HT News

Philippa Gregory is tweeting her new novel, The White Queen, according to Bookseller.com.

The hot giveaway in HF blogging circles appears to be The White Queen by Philippa Gregory. So far there are giveaways at Royal Reviews, Historically Obsessed, At Home with Books and A Girl Walks Into a Bookstore.

A giveaway with a difference from a new to me blog. All Things Royal is having a special Anne Boleyn related giveaway. For all the details click here.


Over at HistoricalNovels.info there is a new interview with Erica Eisdorder, author of The Wet Nurse's Tale.

The Woman In White by Wilkie Collins

A mysterious figure in white appears on Hampstead Heath, before the
narration moves to a large North Country house. Sections of the storyline are taken up by a variety of characters, through whose eyes we experience events in this romantic, gothic thriller.

I had read The Woman in White in my teens and now I had only a vague idea of the plot so I decided to read it again.

Wilkie Collins writes an intriguing and engaging story. From the moment when Walter Hartright meets a mysterious woman in white running away from a private asylum and helps her, we are drawn into the puzzle of who she is. After Walter arrives at his next employment, it becomes apparent that there must be some relationship between the woman and Laura Fairlie, for whom Walter falls in love. And after Laura married the man her late father had destined to her and Walter leaves the country to forget her it seems apparent that Laura’s Husband and his friend Count Fosco are involved in a mystery of their own.

As soon as Laura marries Sir Percival Glyde and they return from their honeymoon to live with her sister Marian Halcombe it is apparent that Sir Percival’s main interest is his wife’s money and he will do all in his power to get it, dutifully aided by Fosco.

I think one of the main attractions is how the story is written. It is presented as a series of letters by some of the most prominent intervenients in the action so the point of view differs according to who is remembering the events. While it was sometimes frustrating to read how easy it was for the conspirators to fool everyone it was also an interesting exercise to read about everyone’s thoughts and how they had different voices.

I must say that I found Marian to be the most appealing character; she is strong, sensible and determined where Laura always seems too distant. While she and the woman in white are the key to the whole conspiracy she seems more like an object of adoration up in its pedestal than an active participant. Marian and the sinister Count Fosco are definitely the characters that I most vividly remembered after closing the book. Wilkie Collins is great at plotting and keeping us in suspense until the end when everything is revealed.

Grade: 4.5/5

Hugh and Bess: A Love Story by Susan Higginbotham

"A delightful novel full of chivalry, romance, and real-life terrors."
Historical Novels Review

Forced to marry Hugh le Despenser, the son and grandson of disgraced traitors, Bess de Montacute, just 13 years old, is appalled at his less-than-desirable past. Meanwhile, Hugh must give up the woman he really loves in order to marry the reluctant Bess. Far apart in age and haunted by the past, can Hugh and Bess somehow make their marriage work?

Just as walls break down and love begins to grow, the merciless plague endangers all whom the couple holds dear, threatening the life and love they have built.

Award-winning author Susan Higginbotham's impeccable research will delight avid historical fiction readers, and her enchanting characters will surely capture every reader's heart. Fans of her first novel, The Traitor's Wife, will be thrilled to find that this story follows the next generation of the Despenser family.

Fiction or non-fiction? Genre? Historical Fiction.

What led you to pick up this book? Received a review copy, but have been meaning to read this book for a while.

Summarize the plot, but don’t give away the ending! See above...

What did you like most about the book? I think the thing that really struck me about this novel was that even though it was rather short page-wise, I found myself becoming very drawn to the characters. Even though I roughly knew what was going to happen, when it actually happened I felt how I was supposed to about the events as they played out. Susan writes characters that I could easily relate to. I wanted more when the book was done, but obviously she was limited by the facts and could only tell the story that we think actually happened. I really enjoyed the book overall.

What did you like least? I didn't have any major problems with this book. I found it readable and enjoyed the story overall. I think it struck me as young adultish and I wouldn't mind a bit more adult, but considering that the book starts when Bess was rather young it worked for the book. So, really, I don't have anything overly bad to complain about.

Have you read any other books by this author? What did you think of those books? Nope. I plan to read her other book, though. I have owned it for a while, but haven't had a chance to read it.

