A Triple Knot by Emma Campion

A Triple Knot by Emma Campion
a triple knot

I love historical fiction about the English monarchy and court. This time period, the 1300’s, is one that I wasn’t very familiar with, which was fine with me. I’m always up for learning something new while being entertained. Warning: there are some spoilers ahead if you aren’t familiar with English history.

This story centers around Joan of Kent. Joan’s father was executed by her grandmother’s lover when she was very young. She also didn’t trust her own family to provide for her or believe that they had her best interests at heart. After reading about the actions of some of her clan, I can’t really blame her for that.

Joan seemed ridiculously naive when she married, clandestinely, at the age of twelve for love. Then, when her family insisted on a more advantageous match, she was heart broken.

I was surprised at first about her behavior and reaction but then I imagined that the lack of training, guidance or protection that she received during her childhood was probably the reason that she believed she could marry whomever she wished. Royalty didn’t enjoy the freedom of marrying for love. Poor Joan.

The historical figures described in this tale, such as Edward III and his son, The Black Prince, were larger than life with tempers to match. I loved the descriptions of the clothing, the feasts, the dancing, building maintenance and other minutiae of daily life.

I didn’t love other aspects of this story. I felt like this book was too long and the second half was incredibly rushed. I think the author should have created a trilogy.

She could have ended book one at the decision of the Pope about Joan’s marriage status. (I won’t ruin that one for you.) Then, a second book could have followed about the birth of her first four children and family life. A third book could have chronicled her next marriage and what followed.

In this book, five years passed in approximately a page and a half, sometimes less. There could have been so much more to the story and I would have loved to have read it.

Fans of Philippa Gregory’s brand of historical fiction will probably eat this up with a spoon. Prepare yourself for some rushed passages though.

I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads. Thanks for reading!

Nerd Do Well by Simon Pegg

Nerd Do Well by Simon Pegg
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Nerd Do Well is Simon Pegg’s life story interspersed with the tale of a fictional alter ego, Pegg, a James Bond figure with a robotic sidekick. His coming of age stories and fictional bits are hilarious but once Pegg gets into his movie making period, the book loses it’s momentum.

I preferred the nostalgia of the first time he saw Star Wars to the actuality of meeting his hero, George Lucas and finding him stand-offish. There’s something heart breaking about seeing childhood hero worship crumble in the face of cold hard reality.

Pegg’s education in film appreciation and critique make for truly fascinating observations about pop culture films. I took his thoughts about how the Anakin/Frankenstein scene in the third Star Wars movie could have been made into a memorable and fitting theatrical moment instead of the joke that it was (pg 328-329) to my husband, who is the most ardent Star Wars fan that I know. Husband said in response, “His way would have made it much better.” You’ll have to trust me when I say that that’s very high praise.

Another of my favorite parts in Nerd Do Well was Pegg’s explanation for American readers about why the pub occupies a prominent place at the center of British social life. I’d never really understood what the attraction was until he painted the scene.

Photo by Kelly L on Pexels.com

I mean, in my hometown, we have all sorts of dive-bars lining main street where, any night of the week, I could roll in there and meet up with the prematurely aged classmates of mine who will never get out of that place. But, who wants to do that. The bar is the epitome of failure rather than community.

With his homemade quizzes, neighborhood regulars, and music, Pegg’s pub seems to be somewhere warm and inviting where I would actually enjoy hanging out. It makes much more sense to me now why Shaun of the Dead was based around a pub and also why most DnD campaigns begin in taverns.

If you enjoyed Nerd Do Well, you may want to read My Booky Wook (less Star Wars, more drugs, fairly funny) or Just a Geek: Unflinchingly honest tales of the search for life, love, and fulfillment beyond the Starship Enterprise (more Star Trek, more angst-filled than funny).

Thanks for reading!

Feast of Sorrow: A Novel of Ancient Rome by Crystal King

Feast of Sorrow: A Novel of Ancient Rome by Crystal King
feastofsorrow

A Feast of Sorrow captures the beauty, opulence and madness of Rome during the reign of the Caesars. The story is told from the point of view of a slave in the household of Apicius. But, not just any slave. Thrasius is a cook, a coquus, the head of Apicius’ kitchen. He makes some of the finest delicacies known and invents new ones.

