Re-read of a lifetime favourite. Clara's miracle takes a lot of suspension of disbelief these days but in all other ways it did not disappoint.Re-read of a lifetime favourite. Clara's miracle takes a lot of suspension of disbelief these days but in all other ways it did not disappoint....more
I can never quite understand why a reader now gets upset about xenophobia or racist accusations about a book written before these concepts became verbI can never quite understand why a reader now gets upset about xenophobia or racist accusations about a book written before these concepts became verboten. I don't like either concept but this is a) fantasy and b) the above applies. It was quite ok back then to glorify the white man. Just as I would not expect a writer in the now to project current concepts onto a historical character (like these endlessly annoying 'feisty' historical women) I do expect a modern reader not to project their own modern concepts onto a writer who was bound by their own time's concepts.
This apart, a good book in the Narnian series, with the difference that it was written mainly outside Narnia. As to the Middle Eastern characterisation of the Calormene, this is a Christian fable and Jesus was among the Jewish (Middle Eastern) and was crucified there. The fable tells of the proud being abased and the humble lifted up. The main protagonists are motivated by a desire to find their true homeland (Christianity)....more
Sectarian violence in Ireland before partition. Like any so-called terrorist activity, it ended up with there being little to choose between the protaSectarian violence in Ireland before partition. Like any so-called terrorist activity, it ended up with there being little to choose between the protagonists but the origin of this one was certainly down to the British, in the first place, and the Protestants in the second - and mainly down to the brutal treatment of the Catholic Irish during the potato famines. We think it's all over now; but sectarian hate takes a long time to fade....more
Multiple re-read of a childhood favourite. I can't say where the author got her alleged Yorkshire dialect from but I doubt it was Yorkshire! Other thaMultiple re-read of a childhood favourite. I can't say where the author got her alleged Yorkshire dialect from but I doubt it was Yorkshire! Other than that, the story is enchanting....more
The sequel to Masha, this deals with the Decembrist uprising of 1825 in Russia - harbinger of what was to come almost 100 years later. Like the companThe sequel to Masha, this deals with the Decembrist uprising of 1825 in Russia - harbinger of what was to come almost 100 years later. Like the companion volume, this survived a return visit happily....more
A sentimental re-read. This was a favourite when I was in my early teens and it didn't disappoint on a return trip. Set in Russia, this reads like YA A sentimental re-read. This was a favourite when I was in my early teens and it didn't disappoint on a return trip. Set in Russia, this reads like YA but was written before the genre was invented. It belongs with books such as What Katy Did or Little Women....more
Time, I thought, for a re-read of this favorite tale of spycraft for the House of York (well, for Edward and Richard) featuring the (mostly) intrepid Time, I thought, for a re-read of this favorite tale of spycraft for the House of York (well, for Edward and Richard) featuring the (mostly) intrepid Alianore Audley and her cynical asides. It is actually historically sound despite the spoofery with a wealth of detail referred to that a student of the period would identify; Mr Wainwright is a long time Riccardian.
Highly recommended for a more light-hearted look at a most troublous historical period. Keep in mind the Richard HAS NO SENSE OF HUMOUR AT ALL. How very difficult for his wisecracking spymistress!...more
I am on record as an Edith Pargeter fan. She, herself, considered this trilogy (of which this is the first book) to be the piece of writing that was tI am on record as an Edith Pargeter fan. She, herself, considered this trilogy (of which this is the first book) to be the piece of writing that was truest to her intention and to the best she could achieve. I agree.
Her intention was to try to articulate the experience of someone not merely artistically talented but supremely gifted and the creation of a work of art that was outstanding of its kind. She opted for architecture and located it historically in an era of architectural challenge and development that enabled the place to be England and on the Welsh border, where she so often placed her action.
The characters are very characteristically Pargeter; she had little interest in the bad in people but focused by choice onto the good, the potential for positive. In Isambard we find a man tending to the 'bad' who could have been reformed by the love of a good woman had things not fallen out as they did. Harry does have his weaknesses (thankfully!) and contributes to the fraught situation. Eventually, the book ends in tragedy. To be continued........more
Read for the setting for the geocaching challenge, this was a re-read after many years and it retains it's ability to entertain, though after a few FlRead for the setting for the geocaching challenge, this was a re-read after many years and it retains it's ability to entertain, though after a few Flashman books, you do start to get something of an ennui. It's an occupational hazard of long-running series' and a very good marker for the notion that all good series' should end somewhere. Of those series' I have had this response to, though, this is one of the marginals rather than a 'definitely should have ended years ago' vote!...more
A re-read of an old favourite. SPs third novel still carries some of the historical problems I wrote about in my review of Here be Dragons but they geA re-read of an old favourite. SPs third novel still carries some of the historical problems I wrote about in my review of Here be Dragons but they get less with every book. Despite these, she is a wonderful writer and creates a picture of the happening at any point that is hard to beat.
