What I Read in January 2016 Part IV

What I Read in January 2016 Part IV. . . 

The Revelation of Louisa May by Michaela MacColl--Middle Grades Historical Fiction



Louisa May Alcott may only be 15, but she knows her father will never go out to work to support the family, though he is willing to accept other people's hard earned money. Even so, Louisa is shocked to discover that her mother is going away to work in New Hampshire and taking little May with her. With oldest sister Anna away teaching school, it's up to Louisa to take care of the household. This does not sit well with Louisa. She'd rather be reading and writing or dreaming up new story ideas outside. When she discovers an unexpected "package", a runaway slave by the name of George, her burdens increase but Louisa feels George is her responsibility. When her relative Fred comes to stay, Louisa anticipates a fun time, especially since he promises to pay for his keep. Another visitor arrives in Concord but not a welcome one - a slave catcher is on the trail of a runaway slave and he suspects Louisa and the Alcotts are harboring the fugitive. Louisa won't let her slave go without a fight but the slave catcher offers money and she wonders whether others in the family might give in. She also has to worry about Miss Whittaker, another newcomer to Concord, taking up her father's attention. Can Louisa handle all these burdens?

I have mixed feelings about this story. Louisa May Alcott is my hero and while I enjoyed this look at her young life, I could have done without the romance subplot/s and the murder mystery. Even so, the mystery was difficult to figure out until just before Louisa did and kept me reading until I finished the book. I loved picturing Concord and Louisa running around the town. It's a place I've been to many times and I was just there. Next year, I will picture Louisa shopping on Main Street as I shop Main Street and ask where the hotel was! [ahh a little research shows me it was demolished in 1900. drat! ] I'll have to bring the book as a guide. My major beef with the story, besides the romance stolen from Little women, is the way the author changed the real names of Louisa's sisters. Anna is here called Anne, Lizzie is called Beth and Abby May is May as she was known later in her life. The author did extensive research so I'm not sure why she changed Anna to Anne. I can see changing Lizzie to Beth to match the story. I think this book is best appreciated for younger readers who haven't yet read Little Women or any biographies of Louisa.  I've read other, better stories about Louisa as a child.

The character of Louisa seems consistent with the real Louisa. She's not your typical heroine - she's intelligent but she doesn't have an outlet for her intelligence; she's wise beyond her years at this point but as a child and a woman she can't speak. Louisa is also ornery and has a hot temper. I found this Louisa very realistic and I liked her and the woman she was becoming. However, she was rather indiscreet about her runaway slave. The story features the other members of the Alcott family: Marmee (Abigail) who I don't think ever spoke to her husband that way even though she probably felt exasperated with his lack of ambition. She seemed a bit more modern than her real-life counterpart, who was ahead of her time in many ways. Sweet Beth seems to be consistent with the little we know about Lizzie. Bronson is a difficult character. Like Louisa, I have mixed feelings about him. I admire his principles and his sticking to them, but at the same time he had a family to support and never did much to financially support them. Abigail did go away to work for money. This Bronson is not a likable person. He is whiny, selfish and really really annoying. I wanted to yell at him the way Louisa did! (I highly doubt she actually spoke to her father that way except in the pages of her journal).

Other real life figures include the great Mr. Emerson and his wife Lidian and Henry Thoreau. I have mixed feelings about all of them. Emerson was a great intellectual and Lidian knew that when she married him and I'm not sure what her expectations were but his seem in line with what most married men wanted in a wife at that time. I feel a little bad for Lidian but she chose to marry Emerson. I am conflicted how I feel about him though because of his lack of involvement in the Underground Railroad, however, I wouldn't have the courage to do what the Alcotts did in this novel and in real life. I always pictured Thoreau a little more eccentric and free-spirited and less interested in what people think.

