REVIEWS
General fiction is classified by period. Within each section, the books are listed in alphabetical order of author
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ANCIENT EGYPT
A PATH OF SHADOWS
Lauren Haney, Avon, 2003, $6.99/C$9.99, pb, 302 pp , 0060521902
Travelling far from their usual haunts, Egyptian frontier officer Lt. Bak and his loyal Medjay (Nubian) police must cross a desert and then sail the Eastern (Red) Sea to Queen Hatshepsut's fabled turquoise mines. In this , his eighth adventure, Bak wades into danger tracking down a missing explorer, the shadowy but well-connected Minnakht. Watching their backs after finding a stranger stabbed at the first oasis, Bak and his desert caravan of soldiers, city merchants, and nomad guides suffer attacks from nature and man along the way. Boulders roll down steep hillsides A flash flood in a desert wadi threatens to sweep away the travellers and their donkeys. Poisonous vipers lie in wait under the burning sands. Human enemies shadow the caravan's tortuous path as nomad tribes watch from the hills and stalk the strangers in their midst.
Haney 's evocation of the rocky desert land sca pe brings out its varied geology and harsh beauty Meticulous research transports the read e r to 15th century BCE Egypt, to the edges of a vast empire loosely ruled by faraway pharaohs Haney, one of the few authors 111 this field commended for accuracy by the Egyptology magazine KMT, includes lists of principal deities and fictional characters, and a map Nina de Angeli
BENEATH THE PYRAMID
THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
Christian Jacq, Simon & Schuster 2004 (first pub France 1993), £ 10.99, pb, 3 77pp, 0684840618
This is the first book I have read by Christian Jacq, a prolific writer of novels set in Ancient Egypt. This first part of a trilogy concerns a young Judge, Pazair, sent to investigate the disappearance of some palace guards. Other instances of corruption are discovered but he resists attempts to browbeat him into turning a blind eye, thus endangering his position - and his life. He also meets Neferet, a beautiful young woman about to qualify in medicine whose own career is threatened by powerful men for their own ends.
In spite of several murders and other crimes, this is essentially a gentle book. The author writes authoritatively about Egyptian life, presenting a country in which sexual equality and a strong social structure exists. Much detail of every day life is woven fairly seamlessly into the fabric of the story. I was particularly intrigued by the accounts of the medication used by Neferet in her treatment of her patients.
There is a simplicity about the style which may or may not come from the translation. The presence of a monkey, a dog, a donkey and a baboon all displaying human attributes adds to the impression that this book is intended for a young readership. Given that more is to follow, I still found the ending rather abrupt and unsatisfactory. An undemanding and entertaining read.
Janet Mary Tomson
THE HOUSE OF THE EAGLE
Duncan Sprott , Faber & Faber 2004, £12.99, pb , 444pp , 057!202853
The Hous e of the Eagle begins Duncan Sprott's Ptolemies (sic) Quartet. It is to span the 300year reign of the Ptolemys in Egypt from the death of Alexander to the fall of Cleopatra.
The sto1y of the twelve generations of this bizarre family, descended from the Macedonian soldier, Ptolemy who emerged from Alexander's army to become Satrap and later Pharaoh of Egypt, is narrated by Thoth the [bis-headed and patronising god of writing and wisdom.
Here is an in depth portrait of the first Ptolemy and of the building of the city of Alexandria. I pa11icularly liked the hints of the destiny awaiting each character as they enter the story at the moment of birth that , interestingly, combines Greek tragedy with Egyptian mythology.
Showing the command of a carefully studied subject, Sprott writes with a pleasing rhythm both vivid and precise. My only criticism is that the story is repetitious at times which makes it overlong. However, it is an astonishingly assured book, which
dramatises the golden years of the founding of the Kingdom
Should three parts, yet to come, retain the same imaginative scope, the quartet could become the standard work of fiction intertwining the classical and ancient works of Egypt and Greece.
Read it. It is very good.
Gwen Sly
BIB LI CAL
VESSEL OF HONOR
Melvin J. Cobb, Moody Press, 2004, $12.99, pb, 464pp, 08024l365X
Vessel of Honor is the story of Sahlin Malae, the Ethiopian baptized by Philip in the eighth chapter of Acts. It's also the story of the country of Nubia , known as Meroe , and the leaders of the country shortly after Christ's death. This story follows Sahlin's life after Philip baptizes him. As he grows in faith, he must make choices to renounce his old ways of life to become a vessel of honour, or continue in his ways and be a vessel of dishonour. The book also portrays the struggles for both political and military leadership of Meroe after the death of Kandace Amanitore. These struggles exist on many levels. The children of the Kandace are in dispute with one another, members of the Council of Meroe are divided on what direction to take, and several military factions are ready to fight for control of the country. Sahlin Malae has to find hi place in the turbulent world around him while also making peace with the new God within.
Cobb has constructed a fictional account, based on historical fact, of the growth of early Christianity in Nubia and Ethiopia. He portrays the struggles of these new believers, surrounded by worshippers of their native gods, as they try, mostly alone, to understand the life of this man Jesus. The story is written in an epic style. The end leaves many questions unanswered, making this reviewer wondering when a sequel will be released.
Nan Curnutt
STONES OF MY ACCUSERS
Tracy Groot, Moody Press, 2004, $ l 2.99, pb,394pp,0802431062
Biblical Judea forms the backdrop of this slow-to-sta11 but ultimately riveting inspirational novel of mercy and forgiveness. Rivkah is a prostitute in the port town of Caesarea. When her son Nathaniel is born , she plants a cedar tree, as per her family's tradition. Years later, Pontius Pilate orders the tree cut down to make room for a granary. Hoping to save the cedar, Rivkah pleads with Pilate's second-in-command, Orion, whose many
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
acts of mercy have endeared him to the local population. Orion grows fond of the lovely Jewess, but to defy a direct order from Pilate would be an act of public treason.
Meanwhile , two young people have just arrived in Caesarea: Jesus' sister, Jorah, who is running from the rumours of her brother's resurrection; and Joab, a former Zealot charged with delivering Nathaniel's last words to his mother - 'no stones.' In the face of Rivkah's sins, both young people balk at giving her the news of her son's death. As Jorah and Joab struggle with Jesus' teachings , the pagan Orion puts them into action. The Roman risks exile, scou rging and even death, yet he discovers that his years of mercy have earned him loyal friends, deep love and admiration.
The last fifty pages of this novel are moving, heartfelt, and impossible to put down. Stones of My Accusers is a truly uplifting novel , worthy of the genre.
Lisa Ann Verge
SARAH
Marek Halter, Bantam Press 2004, (trans. Howard Curtis) £10.99, pb , 299pp. ISBN 059305279X (UK)/ Crown 2004, $24.00 / C$36.00, hb, 304pp, 1400052726 (US) Sarai, eldest daughter of lchbi Sum-Usur, Lord of Ur, lived in a house of thirty rooms in the Sumerian Royal City. Taught to read and write. she found herself at the age of twelve ready for a marriage she did not want. Running away from the man who was to be her husband, fate intervenes and she encounters Abram, nomadic tent dweller and raiser of sheep, fishing in the Euphrates river beyond the city walls. Sarai immediately detennines that their futures are intertwined but they are destined not to meet again for many years when, abandoning everything, she accompanies Abram and his unknown God, Yahweh on the journey of the Hebrews to Caanan. Thus is Genesis l l-22 retold in Marek Halter 's Sarah, Book One of the Caanan Trilogy. It is a very readable and plausible no ve l which covers an immense amount of time when the biblical lifetimes of Sarah and Abraham are considered. The author builds the story slowly but rushes the ending: the birth of Isaac to Sarah at the age of 90 and the tempting of Abraham are dealt with only in th e epilogue.
The tranquillity of spirit given to th e younger Abraham counters the complexity of Sarah's character but the desert trek somehow dominates the story and r regret that the tantali s ing glimpse of the ancient city of Ur of the Chaldees 1s not fictionalised to a greater depth Gwen Sly THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
THE GILDED CHAMBER
Rebecca Kohn, Rugged Land, 2004, $23 95 /C$ 33.95, hb , 338pp, 150971024X
This excellent first novel expands upon and breathes new life into the age-old biblical story of Esther. ln the 5 th century B.C, a young Jewish girl named Hadassah is taken from Babylon to the exotic Persian capital at Susa to live with her beloved cousin, Mordechai. Several years later, events force her to change her name, enter the royal palace harem, and learn how to please the monarch As Esther, she is eventually chosen to be Xerxes' queen The author deftly fleshes out all the familiar characters: the wicked, power-hungry advisor Haman, the beautiful but cruel Queen Vashti, the majestic, fatally flawed Xerxes , and loyal servant Mordechai. His portrayal of the innocent and lovely Esther, whose passion , courage , and enduring love for two men ultimately saves her people from disaster and destruction, that is truly stunning.
Set against the backdrop of ancient Persia, with all its splendour, sensuousness, brutality and intrigue, Esther's story once again provides reaffirmation that love, hope , and the human spirit will prevail. A skilful, absorbing tale; for all fans of The Red Tent, Queenmaker, and Sarah.
Michael I. Shoop
TESTAMENT
Nino Ricci, Houghton Mifflin, 2003, $25.00 / C$39.95, hb , 464 pp , 0618273530 '' Thus it was that everyone who heard him or laid eyes on him formed an image of him , and believed him a holy man or a madman , a heretic or a sage, with deepest certainty." Four narrators, who possess one or more of this quote's reactions , describe their experience of Jesus of Nazareth. Yihuda of Qiryat (Judas), Miryam of Migdal (Mary Magdalene) , Miryam (Mary, Jesus' moth e r) , and Simon of Gergesa (a young Syrian shepherd) portray this man , pe rceived to be a secret rebel , teacher, outcast, and v ictim. Who, exactly, was thi s person whose life has transformed civilization?
Ricci's plot evolves with spare but hi g hly effective prose that elucidates a Jesu s who was quite knowledgeable, perceptive yet blind to his detractors , gi~ed with healing expertise, loving yet objectively detached from those who would claim favou1itism, popular yet a threat to Roman and Jewish lead ers, and grega1ious yet needing increasing occasions for so litude. The na1Tators ' projections intensify the discussions, disputes, and alliances of Jesus ' followers and enemies.
Faithful to the four Gospels and captivating the reader with the environment of biblical Palestine, this exquisite novel about Jesus" humanity and mission deserves extraordinary attention. ,
Viviane Crystal
HADASSAH: One Night with the King Tommy Tenney with Mark Andrew Olsen, Bethany House, 2004, $19.99 , hb, 351pp, 0764227378
When King Xerxes of Persia orders his beautiful queen, Vashti, to appear before his guests, she refuses to display herself, and the king divorces her. But the king needs a queen, and thus begins an empire-wide search for a new queen - a search that brings the wise and beautiful Hadassah into the harem as contender for the crown. Her wit, charm, and loving heart gain her Xerxes's favour during her night with the king, and she becomes Queen of Persia. But the new queen holds a secret that could bring her down: she is a Jew Xerxes's favoured councillor, Haman , hates Jews and has tricked the king into signing the death warrant for all Jews dwelling in the Persian Empire. lt will take all Hadassah's courage and faith to win life and freedom for both herself and her doomed people
While an awkward modem framing device is distracting , and the equating of Haman with Hitler (complete with swastikas) isn't either original or necessary, Tenney's retelling of the st01y of Esther is strong and compelling, with some interesting psychological interpretations of the characters. Unfortunately, there are also some real historical clangers, such as Esther serving potatoes at a banquet , and some jarringly modern language. Howe ver. the novel's strengths outweigh its minor weaknesses, and re ade rs lookin g for Bible stories from a woman's point of view should enjoy Hadas sah.
India Edghill
CLASSICAL
THE LAST KING
Micbael Cw1is Ford , St. Martin's Pr ess, 2004,$24.95, hb,385pp ,03 l22 75390 Ford's subtitle "Rome's Greatest Enemy" applies to Mithridates, the King of Pontu s who wore Persian dr ess while attempting to establish a new Greek state capable of withstanding or even defeating the rapidly expanding Roman Republic The most famous tale sun·ounding this king describes his dail y intake of venoms and antidotes, which preserved him from coun poisonings. Many of th e stories involving this Mithridate s Eupator read lik e myth, but classical historians record how he expanded his small kingdom on the Euxine Sea by engulfing neighbourin g states and eventually challenging Roman rule.
When a Roman force invaded Pontus , the king 's forces retaliated, beginning a series of wars lasting from 89 to 63 BC, including the one-day slaughter of 80,000 Romans and Italians living in his realms.
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Those who read Roman novels for the sake of battle scenes will find much to like in this one. Phamaces, the bastard son who narrates the entire novel, describes his father as the kingdom's best archer, swordsman, horseman,_linguist, and orator. Mithridates has difficult relationships with women, including his murderous mother, one treacherous sister, and an even more dangerous sister whom he married - all of whom are named Laodice. Other characters include an overpriced concubine and a loyal Amazonian partner in war, but his most important relationships are with the Greek mercenaries, Cilician pirates and Roman renegades who make up his military force.
The novel 's history follows the broad outlines found in ancient sources like Appius, Plutarch and Strabo. As is often the case, the most improbable tales, like Mithridates' victory in a gargantuan eating contest with a wrestler, come directly from history This book is recommended as a fast-paced look at Roman history from an outsider's perspective.
James Hawking
POISON IN A THENS
Margaret Doody, Century 2004, £16.99, hb, 320pp, 1844134628
Athens 330BC: Stephanos has invited his older friend Aristotle to dinner but as his mother has gone to inspect their farm and taken all the competent slaves with her , the meal is a disaster. As the mortified Stephanos is apologising, they are interrupted by a beautiful and richly dressed woman. This is Marylla, a love slave, who has come to ask for help for her master, Orthoboulos. He has been accused of maliciously wounding his friend, Ergokles, in a quarrel over Marylla (whom they had jointly owned until Orthoboulos bought her outright). Orthoboulos wins the case but is when he is found poisoned his son accuses hi s new stepmother of the crime .
Opinion in Athens is still hotly divided when Ph1yne , another beautiful courtesan, is accused of impiety (a crime which carried the death penalty) after she acts the part of a goddess in a play , and so Stephanos and Aristotle set aboui unravelling the mystery.
This book is a very real portrait of life in Athens. The god Eros was welcomed in whatever guise her appeared, so courtesans, love slaves and homosexual love were accepted as a natural part of life. (On the other hand, Athenians were greatly shocked by female nudity - even wives were never seen naked by their husbands)
The first chapter of this book put me off a little : it is written very simply, as for a child, and I could not at first make out who the two speakers were. However, after this awkward start it picked up and became a thoroughly absorbing read. The history is so
THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
sound that you really feel you are in Athens, and Margaret Doody takes you right into the minds of the Athenians and how they thought. My advice is to stick with the first chapter and then settle back to enjoy a very good book.
Mairead McKerracher
(This book was read as an uncorrected proof copy)
THE CONQUEROR
Judith E. French, LoveSpell, 2003, $5.99/C$7.99, pb, 355pp, 0505525712
As Alexander the Great conquers his way across the known world, he finds his greatest ally in his greatest enemy: Princess Roxanne of Sogdiana. Forced to marry Alexander to save her people from destruction, Roxanne battles against her attraction to the great warrior who has fallen so desperately m love with her. Accompanying Alexander on his campaign to India, thwarting plots of both his enemies and her own, Roxanne struggles to remain true to both her kingdom and her husband , knowing that she will bear the heir to Alexander's empire - if she can survive.
This is an interesting and wellresearched book , but it is almost too evenly balanced between the Romance and Historical genres to be a really satisfying read Knowing even before starting the book that it cannot possibly end happily rather ruins the romance aspect, while the heavy romance unbalances the history. (In short, the Romance and the History quarrel as thoroughly as do Roxanne and Alexander') India Edghill
1st CENTURY
BOUDICA, Dreaming the Bull
Manda Scott, Bantam Press 2004, £ 12.99, hb , 393pp, 0593052579 (UK)/Delacorte $25.00, hb, 344pp 0385336713 (US)
The second book in this series and Boudica and her warriors continue their resistance against the Roman occupation of Britain. Set against her is Valerius, a Roman officer with a secret, whose increasing brutality in the service of his god Mithras and his emperor Claudius cannot shield him from the ghosts of his past. When Boudica's consort, Caradoc is betrayed to the Romans together with their young son and others of their tribe, neither Boudica nor Valerius can dream what this betrayal will mean to them
The story is very well told: the evocation of tribal life and beliefs is utterly convincing, the battles exciting and terrible and the reader feels sympathy for first one side and then the other. I haven't read the first book so some of the back story was lost on me but this did not prevent my
enjoyment of this book The book might have been better still with a little pruning; sometimes it seems to take a lot of words to convey an action or statement but l definitely want to read on and look forward to the next one.
Diane Johnstone
PARTHIAN SHOT
David Wishart, Hodder & Stoughton, 2004, £ 18.99 , hb , 276pp, 034082736X
The murky waters of Eastern politics are the theme for the eighth novel about Marcus Corvinus, the purple-striper with a penchant for slumming it in seedy wine bars and solving crimes Not long after his earlier political adventures in A Vote For Murder he is hired to investigate an attack on the Parthian Prince Phraates. Diplomacy is not one of Marcus' skills, and soon he is caught up in what might well be his most complex case yet which seems to get more dangerous at every tum.
Plotting at its most Byzantine is David Wishart 's main skill and this plot has more twists and turns than a roller coaster. You probably won't guess what it is all about but it is best to sit back and enjoy a truly plotdriven novel that had me wondering how on earth he thinks them up. It is certainly easy to read , but Marcus' irreverent narrative is its worst feature, giving a modem touch where it really isn ' t needed. There is otherwise a strong period feel about this novel than some of his others, and the alien customs of the Parthians emphasize that we are truly in the ancient world. Some of Wishai1's earlier work was overlong, but this is a fast-paced and professional piece of work; one of his strongest entries in this series to date.
Rachel A Hyde
THE TALISMAN OF TROY
Valerio Massimo Manfredi, (trans. Christine Feddersen-Manfredi), Macmillan 2004, £14.99,hb,274pp, 1405040890
The war with Troy is over and Diomedes , the last of the ancient Greek Homeric Heroes sets sail for home On reaching Argos he discovers that his adored Queen Aigialeia has betrayed him and is plotting his death. He leaves and sails west towards Hesperia, Italy. The story tells of that journey and what happened when he made landfall.
r do not doubt the scholarship involved in the translation but, as in the Alexander trilogy the translator seems compelled to translate eve1y single word so that it comes across as an exercise in translation. This is a great pity because there is a good story there but the fanatical adherence to the original text has resulted in stilted English and poor
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
dialogue. Perhaps a course in story telling should be suggested.
However, the map was helpful. the author's notes set the scene admirably and the shon glossa1y at the end was useful. Marilyn Sherlock
THE WHITE l\lARE
Jules Watson. Orion, 200-L £10.99.pb. 469pp. 0-75286-017-8
This is the first volume in the Dalriada trilogy, and is also the author's first novel. Ifs AD 79 and the ruthless Romans. led by the Governor of Britannia. Agricola. are advancing northwards. But the pivot of the story is Rhiann, princess and priestess of the Epidii tribe. and the exiled Iri sh prince Eremon. At the beginning of the talc. young Rhiann has a \ iolent past to resolve. and Eremon is co1 ering up his true position. Together th ey must face the Roman threat to their fellow Albans (Watson equates these with the Piers) and also internal problems caused by ri1·als for power over the Epidii. \ Vatson has researched her locations and history well. but has also confidently used the latitude pro\ ·ided by a little-known era. Sometimes the characterisation seems sketchy, bur it may be some of the people introduced here will have greater· parts to play in future books, and we'll get to know them in greater depth then. Although this novel is being sold as hi s torical fiction. ifs tirmly in historical romance territory. as the lo ve story is the main focus. This fresh and interesting page turner is a confident and assured debut.
S. Garside-Nevi Ile
2 nd CENTURY
THE GHOSTS OF GLEVUI\I
Rosemary Rowe, I lead line, 2004, £ 18 .99. hb,275pp.0755305l67
This is the latest in the Roman Mystery series featuring Libertu\, freedman and mosaicist, friend and protege of Septimus. a wealthy Roman nobleman and. in the 11 inter of AD 187 , one of three men responsible for the local regional government pending the appointment of a new Go1·ernor. Gaius Flaminus Praxus had been appointed as the senior officer commanding most of the Roman force s in Western Britannia v- hich included the garrison at Glevurn ( modern clay Gloucester) When the s tory opens ht! is a guest at a banquet gi1·en in his honour by Marcus Then the unthinkable happens. Praxus lea1 ·es the room and moments later he is found dead. Marcu s becomes chief suspect and asks Libertus to help him prove his innocence but when Libertus is named as an accomplice to the murder he has to flee G levum and finds refuge with the Ghosts. These ar·e the underclass - run::iway
THE HfSTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
slaves, thieves, vagabonds , beggars and even crippled children discarded by their parents.
I thoroughly enjoyed th e other books in this series and was not disappointed with this one. The characters are believable, the ::iction well paced and the twists and turns of the plot keep the reader on his/ her toes.
Marilyn Sherlock
4 th CENTURY
HADRIAN'S \,\ 'ALL
William Dietrich. HarperCollins, 2004 , S24 95, hb, 356pp. 0060563 710
It' s 367 AD and senator's daughter Valeria has been se nt to a fort on Hadrian ·s Wall on the wild northern frontier or Britannia for an an·anged marriage to the fort's 11c11· commanding officer, Marcus. Unfortunately, Marcus has raised the ire of acting CO, Galba. a seasoned and brutal cavalry veteran, who expected to be confirmed in the post, and whose angry disappointment leads him to plot vengeance. As if this weren't enough for the newlyweds. there's a native uprising and Valeria, a feisty if rather foolhardy heroine. gets herself kidnapped by a handsome, mysterious chieftain who seems to know rather a lot about Rome.
The novel is a well-researched, fastpaced read that's ripe with conspiracy, romance. jealou sy and revenge. However, readers who like something deeper to ponder may find thought-prornking parallels with our own era.
Sarah Cuthbertson
6 th CENTURY
FIVE FOR SILVER
Mary Reed and Eric Mayer. Poisoned Pen Press, 2004, $24.95, hb , 258pp , l 59098112 l The year is 542 and the setting, once again, is Constantinople - this time. beset by plague and political turmoil. The Lor·cl Chamberlain to Ju stinian, John. learns that the oldest friend of his aged and clerntecl servant, Peter, has been found stabbed to death. Although Peter, a devout Christian, believes that Gr·egory 11·as a fine and equally devout religious man, John's investigation into Gregory' s murder casts doubt s in John ·s mind about Gregory's hone s ty and decency. Did Peter e1er reall y know Gregory 9 Who was Gregory - really 9 Other death s - some from plague, some not - are implicatccl.
In the course of his in1 ·estigation , John rubs elbows with all strata of Constantinople's society ·- a court poet, a shady dealer in antiquities, a holy fool who
dances with the dead and a charitable lawyer, to name but a few. The death of Grego1y is convoluted and ultimately involves the li ves of all these charactersvintage Reed and Mayer 1
The authors never seem content simply to present a dilemma and then give us a resolution. They weave and interweave their plot, sub-plots and counter-plots. They ensure that we are subtly. yet consistently immersed in the times. Occasionally humorous, sometimes metaphysical but never boring, the Reed/ Mayer books are a must read for those int erested in hi storical mysteries and particularly with the history of this era.
llysa Magnus
12TH CENTURY
THE Tl~NER'S CORPSE
Bernard Knight, Simon and Schuster 200 I. £5 99. pb. 330pp, 0671029665 (UK) / $9.53, pb. 34l pp (US)
There arc eight novels so far in Bernard Knight's Cro1111er John 1'v~1 ·.weries, and research for our interview with him (page ) showed that we have reviewed all of them except this one - the fifth There are the same characters - Sir John de Wolfe. first ever Coroner of Devon; his red-haired Cornish assistant. the littl e unfrocked priest who acts as his clerk, and Matilda his wife, still as bad-tempered as ever. This time. though , among his other problems is Nesta. his mistress, usually so good-tempered as she efficiently runs the Bush fnn , but now unaccountably miffed, and taken up with a new. good-looking and younger man John 's main concern, though , is among the tin11er s, those tough, intractable , miner, v- ho have their own laws and run their own Parliament up on the bleak moors above Exeter. Someone has hacked off the head of the overseer and left the decapitated body in a se ttling trough Suspicion falls on an elderly Saxon who hates all Normans, but when the wealthy mine owner also disappears one of his business rivals comes into the frame Just to add to the mix John's clerk bccorn.:s suicidally depressed, and his ambiuous brother-in-law, the corrupt Sheriff, has appointed one of his cronies as seco nd coroner - and he tries to hang John ·s in1 aluable assistant' Thoroughly enjoyable. Val Whitmarsh
THE WITCH HUNTER
Bernard Knight, Pocket Books 2004, £6.99, pb,368pp,0743449894
This latest book in the Cro11 ner John series focuses on the claustrophobic atmosphere of Exeter, a small, tightly-packed city, its citizens almost entirely illiterate, riven with
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
jealousies and ambitions, fearful of the supernatural but led by the Church .The book of Exodus commanded: 'Thou shall not suffer a witch to live' , and the Synod of Reisbach in 799 had demanded penance (although not punishment) for witchcraft , but by 1195 , when this story is set, persecution of 'c unning women' was still very rare.
However , when a wealthy mill-owner falls dead from his horse and a straw doll with a spike through its heart is found under hi s saddle, his family suspect sorcery. The cynical coroner, Sir John Wolfe , only reluctantly investigates and does tum up suggestions of poison , but by then a hysterical campaign has been fomented by rival factions , each with their own agendas, which threaten the lives of a number of local women, including his Welsh mistress , Nesta. Just to add to his problems, a trove of Saxon treasure is du g up from a field, which his corrupt brother-in-law, the Sheriff, cannot bear to hand over intact to the Crown.
As usual, thi s is a good read, vibrant with action and hi s torical details , and with an ending that had me cheering out loud from my armchair.
Val Whitmarsh
THE CANTERBURY PAPERS
Judith Koll Healey . William Morrow , 2003, $24.95 /C$34.95, hb , 353pp, 0060525355 ll is 1200. Twenty years earlier, Ala'is Capet, daughter of Loui s YI I of France and his second wife. was rejected as a bride for Richard Coeur de Lion because of her affair with his father, King Henry. Now Princess Ala.is, a beautiful yet aging spinster, languish es at her brother's cou11. When E le a nor of Aquitaine \Hites to her forrner ward, asking her to retrieve some damning letters from Canterbury Cathedral, Ala.is willingly accepts - particularly since Eleanor agrees to give her information about a child born in secret long ago. This promi se d revelation leads Ala"is into danger and intrigue as she journeys throughout England and France , never knowing who her real enemies are.
What an excellent premise! Princess Ala'is is a neglected hi s torical figure , and here she becomes a strong-willed heroine , someone worthy of taking on Eleanor of Aquitaine and winning. The plot moves s moothly throughout. makin g thi s a pleasant, entertaining read But occasional use of modern 1tliom drew me out of the story, and de s pite the constant reference to medieval clothing, food, and locale s, the setting never really came alive for me. The Afterword acknowledges how the author changed a few historical facts to suit the plot, but doesn't explain why Is a belle of Angouleme appears as a fully grown woman
when she would have been only 12 or 13 at the time
Though the author shows promise, more controlled use of language and faithfulness to known history would have caused me to like it more.
Sarah Johnson
IN THE KING'S SERVICE
Margaret Moore, Harlequin Historicals, 2003, $5.25/C$6.25, pb , 296pp, 0373292759
After marrying Eleanor of Aquitaine, King Henry II relies on French advisers rather than his own countrymen, which upsets some English nobles. He sends Sir Blaidd Morgan, a trusted knight and friend, to determine whether Lord Throckton plots treason To camouflage his mission , Blaidd woos the Lady Laelia , the most beautiful woman ever seen. Her younger sister, Lady Becca, however, is far more intriguing with her sharp tongue and stinging wit, harp playing , training as a wa1Tior, and caring hea11. As love unfolds , Blaidd strives to learn the truth about her father. All appears innocent, but Throckton Castle holds secrets and some of its people hint that all isn't as it appears. A good, fast read that's the perfect escape on a rainy day.
Cindy Vallar
THE OUTCAST DOVE
Sharan Newman. Forge, 2004, $25.95 / C$35.95, hb, 432pp, 0765303779
Although subtitled '·A Catherine LeYendeur Mystery ," Catherine plays virtually no role in Newman's new novel, the ninth in this marvellous series. Indeed , Solomon, Catherine's cousin, is the novel's primary focus - Solomon, a Jew who ha no desire to keep the dietary laws and who has problems with the very tenets of his faith, who is the son of a man who has converted and become a monk, who is the nephew of Catherine's father, Hubert , who has returned to his roots and is now studying TorahSolomon who is , perhaps , the most complex of Newman's characters in the LeVendeur novels It is Solomon who has been drawn into a scheme to rescue a Jewish woman taken as a slave by the Christians during the conquest of the Spanish city of Almeria, and by so doing , is forced to confront all he holds as truth and, finally. come to grips with who he is.
The hostility between Jews and Christians and the LeVendeur family's fear of discovery as Jewish is palpable in Newman's books Here , those tensions a1e personalized to the extreme. Solomon comes face-to-face with his faith, his principles, his very morality and essence. The outcome is fascinating.
Although [ admit that missed Catherine and Edgar and their brood in
these pages, Newman's decision to build an entire story around Solomon was brilliant. This is probably one of my favourite LeVendeur books, and an absolute must if you love this series.
Ilysa Magnus
MAID MARIAN
Elsa Watson , Crown, 2004, $23.95 /C $34.95, hb, 304pp, 1400050413
Although the tale of Robin Hood has been told many times, far fewer times has it been told from Maid Marian's perspective. In this version, Marian is a wife (although chaste) at age five and a widow in her teens. She had been wed to her childhood friend Hugh to unite their prope11ies. As Marian was also an orphan and a ward of the court, Queen Eleanor has the right to pick her next husband, selling her off, as it were, to the highest bidder. Taking an understandable interest in her own destiny, Marian seeks out the famous Robin Hood, hoping to have him intercept correspondence that would reveal her next husband. Robin ends up rescuing Marian from her next marriage , and she and her maidservant Annie take up residence in Sherwood Forest with Robin and his men.
Although this is a well-known love story, Watson writes Marian with such a lively , unselfconscious voice that it comes almost as a surprise when Marian realizes that she's in love with Robin. The only part that st1ikes a false note is the contrivance that compels Marian to leave Robin and the forest and live as a poor Saxon with a hard-working family. There she gets a taste firsthand of the tyranny of the Normans, and when she and Robin are reunited, she devises a plan to expose her fom1er mother-in-law.
Watson does an excellent job with the period details of life in the twelfth century and uses language that befits the time without being too full of " prithees " and "ve rilys" to read Although at times Marian's observations about the plight of women and Saxons seem to be a bit anachronistic, it is refreshing to hear the story from her point of view. She deserves to be the heroine in the tale of Robin Hood.
Ellen Keith
13 th CENTURY
THE GLEEMAlDEN
Sylvian Hamilton, Headline Review, 2004, £12.99, hb , 274pp , 0755307062
England under Interdict: it is now four years since King John refused the Pope's choice for Archbishop of Canterbury and Sir Richard Straccan requires absolution for the killing of a man on holy ground. There is only one bishop left in England to grant his wish but
THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
there's a price an enormous bronze bell has to be moved from London to Durham.
Thus, in this the third of Sylvian Hamilton's medieval crime novels, we once more encounter the resourceful Sir Richard, bone-peddler, dealer in holy re lic s, and former crusader.
Historical fiction relies upon accurate research , and Ms Hamilton has an authentically imaginative flair which illuminates the 13th century of King John and Simon de Montfort's crusade against the Cathars, with all its filth, disease, brutality and sheer cruelty. She skilfully introduces episodes from her earlier books, weaving the stories together so the new reader is instructed, and we others gently reminded, of what has gone before. Her characters - spies, knights. bishops , monks, lepers and of course beautiful maidens - are vividly portrayed whether they be major or minor figures.
The Gleemaiden is witty and sad by turn, and in Richard Straccan Ms Hamilton has a true hero
Gwen Sly
13 th CENTURY
THE FIRE IN THE FUNT
Candace Robb, Heineman 2003 , £9.99 , pb, 313 pp, ISBN 0434009520 Candace Robb is known for her delightful Owen Archer mysteries, and now she has turned to writing about the exploits of the feisty Margaret Kerr. Following the events of A Trust B e trayed, Margaret is now living with her uncle Murdoch. who is running a tavern in Edinburgh, when her errant and long missing husband Roger returns A staunch supporter of Robert the Bruce (while she supports John Balliol) the pair are mismatched in every way , and Margaret suspects that it is not love that has drawn Roger home. After a murder occurs at the inn the pair flee the town, but mishaps follow them
History is very much the star of this tale. Edward I, the two warring contenders for the Scottish throne together with William Wallace all make for a thrilling backdrop and Margaret Kerr also has her rascally husband and father to contend with, as well as her mother , the visionary and selfish Christiana. The family's dysfunctional relationships plus the turbulent times are the meat and potatoes here, with a plot somewhere in there but not truly making itself known enough to be interesting. My advice to Ms Robb is to give this new series the kind of page-turning plots that made her Owen Archer books so popular. Otherwise, I for one probably won't be reading another, strong characters and thrilling history notwithstanding.
