Virgin Earth

Virgin Earth, the free-standing sequel to Earthly Joys by Philippa Gregory, tells the story of John's son, John. The two men have never seen eye-to-eye, especially in the turmoil of England, but they have been able to make it work because they need to, because they are both gardeners for the king. And so John the younger goes to Virginia (remember, this is pre-United States of America. This is early Jamestown days) to collect new plants and escape the pain of his wife's death. While there, he falls in love with his young Powhatan guide. But the story doesn't end there! John travels back to England, then back to Virginia, and back to England again. Similar to Earthly Joys, yet slightly more enjoyable, there are nice aspects to Virgin Earth. It's neat to learn about the way of the Powhatan and the changes England goes through prior to and during it's civil war. But it has the same problems as Earthly Joys, too. I didn't connect with this John, either. It was like Philippa was trying to cover too much ground and couldn't get into enough depth for me to enjoy it. I'm not sure that I recommend this book, but it really wasn't a terrible read. I just expect more from Ms Gregory and didn't love Virgin Earth. 

Earthly Joys

Well, Philippa, ya win some, you lose some. And you just didn't win me over with Earthy Joys, either time I've read it. The historical backdrop of the switch from the Tudors to the Stuarts was interesting, as was the tulip crash. And sometimes I even liked John (the main character), but I didn't always get why I was reading about him. Nothing was pulling me forward into the story.  it covered almost John's whole life, instead of being a story about X,Y,Z. There wasn't necessarily a conflict, or even a climax to the novel. I couldn't draw this out as a plot line diagram, as they have students do. It was a long, long novel and didn't seem like one unified story. Maybe I just didn't get the love story between John and his "masters" well enough. Maybe I didn't get his love for his plants. So, I don't really recommend this, unless you're like me and determined to read all of Philippa Gregory's books so you can honestly say she's your favorite author (I need to be researched and legit, ya'll. and I have to read everything!!) or a lover of botany. And if you do choose to read it: warning & slight spoiler -- there is one gay sex scene. 

The First Princess of Wales

After I read The Irish Princess, I thought it would be worth it to look into more books by Karen Harper, and I found The First Princess of Wales. I thought it sounded super neat! An earlier time period than I've read and new characters; I'm always up for that! So I checked it out from the library and started reading it, when I realized that the original title was Sweet Passion's Pain. If I had known that in the first place, I don't know that I would have picked up the book. It sounds a little like a harlequin novel! But I was already into the book and liked it so far, and it didn't seem naughty, so I kept reading. 

The First Princess of Wales is a historical fiction set in medieval times about a young girl, Joan of Kent, who is brought to Queen Phillipa's court and meets and falls in love, and lust, with Edward the Black Knight, Prince of Wales, who returns her lusty feelings, and perhaps her love. However, the Queen and King do not find Joan to be a suitable match for their son and she is quickly married off to someone else., despite the fact that Edward and Joan have become lovers and intend to stay that way. [Their lovemaking is not described in awkward detail.] It felt a lot like that game we used to play: Do, Date, or Marry. Or was it Do, Dump, or Marry? Either  way . . .

This novel just didn't read the way I thought it would. It wasn't what I thought it would be. [I also came into the novel thinking it was about the York/Lancaster split. My bad! But I'd love to read a book like that if anyone knows of one!] What I thought would be at least the middle, if not earlier, was the end! It took so long to get there, and then there was nothing after! I wanted to read more and was disappointed that it was already over. If I wasn't so determined to finish the book though . . . it's just that Harper's books take soooo long to read! They draaaag on and on! Both of hers that I've read have taken me much longer than I would have though given the number of pages and subject matter. I feel like I should like her work, but I just really don't. I kept finding myself thinking that it would have been more exciting if Philippa Gregory had written it. She's much more of a captivating author. Gregory also includes a family tree when necessary, which Harper didn't. I really needed one, because Joan and Edward are related, probably third cousins given my reading, but sometimes they talked and made it sound like a much closer relation. A family tree would have been helpful. Gregory, as most historical fiction writers, also adds an author's note or a historical note at the end to explain what was truth and where liberties were taken. Harper did no such thing. So I went to my easiest and closest resource: Wikipedia. And Wikipedia makes Joan sound so much more interesting than the book ever did!  It talks about her plotting to get even with the king for her fathers death, as does the back of the book, but that was hardly present compared to her pining over Edward and their illicit rendezvouses!  Harper clearly took liberties with her characters, especially their ages in relation to one another and when events happened, and was inconsistent throughout. 

