Changes

From TheBookbag
Jump to navigationJump to search
no edit summary
[[Category:Historical Fiction|*]]
[[Category:New Reviews|Historical Fiction]]==Historical fiction==__NOTOC__<!-- Remove --> <!-- INSERT NEW REVIEWS BELOW HERE-->{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Robert WiltonTananarive Due|title=Traitor's FieldThe Reformatory
|rating=5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=Gracetown, Florida. June 1950. After a scuffle with a white boy, twelve year-old Robbie Stephens Jr is sentenced to six months at the Gracetown School for Boys, otherwise known as the Reformatory. It's 1648 a place with a brutal and dark reputation. But the embers segregated reformatory is a chamber of Charles I's reign start horrors, haunted by the boys that have died there. In order to fade as Britain slowly turns survive the school governor and his Funhouse, Robert must enlist the monotone colour help of Oliver Cromwellthe school's Commonwealthghosts – only they have their own motivations...|isbn=1803366532}} {{Frontpage|author=Katherine Howe|title=A True Account|rating=4.5|genre=General Fiction|summary=Hannah Masury is living in Boston, having been sent to live with a family who run an inn, and being made to work there from a young age. HoweverWhen she hears there is to be a hanging of some pirates in the town, Royalist passion still exists she decides to go and itwatch. Enthralled and horrified in equal measure, Hannah finds herself embroiled in a young boy's up to Sir Mortimer Shaydeath at the hands of two vicious pirates. She hides away, the Comptrollerate-General for Scrutiny so that they don't find and Surveykill her too, and then to escape them completely she runs away to gather the intelligencesea, maintain his spy network dressing as a boy and fan the embers towards joining the Royalist victory for which he longs. Henotorious Ned Low's pirate ship as a wily veteran so not easily stopped but among cabin boy. She soon finds herself in the confusion thick of things when there is a mutiny on board, and brutality that tears Britain from there we are caught up in half, former lawyer Cromwell's spymaster John Thurloe is the man charged with her rip roaring tale of life on the taskocean waves.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1848878192</amazonuk>0861547438
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Paul LynchSarah Marsh|title=Red Sky In MorningA Sign of Her Own|rating=43.5|genre=Historical General Fiction|summary=It’s 1832 and Coll Coyle and his humble family are to be turfed out After a bout of scarlet fever as a child, Ellen Lark loses her hearing. Suddenly plunged into a world of their home silence, everything about her life changes. Living in Donegal and Coll a time when the use of sign language was seen as something only savages do, Ellen is just angry enough sent to confront the landowner’s son who a school where she is responsibletaught to lip read, but physically restrained from signing. The repercussions of Coll’s actions are huge From here, she ends up in another school studying under Alexander Graham Bell who has been teaching the deaf and Coll is forced to go on the runusing a system called Visible Speech. He attempts to escape across At the unforgiving and desolate landscape of North West Irelandsame time, the brutal Atlantic Ocean Bell is working on other inventions and the plains of North Americaideas, all the while stalked by the incredibly dangerous and violent John Faller. Red Sky Ellen finds herself unwittingly caught up in Morning is Paul Lynch’s debut novel and it is a real hitcomplicated tangle of espionage.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1780879164</amazonuk>1035401614
}}
{{Frontpage
|author=Claire North
|title=House of Odysseus
|rating=5
|genre= Literary Fiction
|summary= ''What could matter more than love?''
