Historical Fiction

Review: The Lady Of The Ravens by Joanna Hickson

May 15, 2020 Yvonne Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

the lady of the ravens queens of the tower book 1 by joanna hickson - Review: The Lady Of The Ravens by Joanna Hickson

The Lady of the Ravens (Queens of the Tower, Book 1) by Joanna Hickson
Published by HarperCollins on January 9, 2020
ISBN: 9780008305598
Genres: Fiction, Historical, General, Medieval, Renaissance, Romance, Tudor
Pages: 466
Format: eBook
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
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three stars - Review: The Lady Of The Ravens by Joanna Hickson

‘A fascinating portrait of the women who helped make a dynasty’ The Times ‘Bewitching’ Woman & Home ‘Evocative’ Woman’s Weekly Two women, two very different destinies, drawn together in the shadow of the Tower of London:
Elizabeth of York, her life already tainted by dishonour and tragedy, now queen to the first Tudor king, Henry the VII.
Joan Vaux, servant of the court, straining against marriage and motherhood and privy to the deepest and darkest secrets of her queen. Like the ravens, Joan must use her eyes and her senses, as conspiracy whispers through the dark corridors of the Tower.
Through Joan’s eyes, The Lady of the Ravens inhabits the squalid streets of Tudor London, the imposing walls of its most fearsome fortress and the glamorous court of a kingdom in crisis.

The Lady Of Ravens was a great introduction into historical fiction. The Tudor years seemed to be filled with the brutal way that life was and also the romantic way of living with the dress, the relationships and the dreams and aspirations. I enjoyed the experience of being transported back in time to a land where you could truly count your enemies and friends on the same hand, and not really distinguishing between the two. I did struggle with the speed at which the story pushed forward and would have benefitted from a faster pace.

Our protagonist, Joan Guildford was an honourable friend and a lady in waiting for Queen Elizabeth during the time of King Henry VII’s reign. Her ultimate role was to guide the Queen through the many challenges that she would ultimately face being the Queen. The births and deaths of children – giving Joan a standpoint in which she knew she wouldn’t want to be married or have children. This was an extremely rare and misunderstood viewpoint that others couldn’t get their head around. I admired her. Her strength and singular capability is what drew me immediately into her corner. She was a force to be reckoned with.

The Tudor era which was the focus in The Lady of Ravens is time that I am extremely unfamiliar with. I got excited by a lot of the imagery. It was skilfully and visually painted into my vision. Anyone that knows me, knows that I am obsessed with anything medieval and castles. The gender roles contained within the pages meant that the events that Joan was involved with were generally unexciting and a lot ended up happening behind the scenes.

For a book that is titled, The Lady Of Ravens I would have loved to have Joan’s obsession with the birds delved into deeper. I never thought that it was investigated fully, and I felt myself pulling towards answers, wanting more, why was she so enraptured with the birds? The author never really gave me the reasoning that I was requiring, and I was a bit disappointed.

The Lady of Ravens was an enjoyable read but I did close the book thinking that a lot of it fell flat for me. Information that wasn’t required, storylines that seemed to be dragged on for the sake of it. I enjoyed the writing style and I did fall in love with the descriptive nature of the authors work. I just wanted a more direct journey to the conclusion rather than a roundabout trip that felt at times, unnecessary.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joanna Hickson w - Review: The Lady Of The Ravens by Joanna Hickson

Joanna Hickson was born in England but spent her early childhood in Australia, returning at thirteen to visit her first castle and fall in love with medieval history. During a twenty-five year career at the BBC, presenting and producing News and Arts programmes for TV and Radio, Joanna also published a children’s historical novel, Rebellion at Orford Castle. She now writes adult fiction full-time, indulging her passion for bringing the medieval past and its characters to life. Joanna warns that she spends much of her life in the fifteenth century and even her Wiltshire farmhouse home dates back to that period.

