Why I Love Historical Fiction

 

In my review of Gone With the Wind I stated that it was the greatest novel of all time. I read it (or at least tried to) for the first time when I was twelve years old and it really stuck with me. I was also just crazy about a series called Sunfire that featured different time periods with the main character living through an important event.  So it kind of surprises me that throughout my twenties and thirties I not only didn't read historical fiction, I actually loathed most of it. I recall searching for books and scorning the ones that weren't actual history books or biographies. I ate up true crime, politics, and courtroom dramas like the ones written by John Grisham. And I still think all of those books added deep knowledge and value to my life. But I just couldn't bring myself to read anything considered both historical and fiction. Fast forward fifteen to twenty years and now it is practically all I read. 

I used to think the dialogue and character interactions were cheesy. And sometimes in certain books they are. I also used to be frustrated with the idea that the historical figures didn't actually say or do some of the things in the book. The idea that real live human beings that lived years ago were talking to fictional characters drove me nuts! It just felt so.....wrong. I mean, if it wasn't all true then what on earth was the point? Wasn't I reading to learn something? The "fiction" part of historical fiction was what made me ignore the genre for years. I just couldn't accept the idea that something in the book didn't really happen. When I started reading Outlander that all changed because I'd finally found a book that incorporated history with characters that were compelling enough on their own to make me want to see what happened to them.

And that is the key I think to good historical fiction. It's that perfect balance between using the backdrop of a real historical event to plop down people (real or otherwise) who are themselves engaged in interesting enough drama to want to know their story as well as the history they are living through. If either one of these elements are out of balance, it ruins the book. But when an author does this dance well it is the best kind of book.

Sometimes I've tried an historical fiction book and it is masquerading as a book set in a time period with almost nothing to distinguish it from the present day. Sure there are bits of language, culture, and scenery thrown in but very little. The characters often do things or say things no one would have said or done and it just comes off as insincere. When done well, good historical fiction transports you to the time in a way no non fiction history book can. And that is how I started to transform my dislike of historical fiction. I found that even if I knew a time period well through facts, I didn't really feel immersed in the era. Knowing someone behaved a certain way is very different than hearing it through created conversations, or becoming attached to characters as people instead of the subject of a biography. 

The irony of it all is that now I find it hard to go back to straight history books. I still enjoy "just the facts" but it feels kind of boring. I've let my imagination run free with historical fiction and now I can't get enough of it. The biggest problem I face is that there are so many books with so many sequels in this genre I will die before I read them all. I guess that's not a bad thing....I'll never run out of something great to read!  What do you think? Is historical fiction your favorite genre? Has the answer to this question changed over time for you too?

Shattered Crowns: The Scapegoats 1913-1914 by Christina Croft

 

Publication Date:  July 26, 2011

Length: 360 pages

I first discovered Christina Croft when I read her biography of Princess Alice, Queen Victoria's daughter, and the mother of Tsarina Alexandra of Russia. I thought it was interesting that she had written a whole book on the subject of Alice because I hadn't found another one. With her Shattered Crowns series she takes on the subject of World War I in a unique way and is one of the few authors who has written historical fiction about the Great War that isn't straight battles and strategy. I wanted to know about the major players, their thoughts, their inner struggles, and also the why behind the causes of the war. I feel like World War II is overrepresented in print and media and World War I is often forgotten. So many people can tell you who the "bad" guys are for World War II but have almost no understanding of who they were in the first war. Croft puts a very real, human face to the monarchs and rulers of the day and how their demise came about.

The Scapegoats is part one of the series. It begins in 1913, the year before that fateful summer of 1914 and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie. Their deaths would set off a chain of events that spiral into war. Franz Ferdinand and his Uncle, Emperor Franz Josef, disagree on the marriage of Ferdinand to Sophie, a commoner, and the inability of their children to inherit the throne of Austria due to their union. It is a first glimpse into the ruling dynasties that will play a part in the story. Franz Ferdinand is the face of modernity and change while his Uncle is staunchly aligned with the past and its structured rules and norms. 

