Historical Novels Review, Issue 52 (May 2010) by The Historical Novel Society

A PUBLICATION OF THE HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY

HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW ISSUE 52, MAY 2010

The Classic Historical Novel One Manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Search

life is a cabaret...not a profile of philip kerr in love with research an interview with nicola thorne the allure of pompeii triumph through endeavour a british perspective on stephanie grace whitson unbridled books a publisher profile

IN EVERY ISSUE historical fiction market news | history & film | new voices | how not to write...

Historical Novels R eview

pub lis h er

Richard Lee Marine Cottage, The Strand Starcross, Devon EX6 8NY United Kingdom <richard@historicalnovelsociety.org>

edit o r ial boa r d

Jane Kessler University Library 119, University at Albany, SUNY 1400 Washington Avenue Albany, NY 12222 USA <jkessler@uamail.albany.edu>

Publisher Coverage: Algonquin; Farrar Straus & Giroux; Five Star; IPG; Kensington; and Trafalgar Square

Book Review Editor: Sarah Johnson 6868 Knollcrest Drive Charleston, IL 61920 USA <sljohnson2@eiu.edu>

Publisher Coverage: Bethany House; HarperCollins (inc. Avon, Ecco, Regan, William Morrow, Zondervan); Penguin Putnam; Random House (all imprints); university presses; and any North American presses not mentioned below

Features Editors: Myfanwy Cook 47 Old Exeter Road Tavistock, Devon PL19 OJE UK <myfanwyc@btinternet.com>

Ken Kreckel 3670 Placid Drive Casper, WY 82604 USA <kreckel1@yahoo.com>

Film Editor: Hannah Sternberg 1125 Old Eagle Road Lancaster, PA 17601 USA <hesternberg@gmail.com>

Trudi Jacobson University Library, University at Albany 1400 Washington Avenue Albany, NY 12222 USA <readbks@verizon.net>

Publisher Coverage: Arcade; Crippen & Landru; Hilliard & Harris; HMH Children’s; Houghton Mifflin (inc. Mariner); Hyperion; Little Brown; Medallion; New Directions; Simon & Schuster (inc. Atria, Scribner, Touchstone, Washington Square), Steerforth; Toby; Warner; and WW Norton

Ilysa Magnus 5430 Netherland Avenue #C41 Bronx, NY 10471 USA <goodlaw2@optonline.net>

Publisher Coverage: Dorchester; Grove/Atlantic; Minotaur Books; Picador USA; Poisoned Pen Press; Soho Press; St Martin’s Press; Tor/Forge; and Tyndale

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Alan Fisk Flat 25, Lancaster Court, Lancaster Avenue London SE27 9HU UK <alanfisk5@netscape.net>

Publisher Coverage: Creme de la Crime; Duckworth; HarperCollins UK (inc. Flamingo, Fourth Estate, Voyager); Orion Group (inc. Cassell, Gollancz, Phoenix, Weidenfeld & Nicolson); Piatkus; Picnic Publishing; Quaestor2000; Quercus; Severn House; and all small independent UK publishers not handled by other editors

Edward James 2 Hayman Close Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL53 9FD UK <edward654@btinternet.com>

Publisher Coverage: Arcadia; Canongate; Hodder Headline (inc. Coronet, Hodder & Stoughton, NEL, Sceptre); John Murray; and Robert Hale

Doug Kemp Tulip Lodge, Harrowden Road Wellingborough, Northamptonshire NN8 5BD UK <doug.kemp@lineone.net>

Publisher Coverage: Allison & Busby; Little, Brown & Co (inc. Abacus, Virago, Warner); Random House UK (inc. Arrow, Cape, Century, Chatto & Windus, Harvill, Heinemann, Hutchinson, Pimlico, Secker & Warburg, Vintage), Simon & Schuster (inc. Scribner)

Julie Parker Millbank Cottage, Winson Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 5EW UK <julie.pk@talk21.com> Publisher Coverage: children’s historicals — all UK publishers Gordon O’Sullivan 20 Morgan Avenue London, E17 3PL UK <osullivangordon@yahoo.co.uk>

Publisher Coverage: all self-published, subsidy, and electronically published novels

review s edit o r s , u k

re v i e ws e d i tors , u s a

Andrea Connell 10011 Beacon Pond Lane Burke, VA 22015 USA <hnsonline@verizon.net>

Managing Editor: Bethany Latham Houston Cole Library, Jacksonville State University 700 Pelham Road North Jacksonville, AL 36265-1602 USA <blatham@jsu.edu>

tory Press; Macmillan (inc. Pan, Picador, Sidgwick & Jackson); Penguin (inc. Allen Lane, Hamish Hamilton, Michael Joseph, Viking); Short Books; Snowbooks; and Transworld (inc. Bantam Press, Black Swan, Corgi, Doubleday)

Publisher Coverage: Birlinn/Polygon; Bloomsbury; Constable & Robinson; Faber & Faber; The His-

confe re nce s

The Society organizes annual conferences in the UK and biennial conferences in the US. Contact Richard Lee (UK) or Sarah Johnson (USA).

m e m be rs h i p d e ta i l s

Membership in the Historical Novel Society is by calendar year (January to December) and entitles members to all the year’s publications: two issues of Solander, and four issues of Historical Novels Review. Back issues of society magazines are also available. For current rates, contact: Sue Hyams 56 Ackroyd Road Honor Oak Park, London SE23 1DL UK <sue.hyams@virgin.net>

e d i tori a l pol i cy

Linda Abel <Linda@TheMedievalChronicle.com>

Reviews, articles, and letters may be edited for reasons of space, clarity, and grammatical correctness. We will endeavour to reflect the authors’ intent as closely as possible, and will contact the authors for approval of any major change. We welcome ideas for articles, but have specific requirements to consider. Before submitting material, please contact the editor to discuss whether the proposed article is appropriate for the HNS magazines.

copy ri g h t

In all cases, the copyright remains with the authors of the articles. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the authors concerned. THE HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY was formed in 1997 to help promote historical fiction. All staff and contributors are volunteers and work unpaid. We are an open society — if you want to get involved, get in touch. HNS WEBSITE: www.historicalnovelsociety.org WEB SUPPORT: sljohnson2@eiu.edu EMAIL NEWSLETTER. Read news and reviews: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HNSNewsletter DISCUSSION GROUP. Join in the discussion: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HistoricalNovelSociety

HNR W

Historical Novels R eview I ss u e 5 2 , M ay 2010 | I SSN 1471-7492

| columns |

ed itor ia l b e t ha ny la th a m

histor ic a l fic tion market n ews s ar a h joh nson

histor y & film w a t c hing the ba c kg roun d... | libby s tern b erg

n ew voic e s p r of ile of debut authors dolen p erkin s - val dez, s ally zigmond , v a nitha s an karan & w illia m r y a n | my f anw y cook

how no t to. . . w r it e h f r e v ie ws | s us an hig g in b otham

| features & interviews |

TH E C LASSI C HI STOR I CAL NOV E L on e m an ’s s earch | by ken k reckel

lif e is a cab ar et. . . not a pr ofile of p hilip kerr | by ken k reckel

13 in love with resea rch an int e r v ie w with nicola thorn e | by my f anw y co o k 14 the allure of po mpei i by s ue b err y an d m y f anw y co o k 16

triump h throug h en dea vo u r ste ph a nie grace whits on ’s six teen brides | by carol h a rri so n

unbridle d e nthusiasm

a p rofile of unbridled b ooks | by my f anw y co o k

| reviews |

book r e v ie ws e d ito rs’ c h oic e & m ore

MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR hat is it, exactly, that makes something a classic? There are classic films, classic works of literature, even classic faux pas (pases? paseaux? The French plural is not my forte). In this issue of HNR, Ken Kreckel bravely takes on the quest for the elusive definition of classic as it applies to the historical novel, a search which leads him to some unexpected destinations. Also in this issue, Myfanwy Cook profiles four new debut novelists on the historical fiction scene: Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Vanitha Sankaran, Sally Zigmond, and William Ryan. These new faces are taking on subjects that range from medieval papermaking to Victorian railway towns. In the way of interviews, Philip Kerr discusses his Bernie Gunther series of noir novels, set in mid-century Berlin, and Nicola Thorne talks about how her love of research has inspired her to write a spate of successful historical fiction books. Brit Carol Harrison offers up her opinions on Stephanie Grace Whitson’s novel of pioneer women, Sixteen Brides, providing a unique perspective on a setting and topic that is distinctly American. From Bulwer-Lytton to the present, Pompeii has held a trenchant fascination for historians, novelists, and tourists alike. Sue Berry took a recent trip to the remains of the ancient city, and she provides HNR with a piece that is part history, part travelogue, and part historical fiction survey—examining all the factors that make Pompeii such an alluring destination for tourists and historical novelists alike. And lastly, a look at independent publishing house Unbridled Books, who prove that even with the current atmosphere of uncertainty in the publishing industry, smaller, editorially-driven publishing houses can still successfully introduce new authors and make their mark. Also, we’d like to wish outgoing Reviews Editor Ellen Keith a bon voyage and express our sincere thanks for all the wonderful work she’s put in over the years. Jane Kessler, who hails from New York, will be stepping in to fill the position. Welcome aboard!

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BETHANY LATHAM is a professor, librarian, and Managing Editor of HNR. She publishes in various scholarly and popular journals, as well as writing for the EBSCO NoveList database. She also serves as Internet Editor and a regular reviewer for Reference Reviews.

HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Columns | 1

H I STO R I C AL FICTION MAR K ET NE W S

ould you like your latest publishing deal to appear here? Email me at sljohnson2@eiu.edu.

Conference News The next UK conference is to be held at the Mechanic’s Institute in Manchester on 17th October 2010. Speakers will include Robert Low, Harry Sidebottom, Jean Fullerton and Douglas Jackson. We are working together with the Manchester Literature Festival and the Manchester Libraries’ Pages Ago promotion. Manchester Libraries’ Readers day is at the same venue on 16th October, and speakers include Alison Weir, Maria McCann and Sarah Dunant. For further details, please check the HNS website or contact Alan Fisk (Flat 25 Lancaster Court, Lancaster Avenue, London SE27 9HU, or alanfisk5@ netscape.net). Our 4th North American conference is scheduled for June 17-19, 2011, at the Holiday Inn on the Bay in San Diego, California. Registration will open in November; more details to be announced soon. HNR Updates US reviews editor Ellen Keith has recently stepped down from her post in order to pursue other projects. I’m grateful to Ellen for her excellent work over the past eight years and am glad she’ll be staying on as a reviewer. Taking her place will be longtime reviewer Jane Kessler; many of you will know Jane from her role as program chair for the 2009 conference in Schaumburg. Also, we’re looking for a copy editor for the Historical Novels Review. Attention to detail and the ability to do quality work within a short timeframe are required. Email me at sljohnson2@eiu.edu if interested. Historical Fiction Awards The shortlist for the inaugural Walter Scott Prize, a £25,000 award set up by the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch to honor the man considered the father of the historical novel, consists of: Adam Thorpe’s Hodd; Robert Harris’s Lustrum (US title Conspirata); Sarah Dunant’s Sacred Hearts; Iain Pears’ Stone’s Fall; Simon Mawer’s The Glass Room; Adam Foulds’ The Quickening Maze; and Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall. The winner will be named on 19 June as part of the Borders book festival, at Scott’s home Abbotsford House in Melrose, Scotland. The winner of the 2009 Langum Prize for American Historical Fiction is Edward Rutherfurd’s New York: The Novel, out from Doubleday (US) and Century (UK) in November 2009. The prize is presented annually to “the best book in 2 | Columns | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

American historical fiction that is both excellent fiction and excellent history.” New Publishing Deals Sources include author submissions, Publishers Marketplace, Booktrade.info, Publishers Weekly, The Bookseller, and more. Diana Gabaldon’s eighth volume in her bestselling Outlander family saga sold to Nita Taublib at Delacorte Press, for publication in Fall 2013, by Russell Galen at Scovil Galen Ghosh Literary Agency. Jennifer Weltz at the Jean V. Naggar Agency closed two deals for author C.W. Gortner. Susanna Porter at Ballantine acquired world English rights to Princess Isabella, fiction about the early reign of the famed Spanish royal. (Gortner’s Confessions of Catherine de Medici is an Editors’ Choice this issue.) Also, Charles Spicer at St. Martin’s Press took North American rights to the first three books in the Spymaster Chronicles, mysteries set in Tudor England. Robin Oliveira’s My Name Is Mary Sutter, about a courageous woman aspiring to be a surgeon during the US Civil War (an Editors’ Choice title this issue), sold to Juliet Annan of Fig Tree/ Penguin UK, by Lizzy Kramer of David Higham Associates on behalf of Michael Radulescu at Marly Rusoff & Associates. Lauren Willig’s next three books in the historical fiction series which began with The Secret History of the Pink Carnation sold to Erika Imranyi at Dutton by Joe Veltre at The Veltre Company. Historian (Becoming Queen) and film consultant (The Young Victoria) Kate Williams’ debut novel The Pleasures of Men, a historical thriller about murder, wrong science, and body snatching in 1840s London, sold to Mari Evans at Michael Joseph via Simon Trewin at United Agents. US and Canadian rights went to Elisabeth Dyssegaard at Hyperion Voice and Iris Tupholme at Harper Canada via Zoe Pagnamenta, on behalf of Simon Trewin. Wings: A Novel of World War II Flygirls by Karl Friedrich, about a gutsy young woman in 1945 who joins the WASP – the U.S. military’s first pilot-training program for women – and finds herself fighting for recognition and for her lost love, sold to Jackie Swift at McBooks Press for publication in April 2011. Laurel Corona’s The Laws of Motion, about two young women raised amid the intoxicating and scandalous salons of Voltaire and other luminaries of the Enlightenment in preRevolutionary France, sold to Kathy Sagan at Gallery/S&S by Meg Ruley at Jane Rotrosen Agency. Jerusalem Maiden by Talia Carner, about one woman’s struggle for self-expression, beginning in 1911 with the city under Ottoman rule, sold to Katherine Nintzel at HarperCollins US by Marly Rusoff of Marly Rusoff & Associates. Patrick Easter’s The Watermen, set around the docklands of London in the late 18th century and introducing the character

In Stores Soon D. Lawrence-Young’s Of Guns and Mules, in which the story of a young man intertwines with the dawning of the modern

state of Israel, leading up to the days of the British Mandate for Palestine, was published by Gefen House in January. Gabrielle Kimm’s His Last Duchess, a story of forbidden love set in 16th-c Italy, following 16-year-old Lucrezia de Medici as she marries the fifth Duke of Ferrara, will appear from Sphere in August. For the King by Catherine Delors is a historical thriller set in post-Revolutionary France. It appears from Dutton in July. The long-awaited sequel to James Long’s time-slip novel Ferney, called The Lives She Left Behind, appears from Little Brown (UK) in September. Ildefonso Falcones’ The Hand of Fatima, the first English translation of his near-1000 page epic set in 16th-c Granada, will be published by Transworld this August. For a list of forthcoming titles, visit www.historicalnovelsociety. org/forthcoming.htm. New transatlantic editions Elizabeth Chadwick’s The Scarlet Lion, named “one of the landmark novels of the last ten years” by HNS publisher/ founder Richard Lee, was published by Sourcebooks Landmark in March ($14.99, pb, 549pp, 9781402229992). It continues the tale of William Marshal, the greatest knight of medieval England. D. J. Taylor’s Ask Alice, literary fiction moving from the American frontier to rural Edwardian England to 1920s London, will appear from Pegasus in April ($24.95, hb, 342pp, 978-1-60598-086-2). In her review of the Chatto & Windus edition (HNR, Aug ’09), Lucinda Byatt wrote: “With its vignettes of the bright young things of London society and richly detailed settings, this is an exploration of change and identity that both entertains and disturbs.” Of Nick Drake’s Tutankhamun, an Editors’ Choice title for Aug ’09, reviewer Mike Ashworth wrote: “The characters are well drawn and believable, and the use of the first-person narrative brings an immediacy and excitement… the reader is drawn in to the culture, sights, smells, and life of ancient Egypt.” Tutankhamun will be published by HarperCollins US in July ($24.99, hb, 384pp, 9780060765927). Erratum Kelli Stanley’s City of Dragons, described as her debut (HNR, Feb ‘10), is actually her second novel; her previous historical mystery was Nox Dormienda.

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of a patrolman with the Marine Police, sold to Jane Wood at Quercus, for publication in Spring 2011, by Oliver Munson at Blake Friedmann. Kerry Young’s Pao, inspired by the author’s family history, telling the remarkable history of 20th-century Jamaica, as seen through the eyes of Pao, a Chinese-Jamaican racketeer, sold to Helen Garnons-Williams at Bloomsbury UK, and Anton Mueller at Bloomsbury, in a two-book deal, for publication in Spring 2011, by Susan Yearwood at Susan Yearwood Literary Agency. Renaissance novelist Jeanne Kalogridis moves over to Spain with The Inquisitor’s Wife, set in the early days of the Spanish Inquisition, in which a young wife recoils at her husband’s role in the torture and burnings and risks her life in an illicit affair. It sold to Charles Spicer at St. Martin’s, for publication in 2012, by Russell Galen at Scovil Galen Ghosh Literary Agency. Esther Friesner’s YA novels Spirit’s Princess and Spirit’s Bride, about the teenage years of a shaman queen of ancient Japan, sold to Suzy Capozzi at Random House Children’s for publication in 2012 and 2013, by Russell Galen at Scovil Galen Ghosh Literary Agency. The Golden Mean (Writers’ Trust winner) author Annabel Lyon’s sequel The Sweet Girl, the story of Aristotle’s daughter Pythias’ fierce resistance to his attempt at the end of his life to arrange her marriage before he died, sold to Anne Collins of Random House Canada, for publication in 2013, by Denise Bukowski of The Bukowski Agency. Hodder & Stoughton has acquired two novels by Guy Saville, alternate history thrillers set in England and Africa in the 1950s. Anne Barnhill’s The Queen’s Whore, in which Anne Boleyn maneuvers her cousin and lady-in-waiting, Madge Shelton, into becoming a mistress of King Henry VIII in order to control her husband’s philandering, sold to Charles Spicer at St. Martin’s, in a two-book deal, by Irene Goodman. Amor Towles’ debut novel Rules of Civility, the story of a young woman of “extraordinary ability and ignominious beginnings” who paves her own way in New York of 1938, sold to Jocasta Hamilton at Hodder Sceptre, in a pre-empt, by Cathryn Summerhayes and Laura Bonner on behalf of Dorian Karchmar at William Morris Endeavor. US rights went to Molly Stern at Viking. Accidents of Providence by Stacia Brown, the story of a young London glove-maker who falls in love with a member of the radical Levelers and falls victim to a law targeting unwed mothers during the Puritan Revolution, sold to Jenna Johnson at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, in a pre-empt, in a two-book deal, by Henry Dunow.

SARAH JOHNSON, Book Review Editor of HNR, is a librarian, readers’ advisor, and author of reference books. She reviews for Booklist and CHOICE and writes about fiction for EBSCO’s NoveList database. Her latest book is Historical Fiction II: A Guide to the Genre.

HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Columns | 3

aHISTORY & FILMe WATCHING THE BACKGROUN D...

n the US cable network Turner Classic Movies, two films showed up in the past months that caught my eye. One was The Young Doctors with Ben Gazzara, Eddie Albert and Fredric March. Released in 1961, this blackand-white movie tells the story of a clash between young and old doctors, demonstrating how idealism fades over time but ultimately returns when fresh minds show up to reinvigorate the old. Although not a wellknown movie, it was praised for fine acting. The plot is simple, but the acting kept it riveting. Wa t c h i n g an earnest, perspiring E d d i e Albert play a pediatric surgeon trying to save an infant’s life had me on the edge of my seat. But what fascinated me as much as the acting was the trip back in time — to a period when doctors didn’t wear disposable gowns; they used telephones, not pagers; a hospital bed was a bed and not a complex piece of equipment; and a cancer diagnosis was certain and imminent death. These background details leapt out at this viewer. The other movie that caught my fancy was the 1963 release, The Courtship of Eddie’s Father, with Glenn Ford, Shirley Jones, Jerry Van Dyke and a very young child actor, Ron Howard, who dominated every scene he was in, not just because he was cute, but because he could act, really act. This color movie was a feast for the eye, capturing 1960s-style decor and colors (orange suit on a redhead? Natch) and eliciting a smile of remembrance as Eddie’s father poured coffee from an old Pyrex percolator just like the one my parents used to use. I’m a novelist. Watching those movies was almost as good as — maybe in some ways even better than — doing research 4 | Columns | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

online or in a musty library. An online article could have told me that doctors used to wear cloth gowns and masks, but seeing them, even on a black-and-white screen, reminded me of how wrinkled they looked, as if they’d just come from the laundry cart. And the hospital room scenes also reminded me of how “breakable” everything was — from glass IV bottles and syringes to life itself. And also how slow and personal even emergency medical practice used to be. No fax machines or emails, just messengers, phones and cars. Similarly, the set decoration and costuming on The Courtship of Eddie’s Father took me back to a time when a woman might go bowling wearing a pencil skirt, and the sleek but puffy hairstyles women sported required hours of painful sleep in curlers. An article or photos might tell me those things, sure, but not in the dynamic way a film does. There’s something about seeing the history in action that brings it to life, that propels telling details to the forefront that might be lost in an overview of the time period. Sure, these scenes have to be taken with the proverbial grain of salt. I’d not trust Hollywood to capture a “typical” family in every movie. But old films provide a reservoir of information and images that communicate instantly a sense of place and setting, sometimes hard to get from dry chapters on the habits of working-class Americans during the 1960s, for example. Research should follow any tidbit found in a film, but sometimes viewing old films ignites a writer’s desire to learn more. In fact, older films provide details — like that Pyrex percolato — that a writer might not have even thought about, let alone researched. The everyday, the commonplace — those are the aspects of history so hard for a historical novelist to capture, and sometimes harder still to find in research. Everyone might know the dates for VE or VJ day, but how did a housewife cook breakfast in 1945? Did she use a toaster, a coffee pot on the stove, an electric percolator?

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) by Jane Eyre but set when all Hollywood was aquiver as films went from silent to sound, was a joy to research. But no amount of reading about actors and actresses of the era could equal the images of those people on screen. Watching Greta Garbo and John Gilbert in the early 1933 talkie Queen Christina immediately conveyed how it wasn’t Gilbert’s voice that sunk his career, it was his lack of style and charisma once films became multi-dimensional. Seeing the 1929 talkie Applause with Helen Morgan and Joan Peers provided an insight into what constituted an attractive body type of that era — nothing at all like the anorexic-thin bodies of today. The chorus girls in that backstage drama were more doughy milkmaids than slim figurines. Historical novelists who use films should keep their eyes not on the foreground, but the background, picking up useful pieces of information to research further and verify in actual historical documents. But Hollywood provides a treasure trove of details for the keen writer’s eye. While talking with folks who lived during time periods in which you’re writing is the best, there’s nothing like film to give you an overview.

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The 1946 movie The Best Years of Our Lives is another film with several domestic scenes, one in an upscale apartment, where viewers see what it was like to make coffee, toast, and eggs in a tiny kitchen and where the audience is practically given a tour of a post-war drug store. Films from the 1930s immediately show viewers hairstyles and h a b e r d a s h e r y, suits and sables, automobiles and airplanes from bygone days. Yes, you can look all this up in a reference book, but you can’t see the way a fabric moves, or a woman’s hairstyle blows in the wind (or doesn’t, depending on the amount of spray on it!) or even how it might have felt to sit behind one of those oversized steering wheels to drive a car “back in the day.” Another challenge for the historical novelist is determining how much things cost in different eras. Sometimes these details pop out of films effortlessly, easily transcribed by a deft writer. A 1934 Bette Davis film, Housewife, for example, includes these tidbits: an advertising copy writer who made $25,000 a year was receiving a kingly salary, a plumber who charged a housewife $2 for a few hours’ work was asking an exorbitant sum, and 25 cents would buy a couple of pads of paper for a secretary. Again, a good historical writer will verify these pieces of history, but what a terrific starting point — ten minutes watching an old film can save the writer hours poring over documents on the Internet. Silent films, too, are a great resource, not just for the contemporary tales they tell, but for the historical ones. Directors who produced films in the 1920s grew up in the decades before, and had relatives who were alive before the turn of the century. Their filmmaking is infused with that history and, depending on the genre, can provide a glimpse of earlier times and sensibilities, and outlooks on the world, as well as what kinds of clothes folks wore. Silent films and the strange first talkies provided invaluable resources for me when I wrote my historical novel Sloane Hall, to be released September 2010 by Five Star. This novel, inspired

LIBBY STERNBERG is an author of adult and YA fiction. Her historical set in 1920s Hollywood, Sloane Hall, will be released in September. Her YA mysteries have received critical acclaim, the first being an Edgar nominee. Her first adult mystery, Death Is the Cool Night (set in 1941 America) is offered exclusively on Kindle. She can be found on the web at www.LibbysBooks.com and on Facebook at Libby Malin Sternberg.

HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Columns | 5

NEW VOICES Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Vanitha Sankaran, Sally Zigmond and William Ryan speak with Myfanwy Cook about their debut novels.

t first glance, Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Vanitha Sankaran, Sally Zigmond and William Ryan would appear to have very little in common except that they are all debut historical novelists, but closer examination reveals that each of their novels was inspired by characters, places or subjects that their authors were unable to shake off, and that they “had to” investigate and write about. Their quest to uncover more about their own particular historical obsession has resulted in four new novels with characters, settings and themes that leave the reader asking when the next book will appear, and what happens next to the colourful and feisty cast with which they have peopled their novels. Both Sally Zigmond (Hope Against Hope) and Dolen Perkins-Valdez, author of Wench, transformed their initial fascination with two very different mid-19th century places into compulsive fiction. “Some writers begin their stories with a character. Others begin with a fantastic line. I began Wench when I stumbled upon a fascinating footnote of history...” explains Perkins-Valdez. “While reading a biography of W.E.B. DuBois, I learned that during the 1850s, there was a summer resort near Xenia, Ohio notorious for its popularity among slaveholders and their enslaved mistresses. I was stunned to learn this little-known historical fact. I decided to do a bit of historical excavation and learn more. At the time, it was very popular among the country’s elite to visit natural springs. This particular resort opened in 1852, and became popular among southern slaveholders. I knew that Ohio was a free state and many of the northerners were abolitionists. Yet I was fascinated to learn that because they did not enjoy vacationing with the southerners and their slave entourages, they stopped coming and business declined. The place closed in 1855. “Most slaves did not leave written historical records. Yet I found myself entering an imaginative territory that would prove to be much more fertile than documents. I began by asking myself the following questions: if the women entered free territory, why wouldn’t they attempt to escape? Is it possible that they actually loved the men? As I made my way through draft after draft, I discovered that these were not questions easily answered. Even 6 | Columns | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

the answers I thought I would find turned out to be much more complicated than I’d imagined. The attachments these women had to their masters had many layers. As I approached the end of the novel, I myself did not know how my main character, Lizzie, would end it all. The journey of writing the book was probably as emotional for me as it has been for the readers who have e-mailed me about their captivating reading experiences of it.” For Sally Zigmond, prize-winning short story writer and former editor for the HNS, it was an English spa town that caught her imagination. Zigmond “...moved to Harrogate, where you can’t move without tripping over hotels, wells and other spa-related paraphernalia, and the fuse was lit. I became a Harrogate spa fanatic, reading everything I could get my hands on and tramping around its landmarks. Then when I began poring through the archives of the local newspaper, with the novel vaguely forming in my head, everything began to gel. For example, the 1840s was the period known as ‘Railway Mania,’ when lines were built willynilly across the land, and fortunes were made and spectacularly lost. The 1840s was also the time when Harrogate, hitherto not much more than a village with a few springs and a lot of mud, transformed itself into a fashionable resort to see and be seen in. The railway arrived in the town quite late after fierce resistance in 1848, but it made its fortune. I had already decided to write about Paris as well —the Paris just before the Second Empire took off. 1848 saw the first revolution that was to rock Europe that year, the February Revolution that swept away the last of the Bourbons. And don’t you just love serendipity? Where would novelists be without it? My flicks through the newspaper archives turned up many a delicious snippet, none more spectacular than the Aurora Borealis that appeared over the town in April of that year (a very rare occurrence so far south.) Who could resist?” As well as being captivated by the place, Zigmond was also influenced and inspired by her childhood love of steam trains and “passion for all things early Victorian.” Vanitha Sankaran’s Watermark: A Novel of the Middle Ages centres around “papermaking, troubadours and the Cathar heretics while telling Auda’s story of love, longing and the need to find her place in the world,” but its roots lay, like Zigmond’s, in childhood. Sankaran writes that when she “decided to write my first novel, I knew right away it would be about papermaking. Paper has always fascinated me. I’m told that as a child, I was forever asking for a clean sheet. In old photographs, you’ll often

Dolen Perkins-Valdez

William Ryan

Sally Zigmond

perfect backdrop for a compelling story.” Watermark opens in “1320 in the south of France, when a minor papermaker moves to the small town of Narbonne in the hopes of selling his cheap new wares.” Sankaran has a Ph.D in Biomedical Engineering and also studied creative writing at Antioch, which has enabled her to combine her research into the history of papermaking with Auda’s story, and to create a compelling and atmospheric novel. William Ryan’s fascination that eventually led him to write The Holy Thief began with his love of Russian literature, and in particular with Isaac Babel’s short stories. Babel visited Paris in 1936, but returned to Moscow despite his awareness that he was sealing his own fate by doing so. For some time Ryan “considered writing about this episode in Babel’s life, and the decision he made to return when he could easily have stayed in France. I began to read as much as I could about Babel’s life and the Great Terror — that terrible period in the 1930s where the Soviets executed millions of their own people, including their brightest and best and, of course, Babel himself. Nothing ever came of the Babel project, and the research sat in a bottom drawer for ten years before it occurred to me that perhaps it might be useful for something a little different. I had a feeling that a police detective, a man who perhaps still harboured hopes for the future of the Revolution but whose job must inevitably expose him to the contradiction between justice and the reality around him, would make an interesting main character for a novel set in 1930s Moscow. Eventually this became The Holy Thief.” Ryan’s main character, Captain Alexi Korolev, and his story “is a work of fiction, but I hope it offers an insight into a fascinating period of history. I’m pleased to say that Babel managed to muscle his way into its pages and bring things full circle.” Zigmond, Perkins-Valdez, Sankaran and Ryan have all crafted novels which embody their fascination with a particular subject. They have opened doors onto less wellknown aspects of history, and peopled their novels with characters that fascinate and entertain their readers.

find me clutching that piece of paper. Sometimes I actually wrote on the page, but most times, just holding it gave me a sense of comfort.” Her “search for the story behind papermaking focused primarily on its spread during the Middle Ages,” and Sankaran explains her fascination: “The tension in the later part of the medieval era between the burgeoning middle class, the corrupt Church, and a nobility worried about its own power makes the

MYFANWY COOK is currently HNR Features Editor. She is currently working on a project with Bernard Knight and other writers with specialist expertise on How to Write Historical Fiction – A Practical Guide and Tool Kit, which will be published at the end of August 2010 with the aim of helping those who aspire to write historical fiction.

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For more information about these authors, please see their websites: William Ryan: http://www.panmacmillan.com Vanitha Sankaran http://www.vanithasankaran.com Dolen Perkins-Valdez http://www.dolenperkinsvaldez.com Sally Zigmond http://theelephantinthewritingroom.blogspot.com

HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Columns | 7

HOW NOT TO... TEN TIPS FOR REVIEWING HISTORICAL FICTION

In our last column, we offered helpful hints to those on the receiving end of reviews. Now we’re performing the same service for reviewers. No, no, there’s no need to thank us — just leave a glowing review for us somewhere. (Five out of five stars, please.) 1. In reviewing a book, by no means disclose the fact that the author donated a kidney to you when you were approximately thirty minutes away from death or that she abandoned you at the altar in front of a thousand guests. These extraneous details need not hinder you in writing a completely objective review, and would bore the reader anyway.

Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson: all the historical authority one needs

2. The fact that you despise novels that sympathetically 7. It is not important to read the middle of a book when portray a religion or sexual preference that differs from preparing a review, only the beginning, the end, and the yours should not prevent you from reviewing them anyway. juicier sex scenes. Get out of your comfort zone. 3. If you are mentioned in glowing terms in the author’s acknowledgments, return the favor by giving an equally glowing review, and blithely ignore the fact that the author gets dates off by a decade or so or has characters thriving in countries in which they are known to have never set foot. Details, details.

8. Guard your integrity as a reviewer by writing a scathing reply to any review that differs from yours in fundamental points. The possibility that another reviewer’s opposing opinion might be worthy of consideration is a terrifying prospect that simply cannot be entertained.

9. It is both therapeutic and pleasurable to give bad reviews to authors who have given your closest friends, or you 4. Do not write a review while your memory of the book yourself, bad reviews. In addition to being deeply satisfying, is fresh, and do not by any means go back and check to see it can often be accomplished without even reading the book if the author actually said what you vaguely remember him you are purporting to review. saying. After all, if you can’t trust your own recollection, who can? 10. If the novel hinges around a fact that is revealed on the

6. A review of a historical novel is the perfect venue to express your frustration with (a) the fact that the seller shipped the book to you two weeks later than promised; (b) the fact that the book is not yet available on your favorite electronic reading device; or (c) the state of 21stcentury politics. 8 | Columns | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

penultimate page, be sure to mention this fact prominently in your review. Those who will never read the novel anyway will be grateful that you have put them in the know so they can discuss the novel intelligently with others, and those who were intending to read it will be delighted that you have taken yet another burden from their busy schedules.

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5. If the historical facts in the novel you are reviewing do not follow history as depicted by Hollywood, scold the author accordingly. There is absolutely no need to consult a nonfiction book by a reputable historian when troubled by a historical question. Who’s more successful: Professor Whozit or Mel Gibson? ‘Nuf said.

SUSAN HIGGINBOTHAM wishes to point out that she was joking in the introductory sentence to this column. Well, sort of.

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One Man’s Search

classic,” the book review screamed. “Without a doubt, I nstant this will be a classic,” another insists. It’s common enough hyperbole coming from publicists and publishers, but when it creeps into otherwise serious reviews, it makes me wonder. Then there is the “instant” business. While seemingly a selfcontradictory phrase, it’s seen so often that, similar to UFO mythology, it has become part of our consciousness, a sort of oxymoron of the third kind. But like UFOs, in one’s darkest moments, the thought creeps in, what if it’s true? What if it’s possible to immediately identify a classic? All this made me wonder: just what is a classic anyway, and how does something become one? I confess to not having a clue. Most students I know are convinced they are created by English teachers to torture them with their required reading. Perhaps it’s like the Supreme Court on pornography; there is no definition but everyone knows one when they see it. Could be. After all, many seem to find classics all the time. There’s Coca-Cola Classic for instance. There’s a “classic rock” channel on my cable music lists. Just a few months ago, upon his death, I watched the John Hughes classic Sixteen Candles. Even Molly Ringwald’s pudgy little brother knew one. Upon observing any faux pas in the family, he sums it up with one word, “Classic.” Somehow, this was not very satisfying. So I swallowed hard and went on a search for just what classic means. Turns out, it was not very difficult. None other than Mark Twain, one who certainly knew a little about writing classics, had it figured out a long time ago. A classic, he says, “is a book which people praise and don’t read.” That cleared things up. So in the world of historical novels, which books are these? As a starting point, I looked for other people’s lists of classic historical novels. A few years ago, Sarah Johnson put together a list of twenty classic historical novels.1 Sure enough I had heard of many of them, knew many people who had professed to having read them, discussed many of them with friends and acquaintances, and better yet, had read only

Mark Twain...

What Makes a Historical Novel a Classic?

one of them myself. Mark Twain was right. But was he? It turns out that although I hadn’t read them, I had watched many of them: Master and Commander, The Robe, The Name of the Rose, Shogun, The Far Pavilions, Andersonville, and Roots. Eureka! There it is! Classics are books that have been translated into film. Then a dark thought intruded. If that was true, then a book like Atonement would be a classic. Atonement, a classic? It wasn’t even a very good movie. Then there’s The Godfather. Classic movie but not so classic novel. And what of the others, ones that Ms. Johnson inexplicably missed? There’s Gone With the Wind and Ben-Hur. Classics as both books and movies, undeniably, but why? It was time to get back to research. Of course, a long time ago, classic was easily defined. It had to be either Greek or Roman. Since then the definition has expanded considerably. After a great deal of reading and surfing the ‘net, I found the term “classic” these days is a difficult thing to nail down. It simply means different things to different people. However, there are a few common threads. The first is that it stand the test of time, while retaining its freshness. As author and essayist Italo Calvino puts it, “The classics are books which, upon reading, we find even fresher, more unexpected, and more marvelous than we had thought from hearing about them.” He goes on, “Every re-reading of a classic is as much a voyage of discovery as the first reading.” 2 This is true even when the work was not recognized at the time. Moby Dick is but one famous example. Another can be found when looking at the Oscars. There are countless motion pictures that are now considered classics but were eclipsed at the time by now lesser considered works. The concept of timelessness leads us to the next point, that it be universal, or that it hold some sort of universal truth. As W.E.B. Du Bois puts it, “A classic is a book that doesn’t have to be written again.” 3

by Ken Kreckel

one who certainly knew a little about writing classics, had it figured out a long time ago. A classic, he says, “is a book which people praise and don’t read.” HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Features | 9

10 | Features | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

after the fact, by a veteran. By most definitions that renders it more a contemporary work, though I’d wager that distinction is rather lost on the average high school student reading it today. So what are the classics of historical fiction? I’m still not sure. Considering all of the above criteria, and consulting lists from the Classics Book Library; public libraries; various individuals, both credentialed and not; as well as HNS’s Sarah Johnson; some books show up again and again: Gone With the Wind, BenHur:A Tale of the Christ, Shogun, Master and Commander, The Name of the Rose, and Hawaii. A few that may or may not be historical novels are also frequently mentioned. The Red Badge of Courage and Catch-22 are two that represent that group. So are these classics? Are there others? I don’t know. To a certain extent it’s a matter of opinion. I’d add Wouk’s Winds of War and War and Remembrance for instance. But it’s not about me. Or is it? Among Calvino’s criteria is this: “Your classic author is the one you cannot feel indifferent to, who helps you to define yourself in relation to him, even in dispute with him.” 2 Thus another element, one that has the potential to take the oxy-moron out of “instant classic.” If it’s personal, then why not? At a recent public event, Edwin Frank, editor of the New York Review of Books Classics, explained “that their choices are often simply governed by personal taste: if they think something deserves to be launched into the firmament as a classic, they go right ahead and do it (he even jotted down suggestions from the audience on what they might publish next).” 4 Freelance journalist Chris Cox argued in The Guardian, “Those classics that we are most passionate about — those that we insistently push into our friends’ hands — are the books that have become part of the fabric of who we are… they’ve practically become my reference books for negotiating adult life.” 4 Perhaps that is what it is all about — passion. Get enough people to agree to your choice of a classic, and then it will be one. And if you fail? Then it’s still a classic, at least to you. Molly Ringwald’s little brother was right all along.

References: 1. Johnson, Sarah L. “Masters of the Past: Twenty Classic Historical Novels and Their Legacy.” Bookmarks Magazine 20 (2006). http:// www.bookmarksmagazine.com/historical-fiction-masters-past/ sarah-l-johnson 2. Calvino, Italo. “Why Read the Classics?” (excerpt). The Uses of Literature. San Diego: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1987 3. BrainyQuote website. http://www.brainyquote/com. 4. Cox, Chris. “The Other Kind of Classic Novel.” The Guardian 8 December 2009.

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Third, it needs to have broad appeal. There is a sense that popularity has something to do with it. Combining it with the first point, a classic needs to be popular over time. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye is an obvious example, and others abound. Related to this is a classic’s ability to burrow into the collective consciousness. Calvino observes, “The classics are books that exert a peculiar influence, both when they refuse to be eradicated from the mind and when they conceal themselves in the folds of memory, camouflaging themselves as the collective or individual unconscious.” 2 Classics become part of us, at times even when we might not have read the book at all, or even know of it. Consider Catch-22. The phrase is well entrenched in the collective consciousness, yet how many people who use the phrase have read the book? How many even know it was a book? Next time you hear someone utter the phrase, mention Yossarian, or even Joseph Heller, and delight in the blank looks. By now you’ve seen the apparent contradiction. From Twain to Heller, there is a notion that a classic need not necessarily have been read to remain a classic. Strange, isn’t it? At the same time, the popularity of a book is a relative concept. Isaac Asimov may have authored several science fiction classics, and is revered by science fiction nerds, yet those same works would not be considered classics in the broad sense. So, too, with historical novels. A. B. Guthrie’s The Big Sky made Johnson’s list, but beyond readers of novels of the American West, I doubt if it would be recognized by anyone else. Although popularity is usually measured in terms of sales, we have other means at our disposal today. For example one can count internet “tags.” Historical novels that make many other classics lists are well represented here: Gone with the Wind; Master and Commander; I, Claudius; The Name of the Rose; and Memoirs of a Geisha, to name a few. Such lists may also offer a clue as to possible additions to the classics list. Follett’s Pillars of the Earth and Frazier’s Cold Mountain are there as well — back to “instant classics” it seems. The concept of timelessness also has a dark side. Witness the assaults on Huckleberry Finn and other classics within our school systems by misguided individuals who object to various affronts to their sensibilities, or crusade to save their children from such profane influences. Notwithstanding the ignorance of such individuals, perhaps some classics are simply not timeless enough. There is a particular problem with the definition of historical as well. What is historical and what is not? Certainly novels written about events that took place hundreds of years ago are not a problem. But what about novels written about events that took place fifty years ago, which is the arbitrary definition by the Society, or even thirty? To most people alive today, thirty years ago is history. The problem is compounded when significant time has passed since the novel’s creation. For example, The Red Badge of Courage was written more than thirty years after the Civil War. Stephen Crane himself was born after that war, yet is the book commonly considered historical fiction? Another classic, All Quiet on the Western Front, was written only ten years

KEN KRECKEL, HNR features editor, has published a novel set during World War II and is working on a follow-up. He has contributed articles to magazines and newspapers, including Solander and HNR, and has published a short story in a travel anthology. He currently lives in Wyoming, where he teaches at Casper College and consults for environmental organizations.

a profile of Philip Kerr and his Berlin noir novels

with, Philip Kerr is no fool. Once asked to name T ohisbegin favorite author, he unhesitatingly replied his wife, Jane Thynne.1 An unabashed fan of Raymond Chandler and John LeCarre, he is best known for his “Berlin noir” novels featuring the German detective Bernie Gunther. His dark and brooding detective is no fool either. Set before and after World War II, Bernie first struggles with the advent of the Nazis, then with his feelings of guilt for being co-opted by them, all while trying to do the right thing, which, as ever, is hard to even identify, let alone do. Although books in the series have previously been nominated for the Crime Writer’s Association Ellis Peters Award, his most recent release, If the Dead Rise Not, finally won it. The book also earned the European RBA international prize for crime writing, besting more than 160 others to land the €125,000 (£109,000) prize. True to his unassuming nature, Kerr was reportedly surprised by the size of the award, quipping, “I recently got a prize in France which was a few bottles of wine.” 2 Kerr has written a number of good standalone novels, as well as a wonderful series of adolescent fantasy books under the name P.B. Kerr. This series, the Children of the Lamp, tells the story of New York twins John and Philippa Gaunt, who discover they are descended from a long line of djinn, or genies. Their subsequent adventures in Cairo and London fill the pages of five books, with a sixth in the making. Begun as a device to entice his own children into the habit of reading, DreamWorks eagerly picked up the screen rights and Scholastic put them into print. But it is his Berlin noir trilogy that first won Kerr recognition. Creating a stunningly real, brooding private detective and Berliner ex-cop, Bernie Gunther, he cleverly places him in the morally ambiguous circumstances that Nazi Germany provides so well. In March Violets (1989), the 1936 Olympic Games are about to start and Gunther is looking into two murders that reach high into the Nazi Party. The Pale Criminal (1990) finds Bernie rejoining the police, co-opted into the SS by the infamous “Hangman Heydrich.” The third volume, A German

Life Is a Cabaret...NOT Requiem (1991) shifts to the shattered Europe of 1947, where Bernie finds no respite from death and destruction. At this point, Kerr turned to other works, but Bernie refused to be shunted aside. He returned to the character in 2006 with the release of The One From the Other. Trying to rebuild a life as a hotel proprietor, Bernie is drawn back into the world of the private eye, and ultimately back into the Nazi nightmare. Kerr followed this with A Quiet Flame in 2009. Now labeled as a war criminal, Bernie escapes with the likes of Adolph Eichmann to Argentina, where he is drawn into the intrigues of the Peron regime, eventually discovering that the Final Solution is not quite so final. In his most recent novel, If the Dead Rise Not, Bernie takes on the gangster-ridden Havana of 1958 Cuba, with flashbacks to 1934, where the Nazis have just come into power, and Bernie resigns from the police force to be a house detective at the famous Adlon Hotel. Kerr creates novels that are complex and intelligent, masterfully weaving the mores of the time with the timelessness of trying to behave as a human being. Set adrift in situations so morally bereft that no one around him possesses an accurate behavioral compass, a world where normal ethics are turned on their head, Bernie has only his own conscience to guide him. It is this struggle for humanity by one individual that sets Kerr’s character apart from the PI crowd. Often this struggle isn’t pretty. When one is drowning in filth, it is hard to keep clean. Bernie reflects: “Most of all I blame myself. I blame myself for doing nothing. Which was less than I ought to have done…I share the guilt. I put my survival ahead of all other considerations. That is selfevident. If I was truly innocent, I’d be dead, Anna. And I’m not.” 3 In Kerr’s novels, the moral high ground is often elusive, an amazing thing considering that the world of Nazism is so often portrayed as black and white. Not that Kerr agrees with this world; in fact, he bristles at any suggestion that one can sympathize at all with the Nazis. It’s just that anyone immersed in such a world is inevitably affected by it. Although his work

by Ken Kreckel

Kerr creates... novels that are complex and intelligent, masterfully weaving the mores of the time with the timelessness of trying to behave as a human being.”

HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Features | 11

12 | Features | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

“Buenos Aires looked and smelled like any other European city before the war. As we drove through the busy streets, I wound down the window and took a deep, euphoric breath of exhaust fumes, cigar smoke, coffee, expensive cologne, cooked meat, fresh fruit, flowers, and money. It was like returning to earth after a journey into space.” 3 Kerr feels one need not have learned this sort of detail through experience, reminding us: “Don’t forget that the best account of the Battle of Waterloo is given by Victor Hugo, in a novel, and he was never there.” 4 Kerr feels he’s never been quite there himself. Reacting to winning the RBA prize for crime writing, he reflected, “It’s been my one moment in the sun during a twenty year writing career.”6 Still, he’s not sure it will last. “I don’t think I’ll arrive until I’m gone. But I think it’s dangerous for any writer to feel like they’ve arrived. It suits the authorial temperament to feel bitter and neglected. You write better books that way. It spurs you on to say ‘I’ll show those fuckers’. I might have won more awards if I had shut my mouth a bit more and kept my opinions about a lot of crime writers to myself. I wrote book reviews for a while and criticized some of my peers, which wasn’t a good thing. Now I respect anyone who can write a novel and get it published, even a bad one. I wish I’d cut some more slack when I was writing that kind of junk. Most critics don’t know what they’re doing. I certainly didn’t.” 4 That sounds like Bernie Gunther talking. Perhaps that is because there is more of Bernie’s story left to tell. Throughout the series, there are frequent references to Gunther’s time of personal darkness with the SS in Russia that are largely left unexplored. Many of the World War II years are missing. Ample material for another novel, one would think. His many fans certainly think so, and I think I heard the author agree.

