Season’s Greetings and Christmas Bells!

Season’s Greetings and Christmas Bells!

by | Dec 24, 2024 | Book review, Christmas, Historical novels, U.S. Civil War

Greetings of the season, Reading Friend!

Happy holidays to you, however you celebrate!

In today’s post, I focus on Christmas Bells, a novel sparked by a 19th-century poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Christmas Bells, by Jennifer Chiaverini, cover image

How could a poem written over 160 years ago lead to a time slip historical novel, set both in the era of the U.S. Civil War and the war in Afghanistan in the early decades of the 2000s?

Author Jennifer Chiaverini inserts the words of the poem at various points in the novel, and she cleverly alternates between the Longfellow family’s encounter with the Civil War, which sticks close to history, and a parallel fictional story set in the early 2000s.

Characters:

The author puts readers under the characters’ skins, so readers feel what they’re going through and root for them

Major Characters in the Civil War-era story:

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow—protagonist, poet and abolitionist, father of a large family

Fanny Longfellow—Henry’s second wife, from a wealthy family

Charley Longfellow—oldest son of Henry and Fanny; he has a passion to fight for the Union Army

Main characters in the story set in the 2000s:

Sophia—young, idealistic music teach and choir director

Lucas—graduate student and choir accompanist

Father Ryan—sympathetic Catholic priest

Sister Winifred—aging nun whose humble manner belies her spiritual wisdom

Laurie—wife of soldier in Afghanistan, mother of Alex and Charlotte

Alex and Charlotte—kids who cope, each in their own way, with their father’s absence

Strengths:
• I enjoyed reading about the idealism and principled lives of Henry W. Longfellow and several other major characters
• Nice balance between tragic events and hopeful plot arcs

Weakness:
Some plot elements in the fact-based plot were hard to believe, even though they were evidently true.

Content review:
Descriptions of illness, injuries, and war-related violence make this novel better suited for mature readers.

My recommendation:
Readers who enjoy novels with a positive perspective will find Christmas Bells a welcome relief in the current era.

Thank you for reading and supporting my writing in 2024!

A Book Club for Dark Days

A Book Club for Dark Days

by | Nov 24, 2024 | Book review, England, Historical novels, World War II

Especially in this season, I’m thankful for you, reader, and I hope you’ll have a few moments to reflect on who and what you’re thankful for.

This month, I’m pleased to offer both a book review and an interview with the author! I hope you enjoy them!

Air Raid Book Club, by Annie Lyons, cover image

My Review:

In this moment, The Air Raid Book Club might be just the right read for you, as it was for me. Although the story is set in England during the dark days of the Blitz in World War II, many of this novel’s characters reveal a refreshing humanity and care for each other that often seems missing in the world today.

Many twists and turns, with both sparkling and grievous moments, immerse readers in the story of Gertie, an ordinary woman who owns a bookstore in Beechwood, a non-descript section of southeast London. She ponders, what can she can do to counter fear and despair? These are her eventual responses:
• She starts a book club, bringing people together to discuss books, forge ideas, and inspire history
• She takes in Hedy, a Jewish teen refugee from Germany

In spite of Gertie’s good intentions, Hedy doesn’t bond well with her host. One of this novel’s strong points is the clear portrayal of how their relationship, and those of other characters, evolve through the story.

Major Characters:

Gertie—protagonist, a humble heroine who brings people together
Harry—Gertie’s sweet husband
Charles—friend of Gertie’s husband, a supportive friend to Gertie after her husband’s death
Hedy—German teen whom Gertie takes in from the Kindertransport, saving her from the Nazis
Margery Fortescue—wealthy widow with a strong personality

 

Strengths:
Clear, heart-warming portrayal of how characters’ relationships evolve through the story
Satisfying ending
Variety of characters, each with a distinct personality and viewpoint
Author’s skill in weaving literature and bookshops into the story

Weakness:
Although this novel includes plenty of action to propel the story forward, it also includes passages containing characters’ reflections, so it probably won’t be a good fit for readers who prefer action adventure thriller stories

Content review:
Includes violence and death connected with World War II and the Blitz

My recommendation:
If you enjoy a historically accurate story that’s warm-hearted and life-affirming, while not shying from the tragic details of the Blitz in WWII, I would recommend The Air Raid Book Club.

