The Beauty of All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Title: All The Light We Cannot See 

Author: Anthony Doerr 

Publication Date: May 6th, 2014

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For Marie-Laure, blind since the age of six, the world is full of mazes. The miniature of a Paris neighbourhood, made by her father to teach her the way home. The microscopic layers within the invaluable diamond that her father guards in the Museum of Natural History. The walled city by the sea, where father and daughter take refuge when Nazis invade Paris. And a future which draws her ever closer to Werner, a German orphan, destined to labour in the mines until a broken radio fills his life with possibility and brings him to the notice of the Hitler Youth. 

Review

All The Light We Cannot See is one of those reads that I will always remember. It’s the combination of the characters, the story and the writing that made the overall experience such a beautiful read. 

I fell in love with the characters and their different personalities - not just the two protagonists, but even the side characters. They all felt so real, so alive, which made reading it that much more enjoyable because I felt for them and was so invested in their lives. I couldn’t help but admire Marie-Laure for her bravery and intelligence. She didn’t read as a character who required sympathy or pity for having a disability, instead she led her own life and had her own experiences. Werner though, had so much grief surrounding him that I just wanted to give him a giant hug and tell him it’ll be okay. 

The story itself was touching and memorable. I loved it mostly because it was a story about war but nothing about the actual war itself. Instead, it focused on the communities and people that suddenly have their lives changed. There was so much insight into the consequences that are felt by the people not only in the immediate future, but consequences that last a lifetime. In saying that, Doerr doesn't try to protect readers from the devastation of war - it's definitely part of the read. It was also historical fiction, but I didn’t feel like I was being bombarded by historical facts. Instead, I was able to grasp the full experience of living in such a time through the characters’ and their stories as I follow them throughout their recount of the era. 

Doerr’s writing resonated with love, courage, grief, loss and every other emotion I felt when reading it. It flowed between past and present to build up to the finale and I appreciated how the characters’ lives intertwine in such a beautifully yet, fleeting manner. Doerr wrote vividly and created such strong imagery that I can still envision the different settings and moments, despite reading it a month ago. Interestingly, he included a myth about a certain gem that really delivered a strong message around human greed - something that paralleled the events at the time.

You don’t have to love reading historical fiction to enjoy this. All The Light We Cannot See speaks volumes on humanity, faith and love between everybody. It is a memorable read that will leave you speechless with all the emotions that will pass through you.

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The Taming of the Queen - Philippa Gregory

Title: The Taming of The Queen
Author: Philippa Gregory
Publication Date: UK/AUS/NZ: 13th August, 2015 | USA/CAN: 25th August, 2015
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Kateryn Parr comes to court promising to marry King Henry VIII despite knowing the dangers. She's sixth in line and the deaths of the previous Queens makes her uneasy. Except Henry showers her with love, trusting her with his children and his Kingdom.

She unites the family and joins in advising the King. Yet, as she pushes for religious reforms, Kateryn begins to gain enemies and soon her beliefs and actions grab Henry's suspicious attention. Those against her label her a heretic, but her concerns mount as it seems that Henry is beginning to plot a punishment against her.

Will she be able to survive against a man who ordered the death of his own wives?

Review

Out of Henry VIII's six wives, I have rarely heard anything about his last wife Kateryn Par. That, coupled with Philippa Gregory releasing a new novel based in the Tudor era, grabbed my interest very quickly.

I appreciate The Taming of the Queen for providing not only a story to the name Kateryn Par, but also an insight into the context of the time. A lot of the time it is quite obvious Gregory's novels are mostly fictionalised, but in this one most of the novel came across very believable and almost realistic. I was fascinated with the portrayal of Kateryn and her role as Queen and at one point Regent to the country. Gregory writes her as an intelligent and influential female, which is very empowering, especially during that period. I also loved that Gregory focused on the fact that Kateryn was able to translate and publish two prayer books, first as an anonymous and eventually under her own name. It is an inspiring act that really conveys how powerful women can be even in a patriarchal world.

There's also a large aspect of religion in this novel. At this point King Henry VIII has split from Rome and the Catholic Church, and the debate between reverting to the old religious ways or striving for reformation crops up a lot. Gregory places Kateryn at the centre of this conflict, which gives her a role and first hand experience for the readers. However, I'm not too sure how historically accurate it is. The dispute is actually quite interesting and I kept reading on, even though I had always thought religion in a book would bore me. I think coming from a religious educated background it's intriguing to see the practices in Mass originate from the Tudor period.