{{newreview|author=Patricia Watkins|title=Trick of Fate: Connell OThe follow-up to the excellent ''Ithaca'Keeffe and The Pen Caer Legacy|rating=4|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=Connell O'Keeffe was picks up a gentleman actor few months after where we left off. In the palace of Odysseus, with delicate care Queen Penelope continues to rule without her husband, who sailed to war at Troy and on 23 February 1797 he was on his way from Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire to catch the ferry then by divine intervention never returned home to Ireland. Unable to speak Welsh he was unaware that As ever she remains surrounded by suitors vying for the throne of the French had invaded Pen Caer Western Isles. Having survived – politically and rode into a situation which would change his life forever. The man who had set off physical – the chaotic storm that Clytemnestra brought to make his leisurely way homeIthaca's shores, taking in some Queen Penelope is on the brink of a fragile peace. One that shatters however with the local landmarks suffered a life-threatening injuryreturn of Orestes, was unjustly accused King of a foul murder Mycenae, and became a fugitive. It was difficult to see that he could survive his current situation - fitter men than he were dying - and if he didsister Elektra, what was the point? What was there that he could do when his chosen profession would no longer be open to him?seeking refuge.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0957210450</amazonuk>0356516075
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Michael EnnisB0C7J9D21B|title=The Malice of Fortune|rating=3|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=Michael Ennis sets his ''The Malice of Fortune'' in Italy in the early part of the 1500s. Ennis is a history lecturer so unsurprisingly, his book is full of evidence of detailed research and understanding of the times. And what fascinating times they were. With the Borgia family dominating both the papacy and several political regions, fighting for power and land, a number of family led mercenary armies, and several great figures who would leave a lasting legacy, notably Leonardo Da Vinci and Niccolò Machiavelli, the latter of whom narrates a very large part of this novel. The real life political wrangling of the times would stretch the imagination of most novelists and Ennis bases his tale on a huge number of real, documented happenings. What he seeks to add to the party is an insight into why and how these events occurred and certainly there are some unexplained gaps A Captive in the relationships of the key players. The core story is an attempt to discover the identity of the murderer of the pope's son, Juan Borgia, Duke of Gandia. Candidates range from his brother, Cesare Borgia, Juan's courtesan, Damiata to the heads of various powerful, mercenary families. It's historical fiction meets crime fiction.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1780890974</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewAlgiers (Muhammed Amalfi Mysteries)|author=Tim Leach|title=The Last King of LydiaA J Lewis|rating=4.5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=Ancient mythology seems to be enjoying When we first meet our hero, his name is Ettore and he lives at The House of Beautiful Swallows. Idyllic as this might sound, it's a surge bordello and Ettore's mother died when he was born. He's not been short of mothers, though - but for someone of his background in popularity of late-eighteenth-century Amalfi, it's difficult to obtain decent employment. The stint working with a plethora the preparation of books, movies anchovies didn't work out and games based bastards are considered bad luck on these ancient legends fishing boats. Ettore was nothing if not resourceful - and determined - and fabled heroesit was not long before he had a successful business as a guide for visitors. There is something in the collective consciousness that enables these stories to resonate with each subsequent generation, allowing ancient wisdom to put out new roots in fresh soil He was even saving some money.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857899171</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=James BenmoreEssie Fox|title=DodgerThe Fascination
|rating=4
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=That loveable rogueThe Victorian era is incredibly over-romanticised as a setting for historical fiction (matched only, the Artful Dodgerperhaps, is one of by the most memorable and amusing characters in all of English literatureSecond World War) which has often led to more than a few writers mishandling it. There's such a glut of media set in the era that the hallmarks we'Oliver Twist'' ended ve come to associate with Dodger Jack Dawkins arrested for it are familiar to the theft point of a silver snuff box and transported being cliched, hackneyed even. All this is simply to illustrate that it would be an easy thing to Australiado poorly. But what happened next? James Benmore explores despite that idea in ''Dodger'', which takes up the story six years after the events of ''Oliver Twist'something about it still grabs me – and something about this book's description did as well.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1780874650</amazonuk>1914585526
