Book: The Bronte Project
Author: Jennifer Vandever
Genre: Women's Fiction
Length: 288 pgs
Summary: Sara, a graduate student working on a PhD thesis, is attempting the impossible: she is looking for the missing letters of Charlotte Brontë. Sound similar to a book I just read/reviewed? Or maybe this? It must be the fashion these days. However, this book stays firmly in the present, and follows Sara's journey from being engaged to a wonderful man, to finding her place in the world once he decides he must follow his dream to live in the squalor of Paris, à la George Orwell.
pg 10 - Sara took a deep, stabilizing breath. Claire was like the anti-Sara: Where Sara was slim-hipped, small-breasted, and quiet, Claire was shapely and loud. [...] Sara favored the practical and the classic in clothing and colors that, as her mother liked to point out, occurred naturally in bruises--blacks, grays, and blues--while Claire went for the blatantly trendy and expensive. On Claire even black looked red.
pg 36 - Sara normally had a tireless patience for these books. But now she realized resentfully that these people she was reading about simply lacked cable television. Get over it, she found herself thinking about yet another governess suffering from an unquenchable longing. Get over it and get cable.
pg 92 - "You see, when there is is a mystery standing in front of me with her arms folded, I must investigate. I must unpeel what I do not understand. I am French."
"Well, I'm American and we destroy what we don't understand."
pg 95 - "On you, she is silent. You see, your influence already. A smart person who rarely talks terrifies people--in her mind she's forming judgments. What does she think? It's a kind of power and Claire collects power. Did she tell you she's trying to be quieter?"
Sara stared off thoughtfully, feeling the weight of the liqueur on her thoughts. She looked at Denis and smiled mysteriously. If silence was her power, so be it. She took the bottle from him and poured herself another shot.
"She says nothing!" Denis exclaimed.
Why should you read this book?
Vandever's fiction is clean and easy to understand; she manages to do the unthinkable, which is to make the audience feel for a type A personality as the main character. I call this book women's fiction rather than a romance because, like romances, Sara has entanglements with the other sex, but, unlike romances, the story is not about finding the perfect man for Sara, it's about Sara finding herself. Vandever uses quotes from Brontë's letters to start the beginning of each chapter...sometimes they make sense to me and other times they seem randomly chosen. Such is the danger of using quotes to begin passages of your prose. For a better example, try Jasper Fforde's The Eyre Affair. I have to say I liked this book, though I can't exactly say why. It's a simple story about the year in the life of Sara, and there are no real villains--maybe that's why I liked it. Similar to St Ursula's Girls Against the Atomic Bomb, I suppose. Give it a try, see what you can learn about your own fiction by reading Vandever's.
Book: Animating Maria
Author: Marion Chesney
Genre: Regency Romance
Length: 160 pgs
Summary:This is the fifth book of the School for Manners series in which twin sisters Amy and Effy Tribble advertise that they can make eligible matches for any troublesome yong woman. This time, however, they have a perfect client: Maria Kendall. She is pretty, well-mannered, graceful, and has a rich dowry. Unfortunately, there are two problems in Maria's way: 1) she tends to daydream a lot because 2) her parents are gaudy, self-important, and like Mr Collins about Lady Catherine de Bourgh from Pride and Prejudice, know the monetary value of everything they own (and like to reflect upon that). Her parents have chased away every eligible suitor in Bath, and now Maria journeys to London, where she meets the Duke of Berham. Can Maria climb down from her dreams to see the quality in the Duke? Can the Duke get past the common Kendalls?
pg 87 - The fact was that that glorious present had made Amy feel attractive and fascinating, and when a good-hearted woman feels attractive and fascinating, she quite often is.
Why should you read this book?
This is one of those light reads that I always suggest to my mother. The romance is traditional, which is my specialty, and means that the physical romance never gets past kissing, or, as in this case, a little petting (and that's usually after the couple has agreed they're going to marry). Chesney does a good job of making the characters fun to read about, and you do think about them after you've finished the book, which I always consider a victory for the author. I will say, however, that I was a little disappointed by the ending, because Chesney uses a quick fix to get her couple together, and then sets us up for the sequel.