I did think there were some really dry and uninteresting moments, that I skimmed pretty easily. There was also a part I really did not like and absolutely did not believe would have happened in real life. I read it very uneasily and regretfully. It made sense when tied to Henry's personality, but at the same time I just couldn't stomach it.

The Taming of the Queen definitely did not become my favourite read from Gregory but it was very well written, engaging and fascinating. I was intrigued enough to start my own research of Kateryn and I really liked her character in the novel. It's a thick but fast read, and if you're a fan of Gregory or history definitely give it a shot!

"I believe that to be a free woman is to be both passionate and intelligent."

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In The Shadow of Blackbirds - Cat Winters

Plot:

Mary Shelley Black has always led a rational and logical life. At 16, she is sent to live with her aunty, after the Influenza spreads throughout America. She doesn't buy into all the craze of spiritual photos and seances after the constant deaths, but one day Mary wakes up to a boy lying next to her. A boy she knows is dead.

Review:

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Gilt - Katherine Longshore

Plot:

Kitty Tylney and Catherine Howard are joint to the hip, both growing up with a group of girls who dream of joining court. Then Cat does it, she worms her way in and Kitty follows suit. They're both thrusted into the central workings of court but Kitty discovers it's might be too late to escape after falling in too deep.

Review:

Gilt had me hooked right from the start, although I can't really pinpoint why. It might be because the pacing was done just right and the writing was easy to read. It was straight to the point, compact and engaging. Longshore builds on the Tudor world with elements of scandal and passion, both factors that aren't new to historical fiction, but one of the many reasons why I actually like this genre. I know it's not historically accurate, but it's such a fun way to explore history and its characters.

What I liked most were the bigger issues of friendship and loyalty, and self-interests. Kitty constantly had to question her loyalties and if her priorities were where they should be. It opens up to whether being best friends with someone justifies the actions that they commit and what you do to help them. Or do you step in and try to prevent them from doing what they shouldn't be doing? It's the whole matter of whether you have to put your self-interest first or protect those you care about the most.

Kitty, as a character, is definitely likeable. She's smart, strong willed and knows her worth. Her only fault, really, is being friends with Cat and having to be dragged into the courts happenings. Cat is a character that, from what I've read about her, isn't portrayed  in a great light. She's ambitious and attractive, but only uses her head to achieve what she needs without thinking of the consequences. I didn't particularly like any of the other characters, finding none of them quite memorable. It was only the shadier characters that drew out stronger emotions from me.

I flew through Gilt in a few hours and loved every moment of it. Since then I've bought Longshore's other novel and am so excited to read it. I definitely recommend it, especially if you love historical fiction. It was more the writing and the plot that boosted the novel, with the characters being pretty one-sided, but that's not noticeable whilst reading it.

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The Waiting List

The Waiting List is a new feature hosted by PrintedWordsAnd (me), where I list some upcoming releases for the month that I'm most excited about! It's not an original idea, but I'm hoping it'll be useful guide for you guys.

(Links to Goodreads via images and titles)

YA Sequels

1. Opposition (Lux #5) by Jennifer Almentrout - 5th August

2. Isla and the Happily Every After (Anna and the French Kiss #3) by Stephanie Perkins - 14th August
One of the most raved about series, this final novel draws out the story of Isla and Josh who come to the quick realisation that happily ever afters may not really exist.
I still haven't ventured into this series yet, but I'm very tempted with all the hype around it. 

3. The Revenge of Seven (Lorien Legacies #5) by Pittacus Lore - 26th August

4. Yolo (Internet Girls #4) by Lauren Myracle - 26th August

Out of the series listed I've actually only read Internet Girls by Laruen Myracle, and really did like it. It might seem silly, but the format and the content is cute and funny. I do remember reading it in high school so I might revisit this series for nostalgic reasons. 

Mystery

1. Dangerous Boys by Abigail Haas - 14th August 

A thriller about three teens who enter a building one night, but only two come out alive. Questions are asked and Chloe has all the answers yet, can't seem to unlock them. 

I love a good mystery and this just sounds like the perfect one. 

Zoe who co-writes on Deadly Darlings listed this as her favourite read last month; read her review here!

Fantasy

1. Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M. Lee - 5th August

2. Percy Jackson and the Greek Gods by Rick Riordan - 19th August

A companion novel to the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, Rick Riordan brings back Percy Jackson to recount the origins of Olympus and the gods. 

I am so pumped for this because 1) I love Greek mythology and 2) the Percy Jackson series is simply amazing. 

