I really enjoyed this memoir, possibly because I could relate to the author. Ian Graham is dead on with his description fo BigLaw, right down to recruI really enjoyed this memoir, possibly because I could relate to the author. Ian Graham is dead on with his description fo BigLaw, right down to recruiting and the work. Some was a bit dated - discovery is now largely computer based, but still - he describes the life of a young associate. I totally recognized his description of responding to interrogatories and document requests. I also really enjoyed his discussion of his pro bono case. Like many young associates, he started working on a pro bono project due to his ambivalence about big firm work. Ian ended up immersed in it and managed to obtain an amazing result for his client. Overall, I recommend this book for anyone considering a career in law. ...more
Elizabeth Street was a quick read. It tells the story of Francesca, woman from Calabria, Italy and her journey to turn of the century Little Italy in Elizabeth Street was a quick read. It tells the story of Francesca, woman from Calabria, Italy and her journey to turn of the century Little Italy in New York. It starts with her life in the "Old Country" and her marriage to Nunzio, her childhood sweetheart. The story then shifts to Nunzio and discusses his attempts to make a better life in La America. It describes the tenemants in Little Italy and the horrible working conditions of the Italian immigrants building modern New York. Eventually Francesca finds her way to New York too. The novel describes her journey on the ship, her passage through Ellis Island, her growing family, and the growth of La Mano Nera - organized crime - in the immigrant community. The novel also cuts at random times to Francesca's Great Granddaughter who seeks to understand the story of Angelina, Francesca's daughter.
I thought the novel was a bit cliched. I remember some of the descriptions of immigrant life from my own visits to Ellis Island and Little Italy as a kid - right down to the button hook eye checks. Unfortunately the novel was predictable. I really did not like the shifts in the narrative to Angelina's granddaughter/Francesca's Great Granddaughter. They spoiled key plot elements but were not long enough for the reader to develop any attachment to the granddaughter.
Based on the author's note, I think Angelina's granddaughter is the author and she is telling the story of how she learned about her family's arrival to America and adventures in Little Italy. While I appreciate the fact that the story was based on true events, I think the novel would have worked better focusing only on Francesca's perspective. ...more
Dreadful Kindle Freebie. This is a regency romance novel with an implausible plot and a simpering, whining heroine. If you like annoying, whiny heroinDreadful Kindle Freebie. This is a regency romance novel with an implausible plot and a simpering, whining heroine. If you like annoying, whiny heroines, misunderstandings as a plot device, a lack of communication, and Cinderella stories, this may be for you.
Anyway, this novel tells the story of the orphaned Verity, who is taken in by relatives and mistreated. (Cliche). She falls in love with a mystery man who helps her as a child, only to meet him again at her relative's house (Cliche). Through a series of misunderstandings, Verity and Max's marriage is a disaster (Yawn). Then, they figure out that they are meant for each other and Verity forgives Max's boorish behavior. (Cliche). ...more
Like many young adult novels, Revolution tells the story of an angst-ridden teenager. Andi Alpers is a privileged high school senior growing up in an Like many young adult novels, Revolution tells the story of an angst-ridden teenager. Andi Alpers is a privileged high school senior growing up in an affluent neighborhood in Brooklyn. She attends a fancy prep school, but drinks too much and skips classes. Her mother is a French artist, her father is an absentee geneticist who cares more about his research than his family. Her parents split up after the tragic death of Andi's brother Truman and her mother has thrown herself obsessively into her painting, ignoring Andi. On top of the family tragedy, Andi's parents don't understand her. Andi's father rejects Andi's love for music. On top of that, Andi blames herself for her brother's death. Andi is about to fail out of school and her father takes her to Paris so that she can do her senior thesis on the guitarist Malherbeau (required to graduate). While in Paris, Andi wants nothing more than to leave her father so she decides to get her outline done so she can go home early. Andi finds a mysterious diary in a guitar case and ends up becoming immersed in the writer's story - it was written during the French revolution by a girl named Alexandrine with close ties to the royal family. (Andi's French is really good). Meanwhile, Andi meets a French boy and toys with suicide. Towards the end of the novel, during a rave in the catacombs, Andi hits her head and (a) becomes unconscious and dreams that she finds herself in revolutionary France or (b) is sucked through a crack in time into the French Revolution. Andi attempts to complete Alexandrines legacy while meeting Malherbeau and making an interesting discovery about the guitarists roots. Andi managaes to get back to the future (or regain consciousness) and writes a fantastic senior thesis.