References: 1. Akbar, Arifa. “One Minute with Philip Kerr.” The Independent 25 Sept 2009. 2. Tremlett, Giles. “Philip Kerr Wins €125,000 RBA Crime Writing Prize.” The Guardian 4 Sept 2009 3. Excerpt from A Quiet Flame 4. Interview for HNR, Dec. 2009 5. P.B. Kerr website. http://www.pbkerr.com 6. Crime Scraps blog. http://camberwell-crime.blogspot.com 17 Oct 2009

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echoes Raymond Chandler, it is this ambiguity that sets Kerr apart. The author comments: “But I’m luckier than Chandler was in that I’m writing about a period with a real political theme. Chandler only ever dealt with local corruption; I have the luxury of dealing with the moral decay of a whole nation. This allows me an echo, a resonance, if you like, that helps to give the novels a sharper edge. It’s the politics that make the books interesting to write. Not just Nazi politics but post-war politics as well. In the beginning I started writing these books as a way of helping myself understand how the Holocaust happened. I’m still embarked on that journey.” 4 Kerr’s own journey began with a Master’s degree in Law from the University of Birmingham. For much of the next decade, he worked as a copywriter for several advertising firms. He confesses to “never producing a single advertising slogan of any note.” 5 It’s no wonder that Kerr advises “The best writers are mostly self-taught. So don’t think you have to join a creative writing course to become a writer. You don’t.” 5 By self-taught, Kerr means reading. Kerr explains: “I was lucky when I was a kid; we were poor, we lived in Edinburgh, there was nothing else to do but read. Besides, the Scots are cheap and hobbies like reading and writing are about as cheap as you can get, which probably explains why the Scots are so very literate. We didn’t have Colour TV until 1971, by which time I had a serious book habit.” 5 Although he writes mysteries, he despairs of much of the genre: “Most crime novels are terribly parochial. Someone gets murdered, someone finds out who did it. Who gives a shit? Most cops are dumb and most serial killers are even dumber. But to read contemporary fiction — not mentioning any names — you would think you have to be a genius to be a serial killer. That’s the lie of Hannibal Lecter. What floats my boat is that someone gets murdered and someone finds out who did it while an even bigger crime is happening in the background.” 4 Philip sees himself as a bit like Jack Torrance from Stephen King’s The Shining. He “has that writer’s obsessive compulsiveness to sit in front of a computer no matter what.1 I spend a long time looking for small details because I sincerely believe that it’s these that illuminate a larger picture. To that extent, I think of myself like Georges Seurat, placing small points of paint on a canvas that mean little close up but a lot more when you take ten steps back. My books are the literary versions of Sunday on La Grande Jatte. Equally, however, there are times when the known facts are, shall we say, sufficiently far apart to admit some more imaginative brushwork. I like this bit best of all. I sincerely believe that this kind of brushwork is as important as the other.” 4 Kerr creates vivid landscapes in words, but he uses them sparingly.5 Consider this description of 1950 Argentina:

an interview with Nicola Thorne

icola Thorne talks to Myfanwy Cook about her historical fiction and love affair with research. MC: What inspired you to write historical fiction, and when did you start? NT: I’ve always been very keen on history and excelled at it when I was at school, although I studied Sociology at University instead of History, which was perhaps a mistake. In the late 1970s I was commissioned to do a series on a gypsy for the paperback publisher Futura, which subsequently appeared in four volumes under the overall title The Enchantress. It was set in the Lake District in the 18th century, and I did an enormous amount of research on Bonnie Prince Charlie and the history of that period, gypsy folklore, etc. I’m afraid in some parts it was considered at the time rather scandalous, but perhaps because of this it was very popular and went into numerous editions. Another enterprise that got me into a bit of trouble was writing the sequel to Wuthering Heights, entitled Return to Wuthering Heights (1978). In those early days I was anxious to build up a career as a novelist and did almost anything for money as I’d given up the day job of being an editor for a publishing house. An American publisher suggested that I do a sequel to this famous novel, and I undertook it with considerable trepidation. I remember that I had a rather severe bout of flu, and the solution to my dilemma about how to start seemed to come to me, as it were, almost in a delirium; I remember having a ‘Eureka’ moment, jumping out of bed, feeling a lot better and with the format that my novel was to take all in place. Incidentally, this novel did better almost than anything I’ve written and was translated into many languages, including Japanese. However, the first serious real historical novel of which I am very proud is called The Daughters of the House (1981). It started with the Great Exhibition in 1851 and ended with the Crimean War in 1855. It introduced a host of historical characters, including Florence Nightingale, Queen Victoria and the Marx family. I did so much research for this that I nearly didn’t start it until my publisher asked my agent how I was getting on with it and she said ‘very well’. I had no alternative then but to begin! MC: How much research do you have to do for your contemporary novels?  Is it very different from researching a historical novel? NT: In many of my contemporary novels I bring in historical events, like the War in Iraq in On a Day like Today (2008),

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In Love with Research

which is my most recent novel. There are lots of unusual things one has to look up, such as surrogacy (A Friend of the Family, 2002), and the manufacture of champagne (Champagne, 1989 and Champagne Gold, 1992). The Champagne books were suggested by the head of a well-known champagne house who entertained me lavishly in Rheims, and I was able to journey through the area, no expense spared, in pursuit of knowledge— which included drinking copious amounts of the product. This was destined to make my fame and fortune and to be a 30-part TV series, which eventually failed to materialise, as is often the case with this kind of thing, and brought me bang down to earth. MC: Which of the historical novels that you have written do you consider your greatest achievement, and why? NT: It is difficult to say which I consider the ‘greatest’. At the time I was passionately keen on each one, otherwise you wouldn’t want to continue writing. I did a whole series set in Dorset, beginning with The People of this Parish (1991) set in the 1880s, which went to six volumes, finishing with In Time of War (2000) which was set during the Second World War. Another saga was The Broken Bough (2001), also set in Dorset, which had its origins in the stories told me by a very dear old friend who was born in Bournemouth at the turn of the 20th Century and lived for 97 years. Perhaps a favourite, and certainly very popular, is My Name is Martha Brown (2000) which is based on the true story of the last woman to be hanged in Dorset. Her hanging was witnessed by a young Thomas Hardy and it haunted him all his life. It is suggested that he based his character Tess of the D’Urbervilles on Martha Brown. For this novel I did extensive original research in the Dorset Records Office in Dorchester. Very little was known about Martha Brown, who was a woman of some mystery. In the early 19th century Dorset was a very backward and impoverished county and there were very few published historical records. The census didn’t start until 1841, although there was an earlier inadequate one in 1831. I had to enlist the help of a small team of volunteer researchers, who were also intrigued by Martha, and between us we discovered where she was born, who she married and parts of her family tree, all set in the beautiful Marshwood Vale in West Dorset. Such was its value to scholars that I subsequently published, as a labour of love, all my research in a volume called In Search of Martha Brown (2000).

by Myfanwy Cook

I remember... having a ‘Eureka!’ moment, jumping out of bed, feeling a lot better and with the format that my novel was to take all in place.”

HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Features | 13

Sue Berry pays a visit to the ancient city

The Allure of Pompeii describing the impact of the ruins at Pompeii, said G oethe, that “Many a calamity has happened in the world, but

Pompeii Scavi. It was just a short walk to the site entrance and, having bought our tickets and fought off the guides, we were never one that caused so much entertainment to posterity as this soon walking through the Porta Marina with the Temple of one.” For Henry James, the American novelist, any enjoyment Apollo and the Forum on our left, and the Basilica and other that visitors derived was “heartless,” and for Sir Walter Scott it public buildings on our right. The paving in the streets is original; was “The City of the Dead!” Pompeii’s paved streets, such as you can’t help but think of how many of those who died in the Mercury Street, were once a flourishing centre for wine and oil; eruption must have walked these streets before you. Vesuvius is now they are animated by tourists who are curious about the an ever present backdrop to the town. fate of Pompeii and its citizens. Historical novelists have shared “We’d decided to head straight for the amphitheatre at the this fascination with a far southeast end of city whose inhabitants the site and work our perished, but whose life way back, and it wasn’t story was uncovered for long before we had everyone to read. Eggs the road to ourselves. and fish were still to be Unfortunately, we seen uneaten, and at an hadn’t the willpower to inn gladiators left their ignore the Forum and trumpets behind as their some of the buildings fled. we passed on the way, Titus had just become so we took far longer Emperor when the than intended to get eruption of Mount to the amphitheatre. I Vesuvius took place remember especially on August 24, 79AD. the House of the Pompeii, with some Cithara Player with the 25,000 inhabitants, animal-shaped bronze and the smaller fountains in the garden, Herculaneum, were only and the thermopolium to be rediscovered in of Vetutius Placidus the 18th century. Pliny with a painting on the the Younger recorded back wall of five figures, his eyewitness account including Mercury and of the events in two letters to Tacitus. The ash that fell covered possibly Dionysus. I could understand a tavern owner having a the streets of Pompeii up to a height of six to eight feet. The painting of the god of wine on his wall, but why Mercury? I later lava, pumice, and boulders sealed the fate of those who lived in found out that Mercury, as well as being the messenger of the the cities. Did anyone survive? Well, just possibly, according to gods, is also the god of commerce and, in fact, in the painting he the historical fiction writer Robert Harris in his novel Pompeii, is clutching a bag of money. Placidus obviously hoped for some where the aqueduct provides an escape route. divine assistance with his business.” Sue Berry recently visited Pompeii, which had been her dream It is partially these wonderful details that come to life both in for so long that she “found it difficult to believe I was actually the shape of buildings and artifacts, but paintings and mosaics finally there when we got off the Circumvesuviana train at have also fired the historical novelist’s imagination. Caroline

by Sue Berry & Myfanwy Cook

Many a Calamity... has happened in the world, but never one that caused so much entertainment to posterity as this one.”

14 | Features | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

and a lone fisherman on the bank. I could imagine the owner of the house and perhaps some friends, sitting out here on a warm summer’s evening with a beaker of wine and a few olives, perhaps a stuffed dormouse or two, discussing the latest political scandal or the forthcoming contests at the amphitheatre. “ Sue Berry’s last visit was “to what is surely the best known house in Pompeii, the brothel in Vicole del Lupanare. However, on turning into the narrow street, we were horrified to see it completely blocked by what looked like at least two full coach loads of tourists, all queuing to get into the building. I doubt the building ever had a queue like that even when the girls were working there. We took one look and headed back to the Porta Marina ...” So what is the allure of Pompeii for historical novelists and visitors? Perhaps it is “the overpowering way in which it shows not only death, but life and death together, in inextricably close association.”1

References: 1. Grant, Michael. The art and life of Pompeii and Herculaneum. New York: Newseek Books, 1979, p9 Pompeii in historical fiction: Robert Harris, Pompeii Caroline Lawrence, The Secrets of Vesuvius and The Pirates of Pompeii from The Roman Mysteries Series Edward Bulwer-Lytton, The Last Days of Pompeii

SUE BERRY is a retired archivist who loves travelling

MYFANWY COOK runs and designs historical fiction

and photography. She has supplied the photographs for

writing workshops. She is fascinated by the way histori-

this article and has been an avid reader of historical fic-

cal fiction transforms dry facts into exciting and engross-

tion all of her life.

ing stories that readers can feel passionate about.

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Lawrence, an American-born children’s writer, has written two novels about Pompeii, The Secrets of Vesuvius and The Pirates of Pompeii, which use these details in a skilful way to conjure up a flavour of what living through the event must have been like, through the eyes of a group of children. Similarly, Lord Lytton’s The Last Days of Pompeii, first published in 1834, uses the minutiae of everyday life to build up a picture, which acts as a setting for his romantic novel of Ione’s love story. Lytton believed that stories should be placed within the “real” history of the period, and so his novel is brim full of information about the life of Pompeii. Lytton even used a visit to the baths to create a sense of place and period, “They now entered a somewhat spacious chamber, which served for the purposes of the apodyerium (that is, a place where bathers prepared themselves for their luxurious ablutions.) The vaulted ceiling was raised from a cornice, glowingly coloured with motley and grotesque paintings...” Sue Berry “refreshed and restored by lunch” visited the Forum baths, which Lytton described, and then went northwards towards “... the House of the Faun and the House of the Small Fountain...Of all the buildings we saw, I think the House of the Small Fountain gave me the most pleasure...All the garden walls are painted, one with a painting of a maritime scene with two ships, a figure striding across a footbridge to a villa or temple on an island,

HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Features | 15

A British perspective on pioneering American women

ixteen Brides is the latest novel from Stephanie Grace Whitson, the Nebraska-based author. This novel is another in her series about the pioneering women of late 19th-century America. In 1872, sixteen civil war widows travel on the newlyconstructed transcontinental railroad to begin a new life in the untamed West. When they discover that the “new life” they have been promised simply means that they will become the brides of pioneering men, five of the women decide to strike a claim to their own land and life. How does this story, which might be called a “woman’s western,” resonate with a British reader like myself, and what qualities does it bring to the forefront in its telling? Reading Sixteen Brides gives the modern reader the opportunity to experience, from a female perspective, a small part of the mass migrations across this huge, sparselypopulated continent and reflects the pioneering spirit of American society. Specifically, it examines the experience of women as they learn to muster their collective strength, to overcome hardship, chauvinism and inexperience in a wild and unpredictable environment. Through hard work and determination, they acquire mutual respect, love, and the fulfilling new life that each had sought. Whitson was born in Illinois but moved to Nebraska in 1975. Since the publication of her first book, Walks the Fire (1995), her fiction titles have appeared on the EPCA (Evangelical Publishers Association) best-sellers list, and she was a finalist for the Christy award (Christian fiction). As a committed Christian, faith plays an important role in her life. Whitson’s devotion to God acts as a driving force for herself as well as her characters; she uses biblical quotes to illustrate

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Triumph through Endeavour

her chapters, and her characters find redemption through life’s lessons. Although novel writing was never part of a career plan, her teachers felt she had a “knack” for it. After graduating with a degree in French, she taught, brought up four children, and worked at a home-based business. After taking one creative writing class, Whitson began to create her stories, and found history became more interesting through learning about the experiences of real people, rather than studying text books. Inspired by the lives of pioneering women of the West, she began creating stories about her “imaginary friends” (as she calls them). Achieving the American Dream — the idea that anyone, through their own endeavour, can be prosperous and successful — is one of the key themes in the book. At the start of the story, the main characters have nothing left in life, but when the Ladies Emigration Society discover that the locals had dismissed them as the Ladies Desperation Society, they decide to pool their skills and stake a claim on their own land in a time of opportunity. They overcome their adversity through hard work and pull themselves up by their own bootstraps. In this new America, away from the restrictions of their past and the rigid social structure of the east, the women redefine ideas of gender role and are free to make their own choices, explore their own emotions, and not defer to family expectations. They become equal members in a new society, offering on the one hand tremendous hardship but on the other remarkable rewards. Quilting, a pastime for many American women of the 19th century that is still popular today (Whitson refers to it as one of her favourite hobbies), is another theme featured in the book.

by Carol Harrison

At a time when... our national media prefers to promote ‘get rich quick’ over patient hard work, it is a timely reminder of the values — co-operation, respect, and love — that underpin a health society.”

16 | Features | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

To make a quilt, a group of women would work together, using whatever material was available, creating something practical and beautiful. Quilting is a fitting metaphor for Sixteen Brides. The women in the book choose adjoining land and build one large “soddy” (earthen house). Each woman has a wing of the communal building on her own piece of claimed land, and they agree to distribute work according to their ability. Established residents of the town and fellow homesteading pioneers join together and devote several days to assist the newcomers in building their home, which becomes a social bonding event as well as a commitment to the establishment of a new shared society. Each of the five women have a different history, education, and character, but these remnants of society join together and — without losing their femininity or dignity — rise to the challenge of achieving an independent life, with a home and a love of their own. Sixteen Brides centres primarily on the experience of its female characters as they venture into new territory. Many women of the 19th century travelled away from all they knew, often following their husbands, whether involved in the mining industry, or to sea in the hunt for trade and fortune, or as missionaries spreading Christianity. Comparisons might be made with British war brides who travelled to the USA, Canada and Australia, sometimes finding themselves isolated and in severe hardship. It also explores a period of United States history usually devoted to the stories of men. Whitson restores a little of the balance, exploring some of the challenges of life in the huge expanse of the Wild West met and overcome by women, who choose to challenge the stereotype of the female homesteader. They aren’t travelling as protected members of a family group, but as individuals in their own right who unite to form an alternative family. Although having no real knowledge of what was awaiting them nor how to survive, they were reliant on their own initiative, the assistance of others, and luck to build a new life from the ashes of the old. So what did Sixteen Brides hold for a British reader like myself? Although this is an American story, written by an American writer about a period of American history, its key themes are universal and timeless. At a time when our national media prefers to promote celebrity over society and “get rich quick” over patient hard work, it is a timely reminder of the values — cooperation, courage, respect and love — that underpin a healthy society.

Stephanie Grace Whitson

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References http://www.stephaniewhitson.com/bio.htm

CAROL HARRISON is British-born but has lived in America and travelled there extensively. She has a keen interest in literature, art history, and films.

HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Features | 17

a profile of independent publisher Unbridled Books

yfanwy Cook investigates independent publishing house M Unbridled Books Uncertainty in the publishing world may have had an impact on larger publishing houses, but with optimism and determination, smaller editorially-driven publishers can make their mark. Founded by Fred Ramey and Greg Michalson in 2003, Unbridled Books is an example of co-publishers who are willing to take on new authors and to publish historical fiction. The partners’ move into independent publishing was founded on the desire to become a champion of “works of rich literary quality that appeal to a broad audience. We want to be able to continue our longtime discussion about what allows a novel to touch our hearts and our minds at once. And we want our readers, booksellers and reviewers to trust that when they pick up an Unbridled Book, we’re inviting them to enjoy the rarest of pleasures, a good read.” Michalson together with Ramey were founding editors of BlueHen Books, an imprint of Penguin/Putnam. In the 1990s Ramey was publisher and executive editor of the Denver-based MacMurray and Beck, an award-winning independent press. Before that he co-founded Arden Press. Michalson has an equally impressive track record, and has been the managing editor of the Missouri Review for over 20 years, combining this with publishing numerous prize-winning short stories himself. Their special blend of skills and combined determination to publish “high quality works that are moving, beautiful and surprising,” embraces works of historical fiction as well as other novels. In their fifth anniversary year C.M. Mayo’s The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire was published, which is described as, “a sweeping historical novel of Mexico during the short, tragic and at times surreal, reign of Emperor Maximilian and his court.” In 2009 they published Marc Estrin’s novel, The Good Doctor Guillotin, which follows five characters “to a common destination — the scaffold at the first guillotining of the French Revolution.”

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Unbridled Enthusiasm

The Pirate’s Daughter by Margaret Cezair-Thompson was a number one Book Sense Pick, and Deborah Noyes’s Angel and Apostle received rave reviews when it was published in 2005. Unbridled are anticipating even more appreciation and accolades when Captivity, Noyes’s second novel, is published in June 2010. According to Marketing Director Caitlin Hamilton Summie, Captivity combines two stories: “The first centers upon the strange, true tale of the Fox Sisters, the enigmatic family of young women who, in upstate New York in 1848, proclaimed that they could converse with the dead. Doing so, they unwittingly (but artfully) gave birth to a religious movement that touched two continents: the American Spiritualists. Their followers included the famous and the rich, and their effect on American spirituality lasted a full generation.” “The second story in Captivity is about loss and grief. It is the evocative tale of the bright promise that the Fox Sisters offer up to the skeptical Clara Gill, a reclusive woman of a certain age who long ago isolated herself with her paintings, following the scandalous loss of her beautiful young lover in London. Lyrical and authentic — and more than a bit shadowy — Captivity is, finally, a tale about physical desire and the hope that even the thinnest faith can offer up to a darkening heart.” Selecting historical novels that come from less popular historical periods takes courage, but Unbridled’s marketing approach is a proactive one. Alongside the traditional routes such as arranging tours to bookstores, Michalson maintains that, “Books are sold through word-of-mouth, and these days, word-of-mouth seems to be the Internet.” By maximising the coverage of authors and their novels through both traditional and online media outlets, they have, in a very few years, already published over 50 fiction and non-fiction titles, and are intent on becoming an unbridled success. References: www.unbridledbooks.com

by Myfanwy Cook

We want... our readers, booksellers, and reviewers to trust that when they pick up an Unbridled book, we’re inviting them to enjoy the rarest of pleasures, a good read.”

18 | Features | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

Reviews |

prehistory

CONFLICT OF EMPIRES Sam Barone, Century, 2010, £12.99, pb, 618pp, 9781846056109 This novel, third in the Empire series, is set in the early Bronze Age. Akkad, on the banks of the River Tigris, is now a rich city state, with enemies. It is an action and adventure story, a kind of Bronze Age Western, where hero, Eskkar, and his wife, the once slave and now mistress of spies and intelligence, Trella, face the might of the city state of Sumer, which aims to conquer the entire Tigris region. The plot is one of battles and spies, for the Akkadians refuse to sit at home and wait for Sumer to attack them. Eskkar and Trella take the battle to Sumer. Eskkar is a likeable hero, with the usual dark secrets, and a band of reliable officers whose loyalty is without question. He’s a great warrior in the style of Alexander, defeating the enemy even when outnumbered. Trella and her women have a voice at all his councils; her advice is listened to. I wondered about the spy network, mapmaking, and measuring of distances. Nice touches, but I wanted an author’s note with the research sources and his reasons for thinking them feasible. It’s a rollicking adventure, a light enjoyable read, but this is not a period I am familiar with and I do not feel any more familiar with now. There is an absence of historical setting – we could be in ancient Egypt or ancient Greece. In fact, as often happens in historical fiction, the book reveals more about the author’s culture and his beliefs than those of Akkad. For people who like historical novels to be about battles and the hero winning through impossible odds, Conflict of Empires is a must read novel. I’d certainly recommend it to while away the time on a long flight. pdr lindsay-salmon

ancient egypt

HER MAJESTY THE KING Patricia L. O’Neill, Gibbes Street, 2010, AU$29.95, pb, 280pp, 9781921517082 Princess Hatshepsut is ready to marry her halfbrother Amenmose and produce a royal heir. But Amenmose will not marry her until his father, Pharaoh, dies. When Amenmose is killed in a Shasu raid, Hatshepsut dispatches one of the raiders with a knife. This is the final sign Hatshepsut’s mother, Queen Ahmose, will be overlooked. Hatshepsut will succeed her aunt Meritamen as God’s Wife. The Shasu raid alters Hatshepsut’s destiny in another important way. Now that Amenmose Prehistory — 1st Century

is dead, she must marry her loathsome and incompetent brother, Tuthmosis, unless her mother can produce another heir before Pharaoh dies. In the meantime, Hatshepsut has fallen in love with the handsome commoner, Senenmut. He shows her how to stimulate the phallus of the god Amen-Re. Queen Ahmose’s baby does not survive childbirth. Pharaoh asks Hatshepsut to marry him and produce the much-needed heir. She declines. Nevertheless, when Pharaoh dies, he passes the Horus, god of kingship and justice, to his gifted daughter Hatshepsut, rather than his wastrel son Tuthmosis. A female king will divide the realm. Hatshepsut makes the ultimate sacrifice, enduring her brother’s sexual depredations until she can rule in her own right. The historical detail of this book is breathtaking. Costumes, religious rituals, cuisine and royal customs are intricately produced. Hatshepsut’s inner realisation of her kingship is also convincingly portrayed. But this is essentially a love story: a tale of Hatshepsut’s adolescent sexual relationships, her deep abiding love for Senenmut, and her degrading marriage to Tuthmosis. Major political events do not take centre stage. The characterisation is light, the plot at times implausible, the emotional climaxes not always fully realised. But if you enjoy wealth, a beautiful and intelligent heroine, dashing lovers, elaborate ceremony, sexual intrigue and dramatic death scenes, then this book is bound to satisfy. Liz Corbett

biblical

SALOMÉ Patti Rutka, Resource Publications, 2010, $14, pb, 105pp, 9781608990931 Although the concept of a sympathetic backstory for the notorious Salomé—she whose dance ended in the beheading of John the Baptist— is a great idea, this book doesn’t deliver. At only 105 pages, it’s more a prosy outline of what could be an interesting story than an actual finished novel. The first two chapters present the first-person musings of a 16-year-old unnamed girl who has been, quite improbably, hired by the aging Queen Salomé to write down her memoirs from dictation. We follow her to the door of the Queen’s room and just when we’re getting used to her odd phrasings and dissonantly modern diction, the narrative changes to an extensive third-person flashback to Salomé as a young girl. The narrator returns only in the last chapter. The author’s writing is convoluted, studded with words that smack too much of the thesaurus, and often hard to understand. Example: “Long legs

and strong hips strode her up the saddle of land on which the Herod before her stepfather had erected that which he intended to protect his lands against invasion from the east.” There’s a tiresome overuse of gerunds as adjectives: “The girls burst into the freeing sunlight of the settling afternoon.” There’s almost no dialogue; every feeling is described and explained (often incoherently) as it happens— nothing is left to the reader’s imagination. The characters do not develop or change, and the end of the book pulls a strange rabbit out of a stranger hat when it becomes clear that the actual dictation being given to our unnamed narrator is what will become known as the Gospel of Luke—written by Salomé! There’s no preparation for this in the whole backstory of Salomé, and thus no credibility for what otherwise could be an interesting idea. Needs a serious rewrite. Mary F. Burns

1st century

MISTRESS OF ROME Kate Quinn, Berkley, 2010, $15.00, pb, 480pp, 9780425232477 / Headline Review, 2010, £6.99, pb, 544pp, 9780755357932 Thea is a Jewish slave girl, brought to Rome to be maidservant to the spoiled beauty Lepida Pollia. Arius the Barbarian is a reluctant gladiator, forced into a life of violence after he is kidnapped from Britannia. When they meet, each is wary of love – but gradually they find in one another a haven from the turmoil and powerlessness of their lives. However, Arius must continue to fight for his life in the arena, and Thea’s mistress Lepida quickly grows jealous of the handsome gladiator’s attentions. When Lepida separates them, Thea and Arius are pitched into different worlds. But when Thea catches the eye of the cruel and cunning Emperor Domitian and unwillingly becomes the royal mistress, old rivalries resurface. Lepida, who has acquired a husband of wealth and rank, nevertheless seeks higher conquests. And Arius the Barbarian issues a personal challenge to Domitian that can only end in death: his own, or the emperor’s. In this epic debut, Kate Quinn gives us a gripping vision of 1st-century Rome under the Flavians – from the palace to the gladiator barracks, from the senate house to the brothel. What seems at first to have all the earmarks of a straightforward romance expands to encompass greater themes, offering the intrigue of a political thriller and the depth of great literary fiction. Quinn weaves the perspectives of half a dozen characters into a seamless tapestry, following every thread and neatly knotting every loose end. While she takes liberties with the gladiatorial games – allowing Arius to battle HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 19

women, for instance, or to fight one against six – she acknowledges these inconsistencies in a wellreasoned historical note. Overall, Mistress of Rome is impeccably researched and beautifully executed. Such an accomplished debut can only augur many more impressive historical novels to come! Ann Pedtke Fans of fiction set in ancient Rome are spoilt for choice when it comes to thud-and-blunder action for the boys. Now here’s something for the girls, a racy tale set in the 1st century AD, packed with fabulous frocks, licentious lust and gladiatorial gore. Shallow, self-indulgent Lepida and her slave Thea (captured at Masada, toughened by adversity and inclined to self-harm) have both fallen for gladiator Arius, rising star of the Colosseum. But Arius loves only one of them. When Lepida finds out it isn’t her, she sells Thea to a man who removes her to faraway Brundisium. Inevitably, they all meet again but now the stakes, involving cruel, depraved emperor Domitian, are much higher. The story is told with gusto, but the flow is marred by the author’s odd decision to write Lepida and Thea in first-person scenes dropped into a third-person narrative with name headings to show where they start but nothing to show where they end. For an even more indigestible mix, add Domitian’s unfortunate niece Julia, a would-be Vestal Virgin whose story pops up here and there in both ‘I’ and italics. Why inflict this complicated, confusing structure on such a straightforward tale? It didn’t make the novel seem ‘literary’, nor did it deepen characterisation; indeed, the only characters for whom I felt any sympathy were Senator Norbanus, a decent old cove who makes the mistake of marrying Lepida, and his hapless son from a previous marriage who falls under Lepida’s spell – with disastrous consequences. Sarah Cuthbertson

2nd century

ARROWS OF FURY Anthony Riches, Hodder & Stoughton, 2010, £12.99, hb, 342pp, 9780340920336 Arrows of Fury continues the career of Marcus Valerius Aquila, condemned to die a dishonourable death by the Emperor Commodus for the supposed cowardice of his father and under Commodus’ rule—which means that all members of the Aquila family are condemned to die. Marcus, now simply known as Centurion Corvus, escaped and is now serving with the 1st Tungrian cohort north of Hadrian’s Wall. Reinforcements have been sent to Britain full of men with no reason to protect Marcus’ identity or whereabouts from being discovered and one officer, in particular, is bent on discovering the fugitive. This book, the sequel to Wounds of Honour, is full of detail of life in the Roman army in northern Britain in the 2nd century AD. The battles are meticulously portrayed, with the reader seeing and 20 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

feeling every arrow and spear thrust. This is another historical novel where the real-life protagonists are the heroes/villains of the story, but I found it a little difficult to get into as there was no resume of what had gone before in the first book or a list of personae. Had I not been somewhat familiar with the history of this period I would have had considerable problems in working out what had happened previously, who was whom and exactly why Marcus was on the run. If this series continues with a third book I sincerely hope that this will be remedied. Otherwise an enthralling read. Marilyn Sherlock

3rd century

KING OF KINGS Harry Sidebottom, Penguin, 2010, £6.99, pb, 501pp, 9780141032306 ‘Sidebottom’s prose blazes with searing scholarship,’ proclaims The Times. As an academic who tries to write historical fiction I am naturally awestruck by one who has succeeded – a lecturer in Ancient History at Lincoln College, Oxford, no less. Writers of historical fiction generally divide into two camps. There is the hairy chest school, concerned with fighting and its adjuncts – forced marches, murder plots, and other deadly intrigues – and the morning sickness school, whose subject is the female condition and whose pages are full of disastrous love affairs and deaths in childbirth. Dr Sidebottom is unambiguously in the former camp, and the setting he chooses, the eastern Roman Empire around 250 AD, gives him plenty of scope. Indeed, the book begins with a forced march and enemy pursuit, as his hero, Ballista, breaks out of the besieged city of Arete just before its fall. Soon there is fighting and gore aplenty – those with delicate stomachs should think carefully before tackling the Warrior of Rome series. Ballista is the target of several murder attempts, but who is responsible – is it the effete young tribune who holds him guilty of causing the death of his brother? Or one of his other enemies at the court of the ineffectual Emperor Valerian? Soon Ballista is on campaign against the Sassanid Persians again, but there is then a slightly unconvincing digression when he is posted to Ephesus to persecute the local Christians (unconvincing in the sense that it doesn’t quite fit into the rest of the plot). Then it is back to campaigning as Valerian leads the army against the Sassanids. ‘Gruesome,’ remarks another reviewer. Certainly. But this is an entirely fair description of ancient warfare, and armchair warriors will revel in this book. Ann Lyon

4th century

THE PHILOSOPHER PRINCE

Paul Waters, Macmillan, 2010, £11.99, pb, 373pp, 9780230746121 Set in 355 AD, the book follows on an earlier novel by Waters, Cast Not the Day. It opens with Aquinus’s funeral at which two British nobles, Marcellus and Drusus, are present. As Marcellus is gathering his grandfather’s ashes into the urn, a group of riders appear, led by Faustus with a warrant from the Notary Paulus for their arrest, and they are taken to Gaul. Expecting to be taken before Paulus, they learn that he fled from Trier when the German barbarians crossed the Rhine and instead are to go to Paris. But things take a sudden turn for the better. In Paris they realise that they are not to be locked up to await whatever fate is in store for them but are given baths, new clothes, food and told that they are at liberty to return to Britain if they so wish. However their ‘host’, Eutherius, hopes that they will stay and meet Prince Julian, the Emperor’s nephew, who will shortly be arriving for the winter. This they do and decide to join him thus linking their paths closely to his. Although it is quite possible to read this book as a separate entity, I found it difficult to get into, not having read the first book. There was nothing in the form of a foreword to tell me either what had gone before or why Marcellus and Drusus had been arrested. I liked the use of the more common English names of places as although fairly familiar with the old Roman ones, it does help the reader to be instantly aware of where they are, geographically. The characterisation was good, although again, it would have been nice to know who was historically correct and who fictitious, and the story was told in a straightforward, uncluttered way. Marilyn Sherlock

5th century

THE HALF-SLAVE Trevor Bloom, Hookline, 2010, £10.99, pb, 385pp, 9780955563065 This novel, set in 476 AD, depicts the fighting for control between the warring Germanic Saxons and Franks as they journey through Europe to claim the riches, slaves and territories formerly owned by the crumbling Roman Empire. The Half-Slave, Ascha, is on guard for his clan, the Saxon Theodi, whose ship lies anchored whilst the men rest on land. Ascha’s father, Aelfric, is the hetman, and his older step-brothers are Hanno and Hroc, who are allowed to bear arms, unlike Ascha who is forbidden to as the son of a Pritorian slave. Ascha warns his clansmen of approaching riders. They are Southern Franks whose overlord, Childeric, had grown more powerful as the Roman Empire crumbled. Childeric’s son, Clovis, commands Aelfric to meet Childeric at Tornacum, and stays as guarantor for Aelfric’s return. Hroc overhears Clovis questioning Ascha and is about to kill him during a fight when Ascha deflects the blow 1st Century — 5th Century

and saves Clovis’s life. Hanno tends to Ascha and explains that a pact has been forged between the two tribes. Childeric demands one of Aelfric’s sons becomes a hostage at Tornacum, and Ascha is chosen. He feels an outsider in both camps and tries to reconcile his feelings towards his family, as he strives for a sense of identity. Adversities abound as he travels throughout the territories, relaying reports to Childeric’s agents. He rekindles an affair with Saefaru, who has married his childhood rival, Wulfhere. Wulfhere’s vengeful schemes undermine Ascha’s efforts and imperil him. When Ascha discovers that Childeric’s plans involve attacking the Saxons, he has to decide where his loyalties lie. I found the realism in the characters, situations, and deftly woven plot strands made this a gripping story. I appreciated the glossary, map and place name translations. Janet Williamson THE DIVINE SACRIFICE Tony Hays, Forge, 2010, $24.99/C$29.99, hb, 304pp, 9780765319463 This is the second novel in a series of mysteries set in King Arthur’s Britain during the 5th century. In The Killing Way Malgwyn, a soldier who lost an arm in battle, demonstrated a remarkable talent for solving mysteries, and now he serves Arthur as a counsellor. His abilities are called upon again when an aged monk is found dead at the abbey in Ynys-witrin (Glastonbury). His death, Malgwyn discovers, was not from natural causes, but this proves to be but one thread in a complex web of deceit and violence. Painstakingly, he unravels the threads, one by one, discovering not just murder, but Pelagian heresy and ruthless politics in the Church; forgery, treason and rebellion in the state; and, ultimately, the long-concealed truth behind a rape and murder that took place long ago. The crowded cast of characters includes figures drawn not only from Arthurian tradition, like Bedevere, Guinevere, and Arthur himself, but also history, like Gildas, the Pelagian Agricola, and (Saint) Patrick. There is, perhaps, rather too much going on; but the author takes considerable pains to create a credible Dark Age world, and life is often inconveniently complicated. Moreover, Malgwyn is an interesting and sympathetic hero: bedevilled by guilt and self-doubts as a result of his past behaviour, he doggedly struggles to uncover the truth before disaster strikes. Recommended. Ray Thompson

6th century

KING ARTHUR: The Bloody Cup M.K. Hume, Headline, 2010, £12.99, hb, 526pp, 9780755348718 For many years the people of Briton have enjoyed peace and prosperity under the reign of King Artor, but the King is growing old. Artor’s court is torn apart with intrigue as Wenhaver, High Queen 5th Century — 8th Century

and strumpet, continues to plague Artor and his plans for the future of his kingdom, while Modred who covets the throne for himself, plots rebellion. Taking advantage of Artor’s perceived weakness, his enemies seize upon the cup of Bishop Lucius of Canterbury as a symbol to rally those who would cleanse the land of Christian belief. This is the third instalment in the King Arthur trilogy and takes the story of Arthur (Artor) through to his death. It is darker then the two previous books, but it is also stronger and more compelling. Arthurian purists may raise an eyebrow at the portrayal of Artor and many of the other characters such as Galahad and Gawayne, but the author has deliberately set out to provide a different view of Arthur, and she succeeds admirably. This is an Arthur with flaws – violent and capable of savagery, beset with doubt, but intensely loyal. Throw in murder, well written battle scenes and crisp dialogue and you have an entertaining, pacey read. Very enjoyable; I look forward to the author’s next offering. Mike Ashworth

7th century

THE SWORD OF MEDINA Sherry Jones, Beaufort, 2009, $24.95, hb, 256pp, 9780825305207 In 7th-century Arabia, the Prophet Muhammad is dead, and the Muslim umma is left to muddle on as best it can. The Prophet’s child bride A’isha must remain faithful to her departed husband the rest of her life and try to exercise her influence in the direction of the new faith—for no one knew God’s Apostle better than she, and her father Abu Bakr is the first right-guided khalifa. Her obvious foil, and point of view for the other half of the chapters in this tale, is Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Prophet’s son-inlaw and father of his only living male descendants who would also claim the leadership. Here is the source of the Sunni-Shi’a schism we see today and, hence, important reading. Jones made history with her first novel, which told the love story between young A’isha and the much older man her father marries her to at the age of nine. Fear of terrorist repercussions for, as some said, turning the relationship between A’isha and her prophet husband into a tawdry romance caused much publicity. I haven’t read the first volume, although having done so might have helped enjoyment of this offering. The story is here, but I felt I was skimming over much of this rich material in a journalistic Apache gunship—but maybe that’s what the subject requires for western readers. A’isha has her medicine bag, but it just appears when someone has need of it. Perhaps the first volume saw her come into her healing skills in a way we could feel for. The jumble of illdrawn wives in the first chapter might also have been helped. I didn’t really get drawn in until Ali made an appearance, with his believable love for his Fatima. The Battle of the Camel makes a fine

climax—but I wish its details had been drawn from the beginning. Ann Chamberlin

8th century

SONS OF THUNDER Giles Kristian, Bantam Press, 2010, £12.99, hb, 330pp, 9780593061640 This is the second book of the Raven series, and it follows on closely from the first adventure. Raven and his Viking sword-brothers, the Wolfpack, seek a reckoning with Ealdred, who has cheated them out of treasure and most importantly their ship. They pursue Ealdred to the lands of the Frankish Emperor Charlemagne, accompanied by their tame English monk, Egfrith, and Cynethryth, Ealdred’s daughter and the woman Raven is in love with. Soon they are forced to fight for their lives in an aggressively Christian empire that would wipe pagans like them from the face of the earth. It is here that Raven’s singular abilities come to the fore. There is a real sense of an authentic world being created here: the dialogue is crisp and appropriately salty, the allusions to the Norse Gods for example are omnipresent but never intrude, and the pace of the story is never allowed to slacken. And the story is the thing here; the research is worn lightly and always put at the service of the narrative. An excellent read which compares favourably with writers like Bernard Cornwell and Conn Iggulden. I look forward to the next adventure. Gordon O’Sullivan 8th century AD. In this second Raven adventure, Raven is now one of Jarl Sigurd’s brotherhood of Viking warriors on board the Serpent. They are seeking the treacherous Ealdred who has stolen their other ship, together with a valuable holy book. Ealdred is on his way to the Frankish Emperor, Charlemagne, to sell him the book and Sigurd is determined to kill him before he does. The Vikings may be masters of the art of seamanship in open sea, but navigating rivers in the hostile kingdom of the Franks is another matter. Their adventures eventually take them to Aix-laChapelle and a fateful meeting with Charlemagne. With them goes Cynethryth, Ealdred’s estranged daughter and secretly beloved of Raven. As befits a male fantasy heroine (she sleeps with Raven once, early on, but appears to forget the fact), she keeps a low profile unless needed to further the plot. It’s all very macho, concerned with male bonding and honour. The numerous fights are bloody and brutal, though cunning has its place, too; Raven must use his wits as well as his battle skills to survive. In spite of the numerous bloodthirsty fights, I enjoyed this book. It is well written with an immediacy and freshness that I liked. Kristian’s depiction of life as a Viking raider is entirely believable. I particularly liked Raven’s unwilling awe in the Aix-la-Chapelle cathedral and his astonishment at seeing a stone fountain spouting water. But Kristian gets across the perceptive point HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 21

that, whilst these things amaze Raven, he sees no use for them. In her HNS review of the first Raven book, Nancy Henshaw detects a hint that ‘Sigurd yearns for something greater than a life focussed on fields of blood’. Alas, this doesn’t materialize, and I suspect we’re in for yet more blood and brutality. Elizabeth Hawksley

9th century

THE BURNING LAND Bernard Cornwell, HarperLuxe, 2010, $25.99, hb, 352pp, 9780060888756 / HarperCollins, 2009, £18.99, hb, 352pp, 9780007219742 In The Burning Land, the fifth book of Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon Tales saga, our hero Uhtred of Bebbanburg is back with his mighty sword

Serpent-Breath, his dagger Wasp-Sting, and all the arrogance and bravado one man can exude as he fulfills his oath of allegiance to King Alfred the Great. But the arrangement that binds Uhtred to Alfred has begun to chafe, and when the presence of the Christian priests forces his hand, Uhtred’s eye returns to his lost inheritance of Bebbanburg. The retaking of the lands will not come easily, however, and Uhtred must look to the Danes for help, a situation that puts him at odds with not only his sworn king but also with another oath long forgotten. How these scenarios play out fills The Burning Land with action, lust, treachery, and battles of the bloodiest nature. In short, it brings the period to life in all its goriest glory. Uhtred is everything a reader wants in a hero: he’s strong, he’s canny, he’s lucky, and he’s a natural leader. Cornwell never has Uhtred shy away from difficult situations and thrusts him often into roles

E D I TORS’ C H OI C E THE KING’S DAUGHTER Penny Ingham, Cava Books, 2010, £7.99, pb, 310pp, 9780955599750 The King’s Daughter begins in 877 AD while King Alfred the Great of Wessex is fighting Norse invaders. He is supported by his bright and beloved daughter, Elflaede; his immature and jealous son, Edward; and the ambitious, charming yet cruel King of the Mercians, Ethelred, who is betrothed to Elflaede. They are fighting the sons of Ivar of Rothbrock, Guthrum and Halfdan, who swore on their father’s deathbed to finish what he had started: to take Wessex; but in his childhood a witch had warned Guthrum to “Beware the green eyes”. Elflaede, who has “huge green eyes”, is just seventeen when we first meet her, and she grows from an intelligent but naïve girl into a powerful woman. Her courage and the conflicts she faces are powerfully portrayed. While she has a number of implausibly lucky escapes, the difficulties of her emotional position throughout the book are convincing, so that I felt real admiration and empathy. The most successful characters are the ones that are the least complicated: for example, the monstrous Halfdan, benevolent Alfred and conniving Ethelred. Guthrum and Edward are more complex and so require more work from both the author and the reader. Overall, though, I think they work. The book brought Anglo-Saxon Wessex to life, particularly the relentless toil required to produce food, the brutality of fighting and the plight of women, especially the constant threat and use of rape as a tool of war. I enjoyed the descriptions of the varying landscapes, from the damp hidden island of Athelney to smelly, commercial London to verdant and sunny Bedford. I wasn’t keen on the cover (why is an Anglo-Saxon princess wearing bright red lipstick?) and I thought the blurb gave too much away, but otherwise I thought this was a pacy, engaging, enlightening and hugely enjoyable novel. Victoria Lyle 22 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

our combatant tries to avoid. Uhtred is a conflicted man; a Saxon raised by Danes, sworn to a man he hates, he somehow remains true to his integrity, refusing to compromise himself, yet fiercely loyal. The action is bloody and frequent and immerses the reader thoroughly throughout the tale. The Burning Land continues the tradition of this well-crafted series, taking the reader on a wild, violent ride through the early years of Britain. It is filled with diabolical characters as well as those with strong hearts, and Uhtred remains an audacious hero of epic proportions. I’m ready for his next adventure! Highly recommended. Tamela McCann

medieval

SWORDS FROM THE WEST Harold Lamb, Bison Books (U of Nebraska Press), 2009, $26.95, pb, 603pp, 978083220355 As a young writer and history buff, I loved Harold Lamb, and this reprinting of the seventeen so-called “Crusader stories” from Adventure Magazine reminded me why. Lamb’s passion was narrative; he wasted little time with dates and facts, going straight for the action of the event. A master of pace, he had a gift also for the quick glimpse of a landscape that throws everything into perspective. And he had a taste for the faraway. Most of these stories involve Christian knights, adrift in the Middle East after the fall of Jerusalem, who encounter all manner of Central Asians, Mongols, Turks, Tatars, shamans and swordsmen and lissome maidens, Tamurlane, and the great Genghis Khan himself, in deeds of gallantry and courage, treachery and honor. His dialog is sprinkled with “nays” and “methinks” and “she is a piece of my liver,” but he does it with an energy and élan that flavor the exotic settings. Often the stories end with a little twist, foreseeable, but satisfying; the good guy always wins, and evil pays, as evil should. My favorites of these stories are “Keeper of the Gate,” with its clever shaman and brave and ruthless heroine, and “Making of the Morning Star,” in which a young knight, the Crusade lost, finds his way through a series of tests to the elite warriors of the all-conquering Mongol army. Occasionally, in the longer tales, Lamb’s characters—they are characters, truly, not personalities—become a bewildering jumble of weird names. Nonetheless his imagination, his gifts of plot and action writing, and his passion for worlds and peoples not white, not western and not like us, make the book a delight to read. Cecelia Holland

12th century

THE QUEEN’S PAWN Christy English, NAL, 2010, $15.00/C$18.50, pb, 400pp, 9780451229236. Eleanor of Aquitaine is a personal hero of mine, 9th Century — 12th Century

so I was very intrigued to read Christy English’s take on this dynamic woman whose political influence and forceful personality left such an indelible imprint on European history. There was also more than a little fear that Eleanor would not come to life as I hoped, but, thankfully, Ms. English exceeded my expectations. The Queen’s Pawn tells the story of Eleanor, her estranged husband Henry II of England, her son Richard, and his betrothed, Princess Alais of France. Alais arrives in England at age eleven to be raised in expectation of marrying Richard, but she immediately connects emotionally with Eleanor, who comes to think of her as a true daughter. Three years later, Alais emerges from her convent haven ready to marry, falling deeply in love with Richard and continuing to idolize Eleanor. But betrayals lead Alais to do the unthinkable, and this strict Christian suddenly sees her own road to power and retribution by not only seducing Henry, but seeking to replace Eleanor as queen. This story moves along at a rapid pace, though at times the writing is a bit flowery. I never really bought into the instant devotion of Eleanor and Alais, but Eleanor’s actions seemed plausible and the story is well plotted. Overall I rather enjoyed the author’s “what if?” take on the suspected affair between Henry and Alais, and I appreciated the excellent author’s notes in the end that fully explained her research and reasoning for changing dates. I can honestly say I enjoyed the tale of Eleanor’s intrigues and Alais’s awakening. Tamela McCann A MURDEROUS PROCESSION (US) / THE ASSASSIN’S PRAYER (UK) Ariana Franklin, Putnam, 2010, $25.95, hb, 339pp, 9780399156281 / Bantam, July 2010, £12.99, hb, 320pp, 9780593063545 The stellar Mistress of the Art of Death series continues! Adelia Aguilar, Salerno-trained physician who has been well-nigh kidnapped by King Henry II, sees her chance to return home. She finds out that she is being sent with the king’s daughter Joanna, who is to wed the King of Sicily. However, Adelia’s hopes for escaping from the king’s clutches evaporate when she learns that her young daughter will be remaining in England to ensure Adelia’s return. What Adelia doesn’t realize is that a deranged and deadly enemy is on her trail, and will be joining the party traveling to Sicily. Also going are Rowley, Adelia’s lover (also known as the Bishop of St. Albans), Mansur, and young Ulf, who has been entrusted with a concealed Excalibur, being sent as a gift to the King of Sicily. The journey allows us to make the brief acquaintance of King Henry’s sons, Henry and Richard the Lionheart. It is a particularly brief glimpse of Henry the Young King, as he would far rather be off participating in tournaments than doing his duty accompanying his sister on the voyage. The author very gracefully incorporates her knowledge of the period into a riveting and suspenseful story. Readers will learn about early surgery, the mounting backlash against the Cathars, 12th Century

and the increasing tensions in Sicily that threaten its once famous tolerance. I advise readers new to Adelia to begin with her first adventure, Mistress of the Art of Death. While A Murderous Procession can stand alone, readers who have the background of the previous three volumes will best appreciate the continuing strands of the story. I rarely reread books, since there are so many I’ve yet to enjoy for the first time. However, this series is one I am already planning to start again from the beginning. Trudi E. Jacobson ELEANOR THE QUEEN Norah Lofts, Touchstone, 2010, $15.00, pb, 336pp, 9781439146118 / Tempus, 2008, £6.99, pb, 240pp, 9780752439440 First published in the 1950s and set in 12th-century France and England, Eleanor the Queen follows Eleanor of Aquitaine from the days of her disappointing marriage to King Louis VII through her volatile union with King Henry II. Divorced from the pious French king (with whom

she led her own knights on crusade), she weds Henry Plantagenet and lives happily with him for many years, only to discover his heart belongs to a beauty named Rosamonde. When Rosamonde dies (some say of poisoning), Henry blames Eleanor. For this, as well as for Eleanor’s support of their rebellious sons, Henry has Eleanor jailed. She lives a cruel existence now, surviving on news brought to her at risk by a kind peddler. Fifteen years pass and Eleanor remains locked away. For the most part the news she receives involves her battling sons, who are at odds with Henry and each other. Only when Henry dies can her son Richard gain Eleanor’s release. Eleanor, once a legendary beauty, is now approaching seventy. To her dismay, she learns Richard means to desert England and go on crusade while his kingship and country are threatened from within. Thus, ever bold and proud, Eleanor abandons her plan to accompany Richard to Jerusalem and remains in England, because who else can keep the place in order?

