Historical
Once & Future Book Two
Once & Future Review
Written by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy
Space Opera, Fantasy, Historical, Retelling, LGBT
368 Pages
Publishing June 16th 2020
Thank you to Bloomsbury Australia
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★★★★
Once and future collide when Ari, Merlin and the Knights of the Rainbow attempt to steal a magical chalice from Earth's medieval past in order to save humanity's future, irreparably entangling our spaceage heroes with the original King Arthur.Ari plays a risky game of lies and chivalry and Merlin confronts his nemesis, his older self, while all the time they must preserve the time continuum to eventually return to their own future. When the Lady of the Lake interferes, Merlin and Ari realise how much their future has been manipulated by her exquisite machinations of the past. Nin offers a way to release King Arthur's spirit from Ari's body, to end the cruel cycle that keeps them all prisoner and allow them home. But at what cost?This galaxy altering conclusion unravels the dark truth of Merlin's origins and inspires a new hope for the Once & Future universe.
Every generation, the legendary King Arthur is reawakened and for Ari Helix, she's the first female Arthur and destined to become the heroine that previous Arthurs have forsaken. After withstanding the onslaught from the Mercer Corporation, the group of unlikely companions are travelling back to the middle ages, when King Arthur was an adolescent boy courting the effervescent Guinevere in Camelot. It's imperative that the new residents of Camelot adhere to the original tale as they find themselves enacting the roles of Guinevere, the royal knights and Lancelot, King Arthur's champion, in order to pilfer the chalice and ensure that Arthur is placed upon the throne.
Sword in the Stars is a brilliantly diverse and vivacious narrative exploring capitalism and genocide. In the world envisioned by A.R. Capetta and Cory McCarthy, the Arthurian legend blossoms and although Once & Future is a wonderfully entertaining read, Sword of the Stars is a fantastical adventure and superbly written finale. Journeying to the historic Camelot, our characters arrive in the midst of King Arthur courting Guinevere, the young King besotted with Gwen who is fatigued and heavily pregnant. Ari gallantly arrives on horseback, assuming the role of Lancelot, the King's champion and who was rumoured to have romanced Guinevere, befalling the young King and Kingdom. Merlin arrives in Camelot rapidly aging in reverse, he must avoid the senior and forbidding Merlin who exists in this world, Merlin being an advisor to a young Arthur.
Britannia Camelot is a lively and spirited community, intrigued by knight Lamarack. Lamarack is genderfluid, using they / them pronouns and polyamorous. They see the beauty of the Arthurian legend and Camelot and although the Britannia kingdom appears to be conservative, the community are surprisingly accepting and receptive of gender identities and sexuality through their fondness of the treasured Lamarack. Although Lamarack has adapted wonderfully, Jordan is seething and incredibly uncomfortable in her lavish garments. Masquerading as the gallant knight Lancelot and to conceal her gender, Ari binds her breasts.
The Once & Future duology demolishes gender stereotypes and celebrates sexual and gender diversity throughout the narration of own voices authors. Simply superb!
contains sensitivities such as suicide, famine, wartime, neglect and emotional abuse.
V. E. Schwab
Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Romance, Adult
560 Pages
Published October 2020
Thank you to New South Books
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★★★★★
When Addie LaRue makes a pact with the devil, she trades her soul for immortality. But there's always a price, the devil takes away her place in the world, cursing her to be forgotten by everyone.
Addie flees her tiny hometown in 18th Century France, beginning a journey that takes her across the world, learning to live a life where no one remembers her and everything she owns is lost and broken. Existing only as a muse for artists throughout history, she learns to fall in love anew every single day.
Her only companion on this journey is her dark devil with hypnotic green eyes, who visits her each year on the anniversary of their deal. Alone in the world, Addie has no choice but to confront him, to understand him, maybe to beat him.
Until one day, in a second hand bookshop in Manhattan, Addie meets someone who remembers her. Suddenly thrust back into a real, normal life, Addie realises she can't escape her fate forever.
Adeline Larue leaves her legacy upon the world in glimpses, the twenty three year old woman defined by the constellations bestrewn across her nose. Her life begun at eventide of the seventeenth century in a small riverside community in France. Adeline dreams of the freedoms beyond the confines placed upon young women, choosing adventure, freedom and independence.
Adeline is betrothed to a widower within the small town, losing his wife and now searching for a woman to care for his four children. Adeline's friends have long since married and created families of their own while Adeline discovered the beauty of her world. On the eve of her arranged marriage, Adeline prays to a higher being for escape, to abscond her small community and chase freedom into the wide unknown. Darkness responds to her distress, bargaining an agreement. Her freedom in exchange for her soul. Lucifer, the handsome stranger with piercing green eyes has granted Adeline with immortality, ensuring only he will remember her.
The nonlinear narration fluctuates between Adeline's life as a young woman throughout Europe, enduring conflict, wartime, revolutions, lovers both male and female and famine and present New York City. Traversing three hundred years. Adeline is a remarkable young woman, the devastation and heartbreak she's endured throughout the centuries is entirely distressing. A lonely, isolated existence and although Adeline has influenced artists over various generations, no one will remember her beyond her immortalised constellation of freckles.
The essence of The Invisible Life of Addie Larue is human interaction and the ability to leave our legacy upon the world. Throughout our lives, we imprint on one another and for the immortalised twenty three year old, her imprint remains in the creations of former lovers in galleries all over the world until she happens across Henry Strauss managing a small, independent bookstore in New York City. Henry lives on the fringe of society, preferring his own company although feeling thoroughly alone.
Twenty eight year old Henry Strauss has endured addiction, loneliness, relationships and heartache, feeling directionless and unmotivated. Identifying as pansexual, both of Henry's long term relationships have ended in heartbreak and a series of unsatisfying sexual encounters followed. Henry's feelings of worthlessness is palpable. He experiences the world profoundly and throughout his narration, we discover the source of Henry's loneliness and distress, until he happens across Adeline.
Adeline and Henry's relationship is one of companionship rather than a consuming romance, providing one another with a sense of solace and intimacy. They found one another through circumstance and become an aspect of their respective journeys.
The writing is absolutely immaculate and breathtakingly envisioned. From the desperation of Adeline as a young woman burying her meagre possessions along the riverbank and praying to a higher power to rescue her from the small town monotony, the Seine during the revolution, wartime, Venice and London to present New York City. It's wonderfully atmospheric with a beauty and breadth rarely seen in literature, infatuating and categorically enchanting.
The Invisible Life of Addie Larue is phenomenal, a masterpiece of modern literature.
See my review for A Harp of Kings
Warrior Bards Book Two
Written by Juliet Marillier
Fantasy, Folklore, Celtic
Published July 2020
420 Pages
Thank you to Pan Macmillan Australia
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★★★★☆
An accident. A forfeit of freedom. A descent into danger.Liobhan, the young warrior and bard, has lost her brother to the Otherworld. Even more determined to gain a place as an elite fighter, she returns to Swan Island to continue her training. But Liobhan is devastated when her comrade Dau is injured and loses his sight in their final display bout. Blamed by Dau's family for the accident, she agrees to go to his home, Oakhill, as a bond servant for one year.
But Oakhill is a place of dark secrets. The menacing and enigmatic Crow Folk still threaten both worlds and while Brocc battles them in the Otherworld, Dau must battle his own demon, despair.
When Liobhan and Dau begin to expose the evil at the core of Oakhill, they place themselves in mortal danger. For their enemy wields great power and will stop at nothing to get his way. It will take all the skills of a Swan Island warrior and a touch of the uncanny to give them any hope of survival...
Returning from her maiden assignment in the Kingdom of Breifne, Liobhan is disheartened at the loss of her brother, choosing to remain with Eirne in the forest realm of the Fair Folk. Continuing their warrior apprenticeship, Liobhan and Swan Island comrade Dau enter the arena for their friendly, noncombative competition, Liobhan discarding her protective clothing as Dau falls heavily, concussed, scarcely unresponsive and visually impaired. Healers of the island cannot guarantee the return of his vision and as a warrior who relies on his senses, Dau is questioning his position within the company of elite soldiers.
Dau is returning home to Oakhill Estate, his father and his advisors demanding compensation for the accident and to evade questioning about the mysterious Swan Island, Dau reluctantly agrees to return home. Liobhan is held accountable for the accident and volunteers to serve as a bond servant at the family estate, protecting Dau from the cruelty and maltreatment he endured as a boy. Seanan has assumed the position of Master of Oakhill while their father is ailing, a mysterious illness causing confusion and an inability to manage the family estate. Seanan is tyrannical and vindictive, a sociopath who derives pleasure from tormenting his younger brother Dau, using his humanity and gentleness as a weapon. Dau requires treatment but is isolated and his injuries festering, he experiences depression, anger and resentment.
Dau is a Swan Island warrior and without his vision, the feeling of hopelessness is palpable as he contemplates suicide as an alternative. A Dance with Fate explores the trauma of mental health and a diagnosed disability. Visually impaired, Dau is overwhelmed by his remaining heightened senses and begrudgingly accepts assistance.