Overall, the novel was very good. As a 32 year old, I can do without some of the teenage angst, but for the intended audience it is great. Be aware that it covers some heavy topics such as alcohol and drug use as well as suicide. Andi seems to learn from her self-destructive behavior and does move on from it, which is good. The novel is also is a good learning experience as it brings history alive for a group that is often bored by history. I think this is a good read for teens ages 13-17. ...more
I have mixed feelings about Doomsday Book. I am a sucker for time travel and as far as that genre goes, Doomsday Book was well done. Connie Willis thoI have mixed feelings about Doomsday Book. I am a sucker for time travel and as far as that genre goes, Doomsday Book was well done. Connie Willis thought of a lot - she had time traveler Kivrin implanted with a chip to make her speak Middle English and understand. She also had her fully vaccinated for the plague. Willis did a great job describing what regular life might have been like. Her plague setting felt a bit been there, read that for me - I'm kind of bored with the plague - but she really made it hart wrenching. The medieval characters were really people I cared about.
So what didn't I like? Well, Willis tried to tell parallel stories of the past and future, with part of the book sent in 2054-55 and the other part in 1348. Kivrin, a history student, is sent to the middle ages to do research. See, in 2054, historians at Oxford have the monopoly on time travel. Due to an error, Kivrin ends up in 1348 instead of 1320, just in time for the plague. Kivrin finds that the middle ages isn't as romantic as she expects but adapts. Kivrin's observations are fascinating though. Makes you think twice about time travel, though the Kivrin is very well prepared for her adventure. As wonderful as the medieval sections were, the future sections were awful. They were redundant, had too many characters and didn't seem futuristic at all. They felt kind of retro. The novel was published in the early nineties and I could have sworn that the future section was sent around 1993, notwithstanding the time travel technology and compulsory vaccinations and quaranties. In Willis' 2054 people use phone booths. I found myself skimming through the future sections for the first 350 pages or so. They just weren't my cup of tea.
At least half the story is devoted to figuring out where Kivirin is - both among the future folks and for Kivrin herself. She doesn't quite know where she is and she can't find the "drop" location to go back to the future. The other half of the story shows reactions in the future and the past to epidemics. I thought this parallel was a bit overdone. It didn't help that I hated most of the future characters and I found the writing in the future parts to be somewhat repetetive.
Another issue I had was a seriously unlikely element of the story line. Yes, I know time travel is as unlikely as it gets, but here's my issue. Kivrin arrives in the past with a virus. An upper class family takes her in and cares for her in the virus. Towards the end, after it is revealed that it was the middle of the plague epidemic and it appears that the family was actually hiding from the plague, I couldn't help but wonder why they didn't leave Kivrin in the road knowing she was sick. They wouldn't have known whether or not she had the plague and given how terrified people were of plague, why would they let a sick person in their house? Clearly they didn't know of germ theory back then, but if they knew enough to flee... Speaking of germs, Kivrin threw around the word germ, as if it existed in Middle English!
Anyhow, this really was a decent read. I would have edited it down about 100 pages, mostly from the future section. But I found the medival part to be a page turner, especially the question of whether Kivrin would stay in the Middle Ages. We already knew she wouldn't get the plague as she was vaccinated! This novel really could have been excellent if it were less repetetive and the future wasn't so familiar (i.e. 1990s), but it was just ok bordering on the good....more
Pendragon's Banner is book two in this King Arthur trilogy. As often happens with the middle book in a trilogy, I just don't love it as much as the fiPendragon's Banner is book two in this King Arthur trilogy. As often happens with the middle book in a trilogy, I just don't love it as much as the first. I guess it's because things happen, but not as many thing happen as in the first book. The characters just aren't as fresh and you know that the story hasn't reached fruition yet. That's not to say that nothing happens - there is a lot of tragedy at this point in King Arthur's reign as Arthur works tirelessly to consolidate his power and to rout out his enemies.
