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 Last week, I posted a review of Jill Pitkeathley’s lovely Cassandra and Jane, which you can check out further on its HarperCollins book page. Today I’m happy to host Jill as she writes about the struggle of getting people to take Jane Austen seriously. Please welcome Jill!
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“Jane Austen?” said my friend, “Are you mad? Nobody will want to read Jane Austen at the women’s group.”
“Why ever not?” I asked, amazed by the vehemence of her reaction.
‘Well she is so, so … un-liberated—all that Mr Right stuff and women sewing shirts while men were out hunting—it is all so irrelevant and anyway we need to discuss books which are controversial—there is no controversy in Jane Austen.”
This was my first try at getting a book group to focus on my favourite author and it certainly was not going very well. To be fair, it wasn’t actually called a book group—it was called a women’s group—this was the 70s after all—but we met in each others houses, read books and discussed them so a book club in embryo perhaps?
My friend who was so opposed to Jane Austen was the group leader so I needed to ask why she thought my suggestion would be so unpopular.
“They all have the same plot—‘poor girl wins rich man after some misunderstandings’, there is no sex in them and most of us were made to read them at school- enough reasons?”
I resisted the temptation to refute her first two by reference to Emma- who is extremely rich and to the various seductions and women fallen from grace to whom I could point. I had to own though that if you had been forced to study a book—especially for an examination and almost every educated English woman had had that experience at the time, reading that author for pleasure might take some getting used to. So I resolved to resist pressing Jane on to the group immediately.
At the next meeting the book we were discussing was about whether marriage was necessary for a woman to be happy and how you could cope with a marriage which was unhappy. One member suddenly said:
“It all depends doesn’t it on whether you see yourself as Elizabeth Bennet or Charlotte Lucas in Pride and Prejudice — you know whether it is all about romance and dreams coming true or whether you settle for the least worst option.”
“Oh but Elizabeth is not a romantic fool,” said another, “she will manage Darcy well but there will have to be compromises on both sides.”
“Well,” I joined in scarcely able to believe my luck at this unexpected development in the discussion, “there are compromises and compromises—would you settle for Mr. Collins?”
Almost immediately the room was buzzing, every member trying to contribute:
“Think of the consequences in those days of not being married”
“Yes, how would you like to be dependent on your brothers?”
“But imagine Mr. Collins in the bedroom—it is too awful.”
“Far better to be single and poor or even a governess.”
“Don’t be ridiculous—governesses were slaves—think of Jane Fairfax.”
I glanced over at my friend as the heated conversations went on.
“Still think there is nothing to discuss in Jane Austen?” I said.
“You win” she said—“which book do you want to present next time?”
Since then I have heard Jane Austen discussed in endless different settings. I have seen people laugh helplessly at some of her scenes and cry uncontrollably too. I have witnessed people almost coming to blows about whether Fanny Price is a moral example to be admired or a self-righteous prig, or about whether Emma’s attentions do more harm than good to Harriet Smith.
I suppose the commonest topic for discussion in the groups over the years is whether Jane’s writing is relevant today or a form of escapism. I have no doubt where I stand on that—I rarely pick up a Jane Austen without finding within it some dilemma which is facing me or my friends and family today, or some new historical perspective on a problem. Above all I will always find her delicious irony and her wicked humour which will enable me to cope better with what ever is worrying me at the time.
Of course the huge interest in Jane Austen and the new films and TV series which have been made of her works and about her life, have introduced many more people to the joy of her. They have added many more topics for discussion too not only well trodden one such as –
“Was she ever in love?” “Was she a feminist?” but also details of the adaptation, casting and dialogue, is the new Elizabeth as good as the last and is this Captain Wentworth better than last years?”
I am sure I am like many others in that there some portrayals I cannot bear to watch, others I could watch every week. As long as people feel the same about the adaptations, the novels themselves and above all about dear Jane, book clubs will never be short of discussion topics!
 If little is known about Jane Austen, even less is known about her sister Cassandra Austen, aside from the fact that she sketched the only portrait we have of Jane and never married. Jill Pitkeathley assumes Cassandra’s viewpoint in this historical novel, imagining the close relationship between the sisters from childhood until Jane’s early death. Together, the sisters experience the pain of lost loves, the struggles of unmarried daughters reliant on their brothers’ wealth, jealousy, and a variety of other trials, never losing their faith in each other.
I try to avoid “sequel” type books for most of my favorite literature. I make an exception here; I have no problem with historical fiction imagining the lives of these authors, as that’s on a different plane from ruining one of my favorite books, so I was eager to read this book. I’d never heard of the author before, but it sounded lovely and I was right, it was worth my time. I felt that this novel evoked a perfect late 17th/early 18th century England. Pitkeathley never slips, never introduces any anachronisms; I feel that she must know Austen’s novels very intimately to make this one feel like it’s drawn straight from that era.
