The Shadow Queen: A Novel by Sandra Gulland

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Netgalley

Read: October 8, 2013

From the author of the beloved Josephine B. series, comes a spellbinding historical novel about a young woman who rises to become the confidante to the most powerful, provocative, and dangerous woman in the 17th-century French Court: the mistress of the charismatic Sun King. 1660, Paris: As the daughter of itinerant actors who once lit up the Parisian stages, Claudette always thought her future lay in the theater. But a series of chance encounters pull Claudette into the alluring orbit of the most beautiful woman in all of France: Athénaïs de Montespan, the mistress to Louis XIV and reigning "Shadow Queen." Impetuous by nature, Athénaïs wields a disconcerting amount of power-a fact that has ruffled many of the Sun King's key advisors. Needing someone to act as her eyes and ears, Athénaïs hires Claudette as a personal attendant. The young stagehand leaves the world of theater only to find that Court is very much like a stage, with outward shows of loyalty masking more devious intentions. This parallel is not lost on Athénaïs, who fears political enemies are plotting her ruin while young courtesans angle to take the coveted spot in the king's bed. Indeed, Claudette's supposedly respectable new position is marked by spying, rumormongering, illicit trysts, and titanic power struggles. As Athénaïs begins to lose her grip on the Sun King, her plots and fascination with the magical arts take a dark turn that makes Claudette question her allegiance to this mercurial figure-and puts the young maid's very life in jeopardy. Set against the gilded opulence of a newly constructed Versailles and the blood-stained fields of the Franco-Dutch War, The Shadow Queen is a seductive, gripping novel about lust, power, loyalty and the increasingly uneasy relationship between two strong-willed women whose actions have the ability to shape the future of France.

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Athénaïs de Montespan

The Shadow Queen marks my first experience with author Sandra Gulland and I'm kind of bummed to report it didn't exactly pan out the way I'd hoped it would. While not particularly bad, it wasn't all that good and left me at a bit of a loss. 

I think a lot of the hype surrounding this title is connected to Athénaïs de Montespan as the jacket description gives her character significant prominence. Thing is, The Shadow Queen isn't about Athénaïs. It is about Claudette des Oeillets. 

The story begins in 1651 where fourteen year old Claudette is introduced as a tumbler, working alongside her parents for their daily bread. For a time the family struggles happily along, but when tragedy strikes, she is forced into a very different role. I'm not in the business of recapping so if you want the story, read the book. Point is, Gulland spends a significant portion of the next several chapters exploring theater culture and historic events related to various troupes and playwrights of the period. It's great material, but bear in mind Claudette sits on the sidelines for most of it - making sets, mending costumes, watching the players, studying their craft, that sort of thing. She rarely steps in front of an audience so in terms of movement, there is just not much going on. 

Now if you're rereading the description and thinking something doesn't line up, you're right. What of Claudette's life at Court? The titanic-power struggles? What happened to that bit? Good question my friends, a very good question. 

The reality here is that Athénaïs lives in gilded opulence, spying on her peers and scheming against her rivals while enjoying illicit affairs with the Sun King, but our narrator does not bear witness to her rise to power which leaves us effectively in the dark. In point of fact, our heroine doesn't take a position in the royal household until Chapter 37. That's right, it takes more than half the novel to get our girl in the thick of things and not only that, Claudette decides she can't take the heat and boogies by the end of Chapter 54, never to return. To add insult to injury, she attends no balls, partakes in no political scheming, and while she is manipulated into a few brief intrigues, most of the intervening chapters are dedicated to the things she does away from the royal residence, e.g. nursing her ailing mother, attending to the needs of her younger brother, and running errands for her mistress. Again, decent material, but not what I was expecting given the description.

Somewhere along the line I placed blame for this debacle with the marketing department, but when I actually finished the book I found that Gulland's story in and of itself had me raising an eyebrow in confusion. 