Numerous fictional characters also populate the pages of the novel. First is George, a runaway slave, who is so absolutely inaccurate, it drove me crazy. From what I know about runaway slaves, they would never reveal themselves to a stranger and ask "Are you the Stationmaster?" That would be extremely stupid if the person he was addressing was not involved in the Underground Railroad. They probably wouldn't reveal too much in the way of personal information and neither would those who were hiding him. It was just too dangerous. Other than his extreme stupidity on behalf of the author anyway, I liked George and I was rooting for him to be free. Then there's Fred, a university student and relative of the Alcotts. He is obviously modeled after Laurie in Little Women. I liked him for the most part but not all the time. There's also Mr. Pryor, the tavern keeper who may or may not be a fictional character. I didn't like him very much. He seemed too weak-willed and willing to give in. Miss Whittaker is a literary agent making up to Bronson and I felt towards her the same feelings Louisa had in the novel. Finally, there's the villain, Mr. Finch, the slave catcher. Obviously he's the character we're supposed to hate. He's not a complicated man - just the villain.

If you read this book and want to go to Concord, be sure to check out The Wayside, the home where the Alcotts lived during the time of this novel. It was also the place where many of the events in Little Women actually took place.

What I Read in November 2015 Part III

What I Read in November 2015 Part III ...

The Parfit Knight by Stella Riley-- Regency Romance

"He was a verray, parfit, gentil knyght."
~Geoffrey Chaucer, Prologue, The Canterbury Tales

At almost 10 years of age, Miss Rosalind Vernon loves teasing her older brother Philip and racing him through the countryside. On the day before her 10th birthday, she meets with a terrible accident that will have repercussions that last through the whole novel. A dozen years later, the Marquis of Allendale has recently returned to London from a sojourn in France with his latest mistress only to be accused of fleecing young Robert Dacre out of 3000 guineas at a card game. Young Captain Philip Vernon may be new to London but Robert is his brother-in-law and he won't stand by to see his friend taken advantage of. Allendale deals with the matter with humor and good grace, just as he deals with all of his problems. Summoned home on urgent business, Allendale's carriage is held up by highwaymen and his coachman shot. The men seek refuge at the nearest house, the home of Mistress Rosalind Vernon. Then the snow begins to fall and Allendale is trapped. He's stunned by his beautiful hostess and shocked by her limited world. Rosalind slowly begins to blossom as Allendale figuratively opens her eyes to the wider world. She begins to fall in love and Allendale too, experiences more than feelings of friendship. Then she reveals something shocking and Allendale's world is rocked. He decides it's time to withdraw from his lady but first convinces Philip it's in his best interest to give Rosalind a London Season. Rosalind is scared and delighted. She enjoys the company of her sister-in-law Isabel and the Duke of Rockingham. She soon becomes the toast of London and Allendale is completely miserable. Philip can't understand why his sister turns down numerous good opportunities for an advantageous marriage. There's only one man Rosalind wants and he doesn't seem to want her back.

This is a squeaky clean Heyeresque Georgian romance. The plot and characters are influenced by Heyer, but the blind heroine makes the story unique and saves it from being another Heyer copycat story. The plot pacing could be a bit better. The beginning is slow but once the hero and heroine meet, the story picks up. I had a hard time putting it down until I found out how these two got together. I could have done without the gambling brother plot and some of the dialogue is lifted from Austen and Heyer but tweaked to fit the situation. Otherwise the story is well-written and I liked the descriptive writing style. I didn't like the head jumping point-of-view shift very much and thought the author should have stuck to Rose and Allendale.

Though the characters are not very memorable and don't leap off the page, they're well-written. Rosalind is a wonderful heroine. I loved how she didn't let her blindness affect her attitude. She never dwells on what she can't do, she never laments her lack of sight or blames anyone for the accident. She's independent, strong, intelligent and stubborn. She knows what she wants and how she gets it is funny and charming. Her soon-to-be sister-in-law Isabel is also charming. She's sweet and caring but has a lot of backbone and knows what she wants. Like Rose, she's a good judge of character.

