2010 Picks

It’s that time of the year again–choosing the favorites, which is always a challenge! Though I didn’t read as many as I usually do, I read some really good ones. I unfortunately did not stay on track with Royal Intirgue’s Jean Plaidy Reading Challenge for 2010, and only read 4 of hers (2011 is going to be lots of Plaidy, Holt, Carr, Kellow and any other pseudonyms I am lucky enough to get my hands on). This was another year that I accepted too many books for review and found I had little time to read. I cannot change my lifestyle to add more time–I work full-time, have a long commute and two children (one in school and a toddler), but I have cut down on my ‘must read’ TBR pile and am now in with the eReader crowd. So, here’s to many good books in 2011!

This is a book to savor! I added it to my ‘upcoming’ page when I came across it on Amazon, and to my delight the author, Arliss Ryan, emailed me and offered to send me a copy for review. The cover screams ‘young adult’ but looks are deceiving in this case, as it is a very mature, well-written story and absolutely plausible, as the origins of Shakespeare’s plays and the man himself are vague in historical documentation. I copied quote after quote from this book, and rarely do I read a book and feel the inclination to do so, which–to me–makes this a very noteworthy read!

I had the pleasure of meeting Arliss Ryan at a nearby town where she was giving a lecture on writing historical fiction and having a book discussion at Foxtale Book Shoppe in Woodstock. It was a very insightful chat and I walked away with my copy of The Confessions of Anne Shakespeare signed!

If you missed it, you can read my review here. If I have the opportunity of re-reading any book this coming year, it will be The Confessions of Anne Shakespeare!

Another author I met in 2010 is Christy English, author of The Queen’s Pawn and the upcoming To Be Queen. Even had I not met and wholeheartedly fell victim to Christy’s contagious optimistic personality and amazing presence, I would still have chosen her book as another favorite. It’s just that good!

One thing that really stands out about this author is that she knows her characters. She has them down to a tee, and it really interests me that she can take Eleanor of Aquitaine, who has been written about over and over again in fiction, and make her over as her own character, different from any other depiction. Christy’s Eleanor is masterful–she’s not overly queenly and Alais isn’t frivolously silly or haughty (as I read her in another novel recently). I’m very excited about her next novel, which is set at an earlier time in Eleanor’s life.

Read my review of The Queen’s Pawn.

Visit Christy English’s website to read her blog and more about her books!

One year ago I was reading this novel, which ended up being my first finished book of 2010. I knew then that there weren’t going to be many to top it! Robin Maxwell is my favorite living author and I have read and loved all 8 of her historical novels. Signora da Vinci is my favorite of the lot, with The Queen’s Bastard coming in second. Her Elizabeth Quartet (Virgin: Prelude to the Throne, The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn, The Queen’s Bastard and The Wild Irish) is one of the best novelizations of Queen Elizabeth I out there, and the her writing has saved the queen of my negative opinion (which was planted by Philippa Gregory’s depictions).

Signora da Vinci based on a practically unknown historical person, but the story’s settings and secondary characters make it very interesting and engaging. Caterina’s life was full of adventure, love and wisdom (and, oh yes, trials and heartbreak)–but such an amazing story it is! I loved every page of this book!

Read my review of Signora da Vinci.

I’ve decided to pass over my beloved Jean Plaidy with this category, because–let’s face it–she would always win! But I found Susan Higginbotham’s The Queen of Last Hopes equally historically accurate, though I have not yet posted my review, as I wished it to coincide with its release date, 1-1-11 (though I may be a day or two later than planned since writing this very long, detailed New Year’s Eve post).

As to not spoil my upcoming review, I won’t be overly detailed. I will just say this is my favorite of the author’s 4 historical novels and I found it to be laid out neatly with places, dates and events clearly marked (as is Higginbotham’s usual style)–and I was not at all confused with the usually complicated events of the Wars of the Roses. This is an era that I have shied away from in the past, because there is such a plethora of novels set during this time and I had wished to read Plaidy’s versions first. But Susan Higginbotham is definitely the author to read for her organized style and sympathetic views. She’s made me a fan of the house of Lancaster!

Fun fact: Susan Higginbotham herself has a Jean Plaidy blog: Plenty About Plaidy!

By far the most scholarly and serious read is Mitchell James Kaplan’s By Fire, By Water. This is the story of an important man during the time of the Spanish Inquisition, who finds himself questioning his own faith based on his family heritage and the people he encounters while trying to do his duty. It is not what I had originally thought–a story that greatly involves Christopher Columbus–but an intricate political and religious narrative that teaches much about the clashing faiths of fifteenth century Spain.

Mitchell James Kaplan also wrote an article, published here on Columbus Day, titled ‘Christopher Columbus and the Western Imagination’. If you missed it, please feel free to read and comment.

Read my review of By Fire, By Water.

You can visit the author’s website for more info on this book and his writing.

This book had me laughing out loud! I love the authenticity of the language and farcical situations in which her characters find themselves immersed. Georgette Heyer’s regency novels are my guilty pleasure–they are not at all serious, but still somehow depict a way of life that we hope truly existed and have made (along with Jane Austen) the romanticized ideal that we call the Regency Era.

I now have 14 Georgette Heyer novels on my shelf (Devil’s Cub, The Toll-Gate, Charity Girl, Lady of Quality, April Lady, The Corinthian, Royal Escape, These Old Shades, Why Shoot a Butler?, Behold, Here’s Poison, False Colours, The Unknown Ajax, Arabella and The Convenient Marriage), which I hope to read at some point, and the very handy handbook: Georgette Heyer’s Regency World by Jennifer Kloester.

Read my review of Powder and Patch.

These authors have impressed me with their writing style, characterizations and originality. Stephanie Cowell’s take on the life of Claude Monet is simply captivating. Vanitha Sankaran’s description of paper making and society roles in medieval France made a stellar debut novel. D. L. Bogdan’s Tudor drama is a surprisingly fresh story in a very, very busy era for historical fiction. I wasn’t keen on reading much more Tudor, but I have to say hers is not your basic cookie cutter narrative. India Edghill surprised me with her take on the story of Samson and Delilah. One would expect Biblical fiction to be sententious, but you won’t find that her writing.

It has taken me 4 hours to write this post and I am simply not content with the fact that I cannot mention all of the authors I enjoyed this past year. I cannot think of a single book that did not bring some enjoyment or bit of learning or wisdom. If I read your book in 2010–thank you for sharing your experience, your thoughts and your knowledge! I have enjoyed my reading journey this past year, even though I wasn’t able to squeeze in nearly as many as I had hoped!