Author Interview with Annie Lyons:

Annie Lyons, author photo

What triggered your decision to create this story?

There were many sources of inspiration for this book, one of them being Eudora Honeysett, the main character from my previous novel. I had so enjoyed writing the flashback scenes in that book, transporting the reader back to the Second World War and other moments in history, that I decided I wanted to write my first full historical fiction novel. It was 2021, in the middle of the pandemic and I had noticed how communities were supporting one another during these difficult times. It made me think about similarities with how communities rallied during the Second World War and the seed of an idea was planted. Added to this, I’ve always wanted to write a novel set in a bookshop about the power of books and reading and how important they can be in dark times. Gertie began to emerge as I found myself struggling to read or engage with stories for a while and I imagined a character who was ready to give up on her bookshop and move away. Hedy’s character came about after I read and listened to accounts of Jewish children who fled Nazi Germany before the start of the Second World War. It was their spirit of optimism and hope which inspired me to write this story as Hedy and Gertie’s bond grows through a love of books and reading.

It’s obvious that you do careful research in the development of your scenes and characters. What sources helped you fill in the details and context for this novel?

Research was tricky as I was writing this book during lockdown so the internet became my best friend! The Imperial War Museum online was a huge source of information. It’s a fantastic resource. Online, I listened to accounts of Kindertransport children, now adults, who came to live in the UK. Their stories and spirit were a big source of inspiration. I also love the BBC’s archived resource, The People’s War. It’s a treasure trove of personal stories which are often heartbreaking, often funny but all completely wonderful. I read a great deal too. Millions Like Us by Virginia Nicholson was a book which started as a springboard for the whole idea as it deals with the role of women during the war. I also had to understand bookselling from the start of the twentieth century and found a wonderful book called ‘The Truth About Bookselling’ by Thomas Joy.

What was the biggest surprise in researching this story?

How the role of women changed forever as a result of the Second World War. They literally went from sitting in the passenger seat to driving the truck!

What’s the ratio of fact to fiction in this story?

The bones of the story are all factual. I followed the course of the Second World War and its events as closely as I could. The fictionalized parts are the town of Beechwood itself and Bingham Books. As I was writing this novel during lockdown and couldn’t visit bookshops, it was a treat to be able to create one from my imagination!

What were the most challenging aspects of writing this novel?

Deciding which historical details to include and which to leave out! I love history and am particularly fascinated by the Second World War so I’d often get lost down research rabbit holes and probably have enough material for at least another five books!

What did you enjoy about writing this novel?

I loved so much of it. Losing myself in the past was particularly wonderful. I’d also always wanted to write a book set in a bookshop so this was a dream come true and choosing the books for Gertie and Hedy’s book club (and the quotations which start each chapter) really appealed to my booklover’s heart.

Beyond entertainment, what would you want a reader to walk away with after reading The Air Raid Book Club?

To remember this part of history and the profound effect it had on the world and to be proud of the role that women played during that time.

Thank you, Annie, for your informative interview!
Grazia’s Journey Through the Italian Renaissance

Grazia’s Journey Through the Italian Renaissance

by | Oct 24, 2024 | Book review, Historical novels, Italy, Jewish History, Renaissance

Some novels resonate at the time they’re published, while others have plots, characters, and themes that never go out of date.

You probably think of beloved novels in the second category, and I’d like to introduce you to one of my favorites, The Secret Book of Grazia dei Rossi, written by Jacqueline Park more than twenty years ago. Because it was set in Renaissance Italy, there’s no outdated technology or fashions to spoil your reading experience.

The Secret Book of Grazia dei Rossi, by Jacqueline Park, cover image

What makes this novel special?