Apicius is wealthy beyond reason. He has the ability to purchase Thrasius the finest ingredients and the rarest spices. Apicius’ dream is to become Caesar’s gastronomic adviser. But that position isn’t acquired by wealth alone. Political currency and power is the only way forward.

And the stage is set. Feast of Sorrow has heroes, villains and, of course, food. What a strange and weird feast it is. Honeyed dormice, flamingo tongues, and more- only the best for Apicius and his clients.

Thrasius begins writing a book to preserve his master’s recipes for all time. “I added your trick about using eggs to help make cloudy wind clear, instructions on how to preserve oysters, and even Fannia’s recipe for how to make wormwood liquor. I thought about how many cooks don’t have the right information or knowledge.” loc 1592. Interestingly enough, after the tale, Crystal King talks about how Apicius’ recipes are some of the oldest surviving examples of ancient cuisine.

“Stuff the dormice with pork forcemeat and also with all the flesh from all the parts of the dormouse, pounded with pepper, pine nuts, silphium, and liquamen. Sew them up and arrange them on a tile and put them into the oven or cook them, stuffed, in a covered pot.” -On Cookery, Apicius. Loc 4466, ebook. Mmmmmm.

King fills these pages not just with food, but also, to modern eyes, the strange and sometimes cruel practices of the Roman people. Did you know that Roman diners used to wipe their hands clean in the hair of their slaves? Did you know that Romans had special priests who read the flight of birds to determine if an event was going to be successful or not? Did you know that patricians, the nobility of Rome, were judged not only for their appearance and natural abilities but also how well they could throw a dinner party?

I enjoyed this book not only for the way that King told the story of the nameless people who made Apicius’ name known for all time but also for the twists and turns it contains. Feast of Sorrow will shock you, entertain you and, maybe, make you want to try a dormouse.

Thank you to NetGalley and Touchstone Publishing for a free digital advance reader copy of this book. Note: the brief quotations that I pulled from my copy may change in the final published version. Thanks for reading!

Wolf Hall (Thomas Cromwell Trilogy #1) by Hilary Mantel

Wolf Hall (Thomas Cromwell Trilogy #1) by Hilary Mantel
wolfhall

Wolf Hall is a historical fiction reader’s feast. Henry the VIII’s story, though it has been told, is re-examined through the eyes of Thomas Cromwell, one of his counselors. Who knew that a professional paper-pusher and merchant could be so fascinating?

Cromwell’s history made it unlikely that he would ever climb to such heights among the powerful. Born the son of an alcoholic blacksmith, Cromwell’s cleverness is his only advantage.

Then, through a relative, Cromwell is taken into Cardinal Wolsey’s household. Wolsey recognizes the diamond in the rough and Cromwell becomes his right-hand man. It is a life-or-death dance that Cromwell and Wolsey play with King Henry, as the king demands a new wife. (the Cardinal speaks) “Tell me why you are scowling in that way.” (Cromwell) “The people up there say they are going to kill me.” “Really?” the cardinal says. He face says, I am astonished and disappointed. “And will they kill you? Or what do you think?” pg 31, ebook.

Meanwhile, those around the king never let Cromwell forget his humble beginnings for a moment. The duke of Norfolk scowls. He paces; he rattles a little; at last he bursts out, “Damn it all, Cromwell, why are you such a … person? It isn’t as if you could afford to be.” Thomas waits, smiling. He knows what the duke means. He is a person, he is a presence. He knows how to edge blackly into a room so that you don’t see him; but perhaps those days are over.” pg 154, ebook.

The fact that Cromwell survives Wolsey’s disgrace is a miracle. As he builds his connections and power, the reader can only gape in amazement. “Chapuys greet him without a smile. “Well, you have succeeded where the cardinal failed, Henry has what he wants at last. I say to my master, who is capable of looking at these things impartially, it is a pity from Henry’s point of view that he did not take up Cromwell years ago. His affairs would have gone on much better.” pg 415.

The BBC made a fantastic book-to-screen version of this story. Many of my favorite moments from the book were taken exactly from these pages. I highly recommend it too.

