So many books . . .

In March, Geraldine Brooks takes on an intriguing and perhaps one of the most difficult genres: that of a companion novel to a better-known, well-loved work. In this case, the original is Alcott’s Little Women.

Mr. March, the male head of the family who is absent for most of LW, here gets his own story as he serves as an army chaplain in Virginia during the Civil War and is ultimately severely injured by rebel outlaws ransacking plantations. In between chapters, the reader also learns a great deal about March’s youth before settling down. March is an interesting story on its own, and made more fascinating when combined with LW. Faithful LW readers will definitely find some surprises.

Rating: 4/5 Further reading: Brooks' homepage Geraldine Brooks (wiki)

Hesper Honeywood’s family has lived in Marblehead and run the Hearth and Eagle pub ever since the town’s founding around the 1630s, and she has grown up listening to her father extol the family’s rich history. Now, at the inception of the Civil War, her simple life is about to change when a local wise woman tells her future for a few coppers: She will have three men in her life, but she will know nothing but heartbreak.

This is definitely not one of Seton’s best works. Frankly, I didn’t buy into Hester’s relationships given the reader’s introduction to her personality in initial chapters – especially with Porterman, whose relationship is particularly disturbing with nothing leading up to their marriage (they are just suddenly together). Seton is talented, but this book was not satisfying.

Rating: 2/5 Further reading: Anya Seton (wiki)

 

If your faith in humanity is already at an all-time low, don’t expect this book to be in any way uplifting or to provide any hope for the future. It is, however, very worth reading, bringing to light the many, many medical transgressions suffered by African Americans in the US, from the medical torture of slaves who could not object, all the way up to pharmaceutical company experiments in the 20th century whose objectives, procedures and side-effects were not disclosed to (and, in fact, were purposely kept from) their subjects.

While the subject matter was interesting and, at times, even fascinating, the author seemed to go in circles within the earlier chapters. By midway through the book she finds her stride.

Rating: 3/5 Further reading: Medical Apartheid homepage

 

 Born of Scots/Spanish parents in 1850s New Mexico and orphaned at a n early age, Fey is raised by poor neighbors. At 17, she hitches a ride out of town with Terry Dillon, a “special-elixir”-selling quack. While traveling the Santa Fe Trail, they marry and eventually arrive in Kansas with enough money for train fares to New York City. Predictably, Terry abandons Fey within days, just before Fey realizes she is pregnant. Alone, pregnant and without a source of income in the 19th-century metropolis, Fey must make some important decisions quickly.

I consider Seton to be one of my favorite authors, but I didn’t care much for this book. Seton’s prose is as usual superb, but there is something lacking in the appeal of the story itself. Fey’s financial aspirations didn’t ring true to me. I didn’t understand why she wanted money so badly, and then why she didn’t seem to care much about it when she did have it. This aspect of her personality felt like merely a plot device.

I recommend nearly all of Seton’s other works, especially Katherine.

Rating: 3/5 Further reading: Anya Seton (wiki)

Tipperary tells the life of Charles O'Brien, an Irishman, traveling healer, proponent of Irish independence and man of some passion. His story is told by the 21st-century narrator who finds some of Charles’ personal effects in an old trunk donated to a library and, curious, begins to research his life.

From with his childhood on an Irish farm and apprenticeship to a local herbalist, we follow Charles to France where he attends Oscar Wilde at his sickbed and also falls in love, and back to Ireland where his life’s crowning achievement is overseeing the restoration of an ancient Irish castle fallen into disrepair and ruin. Meanwhile, the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War are transpiring in the background and, on occasion, in the foreground as well.

I found this an enjoyable read, with just a one small quibble. Having the narrator, who punctuates episodes from Charles’ life with additional historical information of interest to the reader as well as an account of how his research is progressing, is a bit confusing and somewhat jarring initially. Just as the reader is becoming engaged with one storyline, the perspective changes and one must guess who’s speaking. Otherwise, this period in the history of Ireland is fascinating and was almost entirely new to me, having very little idea of Irish history prior to independence. The parallels to slavery in America – Irish Catholics were forbidden to write and could be deported for owning books – were a complete surprise. I would definitely read more of Delaney’s works.

This book is due to be published in November 2007, but I got my hands on an advance reading copy via LibraryThing.