Horror/Paranormal

1. Of Metal and Wishes by Sarah Fine - 5th August

Wren is horrified at herself after making a deadly wish only to have the Ghost who haunts the medical clinic grant it. She soon learns that there are more things to fear, including the fact that the Ghost has watched over her for a very long time. 

I completely freaked out after realising that this is a modern take on The Phantom of Opera, one of my favourites musicals ever! Definitely on my TBR list this month.

2. The Girl from the Well by Rin Chupeco - 5th August

3. Into the Grey by Celine Kiernan - 26th August

After the fire, two boys realise they draw the attention of a ghost who seem to think he has found home with them.

Just how creepy does it sound to have a ghost target you for a person they think is familiar/want to be with. 

Sci-Fi

1. The Islands at the End of the World by Austin Aslan - 5th August

2. Lock In by John Scalzi - 26th August

Fifteen years on and a virus has spread across the globe. Of the 95% afflicted, 1% are diagnosed as "locked in" - awake and aware but paralysed. Before these people are deemed useless, two new technologies emerge, both depending on virtual reality. The use is regulated and licensed, but it's impossible to not lure others to abuse it. 

I'm not a massive fan of sci-fi but this one just seems like one of the best concepts of this genre. I think I'm going to get sucked in, especially because it involves a lot of social justice issues.

Historical Fiction

1. The King's Curse (The Cousins War #6) by Philippa Gregory - 14th August

Margaret Pole, cousin to Elizabeth of York, finds herself in the company of Arthur, prince of Wales, and his bride Katherine of Aragon. She becomes the chief lady-in-waiting after Katherine becomes Queen, but faces the challenges of court, whilst struggling to hide her identity.

This is by far my most anticipated novel for this month, following the era between The Lancasters and the Yorks. Gregory writes fascinating historical fiction and this series has been excellent so far. I am so excited for the finale and love the fact that it ties into the Tudor period.

Contemporary

1. I Love I Hate I Miss My Sister by Amelie Sarn, Y. Maudet  - 5th August

2. Two Girls Staring at the Ceiling by Lucy Frank - 5th August

Written in verse, two girls meet in a hospital ward and find themselves easing into a surprising friendship. 

I feel drawn to this novel only because I think it will be a beautiful and heartwarming read, whilst wringing out some emotions from me as well. Very high expectations here.

3. A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall - 26th August

4. Play Me Backwards by Adam Selzer - 26th August

Leon Harris is a sloth, slack and unmotivated, until he hears that his middle school girlfriend is returning home. He takes on advice from his best friend Stan, who claims to be Satan, but soon begins to think that maybe he shouldn't have agreed to hand over his soul after all.

I can already tell that this will be humorous and witty (well hopefully anyways). I'm ready for a good laugh out loud contemporary to get ready for Spring to come.

This is my waiting list for August, what's yours?

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The Boleyn Inheritance - Philippa Gregory

Plot: 

Jane Boleyn saved the family's inheritance when she condemned her husband and sister-in-law to their death. Now, she is known as a lady with ambition and a spiteful tongue.

Anne of Cleves escapes her controlling family through her marriage to the King of England. Only she makes a grave mistake and must now learn who to trust and how to survive in a country that has seen the change of three Queens.

Katherine Howard is a young girl, blossoming under the care of her grandmother. She becomes lady-in-waiting to the new Queen, only to find herself the central player of a game that has been played countless times in court.

Review:

I'd never expect to rave about Philippa Gregory so much, and then come face to face with a book I simply did not like. Well the time has come, and sadly I have to say The Boleyn Inheritance takes the prize for the worst book (I have read) from Gregory.

That's not to say the book was absolutely dreadful though. I finished it in a good amount of time without feeling like it was a waste of time to read.

The use of three central characters was not as confusing due to Gregory's simple layout. Each chapter is dedicated to one of the female characters, and headed by their name. All three also had their own unique voices, so it felt a lot more believable. I liked that Gregory explored and promoted three characters that were lesser known in history. It is easy to know who King Henry VIII married but only a few are "famous"/well-known. Whilst it is fictionalised Gregory did refer to primary sources and other evidence to build a life around the characters, so it's not completely untrue.

I found the voices of the character weren't at all intriguing though. At first I was really amused by Kitty's daftness and self-interest. She is a 14 year old girl who revels in the attention given by people around her, especially men, because of her beauty. Her only interest is herself and what she can gain from the attention. Except I felt like her voice started to become so whiny and very naive. I'd figure historically a 14 year old girl would be educated enough to understand her role in life and how the court works. Kitty's voice actually suited a modern day teen instead (although I'm not saying all teens are whiny and self-centred).