As the mysteries of the Oakhill Estate emerge, Brocc remains in the forest realm with Eirne and her fair folk community as he discovers the torture and slain Crow Folk mutilated within the surrounding forest. Brocc is a humanitarian, he cares deeply for his community of small folk and his wife, who is becoming apathetic and distant. Their relationship is entirely superficial. Brocc sacrificed his family, community and position on Swan Island to join the otherwordly community and although Eirne cares for her community, Brocc is their protector, using his voice to protect the Fair Folk from the ferocious Crow Folk attacks. In one particular instance, a messenger reveals that Liobhan may be endangered and rather than forewarn her husband, Eirne chooses to conceal the information, creating a further divide. One of my favourite characters of the otherworld is True, the unassuming and philosophical protector and along with True, the fair folk are beginning to welcome Brocc into their community as a valued family member.
As Brocc and Eirne's relationship begins to fracture, the tentative attraction between Liobhan and Dau is beginning to blossom into a beautiful and delicate intensity. We see Liobhan's compassion and vulnerability, encouraging Dau to remain positive despite the circumstances and guiding a young stable hand in caring for Dau's injuries. Corb is a wonderful character, gentle, patient and although Dau resents not being able to tend to his own injuries and his bruised ego, he and Liobhan come to care for the young man.
The striking aspect of the Warrior Bards series is the atmospheric, whimsical narration infused with Celtic folklore. A Dance with Fate is an engaging and delightfully whimsical installment that explores disability, mental wellness and traumatic disorders. Beautifully lyrical and a remarkable read by one of Australia and New Zealand's finest authors. Juliet Marillier is a national treasure.
Written by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Romance
256 Pages
Published January 28th 2020
Thank you to Pan Macmillan Australia
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★★★★★
On Christmas Eve, 1617, the sea around the remote Norwegian island of Vardø is thrown into a reckless storm. As Maren Magnusdatter watches, forty fishermen, including her father and brother, are lost to the waves, the menfolk of Vardø wiped out in an instant.
Now the women must fend for themselves.
Eighteen months later, a sinister figure arrives. Summoned from Scotland to take control of a place at the edge of the civilised world, Absalom Cornet knows what he needs to do to bring the women of Vardø to heel. With him travels his young wife, Ursa. In Vardø, and in Maren, Ursa finds something she has never seen before: independent women. But Absalom sees only a place untouched by God and flooded with a mighty and terrible evil, one he must root out at all costs.
Inspired by the real events of the Vardø storm and the 1621 witch trials, Kiran Millwood Hargrave's The Mercies is a story about how suspicion can twist its way through a community, and a love that may prove as dangerous as it is powerful.
Throughout the island fishing village of Vardø, the women grieve for their husbands, their sons and their fathers as the weather churned the ocean, the fishermen losing their lives. The women of Vardø gathered their deceased loved ones, waiting until the season thawed the hardest terrain and farewelled those captured by the ocean as a man arrives on the Norwegian island. A man of the church to guide the female community spiritually and morally.
Maren Magnusdatter has lost her father, her betrothed and her brother, a newlywed young man expecting his first child. To survive, the women must become self reliant and although the newly appointed Christian Pastor believes it to be improper, food is scarce and the women, more than capable, embrace the role of hunters and gatherers.
The Mercies is based on an event that occurred during the early seventeenth century. A storm decimated Finnmark, forty men lost their lives in Vardø where it is said that the sky and sea merged to drown ten fishing vessels, resulting in the now infamous Vardøhus witch trials and genocide of Indigenous Sámi communities.
Maren is a formidable young woman, intelligent and resilient. Since the storm claimed the lives of the men of Vardø, including her father, brother and her betrothed, the atmosphere within the small coastal village is precarious, women who place their faith in Christianity and those who are tenaciously pursuing their independence. Neither mutually exclusive. The Christian women of Vardø are relying upon the Pastor and Lensmann Absolom Cornet, a Scotsman on behalf of the Monarchy instilled to ensure Christian values are being adhered and practised. The brutality and violence against women is confrontational, women are expected to marry and bear children, serve their community and attend church services. The Lensmann appointment has reverberated throughout the village, creating fissures within the community. On his journey to the small fishing village, Lensmann Cornet married Ursula, a dispirited young woman who reluctantly abandoned her family, her once privileged life and stately home for a small homestead on the island.
The tentative companionship of Maren and Ursula is tender and beautiful, Ursula enlisting the guidance of Maren to learn the customs of the Vardø community and tending to her home. As the Lensmann travelled under his appointment of the monarch, Ursula and Maren begun to depend on one another. Although Maren was betrothed to the young son of a village fishermen, she is attracted to women, preferring their company. Especially Ursula.
Maren's mother is becoming increasingly volatile, choosing the company of the Christian townswomen and isolating Diina and her grandson. Diina's shamanic faith victimising the young mother still grieving for her husband. The courage and fortitude of the women of Vardø is inspirational, especially Kirsten Sorensdatter, trouser wearer and reindeer caretaker. Kirsten's independence reverberates in whispers throughout the village, those who disobey the Lensmann and refuse to follow the teachings of Christianity are branded as witches, held responsible for the storm. The women guided by Kirsten didn't survive, they thrived until the Lensmann arrived.
The Mercies is a narrative of quiet feminism and the fortitude of woman. The women of Vardø refusing to yield as they are sentenced to death by those shielding behind their faith. Women who refuse to adhere to Christianity and traditional female roles of caregivers, wives and homemakers are branded and sentenced. A remarkable story and beautifully told, The Mercies is unequivocally breathtaking.
Maren Magnusdatter has lost her father, her betrothed and her brother, a newlywed young man expecting his first child. To survive, the women must become self reliant and although the newly appointed Christian Pastor believes it to be improper, food is scarce and the women, more than capable, embrace the role of hunters and gatherers.
The Mercies is based on an event that occurred during the early seventeenth century. A storm decimated Finnmark, forty men lost their lives in Vardø where it is said that the sky and sea merged to drown ten fishing vessels, resulting in the now infamous Vardøhus witch trials and genocide of Indigenous Sámi communities.
Maren is a formidable young woman, intelligent and resilient. Since the storm claimed the lives of the men of Vardø, including her father, brother and her betrothed, the atmosphere within the small coastal village is precarious, women who place their faith in Christianity and those who are tenaciously pursuing their independence. Neither mutually exclusive. The Christian women of Vardø are relying upon the Pastor and Lensmann Absolom Cornet, a Scotsman on behalf of the Monarchy instilled to ensure Christian values are being adhered and practised. The brutality and violence against women is confrontational, women are expected to marry and bear children, serve their community and attend church services. The Lensmann appointment has reverberated throughout the village, creating fissures within the community. On his journey to the small fishing village, Lensmann Cornet married Ursula, a dispirited young woman who reluctantly abandoned her family, her once privileged life and stately home for a small homestead on the island.
The tentative companionship of Maren and Ursula is tender and beautiful, Ursula enlisting the guidance of Maren to learn the customs of the Vardø community and tending to her home. As the Lensmann travelled under his appointment of the monarch, Ursula and Maren begun to depend on one another. Although Maren was betrothed to the young son of a village fishermen, she is attracted to women, preferring their company. Especially Ursula.
Maren's mother is becoming increasingly volatile, choosing the company of the Christian townswomen and isolating Diina and her grandson. Diina's shamanic faith victimising the young mother still grieving for her husband. The courage and fortitude of the women of Vardø is inspirational, especially Kirsten Sorensdatter, trouser wearer and reindeer caretaker. Kirsten's independence reverberates in whispers throughout the village, those who disobey the Lensmann and refuse to follow the teachings of Christianity are branded as witches, held responsible for the storm. The women guided by Kirsten didn't survive, they thrived until the Lensmann arrived.
The Mercies is a narrative of quiet feminism and the fortitude of woman. The women of Vardø refusing to yield as they are sentenced to death by those shielding behind their faith. Women who refuse to adhere to Christianity and traditional female roles of caregivers, wives and homemakers are branded and sentenced. A remarkable story and beautifully told, The Mercies is unequivocally breathtaking.
Written by Thanhhà Lai
Historical Fiction, Cultural, Diverse, Friendship
296 Pages
Published March 3rd 2020
Thank you to UQP
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★★★★★
Hằng doesn’t believe in adventures.
There are steps that must be done, and once done, another step awaits. The last step, after six years of minute planning by her grandmother, is a bus ride away. In Amarillo her baby brother has to be waiting. In her imaginings, he is always waiting.
National Book Award and Newbery Honor winning author Thanhhà Lại makes her young adult debut in this deeply moving story of courage, redemption, friendship, family and new beginnings.
The conflict in Việt Nam created impoverished conditions, families malnourished, communities decimated as the communist government occupied Southern Việt Nam. Hằng has escaped Việt Nam, her journey as an asylum seeker harrowing as she is resettled with her uncle Chú Quốc and her cousins in the American South. As the conflict in Việt Nam concluded, authorities begun evacuating orphans from Saigon. Hằng and her brother Linh prepared for evacuation among the children experiencing the devastation of losing their families. Their mother and grandmother sacrificing to provide the children with safe passage amidst the conflict.