Claudette des Oeillets

Structurally there were a lot of things I didn't understand about this novel. Like the relationship between Claudette and Athénaïs. Can someone please explain this? The first time they meet Claudette gives Athénaïs a spell that naturally, doesn't work. Athénaïs demands something stronger to which Claudette promises a poison in exchange for a favor. The favor is granted, but Claudette skips town and doesn't see Athénaïs again for years. Yet when next they meet, the two are instantaneously thick as thieves, sharing secrets like sorority sisters. Did I miss something? Where did the vote of confidence come from? Kind of kills the basis of the book when you can't understand the very foundation of the story. 

Gulland further confused me by incorporating several elements that seem entirely irrelevant. What's the deal with the Bird Catcher? And the scene with the stolen cloak, how does that further the plot? Claudette's brief and altogether inexplicable affection for Alexandre... again, what the heck? Why waste time on this material? I don't understand. 

Maybe I am just the wrong reader in that I don't get Gulland's style or grasp what she was trying to say, but when all is said and done, I think this is one of those books I wanted to like more than I actually did. Great material, but not what I was looking for in terms of storytelling. 

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Sometimes I felts like a queen of shadow realms, forever peering out onto glittering worlds - whether watching my mother performing from the dark wings, or Athénaïs from this darkened room. 

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Guest Post: Orphan Trains by Julie Dewey

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Thanks so much for having me at Flashlight Commentary, it’s a pleasure to be here.

My book, ‘Forgetting Tabitha; the Story of an Orphan Train Rider’, explores what it was like to be an orphan living in the Five Points District of New York City in the 19th century.  Tabitha, the heroine, is a spunky young ten year old girl who was raised by Irish Immigrants until tragedy strikes and leaves her alone to navigate the tumultuous city streets. 

We follow Tabitha on her heart breaking journey and meet many other orphans along the way.  The common factor between the children being the will to survive.  

Orphan trains took the indigent off the city streets and transported them via railway in all directions west in hopes of finding stable homes or work.   Children were given new identities along with bibles that would help them become Christian.  They were to forget their pasts as they boarded the trains and never look back.

What makes this story so remarkable is that it really happened and few people are aware of this time in our history.  I wonder why it isn’t studied in history class as I feel it would be a fabulous addition to the curriculum.   The construction of the rail road itself proved as interesting as the study of Reverend Brace, the gentleman who developed the idea of orphan trains.  As a result of his progressive thinking we now have our modern day foster care system.

I thank you all for taking the time to learn more about Tabitha, Scotty, Edmund, Gert, and Sonya, all characters in my book who rode the orphan train.

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About the Author: Julie Dewey is a novelist who resides with her family in Central New York. Her daughter is a singer/songwriter, and her son is a boxer. Her husband is an all-around hard working, fantastic guy with gorgeous blue eyes that had her falling for him the moment they met. In addition to researching and writing she is an avid reader. She is also passionate about jewelry design and gemstones. She loves anything creative, whether it be knitting, stamping, scrapping, decoupaging, working with metal, or decorating. Visit her website to get your reading guide for this book and to read an excerpt from her second novel, One Thousand Porches.

About the Book: Raised on a farm outside of West Chester County, Tabitha Salt, the daughter of Irish immigrants, leads a sheltered existence. When tragedy strikes the family, the ten year old and her mother are forced to move to the notorious Five Points District in New York City. Known for its brothels, gangs, gambling halls, corrupt politicians, and thieves, the Five Points is a chaotic slum. The women find work as laundresses, struggling every day to survive in their squalid living conditions. When tragedy strikes again, Tabitha finds herself on the streets of New York City, alone. Summoning her courage and willing her legs that are numb with fear and grief to move, she takes to a life on the streets. Stealing food and running from the law, Tabitha dreams of the future. During this time the Sisters of Charity were plucking orphans off the streets with promises of a new life. Children were told to forget their pasts, including their religious beliefs, families, and names. They were to become Christian and were given new identities, only then could they board the orphan trains. The orphan trains carried the destitute children out west in search of new homes. Siblings were often ripped apart and many didn’t find homes but became indentured workers in exchange for room and board. The looming decision would alter her life course; boarding the train meant leaving everything and everyone she knew behind. Vulnerable and afraid she made her decision.

