Tag Archives: Historical fiction

Into the Mist For Ever by Rosemary Laurey

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of vampire romance 2 book cover

Title: Into the Mist For Ever
Author: Rosemary Laurey
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2 (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Historical fiction, Vampires
Dates read: 17th April 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: Seemed she was prepared to stare him down and fight over the kill.

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Synopsis

He’s a Roman, and she’s a Brit. Both are fighting on different sides, but unable to pull away from each other. When he’s struck down, will her secret be able to save them both for all eternity?

Thoughts

Although this short story is in a collection of vampire romance stories, I didn’t really find it all that romantic. Alright, the man and woman get together, she saves him, and then they run off into the mist together to live happily ever after. But it really just didn’t feel that… romancey. In that aspect it was quite bland. But, overall, I liked the take on historical fiction and the storyline.

I seem to be reading a lot of stories that involve a great deal of Roman, Greek and Celtic inspired mythologies. Or at least the local histories of this time. So reading a short story that features the Romans and the Britons as they fight to control their land fit perfectly into what seems to be my theme of reading lately. The added flavour of a bit of romance and the knowledge that at least one of these characters is immortal worked incredibly well. And thoroughly enjoyably.

This isn’t one of those tales that I think I’ll be remembering for years to come. But it is one that was an enjoyable, relaxing break from my daily life for a short time. One that I definitely recommend others sink their teeth into.

<- Blood and Thyme ReviewBlood Feud Review ->
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Blue Serge by Martin Edwards

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of jack the ripper stories book cover

Title: Blue Serge
Author: Martin Edwards
In: The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper Stories (Maxim Jakubowski)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Crime, Easy reading, Historical fiction
Dates read: 13th March 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: But you had no fear, and you emerged vindicated.

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Synopsis

A mysterious man approaches an old detective with the knowledge of Jack the Ripper’s identity. But as his story unfolds, so do the many twists and turns of the tale of the Blue Serge.

Thoughts

This short story really made me decide to pick up my book on The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper. It had this beautiful complexity and background to the storyline that I wasn’t expecting. There was also a lot of information and context in it that completely went over my head because I really don’t know all that much about Jack the Ripper.

I like the idea that the man who is perceived as the good guy at the beginning of the story slowly becomes unravelled. The roles become reversed and your sympathies slowly change throughout the unfolding of the tale. I always enjoy stories that make you question your perceptions and understandings. Although the change in your perception comes slowly, I love that the moments in which it most definitively hits are highlighted by a change in location. The symbolism and methodology work brilliantly together and gives you a sense of suspense throughout.

 <- The Ripper Legacy ReviewThe Simple Procedure Review ->
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Martha by Columbkill Noonan

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of jack the ripper stories book cover

Title: Martha
Author: Columbkill Noonan
In: The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper Stories (Maxim Jakubowski)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Crime, Historical fiction
Dates read: 7th March 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: And there were that time last year, when you done got so jealous and threatned that one lady with her own scissors.

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Synopsis

Martha is jealous of all of the women that her man is spending time with. But, when the Ripper starts killing these same women, she’s not sure whether it was her or something more sinister…

Thoughts

I really need to do a little more research on Jack the Ripper before I continue reading too many of these short stories. They’re amazing, and I love the journey that they take me on, but I don’t click as to the character’s names and the theories as quickly as I do with topics I’m far more knowledgeable on. So, it took me a while to figure out whether Martha was a woman who was a likely suspect, or one that was a likely victim.

At the beginning I thought that this was a great little retelling with the woman as the villain. It made sense in a completely perverse way, and it made me intrigued as to the who and the why (as I know many, many, many people have been before me). But, then, as the story progressed, I became more uncertain and confused. The misleads and the vagueness surrounding this story was actually surprisingly fun and has made me dig out my book on Jack The Ripper (the one that is actually the historical background, not the retellings).

 <- The Guided Tour ReviewThe Ripper Legacy Review ->
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Wagers of Gold Mountain by Steve Berman

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for coyote road book cover

Title: Wagers of Gold Mountain
Author: Steve Berman
In: The Coyote Road (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Historical fiction, Mythology, Tricksters
Dates read: 5th March 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Firebird Fantasy
Year: 2007
5th sentence, 74th page: The hatchet man turned to Yuan.

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Synopsis

Yuan just wants to help his brother survive, but a deal with a pair of tricksters could be his downfall… or his salvation.

Thoughts

I really wasn’t expecting a Trickster story with a Chinese spin on it when I started reading this story. I was kind of expecting another Native American / Coyote story. But I really liked the fact that there was a very different spin on the Trickster tale. For starters, it is based in California during the Gold Rush and features a time long gone.

