The Red Queen Review

The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory, 400 pages, 2010

Synopsis:

Heiress to the red rose of Lancaster, Margaret Beaufort never surrenders her belief that her house is the true ruler of England and that she has a great destiny before her. Her ambitions are disappointed when her sainted cousin Henry VI fails to recognize her as a kindred spirit, and she is even more dismayed when he sinks into madness. Her mother mocks her plans, revealing that Margaret will always be burdened with the reputation of her father, one of the most famously incompetent English commanders in France. But worst of all for Margaret is when she discovers that her mother is sending her to a loveless marriage in remote Wales.

Married to a man twice her age, quickly widowed, and a mother at only fourteen, Margaret is determined to turn her lonely life into a triumph. She sets her heart on putting her son on the throne of England regardless of the cost to herself, to England, and even to the little boy. Disregarding rival heirs and the overwhelming power of the York dynasty, she names him Henry, like the king; sends him into exile; and pledges him in marriage to her enemy Elizabeth of York’s daughter. As the political tides constantly move and shift, Margaret charts her own way through another loveless marriage, treacherous alliances, and secret plots. She feigns loyalty to the usurper Richard III and even carries his wife’s train at her coronation.

Widowed a second time, Margaret marries the ruthless, deceitful Thomas, Lord Stanley, and her fate stands on the knife edge of his will. Gambling her life that he will support her, she then masterminds one of the greatest rebellions of the time—all the while knowing that her son has grown to manhood, recruited an army, and now waits for his opportunity to win the greatest prize.

In a novel of conspiracy, passion, and coldhearted ambition, number one bestselling author Philippa Gregory has brought to life the story of a proud and determined woman who believes that she alone is destined, by her piety and lineage, to shape the course of history.

Review:

The is the second book in the "Cousins' War" Trilogy. The first book having been "The White Queen" which continues to follow the war between member of the rival branches of the Plantagenets (the houses of York and Lancaster).

The Red Queen is about the Lancastrian, Lady Margaret Beaufort, who is the mother of Henry Tudor (Henry VII). Lady Margaret is a direct descendant of John Beaufort, the legitimized son of John Gaunt (son of King Edward III) and Katherine Swynford. Although the Beauforts were officially barred from inheriting the throne, they played an important role in the dynamic struggles in 15th century England.

The story is narrated by Lady Margaret who is made out to be overly religious (in her view) and without any real redeeming qualities. It would have been nice to hear the views and the inside goings on of the other characters who were introduced but we were fully ensconced in Lady Margaret's one-track mind of making her son, Henry Tudor, King of England. She was first married at 13 and was a widow by the time she was 14. Following the birth of her son, her marriages and alliances were built to further her cause to ensure that her son Henry was kept safe and would be mentally and physically able to fulfill his destiny.

Lady Margaret may not have been a particularly likeable individual, but I also think that she acted according to her class and to that time period so was realistically portrayed. She was certainly influential as the mother and founder of the Tudor dynasty.

The pace of the book kept going nicely and I found it to be quite an enjoyable read.

Rating 3 1/2 out of 5

Predetermined Endings by Destiny Booze

Predetermined Endings by Destiny Booze, 2009, 252 pages

Synopsis:

Angelica Chappell's story made huge headlines. Only a few months ago, she released a new pharmaceutical drug called Krytonix that effectively slows the spread of cancer cells. She had no idea her story would attract the attention of a serial killer. Suddenly, she is a target whether she realizes it or not. This killer is interested in more than her life. He wants her reputation, too. His first mission is to sabotage Krytonix. 

William Pierce worked undercover for the FBI for five years to bring down a ruthless mobster that he ultimately is forced to kill. Two months have passed by since that assignment. Still, William saw things he can't talk about. He did things he can't talk about. He believes his soul is damned. Returning to "normal" everyday life isn't an option. He isn't the same man he used to be. He refuses to return to FBI headquarters, and instead, becomes a rogue agent with an agenda. 

