What Are You Reading? July 2013

[boswellbaxter]

[quote=""EC2""]A major player (so far) in Stormbird is Henry VI's spymaster general, an invented chap called Derry Brewer who is the sworn enemy of Richard of York and has come up from the dregs of society, having been discovered arranging bare knuckle fist fights in London's East End. #colourful.

Margaret of Anjou appears not to have known that her marriage was going to be by proxy and is deeply upset when she has to make her vows to the Duke of Suffolk. I wonder if anyone would have told her, or if she would have been innocent of the knowledge? A lot of the French seemed not to realise either and Richard of York was not a happy bunny.

[/quote]

Re the spoiler, I'm sure she would have been told.

[annis]

Sonby Philipp Meyer, a multi-generational saga of a Texan family. Excellent - literary but very accessible. I was lucky to hear a very good radio interview with Meyer not long ago on the subject of his work and this novel in particular.

Some readers have clearly had issues with Meyer's approach - he intertwines the stories of members of three generations rather than following their stories one at a time in a straightforward linear style, but I feel that this technique works very well in giving a strong sense of continuity through past, present and future.

Will just add the audio link for the radio interview in case anyone's interested, but it is a long one- nearly 30 minutes.

[Misfit]

[quote=""annis""]Sonby Philipp Meyer, a multi-generational saga of a Texan family. Excellent - literary but very accessible. I was lucky to hear a very good radio interview with Meyer not long ago on the subject of his work and this novel in particular.

Some readers have clearly had issues with Meyer's approach - he intertwines the stories of members of three generations rather than following their stories one at a time in a straightforward linear style, but I feel that this technique works very well in giving a strong sense of continuity through past, present and future.[/quote]

I've heard nothing but raves about that one. Still waiting my turn on the library copy.

[Susan]

Midnight at Marble Arch by Anne Perry - Haven't been with Thomas and Charlotte Pitt solving mysteries in Victorian London for quite some time. It will be good to visit them again. Anne Perry's latest.

[Madeleine]

I've just started "The Lewis Man" by Peter May, and "The Invisible Ones" by Stef Penney.

[Lisa]

Just started Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. I really wanted to see the film, but am trying to avoid it until I've read the book.

[Ash]

I saw the movie (read the book several times) and the more I thought about it the more I disliked it. I think the director was more interested in how he could make 6 actors play all those different characters, rather than making a decent story of an incredible read.

Reading Kate Walbert's Short History of Women. It gets a little confusing because the names of many of her characters are similar, but fortunately the family tree at the front helps. Excellent look at how far women have come over the last few centuries, how they still haven't, and how the more things change the more we really stay the same.

[Vanessa]

I'm about to start The Invisible Ones by Stef Penney.

[EC2]

Now around page 200 of Stormbird by Conn Iggulden.

So now Marguerite of Anjou has gone to England to be crowned at Westminster. The congregation all sit on benches facing her and start doling out the food - handing around a cold roast chicken for example, which make her feel very hungry. Did people sit on benches and pass around food during coronation ceremonies?

There have been some exciting fighty moments and the story is juxtaposing the problems of English settlers in Maine and Anjou, led by former archer Thomas Woodchurch,(focus character for the boys own readers) with the story of young Margaret of Anjou becoming a queen. I'm enjoying it, but my finger is still firmly on the suspend disbelief button.

[Misfit]

[quote=""EC2""]Now around page 200 of Stormbird by Conn Iggulden.

So now Marguerite of Anjou has gone to England to be crowned at Westminster. The congregation all sit on benches facing her and start doling out the food - handing around a cold roast chicken for example, which make her feel very hungry. Did people sit on benches and pass around food during coronation ceremonies?

There have been some exciting fighty moments and the story is juxtaposing the problems of English settlers in Maine and Anjou, led by former archer Thomas Woodchurch,(focus character for the boys own readers) with the story of young Margaret of Anjou becoming a queen. I'm enjoying it, but my finger is still firmly on the suspend disbelief button.[/quote]

Sounds like a scene from The White Queen on Starz