Rachel A Hyde
THE JIISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
14 th CENTURY
THE MAG[CIAN'S DEATH
Paul Doherty, Headline 2004, £18.99, hb , 280pp,0755307739
If ever there was a title that summed up the Do herty style, The Magician's Death is surely it. You ' ve got the lot in here: murders, outlaws, spies , a magical book that nobody can understand, a spooky forest and a snow-covered castle. This is classic Doherty stuff as Corbett and his little band are forced to confront archenemy Amaury de Craon at Corfe Castle in the depths of winter. Philip IV wants the scholars of England and France to work together to crack the code of Friar Bacon ' s Book of Secrets. The forests are that haunt of Horehound and his outlaw band, while young women working in and around the castle are being killed as well as the newlyarrived French scholars. Corbett has to get to the bottom of it all and keep a whole skin into the bargain.
This is all prime good fun if you like this author's inimitable style and I personally do enormously. The parts dealing with the outlaws debunk some of the Robin Hood legends about an outlaw's lot and it is all sure to whet your appetite to read more about Roger Bacon. Serious history mixes with high drama here , and long may Doherty continue to enchant with his own personal sub-genre.
Rachel A. I lyde
THEOUTLAWSOFENNOR
Michael Jecks Headline 2003, £ 17 .99, hb, 396pp , 0755301722/ 2004, hi\, (UK), $16.97, p.b, $9.95 (US)
A major problem with writers of mysteries , historical or otherwise, is that the plots have a tendency to become formulaic, and ways must be found of keeping up a flow of murders for their protagonists to investigate. At some point it becomes impossible for prolific writers - this book is Mr leeks ' sixteenth - to deposit any more corpses in one area, and the detectives go on their travels, where, of course, they find yet more mysteries to solve.
In The Te mplar '. 1 P enance, Sir Baldwin Furnshill and Bailiff Simon Puttock made a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, solving a series of murders en route. The voyage home, detailed in Th e Out/all's of Ennor, gives them no respite from work. Their ship is auacked by pirates , and the intrepid pair are washed up - separatelyon the Scilly Isles, then virtually a world of their own beyond reach of the king 's government. Each man fears the other dead, and is faced not only with physical threat s from the lawless inhabitants of the islands , but, inevitably , with the first in a series of murders
Why do l begin to find Baldwin and Simon tedious ? It must be because they are so pure, wholesome, and, dare I say it, 21st century in their ideas (several books ago we found Baldwin disappro ving of his contemporaries' homophobia) , goodies surrounded by some very bad baddies indeed. This time Baldwin manages to have a one-night stand, but somehow that doesn't quite 'fit'. Perhaps I am over-critical. Jecks knows his craft, and as usual the tale rattles along, culminating in an all-out fight as the penny drops. Fans of the series will enjoy it.
Ann Lyon
15 th CENTURY
THE NOVICE'S TALE
Margaret Frazer, Robert Hale, 2003, £ 18 .9 9, hb , 224 pp, 070907509X !n the year 1431, Sister Frevisse, amateur sleuth and hosteller of the Priory of Saint Frideswide, has trouble on her hands when domineering Lady Ern1entrude arrives at the Priory with her retinue of maids, men, hounds and a mischievous monkey The dowager demands hospitality , entertainment and the release of her niece, the shy and saintly novice Thomasine, who is terrified of her aunt and has no wish to quit the cloister.
Lady Ermentrude dies in a spectacular and horrible way and the most obvious suspect is the pious Thomasine I [owever, Sister Frevisse works out who the culprit is, in spite of a huge red he1Tin g which fooled me. Although this is the story of a crime, the book is imbued with the spiritual quiet of the cloister . A most satisfying read . Thi s is the first I have read of this series, but shall now seek out the rest.
Pamela Cleaver
THE IN OCE T
Posie Graeme-Evans , Atria, 2004, $14.00 /C$2 I .00, pb, 400pp , 0743443 721 The publisher claims thi s book to be a "sweeping historical saga of lust, conspiracy , and betrayal ," and I couldn't agree more 1 The Inno ce nt is a delightful and captivating medieval drama set in fifteenth century England.
Anne, a young peasa nt girl, is sent to join the household of a wealthy London merchant. She is no ordinary servant, as she possesses both beauty and an extensive knowledge of herbs and healing that elevate her quickly into service in the royal household of King Edward !V . Once there, events rapidly spiral out of control, throwing her into the midst of dangerous court intrigues as she falls in love with someone she shouldn't.
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
Even though this book is labelled as a "romance," this is no run-of-the-mill fluff This is drama at its best, well polished and absorbing. The plot twists and turns with the perfect amount of dramatic tension, plenty of royal intrigue (as the story takes place during the War of the Roses) , and is peppered throughout with delicious details of court life This is the work of an extraordinarily talented new author, who is able to translate her skills as a producer of television dramas in Australia to her writing.
Fo1tunately for historical fiction fans, The Inn ocent is the first book of a trilogy! Fans of medieval historical fiction will truly delight in this enjoyable novel and ardently anticipate the sequel.
Andrea Connell
16 th CENTURY
THE QUEEN OF SUBTLETlES
Suzannah Dunn , Flamingo, 2004, £ 17 .99, hb , 313pp,0007139373
Acclaimed for her contemporary fiction, Suzannah Dunn has chosen to tell the familiar - indeed, over-familiar, story of the n se and fall of Anne Boleyn . She interlinks Anne's account with that of Lucy Cornwallis, the King's confectioner. Lucy was a real person; the only woman employed in a position of authority in the King's kitchen s, but the characterisation is the author's own. Her job was to make the e laborate 'subtleties' or confections of expensive sugar, marzipan a nd fruits that were a feature of royal table s Dunn's account of her life and her unrequited love for the ill -fa ted cou11 mu s ician , Mark Smeaton, is poignant and moving . Anne's account is altogether different The author has <lei iberately put 21" century vernacular English into Anne's mouth. presumably in an attempt to make Anne ' more relevant ' to today 's readers. Unfonunately she speaks, not like an sophisticated, educated woman, but in the manner of a dim-witted contestant on 'Big Brother.' I found her language (references to Thomas Cranmer as showing hims e lf up as the complete fucking idiot that he is or don·, fer (Princess) Marr muck you up) not o nl y profoundly irritating , but patronising. The use of modern speech in historical fiction is one thing; anachronisms quite another. Anne serving cream tea is unacceptable. What is the point in writing historical fiction if the histo1y is wrong'l Having not long since read Philippa Gregory's immaculately re sea rched The Other Boleyn Girl, I found this novel had nothing new to say. Even the recent TV drama with Ray Winston as Herny,
THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
Cockney vowels and all, didn't annoy me half as much.
Sally Zigmond
A SAINT, MORE OR LESS
Henry Grunwald , Random House, 2004, $23.95/C$35.95, hb, 234pp, 1400061490 Paris of 1594, having endured bmtal religious fighting culminating in the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre of Protestant Huguenots, was well "worth a Mass" in the notoriously faith-prostituting words of Henri IV, France's new and newly Catholic king. Into this city of clashrng lights comes Nicole Tavernier, a woman of no means and an unknown past who proceeds to work miracles and win the hearts of layman and cleric alike in need of something to believe in. She finds a home for herself with Barbe Acarie, a powerful and devout woman, a mystic in her own right. Presently , however, Barbe , whose religion leans to embracing establishment religion and the eventual founding of a very strict Carmelite order, turns against the woman she sheltered. Nicole must endure an exorcism for her demonic possession and is forbidden from ever preaching or healing again , even when people need her gifts. This ecclesiastical abuse brings her to a very difficult pass for a woman of faith, the doors of conversion to Protestantism.
What a great story Mr. Grunwald has stumbled upon and, by his own admission, been pursued by for many years. Full of nuances for the understanding of how the powers that be paste and cut individual belief for their own purpo ses, thi s could have been a rich, mo v ing tale, as the lavish cover promised. Unfortunately, to my mind, a lifetime in journalism has made of this the sort of repon that might have appeared in the covers of the author's beloved Time magazine, throw-away prose to fit around more riveting photos for those with short attention spans. I felt no real commitment to character, and religion was treated in the safe, eviscerated manner of Hollywood. "Eco nomic ," one reviewer called Grunwald's style. I found it down-right miserly, with much telling and flashback to put us at a safe, journalistic di s tance.
Ann Chamberlin
RELUCTANT QUEEN
Geraldine Hartnett, Robert Hale , 2004, £18.99, hb ,27 l pp,0709075618
Mary Tudor only agrees to marry the dying Louis XII of France because her brother, Henry VIII, has promised she will be free to choose her next husband. She already has a candidate in mind, the dashing Charles Brandon.
As Queen of France , Mary finds the court full of rumours about her relationship with her stepson-in-law, Francis On Louis's death , Mary pushes Charles into a hasty
marriage to stop Francis's ardent pursuit and secure her own happine ss. Only then does she discover that Henry might not be a man of his word and Charles might not be as dashing as he appears
Mary Tudor is a little-known royal figure, but her life was every bit as colourful and complex as that of her more famous brother. Reluctant Queen is a very readable account of a fascinating woman who dared to stand up to llenry VIII and survived. It is thoroughly researched, admirably written and the author's love of the Tudor period shines through Sara Wilson
DEMON OF THE AIR
Simon Levack, Simon & Schuster 2004, £10 .99, pb,382pp,0743239741
It is the winter of 1571 and rumours of the arrival in Yucatan of pale-skinned and bearded men have reached Tenochtitlan, the crowded capital of the Aztecs.
The Chief Minister 's slave, Yaotl, is escorting a sacrificial prisoner up the steps of the great pyramid of the war god Huitzilopochtli to a flowery death of ritual slaughter by the priests, when the victim runs amok, hurling prophecies to the crowd and dying by his own hand by leaping into the sacred precinct.
Simon Levack sets his crime story in the world governed by magic and religion that was the Aztec Empire, and graphically details the bloodlust which permeated their culture in the brutal appeasement of their gods; the methods of bloodletting and the cannibalism which followed it are clearly described and not for the faint-hearted. He shows the depths of his historical research, but l found it not entirely convincing to set a murder mystery in a society that, although now misted by time , is notorious for violent death and the large scale killing of humans on a daily basis.
The Aztec names are long and the author, to provide clarity, gives equivalents to personal names that can hinder the story at times. The dialogue unfailingly remains in the present centu1y.
Demon of the Air is Simon Levack's first novel and the opening chapter won the Crime Writer 's Association's New Writing Competition in 2000. It is to be the start ofa series featuring the slave Yaotl.
Gwen Sly
THE ROSE RING
Margaret Mullally , Robert Hale, 2004, £18.99, hb,256pp , 0709075626
When her domineering father forces Alicia Westbrooke to marry Gervase Houghton, she is determined to maintain the upper hand with her new husband. Straightaway, her beauty and temper force the couple
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
apart, a situation worsened by Gervase's interfering mother.
Throughout months of misery, Alicia forms a fragile friendship with her brotherin-law, Tom, and his fiancee, Lucy. Eventually she begins to understand Gervase but, just as they achieve some happiness, death and disaster loom. The rose ring is Alicia's link to her mother, Dorothy, and it holds a secret that has implications for them all.
Set against the backdrop of the early reign of Henry VILI, The Rose Ring is something more than a light historical romance. It has serious undertones and a solid grasp of period detail.
The rose ring itself is merely a shadowy presence and its role •could have been further developed to give more poignancy to the novel's plot. Curiously, Dorothy 's backstory is more interesting than Alicia's own story and means this novel reads like a sequel, although there is no indication that this is the case. ·
Sara Wilson
RIGHT ROYAL FRCEND
Nigel Tranter, Hodder & Stoughton, 2003, £ I 8.99, hb , 279pp, 0340823569 (UK)/ 2004, p/b $9.95 (US)
It's the late 16th century and King James Vi of Scotland is 13 years old. David Murray, son of a Perthshire laird , has a chance encounter with the young king which leads to David to becoming Cup Bearer and Master of the Horse to his young liege. Together with John Erskine, Master of Mar , the three enter a new era of political intrigue and dynastic manoeuvring - abductions, assassination plots, religious bickering, the execution of Mary Queen of Scots, and James' desire to succeed to the throne of England. Into this rich recipe Nigel Tranter weaves the love sto1y of David Murray and Elizabeth Beaton An absorbing tale from Scotland's sto1y-teller extraordinaire.
Celia Ellis
17 th CENTURY
THE IRON ROSE
Marsha Canham, Signet, 2003, $6.99/C$9.99, pb, 362pp, 0451208153 When a rogue privateer captained by Juliet Dante discovers a Spanish galleon attacking and sinking an English ship, she and her crew intercede. Although they are outnumbered and the English ship eventually sinks, they manage to win the day - along with the prize of an intact Spanish galleon. Juliet later learns that one of the surviving English passengers they've taken on board is nobleman Varian St. Clare, the Duke of Yarrow. Varian, it turns
THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
out, has been commissioned by King James I to seek out and convince her father, the infamous Pirate Wolf, to help England uphold a peace treaty with Spain by ceasing their attacks on Spanish ships. Although Juliet scoffs at his mission, she agrees to take him to her father - as her prisoner. At the Nery least she suspects he will bring a good ransom.
Set primarily on the high seas during the early 17th century, this novel is a light, easy read with a predictable outcome. Fortunately, the author has utilized history as more than a mere backdrop to the plot, and for this I commend her. Although glamorized to some degree overall, I found the infonnation aboµt privateers, the ships they sailed, and political unrest caused by their ventures well done.
Pat Maynard
18 th CENTURY
THE PIPESTONE QUEST
Don Coldsmith, University of Oklahoma Press , 2003, $24.95, hb, 25 I pp, 080613612X
This is the latest volume of the Spanish Bit Saga, by a multi-published and much honoured Western author. The story tells of a young man named Beaver and his comingof-age quest: a search for the source of the power he senses in a redstone pipe. The sacred object is displayed by an Arapaho trader , and soon Beaver knows that he must seek the place of its origin, a single quarry in what is now Minnesota. So begins the journey, in company with the trader, his wife and baby. Originally, the trader had a privilege ; every tribe welcomed him. However, times are changing. The European invad e rs are now forcing their way to the Mi ss issippi and driving the First People before them. Relations among all tribes are in flux. Time-honoured customs are disregarded , particularly by the brutalized refugees pouring in from the east. Beaver's quest will not proceed without danger. The Pipestone Quest is a mostly low-key but always engaging psychological foray into a lost world of spirits and portents, the story of a young seeker on the verge of manhood.
Juliet Waldron
HONOUR BE DAMNED
Tom Connery, Berkley , 2003, $14.00, pb , 234pp,042519l958
George Markham of the Royal Marines ha s overcome every obstacle placed in his path in two previous novels in Tom Connery's series on Britain 's war with revolutionary France. The final book in the trilogy finds Lieutenant Markham on• land as he joins with an expeditionary force of French
emigres on a secret mission into the heart of enemy territory. Some devotees of the genre may miss the naval action, but the uncertain loyalties of his allies and the threat posed by revolutionary soldiers should satisfy most. Lieutenant Markham will be missed John R Vallely
THE KNIGHT OF MAISON-ROUGE
Alexandre Dumas , trans Julie Rose, Modem Library, 2003, $24.95 / $36.95, hb, 398pp,0679642986
Alexandre Dumas knew how to construct a fast-paced tale of adventure and romance , mixing histo1y and fiction, and creating an atmosphere of intrigue and breath-taking reversals. But The Knight of Maison-Rouge, written only three years after The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo , is far less captivating than those two other works. Published as a serial novel, The Knight of Maison-Rouge moves quickl y from one scene to the next , telling the story of Maurice Lindey, a young patriot and revolutionary who has the misfortune of falling in love with Genevieve, an aristocrat married to a scheming royalist. The trouble is that this is Paris in 1793: Louis XVI ha s already lost his head , and Marie Antoinette and the rest of the royals are imprisoned. Aristocrats are not safe company, particularly since the radical Montagnards dominate the Convention's government, determined to wipe out all resistance . Maurice struggles between his loyalty to th.e Republic and his love for Genevieve, all while trying to unmask a royalist-the knight of the title-who plots time after time to save the queen.
Although there are some irk some slips (words and phrases left in French for no discemable reason), on the whole this transl ation renders faithfully Dum as' exuberant style and his forceful narrativ e, featuring a very welcome glossary of hi storical persons and terms, and chapterby-chapter note s, both needed. Th e Knight of Maison-Rouge is at times terrific , with dialogue full of double-entendre and suspense, at other times tiresome and larded with melodramatic gobbledygook. There is a lot to enjoy, if you can see past bunglin g conspirators, incapable of keeping a secret. Adelaida Lower
HAVOC'S SWORD
Dewe y Lambdin , St. Martin 's Pre ss, 2003, $25.95 / C$35.95, hb, 372pp, 0312286880 The indefati ga ble Alan Lewrie sai ls yet again throu g h troubled waters in Dewey Lambdin's eleventh sea adventure. Lewrie, now a Captain in the Royal Navy of the Wars of the French Re vo lution , is faced with challenging the villainous Guillaume Choundas in the Caribbean. He must battl e the machinations of Foreign Office agents while simultaneously fighting the French
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
and negotiating with the upstart Americans. Lewrie may not possess Hornblower's moral compass, but this is one naval officer with whom readers will gladly sail.
John R. Vallely
I TERRUPTED ARIA
Beverie Graves Myers, Poisoned Pen Press, 2004, $24.95, hb, 296pp, 1590581113
Nineteen-year-old Tito Amato returns to Venice after eight long years of training at Conservatorio San Remo. It is 173 I, and Tito is the newly hired castrato soprano at Teatro San Stefano. With him is his friend and fellow trainee, Felice Ravello. Sadly, Felice is no longer able to sing, but Tito hopes his father will use his connections to help him find work.
Soon, rehearsals begin, and Tito is introduced to Venice's elite. He will make his professional debut alongside aging castrato Anton Crivelli, brash and ambitious Caterina Testi, and reigning diva Adelina Belluna, mistress of their patron Felice finds a position in the opera orchestra. Tragically, a fatal poisoning on opening night leaves one new friend dead and an old one's life in jeopardy Aided by his siblings, Annetta and Allesandro, and others, Tito races to identify the real killer before Felice hangs.
I appreciated the use of imagery evocative of 18th century Venice, the perfect setting for mystery and danger. Graves treats the predicament of the castrati with great sympathy, suggesting intensive research. Further, she controls the pace, exploring all the blind alleys before revealing the murderer's identity Bravo.
Alice Logsdon
THE BLACK MOTH
Georgette Heyer , Arrow Books 2004, £6.99, pb, 0099466198 (UK)/Harlequin 2003, $6.50, pb, 416pp 0373836082 (US)
First published 1929
The Black Moth was written more than 70 years ago when the subsequently muchadmired author was about 20. All the ingredients of historical romance are here: a wronged hero , a sneering villain, a spirited heroine ; a frivolous young matron with a hen-pecked husband; a mysterious widow Young men and old roues abound, and the servants and horses are wonderfully faithful. Set in I 750, when men were as gorgeously clad and heavily made up as the women, thi s novel , which is in two senses a period piece, makes fascinating reading Georgette Heyer is seeking the 'voice' elegant and s upremely confident - that was soon making all her writing a pleasure to read. Here she is influenced, I believe, by ente1ia1mng, though les ser, writers, such as Baroness Orczy and Jeffrey Famol. She obviously ha s affection for her libertine abductor of innocence, the Duke of
THE HJSTORJCAL NOVELS REVIEW
Andover, who foreshadows some of her later sophisticated but flawed heroes. This scoundrel's intended abductee, the lovely Diana, is far from meek, but a heroine of Heyer's later writing (think The Grand Sophie) would be capable of setting up her own abduction to bring her man riding hellfor-leather.
This volume is of good quality and attractive to look at , but has tiresome misprints. There is more repetition than would be allowed in a modem novel, but it says much for the youthful Heyer's cunning as a storyteller that I was sorry to come to the end of The Black Moth.
Nancy Henshaw
SYLVESTER
Georgette Heyer, Arrow 2004, £6.99, pb, 343pp, 0099465779 (UK)/Harlequin 2004, $6.50, pb , 4 l 6pp, 03 73836082 (US) Sylvester, Duke of Salford, is a man who has everything but love . Like Mr Darcy, he is aloof, proud and in need of a lesson in human understanding. Phoebe is the unaffected daughter of the rustic Lord Marlow. Not only is she a dab hand at poulticing strained hocks but the secret author of the latest hot novel , and her stepmother's petty tyrannies have failed to break her spirit. Clearly these two are made for one another, but this is a romantic novel and, naturally enough, they are the only people who fail to realise it. Misunderstandings and tiffs abound, but , as with every romantic novel , readers can rest assured that they discover their true feelings for one another in the end.
Sylvester first appeared in 1957 and is now republished, though with a regrettable incidence of typos , including one on the back cover. The plot is complete tosh, many of the characters are stereotypes, but the period is nicely done , and it's great fun.
Ann Lyon
THESE OLD SHADES
Georgette Heyer, Arrow Books 2004, £6.99, pb, 34 7pp. 0099465825 (UK)/Harlequin 2003, $6.50, pb , 4 I6pp, 03 73835590 (US) First published 1926
The story is set around the middle of the 18 th centu1y when the English Duke of Avon, a notorious and charismatic aristocrat, takes a new page into his household. It is part of an elaborate scheme of revenge against the evil Comte de SaintVire. After many surprises, stratagems and counter-plots, the Duke wins through, and to everyone's amazement, is a refo1med character, too. All very edifying and entertaining. As ever with Georgette Heyer, the book is filled with superb dialogue that acts as the foundation stone of the novel, and the characters fizz and delight. It is not a literary book , but it is alive and a pleasure to read. It demonstrates the mark of timeless
historical fiction that although initially published in I 926, the conversation of the characters is not dated at all.
One word of criticism about the quality of the reprint: the book is exceedingly flimsy, even for a paperback and filled with errors of the kind which could be avoided by careful proof-reading Doug Kemp
REGENCY BUCK
Georgette Heyer, Arrow 2004, £6.99, pb, 356pp,0099465582
R ege ncy Bu c k finds brother and sister, Peregrine and Judith Taverner, orphaned. Their future is entrusted to a guardianship of a friend of their eccentric father. They travel to London to force a meeting with their elusive guardian, the Fifth Earl of Worth, only to discover he is a dandy, whose path they have already cros ed en route. The wilful and stubborn Judith has many quickwitted exchanges with the Earl, who has a habit of winning , much to her annoyance.
Georgette Heyer and the Regency period are inseparable in the minds of lovers of historical romantic fiction. Her vast knowledge of the period shines through her writing as do the wit and humour she was gifted with. Every scene is described in intricate detail relaying a clear vision of the period. Her love of characters and dialogue bring the book to life as the plot moves swiftly along.
The author's fondness for mystery is also entwined within this romance as the story unfolds. She is set to capture even more fans with her unique and entertaining style of adventure, comedy and romance Val Loh
TIDE OF FORTUNE
Jane Jackson, Robe11 Hale , 2004, £ 18 .99, hb ,256 pp,0709074336
Karenza Vyvyan 's estranged family has been missing for a year on a trading voyage to the Mediterranean. When her father returns to raise the ransom needed to free Karenza 's mother and sister held hostage in Tangier, he demands that Karenza sail back with him on the packet Kestr e l But Kestrel's commander is Nicholas Penrose, the man who broke Karenza's heart. There is peril on the high seas, both of the human and natural kind, and when Kestr e l arrives at her destination the stakes are raised and complicated by the situation Karenza di scove rs in Tangier. Her feelings for Nicholas, and his for her add further conflict to the situation. Can she forgive and forget? Can he make amends? Karenza is far from being one of the feisty heroines who populate romance novels and swing repartee at the hero with all the viciousness of a well aimed left hook. Instead she has a quiet steadiness and an ability to see things through that , at the start,
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
is born of necessity rather than natural confidence. Nicholas too, is an understated hero, but capable in a difficult situation. Although the relationships between the characters take centre stage, what impressed me most were the descriptions of the Kestrel herself and her battle with the elements and the French Here the writing was stunning and so realistic that I could feel the salt spray on my face.
Susan Hicks
A DARING DISGUlSE
Gillian Kaye, Robert Hale , 2004, £ 17 .99, hb,205pp,0709074727
With heads rolling in the dust and tumbrels clattering on the cobblestones all around them , the de Charnays Have to think fast if they want to keep their heads. Fortunately, they have cousins in Sussex but getting there intact is going to be difficult. Some of them manage it, but those left behind are in great danger. One of the cousin's daughters, young Marianne Welford, is engaged to a starchy MP who refuses to go to their aid; but after their quarrel they both end up going on a rescue mission. Marianne will find out a lot about revolutionary France , but also a lot about herself and her fiance.
If you are a fan of the thrilling adventures of Baroness Orczy this should appeal. For true depth there is not enough conflict among the characters and situations seem to be solved rather too easily at times However, if you are tired of quieter Heyerstyle romances, this has plenty of action, and an engagingly spirited heroine.
Rachel A. Hyde
CASSANDRA, LOST
Joanna Catherine Scott, St. Martin's Press , 2004, $24.95 / C$34.95, hb, 321 pp, 0312319428
When Baltimore heiress Cassandra Owings' father denies her permission to marry Lieutenant Benedict van Pradelles, the handsome, older Frenchman she adores, the pair run off together. Cassandra, hungry for adventure, flings herself heedle ss ly into her new life. She insists on accompanying Benedict to Paris during the Reign of Terror, where he hopes to rescue his aristocratic parents and save the family fortune. Left behind in hi s family's decrepit mansion, Cassandra cares for Benedict's dying mother while his father s helter s her from the rabble outside their doors. While there she forms an unbre akab le bond of friendship with Jean Lafitte, a French boy whose family is in similar straits.
Fifteen years later, in Spanish New Orleans, Benedict has become a stable provider for Cassandra and their growing family - the sort of man her father always wanted for her. And Jean , the notorious pirate both blamed and extolled for smuggling goods along the coast, has
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become the romantic adventurer that Benedict once was . Though Cassandra doesn't know it, the same scenario from her youth is about to play out once again.
Scott based her novel on the true story of Cassandra van Pradelles , an American woman mysteriously lost at sea in 1813. A romantic epic in miniature, Cassandra, Lost gives life to a heroine whose dramatic life was tragically cut short, and whose fate was as enigmatic as that of Jean Lafitte himself. I would have liked to know which parts were true and which invented. But this only whetted my appetite for more information on the place, period, and characters - a sure sign of an engrossing book.
Sarah Johnson
THE CONFUSION
Neal Stephenson, Heinemann 2004, £ I 6.99, hb, 815pp, 043488460X (UK)/William Morrow 2004, $16. 77, hb, 832pp, 0060523867 (US)
With this book, Neal Stephenson has delivered the second part of his Baroque Cycle trilogy. It weighs in at over 800 pages of fiction and research, and may well appeal to admirers of Dorothy Dunnett .
The plots of the book concern the swashbuckling doings of a motley group of escaped galley slaves in search of treasure, and the tribulations of Eliza, the female interest. She is an adventuress, single parent , brilliant businesswoman, and, along with the rest of the cast, in possession of encyclopaedic knowledge of history, geography, politics, the new sciences and the growth of monetary economics. She is also on a mission to avenge herself upon the man who sold her and her mother into slavery - although Eliza's time in the harem would appear to have been well spent, presumably in the library.
It is difficult to define precisely the audience to which The Confusion would appeal. The story lines struggle to raise their heads above the deluge of factual information. The reader is told everything they may have ever wanted to ask about the late l 7'h and early I 8th centuries. Unfortunately, the author plays games en route (did Jewish galley slaves really row to the strains of Hava Negifa?), and uses irritating modem expressions that destro y the sense of place. Versailles is described in terms of ' interi or design' and guests 'crash' parties, although elsewhere care is taken with the authenticity of the dialogue
Perhaps Mr Stephenson should have written an academic textbook on the period rather than a novel that does not quite work as such. If, however , you feel this is the book for you, look upon it as a challenge, and a curiosity.
Ruth Ginarlis
THE LOVEDAY HONOUR
Kate Tremayne, Headline, 2004, £18.99, hb, 344pp,0747265925
This is the fifth book in the Loveday series, set in Cornwall and London in the 1790s. Adam Loveday returns from imprisonment in France to find his family facing a variety of troubles. Japhet is awaiting trial for murder in London, and part of the book revolves around the efforts of the family in London to secure his acquittal. Meanwhile the shipyard is not prospering , Edward's wife has not forgiven him for the unexpected appearance of his illegitimate daughter Tamasine, and she falls in love with a man whose family disapprove of her.
The story is full of twists and turns , with plenty of passion and anguish as the different members of the family face their problems. It will delight previous fans of the Lovedays , and induce new readers to seek out the earlier books.
One of the problems with writing a series is to know how much explanation is needed of the earlier events. It is a difficult balance, to put enough for clarity, yet not repeat too much for those readers who know . Kate Tremayne also lays the ground for future books with some of the unfinished business A good read
Marina Oliver
SHADOWBROOK
Beverly Swerling , Simon & Schuster, 2004, $25.95, hb , 490pp, 068402442X
This is an ambitious epic of the tumultuous 1750s, when Englishmen battled the French for ultimate· control of North America Quentin Hal e, younger son of a landowning family on a New York plantation called Shadowbrook, often fought with hi s halfIndian stepbrother Cormac Shea while growing up. Now they stand finnly on the same side. Their goals: to keep Shadowbrook safe from takeover or ruin, either by war or by the greedy schemes of Quent's older brother John, and to provide a homel and for the Indians to occupy after the war ends. As both Quent and Corm were adopted into the Potawatomi tribe as children, they feel the continual pull betw ee n both cultures. Nicole Crane, a halfEnglish, half-French young woman, und ergoes a similar s truggle . Havin g vowed to join a convent in Quebec, Nicole finds her loyalties cliviclcd when she falls in love with Quent.
Swerling continues carving out a niche in rel:itively une xp lored fictional territory: the Dutch colonization of America in City of Dreams, and the French and Indian War here. [t was an exciting time, and reader s will feel like they're seeing history in the making There are some slow bits in the middle, but mostly the action moves along at a nice pace. Subtitled "a novel of love , war, and the birth of America,"
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
Shadowbrook is very much the last two, but the grand sweep of romance isn't really there. The hero and heroine spend most of their time apart, occupied with more pressing concerns, and a second romantic subplot serves mainly to introduce the Acadians' sad plight.
Overall , Swerling does the era justice. Readers unfamiliar with this period should read Shadowbrook for an entertaining history lesson.
Sarah Johnson
THE BASTARD BOY
James Wil so n, Faber & Faber 2004, £12.99, pb,389pp , 0571215149
This is an epic adventurous yam of a Somerset gentleman, Edward Gudgeon who is persuaded by his dying brother to go on his behalf to the American Colonies in search of his illegitimate son and bring him home to take up his inheritance.
Gudgeon who is in captivity at the time tells the story in narrative ·style. [n some ways it is very much a pastiche of contemporary adventure fiction as the narrator suffers numerous scrapes and escapes with his life from seemingly impossible circumstances. The thread of mystery running through the tale is not entirely solved until the end.
Although it is barely credible this is not a superficial novel. The strength of the plot takes the reader through the story with belief effectively suspended and shocked by frequent scenes of awful cruelty and brutality Ned Gudgeon emerges from his trials and tribulations a better and wiser man. In short, a fine historical novel certainly building on the success of James Wilson's first novel The Dark Clue which was a sequel, of sorts to Wilkie Collins', The Woman in White.
Doug Kemp
18TH 119TH CENTURY
A LIFE EVERLASTING
Miranda Heam , Sceptre, 2004, £7.99, pb, 278pp,0340827556
An atmospheric and beguiling novel , this is the story of Dr James Mallen, a physician whose infatuation with a married woman leads inexorably to his death
The novel opens after Mallen has been murdered. We meet him for the first time as a ghost in the company of several other restless spirits, who include his 14-year-old mentor Franny Bright. But even Franny 's good sense and precocious wisdom fail to help Mallen come to terms with his lo ss, and he looks set to spend eternity obsessing about Augusta Corney, the woman he
THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
adored in life and for whose elusive spirit he is searching in death.
The story moves backwards and forwards in time, showing us Mallen in life - learning anatomy, becoming a physician, acting with charity and compassion towards his patients, marrying , becoming a fatherand as a tormented, anguished ghost. We watch as a good man destroys his marriage, risks his career and eventually loses his life. There are some splendidly impressionistic descriptions of historical events such as the Gordon Riots, during which Mallen behaves with great heroism. The reader warms to him both as a physician and a man
The novel shows us how falling in love makes us frighteningly vulnerable, and can literally destroy us for all eternity. Augusta and Mallen ruin their own lives and the lives of the ones they love.
l expected this to be a very gloomy read , but it's full of wit and a sharp, wry humour that stop it from becoming depressing. The cameos of 18th-century London life are vivid and convincing. I look forward to seeing what this original , inventive author writes next.
Margaret James
19 th CENTURY
LIGHT OF MY HEART
Ginny Aiken, Revell, 2004, $ I 2.99, pb, 302pp,0800758749
In 1892, Letitia Morgan, a homeopathic doctor unable to make a career back East, heads for a mining town in Colorado. The local newspaper publisher, Eric Wagner, has advertised for a woman doctor to minister to the town 's women and children. At first welcomed by the church women, she finds her support slipping as her crusading spirit focuses on the underworld of the town: five abused children of a local drunk and suspected child prostitution in the local brothels. She finds that she is struggling, too , to overcome Eric 's unwillingness to commit either to her crusades or to the idea of taking a second wife. With God's help , she wins her battles, the children, and Eric.
This book , while an acceptable Christian romance, does not truly represent a late 19 'h century woman's life. Letitia's parents oppose her profession , yet she easily gets her education. She seems not to struggle with money , but how she manages to support herself (since all of her patients seem to be abused and downtrodden) is a myste1y. Her faith , while constantly referenced, seems to be without a structured support of an organized church - very rare in this time period. Her close relationship with a widower blossoms too quickly, and she cares not how the community views it.