E D I TORS’ CH OICE THE TEMPLAR KNIGHT Jan Guillou, HarperCollins, 2010, $25.99, hb, 480pp, 9780061688577 / Harper, 2009, £7.99, pb, 480pp, 9780007285860 The story begins in 1177. Exiled to the Holy Land ten years earlier, Arn Magnusson is now serving as Master of the Knights Templar’s Gaza fortress. His betrothed, Cecilia, has been placed into a cloister in western Gotaland (in Scandinavia). Both were forced to perform twenty years’ penance by the Church for conceiving a child out of wedlock. Arn, known by the Saracens as Al-Ghouti, is feared for his strength, cunning and compassion. After rescuing a man he believes to be a wealthy Arab merchant, the two become friends and learn to respect one another – especially after Arn learns that the merchant is really Saladin, the most feared of all the Saracen warlords. Meanwhile Cecilia, because of her family clan, is forced into life-threatening situations by Abbess Rikissa, the head of the convent, who belongs to a different clan that presently rules the country. The Templar Knight is second in the Crusades Trilogy. This novel and its predecessor are fascinating accounts of events leading up to the Third Crusade. Guillou handles the tales of both Arn and Cecilia masterfully by ending each chapter with a cliffhanger and alternating between the protagonists. All of the people, including minor characters and real-life individuals such as Saladin and King Baldwin IV, are memorable and realistic as they move the plot along. The novel becomes a real page-turner when the author places his major characters in difficult situations. I highly recommend this series, which has been critically acclaimed internationally and has finally become available to the English-speaking public. Jeff Westerhoff HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 23

While reading Eleanor the Queen again for the first time in many years, I was surprised by the book’s sweeping transitions (“She had been… [imprisoned] for three treadmill years when something of interest, of excitement, did happen.”). But, after all, Lofts was spinning the tale of a remarkable lifetime in relatively few pages, and, overall, it was good to be back in the arms of one of historical fiction’s most popular authors. Alana White

13th century

MURDER FOR CHRIST’S MASS Maureen Ash, Berkley Prime Crime, 2009, $7.99/ C$9.99, pb, 290pp, 9780425231579 In this fourth of the Templar Knight mysteries, the body of a clerk who worked for the local Lincoln mint is discovered in a stone quarry on Christmas morning in the year 1201. The only clue to his murder is a pristine coin minted in the reign of King Stephen. The sheriff of Lincoln, Gerard Camville, afraid this indicates the discovery of a treasure trove which must be recovered before King John gets word, asks Templar Bascot de Marins to conduct a discreet inquiry. Bascot’s investigations lead him from the top of Lincoln Cathedral to the depths of the stone quarry, from the lavish manor houses of the nouveau riche to the brush piles called home by the city’s destitute children. His task is bittersweet, for he knows soon he must leave the city that has restored his body and spirit, and the young serving boy he regards as a son. With a sympathetic protagonist, plenty of suspects and false leads, a complex web of guilty parties, and a wealth of information about life in medieval England, this book should please readers who enjoy traditional historical mysteries – especially with a little added wassail! Susan Cook A KNIGHT’S PERSUASION Catherine Kean, Medallion, 2010, $7.95/£6.99, pb, 385pp, 9781605420967 In this medieval romance set in England in 1213, Edouard de Lanceau, son of the powerful Lord Geoffrey de Lanceau, meets the beautiful Lady Juliana de Greyne, who is to be his future betrothed in just a short time. In a bet that goes awry, Edouard ends up infuriating Juliana and hurting her feelings. Juliana’s sister deceives Edouard into becoming betrothed to her, a proposition that he has been putting off as he still longs for Juliana and regrets his previous conduct. A year later on his way to do business for his father, Edouard finds an unconscious woman lying in the river. He is astounded to discover that the woman is Juliana. Desperate to get Juliana the help she needs for her injuries, Edouard unknowingly takes her to the nearest keep, which happens to house the enemies of his father and Edouard’s own rival. Juliana wakes to find that she has lost her memory, with no idea who Edouard is and why he is chained in the tower with her. Edouard 24 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

must work to earn Juliana’s trust; he hopes that she can put aside their differences once her memories return and work together for their freedom. All the while each feels a strong, growing desire for the other. This book, fourth in Kean’s Knight’s series, is full of action and romance, and has much to enjoy. Troy Reed

14th century

WITHIN THE HOLLOW CROWN Margaret Campbell Barnes, Sourcebooks Landmark, 2010, $14.99/$17.99, pb, 368pp, 9781402239212 One benefit of a strong market for fact-based historical fiction is the republication of the works of the finest authors of years past, and Margaret Campbell Barnes is worthy of that accolade. This novel of England’s Richard II is a poignant and powerful depiction of a misunderstood king and an age of conflict, division, and change. To his hopeful nation, the blond and delicate boy-king Richard offers the best of both his parents—Joan of Kent’s charm and beauty, and the valor of the Black Prince. But the young monarch is hedged about with powerful and ambitious uncles—and cousins—who constantly raise suspicions and doubts. Early in his reign he is tested by the peasants’ rebellion. His sympathy for Wat

Tyler and is stirred but ultimately overshadowed by his elders’ determination to maintain the status quo. Salvation comes in his marriage with Anne, his Bohemian Queen, whose love upholds him in difficult times and with whom he achieves a mutually satisfying alliance. During this period of marital harmony his reign prospers, and men like Geoffrey Chaucer and Robert de Vere ensure a glittering and rarified court. In the aftermath of the Queen’s death, sorrow and wrath and desperate longing alter Richard and impel him towards his tragic fate. In asserting his strength, he responds to old grievances, banishing his cousin Henry Bolingbroke and implicating himself in the murder of his uncle Thomas of Gloucester. What remains of his softer side emerges in his relationship with his child-bride Isabella of France, but redemption proves impossible. With lyrical prose and revealing dialogue, Barnes presents flawed yet impressive characters who fully inhabit their time and place, whose experiences and insights reveal complex political developments. The result is a superlative example of classic historical fiction. Margaret Barr SEDUCED BY A ROGUE Amanda Scott, Forever, 2010, $6.99/ C$8.99/£5.99, pb, 382pp, 9780446541343

E D I TORS’ CH OICE WATERMARK Vanitha Sankaran, Avon A, 2010, $14.99, pb, 368pp, 9780061849275 Auda is born an albino in 14th-century France. Believed to be cursed, her tongue is cut out by a midwife’s assistant so she’ll never speak. Her mother dies in her birthing, but her father and sister protect her. Auda matures and finds solace in helping her father make paper. In this dangerous era, the church controls the use of parchment to keep ideas from the common people, and papermaking is looked upon with suspicion. Auda’s ability to read and write, along with her pale countenance and her father’s inadvertent connection to a rising heretical religion, makes her a target for the looming Inquisition. Watermark explores a “different” woman’s quest for self and even love in a precarious time when superstition and fear of heresy are rampant. Auda fights against the restrictions forced upon her to lead not only a normal but a creative life through her own intelligence. Sankaran tells a vibrant tale, and her research into papermaking and the daily lives of the rich and poor in medieval France adds lush background to this novel. I found it a compelling page-turner, though Auda’s actions toward the end seemed bizarre and included for dramatic purposes. A stunning debut from a talented author. Diane Scott Lewis 13th Century — 14th Century

In 14th-century Scotland, clan tensions are brewing. When Robert Maxwell meets with a local baron to coax his loyalty to Clan Maxwell, he finds no success—but he does find an instant attraction to the baron’s beautiful heiress, Mairi. When further negotiations prove fruitless, Robert kidnaps Mairi to force her father’s hand. But the brash move does not go as planned; not only does Mairi’s father still refuse to submit, but Mairi is no ordinary pawn, and the chemistry between her and Rob proves stronger than either of them imagined. But can it survive a clan war? The plot and dialogue are standard for the genre, and descriptions of historical place and time are meticulous. The heroine is spunky yet delicate; the hero has a heart of gold; and after an unhurried start the abduction picks up the pace, leading to a clever and unconventional ending. Though the title suggests unbridled passion, there’s not much of either seduction or roguishness here; readers looking for something dangerous and racy may be disappointed, but fans of a more subdued and genteel kind of romance will be pleased. Heather Domin

15th century

THE BOTTICELLI SECRET Marina Fiorato, St. Martin’s Griffin, 2010, $14.99, pb, 528pp, 9780312606367 In her latest novel, Fiorato brings us a lively, face-paced blend of history, art, and romance. Set in Renaissance Italy in 1482 during the rule of the Medici, we follow the story of Luciana Vetra, a prostitute blessed with street smarts who is a keen observer of human behavior. At the suggestion of one of her patrons, she poses as a model for the figure of Flora in Sandro Botticelli’s exquisite masterpiece in progress, La Primavera. But then Botticelli doesn’t pay her. In a desperate act to punish Botticelli, Luciana ends up stealing a sketch of the painting, and a wave of violence is unleashed directly because of Luciana’s rash actions. Several people close to her end up dead in a brief amount of time. It becomes clear to Luciana that she is the intended target of the vicious attacks, and she must run for her life. Having nowhere else to turn, she seeks the help of Brother Guido, a novice librarian who tried to help her by persuading her to give up her life of prostitution. Brother Guido, from a prominent family, quickly realizes that just by associating with Luciana, he and the people close to him are in jeopardy as well. The pair work together to unravel the message that they believe is contained in the picture, all the while evading their pursuers. A growing attraction is kindled between the two unlikely friends. The plot will keep readers turning pages as they are taken on a wild ride though the streets of several Italian cities. Luciana is a fresh voice and a believable character whose foul-mouthed quickwittedness and boldness will keep readers guessing. The Botticelli Secret is a story of survival and finding 15th Century

love unexpectedly that is sure to please. Troy Reed A PLAY OF TREACHERY Margaret Frazer, Berkley Prime Crime, 2009, $7.99, pb, 325pp, 9780425223338 As an actor with a traveling company, Joliffe has played many roles. But when the Bishop Beaufort asks him to play the spy, Joliffe knows his skills will be tested. The year is 1436, and young King Henry VI is trying to secure his French lands against the Dauphin Louis. Joliffe must play the role of a clerk in a French household loyal to King Henry while also training to be a spy under a weapons master. The role is not difficult, and Joliffe finds himself enjoying the luxury of living in a chateau even though the war between France and England threatens all within. The murder of a young noble woman throws the household into turmoil, and it is up to Joliffe to find the murderer while protecting secrets that could change the course of the war. There is some information dump, but A Play of Treachery is an enjoyable read for its likeable characters, historical accuracy and twisting plot. Patricia O’Sullivan THE FOUNDING Cynthia Harrod-Eagles, Sourcebooks Landmark, 2010, $14.99, 560pp, 9781402238154 Fifteenth-century England was a time of tremendous change. As the Wars of the Roses raged on, a new middle class emerged, comprised mainly of merchants with enough money to help the nobles fund their ongoing war. Edward Morland, the coarse, pigheaded patriarch of the Morland family, was a member of this new middle class, and he understood that the key to his family’s rise was a good match for his only surviving son, Robert. The wife he chooses for Robert is Eleanor Courteney, an orphan with ties to the Plantagenets, and the marriage is bound to raise the Morland family’s status. Eleanor is unhappy, but as a woman of the era, she has no right to object, and is quickly moved to York, where she is expected to be a civilizing influence on the Morland men. Through her life she becomes much more than that, bearing a number of children to carry on the Morland family name and inspiring her husband to expand the family’s sheep-farming business. Originally published in 1980, the first volume in Harrod-Eagles’s ambitious, multi-century Morland family saga returns to print in the U.S. with this new edition. Eleanor is an appealing heroine, with tremendous resolve and the desire to secure the future of her children and grandchildren in a changing world. Though some parts of the book toy with history a little too much, such as Eleanor’s relationship with/fixation on a prominent figure of the era, Harrod-Eagles stays true to the facts and social mores of the era, presenting a family—and a country—on the cusp of something new. This is a fine family saga that stands effectively on its own, but readers wishing to spend more time with the Morlands can indulge themselves in the thirty-one volumes that follow.

Nanette Donohue THE STOLEN CROWN Susan Higginbotham, Sourcebooks, 2010, $14.99/ C$17.99, pb, 384pp, 9781402237669 The story of Elizabeth Woodville and Edward IV has been told hundreds of times, but never quite the way that Higginbotham tells it here – through the words of Bess’s youngest sister, Kate, and Kate’s husband, Harry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham. Married in early childhood, the Duke and Duchess learn the ways of Edward’s court, the pitfalls and the benefits of being tied inextricably to the Woodvilles, while they grow into a stable, loving couple, acquiring lands and children. But the seeds of the destruction of the Staffords as a couple and as a family are planted in Harry’s blood brotherhood with Edward’s brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester. From our introduction to Kate at age six to her survival as the only remaining Woodville, she is an engaging character – clever, opinionated, sassy, sexy. Harry grows from a self-important youngster, worshipful of his friend, Richard, to a profoundly determined and powerful man, and ultimately to a soul of deep conviction who accepts moral responsibility for his actions and choices. We come to have great respect for Buckingham by the time he is put to death by Richard. Richard, though, is another story. Higginbotham adopts the hard-line anti-Ricardian position that Richard was not merely instrumental in, but ordered the deaths of his nephews, the young Edward V and his brother Richard. And through Buckingham, we are led to question whether Gloucester ever intended to act as regent for his brother’s son in his kinghood. The rebellion conspiracies of Hastings, Rivers and Vaughan, the precontract of marriage between Edward IV and Eleanor Butler – they are all creations of Richard’s demonic machinations to usurp Edward V’s throne. Certainly a worthy contribution to the debate, told from an interesting and novel point of view. Ilysa Magnus BY FIRE, BY WATER Mitchell James Kaplan, Other Press, 2010, $15.95/ C$18.95, pb, 304pp, 9781590513521 In 1492, three events would change Iberia and change the world: Isabella and Ferdinand’s reconquest of Muslim Granada, the expulsion of the Jews from Spain, and Columbus’s discovery of the New World. In his debut novel, By Fire, By Water, Mitchell James Kaplan shows how these events can all be traced back to Luis de Santángel, a third-generation Christian who served as chancellor to the crown. Santángel is a likeable character whose curiosity about the Judaism of his grandparents gets him into trouble with the Inquisition. In trying to cover his tracks, Santángel participates in a crime that will have ramifications for everyone he loves, including his young son and the Jewess silversmith he has come to love. Weaving together several subplots into a rich HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 25

story with a surprising ending, Kaplan draws his readers into the Jewish quarter of Granada, the dungeons of the Inquisition, and the halls of royal palaces. Kaplan’s knowledge of daily life in 15thcentury Spain, as well as the political intrigues of the court and the church, makes for an engrossing read. It was fascinating, though unsettling, to be inside the head of Queen Isabella, her grand Inquisitor, Tomás de Torquemada, and the victims of the Inquisition, as Kaplan writes them as real men and women rather than as historical caricatures. Patricia O’Sullivan KNIGHT OF PLEASURE Margaret Mallory, Forever, 2009, $6.99/ C$8.99/£6.99, pb, 383pp, 9780446553384 Noblewomen of the early 1400s are accustomed to being political pawns in dynastic struggles. Isobel’s father wed her as a child to the elderly Lord Hume in order to get money to buy back his confiscated lands after he backed the wrong side. Now King Henry wants the widowed Isobel to marry a Rouen nobleman in order to help strengthen England’s post-Agincourt ties with France. She is resigned to another arranged union until she meets and falls for the handsome Sir Stephen Carleton, one of Henry’s knights. How can Isobel serve the king and still follow her heart? Isobel is a feisty heroine who can wield a sword along with her would-be rescuers in the climactic fight scene. Except for one info-dump explanation of Henry’s background, the historical bits of the story are well-woven into the plot. Isobel and Stephen’s relationship and the genre’s requisite bedroom scenes are satisfying, neither overwrought nor understated. An enjoyable historical romance. B.J. Sedlock

16th century

TILL THE DAY GO DOWN Jen Black, Quaestor2000, 2009, £9.99, pb, 203pp, 9781906836177; also 9781906836184 (large print) The border country between England and Scotland is a lawless and dangerous place in the mid-16th century, so when Harry Wharton, travelling through Northumberland on a secret mission to Edinburgh in the summer of 1543, encounters the alluring Alina Carnaby of Aydon Hall at Corbridge market, he gives a false name. The alias could not be worse chosen, for as Alina casually informs him, “My father hates every Scot ever born”. Thus begins a lively adventure and a passionate romance, for who is to doubt that Harry and Alina are made for each other, if they can only overcome the plentiful obstacles thrown in their way. I was slightly distracted by the odd quirky simile (our heroine’s thoughts bobbing about like rabbits in a field) and a couple of encounters between characters that seemed far too convenient. Alina’s tendency to “squawk” or “bleat” in moments 26 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

of stress did no justice at all to this strong-willed, independent-minded young lady. That said, Jen Black writes with great verve and gives us a vivid sense of time and place, with a hero and heroine to cheer for and a grand cast of supporting characters, especially the loyal village lad Matho, Alina’s childhood friend. (Aydon is a real village, and there is an Aydon Castle, which appears much as it does in this book – it dates from the 13th century and was renovated in the mid-16th century.) Mary Seeley SECRETS OF THE TUDOR COURT D.L. Bogdan, Kensington, $15.00/C$17.95, pb, 352pp, 9780758241993 This is another Tudor novel, this time seen from the perspective of Mary Howard, cousin and lady-in-waiting to Anne Boleyn, and (briefly) wife of Henry VIII’s illegitimate son. There aren’t many “secrets” here, though; for those familiar with these familiar characters and events, there will be no surprises. Those looking for an introduction to the politics and pageantry of Tudor England will probably be confused at the cast of characters and events that skim along, textbook-style, without much real development. The research seems lacking, as some of the basics of Mary’s life are garbled, glossed over, or strangely absent. An attempt to create a great love story between Mary and “Harry,” the bastard Duke of Richmond, never really flowers. The narrative is in the familiar first-person present-tense, with Mary alternating between unlikely self-awareness and straightforward recounting of emotions. Given the scope of the book (Mary lives long enough to encounter each of Henry’s subsequent wives, the rise and fall of Lady Jane Grey, and Mary Tudor’s reign), it would have been nice to see the main character explore something just below the surface, either via internal or external action, but she never quite gets there. Val Perry THE SONNETS Warwick Collins, The Friday Project, 2010 (c2009), $12.95/£7.99, pb, 272pp, 9780007306190 In 1592, young playwright William Shakespeare was forced on hiatus out of London due to threats of the plague. Returning to the patronage of the wild miscreant Earl of Southampton, William began a new form of writing in earnest: the sonnets. Initially written to honor his patron and their deep friendship, the sonnets grew ambivalent and covert to protect both writer and patron as the Southhamptons were Catholic, a political danger during the reign of Elizabeth I. But when Shakespeare was allowed usage of the research library of Southampton’s tutor, Master Florio, an abrupt change in the sonnets grew apparent as his heart was captured by Florio’s wife, Lucia. Adding to the intrigue, she was already the mistress of Southampton himself, which led to many a tricky line in the sonnets to follow. This novel of Shakespeare and sonnets builds

an imaginative history while giving the reader a feast of over thirty of Shakespeare’s sonnets blended into the author’s vivid storyline, adding to the speculations of who or what prompted Shakespeare’s shorter outpouring of literary expression. Recommended. Tess Heckel THE CREATION OF EVE Lynn Cullen, Putnam, 2010, $25.95, hb, 400pp, 9780399155106 The Creation of Eve is Cullen’s first foray into adult fiction, and it is quite a promising beginning. The story starts in Italy in the fall of 1560 when Sofonisba Anguissola, the first renowned female artist of the Renaissance, is studying with the Master Michelangelo. After a scandal at his studio between herself and another student, Sofonisba returns home. At the request of King Philip II of Spain, Sofonisba then travels to the Spanish court to become the art teacher of his new wife, the fourteen-year-old Elisabeth de Valois, daughter of King Henri II of France and Catherine de Medici. As time goes on, and Sofonisba learns her way around the Spanish court, Elisabeth and Sofonisba form a friendship. As a lady-in-waiting, Sofonisba is constantly with the queen and notices her growing unhappiness and increasingly reckless behavior. She witnesses the relationship that forms between Elisabeth and the king’s illegitimate halfbrother, Don Juan. Each woman finds herself torn between two worlds and loving someone that she cannot have. What makes this tale so captivating is Cullen’s way of bringing her characters to life. She starts out each chapter with quotations and advice on painting, love, and herbal remedies that Sofi has recorded in her sketchbooks, giving the novel a personal feel. Full of passion and desire for love and for her art, Sofi is a character who will be remembered. The portrayal of the court during the Golden Age of Spain is compelling as the controversies and power struggles between European countries are revealed through the eyes of the Spanish. Cullen has crafted a remarkable story about a talented, real woman that history almost forgot. Troy Reed BETWEEN TWO QUEENS Kate Emerson, Pocket, 2010, $16.00/C$21.00, pb, 353pp, 9781416583271 When you are lady in waiting to three of Henry VIII’s queens, there is a very fine line you must walk in drawing his attention and keeping your head. In Kate Emerson’s Tudor novel Between Two Queens, young Anne Bassett arrives at court filled with ambition and hopeful of making the ultimate match, even if she must put aside her heart’s desire to do so. Set against the turbulent years between Jane Seymour and Catherine Howard, this fictional account of Anne Bassett’s experiences gives us an interesting glimpse of the duplicity and intrigues of the Tudor court. Anne, determined to make a solid marriage, finds her emotions torn when she 15th Century — 16th Century

catches the eye of Henry VIII; should she risk her reputation for a chance at capturing a king, or should she follow her heart to remain with the young man she loves? Between Two Queens is filled with intrigue, mystery, and romance, and feels similar in tone to a Philippa Gregory novel. The author inserts Anne into the action well; at times, however, the character comes across as flighty and unfocused. Though Anne Bassett was a real woman with a fairly well-documented record, Emerson does give her life a somewhat sensationalist spin, including a clandestine affair and the ability to break her former lover out of the Tower. But overall this is a quick, fun read that was perfect for a rainy weekend, and it provides Tudor fans with yet another viewpoint of the fascinating lives of those closest to Henry VIII. Tamela McCann NO WILL BUT HIS Sarah A. Hoyt, Berkley, 2010, $14, pb, 344pp, 9780425232514 Of all Henry VIII’s wives, perhaps none is so equally dismissed and pitied as Katherine Howard, the child bride executed for her indiscretion. In her new novel, Sarah Hoyt revisits the notion that, rather than a vacuous nymphet or lovesick teenager, Katherine was an uneducated but world-wise girl who did what she had to in order to survive. Fate plays a large role in the novel—it plucks Katherine from her siblings and deposits her in the Duchess of Norfolk’s dormitory of damsels gone wild; it teaches her harsh lessons about the difference between love and lust; and it raises her from obscurity to the bedroom of the king, who in his own way is as love-starved and unlucky as Katherine. Finally, the first man fate brought into her life is destined to enter it again, this time with disastrous results. Before her marriage Katherine is a passive character, naïve, gullible, and often clueless; but when Henry proposes to her she becomes a woman of the world, jaded, cynical, determined to outsmart fate and control her own destiny. The transformation is a bit jarring, but her fondness for Henry is convincing and quite sweet. The historical detail is well done throughout, and the timeline feels thoroughly researched but for a few mythic elements added for romantic effect. Hoyt’s Katherine is neither tramp nor ingénue but a former country bumpkin doing what she must to get by in a man’s world. Whether that argument succeeds is up to the reader, but No Will But His stands as a romantic tragedy of an ill-fated girl who rose to the greatest height and fell just as dramatically. Heather Domin THE HERETIC’S WIFE Brenda Rickman Vantrease, St. Martin’s, 2010, $25.99, hb, 416pp, 9780312386993 Kate Gough and her brother maintain a London bookshop during the reign of Henry VIII. Their “inventory” contains contraband Lutheran bibles 16th Century

and religious tracts in the vernacular. When John Gough is imprisoned for his part as a distributor of these volumes, he recants his reformist principles. Kate is not so quick to recant and embarks for Europe, dressed as her brother. John Frith, brilliant Oxford scholar, has been imprisoned without trial for his role in translating Latin religious books into English. He escapes Sir Thomas More’s wide-ranging power, and flees to exile in Antwerp. En route, he meets the person he believes to be John Gough. One thing leads to another; Kate is revealed as a woman, and she and Frith marry. But Frith always seems to love his work and God more than he loves his wife. But there is hope – Anne Boleyn, for whose love Henry casts aside the papacy, is sympathetic

to the reform movement. Will the time be right for John Frith and William Tyndale, with whom he is translating a Bible and other Lutheran documents, to avoid More’s long-arm and survive the stake? This is a vibrant, edgy account of Tudor England with the focus not on Henry and Anne, but on the common people being tortured and killed for their beliefs by such as the “saintly” Thomas More, whom one easily comes to hate. Every character is sculpted with care. Kate herself is the product of a virtual postscript Vantrease uncovered in researching John Frith – all that is known is that Frith married. Vantrease’s talent is in creating such full-blown characters as Kate, and moving the story along so that a reader is intimately involved in and truly cares about the outcome. I was only unhappy

E D I TORS’ CH OICE

THE CONFESSIONS OF CATHERINE DE MEDICI C. W. Gortner, Ballantine, 2010, $25.00, hb, 416pp, 9780345501868 / To be pub by Hodder & Stoughton in 2011 Catherine de Medici came to the French court as a reluctant princess: young and naive, and yet somehow she knew her destiny was to guide France to glory. She was the last legitimate descendant of Lorenzo de Medici; she carried her pride well. It is written that she had second sight, and with this gift and her consultations with Nostradamus, Catherine was guided to act. After her husband’s death, her mediocrity faded and she gained increasing power. She emerged as an astute, formidable, and shrewdly confident regent who maintained a tenacious hold on governing France during her time. Religious tolerance was her mantra, and the survival of France was paramount. To know Catherine, the reader must understand her culture, social life, and children. Romance eluded her, with the exception of her often-overlooked friendship with Coligny, the Protestant leader whom she would later hunt down. The chasm between the followers of Calvin, the Huguenot heretics, and the Catholics who were the dominant power is historically important to her life’s story. Gortner interweaves this pivotal, complex issue into his novel, bringing with it clear understanding. Gortner’s story provides a compelling and fascinating view of Catherine’s life and world, her world being France. The reader will empathize with Catherine, ache for her, and sometimes recoil in disgust when her actions become too extreme. The details and the chronology of historical events told as Catherine’s confessions in first-person narrative are personal and emotionally realistic. When Hercule, her crippled son, is drawing his last breath, the scene is woefully tragic, so beautifully penned that the passage will beseech tears. You will devour this read desperate to satiate your curiosity. The writing is as illuminating and powerful as the character of infamous legend known as Catherine de Medici. Highly recommended without a doubt! Wisteria Leigh HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 27

with the too neat and a bit unrealistic ending. Ilysa Magnus

17th century

ONE CANDLE’S LIGHT Fay Alexander, OakTara, 2009, $15.95, pb, 344pp, 9781602902213 At twelve years old, William Brewster meets a party of courtiers traveling through Scrooby and is instantly drawn to William Davison, who encourages the lad to aspire to study at Cambridge. Once at the university, Brewster falls in with a group of friends who will change his life—and whose ideas will lead him to a new land. Every American schoolchild knows the story of the Mayflower and the Plimoth Colony, but only through the most famous episodes, and the

individual stories of the pilgrims often get lost among the historical set pieces such as the first Thanksgiving. One Candle’s Light gives us one such individual story, reminding us of the sacrifices and moral dilemmas faced by the pilgrims and not shying away from the uncomfortable topic of their relations with the Native Americans. As an earnest story about earnest people, this novel won’t be to the taste of those who prefer their fiction light or their characters glamorous, but those interested in reading about a period that’s been relatively neglected in fiction should appreciate this book. Susan Higginbotham A MURDER ON LONDON BRIDGE Susanna Gregory, Sphere/Trafalgar Square, 2009, £19.99/$24.95, hb, 455pp, 9781847442529 It’s 1664 in this latest Thomas Chaloner adventure set in Restoration London, and Lord

E D I TORS’ C H OI C E HERESY S.J. Parris, Doubleday, 2010, $25.95, hb, 435pp, 9780385531283 / HarperCollins, 2010, £12.99, hb, 464pp, 9780007317660 The name Giordano Bruno is carved deep into the gravestone of Inquisition heretics. He was burned at the stake in Rome in 1600 for supporting Copernicus’s heliocentric theory and for proposing that the universe is infinite. Stephanie Merritt, writing as S.J. Parris, creates a new persona for this medieval scholar – he is to be an agent in the pay of Elizabeth’s own spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham. The story begins in 1583 as Bruno arrives at Oxford University, a visit he actually made. The visit’s overt purpose is to debate philosophy with local dons, the covert purpose to gather intelligence about subversive Catholic activity. The first gambit ends in monumental failure in a scene that Parris portrays brilliantly. The second is the meat of the story. And it is as colorful, multi-layered, and criminally creative a story as any mystery lover could wish for. Three murders happen in quick succession, but they are not just murders; they are grizzly symbols left by a too-clever killer. The college’s rector appeals to Bruno for help. His hunt leads him into the heart of the clandestine Catholic community. In the end, and it looks very much like the end of him as well, Bruno unmasks the killer and emerges an ambivalent hero. Heresy has all the elements of a great medieval mystery. The historical setting is rich in detail but does not overpower the story. There are gothic elements aplenty: cowl-hidden figures at candlelit midnight meetings, tower rooms, priest holes. Plus, the climax is harrowing and full of surprises. Best of all, though, are Heresy’s characters. Not a one is flat or uninteresting. From Cobbett the gatekeeper to the complex Bruno himself, Parris pours extraordinary care and human insight into her creations. Heresy is the first in a series. I cannot wait for the next installment! Lucille Cormier 28 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

Chancellor Clarendon, fearing rebellion, sends his spy Chaloner to investigate a murder on London Bridge. Chaloner suspects the murder is linked to a rebel band whose aim is to reinstate Puritanism but when his sleuthing leads him to Somerset House, home of Charles I’s widow Henrietta Maria, he discovers that the Dowager Queen is backing a faction wanting to restore the old Catholic faith. As rumours swirl about the coffee houses and omens, both ghostly and ghastly, are reported, Chaloner realises that revolution is already afoot and that he has only a matter of days to thwart an explosive plot whose mysterious centre lies amongst the ramshackle medieval buildings that crowd the city’s only river crossing. This is an entertaining historical mystery that’s good on pace and period detail, but I felt the author’s historical note, which carefully separates the real characters from the fictional, should also have made it clear whether or not the politicoreligious plotting at the heart of the story actually happened or even whether it was plausible. A brief internet search and a distinct whiff of overthe-topness suggest it didn’t and wasn’t. But who knows? It’s a mystery that left this reader feeling rather cheated. Sarah Cuthbertson THE SWEET SMELL OF DECAY Paul Lawrence, Beautiful Books, 2009, £8.99, pb, 439pp, 9781905636426 London 1664. Charles II is the new king, and the city is coming to terms with new religious and political realities. Harry Lytle is enjoying his quiet, drink-befuddled life when his cousin is found horribly murdered on the pulpit of St Bride’s church and he is tasked with the job of unmasking the killer. With the assistance of the hulking David Dowling, a Scottish butcher with mysterious connections, Lytle follows a rancid trail of corruption and deceit that leads him from the city slums to the Tower of London in his hunt for the twisted murderer. Paul Lawrence puts his research to excellent use, conjuring up an atmosphere of decay and decadence, and portraying characters that quite literally ooze from their varied ailments. While the novel is long on atmosphere, it is sometimes short on characterisation; for example, the minor characters often blend into one another. The plot also becomes quite convoluted, with too many pungent dead-ends piling up. As a first instalment however, there is certainly promise that the Harry Lytle chronicles will develop into an exciting and atmospheric series. Gordon O’Sullivan FOX, CROMWELL’S SPY Nick McCarty, Quaestor2000, 2009, £9.99, pb, 216pp, 9781906836252 I was glad when I reached the end of this book, especially as I am a Royalist sympathiser. The setting is in rural Shropshire, and even in the time of the Civil War I find it hard to believe that such cruelty and torture could match the horrific tales 17th Century

of today’s world. John Fox, who spied for Cromwell, carried out the bloody work for his commander Black Tom Fairfax and Parliament’s spymaster John Thurloe. Fox was challenged and sickened when he arrived home to discover that his wife had been tortured and burned at the stake after she was made to confess that she was a witch. Fox travelled the country in search of Hopkins, the Witch Finder, and his band of murderers. In the early days of the Civil War, Witch Finders roamed the country murdering and slaughtering families and listening to malicious information spread amongst communities. When illness, death and bad luck visited small country villages, a witch was sought out and blamed. In this story the evil did not go unpunished. This is a story of superstition, of intrigue and of murder, and even the gentle and humble people who wished to live in peace could never live free of fear when such evil men travelled the English countryside. Jane Hill A GAME OF SORROWS Shona Maclean, Quercus, 2010, £12.99, pb, 400pp, 9781849161664 Following on from the excellent The Redemption of Alexander Seaton comes the next novel following the adventures of the teacher-hero of the first book. The year is now 1628, and Alexander’s life is completely changed when a family member he never knew he had turns up out of the blue and whisks him off to Ireland. Once there, he becomes unwillingly embroiled in deep family secrets and troubles. Rebellion, poetic curses, hidden love, and violent passions all serve to make the story very exciting and enjoyable. The reader is often as confused and perplexed as Alexander is as he struggles to make sense of his new relations and the state of matters between Ireland and England, but the journey is riveting enough to mean that we follow along willingly. A family tree might have clarified matters, but might also have given away some of the plot twists, of which there are several, by the way. It isn’t absolutely necessary to have read the first book, but it would be a good idea, and anyway why only read one good book when you could read two? Both novels give a wonderful flavour of the time and are very much recommended. I’m looking forward to a third in the series. Ann Northfield THE SECRET OF THE GLASS Donna Russo Morin, Kensington, 2010, $15/ C$17.95, pb, 408pp, 9780758226921 In the early 17th century, the art of glassblowing is highly respected by the Venetian government, and some of its practitioners are extremely wealthy and allowed to marry into the nobility. But these privileges come at a high price: the glassblowers live in virtual imprisonment on the island of Murano, since the government fears the loss of income that would result from the glassblowers’ sharing their secrets with foreigners. And no women are 17th Century

allowed to practice the art. But Sophia Fiolario, the daughter of one of Murano’s most talented glassmakers, learns the art from her father in secret, and wants nothing more than to continue perfecting it. Her father, though, is dying, and can no longer make the glass. When Sophia is sought in marriage by an arrogant nobleman, she finds herself drawn into political intrigue at the Doge’s court, and becomes involved with Galileo’s discoveries, making the lenses for Galileo’s new invention, the telescope, while allowing everyone to believe it was her father who made them. At a party at the Doge’s Palace, which she is forced to attend in her fiancé’s company, she meets Teodoro, the impoverished younger son of a nobleman. He is not allowed to marry; she is engaged to another, but together they find true love. But will he find a way for her to escape from her situation while allowing her to keep the secret of the glass? Donna Russo Morin brings the world of the Murano glassblowers to life in outstanding detail, with wonderful descriptions of the glassmaking process, and she draws the reader into the life of 17th century Venice. Sophia is a strong, intelligent heroine whom the reader will care about.

Vicki Kondelik BAROQUE Richard Vetere, Bordighera Press, 2009, $18.00, pb, 297pp, 9781599540085 Inspired by real events and people in early 17thcentury Rome, this novel follows the exploits of young painter Mario Minitti, temptress Fillide Meladrone, Archbishop Pietro Aldrobondini, Ranuccio Tomassoni, and Nunzio Pulzone. All are drawn into the tale by the fact of their having been painted by the famous Caravaggio. This is an intriguing premise for a book, and glimpses into the lives of these fascinating individuals provide ample entertainment. Vetere’s strength as a novelist and dramatist (he’s also an accomplished playwright and screenplay author) shows in his sensitive and vivid portrayal of artists of this era and their art. In his best scenes, we feel we are breathing the pigment-laced air while standing at the painter’s side. But, although I found much to like about the characters and in their dialogue, I sometimes had difficulty focusing on the plot because of distractions. Specifically, the story seemed to be constructed with an aim of including as many sexually detailed scenes as possible, few of which

E D I TORS’ CH OICE THE BONES OF AVALON Phil Rickman, Corvus, 2010, £16.99, hb, 440pp, 9781848872714 England 1560, and the young Queen Elizabeth is still settling into her new throne. Whilst trying to usher in a new time of postMarian religious tolerance, she is also subject to Catholic whispers about her legitimacy to reign. It is therefore decided that the ancient links with King Arthur need to be reaffirmed. To achieve this, Elizabeth’s trusted conjuror and astrologer Dr John Dee and her advisor/ lover Robert Dudley are despatched to Glastonbury to find these relics and bring them to London. Whilst in this town that lives uneasily alongside the ruined abbey and the adjacent mysterious Tor, Dee and Dudley uncover a vicious hornet’s nest of murder, conspiracy, treachery, witchcraft, a great secret about the landscape and the Zodiac and even the surprising presence of the French magus Nostradamus. Even in the 16th century, Rickman portrays Glastonbury as a magnet for all sorts of New Age oddities! This is a supremely well-plotted and intriguing novel. The large cast characters resonate with personality and life and the author gauges the dialogue just about right – neither gratingly contemporary, or ploddingly and faux-arcane “Elizabethan”. The mystery that Dee uncovers is absorbing in its complexity and narrative. Phil Rickman is more renowned for his Merrily Watkins series of paranormal stories in the M.R. James tradition. This has scope to be the first in another highlyregarded series and is ragingly well-written and entertaining historical fiction. Doug Kemp HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 29

DAUGHTERS OF WITCHING HILL E D I TORS’ C H OI C E

Mary Sharratt, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010, $24/C$29.95, hb, 352pp, 9780547069678 Inspired by the 1612 Pendle witch trials in Lancashire, England, Sharratt tells a dramatic story of love and treachery. Told from the viewpoint of Bess Southerns, destitute widow and cunning woman, we gain a sense of what it was like to be instructed in, accused of, and ultimately hung for witchcraft. The novel stretches over the span of time when Bess gains her ‘powers’ at the age of fifty, through the birth and growth of her granddaughter, Alizon. Bess becomes known throughout her clan for her healing abilities. She gains assistance from her spirit-friend, Tibb, and soon combines Catholic rituals and medicinal herbs to provide locals with all sorts of remedies and ‘magical’ solutions to everyday issues. Alizon quickly learns the craft from her grandmother and helps Bess with her ministrations. Years pass. And in 1612, everything changes when a peddler suffers a stroke after exchanging harsh words with Alizon. A local magistrate tricks Alizon into accusing her family and neighbors of witchcraft. Friends and loved ones turn on one another as suspicion and paranoia reach frenzied heights, and the novel draws to its inevitable ending. Sharratt successfully combines excellent historical detail, drama, and emotional accounts that blend beautifully into a vibrant story. Perfectly plotted, impressive and full of tension, this is most assuredly a bewitching tale. Highly recommended. Rebecca Roberts improved the narrative. Repetitions of phrases and information, and periodic awkwardness in the wording, were problems as well. Readers who don’t care for highly spiced bordello scenes may want to skim, or pass on this one. Kathryn Kimball Johnson

18th century

SAVAGE LANDS Clare Clark, Harvill Secker, 2010, £12.99, pb, 376pp, 8781846553516 / Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010, $25/C$33.95, hb, 416pp, 9780151014736 Louisiana in the early years of the 18th century; this is a novel about the French settlers who attempted to carve out their own land from this huge, hostile territory. Elisabeth Savaret, a bookish orphan, is one of a boatload of unmarried women shipped to the colonial lands to seek a husband in the male-dominated colony. There she is selected by the Canadian ensign Jean-Claude Babelon, and much to Elisabeth’s surprise she falls completely in love with him. A boy not yet in his teens, Auguste Guichard, is makes the journey across the Atlantic. His intelligence and skill in languages are used by 30 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

the colony’s governor to develop relations with the native tribes. He becomes very friendly with Babelon and his wife, and this is where the trouble starts. The bare outline of the plot does not, however, do any sort of justice to the appeal of this novel. Clare Clark’s lush descriptions of the hostile, overbearingly hot climate, and the struggles of the city-dwelling colonist to settle and scrape a life that is not wholly desperate in the nascent developments of Mobile and New Orleans, are both beautiful and intelligent, and precisely observed. At a time when Western economies are examining their propensity to chase profit and growth at whatever cost to society and the environment, the author examines here the impact that the demand for commercial exploitation has on the native Americans and on relations between men and women. My only concern is division of the novel into two parts – the second part seems to start as the first did, and it takes the reader some time to get back into the plot again. This is Clare Clark’s third novel, all of which have been historical. I have read the other two and I consider this her best. Doug Kemp THE

ADMIRAL’S

GAME

David Donachie, Allison and Busby, 2010, £7.99, pb, 372pp, 9780749007805 This is the fifth in the series of novels about John Pearce, a naval officer by default rather than proper entitlement. As in previous books, Pearce’s Achilles heel is his attachment to the Pelicans (a tavern in London), themselves wrongly press-ganged, and his determination to bring his arch-enemy Captain Ralph Barclay to justice. Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution in 1794, Pearce’s main mission takes him to Naples, an Italian state ruled by Spanish Bourbons with a Hapsburg queen, to seek assistance for and commitment to the cause in Toulon. Underscoring every naval engagement are the feuding senior naval officers striving for political sponsorship and battle honours; being without either is professional suicide. Each naval battle is explosive and gripping, the intrinsic historical and personality detail absorbing and intense. A fantastic must-read by a prolific master author. Vivien Cringle EVANGELINE Ben Farmer, Overlook, 2010, $25.95/C$32.50, hb, 448pp, 9781590200438 Based on the poem of the same name by Longfellow, Evangeline tells the story of the Great Upheaval, the forcible removal of the French Catholic Acadians from their lands in presentday Nova Scotia by the British. Britain was at war with France in 1755, and the Acadians were seen as a potential threat. Moreover, they held land coveted by British colonials. The Acadians were imprisoned and dispersed throughout the British colonies, where harsh conditions took a huge toll on the population. Eventually many of the survivors settled in New Orleans. Life is breathed into this tragic historical event by showing how it affected the lives of individuals, most particularly Evangeline and Gabriel, young lovers separated on the night before their wedding. Their desire to reunite keeps them alive and gives them a reason to struggle on despite the hardship and indignity they must face throughout the next ten years. Readers follow their arduous and circuitous route to New Orleans. The book is beautifully written and does a good job of bringing the characters to life. They are not always likeable, but they are understandable. The pacing is somewhat uneven, with some parts that are breathtaking and others that seem to be passing time until there is reason to move forward again. But even in the quieter moments, it is interesting to see how the Acadians manage to help one another survive. Evangeline is symbolic of the strength of love and of a people’s capacity for endurance. Sue Asher THE LIEUTENANT Kate Grenville, Canongate, 2010, £7.99, pb, 307pp, 9781841959955 / Atlantic Monthly, 2009, $24.00, hb, 320pp, 9780802119162 Kate Grenville is a bestselling Australian author who has already written about her country’s 18th Century

convict past. In The Lieutenant she goes back to the First Fleet, in 1788, and the story of a Lieutenant of Marines who compiled the first dictionary and grammar of any of the aboriginal languages. In Grenville’s version of the story the lieutenant is David Rooke, a brilliant but semi-autistic loner who has difficulties with human relationships. He goes to New South Wales as an astronomer, which suits his reclusive nature, and learns to make deeper human contacts through the aboriginal girl who helps him compile his dictionary. Eventually he is sent back to England for refusing to take part in a punitive expedition against the local tribe. In essence the book is a character study of a man who is awkward with his peers and finds it easier to relate to people in another culture, outside the hierarchies of his own society. It is an interesting addition to the literature on ‘first contacts’. The story is sensitively told, but the plot is very slight. It is difficult to write an eventful story about a man who compiled a dictionary and of whom little else is known. I agree with the journalistic comment on the back cover, that this is a ‘beautifully uplifting piece of fiction’, but not that it is a ‘riveting read.’ Edward James THE KITCHEN HOUSE Kathleen Grissom, Touchstone, 2010, $16.00/ C$19.99, pb, 384pp, 9781439153666 In 1791, Lavinia, a seven-year-old Irish orphan, becomes an indentured servant on a Virginia tobacco plantation. Although she is white, she is raised by a slave family with whom she develops close emotional ties. One of its members is Belle, who also lives on the margins of two different worlds because she is the greatly loved, illegitimate daughter of the master of the plantation. The reader is drawn into the interconnected lives of two families, one white and free, the other black and enslaved. Most of the novel is told in Lavinia’s first-person voice, with shorter chapters narrated by Belle. As readers, we watch these two young women come of age. Lavinia marries the young heir to the plantation. How can she reconcile her new position with her past loyalties? Belle’s love for a fellow slave conflicts with her father’s vision of a free life for her far away in Philadelphia. Many of the characters in this novel come vividly alive. The reader can truly care about them. But Belle is a stronger, more fully fleshed out and consistently motivated character than Lavinia. I wanted more of her voice and less of Lavinia’s. Some of the plot twists depend on characters making false assumptions that seem unlikely. Why does Lavinia jump to the conclusion that the man she truly loves is involved with Belle? Why does Belle’s half-brother believe she is his father’s mistress when everyone else seems to know she is his daughter? Though this novel veers toward melodrama, most of the time I was willing to suspend disbelief and be caught up in the story. Phyllis T. Smith HERE BURNS MY CANDLE 18th Century

Liz Curtis Higgs, WaterBrook, 2010, $14.99/ C$18.99, pb, 480pp, 9781400070015 In 1745 in Edinburgh, the widowed Lady Marjory Kerr and her family await the arrival of the Jacobites, led by Bonnie Prince Charlie. Sharing her house with her two sons and their wives, Marjory is in no hurry to see her sons join the action. Meanwhile, Marjory’s oldest son, Donald, and his wife, Elizabeth, each harbor secrets from each other and from Marjory. All will come out as the characters’ comfortable world unravels. Based on the story of Naomi and Ruth but vividly evoking its 18th-century Scottish setting, Here Burns My Candle is a memorable tale of divided loyalties and endurance in the face of tragedy, with flawed, convincing characters and abundant historical detail. An aspect of the novel I particularly appreciated is Higgs’s talent at employing dialect, which in the hands of the wrong author can be distracting and irritating. Her skill is especially apparent in a scene where tragic news is broken by a character speaking in dialect; we never lose sight of the emotion behind his words. I look forward to the sequel to this novel. Susan Higginbotham THE TIME OF TERROR Seth Hunter, McBooks, 2010, $24.95, hb, 352pp, 97815090134856 / Headline Review, 2009, £7.99, pb, 448pp, 9780755347148 This novel opens in 1793 with Nathaniel Peake, master and commander of the British brig sloop Nereus, patrolling the sea for smugglers off the coast of France and dreaming of the breasts of the woman he hopes to meet some day. Before long he becomes a secret agent in Paris during the most turbulent period of the French Revolution. Peake accepts a mission so secret that he himself rarely knows which capital offense under Revolutionary law he might be committing. He impersonates an American blockade runner and does business with the shady agent Gilbert Imlay and his lover, the proto-feminist Mary Wollstonecraft. The three work together to save Thomas Paine from the guillotine. Some of the best-written sequences portray the street violence directed against perceived enemies of the Revolution. Needless to say, the hero falls in love with an endangered beauty. Back at sea, Peake plays a heroic role in a vividly realized battle where the strategy shifts with the wind. Hunter’s hero is the son of the admiral who grew up loving the ocean, and seeing events through Peake’s eyes helps the reader understand what is happening when the cannonballs are flying. In the London salon of Peake’s American mother we get interesting glimpses of French and British political philosophy in the aftermath of the American Revolution, an important event for Europe as well as the United States. This is the first in what is to be a series of maritime novels by Seth Hunter, the pseudonym of Paul Bryers. The series is off to a promising start with exciting scenes on sea and land, not to mention some adventures in the cellars and sewers

of Paris. James Hawking THE PIRATE DEVLIN Mark Keating, Hodder & Stoughton, 2010, £12.99, hb, 340pp, 9780340992661 / Grand Central, July 2010, $24.99, hb, 352pp, 9780446563901 After the success of Pirates of the Caribbean and its sequels, walking the plank, pieces of eight and buried treasure are once again back in fashion. Arr, Jim lad. Mr Keating clearly is interested in history, and he has obviously done a lot of research here. Some of the historical gems he puts into this novel run very counter to the accepted clichés of the pirate genre and are genuinely enlightening. However, although this action-adventure, derring-do yarn attempts to follow in the tradition of Hornblower, Ramage and Sharpe, I’m afraid it isn’t anywhere near as good. The plot develops far too quickly and the storyline jumps around too much. Some very promising characters die before we can get to know them. Others that are less well drawn survive to make decisions that seem to serve the needs of the story, rather than in accordance with their personalities. It’s not a bad novel by any means, but it’s a long way from being a classic. Quite simply, The Pirate Devlin has almost certainly found a publisher because it feeds on our sudden reobsession with crime on the high seas. Martin Bourne THE HIGHEST STAKES Emery Lee, Sourcebooks, 2010, $15.99/$18.99, pb, 560pp, 9781402236426 Emery Lee vividly portrays the world of 18thcentury British and American horseracing in her debut novel. Robert Devington has spent much of his youth working in the racing stables of a country baronet whose orphaned niece, Charlotte, soon becomes the object of Robert’s affection. Determined to be worthy of the young lady, Robert quits the stables to join the King’s Horse Guards. Action on the continent swiftly raises him to the position of captain, but even this promotion does not sway the heartless, striving baronet, who is determined to marry both Charlotte and his own children into the nobility. With the help of Robert’s commanding officer, who happens to be the wastrel second son of an earl, Robert tries to win Charlotte through a horse race. But the good captain is thwarted at every turn, betrayed by those he trusted, and eventually transported to the colonies. There, Robert sets his mind on one thing only—revenge. Emery Lee knows horses. This novel is full of detail about pedigrees, how to care for them, ride them, train them, stud them, foal them, and sling them onto ships. In addition, the author describes the multiple horse races with verve and passion. Unfortunately, the thinly-drawn characters— the striving heartless father, the spoiled wanton daughter, the petulant aristocratic homosexual— seem to come straight from central casting. It’s a HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 31

disappointment in what is otherwise an impressive debut. Lisa Ann Verge MISTER SLAUGHTER Robert McCammon, Subterranean Press, 2010, $24.95, hb, 440pp, 9781596062764 It is 1702, and 23-year-old Matthew Corbett and his colleague, Hudson Greathouse, professional problem solvers, are hired to escort mass murderer Tyranthus Slaughter from an asylum in Philadelphia to Manhattan, where he will be deported to England and tried for his crimes. But, while en route, things go horribly wrong and it is up to Matthew to set them right, even if it means risking his life to do so. This, the third in McCammon’s Matthew Corbett series, is by far the most action-packed.

