Deborah is a writer and champion of books. She is an independent reader/reviewer, uncompensated for major and minor publishers. With degrees in Fine Arts, ArtHistory/MuseumStudies and English Lit., her interests are eclectic, as are her reading preferences. Surrounding herself with books,artworks, assorted papergoods and a collection of pens, she reads constantly, writes reviews...writes and writes!View Full Profile
A sweeping historical debut about the Creole socialite who transformed herself into an empress
Readers are fascinated with the wives of famous men. In Becoming Josephine, debut novelist Heather Webb follows Rose Tascher as she sails from her Martinique plantation to Paris, eager to enjoy an elegant life at the royal court. Once there, however, Rose’s aristocratic soldier-husband dashes her dreams by abandoning her amid the tumult of the French Revolution. After narrowly escaping death, Rose reinvents herself as Josephine, a beautiful socialite wooed by an awkward suitor—Napoleon Bonaparte.
“A debut as bewitching as its protagonist.” —Erika Robuck, author of Hemingway’s Girl and Call Me Zelda
“Vivid and passionate.” —Susan Spann, author of The Shinobi Mysteries
Heather Webb grew up a military brat and naturally became obsessed with travel, culture, and languages. She put her degrees to good use teaching high school French for nearly a decade before turning to full time novel writing and freelance editing.
When not writing, Heather flexes her foodie skills or looks for excuses to head to the other side of the world.
For more information please visit Heather’s website. You can also find her on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.
THE BOOKISH DAME REVIEWS :
There are few women of history who are more fascinating than Josephine Bonaparte. I've often thought of her as the most mysterious and exotic of women, but never knew what it was about her that captured one of the most powerful men of all times. Heather Webb has gone a long way to answer many of my questions. Her book, "Becoming Josephine" is the best of any I've read thus far that attempts to portray Josephine as a real woman with depth and character. This is an extremely worthy book of historical fiction.
While it's not a long book, or it doesn't seem so when you're reading it, this one is fraught with many wonderful details about Josephine and her life in its early and later times. It builds her persona from her days as a child on Martinique, explaining her roots in religion and the exotic which she brought all the way through her days as the enchanting Empress who won the heart and soul of Napoleon. She lives in the pages of this novel as we've never seen her before.
I thought the best element of the book was how Ms Webb "aged" Josephine along as a person who was young and searching for the fulfillment of her life, to a woman who had discovered and embraced her destiny. It's this search for her authentic self that is so charming and persuasive in the novel. We travel along with her through her times of love, horror, loss and majesty to the end when she can look back on it all. I loved this broad overview and found it never bogged down by too much in one time frame or relationship in her life.
Heather Webb is a gifted writer who captivates and carries us along with her as she tells her story. Josephine is a living, breathing person in this novel. One who will absolutely convince you of her unique spirit and gorgeous allure.
I highly recommend this historical fiction to all HF fans. It's one you won't forget....
5 stars Deborah/TheBookishDame
*This review is brought to you in cooperation with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours; however, the review and all opinions are strictly my own.
When a young American woman vanishes without a trace from a quaint fishing village on the coast of England only one person knows the truth, but he remains silent, allowing the authorities to search for her in vain, safe in the knowledge that she will never be found. As Valerie’s bereft sister returns home alone, she struggles to understand what happened and come to terms with her terrible loss when she suddenly stumbles upon a clue that might finally shed some light on her sister’s disappearance.
Meanwhile, Valerie Crane finds herself transported to the year 1605. Terrified and confused she turns for help to the Whitfield brothers, who take her in and offer her a home despite their misgivings about her origins. Both Alexander and Finlay Whitfield fall in love with the mysterious woman who shows up on their doorstep, creating a love triangle that threatens to consume them all. Valerie must make her choice, deciding between the brother who will lead her down the path of destruction or one who will give her the love she couldn’t find in her own time.