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Check out all the stops on Julie Dewey's Forgetting tabitha virtual book tour

Monday, October 7
Review at Flashlight Commentary

Tuesday, October 8
Review & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages
Guest Post at Flashlight Commentary

Wednesday, October 9
Review at West Metro Mommy
Interview & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Thursday, October 10
Review at A Bookish Affair
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews
Review & Giveaway at The Eclectic Reader

Friday, October 11
Guest Post & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair

Forgetting Tabitha: The Story of an Orphan Train Rider by Julie Dewey

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Read: October 6, 2013

Raised on a farm outside of West Chester County, Tabitha Salt, the daughter of Irish immigrants, leads a sheltered existence. When tragedy strikes the family, the ten year old and her mother are forced to move to the notorious Five Points District in New York City. Known for its brothels, gangs, gambling halls, corrupt politicians, and thieves, the Five Points is a chaotic slum. The women find work as laundresses, struggling every day to survive in their squalid living conditions. When tragedy strikes again, Tabitha finds herself on the streets of New York City, alone. Summoning her courage and willing her legs that are numb with fear and grief to move, she takes to a life on the streets. Stealing food and running from the law, Tabitha dreams of the future. During this time the Sisters of Charity were plucking orphans off the streets with promises of a new life. Children were told to forget their pasts, including their religious beliefs, families, and names. They were to become Christian and were given new identities, only then could they board the orphan trains. The orphan trains carried the destitute children out west in search of new homes. Siblings were often ripped apart and many didn’t find homes but became indentured workers in exchange for room and board. The looming decision would alter her life course; boarding the train meant leaving everything and everyone she knew behind. Vulnerable and afraid she made her decision.

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Forgetting Tabitha threw me for a loop. The blurb described a touching portrait of a child's experiences on the orphan train when in truth Julie Dewey's story is a much stronger tale about both the immediate impact and long term repercussions endured by those entrusted to the care of the program.

Far from being a children's story, Forgetting Tabitha touches on some pretty heavy content including, but not limited to, the world's oldest profession. Now I don't much care one way or the other, but I will say I appreciate the courage Dewey exhibits in taking this story where she felt it needed to go and in no way criticize her for driving home the intensity of this awful reality in her narrative. 

Similarly, Dewey's description of the Five Points is both bleak and violent. Overcrowded and poor, life in this section of the city was a daily struggle for its inhabitants and here again, I liked that Dewey wasn't intimidated by graphic subject matter or tempted to tone it down to make it more palatable for modern readers. 

Don't get me wrong, I liked the sections that focused on the orphan train, but it was the idea that these kids were leaving difficult and dangerous circumstances and weren't always landing on their feet that captured my attention. Some were essentially hired hands, others little more than indentured servants, and while a fair few managed to find loving homes, their lives were often dogged by the shadow of the pasts. I knew the material fairly well going into this piece, but even so, was impressed with Dewey's treatment of it.

When all is said and done, Forgetting Tabitha is not a book to be judged by its cover. Heart-wrenchingly poignant, Tabitha's experiences along with those of the other orphan train riders are highly indicative of the history that inspired Dewey to put pen to paper and create this illuminating story of endurance, fortitude and hope. 

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I missed my da and the old Irish tunes he sang sweetly to us after dinner, and the way he was always coddlin' around. I missed my mama for more reasons than I could count. I even missed Mrs.  Canter and all her handouts. I only had one choice... I wiped my bloody hands across my dirty skirt, pulled up my knee socks, sucked in my breath and walked towards my destiny. 

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Check out all the stops on Julie Dewey's Forgetting tabitha virtual book tour

Monday, October 7
Review at Flashlight Commentary

Tuesday, October 8
Review & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages
Guest Post at Flashlight Commentary

Wednesday, October 9
Review at West Metro Mommy
Interview & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Thursday, October 10
Review at A Bookish Affair
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews
Review & Giveaway at The Eclectic Reader

Friday, October 11
Guest Post & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair

The Outlaw Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Obtained from: Netgalley

Read: October 2, 2013

Fulke FitzWarin has played many roles -- loyal knight, dangerous outlaw, dashing lover, loyal husband. But when a violent quarrel with King John disrupts Fulke's ambition to become Lord of his own castle, his true character as a valiant hero is revealed.