Matthew is less cerebral and has to frequently rely on his gut instincts and his fighting skills to survive. Matthew is also more mature, finally accepting that he must rely on others to help solve cases, especially this case. In Matthew, McCammon has created a hero who is clever, but young and sometimes impeded by his pride and his desire to prove himself. While I always enjoy Robert McCammon’s masterful writing full of living metaphors and interesting historical tidbits, I found Mister Slaughter too violent and gory for my taste. However, those who enjoy, in McCammon’s own words, “the mystery and puzzles of Sherlock Holmes, the action of James Bond, the weird villains of Dick Tracy, and the atmosphere of the Hammer costume-piece horror films of the 1950s” will love the Matthew Corbett series, especially

E D I TORS’ C H OI C E

THE THOUSAND AUTUMNS OF JACOB DE ZOET David Mitchell, Sceptre, 2010, £18.99, hb, 469pp, 9780340921562 / Random House, July 2010, $25.00, hb, 469pp, 9781400065455 David Mitchell has written an historical novel which equals if not surpasses the originality of his previous prize-listed works including Cloud Atlas and Black Swan Green. Japan is the ‘land of a thousand autumns’. In 1799, Dutch East Indies Company (VOC) clerk Jacob de Zoet arrives on Dejima in Nagasaki Harbour to uncover the previous chief ’s malpractice. For over a century, the VOC has been the only point of contact between Japan and Europe. Foreign traders are forbidden to leave the VOC trading fortress, and the Japanese cannot leave their native land. Yet the learning of the Enlightenment seeps into Japan, and mysterious tales slip out via interpreters. De Zoet’s investigation makes him unpopular with his colleagues, but he is befriended by Interpreter Ogawa and becomes drawn to one of the few women on the island, Orito, a midwife. Three themes are interlinked by an intriguing narrative that ultimately resolves them. Orito is taken by Abbot Enomoto to a monastery in the mountains to join the sisters, whose purpose is shrouded with a terrible secret. The study of power and corruption on the island and on the mainland culminates when the English appear in the harbour and loyalties are stretched to the limit. De Zoet’s personal journey is the final narrative theme. His courage and intelligence are tested both by his love for Orito and by threats to the Company. Whilst many of the novel’s characters possess humanity, others are calculating. This is a poetic study of two claustrophobic, very different worlds, teeming with life and vividly depicted. The details are fascinating and the prose beautiful: ‘Cicadas hiss in the pines. They sound like fat frying in a shallow pan.’ The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet is so rich a novel that a short review cannot do it justice. It is simply magnificent. Carol McGrath 32 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

Mister Slaughter.

Patricia O’Sullivan

ISLAND OF THE SWANS Ciji Ware, Sourcebooks, 2010, $15.99/C$18.99, pb, 581pp, 9781402222689 Over twenty years since its initial release, Sourcebooks has repackaged Island of the Swans as less of a romance and more as the historical novel it is. Little is known of Jane Maxwell, who was born in Edinburgh in 1749 and died in 1812; this reviewer did some research herself and discovered that nearly everything known about Jane has been incorporated into Ware’s book. For everything else, Ware has relied on her impeccable research to bring her characters to life and set the scene. Jane grows up as a tomboy; she would much rather play outside (and get into trouble) with her friends than work on her sampler. Her mother knows the only way a woman can be successful is to marry well, but that is the furthest thing from young Jane’s mind as she continues her antics – one leading to a near tragedy that makes her even less of a suitable bride. Her childhood friend, Thomas, eventually courts Jane, but being an orphan, he is not the catch Jane’s mother would have her marry. Despite their class differences, Jane knows he is her true love. When word arrives of his untimely death, there is little left for her but to marry Alexander, Duke of Gordon, for convenience’s sake. Thus begins a love triangle that threatens her happiness. Jane becomes a great hostess and grooms her daughters into marriageable material. She also meets the young poet, Robert Burns, and becomes his patron. Ware has written an absolutely fascinating tale of a woman who was willing to do anything for love. Although it ends in 1797 rather than taking the reader through to the end of Jane’s life, Ware gives readers a satisfying historical novel that is hard to put down once started. This story can’t be recommended enough. Maudeen Wachsmith MIDNIGHT FIRES Nancy Means Wright, Perseverance Press, 2010, $14.95, pb, 248pp, 9781564744883 After a major disappointment in love, aspiring author Mary Wollstonecraft must support herself and takes a position as governess to a wealthy family in Ireland in 1786. With one of her feisty young charges, Mary attends a pagan bonfire and witnesses the stabbing of a nobleman from the house where she’s employed. A poor crofter, Liam, who hated the nobleman for seducing his niece, is the prime suspect. Liam is also a member of the group known as the Defenders, who resent and fight against England’s suppression of Ireland. Mary is instantly smitten when she meets Liam— and, always a champion of the oppressed—sets out to uncover the murderer to save the young man’s life. Mary Wollstonecraft is an engaging character, and her tenure as governess to this family is true. Her first book on educating young women was 18th Century

published while she worked in Ireland, and she vowed to never toil as a governess again. The story sometimes borders on farce, and Mary seems to have an overabundance of free time to wander the countryside. But this early glimpse into the life of the author who was an advocate for women’s rights, a touchstone for many in the ongoing struggle for equality, is a worthy read. Diane Scott Lewis

19th century

DESIRES OF A PERFECT LADY Victoria Alexander, Avon, 2010, $ 7.99, pb, 377pp, 9780061449482 When her husband’s unexpected murder frees Lady Olivia Rathbourne from a wretched union, she is eager to begin a new life. Forced into the marriage by a callous and selfish father, she finds herself without sufficient funds until her husband’s estate is settled. But the late Viscount Rathbourne continues to control his wife, even from the grave. Only after fulfilling a bizarre set of requirements can she inherit what is rightfully her due. Years earlier, Olivia loved and hoped to marry the Earl of Wyldwood but broke off the relationship to marry Rathbourne. Sterling Harrington was a proud man and accepted her decision much too readily. Now, having no friends due to her husband’s controlling nature, Olivia accepts Harrington’s help. Since she no longer has any feelings for him, she insists their relationship will remain platonic. As they travel together searching for the required artifacts, their love rekindles until Olivia discovers a bitter truth. As romance novels go, this one has it share of witty dialog and engaging characters but the plot is contrived and the ending predictable. Veronika Pelka THE WIDOW’S HUSBAND Tamim Ansary, Numina Press, 2009, $16.95, pb, 347pp, 9780975361504 The Great Game of European powers jostling for control of Afghanistan took a terrible toll in early 1842 with the withdrawal of 16,000 British, including many women and children, from Kabul through snow-clogged passes. We are used to hearing the tale from the British point of view, the barbarous natives that set upon them, still untamed to this day, and the survival of a single British soldier. This important novel is hardly recognizable as the same story: it is seen from the point of view of Ibrahim, recently named malik of a tiny village of Char Bagh, concerned more with the neighboring village stealing his people’s water and for his feelings for his brother’s widow than with any Great Game. Then a holy man settles in on the hillside above the village, drawing a steady stream of visitors and finally a handful of strangers, Engrayzee, with their tempting coins and their disregard of traditional ways. The strangers are convinced the holy man is leading a rebellion, for the constant disruptions of their imperial and 19th Century

rational sway must have an evil mastermind. Oh, the injustices of modern publishing! This book, from a tiny press—which could have used a better editor at the very least to nip the jarring colloquialisms of some of the dialogue in the bud—deserves a much wider audience than I fear it will get. The wise and powerful widow Khadija and Ibrahim make choices few western novels will allow their characters, no matter how accurate the authors try to be. Here, the choices seem perfectly rational, even noble. The world and culture are beautifully drawn, and the few sorties into British minds could have been done without, or at least given more separation than just another chapter heading. They really are an insufferable lot, these western powers, and seem to have learned nothing in a hundred and fifty years. Ann Chamberlin A SECRET AFFAIR Mary Balogh, Delacorte, 2010, $28.00/C$28.00, hb, 352pp, 9780385343305 After ten years of marriage to the ancient Duke of Dunbarton, and one year of mourning his death, his thirty-year-old Duchess is eager to rejoin society at the start of London’s Spring Season. She is even more eager to take a lover. Her idea is to take a temporary lover and then discard him at the end of the Season. She chooses Constantine Huxtable because his reputation as a love-themleave-them rake will ensure a swift and clean break at the end of the season, which is what she thinks she wants. The Duchess’s reputation is too racy for Con’s taste. They engage in some cat and mouse games before they succumb to their mutual desires, and learn some surprising facts about each other. Ms Balogh employs an amusing, tonguein-cheek style for A Secret Affair, the fifth and last book in the Huxtable Series. This Regency romance would be a delightful end to this series if it didn’t leave the reader wanting more. Audrey Braver CALICO PALACE Gwen Bristow, Chicago Review Press, 2009 (c1970), $16.95/C$18.95, pb, 589pp, 9781556529849 Two women meet in a village of 900 people in 1848 California. Kendra reluctantly accompanies her stepfather, who is an army officer assigned to what is little more than a mining camp. Marny arrives to run a gambling house. Together they participate in and witness the birth of the grand city of San Francisco. We get a taste of a time of amazing discovery when couriers bearing samples from the mining camp called Shiny Gulch make their way from the West Coast through Mexico and thence to Washington, D.C. They deliver to government assayers what is at first described disdainfully as “fish-scales,” but when tested by the Mint is found to be 22-carat gold. Thus begins what will soon be known as the great California gold rush. This 40th anniversary reprint of one of Bristow’s half dozen popular historical novels stands the

test of time and delivers a vivid, finely researched view of an underappreciated period of American history. Bristow’s talent is not inconsequential, and I was moved by her sensitive portrayal of how two very different women stake their claims on a city in progress, discovering love and heartbreak in this gritty new society. This was a satisfying and educational read. I will seek out others of Bristow’s richly peopled novels now that I’ve found her (This Side of Glory, Tomorrow is Forever, to name two). It’s heartbreaking to realize there will no more, as Bristow passed away in 1980. Here’s to the memory of a sterling writer! Kathryn Kimball Johnson THE SECOND WOMAN Kenneth Cameron, Orion, 2010, £12.99, pb, 314pp, 9780752890500 In 1881 Russian Jews were placed in the Pale of Settlements, Pilzna, during the pogroms. Thirteen children in hiding were betrayed and burned to death. Twenty years later, Harold Denton, an American author living in England, learns from his friend Hench Rose about the formation of a new secret intelligence agency. He returns to his East London terraced home, but is barred from entering by the police because a woman’s body has been found wrapped in tarpaulin behind his garden shed. His lover, Janet Stringer, lives in the house opposite, which is accessed by a connecting gate. She sub-lets the lower rooms of her house to a Jewish doctor, whom she had assisted at an operation he conducted at the premises that morning. It is assumed that the body is that of his patient, but it is that of another woman. Denton and the Jewish owner of a gymnasium receive burns from an arson attack. as anti-Semitic feelings and Pro‑British sympathisers are polarising in the area as Herzl, the leader of the World Zionist Congress negotiates with the government to settle half a million Jews in Ugandan territories. An anti-Zionist group wants to stop him. The Special Branch are watching lodging houses after receiving information that a Russian anarchist, Gowarcz plans to blow up the Charrington Street base for the new intelligence service. Denton unravels the second woman’s identity, finds the link to the atrocity at Pilzna, and discovers who sent the thugs to attack him. In a race against time Denton tries to thwart Gowarcz’s plans but in the enquiry into the aftermath he lies to protect two people. This is no dry, stuffy, repressed Edwardian depiction of events. There are beautiful, concise and accurate descriptions, comedy scenes and credible characters in this novel, which skilfully combines mystery and history. Janet Williamson BEECHER ISLAND Tim Champlin, Five Star, 2010, $25.95, hb, 218pp, 9781594148309 In 1868, hostilities between the Cheyenne Indians and the U.S. cavalry are heating up under HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 33

the direction of the war chief Roman Nose. Forced to go to a reservation, certain tribes fight back. Matt Talbot is a scout for Lieutenant Beecher of the U.S. Cavalry. Trapped by thousands of Cheyenne, their small band of men retreats to a bush-covered sandbar located in the middle of a stream. Against desperate odds, Talbot steals off into the night and manages to make it back to civilization. As the story unfolds several years later, Talbot takes on a job as a newspaper reporter in Nevada. Eventually he meets a former friend and scout who survived the battle, which would later be named after Lieutenant Beecher. Up against vigilantes and gold smuggling, Talbot and his friend try to recover a cache of missing gold and become rich. This is an entertaining western novel consisting of an Indian battle, a mine cave-in, vigilante justice, and a stolen gold shipment. Tim Champlin is a prolific Western novelist known for his unconventional but entertaining stories of the Old West. Character-driven with fine dialog, I highly recommend this novel to Western lovers. Jeff Westerhoff SUMMER BY THE SEA Ann Cliff, Robert Hale, 2010, £18.99, hb, 224pp,

9780709089742 Helen Moore has left her farming family behind for the summer to work as an apprentice housekeeper at the Seaview guesthouse in Bridlington. There she becomes great friends with the proprietor, Mary Baker, and her son Daniel. The work is not always easy, but mostly times are good. Helen is especially drawn to one guest, James, who is writing a book about the work of the fishing community. Trouble comes after Helen agrees to help James gather local stories and she comes into contact with the harsh working conditions of the fisher girls. Then a diamond necklace goes missing from Seaview, and the finger of suspicion points towards Helen. In trying to prove her innocence, her life itself could be at risk. Summer by the Sea is a lovely and satisfying read. Late 19th-century Bridlington is really brought to life, as is the hard grind and danger suffered by the fishing families of the area. The theft plot is an ingenious way of bringing more peril to the main character, who might otherwise simply be an outside observer. All in all, this is an accomplished regional saga. Sara Wilson

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PARROT AND OLIVIER IN AMERICA Peter Carey, Knopf, 2010, $26.95, hb, 400pp, 9780307592620 / Faber & Faber, 2010, £18.99, hb, 464pp, 9780571253296 What a delight this witty novel is! Based on the journeys of Alexis de Tocqueville in the new American republic of the 1830s, it tells the story of Olivier, a young, exiled French aristocrat, and John Larrit, “Parrot,” a middle-aged, working-class Englishman. While based on Tocqueville’s adventures and observations, it is the details of Parrot’s often hapless life that propel this story. Parrot’s native intelligence and artistic talent take him far beyond his rough beginnings as an orphan and give him a glimpse into the possibilities of a better life. The rigid hierarchy of Europe and Parrot’s servitude to a mysterious French marquis kept him in thrall to the aristocracy. This same marquis manipulates Olivier’s life as well and leads them both to America. Before their transatlantic voyage, however, the reader is taken from rural, working- class England and aristocratic Paris to the penal colony of Australia as Parrot’s life spins out of his control. It is as Olivier’s servant and scribe in America, however, that his life unfolds and blossoms in the possibilities of freedoms in the young America, the same freedoms that terrify and appall Olivier. Heartfelt and very funny, with love affairs for both characters, it is a fascinating look at the early American character with direct parallels to the 21st century United States. Highly recommended. Pamela Ortega 34 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

A WOMAN OF INFLUENCE Rebecca Ann Collins, Sourcebooks Landmark, 2010, $14.99, pb, 336pp, 9781402224515 The woman at the heart of this story is Becky Tate, the daughter of Charlotte Lucas Collins and Reverend Collins. She is the wealthy widow of publisher and businessman, Anthony Tate. A writer in her own right, Becky had married him with the hope that her hard work and support of him would bring her marital happiness, but her life has been one of profound sadness. When their only daughter dies, she is left to mourn her alone as her husband becomes more deeply involved in his business affairs. Becky’s one consolation at this time comes from her brief friendship with Mr. Contini, a businessman who divides his time between Italy and London. He provides more than just comfort at her loss and supports her in ways she had never known with her husband. Worried that those around her might misconstrue their friendship, she flees London and tries to forget him. When her husband abandons her and goes to live and die in America, she immerses herself into using her money and influence to do good for those she deems as worthy of her aid. Becky has bought a beautiful estate in the quiet countryside of Kent and spends her days writing or visiting her beloved sister, Catherine, who lives nearby. Two years later she receives a note from Mr. Contini, and the wheels are set in motion once more. A Woman of Influence takes place in England in the late 1860s and is filled with many of Austen’s original Pride and Prejudice characters, plus many new ones added by the author in eight previous novels of her popular Pemberley Series. It is a pleasant read, and the author has done a good job of using back-story to bring all of the characters into alignment. Susan Zabolotny CLAUDE & CAMILLE: A Novel of Monet Stephanie Cowell, Crown, 2010, $25/$29.95, hb, 352pp, 9780307463210 In Claude & Camille, Stephanie Cowell has penned a sentimental portrait of the relationship between the struggling young artist, Monet, and his first wife, Camille Doncieux. Though Monet had glimpsed Camille as a child, it isn’t until a chance encounter in her uncle’s bookshop that the artist and his muse finally meet. Smitten, he asks that she pose for him—a scandalous act for a proper bourgeois girl—but Camille is at the dangerous age of eighteen, and she agrees. Because of Monet’s poverty, Camille’s disapproving parents, and the existence of a proper fiancé, their courtship is difficult, even after Monet receives acclaim for “The Woman in the Green Dress,” a portrait of Camille accepted into the famous Salon of French Artists. Despite these obstacles, Camille commits to the artist. She is soon pregnant; a difficult situation given that Monet’s critical acclaim has not brought financial rewards. So begins a sad cycle of financial success and absolute penury, as the childlike Camille 19th Century

slowly realizes what she has given up by marrying Monet, and Monet struggles to keep her happy while trying to make a living through his art. It’s difficult to write with rising narrative interest the quotidian ups and downs of a romantic relationship, so it is not surprising that, in parts, the strain shows. So, however, does Ms. Cowell’s passion for her subject, best revealed in her lively depiction of the young impressionist painters— Monet, Pissarro, Manet, Renoir—struggling to make their mark in a glorious Bohemian Paris. Lisa Ann Verge THE EQUIVOQUE PRINCIPLE Darren Craske, The Friday Project, 2010 (c2009), £7.99/$12.95, pb, 352pp, 9781905548941 The Equivoque Principle promises to be the first in the Cornelius Quaint Chronicles. Quaint is the ringmaster of Dr. Marvello’s Travelling Circus, which suffers a blow when Twinkle, the circus dwarf, is murdered, and Prometheus, the mute strongman, is framed for her death. Patterned after a fantastic penny dreadful, the mystery, set in London in 1853, delights in over-the-top characterizations such as the evil Bishop who partners with the equally villainous Reynolds to clear the borough of Crawditch by any means necessary. Quaint learns that it is no coincidence that members of his troupe are among the casualties. Craske succeeds in creating an appealing world, that of the circus freaks who form their own family. Once the Bishop started slavering at the thought of the world domination he would achieve, however, the book became a cardboard “heroes and villains” story for me. But Craske has the chops to be a storyteller. Although plot twists and turns are wildly improbable, I just gave in and followed the story to its incredible conclusion, much like the Victorian readers of the original penny dreadfuls must have done. Ellen Keith THE BARBARY PIRATES William Dietrich, Harper, 2010, $25.99, hb, 328pp, 9780061567964 / HarperCollins, 2010, £12.99, pb, 336pp, 9780061970092 Followers of the intrepid American naval officer Ethan Gage will be pleased to know their hero has set sail once again in Mediterranean waters. This fourth in a series (Napoleon’s Pyramids, Rosetta Key, and Dakota Cipher being the first three) finds Gage searching for an ancient super weapon, the Sword of Archimedes, possession of which will destroy the ruthless Barbary pirates’ plan of using it on American vessels. Gage is assisted by a number of real life characters, including a young Robert Fulton, who join forces with him on quite a few humorous and bumbling misadventures in their quest. Romantic interest is supplied by Astiza, who catches Gage off guard with the news they have a young son, Horus. A family reunion is delayed by the fiendish pirates as well as by the beautiful and deadly Aurora Somerset of the secret Egyptian Rite. 19th Century

William Dietrich takes particular pleasure in combining bits and pieces of the ancient world with the Napoleonic era and the coming to maturity of the United States. From its delightful opening in a Paris brothel to its climax in combat at Tripoli, Ethan Gage leads his diverse quirky followers to victory over some equally maladroit villains in 1802. John R. Vallely THE OUTER BANKS HOUSE Diann Ducharme, Crown, 2010, $25.00, hb, 304pp, 9780307462237 Abigail Sinclair is the daughter of a rich North Carolina plantation family. Although the Sinclair family fortune was greatly affected by the recent Civil War, the Sinclairs are still able to keep up appearances. Lured by the prospect of hunting and fishing, Abigail’s father Nolan builds a cottage on the beaches of the Outer Banks of North Carolina, away from the tourist areas where most wealthy visitors to the region stay. Nolan quickly comes to trust Benjamin Wimble, a local guide who helps him find the best spots for hunting and fishing, and he encourages Abigail to teach the illiterate Ben

how to read and write in exchange for his services as a guide. At first, Abigail is repulsed by Ben’s dirtiness and casual demeanor, but they quickly realize that appearances aren’t everything, and that they have much in common. Meanwhile, racial tensions are on the rise, and Nolan Sinclair is in the middle of a dangerous plot against the Freedmen’s colony on Roanoke Island. Abigail is a standard-issue headstrong heroine who is more than willing to buck tradition and go against her family’s wishes to make her own way in the world. Many of her actions (risking her relationship with her parents to teach late-night classes to freed slaves, for example) are atypical for a woman of the era. Ducharme includes a couple of contrasting characters, including Maddie, a prissy Southern belle who flirts with every eligible man on the island, and Hector, a stuffed-shirt doctor-intraining and Abigail’s other suitor. These secondary characters seem to mainly reinforce that Abigail and Benjamin are the ideal rather than the unusual. Readers who enjoy romantic historical novels may be interested in Ducharme’s debut. Nanette Donohue

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THE COURTESAN AND THE SAMURAI Lesley Downer, Bantam Press, 2010, £12.99, hb, 338pp, 9780593057933 Hana is a true Samurai wife, enduring humiliation and beatings at the hands of her husband without complaint. Her first duty is loyalty. Then civil war breaks out in Japan, her husband goes off to fight and Hana’s duty now is to survive. Fleeing from enemy soldiers, she finds herself alone and friendless in the Yoshiwara, the famous pleasure quarter of Tokyo. There Hana vanishes and Hanaogi, the beautiful and talented courtesan, emerges in her place. Hana is resigned to her fate until the day she meets Yozo. He’s a fugitive soldier, evading capture by hiding in the only place that is beyond the law, the Yoshiwara. He promises to always protect Hana, even if that means choosing her above his friends and comrades. Together they might escape, but Yozo bears a terrible secret about Hana’s husband, and this knowledge might put both their lives at risk. The Courtesan and the Samurai is a corking read. It captures the essence of Japan’s pleasure quarters in full exotic detail. The colours, smells, exploitation, eroticism and lurking violence are vividly depicted. Equally, the accompanying scenes of the horror of the civil war are also brilliantly portrayed. Each seems all the more real for being so intricately interwoven. Every character is beautifully drawn too, from the main players to the lowly walk-on roles. Lesley Downer has written a wonderful novel full of fact, fiction, fear and fantasy. If you like your love stories epic, then this will surely hit the mark. Sara Wilson HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 35

IN ALL HONOUR Beth Elliott, Robert Hale, 2010, £18.99, hb, 224pp, 9780709087304 Set in the Regency period, this is a sequel to The Wild Card, although you do not need to have read that book to enjoy this. Sarah Davenport’s brother has run up huge debts to Lord Percival, who is suggesting that if Sarah will marry him, he will forgive the debt. Sarah finds him repellent, and is a little afraid of him. She is in love with Greg Thatcham, of whom her best friend seems very fond. Greg also owes Lord Percival money, but he is suspicious of him and the truth of how the debt was run up by his brother. And so the dance begins… This is a pleasant story, which brings to the fore the fear of poverty experienced by women who had no protection from family. However, Sarah will insist on twisting a lock of hair around her finger

rather too often for my taste, and there are rather too many coincidental meetings. And when, oh when, will heroes learn to tell their heroines what is going on? Greg doesn’t, consequently Sarah is kidnapped – though, of course, that does mean he can rescue her in fine style! jay Dixon TO SURRENDER TO A ROGUE Cara Elliott, Forever, 2010, $6.99, pb, 375pp, 9780446541312 Italian noblewoman Lady Alessandra della Giamatti and her precocious daughter, Isabella, trade their native land for England, where Alessandra will be applying her expertise in Roman antiquities to an archaeological dig in Bath. The duo’s first encounter with Lord James Pierson (known to all as “Black Jack”) comes when he ties Isabella to a tree—much to her mother’s chagrin.

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BAND OF ANGELS (US) / THE WATER HORSE (UK) Julia Gregson, Touchstone, 2010, $16.99, pb, 464pp, 9781439101131 / Orion, 2009 (c2004), £7.99, pb, 480pp, 9781409102656 As a child, Catherine Carreg is cared for by neighbors, as her own mother is often bedridden. Catherine and the neighbor’s boy, Deio, spend their days riding horses across the Welsh countryside, pushing each other in wild and dangerous exploits. At sixteen, Catherine’s parents decide that the son of a drover is not proper company for their daughter, and Catherine is prohibited from continuing the friendship. Indignant but submissive, Catherine is forced to pursue the domestic chores necessary to young ladies who will one day be wives. When Catherine is eighteen, her oftdepressed mother dies during childbirth. Catherine is the only one home, doesn’t know what to do, and is unable to save her mother. Vowing to find meaning in her life, Catherine leaves Wales for London, running away from both her family and her soulmate, Deio, to become a nurse. In the early 1850s, nursing is considered a disreputable task performed by whores and drunks, and nobody understands her decision. Catherine finds a position with Florence Nightingale and soon follows her to Scutari and the Crimean War. This is a novel where the setting is an actual character; the cold, the dirt, the smell and the pain of the places Catherine travels create as much conflict as any of the human characters. For me, it is the setting that lingers after the last page is turned. Gregson is one of today’s best writers in her ability to bring a time and place to life. In fact, Catherine’s unbearable world is so alive, it is sometimes too much to take. For those times, Gregson delivers Deio, the handsome, the confused, and Catherine’s one true love, who follows her to war while making his own journey of discovery. Elizabeth Caulfield Felt 36 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

But the two cannot deny the attraction that they feel, and when Alessandra finds a secret from her previous marriage wreaking havoc with her new life, she turns to Jack for assistance and consolation. The second novel in Elliott’s Circle of Sin trilogy is a blend of suspense, a charming mother-daughter relationship, and a likeable love story. Elliott is careful to present Alessandra as intelligent and straightforward, but not harsh and overbearing. The setup for the novel’s upcoming sequel is a bit clumsy, with scenes featuring the sequel’s heroine appearing randomly in chapters that are inserted in the middle of Alessandra and Jack’s story. However, the overall premise of a Regency-era society of learned women is appealing, and the love story will please historical romance readers. Nanette Donohue THE DARCY COUSINS Monica Fairview, Sourcebooks Landmark, 2010, $14.99, pb, 432pp, 9781402237003 Clarissa Darcy, cousin of the famous Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, has whirled into England from America and is about to upturn everyone’s life! It appears that although she’s been educated and claims to possess social graces, she loves being rash, unique and startling. Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Anne de Bourgh and Georgiana Darcy are considered models of social propriety and graces, whether expressed stridently, feebly or shyly. The latter two ladies are so impressed by Clarissa that they decide to try out a few of her tendencies, to the delight of the reader and the consternation of Lady Catherine and even the surrounding gentlemen. One will upset everyone in Rosings Park and the surrounding area by her abrupt disappearance, and the other will experiment with some bolder methods of enticing the man she desires. But unknown to all, two of these ladies are vying for the same gentleman. Mr. Channing and Mr. Gatley are fascinated by this formidable American woman who has managed to transform the sedate young women they formerly almost ignored. When the truth is exposed about the real Clarissa, it will be a stunning revelation, humbling and infuriating her many shocked admirers and critics. The Darcy Cousins is a humorous, stately romp through 19th-century England, celebrating and satirizing proper behavior of the aristocracy, proper etiquette for those coming out into society and their potential suitors, and the scorn of those who pride themselves on independence and work. An apt sequel to make Ms. Austen proud! Viviane Crystal THE OTHER MR DARCY Monica Fairview, Robert Hale, 2009, £18.99, hb, 224pp, 9780709088110 / Sourcebooks Landmark, 2009, $14.95/$18.99, pb, 368pp, 9781402225130 This is yet another sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. This one picks up after the wedding of Elizabeth Bennet and the well-worn hero, Mr Darcy. However, to make this slightly more 19th Century

original, this book concerns his American cousin, Robert Darcy, but we read it through the eyes of Caroline Bingley. Caroline was not a favoured character of Jane Austen’s book but she redeems herself by the end of this novel and becomes a likeable heroine meeting the very likeable Robert Darcy. It is an enjoyable read, nothing too heavy going and, while it is not a necessity to have read Pride and Prejudice beforehand, it does help. Like her predecessor, Fairview’s characters often come out with little echoes of Jane Austen truisms. It is amazing how a novel can spawn so many sequels, this one being better than most. Karen Wintle THE MAKING OF A DUCHESS Shana Galen, Sourcebooks Casablanca, 2010, $6.99/C$8.99, pb, 384pp, 9781402238659 Orphaned as an infant, Sarah Smith is happy with her job as a governess. She is not happy when her employer, Sir Northrop, forces her to go undercover as a spy for the British government. Her job is to find proof that French emigré Julien Harcourt, the Duc de Valère, is a traitor to England. To do this, Sarah must pretend to be Mademoiselle Seraphina Artois, daughter of family friends the Harcourts have not seen since the French Revolution, when she was a baby. Sarah is, endearingly, the worst spy ever. Her cover is soon blown, but Sarah is convinced that Julien is not a traitor and decides to work by Julien’s side to prove him innocent. The romance is between Julien and Sarah, and though they are passionately attracted and care deeply for one another, the lies they have told bring conflict to the relationship. Galen has written a fun romance, and if the ending isn’t a surprise, it is, at least, quite satisfying. With one loose end left untied, a sequel seems likely. Elizabeth Caulfield Felt THE HOUSE OF RAJANI Alon Hilu (trans. Evan Fallenberg), Harvill Secker, 2010, £12.99, pb, 280pp, 9781846552991 In the late 19th century, Isaac Luminsky and his new wife, “Her Ladyship,” travel from Europe to Jaffa. They are Jewish settlers hoping for land and prosperity. Their marriage is a passionless affair and the young Luminsky finds himself drawn to Afifa, a young, married Arab woman, the mother of Salah Rajani. Isaac views Salah as a simple-minded boy, but befriends him to get close to Afifa but also because he covets the Rajani estate. Salah at first views Isaac as a benevolent angel, but comes to see him as a malevolent angel of destruction. Salah’s visions of a future where Arabs and Jews are at war are dismissed by most as insane ravings, but, as Isaac sets out to rid the Rajani estate of its Arabic tenant farmers, perhaps there is more truth than lunacy in his predictions. The House of Rajani is a rich and colourful take on the Arab-Israeli conflict. The opposing sides, as represented by Isaac and Salah, misunderstand each other at every turn. They both love and hate each other and the success of one will inevitably mean the destruction of the other. In many ways 19th Century

this is a modern day parable – we hope that we have come a long way from the colonist ethos of the 19th century, but it is clear from this novel that both sides still have a lot to learn. The novel is fascinating but also terrifying. Salah’s visions of the horrors to come will obviously prove to be true and that makes them all the more sickening. Sara Wilson

their own family history or interested in the history of industrial Manchester. At times the book feels very authentic (the grinding poverty of the flop house that Tommy finds himself in at one point, for example) but at other times it feels a little as if it is cramming in as much research as possible. Overall the effect is charming, with Tommy’s resilience eventually triumphing against the odds and hope for the future shining through. Sandra Garside-Neville

TOMMY’S WORLD Billy Hopkins, Headline, 2009, £19.99, hb, 338pp, 9780755359585 Tommy Hopkins is born in the slums of Manchester in the late 19th century. Though the area is rough, he has a loving family who dote on him. But things change and Tommy falls on hard times. The story follows his life through great hardships, where death can easily happen and loved ones are tragically lost. Hopkins tells this tale in first person, which makes it vivid and intimate. As it is an era close to our own, it is likely to appeal to people researching

COMING HOME Vonnie Hughes, Robert Hale, 2010, £18.99, hb, 224pp, 9780709090052 This is a tightly plotted story set during the Peninsular War, with a heroine recovering from a vicious rape, and a hero who has been cut off by his family for something he did not do. HalfPortuguese and half-English, orphaned Juliana Colebrook is nursing in Portugal when she persuades ex-Brigade-Major Colly Hetherington to accompany her to England, where he has a job waiting for him. With high hopes, she arrives at her uncle’s home, but all is not as it seems and, when

E D I TORS’ CH OICE LOVERS’ KNOT Donald L. Hardy, Running Press, 2009, $13.95, pb, 368pp, 9780762436859 Lovers’ Knot, Donald Hardy’s beautifully rendered and entertaining historical romance, is set in Cornwall, England, in 1892 and 1906. It artfully relates the story of Londoner Jonathan Williams, who returns to Trevaglan Farm, a place of sorrow and dark secrets, for the first time in fourteen years to claim the farm as its heir. Accompanying Jonathan is handsome Alayne Langsford-Knight, who is Jonathan’s easygoing friend and housemate. Using multiple viewpoints and alternating chapters, Hardy gradually reveals the story of Jonathan’s first summer at the farm, when he was a troubled young man. There Jonathan found peace, healing and, eventually, love with a local farmhand named Nat, only to have their relationship come to a tragic end. Now in his early thirties, Jonathan dreads revisiting his past. Indeed, he has every right to be fearful, for once he and Alayne arrive in rural Cornwall, Jonathan is met not only with kindness but also with the contempt and hatred of a woman bent on revenge. Secret pacts from that lost summer are revealed, and in the shadows, Jonathan sees ghostly apparitions. In the meanwhile, against a backdrop dripping with atmosphere, amongst a cast of finely drawn characters, Jonathan and the lighter-hearted Alayne (who is reading Henry James ghost stories and is deliciously spooked by them) resist declaring their love for one another, each fearing rejection, humiliation or, perhaps, even worse, the loss of the other man’s friendship. Is it unfair to say that, finally, love conquers all? Lovers’ Knot is a real find, and I hope to see more novels from this gifted author. Very highly recommended. Alana White HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 37

things go wrong, she realises she is going to need Colly’s help in foiling the villains. With believable characters, a well-drawn background, and events arising naturally out of the preceding action, this is a well-written novel. There are, however, some internal inconsistencies, although I can forgive these as the story proceeds at a good pace. As do the horses – they cover roughly 100 miles in 4 hours, pulling a carriage. Doable, but it would be at a spanking pace. The author’s photograph shows her in front of a collection of Georgette Heyer novels, and Heyer’s influence on her is evident in her writing. I can thoroughly recommend this novel to anyone who loves Regencies. jay Dixon PROVOCATIVE IN PEARLS Madeline Hunter, Jove, 2010, $7.99/C$9.99, pb, 352pp, 9780515147629 In Madeline Hunter’s first novels, the vivid language, believable characters, and complex plots brought 14th-century England to life. By Arrangement, By Possession, By Design, and The Protector (2000-2001)—I read them all—and then Hunter’s focus changed. She started writing for a different audience, one that likes simple, sexy novels with history as a backdrop, not a plot component, like Provocative in Pearls. Provocative in Pearls is the second book (after Ravishing in Red) in a Regency tetralogy about four friends. A wealthy young woman, tricked into marrying an impecunious earl, runs away before the marriage is consummated; friends hide her for two years. In order to keep her money, the earl must find and seduce his wife but—quelle surprise!—they fall in love. It’s a so-so plot, but the writing is witty, and the contrast between the earl in his natural habitat, London, and the bride in her native Lancashire, rings true. Provocative in Pearls is not Hunter’s best work. You’ll find that in novels listed above, which I highly recommend—but don’t get me wrong. Hunter’s intelligent prose is always a joy to read. Anyone in the mood for a well-written light romance in a historical setting, which includes most of us at times, will enjoy Provocative in Pearls. Jeanne Greene RAVISHING IN RED Madeline Hunter, Jove, 2010, $7.99/C$9.99, pb, 357pp, 9780515147544 In the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars, England as a country is recovering even if their soldiers’ wounds won’t heal. Audriana Kelmsleigh has a mission to prove that her father is innocent of wrongdoing in a gunpowder scandal, which caused death and maiming of many British soldiers, despite the fact that his suicide suggests his guilt. Audriana goes to meet “the Domino,” who may have valuable information, and instead becomes accidentally compromised by Lord Sebastian Summerhays. Being a true gentleman, Sebastian proposes, much to Audriana’s dismay since she blames him for her father’s death. In the end she 38 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

decides that such a marriage will help her vindicate her father’s reputation, but it puts her at odds with Sebastian who is dead set on finding the culprit who is responsible for his older brother’s paralysis from the explosion of bad gunpowder and he believes her father is guilty. Ms Hunter is a mistress of the Regency romance. The first in a quartet, Ravishing in Red offers mystery and erotic passion. The hero and heroine are a perfect match. Audrey Braver GLORYLAND Shelton Johnson, Sierra Club, 2009, $25.00, hb, 288pp, 9781578051441 Born in 1863 of mixed black and Indian blood to a sharecropper’s family, Elijah Yancy of Spartanburg, South Carolina, lives surrounded by racism. One day as a small boy, he decides to walk on the sidewalk restricted for whites only. Upon returning home, his family decides that South Carolina is no place for a young black man who wishes to change the status quo and still remain alive. Told he must leave home and travel north, Elijah walks west and winds up in Nebraska, where he joins the cavalry. After becoming a “buffalo soldier,” he fights the Plains Indians, forcing them onto reservations; travels to the Philippines during the Spanish-American War and fights the brown man; and then finally is stationed at Yosemite National Park in the early 20th century. I found this novel difficult to read and enjoy. The book flap states: “This novel (is) a literary meditation on finding a self and a spiritual home while unveiling a little-known chapter of America’s past.” Shelton Johnson is a fine and gifted writer and will probably write many more exceptional novels. For me, however, the story tended to preach about the racial problems that existed in America at this time through the protagonist’s “meditations” rather than through his interaction with other characters or the setting. There was very little action or suspense to make the characters come alive. I am sure the author wrote this book with this desired result, and those who enjoy this type of novel may like his approach to the story. Therefore, I can’t say I would dismiss this work, but I would recommend it with reservations. Jeff Westerhoff THE HIDDEN HEART OF EMILY HUDSON (UK) / EMILY HUDSON (US) Melissa Jones, Sphere, 2010, £6.99, pb, 355pp, 9780751542806 / Pamela Dorman, Sept. 2010, $25.95, hb, 368pp, 9780670021802 As a devoted reader of Henry James, I was drawn to this book by the Jamesian feel of even the barest synopsis. And indeed, the story of orphaned, aspiring painter Emily Hudson, seeking freedom, art, and love in Boston, London, and Rome, is admittedly inspired by James’s cousin Minny Temple, who, in turn, inspired several Jamesian heroines. The premise was intriguing, but, to me, the execution fell rather short. Emily’s story, delivered

in brief scenes interspersed with letters, failed to come alive. I found it hard to warm to the heroine, whose repeatedly affirmed “uniqueness” seems to consist of a combination of feeling suffocated by any and every social rule, and an eagerness to plunge headfirst into every awkward, unacceptable or downright disgraceful course of action that presents itself. Her string of scantily motivated, knee-jerk reactions moves the plot at a bumpy pace towards a hurried ending, and she comes across as annoyingly quirky, rather than extraordinary. Nor do the other characters fare much better, showing a similar lack of convincing reasons for their actions, and, in a few cases, adding very little to the plot by their presence. The historical background mostly plays its part in the form of social conventions and mores, portrayed in a way that does not always seem to fit the Civil War era. A few factual errors do little to improve the rather bland setting: for instance, there was no such thing as a direct train from Paris to Rome in 1862, and, had there been one, it would hardly have passed Naples on its way. Quite disappointing. Chiara Prezzavento THE SILENT GOVERNESS Julie Klassen, Bethany House, 2010, $14.99, pb, 448pp, 9780764207075 In mid-19th century Britain, an imminent threat causes Olivia Keene to flee her home, separating her from the mother she loves and the father she fears. On her way to a girls’ school, Olivia overhears a conversation between Lord Brightwell and his son Lord Bradley, in which the father admits that the son is adopted. When Lord Bradley learns that Olivia has heard his secret, he hires her into his household to keep an eye on her. A recent accident has made Olivia temporarily mute, and so she cannot betray his secret which would ruin his place in society. This is a simple summary of a complex story. Klassen weaves a complicated tapestry of love and suspense that is not easily unfurled. Every character seems to have a secret, and their pasts are displayed and unwoven in a sophisticated and satisfying manner. The central love affair is surprisingly suspenseful, as the familial relationship between the lovers is enigmatic; the romance is chaste, this being a Christian novel, but the story’s religious elements are subtle and natural. Klassen devotees will be pleased by The Silent Governess, and readers new to Klassen will dash to the shelves to discover her other romances. Elizabeth Caulfield Felt QUEST FOR A KILLER Alanna Knight, Allison & Busby, 2010, £19.99, hb, 318pp, 9780749007386 This is the fifth novel featuring private investigator Rose McQuinn, daughter of Inspector Faro. The circus is in town, and Rose is wondering whether two suicides were what they seem, or actually a couple of murders. There has also been a bank robbery that resulted in another fatality, and 19th Century

rather oddly, Rose has a new friend from a very different walk of life. Elma Rice, wife of legendary philanthropist Felix Miles Rice, seems to find Rose’s company irresistible, while ex-fiancé Jack McMerry puts in a not entirely welcome appearance. Here is another highly readable tale with Rose herself as a lively and interesting narrator. Parts of the plot are easy to guess, but I certainly didn’t unravel it all and there is a lot packed into a reasonably modest number of pages. As usual with this series, there is a supernatural element in the canine shape of Thane, who can be relied upon to come to the rescue like a sort of ghostly Lassie. Like Rose’s narration, this does provide an element that Victorian readers would have enjoyed but it does create some unnecessarily tidy endings that seem a cop-out when compared with what would truly have happened. Read this series for the engaging plots, and some sense of Edinburgh in 1899. Rachel A Hyde BECOMING JANE EYRE Sheila Kohler, Penguin, 2009, $15.00/C$18.50, pb, 232pp, 0143115977 In 1846, the educated but unworldly daughter of a Yorkshire clergyman begins writing a novel. It is not her first effort but the first in which she describes so poignantly an intelligent and impecunious woman (like herself ) in a maledominated world. Although the heroine is underestimated, ignored, and unloved, she finds the courage to rise above her circumstances—as the author has yet to do. But, perhaps in the act of writing, the author finds the strength of will to complete and sell her novel. The publication of Jane Eyre ends Charlotte Brontë’s life of penury and brings national recognition. She marries, happily, a year before her untimely death. In writing what was arguably the best of the novels by the Brontë sisters, Charlotte drew upon the life experiences of her family—that much is known—but was Jane’s inner life Charlotte’s own? In Becoming Jane Eyre the connection between author and heroine is explicit. Kohler takes us into the minds of the Brontë sisters and others in Charlotte’s life, braiding beautifully imagined insights and observations with selections from Jane Eyre, as if comparing life to literature—don’t forget this is a work of fiction. Kohler says she is careful with the facts, but her imagination soars where none exist. Kohler has a prodigious talent (and an interesting backlist). Becoming Jane Eyre is beautifully written. That may not be enough to hold the interest of readers well-acquainted with Brontë’s biography; but Jane Eyre is always worth rereading. Recommended for anyone with a fresh interest in the Brontë family. Jeanne Greene THE ELUSIVE BRIDE Stephanie Laurens, Avon, 2010, $7.99/C$10.99, pb, 452pp, 9780061795152 The story begins in 1822 on the road from Poona to Bombay. Members of the Black Cobra, 19th Century

desperate to get a letter in Emily Emsworth’s possession, are pursuing Emily and her military escort at breakneck speed. When they reach a narrow pass, the soldiers try to hold off the pursuers while Emily races for the fort. She is successful in delivering the letter. But Emily is not a spy. She is a typical daughter of the ton. Not finding any of the available suitors in London to her liking, Emily came to India in the hope of meeting the one. On the day she leaves India, Emily meets Gareth Hamilton, who has been given the letter to take to England. On the journey home, their paths cross. Since they are both being chased by the Black Cobra, Gareth suggests it is safer to travel to England together. Emily sees this as a chance to make him her one. This second book in Ms. Laurens’ Black Cobra Quartet has all of her usual suspense, eroticism and excitement. While readers will easily guess the outcome of Emily and Gareth’s relationship, the ending is unsatisfactory and leaves the reader hanging a bit. Audrey Braver NINE

RULES

BREAK

WHEN

ROMANCING A RAKE Sarah MacLean, Avon, 2010, $7.99/C$10.99, pb, 432pp, 9780061852053 By 1822 Calpurnia Hartwell is, by all the standards of the ton, well and truly a spinster. A bit overweight and plain of face, Callie has never attracted any man worthy of her intelligent, courageous spirit. In fact, the only attractive man who made a point of being kind to Callie (and then only once) was the Marquess of Ralston, an inveterate rake. That was ten years ago and she’s been in love with him ever since. Now Ralston needs Callie’s help with his sister’s debut. However, after twenty-eight years of doing and being what everyone expects of her, Callie is restless. She makes a list of all the things single men can do that single women cannot—it is her bucket list and she’s determined to do them all before she is irretrievably placed on the “spinster” shelf. Learning of her plans, Ralston insists on including himself as her accomplice to protect his sister’s reputation. This association brings unexpected results for them both. Ms MacLean expertly takes her heroine from passive spinster to daring adventurer. Within the