When Pierce's agenda leads him to Chappell, it will take both of them to keep Angelica alive and figure out who is after her. William soon finds himself developing feelings for Angelica. Too bad for her killer, William worked as a trained hit-man for the mob. Will he find her killer and hand him over to the legal system to see that justice is served, or will he search and destroy? 

Review:

This was a gripping novel right from the opening sentence and I could not put it down. There were so many twists and turns and I loved how it kept you guessing and even rooting for the "bad" person throughout the novel. I am looking forward to reading many more novels by this very talented author.

Medical thriller, FBI and police intrigue, mafia, hitmen = my perfect novel.

This novel will keep you guessing and will make you want to read it over and over again. It is actually back on my list for books to read and I want to read it again. Not many books after being read, make this list so that tells you how much I enjoyed it.

I would highly recommend this novel to everyone!!!

Rating 4.5 out of 5

After River by Donna Milner Review

After River by Donna Milner, 352 pages


Synopsis:

Before River, everything was perfect. . . .

Growing up on a Canadian dairy farm less than two miles from the American border, fifteen-year-old Natalie Ward knows little of the outside world. But her loving, close-knit family is the envy of young and old alike in the nearby town of Atwood. Natalie adores her three brothers—especially Boyer, the eldest, whom she idolizes. But everything changes one hot July afternoon in 1966 when a long-haired stranger appears at their door—a soft-spoken American, a Vietnam War resister, who will test the family's morals and beliefs, and set in motion catastrophic events that will shatter Natalie's relationships with those she most dearly loves.


Review:

It is hard to believe that this was Ms. Milner’s first novel as it is so well written. I loved the Canadian content and felt that I could relate and picture her story vividly.

One of my favourite excerpts from the book was: “My favourite memory is of my father and brothers working in the fields. I carry a mental picture of them drenched in the golden glow of the late summer sun. I keep this precious gem hidden deep in the dark closet of my mind, behind all of life's stored clutter. I take it out rarely, cautiously. Like a fragile object stored in opaque tissue, I unwrap it with slow trepidation. I turn it this way and that, trying to see more, to see beyond the faded edges of memory". This is an outstanding example of what I meant about such vivid imagery.

Natalie Ward, is a happily married middle-aged mother and a natural journalist who also has a capacity for showing great empathy and kindness, but she also has secrets - mostly about her family and childhood. These secrets and a sudden phone call from her daughter Jenny telling her that her mother Nettie is dying, thrusts Natalie back into the past where she forced to relive memories and events as she grows up on her family's dairy farm in British Columbia. 

Natalie seems to relish in her alienation. At school she does nothing to encourage friendships, content to spend most of her spare time with Boyer (her older, bookish brother), playing his word games in his room up in the attic and reading his books. Things change when a young American draft-dodger by the name of River Jordan comes to live and work with the Ward family.  

Natalie falls in love with River however, nobody could predict the eventual heartache that came with River’s arrival as it was the catalyst that caused the is the tragedy and  shattering of her family come about. River’s ghost still echoes throughout their lives for decades to come.  

When Natalie travels towards Atwood on the bus thirty-five years later, "like a time machine carrying her in slow motion back to her past," she must ask for forgiveness from her mother Nettie and her brother Boyer and see beyond the faded edges of memory. Natalie longs to unburden herself and to finally confess and seek redemption and forgiveness.

The theme I found the most profound was the bigotry and intolerance that isolated the Ward family - as anything or anyone out of the ordinary was shunned. 

What we learn is that children see things differently then adults. Heartache and heartbreak could have been avoided if Natalie had opened up and confronted her demons when she was a teenager. Instead she bottled everything up which affected her life. 

It is a very good read and I enjoyed it and would recommend it.