The problem I had is that while I enjoyed the novel, I just didn't tear through it as quickly as I normally do. I think this is because I really don't like Arthur all that much. He's selfish and ruthless and he's a pretty terrible husband. I realize that Hollick is trying to show what Arthur may have been like, given his historical role and the context of his reign. But I wish Arthur would have been more likeable.
Notwithstanding my mixed feelings, I do intend to finish this trilogy. I think the idea of how Arthur forged his empire is fascinating. I also really like to consider what the Dark Ages may have been like. I hope, though, that the third installment is a bit more "magical" for me than this middle installment....more
Well, Lord of the Isles wasn't quite as horrible as I thought it would be. But it still is in the running for one of the worst books I read in 2010. TWell, Lord of the Isles wasn't quite as horrible as I thought it would be. But it still is in the running for one of the worst books I read in 2010. The beginning was awful, with Allie, the main character - a medical resident turned model waking up in the bed of a 16th century laird due to fairy magic. The dialogue and storyline was just idiotic! I also couldn't figure out how Allie and the castle residents would have communicated, as I'm pretty sure that 16th century highlanders almost exclusively spoke Gaelic (and even if they didn't, it would have been difficult to understand each other) and Allie was supposed to be American! Yet, despite the idiocy, I ended up getting sucked in. The book ended up being so bad that it was actually good. Hah! It's definitely no Outlander. But if you want brain candy with hunky highlanders and a 20th century heroine who manages to survive the 16th century without actually being burned for witchcraft (but comes close!), that's what you get! There's also a plot twist in there that I saw coming less than half way through the novel. I hoped that I was wrong, but yep - just about the dumbest plot twist I could think of was actually in the book. *** Methinks I should have read Misfit's review before reading this one (or reread Outlander). It's pretty terrible - I came across it on my Kindle when looking for a time travel romance like Outlander. ...more
The Birth House is an interesting look at village in Nova Scotia during World War I. Scots Bay is not quite modern. There is no electricity, everyone The Birth House is an interesting look at village in Nova Scotia during World War I. Scots Bay is not quite modern. There is no electricity, everyone knows everyone, and there is no local doctor. The nearest doctor is in the larger town of Canning. The story opens with Dora Rare, the first daughter in generations of a family that is not supposed to have any girls. For this reason (and the fact that Dora was born in a caul), villagers are a bit suspicious of Dora, wondering if she has magical powers (for example, the ability to cause the birth of a three legged calf). The local midwife, an aging Acadian spinster named Miss Babineau (Miss B), takes Dora under her wing as Miss B. has selected Dora as her successor. Dora attends various births and trains in herbs and folklore in somewhat reluctant training for her future role as midwife. However, as Dora trains, a new Doctor comes on the scene. The Doctor has opened a birth facility in Canning, where he hopes the Scots Bay women can give up their primitive ways and enjoy the newfangled use of twilight birth and forceps.
The novel is written in a scrap book fashion, with Dora's diary entries, thoughts, letters, newspaper clippings, home remedies, and advertisements. I really enjoyed this eclectic style. I thought Dora and Miss Babineau were great characters. She was multifaceted and passionate. Unfortunately, the male characters were charicatures and I felt that many characters were there for a reason. Aunt Fran was the outwardly straight-laced, religious character. Grace Hutner was the town slut. The Doctor was the buffoon obstetrician who served to show that home births and midwives are superior to modern medicine. Mr. Ketch was the village drunk and wife abuser. And so on. I wish the other characters were as well fleshed out.
The Doctor and the Diva is set in turn of the century Boston and tells the story of a gifted amateur opera singer (Erika) and her wealthy, globe trottThe Doctor and the Diva is set in turn of the century Boston and tells the story of a gifted amateur opera singer (Erika) and her wealthy, globe trotting husband (Peter) with a seemingly perfect life. Except, Erika and Peter had everything but a baby. At a funeral, they meet Doctor Ravell, a Harvard educated obstetrician renowned as a fertility expert, but with a weakness for women. Doctor Ravell attempts to treat Erika and Peter's infertility at a time when it is widely assumed that only women are to blame for inability to conceive. Ultimately, Erika has a child but it isn't as glamorous as she expects. Because of spoilers I won't say more about the plot, but it really isn't as trite as I make it out to be - there are many twists and turns. The novel isn't JUST about fertility either - there is romance, there are details about the opera world, there is a lot of raw emotion.