Despite the fact that most of the monarchies of Europe were related through their grandmother, Queen Victoria, it does not seem to create a spirit of love and harmony.  Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany is portrayed as a man who is in constant rivalry and insecurity with his cousins, Tsar Nicholas and King George V. Queen Marie of Romania seeks to foster peace between many of her relatives to no avail.  We follow the thoughts and motivations of each as Croft skillfully switches between chapters covering differing locations. The background to the war builds throughout the book as we see conflicts between the cousins become serious breakdowns of communication and petty jealousies are resurrected. The slow burn of simmering frustration continues and though it is hoped by all that deadly conflict will be avoided, sadly it isn’t. 

Croft posits a theory that Kaiser Wilhelm has been greatly maligned and that he is a sympathetic figure. She recreates his inner turmoil and desperation as he waits for his cousin Nicholas to come around to his side and way of thinking. Most of the material I had read about Wilhelm up until this book had been from the point of view of his relatives who saw him as haughty and arrogant, creating trouble wherever he went. Here he is to be pitied and seen as someone who tried everything to stop the coming conflict. It is an interesting, new way to see him. One I had never considered. Croft does an excellent job of establishing evidence for her case. I found myself researching things he said or did many times because I was surprised I hadn't heard about it before.

You really have to read all three books to appreciate this series. After book one you only reach the stalemate between Germany and Russia and aren't even fully into the war yet. The next two books will take you through the war and its aftermath. Croft's ideas about who is actually pulling the strings and why are intriguing and again, something I hadn't thought about much. Whether or not you agree with her is irrelevant because the story is compelling on its own. She makes you feel like you know these people personally and there are none who are portrayed as total villians. Rather I ended up extremely sad for all of them and for humanity, knowing that these cousins, aunts, and uncles couldn't find a way to avoid the destruction of so many lives. This was the first book on this subject that gave me a clear understanding of it all. 

My Top Auto Buy Authors (What the heck is that?)

I learn something new all the time while writing this blog. That's why it's so much fun for me! I read an article yesterday called, "Who Are Your Auto Buy Authors?" I had no idea what it was referring to. Apparently in the book loving world "auto buy" authors are those whose books one will buy without even reading the cover, reviews, or the jacket. You just know you have to have the book based on who wrote it. I have been doing this all my life but never knew it was a condition with a name, lol. 

I started thinking about who my auto buy authors are. It has definitely changed over the years which is totally normal. As a teen and young twenty something I used to heavily read true crime and politics. Then as I got older I gravitated to classics and history. The last decade my tastes have moved into historical fiction. So that is where I wanted to create my list from.  Below are my top auto buy authors. Who are yours? Did you even know such a thing existed?

• Anne Perry (Victorian Mysteries)-  I discovered her books years ago when I was merging my love of true crime, history, and fiction. She rarely disappoints and if I see one of her books it's hard not to add it to my Kindle. I know I'm getting a solid mystery to solve, combined with Victorian manners, and dark, creepy suspense. 

• Sharon Kay Penman (Medieval Period)- Anyone who has read my book reviews knows this is not a shocker. What's funny is I actually didn't much care for her the first time I read The Sunne In Splendour. I thought it was tedious and dragged. But I kept going and by the time I got to the end I realized I loved it! The "tedium" was really details that added to the richness and thoroughness of her writing. Now when I get a chance to read one of her books I enjoy savoring every word. I have learned so much about Eleanor of Aquitaine, the Crusades, and Richard I from her books.

• Ellis Peters (Cadfael Chronicles- Medieval Mysteries)- These are just the best! I feel so behind because there are twenty and I'm still only on book four. They are short but pack so much witty dialogue and excitement in them that they are a joy to read. Cadfael the Monk solves mysteries in his world of Shrewsbury, England circa 1100's. Combining medieval history with murders and intrigue you can't go wrong with one of these books. 

