One winter's night in 1789, three performers of a magic show from a local theatre in Paris are summoned to the chateau of the Marquis de Villeduval after another successful performance. Whilst preparing to make their way the youngest of the trio, an orphan boy called Yann, hears a strange voice warning him not to go. He tells his comrades, Topolain the magician and Tetu the dwarf, about the warning but they dismiss it as irrational fear. Little do they know what lies in store for them. At the chateau is the mysterious Count Kalliovski, who recognises Topolain and Tetu from his past. Eager to remove those that could show his hidden past the Count manages to kill one of the performers. The other two flee, with the help of the crippled and ill-treated Sido, daughter of the Marquis.
Thus begins a story set over a five years of the early stages of the French Revolution. Whilst Yann manages to make it to England and freedom, Sido is forced to find ways to survive the growing terror and Kalliovski's unwanted advances. Yann works to uncover the truth of his past and understand the meaning of the red necklace he stole from Kallioski as he flees. Will the pair survive?
This is an exciting and fascinating book that hooked me in right from the start. Gardner skillfully makes you interested in all the characters without giving too much away. We know very little about Yann for example, probably as much as he knows about himself, and learn more about him as he learns more about his heritage. The same too can be said for Sido. You care for the central characters and have a real desire to find out what will happen next.
What is also particularly skillful about this novel is that it shows how the French Revolution occurred, slowly, piece by piece. It is sometimes easy to forget that they didn't just drag Louis, the Royal Family and members of the aristocracy to the guillotine on a mere whim, nor did it happen overnight. The terror builds gradually and you begin to understand how many of the noble families got caught. Whilst it's easy with hindsight, we can imagine and understand better how the Revolution was seen through the eyes of those at the time. I don't pretend that this is the most historically accurate book ever. The book focuses more on the aristocracy's experiences and those of their servants than of the average inhabitant of Paris during this period.
The book is pretty chilling in places and it really reminds you how brutal human beings can be. There are some rather graphic sections and whilst this book is often found in the children/young adults section of the library I would not recommend it to pre-teens or even younger teens in some instances. There is once scene towards the end of the book that shows how one sentence can cause a crowd to turn into an angry, murderous mob. This book should be read to remind us of how quickly law and order can disintegrate and how atrocities can occur. It can be too easy to see what is happening in Africa, the Middle East and areas of Asia and forget that Europe was once like that, and could easily return to that.
I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to older teens and adults who have an interest in this period. I would also recommend it as a great book for getting older children to learn about human nature. The next book in the series, 'The Silver Blade', is due out at the end of April. I can't wait to read this or the other Sally Gardner book I have picked up 'I Coriander' which is set in 17th century England.
*4 stars*
Read for Historical Fiction Book Club. For more information about the club, click here
If you enjoyed this book why not try I Coriander, also by Sally Gardner
Showing posts with label 18th century. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 18th century. Show all posts
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Soldier of Fortune by Edward Marston
Captain Daniel Rawson, spy, soldier, ladies man and the Duke of Marlborough's right hand man is in trouble. The son of a Somerset rebel, who fled to the Netherlands with his mother after killing a soldier, Daniel has returned to England as a member of the Dutch Army to serve in the Spanish Wars of Succession. However a recent mission has earned him an enemy who will stop at nothing to get his revenge. With both an assassin and an admirer chasing him across Europe's battlefields, can Daniel survive and save the girl?
Marston is easliy one of my favourite authors. I was very much looking forward to this book and in some ways it did not disapoint. Captain Rawson is an out and out hero, courageous, foolhardy, gallant, charming and intelligent. He is a skilled swordsman and linguist and has many other talents to his name. Marston has created a likeable character to whisk us through the trials and tribulationsof late 17th/early 18th century Europe. The only problem is that sometimes Rawson is too perfect, with only his confirmed batcherlorhood a possible negative to his character.
The battle scenes are well written and in some ways mercifully to the point for those who do not want to get too entrenched in the minute details. I often find this a problem with Simon Scarrow's Roman Army books for example. That is not to say that Marston skimps on these scenes but I didn't feel as if I was reading a detailed report of several battles with the occasional storyline between. It certainly makes the book far more accessible to the average reader.