Joanna’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/joannahickson

Joanna Hickson is represented at Jenny Brown Associates by Jenny. For all enquiries contact jenny@jennybrownassociates.com

JOANNA HICKSON

Review: White Rose by Kip Wilson

November 24, 2019 Yvonne Leave a Comment

White Rose by Kip Wilson
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on April 2, 2019
ISBN: 9780358049173
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Historical, Holocaust, Novels in Verse, Social Themes, Prejudice & Racism, People & Places, Europe
Pages: 368
Format: eBook
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four stars - Review: White Rose by Kip Wilson

“In a searing indictment of silent complicity, White Rose shines a light on one remarkable young woman’s insistence on the power of truth, no matter the cost. A timely call to resistance.” – Joy McCullough, author of Blood Water Paint
“White Rose is a resonant testament to courage. In a time of horrific brutality, young people found a nonviolent way to resist. Told in the form of poetry, the story of their hopes is honored and brought back to life, still relevant today, when regimes that spread hatred are once again thriving, and words are our most powerful defensive weapon.” – Margarita Engle, author of Newbery Honoree The Surrender Tree and 2017-2019 Young People's Poet Laureate.
"Both heart-wrenching and inspiring, Sophie Scholl's story, as retold by Kip Wilson in White Rose, is a stunning reminder to stand against evil, even when you stand alone. This is the kind of book that sticks in your heart long after you've finished. An incredible story of heroism incredibly told." – Mackenzi Lee, author of New York Times Bestseller The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice & Virtue
"White Rose is a deftly plotted, absorbing read. A bold tribute to a brave hero of the German resistance during World War II. Wilson’s debut is a triumph!" —Melanie Crowder, author of National Jewish Book Award finalist Audacity
“A graceful, moving portrait of a heroic young woman’s defiant refusal to remain complicit with Nazi oppression.” – Julie Berry, Printz Honor author of The Passion of Dolssa A gorgeous and timely novel based on the incredible story of Sophie Scholl, a young German college student who challenged the Nazi regime during World War II as part of The White Rose, a non-violent resistance group.
Disillusioned by the propaganda of Nazi Germany, Sophie Scholl, her brother, and his fellow soldiers formed the White Rose, a group that wrote and distributed anonymous letters criticizing the Nazi regime and calling for action from their fellow German citizens. The following year, Sophie and her brother were arrested for treason and interrogated for information about their collaborators. This debut novel recounts the lives of Sophie and her friends and highlights their brave stand against fascism in Nazi Germany.

I am a huge fan of Historical Fiction. This refreshing take on Young Adult Historical Fiction was just sublime. It was such a beautiful take on prose and I enjoyed it immensely. It is a novel written in verse and let me be honest I haven’t ever really connected with a novel being written in this format. Kip Wilson however, nails the craft and had me hungering for more…I inhaled this book in a mere afternoon. The writing style just blew my mind. This author now has a firm fan in me and I just hope that their other books have a similar effect because they are getting added to my TBR pronto!

The book cover and title immediately captured my interest. It was captivating, the synopsis delivered a crushing triple threat. From the first page I felt like I fell into a book lovers party that only I had the golden ticket for. There was just something so uniquely special about the story I was slowly falling in love with. It felt like something beautiful that a grandmother would share with her only grandchild. I was listening, and I was enraptured. I fell within the pages. It felt like a magnetic force pulling me inwards. I couldn’t refuse. I didn’t want to.

I skipped through the pages so quickly that I didn’t really have the chance to take notes like I usually do so hopefully this review makes sense. If you want a beautiful book that you will immediately fall in love with…buy this book. Buy it for yourself, buy it for your child, buy IT. I fell hard for the main characters, their spunky can-do attitude, their love of their country and the need to make it better, their love as a family and most importantly their innate desire to do the right thing. The stakes have never been higher…the threat of being caught by the Nazis mean being tried with treason, persuading people that they must do what is right, to start a revolution. There is plenty of thrills and tears but mega loads of resolve. The characters take us on a journey of self-discovery, consequences, ingenious plans and a strengthening of bonds.

