March Read: Weyward by Emilia Hart

 

I first saw the cover of this book months ago, and immediately knew it would be a novel I had to read as soon as it was published. I can't tell you how much I love this cover. Absolutely stunning. 

I'm happy to say the novel was just as good as the cover promised. Women becoming empowered, to be strong and fearless in the face of adversity always resonates with me. 

This novel is told in three voices: Altha, Violet, and Kate. Three generations of women from the Weyward family; each with a powerful connection to nature, particularly crows. Altha's story takes place in 1619, Violet in the 1940's, and Kate in present day England. 

Kate is married to Simon, an abusive man who has cut her off from everyone she knows. He locks her in their posh apartment, monitors her phone, and has complete control over her. He wants a child, and Kate is terrified of getting pregnant. When she discovers she is pregnant, she is forced to act on her carefully laid plains to flee and disappear from her life with Simon. 

Kate runs away to the small village of Crows Beck, where her Great Aunt Violet has left Kate her cottage. Named Weyward Cottage, Kate arrives to discover a squat little place full of Violet's things, and a wild garden. And crows. Lots of crows. Kate is fearful of the cottage and the surrounding woods, which seem to be full of bees, birds, insects, and wild flowers. Yet she can't help but be aware of a strange buzzing in her chest; and a heightened sense of hearing that connects her to nature. 

Violet's story takes place near Weyward Cottage in 1942. Living in Orton Hall with her overbearing father and her younger brother Graham, she is a teenager who has not been allowed to leave the grounds of the estate her entire life. She's completely naive to the world and longs to leave. Her father is an ogre who refuses to speak of their mother and believes Violet is just like her. When cousin Frederick visits on leave from the War, Violet's life takes an unexpected, violent turn. 

Altha lives in Weyward Cottage in 1619, and is the ancestor of Violet and Kate. She's been accused of witchcraft and the murder of a local man, who early one morning was trampled to death by his cows. She is positive she will be found guilty and hung as a witch. Her trial drags on while Altha recalls her life with her mother, also a healing woman who tried to stay under the radar of watchful eyes. 

All three women are connected not only by blood, but by their gifts, handed down each generation to another Weyward female. Each woman's journey to embracing her gifts and using them to empower themselves is the center of this novel. 

I absolutely loved reading each women's story. All three women have compelling lives; I found Violet's to be the most fascinating. The descriptions of nature, flowers, gardens, insects, and the woods resonated with me mostly because of the upcoming Spring months. I thought a lot about flowers blooming, the earth waking up again,  and growing my garden. It was a great reminder of how everything works in sync, and that we are a part of the natural world. To put down the phone and to take a walk and inhale fresh air. 

The novel reads quickly, but I found myself lingering. I didn't want it to end! 

Anyone who is a fan of Alice Hoffman, or Sarah Addison Allen will want to read this novel. I certainly hope Emilia Hart writes more; I will definitely read whatever she writes. 

Rating: 5/6 for a novel about three women from the Weyward female line who learn  to appreciate and embrace their gifts and use them to live their true lives. Is it witchcraft or just a powerful connection to the natural world? 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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March Read: Weyward by Emilia Hart

March Read: A Dangerous Business by Jane Smiley

 

This was a quick read (just over 200 pages) and I loved it. It's a bit of a murder mystery but it's also historical fiction that has a lot to say about women in the Wild West. 

The Wild West in this case is Monterey, California in 1851. Eliza Ripple is a very young woman who has recently been widowed after her ass of a husband, Peter, is shot at a bar. Best thing ever for Eliza. Peter was her much older husband, and treated Eliza like his personal servant. Both had recently arrived in Monterey from Michigan, where Eliza's strict religious parents had fallen for Peter's seemingly mild mannered and sincere actions. Once married, the truth comes out and Eliza is trapped. 

Peter is killed, and wow, Eliza is free! All alone in a bustling gold rush town, she needs a way to make a living. The kindly Mrs. Parker offers her a solution, and Eliza becomes a prostitute. Seems like a good way to make a living and save up some cash. Eliza has a few clients every day, then retires to her room at a boarding house. Eliza learns a whole lot about men, and decides they aren't all like Peter-in fact, there are some pretty good men around. She's quite content to be independent and loves living in Monterey.

Eliza and her friend Jean discover a dead body while out on a carriage ride. The sheriff and the coroner don't seem too disturbed by it, but Eliza and Jean are-mostly because it's a young woman, and she was murdered and tossed aside like garbage. With a recent interest in reading Edgar Allen Poe's stories, the two women decide to investigate the murder 'Poe style'. And sure enough, this young woman is only the first of the women who are disappearing around Monterey. 

Eliza and Jean are absolutely delightful characters. I was immediately taken by the matter-of-factness of Eliza. This is no helpless female. She looks around, assesses, and makes her choices. Jean is equally delightful. She's a prostitute who caters to female clients. As Jean says, most of these clients just want someone to talk to, or to give them a hug. Women who are married and feel alone. 

Both women have freedom most other women do not. They have no husbands or children, make their own income, and are able to walk about (properly and demurely dressed, of course) with no worries. Eliza spends her time with clients quickly doing the deed, but then talking to them about where they live, what they do, and questions them about the latest political news. Slavery and the railroad are big topics. The Civil War is only a few years away. Eliza never once feels like a victim and sees what she does as a way to make a living and be independent. 

Nature plays a big part in this novel. The nature of Monterey, the ocean, the twisty trees and the fog; the different journeys of the men Eliza crosses paths with; the very nature of a swiftly changing country and political climate. 

It seems that every client or man Eliza meets may very well be the murderer; it's very near the end that the mystery is solved. I thought it was clever. I especially love the final few paragraphs; satisfied with Eliza and Jean's futures that will take them wherever the wind blows. And that's just how they like it. 

Rating: 5/6 for a short mystery that isn't your typical murder mystery. The setting and especially  the characters created a fast read that I enjoyed. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio.

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March Read: A Dangerous Business by Jane Smiley

Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

 

I'm still trying to get over the fact that the decade I was a child (the 70's) is now historical fiction. Whoa. I'll say I don't remember all the turbulence of the 1970's; I remember Walter Cronkite on the news every evening, but otherwise I don't recall feeling stress or worry about the world at large. I was anxious about math at school and other things closer to home. 

I was also completely unaware about the court case that this novel is based on. We don't learn everything about American History at school, and it's up to each of us to educate ourselves about the good and the ugly parts of our country. This was definitely ugly and shameful. 

Civil Townsend is the daughter of a doctor and lives in Montgomery, Alabama in 1973. She's fresh out of college and under pressure to follow her father into medicine--but she doesn't feel the urge. She's taken a job as a nurse at the local federally funded clinic, and one of her first tasks is to travel to the homes of the poor and underserved black community and give the females a birth control shot. Civil feels she's doing exactly what she should be doing, until her first case with the Williams family. 