Publication Date: December 7, 2011
Merlin Press
eBook
ASIN: B006JRO9WS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR :
Irina Shapiro was born in Moscow, Russia, where she lived until she was eleven. In 1982 her family emigrated to the United States and settled in New York. Due to her love of reading, Irina was able to pick up English very quickly, and was an honor student throughout her school career.
After graduating from Bernard M. Baruch College in 1992 with a Bachelor’s degree in International Business, Irina worked in advertising for two years before shifting her focus to Import/Export. She worked her way up to the position of Import Manager in a large textile house before leaving the work force in 2007 to focus on her autistic son.
It wasn’t until Irina had been at home for some time that she began to write. Eventually the characters began to take on a life of their own and have conversations in her head, and once she started writing her musings down the stories came easily enough. Irina incorporated her love of history and travel into her writing to create a rich and detailed background for the characters. Since then Irina has written eight novels. She is currently working on book five of The Hands of Time Series.
Irina Shapiro lives in New Jersey with her husband and two children.
We are delighted to feature a guest post today from Ms Shapiro having to do with her book. I want to thank you, Irina, for taking time to bring this to A Bookish Libraria....
Here it is! I'm so glad you chose this subject for your post...
Choosing a historical
period for a time travel romance
As a writer, one of the first questions I ask myself when
planning a time travel romance is where exactly am I sending my heroine, and
why.Those might seem like fairly simple
questions, but the time and place are of paramount importance since they
function as the backdrop for everything that happens in the story, and the
political and social elements shape the events and the relationships between
the characters.When writing The Hands of Time, I was sure that I
wanted to send my American heroine to England, but it took some research to
decide on a time period.I’d already
written about the Tudor era, as well as eighteenth-century Scotland, but this
was going to be something different, and I didn’t want to write about events
that many others have already explored in their work.
For some reason, my mind kept turning to Guy Fawkes Night.I found it intriguing that it’s still
celebrated in England on November 5th, and effigies of the
unfortunate Guy Fawkes are burned throughout the country, commemorating the
events of that day.I didn’t know much
of what transpired, but took it upon myself to learn.The more I read, the more it seemed to fit
with my story.Religious strife between
Catholics and Protestants in England was nothing new, but this wasn’t the
religious revolution started by Henry VIII, and perpetuated by his devoutly
Catholic daughter Mary and her Protestant half-sister, Elizabeth.This was an equally volatile, but later time
in British history, when a Catholic monarch was on the throne after years of
Protestant rule, yet the Catholics were still oppressed and discriminated
against as much, or even more, than they had been during the reign of Elizabeth
I.Their discontent was such, that it
prompted a plot that nearly succeeded in blowing up the entire Parliament with
the King in attendance, an act that could have changed the entire landscape of
British politics had it not been foiled in the nick of time.
Now, this sounded like something my characters could really
sink their teeth into, and a fascinating situation to explore through the eyes
of my American heroine who came from an era of religious freedom and equality
for all.I had chosen the time and
place, and now all I had to do was write a great story incorporating the
religious, political, and social climate into the lives of my characters while
they tried to navigate the treacherous waters of sixteenth-century England, and
still manage to find happiness and love, and a carve out a future for
themselves.
This tour was brought in cooperation with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. I highly recommend this book! You can read more about it, some interviews and more guest posts by clicking onto this link: http://www.hfvirtualbooktours.com
A family divided by fortune. A country divided by faith.London 1609...
Elspet Leviston’s greatest ambition is to continue the success of her father Nathaniel’s lace business. But her dreams are thrown into turmoil with the arrival of her mysterious cousin Zachary Deane – who has his own designs on Leviston’s Lace.
Zachary is a dedicated swordsman with a secret past that seems to invite trouble. So Nathaniel sends him on a Grand Tour, away from the distractions of Jacobean London. Elspet believes herself to be free of her hot-headed relative but when Nathaniel dies her fortunes change dramatically. She is forced to leave her beloved home and go in search of Zachary - determined to claim back from him the inheritance that is rightfully hers.