Really, it was like Karen Harper took some characters from history and instead of writing a historical fiction, she wrote a romance. And it was a very strange romance at that, given that *ahem* force was often used. Anyway, there were some good parts, but I expected a much higher caliber of writing and, frankly, research about the subject. The First Princess of Wales was a bit of a let-down for me. 

The Irish Princess

Karen Harper's The Irish Princess introduced me to Elizabeth Fitzgerald, the uncrowned Irish Princess of Tudor times and rule. The Fitzgeralds and Henry VIII don't exactly get along, and that leads to quite a few visits to the Tower of London for the Fitzgerald men. Elizabeth, or Gera, is also forced to relocate to London so Henry VIII and his men can keep an eye on her and her family. 


I enjoyed The Irish Princess; it was nice to be introduced to a new character and storyline. I feel like Harper really captured that Irish "feel" that Gera needed, though I'm no expert in that area. Gera was a fun character to read about; she's stubborn, outspoken, and reminded me of what I've read of Elizabeth I, which makes sense because they were close friends. It was also weird that Henry VIII was the bad guy, I usually like him, or feel sorry for him at any rate! 


Most of the story was true to history, Harper obviously took some liberties, but Gera was a real person and her relationships were also true. It was an enjoyable read, but at times I found myself wishing that Philippa Gregory had written it, because it got a little dry and felt a little long. I also wish Harper had included a family tree in the front of the book, like Gregory always does. Overall, though, it was a pretty good book and I recommend it to my fellow historical fiction lovers! 

The Red Queen

Chronologically the third novel of the Cousins' War by Philippa Gregory, The Red Queen finishes out the battles for kingship, as told through the eyes of Margaret Beaufort, the young cousin of Henry VI. The Red Queen is probably my least favorite of the three, because Margaret isn't my favorite person. She's very pious, manipulative, and controlling. She birthed Henry Tudor and pushes him towards the throne, even over her cousin and his son. She conspired for power for many years before her plan came to fruition, and then she continued to be a controlling person, forcing her views on all those surrounding her. Despite my dislike of Margaret, I did enjoy reading The Red Queen because it was so interesting to read the story and learn about that part of history and gives a nice resolution to the Cousins' War. 

The White Queen

I originally read The White Queen when it first came out, but I decided to re-read it after Lady of the Rivers so that I could read all three books in chronological order. 

The White Queen is about Elizabeth Woodville, the daughter of Jacquetta from The Lady of the Rivers.  There is a slight magic carry-over,  but nothing too crazy. Elizabeth Woodville is another lesser-known historical figure, but still an important part of the Cousins' War (Elizabeth married Edward IV and is the mother of the princes in the tower, to which Philippa offers an interesting theory).  The White Queen tells the tale of Edward's struggles for the throne, Elizabeth's fight to marry the king as a commoner, and their romance. 

I think this is a great novel and ya'll should read! 

Read on! 

The Lady of the Rivers

Lady of the Rivers is the third published book of the Cousins' War series by Philippa Gregory, but chronologically happens before The White Queen and The Red Queen. 

Jacquetta of Luxembourg grew up knowing the women in her family were different, because they are descended from Melusina, and she was no exception. Jacquetta has the sight. Because of this sight, Jacquetta is quickly married to the Duke of Bedford and taken from her home so that he may use her sight to his advantage, until his death leaves her a young widow with only one friend: the Duke's squire, Richard Woodville. Woodville and Jacquetta marry in secret and return to the English court of Henry VI, where Jacquetta serves the Queen, Margaret of Anjou.   But as the king falls into a deep sleep and cannot be awakened, the Lancasters begin to fall out of favor for a king who can actually rule.

Jacquetta is a real, but little known (until now, thanks to Philippa!), historical character born in the early 1400s. Because she is so unknown, other than that she is the mother of Elizabeth Woodville (of The White Queen), there is little published about her. Philippa, who is a historian unto herself, did a lot of research, and produced files and files of notes. In addition to the novel, she wrote an essay for readers to study, too. So much of Jacquetta's story is, of course, based on the truth of Philippa's research with Philippa filling in the gaps. Having previously read the other two, it was interesting to read the different perspective of the Cousins' War and I really enjoyed it. 