My only complaint about this novel is that the style is ambiguous. Instead of labeling who is speaking, Mantel often just says “he”.

The reader must stay on her toes to keep up with the machinations of the characters, because Mantel doesn’t bother to explain it or their reasoning. I expect, that in some ways, it is very much like how these historic figures lived their lives. Never quite knowing who to trust or how the wind was blowing.

Yes, now we know what happened, who went to the block and who didn’t, but this story nearly succeeds in making the reader forget the ending. Wolf Hall throws you right into confusion of Henry the VIII’s reign. And, it was a Wolf Hall indeed.

Thanks for reading!

The Love Poems of Rumi by Jalaluddin Rumi, Edited by Deepak Chopra

The Love Poems of Rumi by Jalaluddin Rumi, Edited by Deepak Chopra

I think Rumi’s poetry is unsurpassed in its mysticism and beauty.

“In your light I learn how to love.
In your beauty, how to make poems.”

“You dance inside my chest,
where no one sees you,”

“but sometimes I do, and that
sight becomes this art.” pg 62

Photo by Rahul on Pexels.com

When my husband and I were first dating, we lived in different parts of the country. This was one of the books he sent when he found out that I loved poetry. He bought himself a copy too and we read it together- separately. Then we talked about it on the phone later. This was in the days before Skype or Facetime. It seems so quaint now.

“I desire you
more than food
or drink”

“My body
my senses
my mind
hunger for your taste”

“I can sense your presence
in my heart
although you belong
to all the world”

“I wait
with silent passion
for one gesture
one glance
from you” pg 34

Photo by Wendy van Zyl on Pexels.com

I’ll be married for 11 years this May.

If you ever meet someone romantically interesting who tells you they like poetry, buy them a book of Rumi. You won’t regret it- at least, my husband says he doesn’t. 🙂

Thanks for reading!

Stillness Speaks by Eckhart Tolle

Stillness Speaks by Eckhart Tolle
stillness speaks

Shorter and simpler than his other books, Stillness Speaks is the essence of Eckhart Tolle. If you’re interested in his teaching, but don’t feel up to some of his more far-out ideas, this would be a good place to start.

Waking up to who you really are: “When you recognize that there is a voice in your head that pretends to be you and never stops speaking, you are awakening out of your unconscious identification with the stream of thinking. When you notice that voice, you realize that who you are is not the voice- the thinker- but the one who is aware of it. Knowing yourself as the awareness behind the voice is freedom.” pg 29.

If you feel like things are out of your control, Eckhart Tolle hands the reins of power back to you: “Your thoughts make you unhappy. Your interpretations, the stories you tell yourself make you unhappy. “The thoughts I am thinking right now are making me unhappy.” This realization breaks your unconscious identification with those thoughts.” pg 120.

This book is filled with mind-blowing moments. Take this one (I underlined it in my copy): “Death is not the opposite of life. Life has no opposite. The opposite of death is birth. Life is eternal.” pg 103. Eckhart Tolle mic drop.

I’ve always loved his thoughts about the relationship between nature and man: “Nature can bring you to stillness. That is its gift to you. When you perceive and join with nature in the field of stillness, that field becomes permeated with your awareness. That is your gift to nature. Through you nature becomes aware of itself. Nature has been waiting for you, as it were, for millions of years.” pgs 85-86. So, go hug a tree today. 🙂

This book is an experience which is hard to describe. Read it and let me know what you think.

If you enjoy Stillness Speaks, you may want to give The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment or A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose a go. They are more difficult to get through than this offering, but I found them to be worth it.

Thanks for reading!

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
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The Last Lecture is Randy Pausch’s last hurrah- a final note to the world and his family about how to live, love and let go. It is beautiful.

I think that we’re all here for a reason and have stories to tell. How fortunate for us all that Randy had the time and ability to tell his particular story.

I recommend this book for fans of memoirs, computer engineering and heart-felt narratives. I listened to the audiobook and it was excellent.

Then, once I finished the book, I looked up Randy’s actual last lecture on YouTube. Bring your kleenexes, friends.

See it yourself: 

Thanks for reading!

