Month: July 2011

Review – Before Versailles: A Novel of Louis XIV

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Before Versailles: A Novel of Louis XIV

By Karleen Koen

Crown Publishers

ISBN: 978030771657-6

4 stars

I’ve always had a soft spot for the antics of the French court even more so than the English courts and I’m the type of person who can’t turn down a story about the Tudors. In books revolving around the monarchy, whether French or English, one can’t have a story without a mistress and let’s all agree that’s what makes the story. Isn’t that why these books are so much fun? Oh, it is and Koen doesn’t disappoint.

Cardinal Mazarin, the French prime minister, is dead and Louis XIV, only twenty-two years-old, is now king of France and a king with power. That power is not yet firmly grasped but he’s intent on learning to yield it fully. Unaware of many of the financial arrangements his mother and the Cardinal made while ruling in his stead, he’s in for a surprise when he finally takes it upon himself to investigate. Unsure of his financial minister’s monetary affairs and how mingled they are with the crown’s accounts, he has suspicions and employs a faithful counselor to help him sort through the courtly promises and financial advice being offered.

To add another distraction, Louis has fallen in love with his brother Philippe’s wife, Princess Henriette, a woman captivating not only the king but the entire French court. A man not used to being denied, Louis attempts to make Henriette his mistress against the wishes of not only his brother but also his mother who believes it will be his downfall. Married to a woman he greatly admires for her breeding and royal pedigree, unfortunately, he doesn’t truly love her and is looking for a distraction she can’t provide. He knows it’s the idea of passion and surprise that comes from his illicit affair with Henriette but Louis can’t help himself. To calm the court, Henriette suggests he flirt with one of her maids; a shy but very pretty young woman named Louise. Then something happens he didn’t expect — Louis finds he might have fallen in love.

Before Versailles started slowly for but it was almost as if it was waiting for Louis to find his footing as king and once he found his confidence, so did the story. While the affair between Louis and Henriette is more intense, the affair with Louise is completely the opposite but in a way more satisfying. All the court intrigue requirements needed for a story like this are met and then some. Oddly, the financial scandal is also quite good, adding a harder edge to what is mostly a love story. It’s a nice contrast for Louis as he grows into his role as a king and what he’s dealing with on the political level makes you see why he craves love in the quieter parts of his life. I was happy to see the political elements here. In stories about kings and mistresses it sometimes gets pushed to the side and becomes background noise. Here that doesn’t happen and it’s refreshing. There is a small side story involving Louise that feels slightly out of place but it’s the only stumble in an otherwise entertaining book.

I read a lot of historical fiction and I love when authors find a way to make well-known figures interesting and intense characters that allow you to imagine another life for that person. Koen does that with Louis XIV. I finished wanting to know more about the king that would build the palace of Versailles. That can be difficult to accomplish sometimes.

In addition to this blog, I also do reviews for The Book Reporter website. The above review was done for the Book Reporter which can be found here. The book was provided to me by the publisher.

 

The Sunday Salon – Summer Books to Read or Not to Read

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My local newspaper (although I should admit we no longer have a subscription for a number of reasons even though that has nothing to do with anything but I felt I should mention it) puts out each summer a best of list.  About two years ago, they canned the books section.  It wasn’t something new; a lot of papers were doing it for budget reasons and I guess they mistakenly believed people had stopped reading.  Anyway, rant for another time…  In the last few months, the paper has brought back a semi-book section which is published several times a year.  I read the book section online and found this year’s summer recommendations list and thought it would be fun to take a look and possibly add more books to my list.  Because, let’s face it, that’s what it’s really about it — it’s the books.

I found that once again I still don’t have much in common with my local paper’s picks.  There are a few on here which are on my TBR and I’m looking forward to reading, but I also feel as if the paper has to always pick something that feels DC-like as if we all sit around thinking, breathing, and eating policy.  I can assure you that’s not the case.  At least I do not and I only speak for myself.  There may be some individuals that do — I’m just not one of those individuals.  Anyway, the list isn’t too policy heavy this year but still not enough to fully impress me.

Here’s the list of new summer arrivals.

A zombie book (Zone One by Colson Whitehead) sounds somewhat interesting but I’ve had a bit too much of these characters this year which means there will be a wait to read this one. The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman is one that will make it on my list though.  She’s an author I’ve been meaning to read.

The editorial picks are here.

The Magnetic North by Sara Wheeler does sound interesting and I feel I am lacking in my knowledge about the arctic and it would fulfill my non-fiction reading craving.  Unfortunately, that’s probably it for me.

