The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg

In The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion, Sookie Poole is looking forward to relaxing after having married off the last of her daughters. She gets a huge surprise when she stumbles upon a secret that her overbearing mother has been keeping for 50+ years. It sends her into a tailspin and she's not sure of anything anymore. As she searches for the truth, Sookie learns more about a woman named Fritzi, who in the 1940s ran an All-Girl Filling Station.

I really enjoyed this book. It was laugh-out-loud funny at times, while being heartfelt and touching at other times. Flagg is a fantastic story teller. I love how she uses Fritzi's war-time letters to get story points across. The story spans two time frames and locations: near present day Alabama and the 1940s, state-side WWII. A wonderful way to get this story across. It's not my favourite Flagg books, but it was still terrific.

The title and cover of the book are a bit of a misnomer. The book is more about the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), than about the filling station. That's not too much of a spoiler, is it? Anyway, I loved all of this information. I hadn't heard of the WASP, so it was all new to me. Flagg's work is fiction, but it was still interesting to learn about these amazing women.

As for characters, I really liked Fritzi, but Sookie was a little annoying. However, she did experience quite a few shocks, so maybe I can forgive her. I did want to give her a little slap, though, so she'd snap out of it. I didn't find Lenore, Sookie's mother, terribly overbearing, but Sookie certainly thought so. I really wanted Sookie to stand up to her.

Flagg included a couple of nice twists near the end that kept me guessing as how it was all going to end. Well done!

I've also read two other books by Flagg, both of which I adored: I Still Dream About You and Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, which I read before I started blogging. I have a few of her books in my to-be-read pile, which I hope to get to sooner rather than later.

Highly recommended. I think those who enjoy reading books about strong, independent women would really like this book. I'll definitely book looking for more of Flagg's books to read. She's fabulous.

For more information about this book, please visit the RandomHouse website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit the Fannie Flagg's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at RandomHouse for this review copy.

The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg, Random House, ©2013. ISBN 9781400065943(Hardcover), 347p.

The Anatomist's Apprentice by Tessa Harris

The Anatomist's Apprentice is a new historical fiction/mystery novel that takes place in 18th-century England. After the death of her brother Sir Edward Crick, Lady Lydia Farrell enlists the help of anatomist Dr. Thomas Silkstone from Philadelphia hoping to squash some of the gossip about the death that's been running rampant through Oxfordshire. With some reservations, he agrees to look at the body. He'll need to call on all of his skills to not only examine the dead, but also suss out the killer.

I really enjoyed this book. It's not action packed, but it's got a great story and a fantastic protagonist. The story was intellectual, very compelling and wonderfully researched. Harris really gave me a sense of what 18th-century England was like. I felt like I was transported back to that time period. She also laid out vivid details about Dr. Silkstone's job as an anatomist, which emphasized how different their understanding of the human body was at that time.

With the language Harris used, it all felt very British and proper. However, some of the actions of the characters were anything but. There's also a little romance/seduction/lusting included in the story, but I don't think it was overdone. It was all good.

I loved Dr. Thomas Silkstone as the protagonist. He was methodical and looked for supporting facts before drawing conclusions. I loved that the author showed his tougher side when it came to death and his investigations and his softer side when it came to Lydia. Just when you think that Thomas has solved the case, there's yet another twist in the storyline. He was tenacious and just wouldn't quit until he had no nagging doubts about the case or loose ends to tie up.

Favourite quotes:

The body holds within it many secrets,. Each organ stores its own particular mysteries, ensconced deep within its membranes, hidden in tissue or stored in beefy cliffs of muscle. (page 188)

The book had quite a few new-to-me words. Here's a sampling (those marked with an asterisk are taken from the glossary): addlepated (page 20): stupid, confused
espaliered (page 60): tree growing against a wall
paphians and doxies (page 123): women of ill repute*
calumny (page 129): defamation
whisket (page 149): a basket
didicoy (page 150): a traveller with mixed Romani blood
suppurating (page 151): ooze pus
cutpurses (page 171): pickpocket
gallimaufry (page 191): hodgepodge
sobriquet (page 201): nickname
nostrum mongers (page 201): quacks who peddled false remedies for ailments*
mortsafe (page 261): an elaborate tomb to foil any attempts by grave robbers*
phaeton (page 310): a carriage drawn by a single horse or a pair*

I appreciated the glossary (ordered and separated by chapter) that the author included at the back of the book. I took full advantage of this and found definitions to many of the new-to-me words I encountered.