Desperately poor and living in squalor, Erica and India are two young girls: thirteen and eleven. Civil gives them their shots, but is dismayed to find out neither girl has begun her period and definitely are not sleeping around. Civil begins to question why such young girls should be on birth control. Depo-Provera is being given to poor women all over Alabama and is lauded as a way to give  women a choice in their childbearing years. At least that's what Civil is told. But she's shaken by the Williams sisters and begins visiting them more often to see if she can help them and their father and grandmother get out of the shack they live in and have a better life. 

As Civil mulls over the Depo-Provera shot and its implications, she digs a bit deeper with the help of friends and discovers troubling news about the shot. Now she's in deep with her feelings for Erica and India, and is determined to put a stop to the clinic giving the shots to the poor black woman in Alabama. 

This novel take a big, devastating turn, and it sets Civil and her friends on a course that takes them to the U.S. Senate and into a courtroom. It also forces Civil to confront her feelings on her secret abortion and feelings about motherhood. 

Told from Civil's point of view, we see a young Civil in 1973, and a much older Civil in contemporary times, recently retired as an OB-GYN doctor living in Tennessee and raising her adopted daughter. Civil can't help but be haunted by her memories of the Williams' family, and decides to drive back home to Alabama to settle her memories and face the past. 

If you're interested in the actual case, click here and read about the Relf Sisters and why this was a landmark case. 

This was an eye-opening novel about consent and women's choice. The characters, especially the Williams family, all come to life and I was sad to see the end of the novel. I'd recommend this novel for a book club choice--sure to have discussions about a topic that remains a hot button in 2023. 

Rating: 5/6 for a timely novel about female reproductive rights, consent, and every woman's struggle making choices about motherhood.

Available in hardcover, ebook( I read an ebook), and audio. 

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Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

October Reads: Cackle by Rachel Harrison and Small Town, Big Magic by Hazel Beck

 I've finished two more books out of my ginormous TBR pile to wrap up my staycation. Many more to go, but I feel like I have my reading mojo back again and am so happy about it. I decided to review both of these novels in this post because they're both witchy themed and definitely appropriate reads for October.

Cackle was just released in paperback with a very different cover. I bought the hardcover last year, started it, and yes, you guessed it, put it down and didn't pick it up again for months. I powered through it Friday and finished it Saturday afternoon. I'll confess I was a bit disappointed in it. I think mostly because I was expecting something more along the lines of a lighter fare witch story. It could be entirely my fault for going into it and being dismayed that it wasn't what I was expecting. It was definitely more of a "woman power" novel about finding your own strength and owning it. 

Quick synopsis: Annie is leaving a long relationship where her boyfriend thinks they're better off as friends. She's heartbroken, and leaves NYC to teach in a small upstate New York town. Rowan is a beautiful, Hallmark-esque town with friendly people and quaint shops. Enter Sophie, a beautiful woman who eagerly begins a friendship with Annie. It's weird how the townsfolk seem to be a bit afraid of Sophie and deferential to her whenever she's around. Soon, Annie is exposed to more of Sophie's life, and it's pretty odd. A giant home/castle in the woods, spiders that interact with Sophie, things appearing by magic. Sophie is a witch. And she's nice but if you cross her, she is quick to punish. She wants Annie to come into her own power, forget pining over her ex-boyfriend, and stand up for herself. She doesn't need anyone to live a happy life. Annie struggles with this--it's attractive and hard to resist. 

Will Annie fall under Sophie's "spell"? I felt this novel had some promise, but fell short of what I was hoping to read. I was disappointed in the ending and felt it went from potentially charming to a bit dark and gave me Stepford Wives vibes (I saw the original Stepford Wives movie as a kid on TV and was deeply horrified by it). I guess I don't like the conclusion that you have to be alone in order to be happy and free as a woman. 

I waited months for this to be published, and it's taken me checking it out twice and renewing it a few times from the library to finish it. Ugh! Again, another one I had huge hopes for, but was disappointed. Mostly disappointed in the main character Emerson. Bookstore owner? Love it! Independent woman-Love it! But holy cow she's a real pain in the butt. Annoying doesn't cover it. Always saying how smart she is, how capable she is, how tough she is. It gets. so. old. Emerson and her circle of friends are all witches in the small town of St. Cyprian, MO. Only thing is, Emerson doesn't know she's a witch. There's a horrible governing body of witches called the Joywood who wiped her mind clear in her teens when her powers didn't appear when they were expected. So for ten years Emerson has been oblivious to it all, while her friends have been hiding it from her and protecting her. 

Annoying asshat Mayor Skip tries to have Emerson killed by some heavy black magic, and low and behold, Emerson's hidden powers appear and she destroys the black magic. She finds out she's a Confluence Warrior, and she's meant to save the town from a horrible black magic flood that's going to destroy not only St. Cyprian, but possibly the Midwest. This black magic is concentrated in the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers, right where St. Cyprian is located. But Emerson must find the ritual that will stop the flood before it's too late. And she has to do it in secret, with her friends, so the Joywood don't find out and destroy Emerson. 

There's some romance, but it's low level between Emerson and Jacob, her love (she kind of remembers, but kind of doesn't thanks to the mind wipe) from high school. Still friends, and some smoldering occurs. She's got a heck of a great guy there, but doesn't seem to appreciate him as much as I'd expect. He's a peach. While their relationship progresses, it seems as though it's Jacob doing all the heavy lifting and Emerson accepting it without much giving. 

Anyway, I will read the next book, which is out sometime in 2023 just because this novel ends with a huge cliff-hanger moment. I'm interested enough in the other characters and what happens with all of them. Emerson's circle of friends are the best part of the novel. Emerson is annoying and hard to like as a character. 

Rating for Cackle: 3/6 for potential as an interesting novel about owning your own power, living your life. Fell short of my expectations. 

Available in hardcover, trade paperback, ebook, and audio. 

Rating for Small Town, Big Magic: 3/6 for a novel with a lot of potential that was almost sidelined by the annoying main character Emerson. I really liked her circle of friends and will read the second book to see where it goes. It is touted as a rom-com, but it's definitely not one at all. 

Available in trade paperback, audio, and ebook. 

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October Reads: Cackle by Rachel Harrison and Small Town, Big Magic by Hazel Beck

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

 

This novel has my vote for the most gorgeous cover of 2021. I can't stop staring at it! 

The Lost Apothecary  was one of the books I've most eagerly awaited this year, and it didn't disappoint. It moves back and forth between 1791 and present day London, and I found both settings equally interesting. 

Caroline Parcewell has arrived in London alone-on what was supposed to be a tenth wedding anniversary trip with her husband James. Instead, she fled Ohio after finding out James was having an affair. Heartbroken and disillusioned, Caroline decides to come to London herself, to have time to think. Her first day there, she takes a last minute mud-larking trip to the Thames River, and finds a small glass bottle with an intriguing bear mark on it. 