What did you think of the main character? I really liked Hugh. He had a rough life, but he grew into his character well. Was he perfect? Of course not. He tried to be the best person he could be, though, and I found myself really liking him. Susan wrote him well, too, so that helped. Bess, on the other hand, got on my nerves once in a while. She was okay once she grew up a bit and became more matured, but in the beginning I didn't think I was going to like her. She was acting her age, though, so I suppose it is not really any ones fault. By the end of the book I liked her. I suppose that is the important thing. I really felt for both Hugh and Bess.

What about the ending? The ending is not really anything to do with the author. She was limited to what happened in real life, so what can I complain about. I think that she chose a good time in Bess' life to end it, though. Anymore than that would've been taking away from the overall story. The historical notes helped answer any questions that you might have, but they were not things that she needed to cover in the novel. It was the story of Hugh and Bess, which is what is covered.

I recommend this book! I am determined to read her other book now.

HT News

Loaded Questions have interviewed Charles McCain, author of An Honorable German, which is a novel with a WWII setting.

Marie from The Burton Review has just announced a giveaway of the new Philippa Gregory novel, The White Queen.

Another giveaway, this time for The Devil's Queen by Jeanne Kalogridis. Head over to Books n Border Collies for all the details.

Royal Reviews have announced the details of their August giveaways. One of the choices available to the lucky winner will be the new release of Diana Gabaldon's An Echo in the Bone.

Catherine Delors has confirmed a release date of Summer 2010 for her second novel, For the King.

Ethel and Ernest by Raymond Briggs

The story of Raymond Briggs's parents' marriage, from their first, chance encounter to their deaths. Told in Briggs's familiar strip-cartoon format, with nothing embroidered or altered, the book is also a social history of a kind, embracing such events as World War II and the advent of television.

Title and author of book: Ethel and Ernest by Raymond Briggs

Fiction or non-fiction? Genre? Graphic Novel. Historical Non-fiction. Biography.

What led you to pick up this book? Nymeth reviewed it and made it sound interesting.

Summarize the plot, but don’t give away the ending! See above...

What did you like most about the book? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live before television? Or, to live through the events of World War II? I am sure some people that read this post will have experienced these things, but others will be like me and can only imagine. Raymond Briggs, by telling his parents story, shows what it was like to live through some of these things. It so reminded me of my grandparents. Every time something new came out they would claim they were never going to get one. When they replaced the phone in the kitchen with a key pad type, it was a joyful occasion. Now that they are both gone, though, I almost wish I had their old phone. Anyway, this book is essentially a social commentary on what it was like for the working class to adjust to all the changes in the world. By telling what it was like for his own parents, he was telling what it was like for many families. I found that very interesting!

What did you like least? You know, to be truthful, I wish this wasn't a graphic novel. It wasn't that I didn't like the format, but I guess I would have liked more detail. I was connecting with Ethel and Ernest and was sad when the story was over. I think they had a lot more to say and I would have liked to have heard more. I think that was mainly because they reminded me of my fathers' parents who are both deceased and have been for several years now.

Have you read any other books by this author? What did you think of those books? Nope. This is my first book.

What did you think of the main character? Like I said above, the main characters really reminded me of my grandparents. It made them likable. My grandparents would resist change at first, but next thing you knew they would have one of those new-fangled contraptions. It's hard to believe they just barely lived to see computers in mainstream use and cellphones were still just gaining popularity. I often wonder what they would think about all the things that we have started to take for granted just in the years since they passed. It was really interesting to see events that we take as just everyday through the eyes of people that were just experiencing them for the first time. I have never known a world without a television, while they were living when they first came out. I have heard countless stories about what life was like during the World Wars, but they actually were living through. It was really quite fascinating.

What about the ending? I think my only real problem with the ending is that it came too soon. I wish the book was longer. I can't really say anymore about the ending because it is a true story, so it's not like the author could change his parents life to make it different. It was the story that was meant to be and I didn't have a problem with it.

HT News

Dar from Peeking Through the Pages is giving away a copy of Pope Joan by Donna Woolfork Cross.

Caroline Crane from The Thrillionth Page is just discovering Deanna Raybourn's series that begins with Silent in the Sanctuary and she wants to share. Click here for the giveaway details.

