Book Review: The Forever Queen by Helen Hollick

Welcome to the participants of the Sourcebooks Fall Reading Club!  This season we're reading The Forever Queen by Helen Hollick.  Following my review below are more details about the the Club and and upcoming chat with Helen herself!

*     *     *

In the year 1002 A.D., Emma, the young daughter of the Duke of Normandy was wed to King AEthelred of England.  At ages 34 and 13, neither Aethelred nor Emma had any romantic feelings towards the other.  This was purely a political transaction between two strangers, with England hoping to secure a better relationship with Normandy through this union.

So begins The Forever Queen by Helen Hollick.  Spanning 40 years of Queen Emma’s life, Hollick’s readers are given epic exposure to people and events that truly occurred in world history, as well as plenty of literary license to create an exciting and rich novel.

The Forever Queen has many admirable qualities.  Helen Hollick has clearly done her historical homework, not only making these events educational for me, but entertaining as well.  She doesn’t give an overabundance of details, yet I felt transported back to that time period.  There were moments when I could almost smell some of the aromas (both foul and lovely) wafting about the story.

Unlike some royals in historical fiction, I found Emma to be a likeable person.  We meet her at such a tender age, completely naïve and inexperienced in every way as a Queen.  Her years with Aethelred are difficult, yet she consistently maintains her sense of personal pride, even when she feels that it’s the only thing she has left to cling to.  As the years pass, we see her mature as a woman and as a leader of her people.  She devotes her heart and soul to England, not just to retain her crown during times of tumultuous change, but also for the betterment of the people.

While the novel frequently seemed like a continuous and repetitive chess match of characters vying for power, there were also moments that stood apart with significance and dramatic tension.  Emma loses some special and rare friends, with one death in particular being horribly tragic and traumatizing for her.  Later in life she goes through another agonizing trial at the beach that literally had me sitting on the edge of my seat.  Death, political game play, relational troubles and triumphs are everywhere.  Although the novel’s pages number at over 600, the plot never really slows down.

Probably my biggest challenge in the book was the massive cast of characters with their 11th Century names.  It was very difficult to keep everyone straight, as the strangely foreign names were both prolific and similar in spelling.  Although there is a family tree and pronunciation guide at the front of the book, I still felt the need to construct a spreadsheet to keep track of the characters and some of the details of their lives!  However, Ms. Hollick was telling a story based largely on historical facts, so it wasn’t as if she was being overly enthusiastic in her cast list.

The Forever Queen was an enjoyable read, but I cannot say that it’s my favorite historical novel.  The repetitive nature of the political plot became tedious at times, and moments of mirth weren’t exactly liberally sprinkled throughout.  However, with this story being somewhat based in reality, it’s not as if the story’s tone can be altered significantly and still retain its authenticity.  The time period stands for itself—it was not an easy era in which to live.  There was no Geneva Convention to hold back wartime atrocities, and women had little to no power in their governments and marriages.  Emma herself spent much of her time trying to overcome her social & political limitations as a female. 

If you enjoy epic historical novels, The Forever Queen might be a good match for you.  As mentioned, the plot never slows down, yet it’s not hectic in pacing either.  Emma is an admirable character and I frequently found myself rooting for her.   However, if you’re looking for a tale that has more than a small handful of uplifting moments, you might need to look elsewhere.  I did enjoy Helen Hollick’s writing, as it was captivating and unpretentious.  I still have her Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy on my shelf, waiting to be read.  And although my experience with The Forever Queen wasn’t perfect, I’m still very impressed with this author and look forward to diving into her Arthurian trilogy in the near future.

*     *     *

The Sourcebooks Fall Reading Club Tour

Stop by and see what other readers are saying about The Forever Queen!