It’s not as if I need to add more to the already crowded and overwhelming list of books but sometimes I want to feel as if I’m getting something out of the paper.  Guess that’s why I’m reading blogs for book recommendations instead.  Although, maybe I need to explore this thought in another post someday…

Before I leave off for the day, a few links for your enjoyment:

Top 10 fairy tales picked by the author of the Inkheart trilogy, Cornelia Fluke.  I will admit to not recognizing any of these stories.

Need a summer adventure but don’t want to leave the house? Travel by book! Turn Right at Machu Picchu is on my list.

The Telegraph has literary home tours.

Happy Sunday.

Review – Child of the Northern Spring

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Child of the Northern Spring

By Persia Woolley

Source Books

ISBN: 9781402245244

4 stars

Guinevere, a young woman barely 18 years-old and while a strong and intelligent person, she’s out of her element when it comes to practices of the court.  The chosen bride of the newly minted King Arthur, she’s leaving her father and the only home she’s ever known to meet him and prepare to be his wife and queen.  Their first meeting a few years prior to the marriage arrangement left her interested but not fully convinced she was the right woman for him.  Without a better marriage offer and wanting to protect her homeland, she undertakes the journey to become his partner.

Arthur and Guinevere’s match is a good one — they’re both strong people and have an affinity for each other.  When the Saxons, always a threat to the country at this time, decide to attack, Arthur moves his armies to meet them and they both find out what it means to be king and queen and husband and wife.

I prefer Arthurian legend stories with a touch of historical reality rather than magic.  There is some magic in Child of the Northern Spring but it’s more in the form of religion and gods which is fine.  Merlin does make an appearance and there are moments when he calls down the gods and their wrath and the same can be said for Arthur’s sister, Morgan.  I’m all right with magic in that capacity though.  For as much as I adore fantasy, I don’t always like it mixed with my Arthur and Guinevere.  Go figure.

This book does move slowly and is told in more flashbacks than I felt necessary but it provides a nice background and history for Guinevere and who she is as a person.  I like that she isn’t a meek woman in this story and even though she’s unsure of herself, some of that is due to her age and that she’s never lived at court or even ran her father’s household after the death of her mother.  It’s a lack of confidence and she begins to gain more at the end of the book.

Child of the Northern Spring is the first in the Guinevere trilogy and with my ability to never walk away from a series, especially one that involves Arthur and Guinevere, I see myself reading more.  If you enjoy Arthurian legend, this one is worth a look.

Today’s Book – The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton

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You know all those newsletters you get?  Well, the other day I decided to go through them all, skimming here and there, trying to get through as many as possible before my self-allotted time gave out.  That’s when I came across this little tidbit.  It’s a book trailer for The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton which is coming out this September.

It takes place in Victorian London, a favorite time period of mine, and involves faeries.  Faeries are not a staple of my fantasy reading but why can’t they be?  Also, the trailer looks gothic and foreboding — love that combination.

If you’re interested, more info about the book is here.

Review – The Dark Enquiry

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The Dark Enquiry

By Deanna Raybourn

Harlequin

ISBN: 9780778312376

4.5 stars

First, I have a confession.  I did something I never do — I read a book out of order in a series.  OK, so not a big, earth shattering confession but I felt I needed to say that for readers of this series.  I’ve heard fabulous things about the Lady Julia Grey novels and have been meaning to read one for a long time.  So when I saw this one on NetGalley I requested it and proceeded to read with abandon. Yes, abandon people.

I feel I should warn of spoilers since this is a series so here you have it but since I haven’t read any of the previous books, I can’t be sure that’s an accurate statement.

Lady Julia Grey is now back in London navigating and negotiating her marriage to Brisbane.  While the two are very much in love, it’s Julia’s insistence on being a true and full partner in Brisbane’s life, which includes his work as an investigator and private detective, that’s causing a small wrinkle in their otherwise happy marriage.  He balks but she insists, and being Julia, she wins.  Brisbane does everything to keep her out of his latest case, including building her a photography studio as a distraction, but Julia manages to not only get involved but also nearly get herself killed in the process.

This book was so entertaining and if they’re all like this, I want to read them all now.  Julia and Brisbane are a great couple and for as annoying as she can be, Julia’s delightful.  Obviously, there’s much I missed in regard to the relationship but I didn’t feel lost which is a testament to Raybourn’s.  She gives you enough to go on and lets you fill in the rest, which in a series I don’t mind and was perfectly at home with here.

There’s one more thing I need to mention — I didn’t care who the killer was.  Remember, a mystery is at the heart of this story, and I don’t usually pick up mysteries because I mostly spend my time trying to figure out who did it without paying attention to characters or plot.  Here, I didn’t even care who did it and I didn’t read ahead which is HUGE for me.  A first actually.  Maybe I finally found the right mix for me when it comes to a mystery; I need ghosts and really great characters.  Also, the romance is good.  I must say this because I’m pretty sure from reading this one installment that many readers are invested in this relationship too.