Mud larking, by the way, is when people actually walk along the banks of the River Thames and search the mud for artifacts the river has left ashore. People have been doing this for centuries (some made their living from it). People used the Thames for centuries as a dumping ground for everything, so yes, items hundreds of years old continually wash up on shore. This tiny bottle gives Caroline just the distraction she needs from her marriage, and she dives into discovering more about it. 

1791 London finds Nella living and working in a small apothecary shop disguised behind a false wall in another shop set back in a small alley, making it hard to find. Nella helps women with ailments, but she also helps them dispose of men who have done them wrong-she concocts poisons for her clients. Men who have cheated, men who have abused, men who have ruined women's lives. These women secretly leave notes in a grain barrel outside the shop, and Nella makes the poison, keeping a book of records for each time she's done it over the past twenty years. All this stems from Nella's own grief and anger over a man who ruined her life. 

But it is all taking a toll on Nella's health; she's convinced for every poison, a little bit of it eats away at her from the inside, making her health fail and her death creep closer. But just when she's ready to give up, Eliza shows up, and in just a few brief days, life changes drastically and dramatically for Nella and Eliza. 

Caroline, meanwhile, is hot on the trail, tracking down who this bottle belonged to and what it meant. Befriending a researcher at the British Library, she starts digging into every little clue she uncovers, revealing the fascinating story of Nella's apothecary shop. 

This was a great read! It's more than just a story about a female apothecary who helped women in their time of need. It's about women being victims of other people's choices, and how they fought back. Caroline's story is about a marriage that, while it could be happy, wasn't at all where she needed to be to grow. And clearly her husband needed more, too. Freedom is a big theme in this novel.  

You'll find yourself unable to put this down. I myself was a bit jealous of Caroline's trip to London, and her discovery of what would make her the happiest. In another life, by golly, I could imagine pursuing just what Caroline does in London. 

Rating: 5/6 for a historical tale that pulls you in and keeps you turning the pages-a favorite read of mine this year! 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly

 

I needed to escape from my October reading for a bit and found the perfect book to do just that. This novel will be out in January, 2021 so if you're a fan of Julia Kelly you'll have a few months to wait. 

I'm one of those people who love all things gardening-especially flower gardens. I am, however, not one to be out in a garden working on it every chance I get. I love the results, but not so much all the work to get there. I used to have a lot of flowers in my yard, but I've scaled back massively the past few years because I don't have the time, and I've realized that whomever follows me in my house may not want a lot of flower beds around. I still have perennials, but I've gone to simple, easy to care for summer flowers and plants in pots. I still have a wish for a forever home with a field of wildflowers somewhere on the property. My partner has agreed on this, so hopefully in the future I'll have that gardening wish come true. 

This novel has quite a few characters-five women-that each have a tale, and three different time periods. It may sound complicated, but it's really easy to follow. 1907 is Venetia Smith, a woman who is one of the few female gardening experts in England making a name for herself. She's been hired to create a huge garden for a newly wealthy couple at their estate Highbury House. Her reputation is on the line, both professionally and personally. She must walk a fine line between pleasing her employers and creating a stunning garden with her knowledge and experience. 

1944: Britain is in the middle of World War 2, and Highbury House is now a convalescent hospital for wounded soldiers  Diana Symonds is the widow who owns the home, living there with her son Robin and spending time in the run down gardens when it is all too much. Her cook, Stella, has lived in the area all her life, and all she wants to do is leave to work and travel. She feels trapped, especially since her sister has brought her young son to Stella to stay in the country, away from London. Stella is not at all the motherly type, and has a hard time connecting to her nephew. And there is Beth, who is a land girl for the British Government. She has come to the country to help out on a farm, doing whatever needs done to produce food and keep the farming community running. An unlikely trio of women, but somehow they all connect and rely on each other. 

2021: Emma Lovett has been hired by the current owners of Highbury House to recreate the gardens Venetia Smith created in 1907. With not much to go on but rough outlines of garden "rooms" in the lawn, a few notes and a few photos, Emma has her work cut out for her. She also has to decide if keeping her small business going is worth the hard work. Emma admires Venetia's work, and uncovers unknown facts about Venetia and Highbury House while working on the garden. 

All three stories connect neatly and I had no trouble going back and forth between each time period. The garden descriptions were fascinating and interesting, I only wish I had a visual while reading! It's hard for me to say which part of the plot I enjoyed the most; each story was compelling and had a few surprise elements. 

All in all, a satisfactory historical fiction novel about love, family, gardening, choices, and finding your happiness in the midst of the worst circumstances. I did also appreciate the focus on the gardening angle, especially during the World War 2 portions of the novel. I'm a bit weary of war novels, and while it did figure prominently in this novel, it was more about the war at home and how women were discovering their strengths and talents to create new lives. 

Rating: 4/6 for a solid historical novel about gardens, England, women who rise to challenges, and the continuing history of a home that saw much love and sorrow. 

This novel will be out in hardcover in January, 2021 in the United States. 

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The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly

The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline

 I was very lucky to receive an ARC of this novel, mostly because I finally just last week sat down to start it. I was browsing my bookshelves and spotted it and remembered it was out in August and I definitely wanted to read this latest from the author of The Orphan Train. I'm sure this will be wildly popular and hard to get unless you buy a copy for yourself. 

Before I give my review, I'll update you on my bookshelves, after the Great Weeding Project of 2020 that I did a few months ago. I'm still being pretty tidy, and not stacking any books on the floor. I'm still buying books, but trying not to buy too much! Now I can see everything fairly quickly, so it does make it easier to find something to read. Now to just circle around and pick up on the books I tried to read this summer and didn't for one reason or another. I'm very happy I did the work and cleaned up my books. All that clutter was making me feel like I couldn't read fast enough, but no matter how fast I read, I wasn't making any progress. Now I don't feel like that anymore. I'm settling into my Fall nesting mode. I basically just go to work, then home to read each night. It's my time of year to chill on the couch and gobble up books. 

So, let's get to The Exiles. I was very surprised at how fast I dove into it and spent a few late nights and early mornings reading it. I know I'm in a good story when the first thing I think of when I wake up in the morning is the book and if I can read for a bit before I have to face the day. This was that kind of book. Historical fiction is always my favorite genre; it wasn't hard to get caught up in the journeys of Evangeline, Hazel, and Mathinna. 

Evangeline is a governess in London in 1840 who has fallen under the spell of the son of her employer. He gifts her with a ruby ring, and she is smitten. Unfortunately, she's accused of stealing the ring, and her lover is out of the country. She's taken to Newgate Prison, and found guilty of stealing and sentenced to deportation to Australia, to serve her sentence of fourteen years in prison as a convict laborer. Evangeline is a gentle reverend's daughter, fond of poetry and has a sweet soul. She's also pregnant, with no family to save her. On board the ship, she meets Hazel, a young Scottish girl found guilty of stealing a silver spoon, and sentenced to seven years convict labor in Australia, too. Hazel has had a very rough upbringing, and is a survivor. She's also skilled in midwifery and herbal medicines. 