• Diana Gabaldon (Outlander Series)- My husband would probably fall over from shock that I didn't list her first. I've been obsessed with all things Outlander since 2003 when I picked up the first book. I had never heard of Jacobites, Culloden, or Bonnie Prince Charlie until reading Outlander. Now I can't get enough of these subjects. Combining time travel with history is always a win and this author is the queen of that genre. I hope she goes on writing about Jamie and Claire and their crew forever.

• Jean Plaidy (Kings and Queens)-  I discovered this author in high school in my public library. I read her book about Queen Elizabeth II and was hooked. I will probably die before I finish all her books as this lady was a prolific writer who penned hundreds of books about every King and Queen from William the Conqueror to Queen Victoria. She also has books about French, Italian, and Spanish royalty that are amazing. Simplistic in writing and dialogue they nonetheless are wonderful to read if you are learning about the historical figure and want just the truth. No embellishments. She tells the story of the lives of these royals in an entertaining yet factual way and you learn so much.

• Alison Weir (Tudors, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Plantagenets)- I started with her classic book The Six Wives of Henry VIII which is a biography of the wives. She started writing historical fiction novels about the same queens which I have yet to read. Her book on the vanished Plantagenet princes was just as compelling. If you want books that are just straight history she is great for this. 

• Christina Croft (Victorian Era and early 20th century history)-  Her Shattered Crowns series is historical fiction that covers WWI in an easy to understand way and allows you to get to know the major players as real people. I have also read her biographies about Queen Victoria's daughters and granddaughters. She is the place to go to for all things Queen Victoria.

I'm sure I'll add to this list in the future but this is a snapshot of authors I would consider my top buys. I can't think of any one of their books I haven't finished once started and when I see any on sale I will buy them. Don't even need to read the reviews, they are rock solid already for me!

The Jane Seymour Conspiracy (The Marquess House Saga Book Four) by Alexandra Walsh

 

Publication Date: July 18, 2022

Length:  401 Pages

Thank you to Net Galley for loaning me this book for review. 

This book looked really intriguing to me just based on the title and cover. It is the fourth in a series and usually I'm a stickler for starting with book one. But it was new and I am trying out Net Galley so I wanted to just jump in and read this one now. 

The story is a time shift going back and forth between 2020 and 1527-1536. The modern day timeline consists of twin sisters Perdita and Piper who have inherited Marquess House from their now deceased grandmother and all that goes with it. The ladies, along with their love interests, have already been through the ringer with attempts on their lives and shady villians in the first three books and are now thrust into another quest for the truth that will cause them to be in grave danger again. 

The story centers around Jane Seymour who comes to the court of Henry VIII as one of Katherine of Aragon's ladies in waiting. She watches as the King begins his pursuit of Anne Boleyn and his abandonment of his Queen. Jane is unaware that his eyes will eventually settle on her. The King is determined to produce a son to carry on his dynasty and the story centers around team Katherine and team Anne as the two factions work to decide who will prevail in the Tudor wars. Jane is caught in the middle as Anne's cousin and watches as the Boleyn side works behind the scenes to secure their place within the royal court.

Meanwhile, back in 2020, the sisters have found a new mystery with the arrival of The Pentagram Manuscript. They work to uncover the hidden messages inside that reveal a shocking new twist on Jane Seymour's true character and motives. It seems she may not have been the innocent, docile lady that history has recorded. Jane's role in the relationship of Henry and Anne, her own personal love story with another man and possible children of her own reveal a hidden secret that could change the course of history. Piper and Perdita are also being pursued by their crazed cousin, Xavier who is determined to see his own daughter installed as owner of Marquess House. Their lives are in danger and they have to use their wits to stay one step ahead of it all.