The duality of an immigrant moving to a new country is reflected in the duality of the trickster which Yuan comes across. There is the Chinese inspired woman who is a little blood thirsty and kind of terrifying, and then the fat American trickster who is a lot more pompous and self-centred. They work as two sides of the same coin… the impact which the gold rush and movements of immigrants into California during the period.

Most Trickster tales I’ve read involve the trickster getting the better of the victim. Instead, the tables are flipped and he spends his time figuring out the trap that has been laid for him. And, eventually it is the victim of the deal who is able to gain the upper hand.

 <- Coyote Woman ReviewThe Listeners Review ->
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Bertie by Barbara Nadel

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of jack the ripper stories book cover

Title: Bertie
Author: Barbara Nadel
In: The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper Stories (Maxim Jakubowski)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Alternate history, Crime, Historical fiction
Dates read: 27th February 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: But this time there was no work Bertie could do to make it right.

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Synopsis

Bertie is a money lender and the guidance to his family while Jack the Ripper roams the streets. But he has his very own secret, one that could change everyone’s lives forever.

Thoughts

This is my first ever Jack the Ripper retelling. Or alternate history. And I kind of thought that it was a nice, gentle introduction. Especially since I know next to nothing about Jack the Ripper in the first place. Bertie not only pulled me in immediately, but it also made me want to read far more stories like this (so lucky I have a whole collection to dig through).

This was a quick and easy story. One that provided context for the uninitiated (like myself) in the very last paragraphs. The extra context and insight were immensely helpful to give me a little more idea of how this story sits within the current knowledge and fiction.

This is a great, quick read that gives an alternate point of view to not only who Jack the Ripper was, but also why he did what he did.

 <- The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper Stories ReviewThe Guided Tour Review ->
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Gene of Isis by Traci Harding

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for gene of isis traci harding book cover

Title: Gene of Isis
Author: Traci Harding
Series: The Mystique Trilogy #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Historical fiction, Science fiction, Strong women
Dates read: 4th – 12th February 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Novel
Publisher: Voyager
Year: 2005
5th sentence, 74th page: Her gown, like mine, was long-sleeved, and in accordance with the latest fashion was completed with short white silken gloves.

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Synopsis

A heartstopping race to unlock the secrets of the grail bloodline…

Mia Montrose is a 21st century Australian woman with a Doctorate in Ancient Languages who has just scored the most promising job of her career.

Ashlee Granville is a 19th century clairvoyant forced to suppress her talents as she enters the marriage market of English upper-class society.

Lillet du Lac is a 13th century Priestess of an ancient order now protected by the Cathars, who are making their last stand against the Roman Catholic Franks at the giant hill fort of Montsegur.

Truth and deception, love and desire, the Cathars and the Church, the Templars and the secrets of ancient Egypt – all play their part in a grand adventure touched by the possibility of a genetic key to immortality…

Thoughts

I haven’t read this book in a very, very, very long time. As in probably not since high school. When, to be honest, a lot of the intricacies of this storyline went a little over my head. So reading this amazing, amazing novel for the second time when I have much more knowledge… well, it was an absolutely awe inspiring treat. One that I was incredibly sad when it ended… so luckily there are two more intensely complex stories in this trilogy.

There are not many stories in which I appreciate having a dual timeline. Mostly I find that they tend to be a little clunky and I’ll become highly attached to one character, which means that I tend to get annoyed and frustrated when the timeline flicks. However, I felt equally drawn to all three women in this storyline. They had distinct journeys and personalities that were all impossible to walk away from. They each had their own struggles which mirrored each other, but also managed to be completely distinct. Not an easy trait judging from all of the stories which I’ve disliked due to their dual timelines.

One of the things I’ve always loved about Harding’s work is that the leads are always Australian, and more often than not, strong women in their late twenties and early thirties. The age that I’m currently at. I love anything that utilises Australian culture in an honest and open way. So the fact that Mia, who most of the story ends up revolving around is Australian, from an English heritage… well, there is a lot that I have in common with her. Which, of course, makes it all the more difficult to put down the storyline, even when jumping across centuries and continents.

There is an insane amount of complexity in this storyline. Not just because of the time jumps and three parallel timelines. But also because of the intricate ties between religion and philosophy. Science and spirituality. Harding manages to tie so many pieces of reality together in a way that feels completely plausible and realistic. It makes it all that much harder to return to reality when you turn the very last page of this story.

