Tag Archive for: Historical Fiction

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The Magnolia Palace

The Magnolia PalaceTitle: The Magnolia Palace
Author: Fiona Davis
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Format: Hard Cover
Pages: 337
Reason Read: Book of the Month
Rating:

My Thoughts

I was hooked on THE MAGNOLIA PALACE from the get-go. I adored it from start to finish. When I’d put the book down, I’d keep thinking about it and I’d want to pick it right back up again. I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. I really loved the dual timeline. I thought it was the perfect vehicle for the story, especially with the mystery aspect of it. I was more invested in Lillian’s story than Veronica’s. I didn’t dislike Veronica or anything. I was just more interested in the 1919 time period than the 1966 one.

I had no idea that Henry Clay Frick, his daughter, and the Frick Collection were real as I read the story. I didn’t even know that Lillian was based on a model from the 1900’s. I loved reading the author’s note and finding out that Davis mixed non-fiction with fiction to create the magnificent story that is THE MAGNOLIA PALACE. I don’t know what historians or relatives of the Frick family and the model would think about the fiction, but I thought it made for a compelling read.

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Shades Of Milk And Honey

Shades Of Milk And HoneyTitle: Shades of Milk and Honey
Author: Mary Robinette Kowal
Series: Glamourist Histories #1
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance
Spice: 0.5 / 5
Format: Paperback
Pages: 320
Reason Read: Book Club, Play Book Tag
Rating:

My Thoughts

SHADES OF MILK AND HONEY was a fun twist on regency romance. I loved the magical aspect of the story. I thought the magic system was really interesting and wished it were real. I think more kissing would’ve made the story better. More kissing always makes the story better, especially in modernized regency romances. I do wish Kowal hadn’t tried so hard to imitate Austen’s language. The weird wording and spellings took me out of the story rather than immerse me in it more fully.

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The Winter Of The Witch

The Winter Of The WitchTitle: The Winter of the Witch
Author: Katherine Arden
Series: Winternight Trilogy #3
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance
Spice: 1.5 / 5
Format: Kindle
Pages: 400
Reason Read: Play Book Tag
Rating:

Also in this series: The Bear and the Nightingale, The Girl in the Tower
My Thoughts

So many emotions while reading THE WINTER OF THE WITCH. So many. First, I take back what I said in my review of THE GIRL IN THE TOWER of finding someone else I hate more than Brother Konstantin Nikonovich. There is no other character I hate more in all of literature except for Professor Umbridge.

This story was beautiful and sad and intense and romantic and spiritual and ethereal all in one go. I’ve really learned to love the characters in this trilogy. I wish we got to visit some of the characters from The Bear and the Nightingale again, but I understand why Vasya stayed away. Instead I loved her brother and sister, Sasha and Olya, and the Grand Prince of Moscow, Dmitrii. I also loved little Marya and her propensity to act like Vasya. I loved Olya’s servant Varvara.

Then, of course, there’s the unseen characters. I adore Morozko and my only complaint about this trilogy would be that he wasn’t in the stories more. My favorite part of the story is when Morozko calls Vasya “beloved”–swoon. I love sweet Solovey, Vasya’s bay stallion. Pozhar was a force to be reckoned with and I enjoyed learning more about her and the other horses. I really loved the mythos of the chyerti; all they wanted to do was survive in a world of men and growing Christianity. I trusted them much more than the humans. Because of that, they quickly wormed their way into my heart.

I especially loved the fiction intermingled with the 14th century Russian history. I again adored the Russian setting. The language, buildings, scenery, clothes, food–they were a joy to read about. I also liked that the ending was left open enough that Arden can revisit this world again if she wants to.

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The Girl In The Tower

The Girl In The TowerTitle: The Girl in the Tower
Author: Katherine Arden
Series: Winternight Trilogy #2
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance
Spice: 0.5 / 5
Format: Kindle
Pages: 362
Reason Read: Just Because
Rating:

Also in this series: The Bear and the Nightingale, The Winter of the Witch
My Thoughts

THE GIRL IN THE TOWER was just as enchanting as THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE. I’m still in love with the medieval Russian setting at the time when paganism and Christianity clashed, not knowing which culture would dominate, rather than both trying to coexist together peaceably as the main character, Vasya, suggests.

I loved meeting the new characters and didn’t realize I could ever meet a character I hated more than Brother Konstantin–Kasyan was horrible and I’m glad he got what he deserved. I need Morozko around more, but I fear that won’t happen under the current circumstances. I’m quite worried about what’s going to happen in THE WINTER OF THE WITCH. I’ll only be happy if Vasya and Morozko end up together for good. He’s the only one who can give her the freedom she craves while still loving her.

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The Bear And The Nightingale

The Bear And The NightingaleTitle: The Bear and the Nightingale
Author: Katherine Arden
Series: Winternight Trilogy #1
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Format: Kindle
Pages: 347
Reason Read: Book Club Backlist
Rating:

Also in this series: The Girl in the Tower, The Winter of the Witch
My Thoughts

Right from the beginning, I adored THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE. I loved the setting of medieval Russia and the Russian words and names. I was all aflutter as I was taken back to my Russian class in high school. It actually took me a little longer to read than it should’ve because I purposefully looked up all the Russian words I didn’t recognize and even transliterated them back into the Cyrillic alphabet. It was so much fun! Я люблю русский язык.

I also loved the story. I loved the dichotomy of the magic and fairy tales with the new Christian religion and whether or not the two could coexist together. Of course, the whole conflict of the story suggests not. It was an interesting ride to see how the characters forsook their traditions because of an over zealous priest and a terrified princess who didn’t know what to make of the fantastical world around them.

I really liked Vasya. I thought she was a wonderful heroine. I enjoyed watching her grow up, see her be a strong and precocious girl who wanted to be just like her brothers. I also thought it was interesting how she just assumed the world around her was the way it was. If she saw something in the fairy tale world, she figured others could see it too until her awful stepmother came along and showed her otherwise.

I also adored Solovey and Morozko. I wish there had been more of them in the story. I hope they will be around more in the sequels. And, I hope Morozko is more than just a helper, if you get my meaning.

Anyway, it was truly a treat to read THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE and I can’t wait to read the sequels.