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Elizabeth GillNicole Jarvis|title=Miss Appleby's Academy|rating=3.5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=After forsaking her own chance of happiness to care for her aging father, Emma Appleby’s life is thrown into turmoil when he dies suddenly, leaving her fate entirely A Portrait in the hands of her callous brother Laurence. Laurence and his wife view the middle-aged spinster as a burden and are keen to marry her off to an elderly neighbour to free themselves of responsibility. With seemingly nowhere to turn, Emma flees America to make a new life for herself in her childhood home of County Durham.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1780878478</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Jenny Mandeville|title=A Crown of DespairShadow
|rating=4.5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=By the age ''I want all of 31 Katherine, Lady Latimer, had been married and widowed twice. Her first match Florence to an elderly, sickening baron ended at the age of 16, as miserably as it had started two years earlier. Her second marriage to John Neville, Lord Latimer, had been more comfortable. On his death she found love for the first time in her life, but to no avail. The monarch had seen Katherine and would claim her for himself no matter what her wishes may be. This forced marriage would make her famous, for down the centuries history would recount the story of Lady Latimer using her other know my name: Katherine Parr, the sixth and final wife of Henry VIII.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>071980857X</amazonuk>}}''
{{newreview|author=Anne O'Brien|title=The Forbidden Queen|rating=4.5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=Katherine de Valois is the young and innocent girl betrothed to Henry V of England. While Henry doesn't love her, she thinks she can be happy with him. UnfortunatelyCast out from Rome, though, she quickly finds herself trapped Artemisia Gentileschi arrives in a loveless marriage, then finds Florence seeking an even worse fate oasis in store as Henry is killed and she is left which her art can find a lonely young widow. With political machinations dogging her every step as men like Edmund Beaufort home and Owen Tudor catch where her eyefuture can thrive rather than stagnate. Can But as some as she be happy with one enters Florentine society she faces great opposition from the powerful Accademia, the self-proclaimed guardians of them, or will those people at court who don't want to see any man gain the power healing magics that would come with marrying through paintings have the mother of power to protect the city and its citizens from plagues and curses. The all-male Accademia has hoarded power over art and architecture for centuries and guard it above all else. To them, Artemisia – an ambitious young king foil her hopes?woman who promises trouble and change – has no place amongst them and their society.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1848452152</amazonuk>1803362340
}}
{{Frontpage
|author=Thomas D Lee
|title=Perilous Times
|rating=3
|genre= Fantasy
|summary= ''Hate is the path of least resistance''
{{newreview|author=E A Dineley|title=The Death Set in the near-distant future, in a world on the verge of Lyndon Wilder and the Consequences Thereof|rating=4|genre=Historical Fiction|summary= Anna Arbuthnot moves to Ridley Hall as governess for Lord and Lady Charles Wilder's granddaughterclimate collapse, LottieBritain is in great peril. Lottie's mother died years before The British Isles desperately needs a hero (or several) to save the day and her father Lyndon has just been killed in the Napoleonic Warsrescue what little remains. Lady Charles has all but beatified Lyndon as What no -one expected was that one could ever be as wonderful, caring or heroic. In fact she only tolerates Lottie because of her family likeness but things are about to change. Lyndon's younger brother, Thomas, returns from the war accompanied by Knights of the Round Table would answer the secrets that stalk him and intentions that will shake Ridley Hallcall.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1780332270</amazonuk>0356518523
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=William PalmerG K Holloway|title=The Devil is WhiteIn the Shadows of Castles|rating=4.5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=Just off We begin after the West coast momentous battle in 1066 and on the day of William of Normandy's coronation as King of Africa England. William's position is not secure and the island of Murandanew king has many challenges. It Imposing authority through a coronation is uninhabited, but previous attempts at settling it mean there are buildings available for useimportant. There And William is wild game for huntingright to worry. While the previous king, fruits on the trees Harold, is dead and the climate suggests that the land could be cultivated. A group likelihood of gentlemenmore pitched battles is over, not liking the slavery rules they rebels are living under in late Eighteenth Century England, have an idea stirring and much of claiming this island as the country does not wish to recognise a kind of Utopia where there are no slaves and everyone lives in comfort and equalitynew overlord.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0224096826</amazonuk>1800422466
}}
{{Frontpage
|isbn=3949666079
|title=Noema
|author=Dael Akkerman
|rating=4.5
|genre=General Fiction
|summary=''This is a story about some things that happened to me about twelve thousand years ago.''
