The Hatmaker's Heart by Carla Stewart

Rating: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Netgalley

Read: February 18, 2015

For Nell Marchwold, bliss is seeing the transformation when someone gets a glimpse in the mirror while wearing one of her creations and feels beautiful. Nell has always strived to create hats that bring out a woman's best qualities. She knows she's fortunate to have landed a job as an apprentice designer at the prominent Oscar Fields Millinery in New York City. Yet when Nell's fresh designs begin to catch on, her boss holds her back from the limelight, claiming the stutter she's had since childhood reflects poorly on her and his salon. But it seems Nell's gift won't be hidden by Oscar's efforts. Soon an up-and-coming fashion designer is seeking her out as a partner of his 1922 collection. The publicity leads to an opportunity for Nell to make hats in London for a royal wedding. There, she sees her childhood friend, Quentin, and an unexpected spark kindles between them. But thanks to her success, Oscar is determined to keep her. As her heart tugs in two directions, Nell must decide what she is willing to sacrifice for her dream, and what her dream truly is.

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

My interest in Carla Stewart’s The Hatmaker’s Heart began, as so many of my selections do, with the cover. I like the detail and think the direction of the lighting quite interesting. The contrast it creates over the figure and her worktable caused me to pause, and ultimately request a copy of the title for review. Unfortunately, Stewart’s content failed to do the same and looking back, I can’t help thinking the time I spent with the piece wasted.

Forgive my blunt assessment, but I found Stewart’s treatment of the material mundane and lifeless. Nell Marchwold didn’t interest me in the least and I had great difficulty rousing sympathy for her predicament. She is a naïve Mary Sue who I felt lacking in both depth and intrigue. I caught myself yawning at her expense on more than one occasion and grew increasingly annoyed with her as the story progressed. 

The author’s interest in period fashion is evident and appropriate considering the scope of the narrative, but I can’t help wishing she’d put the same effort into recreating the atmosphere of New York in the nineteen twenties. I could well envision the hemlines and shape of this or that ensemble, but such detail and texture were absence in Stewart’s portrayal of the city itself and I had difficulty envisioning the world as Nell saw it. 

Stubborn to a fault, I finished the novel not for pleasure so much as pride. Ridiculous as it sounds, I refused to be defeated by these three hundred and some odd pages of text. Many readers seem to have enjoyed Stewart’s brand of storytelling, but I am forced to admit it held little satisfaction for me.

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

Nell held her breath. Yes, she’d wished for that, too, but an old nursery rhyme ran singsong through her head. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

Naked: A Novel of Lady Godiva by Eliza Redgold

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Netgalley

Read: May 14, 2015

We all know the legend of Lady Godiva, who famously rode naked through the streets of Coventry, covered only by her long, flowing hair. So the story goes, she begged her husband Lord Leofric of Mercia to lift a high tax on her people, who would starve if forced to pay. Lord Leofric demanded a forfeit: that Godiva ride naked on horseback through the town. There are various endings to Godiva's ride, that all the people of Coventry closed their doors and refused to look upon their liege lady (except for 'peeping Tom') and that her husband, in remorse, lifted the tax. Naked is an original version of Godiva's tale with a twist that may be closer to the truth: by the end of his life Leofric had fallen deeply in love with Lady Godiva. A tale of legendary courage and extraordinary passion, Naked brings an epic story new voice.

════════════════════════════ ❧  ════════════════════════════

I often refer to myself as a cover slut and Eliza Redgold’s Naked is yet another brilliant example of that comic personal quirk. Truth is I’ve little interest in the legend of Lady Godiva as there is virtually no historic evidence indicating her erotic exhibitionism actually took place, but I do enjoy art and John Collier’s striking oil was hard to ignore. I requested the book without much thought and only realized my general indifference as I downloaded an advanced reader’s edition to my kindle. 

Silly me right? Such is life, but a book is a book and I enjoy a challenge so it should come as no surprise that I poured myself a steaming mug of caribou coffee, opened my notepad and went to work. Three hundred and some odd pages later, well, I can’t say my opinion has changed, but I didn’t really expect it would so I suppose that a moot point. 

Atmospherically Redgold did not capture the period to my satisfaction. My introduction to historic fiction began with eleventh century England and all things considered, I’ve a fairly high standard of expectation. Fair or not, Redgold’s interpretation felt basic in comparison and I struggled to see Coventry through her heroine’s eyes. 

The romantic elements of the story were stronger than I expected, but had I done my homework I’d have noted Redgold has a couple of romance titles to her name. I don’t hold it against her, she handled the more intimate moments of the story rather well, but they did catch me off guard and I can’t help wishing there’d been some hint of them in jacket description. 