Rating 4 out of 5

Half Broke Horses: A True Life Novel Review

Half Broke Horses: A True Life Novel by Jeannette Wells, 288 pages, 2009

Synopsis:

Lily survived tornadoes, droughts, floods, the Great Depression, and the most heartbreaking personal tragedy. She bristled at prejudice of all kinds—against women, Native Americans, and anyone else who didn’t fit the mold. Rosemary Smith Walls always told Jeannette that she was like her grandmother, and in this true-life novel, Jeannette Walls channels that kindred spirit. Half Broke Horses is Laura Ingalls Wilder for adults, as riveting and dramatic as Isak Dinesen’sOut of Africa or Beryl Markham’s West with the Night. Destined to become a classic, it will transfix readers everywhere.

Review:

Having read and enjoyed The Glass Castle so much in the past, when I saw this book, Half Broke Horses, another true story by Jeannette Wells, I knew that I must read it. This book had a very different style than The Glass Castle and didn't enjoy it quite as much.

Lily, Jeannette's grandmother was a truly remarkable lady. So gutsy and determined even while living through the Great Depression. Lily was born in a mud hut on the banks of a river, she worked as a teacher during a shortage, learns how to fly, she was an extremely competent horsewoman, she also learns how to drive. In one town, she was the one-woman teacher wherein she taught, was the janitor, bus driver and disciplinarian. Lily's a very strong woman, and I found myself enthralled with her story. She had many struggles and set backs along the way and moved around quite a bit as she didn't have the proper teaching credentials so kept getting replaced when a licensed teacher would come back. The book flows well, short sections reading like stories told one by one over time, but forming a cohesive whole.

I'd recommend the book if you like memoirs, and stories about living in the southwest of America during the early to mid 1900's.

It was a quick read but one that I would not bother to read again unlike The Glass Castle which I thoroughly enjoyed and have read a few times.

Rating 3 out of 5. 

The Book of Negroes Review

The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill, 2007, Harper Collins


Synopsis:

Abducted as an 11-year-old child from her village in West Africa and forced to walk for months to the sea in a coffle - a string of slaves - Aminata Diallo is sent to live as a slave in South Carolina. But years later, she forges her way to freedom, serving the British in the Revolutionary War and registering her name in the historic "Book of Negroes". This book, an actual document, provides a short but immensely revealing record of freed Loyalist slaves who requested permission to leave the US for resettlement in Nova Scotia, only to find that the haven they sought was steeped in an oppression all of its own. Aminata's eventual return to Sierra Leone - passing ships carrying thousands of slaves bound for America - is an engrossing account of an obscure but important chapter in history that saw 1,200 former slaves embark on a harrowing back-to-Africa odyssey.

Review:

This book looked intriguing but sat on my bookshelf for awhile although now I wished I had read it sooner. It was an excellent book and an amazing journey. I had read a couple of not so great books lately and this was a refreshing change, loved the characters and since I tend to prefer historical fiction, I found this to be an excellent read. 

The brutality of the West African slave trade in which millions of Africans perished is well documented. However, when a knowledgeable and perceptive novelist transforms these records and the many personal accounts of cruelty and tragedy on the one hand and survival, perseverance and hope on the other into one inclusive narrative around one memorable character, the realities of the many merge into one rich and lively, heart wrenching and joyful history-based novel of exceptional beauty and power.

Aminata's portrayal of survival in the midst of so many who perish, of violence and misery, but also of friendships found and lost, as well as love and family, evokes a rainbow of emotions in the reader - from despair and sadness to delight and joy. Hill's talent placing himself into the mind of his heroine is admirable. Through her he has created a captivating panoramic life story with authentic characters. Not only is the heroine of the novel a wonderfully vibrant and endearing personality, she is surrounded by many, equally believable, individuals. 

The author notes in the Afterword where he has taken a few liberties with the timeline and some historical figures; however the vast majority of the book is factual; extracted from history books and inspired by diaries, memoirs, notes, etc. Hill expertly layers the social and political climates of the time against the protagonist's story. This novel is extremely well-written, perfectly paced, and highly recommended.

Rating 4.5 out of 5