This novel is about Simon de Montfort. How could anyone fail to make this interesting? He is a glorious character, a man very much of his time but yet outside of his time. His character is saved from his own stubborn, black and white views by the fact that those views encompassed a sense of responsibility for the well-being and justice of all people, not just the nobility. A man who refused to compromise his very idiosyncratic ideals, based on a Quixotic version of the Chivalric code that few could have aspired to live up to. An idealist, a perfectionist and a doer, he also seems to have had the ability to inspire great loyalty and love among people - both close to him and en masse - despite a complete lack of tact or any real political sense! The novel flicks over to keep tabs on events in Wales at the time, also - the final novel goes back there in depth and is the second best account of the fateful end of the Principality of Wales, bettered only by The Brothers of Gwynedd which I heartily recommend to anyone who enjoys this novel and its sequelae.
Ms Penman successfully does bring de Montfort and his family and followers to life. Despite the 'writing forsoothly' irritant (which is improving) this is an excellent and well-researched account of events. If it's the first time you have met Simon de Montfort, I would be very surprised if you fail to find him eccentrically charming....more
I know I have read this before but I couldn't remember any of it, which is unusual. Dealing with the issues of the expendability of the vast populatioI know I have read this before but I couldn't remember any of it, which is unusual. Dealing with the issues of the expendability of the vast population of the homeless on the one hand and of Redemption (with a capital R) on the other, it is yet in some ways Walters' weakest book to date as I was over halfway through before I got hooked. There seemed to me to be a bit too much reliance on minor fortunate coincidences - and I don't believe in coincidence - but that is the closest I can come to articulating why I found it less satisfying than usual....more
Another excellent psychological suspense by a masterful craftswoman. Aside from the surgical dissection of the impact of dysfunctional families on theAnother excellent psychological suspense by a masterful craftswoman. Aside from the surgical dissection of the impact of dysfunctional families on the various members this fulfilled the criteria for suspense with Walters very much in charge of where the readers POV was focused....more
Third novel by Minette Walters. Unputdownable - I consumed it voraciously in half a day. She gets better and better with every book she writes (with tThird novel by Minette Walters. Unputdownable - I consumed it voraciously in half a day. She gets better and better with every book she writes (with the exception of the short novels she wrote later which format does her style no favours). Psychological brinkmanship without ever making the reader feel queasy. Jack is the best male character I have read in a while and certainly one of my top 3 characters for this year! There was just one moment in this novel when MW almost dropped the ball - muffed a pass, really; if that's my only complaint then this is a brilliant book!...more
Minette Walters' second novel. This author is a natural storyteller and hardly puts a single foot wrong in her complex, psychological plotting. Her chMinette Walters' second novel. This author is a natural storyteller and hardly puts a single foot wrong in her complex, psychological plotting. Her characterisation has tightened up considerably with this second book. A riveting read; I romped through it in an afternoon, unfortunately. Yet another case of wishing I could learn, somehow, how to read more slowly....more
Some people dislike this being written mainly as letters but I really enjoyed it. This has developed from a 'children's' book to HF, and well done at Some people dislike this being written mainly as letters but I really enjoyed it. This has developed from a 'children's' book to HF, and well done at that, as well as a classic. Of course it wasn't HF at the time of writing!
I also saw questions raised over (view spoiler)[the child who died of pneumonia. Yes, this scenario was entirely possible, no antibiotics and a child could - and did often - die in just days. We have no idea how easily children died in times past; it is our perception that is unrealistic, not that of the writer. (hide spoiler)]
I had completely forgotten that the sequelae to Heidi were written by someone other than Johanna Spyri. I approached a re-read with caution and rediscI had completely forgotten that the sequelae to Heidi were written by someone other than Johanna Spyri. I approached a re-read with caution and rediscovered that Charles Tritten was Spyri's translator and a personal friend and that alone made it more of a sequel and less of a cashing in on a famous book kind of thing. It reads pretty faithfully to the original - though Peter seems to have grown a few brain cells in the interval - and I take it kindly that Tritten says he wrote to two books because children were asking for the story and Spyri herself would never have refused any child's request, especially after her only son died. The simple morality that flows through Heidi survives and into the next one too....more
A trio of short stories forming a prequel to the Cadfael series begins with the story of how he met his vocation but then becomes simply another two sA trio of short stories forming a prequel to the Cadfael series begins with the story of how he met his vocation but then becomes simply another two short mysteries set before the main even began which is a little disappointing. Thus, only 4 stars....more
The final volume of the adventures of Brother Cadfael. This novel examines the nature of the relationship between parents and children and the issue oThe final volume of the adventures of Brother Cadfael. This novel examines the nature of the relationship between parents and children and the issue of where duty lies if two opposing duties collide and diverge. So, the nature of personal morality lies at the bedrock.
The reason I think these little books are so popular - and are far better than all the imitators since - is that Pargeter unashamedly grapples with morality. I have read several other long series' of Medieval whodunnit type novels and they all pall after a while. The only two writers who come close are Maureen Ash and Candace Robb but neither can hold a candle to Cadfael's ability to hook the reader in. Other factors are the language used, with the lilting Welshness singing through the English, and the general optimism about humanity which pervades all the best writing Pargeter ever did.
I read fast and people ask me if I remember what I have read; the answer, sadly, is 'all too well', necessitating quite long periods between re-reads of favourite novels. So it'll be some years before I get to wallow in the warmth of this series again - but wallow again I will!...more
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