I enjoyed this book and thought it reminded me a bit of The DaVinci Code. It is not as in depth as that book but it has elements of the spy novel genre. Clever clues, pursuing bad guys, intelligence agencies all factor in the modern day time period and the almost too perfect to believe rescuing the main characters at every turn. The historical parts are clearly contrived although the author is accurate with dates and major events. You have to suspend belief to go along with it but it was fun to fact check and see that some of the theories about Jane might have been possible. 

I found the names of the modern characters to be a bit cheesy and some of the dialogue was silly. Just when I thought it was getting really complex the sisters would share a moment that felt a bit like YA fiction. This was really the only parts of the book I objected to. There was a lot of "Perds" and "Pipes" which got annoying quickly. The mystery combined with history was fun so I didn't let the other stuff distract me from finishing it. I'm not sure if and when I'll read the other three but they look interesting. They concern mysteries involving Catherine Howard, Elizabeth Tudor, and Arbella Stuart (although I'm not familiar with her). It would also be fun to know all the details of just how the twins inherited that beautifully described mansion in the first place. I'm sure I'll read them eventually just to find out!

Back To School: Classic Novels For Kids

 

I love back to school time. My job as a reading interventionist lets me work with kids all year on their reading skills....dream job! I often lament that I don't have enough time to read whole books with my student groups the way I did in the classroom. I miss really digging into a novel and its characters because I saw so much growth and excitement when we did. Kids wanted to read the sequels or books by the same author and many times it spurred them to try books on their own when they didn't want to read much the year before. But I've started trying excerpts from classic books if I don't have time for the whole novel and I've been pleasantly surprised at the results. 

Kids who are behind are often just given practice passages to work on skills and while that is sometimes necessary in school it doesn't do much to ignite their love of books. The more they love books, the more they will read, and the more they read, the better they will be at it! So when I can, I use parts of a really solid, well written time tested book to work on comprehension and hope it will make them want to read the novel in its entirety. Below are some of my favorite classic kids books. If they are a bit above their level yet, consider finding the audiobook and letting them read along with it while they listen.

• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
• Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
• Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• The Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop
• Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald
• Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
• Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
• Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
• Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
• Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
• The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman
• Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
• Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
• Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

There are some really great contemporary kids books and I know students respond to literature that relates to their lives. But I think we are doing them a disservice if we think this can only be accomplished with current best sellers. An "old" book is a "new" book to a kid who has never heard of it. It's so much fun to hear them say "I love this book!" and know they will want to keep reading on their own.

Devil's Brood by Sharon Kay Penman

 

Publication Date:  October 7, 2008

Length:  753 pages

It has taken me a very long time to finish this book. Not because it isn't wonderful (it is!) and not because I wasn't excited to read it but because it really takes your full concentration. I have found this to be true with all of Penman's books but especially with this one. I also was reading the paperback copy instead of the Kindle version so I needed extra light with my old eyes. So here we are nearly six months after finishing the second book in this trilogy, Time and Chance, and I am finally reviewing book three. 

Our story picks up where Time and Chance left off. Henry II is King of England and has returned from his self imposed exile in Ireland after the death of his frenemy Thomas Becket, former Archbishop of Canterbury. Henry is still trying to work through his complicated feelings about the Archbishop's friendship that turned sour after the two could not agree on how to balance church rules with divine right of Kings demands. He is feeling guilty and frustrated and needing to be redeemed from his role in Becket's death. He throws himself into the quest to create and hold onto a kingdom that he can proudly pass on to his sons, Hal, Geoffrey, and Richard. John is too little at this point but will factor in later.

Eleanor is focused on her home, the duchy of Aquitaine. She wants to bequeath it to Richard who increasingly becomes her obvious favorite of the offspring. Henry and Eleanor spend a lot of time at odds with one another about who should rule what and where and it causes continual strife within the family.  Henry errs on the side of Hal, the eldest son, whom he eventually gives the title of the Young King in order to solidify his role as heir and this causes rifts between all three sons. Eleanor is eventually imprisoned by Henry when he finds evidence of her plotting against him and there is a constant back and forth between the sons who are all scheming and plotting against one another. Add in the wives and it's a family with the dysfunction of a modern day soap opera. That is the book in a nutshell but wow does it give a lot of detail as to how it all unfolds. 