Luckily, I started this book on an afternoon where I had no plans. I literally couldn’t stop reading. Each page just blended into the next, there was no stopping me! I was truly at the mercy of the author. I loved the style of the writing, injecting enough fear and thrills to keep me engaged. You know the story, but the journey is untraveled, but I was buckled in ready for the experience.

Sophie was a hero. Her gender didn’t hold her back in wanting to take a stand, her age wouldn’t hold her back. Her determination of character was her greatest strength. She was mesmerising. The author has such talent for writing that I connected to Sophie on a deep level. I wanted to look out for her, care for her but I wanted her to succeed more than anything. She was a truly revolutionary character. How would they implement their plan? Would they succeed?

White Rose is a deeply addictive read. Steeped in brutality, courage and a resounding need to do what is right. It’s an emotion punch to the jugular.

Review: The Crown Agent by Stephen O’Rourke

November 14, 2019 Yvonne Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

the crown agent by stephen orourke - Review: The Crown Agent by Stephen O'Rourke

The Crown Agent by Stephen O'Rourke
Published by Sandstone Press Limited on 2019
ISBN: 9781912240777
Pages: 184
Format: Paperback, ARC
Source: Publisher
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four stars - Review: The Crown Agent by Stephen O'Rourke

A ship adrift, all hands dead. A lighthouse keeper murdered in the night. The Crown needs man to find the truth. Doctor Mungo Lyon, his reputation tarnished by the Burke & Hare scandal, and forbidden to practise as a surgeon, is the wrong man.

That’s exactly why the Crown chose him.

I bring to you on the blog today an awesome little Scottish treat. We have The Crown Agent a serious gem in the Historical Fiction genre. I was extremely impressed with this novel. The world building and the stylistic invigorance that I was submerged in was so fascinating. I absolutely love the history of this wee country and its realism was outstanding. From the clothing, to the descriptions within Edinburgh, the trading ports…it was all so perfect. The author didn’t hold back, and he had me hook, line and sinker. I was ready to be transported back in time, back to a time with no internet, no distractions but a sublime narrative.

I completely got on board with the hype that was going around surrounding The Crown Agent and I wasn’t disappointed. The atmosphere is on fire, it’s a bleak world with a complex journey interweaved with the natural beauty of its time. These interweaving threads made it impossible to resist its impeccable pull into the world the author had created. I didn’t want to resist the pull.

We meet Edinburgh Doctor, Mungo Lyon. He’s inadvertently mixed up the Burke and Hare scandal, unfortunately this has left his career and his reputation in tatters. What is his vocation going to be now? Can he weather the storm or will fate direct him down another path? Luckily or not, I’ll leave that decision up to you, he is given the opportunity to leave Edinburgh behind him for now and tackle a mystery. The British crown has had his name recommended to investigate the death of a lighthouse keeper. It should be easy to clear up, right? Mungo finds himself uncovering truths he really ought to not know. It puts his life in danger and those around him too. He uncovers dark secret that he would be better off not reporting on, but he is a man of impeccable morals and must do the right thing. This secret will be far more damaging to his reputation than the scandal back home was.

The author has perfected the complexity of people, their flaws and emotional intelligence that makes a person them. The clues are there, the worries, the fears. The clues were scattered in a sherlock Holmes fashion, you just have to piece it altogether. Life will never be the same again. Mungo is swept away by the events he finds himself faced with and he knows some hard choices will need to be made. Ingenious plotting that is rich in human emotion, action and atmospheric brilliance.