I felt Redgold’s interpretation of Godiva straightforward and lacking in depth, but her understanding and illustration of the political stage impressed me. Redgold’s presentation of the ruling class and their affairs was clear enough for those unfamiliar with the material to grasp, but not so rudimentary as to bore readers who might already possess a comprehensive understanding of Godiva’s situation. 

Redgold’s narrative style felt awkward and dialogue heavy, but the plot was certainly more coherent than that showcased in Galland’s Godiva. Unfortunately neither packed much of a dramatic punch and while each proved a pleasant enough diversion, neither fully captivated my imagination. 

════════════════════════════ ❧  ════════════════════════════

Shame. I licked it on my lips, tasted its vinegar on my tongue. Only moments before I’d told Aine I would feel no shame bringing justice. Now my head drooped like a harebell on a stem.

════════════════════════════ ❧  ════════════════════════════

A Rip in the Veil by Anna Belfrage

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Obtained from: Author

Read: March 15, 2015

On a muggy August day in 2002 Alexandra Lind is inexplicably thrown several centuries backwards in time to 1658. Life will never be the same for Alex. Alex lands at the feet of Matthew Graham – an escaped convict making his way home to Scotland. She gawks at this tall gaunt man with hazel eyes, dressed in what looks like rags. At first she thinks he might be some sort of hermit, an oddball, but she quickly realises that she is the odd one out, not him. Catapulted from a life of modern comfort, Alex grapples with her frightening new existence. Potential compensation for this brutal shift in fate comes in the shape of Matthew – a man she should never have met, not when she was born three centuries after him. But Matthew comes with baggage of his own, and at times it seems his past will see them killed. How will she ever get back? And more importantly, does she want to?

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

I owe my introduction to The Graham Saga to Amy Bruno at Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. Anna Belfrage was not a name I’d known before receiving an invitation to review the author’s sophomore release and while I remember thinking Like Chaff in the Wind looked vaguely interesting, I also remember wrestling down a significant amount of skepticism. I never expected to fall in love with the world Belfrage created, to connect with her characters or become thoroughly captivated by their experiences, but that is exactly what happened. 

To make a long story short, I loved the book and inhaled installments three through seven as soon as they were published. That said, it wasn’t until early 2015 that I decided to backtrack. Book one had taunted me for two years and I didn’t feel right tackling the series finale without knowing where Alex and Matthew’s journey began. My timing couldn’t have been better as the action in To Catch a Falling Star is closely related to plot points introduced in A Rip in the Veil. Linked as they are, I couldn’t help feeling the two served as beautiful bookends to the series and while I feel book one the most challenging in terms of content, my understanding of the how the novels progress allowed me to appreciate the intent and purpose of the novel in a way that is probably much different from those who approached the books chronologically. 

First and foremost, I want to note A Rip in the Veil is historically lighter than the rest of the series. Don’t misunderstand, there is plenty of period detail in these thirty-seven chapters, but Belfrage’s focus is in developing the relationship between hero and heroine. On a macro level this makes perfect sense as their partnership is the cornerstone of the series and requires solid development. The same can be said of the attention Belfrage pays time nodes, their nature and function, but I can see where fans of historic fiction may feel those elements received too much emphasis when considering the novel as a standalone. To this, all I can say is push forward before passing judgement. Trust me on this, it makes a lot of sense of the stories progress. 

The book is character heavy and frequently shifts between a number of narrators. Some may find this a little overwhelming, but I personally loved the movement and perspective Belfrage’s alternating POV afforded. I appreciated the insecurities the author established in both Alex and Matthew and how she wasn’t afraid to showcase lovers with flaws, quirks and personal demons. I also appreciated the care Belfrage took in crafting her antagonist and while I can’t say I’ve much affection for Hector Olivares, I can admit him exceedingly well-developed. He is an adversary with layers of rage and a personal vendetta as deep and complex as the centuries it spans. 

In sum, I loved the book as much as I did its successors. I could kick myself for waiting so long to read it, but that’s neither here nor there. A permanent part of my library, I can’t recommend the book or series highly enough. Thoroughly enjoyable, fun and imaginative. 

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

“Like man before the fall from grace,” he said, his hot breath tickling her. “And this is our Eden spread before us.” He turned her to face him. “This is your life now, here, with me. It’s time, Alex, to let the old life go.”

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

Rebel Queen by Michelle Moran

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Netgalley

Read: February 6, 2015

When the British Empire sets its sights on India in the 1850s, it expects a quick and easy conquest. After all, India is not even a country, but a collection of kingdoms on the subcontinent. But when the British arrive in the Kingdom of Jhansi, expecting its queen to forfeit her crown, they are met with a surprise. Instead of surrendering, Queen Lakshmi raises two armies—one male, one female—and rides into battle like Joan of Arc. Although her soldiers are little match against superior British weaponry and training, Lakshmi fights against an empire determined to take away the land she loves. Told from the perspective of Sita, one of the guards in Lakshmi's all-female army and the queen’s most trusted warrior, The Last Queen of India traces the astonishing tale of a fearless ruler making her way in a world dominated by men. In the tradition of her bestselling novel Nefertiti, which Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander series, called “a heroic story with a very human heart,” Michelle Moran once again brings a time and place rarely explored in historical fiction to rich, vibrant life. 