Highly recommended. I hope to read many more books by this author.

For more information about this book or to read the first chapter, please visit the Kensington Books website.

For more information about the author, please visit Tessa Harris's website.

Thanks to those nice people from Kensington Books for this review copy.

The Anatomist's Apprentice by Tessa Harris, Kensington Books, ©2012. ISBN 9780758266989(Trade paperback), 310p. includes glossary.

The Map of Time by Félix J. Palma

In The Map of Time, Andrew Harrington is desperate to save Marie Kelly, his lover who has been killed by Jack the Ripper. Claire Haggerty wants to escape her Victorian restraints and falls for a man who lives in the future. Others want to see what life is like in the year 2000. Set in Victorian London, this historical fantasy novel uses real and fictional characters to investigate time travel and the ability to change the history. It also questions what would happen if we do so. Leading the way is H.G. Wells, who because of his novel The Time Machine, is seen as the authority on the subject.

I loved this book. Really loved it! It's one of the best ones I read this year. The story was intelligent, creative and witty. The author has a wonderful, healthy sense of humour. I never would have thought history and fantasy would make such a good pair. After reading the last page, I immediately wanted to start over again at the beginning. At over 600 pages, it could have been intimidating for me. However, it wasn't at all. I felt so immersed in the story that I didn't want it to end. While I love historical novels, I'm not that fond of fantasy novels. They just don't appeal to me. However, the fantasy aspect of this novel is handled in such a way that I found it a joy to read.

The three sections with interrelated plots lead the reader through the whole story. I simply adored the first two sections. The stories were approachable and relatable while the characters seemed real. However, it took me a little while to warm up to the third section. At first, it had a different feeling than the others and that interrupted my rhythm a little. However, that soon passed and I enjoyed reading the final section as well.

Rather than follow a linear path, the story jumps around quite a bit. I love books written this way. They really make me think. I don't mind "working" a little to follow the story and if the author has constructed a well built story, as Palma has, it makes the extra effort very worthwhile. Having said that, most of the story was easy to follow, but there were a few sections that were a little tricky. I really had to pay attention so I wouldn't lose the gist of the story.

One of my favourite parts of the book is when the narrator/author talked directly to me, the reader. He doesn't do it that often, but when he did I was overcome with joy. Reading is such a solitary pursuit that it was nice to be acknowledged.

I love it when authors used real-life characters in fictional works. Even if it's not someone I'm familiar with or someone I even like or admire, I still get a kick out of it. In this book, Palma uses H.G. Wells as a major character, while Joseph Merrick plays a more minor role. There are also brief appearances by both Bram Stoker and Henry James. I'm not that familiar with any them, but I feel that I got to know them a little better through this work despite the fact that the story is fictional. Palma has definitely peaked my curiosity about Wells and Merrick and I'm going to be looking into their lives further. Not only has Palma uses real characters, but he also incorporates some real life events like the crimes of Jack the Ripper. Again, I found this fascinating.

Favourite quotes:

No, the orchestra of life would carry on playing without him, because in reality his part had never been important to the score. (page 433)

New words:
panegyric (page 380): extravagant praise
pilloried (page 483): denounced
fin-de-siècle (page 481): the last years of the 19th century
perspicacity (page 526): perceptiveness
callow (page 584): inexperienced

Highly recommended. Honestly, I could go on and on about how much I love this book and what I love about it. I'm so looking forward to reading more works by Palma. Look for this book in my "Best of 2011" list at the end of the year.

For more information about this book, please visit Simon & Schuster's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Simon & Schuster for this review copy.

The Map of Time by Félix J. Palma, Atria Books (Simon & Schuster) ©2011. ISBN 9781439167397(ARC), 609p.

The Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards

The Lake of Dreams, Lucy Jarrett returns to her childhood home after being away for some time. She's still haunted by her father's death ten years ago. Shortly after she arrives she finds some letters, pamphlets and other items hidden in a window seat of her mother's house. She discovers that these items may be related to her family's past and a secret that been buried a long time. As she reconnects with her mother, brother, old friends and relatives, she must come to terms with the changes around her before she finally learns the truth about her father's death.