  • The Secret Book of Grazia dei Rossi takes readers through numerous key events of the Italian Renaissance (wars, conflicts between Italian city-states, religious persecution, the sack of Rome, to name a few), from the unique vantage point of a gifted Jewish woman attempting to find her way in an often-hostile Christian culture.
  • Grazia records the secrets of her life so her son will understand her choices (and his heritage) after her passing.
  • The author based this story on a brief footnote about a real-life Italian woman of that era.
  • During Grazia’s lifetime, Italy experiences rebirth/renaissance on an intellectual level, with the discovery of ancient Greek and Roman texts. She encounters such luminaries as Pico della Mirandola, the Florentine philosopher, Aldus Manutius, Venice’s master printer, and Benevenuto Cellini, sculptor and writer.
  • At the same time, undercurrents of anti-Semitism and misogyny limit Grazia’s options and endanger her. Her romance with a Christian nobleman challenges her to abandon the faith and traditions of her ancestors, risking estrangement from her family. Grazia’s character, as well as several others, emerge as memorable portraits of the era.

As I revisited and reviewed this novel, I discovered that its author, Jacqueline Park, extended the story into a family saga with a sequel, The Legacy of Grazia dei Rossi, and the concluding volume, Son of Two Fathers (completed after her death by Gilbert Reid). I’m eager to read these novels, and I’d appreciate your comments if you’ve read either or both.

Characters:

Grazia dei Rossi—protagonist, daughter of a Jewish family who obtains a humanist education and struggles between allegiance to her heritage and her attraction to a man from outside the Jewish faith

Danilo—Grazia’s son, still an adolescent when this novel ends

Judah—Grazia’s husband, a highly-regarded Jewish physician who gains employment by the pope

Lord Pirro Gonzaga—a Christian nobleman whom Grazia meets for the first time during her adolescence

Marchesa Isabella d’Este da Gonzaga—a powerful noblewoman in Renaissance Rome, she employs Grazia as her private secretary and tries to persuade Grazia to convert to Christianity

Strengths:

This novel offers readers a close perspective on the Renaissance in Italy, revealing both high and low points of the era.

Weakness:

The novel’s length (560 pages) may deter some readers.

 

Content review:

The story includes scenes of physical intimacy, as well as violence, especially directed toward Jewish people

My Recommendation:

The Secret Book of Grazia dei Rossi will be a great read if you enjoy a thoughtful yet action-filled saga that places you in the midst of the Italian Renaissance.

 

Reader, do you have a favorite novel set in the Italian Renaissance?

 

Three Generations of Heroines

Three Generations of Heroines

by | Sep 23, 2024 | Book review, France, French Resistance, Historical novels, World War II

This month, I’m pleased to offer you a review of a novel I recently enjoyed.

With its title, The Women of Chateau Lafayette, you might expect a biography of Lafayette’s wife, but this novel offers much more.

The Women of Chateau Lafayette, by Stephanie Dray, cover image

This amazing time slip novel draws readers into three distinct eras, separated by generations but united in several ways:

  • Each takes place in one of history’s darkest hours
  • Each is set at least partially at Castle Chavaniac, the residence of Gilbert Lafayette, the Frenchman who helped the American colonies win their independence so long ago
  • Each female protagonist’s efforts culminated in heroism at Chavaniac

Summary of each time period:

(includes protagonists; kept general to avoid spoilers)

 

  • Revolutionary era: After helping American colonists win their independence from the British, Gilbert Lafayette returns to France a hero and helps spark the French Revolution, which goes terribly wrong. His family and the French nation suffer grievously. Gilbert’s wife, Adrienne, must navigate between the values of her wealthy noble family and Gilbert’s ideals of democracy, political liberty, and religious freedom. Her heroism will surprise or even shock readers.
  • In World War I, Beatrice, whose marriage to William “Willie” Astor Chanler, elevated her from humble beginnings, finds her passion in creating the Lafayette Memorial Fund, first supplying care packages for French soldiers in the trenches, and then helping refugee children orphaned by the war. Her husband buys Castle Chavaniac for her, and she manages its transformation into a sanctuary for displaced children and orphans. She is torn between her failed marriage and a new life with a kind Frenchman who loves and supports her.
  • During World War II, Marthe, an orphan who grew up at Castle Chavaniac, now teaches there. She must come to terms with her identity, as well as deciding how she can live out her ideals with integrity during and after the Nazi occupation of France.