These anomalies will frustrate the lover of accurate historical novels.
Kathleen Sullivan
FIRE BY NIGHT
Lynn Austin, Bethany House, 2003, $12.99, pb, 429pp. 1556614438
Set during the American Civil War, this novel highlights the experiences of two young women of the era. While Julia Hoffman, a wealthy socialite, is quite different from Phoebe, a rural farm girl, they are in search of a similar quest: respect. Both are eager to participate in the war effort and must deceive to become active. Julia lies about her marital status to serve as a nurse, while Phoebe dresses as a man to enlist in the Army. Throughout the book , we witness the personal and spiritual growth of each of these valiant women.
Austin juxtaposes their day-to-day life and wartime experiences and then carefully merges their stories with the development of a deep and thoughtful friendship. This romantic epic, though set during a horrific war , is a heartwarming tale of women with determination. Fire by Night is the second book of the Refiner 's Fire series. Candle in the Darkness , the first volume, received the 2003 Christy Award for historical fiction.
Carol Anne Germain
THE ACCrDENTAL DUCHESS
Jessica Benson , Pocket Books, 2004, $6.99/C$ l 0.50, pb, 356 pp , 0743463862 "I married the wrong man." So begins this deliciously funny Regency novel. Gwendolyn Annistead accidentally married Hany, the Earl of Camboume, when she had intended to marry his care-for-nobody, easy-going younger twin brother, Bertie. The brothers were always enjoying fooling people by switching identities , but Gwen could tell the difference - or could she'> Now Gwen has got the wrong man. Or has she? This wrong man seems right in so many ways.
Jessica Benson spins a delightfully wicked tale of love and deceit as Gwen, aided by her fun-loving friends and hampered by her deceitful relatives, seeks to find a way out of this scandal and into the correct marriage bed This novel is a refreshing and entertaining romp from beginning to end.
Nan Curnutt
MR DARCY TAKES A WIFE
Linda Berdoll , Sourcebooks Landmark , 2004 , $ 16.95 /C$25.95, pb, 849pp, !402202733
At 800+ pages, this is a long entry for the guilty pleasure category, but that was my first impression, and it continued throughout the book. Following Darcy and Elizabeth
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
into the bedroom? What a delicious premise. All the characters are back: wicked Wickham, the insufferable Lady Catherine DeBourgh, that annoying sycophant, Mr. Collins. Apparently this reader's reaction was not an isolated one, as the book was self-published in 1999 and sold I0,000 copies. Now it ' s out in trade paper and already selling well in pre-publication. The added characters, scenes, action and description are all carefully drawn from the Regency setting. Some of the extras are not as interesting as Mr. and Mrs. Darcy . lt is, after all, they who anchor the book: rich, powerful, beautiful and with integrity, too. All is not too perfect, they suffer, for all their money and opportunities and struggle to deal with the challenges of marriage to each other. While you are never fooled that this is really Jane Austen writing , still Ms. Berdoll does not stray from the realm of possibility so that credibility is not breached, nor is it in any way a satire. Abduction, an illegitimate baby (or two), an ex-mistress, and a dangerous trip to France with Napoleon on the loose are just a few of the plot devices that arise. For all those who enjoy Ms. Austen's most famous work , as well those who just love a fun and funny old-fashioned adventure novel.
Mary K. Bird-Guilliams
TEMPTED
Pamela Britton , Warner, 2004, $5.99/ C$7.99, pb, 044661 !301
This delightful and often very funny story starts with a description of the reputation (deservedly earned) of the Dukes of Wainridge. Mothers warn their daughters to behave, "or Wicked Wainridge will ride off with ye." However, the heir to the eighth duke, Alexander Drummond, really doesn't want to be a rake, though the appearance of Mary Callahan. supposedly an experienced children ' s nurse hired to take care of his daughter, sorely tests his resolve Mary is a spunky and engaging character whose speech is sprinkled with terms in use during the Regency period (the author credits the 1811 Dictionwy of the Vulgar Tongue). While Mary's wide-eyed wonder at Alexander's lifestyle, in comparison to her impoverished upbringing , may not be a new descriptive technique, it is effective in highlighting the strict divisions and wide gulfs found in England at the time. If you enjoy romantic tales, Pamela Britton is an author to watch.
Trudi E. Jacobson
MY SEDUCTIO
Connie Brockway, Pocket, 2004, $6.99/ C$ I0.50, pb, 375pp, 0743463226 Brockway's books are generally a delight to read, and this is no exception. This volume, which starts the Rose Hunter trilogy, is set
THE HISTORICAL
NOVELS REVIEW
in the Scottish Highlands in 1804, following a brief prologue set in York several years earlier. During this earlier period, Kate Nash Blackbum is grieving the deaths of both her husband and her father. Three men visit Kate and her family, to vow their help should it ever be needed: their lives were spared through her father's sacrifice. In 1804, Kate finds herself in need of the help of one of these men. Historical details are woven throughout: the effects of poverty upon a society family, the Clearances, the after-effects of the French Revolution . Brockway's characters are a pleasure to spend time with.
Trudi E. Jacobson
THE SOLITARY ENVOY
T. Davis Bunn & Isabella Bunn, Bethany House,$12.99,pb,319pp,0764228579
The first offering in the Heirs of Acadia series is a pleasant read. Erica Langston lives a comfortable life as Daddy's bright girl in America's new capital, Washington, until the British invade during the War of 1812 and tum her world upside down. Battling to save her family's business, Erica realizes she must travel to England to collect on outstanding debts held by corrupt bankers. Her journey finds her helping the family of a U.S. diplomat in the Court of St. James and learning much more than she ever thought possible. As she works to sort out her family's business, she finds herself exposed to the dreadful plight of others and struggles with where she believes her life is meant to go.
This is an inspirational novel , and therefore the book is heavy on prayer, soulsearching and doing the right thing. However, this doesn't detract from the story, which is quite good. Erica is well fleshedout and quite believable. It is always nice to see a strong female character fighting accepting beliefs. Her revelations throughout the book mirror those of most people as they mature and are thoughtprovoking without being preachy, as is sometimes the case in this genre . It wouldn't necessarily be listed as a must-read, but for readers searching for something heartwarming, this is certainly one to pick up.
Dana Cohlmeyer
SHOOTlNG THE SUN
Max Byrd , Bantam, 2004, $23.95 / C$35.95, hb , 304pp,0553802089
In 1840, Selena Cott finds herself travelling the Santa Fe Trail with a painter, an eccentric Englishman, an adventurer, and a gruff wagon train driver. This group of misfit characters is on an expedition to photograph a total solar eclipse in the American Southwest.
Charles Babbage, the real-life British inventor who invented the Difference Engine--the precursor to the modem-day computer-uses the machine to calculate the exact time and place of the next solar eclipse. Selena cannot pass up the opportunity to photograph the eclipse and help prove that Babbage's Difference Engine really works Unfortunately, Babbage needs money to perfect his invention, which means locating a wealthy uncle in the States. The one complication that his uncle must die for him to benefit.
As the wagon train makes its way along the Santa Fe Trail, Selena soon finds out that Indian attacks are not her only danger: her travelling companions are out to commit murder. Max Byrd creates an intriguing novel with a deadly twist that travels from Victorian England to early America The story combines real people with fictional characters to make a very enjoyable read
Kathy King
BRIGHT STARRY BANNER
Alden R Carter, Soho, 2004, $27.00, hb, 452pp, l 569473552
The American Civil War battle of Stones River (Murfreesboro) was a vicious killing match in central Tennessee that is largely forgotten by all but scholars and the most dedicated of Civil War enthusiasts Alden Carter has brought this struggle back to life by telling its story through the words of participants Using diaries and memoirs is hardly new, but the author's skill in blending them together makes this novel an exhilarating experience for even the most critical reader.
John R Vallely
MINA
Jonathan Ceely, Dclacortc, 2004, $2 I 95 / $C32.95, hb, 336pp, 038533690X
This novel is set against the backdrop of an English estate , where a mysterious servant called Paddy conceals her true identity and gender to bury the dangerous secrets of her recent, tragic past. As she sets to work in the kitchens , she bonds with Mr. Serie, the chief cook , who is also on a path of discovering how the hardships of the past affect the views one holds towards the world.
The roads they each have travelled to a1Tive and work in the same kitchen is an important one, holding many clues about the people they were and have become Mina/Paddy is fifteen and almost ignorantly Irish-Catholic, the v1ct1m of Ireland's famine ; Mr. Serie , an Italian Jew, is himself the casualty of Christian hatred and more Ceely handles this with arresting, salient prose Tension springs up between Mina and Mr. Serie because of their different cultures, and what is laudable about Mina is how credibly this is explored. Practices arc
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
explained, words exchanged and pondered over, yet for the young Mina things don't always make sense. Still, she keeps her mind open for these fresh explorations from her mentor.
Mina is a novel set during the Irish famine, yet it carries with it many notions and ideals we could all learn from in the present day. It makes for an exciting, enjoyable read.
Wendy Zollo
HOTTENTOT VENUS
Barbara Chase-Riboud, Doubleday, 2003, $24 /C$36, hb,320pp,0385508565. This fictionalized account of Sarah Baartman, the Hottentot Venus, is alternately told in her own voice and the voices of those who come in contact with her. Sarah was a member of the Khoekhoe tribe from South Africa. After her family was killed by Dutch hunters for sport, she became a servant in a Dutch household. Tricked into believing that ·an Englishman paid the bride price to become her husband, Sarah agreed to go with him to Europe in 1810 as his wife, where she was told she would become famous Instead, she was displayed virtually naked at freak shows where members of her European audience often insulted and spat upon her. Sarah tried to e s cape her despair with the aid of gin and opium.
Barbara Chase-Riboud has once again written a poignant, meticulously researched novel to bring an outstanding historical character into public view. And what a view! As the Hottentot Venus is unclothed, she also strips the blinders of conventional histo1y from our eyes She damns the s cientist and naturalist Cuvier and others like him with the evidence of their own words, as they arrogantly tell the world that this Hottentot Venus, Sarah Baartman, who speaks four languages, is not fully human. This is a powerful novel.
Nan Curnutt
CROFTON'S FIRE
Keith Coplin , Putnam , 2004 , $21.95 / CS33 00 , hb , 275pp. 0399151125
In 1876 , Lieutenant Michael Crofton watches in horror as Custer dies at the Little Big Horn - shot in the back by his own men For Crofton , a West Pointer and career army man, this is the beginning of an emotional and intellectual journey that is mirrored in his physical involvement in wars in both the Wild West and in East Africa. At last he arrives once again at West Point, to find that nothing and everything has changed, including himself.
Written in a spare, deceptively simple style, this is a powerful novel of war and of
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character. Easy to read and hard to forget, Crofton 's Fire is highly recommended. India Edghill
LADY ALLERTON'S WAGER
Nicola Cornick, Harlequin Historicals, 2003, $5.25/C$6.25, pb, 298 pp, 0373292511
Ms. Cornick's seventh book, lady Allerton's Wager is an enjoyable romp through Regency-era England. It is a romp with a touch of mystery and a pair of star-crossed lovers, whose families have been feuding for half a century.
By disguising herself at the Cyprian's Ball, the widowed Elizabeth, Lady Allerton, tricks her family's enemy, Marcus, Lord Trevithick, into wagering with her for the island his family stole from hers many years ago. She wins and he agrees to honour their wager, until he finds out who she is. They race to reach the island first, but during their encounters along the way, they find themselves drawn to each other.
While Beth is a heroine with spirit and intelligence, she also is a little too impulsive. Marcus, on the other hand, is a hero through and through, honourable and caring The plot skips along at an enjoyable rate, and it's clear Ms. Cornick is comfortable recreating Regency England. Only a Big Misunderstanding towards the end of the book detracted a tad from my enjoyment.
Fans of the Regency period will want to pick this book up. I intend to seek out Ms. Cornick's backlist and the books that followed this one.
Teresa Basinski Eckford
MOON'S CROSSlNG
Barbara Croft, Mariner , 2003, Sl2.00 / C$18.95 , pb , I98pp, 0618341536
Moon ·s Crossing begins with the suicide of Jim Moon in New York City in 1914. A Civil War veteran , a husband and a father in Iowa, he left his family for a visit to the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 and never returned. The policeman investigating his death finds a young woman living in his hotel room , and, almost against his will, finds himself drawn to discover who she was to Moon and who Moon was himself.
Moon was a dreamer and a wanderer who finds the lure of the World ' s Fair more compelling than his wife and son. Only 111tending to visit, he finds himself caught up in its excitement and promise. He meets Nick, who befriends him all too quickly, and they both meet Claire, who lives with her brother and his wife in Pullman , the town created by railroad magnate George Pullman. Moon, Nick, and C laire all become involved in the famous Pullman st rike.
Characters are unevenly drawn. Moon remains frustratingly opaque, while Nick turns into a one-dimensional villain. But
Moon's abandoned son in Iowa reveals a hidden spark when he rebels against his overbearing fiancee, and Michael, the policeman, who starts the story as the cliched bad cop, gains some humanity. Croft paints a vivid picture of both turn-of-thecentury Ch ica go and early twentieth-century New York, highlighting the harshness of those cities at those times.
Ellen Keith
TO MAKE MEN FREE: A Novel of the Battle of Antietam
Richard Croker, William Morrow , 2004 , $25.95 / C$39.95, hb, 427pp, 006055908X
Despite the fact that the U.S. Civil War Battle of Antietam was the single bloodiest day in the history of North America, the September I 7, 1862, struggle is usually passed over in favour of the more popular Gettysburg. Basing his settings and dialogue largely on published historical accounts of participants , Richard Croker has written a dramatic and arresting account of the battle and the individuals involved. While the terrors of combat occupy centre stage, the McClellan-Lincoln rivalry and the internal tensions within each arn1y are not ignored.
John R. Vallely
THE TlGER'S MlSTRESS
Andrea DaRif, Pocket, 2003, $6.99, pb , 472pp,074346348X
Andrea DaRif combines romance with history and mystery. Portia Hadley's father , an absent-minded academic , has mysteriously disappeared. Not one to sit around, Portia launches her own search for him. And encounters the infamous Black Cat, Alexander, Earl of Branford , while breaking into the home of a man she suspects of kidnapping her father.
A typical Regency Rake, Alex is haunted by the deaths of his young nephews who were under his command on the continent. A forrner spy, he is recruited by a close friend to find an important document. Everywhere he goes, he encounters the intriguing and maddening Miss Hadley.
This fast-paced story certainly hooked me, though I did find Portia rather shrill at first and a little too headstrong But the developing romance was handled well , as was the setting , while the cast of secondary characters , notably Portia's younger brothers, added depth and humour. The twists and turns of the plot and the accomplished prose ensured an enjoyable read. My only other quibble was with a voyeuristic love scene that seemed rather superfluous. However, it did not prevent me from enjoying the rest of the book , so if you appreciate well-written historical romances, look for The Tiger's Mistr ess Teresa Basinski Eckford ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
DEATH OF AN OLD MASTER
David Dickinson , Constable 2004, £16 .99, hb, 341 pp, 1841196045 (UK)/Carroll & Graf2004 ,$24. 00,hb, 272pp,07866713062 (US)
Set in the opulent world of fin de siecle London this book deals with the impoverished aristocracy who are not above indulging in the discreet forgery of their old masters. They are sold on the nouveau riche American industrial millionaires.
Lord Francis Powerscourt is called in to investigate the death of Christopher Montague, found garrotted in his studio. Montague was about to blow the art world apart with a book on the mass production of 'old masters' over the centuries. Powerscourt is married to Lady Lucy who has a vast extended family who prove to be a constant problem for her husband Powerscourt 's investigation leads him to Corsica where the old codes of honour prevail and foreigners resented. On his return he discovers that the wrong person is on trial for Montague 's murder.
This is a well written , interesting book. Dickin so n keeps hold of all the threads and the ending is well concealed. The one fault I had was with the hero He only occasionally came to life for me . The minor characters and Lady Lucy came over better. I would have liked more detailed description of clothing and mode s of conduct. Nevertheless I thoroughl y enjoyed it - a very good read.
Mairead McKerracher
SOME ENCHA TED EVENlNG
Christina Dodd , William Morrow, 2004, $2 I .95/C$33.95, hb, 352pp, 0060561246
As revo lution sweeps Europe, th e principality of Beaumontage falls. The king is killed ; the Dowager Queen sends his daughters , three princesses , int o exile in England The girls are separated and betrayed They're left penniless in a foreign country. In 1808 , a beautiful stranger visits Freya Crags, a small Scottish village. She ca ll s herself Princess Clarice and claims the cosmetics she sel Is are made from an ancient royal receipt. Robert Mackenzie, Earl of Hepburn , belie ves she's a charlatan and the perfect instrum e nt to help him exact revenge on an old enemy. Clarice refuses to help; it is not a thing princesse s do. Robert then resorts to beha viour unworthy of a gentleman and blackmail s her into helping him . They fall in love , knowing it is doomed Then C larice is captured and imprisoned as a horse thief in England. Robert rushes to her rescue, assisted by a mysterious stranger who has come to take Clarice back to Beaumontage . Som e Enchanted Evening is the first in Christina Dodd's new Lost Prin cess series. This is her hardcover debut. A skilled
storyteller, her many fans will not be disappointed.
Audrey Braver
HAYMARKET
Martin Duberrnan, Seven Stories, 2003 , $24.95, hb, 330pp, 1583226184
In _1886 a bomb killed seven policemen during an eight-hour day demonstration in Haymarket Square in Chicago. The subsequent conviction of eight anarchists for allegedly inciting the attack began a chapter in labour history celebrated on May Day and commemorated annually at the graves of the martyrs in Waldheim Cemetery. Dubennan , a labour historian , focuses his story on the American-born radical Albert Parsons and his wife Lucy , who survived him to become a leader of the American left.
Narrating much of the story through Parsons' diary emphasizes the love story between the fonner Confederate and his assertive mixed-race wife. Normally a character in a 19th century novel who speaks for racial and gender equa lit y would be an anachronism, but the record supports the idea that Lucy Parsons held her advanced views passionately In re s pon s e to brutal exploitation, the Parsons and their assoc ia tes organized unions, published radical critiques , sought elective office and generally agitated for change. In addition to politics the book re-creates the material culture of late 19th century Chicago with its streetcars, Gem1an beer gardens and impossible women's fashions.
The subsequent trial convicted the eight on flimsy evidence and no ve l legal theories of re s ponsibility. Duberrnan sets out to bring the martyrs to life and mak es clear where his sy mpathies lie . The scenes from the trial closely follow th e historical record with more personal encounters added to humanize the defendants The courageous Chicagoans who stood up to the inflamed local passions and defended the anarchists come off well in this book. When the American public feels threatened, the justice system fails, but history remember s. James Hawking
DEADLlER THAN THE PE
Ka thy Lynn Emerson, Pemberl ey Pre ss, 2004, $23.95 / C$3 l .50, hb , 266pp, 0970272766
The year is 1888 Gossip co lumni st Dian a Spaulding is sent by he r paper, the Indep enden t lnt e!lige n cer, to get a story on horror novelist Damon Bathory. After a public reading where he sent chills up and down the spines of the audience with his words and seduced the women with his dark good looks, Da mon refu ses Diana an interv iew , having taken offence at the scandal-mongering in her co lu mn (actually inserted by her editor). So begins mutual
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dislike at first sight, which, as everyone knows, always masks a growing attraction. Diana's meddling editor insi sts on a story, but the tale she finds is all too disturbing: women journalists have been killed in various cities on Damon's book tour. Intrepid Diana pursues Damon to his family home in Maine, where she meets his decidedly unusual mother and brother and reconnects with the theatrical troupe to which her late husband belonged Cue the cliffhanger music: will Diana uncover Damon's secret, will the killer be revealed? This was a delightful mystery - an unapologetic throwback to the time in which it was set, yet with enough modem sensibilities that reveal the plight of the working woman in the nineteenth century. Although all the elements of cliches fill the book, it manages to remain a fresh, fun read as Emerson brings her characters to life . I look forward to seeing Diana and Damon in another mystery.
Ellen Keith
A PASSIO ATE GIRL
Thomas Fleming , Forge, 2004 (c 1979), $25.95, hb, 432 pp , 0765306441 In 1865 , Bess Fitzmaurice leaves Ireland to help her brother and Dan McCaffrey escape to America. The two are deepl y involved in the Fenian movement and are rnnning from a murder charge. Bess's part in their escape is greatly exaggerated by the American press, and she is feted as the " Fenian Girl;' a heroine working for Iri s h freedom She allows the dec ept ion , because her admiration for Dan leads her to become dedicated to the cause . She meet s noted hi sto ric a l fi g ure s while be in g exhibited to the publi c, such as " Boss" Tweed, Pre si dent Johnson, and William Seward On a tour of the South to raise mone y for th e cause, she is present at one of the first incidents in vo lving the Ku Klux Klan. And she poses as a nurse in order to be with the troop s as the Fenians deploy their ke y strategy launchin g an invasion of Canada in order to gain support of the Iri s h li vi ng there under British rule
This book educated me about aspects of po s t-Ci v il War history I never encountered in schoo l. The role of Iri s h influenc e on American politics of the period was a re ve la tion , and Fleming de se rves kudos for making it better known. However , I did not find Be ss a very compelling character. I was reminded a bit of th e recent Forever, by Pet e Hamill , in which the main character seeme d to exist solely to hang the history les so n on. Despite that reservation , I st ill enjoyed the book I appreciated Fleming 's depth of research , such as claiming Bess was caricatured as the "Fe nian Joan of Arc," a cartoon that actually appeared in Harp er's Weekly in 1865.
B.J. Sedlock
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
ELENI, OR NOBODY
Rhea Galanaki, Northwestern Univ. Press, 2003, $25.95, hb, l 86pp, 0810118858
Because women painters were not taken seriously in the late 19 th century, Eleni Boukoura disguised herself as a man in order to pursue her vocation. She transforms herself into "Nobody," a persona who haunts her throughout her life
Choosing to spend her dowry on art classes in Italy , Eleni leaves Greece, breaking tradition and embarking on a path that will lead to misunderstanding and ostracism. In Italy she meets famous artist Francesco Saverio Altamura, but can this relationship succeed?
Much later, when Eleni retires to her home, the island of Spetses, talent appears as a curse not a blessing Will Greece's first female painter build on her talent or eschew art? Shadowy personalities from Eleni's past contribute to this tale of her life. Or is it lives ? How many different Elenis can fit into a single lifetime ?
Tran s lated from the Greek, this novel is beautifully written. Yet the reader must pay full attention to understa nd the story. Divided into three sections, it tells of Eleni's ea rly life in the third person, then reminisces on the bulk of her life from the first person, and finally looks back on her life through the eyes of some family members. It evokes her love for he r homeland , and shows how heartbre ak can infiltrate and alter even the most resolute of souls. It also shows how a woman who dares to be different can find little sympathy in a culture that uses its traditions to build itself into a nation.
C laire Morris
BACK ROADS TO BLISS
Ruth Glover, Flemin g H Revell , 2003, $11 99, pb, 267pp, 0800758293 fn I 898, headstrong mill owner's daughter Allison Middleton attempts to elope with a village boy to Gretna Green. Her father banishes her to a distant relative in Canada. But Allison's paid escort absconds with mo st of her money on arrival, and she is not ab le to find the relative who was to meet her. Unwilling to return to her old life and buo yed by her newfound faith, she acts on an in v itation to visit a young couple from the ship who were going to live in the wilds of Saskatchewan.
The story curs betwee n Allison's advent ure s and the Bliss resident s' live s. The two threads come together as Allison meets an intriguing stranger on the train, who is also bound for Bliss
A minu s: the author put s some s uspicious ly North American-sounding expressions into the mouths of what are supposed to be proper English characters in the beginning of the book. A plus : the author pokes some enjoyable gentle fun at some of the more pompous Bliss church
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board members. It is not necessary to have read the other volumes in "The Saskatchewan Saga" to enjoy the light entertainment afforded by volume 6.
B.J.
Sedlock
MOON IN THE WATER
Elizabeth Grayson, Bantam, 2004, $6.50/C$9.99, pb, 480pp, 0553584243
The year is 1867, and young Ann Rossiter is pregnant, unwed, and in trouble . Her stepfather, James, arranges a marriage of convenience between her and one of his riverboat pilots, Chase Hardesty . In exchange for wedding a woman clearly pregnant with someone else's babe, Chase will obtain ownership of one of James Rossiter's best steamships. Though Ann and Chase face many dangers on the Missouri together, growing closer as they travel the river, and falling in love along the way, they both harbour secrets that neither can fully discuss truthfully until the very end of the book At that point , all is happily resolved , and rather conveniently too, just like their arranged marriage. Grayson has clearly done a lot of research into steamboats and the perils faced on river journeys, and this research is subtly conveyed throughout , making for easy reading I also found both Ann and Chase to be sympathetic and likeable characters. Ultimately, though, there were too many contrived situations and obstacles to their relationship; for this reader , it was an average rather than an exceptional read L. K Mason
THE DREAM CHASERS
Melinda Hammond , Robert Hale, 2003, £ I 7.99, hb, 207pp, 0709074492 (UK) / 2004, h/b, $29.95 (US)
The popularity of the Regency romance never seems to fade and this is a prime example. Fans will recognise the feisty redhaired , green-eyed heroine who makes a habit of helping those less fortunate than herself and succeeds in rea1rnnging the love lives of those about her.
Eustachia Marchant has fallen in love with a summer visitor who promises marriage When he returns to London she hea rs nothing more so, dres se d as a boy , she sets out to find him. En route she meets Vivyan Langallen Rich and highly regarded in society, he has reached an age when he feels the need to marry, settle down and beget an heir. He has offered for, and been accepted by the insipid , though stunningly beautiful Helen Pensford. ft did seem incredible that such a kindly and intelligent man would contemplate marriage with a woman who bored him to distraction , but no human being is above making a mistake, and this is, after all a work of fiction.
The book is light reading, and none the worse for that. At times we all feel the need for a little escapism, and where better to visit than this delightful world which existed for so short a time just before the worst excesses of the Industrial Revolution. The main characters are likeable, and they engage our interest as they cope with mistaken emotions, kidnap and blackmail. No surprises, but this is a charming tale. Margaret Crosland
BUGLES IN THE AFTERNOON
Ernest Haycox , Univ. of Oklahoma Press , 2003 (cl944), $13.97, pb , 305pp, 0806135662
"White men have fought each other since the beginning of time Red men have fought each other. Now the races fight. Well, we're in the hands of history , and history is a cruel thing," aptly summarizes this well-plotted, classic western tale about the Seventh Cavalry's preparation for and experience at the Battle of the Little Bighorn against the Dakota Sioux.
Kem Shafter, newly returning to military life and exposure of a dark secret, joins the Seventh Cavalry, only to find his nemesis, Lieutenant Edward Christian Garnett Each man eagerly awaits the opportunity to destroy the other while vying for the acceptance of a woman, Josephine Russell - who elicits their devotion yet deepen s their mutual animosity. Her reactions to both men force them to face their lack of trust in both themselves and all women. In between courting her, they participate in cavalry training, drinking , card playing, and serious brawling Haycox parallels their story with that of General Custer, whose rash behaviour earns him more enemies than friends and awaits a redemptive chance to bring glory to himself and his men Since the Sioux Indians are finally rebelling against being evicted from their reservations, all America expects a decisive conflict in the coming spring. The gradual portrayal of Custer's character increases the troops' and readers' dread of what will be an inevitable outcome.
Haycox , renowned for his welldocumented western novels, portrays Custer's refusal to follow orders, his desire to shape history his own way, and another officer 's weakness, which shape a disaster that the narrator recounts with riveting , detailed pathos. This is a superb novel , exemplifying the carefully crafted account of a momentous historical event.
Viviane Crystal
[NFAMOUS ARMY
Georgette Heyer , AtTow reprint 2004, £6.99,pb,43lpp,0099465760
Although it is 1815, the eve of the Battle of Waterloo , Brussels is in the grip of an exhilarating social whirl. Many rich
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
aristocrats are detennined to stay put, in spite of the threatened violence. Among these is the flamboyant widow, Lady Barbara Childe.
Outwardly vivacious and devil-maycare, Barbara is actually both vulnerable and scared of commitment since her unhappy marriage. Enter Colonel Charles Audley, aide-de-camp to Wellington himself. The dashing Colonel persuades Barbara into an engagement , but their love affair is threatened by her rash behaviour. When the army finally goes into action Audley will not escape unscathed and Barbara is forced to reassess her lifestyle.
An Infamous Army is the classic example of romantic fiction at its best. Full of charm and fine wri'ting, it effortlessly captures the sophistication and decadence of the period. Georgette Heyer is the doyenne of the Regency romance and it is easy to see why her novels continue to delight readers old and young. Her depth of knowledge of the early I 9 th century is forn1idable and her sense of time and place superb. She writes with such style, elegance and wit that she puts many contemporary novelists to shame.
Rachel
A Hyde
THE DEVIL'S ACRE
David Holland, St. Ma11in's Minotaur, 2003, $23.95 / C$33.95, hb, 285 pp, 0312318669 In 1833, Dean Tuckworth unwillingly leaves his beloved village of Bell minster for his first visit to London. Accompanied by his colleague, the self-satisfied Reverend Mortimer, they are seeking funds to rebuild their fire-damaged cathedral. Making it safe to inhabit will cost a fortune which means "begging" at a dinner pa11y given for eager supplicants at the gracious London home of Hamlin Price, a gentleman philanthropist.
The dinner turns into a murder , yielding a disfigured corpse and a mildly disturbed philanthropist. As Dean Tuckworth ' s sharp eye notices clues that may identify the body, Hamlin Price notices Tuckworth 's scrutiny and offers a large donation if the Dean will simply return to his village and leave everything to the Bow Street police.
The Dean's newfound friend , Leigh Hunt the poet , agrees to help him investigate the case, although this raises the ire of Hamlin Price. Price believes the corpse is his secretary , Malcolm Wick, yet Tuckwo11h is suspicious. Stubborn curiosity lures the Dean and Hunt into danger and layers of evil they could never have imagined existed.
This novel is difficult not to like , despite a ponderous opening chapter in which the author uses prose that would have done Bulwer-Lytton proud. Then the characters take shape, and the story pulls the reader in to the conflict of good struggling against evil. Tuckworth not only fleshes out the evildoer, but dares to help him back to
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salvation. Yet are some crimes too terrible for repentance?
Tess Allegra
LIKE AN EVENING GONE
Jeannie Johnson, Orion, 2004, £9.99, pb, 346pp, 0752857274 (UK) / hb 352pp $29.99 (US)
One night on a Barbados plantation, the three drunken sons of Sir Samson Strong, a ruthless sugar baron, commit murder and rape, impregnating a black slave. The repercussions of those brutal acts echo through two generations of Strongs in the Caribbean and in England. Blanche Bianca, the high-spirited mulatto born of that violent night, is sent to Bristol, not to join the Strong family as an accepted member but as a bonded nursemaid, a "darkie" in a wealthy, decadent household, one of whom is her secret lover. Although Blanche's battle with the arrogant Strongs is pretty predictable, the picture of nineteenthcentury Bristol is vivid. We see the squalor and the luxury, the cruelty and the philanthropy of a Victorian port in a period of social , economic and commercial change I assume the inconclusive ending means there is more to look forward to.
Lynn Guest
THE ROPE EATER
Ben Jones, Doubleday, 2003 , $24.00, hb , 294pp,0385509774
The novel opens in mid-nineteenth century America. Brendan Kane, the protagonist, reminisces about his youth, a vague and unremarkable time. His recollections become clearer when he reflect on his service in the Union Anny during the Civil War. Finally, he abandons his pre-war noble delusions and deserts, arriving in New York City as the 1863 draft riots flare. Traveling further on to a whaling port, he joins a ship's crew for an expedition to an unknown destination. What follows is Kane's account of a perilous journey accompanied by characters such as Doctor Architeuthis, the ship ' s obsessive, neurotic scientist, and Aziz, the three-handed boiler engineer, who is a Muslim with a strange past.
Ben Jones' first novel is a fascinating adventure set in a time of enthusiastic scientific exploration, which often exacted a high price in human suffering
The period resonates in Jones' prose . The novel reads like an old lost diary , provoking an eerie mood. But just as old diaries provide a window to the past, the reader can only see it through that past's language. Like the adventure itself, this compelling story seduces the reader to endure the journey to the end.
Gerald T. Burke
THE KNOWN WORLD
Edward P. Jones, Amistad/HarperCollins, 2003, $24.95/$38.95, hb, 400pp, 0060557540
This novel (winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, and National Book Award nominee) opens with the death of Henry Townsend, a free black who left 33 slaves to his widow. The setting is the 1850s, but the omniscient narrator frequently flashes forward to tell of the eventual consequences of the events The use of census material and references to the views of future historians create a sense of grounding in history, but all of the characters are fictional creations.
The Townsend slaves include an overseer who has ambitions to succeed his master and an aging slave who believes that possessing young women will provide his only escape from bondage. William Robbins, the white slave owner who started Henry in the plantation, stands by his two mixed-race children, but he is too caught up in the peculiar institution to emerge as a sympathetic character. A white couple who reluctantly receive a slave as a wedding present are more likable Slave patrollers supplement their modest wages by kidnapping and selling free blacks. Some perspective comes from Fern Elston , the schoolteacher to a generation of free blacks , who makes herself available to a historian thirty years after the events.
The real villain is the system itself, where the buying and selling of human beings becomes the core of commerce "Robbins had been trying to teach him that every man felt he had been snookered after buying or selling a slave." A system that has whites living in fear of a slave revolt and blacks struggling for the freedom to en s lave others is shown to benefit no one, making this unusual novel one of the most powerful statements against slavery since Uncl e Tom's Cabin, but with a great deal more subtlety.