Under the searing Spanish sun, Elspet and Zachary become locked in a battle of wills. But these are dangerous times and they are soon embroiled in the roar and sweep of something far more threatening, sending them both on an unexpected journey of discovery which finally unlocks the true meaning of family . . .
A Divided Inheritance is a breathtaking adventure set in London just after the Gunpowder Plot and in the bustling courtyards of Golden Age Seville.
PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK :
Published by: PAN Books/Macmillan
Pages: 520
Genre: Historical Fiction
Author: Deborah Swift
Purchase: Amazon
ABOUT THE AUTHOR :
Deborah Swift used to work in the theatre and at the BBC as a set and costume designer, before studying for an MA in Creative Writing in 2007. She lives in a beautiful area of Lancashire near the Lake District National Park. She is the author of The Lady’s Slipper and is a member of the Historical Writers Association, the Historical Novel Society, and the Romantic Novelists Association.
For more information, please visit Deborah's website. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter
A BOOKISH LIBRARIA IS DELIGHTED TO HAVE MS SWIFT WITH US TODAY FOR AN AUTHOR COMMENTARY :
Researching
the Jacobean Family Home
By
Deborah Swift
In A
Divided Inheritance, Elspet Leviston stands to lose her family’s house and
business to a cousin she never knew existed. To recreate the house in my mind I
researched the late Elizabethan and Early Jacobean style – a period much
overlooked, but with its own distinct characteristics.
Elspet lives in London and her house has been in the family
for generations, so it is likely that the actual fabric of the building would
have been Tudor or even earlier, but with more modern furnishings. She also
tells us in the novel that her father is quite reluctant to update the house –
to buy new drapes or replace worn items. Westview House in the novel would be
quite shabby, but with good quality furniture.
I used a real house to model Elspet’s home
on. I find it much easier to write if I have a good sense of the geography of a
house and a real picture of where doors, windows and so forth would have been.
I couldn’t find a suitable house in London
of the right middling size, though I used the street map of the time to locate
where the house would have stood. Much of this area of London was lost in the subsequent Great Fire
of 1666.
The house I chose to use is Bampfylde House
which is actually in Exeter, but was the period
and style which would have been similar to London houses of the time. Sadly this
building no longer stands, as it was destroyed by incendiary bombs in 1942.
Such a catastrophe! But there is a fascinating article about its history here,
along with interesting tales of when it was visited by the Duke of Bedford.
The paintings of the house were done by
Robert Dymond, an antiquarian who visited it when it was still there, in 1864.
The house has a small courtyard and the front, and a larger one behind, which I
make good use of in the novel for Zachary Deane’s sword practice.
Jacobean furniture was massive, heavy and
built to last. Often from oak, and built on simple lines, it is characterised
by ornate carvings, and friezes of decorative designs. Chairs were probably
quite uncomfortable as upholstery was little-used.
There would have been shutters at the mullioned
windows to keep in the warmth, and drapes possibly hand-embroidered with crewel
work. Here are some examples of crewel work designs from the Victoria and
Albert museum. Elspet’s mother may have spent long hours embroidering items
such as these, and rubbing them with lavender or sandalwood to keep off moths.
Ceilings were elaborately plastered, as in
the Oak Room shown here - but these would have been stained with smoke from
open fires and from tobacco.
It was crucial to me to have a real sense
of what Elspet might lose if she failed to keep her family’s house, so the
reader can empathise with that. Re-creating the dark, somewhat structured interior
of the house was also vital as a contrast to what Elspet later finds in Spain when she has to pursue her cousin to hot
and dusty Seville.
At the time Seville is the busiest port in
Europe during Spain’s
Golden Age, full of new and exciting sights, scents and sounds. There Elspet
finds a completely different lifestyle, architecture and customs. Not only
that, but she finds a new physical freedom she could never have found in London.
By the way, those
interested in Jacobean houses might also find this article of interest – how Apethorpe
Hall, a Jacobean treasure, was saved by one man.