E D I TORS’ CH OICE THE LONG SONG Andrea Levy, Headline, 2010, £18.99, hb, 308pp, 9780755359400 / Farrar Straus & Giroux, 2010, $26.00, hb, 320pp, 9780374192174 Andrea Levy’s previous books have chronicled the experience of Jamaican immigrants in postwar Britain. In The Long Song she steps back into the early 19th century, to the dying days of slavery and the early years of freedom. The story is told in the first person, supposedly by an old woman recalling her childhood and youth. Her son has become a well-to-do printer and he cajoles her into writing her life story. We flit between the bickering mother and son in the present and the half forgotten memories of fifty years earlier. The book cover simulates the design the son might have chosen for his mother’s book. This is a book about extremes of cruelty and injustice, but it is not a simple piece of ‘miserylit’. The slaves cheat and manipulate their masters and mistresses as much as the system allows, and there is a complex mix of affection and resentment between mistress and servant, black girl and white lover. The narrator is as racist as any of the whites, arrogant that she is mulatto rather than negro and cringingly envious of her quadroon friend. Each gradation of colour can be equally cruel and patronising. The story is written in a form of Jamaican patois, but it is easy to read and the dialect adds humour and immediacy. This is not a didactic novel, but so far as there is a message, it’s that everybody has their pride and that the end of slavery still left most of the black population of Jamaica poor and powerless. Edward James HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 39

boundaries of standard Regency fare, Nine Rules To Break… offers enough twists and turns to keep the pages turning. Audrey Braver DEATH AT HULL HOUSE Frances McNamara, Allium Press of Chicago, 2009, $14.99, pb, 261pp, 9780984067602 This is the second in a series featuring Emily Cabot of Boston. The year is 1893, and Emily has been expelled from the recently founded University of Chicago. She has accepted a position at Hull House, the settlement house on the west side of Chicago founded by Jane Addams to provide social and educational programs for the working class residents of the neighborhood. Here Emily works on publishing the data from the survey of households done by the Hull House staff. Then a man is found murdered in Hull House, and Emily, fearing that her brother may be involved, tries to discover the truth. Her efforts become complicated by a small pox epidemic sweeping the neighborhood. This is a first-rate historical mystery and a fascinating look at life in turn-of-the-century Chicago. McNamara does an excellent job depicting and incorporating into the story the immigrants’ struggle to make a living amid wretched working and living conditions, the political corruption of the time, the work of social reformers like Jane Addams and Florence Kelley, and the early days of the University of Chicago. The series is probably best read in order as characters reappear and relationships develop. Jane Kessler THE LOST SUMMER OF LOUISA MAY ALCOTT Kelly O’Connor McNees, Amy Einhorn/Putnam, 2010, $24.95, hb, 352pp, 9780399156526 Louisa May Alcott was a champion of the independently spirited woman at a time when marriage was considered by much of society as a woman’s best and only choice for a happy life. She craved the writer’s life from a young age, happy with whatever solitude she could carve out for herself in a household that demanded much of her time. It’s the summer of 1855 in Walpole, New Hampshire, and Joseph Singer, a young merchant, also feels the tug of familial duty. Soon to be orphaned by a dying father, he’ll become the caretaker of his younger sister and their fiscally unstable grocery store. This is also the summer that the Alcotts have moved to Walpole to take advantage of free housing. It’s not long before Louisa and Joseph meet through mutual friends. Louisa does not try to hide her disdain for the shackles of marriage, and the harder she pulls away, the more persistent Joseph becomes. A mutual love of Walt Whitman’s newly published Leaves of Grass brings about the turning point in their romance. Before long, Louisa is in love and thinks the possibility exists that she could be a writer and a wife. Then, at a dinner party to celebrate the engagement of mutual friends, Joseph’s engagement 40 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

to the wealthy Nora Sutton is announced. The love story of Louisa and Joseph does not end here. The rest of the book is so compelling and well written that I hated to see it end. Regarding Louisa, Julian Hawthorne may have been on to something when he said, “Did she ever have a love affair? We never knew. Yet how could a nature so imaginative, romantic and passionate escape it?” I think I have to agree with him. Susan Zabolotny THE WIVES OF HENRY OADES Johanna Moran, Ballantine, 2010, $15.00, pb, 384pp, 9780345510952 / HarperPress, 2010, £14.99, hb, 320pp, 9780007339266 The Wives of Henry Oades is an engrossing late 19th-century tale of unwitting bigamy. Henry and Margaret Oades move from London to New Zealand with their four children in 1890. Margaret insists on a cottage on the outskirts of the squalid town of Wellington. In an act of retribution, she and her children are taken captive by a Maori tribe. Henry is prevented from searching for them, and as his lawyer later states in the second of three court cases, he leaves New Zealand, “loath to remain amid the sorrowful memories.” Circumstances change Henry’s profession from accountant to dairyman. He marries Nancy, who has suffered a similar loss. Meanwhile Margaret and her surviving children endure a six-year enslavement with the Maori. When disease strikes the tribe, they are at last cast out and John, the eldest, leads them back to Wellington. Worn and bedraggled, and scarred with the marks of disease, first wife Margaret and her children make their way to Berkeley, California. Henry and Nancy have been married a matter of months when Henry’s first family appears on their doorstep. If these difficulties were not enough, the community turns on Henry and he is prosecuted for bigamy. Henry and his two wives are each sympathetic, authentically portrayed characters. There are no villains here unless it is the communities; first the one that kidnaps Margaret, and then the intolerant community of Berkeley that makes the Oades’s lives unbearable. Based on a California court case noted by Johanna Moran’s father, The Wives of Henry Oades is a fine story of family, marriage, and commitment set in exotic New Zealand and California amid the changes at the turn of the 20th century. Eva Ulett A RAZOR WRAPPED IN SILK R.N. Morris, Faber and Faber, 2010, £7.99, pb, 463pp, 9780571241156 St Petersburg 1870. The Tsar has instituted reforms which for many go too far, while for others not nearly far enough. Against this background of political upheaval, a child factory worker is mysteriously abducted – a crime barely noticed by the authorities. However, when a society beauty with powerful friends is sensationally murdered, investigating magistrate Porfiry Petrovich finds that both crimes may have a political – not to say

revolutionary – aspect. A trail of missing children leads to a shocking discovery that takes Porfiry inside the Winter Palace for a confrontation with the Tsar himself. This is the third in the series featuring Porfiry Petrovitch, the character created by Fyodor Dostoevsky in Crime and Punishment. The streets of St Petersburg are vividly portrayed as the author shows the imperial Russian capital on the brink of upheaval, contrasting the squalor of industrial Russia against the richness of the aristocratic ruling class. This is the first time I have met Porfiry Petrovich, who is a brilliant, and yet pedantic, investigator as he struggles to uncover the truth in the face of political and personal obfuscation. It took me a while to warm to him, but it was worth it. If you like historical crime novels, you will enjoy this. Although not a huge fan of the genre, I may well find myself wandering the streets of St Petersburg again. Mike Ashworth WALKING TO GATLINBURG Howard Frank Mosher, Shaye Areheart, 2010, $25.00/C$29.95, hb, 352pp, 9780307450678 Part tall tale, part historical fiction, this book opens in northern Vermont in 1864 when young abolitionist Morgan Kinneson neglects his duty to runaway slave Jesse, only to find Jesse hanged. Jesse’s hangmen then pursue Morgan south through wartorn America as he tries to find the whereabouts of his brother, Pilgrim, who disappeared from the Union army after the battle of Gettysburg. Morgan follows the symbols on a mysterious rune through a series of abolitionist safe houses beginning with the Erie Canal, then to Elmira, New York, and through Pennsylvania Dutch territory to Gettysburg. At each stop he refines his sharpshooting skills and either kills or eludes the ruthless murderers, who will stop at nothing to ruin him. His search carries him further south to Richmond and the Blue Ridge Mountains, where he encounters the hill people and their folk customs. This novel engages from the first chapter. Mosher’s style is reminiscent of Mark Twain and Henry David Thoreau, with his detailed descriptions of wilderness and his weaving of realism with a wry view of human nature. The reader roots for young Morgan at each twist and turn, holding one’s breath at each possible calamity, and ever wishing for Morgan’s success. Filled with regional color, Mosher lends life and excitement to this clever tale. Liz Allenby CAPTIVITY Deborah Noyes, Unbridled, 2010, $25.95, hb, 352pp, 9781936071630 Commitment to the living and the dead requires immense responsibility! The time is the mid-1800s, a time when women are expected to be flighty and gracious, with very little contribution to serious scientific or even spiritual thought. Clara Gill is a recluse whose scandal of long ago haunts her so that she appears insane while living in a highly 19th Century

intelligent and wise world of inner reflection. Maggie and Kate Fox seem to possess a gift to discern the meaning of ghostly “rappings.” America is being drawn into the advent of Spiritualism, a growing movement orchestrated by Leah Fox, their motherly and ambition-driven sibling. The evidence is powerful for judging Clara and the Fox siblings as evil, yet there is something so profound in the truths they utter that suspicion dims and national attention hurtles into their lives. Captivity catches the intriguing quality of a new spirituality of the dead and development of the field of natural philosophy, both presented as model specimens quivering with vibrant life even as they are pinned helplessly onto a board for public viewing. Scientists, politicians and ministers of the day depict traditional belief threatened with change and in danger of being left behind. The brief mention accorded many notable American characters is far from flattering but mildly humorous, albeit laced with piercing satire. The pervading atmosphere of required “courtship” only serves to strengthen the vigorous plot. Told in a haunting, multi-narrative voice style, Captivity is a phenomenal, literate read packed with mystery, suspense, compassion, intrigue and fear threading stories within stories of this brilliant novel – indeed of those revolutionary times. Viviane Crystal SCANDAL AT THE DOWER HOUSE Marina Oliver, Robert Hale, 2010, £18.99, hb, 223pp, 9780709089582 When Catarina’s elderly husband dies she moves into the Dower House to make way for the new Earl of Rasen, Nicholas Brooke. Although there is an attraction between the two, Catarina is soon embroiled in a potential scandal when her young sister is tricked into a false marriage and then left pregnant and alone. The sisters decamp to Portugal, but only Catarina returns, complete with her baby niece whom she passes off as her adopted daughter. For the sake of the baby Catarina keeps Nicholas at arms length, despite her feelings for him. Then Nicholas’s brother, Jeremy, is attacked and left for dead. Simultaneously Joanna’s false husband reappears to claim his child and secure his “wife’s” money. Now is the time for Catarina and Nicholas to be honest with each other and pull together. This is another enjoyable romance written by a prolific and popular author. Unusually for the genre the heroine and hero and kept apart for a significant proportion of the plot, which adds an extra dimension to the action. The storyline is also just racy enough to lift this above the ordinary and make it stand out from other novels of its type. Sara Wilson JEANIE’S DESTINY Prue Phillipson, Quaestor 2000, 2009, £9.99, pb, 216pp, 978190683615 Jeanie’s Destiny is set in 1870 on the coast of Galloway in Scotland. The book opens when the heroine is sixteen years old. Her mother, who 19th Century

married a man for love who turned out to be a poor provider and father, has warned Jeanie not to make the same mistake. When Jeanie is left to take care of the family after her mother’s death, she has to give up her dreams of becoming a teacher. She is constantly looking for reassurance and love, and finds this with an ex-convict. She fell in love with Tam through the letters he wrote to her from prison, indicating that he was an intelligent and sensitive man. She marries him, after he has been released from prison a reformed man, and he turns out to be similar to her father. Tam is overprotective and jealous, but is unable to provide them with a decent living. He is a larger-than-life character and his obsessive love is well portrayed. Throughout the book, Jeanie provides care for her younger siblings, and also for Robby, the baby that she has with Tam. When things go awry, a second suitor appears on the scene. Jeanie, throughout these years of uncertainty and hardship, has been loved from a distance by the village priest, William Ewart. He is a man twice her age, shy and bumbling, but intelligent and good-hearted. This is an excellent book; it sweeps the reader along from the very first page. The characters are vivid and authentic, the action exciting, and

historical setting exactly right. The only quibble with this terrific book is that the print size is too small. I would recommend it; it is an excellent read. Fenella Miller DEAREST COUSIN JANE Jill Pitkeathley, Harper, 2010, $13.99, pb, 288pp, 9780061875984 Based on the life of Eliza Hancock, cousin to Jane Austen, Dearest Cousin Jane offers an engaging glimpse into the lives of these 19th-century women. Unlike her cousin, Eliza led an eventful life. Born in India, the natural child of Warren Hastings of the East India Company, she was raised as the great man’s goddaughter. Given opportunities to travel and move in elevated social circles which her uncle, George Austen, could not afford for daughters Jane and Cassandra, Eliza makes a good match with Jean Capot, Comte de Feuillide. Eliza is much envied and admired by her English country cousins, but her life is by no means an easy one. The son she bears the Comte de Feuillide suffers from seizures and delayed development, and Eliza loses both her husband and her mother in succession; the Comte to the guillotine during the French Revolution, and her mother to breast cancer. The story is told in alternating chapters from

E D I TORS’ CH OICE MY NAME IS MARY SUTTER Robin Oliveira, Viking, 2010, $26.95, hb, 384 pp, 9780670021673 Mary Sutter dreams of becoming a surgeon. She, along with her mother, serves as a midwife for the women of Albany, New York. The problem, however, is that most surgeons are men. When the American Civil War breaks out in 1861, young Mary leaves her mother, twin sister, and brother and travels to Washington D.C. to join Dorothea Dix and her legion of nurses, who are being recruited to attend to sick and wounded soldiers. This book tells the story of Mary’s struggles to achieve her goal. This is a finely written novel of a passionate but headstrong woman who lets nothing stand in her way. With the help of a mentor, she learns new skills under desperate circumstances, dealing with sick and dying men and, eventually, performing leg amputations. The author uses her knowledge about the war to describe the deplorable conditions under which the medical profession worked. Amputations are described in detail, and these scenes are not for the faint-hearted. The relationships between Mary and her family members, her mentor, and others she meets are exceptionally well done. This unforgettable novel of the American Civil War should become a classic. I highly recommend My Name Is Mary Sutter to readers who wish to gain a better understanding of the war and its effects on those who lived through it. Jeff Westerhoff HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 41

Eliza’s perspective and from those of several family members, including Jane Austen and her favorite brother, Henry, whom Eliza eventually marries. The novel is consequently heavy on narrative, yet the portrait that emerges of Eliza is one of a goodhearted, practical woman. She scandalized her English relatives with what they considered fast living, but she was a kind and encouraging friend to Jane Austen and seems to have always made family her primary concern. Jill Pitkeathley has depicted Eliza Hancock de Feuillide Austen as resilient and self-possessed, quite the modern woman of her time. Eva Ulett THE LAST RENDEZVOUS Anne Plantagenet (trans. Willard Wood), Other Press, 2010, $14.95, pb, 288pp, 9781590512784 Although this novel of early 19th-century France may have been a prize-winner in its original French, it is a slow, hard slog in translation. It recreates the life of actual French poet and actress Marceline Desbordes and begins as the married Marceline tries to break out of the thrall in which she is enslaved by her lover, Henri Latouche. In alternating chapters, we learn of Marceline’s childhood with her notorious and adulterous mother and of the road that leads her, inevitably (we are led to believe) to her divided life as devoted wife and mother and affair with her uncaring and selfish lover, Latouche. The real Marceline lived for a while in an exciting artistic Paris that included Latouche, Hugo, Baudelaire, and Balzac, but we see this only through the haze of her depression. There is little action and much too much reflection from Marceline. The flowery, almost purple prose also slows down the story and the reader. Some poems by Desbordes are included in English and French at the end of the novel. Recommended only for diehard fans of this period of French history. Pamela Ortega THE DEAD TRAVEL FAST Deanna Raybourn, Mira, 2010, $13.95/C$16.95, pb, 309pp, 9780778327653 In 1858 Edinburgh, Theodora Lestrange finds herself an anchorless young spinster. She has just lost her grandfather, a kindly professor who has raised her, and she has no roots of her own. Does she go to live with her sister and brotherin-law who are tight-lipped, close-mouthed and judgmental? Does she accept a marriage proposal from a nice enough fellow she doesn’t love? How does a reasonably successful writer move ahead with her life? Theodora receives a letter from her old schoolmate and best friend, Cosmina, who she learns is about to be married in the Carpathians. Cosmina begs her to attend and Theodora, imagining a romantic trip to an unusual locale, accepts, feeling that this is the perfect location for her next work. By the time Theodora arrives, it is clear that the wedding to Count Dragulescu is off. And 42 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

then things begin to unravel. Theodora, already imaginative, begins to see, hear and feel things that are strange and unsavory. Tales of vampires and werewolves abound. The locals are immersed in supernatural tradition and believe that the dead walk and destroy and that the living are being transformed into vicious animals. Then a member of the castle household is murdered. Is it the old Count’s ghost come to seek revenge? This is a fun winter read, fluffy and entertaining. The atmospheric Carparthians are drenched with dread and foreboding. The vampire legends are explored thoroughly, and Raybourn seems to have fun with it. As Theodora slips further away from her strong, staunch Scot ways into the romance and terror of Transylvania, she is transformed. She is a well-developed character and we come to admire her. And although the plot – and everything else in the book – is manipulated and contrived, it’s all for good sport. Ilysa Magnus TANGLED WEB Lee Rowan, Running Press, 2009, $13.95, pb, 256pp, 9780762436842 It’s 1816 in Regency London, and sodomy is a hanging offense. This is a world in which gentlemen who prefer the company of men rather than women may walk their own path if they maintain a low profile and show a modicum of discretion. Enter our protagonist, Brandon Townsend, the son of a nobleman, and his Oxford roommate and sometime lover, Tony Hillyard, who wouldn’t understand the meaning of discretion if the evercautious Brandon shoved a dictionary under his nose. As the story opens, in Brandon’s presence Tony engages in some spectacularly outrageous sexual behavior in a private men’s club—onstage— that lands Tony in a world of trouble when the club owner, Dick Dobson, blackmails him: Tony must repeat his raunchy performance at the club or Dobson will tell Tony’s father about him. For help, Tony calls on the good-hearted and loyal Brandon, who, while beginning to regret his liaison with the other man, agrees to try and find a way out of the dangerous situation Tony has created for them. Enter now the admirable and older Major Philip Carlisle, a widower and friend of Brandon’s family, who guesses the truth about Brandon’s sexual persuasion, agrees to help him, and eventually becomes Brandon’s lover and soul mate. While Brandon and Philip are likable characters and their romance is an engaging one, I felt some disconnect with the story overall, largely because Tony—who, as Brandon admits to himself, is reckless and has a total lack of common sense—is such a weakling he hardly seems a worthy complication in Brandon and Philip’s lives, which includes a satisfying subplot involving smuggling and murder. Alana White THE CALTON PAPERS Norman Russell, Robert Hale, 2010, £18.99, hb, 224pp, 9780709089544

Opening at an auction in May 1894, characters and plot are quickly established and the reader drawn into the story. The importance of the auction is not revealed until much later as the action switches to the main characters – the aristocratic Waldegrave family and the self-made Jeremy Beecham, who is about to marry into it. Conflicts and problems arise as Sir Arthur Waldegrave, the heir to the vast estate, is found murdered by cyanide poisoning, raising memories and giving rise to gossip regarding the unsolved murder of Jeremy Beecham`s uncle who died in the same way, leaving all his money to his nephew. Now Inspector Jackson must find the method and the motive and so discover the murderer. This novel has interesting characters and the story is entertaining enough to keep the pages turning without being startlingly original or profoundly memorable. It touches on ideas of class, the position of servants and police at the time and gives a good flavour of the era. Although there have been other books featuring Inspector Jackson, it is fine as a stand-alone read. Overall, this is a pleasant undemanding read which will certainly satisfy the fans of Russell`s other fourteen novels. Ann Northfield THE PROMISE OF MORNING Ann Shorey, Revell, 2010, $14.99, pb, 324pp, 9780800733339 The title has a double meaning. In frontier Illinois, Ellie Craig is having a difficult time mourning the deaths of no less than four infants. Her preacher husband Matthew tries to be understanding when she rejects him, fearing to lose yet another baby, but he has problems of his own. There is dissent in his church over his views of an “immoral” theater troupe coming to town. And a rival preacher arrives, declaring that his superior lineage and education means he deserves to be pastor. Matt’s preaching against the actors seems prophetic when his aunt leaves her husband for one. How can Matt face his congregation after scandal in his own family? And how will Ellie overcome the estrangement with her husband? Shorey includes nice character touches, such as an incident where Ellie becomes exasperated with her remaining children and wishes them elsewhere, an unusual scene for a Christian prairie romance. Matt’s stubbornness is a little extreme for likeability at first, but he does grow in the course of the story. This second volume of At Home in Beldon Grove is good, and the first was even better. I warmly recommend the series to fans of Christian fiction. B.J. Sedlock DANCING ON THE WIND Mary Jo Putney, Everlyn, 2010, £6.99, pb, 352pp, 9781849670029 (first published by Penguin Books USA, 2004) Lucien Fairchild, 9th Earl of Strathmoor, leads a double life. In Society, he is the debonair dandy nicknamed “Lucifer”. He is also head of England’s intelligence service, and in the autumn of 1814, 19th Century

he is hunting down a traitor. Kit Travers is also a woman with a mission, playing a dangerous game of shifting identities, bluff and double-bluff. It is inevitable that in the course of their investigations that their paths should cross and that passions should flare. Thus, after a rather fragmentary opening, the stage is set for a cheerfully improbable romantic thriller, packed with derring‑do, red herrings and tortuous plot twists, plus a hefty serving of tripleX-rated bedroom action for our hero and heroine, before coming over all vintage Hammer Horror in a climactic showdown with the black-hearted villains. There were a couple of plot holes, and I had the sense that the French spy was very nearly forgotten amidst the rest of the mayhem. I thought I detected a few anachronistic phrases, and there was some mythological confusion regarding a lewd statue. Otherwise, this is a crackling good read. Mary Seeley SCANDAL ON RINCON HILL Shirley Tallman, Minotaur, 2010, $24.99, hb, 340pp, 9780312357566 In 1881, San Francisco is still a rough and rowdy city, with bordellos lining the streets near the busy wharves and ruthless tongs that patrol the borders insulating Chinatown from the Anglo-only society that dominates city life. Among the genteel ladies and ambitious businessmen who strive to create a life of refinement and civilized behavior, Sarah Woolson stands out—daughter of a judge, sister of a state senator—and one of only three women attorneys in California. Sarah always takes the side of the underdog, and this fourth story of the intrepid female lawyer is no different: prostitutes and young Chinese immigrants are her main clientele, much to her mother’s dismay—after all, Sarah is already twenty-eight and obviously headed for eternal spinsterhood—and such unsavory clients only make her prospects worse. A series of brutal murders not two blocks from the Woolsons’ home present Sarah with an increasingly tense mystery to solve, in addition to the seemingly hopeless task of helping a young unwed mother prevail upon her scurrilous lover to support her. But there is also love waiting in the wings—not one but two handsome suitors continually barrage Sarah, hoping she’ll give in some day and put aside the law books for cookbooks. A fun read, a little slow at first and with sometimes uneven writing (too much description of mundane activity, for example, and odd word usage that apparently replicates the diction of the times but which is awkward to read), but overall an engaging story with a good ending. Mary F. Burns DANCING FOR DEGAS Kathryn Wagner, Bantam, 2010, $15.00, pb, 387pp, 9780385343862 Degas’ paintings of the Paris Opera Ballet corps come to life in all their freshness and immediacy 19th Century

E D I TORS’ CH OICE MURDER AT MANSFIELD PARK Lynn Shepherd, Beautiful Books, 2010, £9.99, pb, 363pp, 9781905636792 / St. Martin’s Griffin, July 2010, $14.99, pb, 352pp, 9780312638344 The well-known classic Mansfield Park has been transformed into a whodunit murder mystery. Murder at Mansfield Park is a pageturner with twists and turns that keep its reader gripped until the very last page. The feeble and timid Fanny Price we met in Mansfield Park has become a feisty and ambitious lady. Heiress to a large fortune, Fanny is now an untrustworthy, scheming gold-digger. She is betrothed to Edmund, but do they really love each other? Tragedy strikes at the house, and it becomes a crime scene. A body is discovered early one morning. Who is it that has met with a violent death? What is the motive and who is the murderer? Everyone is suspected of the crime, and Lynn Shepherd does a superb job of keeping the reader guessing with the twists in the plot in the race to find the murderer, and producing an unexpected heroine along the way. Two of the central episodes in Mansfield Park, the theatricals and the visit to Sotherton, are included in the rework, developing the characters and keeping the plot moving. The result is much lighter, more entertaining, and more amusing than the original. However, it still remains a respectful homage to Austen, and the novel will appeal both to Austen fans and to crime readers. Its language is authentic, with quotations and snippets that will warm the hearts of true Austen readers, and includes enough dead bodies, motives, murderers, and detectives to keep crime readers riveted, complete with the inclusion of a 19thcentury equivalent of a post-mortem. A well written and very readable first novel that certainly deserves to be devoured. Barbara Goldie in Kathryn Warner’s debut novel. As a teen, Alexandrie pays for her first dancing lessons by cleaning her teacher’s studio, and when her hard work earns her an audition at the Paris ballet, she is rescued from a bleak future in poverty-stricken rural France. Her visions of dancing her way to stardom are as frothy and fleeting as the sketches of Edgar Degas, a mysterious, aloof man who attends practices and eventually ask her to model for his reputation-making paintings of ballerinas. Alexandrie is too naive to understand how anyone could both crave and spurn the chance for lasting happiness with a like-minded soul, and she spends much of the novel caught up in the misery of unrequited love before maturing enough to understand that, like her, Degas has the strength, and the right, to make his own choices even if they don’t conform to others’ expectations. The grueling life of the dancers and the toll on body and spirit is well depicted here, as is the

tawdry underbelly of the ballet world, where the ethereal presences onstage are sold to the highest bidder for liaisons after the show, and the best future imaginable is as a lorette, the kept mistress of a rich, married man. Alexandrie’s salvation comes from a bit too unexpected a place, and it is disappointing that Wagner’s epilogue, set many years later, skimps on details about the post-ballet lives of both her and her friend Noella, whom the reader has also cheered for throughout the novel. Still, these are small flaws in a thoroughly engrossing and informative story. Laurel Corona PIECES OF SKY Kaki Warner, Berkley, 2010, $15.00/C$18.50, pb, 432pp, 9780425232149 Carrying the deed to Bickersham Hall and hiding the new life stirring inside her, Jessica Abigail Rebecca Thornton flees her home in England to HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 43

locate her brother in New Mexico Territory. The year is 1869, and her journey west takes her by stagecoach along with a diverse group of traveling companions. Men have always let her down, so it is no surprise when she must withstand the lewd and lecherous looks and comments of the men on board. They believe she is a widow, although the thought of her child’s father still alive, married to her sister Annie, causes her to tremble with unease. How could she tell her sister that her husband is a rapacious rake? Brady Wilkins is a trail-worn rancher with a tendency to cuss, but whose impish smile and “startling eyes” make Jessica take notice as they banter back and forth as they travel along the bumpy trail. Suddenly the hot, fetid and unbearable ride turns deadly. The stage overturns after hitting something on the way, causing the coach to overturn. A tumbling heap of travelers and horses careens down the embankment. Brady saves her life. Jessica, along with the survivors, is taken to his ranch, Rosa Roja. Upon examination, she learns she will have twins, and the doc forbids travel for at least three months. Demons of her past keep the desire she feels for Brady at bay. Could she be wrong about this rough-edged man and allow herself to trust a man again? Will his love for Rosa Roja be too much for their future survival? Pieces of Sky, book one in the Blood Rose Trilogy couples unlikely lovers from opposing realms in a romance that is a predictable yet delightful afternoon read. Wisteria Leigh SWEETWATER RUN Jan Watson, Tyndale House, 2009, $12.99, pb, 296pp, 9781414323855 Newlywed Cara Whitt finds herself suddenly alone in the eastern Kentucky mountains in 1893. Her husband Dimmert has been jailed for stealing back his own mule, which had strayed onto neighbors’ property and they claimed as theirs. Unbeknownst to the family, Dimmert’s lawyer Henry Thomas has designs on the Whitt land, which used to belong to his grandfather. Henry is doing his utmost to keep Dimmert in jail so that the family will default on the taxes. Wedding Darcy, Cara’s sister-in-law, would bolster his claim to the land. Darcy becomes dazzled by Henry’s charm and his money, which leads to having to take the consequences of a questionable choice of action. Meanwhile, Cara relies on her friends and her faith in her quest to get her husband back. Watson won an award from the Christian Writers Guild for her first novel, which began the Troublesome Creek series and featured different characters. I liked the nonstandard plot points in this book, such as Henry turning out to be not quite the cardboard villain he seemed at first. The book features two equally important relationships going on at the same time, though Darcy’s story was more compelling than Cara’s. Watson also includes authentic details of the time and region. I had a little trouble keeping track of which minor character was which and/or related to whom, but 44 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

that might have been less of a problem if I had read the others in the series first. An enjoyable inspirational novel. B.J. Sedlock SNOWBOUND Richard S. Wheeler, Forge, 2010, $25.99, hb, 304pp, 9780765316622 This novel describes Pathfinder John Charles Frémont’s fourth expedition, an effort to find a railroad route over the Rocky Mountains. Wheeler portrays this insensitive maniac as a man with a well-developed ability to blame his flaws on others. The opinions of the various narrators range from fawning admiration (“Well, hell, a Frémont just don’t come down the pike every day”) to hyperbolic antipathy (“…he was the serpent that tempted Adam and Eve, no doubt about it.”) As the snow buries the treetops and the mules begin to die, it is apparent that the expedition of thirty is facing potential doom. The Pathfinder does not share the

fate of his men, having gone on ahead, leaving dead men behind and the gold fields of California ahead. Wheeler, a veteran writer of Westerns, has fashioned a dramatic character study while staying faithful to the outline of events. Frémont had a fascinating career, eloping with a senator’s daughter, mapping and exploring the West, and later going on to be a governor, a senator, the first Republican presidential candidate, a Civil War general and a businessman of dubious ethical standards. Although the time frame is limited to the events of the winter of 1848-9, Wheeler carefully draws the Pathfinder true to history, unafraid to expose his foibles. James Hawking THE SHANGANI PATROL John Wilcox, Headline/Trafalgar Square, 2010, £19.99/$24.95, hb, 341pp, 9780755345618 The year is 1889 and having recently returned from Khartoum, Simon Fonthill and his faithful

E D I TORS’ CH OICE HOPE AGAINST HOPE Sally Zigmond, Myrmidon, 2010, £7.99/$14.95, pb, 570pp, 9781905802197 1837 sees the start of a powerful story about two young sisters of very different character: Carrie is hardworking and placid, while May is lively and light-hearted. They are living in a Leeds pub, but their world is suddenly overturned when the pub is purchased to clear the way for a railway line. The sisters set off for Harrogate looking for work where an accident occurs and they meet Alex Sinclair, a Scottish railway pioneer, who offers them help. On their own in Harrogate, they come up against personal and financial deception and are driven apart. Each must follow her own destiny. Both are faced with trials and triumphs as they face their journeys: May’s from a high-class brothel to the slums of Paris, and Carrie’s from being a mistreated servant in a squalid boarding-house to owning a hotel in Harrogate. The novel is packed with misunderstandings, betrayals and resentments, and over a ten-year period the sisters each cross the paths of three men: Alex Sinclair; Charles Hammond, a tormented physician; and womaniser and entrepreneur Byron Taylor. The reader is pulled into the lives of the well-drawn characters, with plenty of heart stopping moments. It is a tense, gripping page-turner. The reader is readily transported into the Victorian era by the author’s vivid descriptions. The cities come alive complete with the sounds, smells and different cultures. There is something for every reader: happiness, sadness, warmth and a bit of humour, sisters, hotels, revolutions, railways, love and loss. It is beautifully written, very readable, powerful, and gritty. A wonderful debut novel that keeps the reader enthralled and guessing. It is very difficult to put down until the last page is turned, and the story will stay with the reader long afterwards. Barbara Goldie 19th Century

E D I TORS’ C H OI C E

A FIERCE RADIANCE Lauren Belfer, HarperCollins, 2010, $25.99, hb, 544pp, 9780061252518 Set on the home front of New York City during World War II, Belfer’s second novel (after the acclaimed City of Light) follows the development of penicillin to be used in the war effort. Though it’s told from many viewpoints, we mostly follow photographer for Life magazine Claire Shipley. Her journey begins at the bedside of a hopeless patient at the Rockefeller Institute who has a miraculous recovery followed by a swift and agonizing death once the antibiotic runs out. Without a happy outcome, her boss kills the story, but Claire is soon embroiled in intrigue, murder, betrayal and espionage surrounding its continuing development. She also finds love with James Stanton, a physician developing the wonder drug; danger to herself and her young son; and the possibility of family and legacy via an estranged and ruthless father who wants to profit from the research. This fulsome tale of a modern marvel, and what life was like before it became ubiquitous, crackles with twists and turns, including the paths of Detective Kreindler, as he infiltrates the fifth column, and Dr. Stanton, who finds links to Claire’s father that lead to murder. Once again we’re reminded that no great fortune was made without government assistance at its beginnings. The novel is inhabited by the radiance of lost souls, too: from Claire’s daughter, whose death haunts her, to the patients who succumb, to wartime casualties, to haunting memories of parents lost in the flu pandemic that followed the last war. It’s also a beautiful valentine to 1940s New York City and its neighborhoods, painted with great affection. Although a more careful edit would have made a tighter reading experience, A Fierce Radiance’s life, humanity, and crack mystery was worth the wait. Highly recommended. Eileen Charbonneau sidekick 352 Jenkins are in Matabeleland. Accompanied by his redoubtable wife Alice, Fonthill is acting on behalf of Cecil John Rhodes, who is keen to open the territory to the benefits of Victorian civilization. However, the court of King Lobengula is a dangerous place and the intrepid trio find themselves involved in a dangerous game of politics, when the ambitions of Rhodes collide with the colonial ambitions of the Portuguese envoy, Manuel de Sousa. When friction develops between Rhodes and the Matabele king, Fonthill finds himself drawn into war, which culminates in the Shangani River massacre. As with all his previous Fonthill novels, John Wilcox provides an exciting story of derring-do. All the characters are well-drawn and believable. The Matabele War was a virtual sideshow in the history of Victorian military history, but it provides an excellent framework for more rip roaring action against a background of Victorian colonial expansionism. Action, humour, a murderous 20th Century

villain, military heroism and stupidity, all grounded in strong research – what more could you ask for. Recommended. Mike Ashworth STOLEN PROMISE Lisa Marie Wilkinson, Medallion, 2010, $7.95/ C$8.95/£6.99, pb, 327pp, 9781605420691 The story begins in England in 1806 when Jade, a Romani girl, runs away from an unwanted betrothal. She falls in with Evan Dark, a visiting American who turns out to have close ties to the Romani himself. When Evan returns her to her clan, they judge her disgraced, saying no Romani would want her, and force Jade to marry Evan in a Romani ceremony. Jade makes a bargain with Evan to accompany him to America, posing as his indentured servant. Once in Charleston, Glorianna, Evan’s arrogant betrothed, and his resentful half-brother Colin provide obstacles for the growing attraction between Evan and Jade.

While I like to learn new things via reading historical fiction, the author’s Romani language lessons were too heavy-handed. There are ways to better integrate vocabulary into the story without being so didactic. Either the printer made mistakes and omitted asterisks between certain paragraphs, or else Wilkinson needs to work on transitions. Several times I was confused about where (or whether) the plot was suddenly jumping. The main characters weren’t very likeable, and I thought some of the plot points strayed too far into melodramatic territory. Nice try regarding the unusual Romani setting, but I can’t recommend this historical romance. B.J. Sedlock

20th century

INFAMOUS Ace Atkins, Putnam, 2010, $25.95/$32.50, hb, 416pp, 9780399156304 George “Machine Gun” Kelly was one of the well known, but curiously now forgotten gangsters of the lawless Midwest in the 1930s. His weapon of choice earned him the colorful nickname and notoriety as Public Enemy Number 1. Ace Atkins was drawn to this larger than life character, however, for the role his erratic wife Kathryn played in his meteoric rise and equally speedy fall. The two are certainly far from the stereotypical gangster duo one has come to expect. Infamous is a finely crafted historical adventure owing to the author’s keen grasp of building suspense into a story populated with some of the most fascinating characters this side of Elmore Leonard. The tale revolves around Kathryn and George Kelly’s kidnapping of Charles Urschel, a wealthy Southwestern oil baron who is both victim and twisted personality at one and the same time. The husband and wife kidnappers are a study in contrasts. George Kelly is seemingly challenged by original thought and talented only in consuming alcohol while Kathryn appears to be an intelligent but untrustworthy schemer only concerned with herself and her hardscrabble family. Their up-anddown relationship will leave the reader guessing. Leading the FBI’s pursuit is Gus T. Jones, a lawman who seems to belong in the time of Wyatt Earp and Billy the Kid rather than in the Depression in hot pursuit of machine gun carrying outlaws. Oilman Urschel and the criminals the Kellys encounter (principally a bank robber named Harvey Bailey) join with Jones, Kathryn, and George to bring the tale of 1930s lawmen and Public Enemy #1 to life. I doubt very much any reader will regret riding along with Machine Gun Kelly and his wife on their journey to fame and disaster. John R. Vallely MAP OF THE INVISIBLE WORLD Tash Aw, Spiegel & Grau, 2010, $25.00/C$32.99, hb, 336pp, 9780385527965 / Fourth Estate, 2010, £7.99, pb, 400pp, 9780007349982 HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 45

Adam is an orphan, several times over. First, he and his older brother were left at an Indonesian orphanage; then his brother, Johan, was adopted, and now, his Dutch-born adoptive father, Karl, has been taken away by the military in an act of “repatriation.” Sixteen-year-old Adam’s struggle to remember his past, and to determine his future, is at the center of this novel, which teems with the strife and turbulence of Indonesia in the mid1960s. Adam seeks the help of Margaret Bates, an anthropologist teaching in Jakarta, whose photo he found among Karl’s papers. With Adam’s arrival, Margaret is reminded of a past life, when she was young and in love with Karl, who was one of many European artists who came to Indonesia before World War II. She must call in favors with other men from her past, not only to locate Karl, but also to escape from an increasingly dangerous life in Jakarta. Margaret’s navigation of the political and military minefields mirrors Adam’s emotional searching for home and emotional stability. Unknown to them, Adam’s brother Johan is engaged in his own quest to confront his inner demons. These invisible worlds are deftly mapped by Aw, as is the history of Indonesia; from centuries of Dutch rule to Japanese invasion to efforts at selfrule while being influenced by forces both Western and Communist, the tumult of the country and its people is well documented. Historical figures such as President Sukarno make appearances, and incidents such as the military strikes and rioting crowds are vividly related. The country is more than just a backdrop to the struggles of the characters we meet; it is itself a multiplicity of characters trying to make its way into an ambiguous future. Helene Williams LETTER TO MY DAUGHTER George Bishop, Ballantine, 2010, $20.00, hb, 148pp, 9780345515988 Laura and her teenage daughter Liz are fighting, and Liz has run away from the family home. While she waits nervously for news of her daughter’s whereabouts, Laura writes Liz a letter, confessing many of the darkest secrets of her youth. Laura’s adolescence in a small town in Louisiana during the late 1960s was difficult. Her bigoted father ruled the household with an iron fist, and her meek mother never dared to cross him. When Laura falls in love with Tim, a Cajun boy from the wrong side of the tracks, her parents promptly deposit her in a Catholic reform school. She manages to elude her parents and continue her relationship with Tim, which quickly becomes more intense and adult than Laura can handle. When Tim decides to enlist in the military to serve in Vietnam, Laura is unsure of how she should react. The war is unpopular, and Tim is risking his life to build a future with her—a future that she is no longer sure that she wants. The reader knows nothing about Liz, or why her mother is so angry with her, other than typical mother-teenage daughter drama. She seems to be a stock “angry teen” character whose sole purpose is 46 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

to provide a framework for Laura to spill her guts. Many of the characters seem like caricatures—a kindly nun, a mean-girl roommate, the poorbut-honorable boyfriend, the rich kid who takes advantage of women—there’s not much substance there. The ending, which features an uprising among the young women of the Sacred Heart Academy, is implausible but still moving. Despite its flaws, Letter to My Daughter is likely to resonate with readers, especially those who enjoy novels about strained parent-child relationships. Nanette Donohue THE WETTEST COUNTY IN THE WORLD: A Novel Based on a True Story Matt Bondurant, Scribner, 2009, $15.00, pb, 320pp, 9781416561408 During the Prohibition era, moonshine flowed freely through the mountains of Franklin County, Virginia, and few bootleggers were more productive, violent, and notable than the Bondurant Boys—three brothers whose operation and tactics were known throughout the county. Eldest brother Forrest is the brains of the operation, middle brother and World War I veteran Howard is the brawn, and youngest brother Jack is the engine whose taste for the finer life keeps the business going. While their product is the standard rotgut moonshine, their tactics set them apart and make them feared throughout the region. The Bondurants and their accomplices are fearless—unafraid of violence, reprisal, or the law. They are driven by circumstance, poverty, greed, and the desire to raise themselves above their circumstance. The tale of the Bondurant Boys is intertwined with the story of novelist Sherwood Anderson, who failed to live up to his early potential and is now a newspaper owner in rural Virginia. Anderson travels to Franklin County to report on the Bondurant story, and finds that the tight-lipped locals have little to say. Bondurant based his novel on his own family’s history, but he doesn’t romanticize anything. Prohibition-era Franklin County was a gritty, violent, demanding place, where corruption and greed ran rampant and loyalty to family, whether by blood or by choice, was essential. As the story progresses, we begin to see the humans behind the Bondurant legend, and witness how their ambition cost them their well-being, destroyed their relationships, and, in some cases, almost killed them. The nonlinear structure takes some time to get used to, as does the extensive and colorful cast of characters, but the tale of loyalties won and lost highlights the brutality of the era, and the physical, mental, and emotional price paid for greed. Nanette Donohue THE DAY THE FALLS STOOD STILL Cathy Marie Buchanan, Hutchinson, 2010, £12.99, pb, 298pp, 9780091925963 / Voice, 2009, $24.99, hb, 320pp, 9781401340971 1915, Niagara Falls, Canada. This carefully crafted story illuminates both the pre-war status quo – a world where well-brought-up young ladies,

like Bess Heath, are expected to make a good marriage, and where the classes don’t mix socially – and a world in flux, where thousands of young Canadian men die in the killing fields of Flanders, and where the aftermath of war will be hardship and unemployment. Through this, a third strand is woven: when does sensible use of a natural resource, such as water, become exploitation? Bess’s emotional journey begins when her father loses his job and she is forced to leave school and use her sewing skills to help keep the family afloat. Her elder sister, Isabel, is in a worryingly fragile state and can’t help. Their mother hopes that Bess will make a suitable marriage. But when Bess meets the rugged, good-looking riverman, Tom Cole, a man way beneath her socially, her life is changed forever. Tom is passionately concerned about what effect Mr Beck’s Ontario Power Company’s drive to generate more and more electricity is having on the river. Tom charts the gradual water level drop and is desperate to stop the Niagara’s exploitation. There are no easy answers; in post-war Canada, jobs are desperately needed and the power company is offering employment. When Mr Beck offers Tom a much-needed job, both he and Bess have some difficult decisions to make. I have to be honest and say that this book didn’t do it for me. Yes, it’s well written, and the Niagara Falls background is unusual and interesting, but it never really engaged me, partly because it was written from an emotional distance but also because I could predict the ending. However, I am just one reader; others may feel differently. Elizabeth Hawksley STRANGE IMAGES OF DEATH Barbara Cleverly, Soho, 2010, $25.00, hb, 320pp, 9781569476321 / Constable, 2010, £18.99, hb, 320pp, 9781849011181 Commander Joe Sandilands of Scotland Yard is faced with a curious problem as he motors through France in 1926. Joe, a man uncertain how to behave around teenagers, has as his passenger his opinionated and obstinate 14-yearold niece, Dorcas. Joe is on his way to holiday on the Riviera and intends only to stop for a short time in Provence’s Chateau du Diable to drop Dorcas off with her father, Orlando Joliffe. His investigative talents are called into play at the ancient and forbidding chateau as Orlando and his artist friends are plagued by crimes ranging from a mysterious act of desecration, to a missing child, and on to the murder of a pretty young model. The list of suspects is far from the usual street toughs as Joe has to consider the guilt or innocence of an artistic ensemble as far removed from criminal activities as Provence is from London. Barbara Cleverly does not dwell in the rough-andtumble world of gritty action novels but rather in an environment of well-drawn character types, individuals struggling with issue of self-definition, and one in which the mature police officer uses intelligence and guile rather than guns and force. As for Joe and the problematic teenage Dorcas—it 20th Century

turns out their world views aren’t so incompatible after all. John R. Vallely THE LIGHTKEEPER’S DAUGHTER Colleen Coble, Thomas Nelson, 2010, $14.99, pb, 320pp, 1595542670 In the early 1900s, a spunky young woman called Addie lives in a lighthouse on a remote California island. She’s alone except for a woman she calls mother—and God, who is very real to Addie— until a stranger identifies her as his missing niece, an heiress thought lost at sea. Someone has been paying to keep Addie away from her real family since she was two. In true Cinderella fashion, Addie is whisked to her father’s mansion by coach but, until her nemesis is identified, her uncle passes her off as a governess. Thus begins a complex tale that puts Addie in danger—and into the arms of a handsome naval officer. After a kidnapping, murder, financial and other shenanigans, followed by several surprising twists, the villains are foiled; and Addie finds a loving family. The fast-moving plot and fish-out-ofwater heroine will keep the pages turning; but the characters lack depth and, and, at times, Addie’s religion seems like an afterthought. The Lightkeeper’s Daughter will appeal to readers of Christian inspirational fiction who enjoy mystery and light romance in a historical setting. Jeanne Greene HIRSCHFELD’S FRIENDS Michael Dean, Quaestor 2000, 2010, £9.99, pb, 188pp, 9781906836313 Hans-Max Hirschfeld is Secretary General for Trade and Industry in the Netherlands in 1941, while it is occupied by the Nazis despite their declaration of neutrality. The Queen and many government figures have fled for England, but Hirschfeld has been instructed to stay, with clear instructions to protect the Jews as far as possible. However, Hirschfeld is a Jew himself, and the Nazis know it. Hirschfeld attempts to protect the Jews by cooperating with the occupying forces. For example, he attempts to ensure that work on a new battleship, the Armenius, proceeds as quickly and efficiently as possible. He fears that if there are problems the job will be moved to Bremen in Germany, leaving thousands of workers unemployed and therefore susceptible to being deported to labour camps in the east. However others in the Jewish community have different ideas on resisting the Nazis. Manny, Hirschfeld’s nephew, and his group of friends, led by Manny’s father, Robert Roet, plan to blow up the Armenius as an act of defiance and to damage the Nazi war effort. The two different methods of resistance are effectively portrayed and contrasted. The characters are described in the blurb as ‘flawed’ and ‘all too human’. While they are believable, their ‘flaws’ are particularly unattractive, which did affect how I felt about them, and therefore how interested I was in their plight. Dean’s male 20th Century

characters are far more three-dimensional than his female ones. However, this a well researched, very readable and emotionally engaging account of the Dutch resistance to Nazi occupation. Victoria Lyle STETTIN STATION David Downing, Soho, 2010, $25.00, hb, 304pp, 9781569476345 This third in a series finds Anglo-American John Russell with his days in Berlin clearly numbered. Although Nazi Germany is victorious on all fronts, the first cracks in their success are beginning to show. The prospect of the impending war between Japan and the United States will almost certainly result in his expulsion from the country. Cracks in his personal life are apparent as well. His actress girl friend Effi is becoming increasingly disenchanted with her role in Goebbels’ propaganda machine, while his son Paul is spending more and more time with the Hitler youth. Intrigues between German intelligence and the Gestapo threaten to pull him in, as does his curiosity about just where those transports of Jews actually go. Throw in a collaborating American who is murdered on his way to see John, as well as echoes from his own Communist past, and life in Berlin is becoming intolerably precarious. The question is, can he and his lover Effi escape? The author is at his best with setting and historical detail, and this novel does not disappoint. His sharply drawn descriptions of daily life within the beleaguered Nazi capital ring true, as do the characters that inhabit it. His sense of place is outstanding, and is the main reason to read his work. The plot, though, in this installment, is a different matter. Not that it is poorly done, but the novel is basically a transition from the previous two to a new reality for the subsequent volumes. As such, it does not quite stand on its own. Even the important revelations of American corporate complicity in making the Nazi war machine, as well as information regarding the final fate of the Jews, fails to detract from what is, in its essence, the attempted escape of John and Effi from Berlin. A good story to be sure, but one that should be read only after completing at least one of the preceding volumes. Ken Kreckel WILDFLOWERS OF TEREZIN Robert Elmer, Abington, 2010, $13.99, pb, 336pp, 9781426701924 In Denmark in 1943, Pastor Steffen Peterson, riding his cherished bicycle to visit a parishioner, instead ends up in the middle of a street shooting and wakes up in a hospital. There, the cautious Steffen finds himself mistaken for a member of the Resistance—and drawn to his Jewish nurse, Hanne Abrahamsen. In spite of himself, Steffen is soon drawn into Resistance work, putting himself increasingly at risk. Meanwhile, Hanne is sent to Theresienstadt. Because of its subject matter, I was expecting to

admire this book, but not to enjoy it, so I found myself pleasantly surprised. Elmer certainly doesn’t flinch from showing us the tragic side of history, but neither his characters nor his readers are beaten down by the events that unfold here. Elmer employs lively, natural dialogue, such as the banter between co-workers, between brothers, between mother and daughter, and, of course, between the romantic leads. Steffen and Hanne and their companions are well drawn: ordinary, likable people who find themselves doing heroic acts out of sheer decency. Their story is truly an inspirational one. Susan Higginbotham RED LOTUS (UK) / THE CONCUBINE’S DAUGHTER (US) Pai Kit Fai, Sphere, 2010, £7.99, pb, 475pp, 9780751538984 / St. Martin’s Griffin, 2009, $14.99, pb, 496pp, 9780312355210 The wealth of detail about Chinese history and culture gives this book an edge over other stories that tell a similar tale. The author spent over thirty years in the Far East, mostly in Hong Kong and Macao, and this knowledge animates his descriptions of the places and people. In the early 20th century, Chinese women and girls were brutally exploited: female infanticide was commonplace and those that did survive were often sold as children, their sung-tip contract bonding them into a lifetime of slavery. This is a story of three generations of courageous women who use their minds, whether through scholarship, business or the age-old discipline of Tao learning and martial arts, to break out of this mould and find love and fulfilment. It explores China at a time of extraordinary opportunity when vast fortunes were made by the Chinese and, above all, westerners from opium and silk, but society – and the secret circles of the Yellow Dragon triad, or the sau-hai sisters – was merciless to those who broke the unwritten rules. The last half of the book, focused on Siu-Sing, the Red Lotus, is the most compelling. Lucinda Byatt THE YELLOW HOUSE Patricia Falvey, Center Street, 2010, $21.99/£17.99, hb, 337pp, 97815999520017 Family legend says that Eileen O’Neill’s childhood home, the titular yellow house, was won back in a game of cards from a Protestant family that stole it from the O’Neills. That same Protestant family, the Sheridans, now owns the spinning and weaving mills that employ many of the residents of the small town of Glenlea. When Eileen’s father is murdered, Eileen goes to work at the spinning mill, where she encounters Owen, the black sheep Sheridan son. The two begin a tense, complicated relationship that affects them in unexpected ways. As the fight over Irish home rule escalates, Eileen finds herself drawn to James Conlon, a passionate believer in the Irish Republic. Her relationship with James, and her involvement in the independence movement, change her life and challenge her beliefs. Set in the tumultuous years before and after HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 47

World War I, The Yellow House is an impressive debut that will appeal to readers of Irish family sagas. Falvey skillfully takes major events and reduces them to a personal level, focusing on the effects of World War I and religious unrest in Ireland on one woman and the people around her. Secondary characters, both heroes and villains, abound, and Falvey steers clear of the stock characters that often plague novels set in Ireland. The love triangle between Eileen, Owen, and James, combined with the historical context, provides plenty of tension and keeps the story moving quickly. While some of the twists and turns that Eileen’s story takes are a touch melodramatic, it’s hard not to root for her as she fights to reclaim her birthright. Nanette Donohue EVENING’S EMPIRE Bill Flanagan, Simon & Schuster, 2010, $26.95, hb, 656pp, 9781439148457 With a title nod to Dylan’s Mr. Tambourine Man, Flanagan’s 645-page epic about rock music spans more than four decades in the life of the Ravons (Rave-ons), a fictional band that starts in London and careens like a pinball through the music universe that unhinged the popular consciousness with the arrival of the Beatles. The behind-the-scenes tales are told in the steady, likeable, first-person delivery of the band’s manager, Jack Flynn, who starts as a neophyte lawyer who shoulders the management of the Ravons’ tours and music contracts from his firm’s senior partners. The charismatic star—Emerson Cutler—is being sued for divorce and wants to catch his faithless wife in flagrante in a hotel in Spain (as leverage against his own adultery). Jack is dispatched to do the job because “you are young, Flynn. You are part of this… new vogue.” The year is 1967, and Jack’s life is forever changed. The band members have very distinct personalities, and it’s quite a ride as the group breaks up, reassembles, suffers reversals, betrayals, marriage, divorce, drugs, alcohol, wealth, and poverty. Seen through the pragmatic eyes of Jack— the manager as confessor/father/nursemaid/ fixer—the last four decades of the 20th century come alive in small details that give rise to larger, context-setting philosophical musings about how humans respond to the changing culture with fear and love, wit and courage, greed and selfishness. Even if you weren’t there, it’s fun to revisit the times—except when it’s not. The crashes, the greed, the waste of talent and energy, the moneygrubbing snobbishness—from Woodstock up to 9/11 and a few years beyond—the last four or five decades have a lot to answer for. The story drags here and there, but at the end, you don’t want to leave Jack and his friends behind. Mary F. Burns THE EDGE OF RUIN Irene Fleming, Minotaur, 2010, $24.99, hb, 240pp, 9780312575205 In the early days of film production, competition 48 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

between movie companies often resembled gang warfare; with every new start-up ruthlessly harassed by Thomas Edison’s hired enforcers, the silent movie industry was dangerous business. In 1909 another entrepreneur joins the fray: Adam Weiss sells everything he owns and drags his bemused new wife Emily along to start up a production company. At first thinking her husband has lost his marbles, Emily quickly discovers she loves the movie business, and together they assemble a crew to begin their first film. The group evades Edison’s detectives a few times and are feeling rather smug— but then one of those detectives is murdered on set, and Adam is arrested for the crime. Now Emily has some very big problems: she must find the killer and exonerate her husband; she must evade the dead man’s vengeful cronies; and most of all, she must keep those cameras rolling. Filled with period details that don’t smother the prose, and with few historical quibbles (one being the use of “Red Menace” before WWI), The Edge of Ruin is a short novel that’s as zippy and clever as its heroine, racing along with sharp writing and plenty of humor. Emily is a smart, likeable character, capable and creative; Adam is not so sympathetic, but the story belongs to Emily. An ensemble of colorful supporting characters and an energetic pace make for a satisfying mystery read. Recommended – except maybe to fans of Thomas Edison. Heather Domin THE CLOUDS BENEATH THE SUN Mackenzie Ford, Sphere, 2009, £6.99, pb, 533pp, 9780751541267 Natalie Nelson is haunted by tragedy – her mother’s death, estrangement from her father, and rejection by her lover. In 1963, she arrives in Kenya determined to succeed in her new good fortune: joining the renowned palaeontologist Eleanor Deacon’s excavations in a region rich with evidence of the earliest hominids. A thrilling discovery leads to disaster. Two of Natalie’s colleagues, impatient to publish their findings, desecrate the grave of a revered warrior of the Maasai. They exact their own tribal justice, hacking to death one of the culprits. Natalie, the only witness to that night’s events, knows what she saw, satisfying neither side in the forthcoming trial. Subjected to heavy persuasion leading to threat, her resolution would be hard to sustain but for the unfailing friendship and skilfully ardent courtship of charismatic Jack Deacon, the autocratic Eleanor’s eldest son. In the volatility of Nairobi, adventures in the beauty of an unspoilt land and the joy of a brief reunion with her father, Natalie becomes strong enough to give her evidence in court. But she will have a final shocking test of courage encompassing herself and Jack. This is an exciting novel with some exquisite descriptive writing. It seems mean-minded to mention its one fault: the frequency of Natalie’s sweating. This talented author could easily have varied his beleaguered heroine’s reaction to every emotion.