James Hawking
LONE STAR RlSING: The Texas Rangers Trilogy
Elmer Kelton, Forge , 2003, $25.95 / CS.35.95, hb , 703pp , 0765308916
A trilogy composed of Kelton 's first three books in hi s series on the Texas Rangers, the s tory beings in 1840 with The Bu c kskin Lin e. During a raid, Comanches abduct a young boy when they massacre his family . The child is rescued by Mike Shannon, member of a Texas "ranging company"but the boy is too young to know anything but his own name , Davy. Raised by the Shannons , Davy (called Rusty for his red hair) follows his adoptive father's path, becoming a Ranger himself just before the Civil War -a choice that keeps him out of
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
the Confederate Anny, and also puts him at odds with his Confederate neighbours.
Badger Boy begins as the war ends; the Rangers are disbanded, and when Rusty returns home, he finds his first love married to another man and the country still burning with hatred - especially against the Union soldiers now running the state. Trying to find a place for himself in this new Texas , Rusty continues to act in the tradition of the Rangers, and while pursuing Comanche raiders , he takes a prisoner: Badger Boy , who is a white child raised by the Comanche - just as Rusty would have been, had Mike Shannon not rescued him. When Badger Boy's white relatives repudiate him as a savage, Rusty becomes his guardian.
In The Way of th e Coyo1e, both Rusty and Badger Boy struggle to live peacefully in a country ravaged by outlaws and by lawmen ruled by self-interest. But both their pasts haunt them, and eventually force both to choose between the law and justice.
Seeing the changes sweeping Texas through the eyes of men tom between two ways of life , Lone Star Rising is a fast, rousing , and often thought-provoking read India Edghill
THE VISCOUNT'S BAWDY BARGAIN
Connie Lane , Pocket Star, 2003, $6. 99 / C$ l 0 50, pb, 342pp, 0743462866 In Regency London , the Dashers and the Blades are clubs whose members are gentlemen of high rank and excessive leisure. When the Blades dare the Dashers to produce the most extraordinary item possible or forfeit 1.000 pound s, Nicholas Pryce, Viscount Somerton, decides that what's needed to win the wager is a virgin. And he has the ideal virgin in mind: Wilhelmina Culpepper, sp inster daughter of an evangelist preacher The Dashers applaud hi s idea and abduct Wilhelmina . But once the Blades concede the Dashers have won, Nick discovers that Wilhelmina may be a virgin, but she's no victim - and she has no intention of returning to her father's strict rule and marriage to a clergyman she despises To Nick's initial dismay, Willie takes charge of his household and his financial affairs, which are in ruins So Willie decide s he must ma1Ty money , and begins the search for a suitable rich wife for the wayward Viscount.
Although the plot's a bit far-fetched, the characters are engaging and the story is entertainingly told , with a cast of amusing secondary characters adding to the slightly ri sque Regency fun.
India Edghill
WYOMING WILDCAT
Elizabeth Lane , Harlequin Historicals, 2003, $5 25 / C$6.25, pb, 297pp, 03 73292767
Orphaned in Wyoming in 1866 , Molly Ivins was rescued by the Cheyenne and raised to
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respect their ways as well as retain knowledge of her own culture and language. When they are asked to relocate to a distant reservation in 1877, the Chief knows that the pregnant, elderly, and weak will never survive the journey and Molly, now Moon Hawk, will be forced to reenter the white community. Molly chooses to hide and care for those left behind. Five years later, when she finds a white man half frozen in the snow, she realizes that saving him may endanger her small band, but is nevertheless drawn to him Ryan Tolliver awakes with amnesia. Unable to remember his purpose , his frustration does not hinder his attraction to Molly. Eventually, Molly must do what is right for both her heart and her adopted people.
The premise of a young girl woman raised as Cheyenne gives promise of an entertaining story. Lane easily commands her readers' emotions with her depictions of Molly 's tragedies as she loses her family and dear friends. However , believing that the conscientious Moon Hawk would immediately fall for a roguish "vehoe" is unrealistic Ryan's character also develops unexpectedly with little natural progression.
Second in the Wyoming trilogy, Wyoming Wildcat is a romance that delivers the required happy ending in an interesting setting. Readers willing to overlook character inconsistencies will enjoy it.
Suzanne J Sprague
THE IDEAL BRIDE
Stephanie Laurens, William Morrow, 2004, $22.95 / C$35.95, hb , 384pp, 0060505737 Michael Anstruther-Wetherby, Devil Cynster's brother-in-law , Member of Parliament , bachelor, has been tapped for a cabinet position providing he marries before Parliament opens in a few months He 's chosen the prospective bride , seventcenyear-old Elizabeth Mollison , and has only to declare himself to her father. However , her aunt, the widowed Caroline Sutcliffe, herself a teenage bride, is determined to prevent a similar tragedy befalling her niece. Her elaborate scheme to discourage Michael is successful. However, she hadn't bargained that in drawing his attentions away from Elizabeth he would fall in love with her Caroline returns his love, but the memory of her strange, unfulfilled marriage left her reluctant to reman-y. Complicating their affair are unexplained attempts on her life that seem to be somehow related to her first husband's diplomatic career.
In this continuation of Stephanie Laurens ' excellent Cynster Family Saga , she has captured the period and politics perfectly. Toward the end of the story, an intriguing character, Viscount Breckenridge, is introduced. We hope to see more of him, perhaps as a lead character in a future novel.
Audrey Braver
KILLIGREW'S RUN
Jonathan Lunn, Headline, 2004, £ 18.99, hb, 334pp,0755320670
The year is 1854 and France and Britain are engaged in war with Russia. The action takes place in the Gulf of Finland and centres around Commander Kit Killigrew RN , who is ordered to rescue Viscount Bullivant and his family who have been captured by the Russians. They are not pa1t of the army, however. Viscount Bullivant is a 'war tourist', an intriguing phenomenon of mid- I 9th-century warfare.
Th is is the fifth in the series featuring the intrepid naval officer who combines the naval skills and abilities of Hornblower with the hard-headed, stubborn and occasionally outrageous derring-do of Sharpe. If you are looking for a book where the hero is resourceful, courageous and bold, the enemy is evil and treacherous and aristocratic ladies have hidden depths which only become apparent in difficult and dangerous circumstances, then this is the book for you. Jonathan Lunn 's many fans I am sure will not be disappointed with this latest tale Me? I'm going to buy the other books in the series, but first I am going to reload my pistol and sharpen my sword - I think I may need them.
Mike Ashworth
RUMOURS OF WAR
Allan Mallinson, Bantam Press 2003, £16.99, 405pp, 059304729X
In I 826 following the death of King John Vl, Po1tugal is on the brink of civil war. Major Matthew Hervey of 6 th Light Dragoons and newly returned from India is sent to Portugal. His mission as part of a small British team is to reconnoitre that count1y with a view to anticipating how a Spanish invasion might fare Napoleon may be dead but this is still the centu1y of horse and musket warfare Mallinson has opened a new era for those of us who love the period.
As Hervey re-enters the River Tagus he casts his mind back to his first arrival there in I 808 and the misery endured by the horses on the troopship. As a professional cavalry soldier, Mallinson takes evident pleasure in showing the workings of the regimental vet and farriers who nursed the horses. There is great attention to detail , whether it be dealing with the regimental women on the retreat, a delightful moment in the novel, or the loading of a cavalry carbine before action.
As the novel progresses we see into the cavalry battle at Sahagun, the action at Benavente and all the bone cold despair of the retreat to Corunna. Mallinson balances his story well with scenes that at times are humorous and at others he has the hero reflecting on his past innocence and then his middle aged irritation at a world where merit and honour would be rewarded
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
Hervey's wife, Henrietta is dead and he now has an understanding with a sparkling older woman who is married to a general. The young daughter of an old Portuguese colleague is also taken with Matthew. Mallinson has combined aspects of the Peninsular War with the events of the 1826 Portuguese civil war. Herevey fans will be delighted. You should enlist today and become one.
Paul F. Brunyee
THE SYME PAPERS
Benjamin Markovits, Faber & Faber 2004, £12.99,pb,495pp,0571217907
Douglas Pitt is an academic who has spent his entire working life being ridiculed by his peers. In a last attem pt to secure their respect and secure his career he has become obsessed with proving that Samuel Highgate Syme, a 19 th century geologist and inventor, should be credited with the theory of continental drift.
With his research stymied by lack of substantial evidence Pitt's luck changes when he uncovers an eyewitness account written by scientist, Freidrich Muller , aka Phidy, which recounts the events of 1821, the year he spent with Syme. Pitt has high hopes that this document will finally reveal Syme 's genius but, Phidy's testimony is coloured by his love for Syme.
As the narrative shifts between the vibrant land scapes of America in the 1820s and the angst of lat e 20 th century London it quickly becomes obvious that Pitt's odyssey is doomed Syme's own insecurities ensured that there would never be enough evidence for scientific history to be rewritten Although this could make for a depressing novel, Markovits bravely keeps the story romping along with poignant observations and witty asides
The Syme Papers is a study of the fine line between genius and failure. It s characters strive for recognition and glory but , instead , find disillusionment and heartbreak. This is a sparkling portrait of the time when scientists began to question the world and the creation story.
Sara Wilson
THE RAlLWAY DETECTIVE
Edward Marston, Allison & Busby 2004 , £18.99, hb , 26lpp, 0749006331 (UK) 1$25.95, hb, 320pp (US)
The prolific and versatile Edward Marston begins another historical crime series with this novel. It is 1851, and the Great Exhibition is being prepared when the London to Birmingham mail train is robbed and derailed Robert Colbeck, dandy of Scotland Yard and the new police force , is sent to solve the crime.
He soon realises that not everyone is enthralled with the developing railways and triumphs of British engineering Nor have
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the officials of the Post Office and the Railway Police been as efficient as they should have been. Weaving his way through the twists and turns of the plot, Colbeck is faced not only with an injured driver but a kidnapped girl.
This is a tense plot , with much interesting historical detail and many glimpses into the London underworld. It should appeal not only to readers of crime but steam railway buffs.
Marina Oliver
ALL ABOARD FOR PARADISE
Dee Marvine , Five Star, 2004, $26.95, hb, 348pp, 1594141142
All Aboard for Paradise spans two years , 1886-1888, in the history of the small California town of Los Angeles. In the opening pages we meet Claire, 34, and her teenage daughter, Joanne. Claire supports them by working at a small cafe in Westport , Missouri. Her friend, 25-year-old Randy Plank, loves her and wants them to go with him to California, described in brochures as "Paradise." A fare war between the Southern Pacific and the Santa Fe railroads decides her fate. While buying tickets she meets handsome Harry Graham, a banker heading home to Chicago. Their paths are destined to cross again when Harry's boss sends him to Los Angeles to open the California Security Bank
Through a series of events - her job with a solicitor, the land boon, and her reacquaintance with Harry Graham - Claire becomes a realtor. She does quite well until the boon becomes a bust and people leave Los Angeles in droves. She must decide whether to move on as well or try to help the town surv ive She has the lo ve of two good men , but does she really want to marry either of them and lose her hard-earned independence? She must also do what's best for her strong-willed daughter.
Dee Ma!v'ine 's book is well researched, although the facts got in the way of the story at times. It provides a wide range of characters and an interesting glimpse into the history of the one of the most affluent cities in America today.
Susan Zabolotny
HALFHYDE AT THE BIGHT OF BENIN
Philip McCutchan , McBook s, 2004 (cl974), $13.95, pb, 228pp, 1590130790
In the 1890s, England and Russia used the world as their chessboard - a "G reat Game" that was played out on both land and sea. Lieutenant St. Vincent Halfhyde is called from semi-retirement and semi-disgrace to take on the challenge of investigating Russian presence in the Bight of Benin in West Africa. Are the Russians merely seeking to disrupt Britain's trade monopoly there? Or does Russia have more military
goals in mind? With the aid of an inexperienced midshipman and a crew of Russian mutineers, Halfhyde crosses swords with an old enemy, Admiral Prince Gorsinski, and heroically serves Queen and Country.
The Halfhyde books first appeared thirty years ago McBooks Press is reprinting the entire series, which is excellent news for all who like a ripping good yam'
India Edghill
THE WHITE CITY
Alec Michod , St. Martin 's Press , 2004, $21.95 /C$31.95, hb, 232pp, 0312313977
Set at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, this extremely stylized account of a female profiler attempting to find a killer during the author's version of the H. H. Holmes killing spree at the White City is much more a literary than a historical novel. The author has done extensive research into the isolated facts of the period, yet does not use these details to evoke a compelling sense of place and time. Anachronistic attitudes and bizarre use of language abound , and the unlikelihood of the protagonist's profession in this time and place is never explored Fans of Th e Alienisr will be disappointed
Rosemary Edghill
EYES AT THE WINDOW
Evie Yoder Miller, Good Books , 2003, $22. 95 , hb, 5 I 2pp, 1561484059
Set on the Pennsylvania-Ohio frontiers and spanning 18 I 0-1861 within the Amish world, the story's igniting event is the killing of a baby which remains unsolved for fifty years. The event 's impact on the communities is told from eight viewpoints down through the years. The judgment of the sect falls hard upon the life of the baby's uncle, a healer already despised by a brother now tom with grief and responsibility Through diverse viewpoints, the worlds of both settled and frontier communities are an almost unrelenting plod of death , righteousness , misunderstanding and suspicion, sprinkled with smatterings of hope and second chances Women watch for the vein to get fat under their men's beards as a signal to stop even questioning patriarchal decisions The America outside rarely intrudes , even as pewter and wood bowls give way to clay, then to glass dishes. Well researched and told , although sagging middle problems might have been helped by additional editing.
Eileen Charbonneau
EMPRESS ORCHID
Anchee Min, Bloomsbury 2004, £ I 0.00 , pb, 352pp, 0747561346 (UK) / Houghton Mifflin 2004 , hb , 336pp,0618068872(US)
At the tum of the century as the Chinese Empire draws its last breaths a young girl named orchid finds herself drawn into the
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
faction-riven Imperial Court. Her birth into an aristocratic, if impoverished, family entitles her for consideration as a concubine of the Emperor. Against his mother's advice, Hsien Feng chooses Orchid to be one of his seven high-ranking wives.
Entry into the Forbidden City offers Orchid a life of wealth and ease, but she soon discovers that gaining and keeping the Emperor's attention is no easy matter. To that end she sets out to learn how to pleasure a man and then bribes her way into her husband's bed . Yet, even as she provides the Emperor with an heir, a political crisis is looming. The Emperor's life is ebbing away and Orchid must act decisively if she and her son are to survive.
Empress Orchid is an exceptional novel that recreates the past with truth, clarity and absolute authenticity. From the opening chapters Anchee Min draws the reader into the claustrophobic world of the Forbidden City where a simple slip of protocol can provoke a sentence of mutilation or death , even for an honoured wife. •
This is a mesmerising story of a young woman's will and determination to survive. The resulting narrative is both entirely exotic and wholly familiar.
Highly recommended.
Sara Wilson
THE TRUE ACCOUNT: A Novel of the Lewis & Clark & Kinneson Expeditions Howard Frank Mosher, Houghton Mifflin, 2003, $24.00 / C$38.95, hb, 342pp, 0618197214
Private True Teague Kinneson, knocked on the head during the battle of Ticonderoga while drinking a rum flip, has since developed what his sister-in-law calls '" little ways and stays." He fascinates his nephew, Ti, with daily adventures through the Verrnont wilderness, on whose ponds and in whose forests they retake the Heights of Quebec with General Wolfe; route the Redcoats from Yorktown; or sail the South Seas with Captain Cook. Hearing of a proposed expedition through the lands of the Louisiana Purchase, True dons a chain-mail vest and a copper helmet and sets off for Washington to offer himself as the expedition's leader
Ti, the twelve-year-old narrator of this wild frolic of a novel , follows his uncle to Monticello Rebuffed by President Jefferson, the y head west nonetheless , staying just a few miles ahead of those upstarts Lewis and Clark. Through clever ruses and crazy-like-a-fox intelligence , True jigs himself out of all kinds of troublewith backwood s ruffians , Blackfeet Indians, grizzly bears, hunger , and the Bitterroot Mountains thus mirroring the travails of the official expedition. True also becomes the Johnny Appleseed of hemp , a plant he extols for its "ca lming qualities. "
THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
The True Account is a riotous, whimsical tour of the famous expedition of 1804. In Private True Kinneson, Howard Frank Mosher has created a most imaginative character - an irreverent Don Quixote of the Old West.
Lisa Ann Verge
HONOR & GLORY
Kim Murphy, Coachlight Press, 2004 , $14.95 , pb,269pp,0971679061
The book opens in the afterrnath of the Battle of Fredericksburg in 1862 Widowed Amanda used to smuggle medical supplies to the Confederacy, but now that she is marrying a Union officer, she refuses to continue. Her sister Alice McGuire volunteers to help. Confederate Colonel Wil Jackson, who had served with Amanda's first husband in the Mexican War, becomes Alice 's contact. Wil has a troubled past: he blames himself for the death of his Native American wife and son, which complicates a budding romance with Alice.
This is a sequel to Promise & Honor, part of a projected trilogy. With one exception, the author provides enough backstory so that the reader will be able to follow the action when beginning with the second volume. Wil and Alice become welldrawn characters by the end, but I had trouble in the first couple of chapters trying to remember which sister sympathized with which side of the conflict. They seemed interchangeable early in the story. The book could have used a bit more editing , which would have caught sentences like "O nce on the porch, a rickety wagon entered the fannyard, leading a flea-bitten red horse ." To this non-expert, the period detail seemed fine. I liked the book overall, but didn't find it memorable enough to read multiple times B.J. Sedlock
THE SINGING FIRE
Lilian Nattel, Scribner, 2004, $25, hb , 321pp,0743249666
A key event in this novel is the meeting of two young Jewish women, one from Poland and one from Russia, in Whitechapel in the 1880s. Nehama has been living in Frying Pan Alley for a number of years before Emilia makes her way to the area. Rebellious Nehama came to London alone, but with hopes of bringing her family after her , so they could escape a situation becoming increasingly perilous for Polish Jews. She receives a brutal introduction to London, and the fact that she can later rebuild her life shows a triumph of her spirit. Emilia, of a much more refined, though desperately unhappy, family, comes to London with problems of her own. In her desire for better things, Emilia doesn't stay in Whitechapel long, just sufficiently to have a profound impact on Nehama's life.
The author has conjured up a vivid world, full of the sights and sounds and smells of this Jewish ghetto. The milieu is almost as much a character as the people. Nattel has used an engaging device in having older women, ghosts, accompany the young women to the new country, watching over them in lieu of any living relatives The story isn't sugar-coated in any way; evil and pettiness co-exist alongside great sacrifice and love Just like life.
Trudi
E. Jacobson
ENTER THE HERO
Judith O'Brien, Pocket, 2003, $6.99/C$l0.50, pb, 374pp, 074342798X
The dramatic works penned by Irish spinster Emily Fairfax are produced in London under the name Edgar St. John. Forced to meet English politician Lucius Ashford in a duel, she finds herself unmasked , and discovers that the gentleman whose exploits she has long admired from afar is in fact an avowed opponent of duelling. When she and her eccentric and precocious young sibling Letty visit their married sister in London, they encounter Lucius , secretly lampooned by Emily in her latest play. Her failed attempt to revise the work prior to production- to reflect her increasing respect for the gentleman-only leads to more trouble. Exposure of her authorship imperils both their reputations.
Flashes of cleverness and amusing banter are welcome, but the hero of the tale is significantly overshadowed by the heroine's vitality, and their relationship is not well served by the plot. Letty Fairfax becomes a tiresome anomaly, an unlikely participant in the social scene in which her elder sisters figure A commonplace depiction of London high life is countered by a reasonably accurate presentation of theatrical world, peopled with eccentric, money-grubbing managers and actors.
Margaret Barr
THE GLORY CLOAK
Patricia O'Brien , Touchstone, 2004, $14.00, pb, 368pp , 0743257502
In 1858, newly orphaned Susan Grey arrives in tranquil, insulated Concord, Massachusetts, to live with the family of her cousin, Louisa May Alcott. She swears loyalty to her adored cousin for rescuing her from a grim and lonely life. When the war breaks out between the Union and the Confederacy, they decide to embark on an adventure as volunteer nurses 111 Washington DC Their experiences in Union Hospital ultimately alter the course of their lives and challenge their loyalty.
The Glory Cloak is a wonderfully multilayered story, a rumination on human suffering and the capacity for great sacrifice and compassion during war. It is also a retelling of the extraordinary lives of Louisa
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
May Alcott and Clara Barton, brilliantly tied together through the fictional character of Susan Grey. It is at once mournful and dark, celebratory of human life, and full of a sense of place and history
This novel is compulsively readable, enjoyable, although at times quite graphic in its descriptions of suffering at Union Hospital. This thought-provoking novel comes highly recommended.
Andrea Connell
WILD HEATHER
Catherine Palmer, Tyndale Hous e, 2004, $10.99, pb, 376pp, 084231928X Romance and Christian harmony heal an ancient feud between noble houses in the Yorkshire dales during · the Regency (not Victorian Period , as the blurb indicates). Certain homage is given to Jane Austen in a number of direct quotes, but the focus on religion looses all the nuances of a sharp social commentary The religion is of a decidedly American cast , the peerage at play here imponed from other counties, the rising middle class aspects of the early Industrial Revolution conveniently ignored , and little of the flavour of Yorkshire captured. (I count one single attempt to recreate the dialect.)
For what thi s is, however , for the American reader who likes the comfort of the familiar in fancy dress , there are touching moments when Palmer presses the emotional buttons with skill. Who could not be lured by the fantasy that Olivia Hewes , strapped with an impossible mother, an alcoholic-syndrome brother, and a fai Iing estate , can hav e all her problems so lved by handing th em over to God and handsome Lord Thorne'l Ann Chamberlin
THESE TANGLED THREADS
Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller, Bethany House, 2003, $12.99, pb , 381 pp, 0764226908
This inspirational novel is volume 3 in the Bells of Lowell se ries. Girls working the textile mill s of 1833 Lowell , M assac husetts , threaten a turnout if the management proceeds with a 25% wage cut. Mill girl Daughtie Winfield faces animosity from the other girls when she doe s n't support the strike, and the scorn of the whole town when she befrie nds a young Irishman. Matters become more complicated when she begins helping Liam pass runaway slaves through the Underground Railroad.
The era is an exciting and underexposed period of American history , and I liked learning more about it. The New England abolitionist movement and the nearly universal disdain towards Irish immigrants are nicely woven into the action. However, the book suffers from the kind of pseudo-
historical dialogue that can give historical fiction a bad name: "I'll need to pen a missive" and "He was the instigator who stayed behind the scenes, ordering his henchmen to conduct the reprehensible deeds." Readers beginning the series with this book will feel as though they have missed something , because several of the characters ' motivations seem to have been left behind in previous volumes.
BJ. Sedlock
CASSANDRA AND JANE
Jill Pitkeathley, Copperfield Books, 2004, £9.99,pb,239pp,0952820152
I wanted to like this book. The idea of Jane Austen's life story told from her sister Cassandra's point of view seemed attractive. I had studied Claire Tomalin's excellent biography , read Jane Austen's letters and thought I knew what Jane was like But the image in this fictional account runs contra to my belief Instead of the sprightly author who was charming in spite of occasional waspishness, there appeared a much less happy woman.
I was prepared for invented dialogue based on the known facts, but the narrator's interpretation was different from mine For instance, in her letters , Jane occasionally makes fun of her mother's health in a lighthearted way (Mrs Austen apparently had a tendency towards hypochondria). Cassandra's telling suggests there was strong dislike between Jane and her mother. I was also tak e n aback to find Cassandra so possessive of her sister th at she resents Jane's affection for her nieces, and she implies that her influence on Jane was greater than I believe it was.
Most of the incidents are based on the letters, and well handled. Chapter 9, however , is built upon a small item reported by their niece Caroline Austen. Cassandra told Caroline that Jane became friendly with a young man at a Devon resort and that Jane returned his interest. The author infl a tes this into a full blown courtship, and in Chapter 12 invents a long melodramatic letter from Jane to explain the failure of the relationship. This apart, most of the excerpts from the letters are cotTectly transcribed. This book is worth reading unless you are a purist. [t is well written but it ha s been carelessly copy-edited or proof-rea d Irritatingly , throughout , the dialo gue is incorrectly punctuated Pamela Cleaver
YOUR MOUTH rs LOVELY
Nancy Richter, Ecco, 2003, $ 13 .95/ C$ l 8.95, pb , 357pp, 0060096780
Miriam was born with a hole in her hear tnot a physical hole, but an emptiness left by the death of her brother: the suicide of her mother, and the abandonment by her father
at birth. Russia in 1887 was a hard enough place for a young Jewish girl to thrive, and Miriam's constant feeling of isolation, even when brought home from fostering to live with her father and his new wife, did not make it any easier. From her stepmother, Miriam learned the old ways. Later , she met Sara who introduced her to the Sund From there, Miriam finds herself inadvertently propelled into the revolutionary movement and finds that being a political may help heal her heart.
Miriam is almost a reluctant activist. Her story unfolds through short chapters written to her daughter in her diary as she serves a life sentence in Siberia. The short chapters alternate with longer chapters chronologically detailing her life from birth through the act that sent her to prison Richter gracefully documents he r transformation from awkward child to strong young woman, juxtaposing universal adolescent situations with those unique to a youth in that era.
The major influences in Miriam's life are women who represent the old, traditional customs and the new, revolutionary ways. Richler flavours the novel with Yiddish terms as references to the old ways , providing an explanation through the context.
Winner of the Canadian Jewi s h Book Award for Fiction , this novel depicts life during a volatile time for Jew s in Ru ssia, but does so with most violence implied rather than shown. More emphasized is tlie effect the revolution has on everyone - even tho se content to lea ve tzedakah in the woods as payment for past misdeeds.
Suzanne J Sprague
CHIEFTAIN
Nan Ryan , Mira , 2004, $6.50, pb, 377pp., 0778320138
In 1875 Virginia-bred Maggie Bankhead is teaching on a reservation at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. A band of Comanche people arrive, led by their new chief, Shanaco. Since adulthood , Shanaco ha s lived in a world between the two cultures of his warrior father and white captive mother. Reservation l ife with its deprivations, prejudice , and limitations is a jolt. Maggie defends him against corrupt army officers and the sexual predator who is th e co mmand er's daughter. When beaten and left in the freezing cold, Maggie rescues, hides, and cares for the fort's captive. He returns her favours with hot sex an d love They run off, marry, and hide out at hi s ranch until hi s name is cleared.
This western romance is full of "te ll" rather than "s how" from it s intrusive narrator , who even informs us that Maggie has a "self-depreciating sense of humour. " Stereotypes abound, from noble savage to
THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
plucky schoolmarm (who teaches Emily Dickinson before that poet's work has been published) , to thuggish gamblers The dialogue is strictly bad western, not life , abounding in cliches like "don't worry your pretty head ." The plot ends with a whimper as the central injustice is undone by others offstage as our main couple honeymoons.
Eileen Charbonneau
THE THREE BODY PROBLEM
Catherine Shaw, Alison & Busby 2004, £ l8.99, hb, 286pp, 0749006927 (UK)/$25.95, hb , 288 pages (US)
It is 1888 , and having recently settled in her Cambridge lod g in gs, Vanessa Duncan writes to her twin sister in the countryside, keeping her abreast of the happenings in her new life as a tutor to the offspring of the academic middle classes. It is not long before Vanessa 's interesting new life is complicated by the murder of Mr Akers , a Fellow of Mathematics At a dinner party, Vanessa finds herself in the company of many of the people acquainted with the murdered man, including her neighbour, Mr Weatherburn, to whom she is strongly attracted. She dis cove rs that the victim had been working on a mathematical competition set by the King of Sweden and that other mathematicians in Cambridge are also involved in the project. When two more suspicious deaths follow upon the heels of the first, with both men connected to the competition, the finger points strong ly toward s Mr Weatherburn Desperate to prove his innocence , Vanessa sets about so me sleuthing of her own, but time is running out.
This is a light but enjoyable debut novel by Catherine Shaw. It most definitely belongs to the 'cosy' genre of crime fiction. Although the dialogue is frequently wooden, the pro se somewhat turgid , and some of the scenes in the courtroom demand a strong suspension of disbelief, it still manages to have that indefinable ' page-turning ' quality. The ultimate test question is: 'Would I read another book by this author?' Probably. Susan Hicks
TRUTH
Jacqueline Sheehan, Free Press , 2003, $24.00/ C$36.00, hb , 294 pp , 0743244443 " My bi gges t problem , according to Mau Mau , was learnin g to be silent." Sojourner Truth never did learn to be silent, and many generations are thankful that she did not. In this novel, Sojourner tells her stOiy in a strong, honest voice that refuses to be stilled. Her early childhood years were spent with her mother and father, but at the age of IO she was sold as a lot with a flock of sheep. Her new master despised her Dutch language He would not let her speak Dutch even though he knew it himself. She was
THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
ab used and neglected by some of her owners, yet she was able to teach some to respect her. Sojourner's first opportunity for freedom left her with a choice between that freedom and her own family. When the laws of New York let Sojourner free, she continued to strugg le to free others. Ms Sheehan allows Sojourner to tell her own story, both the good and the bad. She shows a picture of a strong , capable woman who has endured much, but is, in the end, without bitterness. This is a comfortable historical novel. Although it doesn't dwell on the abuse Sojourner endures, it doesn't overlook it either. It portrays a woman, wise beyond her years, yet not afraid to struggle for herself and others. A good read for the whole family.
Nan Curnutt
VINDICATION
Frances Sherwood, Norton, 2004 (c 1993 ), $14.95/C$22.50, pb, 438pp, 0393325385
Originally published in 1993, the re-issue of Vindication in paperback is a welcome addition to any bedside table reading collection This fictionalized version of the life of Mary Wollstonecraft provides a view of the mid- to late-eighteenth century world through the eyes of a remarkable woman
Born into a troubled family where drunkenness and sexual and physical abuse are the norm, Mary learn s early on to escape into her own mind, a tactic she uses throughout her life. The sto1y follows Ma1y from her traumatic youth in Wales to her attempts to help her sisters and her best friend , Fanny , be self-sufficient as teachers in England, her downfall as a governess in Ireland, and her first intellectual breakthroughs in London, thanks to the publisher Joseph Johnson. Her travels later include forays to Paris during the French Revolution , as well as brief stays in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark Throughout it all, Ma1y engages in a fierce inner strugg le to reconcile her feelings about women 's rights and abilities, marriage, and education with the harsh reality of her day. In addition, her consistently bad taste in men leaves her physically and mentally ill , further than ever from her ideal world of freedom and equality
The novel is broken into chronological sections, each named for the person who had the greatest influence on Ma1y during that time , including her childhood friend Fanny Blood, the publisher Joseph Johnson, artist and essayist Henry Fuseli, American specu lator Gilbert Imlay , and lastly, Mary's husband and fellow free-thinker, William Godwin. Although most readers will already know how Mary's story ends, Sherwood keeps the story strong and interesting throughout, which may well inspire further reading (fiction or otherwise) on th e li ves of
eighteenth-century women. This edition also includes a reading group guide, prepared by the author.
Helene Williams
HAZARD'S COMMAND
V.A. Stuart, McBooks, 2004, $13.95, pb, 249pp, 15 901308 12
The Royal Navy of the Crimean War is hardly the place where historical novels go for seaborne adventure, but V.A. Stuart's series of Phillip Hazard stories do their duty in supplying adventure and drama for naval buffs. Hazard's Command (volume 3 of the series) finds Phillip Hazard the temporary captain of H.M.S . Trojan . Charged with transporting troops , Hazard is then caught up in defending a critical supply port in the Crimea . A pompous Army officer, severe winter weather , and a perilous land expedition all test Hazard's courage and leadership to the limit.
John R. Vallely
HAZARD OF HUNTRESS
V.A. Stua1t, McBooks, 2004, $13.95, pb , 246pp, 1590130820
Captain Phillip Hazard's Crimean War saga continues in volume 4 with his assignment to investigate the strength of the Russian garrison in Odessa Leaving his steam warship , H.M.S. Huntress , in the hands of an untrustworthy lieutenant, Hazard goes about his duties with the aid of his unlucky brother and a beautiful widowed Russian noblewoman. The writing is crisp, the historical setting accurate, but the story lacks the power and drive of Hazard's earlier wartime exploits.
John R Vallely
STAGESTRUCK
Cynthia Thomason , Five Star , 2003 , $25.95, hb, 258pp, 159414 0782
In 1898 , librarian Gwen Barlow, her eccentric mother, a nd her teenage brother Preston abandon their quiet Ohio village for exciting new lives when Mrs. Barlow inherits a Mississippi River showboat from her mysteriously deceased brother Eli. For recreation Gwen rides a Monarch ladies' bicycle, appropriate for a Nev. Woman more independent and better educated than her mother. Due to Gwen's superior schooling, she finds herself appointed stage director and showboat manager when the family takes up life afloat.
The local constable c laims Uncle Eli 's sudden death was accidenta l, but when a disagreeable young deckhand turns up stabbed with his own fish knife, Gwen feels compelled to track down the murderer. Suspects abound among the crew and the storeowners of the river town , where the boat remains docked for non-payment of debts . Uncle Eli's enemies include a felonious former boat captain, the charming
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
and flirtatious new captain, and a jealous former leading lady relegated to second place by Eli's infatuation with a new ingenue. In her first mystery, historical romance author Thomason throws her heroine into a plot melodramatic enough for a real showboat.