Anne sounded like she had no personality. She was flat and dreary the entire way through and I skipped her parts at the end when she because almost irrelevant. Although with her upbringing, it is quite understandable to see why she had no talents or wit. She was smart enough to save her neck and compassionate enough to be liked, but eventually became very boring.

Jane was by far the most interesting because she was the central player. Using her influence and knowledge she tried to play things to her (and her "family's") advantage. I liked that Gregory gave her a chance to justify her actions. Whether it was true or not is very debatable, but at least in this story she sounded logical enough. Logical in the sense that it made sense to her beliefs, even if it didn't resonate with my own values. That made her a complex character with enough development to not fall flat.

The Boleyn Inheritance depended on the characters to really make the story, considering everything was through their recount. I didn't feel anything but annoyance and boredom with the characters, so I guess the story just didn't work for me. Maybe it will for you though?

Rating: 3/5

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Counting Down: Top Five

3. The Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory 

Plot:
Mary Boleyn enters court at a young age, full of innocence and beauty. Appointed lady-in-waiting, she secures a closeness with Queen Catherine of Aragon, not only putting her in the midst of the court but under the watchful eye of King Henry VIII. Soon, she is tumbling forward in a battle for the throne and the King's heart, not knowing that her fiercest enemy are ones closest to her.

Reason:

My love for The Other Boleyn Girl stems from many reasons.

Firstly, it introduced me into the world of Historical Fiction - the kind I liked. Whilst I knew of the existence of fictionalised recounts of World Wars and such, I never realised that people actually wrote about long dead kings and queens (I know, stupid right). It definitely pulled me in, and I quickly fell in love with the voices of characters that had appeared on Wikipedia for me.

Secondly, it intensified my love for the Tudor times. I studied the era back when I was in Year 8, and from doing a research project on King Henry VIII and his wives, I grew obsessed. The world seemed magical to me somehow, and exciting. The beauty of the court, the gowns and the "chivalrous" knights, I was determined to believe that the Tudor era was great. The Other Boleyn Girl certainly evokes those elements, but there's also the dangers of the court and the ambition that arises. There was enough drama to have me enthralled. I'm not certain it's 100% historically accurate, but Greggory has done her research. She's just taken points that have been rumoured to occur and stretched them out, to keep the plot interesting. Not going to lie, I loved the scandals and intrigued that played out.

Thirdly, whilst I say it's not 100% accurate, it still gave quite a lot of insight into the era and not only the relationship between Henry and Anne Boleyn, but also Mary Boleyn who not many people know about. I never knew she even existed until reading this novel! I guess because her sister became Queen, she was overlooked as the girl who failed. Her story, however much fictionalised it is, is still very interesting and quite believable.

That's why fourthly, I say I loved the book because Mary had me in the palm of her hands. She drew support from me, and stereotypically Anne was the villain of the story. True to history's recount, Anne was depicted in a conniving and ambitious way. I guess that might be something that was on the iffy side of this book, but I overlooked it because I was immersed in Mary's life too much.

Not only Mary though, but the other characters had such a riveting tale they seemed very much alive. George Boleyn enchanting, William charming and Catherine of Aragon dignified.

Lastly, the plot was simply amazing. It's definitely not a light read but it's filled with rich and exciting moments that had me engrossed. I've flown through the novel so many times without getting bored because it is that good. It's hard not to be swept up into the corruption and deceit that circulates a court that seems so perfect on the outside. It's the right amount of drama that doesn't overwhelm and seem exaggerated.

I understand that this might suit everyone's taste, but I would recommend it to anyone who loves historical fiction and just reading in general.

P.S If you saw the movie and have written off reading the book, don't. I don't even want to acknowledge the existence of the movie.

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Shadow On The Crown - Patricia Bracewell

Plot: 

The year is 1001. Emma of Normandy weds King Atherald of England, in a political bargain. She is made of Queen of England to realise that even though she wears a crown, she is only a foreign prisoner amongst the strangers. Her journey to gain respect and loyalty, is not made easier when the daughter of a high Lord, Elgiva, finds her way into King Atherald's bed.

Desperate for a son and a chance to live, Emma plots and plan her way to find success.

Review:

Shadow On The Crown draws on the real encounters recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, which is probably one factor as to why I was drawn to reading this novel.

