Tears of Pearl is Book 4 of the Lady Emily Ashton series, although at the start of this one, she is now Lady Emily Hargreaves. It wasn't vital to the story, but I was sorely disappointed at the lack of a wedding between Emily and Colin. They were engaged at the end of Book 3, and married by the start of Book 4.
What's vital to the story is their honeymoon to, what was then Constantinople in the Ottoman Empire, and is now Istanbul in Turkey, due to Emily's love of history. A harem girl is murdered while the newlyweds are enjoying a night at the theater, and a rather complex story involving multiple murders, bribery, eunuchs, crazy sultans, lost siblings, and good old fashioned, if slightly unconventional detective work, arises.
Prior to reading this book, I actually read through the reviews on amazon and it was by far the least liked book out of an otherwise popular series. I opine this is due to the general readers unfamiliarity with Turkish culture, landmarks, and history. I enjoyed this book primarily because of its unusual setting. I spent two months in Turkey a few years back and therefore was familiar with most, if not all, of the bazaars, hamams, palaces, and mosques mentioned in the book. It's rare to find novels set in Turkey, especially written by American authors, especially more in the middle of series about the upper class of 19th century England. Well done Tasha Alexander.
The downside of this, however, is the smallish group of possible who-dunits. I didn't find myself voraciously reading this book to find out the killer the way I did the last one. Three people are murdered in the harem, and since harems are restricted access only, it narrowed the list of possible murderers to a tiny handful of people. Regardless, I also received Book 5 for Christmas, so I can't wait to dive into that one.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
classics.
I've read three classics recently off The Book List.
Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H.Lawrence
The Scarlet Letter by Nathanial Hawthorn
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Lady Chatterley's Lover wasn't quite as scandalous as I thought, considering it was chosen for its former position on the banned book list. Amazing how times have changed so things once banned are now more accepted as commonplace. Despite the blatant sexual overtones, I was more scandalized by two married people having an affair than the actual sex scenes. Or maybe that was the whole point. Either way, I did have to slog through some verbose language to make it to the end, but I admire Lawrence's brazenness. I can't imagine what kind of scandal to caused when released.
The Scarlet Letter was long overdue. I somehow missed reading this in high school. By the time I reached college, my professors assumed everyone had already read it (which they had) and therefore didn't assign it. It was worth the wait. I genuinely enjoyed this book, even more so once I found out Hawthorne himself had family involved in the Salem witch trials which sparked a near obsession in him. I found myself caring very deeply about the fate of Hester and little Pearl and frustrated by the duplicity and manipulation of Chillingworth.
Frankenstein I did read in high school and enjoyed it just as much this time around. I was more creepy this time around, mostly because I didn't quite comprehend the horror of it the first time around. I love how the story came about: Mary Shelley, her lover turned husband, Percy Shelley, Lord Byron and maybe some other well known authors/poet, were housebound while on vacation due to torrential rain, and therefore decided to have a contest on who could write the best horror story. Mary was the only one who finished hers, and future generations of readers will forever be thankful. It's rudimentary in some ways, but Shelley showed enormous talent as a budding writer.
Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H.Lawrence
The Scarlet Letter by Nathanial Hawthorn
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Lady Chatterley's Lover wasn't quite as scandalous as I thought, considering it was chosen for its former position on the banned book list. Amazing how times have changed so things once banned are now more accepted as commonplace. Despite the blatant sexual overtones, I was more scandalized by two married people having an affair than the actual sex scenes. Or maybe that was the whole point. Either way, I did have to slog through some verbose language to make it to the end, but I admire Lawrence's brazenness. I can't imagine what kind of scandal to caused when released.
The Scarlet Letter was long overdue. I somehow missed reading this in high school. By the time I reached college, my professors assumed everyone had already read it (which they had) and therefore didn't assign it. It was worth the wait. I genuinely enjoyed this book, even more so once I found out Hawthorne himself had family involved in the Salem witch trials which sparked a near obsession in him. I found myself caring very deeply about the fate of Hester and little Pearl and frustrated by the duplicity and manipulation of Chillingworth.
Frankenstein I did read in high school and enjoyed it just as much this time around. I was more creepy this time around, mostly because I didn't quite comprehend the horror of it the first time around. I love how the story came about: Mary Shelley, her lover turned husband, Percy Shelley, Lord Byron and maybe some other well known authors/poet, were housebound while on vacation due to torrential rain, and therefore decided to have a contest on who could write the best horror story. Mary was the only one who finished hers, and future generations of readers will forever be thankful. It's rudimentary in some ways, but Shelley showed enormous talent as a budding writer.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
New books from the holidays!
Between Christmas gifts and a giftcard to Barnes & Nobles, I scored some pretty nice new reading material.
Before I go to sleep by S.J. Watson - A novel about a woman who loses her memory every night and is retold her memories every morning by her husband. When she finds a note written to herself saying not to trust her husband, she begins to questions everything, including how much of a person's identity is defined by their memories.