Other major characters:

Maxime Furlaud—a banker and military officer; Beatrice’s French romantic interest

Victor Chapman—Willie’s nephew, close to Beatrice and Willie; an American architecture student who joined the French Foreign Legion

Emily Sloane—Beatrice’s American friend who works with her to gather aid and work at Chavaniac

Baron Amaury de LaGrange—husband of Emily Sloane; interim president of Preventorium at Chavaniac after Fall of France Riom Trial

Anne—daughter of Emily and Amaury, contemporary of Marthe

Yves Travert—small-town policeman who keeps an eye on Chavaniac and Marthe; he must cooperate somewhat with the Gestapo

Madame Pinton—mother of Marthe’s fiancé, she plays an unexpected role

 

Strengths:

This is a fascinating novel, with its three linked plots, all strong, well-portrayed, and providing windows into life in France in each era.

Weakness:

Three time frames and sets of characters can lead to confusion for readers, who may benefit from taking a few notes as they read.

Content review:

This novel doesn’t shy away from the violence of war, or expressions of the major characters’ sexuality.

My recommendation: 

Readers who enjoy historical fiction steeped with romance and values (both personal and societal) will find The Women of Chateau Lafayette a rewarding and thought-provoking read.

Reader, do you have a favorite time slip historical novel?

My writing update:

I continue to sift through the comments of my beta-readers and polish my upcoming novel, Lucia’s Journey.

Escape to Oregon’s Pioneer Days

Escape to Oregon’s Pioneer Days

by | Aug 23, 2024 | Book review, Historical novels, Medical History, Oregon Territory, Women's Struggles

Greetings, Reading Friend! 

I hope you’ve had a chance for a break during this warm season (in the northern hemisphere). I’ve enjoyed time with family and friends in my native Pacific Northwest.

Returning to my Northwest roots, I discovered a novel set in that region, All She Left Behind, and I review it below.

When I’m not reading other authors’ novels, I’m revising Lucia’s Journey, my new novel, based on feedback from my beta-readers.  (Thank you so much to each one!). I hope to publish it in the next few months.

My Review of All She Left Behind, by Jane Kirkpatrick

All She Left Behind, by Jane Kirkpatrick, cover image

How could a girl who struggled with reading and spelling, born into a pioneer family settled in the Oregon Territory, become a medical doctor?

Jennie Lichtenthaler’s passion to be a healer seemed an impossible dream, and she received little encouragement to pursue a life beyond the traditional role of wife and mother.

Yet All She Left Behind, a historical novel, tells the surprising, fact-based story of Jennie’s life. Readers may think its twists and turns couldn’t possibly reflect reality, but its skillful author, Jane Kirkpatrick, has crafted this captivating novel using information gleaned from historical documents.

Kirkpatrick shows the obstacles Jennie faced, including:

  • The attitudes of close family members
  • Society’s reluctance to allow female physicians.

The author also reveals how dreams delayed were not always dreams destroyed in Jennie’s life.

 

Characters:

They are both historical and fictional, distinctive, some even memorable.

 Because Jennie’s life story includes many characters, I list only those who play major roles in the novel:

 Jennie Lichtenthaler—protagonist; young pioneer woman married at 17; her circumstances thwart her ambition to become a physician

 Josiah Parrish—Jennie’s second husband, a blacksmith, sheep breeder, and missionary who encourages Jennie’s medical studies and career

 Elizabeth Parrish—Josiah’s first wife; Jennie takes care of her in Elizabeth’s declining days

 Charles Pickett—Jennie’s first husband, he can’t overcome his addictions to alcohol and drugs

 Douglas Pickett—son of Jennie and Charles, he struggles with addictions

 Ariyah Cole—Jennie’s fictional best friend, an artist who provides a sounding board and support for Jennie

 Priscilla Melvin—a prostitute whose life takes a new turn; Jennie’s encounters with her near the beginning and ending of Jennie’s adult life reveal her character arc.

 Callie Charlton—Jennie’s fellow female medical student and colleague

 

Strengths:

  • Inspiring story
  • Well-developed characters
  • Setting details transport readers into the Oregon Territory and early days of statehood in the last half of the 1800s
  • This novel reveals the state of the medical profession and the status of women in that era.

Weakness:

 The prologue seemed a bit confusing to place in the context of the chapters that follow.

