The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Title: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 5/5

Bruno isn't sure exactly what his father's job is, only that he's "a man to watch," and that his new promotion has forced the family to move to a horrible place called "Out-with" where there's no one to play with and a fence runs along the property as far as the eye can see. He's been told to stay away from the fence and the strange people on the other side but one day while exploring Bruno finds a young boy sitting just on the other side of the fence. Though their circumstances differ greatly and they can never actually play together, the two boys strike up a strong friendship with unforeseen consequences.

I absolutely loved The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. The Holocaust is a very difficult topic to deal with but I thought Boyne did a fantastic job, despite a slightly awkward beginning.

I found the eight-year-old narrator completely believable. Though he's sheltered by his parents and naive about what is actually going on, he does seem to realize that there's something strange about his new home and all of the people on the opposite side of the fence. He even picks up on the barely restrained rage of one of his father's lieutenants. As well, his difficulty in pronouncing some of the words was realistic and I loved that he referred to Hitler as the Fury, giving a little humour to such a large villain.

This book was originally written for children and so glosses over, rather than highlights, some of the atrocities that would have been occurring at the time. But even without the gruesome descriptions, Bruno's growing confusion over the treatment of his family's waiter, his separation from his grandparents and the circumstances of Shmuel's life, so very different than his own, emphasizes the injustice of the Holocaust and provides the book with some truly emotional scenes.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is both a heartwarming and heartbreaking book, and I highly recommend it. It's one I expect to reread in the future.

Outlaw by Angus Donald

Title: Outlaw by Angus Donald
Genre: Fiction, Historical
Rating: 3/5

From the back cover:
"When he's caught stealing, young Alan Dale is forced to leave his family and go to live with a notorious band of outlaws in Sherwood Forest. Their leader is the infamous Robin Hood...But Robin is a ruthless man - and although he is Alan's protector, if Alan displeases him, he could also just as easily become his murderer..."

I found Outlaw by Angus Donald a bit difficult to get into. The writing at the beginning was a bit dry and the plot a little slow, but I found the second half of the book much more interesting.

While I admit that my knowledge of Robin Hood is patchy and comes mostly from a handful of books and movies, Donald's Robin seems like a much darker character than he's normally portrayed. I'd always thought that Robin ruled through kindness to the less fortunate, but here he rules with fear, torturing and murdering those that betray him or stand against him. It's an interesting twist, at least for me. Tuck's description of him as a "cold-hot man" seems very fitting.

I really enjoyed the backstories provided for some of the secondary characters. Some authors don't consider Little John and Tuck important beyond the role they play in the love story of Robin and Marie-Anne, so it's nice to see stories explaining their history, even if it's only in the context of how they met Robin and joined his band of outlaws. However, I would have liked to see more of them throughout the book. Hopefully, they'll play a larger role as the series continues.

In the end, I'd probably only recommend Outlaw to those interested in the Robin Hood legend or to readers that enjoy a violent story. And I haven't decided yet whether I'll continue with the series or not.

The King's Mistress

Title: The King's Mistress by Emma Campion
Genre: Fiction, Historical, Romance
Rating: 3/5

History remembers Alice Perrers as a greedy and conniving harlot who took advantage of an aging king. But is that who Alice truly was? Or was she a woman who was taught always to obey and who cared for her family so greatly that she was easily manipulated by those in power?

The King's Mistress is a really good book. It's well-written, contains some beautiful imagery and Campion's obviously done her research, even if she doesn't necessarily agree with the popular beliefs on Alice Perrers. Unfortunately, the book just didn't grip me. It's not to say that I didn't want to read the complete book, just that I didn't mind putting it down for a day or two to read something else for work, which meant it took me a while to finish it.

I liked the stylistic symmetry of including lines of Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde as epigraphs to the chapters. It's a tragic love story set against the background of the Trojan war where the female protagonist's decisions are influenced by society and her family. It complements Alice's story and the way her own choices are influenced by her love for her family. However, my minimal knowledge of middle English meant reading the epigraphs took a little deciphering.