I found the level of research to be truly amazing. Penman must have spent hours upon hours thinking through how each scenario must have played out between the characters because the dialogue and thoroughness is remarkable. I felt like I was actually living with these characters. Without giving away anything important let's just say that when anyone died I felt sadness and pity. More than any of her other books I've read so far I felt like I could reach into the past and really know these people. The causes of family strife are meticulously explained and developed so much so that I found myself sometimes as exasperated as if they'd been real friends and family. You can see the train wreck coming and want to shout at everyone to stop being so stubborn and get along. That is not to be.

As I've thought about writing this review I think what comes to mind is background knowledge. If you know nothing about Henry and Eleanor and their family squabbles or haven't read the first two books this might not be the place to start. You can, it just won't be as personal to you. I'd recommend either reading the first two books in the trilogy or maybe another, simpler, but still thorough book on their lives. The Courts of Love by Jean Plaidy is a great book to learn more about them before diving into this one with such detail. Setting up the background for this story would help me not to feel lost and to enjoy it. Otherwise it could be a bit tedious and boring for the casual reader. 

I absolutely loved this book but it did take a lot of time and dedication to read it. Penman continues to amaze me and I am excited to read Lionheart and A King's Ransom. These two books are not technically part of the original trilogy but continue the story of Richard and his mother, Queen Eleanor. I have no doubt they will be just as amazing!

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

 

Publication Date:  November 6, 1939

Length: 272 pages

In my last Agatha Christie review I said I wasn't sure if I was ever going to like her books. This one changed my mind! It was unique, full of plot twists, and kept me guessing. So I have decided I'll continue to give her another try and see what everyone loves so much about her novels. True, the ending to this book is fantastical and mind bending, but then a lot of the novels I read require suspension of belief in order to appreciate the way the author explains events. And she used all of her imagination for this one. I read somewhere that she said this was her hardest novel to write and that she hoped she'd done a good job. I think she succeeded. 

 When eight people are summoned to a small island off the coast of England for a luxurious summer vacation, they are simultaneously excited and apprehensive. The host of the mansion is mysterious and vague as to who they are and why they are inviting the guests. Calling himself Mr. Owen in his correspondence, he gives little information as to why the people were chosen, only that he invites them to come and stay for rest and relaxation. Selfish and unconcerned, the guests only focus on their privilege at being invited and do not seem to care that the requests are random and odd. 

Upon arrival they meet the caretakers, Mr. and Mrs. Rogers who also have not met Mr. Owen. They were employed to care for the guests and after a lovely dinner everyone is contented and visiting, enjoying each other's company. Suddenly, a voice interrupts the pleasantries to announce that each person on the island has been charged with indictments of murder. After the initial shock subsides, the guests investigate and discover that a gramophone in an adjoining room is the source of the voice. They immediately begin arguing as to who might have set up this uncomfortable arrangement. As they continue their musings, one guest collapses and dies. The horror has begun. Over the next few days, one by one, guests of the island begin to die. Those left alive each time are forced to attempt to discover how and why and what is to be done to save themselves. 

It is hard to review this book without giving away too much. I know that is why I had a hard time with the previous Christie book, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, because I'd read way too many thoughts on it before I started and that led me to figuring out the ending prematurely. I hate that. So I won't say much more in my summary. But it is more than worth the wait and I highly recommend you take your time and savor the story. Sometimes I have a tendency to rush through a book like this because I'm just dying (no pun intended) to see whodunit. But this book is already a short read with easy prose and I was able to wait it out. It is creepy, original, and I actually found myself a little disturbed at the end. 