QUITE THE HISTORY LESSON, DEBORAH!!! THANK YOU FOR THE VISIT AND THE PICTURES YOU'VE SHARED.... NOW: THE BOOKISH DAME REVIEWS "A DIVIDED INHERITANCE:" To say that this book has been thoroughly researched and soundly set in the 1600's, London, would be an understatement. Richly detailed in every way, this is a novel that pleases even the staunchest historical fiction aficionado. Ms Swift is never out of the element of Jacobean England, and I dare anyone to catch her in a flaw!
Not only is this a resplendent historical, but it is also a gorgeously written story of love and mystery. I fell in love with the characters, as well as their turbulent relationship. I think that's what makes a book truly enjoyable to read. The side story of the lace and embroidery was fascinating to me, as well, since I am a needlewoman, having spent over 40 years practicing needlepoint and cross stitch myself. Just an added bonus.
Deborah Swift's writing style is reminiscent of "The Count of Monte Cristo" in its swash-buckling and drama. There is a timelessness about it. She is an author who stands alone in historical fiction because of her sense not only of scene and setting, but of characterization, plot, and authentic descriptions of costuming.
If you're looking for a novel that will bring you a few hours of authenticity, escape and mystery, this is the one. Ms Swift knows how to engage a reader. You'll find yourself swept up in the love story, the romance and the beauty of London and Spain...
5 stars Deborah/TheBookishDame
*NOTE:
This review and author's guest post was brought to you in cooperation with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. The thoughts and impressions of the book are my own.
Please follow the entire tour of reviews, interviews and other guest posts, as well as giveaways by clicking on this link: http://www.hfvirtualbooktours.com
A triumphant portrait of a resilient and courageous woman and the life she might have lived . . .
Skillfully interweaving historical fact with psychological insight and vivid imagination, Sharratt’s redemptive novel, Illuminations, brings to life one of the most extraordinary women of the Middle Ages: Hildegard von Bingen, Benedictine abbess, visionary, and polymath.
Offered to the Church at the age of eight, Hildegard was entombed in a small room where she was expected to live out her days in silent submission as the handmaiden of a renowned but disturbed young nun, Jutta von Sponheim. Instead, Hildegard rejected Jutta’s masochistic piety and found comfort and grace in studying books, growing herbs, and rejoicing in her own secret visions of the divine. When Jutta died some thirty years later, Hildegard broke out of her prison with the heavenly calling to speak and write about her visions and to liberate her sisters and herself from the soul-destroying anchorage. Riveting and utterly unforgettable, Illuminations is a deeply moving portrayal of a woman willing to risk everything for what she believed.
“With elegance and sensitivity, Mary Sharratt rescues Hildegard von Bingen from the obscurity of legend, bringing to life the flesh-and-blood woman in all her conflict, faith, and unwavering tenacity. Illuminations is an astonishing revelation of a visionary leader willing to sacrifice everything to defend her beliefs in a dangerous time of oppression.”—C. W. Gortner, author of The Confessions of Catherine de Medici
PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK :
Published by: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Hard cover) Pages: 269 Genre: Historical Fiction Author: Mary Sharrat
Praise for Illuminations"An enchanting beginning to the story of the perennially fascinating 12th-century mystic, Hildegard of Bingen. It is easy to paint a picture of a saint from the outside but much more difficult to show them from the inside. Mary Sharratt has undertaken this with sensitivity and grace."
—Margaret George, author of Mary, Called Magdalene
"I loved Mary Sharratt’s The Daughters of Witching Hill, but she has outdone herself with Illuminations: A Novel of Hildegard Von Bingen. She brings one of the most famous and enigmatic women of the Middle Ages to vibrant life in this tour de force, which will captivate the reader from the very first page."
—Sharon Kay Penman, author of the New York Times bestseller Time and Chance
"I love Mary Sharratt. The grace of her writing and the grace of her subject combine seamlessly in this wonderful novel about the amazing, too-little-known saint, Hildegard of Bingen, a mystic and visionary. Sharratt captures both the pain and the beauty such gifts bring, as well as bringing to life a time of vast sins and vast redemptions."