Nina de Angeli
THE LAST CROSSING
Guy Vanderhaeghe , Little, Brown 2004, £14.99, hb , 468 pages , 0316726176 (UK)/Atlantic Monthly Press 2004, $ 16.80, hb , 400pp, 087 l I 39 I 2X (US)
When fey, childlike Simon Gaunt falls in with itinerant preacher and conman Obadiah Witherspoon, he leaves England and his family to bring Christianity to the Native Americans. His two brothers, aggressive, syphilitic Addington and melancholy artist Charles, are sent out by their irascible father to find him, armed with a fortune in gold ransom coins. Others will join their party, led by the half-breed Jerry Potts, Lucy Stoveall is looking for the killers of her beloved sister, and Caleb Ayto is a journalist looking for a Johnson to his Boswell. Then there is Civil War veteran Custis Straw who is looking for love (aka Lucy) while Irish barkeep Aloysius Dooley tries to talk sense into him. They will all be forced to confront themselves out in the wilderness, and what they find is not necessarily what they seek.
Imagine author Larry McMurtry , leached of much of hi s humour and violence but spiced up with a literary seasoning and you have this novel in a nutshell. The author is adept at describing the North West of America and Canada in the early 1870s , a place of Indian tribes hanging on to their way of life by the skin of their teeth whisky, forts and vast open skies. lt is place on the edge; not merely of the socalled "civilized world" but on the brink of changing into something very different. The tale is told by several narrators , which is always a good way of letting the reader see into a multitude of hearts and through more than one pair of eyes. This fits the tone of the story, as the flawed characters confront their demons and learn about where they stand in the scheme of things.
To my mind the main drawback of this book is the lack of sympathetic charactersit is hard to care about the fate of anybody on offer. But the author has managed to create a novel that teeters between the literary and the mainstream, and writes about stirring matters in a manner that implies they are anything but. Th is is perfect for anybody who would find a mere adventure story beneath their notice The thinking person's adventure yarn? Poss ib ly. Rachel A Hyde
SECRETS ON THE WIND
Stephanie Grace Whitson, Bethany House, 2003,$12.99,pb,319pp,0764227858
Secrets on the Wind is an apt title for Stephanie Grace Whitson's latest novel of inspiration and the healing power of God. The story opens in 1879 Nebraska. Laina Gray, formerly known as Riverboat Annie, has survived an Indian raid on her captor's cabin, but is nearly dead from months of abuse and neglect. She is found and taken back to Camp Robinson by two U.S. Army officers, one of whom is a handsome , young widower named Captain Nathan Boone. Unable to find the answers he seeks, he has turned his back on God. 1n the care of Granny Max, a forrner slave, Laina makes the long journey ba.ck to health and mental stability only to find she is pregnant.
Meanwhile, Caleb Jackson arrives in camp with new cavalry recruits. Though he is dete1mined to start over, Laina remembers him as gambler Beauregard Preston, one of Riverboat Annie's best customers. Will Laina 's newfound trust in God be enough to sustain her through an Indian uprising , the birth of her child, and an offer of marriage from a man she knows could never love her? Will Caleb keep her secret or force her to leave a place and people she has grown to love?
Whitson , described as an author of books with heart, will not disappoint her legion of fans with Secrets on the Wind, the first book of her Pine Ridge Portrait Series. Susan Zabolotny
STORM RIDER
Akira Yoshimura, Harcourt , 2004, $25.00, hb,384pp , 0151006679
Hikotaro goes to sea as a cook aboard his stepfather's vessel, Sumijoshi Maru , but later requests a transfer to a newer vessel with a crew from his own village. Ravaged by storms, the vessel is sinking, but the desperate crew is rescued when an American vessel appears on the horizon. Hikotaro is only 13 when he must find his own way in this strange place, San Francisco. The year is 1850. Obse ssed with returning to Japan, he sails with Commodore Matthew Perry only to be refused admission under Japan's Shogunate policy. Back once again in San Francisco, Hikozo (his name has been changed by Americans) is adopted and introduced to the influence of wealth Years later , he returns to Japan as the country is opening amidst local violence. Simultaneously, America struggles with the Civil War
The novel is vety highly recommended. Yoshimura skilfully shows two evolving cultures in the nineteenth century. The attendant perils leave Hikozo continually concerned about personal safety and beset by the feeling that he has no home. Yet, he successfully publishes the first newspaper in
Japan and works as an interpreter of English until his death at age 62. The author's knowledge of history is woven into a richly detailed plot that introduces Hikozo to American presidents and many other higherlevel governmental officials.
Jetta Carol Culpepper
20 th CENTURY
ACROSS A SUMMER SEA
Lyn Andrews, Headline, 2004, £6.99, pb , 408pp,0747267138
When Mary McGann's jealous husband, Frank, throws her out of their home, she takes her three children to Dublin to begin a new life Eventually she secures a post as a housekeeper to Richard O'Neill and, against her better judgement , begins to fall in love with her mysterious employer.
Back in Liverpool , an accident leaves Frank paralysed. Mary feels obliged to return and nurse him , even though it means giving up her fragile happiness. Meanwhile Richard is determined to win her back Tragedy and misunderstanding lie ahead for the pair before love can win through.
Across a Summ er Sea is a gutsy story of one woman's fight against poverty and deprivation in the early 20th centu1y. Although this is typical saga territory, Lyn Andrews tackles her subject with the panache of an indisputably gifted storyteller. If all her novels are as warm-hearted arrd poignant, it is easy to see why this author has such a huge fan base.
Sara Wilson
A GARDEN LOST IN TIME
Jonathan Aycliffe , Allison & Busby 2004, £18.99, hb ,286p p , 0749006870 (UK) / $25.95, hb, 288pp (US) It's 1917 , and the casualties of the First World War are mounting fast. When 15year-old Simon Lysaght 's father is killed in the trenches, his mother is distraught , and Simon sent to stay with relations in Cornwall. He gets on well with his cousin Tom Trevelyan, but he soon learn s that Trevelyan Priors is a hou se with many secrets, which nobody is willing to discuss with him It becomes apparent that the place is home to more ghosts than to people still alive. In the depths of winter, Simon's cousin Alice is taken ill. The people who try to save her are changed forever, and one even dies.
Falling in love with a girl who seems to be flesh and blood, met in a secret garden into which he had been forbidden to venture, Simon is drawn into great danger. The reader feels he will be scarred for li fe and indeed this turns out to be the case. ' The brooding background of the Great War , with all its attendant tragedies and universal disillusion, is very well realised,
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ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
and I soon got involved in the story. There are some genuinely spine-chilling moments, and it features some illicit sex as well as plenty of violence and death. The Comish background is sensually evoked and illuminating - I didn ' t know what a shot tower was until I read this book. A splendidly dramatic conclusion rounds everything off very cleverly.
Readable, complex in structure but managed with great skill, this is a story that will appeal to lovers of Gothic romance, ghost stories and the macabre. It's classified as crime, but I would describe it as horror or mystery. It's intelligently written and it's enjoyable in a terrifying way, but it certainly demands some suspension of disbelief.
Margaret James
NORTHROP HALL
Margaret Bacon, Severn House, 2004, £18.99,hb,278pp,0727859412
THE YEARS BETWEEN
Margaret Bacon, Severn House, 2004, £18.99,hb,282pp,0727859576
The early years of the twentieth century, like the opening chapters of Northrop Hall, drift across the mind like a gentle breeze. Dowager Lady Amdale is a strict martinet and under her rule there is scarcely a ripple. Diana may suffer a disappointment in love, Selina may weave her wicked spells of enchantment and spite, and a man may lose both his home and job for something that was not his fault , yet life goes smoothly on. A sudden and accidental death begins the fundamental changes that are to destroy all this family have accepted as their due, and the onset of a cruel war brings death and disillusionment to the bravest. It is perhaps the story of one of the estate workers , however, that makes the heart wrench and gives this book its outstanding quality. Because of her mother's selfishness and the unkindness of others, Ceila Amdale does not have the secure and loving childhood enjoyed by her cousins. To reveal more of the plot of The Years Between might spoil the first book for those who have not yet read it. So I shall say that it is the continuing story of the Amdale family and those around them as they contend with a changing world after the War As the stories of Diana , Rupert, Laura , Sebastian and Celia unfold , the author's tentacles embrace the reader keeping them fast until the last page.
This is a serious, thought provoking book , compelling but lacking some of the enchantment of the first. However, that is because Northrop Hall is special. These absorbing books are a pleasure to read and mu s t not be missed.
Linda Sole THE HISTORICAL NOVELS
FAMILY CIRCLE
June Barraclough, Robert Hale, 2003, £18.99, hb, 253pp, 0709075170 (UK) /2004, h/b, $20.37 (US)
Jennie Wilson, daughter of the housekeeper at Pettiwell House in Kent, has always been best friends with Sally Page. The fact that Sally is the daughter of Sir Jack and Lady Page, owners of Pettiwell House, has never been a factor until the arrival of Sally's cousin, Caroline Fitzgerald. Caroline has been forced to leave her home in France at the outbreak of the Second World War and takes her fear and resentment out on Jennie.
The years pass and that old resentment fades away as society changes and more liberal attitudes hold sway. Jennie becomes an educated young woman, independent and resourceful. Caroline chooses a career in fashion over marriage and family. Little Sally follows her heart and marries young. But a bond of friendship between the girls ties them together even when they are apart.
Beginning in the pre-war years, Family Circle follows the exploits of the three likeable girls during the war and afterwards. It concerns itself with the widespread social adjustments that took place in the 1950s and the dawn of the 1960s. As such, it forms an authentic snapshot of what life was like in those 20 years and obviously relies heavily on the author's own impressions and remembrances.
Although this is not a heavyweight historical novel , it is full of interesting details and evocative of an era that many still remember.
Sara Wilson
DAUGHTERS OF EDEN
Charlotte Bingham, Bantam 2004, £6.99, pb ,538 pp,0553815911
The outbreak of WWII brings together four women from ve1y different backgrounds : Marjorie, abandoned by her mother; socialite Poppy unwisely marrying to avoid spinsterhood; clever Kate, despised by her father and Lily who is desperate for love
All are asked to report to Eden Park where they are offered undercover work for spymaster, Jack Ward. This is their chance to make a real difference to the course of the War and none are about to tum down the excitement that beckons. Danger and romance are a deadly combination, with their lives threatened by bombing , aristocratic traitors and double agents.
Daughters of Eden is both fast-moving and intelligently crafted. The characters are sparky and attractive, the plot is involving. Charlotte Bingham effortlessly evokes the atmosphere of the war years and the intrigue of espionage A charming escapist read.
Sara Wilson
TWILIGHT TIME
Emma Blair, Time Warner Books 2004 , £17.99, h/b, 406pp, 0316858749
This new Emma Blair novel is set in a small Devonshire village of Ford in the period between the two World Wars. It is a tale of two sisters. Maggs and Crista Fletcher work in the local papermill. One falls in love with the son of the mill owner, and the other with a young Scottish doctor , newly arrived in Frord. Heartbreak and happiness follow, and determine the course of the sisters' lives
The book moves forward in time to the late 1960s, Maggs and Crista now dealing with problems in the lives of their children and grandchildren, as well as their own relationships and the prospect of late romance.
Twilight Time is an engaging novel and the characters are endearing. The reader will want to keep turning the pages to find out what happens next. The only quibbles I have are whether single, respectable girls in the 1920s would have met in the pub for an evening out, and that the dialogue is more reminiscent of the North of England than the West.
Find this book in your library, or buy the newly released paperback to take away with you for a good holiday read Ruth Ginarlis
HANDSOME HARRY, OR THE GANGSTER'S TRUE CONFESSro
James Carlos Blake, William Morrow , 2004, $24.95 / C$38.95, hb, 304pp, 0060554789
The novel opens on October 16 , 1934 . " Handsome Hany" Pierpont , the narrator , is to be executed in the morning In a sort of swaggering jailhouse confession, he wants to set the record straight about his life as a notorious bank robber and member of the John Dillinger gang. What follows are his tales of jailhouse experiences, camaraderie with Dillinger and other gang members , daring breakouts, bold bank robberies, and, finally, their inevitable demise He also reveals, crudely, the romantic affairs between these reckless men and the women who love them.
The novel is a lively rendition of a selfdeclared outlaw. Written in a breezy yet effective style, Blake creates a complex character who is an intelligent, fascinating personality, but capable of brutal violence. In one respect, the novel is a sto1y about a likeable rough. It is an oddly enjoyable book and a captivating depiction of the times ; it breathes life into the people it fictionalizes. Gerald T. Burke
THE MOST PRECIOUS THrNG
Rita Bradshaw , Headline , 2004, £18.99, hb , 309pp,0755306201
As in most sagas these days , the author piles on the agony until both characters and
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
readers are almost at breaking point. However, the spirit, courage and warmth of the heroine save this book from being too heavy. Carrie is brutally raped on the night of her sister's wedding, and unlucky enough to fall for a child. Its father has plans for a prestigious marriage and Carrie realises that she was a fool to ever like him , let alone believe herself in love with him. She tries to hide herself away from the pain of reality, but another man sees that she is in trouble and asks her to marry him David is a caring, loving man, but Carrie is haunted by her secre t, which she dare not tell him , and it is a long time before she can hope for happiness. One scene, when a miner is brought up from a rock fall, made me cry. Not many authors manage that.
I liked this book a lot , but it might have been even better for a little humour mixed with all the tears. Humour is what gets us through the bad times, and saga writers generally could do with a bit more.
Linda Sole
MOLOKA'I
Alan Brennert, St. Martin' s Press, 2003, $24.95 / C$34.95, hb, 389pp, 03 I 230434X In 1891 six-year-old Rachel's world seems to be ending when she is forced to leave her family due to a diagnosis of leprosy , now called Hansen 's Disea se. Because Hawaiians were particularly susceptible to the disease , the government took drastic steps to contain it. Those infected were isolated from the rest of the community, first to a local hospital , and then to the island of Moloka'i. With the help of her uncle , his girlfriend, a nun from Bishop Home , and all the other friends who become her family, Rachel di scove rs a rich , fulfilling life. This story tells of the hardships these people endured and how they coped with obstacles that were fatal.
Rachel and her fellow captives on Moloka'i thrive despite the U.S. government's insensitivity. At that time , no one knew how the disea se was transmitted; although the government's knee-jerk reaction certainly did stem it s progress, it was at the expense of those infected. Brenne11 could have made this novel a tirade against an establishment that has systematically attempted to obliterate the indigenous people of the U.S. Howe\,er, he instead focuses on th e positives, showing the misery but also how it was overcome. His inclusion of traditional ceremonies, use of Hawaiian terminolo gy, and research using oral histories and biographies transports the reader to that era. Cut off from the rest of the world, progress comes later to the island. Airplanes, motion pictures, and reports of world events eventually arrive, but new s of Honolulu's rapid growth, the internment camps of
THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
WWII, and the families they left behind does not.
Moloka 'i is a bittersweet look at a topic that is rarely found in history books. Once you look past the disfiguring disease, you will find an uplifting story that proves life is what you make of it. Highly recommended Suzanne J Sprague
HARD SLEEPER
Jennifer Scheel Bushman and Jean Artley Szymanski, Lost Coast Press, 2003, $24.95, hb ,253 pp. 1882897730
This is one of the best historical novels I have read in a long time! Jane McPherson and her long-lost but newly-found daughter, Mei , tell their life _s tories to an American film documentary writer while travelling to Peking over several days on a Chinese "hard sleeper" train. Jane's and Mei's bond deepens during this journey, and the American characters come to understand the intricacies of a China they hardly know
The story begins with the murder of Cyrus and Della McPherson , American mis s ionaries serving in Peking when Communism and Japan are vying for a China "unravelling at the seams." Jane's growing admiration turns to love for Han , a young man from a traditional family but more deeply attracted to the Communist vision. Ambrose Varley, becoming more Chinese than American over the years, helps Han clarify the confusion. Jane's father, Cyrus, preaches a dire warning about the historical tide Communism is about to unleash. Jane and her brother, Will, are unable to discover whether a disgruntled Chinese servant or Communist secret band is responsible for their parents' murder.
Whisked away to Shanghai in the summer of 1936 , Jane and Will live with Donald and Electra Bauman, old family friends , who are trying to build both Chinese and Japanese relationships since invasion seems inevitable. Tragedy enfolds the family because of Will's determination to discover his parents' real murderers
The authors' rich characterization, intricate plot, and accurate historical record constantly engage the reader in this superb story of two women's stamina throughout a complex period of Chinese history.
Viviane
Crystal
A KISS FROM IADDALENA
Christopher Castellani, Orion, 2003, £9.99, hb , 338pp, 075286050X (UK) / Algonquin Books 2003, $23.95, hb , 338pp, 1565123891 (US)
Christopher Castellani's first novel draws inspiration from the stories he was told as a boy about life in the small Italian village where his parents grew up before emigrating to the United States. His intimate knowledge of the setting and of Italian political and social history is expertly
woven into this charming love story which offers a wealth of authentic detail.
Eighteen-year-old Vito Leone has been left to care for his ill mother, and they have lived in increasing penury since his father and sisters emigrated to America before the war. Most of the other men in the village have been called up and, apart from a few other under-age boys, Santa Cecilia is peopled by women and girls. The girls, in particular the four Piccinelli sisters, are evocatively drawn and Castellani succeeds in conjuring up this close-knit circle, bound up unwritten rules and hierarchies . Apart from the German tanks that grind through the village on the road built by the Fascist government, life for the village teenagers centres on the thrills offered by Vito's bicycle, romantic liaisons and gossip. But Vito has only built the bicycle to attract the attention of Maddalena Piccinelli , the girl he idolizes. Their burgeoning romance is interrupted by the news of Mussolini's deposition and Italy 's surrender.
The villagers are pathetically vulnerable to reprisals by the retreating Gern1any a1my and, after one house has been bombed , the relatively well-to-do Piccinelli family decides to move to the isolated safety of an aunt's fann, high up in the Abruzzi mountains. Vito and Maddalena have to separate and only meet again two years later when much has changed and events reach a dramatic and completely unexpected climax - with a twist. This is a poignant love story set against an extremely convincing picture of wartime society in a small Italian village. Inward-looking in the extreme, the only contact between the better-off inhabitants and the outside world is the radio. For others, like Vito and hi s mother, dreams are the only escape from the grim reality of near starvation. A very enjoyable read.
Lucinda Byatt
PATRICK PARKER'S PROGRESS
Mavis Cheek, Faber & Faber 2004, £ 12 .99, pb,345pp , 057l214525
In 1940 as Coventry is devastated by air raids Patrick Parker, miracle baby , by a stroke of luck, is born away from his hometown , safely in London
Patrick 's indul ge nt mother, Florence cossets her son; born out of the rubble she is certain that he will one day rebuild Coventry. But Patrick follows his own star. He becomes a disciple of Brunel, hi s destiny is to build bridges, he will conquer the world and women will fall at hi s feet.
It is hard to ima g ine how any woman could fall for such an an-ogant se lf-ce ntred chauvinist as Patrick but hi s childhood friend, Audrey never outgrows her passion for him and even after Patrick marries Audrey is never far from his thoughts
This is a story of the innate difference between the sexes. Men are from Mars,
JSSUE 28, MAY 2004
Women from Venus and never the twain shall meet. Mavis Cheek is a brilliant observer of character, but it is her humour and affectionate recounting of those little happenstances and quirks of fate that beset us all that makes this particular novel shine.
Ann Oughton
THE MEANI G OF CONSUELO
Judith Ortiz Cofer, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2003, $20.00/ C$30.00, hb, I 85pp, 0374205094
The metaphor of an outsider, a fulano, begins the story. In the days before "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" was a hit TV s how , and gay man·iage became possible, Maria, a transvestite, is a despised outcast. Marni forbids Consuelo to associate with Maria in public , although she lets him do her nails Consuelo negotiates with Marni to keep her secret and the reward is forbidden fruit, quenepa, which Papi feared would choke her Family dynamics are at the core of this na1ntive set in Puerto Rico in the 1950s
Consuelo's mother is a naturalist , but her father believes in technology. He's all for the changes coming in with Americans from the mainland Her favourite cousin Patricio is threatened with the same stigma. Consuelo cannot protect him or her sister Mili, whose descent into madness renders unique poetry. Author Ortiz Cofer wields a fine brush in depicting adolescent confusion. Freedom and independence pull Consuelo one way, while family and the " progress toward martyrdom " that is a female's lot pulls her the other. Her mother expects "e l sacrifico " Will destiny or free will complete the story?
Marcia K. Matthews
KATE HANNIGA
Catherine Cookson, Simon & Schuster, 2004, $25.00, hb , 306 pp, 0743237730 Pub in the UK by Corgi, 1993 , £5.99, pb , 288pp,0552148350
Thi s reissue of Catherine Cookson's debut novel , Kate Hannigan, is a handsome volume. Unfortunately, I did not find the book to my taste.
lt opens as the title character is giving birth to her illegitimate child, aided by a dnmk midwife and a young doctor new to th e community. What follows is a romance, of sorts, between the doctor and Kate , complicated by his marriage and their disparate social standings. Kate is beautiful, intelligent and far too spunky to be believable, while the do ctor is weak, waffling and long-suffering The writing is uneven and the plot rather predictable. The a uthor's control of point-of-view is limited at best, and the bouncing from head to head only diminished my reading pleasure.
Most problematic were the characters. They were either very good (Kate, her
THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
mother, the doctor, Kate's employers) or very bad (the doctor's wife, Kate's father, the midwife), with little nuance. Most things came too easily to Kate- far more interesting were her mother's neighbours. Character motivation is also rather scarce, especially in the case of the doctor's nasty wife. The reader never really learns why she is so mean and what drives her to keep her husband at anns length while indulging in multiple affairs.
On a more positive note, the setting was beautifully rendered, with period details and wonderful atmosphere. I truly felt as though [ was back in Edwardian England. The area of the Fifteen Streets is drawn especially vividly. The late Dame Cookson's literary success and legions of fans stand testament to the fact her writing style and stories hold great appeal. I only wish I could have seen it in this particular book
Teresa Basinski Eckford
THIS TlME THE FLAMES
David Crackanthorpe, Headline Review , 2003,£6.99,pb,312pp,0747266670
Briony West's father dies, leaving her with a small inheritance and the astonishing revelation that she has a black half-brother living in Rhodesia. Her determination to seek him out is an astonishing decision given that colonial Rhodesia in the late 1930s is a hotbed of repression and discrimination Once there , Briony falls for Commander Harry Chance, a married man who makes his money exploiting his black workers. The situation is immeasurably worsened by the discovery that hi s hou seboy is none other than Briony's brother Mark. Briony becomes embroiled in a drama of murder , violence and passion , acted out in the blazing beat of the sun.
This Time the Flames is a novel full of brooding anger and ominous tension, peopled with characters who are incredibly ruthless and self-serving. Even the mostly sensible heroine is prepared to exploit her land ownership to keep her lover's attention.
Both the exotic location and the prejudices of the white society living within it are particularly well realised . As the plot gathers pace it is increasingly underscored by an oppressive sense of foreboding.
Sara Wilson
SINS OF THE 7TH SISTER
Hus ton Curtiss, Harmony Books, 2003, $24.95 / C$37.95, hb, 358pp, 140004538X Southerners truly revere our eccentrics. But of all the hideous , funny, family secrets I've heard and told, none can top Huston Curtiss's. Using the aid of his childhood diaries, beginning with events in May of 1929, he exposes his family skeletons in a series of guffaw-inducing anecdotes. More than one will raise both eyebrows. (After
consideration, Curtiss decided to call this a novel instead ofa memoir.)
Billy-Pearl Fancier Curtiss, Hughie's mother , is the heroic, central figure of the story. Though far from perfect, she is beyond compare Beautiful, forthright , and not above lying for a good cause, she is a dead-eyed shot, a skilled horsewoman, and collector of lost souls. Paradoxically , she is uncomfortable with overt displays of affection, so offers her son other gifts instead, whether he wants them or not. Memorable auxiliary characters include Hughie's grandfather Fancier, his great-aunt, and Stanley , his adopted brother, who later becomes an internationally acclaimed, female, opera sensation. Suffice it to say that little Hughie did not have a sheltered, kid-gloved childhood. He was, however , in the middle of everything, watching, taking notes , stashing his money in his boots, and dreaming of the day he could get out of Elkins, West Virginia.
This is a real page turner , to a point. The ending, in contrast to the rest of the novel , is abrupt, with a recap of the years after 1932 taking up only the last 18 pages. Subject matter involving murder , racism, and sexuality might not appeal to everyone. But for those who have played the " my family is so crazy" game, this will surely trump anything else you've ever heard.
Alice Logsdon
A ROPE OF SAND
Elsie Burch Donald, Doubleday 2004, £12.99, hb , 270pp,0385607075
When Kate chances upon an old school fellow on a holiday in France she finds herself thrown back into a maelstrom she la s t experienced as a young woman in the 1950s Five students from Sweet Briar College, Virginia, embark on a grand tour of Europe under the lax guidance of Miss Grist. From the start it is clear that the wealthy Olivia Hartfield has an ulterior motive for taking the trip.
Sudden freedom goes to the heads of the inexperienced girls and when they are latched onto by three young men they revel in the heady new experience. They cannot know that nothing and nobody are quite what they seem. What starts out as a mild adventure ends in catastrophe and death. Only now will Kate discover the meaning of those events from 35 years ago.
A Rop e of Sand is a compelling story of innocence early abused and wisdom finally attained. As well as an engrossing and suspenseful mystery it is also a glimpse into a less cynical and worldly time.
Kate may be the archetypal innocent American abroad but she is no cliche and neither is this novel. It is original, intelligent, emotionally powerful and yet it is written with a feather-light touch.
Sara Wilson
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
THE TREES OF EDEN
Linda Dorrell, Fleming H. Revell, 2004, $12.99,pb,234pp,0800759206
This novel takes place during the Influenza Epidemic of 1917-1918. The setting of a small town in South Carolina and a well detailed cast of characters allows the devastating impact of the epidemic to draw the reader along at first hand experience pace. The opening chapter presents us the first victim , and because the main characters (mother and daughter) are healers, they encounter the deadly disease in these first pages. Their lives are already complex and full of issues. The mother is dominating, yet her mental state is precariously balanced , and she is unwilling to grant her daughter the freedom from domesticity that she claims for herself with her healing and her garden. Wren, the daughter, is filled with enthusiasm for the suffrage movement and political equality for women. She speaks on votes for women in the town square, dreaming of being the first local woman mayor , but she lacks the street smarts to avoid being victimized by a local rich boy The Biblical phrase that gives the book its title is one that speaks of how the mighty are envied, and how they can fall. Mounting fatalities from the influenza ripple across the underlying emotional topography; the deaths are tragic, but as is the way with natural disasters , sometimes the eventual outcome is liberating for the survivors. Readers who would shy away from heavyhanded Christian fiction may be delighted with this more subtle book, while those who prefer to read in the genre will also be pleased and satisfied.
Mary K. Bird-Guilliams
A MOTH AT THE GLASS
Mogue Doyle , Bantam Press 2004, £9.99, hb ,2 23pp , 059304925X
In beautiful lyrical prose we learn the story of Will and his abiding love for Kate He watches her all his life First as the young lover and then as the moth at the glass. Will and his brother become involved in the I920s Iri sh troubles. Will learns to think independently, to form political opinions of his own and to have more affinity with the wild things he must hide amongst than with humans A terrible tragedy from his past haunts Will and he explores that which turned him from a happy young man into the moth at the glass.
The plot is simple, yet complex. We watch as the ardent young lover turns his passion into devotion for the movement to free Ireland whilst keeping his love for Kate inviolate This is a thoughtful book with a strong sense of the supernatural; although it is never mentioned openly. It is a very ' Irish' story both in content and style and if you like lyrical , reflective prose, this is for you.
Mairead McKerracher
THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
THE TURTLE WARRIOR
Mary Relindes Ellis, Viking, 2004, $24.95/C$37.50, hb, 368pp, 0670032654
When James Lucas enlists in the Marines he knows he will see action in Vietnam, but he doesn't realize what devastating repercussions his decision will deploy at home. The effects of James' removal from his dysfunctional family continue to ripple for years, particularly for his younger brother, Bill, who is forced to carry the biggest burden.
The Turtle Warrior is a compelling and emotional story told from multiple viewpoints. Author Ellis draws on the ebb and flow of nature's cycles - and of the environment of e~tended families - to counter the turmoil that is left by those lost as "casualties" of war. It is a book about healing and redemption, of the resilience and strength of spirit. Ellis' novel demonstrates how the caring commitment of true family - even one brought together as a result of adversity - radiates outwards from source. It is a richly detailed and unforgettable book.
Janette King
THE BRIDE HU T
Jane Feather, Bantam, 2004, $6.99/C$ I 0 .99, pb,370pp,055358619X
This second volume in the Matchmaker series, set in early 20'h century London, features Prudence, the middle Duncan sister: intelligent, serious, beautiful, with an excellent clothes sense. The sisters have continued the publication of The Mayfair Lady, started by their mother, as a way to eke out a living after their father lost the family fortunes. Trouble looms when The Mayfair Lady is hit with a lawsuit for publishing a scathing article about an unscrupulous peer of the realm. The sisters seek to enlist Sir Gideon Malvern , a young and extraordinarily successful barrister, to represent them. The milieu is vividly represented, though Prudence and her sisters are very forward thinking women and perhaps not typical! I found this volume to be even more delightful than Th e Bachelor List, Constance 's sto1y.
Trudi E. Jacobson
THE HORSE l THE KITCHE
Stories of a Mexican-American Family
Ralph M. Flores , Univ. of New Mexico Press, 2004 , $21.95, hb, 208pp, 0826333664
Mr. Flores, a retired schoolteacher, grew up with the stories his father told him about his childhood in Mexico ; they eventually inspired Flores to write this book, his first. In an absorbing style, the author guides the reader first into Mexico during the Revolution, then to the U.S. , describing the journey of a fictitious family with care and affection. The settings-1he towns of San Cristobal 111 Mexico and Douglas,
Arizona.-are painted with attention, easing the reader into understanding a world gone by, shedding light both on the shortcomings and the qualities of these two towns and their inhabitants. His tales are enchanting , evocative, and humorous Without sentimentalizing their plight, Mr. Flores explains the horrendous prejudice the family endures when the upheaval of the Mexican Revolution forces them to migrate In their new country, the family struggles continuously. At one point, looking for work, parents and children are herded into a cattle pen with other Mexican emigrants Mr. Flores writes: "There were men, ranchers and farmers, sitting on the top rails of the corrals or leaning against them, looking closely at all the people clustered in the pens, talking among themselves ." Yet Mr. Flores writes on in sorrow, not in anger , and his characters carry on with dignity. I hope the editors of future editions will correct a number of misspellings that plague the text's Spanish quotations. They are the only flaws in an otherwise lovely book.
Adelaida Lower
DIARY OF AN ORDINARY WOMAN
Margaret Forster, Vintage 2003, £6.99, pb, 407pp, 0099449285 (UK)/Chatto & Windus 2003, $35.88, hb, 400pp, 0701174129 (US) This hybrid of memoir , fiction and biography is based on the diaries of Millicent King whose life spanned the 20 1h century. She began her diary at the age of 1,4 on th e eve of the I 9 I4- l 8 War and vividly recorded all the happenings in the life of her family during this time
Her story moves on in the 1920s from teaching to social work, taking her for a time to a po s ition in Rome She tells of the build-up to another war, of her experiences, tragedies and upheavals Later in life , she joins the CND and, at the age of 70, register s as an Open University student. In her eighties she participates in a demonstration at Greenham Common.
In 1995 Millicent finds it painful to write and enlists the help of Joanna, her nephew's wife. As it became too difficult to speak her diary as Joanna writes, the la s t entry appears on the l 6'h June of that year. It is an ordinary diary of an ordinary woman, but an extraordinary and totally absorbing read - there is so much truth in it.
Vivienne Bass
A SIIARE OF HONOUR
Alexander Fullerton, Time Warner 2004, £14.99,pb,820pp,075l532037
There is a bumper treat for devotees of Alexander Fullerton's Nicholas Everard sea novels in this third omnibus collection, made up of Shar e of Honour (first publi s hed 1982) , Th e Torch Bearers ( l 983) and Th e Gatecrashers (1984). In the first book , the story starts in March 1942 as a small group
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
of veteran submariners on Malta are targeted by the Luftwaffe because they have been so successful in sinking Rommel's supply ships. In the second, Everard is sent to Freetown, Sierra Leone, with his destroyer to command the escort for a large, slow, homebound convoy but finds that the U-boat commander Max Looff is on his track. And in the third - the only one previously reviewed (May 2002) - the story is ba sed on the 1943 Operation Source, when six midget submarines were towed underwater from Scotland to North Norway by larger submarines and released there to attack the Tirpitz , Scharnhorst and Lutzow in Altenfjord.
No paper adventure stories these:
Alexander Fullerton was a cadet at Dartmouth at the age of 13 and when he went to sea, first served in a battleship in the Mediterranean Val Whitmarsh
WESTBOU D, WARBOU D
Alexander Fullerton, Little, Brown 2003, hb ,28 lpp ,03 16725560
You rea lly need to be an aficionado of things nautical to enjoy this book. Those with salt water in their veins will be interested in the Merchant Navy routines and practices , much less familiar than those of the Royal Navy, with which the author pads out his rather thin plot; others will be tempted to skip the action.
Westbound, Warbound is clearly intended as the first in a series, dealing with th e po cket battleship Graf Spee and the early convoys, seen through the eyes of a junior officer in a tramp steamer. Andy Holt is a pleasant young man and good at his job, but hi s reas ons for staying with the Merch ant Navy rather than following his father into the Ro ya l Naval Reserve did not quite co nvince me.
