Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Book Reviews: Cashelmara and Penmarric by Susan Howatch

Cashelmara by Susan Howatch
Pages: 720
Released:  1974
Received: Library, own
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Wow. Ok, so, on one level this book is set in the 1800s through 1900s and follows the de Salis family through three generations in both England and the United States. But, all of these characters and the events of their lives are a retelling of the lives of Edward I, Edward II, and Edward III. The surface level story is engaging, but what made me love this book was the historical parallel and seeing how Susan Howatch retold history in a way that created a full and original story but still stayed true to the events and characters of history.

Some scenes are searingly evocative (god, that starvation scene), but what really stood out to me were the characters. I felt for them, raged with them, despaired with them, and triumphed with them.  Historical events were reimagined in convincing and, while different, very similar ways. It almost felt like reincarnation where the events of the past are destined to replay themselves again and again.

This is a long book. The chapters are huge. Narration is first person, but the book is broken up into multiple sections and each section is narrated by a different character. The writing is, on the surface, just ok. But. I can't put my finger on exactly when or how, but all of a sudden I went from "This is nice and I'm interested in reading more" to "OHMYGOSH I'M INVESTED!" It's a slower build, but it does build into an all-encompassing powerhouse. Highly recommended.


Penmarric by Susan Howatch

Pages: 702
Released:  1971
Received: Library, own
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Most of everything I said about Cashelmara can be said about Penmarric. The writing is rich, the characters are real, and the parallels between the surface story and the history it retells are fascinating individually and together. Chapters again are large and narration again switches from one character to another.

Instead of the 1300s, the historical parallel here is Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine and their "devil's brood," including Richard the Lionheart and the evil King John. And, perhaps that was part of the problem for me. I entered this book with far more investment and knowledge of the historical time period than I did with Cashelmara. The characters here felt close to their historical counterparts, but less seamless. Janna as Eleanor was close, but not quite Eleanor. The nod to the Anarchy fell flat, as inheriting an estate after legal disputes just doesn't have the same level of flair and gravitas as fighting a civil war that tore apart England for over a decade has. Philip's obsession with his tin mines, while an interesting parallel, felt like a bit of a stretch from Richard's famous crusades. Events were also not quite as lockstep with history.

That said, I waver, because as much as I can't deny a sense of disappointment with all that, I still adored the book. As much as I might have felt disappointed with tin mines replacing crusades, I spent so much time pondering the historical nuances in the context of Susan Howatch's story that I gained an even greater appreciation for and understanding of those events in history. Her portrayal of John is, shockingly, one of the best and most humanizing portrayals of him I've ever read. He certainly wasn't likable, but finally he was no longer the two dimensional villain history usually portrays him to be (though Mark as Henry II felt far too villainous and without nuance or redeeming features).

So, again, it may not be quite right, but it did make me think about the real historical events and people with a greater depth. Even with my quibbles, I still thoroughly enjoyed Penmarric and highly recommend it.


Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Book Reviews: King Tut's Tomb


The Visitors by Sally Beauman
Pages: 529
Publisher: Harper
Released: July 18, 2014
Received: Library, now own
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads 

I can't pinpoint exactly what it was I found so enthralling about this book, but enthralled I undeniably was. The story is told through the eyes of a crotchety old woman remembering her days as a withdrawn young girl convalescing in Egypt with a wallflower view of Howard Carter's infamous discovery of King Tut's tomb. While our narrator is a fictional character, most of the other characters are real people, and their stories are all fascinating. Sally Beauman's immersive writing made the people, locations, and time period feel palpably real and I was fully invested in their lives. I spent hours and hours after finishing this book scouring the Internet for books, movies, and articles about the people, time period, and discovery. It's a shame I have little interest in the other books Sally Beauman has written, because I thoroughly enjoyed this book.


Valley of the Kings by Cecelia Holland
Pages: 215
Released: January 1, 1977
Received: Library
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Goodreads 

This was such a bizarre book. The first half follows Howard Carter in the years leading up to and through his discovery of King Tut's tomb. This part is ok, and considering its short length I felt it was time well enough spent. Put this in context, though: I'd just come off the high of reading The Visitors and I was desperate to read more about this subject. Had that not been the case, I don't think I would have been very impressed. As it was, the two stars come from this section of the book, and they are a generous two stars.

The second half of the book abruptly throws the reader back in time. We entirely abandon Howard Carter, never to return to his story. Instead, the rest of the book is an incredibly fictionalized and sensationalized account of King Tut's reign. This section is oddly sexual, filled with murder, and, while mildly entertaining due to its sheer absurdity, was largely off putting. I only finished this because it was so short and, honestly, it evoked a morbid curiosity in me to see what in the world the author was going to write next.

 

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Book Review: Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe


Pages: 400
Released: May 22, 2018
Publisher: Disney
Received: ARC from publisher
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Ok, this may be dating myself, but when Dawson's Creek first came out there was all this buzz about how the characters all talked using this ridiculous vocabulary and convoluted, overly-pretentious sentences and sounded like pretty much no teenager ever. And it wasn't just the teenage characters, it was all the characters. They all spoke with one voice, and that voice was absurdly unrealistic.

And it was also kind of cool and part of Dawson's Creek's charm.

The same thing happens here. Every single character is an incredibly witty wordsmith and they all speak in exactly the same way. It's so far from realistic, but it's also a big part of why I started and continued reading. If the book hadn't been written in this style, I probably wouldn't have bothered reading it.

The second reason I enjoyed the book is the equally ridiculous 1990s teenage movie vibe where the characters have a mission and the whole school kumbayas in the end. There's even something called a Sermon Showdown. And the whole school gets in on it and it is drop-the-mic epic like when Kat reads her poem about the 10 reasons she hates Heath Ledger or when Laney Boggs walks down the stairs. Yeah. I'm simultaneously appalled and enthralled.

There were some pretty heavy topics like suicide and abusive relationships and drug use and, wow, yeah, now that I think about it this book is stuffed with a whole host of Very Special Episode topics. And it works about as well as it did when TGIF tried to smush together levity and Serious Issues. It works, and it also doesn't work at all. What did work for me were the very contrived but very aw-inducing friendships that were formed between the jock and the nerd and the jock, nerd, and curmudgeonly old man. See what I mean? Sooo predictable, trite, and ridiculous, but also, well, it works. 

I don't really know who this book is written for. It's filled with references and elements to totally resonate with someone who grew up in the 1990s (they even go to a video store), but does that work for actual teens now? I don't know.

Bottom line

If you're looking to fill that 90s teen rom-com void, then Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe is a good pick. It's super long, but short chapters, punchy writing, and the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink jammed in makes for a fast read. I enjoyed reading it, but I don't know that I'd reread it.






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