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How does one describe reading Chadwick? I began contemplating the question when I received The Outlaw Knight for review and even after reading the book the only thing I'm sure of is that I am incapable of doing justice to the author or her work. 

Do you start in with the emotional beauty of her stories? Give comment on the range and depth she portrays in John's petulant outbursts, Jean's brotherly affection and William's stubborn pride? Or it is better to highlight the intricate complexities of the interrelationships her characters enjoy, for example the fraternal loyalty shared by Theobald and Hubert or the steadfast devotion that exists between Fulke and Maude. 

Of course one can't forget the author's obvious attention to detail. Close your eyes and you can picture the stable yard at Alberbury, the garrison at Whittington and even the salting larder at Shipley. Honestly, Chadwick takes scene building to an entirely different level, immersing her readers in the world her characters inhabit by crafting a vivid and comprehensive portrait of medieval life within the confines of a fictional narrative. I don't often agree with promotional endorsements, but Sharon Kay Penman was spot on when she declared these books the next best thing to time travel. 

Then again, perhaps it is best to go in an entirely different direction and describe Chadwick's gift for storytelling. Her ability to manipulate both history and mythology in the tale of a marcher lord who becomes an outlaw, tames Welsh dragons, slays Irish serpents and defies his king in the name of honor, justice, chivalry, and pride. 

When all is said and done, I suppose it doesn't matter. For years I've made due shoving Chadwick's books at my friends with the terse order to read and thank me later. It isn't a particularly articulate recommendation, but it seems to work well enough. Suffice it to say that true to form, The Outlaw Knight, is a wonderfully addictive read. A beautiful story you can't help but fall in love with. 

*Note: This title was previously published as Lords of the White Castle. 

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"By God on the Cross and the Devil in the pit of hell, I will give Fulke FitzWarin and his brothers the justice of common law," he choked. "I will have them strung from the gibbet on Whittington's battlements and they can gaze on their land from from there!"

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Shadowed by Grace by Cara C. Putman

Rating: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Netgalley

Read: October 4, 2013

Shadowed by Grace is the first in a stirring new series of stand-alone historical suspense novels by acclaimed author Cara C. Putman. Desperate to save her dying mother, Rachel accepts her newspaper’s assignment to travel to Italy to captures images dangerously close to the front lines of WWII. Her real motive – to find the father she never knew -- an artist she hopes can offer the comfort and support both she and her mother need to survive. It’s an unlikely situation for love and faith to flourish, but soon Rachel not only finds herself, but also her long-lost earthly father, and ultimately, the man her Heavenly father created to cherish and provide for her.

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Generally speaking, I like the idea of a fictional story involving the Monuments Men, but I must admit Cara C. Putman's Shadowed by Grace doesn't measure up to the novel I envisioned in my mind's eye. Though I enjoyed the art history she folded into the story, I wasn't sold on the wartime romance she created, nor her attempt to incorporate faith as a primary theme. 

I read a lot of inspired fiction and I honestly feel the best books in the genre are written by authors who weave faith into the fabric of their stories, making it intrinsic to the telling and when all is said and done I don't think Putman was able to achieve that. The Christian themes she utilizes read like peripheral subject matter rather than fundamental content and more often than not felt forced and out of place alongside the historic and emotional aspects of the novel.

I also found the author's lack of familiarity with war fiction difficult to digest. I've not read her before, but it is my understanding that most of Putman's work take place on the home front while this title finds her characters in the thick of the conflict, a place that isn't nearly as conducive to stolen intimacies. It happens several times throughout the narrative, but for example, please consider the following: 

     A shrill whistle filled the air, overlapping the drone, followed an eternity later by the thunder of explosions he felt through the ground. Dirt and debris towered into the air before cascading

back to earth. Men screamed as shrapnel embedded in the men unlucky enough to be close to the detonation.

     Rachel shuddered and covered her ears. Scott rolled, placing himself on top of her, sheltering her as best he could.

     A second wave of planes flew by dropping more bombs. 

     Each explosion seemed to roll through him. More screams followed by moans.

     How close were they?

     He didn’t dare look around since moving would be foolhardy and create a target for the pilots. 

