Browsing Tag

historical

reviews July 19, 2013

Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

Voyager (Outlander 3) by Diana Gabaldon

Their passionate encounter happened long ago by whatever measurement Claire Randall took. Two decades before, she had traveled back in time and into the arms of a gallant eighteenth-century Scot named Jamie Fraser. Then she returned to her own century to bear his child, believing him dead in the tragic battle of Culloden. Yet his memory has never lessened its hold on her… and her body still cries out for him in her dreams.

Then Claire discovers that Jamie survived. Torn between returning to him and staying with their daughter in her own era, Claire must choose her destiny. And as time and space come full circle, she must find the courage to face the passion and pain awaiting her…the deadly intrigues raging in a divided Scotland… and the daring voyage into the dark unknown that can reunite—or forever doom—her timeless love. (Goodreads)

The book starts with Claire, who’s been living in her own time the past twenty years. In the last book she met a historian who found out that Jamie didn’t die at Culloden. She’s been planning on going back for the last 5 months. Her appearance in the past tooks Jamie totally by surprise and while they learn to know each other again after twenty years apart, they have to save Jamies’s nephew (Young) Ian.

I have to say that I love these books! The book really started to come alive after Claire finds Jamie. I liked how they were showed learning to know each other again. No wonder you’d be a little akward when you haven’t seen each other in such a long time and so much has happened to them. I was getting kinda annoyed at Jenny though, why did you had to meddle in Jamie’s things?And by that I mean getting Jamie married to Laoghaire! That was the only problem I had with the book… I so wish we hear more of Fergus in the future. Poor man had a very interesting wedding… Most hilarious thing in the book :)

4,5/5
Published: Dell (1994)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 1059
Source: my own

reviews July 18, 2013

The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

The White Queen (The Cousins’ War 1) by Philippa Gregory

Brother turns on brother to win the ultimate prize, the throne of England, in this dazzling account of the wars of the Plantagenets. They are the claimants and kings who ruled England before the Tudors, and now Philippa Gregory brings them to life through the dramatic and intimate stories of the secret players: the indomitable women, starting with Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen.

The White Queen tells the story of a woman of extraordinary beauty and ambition who, catching the eye of the newly crowned boy king, marries him in secret and ascends to royalty. While Elizabeth rises to the demands of her exalted position and fights for the success of her family, her two sons become central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the missing princes in the Tower of London whose fate is still unknown. From her uniquely qualified perspective, Philippa Gregory explores this most famous unsolved mystery of English history, informed by impeccable research and framed by her inimitable storytelling skills. (Goodreads)

The story starts after Edward has already gotten his crown and Elizabeth has become a widow. She waits for the king to pass her on the road and petition for her lands. And Edward, who just can’t leave a pretty woman alone, takes fancy on her. After Elizabeth refuses to become his mistress by theatening him with a knife, they marries in secret. You could say the marriage isn’t taken with happy faces…

I have to say that I’ve heard more about Melusina thatn I’ve ever wanted to read in my life. And I don’t like how the author repeats certain things over and over and over again through the book. The readers aren’t stupid, you know? Didn’t care for the witchcraft thing either. I like history and fantasy, as long as you don’t mix them.

I liked how she portrayed Richard, Duke of Gloucester but didn’t care for what was going on with him and Elizabeth of York. But what did annoy me was the whole Anthony-hero-worshipping. I get that Elizabeth idolized her big brother but I was wondering if Gregory is gonna change history and gonna name him as a saint. Because there really wasn’t a thing he can’t do wrong. Haven’t read anyone else having this problem so maybe it’s just me…

For a person who brags what a great historian she is, you would think that she gots the places right. At one point Elizabeth goes to a palace that’s started by her grandson, Henry VIII. Time travel maybe?

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would and it was better than The Other Queen.

3/5
Published: Pocket
Format: Paperback
Pages: 438
Source: library

reviews July 18, 2013

Daughters of the Witching Hill by Mary Sharratt

Daughters of the Witching Hill by Mary Sharratt

Bess Southerns, an impoverished widow living in Pendle Forest, is haunted by visions and gains a reputation as a cunning woman. Drawing on the Catholic folk magic of her youth, Bess heals the sick and foretells the future. As she ages, she instructs her granddaughter, Alizon, in her craft, as well as her best friend, who ultimately turns to dark magic.

When a peddler suffers a stroke after exchanging harsh words with Alizon, a local magistrate, eager to make his name as a witch finder, plays neighbors and family members against one another until suspicion and paranoia reach frenzied heights. (Goodreads)

The book is told through the eyes of two persons: Bess (first half) and Alizon (second half). While I liked it told from first person narrative but the characters didn’t come alive to me. You can see that the autohor has done her research but it also slows done the book with going on , and on, and on about their daily lives. I’ve never heard of the Pendle witches before and I’d like to hear more about the actual trials.

I don’t know much about that time period and it was interesting to read about common people of that time but I also think that it slowed down the book a little particularly in the beginning.

3/5
Published: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (2010)
Format: Hardback
Pages: 352
Source: won at giveaway