November 1, 2010

http://www.bibliophilicbookblog.com/
http://calicocritic.blogspot.com/


November 2
http://www.passagestothepast.com/
http://lifeinthethumb.blogspot.com/

November 3
http://www.luxuryreading.com/

November 4
http://yankeeromancereviewers.blogspot.com/
http://historicallyobsessed.blogspot.com/

November 5
http://booksbythewillowtree.blogspot.com/
http://www.historyandwomen.com/

November 8
http://www.rundpinne.blogspot.com/
http://www.bookwormsdinner.blogspot.com/

November 9
http://debsbookbag.blogspot.com/
http://startingfresh-gaby317.blogspot.com/

November 10
http://literatehousewife.com/
http://carpelibrisreviews.com/

November 11
http://web.me.com/quirion/Bookaddict/Welcome.html
http://bibliophile23.wordpress.com/

November 12
http://www.brokenteepee.blogspot.com/
http://www.read-all-over.net

November 15
http://writesthoughts.blogspot.com/
http://celticladysramblings.blogspot.com/


November 16
http://www.jennylovestoread.blogspot.com
http://booksandneedlepoint.blogspot.com/

November 17
http://bookalicio.us/
http://themaidenscourt.blogspot.com/

November 18
http://pushersink.blogspot.com/
http://marthasbookshelf.blogspot.com/

November 19
http://theroyalreviews.blogspot.com/
http://thetometraveller.blogspot.com/

Also, the Book Club Chat will be on The Bibliophilic’s Book Blog on Monday, November 22, from 7-9pm EST. Please join us whenever you can. Helen will also be chiming in from the UK!!

Thanks for stopping by The Calico Critic!

   This title was provided to me by Sourcebooks Landmark.
No obligation other than an honest review was required.  

Pre-Holiday Giveaway - CSN Storage Shelves for Your Holiday Goodies!

Running out of storage space in your home or on your shelves?  Will upcoming holiday goodies need somewhere to go when Santa leaves them under the tree?  Or perhaps you have a friend or loved one who could use some lovely Espresso Storage Shelves from CSN.com!  Here are the details:

With its classic, sturdy design, this elegant shelving unit fulfills both style and functional requirements. Its two sections hold the Espresso Small Storage Basket perfectly (baskets not included). Mix and match with the other Espresso Storage Shelves.

Features:

• Two sections plus the top display shelf
• Smooth, sleek design
• Dimensions:
  29.25" H x 13.5" W x 11.25" D

Sound good?  If you'd like to enter to win, here are the contest details:

• I normally like to keep my contests simple, but for this one you're going to have to work a little bit!
• Fill out the contest entry form HERE.
• Contest entries will be accepted until 11:59pm EST on Saturday, December 4, 2010.
• The winner must supply a US mailing address for prize shipment.
• Prize will be shipped out directly from CSN.com
• I will compile the entries and the winner will be chosen by Random.org, so even one entry can make you a winner.  However, bonus entries will increase your chances of winning!
• Should you win, I will contact you on Sunday the 5th.  Please take measures to ensure that my email will make it past your spam filters, lest you miss my message. (CalicoCritic@gmail.com) You'll have 72 hours to respond before I pick another winner.
• While your comments don't count toward the contest, we'd love to hear from you in the comments section below!  What kind of plans do you have for the shelves?  Got a special corner in your house where you'd like to put them?  Have a friend who would love to receive these as a gift from you?  Give us your thoughts!

Bonus Entries (also to be reported in your contest entry form)

• Follow The Calico Critic by clicking on the Google "Follow" button on my sidebar (old or new followers both get the bonus entry)
• Follow me on Twitter (@LHartness) and tell me your Twitter name in the contest entry form.
• Tweet about the contest on Twitter.com; be sure to use an URL linking back to this blog posting in your tweet. You may do this as frequently as every 8 hours between now and December 4th at 11:59pm EST.  For your first tweet, please report it in the MAIN CONTEST ENTRY FORM.   If you do any subsequent tweeting, please report those later entries in the LATER ENTRIES FORM.
• Any other announcements about the contest?  Enter the direct URL(s) to your mention(s) on Goodreads/Shelfari/Giveaway Website/Blog Sidebar/Blog Posting/Whatever.  If you want to work on some of these later and report them after your initial contest entry, you may also submit them in the LATER ENTRIES FORM before the end of the contest period.

MAIN CONTEST ENTRY FORM
Fill this one out first!!

LATER ENTRIES FORM
Only fill out for bonus tweets, blog sidebars, etc. done later!!

That's it!  Thanks for stopping by, and good luck to all the entrants!

CSNStores.com

Book Review: A Darcy Christmas - A Holiday Tribute to Jane Austen

Sourcebooks Landmark presents A Darcy Christmas, a collection of three Christmas-themed short stories set in the world of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.  The contributing authors are the talented Amanda Grange, Sharon Lathan and Carolyn Eberhart.