Voyager (Outlander #3) by Diana Gabaldon

July 24, 2019 Yvonne 3 Comments

Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
Published by Doubleday Canada on December 17, 2010
ISBN: 9780385674683
Genres: Fiction, Romance, Time Travel, Fantasy, Historical, General
Pages: 912
Format: Paperback
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three stars - Voyager (Outlander #3) by Diana Gabaldon

From the author of the breathtaking bestsellers Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber, the extraordinary saga continues.
Their passionate encounter happened long ago by whatever measurement Claire Randall took. Two decades before, she had traveled back in time and into the arms of a gallant eighteenth-century Scot named Jamie Fraser. Then she returned to her own century to bear his child, believing him dead in the tragic battle of Culloden. Yet his memory has never lessened its hold on her... and her body still cries out for him in her dreams.
Then Claire discovers that Jamie survived. Torn between returning to him and staying with their daughter in her own era, Claire must choose her destiny. And as time and space come full circle, she must find the courage to face the passion and pain awaiting her...the deadly intrigues raging in a divided Scotland... and the daring voyage into the dark unknown that can reunite—or forever doom—her timeless love.

We continue onwards with Jamie and Claire’s story with Voyager. Twenty years have passed since Claire passed back through the stones again leaving the love of her life behind and emerging back in the future Pregnant with Jamie’s daughter, Brianna. Can an absent love survive the test of time? A tale of a lost love, duty and pain. I was really looking forward to getting stuck into this one but there was a few things that left me feeling supremely disappointed, this is upsetting as I was fully invested in Claire and Jamie’s story.

I started this book over a week ago (this is an unusually large amount of time for me to spend reading a book -even in the summer holidays). The start had me gripped but as I got further into the story it did seem to drag a fair bit and it took a long time to get to the main part of the storyline. Undoubtedly the research that has gone into the storyline was impeccable and done with such passion I cannot fault it but on a more character arc building front it fell short in places.

Themes of domestic violence, abduction, changes of power and chaos and order run prevalent through the book and are done to great extent and gave great clarity to the run up of events to Culloden and the subsequent years of Jamie’s life. Jamie didn’t just suffer the injustice of having to lose Claire- who really is the other half of him, he lost the child that he would never see be born, grow up and marry herself. There obviously was an element of grief and suffering for those reasons alone. The living alone – Jamie was deeply lonely and craved for nothing but to be with Claire again was hard to read. Jamie is a deeply selfless human and the fact he put so many others before himself made him a hugely relatable character.

The story flits between Claire’s time and Jamie’s and that worked particularly well in my opinion. Up until now we didn’t know what happened in the time between Culloden ending and Claire returning and living her life bringing up Brianna and living with Frank. Did Claire just settle back into married life with Frank? How much did she tell him? Did Jamie escape his jail term? Did he move on from his one love? The timeline moved smoothly along for me and it didn’t have me confused to where we were in the story.

The one single thing that knocked my rating down to 3 stars was Jamie and Claire’s reunion in the printers in Edinburgh. This was meant to be the big moment – they hadn’t seen each other in twenty years. Neither thought they would ever see each other again and it was the most underwhelming scene I could have read regarding the hype of how they could never love another the way they do for each other. Seriously if it was me there would be no meek little hello…jumping bones would have been the order of the moment. That’s what I had expected for such a sexualised couple.

“Do ye want me?” he whispered. “Sassenach, will ye take me – and risk the man that I am, for the sake of the man ye knew?”

Lots happen in the book, but I don’t want to spoil the main plot for those that haven’t read the books yet. However, one character makes a reappearance and I was shocked to hell and how just god damn crazy that person is and the lengths that they would stoop to in order to get their own way. Overall, still a great addition to the Outlander story with a few surprises, a lot of loving and a whole heap of swashbuckling along the way!

Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2) by Diana Gabaldon

July 10, 2019 Yvonne 8 Comments

Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
Published by Doubleday Canada on December 17, 2010
ISBN: 9780385674669
Genres: Fiction, Historical, General, Fantasy, Romance, Time Travel
Pages: 976
Format: Paperback
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four stars - Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2) by Diana Gabaldon

From the author of Outlander... a magnificent epic that once again sweeps us back in time to the drama and passion of 18th-century Scotland...
For twenty years Claire Randall has kept her secrets. But now she is returning with her grown daughter to Scotland's majestic mist-shrouded hills. Here Claire plans to reveal a truth as stunning as the events that gave it birth: about the mystery of an ancient circle of standing stones ...about a love that transcends the boundaries of time ...and about James Fraser, a Scottish warrior whose gallantry once drew a young Claire from the security of her century to the dangers of his ....
Now a legacy of blood and desire will test her beautiful copper-haired daughter, Brianna, as Claire's spellbinding journey of self-discovery continues in the intrigue-ridden Paris court of Charles Stuart ...in a race to thwart a doomed Highlands uprising ...and in a desperate fight to save both the child and the man she loves....