—Karleen Koen, author of Before Versailles and the best-selling Through a Glass Darkly
The author of four critically acclaimed historical novels, Mary Sharratt is an American who lives in the Pendle region of Lancashire, England, the setting for her acclaimed Daughters of the Witching Hill, which recasts the Pendle Witches of 1612 in their historical context as cunning folk and healers. She also lived for twelve years in Germany, which, along with her interest in sacred music and herbal medicine, inspired her to write Illuminations: A Novel of Hildegard von Bingen. Illuminations won the Nautilus Gold Award for Better Books for a Better World and was selected as a Kirkus Book of the Year.
For more information please visit Mary's website and blog. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.
Video moment capturing the essence of the novel:
THE BOOKISH DAME REVIEWS :
As I read this novel late and into the early morning hours I was struck by how genteel the author writes. There is at once a claustrophobic atmosphere that she cannot help but draw for us with this novel, but also an overwhelming covering of peace along with it. It's a remarkable feat. While I sometimes wondered how the children and young women could breathe in such a tiny cell...I also felt the expansiveness of their hearts and spirits through the pen of Mary Sharrat. Here is a generous and gorgeous storytelling ability. I simply adored this little book.
Previously, I had very little knowledge of Hildegard von Bingen, though I lived many years of my childhood in Germany. Ms Sharrat does a wonderful job of clearly telling her life story without over-expounding upon the mysteries and spirituality so that we lose sight of her humanity. Hildegard is a very accessible young and older woman throughout the book, and one whom I would have given anything to know. It is through the portrayal of her humanity that we come to understand the profound implications of her spiritual blessings and messages for all of humanity.
First, I must say that I'm not Catholic, so I don't understand all the canonization laws and recognitions of saintly people, etc. I believe another way, and that's fine since the purpose of this review is not to expound upon my religious views. However, I must tell it like it appeared to me...and that was that I thought much of Hildegard's spiritual gifts coming forward from her tomb as an anchorite were having to do with those things she lacked so very much: fresh air, light, sunlight, interaction with nature, a long view of things in nature or outside her "prison." It seemed to me in her constricted world she was starved for those things. In addition, I wonder whether she was a pre-teen and young woman who did suffer migraines because of the circles of light so often spoken of. Perhaps these physical problems manifested as visions, as well as "prophesies." I have no doubt that Hildegard was a grand genius of a woman, regardless.
Not only was she a genius of a woman, but she was one who had immense courage and fortitude. And, she was touched by God without a doubt. Her deep conviction about the well-being and rights of young women/nuns was foremost, and her beautiful writings, songs and other spiritual gifts of strength have made her outstanding among women. I think Mary Sharrat captured the whole of Hildegard's personality and character in her book.
There are few books I've read on such a subject that have held me rapt the way this one did. I give all the credit to Mary Sharratt, though her story was an interesting one to tell. Her style of writing was sensitive and flowing. Despite the horrors of being walled in for years with a madwoman, Hildegard's grace and sanity was well described to me as a reader. Ms Sharratt is an author I'll be looking forward to reading again.
A book about a medieval nun, obscure in the day, who has lasted in time... this is an exceptional story. I highly recommend it.
5 stars Deborah/TheBookishDame
*Note: This review was brought to you in cooperation with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours
"A unique and enthralling style. . .flawless." —Baltimore Books Examiner
In this mesmerizing new novel, Mingmei Yip draws readers deeper into the exotic world of 1930s Shanghai first explored in Skeleton Women, and into the lives of the unforgettable Camilla, Shadow, and Rainbow Chang.
When Shadow, a gifted, ambitious magician, competed with the beautiful Camilla for the affections of organized crime leader Master Lung, she almost lost everything. Hiding out in Hong Kong, performing in a run-down circus, Shadow has no idea that Camilla, too, is on the run with her lover, Jinying—Lung's son.