I've always seen Christie as old fashioned and a bit innocent, the cozy mystery type. Not this book. It was not one I enjoyed reading in the dark before bed. Something about the helplessness of the characters, even though most are morally corrupt enough that you don't feel much pity for them, made me desperate for them to find a solution and get off that island alive. It stayed with me long after I finished and that typically doesn't happen with these types of stories. 

I didn't care for some of the style of the story. The short, choppy sentences, the way she continually writes "she said:" and "he said:" over and over again, with the character's name inserted instead of she or he. It was very distracting and unnecessary to keep repeating it. I also was a bit annoyed by some of the sections being so short that they really didn't require Roman numerals to separate them. These were just some odd thoughts and annoyances I had as I read. 

If you haven't read anything by this author yet I think starting here is a good idea. This book focuses heavily on the mystery and the psychological aspect of the characters rather than setting up the detective as the central focus. Her Poirot and Marple series are obviously going to be more about them and how they solve their cases and if you don't like their personalities you aren't going to enjoy the books much. And Then There Were None is a stand alone novel as far as I know and so you don't commit to a certain character throughout.  I am excited and relieved that I have found a Christie book I liked and will continue to try others. I just knew all these millions of readers had to be on to something, I think I just had to get used to her way of writing. Miss Marple's Caribbean mystery is waiting in my Kindle so I'm going to get going on it soon. 

Why Reading Books Is Still Important

 

BOOKWORMS UNITE

Sometimes I'll be talking with someone and they'll mention how they don't like to read books. They'll say, "well, I read....just not books. I mean, I can find everything I need in an online article or Netflix show. Why would I waste time reading the book?" And while it's true that you can get information much more quickly on Wikipedia or a documentary or a news story, I still argue that reading actual books is so important. I don't feel like myself if I go to bed without having read something from a book that day. On my busiest ones I might literally only squeeze in 10 minutes of reading time but it makes me cranky if I find I've not carved out any book time at the end of the day.

I love my Bible app, I love to read news articles and I'll spend way too much time scrolling on Facebook or Instagram. But I always, always come back to books when I need to just escape the day and its drama. I have tried to figure out exactly why I've always been this way. From the time I was very little, I've been obsessed with books, libraries, and bookstores. My Mom used to take me to the library and I remember I got the same book over and over: Arthur the Anteater. It was my favorite! It was comforting to hear the story again and again and know how it would end. The smell of the library and the shelves lined with all those stories is something that is implanted in my brain forever. I'm so thankful I had parents who found reading and books important and still do today. My seventy year old parents still read many hours per day in their retirement and I'm convinced it has contributed to their mental acuity. 

Books require more of you than short articles do. You have to be patient, let the story unfold, concentrate, and above all else, when you read, the story you see in your head is yours. How the characters look and sound, the scenery is all described by the author but YOU get to create the world in your head. This takes creativity and skills that aren't used when you have pictures, memes, or audio there for you to use. 

My job is to help kids in grades 3-5 that are struggling with reading and try to find out why. Sometimes they haven't had proper phonics instruction. Other times they have a true learning disability such as dyslexia or a processing disorder. But honestly, the majority of my students who are behind and struggling with reading are struggling with the act of reading and comprehending what they read. Many of them are able to decode any word I put in front of them. They read the text like champs. But reading isn't part of their soul. They sit down with a book containing little to no pictures and are immediately overwhelmed. They literally cannot concentrate long enough to finish a book. They don't see reading actual books modeled at home and aren't made to read books. In class they mostly use Ipads and quick articles to study test taking strategies or quickly cover a topic. Reading and absorbing whole chapter books and letting them sink into their imagination is rare. I find this incredibly sad. Technology and all the testing is taking away the importance and JOY of reading books!