Claire and Jamie return in a story of time travel, epic romance and historic foretelling. The second instalment opens with Claire returning to the Highlands with her grown daughter Brianna. Frank has passed on and Claire is a trained doctor. Brianna of course, doesn’t know the true reason for the visit, Claire plans on using the guise of the visit to tell her who her father really is…not Frank Randall. Claire promised Jamie that she would name the baby after his father, Brian.

Claire visits the reverends adoptive son, Rodger Wakefield Mackenzie (a descendant of Dougal Mackenzie). They visit all the old sites, criag na dun, Wentworth Prison, and a visit to Culloden. It is deeply upsetting for Claire, Jamie is the love she has never been able to get over. She obviously did love Frank, but nothing could hold a candle to the love she held for Jamie and him for her. God did I feel for Claire, Brianna was described as the double of her father, she left being completely sure that the love of her life was facing death and she could do nothing about it. I’m not ashamed to say that I cried ugly tears.

“I stood still, vision blurring, and in that moment, I heard my heart break. It was a small, clean sound, like the snapping of a flower’s stem”.

Rodger discovers that his adoptive father kept quite extensive records on the period of time that Claire went missing. Records on Johnathon Randall (black Jack) and excerpts on one Jamie Fraser and newspaper clippings when Claire suddenly reappeared after a long period of time, pregnant and confused. Rodger has his suspicions regarding Claire’s behaviour, she seems sad, introspect and constantly seems in a different place. Claire takes them both to Criag Na Dun and confess that Brianna’s father is James Alexander Malcolm Fraser, not Frank Randall and explains the story of falling into the stones. The story then takes off from where book one finished.

“I will find you,” he whispered in my ear. “I promise. If I must endure two hundred years of purgatory, two hundred years without you – then that is my punishment, which I have earned for my crimes. For I have lied, and killed, and stolen; betrayed and broken trust. But there is the one thing that shall lie in the balance. When I shall stand before God, I shall have one thing to say, to weigh against the rest.”

Their story takes us to France, Jamie was banished from Scotland due to treason and being wanted for murder, so they had no choice but to go to France. Claire, Jamie and Murtagh landed in France and from Claire’s knowledge of the future they aim to find some way to change the future of a very historic battle, Culloden. Jamie needs to save his Clan, he knows what the end result could be, and he’ll do anything to change it. The chapters based in France was so weird, Claire endured so much, Jamie had also been broke and now comes face to face once again with Black Jack Randall. Why the fuck can’t this sadist just die? Claire goes through hell (the baby, the king of France – what an absolute fruit loop that guy is.)

There is a large collection of secondary characters we are introduced to that melt your heart and love them just like you love Claire and Jamie. Fergus – the little French boy that Jamie takes him into his employ as a pickpocket. His personality is so very loveable and adores and love Jamie just like a father.

After the events in France Claire, Jamie, Fergus and Murtagh are sent back to Scotland. There are several battles (Preston pans and Falkirk), support for Bonnie Prince Charlie is growing and now has the support of the Mackenzie’s. Jamie has no choice but to lead his men in Culloden. The battle happens and by god it’s the saddest thing ever.

The ending, oh my dear heart. The ending tore me open and left me bleeding. Jamie sends Claire back through the stones back to her time. She’s pregnant and he needs her to be safe for the baby’s sake. The love making was heart wrenching. The absolute selflessness of Jamie, gah. Jamie cuts Claire at her request so that she always has his mark on her. This is a love story that transcends all time and space.