Overall, a nice lightweight read , good to curl up with on a wet afternoon, though it does perform a service in recognising the often unsung dedication and professionalism of the wa11ime Merchant Navy. Ann Lyon
THE SCOR FUL MOON, A Moralist's Tale
Maurice Gee, Faber & Faber 2004, £ I0.99, pb ,222 pp ,057 1221661
James Tinling, Eric Clifton and Sam Hollo way are three men united by the fact that they are ma1Tied to three sisters. Set in Wellington in 1935 this character driven story reflects the passions and prejudice s prevalent at the time . As James, former cabinet minister, plan s his political comeback in the forthcoming elections Sam, narrator of the tale , observes from the side line s. The di1ty game of politics, homo sex uality and family conflicts surface as the story progresses.
THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
Even allowing for the different attitudes towards homosexuality between then and now the narrator is so much of a moralist he comes across as a self-righteous prude. He is, understandably, emotionally involved with the people and events surrounding him but unable to understand or accept their human frailties.
Ann Oughton
A FUGUE IN HELL'S KITCHEN
Hal Glatzer, Daniel & Daniel / Perseverance Press, $13.95, pb, 240pp, 1880284707
Second in the Katy Green series, once again the scene is set in 1930s New York City, this time at a school of music. Katy Green, classically trained violinist, is mostly finding jazz gigs. One day she is asked to help a friend and former classmate retrieve a priceless autograph Paganini qua11et that has been stolen from her briefcase. Amalia Chen is a refugee from China, a musical prodigy, but she will be sent home to certain death if she is convicted of the theft The autograph manuscript was on loan from the Meyers Conservatory where Amalia currently teaches, and the proprietor is suspiciously ready to let the young woman take the fall. Katy 's investigation brings her to the school, where she meets the other members of the quartet and the quirky staff. She also discovers that the Meyers library contains quite a few other valuable autograph scores---or does it ? When Katy learns that the Conservatory is in financial difficulty and that only a few months past the previous owner died in suspicious circumstances, she begins to understand that a lot more than music is going on at Meyers Plenty of red herrings, musiker talk, and vignettes of a grubby (and sometimes violent) Depression-era New York made this an interesting read Juliet Waldron
TROUBLE I PARADISE
Pip Granger , Corgi 2004, £5.99, pb, 524pp, 0552150665
The second World War is ending and most people are looking forward to peace Not so Zelda Fluck. Peace means the return of her abusive husband. Meanwhile she takes comfort m the friendship of Zinnia Makepeace , gardener, herbalist and purported witch.
As well as Charlie Fluck 's bad behaviour the pair also have to deal with a hate campaign carried out by persons unknown and prevent Tony, Zelda's nephew , from falling into bad company. It is not going to be an easy task and the residents of Paradise Gardens will need to unite if they are to succeed.
Trouble in Paradis e is a light-hearted and witty saga set in the East End of London Cheeky characters abound and although there are troubles and hardships Pip Granger
never allows doom and gloom to dominate the plot. A charming novel, the prequel to the award winning Not All Tarts are Apple. Sara Wilson
LONG GEORGE ALLEY
Richard Hall, Washington Square, 2004 (c1972), $l3.00/C$19.50, pb, 2l6pp, 0743478991
A chorus of voices revolves , each taking a turn to reveal the story of Long George Alley, a black ghetto in Mississippi. There's Cal, angry and profane; Rice, an educated New Yorker seeking his roots; Cates, the white Civil Rights worker who hears a different drummer; Parnell , the idealistic college girl who flirts with Rice ; and Zenola, the evil janitor at the jail. Richard Hall gives everyone a chance to drive the story, and achieves a Faulkneresque realism with his ability to identify with each character's wants, needs and limitations Rice hears "the sixties scudding out of slumber and spilling over the lip of its decade " Hall's lyrical wntmg uses metaphor to give an abstract concept the truth of poetry. Like James Joyce, Hall can pack a lot into one day. Each character has a different take on the upcoming demonstration, marching to integrate the white country club at Duncan Park. Each person's insanity distorts events into a slowmotion train wreck on a day that will change, or end , their lives.
Marcia K Matthews
THE GREAT FIRE
Shirley Hazzard, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2003,$24 /C$36, hb,288pp ,03 74166447 Pub in UK by Virago Press, £15.99, hb, 336pp, 1860498906
The Great Fire follows Aldred Leith, 32 years of age and a decorated British war hero , whose post-war mission is to document the aftermath of WWII on China and Japan Leith arrives in occupied Japan two years after the bombing of Hiroshima. He meets and forms a rich friendship with Benedict and Helen , son and daughter of Brigadier Driscoll, a highly disliked hospital administrator. The pair are studious and very unlike their father: the teenaged Helen is devoted to Benedict who is equally devoted to her , and is dying of a genetic illness . Leith finds himself falling in love with Helen
Ashamed of his flawed son, Driscoll sends him away to die alone, and removes Helen from her much older paramour by moving the remains of his family to New Zealand. Shortly after , Leith leaves Japan. Back in England he must deal with himself and various past relationships before he can dare contemplate any future with Helen. The novel deals with transitions: of people finding themselves juxtaposed in impermanent situations; of acquaintances
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
filling in the caring gaps where others closer than they should have been; of life rebuilding from embers. Hazzard's writing style is neither flowery nor Spartan - she strikes a balance, though her narrative bond with the reader is somewhat cool. It's a distancing, though, that befits the tentative nature of souls fearful of uniting in the aftemiath of war.
Janette King
APOLOGY
On page 29 of our February edition, we reviewed Emma's Gift and Julia's Hope by Leisha Kelly, but only gave the title and publication details for the former. Apologies to Ms. Kelly for our mistake. Julia's Hope is also published by Fleming H. Revell at $12.99, pb, 320pp, 080075820X
A AFFAIR OF EGYPT
Barrington King, Five Star, 2004, $26.95, hb,254pp, 1594140995
In 1939, American journalist Alex Fraser is offered the chance to become a foreign correspondent in exotic pre-war Cairo. Though the career opportunity is good, Alex has a deeper, more personal reason for uprooting him elf: he knows that hi s mother had a lover in Egypt. his real father perhaps, and wants to uncover his own history. But when he a1Tives, Alex soon finds himself in a world of intrigue involving a clandestine society, the Suez Canal, and imminent war. In this world where conspiracies abound, those who seem most trustworthy are perhaps the most dangerous. Complicating matters 1s his budding relationship with renowned (and beautiful) photographer Catherine Molyneux, who i5 in Cairo recovering from her horrifying Spanish Civil War experiences.
An Affair of £gyp, presents a fascinating cast of characters, the kind of people Hercule Poirot might observe whilst vacationing in Egypt, wondering at their secrets. The plot itself was not quite as captivating as the characters; it sometimes felt as though too much was crammed into this slim tome. The real dangers (kidnapping, attempted murder, actual murder) occur in the last thirty pages of the story. With a book this sho1i, tighter edit in g would have helped with an occa ionally dragging pace in the middle of the novel. That said, there was much to enjoy: along with creating compelling characters, King does a very nice job of depicting the atmosphere of Egypt. The sights and smells especially arc vivid ly described. (It is best not to be hungry whil t reading about the feasts con urned!)
L. K. Mason
THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
PAINT BY MURDER
Kate King sb ury, Berkley Prime Crime, 2003, $5.99/$8.99, pb, 215pp, 0425192156 Fifth in the Manor House series, Paint by Murder is set in the south of England during WWII and features an interesting cast of characters, led by Lady Elizabeth Compton, widow and amateur detective. When an artist is found murdered, Lady Ehzabeth begins an investigation, spurred by rumours about German spies in the area. There are several subplots, all connected to the main one, involving other village residents as well as a blossoming romance between Lady Elizabeth and an American officer housed at the Manor.
Though part of a series, this book does stand alone and is an enjoyable trip back in time to 1940s England. The author effectively captures the paranoia of the period. Her characters are well-rounded, and the mystery is deftly plotted, though I did gue. s the identity of the Gennan spy early on. Especially enjoyable was Kingsbury's setting, which comes to life- I could taste the sea spray in the air, see the winding coast road, and picture the small village v.ith ease. For mystery and history lo vers alike
Teresa Basinski Eckford
ARABIAN NIGHTS, 1914
Eric Koch, Mosaic Press, 2003, $15, pb, 240pp,0889628009
This is the Arabian ights with a twist: a modem day Scheherazade, World War [, and Kaiser Wilhelm II. Zade travels from the neutral kingdom of Ouda to Berlin on the eve of World War I. The mission of this ambitious young woman is to whisper her Tales of a Thousand and One Nights to Kaiser Wilhelm. Most of the book revolves around strategies undertaken to get her close enough to Wilhelm to accomplish this task Koch tells the story through a variety of narratives, including endearing di s patches sent by Zade to her king, al o her lover. Another voice details background inforrnation about the Kaiser and other pertinent characters. Interspersed throughout the book are boxed snippets of historical facts (e.g., the number of Muslims in India and Egypt). Some work to enhance the story; others are irrelevant. The author also addresses religious issues and Gc1111an tensions, in particular the Jewish enigma. He highlights the dynamics of Gcrman/Jewi h relationships , and uses important Jews , such as Einstein, to help facilitate the introduction of Zade and Wilhelm and the beginning of World War I.
Carol Anne Germain
BREAKING THE TONG E
Vyvyane Loh, W.W. Norton , 2004, $24.95/C$37.50, hb, 448pp , 0393057925
The opening scene is one-of torture suffered by Claude, a Chinese boy anglicized by his
parents. Young Claude was unsure of himself. Tom between his father and his strong grandmother, he despised his own "pliancy." Drifting in an out-of-body state, he experiences a scene from the childhood of his friend Ling-Ii. She is a fighter for China in the Malaya of the •40s Grandma Siok tried to teach Claude Chinese, but his parents stopped her. As part of acculturation, she brought him to a museum where at age 13, he saw a diorama of the Ten Courts of Hell. One of the tortured souls was having his tongue torn out. Breaking the tongue also means breaking a code, and breaking into the lan guage.
Loh drives the narrative forward in present tense, using past tense for vignettes. She is adept at describing Singapore's lush panorama, and at portraying subtle emotions within the fami ly Claude's internal conflict is a constant source of tension, as is his parents' conflict with him and with each other. Floating above his body, Claude secs events happening to his mother, his father, business colleagues and others. His stoic endurance provides a dramatic and sad undercurrent.
When Claude Lim spent time with Jack Winchester, he became aware of the colour bar in public places that separated him as a ''native" from Jack, a "European." In 1941, the conflict erupted in the Japane e invasion. A Fifth Columnist set up Ling-Ii . Grandma Siok quotes extensively from "T~e Art of War" by Sun Tzu Ling-Ii is a lot like her, a capable general whose friendship puts Claude in hann 's way.
Marcia K. Matthews
BANDBOX
Thomas Mallon , Pantheon , 2004, $24.95 / C$37.95, hb , 306pp, 0375421165
In Bandbox, a rollicking Valentine to Jau Age New York , Mallon whips up a light confection with just the right amount of literary heft.
Bandbox is a men 's maga;:ine that covers food, fashion, fiction and other ephemera for metro sex uals Joe Harris, its bombastic editor, is fac111g pre ss ure from management: an upstart competitor, Cutmm_1· - run by Joe's talented ex-protege - is rising in subscriptions at Banc/box's expense. Joe plan a dramatic comeback, but there 's trouble among the staff. His best writer i lost 111 the hooch. His number-one model is on a binge of homo se.xual elfdestruction. Even the office slut is looking for permanence
Into this mix Mallon throws a gee-whiz fa1111 boy from Indiana kidnapped by the mob ; an animal-rights activist rescuing the exotic pets used in the photo shoots; a magazine mole ferrying secrets to the competition; a nymphomaniac Hollywood star with a secret baby; and a crooked judge
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
under the heel of New York goons. Now, here's a story that crackles as it reels along in apparent chaos! But Mallon is a master; he holds the strings tight. In the end, he loops them all through a kidnapping and a dangerous, scripted rescue, leaving the reader with the feeling that true talent is rewarded and triumph always goes to the good-hearted. Mallon 's voice is witty, effervescent, and rich with a love of the era; Bandbox is a novel not to be missed.
Lisa Ann Verge
A SON CALLED GABRlEL
Damian McNicholl, CDS Books , 2004, $22.95 /C$31.95, hb, 342pp, 1593150180 McNicholl's first novel, set in the hills of Northern Ireland in the turbulent 1960s and 70s, is a coming-of-age novel listed as fiction/memoir. It tells the story of Gabriel Harkin , the eldest of four children in a working-class family, struggling through a loving yet often brutal childhood. Growing up in a decidedly Catholic Ulster community, Gabriel struggles to come to terms with his inner demons and find his place in an unstable world The reader sees Gabriel grow from a child through to young adulthood and can sympathize with his desire to be accepted as the person he knows himself to be
The book is a good read, although at times it felt a bit cliched and rather obvious. One s ubplot involving an uncle provided great suspense and a sense of purpose to the book The outcome of Gabriel's life was almost a foregone conclusion, but the suspense of his uncle 's involvement is what kept the book going.
Dana Cohlmeyer
WATERBORNE
Bruce Murkoff, Knopf, 2004, $25 /C$38 , hb, 4 l 6pp. 1400040388
Pub in the UK by Secker & Warburg, £12.00,pb , 400pp , 0436205238
Set in the Nevada desert at the time of the Great Depression, Wa1erborne is a captivating look at the early years of the Boulder Dam Project , a beacon of hope to those struggling to overcome poverty and despair. Fillius Poe, Lena McCardell , and Lew Beck are drawn to the site in search of new beginnings Mr. Murkoff skilfully uses a series of flashbacks to develop his characters
Fillius Poe had everything in life, but has lost it all by the time he begins his new job as chief engineer for the dam. Struggling to survive his greatest loss, he hopes twentyhour workdays and his ability to mould steel and move rivers will be enough to sustain him. A quiet man, he writes daily letters to a wifo and son he describes to Lena as "not with me anymore."
Lena McCardell has also come to Boulder City to make a new start for herself
THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
and her eight-year-old son, Burr. As her friendship with Fillius grows into something more, she must fight the advances of Lew Beck, an embittered drifter, who sees her as the healing balm for a lifetime of antiSemitism and cruel taunts about his small size. When she rejects him, he becomes determined to have his reven ge. The story culminates at the edge of th e dam high above the raging waters of the Colorado River.
This well-researched and well-written debut novel leaves you hoping Mr Murkoff is busy writing another one.
Susan Zabolotny
WALKlNG INTO THE NIGHT
OlafOlafsson, Pantheon, 2003, $23 00 , hb, 266pp,0375422544
Pub. in the UK by Faber & Faber, 2004, £10.99, pb, 272pp, 057l2l990X
How did Icelandic businessman Kristjan Benediktsson end up as Christian, butler to William Randolph Hearst? K.ristjan was a successful businessman with a wife and family in Iceland. Business trips to New York grew more and more frequent until his life in Iceland fell victim to the life he truly desired. Still, th at life was a far cry from li fe as Hearst's butler.
Olafsson alternates between glimpses of Kristjan 's past and his present. As Kristjan, he hides his father-in-law's business failures while trying to prove himself to his wife 's family and taking increasingly longer business trips to New York. As Christian, he insures that the household at San Simeon runs smoothly while helping Marion Davies concea l her drinking from Hearst and keeping the rest of the staff from being fired at Hearst's whim
Kristjan remains essentially a cipher. Although I was intrigued by him and how he ended up with Hearst, he seemed detached from his life long before he changed it so dramatically. Hearst and Davies, however, are made more intriguing by being seen through K.ristjan's eyes. We see Davies, the vulnerab le and warmhearted , and Hearst , the Chief, egotistical and temperamental and yet vulnerable himself as well. Olafsson successfully gives a behind-the-scenes feel to the San Simeon chapters, but those who peopled the New York and Iceland chapters, K.ristjan's mistress and his wife, are le ss clearly drawn and compelling. Still, Olafsson writes with a graceful prose that left me wanting more.
Ellen Keith
SHADOW WITHOUT A NAME
Ignacio Padilla, Farrar, S1raus & Giroux, 2003,$22,hb, 192p~037426l903
Pub. in the UK by Scribner, 2003, £6.99, pb , 208pp,0743207335
Two men play chess on a train bound for the eastern front in 1914 . The loser will serve as
a soldier in a doomed regiment; the winner will assume a safe, uneventful job on the railway. So occurs the first of many exchanges of identity ; this switch and the terrible events of World War I set in motion a plot that leads to the Amphitryon Project.
The Amphitryon Project was a Nazi scheme in which doubles would be trained to take the place of superior Nazi officials at high-risk public events. But did the doubles have secret motives of their own? Were the doubles really Jews, determined to infiltrate the Nazi party from within? In Shadow wilhoul a Name, nothing and no one is as it seems, and the chaos of Europe during both World Wars provides an impressive backdrop for Ignacio Padilla's meditation on the meaning of identity
It ' s impossible to overemphasize the importance of chess in this novel. Not only does every character play - their styles and skills are few of the essentials of their original personalities they can never change - but chess itself serves as a symbol for fascism. What other game is so specifically about intellectual dominance? The losers of Shadow's chess games face crushing , lifelong consequences, yet they never question the winners' right to enforce them
The key to the puzzle is the losin g chess player in the first game. He succeeds in his military service, endures a surpnsmg metamorphosis , becomes a high-ranking Nazi, escapes the last days of the war , and end his days under yet another identity: a Polish count obsessed with chess. When he dies, he leaves behind a bizarre manifesto. On the surface, it's a chess manual, but when decoded , it reveals that Project Amphitryon has one last deception in store.
Colleen Quinn
FEVER HILL
Michelle Paver, Bantam Press 2004, £ I 0 00 , pb , 516pp,0593052927
Moving between Jamaica and London in the 1900s, Sophie Munroe, returning from school in England, becomes involved with Ben, the London s lum child she first met when she was ten and he a few years older. There are problems on th e estate her brother-in-law owns, her sister, Madeleine has secre ts and an aunt devoted to her dead child occupies Sophie 's own inheritance, Fever Hill. Sophie offends the rigid Jamaican society while her mulatto friend, Evie has her own troubles. Her friend, Sibella from a once wealthy family is preoccupied with her forthcoming marriage and the socia l conventions.
This is a convincing portrayal of Jamaican life and the author loving ly conveys the lu sh, rich atmosphere of the country. The London background was not, I felt, so effectively portrayed. The tensions and quarrels produce a closely woven plot. I
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
was not so keen on the use of present tense voices for Ben and Evie in the first part of the book. It seemed unnecessary and was disconcerting. Nevertheless, a good read.
Marina Oliver
LAW OF RETURN
Rebecca Pawel, Soho Press, 2004, $24.00, hb,288pp, 1569473439
It is 1940 The Spanish Civil War has finally ended, while the war in Europe heats up. Carlos Tejada, newly promoted to lieutenant in Spain's Guardia Civil, leaves Madrid for his new post in Salamanca. One of the duties his ill-tempered new Captain has seen fit to impose on him is weekly meetings with the townspeople who are on parole. These people are also subject to surveillance by the Guardia whenever they lea ve their homes.
Tejada's last meeting of the day is with former Professor Fernandez who, after signing a petition which placed him politically at odds with the new government, has lost his position at the University. An old friend of the Fernandez family, a German Jew, has appealed to them to help him gain entry into Spain where he hopes to obtain passage to Mexico. When circumstances send Fernandez's daughter, Elena, north alone to meet him , their plans appear doomed to fail until Lt. Tejada intervenes to help.
The author deftly portrays the turbulent times. Spain is raw and wounded after the ravages of the lengthy Civil War; the defeated and the victors are trying to learn to coexist and bring the suffering country together again Rebecca Pawel, a Spanish teacher from Brooklyn, has brought all of the elements of the distrust of the era into a story of hope and love amidst the ruins of a great nation. This is the second in what hopefully will be a lengthy series Lorraine Gelly
THE LAST CUT
Michael Pearce , Poisoned Pen Press, 2004, $24.95, hb, 204pp , l 590580672
Water has always been pivotal to Egypt. It remains so in the post-WWI British-ruled Egypt where this story is set. Systems of irrigation are changing, and this is the last year of the traditional flooding of the land. When there is an attempted sabotage at the new canal site and the body of a young girl is found, social tensions rise. Gareth Owen, the Mamur Zapt, head of the political branch, becomes involved in the search for the culprit.
This is a perfect set-up for the author to describe the tensions between races and religions (Egyptians , British , Arabs, Jews, Copts), city and country, tradition and modernism, rationalism and superstitions,
which he does non-judgmentally - even with touchy topics like female circumcision. The setting and characters are colourful, the plot is well-balanced and unfolds slowly like the rhythm of life in Egypt. Sometimes Pearce tends to become too technical, but thi s is a very minor point that shouldn't prevent anyone from getting acquainted with this series set in a time and place seldom depicted in fiction.
Nicole Leclerc
TOWARD THE SUNRISE
Judith Pella, Bethany House, 2003, $12.99, pb,427pp,0764224239
The three Keagan sisters take the fortitude, hope , and wisdom of faith-filled Americans into the vilest of global war situations in this, the third novel of the Daughters of Fortune series.
Plagued by malaria, malnutrition, and war wounds, Blair is forced to perform critical medical procedures on fallen soldiers while Sam, her Japanese-American husband, must protect his men and at the same time impede the enemy's advance into the deepest jungle of the Philippines. Cameron, a wanime con·espondent working in Russia, deepens her relationship with a Russian doctor but fails to meet a sibling whose life is clouded in protective secrecy. Jackie chooses to liv e with her husband and bear a child inside a Japanese internment camp in America, a choice that will challenge and eventually transform her parents' beliefs about patriotic loyalty.
Initi ally dependent upon a young, untested Christian faith, these three women mature into stalwart, compassionate people Their faith buuresses their internal world and radiates love to the war-torn external world. Pella excels at po11raying the divisions between men and women and the subsequent union that stems from deep belief in a higher vision.
Viviane Crystal
GUARDIAN OF THE HORIZO
Elizabeth Peters, William Morrow, 2004, $24 95 /C $34 95, hb, 4 I 6pp, 0066214718 Pub. in the UK by Constable & Robinson , 2004, £ 16.99, hb, 320pp, 1841198757
This is the sixteenth instalment in the everente11a1n111g Amelia Peabody mystery series. It does not fall short of expectations either. It is an utter delight.
The " lo st" journals of the Emersons' 1907 -1908 dig season have been found. We are transported back to the Lost Oasis and Holy Mountain chronicled in The last Camel Died at Noon. This was where Nefret was the High Priestess before she was recovered by the Emersons, and brought back to England to live the life of a refined English lady.
While the Emersons attempt to plan where they will dig during that fateful season, they are visited by a stranger whose words strike them to the core. Their friend, Tarek, the King of the Lost Oasis, has written asking for their help. They must return to a place from which they barely escaped with their lives ten years before Ramses, who wants desperately to flee his love for the unattainable Nefret, is stuck. He has to go to the aid of his friend, Tarek Naturally, Tarek hasn't called the Emersons to assist him - rather, it is the new king who has deposed Tarek and who has called the Father of Curses and Sitt Hakim to his side to cement his rule over the people. What transpires is that well-beloved series of ups and downs which crowd the pages of Peters' Amelia Peabody mysteries The dialogue is tongue-in-cheek, the attraction between Amelia and Emerson is tasty, and the torment of Ramses is painful. Everything is resolved al the end - well, almost everythingl
What fun reading! flysa Magnus
THE SIGHT OF THE STARS
Belva Plain, Delacorte. 2004, $25.95 /C$37.95, hb, 3 I 2pp, 038533683 7 Pub. in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton, 2004,£6.99,pb,31 lpp,0340734795 In 1907 Adam Arning turns thirteen, a major event ruined by learning that his parents never married. He works in his father's shop until age I 9, when he decides to head west. Travel-weary Adam considers the train conductor's mention of the next stop, Chattahoochee, Texas , the ideal place to replenish a d\.\. 111dling supply of cash. Luckily for him , Adam ventures into Mrs Rothirsch's run-down shop. His thought of purchasing new shirts quickly turns to settling a dispute in process, an opportunity for him to show off his merchandising skills Sharing a few ideas gains Adam the task of rejuvenating the store. This day Adam meets the owner's young niece Emma, an infrequent visitor from school. The plot remains relatively calm until the more promising of his two half-brothers goes to war, and a past mistake of Adam's comes back to haunt him.
The author has created another bestseller, but not one rich in suspense or relevance to actual histo1y Although the novel follows Adam and his descendants over most of the twentieth century, this is more the story of one man's life than a true multigenerational saga. An easy read , suitable for those who enjoy a light recall of history with th eir fiction
Jetta Carol Culpepper
THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
THE AFFAIR OF THE INCOGNITO TENANT
Lora Roberts, Perseverance Press, 2004, $13.95, pb, 264pp. 1880284677
When Charlotte Dodson's husband dies suddenly, leaving her a widow with a young son, she is fortunate to find a position as housekeeper. Her elderly employer, Major Sir Arthur Fallowes, treated his staff with kindness and respect. Upon his death in the spring of 1903, Charlotte and other staff face uncertain futures During the search for the Major's only relative , the estate attorney attempts to lease the property.
On Charlotte's first encounter with '·Mr. Sigerson," she does not think he will rent Larchbanks, but he does indeed , stating that the orchard to the rear is ideal for his bees. She has some antagonism towards the new master initially, but when he recognizes her as a shrewdly obserrnnt person. tensions begin to thaw.
Sherlock Holmes is attempting to regroup after an attack by the evil Col. Moran, who has tire-bombed Holmes' Sussex manor. Deciding to lie low until he can plan his next move, the great d<!tective rents a remote country estate. Never does he imagine the resourceful assistance he will recei\ e from his housekeeper.
Lora Roberts has written a ddightful addition to the world of Sherlock Holmes. Through Charlotte's eyes we see the world of her era. the upkeep of the estate, dealings with people in town and of course her interactions with Holmes. Roberts has managed to capture the flavour of the times as well as presenting the reader with a highl y entertaining mystery. I hope we can follow Charlotte in subsequent book s. Lorraine Gelly
THE GIRL WHO PLAYED GO
Shan Sa, Knopf, 2003, $22.95, hb, 3 I 2pp, 1400040256
Pub. in the UK by Chatto & Windus. 2003, £12.99, pb, 340pp, 0701174005
They say that go, a strategic two-player game popular in both China and Japan , takes only five minutes to learn but a lifeti111e to master. The structure of The Girl IVhn Plored Go mimics the game in that the chapters are short, sparse, and carefully planned. There is the same sense of inevitability: seemingly tri\ial early mo\ es force the pattern of the overal I \\ 01·k. The only ti111es this structure fails is in providing backstory. It takes a distracting number of footnotes to acquaint the reader with the details of the Japanese-Manchurian conflict in the 1930s, yet it is unwise to ignore them. ft ·s a minor clumsy move in a11 othern ise elegant, fast-paced no\·el.
The na1Tati\ e shifts bet\\'een the goplaying girl, a precocious, my,teriously anonymous schoolgirl, and her opponent, a
THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
Japanese soldier working as a spy to gather infomrntion on the people who live in his remote Manchurian outpost. Both characters are absorbed in their day-to-day concerns: the girl learns of the Chinese revolutionary movement and takes a lover from their ranks; her opponent misses his family and the lovely geisha he has disappointed. Neither is fully aware that their existences are untenable and the world is changing all around them. But games of strategy allow no idle mo111ents , and both players find the111seh"es swept into the unfolding war, every go stone building toward an explosive, shocking ending.
Colleen Quinn
l\lGHT CALYPSO
Lawrence Scott, Allison & Busby 2004, £10.99, pb, 4l8pp, 0749006633 (UK) 1£15 95, pb , 320pp (USJ If only the Booker prize short list contained treasures such as this 1 Night Cu/ipso is a lyrical, hypnotic joy. Set in the late 1930s on a small Trinidadian island, it is Captain Corelli of the Caribbean.
The novel relates the story of an orphan boy, Theo, who gradually re-lives his tragic past in a series of nightmares and storieshis •Night Calypso'. Theo is ca red for by Dr Vincent Metivier, who treats the patients in the Leper Hospital, with the assistance of Sister Therese. a half-Jewish French nun with whom he inevitably falls in love.
A II three characters are trapped by 111emory, nationality and desperation to come to tem1s with their various states of displace111ent. In Europe, war is breaking out, leading to loss for both Metivier and Sister Therese. Theo's war is in his mind. The island itself is on the brink of revolution, and mi1Tors the tum1oil of those caught between two worlds, as they battle to break with the past. It is a novel about violent change, and, eventually, peace.
Lawrence Scott's writing is so marvellous that the reader can feel the heat , and sense the lu sh vegetation of the tropical island , and the voices of the people themselves in the local French / English patois, are utterly convincing. !'v·ig/11 Cu/ipso is a truly beautiful book. Read it and rejoice.
Ruth Ginarlis
A'.'>YA
Susan Fromberg Schaeffer, W.W. Norton, 2004 (c 1974 ). S 14.95 , pb, 489pp, 0393325210
Anya begins this sto1y by intricately describing the details of her affluent lifestyle , where "floors gleamed like gold" and "windows shone 011 sunny days like uncut diamonds." Her life was filled with exquisite belongings, laughter, and dreams, dreams that are shattered by the cold
blistering reality of the larger world. As a Russian Jew li ving in Warsaw, Poland in 1939, Anya witnesses the devastating destruction of this affluent world, as Hitler's troops invade her beloved home.
Anya teaches us the lessons of bravery, co111passion, love, and survival. Even in the darkest moments of the Holocaust, when she endures the harshest of hardships, Anya finds strength to survive. Schaeffer writes a beautiful story with marvellous images the reader will never forget. Originally published in hardcover in 1974, this longawaited paperback version will be welcomed by those longing to reread this heart-wrenching sto 1y.
Carol Anne Germain
THE LAST SONG OF DUSK Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi, Weidenfield & Nicolson, 2004, £ I 2.99, hb, 298pp, 0297847570
I must admit to experiencing some difficulty \\ ith this book; indeed , I almost gave up reading it altogether around page 40, though I'm glad I didn't.
My biggest problem stems from attempting to define "The Last Song of Dusk" as historical fiction. Despite the fact that Shanghvi has been likened to Salman Rushdie, his 111agic realist style is not anchored in specific historical events the way "Midnight's Children" arises directly out of Indi an independence. On the contrary, though nominally set in 1920s Bombay, his tale of the tragic marriage between Anuradha and Vardhmaan exists in a universe in which different periods run in parallel, where the invention of the miniskirt can be tied to the asceticism ofGhandi, and Rushdie himself can appear, though unnamed, at a party with Virginia Woolf.
This is Shanghvi's first novel, and its quality is uneven, the first half characterised by some painfully forced metaphors (a child falls "like an infinitely elega111 tear reeling down the face of Time") and underdeveloped characters, particularly Divi-Bai, Vardhmaan·s wicked stepmother. In the second half, the pace picks up with the introduction of Nandini, Anuradha 's cousin, half woman, half panther, artist and heartbreaker, who speaks an enchanting mix of napper and colonial slang.
Once the t1·agedy which lies at the hean of Anuradha 's and Vardhmaan 's ma1Tiage occms, Shangll\'i settles into a less elaborate style, letting e\'ents speak for themselves. Although he piles on trauma with gothic relish, when he does it well, as in the description of the death of Nandini's newborn brother, we are given a glimpse of the writer Shanghvi will become , and I was very glad not to have given up on page 40 after all.
Sarah Bower
LANDSKER
Brenda Squires, Starbom Books 2003, £11.99, pb, 330pp, 1899530169 Pembrokeshire 1926. Twenty-year old Rhiannon is newly engaged to a respectable solicitor, and an endless round of afternoon teas, tennis and good works awaits her. But the old certainties of Empire , class and gender are changing and the General Strike looms. When she meets German socialist Max, who is actively involved in supporting the strikers, Rhiannon is precipitated into an agonizing reappraisal of everything she believes in.
This is a rite of passage novel , skilfully done. Brenda Squires offers us an intelligent and perceptive look at the 1920s. She is interested in how her characters adapt to and cope with change: some feel threatened and some sense new opportunities, and we become involved with them all. She avoids cliche in either characters or situations - we are infuriated by, and sympathise with Rhiannon in equal measure as she struggles to find herself in a difficult and fastchanging world The plot of Landsker might be a saga. but forget Catherine Cookson, this is more Elizabeth Jane Howard territory Fay Weldon has called this book 'intelligent, fair and perspicacious'. I agree. I enjoyed it. A most encouraging debut. Elizabeth Hawksley
FAMILY FORTUNES
Mary Jane Staples, Corgi 2004, £5.99, pb, 365pp,0552l5l386
The twenty-fifth book in the series about the Adams family living in South London brings the saga up to the 1950s The books are clearly popular with warm , friendly characters who face, at times, difficult choices. Health, post-war antagonism towards Germans , trade unionisation in the factory and the colour bar are some of the issues faced in this book. The time is recreated with authentic detail and attitudes. After a swift canter round the various members of the family and their concerns in the first couple of chapters [ needed the family trees to follow the relationships and for a long time was confused. One of the problems with series is the likelihood of the reader forgetting earlier details The only solution , [ find, is to read them together , in order, over a comparatively short time This book is a good read which will delight fans. Marina Oliver
THE PEACEMAKER'S VENGEANCE
Gary Svee, Pocket Star, 2003, $5.99 / C$8.99, pb , 339pp, 0743463463
The Peacemaker's Vengeance is a fictional account of events that occurred in Columbus, Montana in 1912. In Eagles Nest, Montana, Sheriff Frank Drinkwalter is a well-respected , no-nonsense kind of man. He has been on both sides of the law, but
THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
he's now the "heart that keeps the community going." Into this relatively peaceful town comes a great danger: Jack Galt, the new blacksmith, who is suspected of having killed several women in other towns. However, no evidence can be traced to him. Frank cannot kill the man without cause, and so must find another way to drive Jack out. When Catherine Lang, Frank's long-time sweetheart, arrives in Eagles Nest to wed him, Frank knows he has to take action to keep her safe.
