Tag: historical fiction

The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri [BOOK REVIEW] The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri [BOOK REVIEW]
Book Review · Books

The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri [BOOK REVIEW]

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The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri [BOOK REVIEW]

About The Book:

The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri [BOOK REVIEW]

Pages: 400

Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher: Manilla Press

Format I read it in: Paperback

Rating: ★★★★


Among the ashes, they found hop…

In a tiny, beautiful Greek village, deep in an ancient forest, live a family – Irini, Tasso and their daughter, sweet Chara. One day their world is rocked when a forest fire consumes the village, leaving houses burned and lives irreparably damaged.

But while Tasso and Chara struggle to find the courage to bear what has happened, Irini is tormented by guilt for her part in the fate of the man who started the fire…

My Thoughts:

When you put tradition, tragedy, pain, healing and hope, you get “The Book of Fire”. This book will touch you, humble you and make you grateful for the things you have. 

“Was it Aristotle who said that man is a political animal? Not that we are all born to take an active interest in party politics, but it is in our nature to live in a polis, a community.”

“The Book of Fire” is one of those books where you will always remember what you did and where you were when you read it. I was on a plane to Macedonia, about to spend time with family. And I am certain that this book changed my experience for the better, and I will never forget that.

“The sensitive ones always have secrets in their hearts, and if they are talented, they will find the means to reveal those secrets. Because they are secrets that must be told.”

Irini and Tasso live in a town in Greece, with their daughter Chara. And their lives unfortunately are separated with the “before” and “after” the wildfires.

Fires that destroy villages, houses and families.

The book is divided into the past and present. The past is told through a book that Irini is writing, explaining what happened. The present is the family going through the aftermath of the tragedy and trying to move on and heal.

“To live our lives with a sense of justice in our hearts would inevitably mean seeking fairness in the way people are treated by others – or indeed by us.”

Without revealing too much, the story is quite emotional and deals with loss and personal injuries. But also on the positive side, it shows solidarity of the people in that town. And the hope that they all so desperately cling onto. It sends a positive message to be grateful for the moments you have with the people you love, because tomorrow is never promised. It also shows the character’s resilience to keep moving forward.

“He understood that trees exist in a different timeframe to us, that we are mere visitors in their world.”

I am certain that many years later I will return and pick this book up again, and all the memories associated with it will come back flooding. And that feeling that I had whilst reading the book, as emotional as it was, it was also full of hope and promise of a better tomorrow. That feeling is the sole reason I am recommending this book to you.

“In mythology, Zeus gave Hermes two gifts for humankind: shame and justice. When Hermes asked if he should distribute these gifts to some and not others, Zeus said no. Every single person should possess these gifts, so that they could all learn to live together.”

About the Author:

The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri [BOOK REVIEW]

Christy Lefteri was born in London in 1980 to Greek Cypriot parents who moved to London in 1974. She completed a degree in English and a Masters in creative writing at Brunel University. Christy taught English to foreign students and then became a secondary school teacher before leaving to pursue a PhD and to write. She is also studying to become a psychotherapist.

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The Turnglass by Gareth Rubin [BOOK REVIEW] The Turnglass by Gareth Rubin [BOOK REVIEW]
Book Review · Books

The Turnglass by Gareth Rubin [BOOK REVIEW]

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The Turnglass by Gareth Rubin [BOOK REVIEW]

About The Book:

The Turnglass by Gareth Rubin [BOOK REVIEW]

Pages: 512

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, tête-bêche novel

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Format I read it in: Paperback

Rating: ★★★★

1880s England On the bleak island of Ray, off the Essex coast, an idealistic young doctor, Simeon Lee, is called from London to treat his cousin, Parson Oliver Hawes, who is dying. Parson Hawes, who lives in the only house on the island—Turnglass House—believes he is being poisoned.

And he points the finger at his sister-in-law, Florence. Florence was declared insane after killing Oliver’s brother in a jealous rage and is now kept in a glass-walled apartment in Oliver’s library. And the secret to how she came to be there is found in Oliver’s tête-bêche journal, where one side tells a very different story from the other.