{{newreview|author=V M Whitworth|title=The Traitors' Pit: (Wulfgar 2)|rating=5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary= WystanMaya is a young girl living in a hunter gatherer village during the Mesolithic era. Climate change is occurring, one the Sea of WulfgarGrass encroaches further and further into Maya's brothersforest home, has always been an honest, sturdy farmerand food is becoming more and more scarce. Not What to do? Can the sharpest sword law givers in the armoury perhaps, but he pays his taxes and remains well-respected. However that seems to have changed. Wystan is accused federation of plotting against King Edward of Wessex. Wulfgar knows Wystan is innocent and has three months villages muster peaceful ways to prove it; three months to stop Wystan being hanged and hurled into cope? Can the openTraveller, unconsecrated grave that is a spiritual figure who interprets the Traitors' Pit. Not an easy task to begin withwisdom of All Life, it becomes considerably harder when Wulfgar's liege Lady Fleda asks him to go on a mission he can't refuse; a mission that could take more time than he has.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0091947189</amazonuk>provide solutions?
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Julian Lees1529125898|title=The House of Trembling Leaves|rating=4.5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary= To many it may just be another skirmish in the longstanding clan war in the Malaysia of 1936 but the explosion destroys Lu See's village dam and over 30 lives. As far as Lu See's concerned, it's time for her to leave anyway. Rather than face an abhorrent arranged marriage she escapes to Cambridge, England with her Tibetan servant, Sum Sum, seeking a future that combines study with her forbidden true love, Adrian Woo. Adrian comes from a rival family in the village so this isn't a match that pleases everyone. For now Lu See and Sum Sum think they've left trouble and conflict behind but their futures testify differently.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1908737174</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewGodmersham Park|author=V M Whitworth|title=The Bone Thief: (Wulfgar 1)Gill Hornby
|rating=5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary= It's 900AD. Fleda is 'If it were not for the Lady casual dereliction of Mercia, taken from her native Wessex to marry Merciathe odd gentleman's Lord 15 years agoduty, her childhood friend, secretary and wannathere would no women to teach well-be-priest Wulfgar being one of her few existing links with the past. Their country is far from united as whispers of unrest come from bred daughters at all directions. Perhaps the only way to strengthen Mercia and increase its importance is to acquire a saint's relics? As a result of this thought process, Wulfgar is sent to Baldney in order to steal the bones of St Oswald. Despite having the company of young Ednoth of Sodbury (who can just about handle a sword), Wulfgar beings to realise that stealing bones is the easy bit. Staying alive may be a tad harder.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0091947235</amazonuk>}}'
{{newreview|author=Ella March Chase|title=The Nine Day Queen|rating=4|genre=Historical Fiction|summary= The young monarch, Edward Tudor, is dying and Anne Sharpe was thirty-one years old when she arrived at Godmersham Park to take up the Protestants position of England fear governess to twelve-year-old Fanny Austen. She had no experience of teaching but this was a return to Catholicism through his sister, Mary Tudorcase of necessity. However, Until the Dukes death of Northumberlandher mother, Pembroke Anne had a comfortable life and Suffolk seize was loved by both parents although her father was frequently absent from the opportunity to promote self-interest in the form of Suffolk's 16 year old daughter, Janehousehold. His eldest When her mother died, her father cast her off and 4th in line to the throne is also young enough would have nothing more to do as with her. No explanation was offered but she's toldwould receive an annuity of £35 a year. In this way the door closes harshly on Jane's childhoodHer maid, Agnes, for history knows her as Lady Jane Grey; a name that will be written would receive nothing but was fortunately taken in bloodby some neighbours.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0091947170</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Shiba RyotaroMelissa Fu |title=Clouds above the Hill: A Historical Novel of the Russo-Japanese War, Volume 2Peach Blossom Spring |rating=3.5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=If Volume 1 built up I loved the characters of Masaoka Shiki and the Akiyama brothersprelude to Peach Blossom Spring, Volume 2 a short chapter entitled ''Origins''. Unfortunately it is the only truly poetic part of a book that I expected more about war than about people, at least as individualsfrom. Very early in this volume, Masaoka Shiki passes away at a very young age and so fades Covering Chinese history from the story1938 to 2005 as viewed through one family's perspective. Shortly afterwards, as When their home city is set ablaze during the war with Russia becomes more inevitable and Japan's preparations for this really kick into gear, the Akiyama brothers blend a little more into the cast of characters working young mother (Meilin) and her four-year-old son (Renshu) are among those who flee. The story follows them on the war effort and whilst their names appear fairly regularlyjourney across China, we donand in Renshu't follow their stories as closely as befores case eventually to America. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0415508843</amazonuk>1472277538