I enjoyed this multifaceted story. There was so much going on with Lucy coming home to find numerous changes in the community and in her family, the guilt and emotions she's harboured about the death of her father, a family history and the connection to the suffragette movement, the mysterious stained glass windows and the artisan who created them, and a long lost relative who wasn't talked about. There were just so many secrets to uncover and learn about during the course of the story, I really wanted to see how the book would end.

I really liked Lucy and Keegan. Lucy's desire to research her family history and right past wrongs was admirable. I also understood her reaction to Keegan after not seeing him for years. As for Keegan, I'm not quite sure why I liked him. Maybe it was because he was so welcoming to Lucy or maybe it was the attraction he had to her or maybe because I found his business so fascinating. I was also rather fond of Iris. As for characters I didn't like, I couldn't quite put my finger on Lucy's boyfriend, Yoshi. I didn't feel the closeness between them as I did with Lucy and Keegan. I also didn't care for Lucy's mother. She felt a bit distant to me.

I was enamoured by the stain glass windows and the history surrounding them. I could have read a whole book just about them and the artisan who designed and created them.

New word:
susurrations (page 327): a whispering sound

My one complaint about the book was the way that information from the past was introduced by way of Rose's letters to her daughter Iris. Not only were these letters never sent, but Rose never intended to send them. I know that people do this (write letters they don't send), but I guess I don't get it. The content of the letters also seemed a bit odd to me. It seemed that sometimes Rose was writing to someone much older, not a young child. Also, do (or did) people really write lengthy punctuated dialogue in letters? Anyway, I think I would have preferred flashbacks, diary entries or something else. As it is, it didn't work for me.

Recommended.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit Penguin's website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Kim Edwards's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Penguin for this review copy.

The Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards, Viking (Penguin), ©2011. ISBN 9780670022175(Advance Uncorrected Proofs), 378p.

The Debutante by Kathleen Tessaro

In The Debutante, Cate is sent by her aunt Rachel to Endsleigh, a crumbling old mansion in England. She is to work with Jack cataloguing and evaluating the contents. She doesn't know much about this work, but she needs a break from her life. Once in the mansion, she discovers an old shoe box hidden at the back of a bookshelf. It contains a pair of silk dancing shoes along with other miscellaneous items. She's soon caught up in the mystery of Baby Blythe, the most famous debutante of her time.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. However, I had some trouble getting into it. It didn't really grab me until about 50 pages in. Before that I started the book three times, putting it down the first two times to read something else. In the end, though, it was quite a good read. I liked all of the mysteries that the book contained: Cate's past, Jack's past and, of course, the shoe box mystery of Baby Blythe.

The story offers a really good mix of past and present. The past dealt with Diana "Baby" Blythe and her sister, Irene "Wren", while the present day story featured Cate and Jack. I really liked how past events were brought into the story through a series of letters from Baby to Wren, which were interspersed with the present day narrative. I enjoyed the letters and really got a sense of society life as well as Baby's life from them. I did have a small problem with them, though. They appeared to be placed randomly without introduction or connection to the what was going on in the present day story. Therefore, it was a little jarring at times to be taken from one time period to another.

The characters were all very likeable. I loved how they interacted with each other and once I got into the book I couldn't wait to see what would happen to them.

I really liked the cover of this book. It's pink, frilly and sophisticated. It is a bit deceiving, though. I thought the story was going to be light-hearted and be from the chick-lit genre. However, the story was substantial, dark and mysterious.

Endsleigh House, the old mansion, was very intriguing. I think it would be fun to visit an old forgotten mansion that held so many secrets.

Recommended. Even though I had a few problems with this book, I'd definitely read another book by this author.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit the HarperCollins website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins for this review copy.

The Debutante by Kathleen Tessaro, Avon (HarperCollins), ©2010. ISBN 9780061125782(Uncorrected proof), 386p.

The Tenth Chamber by Glenn Cooper

In The Tenth Chamber, a heavily-damaged fourteenth century script is found behind a bookcase in an abbey. The map inside points at a cave with primitive, but astounding, paintings on its walls. The book is sent to Paris for restoration and that's where Hugo Pineau, a literary historian, first sees the book. He enlists the help of archaeologist, Luc Simard, to find the cave and decipher its secrets. Soon after the team assembles at the cave and the work begins, it's apparent that this discovery is extraordinary. However, all is not well as one accidental death becomes two and the team is put in harm's way. As the bodies pile up, it's up to the survivors to race against time to save the cave, preserve its secret while trying to stay alive.

