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4 out of 6 on the Booker shortlist are HF!

Chatterbox
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Post by Chatterbox » Tue October 6th, 2009, 9:20 pm

Hurrahhhhh!!!!!

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michellemoran
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Post by michellemoran » Tue October 6th, 2009, 9:37 pm

I'm halfway through the book and it's fantastic. I wonder if this will change the way publishers look at HF with a male protagonist/POV.

A very good friend of mine just did the "rounds" in NY, interviewing editors (she's an established writer), and was told by several editors that they are not looking for any HF whatsoever from male POV. Perhaps this will be the catalyst...
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Ariadne
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Post by Ariadne » Tue October 6th, 2009, 10:08 pm

My copy's sitting on my desk waiting to be started. The publisher seems to have sent copies to every historical fiction blogger I know :) -- and I couldn't resist taking it, either, because I knew it was going to be good.

I'm really not liking the first sentence of the Washington Post review, though (which went online about 15 minutes ago). Whenever I see statements like that in reviews, which is often, I seriously wonder how much of the genre the author has read.
Last edited by Ariadne on Tue October 6th, 2009, 11:42 pm, edited 4 times in total.

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Amanda
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Post by Amanda » Tue October 6th, 2009, 10:19 pm

I have had Wolf Hall somewhere in Mt TBR for a while. So this is a great impetus to put it up the top of the pile! And it is up for voting for the BOM too!

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EC2
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Post by EC2 » Tue October 6th, 2009, 10:19 pm

[quote=""Ariadne""]
I'm really not liking the first sentence of the Washington Post review, though (which went online about 15 minutes ago). Whenever I see statements like that in reviews, which is often, I seriously wonder how much of the genre the author has read.[/quote]

Absolutely, but it seems de riguer to take a pop at other historical fiction when you review for a broadsheet. It was statements like this that were part of the reason Richard Lee formed the Historical Novel Society in the first place. Then again, perhaps the journalist had read that one about Renee D'Anjou and the 'volcano of honey.'
I wouldn't call Mantel's prose plain by any manner of means. In fact I found it to have some of the same lyrical qualities as Dorothy Dunnett.
Les proz e les vassals
Souvent entre piez de chevals
Kar ja li coard n’I chasront

'The Brave and the valiant
Are always to be found between the hooves of horses
For never will cowards fall down there.'

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Ariadne
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Post by Ariadne » Tue October 6th, 2009, 10:37 pm

Hah - that "volcano of honey" book was one of the worst mainstream-published novels I've had the misfortune to read the first chapter of. Best keep that one out of that journalist's sight!

Such statements are regrettably common. I don't have to like it, though :D

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Misfit
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Post by Misfit » Tue October 6th, 2009, 11:37 pm

[quote=""Ariadne""]Heh, they even found me ;) :) :p

Please please don't get me started on the *volcano of honey* book again :o :p ;) [/quote]

:o :o :o :o

My very humble apologies, but I clicked on the wrong button and managed to edit Aridne's post. I can't go back and save it all, and I'm not sure if I should delete it. Looooong day.
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...is the only place I want to be

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Ariadne
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Post by Ariadne » Tue October 6th, 2009, 11:44 pm

Heh, no problem - I got it back to the way it was.

I'm looking forward to reading everyone's reviews!

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Misfit
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Post by Misfit » Wed October 7th, 2009, 1:18 am

[quote=""Ariadne""]Heh, no problem - I got it back to the way it was.

I'm looking forward to reading everyone's reviews![/quote]

Whew! I won't hit the quote button again. What I had meant to respond was that they'd even found little ole' me to offer a copy to. I even warned them about how I can be if the book doesn't work but they said OK......
At home with a good book and the cat...
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cw gortner
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Post by cw gortner » Wed October 7th, 2009, 2:30 am

HURRAY!!! I'm thrilled Hilary Mantel won; and that a historical novel won, too. It's terrific. The Washington Post Review is very complimentary of her work, but why must these critics always take swipes at the genre? As if there aren't trite literary novels galore!

Anyway, I just got my copy of WOLF HALL and I hope to start it soon. I have a few blurb requests to read first, including Stephanie Cowell's scintillating CLAUDE & CAMILLE, about Monet, and Christy English's exciting debut, THE QUEEN'S PAWN.

Looks like I've a terrific few months of reading ahead.
Last edited by cw gortner on Wed October 7th, 2009, 2:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
THE QUEEN'S VOW available on June 12, 2012!
THE TUDOR SECRET, Book I in the Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles
THE CONFESSIONS OF CATHERINE DE MEDICI
THE LAST QUEEN


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