Finally, there is Mathinna. This young girl is the daughter of an aboriginal chief; she  has lost her mother and father. She has been selected by the wife of the new governor of Van Diemen's Land, famed Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin. Mathinna will live at the Governor's home, and be schooled in how to be a white child; losing all of her "savage" qualities. It's a cruel game Lady Franklin plays; parading Mathinna around to her friends, having her perform. Mathinna is so lost. Her story is all the more heartbreaking knowing she's just a little girl trying to navigate a very strange world that dismisses her as a human being. 

I have to admit there were quite a few times my heart jumped, as the women struggle to survive in the most hellish conditions. The treatment of women convicts was brutal, and absolutely infuriated me. They were completely at the mercy of those with power, and those with power were men. They were starved, beaten, raped, forced to live in absolute primitive conditions; giving birth to children and forced to turn them over to an orphanage until their sentence was served. 

What I can say about Evangeline, Hazel, and Mathinna is that they were so strong. Broken, yes, but still had that fire in them. I wish I could tell you there's a happy ending for all of them, but that just isn't the case. I'll leave it to you to read the novel and find out. 

This was such a good read. So good. Definitely a great selection for a book club. 

Rating: 5/6 for a powerful historical novel about women convicts traveling to Australia, and their struggles to survive and retain their dignity and sense of self in the face of overwhelming despair. It also focuses on the decimation of the aboriginal people, culture, and homeland. This novel certainly made me curious to read more about the convicts who traveled to Australia as exiles from Great Britain and the history of their experiences. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio.

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The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline

Eliza Starts a Rumor by Jane L. Rosen

I've had this novel on my radar for quite some time, and I had a chance to read an advanced digital copy (but for a limited time). I noticed I had just a few days left before my time was up, so I sped through it this weekend. To be honest, it wasn't hard to do--I got hooked and couldn't put it down. 

Eliza has been the moderator of the Hudson Valley Ladies' Bulletin Board for over fifteen years. It's basically an online digital discussion group where women can post questions and others chime in with answers or suggestions. It's Eliza's one lifeline, since she's home alone after her twins have gone to college. Eliza also suffers from agoraphobia, and hasn't left the house in months. She had one bout in high school that lasted a few months, then one day it disappeared and she returned to her normal routine. Now, years later, she's suffering from it again, and can't tell her loving husband Luke. Instead, she has an elaborate system set up so he never suspects she doesn't leave the house. 

One day, Eliza manages to get to the grocery store. Sweating, shaking, and close to being physically ill, she's in the donut aisle when she overhears two younger women talking about an online discussion group--a newer one that is more titillating than The Hudson Valley Ladies' Bulletin Board. In fact, the ladies scoff at Eliza's board. She gets home and checks out the other board, and sees it's more popular and current than her board. 

Eliza decides the only way to bring people back to her bulletin board is by starting a rumor. A rumor that has lasting effects on the community she lives in, and the women who follow her board. 

Along the way, Eliza meets Olivia and Allison, two new moms who are new to the area and trying to make connections. There's also Amanda, Eliza's childhood friend, who has returned from Los Angeles with her two girls after her husband has been accused of sexual misdeeds as a famous producer in Hollywood. Oh, so many issues! And yet you never get confused about what's going on, and each woman's story is equally readable. I couldn't even begin to pick which one I enjoyed the most. The plot is at times funny, charming, sad, hopeful, and troubling. It's a quick read, and the last 50 pages just flew by. 

I did begin Jane Rosen's previous novel: Nine Women, One Dress a few months ago, but I lost focus and returned it to the library. I think it was at the beginning of the Covid-19 mess, when I stared at the TV for hours and couldn't read anything. So I am probably going to return to that novel and gulp it down. Maybe now is the right time!

This is a great read if you're going on a short trip and need something engaging but not 500 pages. Something you can finish in a weekend. There's lots of wine drinking, so you may want to have a bottle on standby. 

Rating: 4/6 for a novel that brings together women over a rumor that blows up a community, and leads to a lot of life-changing decisions. A cast of characters you'll enjoy, plenty of drama, but a lot of lighter moments, too. 

Available in hardcover, audio, and ebook on June 23, 2020 in the United States. Thanks to Edelweiss for an advanced e-copy. 

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Eliza Starts a Rumor by Jane L. Rosen

The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs by Katherine Howe

I read as fast as I could, but I didn't quite get all my August reads done before midnight last night. However, I did finish this novel last night at 11:30! Wahoo! I managed to finish 7 out of 11 books, with one extra tossed in, and I'm part way through The Chelsea Girls by Fiona Davis. I've spent the last few days staying home and reading, and reluctantly folding laundry. 

This is Katherine Howe's follow up to The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. A few things made this read a little more of a struggle than it should have been, and they were absolutely my fault. It's been a number of years since I read Deliverance Dane, and I forgot a lot of the book. I know I enjoyed it, and it was really good, but I couldn't remember much of the plot. When I started this sequel, it was taking me a lot of time to remember what had happened, and where the characters were now. As a rule, I don't go back and re-read books, but it probably would have been smart to do in this case. In any case, I did catch on after awhile. I also kept putting the book down, then picking it up days later. This didn't help me stay on track, either. Connie Goodwin is a professor of American history in Boston, and is on a tenure track at her university. She's living with Sam, her partner and a main character in Deliverance Dane. Connie is busy mentoring a new PhD student-Zazi, and putting together her tenure papers. One of her major projects is finishing a book about magic and witchcraft, but she's still looking for that special something that will complete her book. 

Everything changes when Connie realizes she's pregnant. Visiting her mom at the old family home in Marblehead, her mom knows what's up-after all, both are descended from magical women, and both have some pretty amazing gifts. Only problem is that the women in Connie's family can't keep their husbands and their children. Connie knows, through her research, that the men in the family always die tragically, and early. Terrified to lose Sam, she has to find a way to break the cycle. Only one woman's husband lived to a very old age-Temperance Hobbs. How did she break the cycle? Connie's in a race against time to uncover family secrets, find the spell, and free Sam from a certain early death before she tells him she's pregnant. On top of that, she's got a previous student pushing her to recommend him for a big job at Harvard, and tension with Sam because she's refused to marry him. 

The politics in academia are a big part of this novel, and so much of what gives Connie her stress. I loved the setting in Boston, and the background of early American history. And of course, I'm always fascinated by the magic and witchcraft aspect. There is a part of me that wishes I had taken the deep dive into academia, and pursued graduate degrees in American history. This book certainly poked at that dream a bit! 