Nancy Henshaw SUNSHINE AND SHOWERS June Francis, Allison and Busby, 2010, £19.99, hb, 415pp, 9780749007836 In Liverpool 1926, a young girl, Patsy Doyle, is adapting to her new life as a live-in maid to Mr and Mrs Tanner. All is not well between their new employees since he returned from the Great War, making the tension between the two awkward for their young servant as she performs her duties and becomes an unwilling confidante. Joy Kirke loses her first love in the war and accepts the security of a marriage of convenience. She has spent years working for Mr Robbie Bennett as his cook and housekeeper, but accepting his proposal brings Joy more drama than she could ever have foreseen. The two women discover to their cost, that relationships can be problematic for those around them as well as for the people directly involved. Through the love their family and friends share, they overcome the grief and hardships that they experience in their evolving situations and relationships. The characters within the story are all quite complex and believable. The reader is transported convincingly back to the era as soon as they begin to read the first page. The plot is intricate, and the background detail falls in around the story unnoticed. The drama and events build up to a very realistic ending. This is a very satisfying book, which illustrates the power of unconditional love in its many forms. Valerie Loh THE CONFEDERATE GENERAL RIDES NORTH Amanda C. Gable, Scribner, 2009, $26/C$34, hb, 276pp, 9781416598398 Eleven-year-old Katherine McConnell is obsessed with the Civil War, particularly the Confederate side. She frequently daydreams about being a Confederate general. When her mother asks her to run away on an extended antique-collecting road trip for a yet-to-be established store, Kat says goodbye to her pets, denies any inner trepidation she has about not saying good bye to other family members, and heads off for adventure. Their travels from Marietta, Georgia, to Maine will take them through Boston, her mother’s east coast childhood home, and near many major Civil War battlefields and museums. Kat, who is tasked with mapping their route, convinces her mom to let her visit Civil War attractions while her mom negotiates for antiques. Here, her Civil War fantasies help her ignore the truth about her mother’s true intentions for their journey. Using creative circumstances, Gable illustrates the mother/daughter relationship at the point when the child recognizes the parent’s flaws. Kat’s inner war reenactments and communions with historical military figures offer her the type of escape that other kids find in fantasies filled with more mundane scenarios. Kat’s attitude changes, too. As she learns more about both sides of the 20th Century

Civil War, it becomes harder for her to continue her reverence of the Confederate side. Filled with tidbits about the Civil War and set in the 1970s, this novel will engage any young reader with a penchant for history. This coming-ofage novel may help readers understand their own complicated family relationships, too. Suzanne J. Sprague STAY A LITTLE LONGER Dorothy Garlock, Grand Central, 2010, $24.99/ C$29.99, hb, 372pp, 9780446540209; $13.99/ C$16.99, pb, 372pp, 9780446540193 Rachel Watkins seems to be the only sane person in her family. Her duties include caring for her agoraphobic mother, her alcoholic uncle, and her incorrigible niece, Charlotte, orphaned when her mother, Alice, dies in childbirth and her father,

Mason Tucker, doesn’t return from the Great War. Times are tough in 1926 Carlson, Minnesota as the family tries to eke out a living by taking in boarders. Rachel has her share of suitors but no time for romance. Meanwhile Mason’s brother Zachary, who gained control of the family banking business, is scheming to obtain the land the boarding house is on so a lumber company will bring their business to the fledgling little prairie town (and Zachary will gain much in the process). He doesn’t care who he hurts. Soon a bedraggled stranger arrives in town, never intending to reveal his true identity and sure that no one will recognize him due to his battle scars. He hopes to get a glance of his wife Alice, not knowing that she had died in childbirth. Shortly circumstances demand he reveal himself, and

E D I TORS’ C H OI C E BLOODROOT Amy Greene, Knopf, 2010, $25.95, hb, 464pp, 9780525950547 Byrdie Lamb was said to be one of those witches from Chickweed Holler, one who, as they say, had “the touch.” She gave birth to five children and buried four. Her last child, Clio, has a wandering, adventurous spirit and is not happy staying at home with Byrdie, so it comes as no surprise when she runs away to get married. One day Clio and her husband are killed, leaving behind their daughter, Myra. Byrdie’s relationship with Clio was never close, but she is devoted to Myra. They live together on Bloodroot Mountain, an inseparable pair. Byrdie shares her ways with her, and all is good until John Odom catches Myra’s eye. Like her mama before her, Myra leaves Bloodroot Mountain to get married. At this point, the reader picks up the story from Myra’s children’s point of view. They are twins, a son and a daughter. Myra’s life unfolds in Greene’s intricate, multilayered story that holds together like a carefully laid mosaic. Byrdie, Doug, John Odom, Laura Odom Blevins, and finally Myra share a piece of the tale, adding dimensions from their memories of the past as the truth reveals itself through them. The expressive, tangible characters breathe with a hint of Appalachia in their souls. Their story takes place from 1929, at the beginning of the Great Depression, through today. The pain of the characters, breathtakingly warm and genuine, will penetrate deep into your heart. Greene’s story about family, forgiveness and healing is summarized beautifully in her words: “It’s not forgetting that heals. It’s remembering.” Although told with a smooth, measured cadence, the story moves with unstoppable momentum. Sobbing as the final pages were read, I sat motionless, deep in thought with the opened book on my lap. A poignant debut with emotional depth. Wisteria Leigh 20th Century

Zachary starts to play even dirtier in his quest to take over the boardinghouse land. Dorothy Garlock has been called the premier writer of Americana romance with her charming romances set in small towns from the late 19th to early 20th century, where the good characters are very good and her villains are as evil as they come. Readers interested in this time period will be hardpressed to find a better chronicler of this time period than Garlock, whose tales have been loved by readers for four decades. Stay a Little Longer is an endearing tale that will not disappoint her fans. Maudeen Wachsmith SOMETHING RED Jennifer Gilmore, Scribner, 2010, $25.00, hb, 320pp, 9781416571704 Gilmore’s second novel brings us a Beltway family in 1979-80 as they grapple with their collective and individual identities against the backdrop of the Carter administration. The Iranian hostage crisis, Soviet grain embargo, and boycotted Moscow Olympics provide historical reference points, but the most compelling history in this well written novel is the social made personal. A bulimic, punk rocker daughter struggles to find her identity by being against everything, most notably herself. A former high school jock son wonders why he wasn’t born in times where politics were passionately felt (his grandfather’s socialism as a Russian Jewish immigrant on Hester Street, his parents’ March on Washington) and tries to find a greater vision for his own life than continued success at bedding cheerleaders. The father builds a successful life in the murky Cold War economy, where grain deals and espionage cannot always be separated. The mother struggles to halt her slide into the ennui of middle aged suburban affluence through personal affirmations learned at selfhelp seminars, and through a small but successful catering company. Overall, the impression is of people for whom the past is often more real than the present, the future is scarily unpredictable, and the present consists mostly of marking time. There’s a sadness, an emptiness that pervades this excellently conceived work, punctuated with a great deal of humor and spot-on observations about the era. Remember cherries jubilee and broiled pineapple as gourmet delights? Grateful Dead concerts? Bongs and acid tabs? Long haired professors teaching courses with names like “America Protests!”? They’re all here as details of an era, reminding us that when it comes to families, sometimes it is only the details that change. Laurel Corona THE IRRESISTIBLE HENRY HOUSE Lisa Grunwald, Random House, 2010, $25.00/ C$29.95, hb, 432pp, 9781400063000 Henry House is an orphan, yet he has many mothers. He is what was known as a “practice baby” in a home economics program at a small college in northeastern Pennsylvania in the 1950s. Students in the program would take turns caring for these HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 49

babies, learning the latest theories on scientific child-rearing and efficient household operation. The babies would be adopted after a couple of years, and a new practice baby would arrive. Henry, however, was different: Martha Gaines, the practice house program director, fell in love with him, very much in spite of herself and her teachings. So Henry grew up in the practice house, always surrounded by eager student mothers. In some ways that seems like a marvelous life, but for Henry, it increasingly was not the case. Instead of bonding with one person (or mother), he doesn’t build real connections with anyone, even though he is very skilled in getting what he wants from women. This marvelous story follows Henry as he hones his craft both with women and in the animation industry, from California to New York to London; we see the inner workings of Walt Disney’s studios while Mary Poppins is being filmed, and we also spend time in Beatles-mad London during the late 1960s. Based on real programs in operation at American universities throughout the first 60 years of the twentieth century, the basics of Grunwald’s story came from her viewing an exhibit on Home Economics, which is still available (http://rmc. library.cornell.edu/homeEc/cases/apartments. html). The combination of the imagined life of one of these practice babies with the changing times— feminism, Dr. Benjamin Spock, civil rights— makes for delightful reading that is at times both funny and heart-wrenching. Helene Williams THE FALLEN KINGS Cynthia Harrod-Eagles, Sphere/Trafalgar Square, 2009, £19.99/$29.95, hb, 592pp, 9781847441157 January 1918, and volume 32 of the Morland Saga. No conscientious objectors here; all the adult Morlands are doing their bit. Except for Jessie, who was nursing before being sent home in disgrace after getting pregnant while unmarried. The father is her cousin Bertie, commanding a battalion in France. Will he get a divorce from Maud and be able to marry Jessie before the birth? Meanwhile, Emma is driving an ambulance, Lennie returns to France, Jack is shot down and posted missing, Robert falls ill in Palestine and Thomas accompanies the Romanovs to Ekaterinburg. There are a great many Morlands, and recourse to the family tree is needed, especially as they are in the habit of falling in love with their cousins (except for Thomas, who is in love with the eldest Romanov daughter). The Fallen Kings makes an easy read, and the author has clearly done her research. However, in a book only published in 2009, after Nicholas II and his family have all been accounted for by DNA tests, it is surprising to find a plot-line where they do not all die in Ekaterinburg. In contrast, I find the depiction of the reaction to an unmarried pregnancy very realistic. In most novels written nowadays, the erring pair are forgiven as soon as the infant arrives, but it was not like that then (my grandmother was six months pregnant at the time of her first marriage in 1906; her family treated 50 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

her as practically a fallen woman thereafter, and I have never heard a single good word about her first husband). No doubt, the next volume is on the stocks. Ann Lyon COVENTRY Helen Humphreys, Norton, 2010, $13.95, pb, 179pp, 9780393337556 / Maia, 2009, £8.99, pb, 208pp, 9781904559375 I must confess, I am a great fan of Helen Humphreys’ novels. Coventry, an extremely vivid and moving book, just strengthens this partiality. The German bombing raid on the night of November 14, 1940 virtually destroyed the city. I knew this, but it was only when I read this novel that I felt the impact of what it was actually like during the bombing. Helen is fire-watching on the roof of the cathedral for the first time, standing in for her neighbor, who has fallen and hurt himself. When the destruction begins, she joins another fire-watcher, a young man named Jeremy, in a desperate effort to make their way back to their own homes, which turn out to be close to one another. Jeremy wants to make sure that his mother, Maeve, is all right, and Helen wants to check on her home and her neighbor. While most of the action takes place during the night of the bombing, we also are provided with glimpses into Helen’s life before and after 1940. She married in September 1914, and her brief period of utter happiness ends with her new husband’s departure to fight in WWI. We see her, also in 1914, unexpectedly delighting in a ride on the top of a new double-decker bus with another young woman she has just met. These earlier snapshots help us to better understand Helen at the time of the inferno. This edition of the book includes an interview with the author, a brief essay about the writing of the book, and a resource list. I found these supplementary materials valuable, and particularly enjoyed finding out why the book took the shape that it did. Helen Humphreys began her writing career as a poet. She has brought the perceptive vision of a poet to this elegiac and compassionate novel. Trudi E. Jacobson UNDERGROUND June Hutton, Cormorant Books, 2009, C$21.00, pb, 246pp, 9781896951812 This novel opens with the protagonist, Albert Fraser, a 16-year-old Canadian volunteer, at the front during the battle of the Somme in 1916. He is severely wounded, shipped to England to recover, and then sent home to Princeton, British Columbia. Over the next few years, he makes living painting houses until the Great Depression makes him a homeless wanderer. He ends up in a work camp building roads for twenty cents a day. As the Depression deepens, he meets a friend, Henderson, and they become involved with the Communist movement. After an altercation with the police during a protest march, he goes underground

and eventually finding solace hiding in the Yukon Territory living with a native couple. After a year he becomes restless and, adopting a new name, Alex Johnson (after the couple’s dead son), he leaves and becomes impassioned by the struggle of the Spanish Civil War. He volunteers again joining the International Brigades and fights on the side of the Republicans against Franco and the Nationalists. In a chance encounter, he meets his beautiful cousin, Magdalena-Rose, a native of Spain. After a rocky start, they return to Canada, marry, and settle into a quiet domestic life in Vancouver. Throughout the novel there is a consistent theme of an individual perpetually struggling to find his way. Through his wandering, Al seeks to discover his own identity while trying to make sense of the world. Hutton has written an engaging and thoughtful story set in the early decades of the tumultuous 20th century. In some ways it is an ofttold tale but here worth reading about again. Gerald T. Burke LAST NIGHT IN TWISTED RIVER John Irving, Bloomsbury, 2010, £20.00, hb, 554pp, 9781408801840 / Random House, 2009, $28.00, hb, 576pp, 9781400063840 The story opens in 1954 at a logging camp along the Twisted River. Danny is only twelve years old when, hearing strange noises, he walks in on his father having sex with an American Indian woman known as Injun Jane, a large, hirsute lady. Danny thinks Injun Jane is a bear attacking his father and he hits her with an iron skillet, killing her. Father and son run away in fear of violent retribution from the local constable, who is Injun Jane’s boyfriend. The novel covers the next fifty years as the boyfriend pursues them in search of revenge. The author’s voice is strong throughout the novel. It was like being in the same room with an old man reminiscing about his life, with verbal detours back and forward in time. The writing is lyrical and evocative, but I found my credulity with the plot at times stretched to breaking point. There is also a seam of casual violence flowing through this book which I found disturbing. Many of the men seem emotionally damaged or immature, while the women are sexually voracious and physically large to the point of caricature. Fans of John Irving will no doubt enjoy this book; those like me who are unfamiliar with his work may find this not to their taste. Mike Ashworth SEASON OF STORMS Susanna Kearsley, Allison & Busby, 2010, £10.99, pb, 493pp, 9780749007546 / Jove, 2001, out of print In the early years of the 20th century, the famous playwright Galeazzo D’Ascanio falls in love with an actress named Celia Sands and writes a play, a masterpiece, for her to star in. Before opening night Celia has vanished and the production is abandoned, the play left unperformed and unlucky. Now, many years later, another Celia Sands – this one a struggling actress – is offered the part by 20th Century

Galeazzo’s grandson, Alessandro. Reluctantly she agrees and travels to Italy, to the villa Il Piacere, where the play will be staged. At first, the mystery surrounding the first Celia intrigues her, but then events at the villa begin to unnerve everyone as first two members of staff go missing, workmen make threats, and valuable objects disappear. A séance just adds to the general feeling of mistrust and apprehension surrounding the cast. Celia’s instincts are blurred and her ever-increasing attraction to her host muddies the waters still further, until it is her own life that is at stake. Season of Storms weaves together the story of the two Celias, with the majority of the emphasis placed on modern-day Celia, interspersed with brief passages concerning the original. That aside, the whole of the novel is informed by the early story and the contemporary action is often overshadowed by events from the past. There is also a strong mystical element to the action, where dreams, visions and foreshadowings combine to eerie effect. Perhaps it is at times a little slow moving, but this is a novel that can afford to take its time and is never dull. Although this is more suspense than romance, it should appeal to readers of both genres as a really well crafted piece of fiction. Sara Wilson OPERATION UNDERWORLD Paddy Kelly, Legend Press, 2009, £7.99, pb, 362pp, 9781906558154 Operation Underworld is based on a true story about the underground partnership between the American government and the Mafia. This involves the sinking in February 1942 of the Normandie, the world’s most famous luxury liner. The premise of the book is excellent, and the idea exciting; however, it doesn’t work as a novel. The first two chapters are backstory, and the main protagonist, the private investigator Mike ‘Doc’ McKeown, is not introduced until page 32. The use of dialect is distracting and makes reading difficult. This book is a strange mix of narrative prose, the sort you would find in a history book, and passages of dialogue that are well written but don’t move the story on. Kelly also has problems with point of view using a narrator, and then two or three other characters on the same page. This is not helpful to the narrative flow. The action scenes are well done, but are not enough to carry the reader through the confusion of characters and lack of narrative thread. A thriller must have a main protagonist through whose eyes we see the story unfold. However, Mike McKeown appears only briefly in the opening few chapters, and by that point it’s too late. It’s hard to follow what could have been a riveting story, when there are so many different names mentioned and almost as many points of view. Operation Underworld is a good idea that fails to deliver. It is more faction than fiction, and there are too many characters, too much dialect, and not enough made of the private investigator. Not a book I’d recommend. 20th Century

Fenella Miller IF THE DEAD RISE NOT Philip Kerr, Putnam, 2010, $26.95/C$33.50, hb, 448pp, 9780399156151 / Quercus, 2009, £17.99, hb, 320pp, 9781847249425 Interwar Berlin police officer Bernie Gunther has had his share of troubles in Philip Kerr’s March Violets, A German Requiem, One from the Other, and A Quiet Flame. His career takes a downward slide in Kerr’s latest. Gunther is now a hotel house detective in a 1934 Berlin fresh in the tightening grip of the Nazis as the city embarks on preparations for the 1936 Olympic Games. Gunther, a man with a strong independent streak and a hatred for the Nazis who surround him, is a veritable lightning rod for trouble. He murders a Nazi policeman, seemingly without thinking of the certain repercussions, while simultaneously becoming ensnared in a hotel theft which directly leads to discovering widespread corruption by leading Nazis in the financing of the Olympics. As if this wasn’t enough, our indefatigable hero is also engaged in a passionate affair with an American reporter, Noreen Charalambides, and seeking to hide his partial Jewish ancestry from the Nazis. I have never been disappointed with Philip Kerr’s deft touch in setting out the moral quagmires in interwar German society. Gunther’s quest for truth while dealing with these complexities reminds a reader of Robert Harris’s Fatherland. Gunther’s current tale ends in the Cuba of dictator Fulgencio Batista and the rebel leader Fidel Castro. Noreen and her daughter are here, and the expatriate Gunther rises to the occasion in saving his long lost love yet again. While I would have preferred having the action remain in Germany, this slight disappointment doesn’t keep me from anticipating further adventures with the worldweary but morally conscious Bernie Gunther. How can one not enjoy a writer who creates lines like “She commanded attention like a nudist playing the trombone”? John R. Vallely AN ABSENCE SO GREAT Jane Kirkpatrick, WaterBrook, 2010, $14.00/ C$18.99, pb, 400pp, 9781578569816 An Absence So Great continues the story of Jessie Ann Gaebele, the author’s grandmother, who readers first met in A Flickering Light. In early 20thcentury Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North Dakota, Jessie is one of many women trying to make it in a man’s world as she strives to become one of the first female photographers. She meets plenty of people who not only doubt her abilities but think she should do what other women her age are doing – marrying and raising children. She even meets a man who is reticent to sell her his photography business simply because she’s a woman. Kirkpatrick’s research into the photography methods of over 100 years ago is impeccable. She even includes some of her grandmother’s actual photographs, which adds detail and depth. She

describes the photos and the events surrounding them in Jessie’s own voice, which makes the book read like more like a biography or autobiography than a novel. Readers will root for Jessie as she learns her way about the photography business and deals with several losses along the way. Although published by a Christian press, this book is not at all preachy. While there are, of course, many references to religion and God, there is nothing here that should bother a non-believer. There are many characters to keep track of and thankfully, Kirkpatrick has added a helpful cast of characters as well as several maps. This is one series one really needs to read in order, but this may not necessarily be a bad thing, as the first in the series is just as good. Kirkpatrick shows why she has won many awards and why her research and sense of place have made her popular with readers of novels about the West. An Absence So Great is highly recommended. Maudeen Wachsmith THE SURRENDERED Chang-Rae Lee, Riverhead, 2010, $26.95/ C$33.50, hb, 469pp, 9781594489761 / Little, Brown, 2010, 12.99, hb, 480pp, 9781408702383 June Han’s life has not been easy; as a child, she survived the ravages of war in Korea, and as an adult she struggled as a single working mother in New York City in the 1960s and 1970s. Now, not yet fifty years old, she has cancer, and is determined to locate her estranged son Nicholas before she dies. She won’t seek him alone, however: she wants to bring Hector Brennan along on this journey. Hector was the soldier who saved June after the war, bringing her to the orphanage where he stayed on to help keep the place going. Thirty years later, he’s in New Jersey, doing odd jobs and a lot of drinking and fighting so as not to think about his former life. His and June’s shared past contains many secrets, and it is in June’s final journey that the truth about both of their lives is slowly revealed. The story shifts its point of view between characters, with some chapters serving as set pieces: in these we experience the horrors of the Korean War and the Japanese invasion of Manchuria, and we feel the effects the brutality and loss have on the survivors, decades later. Other characters contribute to the depth of the novel, including Sylvie Tanner and her husband Ames, the Americans in charge of the Korean orphanage. Colorful secondary characters abound as well, but everyone in the novel suffers from a blunting of the senses. They’ve all been through so much turmoil and pain that they are emotionally shut off from each other, and any gesture of trust or love is rejected. The emotion comes in the flashbacks, when we see the characters make choices—out of love, hate, spite, or fear—that change their lives forever. Helene Williams SUPER Jim Lehrer, Random House, 2010, $25.00, pb, 210pp, 9781400067633 HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 51

It’s April of 1956, and the pride of Santa Fe’s fleet, the storied Super Chief, is preparing to depart Chicago’s Dearborn Station en route to LA. Aboard is an unusual assortment of passengers. There’s Darwin Rinehart, a Hollywood producer who latest flop is ending a once- great career. Millionaire Otto Wheeler, who has taken more trips on the Super than anyone, sits in his wheelchair contemplating this last trip to his hometown in Kansas. Another regular, Clark Gable, prepares for a journey, as always, filled with women and Scotch. Down the line, ex-President Harry Truman will board as well, accompanied only by his bodyguard. Unknown to all, another man, sickly and desperate, slips into an empty stateroom by bribing a waiter. Long before the Super makes its destination, death will stalk the great streamliner. The premise of the Super is excellent, the characters intriguing and the setting, the celebrated train itself, fascinating, but this could have been a much better book. The plot, for instance, is strange. The main mystery, one that holds a most unusual solution, is disposed of surprisingly early, while another, which occurs much later, is simply inexplicable. The format is lacking in description, which Mr. Lehrer does very well, in favor of dialog which tends to overwhelm the action. Likewise, the author shines with his details of this iconic train

and its fabulous passengers, but sadly there are simply too few of them to be really satisfying. One has the impression that the author simply couldn’t be bothered as he rushed through the writing of this work. Travel aboard the Super Chief should be a leisurely and luxurious experience, not the sparse and harried trip Mr. Lehrer takes us on. Ken Kreckel RHIANNON Carole Llewellyn, Robert Hale, 2010, £18.99, hb, 224pp, 9780709089636 Opening in 1909 in Wales, this is the story of 15-year-old Rhiannon, who, with her sister, finds herself orphaned and having to take refuge with her aunt, a music hall star. A rags-to-riches story, it has scenes of rape, death and destruction, as well as theatrical glitter, comradeship and love. It is also full of errors. The heroine’s age fluctuates, the number of men killed in a pit accident does not tally with the numbers missing and saved, and for some reason the author chose to end with one particular character’s death, rather than the triumph of the heroine, giving a downbeat ending to what should have been an upbeat read. Perhaps, though, for historical novel readers the most iniquitous error is the lack of historical detail. Although we are told the year in the chapter

E D I TORS’ C H OI C E THE MAN FROM SAIGON Marti Leimbach, Doubleday, 2010, $25.95, hb, 337pp, 9780385529860 / Fourth Estate, 2009, £10.99, pb, 368pp, 9780007305995 An absorbing, often gripping novel of a young woman reporter on tour in war-torn Vietnam in 1967, The Man from Saigon is gritty, realistic and poetically written. Leimbach is a master at describing the visceral: the humidity and heat of the jungle, the ache of hunger, the recoil of the body and the brain under fire, the insanity that comes from being surrounded by bombs falling for hours and bullets like hot rain. The protagonist, Susan, works for a woman’s magazine in Chicago and is sent to the war to gather human interest stories. She’s not supposed to leave Saigon, but of course she does. She gets drawn in to the addiction of war reporting, inching ever closer to the heavy action while putting light years of distance between her and the ‘normalcy’ of life back in the States—until life in the war zone becomes what’s normal. Two men, the Vietnamese photographer of the book’s title, and another reporter, an American, weave in and out of Susan’s mental, emotional and physical existence in a country too far from home. The images are often disturbing, but the insights into war and human frailty, love and courage are meaningful and intelligent. An excellent read. Mary F. Burns 52 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

headings, this story could have been set any time during the 20th century. There is little in the way of description of dress, the language used is mainly modern, and the whole atmosphere lacks that immediate sense of being in another period. jay Dixon THE GLASS ROOM Simon Mawer, Other Press, 2009, $14.95/ C$16.50, pb, 405pp, 9781590513965 / Abacus, 2010, £7.99, pb, 416pp, 9780349121321 This novel’s setting is an ultra-modern house, built in the late 1920s in what is now the Czech Republic. The characters are the house’s various occupants, from the 1930s through World War II, the Soviet takeover, the Prague Spring, and finally the fall of the Berlin Wall. The occupants, from the beginning, live lives that seem ill-suited to a house with glass walls. The house, flawless and beautiful, is lovingly described by the author. The occupants are sadly flawed and caught up in the tragic stream of history. The most fully developed characters are the house’s first occupants, Viktor and Liesl Landauer. They are sophisticated and enlightened people. The theme of infidelity or misplaced passion which runs through the book is introduced when Viktor commits adultery. Because he is Jewish, the Landauers eventually have to flee when the Germans invade. A German scientist occupies the house, and uses it as a site for his work—attempting to classify people by race. Under communism, the house is put to use for what others consider laudable purposes. We have a sense of the march of human folly, witnessed from one house as a vantage point. A coolness about the style of this novel kept me at a distance as a reader. This is a gracefully written, intelligent book that takes on great historical events. I can understand why it was a finalist for the 2009 Man Booker Prize. However, I did not truly care much about anyone in the changing cast of characters. I rarely found this novel involving or moving. Phyllis T. Smith DREAMING IN FRENCH Megan McAndrew, Scribner, 2009, $25.00/ C$32.99, hb, 314pp, 9781416599722 Charlotte Sanders is fifteen in 1979, living on the Rue de Seine in Paris and attending the Ecole Bilingue Colbert, a school populated by rich Americans and exiled royalty. Charlotte seems to have the perfect life: a doting, if distant father; a ravishingly fashionable mother that she adores; the requisite older sister to admire and abhor; and a boyfriend who is brooding and sexy. All that is shattered when her mother is arrested in Poland, behind the Iron Curtain, where she followed her lover, a Polish revolutionary. Charlotte is forced to choose between father and mother, and with her sister choosing their father, Charlotte cannot abandon the mother she has always adored. Dreaming in French follows Charlotte on her road to becoming a woman, to understanding her 20th Century

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BENEATH THE LION’S GAZE Maaza Mengiste, W. W. Norton, 2010, $24.95, hb, 305pp, 9780393071764 / Jonathan Cape, 2010, £12.99, pb, 320pp, 9780224089166 1974, and Ethiopia is on the verge of revolution. Peasants starve in the droughtstricken countryside, while Emperor Haile Selassie remains sequestered in his palace, feeding his pet lions fresh meat every day. The time has come for change. But will replacing an ineffectual emperor with a military dictatorship improve Ethiopians’ lives, or will it catapult the country into a fresh reign of terror? For one family in Addis Ababa, the revolution creates an emotional gulf that widens daily. Dawit seeks to help the underground resistance, placing himself and his family in continual danger. His brother Yonas wants only to protect his wife and daughter. Their father Hailu, a prominent doctor who witnesses the horrors of the war firsthand, dreams of a return to the way things were, when his wife was in good health and his sons on friendly terms. But when a victim of state-sanctioned torture is admitted to his hospital under guard, Hailu must decide whether to nurse the girl back to health, only to hand her back to her captors—or to help her die a merciful death and risk the consequent punishment. Whatever choices Hailu makes, his life will never return to the way it was before the revolution. Maaza Mengiste, drawing from her own upbringing in Ethiopia, brings us a powerful and heart-wrenching debut. The novel begins slowly, with frequent shifts in viewpoint, and the reader must take some time to grow close to the characters. Once the action starts, however, the characters are catapulted from one tragedy to the next in an accelerating sequence of events. The book is not for the weak of heart: rape, murder, torture, and suicide are dealt with in no uncertain terms. But despite the pervading grief, a few thin beams of sunlight—and family reconciliation—eventually break through. An unforgettable work. Ann Pedtke mother and father, and to deciding what kind of person she wants to be. McAndrew writes with such confidence, this could be a memoir. Her voice is natural and charming. The characters evolve with time, delicately aging, dragging their flaws and dreams along. Major historical events are interwoven with quotidian details, evoking the decades and cities Charlotte passes through. When the book ends with Charlotte, age thirty, comfortable with herself and her life, we know the story is not over. Charlotte’s life will continue; she will age and evolve as will the people and places around her, in the same way our own lives move through time. Finally, that is what Dreaming in French captures with such richness: the story of one person, different from us—but the same too, living the life given to her. Elizabeth Caulfield Felt THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS 20th Century

Sharyn McCrumb, St. Martin’s, 2010, $24.99, hb, 336pp, 9780312558161 “Sometimes in trials, they get it wrong… And newspapers get it wrong, too.” This is the essence of Sharyn McCrumb’s literary story in this continuation of the Ballad Novels. The primary focus is on Erma Morton, a young woman being accused of and about to be tried for the murder of her father. Local and metropolitan news reporters from as far away as New York City are converging on Wise, an unknown southwest Virginian town for the trial; literate, mesmerizing stories within stories reveal their real identity. You will meet people like Henry Jernigan, a big-time journalist whose upper-crust background and bittersweet memories of 1920s Japan have shaped his bleak view of the world. Or perhaps it’s Slade or Rose’s point of view to connect to, a propensity to capture reality as a hopeful dream belying disappointment. One’s heart goes out to the amateur journalist, Carl,

obsessed with the “going somewhere” syndrome of a Tennessee hack writer and even hoping that his sister with the “Sight” will give him an edge over more experienced reporters. But the real bomb in this story is how and why the media report as they do, explored in repetitive depth, in shocking fashion that never fails to jar the reader’s sensibilities as one flips the pages faster and faster. Are mindsets and opinions already predetermined, and what does that mean for the pathetic target of that writing in public opinion? McCrumb’s ultimate question: in what way does “missing the point” dramatically change a life forever? This is a simple, powerful, and brilliant novel that should rank high on the bestseller list in days to come! Viviane Crystal BLACK MOONLIGHT Amy Patricia Meade, Midnight Ink, 2010, $14.95, pb, 239pp, 9780738715599 Black Moonlight is the latest addition to the Marjorie McClelland mystery series by writer Amy Patricia Meade. If you are unfamiliar with this series, think Nick and Nora Charles or Tommy and Tuppence or even Miss Marple—only younger and sexier and with a husband. Instead of meeting in the traditional English country house, this dysfunctional family has come together on a secluded island near Bermuda. It is 1935. The just-married Marjorie McClelland and her millionaire husband Creighton Ashcroft expected to spend their honeymoon in seclusion but instead, find the vacation home filled with an assortment of relations. When Creighton Ashcroft’s father is found murdered, he is accused of the crime. Marjorie who is a mystery writer and part-time crime solver, set out to prove her husband’s innocence. This whodunit has a well constructed plot and has just the right amount of oddball characters to make you wonder who the killer is until the very end. It’s a light fun read and will prove a pleasant diversion. Veronika Pelka THE INFORMATION OFFICER Mark Mills, Random House, 2010, $25.00/ C$29.95, hb, 276pp, 9781400068180 / Harper, 2009, £7.99, pb, 416pp, 9780007276882 Mark Mills (Savage Garden and Amagansett) passes the first test as a historical novelist by demonstrating a comprehensive knowledge, and “feeling,” of his subject matter. World War II Malta, for a time the most heavily bombed place on earth, is the setting for Max Chadwick’s adventures with murder and espionage. Chadwick is a young British officer charged with writing news stories that inspire British troops and Maltese civilians to strive harder for victory in the face of continual savage Axis bombing. He finds himself caught up in an investigation of a Maltese woman’s murder. His normal activities, if life can be termed “normal” in 1942 Malta, are completely turned around as HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 53

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THE HAND THAT FIRST HELD MINE Maggie O’Farrell, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010, $25/C$31.50, hb, 400pp, 9780547330792/ Headline Review, 2010, £16.99, hb, 352pp, 9780755308453 Lexie Sinclair’s passions run deep; we meet her at her parent’s home near Cornwall, England, just after the end of World War II, as she dreams of escape from a humdrum existence of housekeeping and moral rigidity. Innes Kent, a journalist, art-lover, and bon vivant, appears on the scene and is Lexie’s way out. Innes introduces Lexie to writing, art, bohemian post-war London, and love, and she eagerly embraces all aspects of this, the life she was meant to have. Flash forward to the London of today, where new mother Irina is recovering from a nearlyfatal Caesarean section. Irina’s boyfriend Ted was traumatized by the experience almost as much as Irina, and they both fade in and out of reality, visited by visions and memories. For Ted, who has never had much of a memory, this is truly disconcerting, as he tries to understand and find some context for these chaotic thoughts and feelings. For her part, Irina becomes detached, overwhelmed by this small yet demanding new life who takes precedence over everything, including her painting. The chapters alternate between Lexie’s life and Irina’s, drawing the reader into both the mysteries and parallels between them. Post-war London comes to life with Lexie and Innes, and their arms-open approach to the future. For Irina and Ted, the geography is more emotional, with a lot of internalizing; when they do get out of their heads, and their house, the consequences are life-changing. O’Farrell draws these seemingly disparate lives together deftly, with great feeling and perfect tension, making for a superb read. Helene Williams he pursues a killer who proves to be an officer of the British military. He relies upon the support and advice of the beautiful Lilian, a newswoman with a local newspaper, as he moves between his investigation, his relations with a diverse group of officers and their wives, and a doomed affair with a married woman. Lilian and his dogged desire to find the truth are at the core of the story, but the background setting of a gallant Malta under siege adds considerably to the drama and excitement. John R. Vallely THE LISTENER Shira Nayman, Scribner, 2010, $25.00/£17.99, hb, 320pp, 9780743292825 Dr. Harrison, head of a psychiatric hospital, is in trouble. Trapped in a lifeless marriage, pining for a lost love, and questioning the validity of his profession, he is challenged by a particularly problematic patient. Attempting to deal with him, Harrison soon finds himself sinking into a curious nether world between sanity and insanity. The crisis comes when the doctor finds that the patient 54 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

is engaging in an affair with one of the nurses, a woman the doctor himself lusts after. What ensues is a web of mystery, deceit, illicit relationships, drug use, and ultimately madness that reaches deeply into the doctor as well as the patient. Since the doctor’s specialty is treating soldiers with psychiatric disorders arising from their experience of World War II, which ended just two years before, the author raises valid questions about what such service does to the participants, from the average American GI to Germans involved in the Holocaust. Questioning the effectiveness of treatment, she goes on to examine how the caregivers are affected as well. Displaying a thorough knowledge of what a psychiatric hospital is like, Ms. Nayman skillfully weaves a tale that leaves one questioning what is real and what is madness. But this is the novel’s undoing as well. Dealing with a largely unsympathetic protagonist with no clear concept of reality, the reader is cast similarly adrift. Persevering to the end, the reader will likely feel rather let down. In an attempt to make sense of this, one might be tempted to make

more of the book than is actually there, to seek some intellectual truth, to give the emperor clothes so to speak. Sadly, though, I find this novel rather naked. Ken Kreckel OCCUPIED CITY David Peace, Knopf, 2010, $25.95, hb, 288pp, 9780307263759 / Faber & Faber, 200, £7.99, pb, 304pp, 9780571232031 Tokyo in 2010 is a city that any observer immediately marks as vibrantly progressive and humming with positive activity. But the Tokyo of 1948, post-World War II, has been subject to the American occupation following Japan’s defeat and now a mass murder by poison. Occupied City is the second in Peace’s series of novels about Japan. Twelve tales will be told and a candle extinguished after each story has been shared. The tales, memories, reflections and literal accounts of the Teikoku Bank murder or Teigin Incident (based on an actual historical event) bear connections to the writings of Franz Kafka, Akira Kurosawa, David Sedaris (without the humor) and other similar writers. Interweaving a surrealistic, gruesome, and linear approach to the real story behind the story, David Peace presents a nightmare beyond our worst conceptions and fears. Military and civilian secrets behind Unit 371 leave the reader thinking, “Which is worse? How can human beings think about and carry out such genocide? Who is being protected and by whom? Who is lying and who is telling the truth?” Is it any wonder that those intimately involved with this case and the past foresee their own and their nation’s demise as more is uncovered in the finely tuned investigation thwarted at every turn? Being a loner in Japanese culture is an anomaly, but complicity in creating a false script, in order to hide a more momentous crime, reflects the fear and shame behind defeat. Is it any wonder madness and mayhem follow? Stunning in its unique style and significance in recounting the truth about American, Chinese and Japanese history, Occupied City is a must read! Viviane Crystal HER MOTHER’S HOPE Francine Rivers, Tyndale House, 2010, $24.99, hb, 386pp, 9781414318639 Her Mother’s Hope is the enjoyable introduction to a two-part family saga loosely based on Francine Rivers’ personal history. In 1901, twelve-yearold Marta Schneider lives with her parents in the village of Steffisburg, Switzerland. When life at home becomes unbearable, Marta heeds her mother’s advice that “an eagle flies alone” and sets out to pursue her dream of owning her own hotel. To that end, she works her way to Paris, London, and Montreal, where she marries Niclas Waltert. To Marta’s dismay, when Niclas loses his job he is unwilling to let her support him; he moves his growing family first to Manitoba and then, finally, to a farm near Sacramento, California. Marta’s eldest daughter, Hildemara Rose, is 20th Century

the joy of her life, yet Marta is so enslaved to her bitterness that she is unable to show Hilde how much she is loved. As Marta interacts with her daughter, we see echoes of her relationship with her own father. There is a severity to Marta that is reminiscent of the unsmiling faces in many a period photo, but Rivers completes the image with a portrait of a woman who overcomes crushing hardship with courage and faith. Nancy J. Attwell LAST TRAIN FROM CUERNAVACA Lucia St. Clair Robson, Forge, 2010, $25.99, hb, 352pp, 9780765313355 In 1913, the President of Mexico has been ousted and replaced by Madero, the reform-minded president pro tem, who is quickly assassinated and replaced by Victoriano Huerta. Those serving with these passing regimes are murderers and thieves. The people of Cuernavaca and the Mexican capital

find themselves beginning to shift their support either to the infamous Emiliano Zapata or simply to hide in fear of the military troops who are more like desperados than disciplined supporters of justice and reform. The central characters of Robson’s novel present a unique yet representative blend of idealism, tradition, patriotism, and passion. They include the noble Captain Federico Martin, a member of the Mexican nobility who mentally decries the politicized destruction of his homeland while he recognizes that he must obey his commanding officer, and Grace Knight, a former British widower who has created a flourishing, respectable hotel in Cuernavaca. Rico and Grace will do whatever is necessary to protect their beloved homeland and yet deal with the battle between the military and revolutionary troops approaching an ultimate showdown. Kidnappings, imprisonment, and awful

E D I TORS’ C H OI C E BOOKS BURN BADLY Manuel Rivas, Harvill Secker, 2010, £18.99, hb, 548pp, 9781846551468 Rivas put the following words in the mouth of Polka the gravedigger, one of the most charismatic characters of Books Burn Badly: “Don’t be afraid of the dead. What you have to watch out for are the living who spoil life”. This novel, a literary masterpiece which blends aesthetic beauty with intellectual acuteness, gives to its readers the gift of expanding their minds and sensibilities. It is a reflection upon the tragic consequences of the Spanish Civil War, as its plot centres upon the burning of books by Falangists in Coruña’s Docks (Galicia) in August 1936. This sad event, mournfully evoked by Rivas, acts as the thread that unites the lives of his manifold characters: the boxer, the judge, photographer, the painter, the washerwoman, the prostitute, the singer, the intellectual, etc. Narrative is not strictly linear, as the novel’s chapters, with poetic titles and frequently changing time and place, allow the reader to see how the same events were differently experienced from a variety of perspectives. Rivas carries out a sharp critique of political and intellectual repression during Franco’s dictatorship. A wonderful example of such critique is the perverse relationship between the censor Tomás Dez and the singer Luis Terranova, as it shows how close authority comes to tyranny (and absurdity) when claiming to impose order and control in a divided country. Rivas raises a valid concern about the risks of intolerance, when freethinking ideas are too quickly labeled as dangerous, and when a ‘state of emergency’ is invoked to justify oppression. But Rivas does much more than condemning Franco’s dictatorship as he reminds us how contradictory persons are, being capable of generous acts of love but also of great cruelties. By revisiting the past in all its complexity, Books Burn Badly is a memorable lesson on understanding. Andrea Acle 20th Century

destruction fill these pages. But more than that, readers will celebrate the forging of vibrant, relevant characters at the forefront of a rebirth for Mexico. Robson’s gift for presenting a credible, dynamic plot makes the reader feel he or she is right there in the heart of every battle for the minds, bodies, emotions and spirits of notable characters willing to be held accountable for the travesties and victories of history. Viviane Crystal VANESSA AND VIRGINIA Susan Sellers, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009, $23/C$28.95, hb, 224pp, 9780151014743/ Two Ravens Press, 2008, £8.99, pb, 256pp, 9781906120276 In London between the wars, artist Vanessa Bell and her sister, the author Virginia Woolf, members of the influential Bloomsbury set, indulged in an unconventional lifestyle that included sexual freedom. Sellers’ novel, Vanessa and Virginia, suggests how daughters of prominent Victorians may have arrived at this point in their lives. Sellers, who co-edits Cambridge University Press editions of Woolf ’s work, gives us an insider’s perspective on complex familial relationships. In a series of diary-like entries, Vanessa, the elder sister by three years, reflects on contemporaneous events, interspersing recollections of childhood. Frankly and tenderly, she probes the sisters’ lifelong ambivalence toward each other. The girls, born into a gaggle of stepsiblings, have busy parents. Vanessa is hungry for attention; she resents her baby sister’s demands on their mother. Left too much on their own, both girls are sexually abused by older stepbrothers. They have no secrets from each other; they become close but not loyal. Vanessa learns to use knowledge of Virginia’s weaknesses against her. Their adult lives are rife with contradictions. Husbands and lovers, intellect and talent, draw them together—and come between them. Vanessa envies her sister’s books, To the Lighthouse and Mrs. Dalloway. Virginia is envious of Vanessa’s children. Inevitably, they betray each other. Both are subject to depression. Vanessa sees her sister’s despair but, in honing the ability to hurt, she has lost the ability to heal. It is Virginia who takes her own life. ‘What might have been’ is fascinating and, when presented with authority, adds to our understanding of the subjects. Although readers will benefit from familiarity with the Bloomsbury set, one needs no special knowledge to enjoy this fine novel. Jeanne Greene THE SUICIDE RUN William Styron, Jonathan Cape, 2010, £14.99, hb, 192pp, 9780224087384 Although not usually a fan of short stories, I enjoyed these much more than I expected. Drawing on powerful personal experience, the four main stories all deal with aspects of being a marine and being faced with the awful reality of war and HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 55

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THE HOLY THIEF William Ryan, Macmillan, 2010, £12.99, hb, 345pp, 9780230742734 / Minotaur, 2010, $24.99, hb, 352pp 9780312586454 Moscow 1936. When the mutilated body of a young woman is found on the altar of a deconsecrated church, Militia Captain Alexei Dmitriyevich Korolev is asked to investigate. But when the victim is identified as an American, the dreaded NKVD becomes involved. Soon Korolev’s loyalties and sense of duty will be tested, as it becomes increasingly difficult to know whom to trust... In many ways Korolev fits the mould of the tortured detective – haunted by his experiences of WWI and the subsequent Civil War, divorced, missing his son and regarded by his colleagues as something of a maverick because of his insistence on catching the true culprit of each crime, instead of fitting up someone vaguely suitable. But Ryan is too talented to reduce his characters to stereotypes. Korolev is a believable product of his time: not a Party member, but still striving to believe that things can and will improve under the current regime. Ryan captures the pervasive fear of Stalin’s reign, where even a joke amongst friends can lead to denunciation and exile to the ‘Zone’. Readers of a squeamish disposition might want to skim the more gruesome scenes, but the grimness of the setting is leavened by humorous exchanges between Korolev and the more feisty characters he meets, including a gang of streetwise urchins. An impressive debut. Jasmina Svenne the difficulties of coping with institutionalised life. This last is a major theme of the second story, “Marriott, the Marine,” where the narrator struggles to reconcile the fact that a colleague of his can be both intelligent and literary but also a proud member of the Marine Corps. He has been called up most unluckily to face death a second time, after already surviving WW2. The first story, “Blankenship,” is set in a prison for marines and examines the question of who really is in prison and who is free. It poses the question of whether you can truly be free when you are a member of the forces and have to obey instantly anyone outranking you. Another of the stories focuses on the young man after the war when he is back home. This story really brings it home to the reader how close to death the man had been, as he cannot get over the sheer pleasure of being alive. The question of fear is also considered in depth. These stories are extremely thought-provoking and really make the reader aware of what it was like to be in this situation. It seems so far removed from our comfortable safety of the moment and thus the stories serve as a valuable insight into what seems like a different world. These stories will not be to everyone’s taste but are certainly worth trying out, 56 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

particularly if you have any interest in war and its effects. Ann Northfield AN IRISH COUNTRY GIRL Patrick Taylor, Forge, 2009, $24.99/C$29.99, hb, 319pp, 9780765320711 Patrick Taylor has created a delightful series set in the little town of Ballybucklebo, Northern Ireland, in the mid-1960s. An Irish Country Girl, the fourth book, takes readers from the picturesque village of Doctors O’Reilly and Laverty to Kinky Kincaid’s hometown in County Cork in the Republic of Ireland, where she was born Maureen O’Hanlon. Readers may first be taken aback when they discover An Irish Country Girl has a different setting than the other books, but since they may have already come to know and love Kinky, the doctors’ cook and housekeeper, the disappointment will be short-lived. They will become completely enthralled with Kinky’s story and that of the wee folk, along with other Irish myths and legends. Although she may be a fiftyish housekeeper in the later books, Kinky led quite an interesting life alongside even more characters (some delightful;

others not so much). As she tells her tale to the youth of Ballybucklebo, she reveals herself as a complex woman who has experienced both joy and sorrow. Down in County Cork, the faeries and even the evil Banshee reside alongside human folk. The spirit world is very much a part of everyday life. Once again Taylor has written a tale that is as charming as they come, kind of a cross between the wonderful BBC series Ballykissangel and the movie Dancing at Lughnasa. Even though it will probably be more interesting to readers to have read the first three books, An Irish Country Girl is a magical read, and readers will certainly not be sorry that they’ve read all four. Maudeen Wachsmith HALF BROKE HORSES Jeannette Walls, Scribner, 2009, $26.00, hb, 272pp, 9781416586289 / Simon & Schuster, 2009, £12.99, pb, 288pp, 9781847376756 Coming on the heels of her wildly popular The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls has written a “truelife novel” about her maternal grandmother, Lily Casey Smith. Lily was born in a dugout in West Texas at the start of the 20th century and lived what can only be described as a hardscrabble life. Her mother tried to bring a sense of refinement to their lives, but with little success. Her father was kicked by a horse at age three and suffered from a limp and severe speech impediment for the rest of his life. He taught his oldest daughter to be tough. Breaking horses by the age of six, having her broken arm re-set by her own father, saving her siblings from a flash flood, and traveling alone 500 miles on horseback to teach school all occurred by age fifteen. When Lily was finally able to go away to a Catholic school, her father spent her tuition money on a poorly hatched scheme to breed and sell dogs, forcing her to return home. Except for a brief time in Chicago when she lost her best friend to a horrific factory accident, married a polygamist, and struggled to find an employer to put up with her strong personality, she spent her adult life in Arizona. She eventually married a second time to Jim Smith, a Mormon by birth who did not practice his faith, and they had three children. She ran liquor during Prohibition, fought with every school board that ever hired her, worked a 100,000-acre ranch, and took flying lessons. Although I can honestly say I could not get close to any characters in this book and felt that Lily Casey Smith was as harsh as her environment, I’d still recommend it to anyone interested in reading about ranching life in West Texas during this time period. Susan Zabolotny THE FAVORITES Mary Yukari Waters, Scribner, 2009, $25.00, hb, 279pp, 9781416561071 / Pocket, 2010, £7.99, pb, 320pp, 9781847392336 Half-Japanese, half-American Sarah Rexford is fourteen when her family returns to her mother’s native Kyoto for a summer vacation in the late 20th Century