I really enjoyed this book. The story is engaging, extremely interesting and mostly plausible. Like his other books, Cooper jumps around to different time periods to tell the whole story. In this one, the story mainly takes place in the 12th century, 30,000 BP, and the present, with little forays into 1307 and 1899. While he doesn't present the story chronologically, it's pretty easy to follow. I love how the little clues add up to one stunning conclusion revealing the ancient secrets.

The characters in this book were excellent. I really liked Luc, Hugo and Sara (from the present), but my favourites were from 30,000 BP. I don't think I've ever read a book where the characters were from that long ago. Cooper did a great job of depicting them and their lives. I did have a little trouble keeping track of some of the minor characters in the story, but after I made a list of them, it was much easier.

My only complaint is that in a couple of places the book sometimes read like a history textbook rather than a novel. I know getting the background and history information in is necessary, but for me it doesn't make interesting reading. Remembering dates and events for those dates reminds me too much of school where history was not my forte. That didn't stop me from really enjoying the book.

New words:
scapular (page 6): a loose sleeveless garment worn by Christian monks
caldarium (page 11): Roman hot bath
sibilant (page 45): producing a hissing sound
propitious (page 107): favourable
desiccating (page 133): remove the moisture from something
comity (page 142): courteous behavior
BP (240): used in archaeology it means years before the present as in 30,000 BP. Much like BC or BCE.
maquisard (page 291): same as maquis, which is the French Resistance in WWII

I've also read Cooper's two other books:
Library of the Dead(my review) and Book of Souls(my review). I'd highly recommended both of these books. I think this is the weakest of the three, but still very entertaining and readable.

Highly Recommended. Despite the fact that at times I felt like I was reading a text book, the rest of the book more than makes up for that.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit the HarperCollins Canada website.

For more information about the author and his other books, please visit Glenn Cooper's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins Canada for this review copy.

The Tenth Chamber by Glenn Cooper, HarperCollins, ©2010. ISBN 9781554688050(Trade Paperback), 345p.

Under the Dragon's Tail by Maureen Jennings

Under the Dragon's Tail: A Murdoch Mystery is a police procedural set in Toronto, Canada in the late 1800s. Detective Murdoch is summoned to investigate the death of a woman in a rundown rooming house. At first, it appears to be an accident, a drunken fall. However, evidence soon indicates that the woman, Dolly Merishaw, was murdered. Dolly was a mean, hard living, beer drinking, midwife and abortionist. She had three charges in her care; a mute daughter and two young fosters, both boys. Once Murdoch learns this about the victim, he's convinced that she has met with foul play. When another body turns up in the same house, Murdoch isn't sure if he's after one or two murderers.

I was quite excited to be able to review this book. My husband and I are avid viewers of the TV show, Murdoch Mysteries, which is based on the Murdoch Mystery books by Maureen Jennings. We usually don't watch too many Canadian TV shows, but this one has us hooked. For me, it doesn't hurt that Yannick Bisson is easy on the eyes.

As much as I love the TV show, I loved this book more. I really enjoyed reading it. The storyline was interesting and mostly non-violent, which I really liked. The story was a little more sexual than I thought it was going to be. It wasn't at all gratuitous or over the top, just different from my expectations (more about that later). I also loved that the story, characters actions and scene descriptions were all in keeping with the time period in which the book took place. Even the language that Jennings used fit the time period (see New Words below).

I'm having a hard time separating my feelings for the book from those for the TV show. As I read, I saw the characters as the actors on TV. That would be fine, except that I found myself liking and disliking characters in the book based on whether or not I cared for the actor who portrayed them on TV. As for the sexual sections in the book, again those expectations came from the TV show, which I'm sure have to contend with censors.

New words: There are plenty of new-to-me words in the book. At least some of these were used in the time period in which the book is set. Here's a sampling:
sluggard (page 14): lazy person
quadroon (page 22): an offensive term for somebody with one black and three white grandparents
mithering (page 65): scolding
huckaback (page 103): coarse fabric for towels
tubercles (page 109): lesion
gainsaid (page 129): opposed
enceinte (page 274): pregnant
escritoire (page 282): writing desk
antimacassars (page 284): a piece of fabric place over the back of an armchair to keep it clean.