 <- The Black Madonna ReviewThe Dragon Queens Review ->
Image source: HarperCollins Publishers

Prince of Shadows by Rachel Caine

Book Review, ,
Overview
Image result for the prince of shadows rachel caine book cover

Title: Prince of Shadows
Author: Rachel Caine
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Historical fiction, Historical romance, Retellings
Dates read: 29th January – 4th February 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Novel
Publisher: New American Library
Year: 2014
5th sentence, 74th page: I was never as gaudy as Tybalt Capulet, but I could hardly leave the house without showing the wealth of Montague in some small way.

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Synopsis

Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene…

In the houses of Montague and Capulet, there is only one goal: power. The boys are born to fight and die for honor and – if they survive – marry for influence and money, not love. The girls are assets, to be spent wisely.

Their wishes are of no import. Their fates are written on the day they are born.

Benvolio Montague, cousin to Romeo, knows all this. He expects to die for his cousin, for his house, but a spark of rebellion still lives inside him. At night, he is the Prince of Shadows, the greatest theif in Verona – and he risks all as he steals from House Capulet. In doing so, he sets eyes on convent-bound Rosaline, and a terrible curse begins that will claim the lives of many in Verona… and will rewrite all their fates forever.

Thoughts

I need to start this review by admitting that I’ve never actually read Romeo and Juliet before. I have read King Lear, but not yet had the chance to read the tragic romance… so there’s probably a few things in this retelling that somebody who had actually read the original play would have picked up on that I missed. Having said that, I still managed to pick up on many of the important moments in this story, and you know… fall madly in love with it.

It took me a few days to read this story, but only because once I read the prologue I realised that I wouldn’t be putting it down in any rush. So I waited to continue reading this when I had a few hours to spare. And then I basically read it from cover to cover. This was an amazing retelling, and amazing story and absolutely impossible to put down. And I liked that it didn’t rely too heavily on the reader knowing anything but the basics of Romeo and Juliet.

Although this is a beautiful historical romance, it isn’t just about the romantic aspects of the storyline. There are conspiracies and betrayals. Family ties and those of friendship. Everything you need in a fast paced, action packed historical fiction.

I’ve read a few stories by Rachel Caine now, and one of the things that I love about her work is the vividness with which she describes her characters. This amazing talent continues on in Prince of Shadows, but with an added benefit. Her description of the setting. Caine does such an amazing job of not only describing the streets of Verona, but also the political and social world in which the characters find themselves. I almost felt like I was walking alongside Benvolio as he deals with his cousin and best friend.

This is one of those beautiful, impossible to put down, heart wrenching, stunning stories. I couldn’t stop thinking about this story long after I put this story down. It is impossible to forget, and one of those books that I’ll forever remember reading.

 <- More historical fiction reviews More historical romance reviews ->
Image source: Penguin Books Australia

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for grave mercy book cover

Title: Grave Mercy
Author: Robin LaFevers
Series: His Fair Assassin #1
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Assassins, Historical fiction, Strong women
Dates read: 21st – 27th January 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Novel
Publisher: Andersen Press
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: It could mean nothing; it could mean everything.

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Synopsis

Young, beautiful and deadly.

Trained as an assassin by the god of death, Ismae is sent to the court of Brittany, where she finds herself underprepared – not only for the fames of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

A dangerous romance full of intrigue, poison and ultimately finding one’s way.

Thoughts

I picked this book up ages ago. Because of a vague recommendation on Goodreads. And then I kind of forgot about it. Until this week. And now I’m kind of sad that I had forgotten about this amazing novel for so long. And currently don’t have the spare funds in the budget to buy the other two books in this trilogy.

I’ve only recently started getting into historical fictions. It’s not a genre that I had ever considered before, but after meeting a few authors who write in the genre and realising that I’m fascinated by history. Especially British history, it’s a subgenre that I’m slowly going to expand on. I also love when these historical fictions use figures and moments that are really potent in our history (I say our, since my family hails from the UK and I feel some weird kind of connection to it). In the case of Grave Mercy, Anne of Brittany and all of the political ruminations and squabbles that surrounded her life are utilised. It gives the storyline an extra level of reality and connection.

There is something about assassins that I always thoroughly enjoy… especially when they are female assassins, slight young things that can whoop anyone’s ass. Placing such a character in a period in history which is often characterised by the lack of respect and autonomy guided to women made a much better contrast. One of the best messages I have read in a long time was wrapped up in this idea. As two very similar women face off, the protagonist realises that they are very much the same. They have faced the same lack of choices and indecisions. Yet, they became completely different people with what they had before them because of the choices that they both chose to make.

 <- Mortal Heart ReviewDark Triumph Review ->
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