Read this for a good example of traditional romantic fiction and an easy read.
Book: The Secret History of the Pink Carnation
Author: Lauren Willig
Genre: Historical Fiction, Chick Lit
Length: 400 pgs
Summary: Eloise Kelly is a PhD student chasing after the elusive Pink Carnation, a British spy during the Napoleonic Wars. Trekking across the Atlantic in search of primary sources to discover the identity of the Pink Carnation, Eloise discovers the biggest scoop of all time, one that the "finest historians" have missed--the secret history of the Pink Carnation. While reading journals of those involved, she stumbles upon a heady romance that leaves her aching for a little of her own. As from the front flap, "How did the Pink Carnation save England? And will Eloise Kelly find a hero of her own?"
pg 121 - "Miss Balcourt is not repugnant." Richard twisted in his chair, and stared at the door. "What the devil is keeping supper?"
Geoff leaned across the table. "Well, if she's not repugnant, then what's the--ah."
"Ah? Ah? What the deuce do you mean by 'ah'? Of all the nonsensical..."
"You," Geoff pointed at him with fiendish glee, "are unsettled not because you find her repugnant, but because you find her not repugnant."
pg 247 - Unfortunately, I knew exactly what I was suffering from. LIPID (Last Idiot Person I Dated) syndrome: a largely undiagnosed but pervasive disease that afflicts single women. [...] As everyone knows, lipids are fats, and fats are bad for you, and therefore ex-boyfriends must be avoided at all costs.
This is what comes of having a bio major as a roommate for four years.
pg 279 - It wasn't that I wanted Colin Selwick, I assured myself. Good heavens, no! I wanted what he stood for. I wanted someone who would drop a conversation when I appeared, who would worry if I said I felt sick, who would automatically shield me from being jostled without even stopping to think about it.
Why should you read this book?
First of all, just because the author has a PhD in history does not mean she got it all right. If you look at the Amazon reader reviews, you'll find people bewailing such scenes as a young woman walking around at night, alone on the shipdeck, in her nightgown, talking to a man who had been a stranger not eight hours before. And in the time of Jane Austen! Please keep in mind that this is fiction, and it's chick lit fiction at that, despite its historical fiction plot.
So, with that in mind, read this book for snappy dialogue, a fast plot, and some pretty funny characters. Pink Carnation has a creative little twist in taking a modern lead reading about a historical lead; the modern story is in first-person, and the historical fiction is in the third. I can't say it's an entirely new idea, but I was surprised in any case because I hadn't realized the novel was written in such a fashion. I will say that I found the historical supporting cast more interesting than the historical romantic leads, Amy and Richard, and that the modern romance between Eloise and Colin should have been fleshed out a little more. But then again, that's why there are books two and three, right? Another thing to look at when reading this book: the danger of using eye-catching words more than once. The fact that Willig used "stentorian" twice in the book had me laughing just for the fact that she must like that word. (FYI: stentorian is an adjective meaning extremely loud, and almost always describes someone's voice.)
While I won't claim this is high fiction, I also don't think that was Willig's intention. This is a feel good book to be read in a couple of hours with a certain suspension of disbelief. After all, she's writing about a fake spy...I think we can give her a little leeway.
Book: The Grand Sophy
Author: Georgette Heyer
Genre: Regency Romance
Length: 416 pgs
Summary: The Ombersley house is in a turmoil. Cousin Sophy Stanton-Lacy has been left by her father, Sir Horace, to find a husband...the problem is, Sophy cannot do any such thing until the house has been put to rights. After all, cousin Cecilia is in love with a foppish poet who has no concept of reality, cousin Charles is about to marry a prosy prig, and no one is doing anything about it! That is, not until Sophy walked through the door...
Why should you read this book?
For one thing, if you're a regency romance reader you're supposed to already know about Georgette Heyer. Shame on you if you don't. And now comes my shocking admission: this is the first Heyer book I've ever read. I hadn't ever heard of Heyer before I started trolling writing blogs a year or so ago, which is scandalous, I know. Heyer is often described as the new Jane Austen, and I can see the resemblences in the writing tone. The Grand Sophy is fast-paced. So fast-paced that I didn't find an excerpts to post. This isn't because I was so drawn in the story, but more...the pace was so fast I would almost feel physically tired and had to put the book down.