A young girl only twelve years of age, Hằng was denied passage, Linh forcibly removed from his sister and taken onboard for evacuation. Hằng returning to their small Việt Nam village devastated and grieving for her brother. In his absence, his grandmother became inflicted with illness, his father passing, believing his son was abducted. Hằng has endured famine and conflict as a young woman evading the attention of soldiers settled within the community.
Tens of millions of communities around the world are displaced, seeking asylum from persecution, conflict, violence, or human rights violations within their native countries. In Australia, where many refugees from Việt Nam were brought, our human rights violations are deplorable, denying those seeking asylum refuge. Hằng and her mother boarded a small, crowded fishing vessel en voyage to find Linh. Their journey is fraught with uncertainty, dangerous conditions on a small ramshackle vessel unable to elude pirates on the open waters. Passengers slain, women and girls captured, Hằng disguised as a young boy, surviving as a nonthreatening figure and disregarded.
Arriving in Dallas, Hằng is homed with her uncle Chú Quốc and his family, Vietnamese Americans living affluent lives. The contrast between Hằng and her cousin, both of Vietnamese descent is immense. Hằng isn't consumed by material possessions, she's fixated with finding Linh and although her uncle suggests seeking legal advice, Hằng journeys alone to retrieve her brother.
Leeroy is an aspiring cowboy, modelling himself on a local legendary rodeo champion and travelling the infamous Panhandle in search of the American dream despite his parents insistence on attending college. Ambushed by an Christian couple on Southern hospitality, Leeroy is coerced to accompany a destitute Hằng to her brothers last known address. An unlikely and tentative companionship begins as the two young adults find employment as ranch hands on a sprawling homestead neighbouring Linh and his adoptive mother, his horse lodging at the ranch. It's a precarious situation, Linh or David as he's now known, is twelve years old and seemingly remembers little from Việt Nam, including Hằng. Hằng's intensity is balanced by Leeroy's humour and carefree attitude, David and Leeroy developing an easy rapport while Hằng observes from a distance.
Hằng's narrative is heartachingly tender. Her journey unravels to reveal her ordeal, the traumatic circumstances of leaving Việt Nam, losing her family, losing her brother, the traumatisation she endures in silence. Hằng's character is based on a photograph Thanhhà Lai encountered of a young girl at a Buddhist temple she visited, photographs of lives lost. Her journey is distressing and confronting, encouraging readers to examine our privileges. Although Butterfly Yellow is a fictional narrative of the refugee experience, it represents the precarious and volatile conditions in which those seeking asylum are escaping. Encouraging compassion and understanding throughout the western world. A remarkable and thought provoking read that will ignite discussion.
Achingly beautiful.
Written by Weng Wai Chan
Historical, Adventure, Middle Grade
Published July 2nd 2019
320 Pages
Thank you to Text Publishing
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★★★★
A thief. A spy. A mysterious codebook. And a whole lot of trouble.
It’s 1940 and World War II is being fought in faraway Europe. Lizard doesn’t know much about that. He lives in Singapore’s Chinatown, surviving on odd jobs and petty theft.
When Boss Man Beng asks him to steal a teak box from a suite in the glamorous Raffles Hotel, Lizard knows the job is important. But can he know just how dangerous it is?
A sinister man appears in the shadows, and Lizard’s best friend, Lili, shows up with unexpected fighting skills and her eye on what’s in the box.
And Lizard finds himself on an exciting, action packed adventure in a world of coded secrets, Japanese invasion plans and undercover spies.
Sebastian Whitford Jones checked into the Raffles Hotel in Singapore, within his room a code book hidden from the Japanese military. The British Empire now occupy Singapore, the colonisation of a country affluent in tradition but for twelve year old Lizard, he's just looking to survive.
Since his Uncle Archie left for the city two years ago and never returned, Lizard has been living in a small cubicle above the local tailors store in little Chinatown, owned by the family of best friend Lili. With his English and Chinese ancestry and ability to speak and write in English, Lizard earns his meagre wages from letter writing, illegal should he be caught. Working for Boss Man is proving more lucrative when Lizard is promised a large payment to steal a secret teak box from the Raffles Hotel, what Lizard didn't count on was Georgina Whitford Jones being in the hotel suite and catching him red handed. Suddenly Lizard is stuck with the stolen box, a girl who threatens to expose his thievery and a best friend living a secret life as an operative in training for the British Empire.
Lizard's Tale is a delightfully entertaining, historical story set within Singapore shortly before WWII. The narrative follows twelve year old biracial Lizard, living alone without a guardian since his uncle disappeared two years ago. With his blue eyes and British accent, Lizard is seen as a lowly caste among the Chinese population and unable to associate with his best friend Lili, seen as being beneath her. Although his money is good enough for Lili's family, Lizard renting a small makeshift cubicle above the family's tailor store in Chinatown, along with several other renters sharing the partitioned space. What begun as a faceless crime to secure his short term future turns deadly, the teak box Lizard steals from the hotel is at the centre of the conflict between the British and Japanese and their fight to occupy Singapore, in the wrong hands could spell disaster.
The one constant in Lizard's life is best friend Lili, she cares for Lizard despite her family's prejudice towards those who are biracial but as close as Lili and Lizard are, Lili hides a secret that may endanger them both. In a Singapore where women are underestimated by society and simply blend into their surroundings, the British Empire train young women in espionage. I love narratives with young women thriving in what are considered make dominated positions and Lili is a wonderful character.
It was incredibly atmospheric, the oppressive humidity of Singapore, the heavenly scent of Chinese and Indian inspired cooking throughout the alleyways, the British accented dialogue drifting from the doorways of international hotels.
Adventurous and enchanting, exploring colonisation, wartime and the changing multiculturalism of Singapore during the forties, Lizard's Tale is spirited and utterly delightful.
Adventurous and enchanting, exploring colonisation, wartime and the changing multiculturalism of Singapore during the forties, Lizard's Tale is spirited and utterly delightful.
Written by Meg McKinlay
Middle Grade, Historical, Contemporary, #LoveOZMG
Published March 1st 2019
256 Pages
Thank you to Walker Books Australia
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★★★★☆
It’s 1979 and the sky is falling. Skylab, that is. Somewhere high above Frankie Avery, one of the world’s first space stations is tumbling to Earth. And rushing back with it are old memories. Things twelve year old Frankie thought she’d forgotten. Things her mum won’t talk about, and which her little brother Newt never knew. Only did he? Does he? Because as Skylab circles closer, Newt starts acting strangely. And while the world watches the sky, Frankie keeps her own eyes on Newt. Because if anyone’s going to keep him safe, it’s her. It always has been. But maybe this is something bigger than splinters and spiders and sleepwalking. Maybe a space station isn’t the only thing heading straight for calamity.
Frankie Avery is watching the skies high above her small town in Western Australia where six years prior, revolutionary space station Skylab was launched into orbit. NASA estimates that Skylab will fall to earth within the next few months, reigniting memories of six year old Frankie, two year old brother Newt and their father in their makeshift star observatory, teaching his children about the limitless depths of space before he disappeared from their lives.
The ramshackle observatory sits derelict, high on the hill holding secrets lost to time. Secrets of a father who is no longer of this world. Of a grieving family, an absent mother and a space station that is falling to Earth on the anniversary of her father's disappearance.
Frankie Avery is a wonderful young lady and narrator of Catch A Falling Star. She's mature beyond her years and currently cares for her brother, the namesake of scientific revolutionary Sir Issac Newton. Caring for Newt is a full time position and while Frankie juggles school, her homework and Newt's endless scientific experiments, she feels the frustration of friend Kat who adores Newt but would like to spend time with her best friend without her little brother tagging along. Frankie's mother works long hours, a nurse at the local hospital who is often late home and asks Frankie to prepare dinner and take responsibility for Newt.
Twelve year old Frankie just wants to please others, her mother, best friend Kat and keep Newt safe from harm, usually of his own doing but as the coverage of Skylab saturates the media, Newt begins tracking the falling space station, collecting information, articles and media reports to piece together when Skylab will fall to Earth. As an infant, Newt was always destined for the stars and although he can't remember, would sit upon his father's knee and watch the skies from their wooden observatory. With their mother working long into the night, Frankie and Newt only have one another and a dusty photo album that contains their father's life.
My heart ached for all Frankie endured, the loss of her father, the responsibility placed upon her young shoulders and the grief she suppresses to maintain the balance at home. I loved the nostalgic Australiana of the late seventies, the feeling of warm summer nights, freshly cut grass and walking to the local milk bar barefooted. Meg McKinlay has created a wonderfully gentle narrative, beautifully tender and an exploration of the many facets of grief and how is reshapes families. Absolutely loved it to the moon and back.
Contains sacrificial animal and human death, death and slavery
Written by Wendy Orr
Middle Grade, Survival, #LoveOZMG
288 Pages
Published July 2018
Thank you to Allen and Unwin Australia
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★★★★★
Leira's family flee to the island of Crete just before a huge volcanic eruption destroys their island and sends a tsunami to where they thought they had found safety. Another thrilling adventure by acclaimed author Wendy Orr.