I really enjoyed Campion's characterizations of Alice, King Edward and the other historical figures. It's interesting to see Alice as a young girl with no say in what happens to her, who falls in love against her better judgment and grows to become a woman willing to do whatever it takes to protect her family. I found the manipulative and secretive nature of the royal family completely believable, particularly Edward's temperamental nature. And his spiral into dementia was heartbreaking. I also really liked the friendship that Campion imagined between Alice and Chaucer. Considering Chaucer's connections to two of Edward's sons, it is entirely believable that he and Alice may have known each other, and in the book he proves to be one of the few confidantes she can trust.

In the end, I'd recommend The King's Mistress to history lovers, particularly those interested in the British monarchy, and those that enjoy family fictions. It's definitely worth the read and I look forward to reading Emma Campion's future books.

Thanks to Crown Publishers for the Advanced Reading Copy of The King's Mistress. A positive review was not a requirement and the views expressed above are my own. For more information on The King's Mistress, check out the Random House website.

The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno

Title: The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno by Ellen Bryson

Genre: Fiction, Historical

Rating: 3/5

Bartholomew Fortuno is the world's thinnest man. After working for P.T. Barnum's American Museum as a human curiosity for nearly a decade, he's content with his life. That is until a new performer arrives shrouded in secrecy, provoking Fortuno's curiosity and enthralling both him and Barnum.

Ellen Bryson's The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno is an intriguing look at P.T. Barnum's famous museum and the human curiosities that he surrounded himself with throughout much of his life. Before reading it, I'd known that "gifted" individuals toured with circuses but had no idea that Barnum and Bailey's circus had been preceded by a museum of these curiosities.

The protagonist, Fortuno, is an interesting character. He takes great pride in his thinness and doesn't know who he is beyond his gift. He holds great disdain for those who don't come by their talents naturally and is obsessed with the new performer, Iell Adams, a bearded lady who actually looks feminine. As the story progresses, he begins to understand that his fellow performers are more than the impressions he'd conceived based on their gifts and performances and that there's more to his own gift than he realizes.

Bryson did a fantastic job with the setting. She avoids overly long descriptive sections and instead weaves bits and pieces of historical information in to provide authenticity to the story; Abraham Lincoln's assassination and funeral, the ringing of the bells of St Paul's chapel, the smell of the over-flowing sewage system and the horse trolleys on the street.

Unfortunately, I found that the book dragged a bit in the middle. There were a few times when I was tempted to skim through sections, though I resisted the urge. However, the revelations that concluded the book more than make up for the duller sections.

The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno is a good book and while I don't think it's a book for everyone, it's one I'd recommend to those interested in historical fiction or those looking to be intrigued.

Thanks to Henry Holt and Company for the Advanced Reader's Edition of The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno. A positive review was not a requirement and the views expressed above are my own. For more information on The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno, check out the Macmillan website.

Captivity

Title: Captivity by Deborah Noyes
Genre: Fiction, Historical
Rating: 4/5

In mid-nineteenth century America, three sisters inspired a religious movement known as the American Spiritualists when they announced that they were able to communicate with the dead. In Captivity, Deborah Noyes fictionalizes their rise to fame and intertwines it with the story of Clara Gill, a fictional woman past her "prime," who'd become a recluse after a scandal had driven her family from their home in London a decade earlier.

Captivity is a beautiful and enthralling story that weaves together fact and fiction. From the fictional Clara Gill and her work at the factual menagerie at the Tower of London to the imagined personalities of the real Fox Sisters. Nothing felt awkward or out of character. It's obvious that Deborah Noyes did her research into the time period before she began writing. I am glad, though, that my knowledge of the Fox Sisters and the American Spiritualist movement was minimal before reading the book as I believe it would have distracted from Noyes' lyrical language and the haunting tale that she was spinning.