 

Content review:

 This novel discusses struggles with and details of addiction to alcohol, drugs, and sex.

 

My recommendation:

 All She Left Behind will appeal to readers who appreciate a lively plot that Includes historical as well as romantic and inspirational elements. As a native of the Pacific Northwest, I enjoyed the window this novel provided into the history of Oregon in the early days of statehood.

 

Reader, can you recommend a novel set in the Northwest?

Celebrate with me!

Celebrate with me!

by | Jul 24, 2024 | Bohemia, Book review, England, France, Reformation

I invite you, Reader, to celebrate with me!

  • I’m excited to offer my review of the favorite novel I’ve read in 2024! (see below)
  • My second grandson has arrived in the world, and my husband and I have the opportunity to participate in his family’s life almost daily!
  • The revisions of my new novel are nearly finished!

I hope you’re finding things to celebrate in this season, too!

The Mercy Seller, by Brenda Rickman Vantrease, cover image

My Review of The Mercy Seller:

 

You may be familiar with Martin Luther’s reform efforts and eventual break from the Roman Church in the 1500s…

But these earlier reformers had less success and paid a terrible price:

  • John Wycliffe, a cleric who translated the Bible into English in the late 1300s (His followers became known as Lollards)
  • Jan Hus, a preacher in Prague in the early 1400s who championed Wycliffe’s ideas in Bohemia.

Why?

The Mercy Seller, Brenda Rickman Vantrease’s 2007 novel, immerses readers in the cultures in which Wycliffe and Hus lived (England and Bohemia, respectively). After reading it, I understood in a visceral way why the beliefs and reforms that Wycliffe and Hus proposed were doomed to fail in their times and locations.

Because Anna was raised with the teachings of Jan Hus in Prague, she must flee and undertake a dangerous journey, both physical and metaphorical, to find safety and a new life.

Without a guide, this young woman struggles to know whom to trust. The people she encounters challenge her view of the world, as her perspective challenges theirs.

This compelling story of courage, betrayal, persecution, and character growth also gives readers a window into an era far removed from ours.

Characters:

Some were easy to root for, others easy to hate, some evoked both emotions

  • Gabriel/VanCleve—title character, an English priest assigned to sell pardons/indulgences; his background and many-faceted career become central to the story
  • Anna—protagonist who grew up in Prague, raised with Lollard beliefs by her grandfather, Finn; she learns his trade but must flee Prague after religious persecution begins
  • Finn—copyist of writings of Wycliffe and gospels of the New Testament, fled from England to Prague to escape persecution of Lollards
  • Abbess Kathryn—leader of the abbey at Saint Martin’s that specializes in copying texts, both sacred and secular
  • Brother Francis—Gabriel’s spiritual father and mentor
  • Little Bek—abandoned handicapped boy; Anna mothers him
  • Sir John Oldcastle, Lord Cobham—member of House of Lords; he and his wife use their wealth in generous ways, among which are supporting the Lollard community and the copying of religious texts into English
  • Prince Hal (Henry V of England)—friend of Cobham’s during their military years; torn between his need for Archbishop of Canterbury’s blessing of his coronation and his friendship with Sir John Oldcastle
  • Archbishop Arundel—aged, declining leader of Roman Church in England; determined to root out heresies and heretics from England

Strengths:

  • Characters—three-dimensional, their arcs reveal clear change; the author shows us their flaws as well as (for some) their heroic qualities
  • Heroic theme—self-sacrifice for one’s beliefs
  • Plot—fascinating threads connect the characters, including multiple generations; plot twists that keep readers on edge
  • Settings—portrayals of the several settings provide telling details to immerse readers

Weakness:

Alternating points of view between characters from scene to scene can confuse readers until they get their bearings.

Content review:

Readers should anticipate a few scenes of physical intimacy, but not of a graphic nature, as well as descriptions of executions in this time period.

My recommendation:

If you enjoy an exciting story of strong-willed individuals whose religious convictions lead them to risk and sacrifice their lives, and whose interactions shape their characters, I highly recommend The Mercy Seller.

Reader, can you recommend novels set in the world of John Wycliffe or Jan Hus?