As always, Marston has researched his period well and I found no glaring inaccuracies. It was particularly interesting to see that he included scenes from the Monmouth Rebellion and I look forward to this aspect of Rawsons history playing a part in future books. Its a good introduction to Daniel's character, particularly his notion of honour and family. For those with in-depth knowledge of this period the book may not be as accurate as you would hope for, but its not as bad as some I have read.
Despite all of this though, I did not enjoy the book fully. The storyline involving Abigail Piper, the young lady with an infatuation for our hero, I found tedious and irritating. It reads almost like some tame historical Mills and Boon with swooning, two dimensional women and a hero fighting for their honour. Although I like a good love story plot, what Marston provided is not what I am looking for. I was left feeling like Abigail needed a good slap and that Rawson is a confirmed batchelor who enjoys female attention. The whole plot seemed to be thrown in for good measure to try and fill a gap. Perhaps Marston should avoid this type of plot in future or work on his female characters.
Otherwise this was a good light hearted romp that shouldn't be taken seriously. Ideal as a holiday read.
*3 stars*
Marston is easliy one of my favourite authors. I was very much looking forward to this book and in some ways it did not disapoint. Captain Rawson is an out and out hero, courageous, foolhardy, gallant, charming and intelligent. He is a skilled swordsman and linguist and has many other talents to his name. Marston has created a likeable character to whisk us through the trials and tribulationsof late 17th/early 18th century Europe. The only problem is that sometimes Rawson is too perfect, with only his confirmed batcherlorhood a possible negative to his character.
The battle scenes are well written and in some ways mercifully to the point for those who do not want to get too entrenched in the minute details. I often find this a problem with Simon Scarrow's Roman Army books for example. That is not to say that Marston skimps on these scenes but I didn't feel as if I was reading a detailed report of several battles with the occasional storyline between. It certainly makes the book far more accessible to the average reader.
As always, Marston has researched his period well and I found no glaring inaccuracies. It was particularly interesting to see that he included scenes from the Monmouth Rebellion and I look forward to this aspect of Rawsons history playing a part in future books. Its a good introduction to Daniel's character, particularly his notion of honour and family. For those with in-depth knowledge of this period the book may not be as accurate as you would hope for, but its not as bad as some I have read.
Despite all of this though, I did not enjoy the book fully. The storyline involving Abigail Piper, the young lady with an infatuation for our hero, I found tedious and irritating. It reads almost like some tame historical Mills and Boon with swooning, two dimensional women and a hero fighting for their honour. Although I like a good love story plot, what Marston provided is not what I am looking for. I was left feeling like Abigail needed a good slap and that Rawson is a confirmed batchelor who enjoys female attention. The whole plot seemed to be thrown in for good measure to try and fill a gap. Perhaps Marston should avoid this type of plot in future or work on his female characters.
Otherwise this was a good light hearted romp that shouldn't be taken seriously. Ideal as a holiday read.
*3 stars*
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Young Bloods by Simon Scarrow
Napoleon Bonaparte and Wellington are arguably two of the most well known figures of the late 18th/early 19th century. In his new series, 'Revolution', Simon Scarrow charts the the lives of these two men side by side from birth to death. Although fictional, the books do draw greatly from what is know about these two figures with a little added artistic licence. In the first book 'Young Bloods' the two men are followed from birth, through their school days and up until the start of their involvement in the European wars of the late 18th century.
Don't let the size of this book put you off. At 512 pages it is not a short book but it is definitely an excellent read. I know little about this period of history and therefore cannot vouch for how accurate Scarrow is, yet I feel that I have learnt a lot by reading this book. It paints Napoleon as a born military figure. He fights hard to overcome the racism against his origins and to prove that he is a talented man. Wellington (or Arthur Wesley as he was orignally known)does not strike you as a born man of the military. In some ways he makes his way into the army in an easier fashion than Bonaparte as he at least comes from a good background. Instead he has to deal with lack of talent (although he is a gifted musician), his mother who does not seem to love him and the eventual ruin his family suffer. Scarrow tries to deal with both characters sensitvely and impartially but it is clear to see how stubborn both men are and how they can at times be obnoxious or loveable.
