This is a rather somber but effective poison-letter mystery. Ethel Lina White (author of The Wheel Spins, aka The Lady Vanishes, and other thrillers) This is a rather somber but effective poison-letter mystery. Ethel Lina White (author of The Wheel Spins, aka The Lady Vanishes, and other thrillers) spins a moody tale of an apparently perfect village, the peace of which is threatened by a spate of vicious letters. I did figure out the culprit, based solely on the principles of misdirection, but it still made for a taut and tense read, suitable for a fan of vintage thriller/Golden Age mystery.
Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this digital review copy!...more
I would finish this on principle if it were shorter, but it’s very very long and not a brilliant biography. The author’s business seems mostly to mythI would finish this on principle if it were shorter, but it’s very very long and not a brilliant biography. The author’s business seems mostly to mythologize, and she throws out assumptions and draws conclusions in an amateurish way that can be slightly annoying to read. There are several other late 19th/early 20th century Brontë biographies that are more enjoyable and feel more grounded....more
This biography, written in 1899, covers some of the same ground as Clement Shorter's work a few years earlier, though it condenses the material and prThis biography, written in 1899, covers some of the same ground as Clement Shorter's work a few years earlier, though it condenses the material and presents it in a chronological format as opposed to Shorter's topical approach. There's not much new information presented, though it's a decent all-round look at the Bronte family's lives. It does come with some unconcealed bias and assumptions about some of the family, and some obvious inaccuracies or gaps because some source material hadn't yet become available. It's also occasionally a bit saccharine.
It's a strange thing that the biographies written closest to the Brontes' lifetime are (paradoxically) the most inaccurate, and yet sort of the most accurate... inaccurate because emotions were still high enough that some people were trying to sanitize Branwell's interlude with Mrs. Robinson, among other things, and yet uniquely accurate because these biographers had access to something we don't now--surviving eyewitnesses and neighbors, etc. With that in mind, a biography like this is now of interest only to people who are deep into Bronte lore and interested in tracing the way that biographers understood and approached the subject over the course of many decades. For an entry-level Bronte fan, do search out a newer work first!...more
An absolutely perfect sort of "Bronte 101" by the always reliable parsonage curator Ann Dinsdale.An absolutely perfect sort of "Bronte 101" by the always reliable parsonage curator Ann Dinsdale....more
This was so fun! Witty, fairy-tale-ish, and a very zippy pace. I'd read more by this author.
I don't go for fantasy or fairy tales in a wholesale kind This was so fun! Witty, fairy-tale-ish, and a very zippy pace. I'd read more by this author.
I don't go for fantasy or fairy tales in a wholesale kind of way, but I'm pleased to discover the occasional exception, and this is one of them! I think that when it works for me, it's because the majority of the story is pretty grounded in the minutiae of a somewhat recognizable everyday life.
This would be an appealing read for fans of Christina Baehr's Secrets of Ormdale series....more
This did SUCH a strong job of what it set out to do, and especially for a debut novel! The premise is that a segment of the population has "time travelThis did SUCH a strong job of what it set out to do, and especially for a debut novel! The premise is that a segment of the population has "time travel" genes, with individuals attending a special school that trains them how to handle this ability. The junior year of high school features a time travel test--an independent assignment in the past. Charlotte ("Charlie") will sail on the Titanic, with instructions to rescue a priceless book that historically ends up at the bottom of the Atlantic.
I liked that the time travel serves the story but doesn't require much technical explanation or additional sci-fi trimmings, so the story can zero right in on the adventure � and more importantly, the ethical quandary... Charlie is told not to interfere with major historical events, but experiencing them in real time challenges her feelings about what is the right thing to do. It's quite a gripping YA-style read and I would definitely read more by this author.
Content note: Mild swearing and high-school hormones
A fantastic display of locations connected to the Brontes' lives and books. The majority include "then" and "now" photos.A fantastic display of locations connected to the Brontes' lives and books. The majority include "then" and "now" photos....more
Since I’ve got quite a few Bronte books that I’ll be visiting in the near future, I thought it would be good to sum up what makes each one unique.
WhatSince I’ve got quite a few Bronte books that I’ll be visiting in the near future, I thought it would be good to sum up what makes each one unique.
What makes this book different from other Bronte books? It’s a relatively condensed look at every generation that has ever lived at the Bronte Parsonage: the ministers before Patrick Bronte, the Brontes themselves, the ministers after, and finally the live-in museum curators. A fascinating and quick read, especially if you’re interested in the building and its changes over the years, as well as the tourist industry that grew by leaps and bounds over the last century or more....more
Fantastic storytelling and armchair traveling through all the regions of Scotland, with each one broken into short and easy subtopics for all sorts ofFantastic storytelling and armchair traveling through all the regions of Scotland, with each one broken into short and easy subtopics for all sorts of interesting places. A loving narration of a lovely country....more
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