════════════════════════════ ❧  ════════════════════════════

Rani of Jhansi

I knew nothing about Queen Lakshmi or the Indian Rebellion of 1857 when I picked up Michelle Moran’s Rebel Queen. My eye was drawn to the unusual locale and an eagerness to experience a story that was both foreign and entirely unfamiliar. I’d enjoyed Moran’s work in the past and was optimistic of my prospects, but looking back I can’t help feeling the reality fell short of my expectations.

In theory, Sita was a well-positioned narrator, but I don’t feel Moran’s treatment of the character lived up to the jacket description. Sita spends relatively little one-on-one time with Queen Lakshmi and much like Varvara in Eva Stachniak’s The Winter Palace, is wholly removed from the queen during the most exciting and important events of the narrative. The emotional and at times physical distance between Moran’s heroine and her headliner is substantial and I felt that fact limited the author’s ability to convincingly develop the queen’s complexities and personal views. 

I was further frustrated by the pacing and tone of the narrative. I truly appreciated the cultural insight Moran offered throughout the text, but I spent most of my reading waiting for something to happen. Eighty percent of the novel focuses on some form of sisterhood and that’s great, but I personally found the quiet intimacy of those relationships tedious and dull. I crave movement, action, political tension and urgency, but such moments didn’t arrive till the eleventh hour and felt exceeding awkward tacked on in final moments of Sita’s story.

At the end of the day, I learned a lot from Rebel Queen, but I can’t help wondering if my personal tastes would be better satisfied by the work of John Masters or Christopher Nicole. I don’t regret the time I spent with this book, but I don’t think it Moran’s strongest release and would have reservations recommending it forward.

════════════════════════════ ❧  ════════════════════════════

“We've all done things we'd rather keep in the dark. It's only by shedding light on them that our demons can disappear.”

════════════════════════════ ❧  ════════════════════════════

Islands of the Damned: A Marine at War in the Pacific by R.V. Burgin

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Local Library

Read: June 22, 2015

This is an eyewitness—and eye-opening—account of some of the most savage and brutal fighting in the war against Japan, told from the perspective of a young Texan who volunteered for the Marine Corps to escape a life as a traveling salesman. R. V. Burgin enlisted at the age of twenty and, with his sharp intelligence and earnest work ethic, climbed the ranks from a green private to a seasoned sergeant. Along the way, he shouldered a rifle as a member of a mortar squad. He saw friends die and enemies killed. He saw scenes he wanted to forget but never did—from enemy snipers who tied themselves to branches in the highest trees, to ambushes along narrow jungle trails, to the abandoned corpses of hara kiri victims, to the final howling banzai attacks as the Japanese embraced their inevitable defeat. An unforgettable narrative of a young Marine in combat, Islands of the Damned brings to life the hell that was the Pacific War.

════════════════════════════ ❧  ════════════════════════════

It sounds horrible, but I didn’t set out to read Islands of the Damned. Truth is it was one of those right time right place selections, the kind of thing that more or less falls into one’s lap. I’d just watched The Pacific for the umpteenth time and got it into my head to do a little background reading. With the Old Breed and Helmet for My Pillow were first on my list, but unfortunately neither was available at my local library. A quick search for other titles on similar topics turned up several pieces including Battleground Pacific and Red Blood, Black Sand, but it was Burgin’s name that jumped from the catalogue screen which is how the audio edition of his memoir ended up accompanying me home. 

A friend of mine was moving so I listened to much of the book the following weekend as I repeatedly traversed the stretch of freeway that bisects Camp Pendleton. Traffic was slow, stop-and-go most of the way, and I was thankful for the distraction Burgin’s work afforded. Alone in my SUV, I was able to focus on Sean Runnette’s narration, but I soon found myself at odds with the sedate tone of Burgin’s prose and frustrated by the lack of intensity presented his audience. The comparison isn’t fair, but the book didn’t pack the punch of Leckie or Sledge’s recollections and the end result made it much harder for this particular reader to remain engaged in the account. 

I don’t argue the value of the material and I like the sense of perspective Islands of the Damned offers alongside With the Old Breed, but as a standalone I felt the memoir challenging. It isn’t as comprehensive as other titles and relies heavily on singular interpretation. The author’s voice is mild and he has a tendency to repeat his favorite personal anecdotes. I felt his romance with Florence Risely heartwarming and I was stuck by his memories of Captain Andrew ‘Ack-Ack’ Haldane and First Lieutenant Edward ‘Hillbilly’ Jones, but I prefer those accounts that delve into the complex psychology of life on the front lines and that was not a topic Burgin felt the need to explore length.