Alaine from Queen of Happy Endings has another great giveaway during August. You get your choice of An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon, Hugh and Bess by Susan Higginbotham or The White Queen by Philippa Gregory.

Over at RR&H Novel Thoughts and Book Talk they are giving away three copies of the new Jeanne Kalogridis release, The Devil's Queen.

Michelle Moran has interviewed Eva Etzioni-Halevy, author of The Triumph of Deborah over at History Buff.

Olivia & Jai - Rebecca Ryman

In 1848, Olivia, a young American woman, goes to Calcutta to visit relatives. Her aunt tries to break her of her "tomboyish" ways and plans to match her up with a man from high-class society. In the meantime, Olivia is more interested in her uncle's business and she would prefer to return home to America's Wild West where she can be herself. Soon, however, she meets Jai – a half-caste bastard. Olivia's aunt faints upon hearing his name and Olivia is forbidden to see Jai. Of course, Olivia sees him anyway. At times Jai is tender and loving toward Olivia. At other times he is downright offensive. In spite of his often cruel behavior, Olivia falls in love with him. Ignoring all the warnings from friends and relatives, she pursues a most volatile relationship.

Olivia & Jai is one of those books with a slight old fashioned feeling that left a wonderful impression the first time I read it a couple years ago. After writing my Why I Love...Historical Fiction set in India, I wanted to reread it and see if the magic still worked.

We first meet Olivia O’Rourke, a 23 years old American with an unusual education and lots of character, during her stay in India where she spends a year with her maternal aunt, Lady Bridget Templewood, and her family. The young woman is completely in love for this new land and its culture. Every opportunity she gets, to great despair of her snobbish aunt, she’s out exploring Calcutta and doing the best she can to get to meet the locals.

One evening, during a ball, she meets a mysterious man, Jai Raventhorne. They are both curious about each other, but when Olivia mentions his name to her family, they are all shocked and immediately warn her to keep her distances from him. Clearly there’s something going on between Raventhorne and the Templewoods and nobody seems interested to talk about it or explain the reasons of the quarrel to the young American. This situation only provokes Olivia’s curiosity about Jai…

Not long after, Olivia and Jai start to meet in secret, both unable to stop the growing attraction between them. If the young woman accepts her feelings more easily, Jai tries to keep his distances at first and warns her often that despite his love, he cannot give her what she wants. Olivia is in love and she never imagined Jai’s revenge towards her family or the unbearable pain caused by his treason…

Olivia is a charming mix of wisdom and innocence. Raised by her free thinking father in the States, she was always encouraged to give her opinion and be an independent woman. Her English aunt is completely appealed by this upbringing! She is decided to transform the young woman into a lady and find her an English husband.

If I couldn’t sometimes suspend my disbelief when I read about Olivia leaving the house all alone and spend hours in the local markets or riding, I did enjoy her curiosity about the Indian culture and the fact that she tried to break free from the quite strict British society rules and seek for something else.
Her love for Jai might seem sometimes a bit naïve and suddenly excessive, but it’s her first love and she was completely swept away by the dark and mysterious young man. His happiness is her happiness. She gave herself completely to Jai without any constraints.

Jai is Eurasian and his illegitimacy is often the center of all gossip among the local British society. He is arrogant, conceited, obnoxious and sometimes, a real pain. He is also a self made man. Nobody knows who his parents were, but he made his way into the world and built an empire. He does some terrible things, but here remains the talent of Rebecca Ryman, even during the worst moments I could never really hate Jai. He never became an unsympathetic character and I would imagine it was a hard task for the author to keep him going as a real person with its faults and qualities.

There are some small aspects that kept me from giving this book 5 stars. The language was a little too modernized sometimes, but it won’t spoil any enjoyment.

This is a story of love and revenge with some twists and turns but everything works almost perfectly for me. The character development, especially Olivia who changes so much all along the story, is quite remarkable. Also the descriptions of 19th century India are enthralling. I remember especially Olivia’s visit to the market and it was so vivid I could almost taste the pastry she was eating.

Rebecca Ryman is the pen name of an Indian writer, Asha Bhanjdeo, who only wrote three books under this name: Olivia & Jai, The Veil of Illusions (the sequel of Olivia & Jai) and Shalimar. Unfortunately, she died in 2003.

Grade: 4.5/5