I feel like if more and more grown ups aren't reading actual books, then our kids won't be either. Why would they? Why would they care about libraries or bookstores or Kindle books if no one encourages them to. Reading books is more important than ever today in order to counter all the technology and "quick bites" of information thrown at us. Tuning out of all that's going on around us and sitting still with a book engages our minds like nothing else. 

Do you agree with me? I'd love to know your thoughts. Do you read actual books? And do you think they require different analytical and concentration skills than reading articles and social media? 

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

 

Publication Date:  June 1, 1991

Length: 640 pages

I started this book in 2003. I probably picked it up, started reading, and put it down a half dozen times. At one point I said I'd never finish it, that I wasn't interested. Then one day, inexplicably, I plowed through it and that was it. I.was.hooked. I read the whole series (Book 5 was the latest out at that time) and continued to collect and read them all as they were published. Then I moved on to the spinoffs with Lord John Grey and the novellas in Seven Stones. I cannot wait for Book 10 to be released in the future. It is safe to say I'm a die hard Outlander fan. 

This is the original...the one where it all started. Claire Randall is on her second honeymoon in Scotland in 1945. She is fresh from the war as a combat nurse and is trying to get reacquainted with her husband, Frank, who has also been away in the war working in intelligence. The two attempt to forget that they've been apart for most of their short married life and barely know each other now.  During a solo visit to a set of standing stones they visited the day before, Claire touches one of the stones and disappears into 1743. When she awakens and attempts to find her way back to Inverness she is accosted by Captain Jonathan Randall of His Majesty's Eighth Dragoons and then rescued by a Scottish Highlander who takes her to a hideout where she is forced to accept she is not in Kansas anymore. 

After a long night of disbelief, riding with the group of Highlanders, Claire is taken to Castle Leoch, seat of the Mackenzie lands and is interrogated by the clan chief, Column MacKenzie. The fictional story she relates is not believable to him and Claire suspects he plans to keep her there until he can find out who she really is. Claire despairs if she will ever find her way out of the castle, back to the stones, and home to Frank.

As she continues to devise a way out, Claire is forced to make the best of things in order to survive. She comes to rely on and trust one of her original rescuers, Jamie Fraser, an outlaw and nephew of Column and his brother Dougal, who is hiding out at Castle Leoch. Because she is English, she is distrusted by many of the inhabitants there and Jamie's kindness is a welcome change. Through a series of events Claire and Jamie are forced to marry in order to protect Claire from her original attacker, Captain Randall, who also does not believe her story of how she came to be in the woods near Inverness. He is highly suspicious of Claire's presence with the Highlanders and suspects her of being a spy. By marrying Jamie, Claire is protected by the Clan, although because of Jamie's status as an outlaw wanted for the murder of an English soldier, their safety is precarious. 

During their time together Claire becomes conflicted about her feelings for Jamie and as she witnesses his loyalty and devotion time and again it is hard for her to ignore the love and attraction she has for him. Through a series of events and near death experiences, Claire and Jamie find themselves working together to find a way to reconcile their relationship with the obstacles fate has put in their way. 

I knew trying to write a review of this book I wouldn't do it justice. Every review or summary makes it sound like a romance novel. And there is definitely romance. But there is so much more. Adventure, suspense, rich characters who are nuanced and have fleshed out, detailed background stories. There are twists and turns and premonitions and you never know what new circumstance Jamie and Claire are going to find themselves in. Rumors of witchcraft, murder, Jacobite plots, and hints of the coming rebellion provide readers with a mini history lesson along with the romance and drama. There are also the descriptions of the Scottish countryside and a real sense of what it would have been like to have lived and survived during the 18th Century. 

Gabaldon is a superb writer and I actually think her writing gets even better in the subsequent books. I remember thinking Outlander was amazing and also long...clocking in at 650 pages. After reading them all I realize it is actually a short story compared to the others. There is so much detail, so many subplots, and so much foreshadowing of coming storylines that no matter how many times you read the book you forget things. That is the mark of a true epic novel. You just can't remember it all.

