August 2010, what are you reading

annis · Post by **annis** » Tue August 17th, 2010, 5:42 am

I've been spoilt with two very different, but brilliant books.

Winifred Holtby's South Riding, captures a cross-section of a fictional rural Yorkshire community in the 1930s. I became totally immersed in its events and relationships. Holtby writes with a deftly satirical touch, but never loses empathy for her characters or the human condition. I'll definitely check out more of her work. (South Riding can't count as HF because it was contemporary when written, but it's a wonderful snapshot of a particular time and place).

Philip Reeve's Here Lies Arthur is a stunning and sometimes disturbing teenage novel. Reeve's writing is masterful, and the story subtly multi-layered. It can be read on many different levels- as a commentary on politics and myth-making/propanda, how we see people in terms of gender, how people see what they want or expect to see, as a vivid picture of post-Roman Britain or just as an exciting adventure.

Arthur is a typical warrior, a rather nasty piece of work, more brawn than brain. The bard Myrddin has an agenda, and Arthur is the tool he uses to achieve it. Very clever- reminds me a bit of a sinister Dark Age Yes, Minister, with swords.

I've posted a review at Margaret's HNI website
http://www.HistoricalNovels.info/Here-Lies-Arthur.html

enelya · Post by **enelya** » Tue August 17th, 2010, 11:05 am

I am currently reading Outlander by Diana Gabaldon....I figured I was in for a treat

rockygirl · Post by **rockygirl** » Tue August 17th, 2010, 1:48 pm

I finished the Downie book. I thought it was the best of the three.

Heading to the beach with "Cleopatra's Daughter."

sweetpotatoboy · Post by **sweetpotatoboy** » Tue August 17th, 2010, 2:23 pm

Just started The Iliad.

Nefret · Post by **Nefret** » Tue August 17th, 2010, 2:51 pm

[quote=""sweetpotatoboy""]Just started The Iliad.[/quote]

Nice. I haven't read that since High School.

JoshuaKaitlyn · Post by **JoshuaKaitlyn** » Tue August 17th, 2010, 4:22 pm

Finished 'The Blue Max' - jeeze I can pick em! Mind you no where near as bad as the Lucraft 'Swynford' bio. Back to McCulloughs 'Masters of Rome' series 'Antony & Cleopatra

Telynor · Post by **Telynor** » Tue August 17th, 2010, 6:36 pm

Finished up The Lonely Polygamist, which was a wild ride of a novel. Review up at Epinions if anyone is interested -- I suspect that it might hit one of the top ten books of the year. Now have started into some NF, Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic by Tom Holland, and it looks like it'll be a good counterpoint to the Masters of Rome series to give it some context.

Vanessa · Post by **Vanessa** » Tue August 17th, 2010, 8:12 pm

A complete change of genre - I'm going to start reading Too Close to Home by Linwood Barclay next.

Berengaria · Post by **Berengaria** » Tue August 17th, 2010, 9:56 pm

[quote=""Vanessa""]A complete change of genre - I'm going to start reading Too Close to Home by Linwood Barclay next.[/quote]

I have that book in my TBR pile. I recommend Tana French ...I've finished her latest book and reordered her first two ---very very good!

Vanessa · Post by **Vanessa** » Tue August 17th, 2010, 10:08 pm

I loved In the Woods by Tana French! I have The Likeness on my TBR pile.

Historical Fiction Online

August 2010, what are you reading

Re: Too Close to Home