Yet while Camilla and Shadow were once enemies, now their only hope of freedom lies in joining forces to eliminate the ruthless Big Brother Wang. Despite the danger, Shadow, Camilla, and Jinying return to Shanghai. Camilla also has her own secret agenda—she has heard a rumor that her son is alive. And in a city teeming with spies and rivals—including the vengeful Rainbow Chang—each battles for a future in a country on the verge of monumental change.
When she was a child, Mingmei Yip made up stories like “how the moon reached to slap the sun” and “how the dim sum on my plate suddenly got up to tango.” At fifteen, she was thrilled that not only her article got published but she was paid ten dollars for it. Now Mingmei is a best selling novelist and children’s book writer and illustrator.
Mingmei believes that one should, besides being entertained, also get something out of reading a novel. She has now twelve books to her credit, including five novels by Kensington Books: The Nine Fold Heaven, Skeleton Women, Song of the Silk Road, Petals from the Sky, and Peach Blossom Pavilion. Book Examiner praises her novels as “A unique and enthralling style…flawless.” Her two children’s books are Chinese Children’s Favorite Stories and Grandma Panda’s China Storybook, both by Tuttle Publishing.
Mingmei is accomplished in many other fields. A professional player of the Guqin, Chinese zither, for over thirty years, she was recently invited by Carnegie Hall to perform in “A Festival celebrating Chinese Culture” in the same program with cellist Yo Yo Ma and pianist Lang Lang. She had her solo Goddess exhibition at the New York Open Center Gallery to great acclaim, gave calligraphy workshop at New York’s Metropolitain Museum of Art, and Taichi at the International Women’s Writing Guild.
Shanghai is an exotic place to me even today, so imagine how intrigued I was to be reading a book about the lawless days of the 1930's in that locale. Beautiful women: a singer/spy, a magician, courtesans and simply the crafty; this is a book filled with the most captivating and reckless of characters. I was held happily spellbound for hours.
I hadn't read anything by Mingmei Yip up to this time, though I do have one of her other books, which I'll be in a rush to get to now that I've read this one. It's called, "Song of the Silk Road." After having investigated, I find I'm literally/literately ignorant since she is a well-received and prolific author who specializes in "provocative and poignant" stories of women in Chinese culture.
This book was quite descriptive, the women particularly being visually available, as well as psychologically fascinating. I found "Camilla," the primary character simply irresistible. She was one of those who immediately brings you into the storyline, winds you into her life-images and takes you with her on a journey you can't be torn from.
One of the best features of this book is the many references to Chinese lore or "proverbs." I was often smiling and nodding my head to the ones having to do with instructions about seduction and love. It seems Camilla was a wealth of knowledge and application of them. It just added to the joy of reading the novel.
The element of organized crime in the book is an added point of interest. I imagine much of this is gleaned from actual truth of the 1930's gangs. I got a kick out of this particular segment of the story. Some of the gang members were hilarious.
While all of the above made this a good read, I found the writing style a bit naïve or a least very different from the books I've been reading this year. I asked my husband, who is an author, what he thought about it as I read passages to him. He decided it was because of the translation factor. It may be so.
Nevertheless, this is a book I believe everyone will enjoy who loves historical fiction in an unusual setting; particularly in the Orient.
I was happy to be introduced to this new author. I'll be reading more of her books.
4 stars Deborah/TheBookishDame
NOTE: This review was brought to you in cooperation with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. Although I received a copy of the book, the review is strictly my own thoughts and feelings about it.
Please follow click on this link to follow the recent tour of the book featuring other reviews, interviews with the author and author comments.
Confessions of Marie Antoinette, the riveting and sweeping final novel in Juliet Grey’s trilogy on the life of the legendary French queen, blends rich historical detail with searing drama, bringing to life the early years of the French Revolution and the doomed royal family’s final days.