The book starts with a very long conversation between Lady Ombersley and her brother, Sir Horace. They talk for almost thirty pages! And while it's an amusing conversation, and we learn a lot of backstory, I almost put the book down because really, what was going on but two people talking about people I don't care about yet? This book, I feel, would have started better with the arrival of Sophy. Heyer does a good job of defining the characters, so the immense backstory at the beginning is unnecessary.
So, if you're going to read Heyer, I'm not sure this is the book to start with. I have another Heyer on my list to read, so hopefully I'll like that one more. Read this book to see how an author can make a manipulative character the hero, keep the pacing fast, give each character definition, and write a snappy love story where the two main characters don't fawn over one another (they actually argue the entire book).
Book: The Moon is Down
Author: John Steinbeck
Genre: Fiction
Length: 112 pgs
Summary: Written during the height of Nazi Germany's power, this book is about the invasion and betrayal of a small European town. A mechanized army, working on a time table and having no concept of defeat, walks into the town and takes control with little-to-no conflict. This book shares the events that happens after the takeover.
pg 3 - And Joseph went about testing each of the gilded chairs to see whether it had moved since he had last placed it. Joseph habitually scowled at furniture, expecting it to be impertinent, mischievous, or dusty. In a world where Mayor Orden was the leader of men, Joseph was the leader of furniture, silver, and dishes.
pg 3 - "They hurry toward their destiny as though it would not wait. They push the rolling world along with their shoulders."
pg 21 - Lieutenants Prackle and Tonder were snot-noses, undergraduates, lieutenants, trained in the politics of the day, believing the great new system invented by a genius so great that they never bothered to verify its results. They were sentimental men, given to tears and furies.
Why should you read this book?
To be honest, I never liked Steinbeck. I had to read The Pearl in high school and hated it, for reasons I can't quite remember today. I just finished reading this book for my European history class, and found myself inexplicably fighting tears by the end of it. The prose is simple, succinct, and touching because of its simplicity. Steinbeck does a credible job of making you, the reader, care about both the conquered and the conquering. Really, the true enemy in this book never makes an actual appearance to the stage...which seems to be a recurring theme in war, I suppose. In any case, give this book a try. It's short, something you could probably finish in a couple of hours. And note the lack of adverbs and unnecessary adjectives. Simple tricks like that make for powerful writing.
Book: A Mankind Witch
Author: Dave Freer
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 352 pgs
Summary: Cair Aiden, one of the Redbeard Raider brothers, a pair of corsair seacaptains, has washed ashore in Norseland and made a thrall (slave) of the Telemark kingdom. This is a new phenomenon for him--Cair has always been master of his own fate, and just because he is now a thrall doesn't make him believe differently. Studying his surroundings and the internal politics of this little kingdom of Telemark, set in the 16th Century, Cair manipulates his way into being the personal thrall of the Princess Signy, who is unknowingly at the center of an immense plot to throw the Christian oath-bearers out of the country and allow dark magics to reign supreme.
pg 216 - Cair swept aimlessly. His mind was a ferment. First, relief that she was, it appeared, both alive and unhurt. Secondly, at her reaction. Seeing her, smiling down at him, it had been a holiday with his wits. Cair was finally prepared to admit to himself that he--he of all people--was hopelessly in love with the girl-child*. And to her he was a loyal thrall, to be trusted enough to carry steel. Not even quite human. To be cherished, yes, as she did her horse. And yet, when he made her laugh in that dark place--it was all right. He would be her thrall, if he could make her happy.
pg 232 - Head bowed, trying to look even smaller and more unimportant than she felt, Signy walked out of the troll queen's throne chamber and down into the troll hill. Here she was--"Signy you can't do anything right," "Signy you are so clumsy you can't be trusted with anything"--with a skeleton key. His only key. A map which she couldn't read. Intructions she was terrified of having to follow. And it wasn't "Signy you can't succeed at anything." The thrall simply assumed that she would. It was a frightening and somehow uplifting belief. The little hard core of her honor that was the essence of Signy Siglunddottir was determined to do it. She kept a wary watch while he set the trap rope. At his gesture she moved past the door toward noisome cells, and waited, willing herself to be invisible.