As for the characters, I found Maggie Fox irritating at the start of the book due to her self-centred nature, but came to appreciate Noyes' artistic portrayal of her as she matured. Maggie began to see the sisters' performances as more than a game and to consider the results of her actions. In comparison, I liked Clara from the start. It was hard not to empathize as it became obvious just how withdrawn from society she was and how obsessed she was with an unknown tragedy in her past. And I have to admit, I was intrigued by the mystery of what that tragedy was, and loved how Noyes expertly prolonged the suspense by offering only a bit of Clara's backstory at a time. Though in the end, I was surprised by the revelation as I'd been expecting something simpler and more innocent.

Overall, Captivity is a book that I'd recommend to other readers, but one that I'd be selective in recommending. It's a wonderful and entangled read, not something for those just looking for a quick afternoon's diversion. But those willing to give it a try will be rewarded.

Thanks to Unbridled Books for the ARC of Captivity. A positive review was not a requirement and the views expressed above are my own. For more information on Captivity, check out the Unbridled website.

The Railway Detective

Title: The Railway Detective by Edward Marston
Genre: Fiction, Historical
Rating: 4/5

It's 1851 in London, England, and the country is preparing for the Great Expedition, which will celebrate the engineering triumphs of the railway. However, not everyone views the railway in the same positive light, and a group of men successfully rob a mail train, injuring the driver and forcing the engine to crash. Detective Inspector Robert Colbeck soon realizes that this is just part of a larger plan and he must pit his intelligence against the criminal masterminds in order to prevent the unthinkable.

Overall, I enjoyed The Railway Detective, though I found it a bit slow at the beginning. It's a book that keeps you intrigued with its talented language, not one that grips you from the very first line or keeps you guessing at the identity of the villains.

I found Marston's writing style subtle yet clever. He had a great deal of historical information woven throughout the book, informing the reader of relevant facts necessary to the story but at no point did it ever feel like I was reading a history lecture. In fact, I quite enjoyed learning about the railways and locomotives of the mid-nineteenth century, and at points it helped cement the notion of Inspector Colbeck's intelligence and his desire to continue learning new things.

Inspector Colbeck was an intriguing character, consistently well-dressed, which was often criticized by the other characters, and extremely observant. He actually reminded me of Sherlock Holmes in many ways, though I've been informed by a fellow book nerd that's because they're both "proper" detectives. My only complaint with the character occurs later in the book when he concludes something based on the "atmosphere" of the room rather than any actual evidence. And the romantic in me really enjoyed the buildup to a relationship between Colbeck and Madeleine Andrews, and its something I look forward to seeing develop in the later books in the series.

In the end, The Railway Detective is a book that I'd recommend to all mystery lovers and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Mornings in Jenin

Title: Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa
Genre: Fiction, Historical, Multicultural, Political Fiction
Rating: 5/5

Amal's family was driven from their home with the creation of the state of Israel and her older brother, just a baby, was stolen from their mother's arms by an Israeli soldier in the chaos. In the refugee camp of Jenin, Amal is born into a family where the adults dream only of returning home and her mother has never recovered from the loss of her son. Mornings in Jenin follows the struggles of Amal's family over six decades, documenting their sadness and joy and the strength of their love.

I loved Mornings in Jenin. It's a fantastic and heartbreaking family saga, driven by Abulhawa's brilliant and captivating writing style. She's created intriguing characters, which provide North Americans with a face and a voice for the long-lasting Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

I found it interesting that though its clear Amal is the focus of the book, and the majority of the story is told from her POV, Abulhawa chose to place Amal's birth several years after the tragedy of 1948. I think it was a smart decision as it made Ein Hod almost a fairytale for Amal, rather than a source of grief, but I think another author would have avoided changing POVs in this manner. In fact, I found the brief sections with alternate POVs a little disruptive and distracting at points though it may have helped emphasize things at other points.

I found Abulhawa's manner of storytelling engaging, the way events mostly ran in a chronological order, but occasionally looped back in order to give some anecdote or important bit of information. It made the listing of years at the beginning of each chapter particularly useful. I also thought it was interesting the way that Amal's adult reflections were sometimes worked into the accounts of her childhood, that she had never forgotten something another character had said or forgiven herself for some decision she made.

Mornings in Jenin is an incredible and haunting read, which really makes you think about the political conflicts occurring worldwide. Her characters are lifelike and their story is utterly moving. This is definitely a read that I'll be recommending to friends.

