October 2010: What Are You Reading?

Amanda · Post by **Amanda** » Tue October 26th, 2010, 9:01 pm

[quote=""cw gortner""]

I'm now reading Suzannah Dunn's The Queen's Sorrow. I've seen criticism about this particular writer's historicals but hadn't read any; this one is certainly nothing like its jacket implies. While set during the time of Mary Tudor's marriage to Philip of Spain, it's not about Mary at all, but rather about a sundial maker from Spain who comes to England as part of the Spanish entourage and becomes involved with the widowed housekeeper of the manor where he lodges. I'm halfway through and Mary has made one brief appearance.

Nevertheless, I'm really liking it. Dunn has captured the perspective of this lone Spainard in a foreign land and she has an unusual style of writing.[/quote]

Strangely marketed wasn't it? I enjoyed the story, but was puzzled about what happened with the title and the blurb....

Don't judge a book by its cover!......or title.......or the blurb on the back!

EC2 · Post by **EC2** » Tue October 26th, 2010, 9:16 pm

[quote=""Amanda""]Reading Remember Me by Lesley Pearce[/quote]

Ooh, she's one of my Twitter friends. I didn't know her before, but she seems very nice. I haven't read any of her books yet though.

Michy · Post by **Michy** » Tue October 26th, 2010, 9:17 pm

[quote=""Leo62""]I wasn't so keen on The House at Riverton either...might have to give her another go with The Forgotten Garden tho....

[/quote] I thought it was very good -- so far it's still a keeper for me. I thought her portrayal of Americans in Riverton was a little too negative. That's not why I didn't care for the book -- my skin is thicker than that!

-- but still..... We Americans don't hold the monopoly on bad behavior!

EC2 · Post by **EC2** » Tue October 26th, 2010, 9:18 pm

CW wrote:
"I'm now reading Suzannah Dunn's The Queen's Sorrow. I've seen criticism about this particular writer's historicals but hadn't read any; this one is certainly nothing like its jacket implies. While set during the time of Mary Tudor's marriage to Philip of Spain, it's not about Mary at all, but rather about a sundial maker from Spain who comes to England as part of the Spanish entourage and becomes involved with the widowed housekeeper of the manor where he lodges. I'm halfway through and Mary has made one brief appearance.

Nevertheless, I'm really liking it. Dunn has captured the perspective of this lone Spainard in a foreign land and she has an unusual style of writing"

I read the one about Katherine Howard and enjoyed it quite a lot. It was a bit odd in that it was told a bit like a girl's pyjama party, but I liked the writing and would read another.
Hope your cold is soon better CW!
Edited to add that I was a bit 'meh' about The House at Riverton. Readable but that was about it.

Vanessa · Post by **Vanessa** » Tue October 26th, 2010, 9:43 pm

[quote=""Amanda""]Reading Remember Me by Lesley Pearce[/quote]

I've read that one - I enjoyed it.

Amanda · Post by **Amanda** » Wed October 27th, 2010, 2:38 am

I picked up Remember Me from Borders a long time ago, as it is based on a true story, of a women on the First Fleet to Australia who later makes a daring escape. I have a loose connection to this story.

I am a descedant of a First Fleeter, though he was a sailor on the Sirius (flag ship), he was shipwrecked on Norfolk Island with the Sirius, married a second Fleeter convict (who had born a child to another sailor on the way over from England), he travelled with Matthew Flinders on his exploration around Tasmania, returned to Sydney were they settled along the Hawkesbury River (the setting of Kate Greville's THe Secret River) doing provisioning runs to Norfolk Island, got shipwrecked again, and flooded off their land enough times that they lived in a cave.

Perhaps I should write his story one day.......

chuck · Post by **chuck** » Wed October 27th, 2010, 3:49 am

Just finished Susan Hill's "The Women in Black"....One of the better Ghost stories I've read.......

Vanessa · Post by **Vanessa** » Wed October 27th, 2010, 9:14 am

[quote=""Amanda""]I picked up Remember Me from Borders a long time ago, as it is based on a true story, of a women on the First Fleet to Australia who later makes a daring escape. I have a loose connection to this story.

I am a descedant of a First Fleeter, though he was a sailor on the Sirius (flag ship), he was shipwrecked on Norfolk Island with the Sirius, married a second Fleeter convict (who had born a child to another sailor on the way over from England), he travelled with Matthew Flinders on his exploration around Tasmania, returned to Sydney were they settled along the Hawkesbury River (the setting of Kate Greville's THe Secret River) doing provisioning runs to Norfolk Island, got shipwrecked again, and flooded off their land enough times that they lived in a cave.

Perhaps I should write his story one day.......[/quote]

Yes you should!!

Leo62 · Post by **Leo62** » Wed October 27th, 2010, 9:25 am

[quote=""chuck""]Just finished Susan Hill's "The Women in Black"....One of the better Ghost stories I've read.......[/quote]

Ooh yes - I remember being seriously creeped out by that one

Michy - I don't even remember the American characters in House at Riverton! But then the whole book just kinda ran off me like water

One of my biggest problems with it was that it all felt like a recycled episode of Upstairs, Downstairs...

ETA: Anyone else reading Fall of Giants and fancy buddying-up? It's such a doorstop I'm gonna need moral support to get through it.

(Kidding: it's actually pretty good so far).

Madeleine · Post by **Madeleine** » Wed October 27th, 2010, 11:35 am

Amanda - there's definitely a book in that story!

I don't remember Americans in "The House at Riverton" either - I enjoyed it.