There were a few books that I contimplated using for the letter “D” in this challenge but I finally decide to go with a classic.
I read The Picture of Dorian Gray back in 2005, before my blogging days, with my Classics reading club on Yahoo. The story has stuck with me all of this time. Sometimes I’ll see something or think of something that makes me think of this book.
For those of you who don’t know the basic story, Dorian Gray is very vain. He looks at himself in the mirror a lot and admires his handsome looks. He has wishes never to age and his wish comes true. However the portrait of him does age. It is a reminder of Dorian’s ugliness on the inside.
I really enjoyed this story for the era and the mannerisms of the characters. Wilde captured a time when social etiquette was everything. With the importance that society puts on beauty, this story is still very relevant today. I also enjoyed Wilde’s beautiful prose. I can certainly see why this book has stood the test of time and is considered a great classic.
Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.
It took me awhile to decide what book I was going to submiss for the Historical Fiction Alphabet challenge. Then it dawned on me that I was reading a book taking place (a lot of the time) in Cape Cod.
In 1940, while war is going on throughout most of Europe, President Roosevelt has promised that the United States would not enter the war.
In a small town on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, Iris James serves as postmistress.She knows the town and their business very well.She falls in love with the town’s mechanic, Harry Vale.Harry spends a lot of time in the watch tower over the Atlantic Ocean, watching for German U-boats.He has a hard time convincing the towns people that the U-boats will show up in their sleepy little town.
Emma Trask is married to the town’s working doctor.They are both young and just starting out.However, an event happens while he is delivering his first baby in the town that makes him want to escape.He goes to England, where war is raging to volunteer his services as a doctor, leaving poor Emma as home in a town she hardly knows.Iris tries to look out for her.
Meanwhile, Frankie Bard is in England as a reporter.She works with none other than Edward R. Murrow.However, major event shake her to the core and just ends up near the end of the book in the same small town as Iris and Emma.Their 3 fates sealed and intertwined through a letter.
This was a delightful book.Sarah Blake weaves all of the sub-stories together seamlessly.Frankie is my favourite character.We get to meet the people she comes across and hear her war stories.On her last assignment she rides the trains in Germany and France, recording interviews with the Jews desperate to get to safety.
Though there were a few things in the book that were predictable then didn’t detract me from enjoying the story.The end seemed a bit rushed to me but not overly sentimental.It seems that Sarah Blake really did her research and I recommend this to Historical fiction lover, especially those who enjoy WWII fiction.
4.5/5
Thanks to Amy Einhorn Books and B. Kienapple of Penguin Group (Canada) for this book.
If I missed your review of this book , please leave the link in the comments.
Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.
Set in 16th and early 17th century rule of the Mughal Empire in India, Mehrunnisa is born to a Persian courtier to the Mughal emperor, Akbar. The family came from humble beginnings but Akbar earned his way into the life of courtier.
When Mehrunnisa was 8 years old, she got a glimpse of Salim, the crown prince of the royal family. It is then that she makes it her life’s goal to marry him. She was devastated when her father told her that that she was to marry a not so royal man but did as she was bid, as women had no choice back then. Her marriage was not a happy one. She had several miscarriages until she finally has a daughter. Her husband seemed to think she miscarried and didn’t give him a son on purpose.
Eventually Mehrunnisa has another chance meeting with Salim, who is just as infatuated with her. He has many wives but his chief wife, Jagat Gosini is the main contender to stand in the way of Mehrunnisa finally getting her dream.
This is a deeply moving story of love and the history of the Mughal Empire. I listened to the audio version and the narrator Sneha Mathan brought the characters to life. I felt like I was living life back in India with Mehrunnisa. Indu Sundaresan has a way of painting the story with words. I can hardly wait to read the sequel, The Feast of Roses.
5/5
Have you reviewed this book? Please leave me the link in the comments.
Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.