So. I would recommend reading Deliverance Dane first, then read this novel. Too much time had passed for me to remember and connect the dots quickly. I was a bit frustrated with Connie at times; she should have confided in Sam sooner than she did, way at the end of the book. The back and forth between Connie and her ancestors, and their experiences as healers was really interesting, and I of course loved the history of it all. The cast of characters were solid, and I liked them all--I even understood the angst of those seeking to succeed in the academic world, where the stakes are high, and competition is tough. Mostly, the setting reminded me of my college years, living in Pennsylvania, surrounded by all that wonderful history. Oh, I miss that, even after all these years. 

Rating: 3/6 for a sequel to a novel that had just too darn much time in between. It made it tough to remember the important bits from Deliverance Dane that trickled into Temperance Hobbs. However, the story did kick in towards the end, and I loved the rich history of it all, along with the strong characters. Magic, history, secrets and gifts passed down through generations are all elements that drive this tale to a satisfying conclusion.

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs by Katherine Howe

The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold

The Five is a long overdue look at the women who were Jack the Ripper's known victims: Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elisabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly. We know all the horrid details of their murders, but all we know of them is what's been handed down by newspapers and stories: they were all prostitutes, drunks, and roaming the streets of Whitechapel when they each crossed paths with Jack the Ripper. 

However, as is usual in sensational murders, the victims are often swiftly overlooked, soon becoming less-than. Hallie Rubenhold, a social historian, decided it was long past time to correct what we've all thought about these women. She researched each woman, and tells the stories of their lives. These women were sisters, daughters, mothers, lovers, and wives. Two were known prostitutes; the other three were victims of circumstance and some really incredibly stupid laws in Victorian England. Laws and social customs that kept women down, unable to improve their lives, or even divorce. Marriages broke down, and since divorce was not an option, women oftentimes walked out of their grimy, crowded, disgusting homes and went to the workhouse for assistance. There, they joined thousands of others in drudgery in exchange for a place to sleep and food. Husbands were required to pay a small monthly fee to their wives, but if they could prove their wives were unfaithful, that small payment could end, as it did in the case of a few, leaving them in even more dire straits. 

Hallie Rubenhold has really dug deep into research on each of the women, and it is fascinating stuff. It's also a very sobering look at the lower middle class and poverty level population of England in the 1800's. Childhood, if survived, was brief before children had to go to work to help support the family. If the male head of house was injured, died, or walked away, women and their children were left destitute. So many didn't have any reading or writing skills, it made everything that much more terrible. Polly, Annie, and Catherine all had attended school and knew how to read, write, and have basic skills in math. However, unable to break the cycle of poverty, they didn't have any chance at a better life. Elisabeth Stride was raped as a young girl, contracted syphilis, and the treatments forced on her caused her to give birth to a stillborn daughter. Branded publicly as a prostitute at 18, she was humiliated and never recovered from it all. 

Alcohol numbed each women's pain over losing their children, failed marriages, and poverty. Most of them also lost one or both parents very early in life, leaving grief and no way to cope with it. I found myself getting so angry at the circumstances each woman found themselves in, and the laws that limited them from getting the help they needed, and the laws that branded them as loose, unvirtuous, and not worthy. 

I found this a very interesting book, and yes, it's long overdue. Each of the women, forgotten by society for so long, and now infamous for how they died, deserves this telling of who they really were, the people they loved, and the families they left behind with so many unanswered questions. 

Rating: 5/6 for an incredibly well researched story about five women who became infamous for all the wrong reasons in 1888. These victims deserve to tell their stories, and Hallie Rubenhold is their voice. Whether you are a true crime fan, or a women's history devotee, or just interested in a really good book, pick this one up. You'll never look at Jack the Ripper's five victims: Polly, Annie, Elisabeth, Catherine, and Mary Jane, quite the same way again. And that's a good thing. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

My usual two books a week has been completely derailed the past few weeks by a busy schedule and two long books I started too late. The Alice Network is a novel I've quite frankly been avoiding ever since it first came out, mostly because I just didn't have the energy to read another World War 2 novel. But tomorrow my book group is discussing this book, so I thought I'd finally read it and be able to talk about it with a group. Only problem is I didn't realize it was almost 500 pages! 

There's a part of me that avoids reading novels that involve women in dangerous situations, and this definitely fit the bill: it centers around the women who were part of the Alice Network, a ring of British and French spies that worked to bring the German Army down in World War 1. Bouncing between 1915 and 1947, we experience the story of Evelyn Gardiner, a young woman who becomes a spy for the British war effort during World War 1. She learns to use her stutter and her ability to speak and understand German to become a waitress at a restaurant run by a super creepy, horrible French man--Rene Bordelon--who is ruthless and so cruel it's hard to read any parts of the story that involve him. He soon becomes obsessed with Evelyn--known as Marguerite, and she is walking a tightrope between safely spying and getting information through the Alice Network, and keeping her self together and keeping Rene from becoming suspicious. Oh, the scenes between Marguerite and Rene are so tense and high strung, I almost had to read them with my hand over my eyes!

Then there's 1947: Charlie St. Claire is 19, pregnant, and on her way to Switzerland to have her "problem" taken care of, thanks to her wealthy parents. She's shamed the family with her behavior at college, and now in a few days she will be able to return home and start all over. Except Charlie can't do that-she's convinced her cousin Rose is still alive, somewhere in France, after World War 2. She's got information that will help lead her to Rose, and she leaps at the chance to escape from her mother and travel to England to hunt down...Evelyn (Eve), who is connected to Rose's fate during World War 2 and is the only link Charlie has on what could be a wild goose chase. 

There's a whole lot going on in this novel, and it is such a good story. The absolute terror, hopelessness, rage, anguish, and terrible loss that war creates permeates the characters; for me, this made it hard to read without taking breaks. Evelyn is a shell of the strong, fearless woman we read about in 1915, and you have to go back to see her story revealed, a little at a time. Charlie is strong, but suffering from grief, worrying about her pregnancy, and determined to find her cousin Rose. I honestly don't know how the world managed to carry on, pick up the pieces, and rebuild after not one war, but two. I will always be in awe of the strength of will it took to survive all of that horror. 

I know I'm late to the game with this novel, and I can see why it's been a popular book group choice. Kate Quinn writes a powerful story, with flawed characters who keep you rooting for them and on edge until the last page. The bad folks are definitely bad, and the good folks are definitely tormented souls. 

If you're looking for an intense, on the edge of your seat read, The Alice Network is for you! 

Rating: 5/6 for a fascinating historical novel about female spies during World War 1, the risks they took to save the world, and the price they paid for their courage. It's also a novel about empowered women, standing up for yourself, staring fear in the face and remaining strong, and deep, unbreakable friendship. 

Available in hardcover, paperback, large print, audio, and ebook.

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The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

What She Left Behind by Ellen Marie Wiseman

I had this novel on my TBR list because I've got a reading group meeting Tuesday to discuss it for our September read. It's a novel I've seen many times on the shelves at my local B&N; I even stocked it on paperback tables, but never wanted to read it. This was my opportunity to do so--and wow, this is not a novel for the faint of heart. 