I probably don’t have to say this but I will anyway — I plan to go back and read the four previous books in this series.  If this one was any indication of the goodness I will be experiencing, I will be a very happy reader.

I downloaded an advanced review copy of this book from NetGalley.

Teaser Tuesdays

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.  The idea is to give everyone a look inside the book you’re reading.

Play along: Grab your current read; Open to a random page; Share two teaser sentences from that page; Share the title and author so other participants know what you’re reading.

I took a few days off to spend time with my husband who is traveling almost non-stop in July.  I think he’ll actually spend more time out of town and on planes than he will at our house this month.  I thought I’d spend the couple days he was in town with him which is was why things were quiet here.

Getting back into things, I’m sharing a few lines from The Darling Strumpet by Gillian Bagwell this week.

“When the rehearsal was done, Nell sat still for a few moments, not wanting to let go of what she had experienced. She felt drained and yet exhilarated, and as if she was changed in some way.” (page 55 of 329 on Nook)

Review – Livia, Empress of Rome: A Biography

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Livia, Empress of Rome: A Biography

By Matthew Dennison

St. Martin’s Press

ISBN: 978-0-312-65864-9

3.5 stars

A few years ago I read a biography of Augustus, the first emperor of Rome, and loved it.  I moved on to a biography of Cicero but never finished it; my interest in ancient Rome waning slightly on the non-fiction front.  My husband, knowing I enjoy reading about this time period, brought home this biography for me and in an effort to read more non-fiction this year, Livia, Empress of Rome made it to the top of pile quickly.

Livia’s life is told through the men in her life.  Starting with her father, then her first husband, the affair she has with Octavian, the man who would become Augustus, and then her sons.  For ancient Romans, who could be meticulous when it came to noting things of importance, weren’t so good about record keeping when it came to women.  Even the date of Livia’s birth is speculation but easy enough to pin down to a year or two.  Her first marriage is rather undocumented much like her birth but it’s when she meets and begins an affair with Octavian that her life seems to become more definitive.  Divorcing her first husband, and merely three days after giving birth to her second son, Livia marries Octavian and she embarks on the journey of becoming one of the first women in ancient Rome to be called empress.

Constantly accused of being manipulative and power hungry, her marriage to Octavian, who is on a path of power himself, surprises no one.  In fact, the descriptions of Livia are less than flattering but that doesn’t stop her husband from portraying her as the pious, divine, and picture of goodness he wants her and every other woman in Rome to be.  The marriage of Livia and Octavian was probably based on love considering Livia never gave birth to a child of Octavian’s and he could have easily divorced her in favor of a woman who could bear him sons.  Apparently though, it didn’t stop Octavian from having affairs which considering his pious public persona, was quite amusing to read about.  Octavian, now Augustus, dies without a son or heir but being ancient Rome, the act of adoption is not unknown and he adopts Livia’s son Tiberius in order keep a line of succession.  For a man who planned everything, not having an heir had to be distressing considering each time he named someone they died.  Rumors abounded that it was Livia who was scheming to put her son Tiberius in line and poisoned the others.  These rumors of poisoning actually followed her throughout her life and beyond but nothing was ever proven.

I have to say for a book that in parts felt dry, and I found myself somewhat annoyed at times when I wanted the book to more about Livia and not the men she was surrounded by, I have so much to say about it.  It wasn’t the best book I’ve read or the best biography, but it was good.  Obviously, writing about someone whose life took place in ancient times is difficult and though this one wasn’t what I thought it was going to be, it was interesting enough.

Today’s Book – is a new book

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I’m reading Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff, actually I’ve been reading it for the last week.  It’s good, very good, but life’s been hectic so I haven’t spent much time it.  Due to my unexpected reading delay, I thought I would instead talk about a new book I bought — Demon Fish: Travels Through the Hidden World of Sharks by Juliet Eilperin.

Confession time.  I heart sharks.  I just do.  I don’t know why.  On a trip to St. Thomas a few years ago, my husband and I went on a kayaking day trip and I was disappointed at not seeing a shark when we stopped to go snorkeling at a wreck.  The wreck was a small speedboat so don’t be too impressed with me.  Anyway, the barracudas were interesting and the tropical fish were very pretty but no sharks.  While packing up and getting ready to head back our guide said, “Oh, look, a shark.”  I dropped my paddle and kayak, ran back in the water, and got a glimpse of the said shark.  It was a nurse shark.  It’s wasn’t big, it wasn’t all that scary either, but it was a shark.  Smiling, and very thrilled with my shark encounter, I picked up my kayak and got in for the trip home.  My husband made fun of me all the way back, “Who runs in the water after a shark?”  Hmm, I do.  True story.

So this week I give you my summer reading, Demon Fish.  My perfect beach book.  🙂