Story 3 – A Darcy Christmas by Sharon Lathan

While Sharon Lathan’s novella is the concluding story of the book, I decided to read her A Darcy Christmas first.  I recently finished her full-length novel, In the Arms of Mr. Darcy, so I still had her voice in my head, so to speak.  I was delighted to find that this short story felt almost like a sequel to her third book in The Darcy Saga, although I’m sure that wasn’t necessarily the intent.

A Darcy Christmas is a window into many holiday seasons over the life of the Darcy family.  It begins the Christmas before Darcy weds Elizabeth and ends many years later when they have been married for 23 years.  Each chapter shares moments from a particular Advent season, revisiting the characters introduced to us by Jane Austen and meeting new friends and family members as well.

This novella was sweet, innocent and enjoyable, and I loved seeing how the Darcy family grew and matured over the years.  Not every year was full of mirth, and I was particularly moved in one chapter when Elizabeth is mourning the loss of a loved one.  I may re-read that very chapter someday if I have the misfortune to mourn as she did.  It was very touching and could bring comfort in that type of sorrow.

As is true for the other two novellas in this collection, Sharon Lathan’s A Darcy Christmas is an enjoyable composition.  It matches the sentiments of the other two authors and brings a warm glow to the heart.


Story 2 – Christmas Present by Amanda Grange

Second in my reading was Christmas Present by Amanda Grange. Although she has written over a dozen books, many of which are on my “To Be Read” list, I’ve never actually gotten around to reading her work.  So this short story is my hors d’oeuvre into her banquet of literary offerings.

Christmas Present’s opening line pays homage to Jane Austen’s opening line of Pride and Prejudice, which I found very amusing.  The events of her story occur in the months after the marriages of Elizabeth and Jane, both of whom are becoming mothers for the first time.  As we share the Christmas season with Grange’s characters, we have an opportunity to visit with many of the individuals from the original novel, even bringing them all into one home for a time.

Christmas Present is very quiet and understated, but it’s an enjoyable time with Austen’s characters.  Her tone is very evocative of Jane Austen’s style, and the holiday traditions presented hold true to the era and were a bit of an education for me. Grange introduces a new character who provides a bit of intrigue, and I hope she utilizes this character and their romantic possibilities in the future.

Of course, a delightful gift is bestowed at the conclusion of the tale.  Ms. Grange’s work is also a gift, a small stocking-stuffer to enjoy before I open the larger gifts of her full-length novels.


Story 1 – Mr. Darcy’s Christmas Carol by Carolyn Eberhart

Third in my reading was Carolyn Eberhart’s Mr. Darcy’s Christmas Carol.  I saved this for the end due to my love of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, and I hoped the best had been saved for last.  I was not in the least bit disappointed.  In fact, Eberhart’s novella exceeded my expectations.  She truly was successful in merging the world of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Dickens’ Carol.  Like Dickens’ work, this Carol brings with it bitterness and regret, as well as enlightenment and reformation.  There are cameos that were a delight, giving an even bigger nod to Dickens.

I hesitate to give more details, as I don’t want to spoil any of the delicious moments for you.  Suffice it to say, all those who call themselves fans of Jane Austen and Dickens’ A Christmas Carol should read this story. 

This small anthology A Darcy Christmas as a whole would be an excellent choice of reading for your holiday season.  If I had the opportunity, I would read it on a snowy weekend, curled up in my favorite chair with a mug of hot chocolate.  Like that soothing drink, the three tales of A Darcy Christmas are short, sweet and warm the heart.  I hope they do the same for yours as well.

This title was provided to me by Sourcebooks Landmark.
No obligation other than an honest review was required.

Book Review: In the Arms of Mr. Darcy by Sharon Lathan

For months, I have looked forward to diving into Sharon Lathan’s series, The Darcy Saga.  I managed to obtain Books 1-3, and signed up to review Book 4 for this month.  My goal was to work through the series from the beginning and then continue to Book 4, In the Arms of Mr. Darcy, now available from Sourcebooks Landmark.  Alas, my schedule—both my personal and my reading schedule have been inundated with activity and I have had to begin my experience with The Darcy Saga without reading the first three books in the series.