I was immediately hooked into this story line. I also greatly enjoyed the authors characterizations of Peter, Erika, and Dr. Ravell. I thought that they were all characters with positive and negative traits and flaws. None of them stood out as awful people, but none were saints either. I also found the story of early obstetrics to be interesting. I think the main flaw is that at times - especially the beginning, when the characters were not as well fleshed out (and when the author details Dr. Ravell's romantic life) - I felt that the author made the novel too "Hollywood." As I delved depper into the novel, I found that it had an Edith Wharton feel, which i really enjoyed. Also, the characters became less flat and became well rounded. They also grew as people, which I appreciated, though not always for the better. Some passages were beautifully written and the author did a really great job tying Erika's passion - music - to her expression of emotion. Some aspects of the story were predictable (I was not surprised by Dr. Ravell's chosen fertility treatment), but others were especially surprising - I think Peter surprised me the most.
All in all, the Doctor and the Diva is a good read. It has a lot going for it - various interesting settings in the early 1900s, fertility issues, the opera profession, and interesting characters. I think it would be a good pick for Book Clubs.
This is the first installment of Helen Hollick's Pendragon's Banner Trilogy, about the legendary King Arthur. Except, this isn't the King Arthur you'rThis is the first installment of Helen Hollick's Pendragon's Banner Trilogy, about the legendary King Arthur. Except, this isn't the King Arthur you're familiar with from Mort D'Artur and other legends. Here, there are are no knights in shining armor, no Merlin the magician, and no chivalry. Instead, Hollick creates a window into the brutal Fifth Century, a time where Rome has left Britain and created a power vacuum where the native British and the Saxons fight for supremacy. Arthur was said to live in such a time, so Hollick creates a character with the attributes most likely to prevail in these Dark Ages. Hollick's Arthur is charming but also a brute, not afraid to go for what he wants, a Machiavellian to the core. Be prepared to admire and loathe him, for he rapes and pillages and is not afraid to raise a hand to a woman - mainly his wife Winifred. Similarly, Hollick's, Guinievere (spelled the Welsh way) is no damsel in distress. She has a dagger and knows how to use it, trained in the arts of war from a young age (unlike the more Romanized women of the period). In addition to Arthur and Guinevere, the remaining characters are marvelous, three dimensional products of the Dark Ages, from the selfish Morgause to the scheming Queen Rowena and Princess Winifred.
In addition to Hollick's recounting of the chaotic Fifth Century political arena, I greatly appreciated her recounting of religion and the spread of Christianity. She depicts Christianity as a new religion slowly replacing the pagan "old ways." While some characters were devoted Christians, many swayed with the wind, embracing some aspects of Chrstianity while adhering to the old gods. I think this adds wonderful color to the novel as a work of historical fiction.
The Kingmaking left me with my mouth open, so wonderful was the conclusion with Hollick making realistic the Excalibur - drawn from a Saxon (in her author's note, she explains that saxo is stone, but could also be Saxon with a notation over the "o.") I so greatly enjoyed Hollick's attempt to make the Arthur myth real and to place it within history. Be forewarned, though, that if you want an untarnished image of Arthur or if bloody, brutal descriptions of battle turn you off, this isn't the book for you. The Kingmaking is a gritty novel - you won't find any sugar coating or romanticization of the Dark Ages here. This novel includes stinking latrines, rape, pillaging, decapitations, wenching (often by Arthur) and other unsavory aspects of the period.