Told in two voices: Clara, a young upper class woman in 1929, and Izzy, a young teen  in contemporary times living with her foster parents. Clara Cartwright is in love with Bruno, a handsome immigrant who came to America to start a new life. Her father, a total asshole (sorry, but he is just horrible!) and her unfeeling mother insist she marry someone that matches her station. When she says no, her father has the police take her to an insane asylum, saying she's crazy. And from there, Clara's life takes just one horrible spiral down after another. At first, she's in a somewhat nice place, but still held against her will and not allowed any communication with Bruno. The stock market crash of 1929 creates a money shortage for her father, who writes her to tell her she has to go to another place: The Willard Asylum, which is state run. He can't afford to keep her at her current place and keep his home. Like I said, a complete unfeeling asshole. Her mother isn't any better, letting her only daughter be carted away under the claim that she's unstable. No one will believe Clara that she's perfectly sane, and her father is just mad at her for not marrying who he wants her to marry. Her pleas fall on deaf ears, and she's seen as willful and yes, mentally unstable. 

Izzy's foster parents are involved in a museum project that is collecting and studying patient suitcases found in the basement of the now defunct Willard Asylum. Izzy isn't interested in stepping foot on the grounds of the asylum; her mother is in jail for killing her father, and is considered "insane". It hits a bit too close to home for Izzy, who still doesn't understand why her mother shot her father ten years before. 

One of the trunks that they open is Clara's, and it's immediate that this is not the typical patient at Willard. Expensive dresses, postcards from Paris, a photograph of a young woman and man, both gorgeous. A journal that abruptly stops after a passage stating that Clara is going to Willard. Izzy becomes fascinated with Clara, and wants to know what happens to her. 

As the novel moves back and forth between Clara and Izzy, we experience all the horrible pain Clara goes through as time goes by and she can't get out of Willard. So much happens to her, such cruelty, that it was sometimes hard to read. And to make matters worse, it was happening to hundreds of people at Willard, too. The treatment of the mentally insane was just horrific and inhumane. So many people put in asylums who were perfectly normal, but either angered their spouse/parent, or were depressed, or fell on hard times. Nowadays they would be given counseling and medicine; and those women who spoke up? They'd be running companies and changing the world. 

I don't want to give more of the story away, because a lot happens to Clara--big things--and it's important that you find them out as you read, and as Izzy discovers bits of Clara's life. Izzy's situation involves self-harm and bullying from fellow students, but I found her and Clara both to be incredibly tough young ladies who fought to be heard and understood. Would Izzy be the one who would finally free Clara's voice?

It's a pretty good novel, but some of it may make you uncomfortable.The brutal treatment of patients considered insane, and especially the women, is hard to take. The feelings of despair and hopelessness Clara experience are just heartbreaking.You just wish so much for her to have a happy ending. 

Rating: 4/6 for a novel that will keep you up at night reading. Clara is a character you won't soon forget. Izzy is a strong young woman who, while trying to figure out her own life, decides she must uncover Clara's story and deliver justice denied to Clara sixty years before. 

Available in paperback ebook, and audio. 

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What She Left Behind by Ellen Marie Wiseman

Force of Nature by Jane Harper

This was my "last" summer read, and once again, I've got to say how much I enjoy Jane Harper's novels. 

Force of Nature is the follow up to The Dry, her first novel that is one of my top reads for the year. Once again, we join Federal Agent Aaron Falk, and his partner Carmen, as an investigation into money laundering by a well respected company turns deadly. This is a completely different novel than The Dry, but equally compelling. You can read this novel without reading The Dry, but of course it does help understand Aaron a bit if you have his background. Jane Harper doesn't go over what happened in The Dry, so this could be a stand alone.  

Aaron and Carmen have been working with Alice Russell, an employee at BaileyTennants. Long suspected of money laundering and other secretive illegal doings, BaileyTennants is a family owned business run by a brother and sister, Daniel and Jill Bailey. Their father started the business, and still keeps a hand in it. They have a sterling reputation, but underneath the gloss are illegal doings that have been going on for two generations. Aaron and Carmen are very close to having all the proof they need to put BaileyTennants out of commission, with the help of Alice. She's just got a few more key pieces of paperwork that she needs to give them. 

Only problem? Alice, along with four other women and five men, has gone on a three day corporate retreat into the wilderness--and Alice has disappeared. 
Aaron and Carmen travel to the Giralang Ranges, a rough bushland in Australia, to meet with investigators after Aaron receives a mysterious missed call from Alice on his cell phone. He's convinced something bad has happened to Alice, and it may be tied into her covert help on the investigation. 

The story bounces back and forth between the search for Alice, and the days leading up to her disappearance. This corporate retreat sounds like a nightmare. It's cold, rainy, windy, and the women and men are split up, with one map per group to find their way to checkpoints, where food and shelter await them. Both make it fine on the first night, but soon after, the women get lost, and things go from bad to worse. Add in the dynamics of the group: Jill, Alice, Lauren, Bree, and her sister, Beth. Bree is Alice's assistant, and Beth is the lowly clerk in the company. It's a mix of high up executives, middle management, and entry level positions. Each woman has issues: Alice is rude, and has the only cell phone of the group (she hid it and didn't turn it in, as required). Jill is the "boss", and Bree is trying to make a good impression so she can move up. Beth is a disaster; a recovering alcoholic with a strained relationship with her sister. Lauren has been slipping up at work, and is nervous, on edge, and painfully pale. All of the women bring something to the trip that becomes a factor in their journey. None of them like each other. None of them want to be on the retreat. 

Does anyone know Alice is working with the police? Are there other secrets each woman is keeping from the others? Does the notorious past of the Giralang Ranges as the playground of a serial killer have any bearing on their situation? 

Jane Harper makes you feel every miserable raindrop, the wet clothes, the hunger pangs, and the painful blisters as the women struggle to find their way through an ever increasing dangerous situation. Alice's cell phone is slowly losing power, and there's no service anywhere. She's desperate to get back, but why? As their situation becomes more fraught with danger, the tension rackets up and tempers blow. But what happens to Alice? 

Good stuff! It's a complete switcheroo from The Dry, where a two year drought made everything dry, dusty, and parched. Force of Nature is wet, stormy, cold, windy, and just plain uncomfortable. I found myself longing for a flannel shirt, chili, and a hot cup of coffee. In the middle of a hot and humid week in Iowa. Jane Harper is a master at setting the mood, the tone, and the feel of a place. 

Rating: 5/6 for another great novel by Jane Harper. She pulls you in, and won't let go until the last page. Anyone who likes thrillers--and these are set in Australia--will enjoy her writing. Interesting look at what motivates each of us to act, and the consequences we must live with when we do. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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Force of Nature by Jane Harper

The High Tide Club by Mary Kay Andrews

It's been a long time since I've read a Mary Kay Andrews novel, and I'm happy to report her latest, The High Tide Club was just as entertaining as her previous novels. 