There were a few little problems, though. Jacquetta says "hi" -- a lot! And I'm pretty sure they didn't say "hi" in the 1400s, or, at least, none of the other historical novels I've read have lead me to believe such. Also, a lot of the ceremony, churching, and seclusion of childbirth Jacquetta participates in, shouldn't be happening yet. Margaret Beaufort (of The Red Queen)  introduced all of those. Which I learned from Philippa, so I'm not sure where the slip happened.  

Other than those errors, I thought the book was perfect. The Lady of the Rivers is now one of my favorites of Philippa's work. I loved getting to know Jacquetta and hear her story. I highly recommend and encourage you to read it! 

Read on! 

Prince Across the Water

Also in the Stuart Series is Prince Across the Water. It takes place in Scotland, of course, and tells the tale of a young boy who sneaks off and joins their equivalent of an army to fight for the "Bonnie Prince Charlie" in order to restore his father, James Stuart III "The Old Pretender" to the joint English and Scottish throne. He had been replaced by his sister, Mary, and her husband, William of Orange. 

Unfortunately, I hadn't read anything about this throne/succession problem before, and Yolen didn't really explain it well enough for me. So heaven knows a (pre)teen would have no clue what the Scots were fighting for in the first place. Same as Queen's Own Fool, I enjoyed the book, albeit less than others, but would not recommend it to non-nerdy youth. And how many youth are historical fiction nerdy? So while it did make me want to read about the royal Stuart family and the Orange succession, I didn't really find Prince Across the Water to be a complete success. However, the story of the prince was background to the story of the young boy, so from that perspective, it was pretty good. So, mixed feelings. I don't regret reading it, but I'm not certain I would recommend it.

Queen's Own Fool

As ya'll know, I'm a fool for historical fiction, and I'm kind of on a YA FIC kick.

Also, I love Jane Yolen. 

The Devil's Arithmetic? My favorite Passover book.

Briar Rose? So creative! I love the mix of fairy tale with the Holocaust.

I used to read a lot of Holocaust novels.

Turns out, I've actually read this book before. I still enjoyed it though.

I wouldn't really recommend it to a kid who struggles with reading, but it's a great  book for a nerd like me. Mary Queen of Scots? She's a total powerhouse. I've read non-fiction about her! So yeah, Queen's Own Fool was great. Not my favorite Yolen, but still a good read!

Sent

The second book in the missing series, Sent is very much my favorite. It mixes science fiction, historical fiction, and time travel! Plus they travel to just about my favorite time in English history!!

At the end of Found, Jonah and his sister Katherine grab on to their friend Chip and are hurtled back in time to the 1400s. Chip and Alex, who was sent before Chip, are the missing Princes in the Tower. And it's up to these kids to fix time and save the day.

Zelda's Cut

Zelda's Cut

As ya'll know, I love Philippa Gregory. However, Zelda's Cut is probably my least favorite of her works. I really like the concept -- a literary author being forced to write trash that sells for money to support her sick husband who thinks they  have much more money than they do -- but I'm not sure how I feel about the ending. It both came out of nowhere and was completely acceptable for the characters. I really don't know. 

The novel is cleverly odd, and deals with a lot of important issues without actually talking about them. It was kind of nice, though, to just experience the issues and their affects. It does, however, discuss the concept of creating a person or an idea, and who has ownership over it. It talks about gender and sexual orientation. It's about self discovery. And, of course, it's about Art verses Entertainment. 

So. . . do I recommend Zelda's Cut? I'm not really sure. If you've never read Ms Gregory, it will probably turn you off to her, so don't let it be your first. But if you're feeling daring, or just want to discuss it with me, give it a shot. I'd love to hear what you think. 

Am I Unpatriotic?

I have recently been accused of being unpatriotic, which is, of course, showing a lack of love for one's country.  Now, I'm not the first person to stand up and die for my country, but I am most definitely American, am I not? 

I say the pledge.

I  support the troops. 

I vote. . . when I remember 


I believe in and support the constitution.


I have studied up on American History.


I would love to see American historical sites. 