I really hope Book 3 doesn’t have this amount of heartbreak it in it.

His voice dropped, nearly to a whisper, and his arms tightened around me.

“Lord, ye gave me a rare woman, and God! I loved her well.”

Outlander (Outlander #1) by Diana Gabaldon

June 26, 2019 coycaterpillar 16 Comments

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Published by Doubleday Canada on December 22, 2010
ISBN: 9780385674676
Genres: Fiction, Romance, Time Travel, Fantasy, Historical, General
Pages: 896
Format: Paperback
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five stars - Outlander (Outlander #1) by Diana Gabaldon

Claire Randall is leading a double life. She has a husband in one century, and a lover in another...
In 1945, Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon—when she innocently touches a boulder in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an "outlander"—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of our Lord...1743.
Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire's destiny in soon inextricably intertwined with Clan MacKenzie and the forbidden Castle Leoch. She is catapulted without warning into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life ...and shatter her heart. For here, James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a passion so fierce and a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire...and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

First of all let me start this review by saying that the characterisation and world-building by Gabaldon is stunningly beautiful. Your mind runs away with you imagining a dangerous but flawless highland countryside. It’s always a time I’ve wanted to have a peek at. Being a very proud patriot member of this wee country, it brought a sense of pride where we have come from.

For where all love is, the speaking is unnecessary.

Claire Randall…Can stand toe to toe with any Highlander

We first meet English nurse, Claire in 1945 in the Scottish Highlands with her husband Frank. This is a second honeymoon for them after the spoils of war had kept them apart for the best part of seven years. Whilst collecting flowers for her keen interest in botany, she discovers a humming noise coming from the standing stones. She is transported back in time via a cleft stone to 1743. It is here that she comes face-to-face with her husband Frank’s evil ancestor, Captain Jack Randall (Black Jack). During their confrontation she is rescued/captured by a rival clan. Claire first meets a dashing, James Fraser whilst resetting his shoulder and nursing him back to health. The two are inexoribly intertwined when Claire is forced to marry young Mr Fraser to keep her out of the hands of Black Jack. Her strength of character is tested time and time again through perilous situations, witch trials and standing up for her own voice and concerns. She has the scottish strength of spirit instilled in her and she’s as fiery as the rest of us. She adapted well to the time and place, but better than I think I would and she brought incredible knowledge with her and used it for the greater good whilst she was in that time.

“You are safe,” he said firmly. “You have my name and my family, my clan, and if necessary, the protection of my body as well. The man willna lay hands on ye again, while I live.”

Diana Gabaldon is an incredible writer and although I haven’t read any historical fiction before, this has given me the gusto to try the rest of the series and possibly dip into the historical fiction genre more. The details pertaining to the 18th century and more particularly the events leading upto the Jacobite rising of 1745 were incredibly authentic. The character development was rich and fulfilling and each character had multi faceted elements which had me relating to the characters all in different ways. I was over the moon at Diana’s magical descriptions of the world she was building. I used to live in the highlands, about an hours drive from Inverness and everything was very realistic. I was very happy that she stuck to the true nature of the highlands.

There is so much to love about this story. Claire and Jamie, in my opinion, are the ultimate power couple to have ever graced the pages of a novel. They are the couple that the word Soul Mate were made for. Soul mates transcend time, they both just had to wait a long time for each other. This book evoked an emotional reaction in me with one particular scene upsetting me so profoundly. Jamie has to endure the worst kind of attack in order to protect Claire. I fully understand why he took this action but it was heartbreaking none the less. The retelling of what exactly went on and the mental and physical effect of this was just crushing for all involved.

Attention to detail – AMAZING

Meticulously Researched – ABSOLUTELY.

Historical Fiction

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

White Rose is a deeply addictive read. Steeped in brutality, courage and a resounding need to do what is right. It’s an emotion punch to the jugular.

Claire Randall…Can stand toe to toe with any Highlander

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