Two of the books that will go on my "best I've read this year" list are set in seventeenth century England, a period I hadn't thought I was especially interested in until I read these books.
I posted about the first one on the old forum: Mary McCann's As Meat Loves Salt, about an emotionally impaired man who becomes involved in the English Civil War as a soldier for Cromwell's forces and also in the "Diggers" movement, a poorly organized but idealistic movement to take over uncultivated land for agricultural communes. It's quite interesting from an abstract standpoint, but the novel is not abstract at all. I've reviewed it here.
The other is a novel by a Canadian author, Mary Novik, called Conceit, which I've just finished reading (and reviewing here). It's about a daughter of John Donne, the famous poet and Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral. The writing is exceptionally fine, and the characters were so alive, it felt like they were right in the room with me sometimes. It got excellent reviews in the U.K., but seems to be almost unknown in the U.S., which is a shame. Maybe people think U.S. readers aren't interested in John Donne - but this would be a great read even if the characters were entirely fictional.
Welcome to the Historical Fiction Online forums: a friendly place to discuss, review and discover historical fiction.
If this is your first visit, please be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above.
You will have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed.
To start viewing posts, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.
If this is your first visit, please be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above.
You will have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed.
To start viewing posts, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.
17th Century England
- Margaret
- Bibliomaniac
- Posts: 2440
- Joined: August 2008
- Interest in HF: I can't answer this in 100 characters. Sorry.
- Favourite HF book: Checkmate, the final novel in the Lymond series
- Preferred HF: Literary novels. Late medieval and Renaissance.
- Location: Catskill, New York, USA
- Contact:
17th Century England
Browse over 5000 historical novel listings (probably well over 5000 by now, but I haven't re-counted lately) and over 700 reviews at www.HistoricalNovels.info
I haven't read either of those and they're both going on my list
I'd also recommend Havoc in its Third Year by Ronan Bennett (murder, god and the devil in the 1630's) and - less good, but still worth a go if you're into the period - The Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks (the 1665 plague in a small village).
I'd also recommend Havoc in its Third Year by Ronan Bennett (murder, god and the devil in the 1630's) and - less good, but still worth a go if you're into the period - The Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks (the 1665 plague in a small village).
- diamondlil
- Bibliomaniac
- Posts: 2642
- Joined: August 2008
If you are interested in the Gunpowder plot, then you might like The Firemaster's Mistress by Christie Dickason.
My Blog - Reading Adventures
All things Historical Fiction - Historical Tapestry
There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.
Edith Wharton
All things Historical Fiction - Historical Tapestry
There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.
Edith Wharton
I'll put in a word for Diana Norman's "Vizard Mask", which is set in the Restoration period. It's loosely based on the life of Margaret (Peggy) Hughes, the first female actress to take the stage in England. She became the mistress of prince Rupert of the Rhine in his later years.
It's set in London and also in the West Country at the time of Monmouth's Rebellion.
Also favourites, Fidelis Morgan's Countess Ashby de la Zouche mystery series salso set in the Restoration period. The Countess is a decrepit but sharp elderly noblewoman down on her luck, and the stories are both very clever and hilarious.
It's set in London and also in the West Country at the time of Monmouth's Rebellion.
Also favourites, Fidelis Morgan's Countess Ashby de la Zouche mystery series salso set in the Restoration period. The Countess is a decrepit but sharp elderly noblewoman down on her luck, and the stories are both very clever and hilarious.
- Margaret
- Bibliomaniac
- Posts: 2440
- Joined: August 2008
- Interest in HF: I can't answer this in 100 characters. Sorry.
- Favourite HF book: Checkmate, the final novel in the Lymond series
- Preferred HF: Literary novels. Late medieval and Renaissance.
- Location: Catskill, New York, USA
- Contact:
Maybe there's a reason why I was never too interested in 17th century England before - novels set during this period are difficult to get ahold of in the U.S. The only Diana Norman novels that are readily available here are her American Revolution novels (A Woman of Consequence, etc.) and her mysteries. My library does have Rose Tremain's novels and a couple of Fidelis Morgan's mysteries. I hear good things about Rose Tremain and will have to move her higher on my TBR list.
Browse over 5000 historical novel listings (probably well over 5000 by now, but I haven't re-counted lately) and over 700 reviews at www.HistoricalNovels.info
- Margaret
- Bibliomaniac
- Posts: 2440
- Joined: August 2008
- Interest in HF: I can't answer this in 100 characters. Sorry.
- Favourite HF book: Checkmate, the final novel in the Lymond series
- Preferred HF: Literary novels. Late medieval and Renaissance.
- Location: Catskill, New York, USA
- Contact:
I'll start with Restoration, then. Thanks for the tip!
Browse over 5000 historical novel listings (probably well over 5000 by now, but I haven't re-counted lately) and over 700 reviews at www.HistoricalNovels.info
Along the lines of Fidelis Morgan
Susannah Gregory has written a series of crime novels set in 17th Century London (Thomas Challoner) unfortunately I was not fond of them. There is also a series by Edward Marston -- The Parliament House and Frost Fair -- which are also crime based.
- diamondlil
- Bibliomaniac
- Posts: 2642
- Joined: August 2008
Over at Historical Tapestry we recently had a week featuring posts by authors who write about the 17th century. One of those was Alison Stuart who wrote a couple of novels set in England during that time. Her books were self published but at least one of them was an Espy prize winner (prize for self published novels). I own them, but haven't yet managed to read them.
My Blog - Reading Adventures
All things Historical Fiction - Historical Tapestry
There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.
Edith Wharton
All things Historical Fiction - Historical Tapestry
There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.
Edith Wharton