Highly recommended for mystery lovers. Even if you don't watch the TV show, I'm sure you'll like this book. I'm definitely going to pick up more of these Murdoch Mysteries.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit McClelland & Stewart'swebsite.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Maureen Jennings's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at McClelland & Stewart and Random House for this review copy.

Under the Dragon's Tail by Maureen Jennings, McClelland & Stewart, ©2003. ISBN 9780771043352(Trade Paperback), 295p.

Book of Souls by Glenn Cooper

In Book of Souls, Will Piper, newly married and retired, is once again pulled into the mystery surrounding the ancient library he discovered a year ago. This time two former Area 51 workers, representing the 2027 Club, contact him regarding one of the books. The one from 1527 has landed in an auction and they want help recovering it. At first Piper's a little reluctant, but then agrees to help them. They soon garner the attention of the watchers (government agents) who want to keep the book's contents and its existence a secret from the world. Things get even complicated for Will when a beautiful young woman enters the picture and a secret document is found hidden in the book. He's going to have to do a lot of work if he hopes to solve the mystery "that will affect the fate of all humanity."

After reading Cooper's first book, Library of the Dead, I anxiously awaited the publication of this book. Now that I've read it, I can tell you I was not disappointed; I devoured it in a matter of hours.

This book recaps some of the information discovered in the first book, but still contains plenty of mystery and intrigue as well as a whole new set of surprises. Like the first book, the story jumps around to three different time periods. This time it's the 14th century, 16th century and present day. Cooper masterfully constructs the story so that it's very easy to follow and fun to read.

I loved how the author created a scenario in which one ancient book affected the lives of three influential figures: Shakespeare, John Calvin and Nostradamus. It's was ingenious how Cooper imagined these three would have come across the book and how it shaped their lives.

My one small complaint is that this book seemed to lack a little of the punch the first one had. The revelations from the first book were so stunning, it would be hard to top them. That's not to say this book isn't exciting. It's just that if I had to pick a favourite it would be the first one where the idea of the library and its implications were ground-breaking.

Cooper is slowly convincing me that this library of the dead exists. That's because the characters in this book are waiting the "Caracas event", which isn't all that far from Haiti. With what happened there (January 2010) and the number of dead, it's not hard to see that perhaps Cooper is onto something. Pretty spooky. ;)

I'm pretty sure this book can be enjoyed as a standalone book. However, if you haven't read either of the books, I'd suggest starting with the first one. If for no other reason than it makes sense to start at the beginning of the story.

New Words Alert:
licentiousness (page 251) - depravity
primogeniture (page 259) - first-born's right of inheritance
enigmatic (page 277) - mysterious
lassitude (page 284) - exhaustion
truculent (page 322) - hostile

Highly recommended. I can't wait to read more books by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit the HarperCollins Canada website.

For more information about the author and other interesting stuff, please visit Glenn Cooper's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Edwards Magazine Bookclub and HarperCollins Canada for this review copy.

This review is also available on Edwards Magazine Book Club website.

Book of Souls by Glenn Cooper, HarperCollins, ©2010. ISBN 9781554683116(Trade Paperback), 426p.

Library of the Dead by Glenn Cooper

In Library of the Dead, Will Piper, of the FBI, is called in to investigate the Doomsday serial murder case. It's extremely weird because each victim was notified of their impending death via postcard. Just as things get interesting and Piper seems to be hot on the trail, he's yanked off the case. He continues to investigate anyway and uncovers a bizarre, intricate and puzzling secret that dates back to the 8th century and a young boy with an extraordinary gift.

Awesome first novel! I devoured this book. It contained a wonderfully woven plot involving British monks in the 8th century (the year 777 to be exact), the British government (with Churchill as the Prime Minister) in the 1940s and Area 51 in present day, 2009. A couple of the scenes were a little harsh, but otherwise this book was easy to read and fast-paced. The gripping plot is full of intrigue and will leave you asking if free will exists or if our fates are predetermined.

It reminded me a little of novels by James Rollins in that it blends mystery with history. However, I found that Cooper's thriller contained less action. That's not to say it was boring. In fact, I really had a hard time putting it down. I got the shivers more than once when I realized what was happening and saw how the story was coming together. It was pretty scary. However, that was nothing compared to the extremely tense and unexpected ending. I was so involved in the story I didn't have time (or desire) to think about how this could conclude, so when it happened, my only words were "Oh. My. God".