Award-winning author Svee brings Eagles Nest to colourful life; from the very first paragraph, he draws the reader into tum-of-the-century Montana, with its bitter cold winds and its towering mountains. The characters, whether minor or major, are well realized, and there were plot twists, particularly at the end, that truly came as a surprise to me. Svee takes characters that could have been cliched and gives them depth; I will be seeking him out again.
L.K. Mason
THE AMATEUR MARRIAGE
Anne Tyler, Alfred A. Knopf, 2004, $24.95, hb.304pp , 1400042070
Pub. in UK by Chatto and Windus,£ 16.99, hb , 320pp,0701177349
Anne Tyler knows her Baltimore . The Amateur Marriage is a near-perfect recreation of a particular time and place. It takes us from Michael's mother's East Baltimore grocery store in 1941 , where Michael and Pauline first meet, to the first years of their marriage living above the store, to trading up to a home and more upscale store in Baltimore County to their eventual divorce and restructuring of their lives.
Cautious Michael and impulsive Pauline are opposites, and one sign that they may not be made for each other is that Pauline doesn't come from Michael's neighbourhood, where families live for generations and generations. In fact, it ' s almost heresy when she insists that they move from there. Pauline wants the suburban American dream, but it proves elusive.
While the end of the marriage seems inevitable from almost the beginning of the book, Tyler makes the journey to that end absorbing , giving both Michael and Pauline their due. At times they seem like caricatures of a mismatched couple in Eisenhower America , but the small details Tyler brings to the story, such as the description of Pauline's first and last date with a widower, make it much more than a case study of a marriage gone sour.
Ellen Keith
THE FOREST LOVER
Susan Vreeland, Viking, 2004, $24.95, hb, 333pp,0670032670
Based on the life of Emily Carr, The Forest Lover is a magnificent account of one woman's determination to carry out her quest. At times this quest becomes submerged in self-doubt, and in the mores of early 201h century British Columbia. Emily asks herself whether she is painting the totem poles of BC's northwest communities to preserve them for posterity-many are decaying in abandoned villages or have been plundered for museums-or to capture the spirit essential to powerful art. She travels to France to learn from post-Impressionist artists there, but missing her beloved British Columbia , returns to wander through the forests and villages of the northwest coast , winning the respect of the native people she encounters. Her family does not understand her, and her friends are mainly society's outcasts. Vancouver and Victoria scorn her work, and it is not until much later in her life that she is recognized as one of Canada's most talented artists.
Susan Vreeland clearly cares for her subject. Emotion leaps off the pages of this novel. She has achieved that sought-after gem: a book that is easy to read yet profoundly moving This author takes research seriously, yet doesn't allow facts to clog the story's progression. She feels no need to show every detail of Emily Carr's life , and instead focuses on the important ones. And she manages to project Emily ' s own love for the wilderness that is still so much a part of British Columbia Claire Morris
THE VOICE OF LENINGRAD: The Story of a Siege
C.S. Walton, Garrett County Press , 2003, $14.95, pb, I67pp, 189 I053825
Told through the eyes of a protagonist sixteen years old when the World War Il siege of her city begins, this winner of the New London Writers Award is highly recommended
The siege of Leningrad (now reverted to its pre-1914 name of St. Petersburg) lasted 900 days and left a million and a half citizens dead It is the pivotal experience of returning emigrant Zinaida Konstantinovna As the bombs start to fall on her city she notices women pulling beloved Klodt horses from their pedestals on Anichkov Bridge , and a comic sketch has her "laughing until my stomach aches, for once not with hunger." As a singer on the front lines she finds in her audiences " faces beautiful as faces always are when forgetful of themselves," even in theatres whose inside temperatures are below freezing.
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The object of Zinaida's modem times return is to seek out the love of her life, actor Ivan Dmitrich She walks her beloved city full of memories and hosts a party for old and new citizens before finding the key to Ivan 's whereabouts and the answers to a Cold War betrayal that sent her to Siberia.
In telling, heart-rending detail, the cost of the siege and its aftermath on a human sou l becomes clear. That soul's triumph brims with experienced wisdom and the redemptive quality of art.
Eileen Charbonneau
DANCING WITH El STEIN
Kate Wenner, Scribner, 2004, $24.00/ C.$36.00, hb, 223pp, 0743251644
For seven years, Marea has travelled the world, runnin g away from the pa st. As she approaches thirty, however, she returns to New York and gets a job, deciding it's time to face her problems. Since the accidental death of her father, a nuclear physicist and Holocaust survivor, she has been at odds with her mother. She • has also had nightmares about atomic bombs " dropping out of an airplane like a mother cat giving birth to black kittens." Marea must look back to her childhood to find th e answers.
Dancing wilh Einstein is the second novel by Kate Wenner, a TV producer and novelist (Selling Fires, 2000). Going back and forth between th e fifties and seventies, Ms. Wenner tells a complicated story. The book's finest portrait is that of Jonas Hoffman, her father, seen throu gh Marea 's eyes, first as a child, then as a struggling adult. Even so, the novel limp s in spotsparticularly when Marea finally reads her father's diary, written in third person point of view. Call me a cynic, but I could not believe that Marea 's various therapists- a Freudian-in-training, an intimidating Jungian, a feminist, and an older, patient woman-would all agree to receive little or no pay just to hear the tales of her travels and her memories of Einstein, a friend of the family. As if these four therapists were not enough, Marea also consults her boss , a compassionate gay baker, and even a twelve-year-old boy she meets on the train Too much of a good thing, I say. Adelaida Lower
PRISONERS OF WAR
Steve Yarbrough, Knopf, 2003, $23, hb, 285pp,03754l4787
The central story transpires during World War Ir on the farmlands of Mississippi , where German prisoners of war work the fields for small rewards While some young men of the local community are fighting overseas, tho se at home battle racial inequality, economic stress, and wartime fears Intrigue is established on the first page with descriptions of the "rolling s tores ," recycled school buses stocked
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primarily of snacks sold to farmhands. The story follows drivers Dan Timms and a young black man called L.C. Steve Yarbrough, the author of Visible Spirits, skilfully casts a sensitive glance into the lives of each group - African-Americans, Mississippi farmhands, and German soldiers - with members of each planning their respective escapes. Highly recommended Jetta Carol Culpepper
K-THE ART OF LOVE
Hong Ying , Black Swan 2004, £6.99, pb , 286pp, 0552772011 (UK)/Marion Soyars 2002, $14.95, pb, 252pp , 0714530727 (US)
In the late I930s Julian Bell , son of Vanessa Bell and nephew of Virginia Wolf went to teach in China. There he met and fell in love with K or Lin Cheng a married woman , writer and intellectual of the New Moon society. This novel is based on their meeting and the passionate affair that followed.
Hong Ying is the first person to connect the descriptions of K which feature in the letters Julian wrote to his mother and K's poetry which vividly describes her experience of th ei r affair.
The connection produces a tantalising, intense and painful tale in which the erotic uplifting sublime heights of the couple's relationship are juxtaposed with the equally frequent and crushing lows The pair experience complete love and sexual ecstasy alongside jeal ousy misunderstanding , fear and rejection The turmoil of their affair and the inner turmoil experienced by both protagoni sts is set against the echoing backdrop of war-torn China and the mounting ten s ion in Europe.
Ying also explores the contradiction of a woman who is at once progressive whilst still embracing ancient Chinese folklore and tradition . She paints a subtle yet telling picture of how women were viewed in China at this time as well as the deeper division s between old and new thinking tn that country.
Emily Retter
ST AR STRUCK DEAD
Sheila York, Pocket, 2003 , $6.99 / C$ I0.50, pb , 07434 7046X
The year is 1946 , and Lau ren A twi II is a Ho llywood scree n writer who stumbles across a ga ng of bl ackma ilers in this, a medium-boiled mystery novel that the front cover promises to be the first in a series. There's murd e r, too , which almost goes without saying, and a good-looking private eye who comes to her assistance. The blackmailers specialize in taking compromising pictures of people in and around the movie industry
The historical setting, generally reminiscent of the days of black-and-white post -war cinema, seems accurate, with one
minor exception. Science fiction paperbacks did not exist in 1946, not in any abtmdance The case itself, while thoroughly enjoyable, is overly complicated and runs its course in fits and sudden jolts, requiring repeated recaps and yet with an ending that has to be read twice for complete understanding. Uneven, then, is what I'm suggesting , but if you're a fan of 8-movie Hollywood , be on the lookout for this one. You wouldn't want to miss it
Steve Lewis
FORTRESS BESIEGED
Qian Zhongshu (trans. Jeanne Kelly and Nathan K. Mao) , New Directions , $ l 6.95 / C$25.50, pb , 4 l 6pp, 0811215520
Forlress Besieged was initially published in China in 194 7 and is debatably considered one of the finest Chinese novels of last century and for good reason; it is that rare book that borders on the literary yet defines its goals without losing its readability
The novel revolves around an e.x lr em ely luckless hero , Fang Hungchien, who maintains a striking ability to m1s111terpret virtually every event, conversation and opportunity that comes his way. Fang , returns from abroad after years of studying for a degree which he never managed to acquire, unles s one counts the fraudulent degree bought from a non -ex istent American university ? It is thi s assumption that Fang is more than he really is that leads him into constant troubling , farcical, situations. He even manages on the basis of his spurious degree to land a teaching position he is so unqualified for at a new university in China's interior that his father takes to calling his eldest son "Muddlehead"' Toss in a complicated love life and you have a superlative Chinese soap opera .
The translation is perfection, and even with the so many different characters and names, I never once became lost or confused just more enthralled with how Fang could so easily walk a crooked line down a straight street over and over again. I highly recommend Fortr ess Besieged, especially for those looking for a new twist in an old world way to their hi s torical fiction
Wendy Zollo
MULTI-PERIOD
DUBLIN
Edward Ruth e rford, Century 2004 , £17.99, hb , 776pp,0712680004
When Edward Rutherford embarked on this project to bring the history of the foundation of Ireland's capital city to the populous , I wonder if he realised the enom1ity of his
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
task. But in condensing history to 770 pages he has accomplished his objective quite ruthlessly. Whilst he has included the main historical characters and historic moments on both sides, the liberty of incorporating some fictional element involves the reader with some li ghter entertainment along the way. Following the Ui Fergusa and their descendants through the ages gives some insight into their possible priorities and dayto-day concerns in a challenging way.
The development of the settlement and its hinterland into the thriving city we now know will give the native and the casual visitor much wider interest in Dublin (or should I say Baile Atha Cliath). As expected the usual favourites appear, with much reference to the Tuatha De Danaan, the Druids and the High Kings, tales of St Patrick's conversion of the pagans and, of course, the invaders of the island who included the Vikings, Normans and the English Some facts not common ly known also come to light, most notably the presence of English as slaves to the Iri sh. Rutherford 's descriptive prose makes for a well-told tale and the reader is entertained with colourful characters and language. However, as an Irish exile educated in Ireland, 1 wonder how those uninitiated in some Gaelic grounding would have coped were it not for the phonetic pronunciation guide - a useful addendum.
Cathy Kemp
THE INTELLIGENCER
Leslie Silbert, Atria Book s, 2004,$24.00/ C$36.00, hb , 336pp, 0743432924
This is a contemporary thriller with associational historical elements. Though there are brief scenes told from Christopher Marlowe's point of view in the months leading up to May 30th 1593 , involving an alternative and somewhat anachronistic interpretation of the accepted historical record , the weight of the story is given to a contemporary spy story involving a search for secrets hidden in a fictional Elizabethan manuscript , The Anatomy of Secrets, stolen from Frances Walsingham by Thomas Phelippes. A fun light read.
Rosemary Edghill
HISTORICAL FANTASY
MY SECRET PROTECTOR
Pam Binder, Pocket, 2003, $6.99US/C$10.50, 368 pp, pb, 074341 795X William McAlpin is an immortal , destined to live throughout eternity unless one of his enemies manages to decapitate him - the only sure death for members of his race. In addition , William is a Protector, born into an elite group within his race to uphold their
THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
laws Although living in the present disguised as a smoke jumper, William is sent back to 16th century England. His mission: to capture and bring back Bartholomew, a renegade immortal determined to change the course of history. To accomplish this , Bartholomew must keep Bloody Mary alive so that her half-sister, Elizabeth , does not ascend to th e throne. This was a light, simplistic historical fantasy novel requiring little, if any, concentration. Aside from being set in Queen Mary's court on occasion, history is almost nonexistent in the overall storyline. I found it to be a very mediocre read.
Pat Maynard
TWO LITTLE TREASURES
ON BECOMING A FAIRY GODMOTflER
Sara Maitland, Maia Press, 2003, £7.99, pb , 236pp, 190455900X FALSE RELATIONS
Michelene Wandor, Five Leaves Publications, 2004 , pb , l 90pp, 090712320 I Not all the stories in these two delightful collections are historical, and not all of them are new , some having been published previously or performed on radio . Sara Maitland's On Becoming A Fairy Godmother considers what happens to the great heroines of myth , legend or history once they reach a certain age. What is the fate of Eve, the archetypal mother, once she reaches the menopause? Or Helen when her looks begin to fade? What did Cinderella's stepmother really think of her , and did Guinevere ever get back with Lancelot?
Michelene Wandor ranges through the same "w hat if' territory in her collection, in which Isabella d'Este is a recurring character, enjoying a clandestine encounter in Mantua with Henry Vlfl, caught busking outside the ducal palace , and offering succour to a modem woman, named after her, whose marriage is falling apart. She speculates about Vivaldi 's daughter and examines the status of Jew s in Renai ssa nce Italy through the rel a tion s hip between Monteverdi and his friend and fellow musician , Salamone Rossi and Rossi 's possible contribution to Monteverdi 's devotional music.
These are lovely, funny, original stories, beautifully written by two mistres ses of the art of the short story, taking a swipe at history and it s related mythology from un conventional points of view. Both are available direct from the publishers' own websites as well as bookshops and Amazon. Sarah Bower
NON-FICTION
THE KNIGHT: A Portrait of Europe's Warrior Elite
Alan Baker, John Wiley & Sons Inc. 2003, £14.99 / $22.95, hb, 224pp, 0471251356
A brief but useful survey of the heavy cavalry of the Middle Ages, composed principally of its knightly class Much of the book consists of accounts of knightly valour displayed on the battlefields of western Europe and during the Crusades, from the 9th to the I 5th century.
It includes details of armour, weapons and horses, and of the role played by castles and siegecraft. The final chapter outlines the fall of the knight in the face of the burgeoning power of fiream1s.
A glossary, a limited bibliography and suggestions for fu11her reading are included If the book disappoints, however, it is in the sketchy index and the omission of any reference to the Franco-English wars of the 14 th century , when the chivalry of France was humbled by the English longbow.
Frank Payton
THE HOLY GRAIL
Richard Barber, Allen Lane 2004, £25.00, hb, 450pp , 0713992069 (UK)/Harvard University Press 2004, $27.95, hb, 488pp, 06740 I 3905 (US)
Since Chretien de Troyes tantalised with his unfinished tale of the Holy Grail the subject has been a source of fascination. Richard Barber traces the Grail's cultural influence on hi story, art, literature and theology to the present day. An extensive bibliography and notes complete this superb book. An excellent read and a valuable resource.
Ann Oughton
A BRIEF HrSTORY OF THE CELTS
Peter Berresford Ellis, Robinson 2003, £7.99, pb, 235pp, 1841197904
There is a lot of history to pack into one small paperback but Ellis makes a comprehensive fist of it. He covers the origins of the Celts, their warriors, women, physicians , religion and more in a concise and readable manner. However , Ellis' lack of balance regarding other civilisations that the Celts fought is so marked that it undermin es th e whole book and could lead to so me re a der s dismissing what the author is trying to say
S. Garside-Neville
THE GREAT PRETENDERS: The True Stories Behind Famous Historical Mysteries
Jan Bondeson , Norton, 2004, $25.95 / C$39.00, hb, 326pp, 0393019691
In hi s examination of six historical mysteries, Bondeson 's investigative skills unmask famous pretenders and notorious
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
impostors. His solutions are based on medical knowledge and advances (DNA testing in particular). The entertaining exploits of pathological liars, opportunists , and clever fakes are presented with verve and authority.
Margaret Darr
1066: THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF THE BA YEUX TAPESTRY
Andrew Bridgeford, Fourth Estate, 2004, £20.00, hb, 354pp, 1841 15040 I Andrew Bridgeford is a lawyer who has made ingenious use of his evidence to reinterpret the Bayeux Tapestry. He rejects the view that Odo of Bayeux was its patron in favour of Eustace of Boulogne , a follower of William who later rebelled against him.
We are at the limits of what is knowable here , and it is doubtful whether Bridgeford's thesis could ever be proven He has, however , produced a fascinating and wellwritten book, accessible to the lay reader and useful to the student in assembling the salient points of Bayeux Tapestry scholarship between one set of covers. He has also reminded us, from his opening passage describing gift shops around Bayeux Cathedral selling everything from mugs to mouse mats decorated with images from the Tapestry, to his wonderful closing chapter entitled "T he Mystery of Survival", that the truly miraculous feature of this unique artwork is that it still exists at all.
Sarah Bower
SP[TFJRE ACE
Martin David son & James Taylor, Channel Four Books 2004, £20.00, hb , 250pp, 0752225111 (UK) / Boxtree 2004, $35.00, hb, 256pp, 0752225111 (US)
'Yo u're not flying an aeroplane, you've got wings on your back .' Just one of the many eulogies offered by the pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain More than any other weapon of war, the Supermarine Spitfire remains identifiable with the success of that crucial WWII battle. The book is packed with first hand accounts, an indispensable tool for the researcher of this period Ann Oughton
MY WOUNDED HEART:The Life of Lilli Jahn, 1900-1944
Martin Doerry , (trans. John Brownjohn), Bloomsbury 2004 , £ 16 99, hb, 257pp, 0747570469
Until he r Protestant husband divorced her Lilli Jahn had enjoyed a degree of protection from the Nazi persecution of the German Jews. Her tragic story is revealed through the letters she wrote to her children from Breit e nau labour camp. The letters from her twelve- year-old daughter, Ilse tell of the children's struggle to hold what was left of their family together and their futile
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attempts to free their mother. Lilli died in Auschwitz. A heart-rending account of the effects of the Holocaust on one family
Ann Oughton
THE WRECK OF THE ABERGA VENNY
Alethea Hayter, Pan 2003, £6.99, pb, 223pp, 0330491458
In February 1805, the Abergavenny, captained by John Wordsworth, younger brother of the poet, was wrecked in Weymouth Bay drowning 260 souls including her captain.
Alethea Hayter brilliantly observes the effect of the tragedy on Wordsworth's family, his art and view of life showing how a past catastrophe is transformed from first reports and reactions into historical record and poetic myth
Diane Johnstone
BEATRICE'S SPELL: The Enduring Legend of Beatrice Cenci
Belinda Jack, Chatto & Windus 2004, £ I 9.99, hb, I 95pp, 0701171308 (UK)/$29.99, hb, 320pp (US)
In September 1599, 16-year-old Beatrice Cenci was publicly executed in Rome along with her brother and stepmother for the murder of her wealthy, powerful and licentious father, following years of abuse including incestuous rape. There was no doubt that she was guilty - but so was he Weeping crowds lined the streets and there is still a mass said for her on the anniversary of her death.
This book , though , is also about those writers and artists who have si nce been fascinated by Beatrice , to their own detriment. The author charts the lives of Shelley, Herman Melvill e, Nathaniel Hawthorne , Harriet Ho s mer and writer/ actor Antonin Artaud who all had reason to fear the issues which lay at the heart of her story, and who suffered critical condemnation for their works about Beatrice l 'm not entirely convinced by her argument (sculptor Harriet Hosmer simply walked away from her father and forged a career for herself on her own merits) but it is a compelling analysis of control within both society and families a nd the effects it can have Recommended Val Whitmarsh
ANNY: A Life of Anne Thackeray Ritchie Henrietta Garnett, Chatto & Windus June 2004,£18.99. hb,322pp , 070I 171294
Through her father W.M.Thackeray, her brother-in-law Leslie Stephen, and her own talents as an author, Anny knew almost every artistic and literary figure of the second half of the 19 th century. This fascinating and unusual biography - it reads more like a novel - illuminates the social as well as the professional connections. It was essentially a middle-class world, predicated on wealth, mutual support, rounds of visits
and a plethora of servants. We meet among many others Julia Margaret Cameron, Tennyson, Lord Leighton and others right through to the Bloomsbury Set generation. It reminded me of Frith's Derby Day: the canvas is crowded, something is happening wherever you look, and the whole illuminates the zeitgeist perfectly.
Elizabeth Hawksley
THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF HOW IT HAPPENED: ANClENT EGYPT
Jon E. Lewis (ed.), Robinson 2003 £7.99, pb, 5 I 9pp , 184119640 I (UK)/Carroll & Graf 2004, $12.95, pb , 512pp, 0786712708 (US)
With many thousands of years to cover, Lewis uses translations of many and varied in sc riptions and documents to show life in ancient Egypt. From the sale of a slave girl to the hymn to a new god, this book has great scope. There is a comprehensive chronology and each section is accompanied by an introduction and maps
This is an excellent place to begin research into one of the world's earliest and greatest civilisations.
S Garside-Neville
OLD IRONSIDES: The Military
Biography of Oliver Cromwell Frank Kitson, Weidenfeld & 2004, £14.99 / $19.95, hb , 0297846884 Nicolson, 239pp,
General Sir Frank Kitson 's army career culminated as Commander in Chief United Kingdom Land Forces, so who better placed than to examine Cromwell, not as a politician , but as a soldier? This is a concise and easily digestible account of Cromwell's military career which didn't in fact begin until he was forty three With clear text and plans this account of Cromwell's campaigns is a welcome addition to the library of any enthusiast for the period.
Sally Zigmond
GENGHIS KHAN: Life, Death and Resurrection
John Man, Bantam Press 2004, £20.00, hb, 3 72pp, 0593050444 (UK)/Bantam 2004, $30.01, hb, 389pp (US)
To most the name Genghis Khan is synonymou with murder and oppression but in his homeland of Mongolia and in China he is revered as the father of a nation John Man travelled the length of the Mongol Empire. He is the first writer to explore the hidden valley where Genghis may have died and one of the first westerners to climb the sacred mountain where he is believed to be buried. Man's excellent writing breathes new life into a character whose spirit lives on in China and Mongolia today.
Ann Oughton
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
GOD AND THE GODDESSES: Vision, Poetry and Belief in the Middle Ages
Barbara Newman, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2003, hb, 446pp, 0812236912
The mediaeval church is seen as perhaps one of the most uncompromisingly paternalistic institutions m western European history. In this erudite examination of the role of goddesses in the mediaeval imagination, Barbara Newman sets out to explode this particular myth with reference to selected texts , including Chaucer's Parlement of Fowles and Christine de Pisan's City of Ladies, and the role of the Virgin in the "family" of the Trinity. Her conclusion is that the mediaeval concept of goddesses was neither purely allegorical nor a pagan survival, but that figures such as Dame Nature, Lady Love and Sapientia were distinctive creations of a Christian imagination, the "daughters of God", capable of enriching human relationships with the Deity beyond the severe intellectual limit ations of the scholastic tradition.
A fascinating , though difficult, book, which assumes substantial knowledge of mediaeval culture on the part of the reader, but well worth persevering with and full of rich raw material for writers whose fiction is set during the high or late Middle Ages.
Sarah Bower
EARTHBOUND AND HEAVENBENT:
Elizabeth Porter Phelps and Life at Forty Acres (l747 - 18l7)
Elizabeth Pendergast Carlis le, Scribner, 2004,$26.00 , hb,384pp , 0743244400
A contemporary of nation-makers, Elizabeth Porter Phelps lived in her family's house for all but the first five of her 70 years, keeping a diary from adolescence onward. In Earthbound and He avenbenl, Elizabeth Pendergast Carlisle excerpts from this text and illuminates it faithfully within the context of its time. Painstakingly researched and verified through additional sources , this is an extraordinary account of one American woman's 18th century life.
Janette King
CIVlL WAR: The Wars of Three Kingdoms 1638-1660
Trevor Royle, Little , Brown 2004, £20.00, hb, 888pp,031686l25I
On a late summer's day in 1642 , an army of Royalist s faithful to Charles I fought the supporters of Parliament amidst the rolling Warwickshire countryside at Edgehi ll . Ahead lay even more desperate battles at Marston Moor, Naseby, Drogheda and Dunbar. Military historian and journalist Trevor Royle analyses the many characters who took part in these battles - basing much of his evidence on the personal diaries of those who lived through them - and traces
THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
their aftermath through to Cromwell's Protectorate, the Restoration and the 'Glorious Revolution' of 1689.
Val Whitmarsh
THE STOLEN WOMAN
Pat Shipman, Bantam Press 2004, £16.99, hb;375pp,0593050061
After Florence Baker's parents were killed in the Hungarian revolution she escaped with her nurse to the Ottoman Empire and ended up in a harem. Sam Baker bought her at auction and introduced her to a life of adventure and deprivation in Africa in his search for the source of the Nile. Their greatest challenge was trying to win acceptance in polite Victorian society when they returned to England.
An amazing story of a truly remarkable woman, it reads like a novel.
Ann Oughton
WHEN IT WAS OUR WAR: A Soldier's Wife on the Home Front
Stella Suberman, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill , 2003, $23.95 /C$37.95 , hb , 320pp, l 565124030
Pub in UK by Thorndike Press,£ 19.40 , hb, 395pp,0786258985
A sequel to The Jew Store ( 1998) , this chatty and delightful memoir , filled with authentic period detail, chronicles the life of a small-town Southern Jewish war bride and her adventures on the home front. Beginning in I 939 , it follows her life to the present day (she remains happily manied).
Rosemary Edghill
WELLINGTON'S ARMIES: Britain 's Campaigns in the Peninsula and Waterloo 1808-1815
Andrew Uffindell , Sidgewick & Jackson 2004 , £30.00, hb , 329pp, 0283073489 (UK) / Pan MacMillan 2004, $50.00, hb, 324pp (US)
Using hitherto unpublished accounts from the National Army Museum the author illustrates the dynamics and the disadvantages suffered by Wellington and his armies constra in ed by the methods and trials of battle.
Ann Oughton
RIFLES: Six Years With Wellington's Legendary Sharpshooters
Mark Urban, Faber & Faber 2003, £20 .00 , hb , 290pp , 0571216803
This book is a welcome re-evaluation of the pioneers of modem soldiering. Tight prose , very impressive research , (the notes are absorbing in themselves) , and an overdue look at the reality of early modem soldiering. Highly recommended.
Paul F. Brunyee
MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS AND THE MURDER OF LORD DARNLEY
Alison Weir, Pimlico 2004, £8.99, pb, 621pp, 0712664564 (UK) / Random House 2004, $11.87, pb, 704pp, 0812971515 (US)
When I first read a book by Alison Weir, I found myself disagreeing profoundly with her approach and conclusions, while envying her written style. I cannot say r became a fan, but I approached subsequent books in the sure knowledge that I would get plenty to entertain me as well as making my academic's hackles rise The Devil , after all, always has the best tunes With her latest book I have ceased to envy her stylebut I still disagree with the conc lu sions.
This book is quite simply plodding , pedestrian and far too long. Weir has obviously been stung by earlier critics who complained of her lack of footnotes and failure to make clear the sources on which she relies in making her case - this time Mary Queen of Scots' innocence of the murder of her second husband. The book therefore groans with quotations from primary sou rce s, but Weir falls into her habitual trap of approaching the material with her opinions fully fom1ed. Where the material is susceptible to more than one interpretation, s he discusses the alternatives, but plumps every time for the one that exonerates her heroine.
I have to admit I found it hard to finish ; if f had not been asked to review it I would have given up early.
Ann Lyon
CHILDREN'S
THE RAT CATCHERS
Stephanie Baudet , Anglia Young Books, 2003, no price, pb, 62pp. ISBN 1-87117391-4
London 1863. E le ven-year-old Joe works on a decrepit barge on the Regent's Canal. His boss , Vinnie , is dying of TB and the horse Hercules , who pulls the barge , is old. Joe's work is ill-paid and arduous, but he is lucky to have it. He meets Emily, a flower-seller , who is struggling to support her younger siblings, and tries to help her. Later, he is attacked by a gang who enjoy the illegal sport of ratting They force him to catch two dozen rats for their next meeting . Bravely, Emil y accompanies him into the sewers to catch them.
We follow the children's everyday lives as Joe 'legs' the barge through the tunnels , and Emily sells her flowers in the newlyopened underground station at Paddington, where Joe calms a frightened horse. We accompany them down the sewer, where they gag on the smell and nearly fall in, and, later, watch the teniers kill the rats the children have caught.
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In the end, Joe is offered a proper job in the stables of the gentleman whose horse he had pacified.
Aimed at readers of 7 plus, Baudet gives us a vivid picture of Victorian working-class life, helped greatly by Robin Lowrie's illustrations. There are some fascinating Author's Notes on the new Underground, the sewers, working a barge, and so oninformation which is woven unobtrusively into the story. Unfortunately, Baudet is weak on plot. Lots happens, but events alone do not make a plot. Emotional conflict, the essence of plot, is largely missing, and there is little resolution. We never learn what happens to the ratters, Emily, Vinnie, or poor old Hercules ; and the gentleman whose horse Joe controlled, appears like a deus ex machina at the end to offer Joe a job. As a story it fails, though the liveliness of the writing redeems it somewhat. Elizabeth Hawksley
This was a good book. The illustrations helped the story become more real , as did the description in the writing. It's one of those books which gets better as it goes along. After I read the first page or two, I thought I knew what the plot was because of the front cover, but it turned out to be quite different. The characters are realistic, even though I don't think a Victorian girl would go into the sewers. Definitely worth buying For 7-10 years. I give it 8/10.
Rach e l Begg s Aged 8.
BURNING lSSY
Melvin Burgess. Penguin, (Puffin Teenage Fiction) 2002, £4.99, pb, 208 pp , ISBN 0141313838
This story is set in the area of Pendle , Lancashire, during the early 17• h Century when there was much superstitious fear of Witches and their alleged powers. The heroine , Issy , is handed to a total stranger when she is only a toddler. Fortunately he is a kindly village Wiseman and he cares for and cherishes Issy, treating her as a sister to his own son. She had obviously escaped from a fire and the fear of fire haunts the child throughout her young life although neither the girl or her foster-family know the s tory of her origin. After a few years Issy makes a friend of the you ngest member of that notorious family headed by the old ha g known as Demd yke who ended her days hanged as a witch in Lancaster and her kindness to that that girl lands both Issy and other folk in desperate trouble.
When Issy has reached the age of about ten years the woman who had handed Issy to her foster-father as a small child and now, apparently, a rich woman comes to claim the girl and takes her away. Gradually Issy comes to fear that she has been claimed by witches and that she has been born into the faith. Fear drives
THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
her to run back to her Foster fanuly and confess all she has learned to the authorities, betraying those of her natural fanuly she believes to be practicing the Black Arts. Too late she realises that not all who profess to be Christians are good and that witches are not all evil.
Teenage
Jan Shaw
ARTHUR. KING OF THE MIDDLE MARCH
Kevin Crossley Holland , Orion, 2003, £ I 2.99, hb, 396 pp, 1-84255-060-8
To be published in the US October 2004 The brilliant concept of this multilayered adventure is as informative as it is enjoyable and is the last book of the trilogy. Medieval knights and common soldiers are gathered for the fourth crusade in Venice Arthur de Caldicot is soon to be dubbed a Knight. He carries with him the Seeing Stone as given to him by Merlin in the first book in the trilogy of the same name. Through this he sees King Arthur's life unfold as events happen within his own .
The beautifully written short chapters move the story swiftly along, yet are packed with medieval detail as well as action and young Arthur's own thoughts This book is written in such a skilful way as to give the reader plenty to reflect upon regarding the many and varied issues raised throughout the story.
Arthur de Caldicot is a youth who is becoming a man. He seeks his lost mother , ponders his betrothal to the village girl Gatty, and has to deal with the di scove ry of his father who has also joined the crusade.
Life in the Middle Ages is disclosed graphically through Arthur's journey and experiences. The cruel brutality of both the medieval justice system and warfare are also revealed. Power and politics along with Christian and Islamic perceptions are explained or disclosed as are the dangers of prejudice , superstition and bigotry
This is a very original and extremely well written book which can be enjoyed by child or adult alike at many different levels.
Val Loh
MY STORY. THE HUNGER: The Diary of Phyllis McCormack, [reland 1845-1847 Carol Drinkwater, Scholastic, 2001, £4.99, paperback, 207 pages , ISBN 0-439-99740-2 The fictional diary of a young girl during the Irish potato famine.
Phyllis , or Phylly, lives with her family on a smallholding in the south of Ireland They just manage to scratch a living until the Irish potato crop - the main food supply of the Irish peasantry - fails. Phylly's family have to suffer the horrors of starvation and her baby sister dies. Then Phylly is able to do something to help her family when she gets a job as a scullery maid in the big house on the estate. Here
there is a touch of romance as the son of the family is sympathetic to the plight of the Irish and is attracted to Phyllis. Finally, while she is away for a few days trying to find her brother, she returns to find the cottage burned to the ground and her family gone. Devastated she leaves her job and sets off to Dublin to try to find them.
