Katherine Clements' debut novel The Crimson Ribbon was published by Headline on 27th March. I reviewed the book just after publication, having read it earlier in the year, and I must say I loved it. An historical novel with a bit of a Sarah Waters 'romp' feel, laced together with intelligent exploration of the sociopolitical… Continue reading Interview with Katherine Clements, author of The Crimson Ribbon
Q & A with Eva Stachniak
I recently reviewed Eva Stachniak's Empress of the Night: A Novel of Catherine the Great, in which Catherine reaches the end of her life and looks back on the key events of her life. It was the first time I'd ever read a whole book about Catherine, and I had to take the opportunity to… Continue reading Q & A with Eva Stachniak
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The Crimson Ribbon by Katherine Clements
Katherine Clements takes the real life figure of Elizabeth Poole, and transforms her into her own character in The Crimson Ribbon. Poole was known during her life time (1622 - post 1668) as a religious activist and later as some sort of prophet. Though she began as a tailor's daughter her religious belief grew and she… Continue reading The Crimson Ribbon by Katherine Clements
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Empress of the Night: A Novel of Catherine the Great by Eva Stachniak
Catherine the Great is fascinating, and I'm not surprised Eva Stachniak has written two books about her (this is her second, the first being The Winter Palace), though I am a little surprised that she chose to write novels rather than non-fiction. In a way it makes sense as it provides the freedom to elaborate… Continue reading Empress of the Night: A Novel of Catherine the Great by Eva Stachniak
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On Happiness in Madame Bovary
Happiness is something that we all search for, something we need to stay sane and want to live. Sometimes it comes to us by chance, and sometimes we actively pursue it, striving for it. Equally it can completely disintegrate or indeed never seem to completely find us, and we roam the Earth looking for some… Continue reading On Happiness in Madame Bovary
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Reading Women… And Men
2014 is officially The Year of Reading Women, thanks to the ReadWomen campaign (you can follow on Twitter here), and the growing disgruntlement among the reading community at the ratio of men to women winning literary awards and being featured in publications like the LRB. Gender has been an ongoing issue in the literary world… Continue reading Reading Women… And Men
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Sex, Lies and Holiday Homes: The Lemon Grove by Helen Walsh
We all behave differently when we're on holiday, indulging ourselves and letting everything go a bit. But does being away from home really make life any different? Does it really change how we behave and how we live our lives? It certainly seems to for Jenn, the central character in Helen Walsh's The Lemon Grove.… Continue reading Sex, Lies and Holiday Homes: The Lemon Grove by Helen Walsh
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“Defiantly alive…” Water Music by Margie Orford
I've decided I officially like crime fiction. I kept hearing about great crime writers and felt genuinely interested when I read synopses and blurbs - so I dived in. I read Snow White Must Die by Nele Neuhaus (review here) and loved it. More please! I heard about Water Music when publisher Head of Zeus… Continue reading “Defiantly alive…” Water Music by Margie Orford
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Some Reasons Why Tintin Is Amazing
I didn't do much this weekend just gone. I went to the pub on Friday, slept late, ate pizza, and went with my boyfriend to his mum's house for Sunday lunch. But in between, I read The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn. Though I read a lot of Tintin as a child,… Continue reading Some Reasons Why Tintin Is Amazing
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The Wind is Not a River by Brian Payton
I know, I know - another book about World War II. Another book about a separated couple, a woman lost... but that is all that The Wind is Not a River shares with the last book I reviewed, City of Women. That and the fact that they are both set in the same year, 1943,… Continue reading The Wind is Not a River by Brian Payton
These Little Words 