Fortunately, Sharon has presented a Darcy tale that can stand on its own—all that is required is a rudimentary knowledge of Jane Austen’s classic novel, Pride and Prejudice.  While I wish I could have begun the series from the top, I don’t believe my experience was diminished by this fact at all. I became easily immersed into this Austenian world and had a complete grasp of the events and relationships within.

A listing of the “Cast of Characters”, a brief description of the main characters, including some birth dates and wedding anniversaries, precedes Lathan’s tale.  This was quite a useful tool for me at the outset, as it kept me from disorientation with all of the individuals within the story. I especially liked the inclusion of dates, as I was able to understand the context of events in Lathan’s timeline.

In the Arms of Mr. Darcy is quiet and yet recurrently passionate, primarily focusing on Fitzwilliam Darcy, his wife Elizabeth and their newborn son Alexander.  Surrounding them are their close friends and family, most of who were introduced in the original Pride and Prejudice.  The book is essentially a series of anecdotal tales, revealing the everyday life events of these characters and the occasional moments of drama in their lives.

For Darcy and Elizabeth, most of their drama comes within the bedroom.  Darcy does have a couple of side adventures of his own and plays rescuer to Elizabeth in one harrowing incident, but most of the action comes from their marital relationship’s intimacies.  While I’m pleased that sex is portrayed as a wonderful gift of married life, readers should be aware that their love scenes are fairly steamy and occur regularly within the novel.

Outside of Darcy and Elizabeth, other anecdotal moments in the lives of their loved ones are shared.  Most of these incidents are short and sometimes seem inconsequential to the rest of the story, but they are enjoyable nonetheless.  The storyline that probably has the longest reach across the novel is that of Colonel Fitzwilliam as he grows from an ambitious soldier to a man who desires a steady home life and family of his own.  His storyline had quite a few twists and turns, and I highly enjoyed his journey as an individual.

While I didn’t enjoy In the Arms of Mr. Darcy as much as I had hoped, it was still a pleasant, ambling stroll with the characters of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Again, I could have done without the amount of sexual detail with Darcy & Lizzie, but at least that aspect was kept within a married relationship.  Little Alexander Darcy was simply adorable, and the way his parents doted on him almost made me fancy another little one myself!  Books 1-3 are still on my shelf, and I do plan to read them as well.  This Janeite cannot get enough of these characters, and I’m pleased that Sharon Lathan has given them another enjoyable way of being in this reader’s life.

This title was provided by Sourcebooks Landmark.

No obligation other than an honest review was required.

Book Review: Mr. Darcy's Obsession by Abigail Reynolds

Mr. Darcy’s Obsession is my third foray into Abigail Reynolds’ novels.  To be honest, when I picked it up to read this month I was unsure about it.  The previous two novels I’d read had left me frustrated at the amount of graphic sexual content that was used.  As I began reading Obsession, I said, “C’mon, Abigail!  Tell us a good story! You don’t need that extra stuff!  I know you’ve got it in you. Please….”

As I began reading, I found the story to be enjoyable, and I just kept waiting for the inevitable R-rated scene that would tarnish it for me.  But chapters came and went, and all I had was… a really delightful story!!  Sure, there was sexual tension there, but it was held in perfect balance and was far more interesting than the graphic material from the Reynolds books that have come before.

Reynolds once again takes Pride & Prejudice on a different path, playing out the events that may have occurred if Mr. Bennet had met his demise and Jane Bennet had chosen to marry for convenience rather than for love.  Elizabeth goes to live with extended family and now holds an even lower station than she had before, thereby making her an even more unsuitable match for Mr. Darcy. 

But Fitzwilliam has not forgotten Lizzie and still feels an attraction to her that he simply cannot ignore.  He determines to pursue Miss Bennet, but at times his motivations seem unclear—he desires her greatly, but is he willing to forsake much in the area of family reputation to be with her?  Or will he settle for something less honorable with her instead?

Much to my delight, I greatly enjoyed Mr. Darcy’s Obsession.  I loved the characters, both the traditional Austenians and new characters introduced by Reynolds.  The main plot as well as the sub-plots were delicious and very satisfying.  As mentioned, the romantic/sexual tension is just perfect—fairly chaste while being captivating as well.  When I was about 2/3 of the way through the book, I literally could not read fast enough—I needed a digital download directly into my brain at that point! 