1970s. As she sorts out the complex relationships between the women of her extended family, she learns that her grandmother, Mrs. Kobayashi, gave up a daughter to be adopted by a family member during the years after World War II. The adoption is known to many but not discussed, and the families have lived in close proximity all of their lives. As an outsider to the close-knit society of women, Sarah is in the unique position of observer, and she sees not only the quiet sadness bubbling beneath the surface of calm, but also the generational changes among the women of her family. Waters sets her story exclusively within the domestic realm, and the plot is full of scenes from the women’s everyday lives: cooking, shopping, tending to family matters, and ceremony. With each return to her ancestral home, Sarah finds that the women have, with age, let go of some of the formality and begun to move past their shared history and to understand why Mrs. Kobayashi

made the difficult and heartbreaking decision to allow a daughter to be raised by another family member. Throughout the novel, Waters avoids the obvious and hones in on the subtle dramas that affect this small, tight-knit family. There’s no climactic, bombastic mother-daughter confrontation, merely a series of small gestures from one woman to another as they acknowledge their shared past and their mutual love, respect, and care. The result is an emotional novel that is as real and as affecting as they come. Nanette Donohue RIDERS TO CIBOLA Norman Zollinger, Overlook, 2010 (c1977), $13.95, pb, 322 pp, 9781590202890 This novel is a sweeping family saga that begins in 1905 when fifteen-year old Ignacio Ortiz, a Mexican orphan, joins Douglas MacAndrew’s D

E D I TORS’ C H OI C E THE LOTUS EATERS Tatjana Soli, St. Martin’s, 2010, $24.99, hb, 400pp, 9780312611576 Helen Adams is an American photojournalist in love with South Vietnam because it is so “unlovable” during its transition in 1975. The sense of impending doom is everywhere. In those critical weeks, thousands of American military are abandoning Saigon and its beautiful, outlying villages to Ho Chi Minh, the North Vietnamese leader who will soon rule all of Vietnam. Will one more photo really matter? To Helen, they all matter – or none matters. Her desire to be the perfect wartime photojournalist/correspondent is almost inexplicable. Meanwhile, in the process of entering this brutal environment and taking photos of the most horrific scenes imaginable, she falls in love with two entirely different men. The intertwining themes of love of this beautiful, exotic country and how personal love arises are focal to the plot and character here. Is the brutality and destruction of war or the indomitable spirits forged by the war the transforming element? Does love enable Helen, Darrow, and Linh to keep doing their vital jobs, jobs that the Americans have lost faith in? Do the deaths of their beloved friends make them love Vietnam more and instill in them a desire to remain after the American withdrawal? And just when is it more than okay to be a traitor to save one’s country from total oblivion? The Lotus Eaters is one of the most honest, endearing, searing, and intriguing stories about the Vietnam War that I have ever read and as far as I’m concerned, one of the finest novels of the Vietnam era. It goes so much deeper and wider than a typical “war is hell” story. Tatjana Soli has caught the essence of this devastating conflict and the loves that ensue during and after the destruction it wrought. Highly recommended. Viviane Crystal 20th Century — Multi-period

Cross A ranch in New Mexico. As seen through the eyes of Ortiz, the family is faced with Mexican revolutionaries, two world wars, western expansion and racism. Each generation of the MacAndrew family must deal with internal turmoil among its members, while Ortiz becomes a stable influence because of his quiet, faithful demeanor. Named as one of the top 21 western novels of the 20th century, this is a vivid account of life on a ranch in New Mexico during these turbulent times. Mr. Zollinger’s descriptions of the vast western landscape are breathtaking, his characters are interesting and well drawn out, and the evolving story, with its various twists and turns in plot, is exceptional. Ignacio Ortiz, although he had very little dialog, is a character I will never forget. This is truly an extraordinary American story, even if you’ve never read a Western novel before. If you are a fan of Larry McMurtry and his stories of the West, you will love this book. Jeff Westerhoff

multi-period

THE TENTH CHAMBER Glenn Cooper, Arrow, 2010, £11.99, pb, 352pp, 0099545675 A fire in an abbey in the Perigord region of France (modern Dordogne) reveals a strange medieval manuscript, and the two experts called in to unravel its mysteries discover that it leads them to a fantastic network of painted caves. However, when an international team of archaeologists moves in, their explorations trigger a series of unexplained deaths and disappearances. It becomes clear that someone is desperate to defend the secrets of the Tenth Chamber. The novel is set in the present day but we also follow plot strands through prehistory, the Middle Ages and the 19th century. The story combines some familiar elements. In addition to the mysterious coded manuscript there are numerous monks, a dashing archaeologist, a covert Government department, some very bad people with a big secret and a nod to the Templars. However, the author’s academic background lends credibility and originality, and the elements are stylishly combined in a plot that works well to keep the reader turning the pages to unravel the whole of the mystery. An entertaining read. Ruth Downie THE MAN FROM BEIJING Henning Mankell (trans. Laurie Thompson), Knopf, 2010, $25.95/C$32.00, hb, 384pp, 9780307397850 / Harvill Secker, 2010, £17.99, hb, 368pp, 9781846552571 The Man from Beijing was first published in Sweden in 2008. The English translation appeared this February. It is a fine, sweeping mystery that begins with a mass murder in a remote Swedish village, followed by a cascade of homicides on three other continents. The story is set in the present with an extended flashback to 19th-century America. HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 57

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THE BLUE ORCHARD Jackson Taylor, Touchstone, 2010, $16.00, pb, 416pp, 9781416592945 The Blue Orchard, set in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania from the 1920s to the late 1950s, is the fictionalized story of Verna Krone, who was the author’s grandmother. This is a remarkable woman’s story, with many dimensions and a tragic secondary character: Verna’s employer, the influential Dr. Crampton, who was a black physician with status across the as-yet-unbroken color line. The first chapters are the familiar story of a destitute and exploited rural girl’s thorny path to education and a paying job. (She became a licensed nurse.) When Verna begins to work for Dr. Crampton, she witnesses southern-style race relations north of the Mason-Dixon and the timeless winking partnership between big money, local police, and politicians. Her rise to respectability and Dr. Crampton’s ability to deliver copious political and financial aid to his own oppressed community are based on the nature of their medical practice. Competent white doctors of that era neither treated venereal disease nor performed abortions. Dr. Crampton was a physician who left moral judgments to his patients, and therefore became the one to whom “respectable” professionals referred such cases. Judges, star high school athletes, wealthy college boys and Washington politicians with girlfriends in trouble all came because they knew him to be thorough and compassionate. Initially, I read The Blue Orchard for the hard-times, hard-luck woman’s story and for the evocative, dark Depression- era detail. As Verna gets an education, a good job, money, and, finally, marriage, the story becomes a political tell-all, with emphasis on Harvey Taylor’s Republican machine. Beyond the heroine’s personal struggle, this novel is an enthralling meditation on race, the low status of women, and the enduring nature of political and social hypocrisy. Highly recommended. Juliet Waldron The nighttime slaughter of all but a few of fictitious Hesjövallen’s mostly related inhabitants makes headlines everywhere. The adoptive parents of Judge Birgitta Roslin’s mother are among the victims. Judge Roslin is drawn to the site and finds a diary among their possessions – a diary that starts her on a private investigation into the past and ends with her enmeshed in a high stakes and dangerous game being played out in the highest echelons of Beijing politics. The historical part of the story recounts the recruitment – read, capture – of young Chinese males in the mid-1800s. The involuntary indentured workers were used not only to build the American intercontinental railroad but to labor in such places as British Guinea and the silver mines of Peru. Recruiting agents based in Canton managed the slave trade. Mankell’s descriptions of the work and living conditions of Chinese indentured laborers building the intercontinental railroad are embarrassingly true to historical accounts. 58 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

The Man from Beijing is not only a first-rate mystery. Its characters are refreshingly intelligent, though also very human. The author interweaves social and political commentary with dialogue about relationships and home. The characters’ perspectives on China’s development and Zimbabwe’s history will be surprising to many American readers. It may be more than unlikely that a private citizen, even a judge, could unravel a plot laid at the social and political levels Mankell’s story describes. But it makes for great reading. Two thumbs up! Lucille Cormier HOMECOMINGS Donald Paterson, Two Ravens Press, 2010, £9.99, pb, 434pp, 9781906120481 Rona McPherson, having failed with her bookshop and failed in her marriage, returns to her hometown and moves into the house which used to belong to her grandfather in the 1880s. In the

attic, among discarded memorabilia from the past, she discovers a chest containing a manuscript. It is the history of a Hugh Ross who was born in northeast Scotland in 1823, and Rona is unaware how it came to be there. Searching, as so many do for past family links, she begins to unravel the text. The story begins in 1841 when Hugh, disenchanted at the age of seventeen with his life on a croft, is inspired by the teachings of the newly arrived and modern-thinking Minister Ian McLeod. Together with two friends they embark on a journey across the ocean to the Americas. It is this story which eventually becomes Rona’s book. Homecomings is Donald Paterson’s first novel, and in it he seeks to establish how much a part of our everyday lives our ancestors are, and inevitably therefore we cannot escape our past. However, the relationship between Hugh and Rona is never established, and the attempt to find parallels in the linking of their lives is inconclusive. Hugh’s story as he traverses the vast untamed American continent for the next sixteen years is, however, compelling; the period detail grips the imagination. The initial lack of punctuation purported to be from an ill-educated narrator leads to much overreading, and this together with Rona’s comments and ‘Intertitles’ make the novel overlong. Gwen Sly THE BOOK OF FATHERS Miklos Vamos (trans. Peter Sherwood), Other Press, 2009, $15.95, pb, 474pp, 9781590513392 / Abacus, 2007, £8.99, pb, 480pp, 9780349119311 Spanning 300 years and twelve generations of the Csillag family, Vamos’s saga represents the signs of the zodiac, encompassing what he sees as the story of every Hungarian father. We begin early in the 18th century, with young Kornel Csillag losing his family in the raids between warring factions; the only remnant of his lineage is his memory of the words written by his grandfather, in “the book of fathers.” Kornel and his successors all keep such books, and sometimes the same book is handed down between generations, linking the stories of hardship and struggle in an unstable country. The other attribute shared by the oldest sons in the Csillag family is the gift of being able to see into the past, and sometimes future, of the family. That gift, of course, has its negative consequences, as some of the Csillags try to avoid their fate or misinterpret what they’ve seen in their visions. Each chapter encompasses a generation, so the plot does jump around, but each chapter also contains an entire world brought to life by Vamos. The history of Hungary is not a pretty one; there’s nearly-constant violence over land, politics, and religion. As the narrative moves into the 20th century, the world outside of Hungary also comes into view, with wider European, then American, forces involved. The historical snapshots provided by Vamos are well-grounded by his characters as they make their way through their personal stories. To make the book even richer, Vamos used vocabulary and sentence construction contemporary with his characters, so the early Multi-period

chapters read more formally than the later ones. Even in translation, this effort shines through, leaving the reader with twelve unforgettable historical tales of Hungary. Helene Williams

timeslip

THE KINGDOM OF OHIO Matthew Flaming, Putnam/Amy Einhorn, 2009, $24.95/$31.00, hb, 322pp, 9780399155604 Peter Force abruptly leaves his home in Idaho, where he and his father made a living in the silver mines, and arrives penniless and disoriented in New York City. He quickly finds work with the crews digging out the deep tunnels under Manhattan for the nascent subway system. Cheri-Ann Toledo arrives, penniless and disoriented, in New York City, wandering exhausted and famished in Battery Park. When Peter’s philanthropic urge brings them together, he learns Cheri-Ann’s improbable story: she has traveled through time. The narrator, whose story is surprisingly intertwined with that of Peter and Cheri-Ann, tells the tale from his place in 21st-century Los Angeles, looking back across a century. We learn that CheriAnn is a princess, the last of the line of monarchs of the Kingdom of Ohio. Originally a land grant to French settlers during their revolution, the area around Toledo – Cheri-Ann claims – was an independent principality. Peter agrees to help Cheri-Ann find her way home, struggling with his warring feelings – is she mad, or is she telling the truth? Both options are equally disturbing for him, and their journey takes a dangerous turn when the most powerful man of the age and the most brilliant minds of the time learn of their predicament. The inclusion of Nicolas Tesla, Thomas Edison, and J.P. Morgan were interesting but felt somewhat forced. The philosophical questions and drama at the center of Peter and Cheri-Ann’s struggle did not necessarily require the inclusion of these Gilded Age giants. Flaming’s rendering of turn-ofthe-century Idaho and New York City is believable, almost seamless, the details interesting and never shoe-horned in. The mix of tenses and points of view is a bit disorienting at first, but the story picks up as the mystery deepens. This is not only a mystery, however. It’s a rumination on memory, history, love, and Self. Overall, this is a very well written, thoughtful, and interesting book. Recommended. Julie K. Rose HAUNTING WARRIOR Erin Quinn, Berkley, 2010, $15.00/C$18.50, pb, 372pp, 9780425234143 Bouncer Rory MacGrath rebels against his dead grandmother’s summons to come home – a place he’s not visited since his banishment to America after his father’s disappearance. Rory returns to Ireland and his family, where he follows the mysterious woman who haunts his dreams and Timeslip — Alternative History

bids him to hurry before it’s too late. Able to see the dead, Saraid of the Favored Lands listens as the ghost of an old woman reveals that “A man will come to you in the guise of another. ’Tis the Book he wants….” The latter is an evil thing that Cathán, her people’s sworn enemy, believes Saraid possesses, and he has hunted them until only a few survive. Now he offers peace, a ruse Saraid doesn’t trust, but her eldest brother must put their people’s welfare before hers and she weds Cathán’s brutal son, Rory the Bloodletter. Unexpected betrayal and trusting an enemy lead Saraid to the Book and her true fate. With the skill of the Irish seanchai, Quinn spins a tale of time travel woven into the mystical threads of ancient Ireland. Haunting Warrior is not only a love story, but also a search to conquer inner fears and combat evil and greed. Cindy Vallar THE HYPNOTIST M.J. Rose, MIRA, 2010, $24.95/C$27.95, hb, 316pp, 9780778326755 FBI Agent Lucian Glass is certain that Malachai Samuels is behind a robbery in Vienna that left Glass badly injured and a woman dead. The theft was of a list of memory tools, objects that will unveil a person’s past lives. As co-director of the Phoenix Foundation, dedicated to the science of past-life study, Samuels is obsessed about proving the reality of reincarnation. In a related story, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is restoring the ancient Persian statue Hypnos, a possible repository of a memory tool. Several seemingly unrelated criminals plan to steal Hypnos from the museum. In another case, Glass investigates the recent demolition of a Matisse painting stolen twenty years ago. Glass was badly injured in that robbery and his girlfriend was killed. Rose deftly draws each of the many plotlines, which include past-life stories of some of the characters, until they converge on a single night at the Met. Although I marveled at the complex plot and how everything fell into place at the end, I found this thriller a bit flat. The writing is clunky, slowing the pace of the narrative, such as this description of an object unimportant to the story: “This was a green, cobalt and turquoise tile blown up to bleed off the edges of the paper with silver type outlined in black that read, Early Persian Tilework, the Medieval Flowering of Kashi and, beneath that, the dates of the exhibition that had opened in January and would run through June.” Additionally, there are so many characters that it is hard to keep track of them—a problem rare for me. This is the third installment in the Reincarnationist series. Faithful followers of Rose will most likely overlook these small flaws and find the mysteries and interwoven intrigues enough. Elizabeth Caulfield Felt A COTTAGE BY THE SEA Ciji Ware, Sourcebooks Landmark, 2010 (c1997), $15.99, pb, 544pp, 9781402222702 A Cottage by the Sea is very much a modern

romance novel with glimpses of 18th-century Cornwall. The story begins in Hollywood, where Blythe Barton Stowe is a set designer married to her college sweetheart, famed director Christopher Stowe. They are living a lifestyle of the rich and celebrated. When Blythe learns of her husband’s infidelity with her sister and the pregnancy he had denied her, she files for divorce and flees to a remote estate in Cornwall. Raised on a ranch in Wyoming by her Grandmother Barton, she remembers rumors of possible family roots in Cornwall and plans to research her past while finding solace in the remote countryside. The owner of the estate is Lucas Teague, a handsome widower. He and his young son are reeling from a loss of their own. Lucas is struggling financially and agrees to a business partnership with Blythe that could save his family home. On her first visit to the manor, Blythe touches the genealogy chart in his library and is quickly transported back to 1793 and the first Blythe Barton. These travels through time reveal a history of her family connection with Lucas Teague’s family and a love triangle more traumatic and dangerous than the one she has experienced in the modern day. The sexual tension between Lucas and Blythe arrives early in the novel. When the unexpected happens and Blythe must come to terms with her feelings for Lucas, she makes a final trip into the past to find out what happened to her namesake and learns the power of forgiveness. Ware has done a good job with the research for this novel. I could have done with a little less of Blythe’s and Granny Barton’s Western colloquialisms, but overall it was a good read. Susan Zabolotny

alternative history

RED INFERNO: 1945 Robert Conroy, Ballantine, 2010, $15.00, pb, 353pp, 9780345506061 The many and varied “what ifs” of military history play a central role in many readers’ interest in the battles and campaign accounts. Historical novelists such as Robert Conroy, Harry Turtledove, and Newt Gingrich are three of the better known in this steadily popular genre. Conroy has published 1862, 1901, 1942, and 1945, and here offers Red Inferno: 1945 as, in many ways, a supplement to the earlier 1945. The setting is a crumbling Germany toward war’s end. Erstwhile allies Russia and the United States cast suspicious eyes on one another as the occupation of a defeated Germany assumes center stage. Angered at Stalin’s apparent duplicity, Harry Truman sends U.S. combat units on the road to Berlin. This unexpected attack results in a near disaster for American forces in the Potsdam sector. Military action is influenced by political uncertainty as the White House finds itself frustrated by British and French opposition, as well as by a Washington beset by political intrigue and double dealing. Conroy is well practiced in his HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 59

blending of the larger than life actual participants (chiefly Truman, Stalin, Eisenhower, Bradley, and J. Edgar Hoover) with the fictional (Steve Burke, Jack Logan, Wolfgang von Schumann, Natalie Holt, and Sergei Suslov are by far the most interesting). While the story seems eminently predictable, Conroy is a skilled enough practitioner to keep you turning the pages as the events move to answer the “what ifs.” John R. Vallely

paranormal & | historical fantasy

MR. SHIVERS Robert Jackson Bennett, Orbit, 2010, $19.99/ C$24.99/£12.99, hb, 336pp, 9780316054683 Marcus Connelly is riding the rails west during the Great Depression of the 1920s. Unlike most of the sorry folks he finds in the tent towns that have sprung up along train route, he is not seeking work

or a better life. His goal is revenge against a scarred, mysterious man who spoiled Connelly’s idyllic life. Connelly finds others with the same mission, but as the hunt continues, it’s obvious that Mr. Shivers knows who seeks him and employs unexpected resources to dissuade his adversaries. Bennett knows how to build suspense and keep the reader in an uncomfortable place. His descriptions of hobo and migrant life are almost more frightening that the scenes he creates involving the pursuit of Mr. Shivers through Hoovervilles, small towns, and in other unlikely places. People they meet illustrate the variety of personalities displaced by the Oklahoma Dust Bowl and victims of the Great Depression—friendly unfortunates and frightening opportunists. All have camp-fire stories about or tales to tell of actual encounters with Mr. Shivers, and everyone agrees, seeking Mr. Shivers is a foolish and deadly endeavor. While the novel starts off like a straightforward, Depression-era horror novel set along the Okies’ migrant trail, it takes a turn and becomes more

E D I TORS’ C H OI C E UNDER HEAVEN Guy Gavriel Kay, Roc, 2010, $25.95, hb, 559pp, 9780451463302 / Viking Canada, 2010, C$34.00, hb, 592pp, 9780670068098 / HarperVoyager, 2010, £18.99, hb, 576pp, 9780007342013 Under Heaven is a “variation upon themes of the Tang,” a sweeping look at China during the 8th century, seen through the fictional world of Kitai. Kay’s stories are inspired by real people, places, and events, and although the world of Kitai itself is not real per se, the combination of inspiration and imagination is absolutely convincing. This is the story of Shen Tai, second son of a famous general, whose selfless act of respect and mourning unwittingly attracts the attention of a foreign court – and earns him a mighty gift that will change the course of his life, and the fate of the Kitan empire. “The world could bring you poison in a jeweled cup, or surprising gifts,” he muses. “Sometimes you didn’t know which of them it was.” The world of the Ninth Dynasty is delicate, ornate, elegant, and intricate, but also full-blooded and sweeping, and the breadth and depth of the story reflect this sensibility. The writing style can sometimes be difficult to get past, as it can be rather jagged; that said, the pace picks up significantly halfway through, and by the end you don’t want to put the book down. The story is well plotted, with a broad mix of interesting characters that you grow to care about, along with outstanding world-building. Richly imagined, this is an epic story of a complex and advanced civilization, an intimate look at the life of one man, and a fascinating meditation on free will, destiny and fate, coincidence and consequence. Highly recommended. Julie K. Rose 60 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

philosophical and supernatural as the miserable band of vengeance-seekers face the reality of what they chase. With enough violence and suspense to scare, this novel should please readers seeking insight into one of the evils that lurks in the world as well as the difficulties of those displaced during the Great Depression. Suzanne J. Sprague MOONSHINE Alaya Johnson, St. Martin’s, 2010, $24.99, hb, 288pp, 9780312565473 Zephyr Hollis is a thoroughly modern New York woman of the 1920s. She spends her days attending a variety of meetings for the progressive causes she supports, and at night, she teaches classes to immigrants. Zephyr is so tenderhearted that she can’t help getting involved in her students’ lives. When Amir, a handsome, articulate student, offers Zephyr a significant sum of money to locate the mysterious vampire gangster Rinaldo, she accepts. While the money is nice to have, it’s the act of helping another human that energizes Zephyr, but in this case, she has no idea what she’s getting herself into. Even though Zephyr was born with mysterious powers that render her immune to vampire powers, Rinaldo and his gang are unusually violent and difficult to track, making the task far more complex that she originally imagined. Moonshine’s appeal to readers who are strictly fans of historical fiction is limited. It’s not that Johnson doesn’t make good use of the historical context, because she does. She effectively captures the tension between the Victorian old guard and the dawn of modernity, and she elevates the characters beyond mere stereotypes of the era. But accepting the events of the story requires major suspension of disbelief, and readers who don’t want vampires, djinni, seers, and other paranormal entities mixed in with their history should give this one a pass. Fans of urban fantasy and historical paranormal romance, however, will find this a promising start to a series different from the glut of materials currently being published in those genres. Nanette Donohue DESCENT INTO DUST Jacqueline Lepore, Avon A, 2010, $13.99, pb, 368pp, 97806878121 Scarlett O’Hara becomes Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This story is told in flashback. Emma Andrews is a beautiful, well-to-do, young Victorian widow with an uncanny intelligence and ability to sense the inexplicable. Unfortunately, because of her mother’s madness, she has become an outcast to certain members of her family. She puts her issues aside in order to escape her loneliness with a visit to her family in the country. Dulwich Manor, a huge medieval home, is a former monetary usurped by Henry VIII during his break with the Catholic church. The house sports Latin sayings that seem to foretell danger to its inhabitants. Perhaps the carvings are correct. Paranormal/Historical Fantasy

Emma is suspicious of the doings in the house. Most of all, she is fearful of the evil that threatens her beloved niece Henrietta. Luckily, Emma teams with Valerian Fox, a man with his own mysterious past, to counter this threat. This gothic romance has everything: blood, vampires, a spooky manor house, madness, a child in danger and a hint of romance. The author leaves some things unsettled at the end; could there be a series or sequel planned? If you like gothic romance, this a great read. Monica E. Spence MARION ZIMMER BRADLEY’S SWORD OF AVALON Diana L. Paxson, Roc, 2009, $24.95/C$31, hb, 424pp, 9780451462923 The popularity of The Mists of Avalon (1982) by Marion Zimmer Bradley generated a series that has outlasted the author’s death. Paxson, who has herself written several fine Arthurian novels, here describes the forging of Arthur’s sword Excalibur from meteor iron (as Bradley mentions in Mists) at the end of the Bronze Age (around 1200 BCE). Aware that the inhabitants of Britain lacked the knowledge to work iron, Paxson has Mikantor, the heir to the high kingship, abducted and sold to traders from the Mediterranean. He ends up in Mykenae as slave to Velantos, who is not only a prince of Tiryns but a smith. They survive the fall of the city before the invading Dorians and eventually make their way back to Britain. Armed with the sword forged by Velantos, Mikantor defeats his enemies and claims the high kingship. These events take place in the context of a matriarchal society that invests authority in its queens and priestesses, the latter led by Anderle, the Lady of Avalon. Their attempts to control fractious kings and ambitious lords, however, meet with mixed success, made none the easier by their own human feelings. So it is that Anderle’s daughter Tirilan rejects her holy calling out of love for Mikantor. This is historical fantasy, where priestesses communicate by a mental link and where the Lady of the Forge (Athena), speaking through Anderle, instructs the smith in the mysteries of iron working; in other respects, the setting (matriarchy, metalworking, wet weather) is historically plausible. Like its predecessors, this novel sprawls somewhat as it shifts point of view among the characters, and the unfamiliar names are confusing. Paxson nevertheless weaves an involving story of heroism and romance. Recommended. Ray Thompson BLACK HILLS Dan Simmons, Little, Brown, 2010, $25.99/ C$31.99, hb, 496pp, 9780316006989 / Quercus, 2010, £16.99, hb, 464pp, 9781849160889 The story begins in 1876 when General George Armstrong Custer is killed at the Battle of Little Big Horn. Paha Sapa, a young Sioux, “counted coups” on Custer as he lay dying. He believes Paranormal/Historical Fantasy — Children & YA

that the ghost of Custer entered his body when he touched him and has remained with him. The novel then moves to the 1930s, when Paha Sapa, now an old man, is an explosives worker on Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills. The premise is that Paha Sapa plans to destroy the sculpture that he feels defaced the Black Hills, an important and spiritual place of the Lakota tribe. Although I admire Dan Simmons’s work, I wasn’t sure at first if I would enjoy this supernatural suspense story. But as the story of Paha Sapa unfolded, I became interested in the main character and wanted to discover if he would be successful in blowing up Mount Rushmore (even though I knew from history the destruction of this mighty edifice never happened). I didn’t appreciate how Simmons continued, throughout the novel, to switch from past to present from one chapter to the next. I would have enjoyed the novel more if he would have written it in timeline order. Custer talks both to his wife and to Paha Sapa, and he is very explicit sexually when he tries to speak to his wife. I couldn’t understand the purpose of making Custer’s desires so graphic. I still would recommend this novel. It is wellwritten (even with my qualifications mentioned earlier); his characters are interesting and well developed, and the descriptions of the Black Hills are exceptional. If you enjoy Indian supernatural fiction, you will like this novel. Jeff Westerhoff

children & young adult

THE EDUCATION OF BET Lauren Baratz-Logsted, Houghton Mifflin, 2010, $16.00, hb, 192pp, 9780547223087 Sixteen-year-old Bet yearns to go away to school like her friend Will, but in 19th-century England girls are barred from traditional education. Will is bored with his schooling and wishes to join the military, but he knows his uncle will never approve. So Bet devises a plan to switch places. She will disguise herself as a boy and take Will’s place at school; Will will be free to join the army. However, as Bet pursues her precarious scheme, she quickly encounters unexpected obstacles. Not all the boys at Betterman Academy have academics first in their minds; many prefer to spend their time bullying their classmates. And one boy, kinder and handsomer than the others, forces Bet to acknowledge that in spite of her disguise she will always be a girl underneath. The Education of Bet is a fast-paced romp for the reluctant young reader, but the sense of place and period is underdeveloped, and the storyline lacks credibility. A cross-dressing masquerade of several months’ duration is far-fetched even with the most meticulous planning, but the scheme becomes completely implausible given Bet’s carelessness in so many crucial details. Forgetting to ask what subjects are taught until the day she sets off for school? Planning an elaborate wardrobe and

neglecting gender-appropriate footwear? Surely, it takes a cannier heroine than this to pull off such an elaborate act. Somehow, though, the plan goes on—allies materialize, deceptions are forgiven, and events conspire toward a fairytale ending. While Bet does possess a certain spunk and stubborn integrity that make us glad for her in the end, a reader can’t help but wonder how any girl—past or present—could find herself quite so lucky. Ann Pedtke PRISONER OF THE INQUISITION Theresa Breslin, Doubleday, 2010, £12.99, hb, 320pp, 9780385617031 Set in 15th-century Spain at the height of the Inquisition, this novel skilfully weaves a complex plot of punishment, death and betrayal with the story of Christopher Columbus’s search for patronage for his plan to cross the Atlantic. Zarita, the 16-year-old daughter of a wealthy magistrate, unintentionally causes the killing of a beggar – a man whose son, Saulo, swears vengeance on Zarita and all her family. Taken to sea as a galley slave, Saulo eventually learns navigation skills and becomes a mariner. Zarita, meanwhile, experiences unhappy life changes, in particular the enmity of her father’s new wife. When the Inquisition comes to Zarita’s home town in the shape of Father Besian and his entourage, the inquisitors use the magistrate’s home as their base of operations. While there they interview all the people in the house. A simple-minded servant falls into their net, and as a result is brutally tortured. Overnight the town becomes a place of suspicion and fear, and people begin betraying their neighbours. Even Zarita, frightened by the priest’s questioning, points the finger at the town’s prostitutes, and is later appalled by her actions when she sees them scourged in the market place. After Saulo begins to put his vengeance into action, Zarita retreats to a nunnery founded by her aunt Beatriz. Saulo travels with Christopher Columbus to the court of Ferdinand and Isabella, where at last he once again encounters Zarita and Father Besian, and the Inquisition continues its deadly work. Theresa Breslin creates a strong sense of the fear induced by the Inquisition and shows how its tentacles reached out to engulf even the rich and powerful. The moment a person was taken for questioning they would be deserted by friends, servants, anyone with a link to them. With a powerful plot, larger-than-life characters and dramatic style and setting, this novel should appeal to teenagers of both sexes. Ann Turnbull GREEKS, BEASTS AND HEROES: The Beasts in the Jar Lucy Coats, Orion, 2010, £4.99, pb, 74pp, 9781444000658 This is the first in a series of twelve books of myths and legends from ancient Greece retold for younger readers. The tales open chronologically HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 61

with the birth of the Titans and the creation of various monsters like Typhon with his hundred heads, and Echnidna, who had a woman’s head and arms but the body of a repellent snake. The Titans were later overthrown by their children, the more familiar gods and goddesses on Mount Olympus, led by Zeus. Then came the creation of humans by the Titan Prometheus, who stole fire from Zeus to help humans survive in the world. The author uses Atticus the Storyteller as narrator, who travels around Greece with his donkey, Melissa, telling stories to the people he meets in the locations where the stories are set. Some of the stories are well-known, like that of Pandora whose curiosity leads her to open the box containing all the troubles of the world. Others, like the tale of Deucalion – the Greek Noah – may be less familiar, but there is something for everyone. I’ve always enjoyed the Greek legends, though I confess I found the re-telling a touch bland. But Anthony Lewis’s lively illustrations are great. However, there is a more serious problem. In Caroline Lawrence’s Roman Mysteries, also published by Orion, a useful glossary tells the readers how to pronounce Greek names. Greek myths are no longer the common currency they once were: I met a teacher who pronounced Persephone like ‘telephone’ rather than, as it should be, like ‘Penelope’. Does Lucy Coats really expect her young readers, or even their teachers, to know how to pronounce ‘Epimetheus’, say? This series is obviously aimed at primary schools – so why no glossary? Elizabeth Hawksley This is an amazing book of lots of different Greek stories cleverly entwined into one book. I know a lot of these stories from other books but this was much easier to read because it was very child-friendly. By this I mean it had a lot of fun pictures that helped you, and the language was easy to read. It was so intriguing that I read the whole book in one sitting. My favourite story is The Stone Baby because it’s a very imaginative story about a father who eats all his children to prevent them killing him. It’s well told and gives you a lot to think about, I certainly won’t forget it in a hurry. Overall, it’s a great, funny colourful collection of Greek stories. I think it would be good for 7 to maybe 9 year olds. I enjoyed it, but it was a little bit easy for me. Minna McNulty, Aged 10 GREEKS, BEASTS AND HEROES: The Magic Head Lucy Coats, Orion, 2010, £4.99, pb, 77pp, 9781444000665 In this, the second of Lucy Coats’ re-telling of Greek myths and legends, she begins with stories of the gods and goddesses: how Zeus, the greatest of the gods, married Hera; the story of Demeter, the corn goddess, and her daughter Persephone who was carried off to the underworld; the birth of Aphrodite and her marriage to Hephaestus, the 62 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

blacksmith god; and Hephaestus’ own story of how he was lamed and later became a blacksmith and made wonderful things. She moves on to stories of gods interacting with humans: Zeus transforming himself into a white bull and carrying off Europa; Danaë imprisoned in a copper tower where Zeus appeared as a shower of gold and the subsequent birth of the hero Perseus; and two of Perseus’s own adventures: how he got Medusa’s head and how he rescued Andromeda from the dragon; and the birth of Apollo, the god of prophecy, who killed the snake, Python; and Apollo’s twin sister, Artemis, the huntress. Lucy Coats interweaves the stories with great skill, greatly aided by Anthony Lewis’s splendid illustrations. In the classroom, they could provide plenty of opportunities for discussion of myths to explain the seasons, as shown by Demeter and Persephone; myths to explain volcanoes, as in the stories of Hephaestus; and to show how in nature, as with caterpillars and butterflies, say, things change into other things. Again, with such difficult names for children to pronounce as Hephaestus, Danaë and Poseidon, the book certainly needs a helpful glossary. Suitable for children of 7 plus. Elizabeth Hawksley I think this book was very good but it should have a bit more detail. I would have liked to have known how everyone could talk to the Gods and Goddesses for example, and how could they make goats magic and why is it called The Magic Head? There’s not really such a thing as a magic head. I liked the stories but as I just said I wanted to know more. My favourite story is called The Queen of The Underworld. I liked it because the mother was nice but it got a bit worrying when the child got kidnapped. It was an exciting story and it was easy to read. I really like the pictures and the coloured pages in the book. I read The Magic Head by myself with some help from Mum and Dad. I think the book would be good for teenagers. I wouldn’t tell my friends to read it because most of them don’t read what I read. Louis McNulty THE QUEEN’S DAUGHTER Susan Coventry, Henry Holt, 2010, $16.99/ C$19.99, hb, 384pp, 9780805089929 Eleanor of Aquitaine, Henry II, and their sons strut across the stage of medieval history, completely overshadowing the rest of their family—not to mention most other historical figures of their time. Susan Coventry sets out to remedy this, using the scant historical record to recreate the life of Eleanor and Henry’s daughter, Princess Joan. We first meet Joan at age seven, both a victim and tentative co-conspirator in the sometimes literal battles among her family. At ten, we see her shipped off to be married to the King of Sicily, and watch the adolescent queen negotiate a foreign culture and a cold marriage, attempting to be true to her schooling by Eleanor. Finally, a childless widow in her twenties, she returns to the wardship

of her brother Richard, now king. Thrust into the midst of her warring family once more, can she be loyal both to them and herself? The story reads lightly but with plenty of history, and is a good introduction to the fascinating lives of this incredible family. A great debut, although I would recommend it for older readers due to sexual content. Susan Cook The Queen’s Daughter is a very well-written novel, with extremely believable characters. One thing I liked about it was the reality of the situations Joanna was thrust into and the determined, capable way in which she dealt with them. One thing I disliked was the portrayal of King William of Sicily as weak and cowardly. On the whole, however, its good qualities far outweigh the bad, and I would recommend this book to older readers. Magdalen Dobson, Age 13 JOURNEY TO LA SALLE’S SETTLEMENT Melodie A. Cuate, Texas Tech Univ. Press, 2010, $17.95, hb, 184pp, 9780896727045 It’s another typical contemporary day for Hannah, Jackie and Nick. Hannah’s in big trouble over a paper that’s due, Jackie’s had her cell phone taken away by a teacher, and Nick’s been playing at having two girls woo him, with the end result of one finding out. So they enlist the help of their history teacher, Mr. B., who promises to help out if they do a job for him. He adds a comment, however, that immediately catches the reader’s and the characters’ interest. Minutes later, they’ve begun to have trouble completing the task set by Mr. B and worse they’re beginning to see sand and water leaking out of a trunk. Add to that a whirling, tornadolike effect and they wind up getting sucked into its core. When they next open their eyes, they find themselves in 17th-century Texas and come across a poem that indicates they must find nine missing items before they can return to their own world. The above isn’t a spoiler at all, for the next events are a mixture of fast-paced action and adventure in which these seventh-graders meet pirate-like rogues, alligators, the fierce Karankawa Indians, the famous explorer La Salle and many more characters who notch up this fast-paced story with threats, riddles, and death threats. All of the characters and events in this story are highly believable as well as interesting. Young adults who love adventure stories will add this tale, based on real, dynamically presented history, to a list of their favorite novels. Viviane Crystal CANDLE MAN Glenn Dakin, Egmont, 2010, £5.99, 384pp, 9781405246767 Teenager Theo has led a dreary and isolated life until he discovers he has the power to melt people just by touching them. Then he finds himself at the very centre of a struggle for power between the Society for Good Works and the Society of Children & YA

E D I TORS’ C H OI C E THE RED UMBRELLA Christina Diaz Gonzalez, Knopf, 2010, $16.99, hb, 288pp, 9780375861901 Lucia likes bright red nail polish and skirts that swing. She reads Seventeen Magazine like a typical American teenage girl. But she is not American, and her life is not typical. It is Cuba, 1961, and Lucia’s beautiful, romantic world is being destroyed by the revolution. Lucia’s friends have all joined the Jóvenes Rebeldes and the cute boy from math class acts like an arrogant brigadista. Her parents now whisper behind closed doors and won’t let Lucia and her little brother, Frankie, outside the house. Lucia chafes at the loss of freedom and blames her parents for being overly protective. But then her parents send Lucia and Frankie alone to America through Operation Pedro Pan, and they are taken in by a farmer and his wife who live in Nebraska. Lucia now is free of her parents and the revolution, but at what cost? I loved this story. Lucia’s teen voice is spot on, and her growth from pampered daughter of a banker to hard-working farm girl gave a wonderful depth to the narrative. Diaz Gonzalez weaves in the historical aspects of the revolution with just the right balance, informing young readers through chapter titles and dialogue about what was happening in 1961 without going too much into why it was happening or the United States’ role in the Cuban revolution, which would be more appropriate for older teen readers. This is a story about family love and sacrifice, how war can turn even best friends into enemies, and the goodness of strangers. And while these are universal themes that transcend the story, this is a story that needs to be told as Operation Pedro Pan is still one that is largely unknown in the United States outside of the 14,000 children and their foster families who participated in it. Patricia O’Sullivan Lucia Álvarez is an archetypical teen who dresses in the latest fashions and loves shopping with her best friend Ivette. When Cuban soldiers visit their small town, many people, including the people that Lucia knows, are executed for speaking out against Fidel Castro. Her father, who works at the bank, takes out their valuables and hides them in the house. Later, however, their house is searched by soldiers who take everything, including Lucia’s mother’s wedding ring. Lucia and her brother, Frankie, are sent to Miami, Florida, alone to live at a camp to await a foster family. When Lucia and Frankie are transferred to a farm on Nebraska to live with the Baxters, Lucia discovers they are the next best people to her parents. After studying English with Mrs. Baxter all summer, Lucia starts high school in an American public school with other teenagers. Lucia befriends another farm girl, Jennifer, and they are soon best friends like Lucia and Ivette once were before Ivette joined the Jóvenes Rebeldes. Just like any other high school there are cliques and football players and ordinary people who are more of Lucia’s crowd. Even with this American life, Lucia can’t help but miss life in Cuba with its warm oceans and white sand and of course, her parents. I loved this book! It’s a moving story perfect for young adults. I can’t help but be on Lucia’s side with her strength and courage living with totally new people in a different country and feeling torn between her old life and her new one. Marion O’Sullivan, age 11

Children & YA

Unrelenting Vigilance. For, beneath London, in a murky world of tunnels, secret passages and underground chambers a dangerous experiment is about to take place. Caught up in a series of narrow escapes, Theo has to come to terms with his terrifying powers as well as confront some very strange creatures. The appeal of this book lies in its action filled storyline and finely depicted fantasy world. Especially effective are the smoglodytes - hideous creatures with transparent skin who live off fog. The plot moves quickly, helped along by short chapters and plenty of dialogue. Though the narrative does lose some momentum midway, it picks up again as we learn more about the Candle Man. Although the time setting of the novel is uncertain it has a Gothic atmosphere and, we are told, the Candle Man was a Victorian crime fighter. The characters are varied, though rather thinly drawn, and other than Theo, there is a lack of young characters, which may deter some readers. Overall, the tone is lighthearted with touches of humour, and should provide an entertaining read for 8 to 13 year olds. Sue Leahy THE GREEN BRONZE MIRROR Lynne Ellison, CnPosner Books, 2009, £4.99, pb, 117pp, 9780216884236 This is a reprint of a story originally published in 1966, written by Lynne Ellison who was fourteen at the time. A young girl, walking along a Welsh beach, finds a bronze mirror half buried in the sand. As she tries to clean it, she is transported back in time to Roman Britain. A troop of Roman soldiers capture her, thinking that she must be a runaway slave, and take her back to their barracks where she embarks upon life as servant of one of the soldiers. She experiences being sold at a slave market; the long journey to Ancient Rome; children’s nurse to a wealthy family; spectator at gladiatorial combat and the great fire of Rome, circa 65AD. She joins a secret sect of Christians and falls in love with a young man before returning to her own time. It has an immediacy about it which is very appealing, and the detail is impressive for such a young writer. The graphic description of the cruelty of the Roman Games may be something we might object to showing to young readers today, and the story lacks emotional depth, but I found it an enjoyable and gripping read. For the next edition the publisher may want to improve some of the spelling and punctuation errors and incorporate the errata on the enclosed slip, but it is encouraging to be reminded of this title which has long been out of print. Julie Parker FAITHFUL Janet Fox, Speak, 2010, $8.99/C$10.99, pb, 325pp, 9780142414132 This gentle young adult story by a debut novelist is a refreshing change from the dark, often violent and highly sensual tales in the current crop of teen novels. Janet Fox delivers an exhilarating adventure, HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 63

mysterious goings on, and unexpected romance set in the rugged landscape of 1904 Montana. Sixteenyear-old Maggie Bennet has already suffered the loss of her mother, who is presumed dead by all, it seems, but her. Her father’s coldness, mysterious silence and outright lies only add to her distress and confusion. But it’s his sudden announcement of a trip into the wilds of Yellowstone, in search of something he refuses to define, that shocks Maggie—all the more so when he expects her to accompany him. Although the trip buoys up her hope that her mother might actually still be alive, or they might at least find a clue as to why she disappeared, something else is on her mind. The Newport ball. After all, she was just getting her life back on track, planning her long-anticipated debut, when her father drags her away. Now she fears she may not be able to return home in time for her coming out. The story works, for the most part, and the plot moves along at an agreeable pace, but it was difficult for this reader to sympathize with a heroine who is already planning social engagements when the fate of her recently absented mother is unresolved. Once past that hurdle, the novel becomes a pleasant adventure. Kathryn Kimball Johnson POISONED HONEY Beatrice Gormley, Knopf, 2010, $16.99, hb, 306pp, 9780375852077 Mari is the daughter of a sardine merchant who dotes on her and a mother who thinks that it is her duty to train her daughter for the hard life of a Jewish woman in a Magdala ruled by Romans. Married at fourteen to an older man who ignores her and living in a household of women who despise her, Mari’s only comforts are her visions of the ancient prophet Maryam, sister of Moses, and the secret world of friends that live in her mind. When her husband dies unexpectedly, Mari finds herself free of his unpleasant household, but now possessed by demons she thought were her friends. Her only hope is a controversial rabbi who wanders from place to place: Yeshua of Nazareth. In the last fifteen years, dozens of novels have been written about the life of Mary Magdalene, but little of it is written for a younger audience. Beatrice Gormley has done a fine job of making this misunderstood saint accessible to young readers by casting Mary Magdalene as one of them. Mari’s story is compelling, as Gormley does a good maintaining the tension between Mari and her family and Mari and her demons. While I loved the story, I was disappointed that Gormley did not follow Mary Magdalene through to her most important moment, becoming the apostle to the apostles when the risen Christ appears to her and tells her to share this revelation with the other apostles. This vision that made her famous should have been included in a story that is billed as an explanation of Mary Magdalene’s controversial persona. Patricia O’Sullivan THE SACRED SCARAB 64 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

Gill Harvey, Bloomsbury, 2010, £5.99, pb, 192pp, 0747595658 This story is one of a series set in Ancient Egypt at the time of the New Kingdom. Hopi and Isis, brother and sister, were orphaned when their parents were killed by crocodiles. Hopi is still lame from the crocodile attack; he is a pupil of Menna, an elderly priest. Isis is a gifted dancer, and the two of them live with a family troupe of dancers and musicians in the city of Waset – modern Luxor. Three mysteries weave their way through the book: one involving an unexpected visitor; one about a crooked tax collector; the third, a rather gruesome problem at the embalmers’ workshops. Of course, all these mysteries are linked. When the tax collector books the dance troupe for a party at his house, Isis and Hopi become involved, and a race against time ensues to uncover the truth. The plot is cleverly worked out, and the story moves along fast and is mildly exciting. However, the main charm of the book is in the fascinating detail of Ancient Egyptian life. These people are busy around the home or at work - storing grain, cooking and brewing, and coping with everyday problems that include the difficulties and obligations of living in an extended family. They give a picture of what life may really have been like at that time. For a short book there are a lot of characters, and I was glad to find a cast list at the back, along with a map, a glossary, and a wealth of information about other subjects touched on in the story. Hopi and Isis are appealing characters in a strong setting and the series deserves to be a success. Ann Turnbull THE SPITTING COBRA Gill Harvey, Bloomsbury, 2009, £5.99, pb, 163pp, 9780747595632 Ancient Egypt, 1200 B.C. Eleven-year-old Isis and her lame thirteen-year-old brother, Hopi, are orphans. Isis is a talented dancer and works with a travelling dance and music troupe. Hopi is fascinated by snakes and scorpions. They both know that they are lucky to be able to live together, particularly as Hopi can’t work. But will that last? Isis’ dancing partner, Mut, is always making trouble for Isis and she hates Hopi. The troupe is invited to perform in Set Maat, a village devoted to building the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings. But things are about to go badly wrong. Suspicion is in the air: someone may be stealing from the royal tombs. And then Hopi is discovered in a forbidden place. He says he’s just looking for snakes – but can that possible be true? I enjoyed this lively story. The author offers her readers exactly what is needed: a strong plot with several intertwining strands, terrific pace, and two attractive and believable central characters. She is good at the visual aspect, too; it is easy to picture the insides of the village houses, the tombs and surrounding desert, and so on. I also like Isis and Hopi’s troubled relationship with Mut and the way the three children gradually work things out and move on.