Set on an island off the coast of Georgia, The High Tide Club centers around Josephine Bettendorf Warrick, a 99 year old woman who is dying of cancer, and wants to make amends with friends before she dies. Brooke Trappnell, a young lawyer in the small town St. Anne, is called in to help Josephine with her requests. Living in a crumbling pink mansion on the island of Talisa, Josephine wants to reconnect with the ladies of the High Tide Club: Ruth, Varina, and Millie. Unfortunately, only Varina still lives, but she's a fragile 91 year old. Brooke quickly realizes there's more to Josephine's story--she's quite the sassy, bossy, and tough lady, even in her last days. 

Woven throughout the contemporary plot is the story of the High Tide Club, and a momentous evening in 1941, as Millie's engagement party takes place at Shellhaven, the Bettendorf mansion on Talisa Island. Engaged to a cruel man in order to provide for her mother, Millie is miserable, and the night of her party is a turning point for not only her, but all the girls. Russell Strickland, Millie's finance, is missing the next morning. What happened to him, and what do the friends know? How is Brooke connected to Talisa Island, and Josephine's family? Who will inherit the house and island after Josephine dies? 

I very happily settled into this novel. There were a few little twists that I wasn't expecting, and I was disappointed in the weak storyline regarding Henry, Brooke's three year old son. Brooke's reconnection with Henry's father seemed like an afterthought, and could have used more attention in the novel. But overall, I loved the characters, the plot, and the setting. A satisfying read all around. It's got me itching to read more of Mary Kay Andrews' backlist. I've missed a few over the years. 

Rating:  4/6 for an enjoyable summer read about the power of friendship, the power of money, family, and some good old scandals. Friendships between women old and young; friendships that span decades and some that are new,  built from shared experiences and connections. Pack your beach bag with this novel!

Available in hardcover, audio, and ebook.  

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The High Tide Club by Mary Kay Andrews

I've Been Thinking...Reflections, Prayers, and Meditations for a Meaningful Life by Maria Shriver

I've always admired Maria Shriver; always felt she was a smart, sharp woman, on top of her game, fearless, and always able to speak with kindness and compassion. This little gem of a book, chock full of wisdom from Maria, is just what I needed at this time in my life. I can't wait to gift it to my sisters. 

The chapters are short, and each focuses on so many topics we as women have overlooked or felt guilty about dwelling on for years. The power of being a woman; the power of forgiveness, and how it can heal us when we let go. The power of letting go of old beliefs and embracing new ones. The power to be okay with taking a break; to rest and recharge. Most importantly, the power of loving ourselves even in those times when we are less than we know we can be. 

At the end of each chapter Maria offers a simple prayer for each topic. I found myself pausing over each prayer, and thinking about each chapter. It's a small book; easy to tuck into a bag and carry around. Even though this book is short, it took me a few weeks of reading a few chapters, putting it down, ruminating on it, and then picking it up. It was, for me, a bit of a meditation. I sometimes feel less than, because I'm not a wife, or a mother. I have a great job, but I feel less than, trying to learn everything to be my best, and wondering if I've just left it too late to begin again. Maria's book gave me some peace, and let me know I'm not alone feeling these things. Perfectionism is overrated, and no one is perfect. Being cheerful and encouraging to others is a good thing, but if we're not loving to ourselves, and encouraging to ourselves, we're missing the big picture. 

Most of all, what I felt after reading this book was hope for myself; to keep trying everyday, and to have courage, but also to love myself when I don't feel particularly lovable. Meditation in any way we can get it, and in any way that feels good to ourselves is important. Whether it's listening to music, or going for a walk; running and listening to podcasts, or puttering around the kitchen. Reading a book in a quiet space, or driving in silence. They all count, and help us refocus. Prayer to whomever you pray to is also important. Just a simple ask for a good day helps set a positive tone and a positive frame of mind.

So I have to say thank you to Maria Shriver, and to Pamela Dorman/Viking Books for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful little book. It's something I would have skipped over in my hurriedness to read other books, exercise, and get through the week of work and obligations. And I can't wait to share it with my sisters. 

Rating:  5/6 for a book full of a woman's wisdom about life and how to live it. Maria points out that everyday is a new beginning, and paying attention and living in the here and now, loving ourselves and helping others is the way to living our best lives. 

Available in hardcover, large print paperback, and ebook--this would make a great birthday, Mother's Day, graduation gift! Or just a great "Hey I was thinking of you" gift.  

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I've Been Thinking...Reflections, Prayers, and Meditations for a Meaningful Life by Maria Shriver

March is the Month of Reading Struggles-and a Review of The Philosopher's Flight by Tom Miller

Ever have one of those months where you can't wait to read books, and it turns into a complete drag?  March has been that month for me. This post is me tossing in the towel, admitting defeat, and moving on to other books. 😕

I was so excited to read this book.  I made it about 80 pages in, and just gave up.  A little too much philosophizing and not enough concrete story for me.  I am so bummed.  I read the end, and decided I still didn't want to wade through the rest of the story.  

The Philosopher's Flight by Tom Miller was another book I couldn't wait to read, and 50 pages in I was fully engaged and really enjoying the story of Robert Weekes, male philosopher in a world where women have all the power to fly--yes, fly using sigils to control their flights, and a history of rescuing injured soldiers during war and becoming famous around the world.  There is a group called the Trenchers, who think the philosophers are nothing but evil witches, and they routinely hunt down and murder philosophers, and fight to have them banned for good. 

 Robert wants to join the Rescue and Evacuation Department of the U.S. Sigilry Corps, but is up against tradition--only women are allowed entry into this prestigious, yet extremely dangerous Corps.  It's World War I, and the United States is just entering the war.  Young men and women still believe in the romanticism of war, and have no idea of the horrors war actually brings. Robert gains admittance to Radcliffe, one of a handful of men in the philosophy program.   The barriers he runs into are exactly what women have had to deal with over the centuries, and that is probably the best part of this novel.  It's a world where women have the power, and men don't. I did enjoy the characters--they were well formed, interesting people, all with backgrounds that would lend themselves to further exploration if this became a series. 

While I was enthralled with this novel, it only lasted about 100 pages.  Then I struggled mightily to keep going.  I skimmed the last 100 pages because I just didn't want to quit, but I had completely lost the drive to continue.  Why?!  There was a whole lot of inaction in the middle that bogged down the story.  I got a bit lost in the descriptions of certain actions Robert had to complete in his training, and the sigilry descriptions got a bit too much for me.  There is certainly a possibility that there is more to come, and I would be interested in reading more about Robert's life after Radcliffe.  Maybe by then I'd be able to enjoy his fantastic tale.  But as of now, ugh. Just couldn't say this was much fun for me.  