Both men seem to have a talent for leadership. This is something that becomes apparent towards the end of the book and will no doubt become more important as the series progresses.
I was amazed at how easy the book was to read. I have to admit I read it in a day and read quite a bit before I realised how much I'd read (if you know what I mean!). It was engaging, interesting and I very much felt that most of the characters had depth. Despite having no interest in Napoleon and Wellington prior to reading this book I now find I watch the occasional documentary about this period as I now know something about this.
As this is the first installment of the series there is not a huge deal of fighting and action in that sense in the book. I suspect that the next two books will have far more fighting in them which may render them slightly tedious. However this book has certainly peaked my interest and I look forward to reading 'The Generals' in the near future.
*4 stars*
Don't let the size of this book put you off. At 512 pages it is not a short book but it is definitely an excellent read. I know little about this period of history and therefore cannot vouch for how accurate Scarrow is, yet I feel that I have learnt a lot by reading this book. It paints Napoleon as a born military figure. He fights hard to overcome the racism against his origins and to prove that he is a talented man. Wellington (or Arthur Wesley as he was orignally known)does not strike you as a born man of the military. In some ways he makes his way into the army in an easier fashion than Bonaparte as he at least comes from a good background. Instead he has to deal with lack of talent (although he is a gifted musician), his mother who does not seem to love him and the eventual ruin his family suffer. Scarrow tries to deal with both characters sensitvely and impartially but it is clear to see how stubborn both men are and how they can at times be obnoxious or loveable.
Both men seem to have a talent for leadership. This is something that becomes apparent towards the end of the book and will no doubt become more important as the series progresses.
I was amazed at how easy the book was to read. I have to admit I read it in a day and read quite a bit before I realised how much I'd read (if you know what I mean!). It was engaging, interesting and I very much felt that most of the characters had depth. Despite having no interest in Napoleon and Wellington prior to reading this book I now find I watch the occasional documentary about this period as I now know something about this.
As this is the first installment of the series there is not a huge deal of fighting and action in that sense in the book. I suspect that the next two books will have far more fighting in them which may render them slightly tedious. However this book has certainly peaked my interest and I look forward to reading 'The Generals' in the near future.
*4 stars*
Friday, June 29, 2007
Death and the Cornish Fiddler by Deryn Lake
In this eleventh outing for John Rawlings we find our beloved apothecary in Devon with his daughter Rose. They are taking a welcome break from London with his old friend Elizabeth di Lorenzi after the death of Emilia Rawlings (see 'Death in the Setting Sun' for more background on this). Elizabeth is keen to attend The Floral Dance, a local pagan festival in a tiny village known as Helstone. Both John and Rose are eager to attend and it is not long before the party are enjoying the sights and sounds of Helstone during the festivities. It is in Helstone that they meet a disagreeable young girl who terrorises Rose. Yet when the child goes missing John knows he must do everything in his power to find her. It is not long before one of the guests at the inn dies in mysterious circumstances and once again John is on the trail of murder and mayhem. Not everything is as it seems and perhaps the magic and witchcraft surrounding the festivities is much more than local superstition.
The last volume in this series was exceedingly heart wrenching. For John to loose the love of his life and have to go on the run when accused of her murder, it would be hard for any author to follow that. Sadly, this is the case. Although an enjoyable romp through 18th century Devon this book lacks the raw emotion and gripping storyline of the previous book. Much of the storyline was predictable, particularly that concerning Elizabeth di Lorenzi. It felt like a book cobbled together in the aftermath of Emilia's death and John's exoneration. I suspect that Lake has very clear ideas about the next book and that this installment is merely a filler between that and 'Death in the Setting Sun'.
As well as the predictability I found many of the characters lacked depth and interest. I appreciate that many are invented to set our teeth on edge but I kept wanting more. The lack of John Fielding, Sir Gabriel, Samuel, Nicholas and other regular characters I found saddening. Over the last few books the old faces are beginning to dwindle and unfortunately I do not feel they are being replaced by worthy candidates.