Moreover, you can see that she’s drawn on those novels to produce Jane’s opinions and her personality, and I love that Pitkeathley gives tribute to Jane’s brilliance, when she is so frequently downgraded by people who dismiss her novels as early chick lit. Jane here is a great, multi-faceted character, frequently discontent with her lot and determined to express the problems inherent in society in her writing.
Unfortunately, there is one downside to this novel, and that is Cassandra. She is, simply, dull. It’s clear that she is just a mirror held up to Jane’s brilliance, and while the real Cassandra may have had some personality of her own, this one doesn’t. She only expresses an opinion twice, when she becomes engaged and when she is jealous of Jane. Otherwise, she is far too complacent and colorless. She could almost have been an omniscient 3rd person narrator for all I cared about her; the sisters’ relationship is nice, but it is Jane that this novel is clearly about and all the other characters fade before her.
I’d also like to mention this novel’s genesis. Ms. Pitkeathley had cancer twice, and the second time, she determined that if she lived, she would write this novel. It’s incredibly admirable of her not only to determine that and follow through on her promise to herself, but to deliver a book that is a very good read. She’s done a great job here and I will give her a lot of credit. I hope she writes another novel, as she definitely has talent.
I would recommend Cassandra and Jane to those who would like to read more about Jane Austen; who would like to, in a sense, get more of the feel of her novels without ruining them. It’s a good read, but it could have been more. Buy this book on Amazon.
 Growing up on the streets of medieval Florence, uncommonly handsome Luca Bastardo knows how to survive. His skills come in handy as he goes on to have a lifespan that is absolutely extraordinary, experiencing the transition from medieval to Renaissance Florence; he endures many trials, some harder than others, in his search for his heart’s greatest desire.
This is one chunky historical novel. Not only is it fairly long at over 500 pages, but it also covers a fair span of history. Luca experiences the beginning of the Renaissance and is consistently involved with some of Florence’s most famous faces. I did find it a bit of a stretch that a homeless boy would encounter and befriend so many “famous” people, but I rolled with it and enjoyed guessing who he met before we were told.
The story is very engaging. It moves along, skipping many years when necessary, and with such a long lived character, we lost out on the many boring parts of Luca’s life. In general, I liked him, although he did irritate me at times. There is some magic involved; Luca practices alchemy and obviously his lifespan is not that of any normal human being. So we have to suspend our disbelief to enjoy the book, but as a reader of fantasy, I didn’t mind. I try to take historical fiction with a grain of salt and a bit of fantasy tossed in does help that. To my knowledge, however, the actual history is pretty accurate.
In short, I enjoyed this book and I’d recommend it to other readers of historical fiction. Buy this book on Amazon.
Already read Immortal? Want to discuss it? Join The Literate Housewives, an online book club started by Jennifer at The Literate Housewife!
 Much as Uhtred hates Alfred and wishes to fully identify with the Danes who raised him, he finds himself once again drawn into the conflicts on the Saxon side instead of taking his hereditary castle, Bebbanburg, from his scheming uncle. This time, Uhtred must capture London for his cousin, Aethelred, who is marrying Aethelflaed, Alfred’s daughter and Uhtred’s friend. This book is the fourth in the Saxon Tales series, which is ongoing.
As usual, Cornwell delivers on many fronts. His books always provide exciting battle scenes, arrogant and capable main characters, and satisfying friendships and rivalries. Usually, however, Cornwell doesn’t do so well with women. They tend to be on the edges of the story, flat characters who serve as love interests and nothing else, and I’ve heard that this is the worst in the Sharpe series. I was a little worried about this here. Aethelflaed is one of my absolute favorite historical characters. We know very little about her, but we do know that she led men to battle and that she was known as “Lady of the Mercians”, effectively ruling Mercia when her husband Aethelred died. This, to our knowledge, is extremely rare in Anglo-Saxon England, so I was hoping for Cornwell to more fully portray Aethelflaed, perhaps on par with the men Uhtred fights with. She’s not there yet, but she does have a small, defiant, royal place in this series. She is still young in the series timeline, but I am hoping that Cornwell will continue to flesh her out as he writes more books.
This book also strays a bit more from the historical record, as the author’s note tells us, but Cornwell pulls it off and his fictional events seem plausible next to the real battles. He knows what he’s talking about and it’s obvious. His battle scenes are some of the best I’ve ever come across, and he just seems to be getting better; they’re not glorious heroes of war, they are flesh and blood men trying to kill each other just to stay alive. I like this perspective; I think if we thought about wars that way, we might fight less of them. (Wishful thinking?)