The Devil's Teeth by Susan Casey - A nature book about humans and their relationship with great white sharks. I've read most shark books out there, but this one is new to me.
The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn - A young adult ghost story book about two children living in the woods behind a mansion.
Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn - I've never read anything by this author, but she always come up when I search in amazon.com for Tasha Alexander. I finally read the descriptions of some of the books, and really liked this one. Lady Julia Grey makes her appearance in this debut novel about a mystery set among the upper crusts in Victorian England.
Tears of Pearl and Dangerous to Know by Tasha Alexander - Books 4 and 5 in the Lady Emily Ashton series. Love this author and this series.
Her fearful symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger - Another ghostie type story involving two twin sisters in Chicago and England. Same author as Time Traveler's Wife.
The year of the flood and Oryx and crake by Margaret Atwood - I really like Atwood. I've only read one of hers (The Handmaid's Tale), although I'm amassing quite a collection of her books. Oryx and Crake is futuristic like Handmaid's Tale, dealing with isolation and memories of a world like today. The year of the flood is also futuristic, book two in a trilogy about how Earth is altered from a waterless flood which destroys most of humankind. Left are two friends, one working in a sex shop and the other in a spa, both of whom try to escape their bosses/controllers and find a better life.
Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children by Ransom Riggs - My favorite of the books I've received about a boy exploring a home for peculiar children off the coast of Wales. The more he explores the more he finds out details of just how weird these children might have been. Complete with photographs.
Someone named Eva by Joan M. Wolf - Another young adult book about Nazi Germany.
Before I go to sleep by S.J. Watson - A novel about a woman who loses her memory every night and is retold her memories every morning by her husband. When she finds a note written to herself saying not to trust her husband, she begins to questions everything, including how much of a person's identity is defined by their memories.
The Devil's Teeth by Susan Casey - A nature book about humans and their relationship with great white sharks. I've read most shark books out there, but this one is new to me.
The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn - A young adult ghost story book about two children living in the woods behind a mansion.
Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn - I've never read anything by this author, but she always come up when I search in amazon.com for Tasha Alexander. I finally read the descriptions of some of the books, and really liked this one. Lady Julia Grey makes her appearance in this debut novel about a mystery set among the upper crusts in Victorian England.
Tears of Pearl and Dangerous to Know by Tasha Alexander - Books 4 and 5 in the Lady Emily Ashton series. Love this author and this series.
Her fearful symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger - Another ghostie type story involving two twin sisters in Chicago and England. Same author as Time Traveler's Wife.
The year of the flood and Oryx and crake by Margaret Atwood - I really like Atwood. I've only read one of hers (The Handmaid's Tale), although I'm amassing quite a collection of her books. Oryx and Crake is futuristic like Handmaid's Tale, dealing with isolation and memories of a world like today. The year of the flood is also futuristic, book two in a trilogy about how Earth is altered from a waterless flood which destroys most of humankind. Left are two friends, one working in a sex shop and the other in a spa, both of whom try to escape their bosses/controllers and find a better life.
Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children by Ransom Riggs - My favorite of the books I've received about a boy exploring a home for peculiar children off the coast of Wales. The more he explores the more he finds out details of just how weird these children might have been. Complete with photographs.
Someone named Eva by Joan M. Wolf - Another young adult book about Nazi Germany.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Dracula The Un-Dead by Dacre Stoker
I'm not a vampire fan. I hated the Twilight books, even though I read all four. I enjoy occasional fantasy novels, so long as they don't involve vampires biting people. Edward is creepy and the throngs of teenagers who love him scares me. But the original Dracula has been the single exception to this rule. Now I have another exception. The sequel to Dracula titled Dracula The Un-Dead.
If possible this book is even better in some ways than the original. There's been a noticeable and somewhat disturbing trend towards modern writers writing sequels to established classics. Jane Austen must be turning in her grave with what they've done to some of her novels. But this one stays pretty true to form and if you didn't notice the last name coincidence (Stoker) this book was written by Bram's great-grandnephew. Long before I read this book, I read an interview with Dacre who said he spent loads of time researching the hell out of the original book, trying to find logical paths the book would have taken if the story continued. Well done Dacre, your research is evident in your book.
The Un-Dead picks up years after Dracula ends. It's more gory, more supernatural, more creepy than the original. Bram himself could have written it, although the diction is slightly more up-to-date. I think its unfair to keep doing this back and forth comparisons between the two books, but it in all honesty, I only read this because its a sequel to a classic book I love. Had it just been yet another vampire story overpopulating book shelves, I would have passed it by. But this one was so worth it. It's just that good.
And how awesome of a name is Dacre?
If possible this book is even better in some ways than the original. There's been a noticeable and somewhat disturbing trend towards modern writers writing sequels to established classics. Jane Austen must be turning in her grave with what they've done to some of her novels. But this one stays pretty true to form and if you didn't notice the last name coincidence (Stoker) this book was written by Bram's great-grandnephew. Long before I read this book, I read an interview with Dacre who said he spent loads of time researching the hell out of the original book, trying to find logical paths the book would have taken if the story continued. Well done Dacre, your research is evident in your book.