I will definitely be reading the next installment of this series, not least because I want to be reassured that this is a momentary lapse in Lake's excellent writing career. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who enjoys well constructed, beautifully set murder mysteries. One cannot fault Deryn's ability to paint 18th century alive with words. I would recommend you go out and start at the beginning of the series with 'Death in the Dark Walk'. If you read I first you really not be sampling her finest work or come to love John and his family and friends as much as I do.
*3 stars*
The last volume in this series was exceedingly heart wrenching. For John to loose the love of his life and have to go on the run when accused of her murder, it would be hard for any author to follow that. Sadly, this is the case. Although an enjoyable romp through 18th century Devon this book lacks the raw emotion and gripping storyline of the previous book. Much of the storyline was predictable, particularly that concerning Elizabeth di Lorenzi. It felt like a book cobbled together in the aftermath of Emilia's death and John's exoneration. I suspect that Lake has very clear ideas about the next book and that this installment is merely a filler between that and 'Death in the Setting Sun'.
As well as the predictability I found many of the characters lacked depth and interest. I appreciate that many are invented to set our teeth on edge but I kept wanting more. The lack of John Fielding, Sir Gabriel, Samuel, Nicholas and other regular characters I found saddening. Over the last few books the old faces are beginning to dwindle and unfortunately I do not feel they are being replaced by worthy candidates.
I will definitely be reading the next installment of this series, not least because I want to be reassured that this is a momentary lapse in Lake's excellent writing career. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who enjoys well constructed, beautifully set murder mysteries. One cannot fault Deryn's ability to paint 18th century alive with words. I would recommend you go out and start at the beginning of the series with 'Death in the Dark Walk'. If you read I first you really not be sampling her finest work or come to love John and his family and friends as much as I do.
*3 stars*
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Death in the Setting Sun by Deryn Lake
Death in the Setting Sun is the 10th book in the John Rawlings series. By now John is happily married with a daughter. His assistant of many years, Nicholas, has finished his apprenticeship and has his own shop. Even his father Sir Gabriel has moved into semi-retirement in Kensington and his best friend Samuel is married and expecting his first child. It would seem that all is finally going well for all the main characters, especially when Emilia falls pregnant with their second child.
However as one might expect such happiness cannot last and a tragic death of one of these characters occurs. To make matters worse John is accused of the crime and goes into hiding to prevent being arrested. Can John clear his name whilst on the run? Will his friends and family believe he is not the culprit? Will the cast of these delightful books ever get over the death of such a central character?
As always Deryn Lake's books are easy to read and get swept up in. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the previous nine books in this series and was not disappointed with this one. The story was quite heart breaking and I did feel as if Lake deliberately engineered this to keep us all on our toes. It seems to much to ask for our crime fighting heroes to have happy lives in any of the books I have been reading of late.
If you have not read a Deryn Lake book before, don't start with this one. The reason it means so much is because you have fallen in love with all the characters over the course of the series and you feel the death of a central character as keenly as the other actors themselves. I heartily recommend the first book in the series, Death in the Dark Walk. As with all Deryn's books the description is graphic, detailed but does not detract from the story. I feel I know her characters so well they jump off the page.
4 stars
However as one might expect such happiness cannot last and a tragic death of one of these characters occurs. To make matters worse John is accused of the crime and goes into hiding to prevent being arrested. Can John clear his name whilst on the run? Will his friends and family believe he is not the culprit? Will the cast of these delightful books ever get over the death of such a central character?
As always Deryn Lake's books are easy to read and get swept up in. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the previous nine books in this series and was not disappointed with this one. The story was quite heart breaking and I did feel as if Lake deliberately engineered this to keep us all on our toes. It seems to much to ask for our crime fighting heroes to have happy lives in any of the books I have been reading of late.
If you have not read a Deryn Lake book before, don't start with this one. The reason it means so much is because you have fallen in love with all the characters over the course of the series and you feel the death of a central character as keenly as the other actors themselves. I heartily recommend the first book in the series, Death in the Dark Walk. As with all Deryn's books the description is graphic, detailed but does not detract from the story. I feel I know her characters so well they jump off the page.
4 stars
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