This book takes a wider look at the Irish potato famine. It goes beyond the suffering of the people and considers the political implications. The potato blight is a terrible natural disaster but its consequences are worse than need be because of the actions of the politicians The Irish are dying in thousands of starvation, of fever and dysentery and yet grain is still being exported to England. Tenants are being evicted because they cannot pay the rent and their homes destroyed. Half-hearted attempts at famine relief and public works to give employment are mismanaged. This aspect is brought out clearly because Phylly's older brother Pat is involved in politics and they have discussions about Daniel O'Connel and Robert Peel. And then later Pat becomes involved in revolution and Phylly gets a job on the 'Nation' newsletter.
The difference in the lives of the rich and poor are graphically shown when Phylly goes up to the big house Why, even the kitchen is bigger than the whole of her little cottage.
This book shows the suffering of the people during the famine and also reveals the shocking and despicable attitudes of many of the politicians The author's mother was Irish and she has written this book in memory of all those who have struggled to make a living in Ireland
Comes with historical nott::s and several contemporary pictures I I + Mary Moffat
BLOOD RED HORSE
K M. Grant, Puffin , 2004, £4.99, paperback, 279 pages , ISBN 0-141-31706
Harry Potter has introduced a new word into literary terminology - crossover. 'Blood Red Horse' is also a crossover, although a crossover of a different kind from Harry lt is a traditional animal story crossed with a serious historical novel.
It is the story of a remarkable horse which - as is so often the case with dogs and horses - transforms the lives of all those who come in contact with it. Its story is set against the background of the Third Crusade.
Will, the younger son of Sir Thomas de Granville of Hartslove in the north of England, is allowed by his father to choose the Great Horse or war horse for which he has long yearned. The one he picks out is an elegant chestnut which is really too small to be a destrier. But it is later found that
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
Hosanna, as the horse is called, excels at the tournament manoeuvres. He can go from a walk to a gallop in almost an instant and, being smaller than the other destriers, can tum quickly and neatly. Hal begins to train him and in the months that follow it is found that the horse is much stronger than he looks.
This is the beginning the long partnership between Will and Hosanna. They go on Crusade together and when King Richard eventually makes Will an Earl it is because of Hosanna's courage.
But it is not only Will's life Hosanna changes. Hosanna has an even greater effect on Kami! , the little Arab boy who is filled with bitterness against the Crusaders because he has seen his whole family murdered by them. Then he captures Hosanna. Riding Hosanna and working with him has a gradua l effect on Kami! and he becomes much calmer. He realises that Saladin's desire for a truce is the wisest policy after all. Above all he eventually loses his lon ging for vengeance for the death of his family.
This story is played out against the background of the brutality and sordid intrigue of the Third Crusade. But il is not until the Crusade is over and Will returns to England that the true cost of the Crusade is brought home to the reader. When Will and his men land in England there are only fifteen men out of the four hundred who had set out. And only two out of the original eleven hundred horses. And this slaughter is not all. Hal finds that while they have been away Eleanor, his father's ward, has been tricked and di sc redited by the scoundrel who wants to marry her for her lands
The reader must wonder , was the Crnsade really worth it?
Very highly recommended. Teenage Mary Moffat
VICTORIA
Frances Hendry , Hodder Children's Books , 2004, £5.99 , pb. 214 pp , ISBN: 0-34087772-3
Victoria lives with her family in Londinium at the time of Boudicca 's revolt. Her stepfather is a Roman citizen from Egypt , her mother an Iceni. Victoria, fifteen years old, tall and strong, is secretly training to be a warrior. Threatened with marriage to a brutal business associate of her stepfather's, she runs away to live with her mother 's tribe. There she encounters people who are brave and loyal, but ruthless to their enemies. She finds it hard to adapt to their ways and her outspokenness soon makes enemies for her among them. As the terrible events of that time unfold , Victoria is forced to choose between her family in Londinium and her loyalty to the tribe.
This is a story that never flinches from portraying brutal reality, and offers no easy
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escape for those in danger. Victoria's skill with a sword seems at times far-fetched, but even so she is often unable to protect herself or those she tries to help The events of Boudicca's revolt are brought to life without romantic gloss, and the story is gripping, especially when Victoria and her mother and sisters are trapped in Londinium awaiting the arrival of Boudicca's army - a chapter which was so real and terrifying I could hardly bear to read it.
The story is well-researched and there is much interesting detail of everyday life in Londinium and East Anglia. Victoria is brave, warm-hearted , and a loving daughter. She makes an appealing, if unusual , heroine. The story ends with a decision which will launch her into the ·next book of the series and take her into a very different world.
Teenage
Ann Turnbull
ESCAPE FROM LOCH LEVEN
Mollie Hunter, Floris Books , 2003 , £4.99, pb. 218pp , ISBN: 0-86315-414-X
This is a re-issue of 'You never knew her as I Did' - a book based on a we ll-known Scottish story of how young Willie Douglas helped Mary Queen of Scots to escape from Loch Leven castle.
Mollie Hunter takes Will Douglas as her central character, and brings this legend to life without romanticising his role. Will is 16, the bastard child of William Douglas, lord of the castle , and Minny Douglas, a laundry maid. Everyone in this story seems to be inter-related, but fortunately there are family trees which provide much-needed help. Nevertheless [ found it took a chapter or two before all the kinsmen and courtiers became clear.
Young Will is a cocky, devious lad, who uses people for his own ends and prides him self on being able to deceive. He gambles, lies to everyone, and has little real feeling for others, except Minny - and even she must serve his ends as he plans the final escape attempt. Although he has fallen under the spell of Mary, he also sees benefit for himself in serving her. He's a convincing , but not ve1y li keable characterprobably realistic for the time and place , when a boy like him would have to live b y his wits.
Most of the sto1y is taken up with how Mary was forced to sign a deed of abdication; and then with det a ils of how the various plots and contrivances for her escape were worked out. It's exciting and well-written, the dialogue rings true and there is an authentic sense of time and place However it is essentially a story of a group of self-serving people , all plotting to gain power and position and, as such, not emotionally involving.
12 + Ann Turnbull
THE SEWER SLEUTH
Julia Jarman, Franklin Watts, 1997, £3.99, pb. 64pp 0749631287
Victorian London and a cholera epidemic is raging but the strange thing is that it only appears to be on Broad Street and even stranger, on only one side of the street. Tom and his sister, Sarah, are living in a squalid basement cellar and Sarah is ill. They are found by Doctor Snow, physician to Queen Victoria , who realises how ill Sarah is and takes them both back to his home and cares for them. In return, Tom helps him track down the source of the cholera.
An interesting little book , based on the true story of Dr. Snow and his discovery of how cholera is spread. It has pace and is a real page-turner for the young reader. It also paints a very vivid picture of life in Victorian London and doesn't pull any punches on the filth and smells that are part of the normal day.
7-11
Marilyn Sherlock
SINGH, lNDIA, 1857-1858
MY STORY: lNDIAN MUTINYHANUMAN
Pratima Mitchell , Scholastic, 2002 , pb , l 59pp , £4.99 ISBN: 0-439-98 l 08-5 Hanuman Singh is thirteen and looking forward to following his brother Sewak into the 12th Bengal Native Infantry Regiment. Then a summons comes from the Rani of Jhansi, who wants Hanuman as .a companion to her adopted son.
But relations between the British , who rule much of India , and the Indians are breaking down and violence erupts. For political reasons, the Rani is friendly towards the British, but is eventually pressurised into joining the uprising. When the British army arrives, Hanuman is caught up in the siege of Jhansi. He escapes, but the Mutiny is crushed.
I have a reasonable general knowled ge of the Indian Mutiny, even so , I had to reread the first fifty page s to work out what was happening and who was who, which doesn't augur well for the target readership of 12 plus.
Prati ma Mitchell conveys the ambivalence many Indians mu s t have feltSewak is tom between his loyalty to his re g iment , which has British officers, and hi s lo ya lt y towards his country. There is humanity on both sides, as well as killing. She gets across Hanuman's ve1y diffe rent cu ltural assumptions, though a young reader might not understand that he is not always a reliable witness; the British had no intention of forcibly converting Indians to Christianity as he fears, for example.
My real concern , however, is with the Historical Note at the end, which reads as though the author disapproves of the British suppression of suttee and thuggee. And, as
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none of Hanuman's assumptions are subjected to critical analysis, readers are left with an inadequate and biased view of the Mutiny
Elizabeth Hawksley
I didn't really enjoy this book I'm halfIndian myself and thought it might make an interesting read, but there were too many facts to take in and the story didn't hook me beginning, middle or end. I also disliked the fact that the person telling the story couldn't make up his mind whose side he was on, making it confusing. Aimed at 12- I 4 years, but I doubt if they would want to read it. Lucy Beggs aged 12 .
My friend Prem comments: As a British Asian I disapprove of the Raj, but I was dismayed at the sullen tone throughout this book; the constant carping might have suited the 1950 s, when little was known of the Indian side of the story, but it is wholly un s uitable for 21 51 century Britain, when guilt over the Imperialist past rivals German angst tow a rds the Holocaust. The writer concocts a febrile atmosphere full of confusing and unexplained events - e.g. the runners with chapatis. I know it was true, but the way it was put was faintly ludicrous - imagine someone puffing throu g h the English countryside dishing out sinister muffins!
All the British characters are either weak or colourless. British customs (e.g. the Christmas pudding) are viewed with distaste - surely very confusing to a British child?
Worst of all - the historical not e, the time lin e and the illustrations What selfrespecting child would toil through these ? I could feel my brain glazing over as the pompous, ponderous phra ses maundered on.
MEADOW LARK
Mary Peace Finley, Filter Press, 2003, $15.95, hb, I 99 pp , 0865410704
Leaving her home in Taos , Mexico, to join a wagon train in search of her brother, Meadow Lark's resourceful 1845 heroine is thirteen year-old Teresita Montoya. The journey turns out to be one of heart, mind, and s pirit, and we are all richer in her company.
Teresita "d ream sees" with her loved ones and draws allies with her trail food preparation and uncompl aining nature She discovers her fear of water's origins durin g an escape from a band of Kiowa. Fictional characters are skilfully int erwove n with hi s torical persons like Charles Bent and the Cheyenne Mi-ah-lose who the Americans call Slim Face.
Although a little heavy handed with the " I don't want to grow up to be my mother" proto-feminist movement language, the novel is written in both an informative and gently lyrica l style, with settings a reader
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can smell and taste as well as see. Its wonderfully spirited heroine shines, along with colourful supporting characters, especially Teresita's father, brother, and the cynical merchant Dona Cannen, whose grudging respect Teresita wins.
Ages : 11+
Eileen Charbonneau
DEATH AND THE ARROW
Chris Priestley, Doubleday, 2003, £10.99, hb, l 72pp, ISBN 0-385-60492-0
London 1715. Fifteen-year-old Tom Marlow is apprentice to his printer father , but he longs to work for Dr Harker, a man whose lively , inquiring mind appeals to his own thirst for knowledge. All London is talking about a bizarre murder , where the victim was killed by an arrow shot from above, and with a card depicting a skeleton holding an arrow found in his pocket. We are introduced to Tom's friend , Will, a pickpocket who has gone straight. But Will's new job leads him into deadly danger and he, too, is murdered.
Tom is distraught at the death of his friend, and he and Dr Harker investigate. The trail leads into the murky underworld of London's criminal fraternity, where they meet Tonsahoten, a Native American , with a story of treachery by British settlers in America, who massacred his village. Tonsahoten h as vowed vengeance on the perpetrators But surely he didn't kill Will , a Cockney lad ?
This is a splendid adventure, fast-paced, on-the-edge-of-your-seat exciting. I was impressed by the way the author evoked the splendour and squalor, savagery, and diversity of eighteenth-century London - his research is thorough , but unobtrusive. The book reminded me in places of Fielding's 'Tom Jones ' in that this is a story with a moral dimension as well as a rip-roaring adventure; Priestley is also asking us to think for ourselves about where true justice lies However, 1 think that an author's note explaining the difference between Mohocks and Mohawks , and the eighteenth-century meaning of'lndian' would have been helpful.
For IO years plus , who can cope with a sympathetic character being murdered , and a roller-coaster of a read A terri tic debut. I h ope we'll have a lot more stories from Chris Priestle y. Recommended Elizabeth Hawksley I really enjoyed this It was different from other murder mysteries I have read because of its 18th century setting, but thi s just made it more interesting because of the different cultures and weaponry. I learnt not only about historical London, but also about the Mohawks The plot twisted and turned, so I was never quite sure who was good and who was bad, but eventually all the threads tied up.
I liked the style, with lots of little hints and cliff-hangers, giving both sides of the story. Suitable for 10-14 years. I'd give it 9/10. Lucy Beggs, aged 12.
NO SHAME, NO FEAR
Ann Turnbull, Walker, 2003 , £5.99, pb, 297pp, ISBN 0- 7445-9090-6
To be published in the US August 2004 $11.19
This is a charming love story and would make a super holiday read for some love-lorn early teenager or early developing pre-teen girl. It is told from two points of view, the girl, Susanna , is fifteen and a Quaker; the boy, William is seventeen and the son of a prosperous Woollen Merchant. They meet when Susanna is walking with her mother to the nearby town and William stops and offers them a lift on hi s father's cart. The two youngsters strike up a fiiendship that soon begins to ripen into something deeper when Susanna is given work in the home of a fellow Quaker.
William is impressed with Susanna's Quaker friends when he meets them and begins to attend their Meetings. This enrages his father who is an important man in the town and when Laws are passed outlawing religions other than that of the Anglican Church Quaker Meetings are forbidden They continue to worship in their own way and although most of the towns people know the Quakers mean no harm, the Sheriff and his men break up their quiet services with cruel brutality Further defiance by the Friends leads to their religious Meetings being suppressed and eventually all the adult Quakers are imprisoned under the most barbaric conditions.
William angers his father more as the boy sees the measures taken to suppress the Quakers a nd even begins to speak as they do , addressing his family in the archaic ' thee and thou' way as he has heard the Quakers doing When the boy even sits down to his dinner wearing his hat , his father is so enraged that he beats William really hard The boy apologises but insists that he must stand by his friends. Things go from bad to worse but as their hardships increase, so does the love between our Hero and Heroine The book ends on an upbeat note and I feel sure that many other people will find this a lovely and exciting read I would like to mention that the story was set in the Restoration period The setting is a small rural town said to be in Shropshire but not any town I recognised. Teena ge
Jan Shaw
REMEMBER ME
Irene N Watts, Floris Books , 2000, (Tundra Books - Canada) , £4.99 , pb, 184pp 0863153526
'Remember Me' is the sequel to 'Goodbye Marianne', which won the 1998 Geoffrey
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
Bilson Award for Historical Fiction, and tells of the growing anti-Jewish feelings in Germany just before the outbreak of WWII. The Kindertransport rescue mission got thousands of Jewish children out of Germany and Marianne Kohn is put on the first of these trains and taken to England where she 1s billeted with Mrs Abercrombie-Jones. In I 939 she is evacuated to Wales with all the other children, but loses her best friend who is sent to an Aunt in Canada. In Wales , she is taken in by Mr. & Mrs. Roberts who try to tum her into a replacement for the little girl they lost.
This book gives yet another insight into the problems created for the Jews by Hitler 's regime. How Marianne coped with being taken away from her family at the age of 11 and sent to live with complete strangers who did not speak her language is well told The author experienced this herself at the age of seven when she, too , was put onto one of the Kindertransport trains and taken to England , and has obviously drawn on this to tell a very readable story.
Marilyn Sherlock
MEMBERS' BOOKS
A JARVIS TAPESTRY - PART II
Gloria Jarvis Smith, 0095365615
This book continues the fascinating story of the author's family history from Edwardian time s to the present day (The first volume was reviewed in is s ue 25; August 2003 of the Review) With photographs and Gloria's own delightful sketches, this book interweaves the story of a family with the social backdrop of their times Those wishing to research life in the home counties in the early 20'h century will find this book invaluable
Both books can be bought from Gloria Jarvis Smith, The Bungalow , Tyler Close, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7BC for £5.99 each plus £2 each p&p
Sally Zigmond
HENRIETTA BRA DO
Sonia Prentice , Hollytree Books , £7.99, pb, 22lpp,0954117417
Family circumstances have forced Sir Charles Gresham to resign his commission in his beloved Royal Navy. Finding himself with a country estate and in want of a wife, he is soon betrothed to Louise, the daughter of his neighbours , Lord and Lady Sedley Louise is a delightful girl but Sir Charles's heart is not stirred. Then into his life bursts Henrietta Brandon who has fled from revolutionary France disguised as a boy. She is the daughter of the black sheep of a rich family and incidentally, Louise's
THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
cousin. However, other members of her family are not so delighted to make her acquaintance and that of her elder bother, Philip
This tale of disputed inheritance, foul deeds and romance set in Regency England is diligently plotted. The elegantly phrased language is reminiscent of Jane Austen and the romance is pure Georgette Heyer. The author clearly knows her stuff and the historical detail is impeccable, but somewhat forced in places.
Finally, I congratulate whoever was responsible for the typesetting and printing of this book Its professionalism and lack of error is far higher than many mainstream published novels.
Sally Zigmond
AUDIO UPDATE
THE FIEND IN HUMAN
John Maclachlan Gray, Isis,£ 19.99, playing time: 13 hours 20 minutes, read by Patrick Romer. ISBN O 7531 1909 9 Set in mid-Victorian London, this thriller is suitably atmospheric as investigative journalist , Edmund Whitty prowls about the stews and back slums to find the murderer dubbed as Chokee Bill. He believes that the man awartmg execution is innocent. Assisted by balladeer Henry Owler, known as "the patterer", Whitty pursues his quest, putting him se lf and others in grave danger. The reading by Patrick Romer is excellent and makes the most of an enthralling narrative with more twists and turns than a Soho alleyway.
THE FOURTH QUEEN
Debbie Taylor, Isis, £20 99, playing time : 14 hours 25 minutes , read by Lesley Mackie. ISBN 0 7531 1867 X Escaping her native Scotland , Helen Gloag is captured by pirates and eventually finds herself in the harem of the Emperor of Morocco. Her life of captivity in l 8 th Century Marrakesh is one of unaccustomed luxury and leisure It is enlivened by the visits of the Scottish dwarf, Microphilus , a powerful aide to the Emperor who is captivated by Helen's beauty. The hothouse atmosphere of the harem permeates this story of love and tragedy which is very loose ly based on a few scraps of information about Helen Gloag Lesley Mackie's reading is excellent and conveys a vivid picture of the young Helen. The following are latest titles from Isis Publishing.
It is always worth visiting the Is is website for special offers. Check the website : www.isis-publishin2:.co.uk for details
New Titles released January to March
2004:
Lyn Andrews Across a Summer Sea
V.C Andrews
Midnight Whispers
Beryl Bainbridge Young Adolf
Charlotte Bingham The Moon at Midnight
Frances Brown The Haresfoot Legacy
Barbara Booth The Game of Life
Anita Burgh The Visitor
Anthony Conway The Brigadier's Outcast
Gloria Cook Pengarron's Children
Bernard Cornwell Battle Flag
Diane Cosgrove That Monroe Girl
Joanna Dessau The Red-Haired Brat
Diana Duff Leaves from the Fig Tree
Katie Flynn A Kiss and a Promise
Alexander Fullerton Westbound, Warbound
Iris Gower The Rowan Tree
Philippa Gregory The Queen's Fool
Ruth Hamilton Chandler's Green
Elizabeth Hawksley A Desperate Remedy
Billy Hopkins High Hopes
C.C. Humphreys The French Executioner
Meg Hutchinson Heritage of Shame
Anna Jacobs Like No Other
Garry Douglas KilworthThe Winter Soldiers De1yn Lake Death in the Valley of Shadows
Mary A Larkin
Elizabeth Lord
Philip McCutchan
Elizabeth McNeill
Fidelis Morgan
Best Laid Plans The Turning Tides The First Command The Golden Days The Ambitious Stepmother
William Newton The Two Pound Tram
Robert Radcliffe Upon Dark Water s Barnaby Rogerson The Prophet
Bernice Rubens
Steven Saylor
Margery Sharp
Grace Thompson
Nicola Thome Muhammed : A Biography The Sergeant 's Tale Catilina's Riddle The Eye of Love An Army of Smiles The Water 's Edge
Elizabeth Waite Cockney Diamond
If you would like to receive the regular Update brochure from Isis with the full list of new titles , please call (01865) 250 333. This is also avai lable in Large Print.
To contact Isis/ Soundings, or to obtain a full catalogue contact the publishers at :
Isis Publi s hing Limited
7 Centrernead
Osney Mead
Oxford
OX2 OES
Tel: 01865 250 333; E-mail: audiobooks@isis-publishing.co.uk
Website : www. isi,-publ ish ing.co. uk
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
HNS BOOK ORDERING SERVICE
UK Members
The HNS Book Ordering Service can supply any book reviewed in Historical Novels Reviews, including books published abroad. Please contact Sarah Cuthbertson at sarah76cuthbenrcvaol.corn or 01293 884898 with the title(s) you want and she will give you a quote from the cheapest Internet source, to include postage and packing. Customers can benefit from discounts on many titles, and will usually pay only UK postage on overseas books. Books will be delivered directly to the customer whenever possible
Alternatively, the US Reviews Editors will buy books for you in the US to trade for UK titles: please contact Sarah Johnson (cfslntn e1u.eJu), Trudi· Jacobson readbks (a,localnec.com or Ilysa Magnus (goodlaw2 (cuaol.com). Sarah Cuthbertson can contact them on your behalf if you don"t have email.
Overseas Members
The following UK members are interested in trading books with overseas members, including wishlists and secondhand books: Rachel A. Hyde, Meadow Close, Budleigh Salterton, Devon EX9 6JN, Tel: +44 1395 446238, Email: rad1clahyde,a 1111\1 orld.com (Rachel will also trade Fantasy & SF). Sarah Cuthbertson (contact details above) . Please let Sarah know if you would like to join this list.
Print on Demand -a Viable Publishing Option?
I am an historical novelist manque Over too many years, my quest for publication has taken me along that rocky path of raised hopes and inevitable rejection. But on I trudge Because mere publication is not my aim That would be too easy. I want to see copies of my novel piled high 1n Waterstone ' s. I want to have a one-to-one relationship with agent and editor. I want a publisher's rep to enthuse about my novel to his customers So if I ' m getting nowhere fa s t with the big boys, why am I so against the alternative? I am with Groucho Marx when he said he wouldn't want to belong to
Tl IE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
any club that would accept him as a member.
I'm su11Jrised that there are still writers willing to pay thousands of pounds to vanity publishers, aka 'subsidy' or 'joint venture' companies. These are the people who advertise for authors. If your book has been rejected by all the mainstream publishers, a small ad which actively welcomes your manuscript is like a glass of water to a man dying of thirst. Don't do it! 'Proper' publishers do not beg for authors. They have more than enough manuscripts flooding in. Vanity publishers are con-artists. They are only interested in your cash. They couldn't care less about the literary merits of your novel. They charge a small fortune for a few dozen unedited, shoddy books which no bookshop will touch. And that's it. Their side of the deal is done. They don't publicize or even try and sell your book. They've already made their money Fortunately, thanks to the sterling work of Jonathan Clifford, most writers have learned to avoid these sharks.
But, just when we thought it was safe to get back in the water, along came Print on Demand (POD). What does POD entail and what can a POD company do for the writer that a mainstream publisher can't? Firstly, never forget these people are not publishers, despite claims to the contrary. They are companies who provide a service for writers, making their money. not from book buyers, but from book writers. They began as e-book publishers. Before long, we were told, everyone would download books from the internet as and when we wanted. No more need for bookstores or libraries. No piles of books cluttering up the house to collect dust and pulp-chewing beetles. The future would be book-free. But rumours of the death of the book proved premature. People like the look and feel of books. No problem , say the POD publishers. We won't just produce e-books. We'll print traditional books both cheaply and in small quantities. Without long print runs and big sales targets, there are low overheads and no warehousing required, so no book need ever go out of print. People will flock to their websites. After all, Amazon has proved a runaway success. And hey, our books have ISBNs and are listed on Amazon, too.
Too good to be true? The reality is somewhat different. Despite claims that they only accept well-written manuscripts, many companies offer little in the way of quality control, merely weeding out the libellous and pornographic. Their standards of proofreading and editing leave much to be desired. Their covers are poor; production values low. They do not offer their books on a sale or return basis to bookshops. And I know for a fact that one major bookseller in the UK refuses point-blank to order any books from such publishers If a book has a
specific local interest, a local bookstore may stock a few copies, dealing directly with the author, who will be expected to offer sale or return terms. Booksellers do not deal with POD publishers any more than they deal with vanity publishers, even though POD books have ISBNs so will be listed on their databases.
POD companies operate almost exclusively on the internet, although more and more advertise in the writing press. Their websites make them look like independent book publishers However, there is always a link to something like 'services to writers'. The following is typical: Come and join us! Because of our neH' publishing methods we can publish anything from the big blockbuster to the specialist niche subject. With our straightforward no nonsense approach to publishing , we can take your work and publish in both e-format and hard copy using the new digital POD publishing. We can publish your book for world-wide distribution Sounds good doesn't it? But study it carefully and you can see it's stuffed full of weasel words and half-truths. And on it goes. (The capitals are mine.) Traditional publishers GUESS how many copies they are likely to sell. Since the average shelf life of a book title is six months an author will probably see years of hard work DISAPPEAR IN A MATTER OF MONTHS. With POD. books are printed only as orders are received. It also means that the book is NEVER OUT OF PRINT Your book can be made available to ORDER THROUGH BOOKSTORES on both sides of the Atlantic and via our own online bookstore and other internet bookstores , SUCH AS AMAZON. ft is expected that within a very short period the vast majority of printed books will be published this ll'GJI.
None of this is true. Mainstream publishers do not guess, any more than Heinz guesses how many tins of baked beans it needs to produce. Reputable bookstores do not do business with POD publishers, they only buy books from publishers on a sale or return basis. It may also be difficult to buy through Amazon because POD companies don't use the standard distribution networks.) Most significantly, PODs don't need to distribute, publicise or sell books Like vanity publishers, they make their money from writers. Promotion means planking your cover on a website.
POD companies are quick to say they can ' t be vanity publishers because they don't charge thousands of pounds up front to publish your book. I'm suspicious of this and of their claim that they won't publish a book ' if it's badly written.' However, I suspect nobody ' s work is ever refused. I have read quite a few POD books. Too
ISSUE 28, MAY 2004
Sally Zigmond
many are shoddily produced with narrow margins, small print. They don ' t look or feel like books you'd pick up in a bookstore. The covers are uninspiring. They are also full of typos , grammatical and spelling errors. Whilst some may look fine on the page, they a re dull , repetitive , in need of a goo d edit - in o ther words, badly-written.
So let 's look at one Briti s h-based co mpan y's price-list. The y offer a 's ta nd a rd ' an d an 'e nh a nced' se rv ice The former mer e ly ta kes what you send them and prints it. The writer is offered one pro o f-read , 5 free copies of the finished book a nd 25% off the recommended retail price for any others. This costs £550 but does n ' t include extras such as book-jacket design (£293 ), editing and proofreading (another £293). Then there's 'annual book maint e nanc e' o f £ I5 to keep the boo k in print. (What was that th ey sa id ea rlier about you r book 'neve r' being o ut of print ?) If yo u look a t th ese cos ts - and there are more - it doesn 1 see m quite so in vi ting The 'en ha nced ' se rvice\ hich offers ' top-qu a lity book-jacket design and 20 free copies w ith 20° o off s ub seq uent purcha ses' is a whop pin g£ 12 92.
When I began my re carch, I wondered \\ hy POD co mpanie s attract so little c ritici 111 I think I now know w hy . The ge nera l book buying public is un awa re o f this kind of publi s hing because the y hea r ahou t books throu gh re\ iews. media ath e rti s in g o r by browsing bookstores. to none of ,, hi ch th e POD writer has access. Probab ly no-one \ isits POD websites a pa rt from the aut ho rs th ey publish o r th ose seek in g publication. I a lso s us pe ct th a t \\'ri ters \\ ho ha ve s he ll ed o ut a few th o usa nd po und s fo r the pri vi lege o f be ing published in this way a nd have e nded up wi th an infe ri o r pr od uc t, te nd not to publi c ise th e fact. Tho. e \\ ho are happy with th e seJ'\ ic e probab ly know li11l e about th e publishing and booksclling business. POD s play o n thi:ir c us tomers· ignorance and eagerness 10 be published.
Let me ge t this s trai ght. By and la rge. PO D compa ni es a re not CO\\ boys. Their publicity m;iy g loss O\ er th e truth and say li11le abo ut how cxpcnsi\'c they a rc but the y don' t se t ou t dc lib crn te ly to co n the \\ riter. It is up to th e buye r, in thi s case th e ,, rit e r, to read the sma ll print a nd shop aro und It may be that se lf-pub li shing is far chea pe r and more satisfyi ng. When I lirst mentioned I "as researching the topic. se, era I 11 NS member. \\ rote to me to exp ress th ei r opinions. Although none \,e re hos til e most "ere cautious.
"O\ e r the last eig ht een months, my sa le s ha,e doubled and O\ e r th e las t quarter. tripled. I co ns id e r th e books I have with th em (her POD publisher) a re earning a lillle, \\ hi c h is better than collecting dust o n th e s he lf Th e pages are easy to read, with
good black print on good quality paper which is less ' pulpy ' th a n Harlequin Mills and Boon. The cover art is good, in that it is humorous in style on the print version, as this is a love and lau ghter type read. The cover is glossy , printed on a sort of photographic paper. As a result , the cover tends to curl upwards from the corner in s tead of lying !lat. The pages are glued to the spine and I'd be a bit wary of splaying it open too far. I've ne ve r been asked to pay towards the cost of production so I certainly wouldn't regard it as va nity publishing . There are some s honky ones out there but news travels fast on the net and they don't us ually last for long I feel too many people run down POD No , the finished product probably isn ' t quite as good as the big publishers (and I don't me a n the writing) but I think tim e will see ma rkets improve as our computer savvy kids and grandkids become bo o k consumers.''
" I tried out a few of my out of print books with va ri o us e-publishers/ POD a nd found mo s t of them were dodgy Since then I've watched other pe o ple use them ands seen three publi s hers fail one a fter the other. Yes, there are a few good ones, but I got four bad ones out of s ix and have heard so me horror tales . Two of the bad. by the way, publish ed my book s sold copies and ne ve r pa id me a cent."
" I think it's important to note a crucial difference between tw o types of POD publi sher s. those w ho will ac cept a nything and those who are se le c ti\' e. It seems to me th a t the ,anity publi shin g tag can be fairly ap plied to th ose w ho ta ke anything e\ en w he n th ey c harge no fee o r a relativel y s ma ll one. I do think th a t eve n th ose POD publi sher s ha\ e do ne the wo rld a se J'\ ice by pulling o ut of business the traditi o nal va nit y publishers who co uld no longer get away with charging£ I0.000 for publishin g a boo k a nd th e n on ly printing a few dozen copies:· I o nl y recei\ ed one \\ holly en thu siast ic reply from a \\ riter v. ho to ld Ille he r loca l bookstore al\\'ays stocks he r books and th a t th ey se ll \,ell. but I suspec t th a t her books hm ea loca l interest.
A lex McPhadden of ·word Edi ting· is currently com pilin g a s uJ'\ ey of POD He ad mit s certain co mp a nies hm c· no guide line s lor sub mi ss io n a nd see m to ha\e no co nscie nce \\ hil e ot he rs do wonderful \\ ork. "T he purpo e of· Word Editing· is to re\, a rd tho,e " ho do commendable work and to \\ arn authors of those \\ ho do not in hopes of affec tin g the lllarket in a positi\ e way The on l) difference between POD and mainstream publishing is expos ure and the roya ltie s paid POD aut ho rs ge t paid fou r to six tim es th e roya lt y or th e come111iom1lly publi s hed au th o r. howe\ e r th ey ge t the ex pos ur e "hich is illlportant 111 a co mp et iti ve market. Asp irin g authors do far be tt e r \\ ith a printed book to present to a
prospective agent or publisher th a n a tradition a l manuscript. If an author is very ambitious and is willing to haul their own books around and promote every weekend, they can do quite well. There is a gulf between what agents accept and what may be worthy of acceptance; somewhere in th e llliddle lies a group that de se rve s to 6e published but for so llle rea so n is ne ve r noticed by agents or publishers Hopefull y POD can be a bridge ." Optimi s tic words, but I'm afraid, I don ' t believe that age nt s or ma instrealll publishers are more impre sse d by a POD book than by a well-typed manuscript.
I' d like to conclude with the official definition of vanity publishing accepted by the UK Advertising Standards Authority: " Va nity publishing , also self-styled (often inconectly) as "s ubsidy" , "joint-venture", "shared-responsibility", or even "se lf ' publishin g, is a service whereby a uth o rs <J I"!! charged to have their work publi s hed Va nity publishers generally o ffer to publish a bo o k for a s pecific fee or offe r to include s hort stories, poems or other literary or a rti s tic material in an anthology, which the authors a re then invited to bu y." As Jonathon Clifford concludes: " Therefo re fill.]! company that wants to charge yo u to publish yo ur book is - by definition - a vanity publisher, whatever they llla y try to tell you to the contrary." So, despite the claillls by so me writers that th ey arc ve ry ha pp y to be publi s hed by a POD company or that it is the only way forward for wri te rs in the face of the cut-throat mainstream publi s hin g indu s try, I will adhere to Groucho's wise words a nd w ill probably re main unpublished. I can Ii\ e with th a t.
I would like to thank th e following pe o ple for their invaluable assistance in\\ riting thi s a rticle : Alan Fisk, Jo na th on Clifford. Mike Hunt , Mandy Jones, Gerald Lo\, thin Mary Moffat, Alex McPhadden.