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Patricia Watkins1916072038|title=The Wayward Gentleman: John Theophilus Potter and House in the Town of HaverfordwestHollow (The Talbot Saga)|author=Allie Cresswell|rating=4.5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=In 1778 John Theophilus Potter (Theo to his friends) came to Haverfordwest from Dublin with a group We meet part of actors to put on two performances of ''Romeo and Juliet''the Talbot family in Yorkshire in November 1811. A careless accident left him unable to return with the other players Twenty-seven-year- old Jocelyn Talbot and then he met Elizabeth Edwardesher mother have travelled in some discomfort from their home at Ecklington, from a family of local gentry. Friendship turned to love and whilst some in the town wondered (house in a rather loud voice) that the Edwardes should allow Elizabeth's friendship with an actor, Theo was no strolling player without a penny to his namehollow. He was a The two women are angry with each other and Jocelyn is well aware of her mother'gentleman player' with a considerable fortune s strengths and a very respectable income. He was also a restless man, constantly driven to achieve.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0957210442</amazonuk>}}weaknesses:
{{newreview|author=Pam Jenoff|title=The Ambassador's Daughter|rating=3.5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=In 1919 the Great War - the First World War - was over and all that was left was to work out the terms of the peace treaty. Margot Rosenthal accompanied her father'She is practiced at subterfuge, at concealing, beneath a diplomatfacade of respectability, to Paris, where he was part of the German delegation and in the invidious position of being disliked by the French because he was 'deplorable truth'the enemy'' and mistrusted by fellow members of the delegation because he was Jewish. They'd previously been in England where they'd simply been the enemy. Margot could have gone home to Berlin but that would have taken her back to her fiance, who'd been seriously injured in the war. She'd rather fallen into the engagement, feeling that it was what she ought to do. Passion played no part.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1848452039</amazonuk>}}
{{newreview|author=Annabel Lyon|title=The Sweet Girl|rating=3|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=''The Sweet Girl'' Hester is a novel fictionalising the life of Pythias, the Greek philosopher Aristotlefurious about Jocelyn's daughter. The reader looks at the world through Pythias’ eyes, from the age of 7 until her late teens, starting in Athens, and ending up in Chalcis. One gets refusal to delve into the experience of life in the household of a highly esteemed ancient philosopherdo as she was asked, and the uncertainty which the main characters are thrown into after the death of King Alexander, making life unsafe for anyone previously affiliated with him – has precipitated ''this includes Aristotle, who was once his teacherviolent and unexpected removal''.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>085789952X</amazonuk>}}
{{newreview|author=C W Gortner|title=The Queen's Vow|rating=4|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=Queen Isabella Then we are told of the birth of Spain will always be regarded as a bit of an enigma. On the one hand, contemporary sources claim that she was wise, kind child and gentle, hating any kind of crueltysoon after, including the popular sport of bullfighting. Her rule brought about the unification of Spain and heralded a new era of peace for its people. On the other side of the coinHester Talbot departs, she leaving Jocelyn in shame and her husband Fernando sanctioned the infamous Spanish Inquisition and the expulsion of all Jews from Spain. Her most vehement critics may also point out that her sponsorship of Columbus brought untold misery to the inhabitants of the Americas, although isolation in her defence, there is no way that she could have predicted the eventual consequences of his pioneering voyageYorkshire.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444720805</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Shiba RyotaroAnnabel Abbs|title=Clouds above the Hill: A Historical Novel The Language of the Russo-Japanese War, Volume 1Food
