Give Thanks to Books

What an excellent idea: This Thanksgiving, the blog Yay! Reads will be hosting a special event all about books! Bloggers and authors will be guest-posting about books they are especially thankful for, books that have changed their life, any books that shifted their paradigms a little. I'm excited and planning to RSVP (as I certainly have a long enough list of excellent books). Check it out here! And be thankful for all of the good books in your life!

The White Queen

The White Queen: A Novel (Cousins' War)
by Philippa Gregory
ISBN 978-1-84737-455-4 - August 18th, 2009 by Simon & Schuster
 
Elizabeth Woodville was born little more than a commoner, but by virtue of her beauty alone she became Queen of England, beloved by her husband the king, feared by her enemies and grudgingly admired by her people: a true historical Cinderella. Set against the dramatic and brutal backdrop of one of the longest wars in history, the War of the Roses, this first installment in acclaimed historical fiction writer Philippa Gregory’s new series The Cousins War explores the life of this extraordinary woman and one of the most famous mysteries in English history: the Princes in the Tower.

While my personal favorite of Gregory’s remains The Other Boleyn Girl for sheer intrigue and powerful plotting, The White Queen is an extraordinary tour-de-force that blends history with fiction so seamlessly that it’s hard to imagine a more engaging and interesting read about this period. It’s especially nice to see the author leaving the Tudor period for awhile and turning her considerable talents to a little-explored region of English history that is as fascinating as it is confusing.

However, as something of a Tudor scholar myself, I continue to struggle with Gregory’s boldness in rearranging history to tell a good story. They are indeed excellent stories, and she makes good cases for more controversial historical theories, but it certainly isn’t a history lesson. I began to cringe at the constant repetition of the witchcraft themes in this novel—and while the story of Melusina was certainly fascinating and important to Elizabeth’s character, it gets old, too. In a way, they’re almost more historical fantasy than historical fiction, despite the author’s meticulous research.

All in all, this novel is like watching a train wreck. You know it won’t end happily, and that every time of peace and quiet is merely the calm before the storm; which gives it a depressing air that can be exhausting at times. But truly, it’s hard to imagine a better tribute to a beautiful and powerful woman so often neglected in history books. Her character brims with life from the first page, from her love for her children (including the doomed Princes) to her stubborn refusal to give up her crown; and I imagine that in the end what I felt was similar to what England felt: awe at the risks she took and pity at how much she lost.

The Final Verdict: A stunning work of fiction that approaches The Other Boleyn Girl in intensity, despite some deviancy from historical accuracy. Four out of five stars.

This book was purchased as a final published edition. In no way was I paid or subsidized for this review by the author, publisher or Amazon.com.

The Hole in the Sky

Originally reviewed for and published at www.readerviewskids.com as a Free Review. (See Disclosure in Accordance with FTC Guidelines)


The Hole in the Sky
by Barbara A. Mahler

ISBN 978-0-9816764-0-1 - October 19th, 2009 by Sea Turtle Publishing

Her beloved mother’s death, troubles at school, a hidden diary and a terrible curse: Kaela Neuleaf’s life gets very complicated indeed as she tumbles through the Hole in the Sky. Enlisting the help of her cousin, Shawn, and a host of magical creatures that insist she is the mythical red-haired girl, Kaela sets out to face her fears and uncover deep secrets about her past before time runs out for her friends and this strange and wonderful land.

While the beginning of this book seemed preachy and contrived, as the story went on I was wholly engrossed by Kaela’s fantastic journey and the host of likeable and believable characters. Here is children’s fiction of the most magical sort: Love and understanding abound, even when patience grows thin and the characters and those they love are in deadly peril. In its honesty and heartbreakingly sweet narrative voice, “The Hole in the Sky” is a winner.

The dialogue and melodrama were my issues with this book, but hey, who cares in what is clearly written as a sweet mother-daughter bedtime story? With its beautiful cover, sturdy binding and ribbons to mark your place, this edition is meant to be read aloud, and while the characters aren’t always perfect and some are downright evil (there’s certainly some intense moments of peril for Kaela as well as some frightening and dishonest characters driven insane by their visions of the future), messages about the importance of family and friends abound.

All in all, it’s a book that’s meant to be shared, and is sure to be beloved and treasured by children and their parents for many years to come.

The Final Verdict: Sweet, loving and imaginative with all of the ingredients for the perfect mother-daughter bedtime story. Four out of five stars.

Follow this book on Twitter: @TheHoleintheSky