     He felt a vibration as Rachel twisted beneath him, her mouth moving. The words didn’t reach him. His ears were filled with the echoing concussions of the detonations.

     At synchronized intervals death and destruction rained about them.

     He pushed her head down.

     Long minutes passed, and then the silence became real enough to touch.

     Rachel shuddered, and he eased to the side.

     He eased up, then helped her. Her eyes were wide, shock enlarging her pupils, her cheeks slack. He traced his hand down her cheek, then leaned closer to hear her words.

     “We’re alive?”

     “Yes.”

     She threw her arms around his neck and held on. He memorized the moment. The feel of her tucked next to him, then tipped her chin up and pulled her close. His lips settled on hers, and he deepened the kiss as she matched his fervor. He needed to end this. Put a stop to the kiss before it got out of control. But all he could think was how close he had come to losing her. One misplaced

bomb and they’d both have died.

     Tyler stumbled toward them, shock pulling down his face. 

     Scott jerked away from Rachel but not before he noticed her touch her lips.

     Several cars were stopped in front of them, a half-track smoldering in flames. He tried not to imagine what had happened to the men who had been in it. The fields on either side of the road were decimated, civilians bloodied and still. Moans filled the air with a mournful wail. Men writhed not ten yards from the jeep, while others lay still . . .

The dust from an aerial assault has barely had time to settle, adrenaline is pumping, hearts are pounding, a second attack may be moments away, men are scattered on both sides of the road some dead, others moaning in agony, civilians are running in terror and only a few feet from our leading lady, a young girl's life is seeping into the dirt as she succumbs to the jagged piece of shrapnel embedded in her chest. Call me crazy, but this doesn't seem like the time or place for even a second of romantic euphoria, yet that is exactly what Putman is asking her readers to believe. Plausible? I think not. 

Shadowed by Grace is marketed as an inspirational historical romance. Peppered as it is with art history, I can say the historical aspect is present, but as stated, I didn't find the religious themes and/or romantic content believable, a fact that made the book intensely difficult for me to appreciate. While I genuinely feel Putman had a good idea, the execution of it left much to be desired and resulted in a final product that wasn't my cuppa tea. 

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The drumbeat to do more filled him, and the grumbling only stirred that urge. He'd come with order to save Western civilization. The longer he sat in Naples, the less likely he'd fulfill that mission. 

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Games Lovers Play by June Tate

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Netgalley

Read: October 3, 2013

When 19-year-old Connie Morgan falls for dashing young car mechanic and fledgling racing driver, Sam, she is anxious to end her adulterous relationship with her married boss, John Baker. But John isn't going to let her go that easily and, desperate not to lose Sam, Connie finds herself playing a dangerous game.

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Games Lovers Play marks my first encounter with author June Tate and while I feel the story had loads of potential, I can't say I was particularly impressed with final product. 

Though the blurb only mentions Connie's romantic attachments to John Baker and Sam Knight, there is a significant duel plot involving John's wife Kay and one Edward Harrington. Why the marketing department failed to acknowledge this, I can't say, but I honestly think they missed the mark by ignoring the underlying theme of the novel. Tate was trying to explore something here - the intricacies of complicated relationships and the choices people make to survive them - and to boil that down to a simple love triangle is nothing short of criminal.

I liked how Tate painted Connie and her emotional journey and I liked how it contrasted with Kay's situation. The naive young woman testing the waters for the first time and the experienced older woman finding the courage to jump in again. Think Clare Boothe Luce's The Women or Olivia Goldsmith's The First Wives Club and you'll have a good feel for what Tate was doing here, or at least what she was doing before adding Jake Barton to the mix. The marketing department veered off course, but Tate herself stalled out on the track with this character. Everything attached to him came out of left field and served as a distraction to the larger narrative.

The nail in the coffin was the pleasantly packaged punchline. I know they work for some readers, but canned happily ever afters aren't my thing. All told, Games Lovers Play, might make a decent beach read, but I'd be hard pressed to recommend it beyond that.  

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She tried to control the fear building inside her. If Sam thought for a moment there was something between her and her manager, she knew she'd lose him.

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