I wonder if the first day of Learning is always like this, do the girls on the hill always feel the ground tremble under their feet? Leira is about to start her initiation as a priestess when her world is turned upside down. A violent earthquake leaves her home and her family in pieces. And the goddess hasn't finished with the island yet.
With her family, Leira flees across the sea to Crete, expecting sanctuary. But a volcanic eruption throws the entire world into darkness. After the resulting tsunami, society descends into chaos, the status and privilege of being noble born reduced to nothing. With her injured mother and elderly nurse, Leira has only the strength and resourcefulness within herself to find safety.
Each morning as the sun rises, the small island nation of the Swallow Clan sings the praises of their creator, The Goddess. Leira is preparing for her Learning ceremony, her transformation into womanhood after her first bleed where she will serve The Goddess guided by Our Lady, a woman and spiritual leader among the Swallow Clan community. As the chosen young women begin the pilgrimage upon Crocus Mountain to collect saffron for their ceremonial offering, the mountain begins to tremble. The Goddess has awoken.
The small, spiritual island is experiencing earth tremors as the volcanic activity increases. Residents return to their homes, their offerings and song to The Goddess remain unanswered as the sky clouds with ash, decimating the pastoral landscape. Awoken by the sound, the Swallow Clan community is in ruins. Homes have collapsed including Leira and her mother, her father and brother upon the waves as the island fractures, cursed. As Leira, her mother and elderly servant Nunu are rescued, the neighbouring families find solace within the vast landscape of farmland within the island nation, before sickness infects the community. The island is no longer a haven and reluctantly, families board vessels for the mainland.
Leira is a beautiful young woman, spiritual, whimsical with a quiet determination and wisdom. When her journey to become a woman is overshadowed by the trembling island, Leira believes The Goddess is awakening, the scent of sulphur from the active volcano lingers as a reminder of the sacrifices the community has blessed upon The Goddess. The island women are empowered as their daughters receive their first bleeding, signalling their journey to becoming women and serving The Goddess, a hereditary honour. The tremors become frequent, the crater sending ash across the landscape, smouldering until the island is suddenly decimated.
As her family finds refuge, it soon becomes apparent that her island is contending with starvation, illness and as her father departs for assistance abroad, Leira will be responsible for her mother and Nunu. Since Leira, Nunu and her mother escaped the devastation, her mother has recovered from her physical injuries but has regressed under the emotional anguish of seeking asylum. The narrative also centres upon Nunu and her capacity as a caregiver. Nunu is a servant and although now an elderly woman, was purchased as a child for the purpose of nursing children from the esteemed, privileged family. The displacement of families, vagrancy and slavery from the narrative of a young, privileged girl.
The island mythology is breathtaking and whimsical. Girls are considered women after their first bleeding and chosen for the Learning, serving the Goddess and creator as the community sings the sunrise, throughout ceremonies, illness and for the deceased. The narration cascades between prose and verse, reiterating the significance of Leira's internal monologue and how the young lady matures throughout her journey.
It was magnificent. I was so enamoured by Leira and her island community, the beautiful seaside landscape, the small and colourful dwellings and a community brimming with life and spirit. The research of the island civilisation is superb, recreating the stunning and atmospheric Mediterranean so wonderfully. A true storyteller. Swallow's Dance will be enjoyed for generations to come. Simply brilliant.
The island mythology is breathtaking and whimsical. Girls are considered women after their first bleeding and chosen for the Learning, serving the Goddess and creator as the community sings the sunrise, throughout ceremonies, illness and for the deceased. The narration cascades between prose and verse, reiterating the significance of Leira's internal monologue and how the young lady matures throughout her journey.
It was magnificent. I was so enamoured by Leira and her island community, the beautiful seaside landscape, the small and colourful dwellings and a community brimming with life and spirit. The research of the island civilisation is superb, recreating the stunning and atmospheric Mediterranean so wonderfully. A true storyteller. Swallow's Dance will be enjoyed for generations to come. Simply brilliant.
See reviews for And I Darken and Now I Rise
The Conquerors Saga Book Three
Written by Kiersten White
Historical, Alternative History, Young Adult
Published July 16th 2018
400 Pages
Thanks to Penguin Random House Australia
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★★★★★
Haunted by the sacrifices he made in Constantinople, Radu is called back to the new capital. Mehmed is building an empire, becoming the sultan his people need. But Mehmed has a secret: as emperor, he is more powerful than ever and desperately lonely. Does this mean Radu can finally have more with Mehmed and would he even want it?
Lada's rule of absolute justice has created a Wallachia free of crime. But Lada won't rest until everyone knows that her country's borders are inviolable. Determined to send a message of defiance, she has the bodies of Mehmed's peace envoy delivered to him, leaving Radu and Mehmed with no choice. If Lada is allowed to continue, only death will prosper. They must go to war against the girl prince.
But Mehmed knows that he loves her. He understands her. She must lose to him so he can keep her safe. Radu alone fears that they are underestimating his sister's indomitable will. Only by destroying everything that came before, including her relationships, can Lada truly build the country she wants.
Claim the throne. Demand the crown. Rule the world.
The Prince of Wallachia is a revolutionary leader among her European borders, a young woman guiding her beloved country to freedom from the Ottoman Empire.
Lada Dragwyla
Lada Dragwyla is an unprecedented character in young adult literature, malevolent and ferociously inhumane. Raised as a young woman destined for traditional female servitude, Lada has escaped for the freedom of Wallachia, reestablishing control alongside her trusted Emissaries. Her journey is contravened by inequality, ignorance and chauvinism, her position as Prince inconceivable. Lada has established the admiration of her compatriots and an equitable Wallachia.
Radu Dragwyla
Radu Dragwyla is a spiritual and compassionate young man, sheltered from atrocities and brutality until the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottoman forces. The legitimate heir to the Wallachia throne, Radu circumvented his homeland and responsibilities to advocate for the Mehmed the Conqueror and the Ottoman Empire. Abandoning Lada and the dishevelled, presumably incorrigible, antagonistic relationship. As abandoned children of servitude, Lada and Radu are educated on the Ottoman occupation and prophet Muhammad. Radu embraced the Muslim faith, Lada's determination and defiance captivating Mehmed, the young Ottoman heir.
Mehmed The Conqueror
Mehmed is an aggravating antagonist. As a child heir guided by the Sultan, Mehmed is an idealistic young man possessing grandeur illusions of a region united under Islam. Although Lada and Radu were captivates of the Sultan, Lada establishes a physical relationship with Mehmed creating resentment and hostility in gentle Radu, who is exploring his sexuality. Mehmed often exploits Radu's attraction, therein lies the issue with his character. Appointing Radu as an adviser and attempting to subdue Lada as a compatriot and companion.
Gender Inequality
In Bright We Burn, Lada is tenacious, unrelenting and although aggravated in retaliation, she's accused of genocidal atrocities. Mehmed conquers Constantinople and is applauded and revered for his initiative. As Prince of Wallachia, Lada is held accountable, male counterparts exonerated for the savagery against humanity. Women in positions of domination are inconceivable. Male lineages occupy Europe, women are wives, concubines and adhere to the traditional female roles prevalent throughout the European kingdoms and Lada Dragwyla, a young woman of influence, revolutionising Europe against the Ottoman occupation.
Character Diversity
An amalgamation of religion and sexuality. Muslim, Christian, same sex relationships and Radu's exploration of sexuality and faith. Radu particularly is confronted by the Wallachian Christianity and upon his captivation by the Sultan, embraced Islam by engaging in sessions of prayer and the Holy Month, experiencing the peaceful teaching of Islam throughout Radu's narrative. The gentle relationship between Nazira, her partner Fatima and Radu is exquisite and although society recognises heteronormative relationships, Nazira and Radu share a familial, nonsexual relationship of affection and tenderness.
Historically, Mehmed the Conqueror was rumoured to have been sexually attracted to men which is unclear throughout The Conquerors Saga. Mehmed shares intimate moments with Radu, gentle gesturing, alluding to the rumours that his harem as Sultan contains consenting men for the Sultan's sexual gratification. To disperse rumours, Mehmed ostracises Radu to Constantinople, unclear if Mehmed is sexually attracted to Radu or exploiting the young Dragwyla's affections.
The Conquerors Saga is a brutal alternative history of the Prince of Wallachia, blending historical fiction with a cruel and calculating antihero that pushes gender roles, stereotypes and labels. A breathtaking, historical alternative of the Ottoman Empire during fifteenth century Europe and an impeccable finale to what is an outstanding young adult series.
Written by Wai Chim
Historical, Friendship, Diversity
Published September 1st 2016
272 Pages
Purchased
Published by Allen & Unwin Australia
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★★★★★
Published September 1st 2016
272 Pages
Purchased
Published by Allen & Unwin Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★★
This incredible tale about two boys' swim from mainland China to Hong Kong in search of freedom from poverty and oppression is inspired by a true story.
Ming survived the famine that killed his parents during China's Great Leap Forward, and lives a hard but adequate life, working in the fields.