I couldn't give this novel 5 stars (for me it hovered above 4 stars, though) because I didn't really enjoy the beginning. It starts out with Uthr Pendragon, Arthur's father, joining with Guinevere's father Cunedda of Gwynedd to push Vortigern and the Saxons from Britain. Arthur and Guinevere are children and I just did not find their childish perspectives to be all that interesting. For me, the novel "clicked" and started moving quickly when Uthr died and Arthur's true parentage as Uthr's son was revealed. Before then, I just could not get into the story. Thus, the first part of the book (around 15% - I read the Kindle version) was uninspiring. The remainder of the book was phenomenal, however, and I'm very excited to read the rest of the trilogy. ...more
The Sixth Surrender had some well-written moments. Unfortunately, it was also very confusing with a convoluted plot. It tells the story of Juliana, heThe Sixth Surrender had some well-written moments. Unfortunately, it was also very confusing with a convoluted plot. It tells the story of Juliana, heiress to the small border viscounty of Tillieres. She intially was to become a nun. During her time as a novice at Fontrevaud, Juliana becomes a scribe for the aging Alienor (Eleanor of Aquitaine). Juliana wishes to marry instead of taking her vows. While Samek doesn't exactly make clear what Juliana expects from marriage, she certainly got something she didn't bargain for - the mysterious bad boy Guerin de La Salle. La Salle has a dark past and a nasty scar on his neck, having survived an attempted beheading during his time in Outre Mer (Israel) with the deceased Richard. Alienor decides to marry Juliana and Guerin, purportedly to secure Guerin's loyalty as Guerin is landless. However the couple does not get along. Guerin has no wish to marry and he enjoys several mistresses. Juliana adopts a holier than thou attidue and is disgusted at the idea of being a wife (begging the question of what she expected from marriage) - especially to the odious La Salle. La Salle comes across as an abusive brute.
Meanwhile, the novel goes through various confusing plots, some of which were political, others were the stuff of a drawn-out battle between La Salle and Juliana. To note: I found it confusing and I had significant background knowledge on the major political issues of the period - the Lusignans, Arthur of Brittany, Eleanor of Brittany, the dispute between Johna nd his Poitevin barons. I can only imagine how confusing this novel would be for someone without background knowledge!
Towards the end of the novel, Samek introduces a plot twist. She tries to redeem La Salle by having his actions appear in a different light. Still, things don't really make sense to this reader. I had no idea how Juliana figured certain things out - e.g. the identity fo Celine. I found myself skimming the last 100 pages. I just wanted to get to the end of this convoluted novel. 1.5 stars (At least I finished it!).
On the jacket of the King's Mistress (I had an ARC), Emma Campion describes herself as the world's foremost authority on Alice Perrers. Thus, I had grOn the jacket of the King's Mistress (I had an ARC), Emma Campion describes herself as the world's foremost authority on Alice Perrers. Thus, I had great expectations for this novel in terms of historical accuracy. What I found, however, was a novel that was decidedly fiction. I do not claim to be an expert on Alice Perrers - what little I know of her is based on the unflattering references to her in Katherine. However, it is obvious that the fiction weighs more heavily than the historical in this book.
Campion's Alice is a good-natured, naive daughter of a London merchant family who unwittingly finds herself living in the household of Queen Phillipa, wife to King Edward III. Alice is brought to court as a virtual prisoner due to a conspiracy involving her husband, Janyn Perrers, and King Edward's mother Isabella of France. While at court, Alice attracts the notice of the King due to her beauty and intelligence. Despite her misgivings about entering into an adulterous liaison with the King, Alice becomes his mistress. Campion notes that as a commoner, she is in no position to refuse the King. She further buttresses this point with repeated quotes from Chaucer's Troilus and Crysede - that Alice is a woman villifed in history merley for complying with what her superiors wanted her to do. Campion portrays Alice as wearing the crown jewels, controlling access to the King, and acquiring lucrative wardships, all because Edward (and in some cases, his sons) wishes it. Alice, meanwhile, hems and haws, but somehow manages to amass a fortune.
While I doubt Alice is quite as grasping as described in the chronicles, I would be surprised if there wasn't some truth to her reputation as greedy. Where Campion is likely right though is that there probably was genuine affection between Alice and the King. After all, the real Alice, like the fictional Alice, spent years at the side of an ailing, elderly King. It is unlikely that Alice would have done so had she not loved him.
Overall, this is an ok book. The first hundred pages were a bit dull, spent describing Alice's betrothal to Janyn and hinting at the Perrers family's dark secret. The book, for me, improved once Alice became the King's mistress and after the conspiracy was revealed. I didn't particularly like the conspiracy idea - I would have much preferred if Campion had brought Alice to court for a more likely reason. Indeed, the very fact that she was at court at all indicates to me that Alice was ambitious. She may not have gone to court hoping to capture the heart of the King, but she certainly had a self-interested reason for going. I think Campion tried to hard to make Alice blameless (or nearly blameless) in arousing the ire of the English population. I would have preferred a more balanced look at Alice that tried harder to examine her true motivations.
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