But . . . I'm also more versed in British Monarchs and their consorts than American Presidents. I would take a trip to the Tower of London over D.C.  I would meet Queen Elizabeth II over President Obama. I have multiple non-fiction and historical fiction novels taking place in Europe, but none of early America. I'm much more fascinated with European History than American. But I grew up with American History. My ancestors settled the colonies.  Other ancestors settled the West. I know their stories.  I've heard them all my life. 


Perhaps I'm more interested in histories of the monarchs than of the presidents, because the histories of Europe are much more personal.  No American president had a sister as Queen of France.  No American president had their wife beheaded.  No American president rebelled and started a church of his own (although a presidential candidate did . . .).  No first-lady sucked at English, had an almost impotent and very incompetent husband.  


Clearly I'm more into the gossip rags than the political import. But does that make me unpatriotic?

The Little House

As you know, I absolutely LOVE Philippa Gregory. She could write just about anything at this point, I'm so hooked.  I've been trying to get my hands on this book for some time, but it was rather hard to find for a reasonable price. So I finally got my hands on this book, and devoured it in three days. 


The Little House is about a woman, Ruth, who, having no family of her own, is completely enveloped by her husband and his parents.  They are very controlling, forcing a move to a house down the lane, and taking over the care of the baby -- who they made Ruth give up her career to have. Ruth never wanted the baby, not now at any rate, and suffers from horrible postpartum.  The novel discusses her journey through her depression, her relationship with her husband, her baby, and her in-laws. And ends with a nice little twist, which I shall not divulge. 


As always, I enjoyed the novel by Gregory, it was the first of her non-historical fictions for me, and I strongly recommend this book, especially to mothers (even though I know nothing about motherhood firsthand). She seems to have quite the grasp on the situation Ruth is dealing with, and presents it in a great way. It is not a light book, but it is easy and enjoyable to read. The characters and the story were easy to relate to, and very realistic. I loved it. Now ya'll go read it!

The Gideon Trilogy

Linda Buckley-Archer

A few months ago, I ran out of books to read. Okay, just kidding. But I wanted to read something light in the form of juvenile or young adult fiction. So I went through Matthew's books and found  The Time Travelers. It's about two kids, city-boy Peter and farm-girl Kate, who accidentally end up in 18th century London. The series continues -- as various problems arise from time travel -- with The Time Thief and Time Quake. 

Buckley-Archer brings an interesting perspective to time travel, and does it in a manner that does not get two confusing and tangled up, as most do, which is why I generally do not dabble in time travel literature, but she presents it in a clear, understanding manner. There is no traveling to the past or the future and hiding from themselves, no meeting themselves in another age, none of the usual time travel problems found in fiction. Of course, there are problems to the time travel, which is discussed most clearly and efficiently in the third novel, but they are more of the moral and ethical dilemma. 

I really enjoyed this series. It was a light easy read and was perfectly suited to reading over the course of months, whenever I found the time during my busy school schedule. Surprisingly, Matthew never finished the first book, claiming he didn't like it.  Both my mother and I feel that he would have enjoyed it if he had finished. It's promoted as a book for kids who love Harry Potter, and I definitely support that assessment. I highly recommend this series for children of all ages :)

In case you forgot . . .

I'm a complete nerd. I am completely fascinated with the history of the British Monarchy. I love King Henry VIII. I love Anne Boleyn.

I even love Mary, Elizabeth, and Mary Queen of Scots. And I super love, albeit mainly from pity, Lady Jane Grey the nine days queen. Her story is tragic.As you can see, I love history, especially historical fiction. (shout out to Philippa Gregory! I actually spent part of this weekend's drive to Cedar listening to a podcast of hers on Henry and his women, in addition to one by Allison Weir)

And now, I love The King's Speech and George VI. (I'm also super grateful that his brother abdicated. Both he and Wallace Simpson were Nazi lovers) I really found this film to be absolutely brilliant. I'm not well read on George VI but I still enjoyed the movie a lot. Now, I have to be honest. I have a problem with this movie being rated R, insofar as many R rated movie ARE complete smut! I mean, look at movies like The Hangover or Pineapple Express. Those movies do not interest me at all, on any level. And to give them and The King's Speech and equal "badness" rating is completely beyond me.

So there you have it. I'm a nerd. You know, just in case you forgot.