*Worderella note: Signy the girl-child is 24 yrs old.
Why should you read this book?
It reads very much like Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. The beginning is slow, full of slight backstory so we are acquainted with the characters even while watching their present actions. There is a lot of political intrigue. Apparently, it's also part of a three-part story, where two of the main characters are the only main characters in the other two books, or so the narrative in this book leads me to believe. I probably won't be reading those, because I like how this one felt like a stand-alone. So, for you writers, read this book for an authentic feel for setting and history; especially in terms of all these Norse words that the characters use like it's no big deal. It's a big deal to me, I almost put the book down because I felt like I had to learn some other language to understand the story. Luckily, Freer told me what the words meant just as I was getting frustrated, and I read on.
Read this book for a well-planned romance that isn't the main point of the story. Instead, I would say this story is about self-empowerment. For both men and women, really, because all the characters at one point completely believe they will fail. By the end of the book, Freer utilizes the same trick Maguire does, which is to make his chapters shorter, so you feel like you're flying with the characters through this intense action. Overall, a good read. The characters are tangible and funny. The setting is believable and integral to the plot. The plot itself feels original to me, but that might be because I only have a moderate understanding of Norse mythology. I did recognize the villains from what I do know about Norse mythology, and yet, I was still interested. I still don't quite know their motivation behind their actions, except that as dark creatures they want more power, but I suppose that's just another reason to read this book and learn from Freer's mistakes and successes. Give it a try, I've decided I liked this book.
Book: Once Upon a Marigold
Author: Jean Ferris
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 272 pgs
Summary: The hook on the front cover of this book reads Part comedy, part love story, part everything-but-the-kitchen-sink. This book is actually a young adult fantasy, and I didn't realize that until I found the book in that section of my local library, but hey. I have loved Ferris ever since I read her Rosie & Raider trilogy (Into the Wind, Song of the Sea, and Weather the Storm). ...I can't believe I remembered the characters and titles without looking them up. Seriously, I read these books when I was thirteen. Anyway, Once Upon a Marigold is about Christian, a little boy who runs away to live with a forest troll, and spends his developmental years roaming the forest and reading every book he can "borrow." All the while, Christian uses his foster father's telescope to watch the goings-on in the royal castle across the river, and subsequently, falls in love with the "ugly duckling" Princess Marigold. This is a time when p-mail (aka pidgeon-mail) is modern, when Queen Mab of toothfairy fame is losing control of her business, and when a curse may not be a curse after all.
Excerpt:
pg 48 - And that was how their long p-mail correspondence began.
April 19. I'm 17. I'm an Aries. Why did you decide to write to me? - Marigold
You seemed so absorbed in your book. I wanted to know what you were reading. - C
For some reason, he was reluctant to tell her his name. The more anonymous he stayed, the bolder he felt--as if he were someone else, an alternate version of himself, a version who casually corresponded with a princess. A version who couldn't tell her his own birthday because he didn't know it.
You can see me? - Marigold
P.S. What does the C stand for?
He thought her first question sounded a bit alarmed, as most people would be if they found out they were being watched. But the fact that she'd added a P.S. meant she was curious about him, which he took as a good sign. He debated a long time about how to answer.
Sometimes I can see you. The C stands for my name.
Why should you read this book?
Because it's actually pretty funny, and funny is hard to do in books. It starts a little slow, but the characters are vivid, and interesting, and are people I wouldn't mind knowing in real life. And let me tell you, writing young adult fiction is hard. You have to get the exact amount of detail in there so the reader understands just what you want them to understand, without losing their interest. The plot runs really quickly as soon as Christopher starts to interact with Marigold, and you'll find yourself skimming just to know what happens next. But don't do it. Read it thoroughly and enjoy the pacing and narrative voice, and learn something from it. Once Upon a Marigold is great for anyone wanting to learn how to speed up their story, and to make their characters seem vivid (if a little stereotyped for some of the secondary roles).
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