|rating=5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=I've long been Eliza Acton is a lover of Japanpoet who has never had the slightest inclination to boil an egg. When tasked with writing a cookery book, she recruits Ann Kirby, ever since a brief visit to the country more than local woman with a decade agotroubled home life. Whilst I've read several Japanese crime thrillers in translationTogether, I've never really investigated they test, craft, refine and reshape the history world of domestic cookery, reinventing the country. Now available in English for the first time, Shiba Ryotaro's ''Clouds Above recipe book and changing the Hill: A historical Novel face of the Russo-Japanese War'' provides just that opportunitycookery writing forever.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0415508762</amazonuk>1398502227
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jack WolfFreya Marske|title=The Tale of Raw Head and Bloody BonesA Marvellous Light|rating=4.5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=It doesn’t take long for Jack Wolf’s extraordinary pastiche eighteenth century novel 'The Tale of Raw Head and Bloody Bones' to show its true stripes. Narrator Tristan Hart’s best friend Nathanial Robin Blyth is handsomenudged into a job in the Civil Service, charming and athletic, and also prone much to ‘snatching blue Tits from the Hedges, his chagrin. There he meets Edwin Courcey and consuming them direct upon learns that the Spotstreets of London are threaded with magic.’ In Desperate to remove a curse that phrase you see both the heart-stopping nastiness that pulses through ''Raw Head and Bloody Bones'' and the fascinating attitude threatens to Gothic duality that lies at its core.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0701186879</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Ayana Mathis|title=The Twelve Tribes of Hattie|rating=5|genre=Literary Fiction|summary= Teenager Hattie Shepherd moves with her husband Augustswallow him, parents and siblings from Robin follows Edwin to the colour apartheid of countryside, where the southern US to Philadelphia in search of a better life. Unfortunately this is 1920's America hedgegrows bristle with incantations and so 'better life' is a mirage for Hattie. By the age of 15 she's pregnant and subsequently gives birth to twins Jubilee and Philadelphia, the first two of 11 childrenpeople shimmer with power. As much joy as There they bring, the twins are destined to provide uncover a tragedy sinister plot that will flavour Hattie's and August's outlook and relationship for decades. Each later Shepherd baby will develop with their own characteristics but each will also be tarnished by threatens the past, irrespective lives of their attempts to escape itall magicians in the British Isles.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>009194418X</amazonuk>1529080886
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Sharon PenmanB09F4CTKJR|title=LionheartFlights for Freedom|author= Steven Burgauer
|rating=4.5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=It''Lionheart'' is s the latest book in later stages of World War I and the ''Devil’s Brood'' series, which focuses on United States has just entered the dysfunctional Angevin branch of conflict. Petrol Petronus is a young American who has signed up and joined the Plantaganets17 Aero Squadron. As This company was the title suggestsfirst US Aero Squadron to be trained in Canada, the story is a richly detailed account of first to be attached to the RAF and the life of Richard I, covering first to be sent into the period from his coronation up skies to fight the end of Germans in active combat. But before that can happen, Petrol has to master flying the third crusadenotoriously difficult but majestic Sopwith Camel.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1447205367</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Geling Yan and Nicky Harman (translator)Christophe Medler|title=The Flowers of WarMadrigal: A Closely Guarded Secret
|rating=4
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=1937, Nanking. The war between Set against the Republic backdrop of China and Japan has ended in defeat for Chinathe English Civil War, and now Japanese soldiers are moving a secret plan (code-named Madrigal) is discovered by Sir Robert Douse in to bloodily occupy the capital citysummer of 1642. In As a small American mission church, fifteen Chinese schoolgirls are hiding, trapped until loyal servant of the priests who look after them can smuggle them to safety. Into this already fraught atmosphere come desperate Chinese citizens looking for shelter – a rowdy group of Nanking prostitutesKing, a colonel on the run and two more soldiers who have survived a horrendous secret massacre. As Head of the Japanese atrocities gather paceSecret Service, it is Robert's duty to uncover the safety and survival of each details of the church’s disparate members becomes uncertain, plan and follow the initially hostile girls begin clues to realise that there may be common ground between them and uncover one of the most guarded secrets in history—especially since the plot could affect the prostitutes they have been taught to despiseKing.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0099569620</amazonuk>B095HY8SXQ