Versailles, 1789. As the burgeoning rebellion reaches the palace gates, Marie Antoinette finds her privileged and peaceful life swiftly upended by violence. Once her loyal subjects, the people of France now seek to overthrow the crown, placing the heirs of the Bourbon dynasty in mortal peril.
Displaced to the Tuileries Palace in Paris, the royal family is propelled into the heart of the Revolution. There, despite a few staunch allies, they are surrounded by cunning spies and vicious enemies. Yet despite the political and personal threats against her, Marie Antoinette remains above all a devoted wife and mother, standing steadfastly by her husband, Louis XVI, and protecting their young son and daughter. And though the queen and her family try to flee, and she secretly attempts to arrange their rescue from the clutches of the Revolution, they cannot outrun the dangers encircling them, or escape their shocking fate.
Juliet Grey is the author of Becoming Marie Antoinette and Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow. She has extensively researched European royalty and is a particular devotee of Marie Antoinette, as well as a classically trained professional actress with numerous portrayals of virgins, vixens, and villainesses to her credit. She and her husband divide their time between New York City and southern Vermont.
THE BOOKISH DAME REVIEWS :
Simply a joy to read another book about my favorite queen of all time...Elizabeth Tudor and Mary Queen of Scots running 2nd and 3rd slots for me. There is just something so vulnerable and sweet about Marie Antoinette that speaks to me. Her earnestness, her trying to become the queen expected of a child who is thrown into a foreign/strange court without family or friends. A child queen who struggled and evolved into a historical figure of courage, exemplary tastes, and recognition for her special elegance and grace in time of terror and disaster. I thought this book was a perfectly wonderful summary of her final years, and I loved it.
Juliet Grey has long been an author who delights me. I've been reading her books since the original came out in the 1990's, I believe. She has a wonderful way with description...gowns, interiors, conversation between her characters. Her settings never leave you at a loss for time and place as she sets the action and characters within them.
Nothing short of excellence in her characterizations found within her novel. You come away with every sense that you know Marie, Louis and their loyal servants completely. I think she's the only author I've read who makes me think I know the full picture of what happened to them in their final days. I found myself heartbroken at their treatment...the unkindness...and Marie's courage in the face of it.
This is a book that will reach into the hearts of all lovers of historical fiction. Whether you've read anything about Marie Antoinette or not, the writing here is fresh and carries new perspectives on the woman and her household. It's an engaging book that rushes you to the end. It is a fully descriptive one with the finest details of court and clothing! I couldn't put it down!
Great story of Marie Antoinette for any historical fiction reader! 5 stars
Deborah/TheBookishDame
*Note: This book review is brought to you by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Reviews. However, the thoughts and review are my own.
Widowed for the second time at age thirty-one Katherine Parr falls deeply for the dashing courtier Thomas Seymour and hopes at last to marry for love. However, obliged to return to court, she attracts the attentions of the ailing, egotistical, and dangerously powerful Henry VIII, who dispatches his love rival, Seymour, to the Continent. No one is in a position to refuse a royal proposal so, haunted by the fates of his previous wives—two executions, two annulments, one death in childbirth—Katherine must wed Henry and become his sixth queen.
Katherine has to employ all her instincts to navigate the treachery of the court, drawing a tight circle of women around her, including her stepdaughter, Meg, traumatized by events from their past that are shrouded in secrecy, and their loyal servant Dot, who knows and sees more than she understands. With the Catholic faction on the rise once more, reformers being burned for heresy, and those close to the king vying for position, Katherine’s survival seems unlikely. Yet as she treads the razor’s edge of court intrigue, she never quite gives up on love.
Elizabeth Fremantle holds a first class degree in English and an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck College London. She has contributed as a fashion editor to various publications including Vogue, Elle and The Sunday Times. QUEEN'S GAMBIT is her debut novel and is the first in a Tudor trilogy. The second novel, SISTERS OF TREASON, will be released in 2014. She lives in London.