1930s California. Celebrated author Oliver Tooke, the son of the state governor, is found dead in his writing hut off the coast of the family residence, Turnglass House. His friend Ken Kourian doesn’t believe that Oliver would take his own life. His investigations lead him to the mysterious kidnapping of Oliver’s brother when they were children, and the subsequent secret incarceration of his mother, Florence, in an asylum.

But to discover the truth, Ken must decipher clues hidden in Oliver’s final book, a tête-bêche novel—which is about a young doctor called Simeon Lee…

My Thoughts:

Tête-bêche (n)

A book split into two parts printed back-to-back and head-to-foot.

“The Turnglass” is the first Tête-bêche book I remember reading and I quite enjoyed it. It was an adventure on its own and added excitement to the story.

Even picking what story to read was an adventure in itself. You pick the book up, and one side of the book is covered in green. This side takes you to 1880s England. Then you flip the book and you get the red side, a story set in California in the 1930s. It is up to you to choose which side to read first, the stories can be read in any order.

I chose to go with 1880s England first.

Only because it is set earlier in the past. The two stories are connected to each other, and, of course, they have The Turnglass house in common. Whilst I was reading, I had a feeling that every detail mentioned could be important at a later date. I couldn’t fully enjoy and immerse myself in the story, because I couldn’t help pretend to be Sherlock Holmes and always look out for clues.

That being said, the chapters are fast-paced and intriguing. They often featured letters or book quotes that brought diversity to the format. Both stories were interesting and kept me guessing until the very end. I liked how it all tied up in the end. There is no special ending – both stories have their own endings. There is nothing to wrap them both up or a big reveal to unite them. Although, with this format, that’s very much expected.

In all honesty, I don’t know if the reading order would have changed anything. But I will never know. “The Turnglass” is one of those books I wish I was able to read again for the first time. Only to try the other order of the stories and see if my reading experience would change. I would definitely recommend this book. It’s a gorgeous, adventurous and mysterious read for sure.

“I guess you learn a lot more about someone from the books they read than where they spend their vacations or which box they tick on a voting paper.”

About The Author:

The Turnglass by Gareth Rubin [BOOK REVIEW]

Gareth Rubin writes about social affairs, travel and the arts for British newspapers. In 2013 he directed a documentary about therapeutic art at the Bethlem Royal Hospital in London (‘Bedlam’). His books include Liberation Square, set in Soviet-occupied London; The Winter Agent, about British agents in Paris on the eve of D-Day and The Turnglass, two entwined mysteries that take place in Essex in 1881 and Los Angeles in 1939. He read English literature at the University of St Andrews and trained at East 15 Acting School.

Author Website

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The Divorcées by Rowan Beaird [BOOK REVIEW] The Divorcées by Rowan Beaird [BOOK REVIEW]
Book Review · Books

The Divorcées by Rowan Beaird [BOOK REVIEW]

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The Divorcées by Rowan Beaird [BOOK REVIEW]

The Divorcées was a very unique read, and although I enjoyed it whilst I was reading it, the ending completely underwhelmed me.

About The Book:

The Divorcées by Rowan Beaird [BOOK REVIEW]

Pages: 253

Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction

Publisher: Manilla Press

Format I read it in: Hardcover

Rating: ★★★

We’re in 1951, in Reno, Nevada, at the Golden Yarrow, the most respectable ranch for divorcees. Women have to spend six weeks in a place like this, so they are able to get divorced.

My Thoughts:

 It was quite strange reading about these times, even though I read this book right after finishing Anna Karenina. If only she could spend six weeks in Nevada. Oh well, we digress!

I really enjoyed the beginning and middle of the book. Lois coming to the ranch and meeting the other women staying there. Getting into the routine, and learning new things, making new friendships.

“Because of Rita, I can say with certainty that there’s a path for every girl who comes here. You just need one light to turn on to show you the way.”

But then the new lady comes, Greer, and she changes everything. She is wild and free and pushes Lois to her limits. And despite knowing that Greer sped up the pace of the book and added action and tension, she is also the reason I ended up with a sour taste in my mouth after finishing the book. I just didn’t like that toxic friendship and it ruined it for me.

“As awful as it is, marriage is the only way for a woman to get any freedom.”