Rating: 4/5 Further reading: Delaney's homepage

In 1854, a Cheyenne chief proposed an admirably forward-thinking plan to the US government that would foster cultural understanding and assimilation between Native Americans and whites: one thousand willing white women to be exchanged as brides for Cheyenne warriors. This is the story of one white woman's experience had the US government taken the proposal even halfway seriously. Our heroine, May Dodd, can't imagine anything worse than the insane asylum she's currently living in, and with some excitement enlists herself in the "Brides for Indians" program. She faithfully journals her extraordinary experiences living with the Cheyenne and of her new husband Little Wolf, unaware of the legacy she will leave behind.

An exciting, engaging and ultimately tragic story -- one can't help but wonder, "What if?"

Rating: 4/5 Further reading: Fergus' homepage

Dana, a 20th-century black woman, is suddenly and inexplicably sucked into the past, to a Maryland plantation in the early 1800s, in order to save the life of a young white child who would eventually live to be one of her forebears. Over and over, she returns to the future for barely enough time to reorient herself before she is transported into the past to rescue him yet again. Between each of her visits, several years have passed in the past, and the child grown older. Her visits become not only lengthier, but, especially for a black woman in the 19-century South, more and more dangerous.

As Kindred opens with a bang, the reader can't help but become immediately absorbed, getting a glimpse of how the book ends before even learning how it begins. Though the detailed depictions of this era of slavery are hard to swallow, they bring the period to life and add an in-your-face sense of realism. I couldn't put it down.

Interestingly, the late Ms. Butler was one of very few African-American women in the field of science fiction.

Rating: 5/5 Further reading: Octavia E. Butler (wiki)

This is the story of Renoir’s famous painting Luncheon of the Boating Party, a work completed on the balcony of the restaurant La Maison Fournaise, just outside of Paris. Combining historical fact with Ms. Vreeland’s vivid imagination we learn how the painting came into existence and how the models were chosen and gathered, as well as a sense of the time and place. The models’ identities are largely based on historical fact, but as with all works of historical fiction the author uses her colorful imagination in guessing their conversations, relationships and emotions. At the beginning of the story, Auguste Renoir is struggling even to cover the costs of purchasing several tubes of paint, but by the time the painting is finished the reader gets a sense that Luncheon represents a fortunate turning point in his career.

There is something compelling about an author bringing to life the story of a work of art. The characters become familiar and spark curiosity about who they were, the location becomes a real place one could visit, and the art itself becomes an intimate friend. Susan Vreeland first piqued my interest with her biographical historical fiction, The Passion of Artemisia. Her background in and her passion for fine art is clearly a prerequisite in producing a story like this. The descriptions of the colors, clothing and food I can only describe as “delicious” and nearly caused me to feel that I was actually there among them.

One suggestion: Print a color copy of the painting to reference as you read. Otherwise you’ll be flipping to look at the cover approximately 3,496 times.

Rating: 5/5 Further reading: Vreeland's homepage About Luncheon of the Boating Party Pierre-Auguste Renoir (wiki)

Theodosia Burr is the smart, adoring, seventeen-year-old daughter of Aaron Burr, who was vice-president at a time when one attained the office by being the runner-up in a presidential election. Thus, the president, Thomas Jefferson, is actually his political rival. Having run into both political and financial hardship, Aaron arranges for Theodosia to marry Joseph Alston, a wealthy but unattractive and dull Carolina planter. Shocked that her father would be desperate enough to send her to such a fate, but resigned, Theodosia goes willingly and begins her life at The Oaks, Joseph's plantation. A son brings her boy joy and pain, as does a clandestine relationship with Meriwether Lewis who, along with William Clark, is about to embark on his famous exploration into the unknown western territory.

Theodosia's ultimate fate is suggested at the end of the book, although the reality is that it is still a mystery. This book appears to be out of print, which is unfortunate as Anya Seton is very talented and has become one of my favorite authors of historical fiction. I didn't enjoy this work quite as well as some of her others, but it's definitely worth a read.

Rating: 3/5 Further reading: Anya Seton (wiki)

At the age of 18, Miranda has been invited by wealthy distant cousin Nicholas Van Ryn, whom she's never met, to move to his estate and serve as governess to his young daughter. Initially, it seems like a wonderful opportunity to learn and experience life of a different social standing to Miranda, who grew up on a farm. Before long, however, she finds herself attracted to Nicholas and, despite the presence of his gluttonous wife, the sentiment appears to be mutual. This is one of Anya Seton's earlier works and focuses less on historical events than some of her other books, but I still recommend it.

Rating: 4/5 Further reading: Anya Seton (wiki)