The men don't fare as well as the ladies with the exception of Allendale. Denzil is so charming. He has a reputation as a rake but he isn't really. He's sensitive, kind and caring. He deals with his feelings with humor and enjoys a shared sense of humor with Rose. I like how the romance develops, though it happens quickly. It's very sweet. Philip is an awful brother. He's selfish and unimaginative. He never stops to think about how Rose feels or what she wants. He loves her very much and thinks he's doing the best for her but he has placed in her a gilded cage and more or less forgotten her. He's quick to judge and has a hasty temper. He supports his awful friend Robert long after he shouldn't. Robert is truly a terrible person. He's selfish, manipulative, cruel and a liar. I couldn't stand him and failed to see why Phil supported him. The two best men besides Allendale are Broody, a salty-tongued parrot and the charming Duke of Rockingham.

Read this if you like Georgette Heyer and early copycats.


Nobody's Secret  by Michaela McCall-- Young Adult Historical Fiction/mystery

Fifteen-year-old Emily Dickinson is tired of living in Amherst, Massachusetts where everyone knows her family. She wishes sometimes she could be nobody at all. She also wishes for a friend who will understand her thoughts. Then she meets Mr. Nobody, a handsome stranger who gets her love of nature and her unorthodox views on religion. When Mr. Nobody is found dead in the Dickinson's pond and no one can identify his body, Emily is determined to find out his identity. As she pursues the clues, she learns that Mr. Nobody may have been murdered! Who in Amherst could have done that and why? Can she solve the mystery before her parents put a stop to her activities?

This is a cute introduction to Emily Dickinson. It provides a unique look at her life though the plot is fictional. It's hard to believe Emily Dickinson wasn't always a recluse. At 15 she enjoyed socializing (but not sewing circles or dancing) and being out of doors. She was beginning to jot down the poems in her head that would become the famous poems we all know. She's a great character - bright, inquisitive and loyal. I thought she seemed younger than 15 and younger than her sister. I liked how unique she was and how she felt she didn't fit in with her family. I think most teens will be able to relate to her. Her parents appear very two-dimensional as do the other secondary characters. Mr. and Mrs. Dickinson are hypochondriacs who worry about everything. Mrs. Dickinson doesn't believe in educating her girls to do anything other than run a household. She annoyed me a whole lot. Emily's sister Lavinnia is a bit better. She's lively but more content than Emily and she has a quick mind which gets them out of trouble a lot. Mr. Nobody is an intriguing character. Since he is found dead early on, Emily and the reader don't get to know him well but I really liked what I knew about him and thought he may have been based loosely on Henry David Thoreau.

The plot isn't that spectacular. Though I had a hard time putting the book down, I did figure out what had happened before Emily. That murder device is sooooo overdone. It seems so easy in novels but if it was that easy to get away with murder then I think more murders would have been committed. The confrontation is a bit silly and predictable. The story is fairly light despite being a murder mystery so adults may not enjoy this one as much as younger readers.

What I've Read This Week

What I've Read This Week . . .

Prisoners in the Palace: How Princess Victoria became Queen with the Help of Her Maid, a Reporter, and a Scoundrel by Michaela MacColl -- Young Adult Historical Fiction

