The Lady Of The Rivers by Philippa Gregory

The Lady Of The Rivers by Philippa Gregory

Women in history walked a fine line and could rarely step outside of the bounds of the control of men. Women learned to represent themselves as men wanted them to be and to hide their true nature of self.  If they chose to venture outside of the rule of men, they would face the consequences that were designed to destroy the will of women. 


The Lady Of The Rivers begins with Jacquetta meeting Joan of Arc who is being held prisoner on her uncle's farm.  Jacquetta has the wisdom of sight but conforms to live within the confines of her society.  Joan of Arc is burned as a heretic before Jacquetta's eyes and it changes the way she lives her life.  Eventually Jacquetta is arranged to marry an old English duke, The Duke of Bedford, who controls most of France.  He doesn't want a wife so much as a prize and someone who can foretell the future.  This marriage is not destined to last long as the Duke dies after a short while and Jacquetta falls in love with her squire, re-marries and has lots of children.

Jacquetta, The Duchess of Bedford, lives in England with her family and serves King Henry VI and his young French wife Margaret.  The Lady of the Rivers serves an unpopular king who is self-serving and naive.  The heir to the throne is the Duke of York but the King won't speak to him and instead appoints others to advise him causing a rift in the family.  The book, The Lady of the Rivers, marks the historical beginnings of the cousins war and chronicles the life of the mother to Elizabeth, Jacquetta's first born, who becomes known as The White Queen.

I love history, especially the little known history of women.  Our history books have pretty much forgotten the importance of the female gender and women are under represented.  Gregory is a historian of women and all her books herald the power of women and their importance in history.  I love to recommend her books to students and pass on the knowledge and perspective she has taught me as a history teacher.  History stands for His Story.  If you want to learn Her Story, you have to read some of Philippa Gregory's novels and revel in the knowledge of women throughout time.

There is a quote I love that says "Well behaved women never make history" by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich and Philippa Gregory always writes about women who defy the odds and break the rules.  Go and venture into the realm of possibilities.

Her Fearful Symmetry

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

As we take our tour through Her Fearful Symmetry, I would like to point out some important details for you to ponder.  First of all, let me welcome you to Highgate Cemetery in North London, a most historical place with many famous burials located within our walls.  It is our first stop on the tour and the background of the book.

 Notice as you enter the gates, the high stone arches and look around at all the beautiful stone statues located above the family crypts.  The artistry is lovely but also notice the plant and wildlife located here.  As old cemeteries go, this one is full of character and history.  Beware of Ghosts and Be sure to stop by the family crypt when your in town.

Let's cross the street and visit the flat in London where the main characters live.  There are three large flats located in the building.  The flat on the ground floor is owned by Elspeth, who dies early on in the novel and leaves her flat to her twin sisters children, who also happen to be twins.  There names are Veronica and Julia.  There are secrets and strange happenings in this flat. When you enter the flat notice how cold your skin feels, it is quite natural to get the chills here so remember your sweater.

The middle flat is owned by Robert, who is a tour guide of the Highgate Cemetery.  He happened to be Elspeth's lover before she died and he misses her terribly.  The twins are a welcome distraction when he is not busy working on his thesis on Highgate cemetery.  Veronica is his favorite.  There really isn't much to see here except Elspeth's personal diary which details her relationship with her twin, Edie, and divulges their secrets.

The top flat is owned by a man named Martin who has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and cannot leave his flat.  It is definitely a sight to see.  There are boxes everywhere and paper on the windows.  He became friends with Julia while trying to be a better man for his wife.  Watch your step and be careful not to injure yourself.  The newspapers on the front step are in a precarious place.  

Well, this concludes our tour of Her Fearful Symmetry.  Please leave your comments in the green box along with a small donation to keep the cemetery open.

Thank you all for coming.  I hope you had a lovely tour today.

 Your book guide,

I received this book through Crazy Book Tours.

The Wind Warrior

The Wind Warrior by Cynthia Roberts

This a multi-faceted historical romance.  It begins in the NorthEast woods somewhere near upstate New York in the 1700's or 17th century( I'm guessing).  Leslie is a woman who has visions and she foresees a Indian man in her dreams.  After her father's murder and her escape from the village, Leslie is wounded and her reality entangles with the man from her dreams, Winnokin.  He is Seneca and his tribe is part of the Iroquois Confederacy (5 Indian Nations who formed a political and social system together).

The story is mainly about Leslie's and Winnokin's journey of melding their two distinct cultures together with some sex thrown in.  Leslie travels to Winnokin's tribe with many trials and pitfalls (kidnapper's included) along the way.  Mainly the novel is about acceptance.