Thanks to Bloomsbury US for the complimentary copy of Mornings in Jenin. A positive review was not a requirement and the views expressed above are my own. For more information on Mornings in Jenin, check out the Bloomsbury US website.

The Conquest

Title: The Conquest by Jude Deveraux
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Historical
Rating: 1/5

The Peregrines have been at war with the Howards for generations and when a daughter is born, the family will do anything to protect her. So they raise her as a boy, training her to be a soldier, and hiding her true identity from anyone beyond the castle walls. But when the youngest Howard returns, he sees beyond the disguise and campaigns to win her heart.

I picked up The Conquest because I thought it had a fun plot and because I've enjoyed Jude Deveraux's work in the past. Unfortunately, this is one of the worst books I've read by her. The characters feel like stock characters and are difficult to empathize with. Both of the main characters are childish and Zared Peregrine has a lot of difficulty overcoming her early prejudices and beliefs. Moreover, the plot feels very choppy with a lot of time and detail being paid to some parts and very little being paid to others. And the side story of Severn and Anne, which plays an important part in the first half of the book, is essentially forgotten in the second half and remains incomplete by the end of the book. My biggest complaint has to do with the last chapter and I think the book could have been improved by ending the story before that point. It's not all bad; the book is a nice and easy read for those who want to relax and there's a lot of angst to the relationship between Zared and Tearle for those that appreciate angst. However, The Conquest is not a book that I would recommend to any but the most devoted Jude Deveraux fans.

Camelot's Honour

Title: Camelot's Honour by Sarah Zettel
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Historical, Romance
Rating: 4/5

Though set in the time of King Arthur and the Round Table, Camelot's Honour focuses on a young Welsh midwife and one of the lesser known Knights, with only a brief passage featuring Arthur and Merlin. The midwife, Elen, goes out one night to deal with a difficult birth only to return to find her family slain by a local chieftain who is loyal to Morgaine. Captured by the chieftain, she vows revenge, but it is only through the aid of young Sir Geraint that she may achieve it.

I've read books dealing with King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table before, however, they were all focused on the better known knights and had a very masculine feel to them, so I was understandably worried about reading a book with a female protagonist. Surprisingly I liked the character of Elen from the start. She was very passionate and kind-hearted but when Urien killed her family she quickly showed her backbone and her desire for justice. However I did find her too easily swayed at points.

I also rather enjoyed the addition of faerie to the book. The stories of King Arthur that I've read in the past always involved magic but never of this sort. It brings to mind Spenser's The Faerie Queene and Shakespeare's Oberon and Titania, which are personal favourites. Moreover the glimpses we get of the fae folk help weave the story together from beginning to end. I really enjoyed Camelot's Honour and I'd love to read another in the same series as soon as I figure out her North American publisher.

Tipping the Velvet

Title: Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters
Genre: Fiction, Historical
Rating: 3/5

Synopsis from www.sarahwaters.com:
A saucy, sensuous and multi-layered historical romance, Tipping the Velvet follows the glittering career of Nan King - oyster girl turned music-hall star turned rent boy turned East End 'tom'.

I thought Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters was a good book, although I found Nancy to be rather annoying at points. She seemed to always make the wrong decision and it got a little unbelievable near the end. Everything was about her pleasure and her happiness with little thought as to how it might affect others. I suppose it was necessary though, to emphasize her emotional growth. However, I found the secondary characters; Florence and Ralph, Mrs M and Gracie; to be very interesting.

Overall, I found it to be a very good historical novel. I admit that I don't know too much about that time period in England but I really felt that Sarah Waters did a good job with it. The fear felt by the 'toms' is very believable and I have no trouble imaging a women's club devoted to Sappho. I had trouble with some of the slang though and at times wished for a cheat sheet at the back of the book. I really loved the look at the music halls of the time too, and think its rather interesting that the different classes would frequent different halls rather than just having separate sections to sit in. While I don't know that I'd ever read Tipping the Velvet again, I'm definitely going to give some of her other titles a try.