If you begin this story thinking it is too fantastical and unreal and want to put it down, I urge you to give it a chance. Also, disclaimer....there is violence and sadism in the story which was off putting to me. I still wish the author hadn't gone as far as she did with it and I've had to get past it in order to enjoy the rest of the series. I know some people I've discussed the book with think it was necessary to explain some of the deeply held feelings of the main characters but it was disturbing enough to me that I don't care to re-read those parts again. Obviously it isn't the main focus of the book though or I'd not have become such an enthusiastic fan.  The amazing story outweighs the occasional ugliness and I wouldn't recommend the book if that weren't the case. 

If you finish Outlander and enjoy it you had better clear your calendar though. There are nine books now, all of which are anywhere from 700-1,000 pages long. And trust me when I tell you that when you reach the last page of each one you will immediately be opening the next! 

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (A Hercule Poirot Mystery)

 

Publication Date:   June 1926

Length: 312 pages

I finished this book last week but it's taken me several days to get up the courage to write this review. I'm afraid I'm going to stir up a hornet's nest with the Agatha Christie lovers but I'm going to be honest.....I keep trying and I don't know if she's my cup of tea. I read somewhere recently that if you don't like this book, you won't like anything by her. That is discouraging because I really, really want to like Christie's books. I mean, c'mon...her books are only outsold by the Bible and Shakespeare according to the stats. Maybe what made it worse with this book was that I'd read other reviews about the ending and while they didn't give it away, it was too much hinting so that I figured it out way before I'd finished reading. That's a bummer with a murder mystery!

Our story begins with our first person narrator, Dr. James Sheppard. He discusses the sudden suicide of Mrs. Ferrars, a local widow in his hometown, Kings Abbot. She was recently engaged to widower Roger Ackroyd, who is of course, very upset by this recent turn of events. That evening, Sheppard is invited to dinner at Fenley Park, Ackroyd's home, along with Ackroyd's sister in law, her daughter, and other friends and business acquaintances.  Ackroyd confides in Dr. Sheppard that Mrs. Ferrars was being blackmailed and that is the reason he believes she took her life. Later, when Sheppard returns home, he receives a call from Ackroyd's butler who tells him that his employer has been murdered. Sheppard goes to Fenley Park and indeed finds Ackroyd has been stabbed to death. Sheppard, along with his very inquisitive sister, Caroline, becomes entangled in a search for his killer. 

When retired detective Hercule Poirot moves in next door to the Sheppards, he is recruited to assist in the hunt. Poirot is witty and stubborn as well as self assured and immediately tackles the list of viable suspects, including Ackroyd's niece Flora, her fiance Ralph Paton and game hunter and friend Major Blunt. He sifts through each new clue patiently, weaving a tale of his thought process to Dr. Sheppard. The two work to puzzle out the truth and the picture slowly falls into place. But it is not the picture anyone expects and the final reveal is in fact quite original and shocking.

I give this book a gold star for it's surprise element. And I'm sure that's why people frequently refer to it as such a great murder mystery. Poirot is an intriguing character and love him or hate him he is definitely unique. Dr. Sheppard's exasperation with his sister is written humorously and Christie is good about letting us see Poirot's reasoning unfold step by step as he confides his thoughts with James and Caroline. It is a well written novel with plenty of suspense. 

Where I get bogged down is often the constant repeating of the facts and the way things are recapped again and again. This is common in mysteries I know but in this book sometimes it seemed like filler. The chapters read like little blocks of interrogation instead of a story. There is no historical angle to speak of which I admit I'm partial to in any book and it felt sometimes more like a police report than literature. But maybe I'm in the minority because clearly it is a popular book. 

I'm going to try a Miss Marple mystery if I read another Christie book. Sometimes a character change can evoke an entirely different feel with the same author. I'd love to hear from the Christie fans out there who think I'm crazy! And recommendations of your favorite choices of her novels.