When a group of city boys comes to the village as part of a Communist Party reeducation program, Ming and his friends aren't sure what to make of the new arrivals. They're not used to hard labour and village life. But despite his reservations, Ming befriends a charming city boy called Li. The two couldn't be more different, but slowly they form a bond over evening swims and shared dreams.
But as the bitterness of life under the Party begins to take its toll on both boys, they begin to imagine the impossible. Freedom.
Ming stands on the bank of the river, a farewell to his mother who now joins the procession of souls taken by years of famine. His father died attempting to swim to Hong Kong, escaping the communist regime. Starving and alone, Ming is eleven years old when Fei is seeking refuge, one night of shared sorrow ensuring a friendship of support and comfort spanning distance and time.
Toiling the impacted earth, Ming labours for meager rations when under a Mao regime, the village of Dingzai has been selected for reeducation, expected to learn the teachings of their leader while the young men of the Red Guard are sentenced to the toil as humble farmers. Spreading the message of Mao. Li is serving his leader, the Red Guard member an exemplary young man who is commended for his loyalty and dedicated to the teachings of his leader.
Ming and Li form a tentative friendship, relying on one another for support, guidance and compassion. Tension is high in the small farming village of Dingzai, famine and neglect have taken their toll and the only refuge is a liberal Hong Kong, a tumultuous Freedom Swim across the channel or risk being labelled as a reactionary thinker.
When you have nothing left, you have nothing left to lose.
My Thoughts
A few weeks ago I read a review for Freedom Swimmer on Happy Indulgence and was touched by Jeann's review. She spoke about how her family had migrated to Australia in which most families search for freedom and an environment to raise children, allowing them to prosper. It's a narrative echoed by so many Australian families, our neighbours, our friends and family members. Ming's story is passionate and breathtaking but most of all, it instills hope and a sense of understanding, learning not to take our freedom for granted.
Orphaned at the tender age of only eleven years old, Ming is a mere boy in a village where children sow the fields in communist China, not afforded an education unlike wealthy families living within the city, Ming is an outcast since his father attempted the treacherous swim to Hong Kong.
Titled Freedom Swimming by the media, an overwhelming number of young men and women made the journey to freedom, escaping Maoist guards with dozens of barely adult bodies washing up on the Hong Kong shoreline. Famine swept throughout China and for many citizens, escape was their only means of survival. Wai Chim was inspired by her own father's story, he too was a Freedom Swimmer in the early seventies and now lives a peaceful life in New York. An inspiration.
Freedom Swimmer is told in duel narratives from both Ming and Li, both young men are wonderfully written and will appeal to the wider audience with the characters conversing in modern English. Readers experience China's Cultural Revolution through the eyes of two young men, wanting justice for the treatment of so many and hopeful for their freedom. Freedom Swimming was an incredibly treacherous era, with many media reports believing it was a significant precursor to cultural change.
Australia is a multicultural country not without fault. Asylum seekers from war ravaged countries are modern day Freedom Swimmers, seeking refuge and safe passage for their families only to be placed in detention. Unless you identify as an Indigenous Australian who remain our traditional land owners, we are all migrants seeking the same freedom and prosperity and Freedom Swimmer further highlights their plight.
Inspirational, poignant and quietly beautiful, Freedom Swimmer is a journey of bravery and the strength we draw from solidarity and compassion.
Written by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows
Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance
Published November 1st 2016
416 Pages
Thank you to Walker Books Australia
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★★★★
Edward is the King of England. He’s also dying, which is inconvenient as he’s only sixteen and he’d much rather be planning for his first kiss than considering who will inherit his crown…
Jane who reads too many books is Edward’s cousin, and far more interested in books than romance. Unfortunately for Jane, Edward has arranged to marry her off to secure the line of succession. And there’s something a little odd about her intended…
Gifford is a horse. That is, he’s an Eðian. Every day at dawn he becomes a noble chestnut steed, but then he wakes at dusk with a mouthful of hay. It’s all very undignified.
The plot thickens as Edward, Jane, and Gifford are drawn into a dangerous conspiracy. With the fate of the kingdom at stake, our heroes will have to engage in some conspiring of their own. But can they pull off their plan before it’s off with their heads?
A kingdom is on the verge of collapse, Verities and Eðian have formed a divide while sixteen year old King Edward has been diagnosed with the Affliction. leaving the young Prince with mere months to live. With his trusted adviser Dudley, Edward will need to determine the royal line of succession, bypassing his sisters to name his beneficiary as the firstborn son of his dearest friend and cousin, Lady Jane Grey.
First he must find her a husband.
Sixteen year old Lady Jane Grey is a spirited young woman, self educated through her love of reading. Determined and opinionated, Lady Jane has no intention of marrying despite her mother's insistence but how can she refuse her dearest Edward's request?
From sunrise to sunset, Gifford Dudley is a horse. Literally. An Eðian who believes he is cursed, Gifford succumbs to his father's demands and prepares to marry the headstrong young woman. Jane believes Gifford is little more than a philanderer, Gifford believes Jane is far more trouble than she's worth but as the two begin to appreciate one another and the injustice of the world around them, Jane is named as Edwards heir, bypassing his own sisters and ensuring the first Queen of England's place in history.
From sunrise to sunset, Gifford Dudley is a horse. Literally. An Eðian who believes he is cursed, Gifford succumbs to his father's demands and prepares to marry the headstrong young woman. Jane believes Gifford is little more than a philanderer, Gifford believes Jane is far more trouble than she's worth but as the two begin to appreciate one another and the injustice of the world around them, Jane is named as Edwards heir, bypassing his own sisters and ensuring the first Queen of England's place in history.
My Thoughts
My Lady Jane was absolutely delightful, an alternate history of the first Queen of England infused with a touch of fantasy and hilarity. It was incredibly charming and follows the narrative of Lady Jane Grey, the young King Edward and Jane's betrothed Gifford, a chestnut steed. Lady Jane Grey is a fiercely passionate girl in an era in which men dominate and the fairer sex marry, bear children and master the art of needlepoint. But the sixteen year old only wants to explore fantastically worlds through reading. Although Jane harbours resentment for Gifford, the exploration of their relationship was so incredibly lovely. Both Jane and Gifford find common ground through the atrocities of hardship of the lowly class England and a mutual respect for one another begins their tentative romance and entwined narrative.
I fail to see an upside, except for the possibility that I will one day need a quick escape, in which case it will be useful to have a fast horse.
'No horse jokes,' he said.
'My lord, I apologise for the horse joke. If you put down the book unharmed, I will give you a carrot.'
He brandished the book at her. 'Was that a horse joke?'
'Neigh.'
'Was that a horse joke?'
King Edward has been ruler of England since the tender age of nine years old and until now, has left the fate of his Kingdom to his trusted adviser Dudley. Edward has been diagnosed with the Affliction, a life sentence in which he will never see his seventeenth birthday. Or share his first kiss. Edward is incredibly naive and entitled but throughout the storyline, his narrative matures and he begins to understand the responsibility of leading a country through civil unrest.
The relationships within My Lady Jane were absolutely charming. Jane's friendship with Edward was lovely, the two cousins having grown up with one another and forming a wonderful friendship despite their differences. Being of the era where women are seen as fragile and delicate, Edward wishes for his dear friend Jane to be taken care of, never mind that the tenacious Jane is a perfectly capable young woman of her own devices. Being unmarried and independent is scandalous and reluctantly, Jane agrees to marry rather than deny Edward's last wishes. But Jane is unaware of Gifford's condition.
The romance between Jane and Gifford was delicate, tender and their sarcastic exchanges were absolutely hilarious. But beneath the banter, Gifford begins to care for Jane and despite the overwhelming sexism of the era, Jane is his equal.
Within fiction, the reader is a silent observer and authorial intrusion often feels jarring. In My Lady Jane, it's made apparent that it's an alternative historical retelling but yet the charming authorial annotations are a constant reminder. It was unnecessary and a little too slapstick unfortunately.
Although an alternative history, My Lady Jane explores historical figures such as King Edward, Queen Elizabeth and Mary Queen of Scots. The Royal dynasty is wonderfully created as a complex network of deceit and deception, infused with humour and animal enchantment. Although occasionally the humour misfired, it was an entertaining and engaging read that captured my attention until the final page.
Written by Alexandra Bracken
Time Travel, Historical Fiction, Romance
Published January 25th 2016
469 Pages
Gifted
Published by Harper Collins Australia
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★★★
Etta Spencer is a violin prodigy. When tragedy strikes and a mysterious power tied closely to her musical abilities manifests, Etta is pulled back through time to 1776 in the midst of a fierce sea battle.Her capture was orchestrated by the Ironwoods, the most powerful family in the Colonies. Nicholas Carter, handsome, young, prize master of a privateering ship, has been charged with retrieving and delivering her to the family, unharmed.Etta learns her fate is entwined with an object of untold value from her past. Ironwood is desperate to secure his future, but Etta must find it first in order to return home. Embarking on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind from a mysterious traveller, the true nature of the object and Ironwood's dangerous game, could mean the end for Nicholas and Etta...