I feel like I expected too much out of this novel, and at some point it was also my part. I wanted to be drawn away from the Tudors era for at least a moment to experience and learn a little more about a different period in time but this novel felt a little bland.

Watch the full review here.

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The White Princess - Philippa Gregory

Plot:

Daughter to King Edward IV, Elizabeth of York is betrothed to Henry Tudor and finds herself being Queen once Henry takes the crown from Richard III. Elizabeth cannot find a place in court whilst Henry's mother, Margaret Beaufort controls everything. She resents Henry for killing her lover, Richard. Then news comes that a boy is mustering an army in neighbouring countries and claims to be Richard, Duke of York, coming for his rightful throne.

Elizabeth must decide where her loyalties lie - with the husband she was forced to marry or the house of York and the boy who says he is her younger brother.

Review:

The fifth instalment of The Cousins' War series depicts the life of Elizabeth of York, as Queen of England and the beginning of the Tudor era. As a massive fan of Philippa Gregory and her historical novels, I just had to get myself a copy. The White Princess is probably the only novel that I won't be raving about, unfortunately. It's got her writing style and thorough research so that it seems realistic enough but the plot and characters were just a drag.

I was looking forward to reading through Elizabeth's perspective, after encountering her in prior novels and sensing how intelligent and charming she was. However, I got nothing of the sorts in this novel. I am disappointed as to how Elizabeth seems so passive throughout the entire novel, making it almost weary to read if not for Gregory's great writing. The women in her previous novels all had strong and independent positions, paving their own ways and using their wit to create plans to benefit for themselves and their family. I don't get that with Elizabeth. She is merely just a vehicle used to tell the story, a figure that everyone knows but hardly does anything. I suppose Gregory couldn't change history, even if it is fictional, but the novel portrays Elizabeth as a character in the shadows watching or hearing from others about what is going on. She is never in the thick of things, which leaves her seem weak and almost boring.

Gregory does play on the fact that Elizabeth was rumoured to be Richard III's lover and adds elements of that into the novel. It is merely memories for Elizabeth but if Gregory had included maybe a chapter of their times together before transitioning into Henry VII's reign it would've raised the excitement of Elizabeth just a little. She would've had more character if I had witnessed the passion she felt for Richard as opposed to constantly just thinking about it and telling readers how much she aches for him. It would allow for her romantic affair with him to be a little more realistic, instead of sounding like a one-sided love.

I do love, though, how Gregory sticks to the portrayal of Margaret Beaufort from The Red Queen in this novel. Margaret Beaufort will forever be an ambitious and annoying lady, who believes God has chosen her son to be King. She has the same characteristics that made her  the antihero, both here and in her own novel. Also, how Henry VII was portrayed was fascinating. It seemed so realistic how his fears and suspicions ate at him and that England would not recognise him considering he had been exile for so long, and never received any comfort from people he knew. It was easy to feel sympathy but also a hatred towards him for his harsh manners. Out of all the characters, I think King Henry VII and Margaret, daughter of George, Duke of Clarence, was most realistic. Maggie for her gentle and caring image and Henry VII for his ruthless manner, which I expect a king to have in order to get where he is.

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The Shifting Fog - Kate Morton

Plot:

Setting: England, 1924 and 1999.

Grace Bradley, 98, must revisit her teen years as lady-in-waiting to Hannah Hartford. More specifically, her memories recall those moments before the tragedy that turns sisters Hannah and Emmeline from each other. Grace realises she must rid herself from the memories that she has tried to ignore and so, begins to record these events for her grandson Marcus.

Review:

The fact that The Shifting Fog was set in a war period lost some of its appeal. That was before the end of the novel. By then, Grace's loyalties, Hannah's modern views and Emmeline's wild ways had me right in their palm.

Morton's ability to produce a captivating novel must be applauded. While the plot was creative and at times surprising, it was the characters that made the novel. Each of the characters had certain elements that made them real. Real and relatable. The setting didn't stop the fact that Hannah desired adventure, much like some of us. Or that Emmeline was a hopeless romantic. Even Grace, at her old age, could really touch a chord of sympathy from me. Her stories gave smiles and heartache, from the past and in the present.

At some point the novel is predictable and at others, a little dull. Fair enough, a novel of 400+ pages is bound to be. Yet, the ending - the answer to the tragedy - is worth the wait. Morton flows through the events without ever giving away the ending. There is no knowing what really happened and that is the satisfaction that comes out from reading The Shifting Fog. A novel of mystery, romance and a chilling twist - The Shifting Fog is an enjoyable read, worth the time.

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