The Quick by Lauren Owen

The Quick by Lauren Owen

The Quick is a love-it or hate-it book. I fell into the “I loved this” camp. But, when I pushed it onto my mother and sisters, they didn’t like it. They all wondered why I had insisted that they read it and waxed poetic about its story. I was truly surprised.

At first, it reads like a classic English, historical fiction novel. Think along the lines of Dickens or Austen. And then… it changes very quickly into something else, something more like urban fantasy. I can’t say enough how masterful the first part of this novel is without giving too much away. It hooked me quickly and I was enthralled.

I loved how multiple genres collide in the story. I also adored the understated, “British” narrative style.

For a novel of over 500 pages, I went through this very quickly. It’s a wonderful book to lose hours reading in, what feels like, a few minutes. This would be a great book to carry on the subway or train. You’d be entertained for almost the entire trip.

I would have given The Quick five stars but the end bit dragged. Also, I disliked the way that the author developed a couple of the main characters. What can I say- I’m picky when it comes to handing out those five-star reviews.

I also think that book clubs will lose their minds over The Quick. As I mentioned before, there was disagreement within my own family if this was an enjoyable read or not. My mother thought that the writing style showed the author’s inexperience. I thought it was unique and captivating. We could have gone back and forth about it for hours, but who has time for that with all of the books that are waiting to be read.

I’d be interested to know your opinion on it.

As for me, I think this was an amazing debut novel. I look forward to more from Lauren Owen in, hopefully, the near-future.

I received a free advance reader copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads program. Thanks for reading!

1984 by George Orwell

1984 by George Orwell
1984

Spoiler warning at the end of this review. Please do not read the last paragraphs if you haven’t had the chance to read this classic dystopian.

In 1984 or thereabouts, Winston Smith is a hard-working member of the Party. There is only one Party and it rules with an iron fist. It is divided into divisions that specialize in different areas on the surface, but actually occupy themselves with maintaining power.

The country, an amalgamation of the countries we know now, is always at war with one or another of the two other world powers.

Winston works in a literary branch of the government. He is responsible for making changes to printed literature to make the past in-line with current party sentiment. “As soon as all the corrections which happened to be necessary in any particular number of the Times had been assembled and collated, that number would be reprinted, the original copy destroyed, and the corrected copy placed on the files in its stead.” pg 39.

In the course of his job, he notices things changing. For instance, he knows that at one time, they were at war with someone different than the enemy they fight now. “Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right. I know, of course, that the past is falsified, but it would never be possible for me to prove it, even when I did the falsification myself. After the thing is done, no evidence ever remains.” pg 155.

But this is not knowledge that he can share. The Party exerts control over everyone at all times through screens built into the wall of every home. You can see the state-sponsored programs like a regular television but they can look out through the screen and see you too.“The two aims of the Party are to conquer the whole surface of the earth and to extinguish once and for all the possibility of independent thought. There are therefore two great problems which the Party is concerned to solve. One is how to discover, against his will, what another human being is thinking, and the other is how to kill several hundred million people in a few seconds without giving warning beforehand.” pg 193.

The Thought Police drag away any trouble makers or those whose thoughts aren’t acceptable to the Party. That could be anyone. Winston knows that one day it will be him. But not just yet.

“There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment. How often, or on what system, the Thought Police plugged in on any individual wire was guesswork. It was even conceivable that they watched everybody all the time. … You had to live- did live, from habit that became instinct- in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard, and, except in darkness, every movement scrutinized.” pg 3.

The absolute powerlessness of Winston’s situation is terrifying. And then, he falls in love with a girl named Julia who works in his building. “He wondered vaguely how many others like her there might be in the younger generation- people who had grown up in the world of the Revolution, knowing nothing else, accepting the Party as something unalterable, like the sky, not rebelling against its authority but simply evading it, as a rabbit dodges a dog.” pg 131.

This was the first time I ever read 1984. I was still convinced, until a few pages before the end, that it was going to have a happy ending. The rat-mask part had me doubting but then, I still considered the possibility that Winston was faking his conversation. But, after he spoke to Julia one last time, I finally abandoned that theory too.

He lived through his ordeal, but at what cost? He lost everything- even his ability to think. I found it to be incredibly bleak, but worth the time, if only for the warnings that it contains.

Thanks for reading!