Author: Elizabeth Peters
Published: 1974
Genres: Mystery
Rating: 2.5
Summary
In a remote English manor house, modern admirers of the much-maligned King Richard III—one of Shakespeare's most extraordinary villains—are gathered for a grand weekend of dress-up and make-believe murder. But the fun ends when the masquerade turns more sinister . . . and deadly. Jacqueline Kirby, an American librarian on hand for the festivities, suddenly finds herself in the center of strange, dark doings . . . and racing to untangle a murderous puzzle before history repeats itself in exceptionally macabre ways.
Review
Clearly one of her earlier novels. The introduction was slow, the "who done it" explanation drug on for pages, and the plot just wasn't that compelling. Even the main characters were neither interesting or sympathetic.
Notes
I much prefer the author's Amelia Peabody series over this work.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
We Two: Victoria and Albert
Author: Gillian Gill
Published: 2009
Genres: Historical Non-fiction
Rating: 3
Summary
The epic relationship began poorly. The cousins first met as teenagers for a few brief, awkward, chaperoned weeks in 1836. At seventeen, charming rather than beautiful, Victoria already “showed signs of wanting her own way.” Albert, the boy who had been groomed for her since birth, was chubby, self-absorbed, and showed no interest in girls, let alone this princess. So when they met again in 1839 as queen and presumed prince-consort-to-be, neither had particularly high hopes. But the queen was delighted to discover a grown man, refined, accomplished, and whiskered. “Albert is beautiful!” Victoria wrote, and she proposed just three days later.
As Gill reveals, Victoria and Albert entered their marriage longing for intimate companionship, yet each was determined to be the ruler. This dynamic would continue through the years–each spouse, headstrong and impassioned, eager to lead the marriage on his or her own terms. For two decades, Victoria and Albert engaged in a very public contest for dominance. Against all odds, the marriage succeeded, but it was always a work in progress. And in the end, it was Albert's early death that set the Queen free to create the myth of her marriage as a peaceful idyll and her husband as Galahad, pure and perfect.
Review
This book was lengthy to the point of being tedious in places. The author's organzation led to oft-repeated information. Then, unbelievably, it ended too abruptly. I recognize that the book was about Victoria AND Albert--and therefore ended with his death. But a short chapter to summarize the next 50 years of Victoria's reign and to explain what happened to the other children (who they married, etc.) would have been preferrable.
Published: 2009
Genres: Historical Non-fiction
Rating: 3
Summary
The epic relationship began poorly. The cousins first met as teenagers for a few brief, awkward, chaperoned weeks in 1836. At seventeen, charming rather than beautiful, Victoria already “showed signs of wanting her own way.” Albert, the boy who had been groomed for her since birth, was chubby, self-absorbed, and showed no interest in girls, let alone this princess. So when they met again in 1839 as queen and presumed prince-consort-to-be, neither had particularly high hopes. But the queen was delighted to discover a grown man, refined, accomplished, and whiskered. “Albert is beautiful!” Victoria wrote, and she proposed just three days later.
As Gill reveals, Victoria and Albert entered their marriage longing for intimate companionship, yet each was determined to be the ruler. This dynamic would continue through the years–each spouse, headstrong and impassioned, eager to lead the marriage on his or her own terms. For two decades, Victoria and Albert engaged in a very public contest for dominance. Against all odds, the marriage succeeded, but it was always a work in progress. And in the end, it was Albert's early death that set the Queen free to create the myth of her marriage as a peaceful idyll and her husband as Galahad, pure and perfect.
Review
This book was lengthy to the point of being tedious in places. The author's organzation led to oft-repeated information. Then, unbelievably, it ended too abruptly. I recognize that the book was about Victoria AND Albert--and therefore ended with his death. But a short chapter to summarize the next 50 years of Victoria's reign and to explain what happened to the other children (who they married, etc.) would have been preferrable.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Tregaron's Daughter
Author: Madeleine Brent
Published: 1971
Genres: YA-Female Fiction, Historical Fiction (early 1900s)
Rating: 3.5
Summary
Set in England and Italy in 1910, this is the story of a young English girl who by accident starts to unravel the unknown elements of her grandmother's past and is brought by the mystery to the faraway city of Venice. There among the gondolas and canals, she slowly comes to comprehend the meaning of two strange and puzzling dreams--dreams that seem to hold an eerie and menancing prophecy of the future.
Review
This book is overly sentimental, dramatic, and unrealistic. And yet I thoroughly enjoyed it! The author's use of adventure interwoven with romantic tension moves the story line along quickly. And even though the ending is predictable, it was fun to wait for the pieces to fall into place near the end. A good YA escape novel.
The setting of England and then another country (in this case Italy) was reminiscent of the author's novel "Moonraker's Bride." In fact, the entire storyline is generally similar to that work.
Notes
This book is out of print, but you can find used copies online for a reasonable price. The used copy I bought was clearly printed in the 70s: the cover art work looks like a romance novel from 1974 even though the book in set in 1910!
Published: 1971
Genres: YA-Female Fiction, Historical Fiction (early 1900s)
Rating: 3.5
Summary
Set in England and Italy in 1910, this is the story of a young English girl who by accident starts to unravel the unknown elements of her grandmother's past and is brought by the mystery to the faraway city of Venice. There among the gondolas and canals, she slowly comes to comprehend the meaning of two strange and puzzling dreams--dreams that seem to hold an eerie and menancing prophecy of the future.
Review
This book is overly sentimental, dramatic, and unrealistic. And yet I thoroughly enjoyed it! The author's use of adventure interwoven with romantic tension moves the story line along quickly. And even though the ending is predictable, it was fun to wait for the pieces to fall into place near the end. A good YA escape novel.
The setting of England and then another country (in this case Italy) was reminiscent of the author's novel "Moonraker's Bride." In fact, the entire storyline is generally similar to that work.
Notes
This book is out of print, but you can find used copies online for a reasonable price. The used copy I bought was clearly printed in the 70s: the cover art work looks like a romance novel from 1974 even though the book in set in 1910!
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