I loved everything else – Lois’s character at first, the ranch, the other ladies and their stories. Honestly, I thought they all had more stories to tell and Greer stole all their thunder and the book’s attention was focused mostly on her. I have a feeling like this book could have been so much more, but just was not it for me. A shame, but on to the next…

About The Author:

The Divorcées by Rowan Beaird [BOOK REVIEW]

Rowan Beaird is a fiction writer whose work has appeared in The Kenyon Review, The Southern Review, and The Common, among others. She is the recipient of the Ploughshares Emerging Writer Award, and her work has been nominated for a Pushcart. She has received scholarships from the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference and StoryStudio, and she currently works at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. The Divorcées is her first novel.

Author Website

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Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy [BOOK REVIEW] Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy [BOOK REVIEW]
Book Review · Books

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy [BOOK REVIEW]

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Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy [BOOK REVIEW]

“All happy families resemble one another, but each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”

Reading Anna Karenina was a very memorable experience. This book has always been inadvertently part of my life, and I am glad I finally read it. It’s also the first Tolstoy book I’ve read, although, thinking of it now, it’s quite surprising, as Russian literature was extremely popular during my childhood and education.

About The Book:

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy [BOOK REVIEW]

Pages: 848

Genre: Classic, Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction

Publisher: Wordsworth Editions

Format I read it in: Paperback

Rating: ★★★

My Thoughts:

Anna Karenina is a story about Anna, and her life. How one moment, meeting one man, changes her life very significantly, and how she manoeuvres through this, whilst under everyone’s scrutiny. Apart from Anna, we also have a few other characters and families. We follow their lives, their struggles and their family drama. The fact that this book is set in the late 19th century in Moscow makes such a difference. We get to see inside the four walls of some families in a very different time. Society, culture, entertainment, even the act of courting is so different to the present day.

And this is only one of the reasons I enjoyed the book. The other reason is Tolstoy’s writing. When he is writing about a character, I can understand why they are doing a certain thing, but I can also get a very close inspection inside their mind, thoughts and feelings. And when he is writing about a place, object, or even a political view, I am so intrigued and can continue reading forever.

“In all likelihood he would have been considered quite a suitable match. But Levin was in love, and therefore Kitty seemed to him so perfect in every respect, so transcending everything earthly, and he seemed to himself so very earthly and insignificant a creature, that the possibility of his being considered worthy of her by others or by herself was to him unimaginable.”

Diving into the book, I had a lot of mixed feelings. And I will be honest from the start, I could never warm up to Anna. I could understand her initial unhappiness and her love for her son, but very short after her first visit, she couldn’t evoke any emotions out of me. I felt for Kitty, and the experience that was stolen from her. And then I thought it actually turned out for the best and that is what was meant to happen. Honestly, I felt for Vronsky in the end, although, I did not like him at all at the beginning. I always liked Levin, but that man knows how to hold a grudge.

“A few more steps brought him to the skating lake, and among all the skaters he at once recognized her. He knew she was there by the joy and terror that took possession of his heart.”

I can’t say this book is action-packed.

“There is nothing for me to grieve for or seek comfort about. I have enough pride never to let myself love a man who does not love me.”

If it was a modern story, I think I would find it boring. The difference in society made me appreciate for the historical value it has, but it didn’t blow my mind. The things that happened in the book to create the whole drama would be shrugged off in today’s world as normal. Although, I would never think it normal, when I remember how much such decisions affect people in the family. Especially innocent children who can’t understand what is going on.

“I always loved you, and if one loves, one loves the whole person as he or she is, and not as one might wish them to be.”

Regardless, in that time, what Anna did was considered a big scandal, and a huge reputation hit. I hoped we had a scene where she understands the pain she is causing to others, instead of focusing on her own pain. But this is what made the book intriguing. And I am very glad I can now add Anna Karenina to my list of completed classics. It was definitely worth the read.

About The Author:

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy [BOOK REVIEW]

Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (Russian: Лев Николаевич Толстой; most appropriately used Liev Tolstoy; commonly Leo Tolstoy in Anglophone countries) was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist fiction. Many consider Tolstoy to have been one of the world’s greatest novelists.

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Bindle Punk Bruja by Desideria Mesa [BOOK REVIEW] Bindle Punk Bruja by Desideria Mesa [BOOK REVIEW]
Book Review · Books

Bindle Punk Bruja by Desideria Mesa [BOOK REVIEW]

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Bindle Punk Bruja by Desideria Mesa [BOOK REVIEW]

I loved reading Bindle Punk Bruja by Desideria Mesa, especially during the spooky season.