I’ll continue to recommend this series and I’ll look forward to the next, although I’ve no idea when it’s coming out. In the meantime, if you’re new to the series, see the first one on Amazon here , or if you want to look at this one, see here .
 This is my first read by Georgette Heyer. I’ve heard a lot about her, and I mean a lot, both from the historical fiction and the historical romance readers I know. She is the favorite of many, many readers. I was expecting a lot, and the book didn’t disappoint. It is, in fact, a pleasing mix of romance and historical fiction.
Lady Barbara Childe is the female equivalent of a rake. She flirts with many men, but refuses to get married after her first atrocious attempt. Colonel Charles Audley, however, is determined, patient, understanding, and in love with Barbara. They quickly get engaged, but that isn’t the end of the story, although it had me confused for a bit, wondering where they would go next. On the other hand, there is the lead up to the Battle of Waterloo. As one of the Duke’s personal staff, Charles is bound to go to the fighting and a great deal of the book deals with the looming conflict and the battle itself.
I definitely was immersed in the period while reading this book. The beginning was a little slow because it takes time to get used to a whole different world. Heyer never slips out of it, and while the book was written a good 70 years ago, I still think that’s impressive. The characters surprised me and jumped out of the page; especially Barbara, who is incredibly compelling and understandable by the end, despite the fact that she is about as different from me as possible.
The best part, however, was definitely Waterloo. The book alternates between Charles’ family and the battle itself, giving us two viewpoints. Heyer does a brilliant job getting across the tension, the distress, and the complete alienation from the world that the patient loved ones are feeling. The battle scenes are astounding and even upsetting because the author puts you right into the army’s shoes. This is historical fiction at its best, showing us what the past may have been like.
So now I begin to understand why Georgette Heyer is so popular. I’ve got another of hers waiting in my TBR pile and I’ll be on the lookout for more. Her books are being reissued, so this may not be too difficult. The lovely cover above is the result of this reissue. Buy this book on Amazon.
 When she is a young girl, Maggie’s parents are killed in a raid on her home in Scotland. Luckily for her, she meets a wounded soldier that she can escort back to his wife, Hannah, who is a skilled midwife. When Alan, the soldier, dies, Hannah takes Maggie in and teaches her everything she knows, until she too passes away of consumption. When Maggie is left on her own, the town turns against her, calling her “Black Maggie” and deciding that she must be a witch. Maggie decides to immigrate to America as an indentured bondswoman to start a new life away from the rumors.
This book was a pleasure to read. I liked Maggie and I wanted her to do well in America. In fact, I liked all of the sympathetic characters – Maggie, Naomi, Seth, the children, and Tom. I enjoyed the image of frontier America that the book gave me; nearly everyone stood by one another when the Indians came. Something else that I particularly enjoyed was the insight into the Indians’ ways as well. They weren’t just villainized. Blevins did a good job of showing us that there were two sides to the conflict, and that white people could be just as savage as Native Americans. Furthermore, it allowed the author to introduce the challenges endured by those who were raised by the Indians but were biologically white, another fascinating feature of the story.
It was a challenge at first to get used to the Scottish dialect used in the book, but I did get accustomed to it in the end and it stopped bothering me. I’m not sure it added to the book, but it didn’t hurt it, either, and I was reminded of the characters’ origins every time they opened their mouths.
I would recommend this book, most likely to people who enjoy historical fiction as it sits firmly in that genre. I certainly enjoyed reading it. Buy this book on Amazon.
 This novel opens with three boys, who have lived mainly on their own since their mother’s death and their father’s virtual abandonment of them. Justo is the oldest son, clearly destined to take on the farm; next come Josepe and Xabier, who must seek vocations elsewhere. The novel follows each branch of the family and their children in the lead-up and aftermath to the extremely devastating and destructive bombing of Guernica in 1937 by the Nazis.
This book reminded me a lot of Gabriel Garcia Marquez without the “magical realism”. It had very much the same feel to it, perhaps due to the similar cultures described. I felt there was something to the style of the love story that felt like Love in the Time of Cholera. I liked it, but it isn’t a style that I can fall in love with. The prose seems almost distant to me, and thus disappointing. I prefer to feel that I can really get into the characters’ heads.
The story, however, is a good one. I really liked how Boling even gave Picasso segments, as he was the one who painted the tragedy and helped make it so well-known. For some reason, I loved Charles and Annie, the English couple, and I really appreciated how the storylines came together at the end. Guernica is extremely well-plotted, and everything that I was wondering about came full-circle by the time I closed the book.
I’d recommend this to anyone interested in learning about this bit of Spanish history through a fictional lens. Guernica will be released September 2nd (next Tuesday!). You can preorder this book on Amazon.