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Joanna Hickson1471187179|title=The Agincourt BrideA Beautiful Spy|author=Rachel Hore
|rating=4
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary= BakerMinnie is an 's daughter Guillaumette Dupain, aged 15, mourns for her still-born baby but her tragedy becomes othersordinary' gaingirl living an unexciting life in a leafy provincial suburb. Young Mette The book is set in the 1930s and Minnie is sent expected to the Hotel de San Pol, home of the French royal family live up to become wet nurse her mother's expectations and find a nice young man to marry, produce children and spend the latest child produced by the sickly Charles VI rest of her days looking after her husband and his wifetheir home. Unfortunately, Isabella of Bavariathis isn't what she wants to do at all and neither does she want to continue working as a secretary. The infant is Catherine de Valois; destined As a result of a chance meeting, she finds herself drawn into espionage, working for the secret service and effectively living a double life - attempting to be infiltrate the mother Communist Party of an English dynastyGreat Britain. But first Minnie finds herself torn between what she perceives as her duty and the friends she must live long enough to marry an English king has made - and being a 15th century royal is a dangerous existence when your greatest enemies are in your own familylikes - whilst working for the Communist Party.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0007446977</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=David Kent-LemonAfonso Cruz and Rahul Bery (translator)|title=Blockade RunnerKokoschka's Doll|rating=42.5|genre=Historical Literary Fiction|summary=London shipbroker's clerk Tom Wells is hungry for promotion. Seeking responsibility where ever possible he's still unprepared for Well, this looked very much like a proposition book I could love from his employer Mr Pembrokethe get-go, which is why I picked my review copy up and flipped pages over several times before actually reading any of it. The company is I found things to operate five cargo shipspotentially delight me each time – a weird section in the middle on darker stock paper, shuttling between a chapter whose number was in the Bahamas 20,000s, letters used as narrative form, and America's southern states and he wants Tom to be so on board as shipping agent; a dangerous enterprise. Why? It's 1861 and the south is at war intrigued with the Yankee north. President Lincoln has blockaded ports like Charleston and Wilmington subterranean voice a man hears in the Carolinas in an attempt to prevent revenue-providing cargo leaving or supplies (including uniforms and arms) arrivingwartorn Dresden that what little I knew of it mentioned, too. Mr Pembroke plans to illegally 'runBut you' ve seen the blockadestar rating that comes with this review, and can tell that if love was on these pages, something it was not unattractive to Tom partially due to the vastly increased wage attached but mostly because he has a certain interest in a certain American ladyactually caused by them. So what happened?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1781590648</amazonuk>1529402697
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Kate AlcottChristina Hammonds Reed|title=The DressmakerBlack Kids
|rating=4.5
|genre=Historical FictionTeens |summary=I’ve always avoided stories with Christina Hammonds Reed's debut novel is set against the backdrop of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, a strong link reaction to the Titanic; it’s such absolution of four police officers for beating a depressing and distressing topicblack man, especially for those of us with an active imagination! HoweverRodney King, I was attracted nearly to this novel for different reasonsdeath. Telling Told from the story perspective of TessAshley Bennett, the novel follows her evolution from a talented seamstress looking for silent bystander when confronted with matters of race, to a break, the core relationship is one that is not often explored – that between employee and employer. Designer Lady Duff Gordon takes Tess on as woman finding her maid on the Titanic voice and quickly becomes a mentor and example as Tess develops embracing her craft. But what happened on the voyage threatens their relationship and Tess finds herself facing all kinds of moral dilemmasheritage.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0751549231</amazonuk>1471188191
}}
{{newreview|author=Charlotte Bronte and Karena Rose|title=Jane Eyrotica|rating=3|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=Jane Eyre is a classic I studied Move on to death in high school, but I didn’t mind because it’s a book I enjoyed then and still enjoy now. Jane Eyrotica is, to put it simply, a smutty version of the classic. Hot on the heels of the likes of [[Fifty Shades Of Grey by EL JamesNewest History Reviews]] this is a reworking in which the once demure Jane beds anything with a pulse.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0749959428</amazonuk>}}

Navigation menu