I’m glad to have experienced Islands of the Damned, but I’m not ashamed to admit I struggled with it. I went in with an expectation it didn’t achieve and though I’d certainly recommend the title to those interested in WWII’s Pacific Theater, I can’t claim it my favorite Marine Corps memoir of the period.  

════════════════════════════ ❧  ════════════════════════════

What sticks with me now is not so much the pain and terror and sorrow of the war, though I remember that well enough. What really sticks with me is the honor I had of defending my country, and serving in the company of these men. They were good Marines, the finest, every one of them.

════════════════════════════ ❧  ════════════════════════════

The Memory Painter by Gwendolyn Womack

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Personal Library

Read: July 1, 2015

Two lovers who have traveled across time. A team of scientists at the cutting edge of memory research. A miracle drug that unlocks an ancient mystery. Bryan Pierce is an internationally famous artist whose paintings have dazzled the world. But there's a secret to his success: Every canvas is inspired by an unusually vivid dream. When Bryan awakes, he possesses extraordinary new skills...like the ability to speak obscure languages and an inexplicable genius for chess. All his life, he has wondered if his dreams are recollections, if he is re-experiencing other people's lives. Linz Jacobs is a brilliant neurogeneticist, absorbed in decoding the genes that help the brain make memories, until she is confronted with an exact rendering of a recurring nightmare at one of Bryan's shows. She tracks down the elusive artist, and their meeting triggers Bryan's most powerful dream yet: visions of a team of scientists who, on the verge of discovering a cure for Alzheimer's, died in a lab explosion decades ago. As Bryan becomes obsessed with the mysterious circumstances surrounding the scientists' deaths, his dreams begin to reveal what happened at the lab, as well as a deeper mystery that may lead all the way to ancient Egypt. Together, Bryan and Linz start to discern a pattern. But a deadly enemy watches their every move, and he will stop at nothing to ensure that the past stays buried.

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

My purchase of Gwendolyn Womack’s The Memory Painter was something of a surprise. I mean no offense, but when push comes to shove I’m a bit of a penny pincher and rarely buy books blindly. Truth is, I’d not heard of this piece before spotting the striking yellow cover at the Historical Novel Society Conference bookstore and was entirely unfamiliar with the author. I queried a handful of my peers and while they agreed the book looked promising, no one had read it and I wasn’t entirely convinced I wanted to be the first to plunge into a debut. Historically speaking, such ventures seldom ended in my favor, but something about the description sparked my curiosity and refused to let go. I debated a while, but ultimately caved to indecision and acquired the title. 

I’ll be honest, things did not start well. I spent the first three chapters wondering what I’d gotten myself into, but all that changed in chapter four. The plot started coming together and the story began to find its feet. The rush, however, was short-lived and by the end of chapter eleven, I felt I could confidently predict how things would turn out. Chapters twelve through thirty-nine didn’t leave much of an impression, the drama was diverting enough, but predictable in my eyes. The pacing intensified in chapter forty and the curve-ball in chapter forty-five found me cheering Womack’s creativity, but the moment was all too brief as the novel concluded only three chapters later. 

Did I like the story? Yes, looking back at the plot, I think The Memory Painter a fun crossover piece. There isn’t as much history as I’d hoped, but I enjoyed the elements Womack wove into the narrative. I think the author could have done more with the emotional relationship between Bryan and Linz, but the pair proved enjoyable protagonists nonetheless. I found Finn and Conrad incredibly interesting, but you’ll have to read the book to understand why. As far as supporting characters are concerned, I liked Barbara, but felt Claudette, Martin and Layla underdeveloped in comparison which bothered me as I felt their roles should have placed them on more equal footing.

Ideally, I’d have loved a historical note. Something that explained how and why the author chose the historic figures that appear throughout the piece. Personally, I’d have loved to know why certain figures, Louis Le Vau and Pedro Damiano for example, were less prominent than Origenes Adamantius and Alexander Pushkin. I’d also have liked a slightly stronger finish. I appreciate that Womack’s conclusion is meant to lead into a follow-up, but the final notes of the narrative felt rushed and awkward just the same.  

Would I recommend The Memory Painter? As usual, that would depend on the reader. Diehard historic fiction fans might find the book a difficult sell, but the book incorporates exciting elements of both thrillers and science fiction and should prove quite entertaining to those with varied tastes and open minds. 

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

Michael didn't know what the right course was anymore. All he knew was that Renovo had the power to change human existence, and the responsibility that came with being its creator was paralyzing. Was he a monster or some sort of hero? He didn't know.

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════