Bindle Punk Bruja by Desideria Mesa [BOOK REVIEW]

Pages: 400

Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction

Publisher: Harper Voyager US

Format I read it in: Uncorrected Proof, Paperback

Rating: ★★★★

Synopsis

A part-time reporter and club owner takes on crooked city councilmen, mysterious and deadly mobsters, and society’s deeply rooted sexism and racism, all while keeping her true identity and magical abilities hidden –inspired by an ancient Mexican folktale.

Yo soy quien soy. I am who I am.

Luna–or depending on who’s asking, Rose–is the white-passing daughter of an immigrant mother who has seen what happens to people from her culture. This world is prejudicial, and she must hide her identity in pursuit of owning an illegal jazz club. Using her cunning powers, Rose negotiates with dangerous criminals as she climbs up Kansas City’s bootlegging ladder. Luna, however, runs the risk of losing everything if the crooked city councilmen and ruthless mobsters discover her ties to an immigrant boxcar community that secretly houses witches. Last thing she wants is to put her entire family in danger.

But this bruja with ever-growing magical abilities can never resist a good fight. With her new identity, Rose, an unabashed flapper, defies societal expectations all the while struggling to keep her true self and witchcraft in check. However, the harder she tries to avoid scrutiny, the more her efforts eventually capture unwanted attention. Soon, she finds herself surrounded by greed and every brand of bigotry–from local gangsters who want a piece of the action and businessmen who hate her diverse staff to the Ku Klux Klan and Al Capone. Will her earth magic be enough to save her friends and family? As much as she hates to admit it, she may need to learn to have faith in others–and learning to trust may prove to be her biggest ambition yet.

My Thoughts:

Luna / Rose is a character I loved so much. Even now, a month after reading the book, she still holds a very special place in my heart. It’s quite shocking that if I wasn’t aware this is a historical fantasy, I would have thought it’s a contemporary fiction. That shows the issues we are still having in the world when it comes to prejudice. Sure, it struck me as very off that Luna had to hide her hispanic roots and marry to be able to own a jazz club and succeed in her business life, but it didn’t seem impossible. I’ve heard things and I’ve met people who I know would be capable of this. And despite everything, Luna was able to shine her own light, write her own story, live her own life as she wants, adding her sprinkle of family magic to the world. Speaking of magic, I really enjoyed that fantastical element. It added a lift to the book in its own way.

“The promise of a greater future without the barriers of corruption carried them forward, though the price of assimilation would steal away at my own identity, my heritage just a whisper on the breezes like the old folklore that we tell. My mother’s recipes and my own native language fade every day that I’m Rose, burying Luna in the earth beneath the riverbeds.”

Quite an important section of the book was Luna’s identity. She is hiding, being Rose and trying to fit into a world that can only accept a portion of her. As I kept reading, Luna started peeling her layers and because her unapologetically herself. And honestly, seeing someone be whoever they want to be is always an incredible moment, and the reason I will always treasure my experience with Bindle Punk Bruja.

“Because there will always be those who will never see who we truly are. But if we waste our energies punishing their ignorance, we will drown in our own bitterness.”

About The Author:

Bindle Punk Bruja by Desideria Mesa [BOOK REVIEW]

Desi (shockingly) has an eclectic taste, her favorite novels ranging anywhere from Anne of Green Gables and The Help to Mistborn and Ready Player One. Getting lost in a historical, sci-fi, or high fantasy novel will likely be her ultimate demise besides crafting her own stories, of course. Her sassy writing style eventually gained her representation by Rachel Brooks at BookEnds Literary Agency who landed the self-proclaimed pirate a two-book publishing deal with Harper Voyager. Having battled through the query trenches herself, Desi has extensive experience with the querying process, agent research, and manuscripts. Aside from churning out novels, she enjoys writing songs, poetry, and short stories.

Follow @DesideriaMesa on Twitter for writing discussion, slightly inappropriate jokes, and more information on her historical fantasy debut, BINDLE PUNK BRUJA, set to come out in 2022.

Instagram: desi_mesa | Twitch.TV: DesideriaMesa | Facebook: @DesiMesaAuthor

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