Preparing herself for the most important performance of her short career, violin prodigy Etta wants nothing more than to make her mother proud and earn the praise of her instructor, once a renowned prodigy herself. Readying herself for an impromptu performance, Etta is thrust into an unknown world that is not her own. It's 1776 and she finds herself on board the Challenger, a ship boarded by pirates.
Nicholas is a young man who has always dreamed of owning his own vessel, but due to the colour of his skin has never been afforded the opportunity. Saved from a live of slavery and servitude and now calls he ocean home. His latest cargo acquisition has Nicholas feeling uneasy, delivering Etta to his employer. But as the two form an tentative and socially impossible friendship, Etta's thoughts never stray far from home. Her mother is missing and Etta left behind a casualty of her capture, a life that she may never know again. In order to find her way home, she must find a lost relic in a past she knows nothing of and a family she never knew existed.
Spanning eras and destinations, Etta and Nicholas are destined to be together but secrets will drive them apart.
There's one aspect of Alexandra Bracken's releases that you can rely on, it'll take you twice as long as any other book to read. It's not the page count, but rather how much is packed into one storyline to lure readers into her world. Readers are introduced to Etta and Nicholas almost within the same breath. Etta is thrown into his world upon the Challenger and it soon becomes apparent that she's not on board of her own free will. Her mother is missing and she leaves behind her violin instructor, a woman she cares more of the welfare of than her own mother. On paper, Etta is your typical young adult heroine but imagined, she's so much more. She's strong, feisty and adaptable which doesn't sit well with her new peers upon the ship. But unfortunately she's also not all that likable.
Nicholas is a young man that pines for freedom. Bought by the ships captain and rescued from a life of slavery, the colour of his skin within the era means he'll always be the target of prejudice. Sailing is all he's ever known. I felt for Nicholas, he was confident in his abilities but doesn't seem to have the fight against his oppressors. Until Etta shows him compassion. The voyage to New York City where Etta is to be delivered to his employer was slowly paced and often lulled in places. It took quite a few chapters for me to immerse myself and I was tempted to skim ahead. Once Etta and Nicholas struck up a tentative friendship, the storyline flowed but unfortunately a little on the side of being dull.
Sophia is responsible for the position Etta finds herself in. She shares a connection to Nicholas, but is headstrong and determined to work her way into a position of power despite the oppression of woman and people of colour during her time. I loved the diversity. It wasn't added as an afterthought but felt as though it had been well researched and true not only to the era, but also the character development. That feeling of being worthless and knowing that even determination seems hopeless. To hope, to dream of a life that is free from prejudice. Etta introduces both Nicholas and Sophia to the concept of equality for women and people of colour, a future neither character could have imagined. The forbidden romance was barely there at times, but still lovely in places, but sadly I didn't feel a genuine connection between the two.
Nicholas is a young man who has always dreamed of owning his own vessel, but due to the colour of his skin has never been afforded the opportunity. Saved from a live of slavery and servitude and now calls he ocean home. His latest cargo acquisition has Nicholas feeling uneasy, delivering Etta to his employer. But as the two form an tentative and socially impossible friendship, Etta's thoughts never stray far from home. Her mother is missing and Etta left behind a casualty of her capture, a life that she may never know again. In order to find her way home, she must find a lost relic in a past she knows nothing of and a family she never knew existed.
Spanning eras and destinations, Etta and Nicholas are destined to be together but secrets will drive them apart.
Passenger was a vividly imagined storyline with such depth and heart. From the modern day to the high seas of 1776, readers will find themselves consumed with Etta and Nicholas and what seems to be an impossible romance in more ways than one.Kelly's Thoughts
There's one aspect of Alexandra Bracken's releases that you can rely on, it'll take you twice as long as any other book to read. It's not the page count, but rather how much is packed into one storyline to lure readers into her world. Readers are introduced to Etta and Nicholas almost within the same breath. Etta is thrown into his world upon the Challenger and it soon becomes apparent that she's not on board of her own free will. Her mother is missing and she leaves behind her violin instructor, a woman she cares more of the welfare of than her own mother. On paper, Etta is your typical young adult heroine but imagined, she's so much more. She's strong, feisty and adaptable which doesn't sit well with her new peers upon the ship. But unfortunately she's also not all that likable.
Nicholas is a young man that pines for freedom. Bought by the ships captain and rescued from a life of slavery, the colour of his skin within the era means he'll always be the target of prejudice. Sailing is all he's ever known. I felt for Nicholas, he was confident in his abilities but doesn't seem to have the fight against his oppressors. Until Etta shows him compassion. The voyage to New York City where Etta is to be delivered to his employer was slowly paced and often lulled in places. It took quite a few chapters for me to immerse myself and I was tempted to skim ahead. Once Etta and Nicholas struck up a tentative friendship, the storyline flowed but unfortunately a little on the side of being dull.
Sophia is responsible for the position Etta finds herself in. She shares a connection to Nicholas, but is headstrong and determined to work her way into a position of power despite the oppression of woman and people of colour during her time. I loved the diversity. It wasn't added as an afterthought but felt as though it had been well researched and true not only to the era, but also the character development. That feeling of being worthless and knowing that even determination seems hopeless. To hope, to dream of a life that is free from prejudice. Etta introduces both Nicholas and Sophia to the concept of equality for women and people of colour, a future neither character could have imagined. The forbidden romance was barely there at times, but still lovely in places, but sadly I didn't feel a genuine connection between the two.
What surprised me most was how lyrical the writing was in bursts, especially from Nicholas' point of view. It added a romanticism and softness to a storyline that needed a warmth and likability. The first half felt slightly underwhelming, too much information squeezed into a storyline that offered very little fanfare, but then slowly the action adventure starts to emerge. The real challenge for readers will be to read through the initial storyline to find the crux of the action.He would not surrender to the disaster of loving her.
Although drawn out in the beginning, Passenger feels a true to the era historical science fiction based on time travel elements. Feisty female characters with a mutual respect for one another, seeking power and freedom from the oppression of 1776. A cast of diverse characters who are multilayered, but unfortunately disconnected. I couldn't grasp the connection as to why Etta was explored as a music prodigy only to go on a time travelling adventure. It felt unnecessarily drawn out and the storyline could have been condensed into an exciting read, that has sadly fell a little short despite the hype.The Final Verdict
Written by Kathleen Benner Duble
Historical, Romance, French Revolution
Published November 2015
320 Pages
Thank you to Bloomsbury Australia
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★★★★
In 1789, with the starving French people on the brink of revolution, orphaned Celie Rosseau, an amazing artist and a very clever thief, runs wild with her protector, Algernon, trying to join the idealistic freedom fighters of Paris. But when she is caught stealing from none other than the king's brother and the lady from the waxworks, Celie must use her drawing talent to buy her own freedom or die for her crimes.Celie and Algernon can never be sure where their next meal is coming from, with the two teens living life on the streets. Celie is a talented artist with a photographic memory so when she's caught posing as a blind girl begging for money by the king's own brother, her savior comes in the form of Manon Tussaud, the Parisian wax artist who wants the young thief to work on her displays. Reluctantly Celie agrees but plans to escape back to the freedom of the streets and Algernon after her debt is repaid. But Algernon needs Celie and there is nothing that the young Parisian artist would deny him.
Forced to work for Madame Tussaud inside the opulent walls that surround Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, Celie is shocked to find that the very people she imagined to be monsters actually treat her with kindness. But the thunder of revolution still rolls outside the gates, and Celie is torn between the cause of the poor and the safety of the rich. When the moment of truth arrives, will she turn on Madame Tussaud or betray the boy she loves?
From the hidden garrets of the starving poor to the jeweled halls of Versailles, Madame Tussaud's Apprentice is a sweeping story of danger, intrigue, and young love, set against one of the most dramatic moments in history.
A revolution in France is brewing. Rebels fighting against the oppression and greed of the royal families in power and Algernon enlists in their cause. Just as Celie finds herself warming to Madame Tussaud, she's torn between the boy who rescued her from starvation and promised to always keep her safe and a future with Manon, the woman who has shown Celie that life is truly worth living.
Kelly's Thoughts
I loved it. Over the past few months, I've developed a love for young adult fiction based upon the French Revolution, and Madame Tussaud's Apprentice is among the most passionate and engaging I've read thus far. Celie is homeless, thrown out onto the streets of Paris an orphan and not being able to afford the roof over her head. Rescued by Algernon, a young man living on the streets and has taught her to steal from the wealthy to survive. Algernon seems oblivious to her feelings towards him and while he promises to protect her, Celie is caught posing as a blind girl and swindles the Comte of his gambling winnings. In a stroke of luck, Manon Tussaud has also had her prized possessions stolen and seeing Celie's rare artistry, strikes a deal with the Comte to not only take the young orphan under her wing but to rid her of a life of crime.
Celie is no Eliza Dolittle, but a girl who now feels trapped by her debt to Madame Tussaud. She constantly worries for Algernon and his survival while she is seemingly living the high life according to her companion. I liked Celie's character, she was determined but also learnt from her mistakes and her indecisiveness only stemmed from her feelings for Algernon. He on the other hand was nothing more than a controlling presence that used guilt to keep Celie loyal. I loathed him. He isn't the villain, but I found no redeeming qualities within his character. Algernon is manipulative and only truly cared about his own interests.
