kanun, a code of conduct that governs every aspect of their lives. The most important part of the Kanun is the rules for blood feuding, which is an integral part of mountain life. Such feuds can endure for centuries and affect every aspect of the community. At the beginning of this novel, Gyorg is lying in wait to kill the man who killed his brother, in accordance with the dictates of the blood feud. But once he kills the man, his own life will be forfeit after a 30-day truce. Now living under a sentence of death, Gyorg travels throughout the countryside musing on the Kanun, fate, and his own impending death. Meanwhile, newlyweds Bessian and Diana have (unconventionally) decided to honeymoon in the wild Albanian mountains, to learn more about this harsh, rule-governed way of life. But while they start out as tourists, their exposure to the rules of the Kanun eventually changes them both in unexpected ways.

This is a very slow-paced, meditative novel that focuses entirely on the Kanun and the different characters’ responses to it. The visitors, especially Bessian, simultaneously romanticize the practice of blood feuding and regard it as a quaint, outdated custom. Gyorg, whose life is more directly affected, wishes he could somehow survive but views the Kanun as inevitable and unchangeable. I liked how Kadare shows the custom from these varying perspectives, so that the reader gets a fuller picture of what it actually means for the people involved. Something else I found particularly fascinating is that the novel is set between the two World Wars, when Albania was a monarchy, but Kadare wrote it in the 1970s, when the country was under Soviet control. So perhaps his exploration of the Kanun is indirectly a critical examination of a different set of harsh, all-encompassing laws. All in all, I found this book a very interesting window into a foreign (to me) culture, and I’d recommend it to people who find the premise interesting.