Despite the fact that the story jumped around through the different time periods, it wasn't hard to follow at all. Cooper does a magnificent job of leading the reader from one time period to the next. It also helped that there was a date at the beginning of the chapters.

New Words Alert:
1) consigliore (page 210) (also spelled consigliere) means "counsellor" in Italian. Additionally, it has the specific connotation of "counselor to a Mafia boss".
2)tonsured (page 216): partially shaved head - a shaved patch on the crown of the head of a priest or monk in some religious orders.

This book was published in the United States as Secret of the Seventh Son.

Highly recommended. Cooper is definitely on my authors-to-watch list. I can't wait for the sequel, Book of Souls due out in March 2010.

For more information about this book, please visit the HarperCollins Canada website.

For more information about the author and other interesting stuff, please visit Glenn Cooper's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins Canada for this review copy.

Library of the Dead by Glenn Cooper, HarperCollins, ©2009. ISBN 9781554683093(Trade Paperback), 393p.

The Tenth Gift by Jane Johnson

In The Tenth Gift, Julia's lover, Michael, has given her an ancient book about embroidery, The Needle-Woman's Glorie as a good-bye present. Upon closer inspection, Julia finds not only an inscription, but also tiny hand-written print scattered amongst the beautiful embroidery patterns. It turns out that Catherine Anne Tregenna, Cat for short, a seventeenth century servant, had been using the book as a diary. What a treasure! In the book, Cat recorded her life in the Harris' household, her abduction by pirates and her life as a slave in Morocco. Julia is fascinated by the diary and goes to Africa to authenticate it. Even though they are separated by four hundred years, the stories of these two women share so many details it's as though they've lead parallel lives.

This is a great book; I loved it. It really is a delightful, well-written and easy to read piece of fiction. It's billed as a love story and while that part is quite good, it's the historical parts that drew me in. I was memorized by Cat's story in the 17th century. I had no clue that the Europeans were victims of slavery perpetrated by the Salé pirates from Morocco. Fascinating stuff. The parallel lives concept was very cleverly done and wonderful to follow. I especially loved how the author pulled all of the parallels together in the end. I also liked that the romance sections of the story weren't overly syrupy or over done. Johnson suggests the attraction rather than making it blatant. The treatment of the captives on the ship to Morocco was particularly disturbing to read, but offered variety and contrast to other parts of the book.

As for characters, I liked Julia, but I loved Cat. There was something about her and her story that drew me right in. I was particularly struck by her acceptance of her fate in Morocco. Michael, Julia's former lover, wasn't all that likeable, but I loved reading about Al-Andalusi and Idriss, Cat and Julia's love interests, respectively. Both men were mysterious, dark and, while not always likeable, especially in the case of Al-Andalusi, interesting.

I appreciated the map that was included at the beginning of the book with all of the relevant places marked. I liked having that picture in my head as I read the novel, especially because it concerned an area of the world with which I'm not familiar. Sure, I could look it up on the internet or in an atlas, but those maps are usually filled with irrelevant information. This is much better.

As much as I loved this book, I thought two of the "scenes" were a little over the top: the fact that Julia and Cat had similar writing styles and the scene near the end where Julia is in the attic with the candle. Both came across as contrived and impractical. These are very small parts of the book and didn't undermine the overall story at all.

My favourite quotes from the story are:

History is a very malleable thing usually written by the victors (page 309).

There are only two or three human stories, and they go on repeating themselves as fiercely as if they have never happened before, like larks that have been singing the same five notes for thousands of years (page 3).

The author's note at the back of the book is very informative. It never ceases to amaze me the amount of research that goes into a book, especially one that references historical events. I bet this one was especially daunting because it took place in the 1600s.


I found two other covers for this book on the internet. While I love the Moroccan archway on this edition(pictured above), I really preferred the cover featuring the old weathered book.

This book would be great for book clubs. It's sure to stir up some interesting discussions about the treatment of women in other countries, the similarities between the women's lives as well as many other topics. This edition even has a reading guide at the back of the book with some great questions to get groups started.

Highly Recommended.

A very strange coincidence: I took a break from the book to watch an episode of Law & Order: UK on television. I thought I was seeing things when in the credits I saw the name Catherine Tregenna. It turns out she's a Welsh playwright who just happened to have written the episode we were watching. Spooky.

For more information about this book, please visit the Random House website.

For more information about the author, please visit Jane Johnson's website.