 Jordan Scott’s mother has been accused of killing his father. It could be any murder mystery – until we learn that Jordan’s mother was his father’s 19th wife in a small polygamist cult in Mesadale, Utah. Jordan was kicked out of the cult at the tender age of 14, left alone on the side of a highway for virtually no reason. By the time this novel starts, Jordan has established himself and developed an identity, but that identity isn’t strong enough to keep him from trying to save his mother once she convinces him that she didn’t do it – despite all the evidence against her. Paralleled with Jordan’s story is that of the original Mormon colony, more specifically the background and life of Brigham Young’s 19th wife, Ann Eliza. She divorced him and took her story on the national circuit, making strides in the battle to force the early Mormons to renounce polygamy all together. Of course, they didn’t complete the job, because Jordan’s family is derived from the sect that broke off after the official renunciation.
This story is told through many forms of media – in addition to an ordinary narrative in both storylines, there are also excerpts from newspapers, journals, letters, and even a master’s thesis. All of these are fictional, of course, but they add a feeling of authenticity since some of these could have existed in similar ways, and it’s certainly not unimaginable that a member of the current LDS church would choose to research Ann Eliza.
Both stories are extremely compelling and I love the way that they related to each other. Ebershoff thought the story through on many levels. I suspect it would be difficult to find a non-fiction work that could better expose the evils of polygamy. In addition, I could relate to all the characters and I loved how Jordan picked up several endearing sidekicks along the way. They added flavor and emotional attachment to the story, fleshing out Jordan’s character as we witnessed his relations with them. I was drawn in by Ann Eliza’s narrative, too, so it’s clear that the author can do a very good job with historical fiction in addition to his mystery storyline. I did, however, feel a bit disappointed by the mystery’s ending. It wraps up too quickly and a bit too neatly, in my opinion.
This is a very enjoyable book and I’d recommend it to fans of mystery and historical fiction. Buy this book on Amazon.
 Prepare for another glowing review, because I’ve just decided that this is my favorite book of the year so far.
After wrapping up her very successful book tour, Juliet Ashton has no idea what to write next about her post-WWII world. She receives an unexpected letter from Dawsey Adams, a resident of Guernsey Island, who has a book that she once owned and read it constantly while his island was occupied by Nazis during the war. Juliet begins a correspondence with Dawsey and eventually, the other members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, but she has no idea she’ll find so much more than an idea for a book through these wonderful people.
These characters are enchanting. I fell in love with them just as Juliet did, and the longer the book goes on, the deeper I fell in love. This book is entirely written through letters, and at first I found it a bit disconcerting, but soon it made sense. It’s hard to describe, but there is something that is comforting and wonderful about reading this book; like it could reaffirm our faith in humanity, despite the atrocities that went on during the occupation of the island. It celebrates life and love while directly placing them in the shadow of World War II. Putting life in perspective, making us realize how lucky we are, I’d say, with a cast of marvelous characters and a distinctly enjoyable prose style. It’s a story that doesn’t surprise you, but pleases you when it goes above and beyond your expectations. It creates a world that I honestly never wanted to leave, and as soon as I finished I wanted to read it all over again.
This book deserves the hype. I highly recommend it to absolutely everyone. Buy this book on Amazon.
 This is the tale of a golden brooch and how it wreaks havoc on the lives of fourteenth century English and Irish. The brooch is imbued with the spirit of a malevolent Irish queen, but it is highly desired thanks to a clever lie propagated by its fourteenth century discoverer. He claims the brooch was owned by St. Patrick and will bring luck, and though he dies the day after its discovery, no one ever suspects. We watch as the brooch continues to bring disaster everywhere it goes. In the fourteenth century, our main character is John de Bermingham. We accompany him when he is fostered to an Irish family, when he has his first love affair, and throughout many other ordinary and extraordinary events as he struggles to save Ireland from the conquering English.
I like Birmingham’s idea, that this period in English and Irish history is so destructive that it allows him to introduce an external force as a frame for a historical novel. It’s a clever device and this is a great story. Birmingham has no trouble with plotting; his novel is a roller coaster powered by history and takes no time to get going. I knew all the history he was introducing except for a few of the Irish segments, but I still found it to be an exciting and at times unpredictable read. His research on the de Bermingham family and the period is evident, and he uses that knowledge to great effect here.
I did have a few issues, however, namely with some of the dialogue. This is a self-published work and though it has had one professional edit, it could use another to reach its full potential. Some of the dialogue could be more effective and realistic, a few commas are missing, and the Latin doesn’t seem to make sense. I didn’t like John very much (though his arrogance is a part of his journey, so it makes sense, and he does repent by the end), but I loved some of the supporting cast – my favorites were Avalena and Deirdra. Both of them are excellent in their own ways.
This is a novel that needs some work, but has a ton of potential and is certainly entertaining. I’ll happily be reading Mr. Birmingham’s next book. Buy this book on Amazon.
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