Gill Harvey has plainly done her homework, but she cleverly avoids information dumps; the facts about Egyptian life and customs are woven seamlessly into the story. Children will learn effortlessly about cobras, Egyptian life, gods and goddesses, and what archaeology now tells us about the tomb-builders’ village, which still exists near the Valley of the Kings. There is a helpful cast list, map, fact file and glossary at the end of the book. Elizabeth Hawksley This is a fantastic story about a boy and his sister. The thing I really like about it is the way that the author switches between the two children, so that one section is about Hopi the boy and the next is about Isis the girl. I also found it exciting; you felt as if you were the children, having their feelings. I learnt some stuff about ancient Egypt and about their gods, which added to the story nicely. Although Gill Harvey explained their inner feelings well, I had to make a picture for myself of what the children looked like. That could be good in some ways, and the dialogue tells you a bit, like when a lady shouts at Hopi, ‘I suppose a cripple needs all the luck he could get’. I think this book is good for 8-11 year olds. Minna McNulty, aged 9 HAZEL Julie Hearn, Atheneum, 2010, $17.99, hb, 352pp, 9781416925040 / Oxford, 2007, £5.99, pb, 368pp, 9780192792143 In 1913, thirteen-year-old Hazel Mull-Dare has a comfortable, yet unconventional life in London with a mother who is obsessed with dogs and a father who is addicted to gambling. Hazel spends most of her time attending day school and going to races with her father. But everything changes on the day of the Epsom Derby, when she witnesses a suffragette fling herself in front of a horse, and her father suffers a breakdown from losing all his money at the race. Hazel becomes determined to join the women’s rights movement and with some of her friends, including a snotty, mischievous classmate, Gloria, Hazel helps stage a “suffrage action” at Madame Tussaud’s. The resulting uproar gets her into so much trouble that she is whisked away to her grandparents’ Caribbean plantation, where she slowly learns of a long-buried family secret. The novel begins slowly, but once the story moves to the Caribbean, it becomes more interesting. Hazel’s realization of her family’s responsibility in the historical abuse of plantation workers is the most illuminating. But even with appealing concepts and humorous undertones, the story still disappoints because many threads are left unresolved at the novel’s end, when Hazel has returned to England. One example of this is Hazel’s early determination to become a suffragette—it is simply forgotten as soon as she leaves England, and Hearn never returns to conclude what happened to Gloria, or if Hazel ever took up any other causes (equal rights for all, perhaps, rather than just Children & YA

women). Despite its fits and starts, the writing is well executed, but it would still have been a much better read if Hearn had not left so much out. Rebecca Roberts TURTLE IN PARADISE Jennifer L. Holm, Random House, 2010, $16.99, hb, 208pp, 9780375836886 “When I asked Moma about my Conch relatives, she said her parents had been dead for a long time, but that I had a lot of Conch cousins. Too bad she didn’t tell me that they were all snotty boys.” Turtle is an 11-year-old girl living temporarily in Key West, off the southern Florida coast in 1935. It’s a tough time when people take whatever job they can get, and Turtle is sent to her cousins’ home because her Mom’s employer hates kids. So begins Turtle’s journey into life in the Keys. While adults can’t find jobs, Turtle hangs around her new cousins and friends, known as the Diaper Gang. Their job and their escapades are hilarious until they begin to search for Black Caesar’s treasure. Along the way to this point, we read about many local tales concerning fisherman, pirates, writers, and other adventurous personalities who are making the best out of a very difference historical time. In the course of thinking about riches and poverty and interacting with her entrepreneur cousins, Turtle learns that faithfulness and family are all that really count when the going gets tough. Turtle is a funny girl whose journey to the Keys is an inspiring, humorous leap into survival of the fittest and the fitting into a higher plan. Lovely book that all young adult readers, and quite a few adults as well, will truly enjoy! Viviane Crystal LEAVING GEE’S BEND Irene Latham, Putnam, 2010, 224pp, hb, $16.99, 9780399251795 Ten-year-old Ludelphia Bennett has never left Gee’s Bend, a sharecropping village on the Alabama River. But her mother is deathly ill and Ludelphia feels it is her fault, having let an accused witch tend to Mama while she gave birth to baby Rose. So, with just her sewing needle, thread and a few scrap patches in the pocket of her apron, Ludelphia sets out for the closest town to ask the white doctor for help. Quilting calms her when there is trouble, and Ludelphia feels the need to quilt a lot in her time away from Gee’s Bend. But when trouble follows Ludelphia back to her beloved home, she puts away her stitching things and finds the strength in herself to drive trouble back. This is a sweet story about an impoverished, disfigured girl whose inner strength will inspire young readers. Leaving Gee’s Bend would make a great classroom book, as Irene Latham has included so many teaching points such as the Great Depression, the Red Cross, sharecropping, quilting, and health care. Patricia O’Sullivan Ludelphia Bennett is a 10-year-old girl growing up in the little village of Gee’s Bend, Alabama. Children & YA

With one blind eye, she works with her needle and patches of cloth on quilts, knowing that each quilt tells a story. Ludelphia’s mother, who has lost three newborn babies, is pregnant and is desperate not to give birth to her baby too early. When the baby is born, Ludelphia’s mother falls deathly ill, and everyone tells Ludelphia that there is nothing she can do but wait. Ludelphia has a different plan in mind; she sets off to Camden, the town across the river, to find Doc Nelson, a white doctor who might be able to help. On her journey, Ludelphia runs into Mrs. Cobb, the woman everybody says is merciless, who bathes and feeds Ludelphia and takes her for a ride in her motorcar to see Doc Nelson. Ludelphia discovers that it’s all a scheme, and Mrs. Cobb wants to turn her in. When Ludelphia finds the doctor, she receives the terrible news that he can’t help her. With Mrs. Cobb threatening with her shotgun and her mother dying, what will Ludelphia do? I enjoyed Leaving Gee’s Bend very much. The story kept my interest. I liked how Irene Latham got into the whole Alabama accent and made her characters realistic. She described Gee’s Bend and all of Ludelphia’s actions skillfully. It all comes together in the end very well which made the story very satisfying. Although the descriptions of her mother’s sickness were disturbing to read, all in all, I’d give this story five stars. Marion O’Sullivan, age 11 THE ROMAN MYSTERIES: The Legionary from Londinium and Other Mini-Mysteries Caroline Lawrence, Orion, 2010, £6.99, pb, 176pp, 9781842551929 AD 80-81. These six mini mysteries fill in some of the gaps between the Roman Mysteries stories, and they are nicely varied. In The Moon in Full Daylight, the children rescue a lost small boy who is mysteriously ill; The Legionary from Londinium concerns treasure buried many years ago in Britannia; Flavia tells her friend Polla the story of Death by Medusa in a letter; The Perseus Prophecy is a murder mystery; The Five Barley Grains follows up the legionary’s story; and in Threptus and the Sacred Chickens, a minor character from Caroline’s final novel in the series has his own adventure. In her introduction, Caroline Lawrence announces that Threptus will be the hero of her new detective series for younger readers, and she cleverly hooks them into wanting to know more. Threptus, a young beggar living in Ostia who was once a small time thief, gets the chance of a new life at the end of Threptus and the Sacred Chickens. However, it’s obvious that things aren’t going to be plain-sailing: Naso, the bullying leader of a youth crime gang, is his enemy and we can see that there will be problems ahead... Caroline Lawrence obviously enjoys having her young readers’ input and, in her postscript, we learn that a number of them supplied clues for the mini mysteries and went to great lengths to come up with intriguing and well-researched ideas. As usual, there is an excellent glossary at the back and, at the front, a map of the Roman port of Ostia

where the stories are set, with the various locations clearly shown. I’m sure that this book will be a welcome addition to any fan’s collection. For boys and girls of 9 plus. Elizabeth Hawksley Each short story keeps you on your toes throughout. I found it hard to guess the solution to each before it was revealed. I think it was a shame to leave the book with a tale following a different character, Threptus. I would have liked it to have ended with Flavia, Jonathan, Nubia and Lupus as I have grown very fond of them; nevertheless it was a very good story with interesting content and plot. I would suggest reading a few of the Roman Mystery books before this one as there is not much description or background relating to the main characters. I thoroughly enjoyed it as a light read and would recommend this book for children up to the age of 13 who enjoy a good mystery. Rachel Beggs, age 15 THE AGENCY: A Spy in the House Y.S. Lee, Candlewick, 2010, $16.99/C$20.00, hb, 335 pp, 9780763640675 In 1853 London, 12-year-old Mary Quinn is sentenced to hang for theft, when a teacher from Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls rescues her. Five years later, Mary, now a teacher at the school, finds out that the Academy is actually a front for the Agency, an organization of female spies, and she becomes their newest recruit. Her first assignment is to pose as a companion to Angelica, the spoiled daughter of a rich merchant named Thorold who is suspected of smuggling artifacts from India. While exploring Thorold’s office in search of evidence of his illegal activities, she encounters James Easton, a young engineer whose brother is about to propose marriage to Angelica and who is doing his own investigation of Thorold’s suspicious activities. Although hostile to each other at first, the two reluctantly join forces to pool their resources and slowly find that they enjoy each other’s company after all, in spite of Mary’s hot temper and James’s arrogance and belief in the traditional roles of women. As it turns out, everyone in the Thorold household has a secret to keep, and Mary has a secret of her own, which she keeps closely guarded even from her employers. A Spy in the House is the first of what promises to be an exciting trilogy featuring an intrepid young heroine who is not without faults, but who rapidly endears herself to the reader. Lee, who has a Ph.D. in Victorian literature, clearly knows the period very well. The plot moves quickly, and the identity of the villain comes as something of a surprise. Enough loose ends are left so that the reader will be eager to read the second volume. I, for one, am looking forward to finding out what will happen to Mary next. Highly recommended for ages 12-up. Vicki Kondelik

HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 65

ONDINE: The Summer of Shambles Ebony McKenna, Egmont, 2010, £5.99, pb, 294pp, 9781405249614 Ondine de Groot runs away from Psychic Summercamp to return to her family home, an inn, taking with her a pet ferret called Shambles. This book is set in the country of Brugel, and is a quirky, humorous mystery written in a lively and witty style. On her journey home Ondine discovers that Shambles can talk. He has a broad Scottish accent; many footnotes help to clarify some of his sayings, and he is quick with his comments and observations. Shambles is no ordinary ferret, but a bewitched handsome prince who offended a witch many years previously. The witch is part of Ondine’s family, adding another dimension to the plot. This book for young adults incorporates mystery, romance, adventure and humour. It is written in an accessible way, which keeps the story moving apace. Interwoven throughout the story and mystery concerning the Duke and his wayward son, Prince Vincent, are the realistic relationships between Ondine, her parents and her siblings. Room is made for sentiment and a believable family base in the novel, which is basically an original twist on a fairy tale. Because of this, the story appeals on many levels, and is a delight to read. I think it is an interesting, good-humoured adventure with a very satisfying ending. Val Loh THE BAD QUEEN: Rules and Instructions for Marie-Antoinette Carolyn Meyer, Harcourt, 2010, $18.00, pb, 432pp, 9780152063764 Despite its gimmicky-sounding subtitle, The Bad Queen is a straightforward tale of Marie Antoinette from the time shortly before her marriage to the time shortly after her execution. (The chapters each bear the titles of the various rules imposed upon Marie Antoinette, e.g., “No. 1: Marry well.”) Most of the novel is told in the first person by the queen herself, but her daughter takes over in the last few chapters. Meyer tells the story of the ill-fated queen in an accessible fashion suitable for her audience; the story is fast-moving and the prose modern without sounding slangy. Marie’s difficulty in consummating her marriage with Louis and her love affair with Axel von Fersen (here unconsummated) are handled tastefully. Meyer provides an author’s note and a bibliography. The hazards in using the first person sometimes do become apparent here—I found myself wishing that the other characters had more depth. I also found it frustrating that the narration switched from mother to daughter when it did, as I would have preferred to hear the story of Marie’s last days through Marie herself. All in all, though, this is a moving and well-written introduction to Marie’s tragic story. Susan Higginbotham

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WOODS RUNNER Gary Paulsen, Wendy Lamb Books, 2010, $15.99, hb, 176pp, 9780385738842 Growing up in the frontier wilderness of western Pennsylvania, 13-year-old Samuel hears little about the growing conflict between the American colonies and the British. One fateful day, however, the war comes to him. His home is burned, his parents taken captive, and his whole world turned on end. With little more than his rifle and the moccasins on his feet, Samuel must make his way to New York City to rescue his parents from the British stronghold. But although Samuel is well versed in the challenges of the woods, the city holds dangers – and discoveries – beyond anything he has imagined. Gary Paulsen brings us another action-filled adventure story, packed with historic detail on topics as diverse as firearms and spy networks, cooking and couriers. The nonfiction segments interspersed between the chapters do make the narrative somewhat choppy, and Paulsen’s condemnation of all warfare – emphasized not only in the story itself, but also in an introductory letter, author’s note, and afterword – is anything but subtle. Nonetheless, Paulsen has given us an unusual view of the Revolutionary War, focused not just on the famous East Coast events but also on the guerrilla battles on the frontier. Woods Runner is a good pick for young male readers craving lots of action – or for anyone interested in learning about another side of America’s War for Independence. Ann Pedtke THIEF! John Pilkington, Usborne, 2009, £5.99, pb, 238pp, 9780746097991 Elizabethan England. In his latest Elizabethan Mysteries adventure, 14-year-old actor, Ben Button, is visiting his family in the village of Hornsey after two years away. But things are not well. Farmer Dancer May, a man Ben dislikes, is courting his widowed mother, and his younger brother, Edward, resents him for deserting the family to ‘run off with travelling players’, as he sees it. Ben’s Granny, too, is causing concern – she has become an angry recluse and will let nobody near her cottage, not even Ben. Then Sam Stubbs, the constable, tells Ben about some mysterious robberies in the village. Ben decides to help him investigate. Soon he is involved in a murder hunt … but will he be the next victim? As usual, Pilkington writes a thrilling adventure, fast-paced and full of incident. I like the realistic Elizabethan village with the milking of cows, hawking, weaving, preparing for the harvest and so on going on as background. Pilkington doesn’t fall into the trap of having 21st century characters in Elizabethan dress. For example, Ben’s mother is poor because she is a widow and Pilkington shows us that, in Elizabethan England, a widow’s options are limited. Ben’s brother Edward had to forgo his schooling to help support his mother and sister. Ben behaves as an Elizabethan fourteen-year-old boy from his humble background ought; he is

respectful to his elders and betters without being servile. We believe in them as real Elizabethan characters. My one niggle is about Edward taking up a blacksmith’s apprenticeship at the end. The Buttons are a poor family, so how could they afford the not inconsiderable premium the blacksmith would have demanded? That said, Thief! is a real page-turner and I’m sure that boys of nine up will enjoy it. I recommend it. Elizabeth Hawksley This book is an intriguing historical novel about Ben Button and his journey back to his home village – but will his parents and friends forgive him for leaving them? It is intriguing because it is a sort of mystery crime novel, which kept me on the edge of my seat. I do have one reservation, namely that in a mystery novel I like to be able to guess who has committed the crime. In Thief!, it was impossible to guess who the main culprit was because we had not heard of him when he was discovered. There should have been clues in the other books, perhaps. This is the fourth in the series; I think is the best one because it is unlike the others, not involving plays and the theatre for once. I would recommend this to children aged 9 – 13, and I look forward to the next. Hal McNulty, aged 12 THREE RIVERS RISING Jame Richards, Knopf, 2010, $16.99/C$21.99, hb, 304pp, 9780375858857. Three Rivers Rising is the story of the 1889 Johnstown Flood, a terrible situation when too much rain caused a weak reservoir to burst and over 2000 lives were lost in the ensuing flood. Amid this disaster, author Jame Richards has placed her characters as eyewitnesses to the catastrophe; written in verse form, those characters give us a poignant view of loss, recovery, and redemption. The tale mostly revolves around Celestia, the rich daughter of unforgiving parents, and her starcrossed relationship with Peter, a worker at the high society hotel where her family often stays. Celestia is determined to be with Peter, even though her family has already suffered the devastation of a “ruined” older sister, and it is her decision to leave the hotel and travel into Johnstown to find Peter that puts her directly in the path of the flood. Meanwhile, her life intersects with that of young nurse Kate and young wife Maura, both struggling with the paths their lives have taken. The story moves among several points of view to give the reader a wide scope of the disaster, with each character giving his or her own voice to the horror that overtakes both them and the town. Richards’ story is spare yet full, and she builds tension well as the story moves into its ultimate climax. The verse concept makes the story move along so quickly that I found I had finished the book in just a few hours and the author’s note at the end tells how she wove factual details into her fictional tale. I came away from the book feeling Children & YA

as though I had not only learned something, but had literally been swept away. Well written and engaging. Tamela McCann THE STORY OF CIRRUS FLUX Matthew Skelton, Delacorte, 2010, $17.95, hb, 286pp, 9780385733816 / Puffin, 2009, £6.99, pb, 336pp, 9780141320373 Britain’s Age of Enlightenment is an intriguing period of history to explore. It’s rich in scientific discovery, philosophical debate, and a time of great world exploration. Matthew Skelton aptly draws on each of these aspects, along with a bit of fantasy, in his latest middle-grade novel, The Story of Cirrus Flux. He pulls the reader in immediately with the book’s prologue, set in the Antarctic Circle in 1756. Pirates of the Caribbean fans will latch on to the book’s tension and mystery as James Flux travels to the ends of the world and encounters the Breath of God, the world’s most divine power. We reluctantly leave this world Skelton has created and are introduced to James’ son, Cirrus, a foundling living in London 27 years later. Thankfully, Skelton continues James’s story throughout the book as readers become caught in the intrigue of those who continue to search for the Breath of God and Cirrus’s legacy. Intriguing characters bring to life the world of mesmerism, early hot air balloons, museums of natural curiosities, early electrical experiments and Hanging Boys. Readers will love this fast-paced, plot driven tale, although I wish Skelton had explored the power behind God’s Breath more fully. Perhaps there’s room for a sequel? Nancy Castaldo FLYGIRL Sherri L. Smith, Putnam, 2010, $16.99, hb, 275pp, 9780399247095 On March 10, 2010 the United States Congress awarded over 1000 women the Congressional Medal of Honor for service to their country during WWII. These women were part of the Women Airforce Service Pilot program, the WASPs. Flygirl is a fictional account of one of them. Ida Mae Jones learned to fly with her Daddy in his crop-duster. She is saving every penny to go to Chicago to test for her pilot’s license. Problem is, because her Daddy died a few years back, Ida Mae’s mother needs her to help support the family. But when her little brother shows her an advertisement for female relief pilots to help the war effort, Ida Mae knows this is her chance. Passing as a white girl and forging her name on her father’s license, Ida Mae gets accepted to the WASP program. While Ida Mae loves being a WASP, she is torn up over hurting her family and by lying to her new white friends. Every day she expects to be found out and kicked out of the program even as she successfully completes important and dangerous missions for the government. This is a very well written story with lots of humor, suspense and history. It would have been Children & YA

an interesting story had Ida Mae been a white girl, but to make her one who was ‘passing’ added a fascinating complexity to the story as she not only broke out of a gendered cage, but a racial one as well. Patricia O’Sullivan Flygirl is a story about a light-skinned African American, Ida Mae Jones, who is devoted to flying. In Slidell, Louisiana, during the 1940s, an African American woman can’t do much. When her brother, Thomas, joins the army, Ida is determined to join the Women Airforce Service Pilots or WASPs in order to support the war effort, but must try to pass as a white girl to be accepted. During WASP training, Ida Mae meets Patsy Kake and Lily Lowenstein who become her closest friends. Ida Mae feels content with her new life in the sky, but lonelier than ever, lying to everybody about who she really is. When Thomas goes missing, Ida Mae feels her world will never be the same, for the army won’t go back to look for an African American soldier. Then a WASP accident occurs and Ida Mae feels almost helpless, but she

won’t let it stop her. I loved Flygirl. I mostly enjoyed the way everything seemed to work out and I was always rooting for Ida Mae Jones. In the end, however, the story doesn’t explain if Ida Mae continued in the military or if she decided to go back to Slidell and work things out with her family. The writing was excellent and the story had laugh-out-loud humor. I would give it five stars and definitely suggest this novel to my family and friends. Marion O’Sullivan, age 11 JOHNNY SWANSON Eleanor Updale, David Fickling Books, 2010, £10.99, hb, 384pp, 9780385616423 Johnny Swanson, a ten-year-old boy, is the main protagonist of this story set in 1929 England. He lives with his mother, Winnie, who works as a cleaner for Mrs Langford, the doctor’s wife, and struggles to find enough money to feed them and pay the rent. Johnny works for Mr Hutchinson, the local postmaster and grocer, delivering newspapers. Other characters in Johnny’s world are Mrs Dangerfield, a bitter old woman, who lost

E D I TORS’ CH OICE THE STONE CROWN Malcolm Walker, Walker, 2009, £6.99, pb, 504pp, 9781406321517 When Emlyn starts hearing voices, he thinks he is going mad like his father, who is in a psychiatric home. Little does he suspect that he has become linked psychically to the Dark Age world of King Arthur. Emlyn and his rebellious friend Maxine are very different in character, but both are drawn to Yeaveburgh’s ‘sleeping stones’, a place that was once the site of King Arthur’s last battle. There, they discover hidden relics of King Arthur’s time, a group of carved wooden horsemen inside which the cursed spirits of King Arthur and his men lie captive. When Emlyn and Maxine steal one of these horsemen, the rider’s soul is released into the world of the twenty-first century, wreaking havoc. Only Emlyn can see him, and he gradually realizes that, with Maxine’s help, they have a responsibility to return the horseman to his rightful resting place. The voices in Emlyn’s head allow us an insight into Arthur’s world of legend and magic, loyalty and betrayal, and it is through Emlyn’s character that Malcolm Walker has made it so easy for anyone aged thirteen and above to relate to the characters in the novel. Indeed, The Stone Crown is one of the best historical novels that I have read in a long time. I became so engrossed in the characters’ lives that the pages just seemed to fly by. Five hundred pages in, and I didn’t want the end to come. This is a book filled with the magic of the Dark Ages and, as a reader, I certainly felt completely entranced by it. It reminded me very much of a mixture between one of Alan Garner’s books and A House on the Strand for younger readers. I recommend it highly; it was a fantastic read. Rachel Chetwynd-Stapylton, age 17 HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 67

her brother and family to TB and her fiancé to the war; Mr Murray, Johnny’s teacher and another war victim, who victimizes Johnny because he is small and not very good at PE and Olwen, a new girl at Johnny’s school, whose family are refugees from a TB epidemic back home in Wales. Dr Langford is a secret TB vaccine researcher working without government permission. He befriends Johnny, but is soon found murdered. Winnie is accused as her bloodstained apron is found at the doctor’s house, so Johnny has to prove her innocence. The reader is gripped and wants to read on. The historical details help rather than hinder the storyline, creating period atmosphere. We learn more about the discovery of the French TB BCG vaccine which was approved by the League of Nations in 1928. We read newspaper advertisements for various treatments which wouldn’t be allowed now: “Umckaloabo … a real specific” for tuberculosis and the secret of instant height, which fools Johnny into sending off some money which they can ill afford only to be told “Stand on a box”. This last gives Johnny the idea to run a similar money-making scheme using fictitious Auntie Ada. Postal orders, pre-decimal coinage, hula hoops, the Great War, TB sanatoria all conjure up Johnny’s 1929 world. The language and vocabulary is straightforward and would suit 8 to 12 year olds. Julie Parker THE CROWFIELD CURSE Pat Walsh, The Chicken House, 2010, £6.99, pb, 9781906427153 This is a fantasy with an unusually realistic medieval setting. Will, an orphan who works as a servant at the abbey, is gifted with the Sight, and becomes unwillingly involved in the struggle between two powerful fay kings. The story begins when Will rescues a fay creature, a hob, from a trap in the wintry woods. Then two unsettling visitors arrive at the abbey and seem particularly interested in the hundred-year-old legend of the death and burial of an angel in the woods. The mysterious and unfriendly Shadlok – a fay knight – recruits Will to help them in their search. On the surface it’s a story full of familiar elements – the forces of good and evil, the abbey, the gentle herbalist brother, the dark secret in the woods – but Pat Walsh has given it strength and freshness with her atmospheric setting of medieval life. We see the rigours of life in winter with details like the relative comfort of living in a wooden hovel compared to the cold stone rooms in the abbey. This is a world in which people struggle to survive - snaring rooks and crows to add to the pottage, hauling firewood, fetching pails of water, all in bitter cold and snow – and Will has to work hard for his keep. Even visits to nearby villages involve long walks through the woods along bad roads. The names of these villages – Iwele, Weforde – add to the atmosphere. There is a real sense of how restricted the villagers’ world view was, and of how people thought in those days; how most of 68 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

them, unable to read, relied instead on paintings and holy objects. The story is well-paced and involving, and the central mystery comes to a powerful climax. In the final part, a surprise development hints that Will’s life may change completely – and not in the ways he’d hoped. Perhaps a sequel is planned? Imaginative readers will enjoy this exciting story. Ann Turnbull PALACE BEAUTIFUL Sarah deFord Williams, Penguin, 2010, $16.99, hb, 9780399252983 In 1985 the two Brooks girls, 13-year-old Sadie and her little sister Zuzu, move to Salt Lake City along with their father and very pregnant stepmother. For the first time in their lives they will live in an old house! While exploring the attic, they find a secret room under the eaves with the words “Palace Beautiful” painted on the inner sill. They also find objects the writer left behind, notably an antique family picture and a dusty journal dated 1918. Inside is the diary of a girl just Sadie’s age who is named Helen. Sadie and Zuzu and their odd, imaginative new neighbor, Bella, begin to read the journal. They are fascinated by this story told by a girl of 60 years ago, and deeply moved by the profound tragedy which overtakes her family. Difficult “adult” subjects— grief and loss—are handled by the author with a fine-tuned understanding of the emotional age of her readers. This ‘tween historical is an enjoyable page-turner with a host of compelling, believable characters, both past and present. I’ll certainly be passing Palace Beautiful on to my own 11-year-old granddaughter. Juliet Waldron

nonfiction

HOW TO LIVE: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer Sarah Bakewell, Chatto & Windus, 2010, £16.99, hb, 396pp, 9700701178925 The collections of Essays written by the Frenchman Michel de Montaigne in the latter years of the 16th century have long enthralled and entertained readers. The writer displays a wide array of eclectic learning and knowledge, and the essays (around 1200 dense pages – I have read them all!) are structured in an engagingly empiric style, providing meandering and pragmatic advice, mostly derived from classical sources, on the most troublesome yet fundamental question: how to live a satisfactory existence. This is not a formal and dry academic study of The Essays, but whilst looking at the key themes, Sarah Bakewell also writes about Montaigne himself, his time in the politically violent years of 16th-century France during the religious wars, as well as a study of how the Essays have been received, approached and read in the subsequent centuries. Like Montaigne, the author uses a down-to-earth pragmatic style that is a delight to read, while informing the reader about

Montaigne and his wonderful Essays. Doug Kemp THE INTIMATE LIVES OF THE FOUNDING FATHERS Thomas Fleming, Smithsonian, 2009, $27.99/ C$35.99, hb, 456pp, 9780061139123 Thomas Fleming’s latest book begins in 1758 with a love letter from George Washington and ends with the death of Washington DC icon Dolley Madison in 1849. All the pages in between are filled with a very compelling study of the men known as the Founding Fathers and the women who influenced them. These men were extraordinary in their achievements, but almost ordinary in their everyday struggle with personal relationships and public life. For instance: one mother passes a fiery temperament on to her son while another is so promiscuous, her son will always lack normal relationships in his adult life. One First Lady is so controlling of her husband and children that she causes her own nervous breakdown, while another, so vivacious and charming, is given much of the credit for her husband’s political success. A deathbed pledge seals a widower’s fate, yet his relationship with a mulatto slave has been the subject of debate for nearly two hundred years. It was a time in history when women did not have a voice, but you’ll hear them anyway as they echo through time on every page. Who were these men and women? Read this fascinating book to find out. Susan Zabolotny PIPESTONE: My Life in an Indian Boarding School Adam Fortunate Eagle, Univ. of Oklahoma Press, 2010, $19.95, pb, 248pp, 9780806141145 This extraordinary memoir follows the life of Ojibwe activist and author Adam Fortunate Eagle from 1935 to 1945, from age five to fifteen. It’s told in the close-up lens of his younger self, a resilient trickster spirit called on to be ever curious about his surroundings. Encouraged by a new Depressionera vision of the federal boarding school system that honors Indian language and customs even as it seeks to “assimilate,” Adam thrives, albeit with a share of scars. As America enters World War II, his older brothers graduate and sign up while the school participates in home front duty. Adam becomes a firefighter when visiting his mother’s new family in Oregon, then fights to return to the school that has become a cherished home for his final year Pipestone is a welcome addition to literature about Indian boarding school life, seen from the inside. It’s brimming with life, episodic in the ways of the storyteller, often funny and deeply moving. Eileen Charbonneau VENUS OF EMPIRE: The Life of Pauline Bonaparte (UK) / PAULINE BONAPARTE: Venus of Empire (US) Flora Fraser, John Murray, 2010, £9.99, pb, 287pp, 9780719561115 / Anchor, 2010, $16.95, hb, 320pp, 9780307277930 Children & YA — Nonfiction

It is not always good news to have a dictator in the family. It certainly did no good for Stalin’s family, and it is perhaps fortunate that Hitler had no close relatives. Napoleon, however, was lavish with the wealth and honours he showered upon his siblings, making monarchs of both his elder brothers. His beautiful sister, Pauline, was not forgotten. As Flora Fraser reminds us several times, she came a long way from the back streets of Ajaccio to a palace in Rome. But it had its downside. Her first husband died of yellow fever in the disastrous campaign in Haiti, leaving her a widow at the age of 22. Her brother promptly married her off to an Italian prince, whom she came to detest. She spent the rest of her comparatively short life consoling herself with numerous lovers. Her most enduring monument is a life-sized near-naked marble statue of herself in the Villa Borghese in Rome. Pauline was both a spoilt brat and a tragic heroine. Her life is a footnote to history, but an interesting footnote that throws fresh light on Napoleon’s close-knit but quarrelsome family. Edward James THE SECRET LIVES OF SOMERSET MAUGHAM Selina Hastings, Random House, 2010, $35.00, hb, 640pp, 9781400061419 / John Murray, 2009, £25.00, hb, 624pp, 9781848543713 Fascinating throughout, this epic biography of one of the great men of English letters covers Maugham’s unhappy childhood, a youth in which he tried to persuade himself “that I was threequarters normal and that only a quarter of me was queer,” his prolific literary career, and his lamentably unhappy last years. A far-ranging traveler conversant in five languages, involved in intelligence work during both world wars, Maugham was a keen student of human nature. He lived to ninety-two; his life, as revealed here, contained all the elements of passion, betrayal, love and obsession he depicted in his classic works of fiction. In Maugham’s autobiography The Summing Up, a chronicle of the writer’s intellectual and artist development, personal matters are never broached. The Secret Lives of Somerset Maugham explores the private life the writer wished to conceal: a marriage made against inclination; a long-term affair with charming, intelligent, alcoholic lover Gerald Haxton; a financially rewarding career attended by slights from the literary establishment that deeply embittered Maugham. His work, criticized early on as too explicit, featured “sexual passion, the mores of society, and the nature of goodness.” Selina Hastings has written a rich biography of a cosmopolitan, complex man. Eva Ulett DON’T FORGET TO WRITE Pam Hobbs, Ebury, 2010, $12.95/£6.99, pb, 352pp, 9780091932503 This is a charming and intelligent account of one woman’s memories of being “relocated” as a Nonfiction

child in Great Britain during WWII. Hobbs’ firstperson narrative brings an adult’s perspective to her childhood experiences, often in the form of simply and sadly wondering at herself for having been so self-absorbed, so thoughtless, so careless of others’ worries and sorrows—but she was, after all, a child, and she does a good job at capturing a child’s experience during an extraordinarily unsettling time. Interesting details abound about day-to-day living with increasing privation and the constant threat of bombs falling, and the narrative is told in a matter-of-fact way in which even the oddest or sometimes tragic circumstances are just shouldered and dealt with, in the quintessential British way. Written in quite serviceable prose which is occasionally dull, this memoir offers some thoughtful insights into how that “greatest generation” survived and absorbed experiences with a wisdom and humor that the children of the next generation would never quite grasp. Mary F. Burns

9781602397996 Under lock and key at the British Library are eleven volumes of the writings of a Victorian gentleman known only as Walter. An abridged version of his testimony, today considered a pornographic classic, was published some forty years ago as My Secret Life. After having access to the full, uncensored writings of Walter, David Monaghan claims to have finally discovered the identity of Jack the Ripper. Monaghan details the similarities between other serial killers including Fred West, who, like Walter, killed to cover the fact that he had sex with children. By a series of tenuous links the author claims to have identified Walter as Jack the Ripper. It is a rambling and convoluted journey, and the result is unconvincing. Since 1888 the identity of the perpetrator of the Whitechapel murders has been the source of intense speculation and, no doubt, will continue to be so. Ann Oughton

CHOOSE YOUR WEAPONS Douglas Hurd, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 2010, 414pp, £25.00, hb, 9780297853343 This book, which was co-written with historian Edward Young, though he is not credited on the cover, is, perhaps, a less daunting prospect than the subtitle, “The British Foreign Secretary: 200 Years of Argument, Success and Failure”, might lead the reader to expect. This is due in large part to Douglas Hurd’s lucid prose and his waspish sense of humour. It is also a tribute to both authors’ considerable historical understanding, which enables them to give clear, concise accounts of complex diplomatic manoeuvrings. Mainly, however, it is because Hurd and Young do something here which more politicians still in public life should do more often. They use history as an example, to convey an opinion and a warning of great contemporary resonance. “Knowledge of history does not change politicians into statesmen. But ignorance of history is foolishness,” they state in the prelude to their series of essays on a number of 19th- and 20th-century Foreign Secretaries, looking at the development of modern diplomacy and speculating as to how it might continue to develop in future. Choose Your Weapons is an excellent read, but also timely and thought-provoking, as we continue to grapple with the mess left in Iraq by the consequences of political zealotry and Afghanistan, whose first appearance in this book dates back to a massacre of the British in 1841, continues to cost lives and resources for no clear purpose. Worth packing for your holiday in the Eurozone or a trip to the World Cup in South Africa. Sarah Bower

THE TIME TRAVELER’S GUIDE TO MEDIEVAL ENGLAND Ian Mortimer, Simon & Schuster, 2009, $26, hb, 342pp, 9781439112892 / Vintage, 2009, £8.99, pb, 368pp, 9781845950996 If I were going to write a novel set in medieval England, this book would be my bible. Mortimer packs an amazing amount of information into 340 pages (enhanced by sixteen full color plates). While he covers all the areas we expect in a “daily life” book, he goes well beyond them. He lays bare the social structure (far more complex than the idealized Three Estates), demographics (the median age was only twenty-one), mentalities— such things as sense of humor, attitudes towards women, violence, and credulity. The author’s tone throughout is genial: he addresses the reader— the putative time-traveler—as “you” (“You would be crazy to engage a fourteenth century man in combat and have a chance of surviving. Most of them are much stronger than you”). Mortimer’s focus is on the 14th century and, although this is the century that Barbara Tuchman in A Distant Mirror called “calamitous,” the picture that he paints is not absolutely bleak. These were men and women who, even in the face of plague, famine, and peasant revolt, could still sing and dance and compose some of the finest poetry in our language. In fact, much of what we know about the age comes from Chaucer. And anyone who is planning to read or re-read the Canterbury Tales could find no better companion than this wonderful book. Bruce Macbain

JACK THE RIPPER’S SECRET CONFESSION, The Hidden Testimony of Britain’s First Serial Killer David Monaghan & Nigel Crawford, Constable, 2010, £8.99, pb, 332pp, 9781849010658 / Skyhorse Publishing, 2010, $24.95, hb, 352pp,

KATHERINE THE QUEEN: The Remarkable Life of Katherine Parr Linda Porter, Macmillan, 2010, £20.00, hb, 370pp, 9780230710399 As Henry VIII’s sixth and last wife, Katherine Parr has often been relegated to a footnote in history, or caricatured as a pious, twice-widowed, matron who nursed Henry’s infected leg ulcers in his old age. Linda Porter’s biography argues that HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 69

this is doing her a disservice, not only as a woman, but as a formative influence on the adolescent Elizabeth Tudor, to whom Katherine was both a substitute mother and a role model. Clearly a remarkable woman, Katherine Parr rose from the minor gentry to become only the second of Henry’s wives whom he entrusted with the role of Queen Regent during his absence on foreign campaigns, while she was still only in her early 30s. Apart from her religious writings and her passionate letters to her fourth husband Thomas Seymour, few of Katherine’s own words have been preserved by history, but Porter draws on contemporary sources to place her within the context of the era in which she lived, exploding some myths and distortions along the way. The biography is accessibly written, though it does assume a certain familiarity with the general outlines of Tudor history on the part of the reader. For fans of strong Tudor women everywhere. Jasmina Svenne LOUISA MAY ALCOTT: The Woman Behind Little Women Harriet Reisen, Holt, 2009, $26/C$31/£17.99, hb, 362pp, 9780805082999 In this absorbing biography, Harriet Reisen examines the intriguing life of Louisa May Alcott. Written in an engaging narrative that keeps the pages turning, the book covers not only Alcott but also her parents, siblings, and family friends (including Emerson and Thoreau) to provide a multifaceted view of a woman in the context of her place and time—from her birth into genteel poverty to a free-spirited but long-suffering mother and an eccentric Transcendentalist father; through an uncomfortable and often downright bizarre childhood; to her life as a single woman and her hard-won success as a writer of pulp fiction, poetry, romance, and finally her great masterpiece, Little Women and its sequels. Incorporating journal and diary entries, letters, and poems, and including analyses of Alcott’s published and unpublished work, Reisen creates an insightful and enlightening look at a writer who influenced so many, and how very much her art imitated her life. Highly recommended. Heather Domin SEEKING THE CURE: A History of Medicine in America Ira Rutkow, Scribner, 2010, $26.00, hb, 352pp, 9781416538288 To tell the history of medicine in America is a Herculean task. How can the story possibly be told in a single volume? Ira Rutkow, surgeon, author, and medical historian, is well-qualified for the effort. He packs a wealth of information in this readable, well-paced book. The narrative of medicine’s progress is told primarily as a series of anecdotes. The author manages to include a broad array of topics from clinical medicine, to the rise of hospitals and medical schools, to advances in research and the evolution of the medical-industrial 70 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

complex. It is essentially a history of “great men.” The reader follows a parade of these physiciangiants, witnessing their successes and failures, all of which culminates in the medical care system we know today. With health care such a vital part of the national agenda, it’s important to understand how it came to be at the same time so great and so flawed. While no single volume can tell the whole story of medicine in America, Seeking the Cure is a wonderful place to start. Sue Asher THE NINTH: Beethoven and the World in 1824 Harvey Sachs, Random House, 2010, $26.00/ C$32.00, 240pp, 9781400060771 / Faber & Faber, 2010, £14.99, hb, 208pp, 780571221455 This work reminded me how much I love Beethoven. I have a Bachelor of Music degree, and when I studied Music History in college and sat through music theory and style classes, Beethoven was and still is one of my favorite composers. The premier of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in 1824 was financed by Beethoven himself. His net income, sorely needed, from the concert would have just about covered rent for a month, and yet the impact of this event was colossal when looking back with a 21st-century perspective. Harvey Sachs has written a reflective history along with his opinion of the world that surrounded Beethoven during the year when the Ninth Symphony premiered in Vienna. The artists Byron, Pushkin, Delacroix, Heine and Stendahl, who lived during this Romantic Age, were Beethoven’s contemporary creative companions, and they shared his world stage. Sachs links them together in his book with what he says was their “quest for freedom.” Sachs compares their work and their philosophies of the world, the world as Beethoven knew when the Ninth Symphony was heard for the first time. As Beethoven would have wanted, this meritorious and philosophically meaningful book is for all to appreciate. It reads as if you have opened a time capsule that looks upon the early 19th-century cultural stage. Wisteria Leigh THE RELUCTANT TOMMY Ronald Skirth, Macmillan, 2010, £16.99, hb, 455pp, 978023074673201 Ronald Skirth’s memoir of the First World War has to be one of the most profound books I have ever read. Not many know his name because he was an ordinary guy and not the stuff of history books, but this is no ordinary memoir. It is an extraordinary account of one of the very few ‘Tommies’ who not only experienced and survived this awful war, but also managed to write vividly about it. It not only documents the experience of a soldier who became a conscientious objector, but it is also a love story of such tenderness that, while interspersed with some horrific accounts, enables one to see some bright light at the end of

the tunnel. There are some graphic parts, and the memories of what Ronald Skirth, just like so many of the ‘ordinary’ soldiers, went through are really haunting. Unlike some accounts, this is the one of a man who came to hate the killing and who came to find mechanisms for frustrating it. It was a privilege to read it, and I heartily recommend it. Karen Wintle THE LONG ROAD HOME: The Aftermath of the Second World War Ben Shephard, Bodley Head, 2010, 502pp, £25.00, hb, 9780224062756 The poor, so the saying goes, are always with us. So, it seems, are refugees. As early as 1942, Ben Shephard tells us in this utterly fascinating book, plans were being made for the aftermath of war. Haunted by the civilian disaster which had followed the First War, in which disease and starvation killed more people than even that most bloody of wars, the participants were determined not to let this happen again. This led to the setting up of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, the forerunner of today’s UNHCR. The key is in the terminology. The expectation was that the same conditions would prevail at the end of World War Two as they had in 1918, that the pressing need would be to feed a weakened European population and keep it safe from disease. Thanks to advances in medicine, mainly the arrival of antibiotics, and to differences in the technology of both war and agriculture, these were not the threats UNRRA had to contend with. Instead, the organisation found itself dealing with more than 15 million displaced persons, not just those who had been in the camps but Poles, Yugoslavs and others unable or unwilling to return to homelands which were now rapidly disappearing behind the Iron Curtain and Germans expelled from the east by the new Russian occupying power. How this unprecedented crisis was handled, how it made modern Europe and the Middle East, and still speaks to us vividly today about immigration policy and planning for peace, is the subject of this book. A thoroughly readable mix of eyewitness accounts and clear-sighted scholarship. Highly recommended. Sarah Bower THE QUEEN’S NECKLACE Antal Szerb (trans. Len Rix), Pushkin Press, 2009, $18.95/C$20.95/£9.99, pb, 308pp, 9781906548807 Published originally in 1942 in Hungarian, The Queen’s Necklace is a nonfiction work by an author known primarily to English speakers for his novels. Though its focal point is on the famous Affair of the Necklace that brought scandal upon the beleaguered Marie Antoinette, Szerb’s intent, as he tells us in the preface, was not to present the episode in a new light but to “use it as a vantage point from which to take a bearing on the approaching Revolution.” Szerb, who was to die in a Nazi forced-labor Nonfiction

THE ART AND CRAFT OF WRITING HISTORICAL FICTION James Alexander Thom, Writer’s Digest, 2010, $16.95/£12.99, pb, 449pp, 9781582975696 Since I usually review new fiction for the HNS, I was happy to try my hand at nonfiction. My assignment arrived: The Art and Craft of Writing Historical Fiction. Very few books cover the subject, so I was anxious to see what the author had to say. However, I did wonder what Thom could say that others hadn’t already said in their writing instruction books. At first, I was also disappointed that it focused on America rather than Europe, where most popular historical fiction is set, but I got over it as I followed his stories based on the expansion and exploration of the United States. The book is broken into sixteen chapters and an index. Each of the chapters covers subdivided categories relating to the chapter title. The organiz ation of the work is easy to follow. The author/ narrator becomes a folksy grandpa who stops by to visit and entertains with his tales of adventure. Mr. Thom, who has written many novels set in the US colonial and Revolutionary periods, writes like a man who has been directly involved in actual physical research, genealogical research and field research. (His idea is not to download bad information from Wikipedia.) As a friend of re-enactors, he has been a guest at re-enactor gatherings and gives lectures as the character he is researching. He can use the tools of the time, eat the foods and wear the clothing Nonfiction

of the era–all while knowing that rattlesnakes smell like cucumbers (always a handy fact to hang on while tromping through the woods.) As a researcher, he does not tell aspiring authors to cast aside facts that are pertinent to a story, but he gives them ways to organize research so it will be accessible. He demonstrates how it can be used and simplified. He also mentions that there are re-enactor groups for just about every time period, and that authors would be foolish to ignore reenactors as a source of i n fo r m a t i o n since they are so full of minutely detailed information. Jim Thom and his wife (who covered the chapter on genealogy but did not seem to get author credit, except through the text of the chapter), have an obvious love for history and historical fiction. Both novelists and historians work from different points on the same topics. If the novelist pays attention to the historian, the novel becomes more truthful as well as a more interesting story. There are some fabulous writingrelated and family-related stories held within these pages, all eminently worth the read. I would recommend this to writers both old and new: the former for the brush-up on techniques, and for the latter to give them a path to follow toward success. Monica E. Spence

camp just three years after he published The Queen’s Necklace, tells his story elegantly and engagingly, painting vivid pen portraits of those involved. He’s scrupulously fair to his subjects but fortunately doesn’t spare us the edge of his tongue: describing Jeanne de la Motte, for instance, he tells us, “This sort of person always possesses a certain insinuating eloquence: especially when they are parading their sorrows.” As promised, he doesn’t fix his gaze merely on the necklace affair itself but ranges about, touching on contemporary art and literature and on the cult of sensibility, for instance. As such, he adds interest to an already fascinating episode in history. Susan Higginbotham PIRATES OF BARBARY: Corsairs, Conquests and Captivity in the 17th Century Mediterranean Adrian Tinniswood, Jonathan Cape, 2010, hb, £20, 352 pp, 9780224085267 Everyone knows about the pirates of the Caribbean, the Morgans and the Kidds. And – dare I say it – the Johnny Depps? The Corsairs of the Barbary Coast are much less well known. Yet they deserve to be, for a high proportion were European renegades. John Ward, one of the most notorious, began life as a Kentish fisherman; another, Sir Francis Verney, was an English gentleman. Both ended by converting to Islam. Yet another, of equal notoriety with Ward, was Simon Danseker, the Dutchman. Strictly speaking, these men were not pirates at all. They were privateers operating under licence. State-sponsored pirates, if you like. There is an obvious comparison with modern state-sponsored terrorism, especially when we learn that corsairs were sometimes spoken of as pursuing a sea jihad. In the name of Islam, they spread terror not only in the Mediterranean, but along the coasts of Western Europe, even as far north as Iceland, selling their captives in the slave markets of North Africa. Theirs was a brutal world, but then so was the world of the Caribbean pirates. For anyone interested in the subject, engagingly written and a mine of information. Neville Firman MARK TWAIN’S OTHER WOMAN: The Hidden Story of His Final Years Laura Trombley, Knopf, 2010, $28.95, 352pp, 9780307273444 Mark Twain wanted his biography published without a doubt. He also wanted to have total control over the image of the man people would read about and therefore went to great lengths to protect his reputation. So, how do we know the real Mark Twain? Mark Twain’s Other Woman is about the writer’s later years between 1900 and 1910 and his personal relationship with his secretary, Isabel Van Kleek Lyon. Trombley, a college professor, has written two other books about Twain and has sifted through a vast array of primary documents HNR Issue 52, May 2010 | Reviews | 71

that include personal letters, notes and diary entries. Through interviews and reading the daily reminders written by Isabel Van Kleek Lyon, the author has put together a chronology of Twain’s life, a portrait of the man he and his family hoped would never come to light. This is an engaging and at times shocking look at Mark Twain, his relationship with his secretary Van Kleek Lyon and his daughters. It will be easy to overlook slow-moving passages that are burdened by the author’s research findings. Trombley’s evaluation and interpretation about this unconventional yet respected iconoclast in American literature will offer an irresistible and controversial read. Wisteria Leigh CHARLES II AND THE RESTORATION: A Gambling Man Jenny Uglow, Faber and Faber, 2009, £25.00, hb, 580pp, 9780571217335 / Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2009, $35.00, hb, 592pp, 9780374281373 Charles was a consummate risk-taker – a different playing card marks each section in the book – and in this intricate portrait of the first ten years of his reign, Uglow shows how the gambles he took to stay on his throne succeeded. He achieved “a supreme balancing act, ruling a divided people for twenty-five years”, but at the cost of crippling debt and a ruthless reliance on his ministers – first Clarendon, then Buckingham. The Restoration was an age of extremes: from the newly formed Royal Society and Royal Observatory to the glamorous theatres where the great comedies of the age were performed; from the burgeoning wealth of the merchant classes to the narrow, overcrowded streets of London ripe for disease and fire. Uglow also provides a sensitive picture of Charles’s wife, Catherine of Braganza, shunned for her foreign accent, dress and hairstyle, and forced to suffer a long line of mistresses, not least the insufferable Barbara Villiers, Countess of Castlemaine, and Nell Gwyn, the irresistible actress. Catherine preferred tea, then an exotic drink, to English ale and found the London water “like poison” compared to the clear streams of Lisbon. Liberally spiced with insights from the famous diarists and writers of the age, and rich in details from archival records and accounts, this is Uglow on best form. Lucinda Byatt THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE MONGOL QUEENS Jack Weatherford, Crown, 2010, $26.00/ C$32.00/$16.99, hb, 318pp, 9780307407153 Genghis Khan, feminist? Not exactly. For one thing, he had four wives at a time. However, he is quoted as saying “Let us reward our female offspring.” Before his death in 1227, he married his six daughters off to rulers of territories he had absorbed into his empire. Remarkably, he expected them to govern these lands while his expendable sons-in-law were sent into battle. Here, Jack Weatherford traces the lives of these daughters and their offspring. While some of them became 72 | Reviews | HNR Issue 52, May 2010

casualties of internecine warfare in what had once been a unified empire, they were strong and courageous figures. Weatherford, who suggests that misogynistic scholars have downplayed the importance of these women, brings together accounts scattered in Mongolian archives to flesh out their biographies. The story of Queen Munduhai, born in the 1448, who led armies into battle and fought to preserve the Mongol nation—and found time for quite an interesting marriage—is especially moving and inspiring. Weatherford’s scholarly bona fides are first-rate, but he has written a book that reads like an engrossing historical novel. I highly recommend it to those who want to meet some little-known heroines who helped shape history. Phyllis T. Smith Nonfiction

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