Liza has lived all over the world with her sauerkraut king father and her German-born mother, but now, it's 1838 and Liza is 17 and ready to make her debut in English Society. Her plans are shattered when her parents are tragically killed in a carriage accident. Liza soon learns even more devastating news: her father died deep in debt. With no family to protect her, Liza must make her own way in the world. She applies for a job as a maid to the Princess Victoria in Kensington Palace but her sassy attitude and smart mouth don't win her any favors. However, Liza's ability to speak German gets her the job. It's not exactly what Liza had in mind, being subjected to the whims and fancies of the teenage princess, the demands of the Duchess of Kent, and trying to avoid the advances of the villainous Sir John Conroy. Not to mention the fact that everyone in the palace seems to want her to spy on someone else! Liza feels trapped inside the palace thanks to Conroy's Kensington System that doesn't let Princess Victoria go anywhere or be by herself for a minute. Liza decides to befriend Princess Victoria, in hopes of what the Princess might do for her some day, but finds herself feeling sorry for the Princess who is a virtual prisoner in her own home. Liza and Victoria, with the help of a mysterious boy and a news sheet publisher, set out to expose Conroy for the villain they know he is; if they can find proof, that is. Liza's relationships with Princess Victoria and a handsome young man help her find her way out of the palace prison. This novel is great fun and filled with the type of historical detail that will please teenage girls. Liza is spunky and spirited, a very modern heroine, who doesn't let anyone dictate her behavior. She's a girl that a modern reader can relate to. Princess Victoria is a more complicated character. At first she's spoiled and bratty and I didn't like her much, but felt intensely sorry for her. Then her fun-loving side came out and she was much easier to sympathize with and finally she matured into the woman who became the longest reigning monarch in British history. The language is very modern and accessible for all readers, especially those who haven't been exposed to period language and the author uses real diary excerpts from Queen Victoria's childhood journals. I didn't feel the romance was very strong. The love interest's character development got lost in a series of letters. That was the only thing I felt could have been better in this great debut novel. The cover is to-die-for amazing, especially the back which features a Victorian era news sheet with articles that reveal tantalizing bits of the plot. I enjoyed this look at Victoria's young adulthood and recommend it to teenage girls, those who have read Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle, A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee and those who may have seen and liked the movie Young Victoria. 

 

Lady Macbeth's Daughter by Lisa Klein -- Young Adult Historical Fiction

This take on Shakespeare's play is told in alternating viewpoints with Grelach, Lady Macbeth and Albia, the daughter, telling the story. Grelach is the granddaughter of a king and expects that her father will inherit one day until her grandfather is murdered and King Duncan puts himself on the throne. Grelach is married off at 13 to a man twice her age, whom she detests. She gives birth to a son, Luoch, whom she also dislikes. When her husband is murdered by Macbeth, Grelach's father forces her to marry Macbeth. Macbeth is younger and more handsome than her first husband and Grelach thinks she can grow to feel affection for him, however, he has a nasty temper and a war-like nature that Grelach fears. Macbeth has been told by an "oracle" that he will have many sons and he looks forward to the birth of his first child. When the child is born female and with a crooked leg, Grelach fears for the safety of the child she loves. When Macbeth learns the baby is a girl and "deformed" he sends his henchman out into the woods to leave the baby for the wolves. The baby is rescued by Lady Macbeth's lady-in-waiting Rhuven, and given to her sisters to raise peacefully in the woods. Albia grows up believing Geillis is her mother and knowing nothing of the dramatic events that are to happen thanks to her aunt Helwain's prophecy. At age 14, Albia is sent to live with Banquo and his wife and grows to love her foster brother Fleance. Meanwhile, Grelach has been unable to provide Macbeth with sons. Scared for her life, she fosters his ambition in hopes that he will adopt her son and her family will return to the throne. Albia finally learns the truth about her heritage from a dying Geillis and also discovers that she has second sight. When Macbeth's perfidious deeds personally affect Albia, she desires revenge. Assisted by her friend Colum, the shepherd, she sets off to destroy Macbeth.  Colum reminds her there's a difference between revenge and justice and Albia must decide which path she is to choose in order to save the kingdom and protect the man she loves. Lisa Klein says in her author's note that she drew on the true history of the period as well as Shakespeare's source material and the play itself. Her research really shows through in the wonderful, descriptive period details. The plot is a bit confusing and gruesome with too much killing shown. The ending is a bit confusing and open-ended. Grelach is not a character that readers are meant to like but she does inspire some sympathy and she could probably argue a convincing case that none of the destruction was her fault and she was an innocent victim. Albia is not very likable either. Her romantic plot isn't very convincing and if it were not part of the story, I think the story would have been a bit stronger. Overall though, the writing is really good (especially Shakespeare's) and though this book was written to be read alongside the play or just after, it works well as a stand-alone. I think high school students who have an interest in history and/or Shakespeare will really like this book.