At the heart of Madame Tussaud's Apprentice is the French Revolution, where the ruling monarchy was overthrown in favour of a republic. Lasting ten long and brutal years, Kathleen Benner Duble vividly describes the Revolution for the younger audience. But it does feature brutality and the execution of the royal family, beheadings and the gruesome task of creating wax models from the vigilante murders of officials and those deemed against the rebellion. Just a gentle warning for those who are sensitive to violence.
Celie is no Eliza Dolittle, but a girl who now feels trapped by her debt to Madame Tussaud. She constantly worries for Algernon and his survival while she is seemingly living the high life according to her companion. I liked Celie's character, she was determined but also learnt from her mistakes and her indecisiveness only stemmed from her feelings for Algernon. He on the other hand was nothing more than a controlling presence that used guilt to keep Celie loyal. I loathed him. He isn't the villain, but I found no redeeming qualities within his character. Algernon is manipulative and only truly cared about his own interests.
At the heart of Madame Tussaud's Apprentice is the French Revolution, where the ruling monarchy was overthrown in favour of a republic. Lasting ten long and brutal years, Kathleen Benner Duble vividly describes the Revolution for the younger audience. But it does feature brutality and the execution of the royal family, beheadings and the gruesome task of creating wax models from the vigilante murders of officials and those deemed against the rebellion. Just a gentle warning for those who are sensitive to violence.
I loved Manon Tussaud. She was stern but incredibly patient and despite how abrasive Celie could be. She came to love the young orphan as her own child. I would have loved to have seen more interaction with the wax museum itself as it was such a big part of Manon's life.'Words are weapons Celie,' Manon says, 'as are symbols. Never forget that. The power of change can come not just by force, but by speech or a peaceful marching crowd.'
Madame Tussaud's Apprentice was a fantastic read that will appeal to both young adult historical readers and those with a pendence towards the French revolution. Wonderfully written, it was a vivid tale depicting the Reign of Terror. Passionate, brutal and engaging. I loved it.The Final Verdict
Kelly is currently craving bacon and cheese loaded fries. Actually, she can't stop thinking about them. Mmm, bacon face cheese pants.
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Written by Jennifer Donnelly
Historical Fiction, Mystery, Romance
Published November 2015
320 Pages
Thank you to Five Mile Press / Hot Key Books
★★★★★
Josephine Montfort is from one of New York's oldest, most respected, and wealthiest families. Like most well off girls of the era her future looks set, after a finishing school education, she will be favourably married off to a handsome wealthy gentleman. But Jo wants a more meaningful and exciting life, she wants to be an investigative journalist like her heroine Nellie Bly.But when Jo's father dies after an alleged accident, she begins to investigate his death with the help of a young reporter, Eddie Gallagher. It quickly becomes clear he was murdered, and in their race against time to discover the culprit and his motive, Jo and Eddie find themselves not only battling dark characters of the violent and gritty streets of New York, but also their growing feelings for each other.
Josephine is a Montfort and the next generation of one of New York's elite families and is expected to little more than a charming yet demure wife to be. The year is 1890 and young ladies are being trained to marry well, keep a tidy home and occupy their time with the garden or being an effervescent host. All except Jo. Jo considers herself as a writer, wanting to delve into the problems of the world and reporting the truth to those who seek more. So when her father is found dead from what the police are saying is an unfortunate accident, Jo knows that to find the truth she must investigate.
Jo finds herself at her family owned newspaper, and while eavesdropping on a jovial conversation between reporters, it's there that she meets Eddie. Eddie is a reporter who craves action, no longer content to report on society's elite so when Jo asks for his help in finding out who played a part in her father's murder, Eddie hesitantly agrees. Trying to keep the young heiress in line is proving to be a task far more difficult than Eddie expected, Jo isn't the shy, meek girl he had expected and isn't afraid to ask the tough questions. Whoever killed her father will stop at nothing from keeping Jo and Eddie from discovering the truth, including putting both their lives in danger.
I'm not the biggest fan of historical fiction, let's face it, it's quite often boring and like watching paint dry. But These Shallow Graves? Phenomenal. I loved it from cover to cover. I may have even licked the pages a little. It follows the storyline of Josephine, a society girl born into wealth in an era where girls are trophies, lovely to look at but not held in high regard. She dabbles with investigative articles for her school's whimsical newspaper, but craves more and dreams of being able to report from the slums of New York's underbelly. I adored how Jennifer Donnelly highlighted how restricted females were in 1890, trained as doting wives and not allowed independent thoughts. None more prevalent than when Jo walks into Eddie's life.
Eddie is a knockabout larrikin. He's a reporter who wants to investigate real stories, not just the society pages he's forced to write. He's never met anyone like Jo, determined as she is beautiful and not at all like the well polished girl from the society pages. As the two follow the leads to find her father's killer, Jo and Eddie form a tense and tentative friendship. Their attraction is undeniable, but Jo is from a wealthy family who would never accept a lowly writer as her companion, especially not now she's betrothed to one of New York's most eligible bachelors. The forbidden romance was intense, seeing the bond forming between Jo and Eddie was so incredibly lovely as Eddie struggled to keep her safe. In an era where women of substance are well bred and demure, Jo refuses to conform. I adored her character as an individual and within her budding relationship with Eddie. She doesn't lose perspective or is willing to play the damsel in distress, which is often the issue I find with young adult historical fiction.
The only issue I found was that the big reveal was predictable. But then again, when it comes to mysteries, I'm suspicious of most characters. I would have loved to have seen this turn into a series. With Jo's conclusion, readers could follow her story beyond the final page and I for one would buy the shit outta that.
Jo finds herself at her family owned newspaper, and while eavesdropping on a jovial conversation between reporters, it's there that she meets Eddie. Eddie is a reporter who craves action, no longer content to report on society's elite so when Jo asks for his help in finding out who played a part in her father's murder, Eddie hesitantly agrees. Trying to keep the young heiress in line is proving to be a task far more difficult than Eddie expected, Jo isn't the shy, meek girl he had expected and isn't afraid to ask the tough questions. Whoever killed her father will stop at nothing from keeping Jo and Eddie from discovering the truth, including putting both their lives in danger.
Kelly's thoughts
Eddie is a knockabout larrikin. He's a reporter who wants to investigate real stories, not just the society pages he's forced to write. He's never met anyone like Jo, determined as she is beautiful and not at all like the well polished girl from the society pages. As the two follow the leads to find her father's killer, Jo and Eddie form a tense and tentative friendship. Their attraction is undeniable, but Jo is from a wealthy family who would never accept a lowly writer as her companion, especially not now she's betrothed to one of New York's most eligible bachelors. The forbidden romance was intense, seeing the bond forming between Jo and Eddie was so incredibly lovely as Eddie struggled to keep her safe. In an era where women of substance are well bred and demure, Jo refuses to conform. I adored her character as an individual and within her budding relationship with Eddie. She doesn't lose perspective or is willing to play the damsel in distress, which is often the issue I find with young adult historical fiction.
The only issue I found was that the big reveal was predictable. But then again, when it comes to mysteries, I'm suspicious of most characters. I would have loved to have seen this turn into a series. With Jo's conclusion, readers could follow her story beyond the final page and I for one would buy the shit outta that.
These Shallow Graves is nothing short of lovely. Telling the story of an oppressed girl in an era where women are treated as breakable, demure and incompetent of independent thought. Josephine's dry sarcasm and her ability to discover a world so far removed from her own was incredibly charming. An intense and slow burning romance, mystery and intrigue, These Shallow Graves is a phenomenal read from a fresh voice in young adult historical fiction.The final Verdict
Kelly would one day like to play an extra on The Walking Dead and is currently practicing her zombie moaning.
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Written by Lauren James
Contemporary, Time Travel
Expected Publication November 1st 2015
356 Pages
Thank you to Walker Books Australia
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★★★
Kate and Mathew share a love than spans beyond the realm of a lifetime, with each circumstance ending in the same outcome. Death.How many times can you lose the person you love?Katherine and Matthew are destined to be born again and again, century after century. Each time, their presence changes history for the better, and each time, they fall hopelessly in love, only to be tragically separated.Spanning the Crimean War, the Siege of Carlisle and the near-future of 2019 and 2039 they find themselves sacrificing their lives to save the world. But why do they keep coming back? What else must they achieve before they can be left to live and love in peace?Maybe the next together will be different...
It's 1854 and orphan Kate has been living as alter ego in young boy Kit for the past two years, her only means of survival which is predominantly a man's world. Being the house servant of a wealthy general, Kit has able to teach herself to read and write and now being sent on a mission to the front line of the Crimean War to work for a man reporting on the war effort. Matthew works for the Times, in an effort to depict the brutality of war and not just the minor victories. Posing as a young boy, there the two meet under the toughest of conditions only to still find solace in one another.
Kate was a young lady in waiting, born to English nobility at a time when England faced invasion and a rebellion uprising was gaining momentum. The year is 1745 And the town of Carlisle is on the verge of surrender when Kate meets lowly coach driver Mathew. A scandal if the two are discovered consorting, Kate and Matthew discover a tentative friendship while on the brink of invasion.