While I would not term the conclusion of Ms. Reynolds’ novel as open-ended, there is certainly room to allow for an upcoming sequel, which I hear she is crafting.  I chuckle to myself as I say that I will be the first in line to read the next chapter in these iterations of her Pride & Prejudice world.  I few months ago I might not have believed that myself.  But I am here now to heartily recommend Mr. Darcy’s Obsession.

I was hoping for a good story, and Abigail Reynolds brought it.

In spades.

This title was provided by Sourcebooks Landmark.

No obligation other than an honest review was required.

Wednesday Contest Report - October 20th

Here's my semi-regular Wednesday Contest Report, where I spotlight contests that I'm entering around the blogosphere these days. Some of these might appeal to you as well. Check them out!

• Shannon at Book Dreaming is having a Party Time Contest! Three lucky winners will get to choose any pre-order title to be shipped when released. Enter by Friday, 10/22. Here's the link:

http://shannonkodonnell.blogspot.com/2010/10/party-time-at-book-dreaming.html

Book Review: Lady of Hay by Barbara Erskine

From the back cover:

“With a story as mesmerizing as it is chilling, Lady of Hay explores how Jo, a journalist investigating hypnotic regression, plunges into the life of Matilda, Lady of Hay—who lived eight hundred years earlier.  As she learns of Matilda’s unhappy marriage, her troubled love for Richard de Clare, and the brutal treatment she received from King John, it seems that Jo’s past and present are hopelessly entwined.  Centuries later, a story of secret passion and unspeakable treachery is about to begin again—and she has no choice but to brave both lives if she wants to shake the iron grip of history.”

*          *           *

Lady of Hay was an interesting dive into the world of hypnosis and some would say, time travel.  The story uses the theory of hypnotic regression as well as the concept of reincarnation to support the plot.  I myself am not a believer in either of these psychological/spiritual ideas, so my approach to this novel was that of a time-travel fan.  I saw our main characters not as reincarnated, but as people whose minds seemed to be alternating from 1985 to the turn of the 12th Century.  I’m sure this wasn’t the author’s intent, but it enabled me to enjoy the story.

Joanna is a feisty young writer, researching the topic of hypnotic regression for an article that she’s putting together for an English publication.  Through her research, she finds that she seems to be inexplicably tied to Matilda de St. Valerie, born in 1160 AD and wed to William de Braose in 1174.  Other friends and associates in her life also seem to be linked to citizens of ancient England.  Through hypnosis, the past and the present begin to intermingle, leading to life-or-death situations for some of the main characters.

Originally released in 1986, Lady of Hay went on to sell over 3 million copies.  This is not surprising to me, as Erskine weaves an interesting and compelling tale.  I enjoyed the frequent alternations between past and present, as well as the various struggles that characters went through in the different time periods.  There was suspense, romance, mystery, and a dynamic plot that pressed on with consistent energy until the conclusion.

As a non-believer of reincarnation, I wish the story could have been told in another way.  I think one motivation of using reincarnation is to give characters a chance to “begin again” and try to improve upon what has happened in a past life, even attempt to atone for mistakes they’ve made, especially with loved ones.  This is a central and driving need for all of us—the desire to be loved and to achieve a state of reconciliation or atonement.  As such, the reader can relate to the desires felt by the modern characters of Jo, Sam, Nick and Tim.  Despite all the hardships they endured and/or perpetrated, in their souls they sought love and resolution.

Because of my religious faith and some of the graphic and adult nature of some of this novel, I can’t say that I would heartily recommend it to those who share my beliefs.  However, if you can look past the spiritual overtones and see it as a time-traveling adventure and a realistic depiction of how people lived & were treated 800 years ago, then you should enjoy Lady of Hay.  Not all of it wraps up with a perfectly tied bow at the end, but the main conclusion is satisfying and the tale as a whole was an interesting experience.  If nothing else, it made me grateful for the beliefs I hold to be true (and not fiction) and for the husband I heartily enjoy in this singular life. 

This title was provided by Sourcebooks Landmark.

No obligation other than an honest review was required.