I haven't read a true romance in a few years and I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I devoured it.   I really enjoyed the historical part of the book and that it dealt with the culture of the Seneca Nation.  I wish the author would have been a bit more specific with actual historical events, dates and locations but my guess, if I remember correctly, is that historical romance is supposed to be more about the romance than the historical backdrop.  Unfortunately I not really into the romance of a novel anymore but more interested in the issues and history it presents.

Leslie is a strong main character, the book seems historically accurate and presents a strong sense of culture. It was a good read for me and strongly I believe the racism of the time will play out in later novels.  This is the first book in a series of three.

I received this book from Crazy Book Tours.

The Postmistress

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

September 7th, 2010

Dear Reader,
I wanted to write you a letter and tell you about this wonderful book I just read called The Postmistress.  It takes place in the United States right before World War Two when some Americans believed they were safe and secure. 

In Europe, the war has already begun with nightly bombings in England.  The war correspondents are busy reporting over the airwaves hoping to reach an interested soul.  The Jews have begun there massive exodus and the trains are full of people with nowhere to go. 

Iris, Emma and Frankie are three female narrators of their intertwining fates.  Love and peace have abandoned them, letters connect them.  The characters are strong, especially Frankie who is a radio journalist.  She sets out to tell a story and the story becomes who she is and encompasses her. 

Many letters are written and mailed with kisses, hand prints and love.  Some letters are just voices recorded for the world to hear and not sent.  Many letters are sealed, stamped, postmarked and sent on their journey.  I am wondering where do the letters go that don't make it to their intended?  Are voices and letters sent out into the universe collected and kept?  If so, then by whom?  Are some stories intentionally not told?  Is it our duty to tell every story?  Is God really listening?

Sorry I have so many questions and none of the answers.

I hope this letter finds you safe and surrounded by peace wherever you are in the world.   Count your blessings and hug your loved ones.  I will be thinking about you and our journey in this world together.

With much love and hope,
Your Friend and fan of The Postmaster who carries our letters here and there,
Laura

I received this book as part of Crazy Book Tours.

Huck

Huck.  The Remarkable True Story of How One Lost Puppy Taught a Family and a Whole Town About Hope and Happy Endings by Janet Elder

I have recently become a dog owner and as a result of that, I am finding myself drawn to books with animals.  Having a animal in your life as a pet is a transforming experience and so I was drawn to this book and Janet Elder's experience.

This book is about an adorable, darling, apricot, toy poodle named Huck.  Elder's son Michael had always wanted a dog and was an animal lover since birth.  The author made the decision to get her son a dog when she got the life altering diagnosis of breast cancer.  After all of Janet's chemo and radiation treatments and in honor of Michael's 12th birthday, Huck was adopted and became a valued member of their family. 

The family decides to take a much needed vacation and they leave Huck with Janet's sister in New Jersey.  The Elder's live in a apartment in New York.  Poodles are great dogs and are also fast runners and good escape artists.  I should know as I had a poodle growing up, who jumped out of fast moving cars, and broke through every safety gate and fence we owned.  So it comes as no surprise that Huck escapes and is lost in a unknown town.  What ensues is a community wide search for a beloved pet.

This book was endearing and made me glad that my current dog stays close to my side.  It is a fast read, and a hopeful story.  While the book was mainly about the dog, I wanted more information about Janet and her struggle with breast cancer.  As I read this book, I drew some parallels to my own life.  My son (like Michael in the book) is also twelve, we just adopted a dog, so now I am thinking I better go get a mammogram just for peace of mind.

Huck is available to purchase on September 28, 2010
Check out Janet Elder's blog/website at huckthebook.com
I think it would make a great movie.
I received this book from Crazy Book Tours

I am going to leave you with a picture of my adorable dog.  His name is Titus and he is part German Shepherd, part black Lab.  He is just 3 years old.

The Wives of Henry Oades

The Wives of Henry Oades by Johanna Moran

A debut historical novel from Johanna Moran that is entertaining, insightful and thought provoking.  The story takes place in 1890 to 1900 and it is based on a actual legal case presented in California on bigamy.

Henry and Margaret are married and living in New Zealand when Margaret and the children are abducted by Maori and forced into slavery.  Henry becomes convinced they are dead and crazy with grief he moves to Berkeley, California.  There Henry takes a new wife, named Nancy, when the previous Mrs. Margaret Oades shows up on  his doorstep with his children.  What ensues in problematic for both wives, the children, Henry and most of all for the town of Berkeley who considers them bigamists.

I was riveted to the page for most of this book.  Frankly you know a book has gotten into your head when you dream about it at night.  I couldn't stop thinking about the dilemma of two wives and who has rightful dibs on Henry.  It is such a complicated issue and one in which the author handles very well, in my opinion.  I wish I would have read this with my book club because this is a book that demands to be talked about and argued over.

If you like historical fiction,  you will really like this book!  This book wowed me!  I just can't imagine how you could choose between the two people you love. 

I received this book as a part of Crazy Book Tours.