Forward to the year 2039 and both Kate And Matt find themselves at the University of Nottingham, chasing careers within the science field. Drawn to one another for some inexplicable reason, it isn't long until the two discover their namesakes, the latest known recorded pair recorded being married the couple Katherine and Matthew, who were tragically killed under the accusation of biological terrorism. But it's more than just similarities they share with their namesakes but a rich history of war, lineage and a romance that will span several lifetimes, each tragically ending in much the same way. To prevent history from again repeating itself, they must investigate the circumstances in which married Katherine and Matthew were killed in the year 2019 and clear their names to stand any chance of living in the now.
kelly's thoughts
The Next Together was a clever contemporary blending time travel and science fiction to create what is ultimately a romance across the ages. Told through a series of perspectives, it ultimately follows the story of Katherine and Matthew, two entities destined to navigate towards one another no matter what era they share. It's the year 2039 and Matthew has just strolled into Kate's science class at the University of Nottingham and instantly find themselves attracted to one another. Kate feels a sense of déjà vu and searches online to see where she may have seen Matthew before. But Kate finds more than she bargained for when not only Matthew's but her own namesake reveals a slain couple who are accused of terrorism by the very scientific laboratory in which they both worked. We only see snippets of their relationship through journal entries and notes between the married couple, Katherine is fun loving and jovial and the straight laced Matthew loved her deeply.
That's where I found myself starting to feel overwhelmed. It wasn't the flashbacks of a past era, but how Matthew, Katherine and their doppelgänger selves were connected. Those around them seemed to be aware of the phenomena but Kate and Matthew only experienced dreamlike flashbacks to eras neither could make sense of. I never really felt a sense of who Kate or Matthew was in any timeline and as much as I loved both 1746 and 1854 versions of themselves, it only complicated the storyline further. From what I gathered, each Katherine and Matthew live within the same era with one or both to die only to be reborn or appear in the next lifetime together. Aspects of the storyline seem to suggest that Kate and Matthew's multiple lives are one in the same, but as one dies another can take his or her place. In one scene when 2039 Kate is confronting her grandmother about her namesake, I was also under the understanding that 2019 Katherine was a close relative simply by how the circumstances were briefly explained. Confused? Me too.
I loved the whirlwind romance of 1745 in a time of war and invasion. A forbidden and tentative romance between the society elite in Kathrine and her stagecoach driver in Matthew. It was the the only relationship between the two that appealed to me and allowed me to invest in both characters. The Kate and Matt of 2039 felt as though they had very little connection and were sexually swept away with the thrill and unease of their investigation into clearing their namesakes of 2019. I just couldn't invest in their plight, not because of the whimsy and far fetched nature of their scenario, but neither were developed enough to care about sadly.
That's where I found myself starting to feel overwhelmed. It wasn't the flashbacks of a past era, but how Matthew, Katherine and their doppelgänger selves were connected. Those around them seemed to be aware of the phenomena but Kate and Matthew only experienced dreamlike flashbacks to eras neither could make sense of. I never really felt a sense of who Kate or Matthew was in any timeline and as much as I loved both 1746 and 1854 versions of themselves, it only complicated the storyline further. From what I gathered, each Katherine and Matthew live within the same era with one or both to die only to be reborn or appear in the next lifetime together. Aspects of the storyline seem to suggest that Kate and Matthew's multiple lives are one in the same, but as one dies another can take his or her place. In one scene when 2039 Kate is confronting her grandmother about her namesake, I was also under the understanding that 2019 Katherine was a close relative simply by how the circumstances were briefly explained. Confused? Me too.
I loved the whirlwind romance of 1745 in a time of war and invasion. A forbidden and tentative romance between the society elite in Kathrine and her stagecoach driver in Matthew. It was the the only relationship between the two that appealed to me and allowed me to invest in both characters. The Kate and Matt of 2039 felt as though they had very little connection and were sexually swept away with the thrill and unease of their investigation into clearing their namesakes of 2019. I just couldn't invest in their plight, not because of the whimsy and far fetched nature of their scenario, but neither were developed enough to care about sadly.
The final verdict
I have no doubt that I'll be within the small majority who wasn't enamored with the romance between Kate and Matthew that spans lifetimes, but sadly I couldn't connect with either character. The back and forth between characters and eras felt disjointed and I couldn't see the connection between the various namesakes beyond sharing the same name and perhaps Katherine's sense of humour. I enjoyed it for the unique premise but the ending felt messy and far more complicated than necessary. This is definitely a case of it's not you, it's me, where The Next Together is concerned and I expect this will become a favorite of readers of every genre. Just not myself unfortunately.
Kelly is currently reading Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray and fangirling over Tahereh Mafi Tweeting her kisses.
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Written by Lydia Syson
Young Adult, Historical
Published May 2015
226 Pages
Thank you to Five Mile Press and Hot Key Books
RATING ★★★★
Paris 1871. Four Young people will rewrite their destinies.
Paris is in revolt. After months of siege at the hands of the Prussians, a wind of change is blowing through the city, bringing with it murmurs of a new revolution. Alone and poverty stricken, sixteen-year old Zephyrine is quickly lured in by the ideals of the city's radical new government, and she finds herself swept away by its promises of freedom, hope, equality and rights for women.
But she is about to be seduced for a second time, following a fateful encounter with a young violinist. Anatole's passion for his music is soon swiftly matched only by his passion for this fierce and magnificent girl. He comes to believe in Zephyrine's new politics, but his friends are not so sure. Opera singer Marie and photographer Jules have desires of their own, and the harsh reality of life under the Commune is not quite as enticing for them as it seems to be for Anatole and Zephyrine. And when the violent reality of revolution comes crashing down at their feet, can they face the danger together, or will they be forced to choose where their hearts really lie?
Zephyrine lives within Paris during the era of a new revolution, a new government is in power and women are determined to be treated as equals, ready to stand and fight for their freedom. Living with her sickly grandmother in poverty has allowed Zephyrine to become her own woman at the tender age of sixteen. But now she finds herself unable to make ends meet, her grandmother passing and not enough to cover the cost of her burial. In Paris, there is only one way for a woman to make money and quickly, selling her body and Zephyrine is desperate.
An altercation on the streets catches Anatole's attention, the young violinist on his way to rehearsals and rescues Zephyrine from the two men feuding for her services. There's something about the girl who is little more than skin and bones, skittish, untrusting and leaves with a handful of coins, riffling through Anatole's jacket and stealing what little the musician has.
The city is plunging into a civil war and as Zephyrine and Anatole reunite, she is lured by his passion and free spirit and he by her instincts to fight for the rights for herself and the Parisian people. Together they will fight for a revolution against the tyrannical government trying to take hold of the capital, and against their friends who see the young lovers as nothing but a passing phase. But when war is brought to their doorstep, each will have their own part to play. Do you fight against freedom, or fight for what could possibly be the love of your life?
MY THOUGHTS
There's something so incredibly magical about reading a historical romance, set in the midst of a civil war. I was swept up by Zephyrine's story, a girl who's family no longer wanted her and a grandmother who raised her to be a strong and independent young woman. But after her grandmother passes, the streets of Paris are unforgiving to a girl who lives below the poverty line. Zephyrine is tough and determined, not to mention opinionated. She believes in women's rights and it isn't long before she's attending meetings with other like minded women who fight for freedom from oppression, matched only by the furiosity of her best friend Rose.
Anatole is a young and passionate violinist, former soldier and living with an budding American photographer in Jules. Jules is wealthy and although Anatole is only one component of an orchestra, he wants for nothing, his friend paying for their loft style apartment and comfortable lifestyle. Anatole too dreams for a Paris owned by the people, where freedom reigns and citizens are treated with respect and equality. The two young revolutionaries are drawn to one another, their shy and tentative relationship blooming to the annoyance of friends Jules and Anatole's performing partner Marie.
Liberty's Fire takes place on the streets of Paris during the Paris Commune, a revolutionary socialist government who took hold of the capital for a four month period and divided the country. With a political charge, it added to an already intense storyline as the two young lovers strive to protect one another while fighting for a freedom just beyond their grasp. Told in several points of view, each character is well developed with their own sense of self and each represent a section of the community during the era. The freedom fighter, the lover and protector, the foreigner who cares little of that outside his own door and the songbird who fears for the safety of her brother. The character that surprised me most was Marie. Renowned opera singer who seemingly thrived off her own sense of self importance, but took the lowly classed Zephyrine under her wing, clothing, feeding and supporting her while she grieved for her grandmother.
THE VERDICT
Liberty's Fire can only be described as lovely. Beautifully written, it tells the story of two young lovers united by a sense of freedom and love for their country. The streets of Paris are painted vividly, bringing life to a city under siege from within. Methodical, passionate and hopeful, I really enjoyed it and found myself emotionally invested in their plight. The ending epilogue that takes place nine years later was stunning. I found myself holding my breath, needing a conclusion that would satisfy my aching heart. And Lydia Syson did not disappoint.
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