Praise for Queen’s Gambit"This is a superbly written novel... Fremantle is surely a major new voice in historical fiction and this book is the answer to the question about what Hilary Mantel fans should read while waiting for the final part of her trilogy." - The Bookseller
“Wildly entertaining…lively, gamey, gripped with tension…one of the best historical novels I’ve read.” - Liz Smith
"Elizabeth Fremantle's rich narrative breathes vibrant life into Henry VIII's most intriguing, intelligent and least known wife, Katherine Parr." - Anne Easter Smith author of A Rose for the Crown and Royal Mistress
"Queen's Gambit is an earthy, vivid portrait of Tudor England seen through the eyes of Henry VIII's last wife Katherine Parr and her loyal maid servant. Elizabeth Fremantle has added a richly written and engrossing novel to the endlessly fascinating story of the Tudors." - Stephanie Cowell author of Claude and Camille: A Novel of Monet
"Queen's Gambit is a lovely, sensual, subtle read, telling the story of Katherine Parr with both rich imagination and scrupulous attention to factual detail. After reading this historical novel, you truly comprehend what it would mean to be the sixth wife of a dangerous man wielding absolute power. Katherine is no selfless nurse here, nor religious fanatic, but a complex and compelling person who both men and women were drawn to. This is a very impressive novel." - Nancy Bilyeau author of The Crown
"Beautifully written and finely observed, this suspenseful tale of Henry the Eighth's last wife expertly conveys all the dangerous intensity and passion of the Tudor court." - Rachel Hore, author of A Place of Secrets
"With a painter’s eye for detail, Fremantle brings the dazzling, dangerous Tudor court to life and sheds an intriguing new light on Katherine Parr, one of history’s great survivors. An enthralling tale of power and passion, loyalty and betrayal." - Elizabeth Wilhide, author of Ashenden
"Fremantle...navigates Tudor terrain with aplomb." - Publishers Weekly
"Sins, secrets and guilt dominate the landscape of British writer Fremantle’s debut...[her] emphasis is on intrigue, character portraits and the texture of mid-16th-century life. Solid and sympathetic." - Kirkus Reviews
“Intrigue, romance, and treachery abound in Fremantle’s debut novel . . . . This compulsively readable fictional biography of the ultimate survivor is infused with the type of meticulous attention to historical detailing that discerning fans of Alison Weir and Philippa Gregory have come to expect in the Tudor canon.” - Booklist
"Queen's Gambit" is a historical novel in the vein of writers such as Philippa Gregory and C. W. Gorton. It's a beautifully researched book, well-written and engaging representation of Katherine Parr, the final wife of Henry VIII. What it's not is fluff. Ms Fremantle takes us on a journey through the court of Tudor times and gently leads us through its intriguing manners. I thoroughly enjoyed the read!
While much time was not spent on the actual relationship between Henry and Katherine, Ms Fremantle does describe how the wooing of Katherine took place and how bits of their relationship progressed. I wished for more fictitious parts in this area, I have to admit. She adheres to what we know are the parts of history best known about this venerable couple. Still, the sections were interesting and attention-grabbing.
It's difficult not to fall in love with the Katherine Parr as described in these pages. She is a modern woman in any time or era. Strong in her pursuits of knowledge and women's freedoms, strong in her
fearlessness and actions as queen, Freemantle paints a beautiful portrait of her.
The story that strings Parr's along and is most entertaining of the novel to me is that of her maidservant, Dot/Dorothy Fownten. It's a sweet story capturing the underpinnings of court life and the devotion of its "downstairs" people. Through the life and eyes of Dot, we see the hardships of Katherine in her personal struggles as Queen and her difficulties in working toward religious reformation.
This is a beautifully written book, enticing in it's flow of plot, educational in it's adherence to historical happenings. I had a wonderful time reading it and especially loved Elizabeth Fremantle's writing style.
Easily recommended to fans of historical fiction! 5 stars
Deborah/TheBookishDame
NOTE:
This review was brought to you in cooperation with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. The review is my own personal opinion, however, and has no bearing on the fact that I'm part of the tour.