The Un-Dead picks up years after Dracula ends. It's more gory, more supernatural, more creepy than the original. Bram himself could have written it, although the diction is slightly more up-to-date. I think its unfair to keep doing this back and forth comparisons between the two books, but it in all honesty, I only read this because its a sequel to a classic book I love. Had it just been yet another vampire story overpopulating book shelves, I would have passed it by. But this one was so worth it. It's just that good.
And how awesome of a name is Dacre?
Sunday, December 4, 2011
A Poisoned Season by Tasha Alexander
This is my third Tasha Alexander book and I loved it. I read almost the entire thing last night and have spent a good portion of today thinking about it. It's been a long time since I couldn't put a book down. This book is part of Alexander's Lady Emily series, the third book behind And Only to Deceive and A Fatal Waltz.
Lady Emily Ashton, finally out of mourning for her murdered husband, Viscount Phillip Ashton, is in the process of balancing her role of society woman, friend, and daughter with the newfound freedom and wealth the death of her husband has given her. Deciding to pursue academics instead of balls, tea parties, and luncheons, Lady Emily finds herself no longer readily accepted into high society. Despite her wealth, London society matrons are not impressed by her social radicalization, pursuit of learning ancient Greece, and her well known protests of never marrying again.
In the midst of all this, a man turns up murdered, and artifacts once belonging to Marie Antoinette start disappearing from their wealthy owners. What follows is a little bit of intrigue, suspense, romance, cat burglers, stalkers, pink diamonds, illegitimate children, love, pretenders to the throne.
The first two books didn't grab me the way this one did even though I did really enjoy them. I like Lady Emily. She's stubborn, smart, witty, and loyal. Tasha Alexander writes poetically, but not obnoxiously so. I had no idea where this book was headed. The ending was surprisingly, but not so far-fetched as to be unbelievable.
Well done Alexander.
According to amazon, there are three more books in this series.
Lady Emily Ashton, finally out of mourning for her murdered husband, Viscount Phillip Ashton, is in the process of balancing her role of society woman, friend, and daughter with the newfound freedom and wealth the death of her husband has given her. Deciding to pursue academics instead of balls, tea parties, and luncheons, Lady Emily finds herself no longer readily accepted into high society. Despite her wealth, London society matrons are not impressed by her social radicalization, pursuit of learning ancient Greece, and her well known protests of never marrying again.
In the midst of all this, a man turns up murdered, and artifacts once belonging to Marie Antoinette start disappearing from their wealthy owners. What follows is a little bit of intrigue, suspense, romance, cat burglers, stalkers, pink diamonds, illegitimate children, love, pretenders to the throne.
The first two books didn't grab me the way this one did even though I did really enjoy them. I like Lady Emily. She's stubborn, smart, witty, and loyal. Tasha Alexander writes poetically, but not obnoxiously so. I had no idea where this book was headed. The ending was surprisingly, but not so far-fetched as to be unbelievable.
Well done Alexander.
According to amazon, there are three more books in this series.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
current reads.
Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence
A Poisoned Season by Tasha Alexander
One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus
Daughter of the Saints by Dorothy Allred Solomon
What are you all reading?!
A Poisoned Season by Tasha Alexander
One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus
Daughter of the Saints by Dorothy Allred Solomon
What are you all reading?!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Love the one you're with by Emily Giffin
Love the one you're with is the third novel by Emily Giffin I've read in the past month or so. This book does not have the same characters as the other, which was somewhat disappointing and somewhat of a relief. Giffin writes a lot about infidelity. People cheating, people thinking about cheating, or people wondering where that line is between cheating and not cheating.
Ellen runs into her former love, Leo, on a New York street. Leo, a journalist, lands Ellen, a photographer, an awesome work gig. Ellen doesn't tell her husband, which is the beginning of the snowball that continues with lies, deceits, secret meetings, and a move out of NY. Motherless Ellen moves back to her husband's hometown of Atlanta and finds herself disenchanted, lonely, and bored. Family and old money don't make anything perfect, and Ellen realizes everything she thought she wanted don't fulfill her at all.
I think this is the last Giffin book I'm going to read. I need a break! These books masquerade themselves has chick lit, but they hide deeper issues that are hard to read sometimes.
Ellen runs into her former love, Leo, on a New York street. Leo, a journalist, lands Ellen, a photographer, an awesome work gig. Ellen doesn't tell her husband, which is the beginning of the snowball that continues with lies, deceits, secret meetings, and a move out of NY. Motherless Ellen moves back to her husband's hometown of Atlanta and finds herself disenchanted, lonely, and bored. Family and old money don't make anything perfect, and Ellen realizes everything she thought she wanted don't fulfill her at all.
I think this is the last Giffin book I'm going to read. I need a break! These books masquerade themselves has chick lit, but they hide deeper issues that are hard to read sometimes.
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