Rating:  3/6 for a novel with a lot of potential and a clever plot.  Too much down time in the middle made me lose interest that I just couldn't get back.  Available in hardcover and e-book. 

Not sure why March has been such a difficult book month for me.  I've got quite a few new books to read for April, and I hope to read a few that help me reset my reading groove.  I feel a big weight off my shoulders admitting defeat and admitting that yes, sometimes a book starts out so good, and sputters to a halt soon after, and there's nothing that will bring it around.  

I'll be posting my April reads this week, before Easter weekend.  I've got a few that I'm reading for book groups, and who knows what else I'll pick?

Happy reading everyone!  

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March is the Month of Reading Struggles-and a Review of The Philosopher's Flight by Tom Miller

The Girls in the Picture by Melanie Benjamin

This novel took me a long time to read.  I was a bit disappointed in it, and reading reviews online has me in the minority.  

Of course I knew who Mary Pickford was going into this novel, and I was excited to read about early Hollywood.  It had to have been such an exciting place--when Los Angeles was still a small outpost, and silent films were all the rage. Bungalows, tiled fountains, and orange groves, along with the warm weather, made it a paradise and a place to start new.  Frances Marion, whom I knew nothing about, was just an amazing woman. This is the type of historical novel that will have you pausing to do internet research, look at photos, and read up.  Did you know Frances Marion was the first woman screenwriter to win an Oscar?  And that she won two in the 1930's?  With movie star good looks, she could have easily become famous onscreen; but her talents and heart were all about creating stories.  She successfully wrote for silent films, and easily transitioned over to "talkies" without any trouble.  She was a powerhouse in early Hollywood.  

But I'm getting too far ahead of myself. This novel is about the real life friendship and working relationship between Mary Pickford, darling of silent films and a genuine movie star of the early 1900's, and Frances Marion, a "scenarist" (a screenwriter before there was the term for screenwriter) who arrived in Los Angeles in 1914, 25 years old and going through her second divorce. They met, and quickly became friends, in a world where men called all the shots, and treated women like infants.  Mary's onscreen persona as the little girl with blond curls kept her trapped in the same role. Frances wrote roles for Mary that would help her capture a sense of childhood, since Mary had been working in movies since the age of five to support her family.  While the movies made Mary an international star and put money in the bank, they also kept her from growing into more mature roles.  She was an adult always playing a young girl.  

I know--it sounds like a really good novel.  For the most part, I enjoyed it, but I felt that it dragged a lot.  World War I is a big part of it, and the machinations of men with money and power.  Everything Frances got, she fought for.  She was a tough cookie who didn't take much from anyone.  Mary was not as tough, and she had to fight her own insecurities to make strides towards independence in her career.  Her relationship with Douglas Fairbanks Sr is a big part of the novel as well; they were the first Hollywood power couple--all the way back in 1920.  Charlie Chaplin also moves in and out of the story, as a friend of Frances, Mary, and Douglas.  

The novel moves between Frances and Mary, and the years 1914 to 1969.  It is a tale of women making strides in Hollywood, but also all the garbage they had to put up with--which sounds remarkably like a lot of what is happening today.  Then, as now, women had to decide between having a career and a family, fight for better pay, put up with sexual harassment, and cope with the pressure of society's expectations to be respectable women.  

I did enjoy reading about Frances and Mary. I really liked the inside look at the beginnings of Hollywood and movie making, and how amazing it all was at the time.  But I did feel the book was too long, and there were parts where I lost interest because it felt plodding. And Mary, geez. A perfect example of a person who is consumed by fame, and left with nothing. 

Available in hardcover, audio and ebook. 

Rating:  3/6 for a novel that sets the scene of early Hollywood and film making very well, and delves into the complexities of friendship between women.  I loved reading about Frances Marion and Mary Pickford, two powerhouses in Hollywood who helped create the film industry.  A refreshing historical novel set in Los Angeles as World War I begins and the world is on the brink of change. I felt the novel was too long, but enjoyed it because of Frances Marion.  She was fascinating.  

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The Girls in the Picture by Melanie Benjamin

Heroines of Mercy Street: The Real Nurses of the Civil War by Pamela D. Toler, PhD

My unceasing interest in women living through the Civil War continues with The Heroines of Mercy Street. This history book focuses mostly on the experiences of a few women living and working as nurses in the North during the American Civil War of 1861-1865.  Many people may be familiar with the PBS series  Mercy Street.  It created such interest in the characters that this book was written to look a bit closer at the women who worked under miserable circumstances and conditions to treat the wounded from both the Yankee and Confederate sides. 

Dorothea Dix was a feisty middle-aged spinster who inherited her grandparent's wealth, and that made possible her endeavors to bring reform to sanitariums, jails, poorhouses, and the treatment of mentally ill prisoners.  She was a woman on a mission, and when the Civil War began with the firing on Fort Sumter in April, 1861 she was ready to help gather supplies that would be needed to care for the wounded soldiers that were sure to come.  She faced an uphill battle in her quest to hire women for nursing positions.  There were no nursing schools in the United States in 1861; the only women who were loosely called nurses were those who were working off jail sentences.  They were drunks, uneducated, and usually women of ill-repute.  

Dorothea's strict requirements kept a lot of otherwise perfectly capable women out of the nursing positions she needed to fill.  She only wanted women who were plain faced, in their 30's and older, and of a very good reputation.  She did get plenty of women traveling to Washington, D.C. to work in hastily constructed hospitals, but her strict rules and the overwhelming opposition to women taking care of soldiers by doctors, surgeons, and pretty much every male in the U. S. Army created a lot of issues.  

Some women, you'll be glad to know, ignored Dorothea's rules and struck out on their own, often times just showing up at hospitals (which were usually hotels, factories, churches, and homes) hoping to help.  For many, the severity of soldiers' injuries was too much.  Some had very genteel ideas of what it meant to take care of soldiers.  Dysentery, typhoid fever, and so many other diseases ran rampant through the troops.  The medical world in the U.S. at the time of the Civil War was far behind Europe; there was still no belief in sterilization, clean water and instruments for the wounded, nor clean linens or bandages.  Infections and gangrene were everywhere.  Nurses oftentimes slept on the floor or in chairs, ate hard bread and really bad coffee, and worked 12 hour days with no breaks.  And the majority weren't trained in much of anything.  It's appalling to realize just how many soldiers died from sheer ignorance of basic cleanliness, or soldiers suffering from gastrointestinal diseases that kept them from eating the usual horrible foods offered in the hospitals. Women in the hospitals pushed to create special diets for soldiers who were unable to eat the heavy meals cooked for fighting soldiers.  There are just certain things you don't give someone who has dysentery and expect them to recover!

Dorothea isn't the only woman featured in this fascinating book.  Anne Reading, Mary Phinney von Olnhausen, Louisa May Alcott, Clara Barton, and so many others were at the forefront of new radical changes in medicine and the dawning of a fundamental change in medical care in the U.S.  It's hard to imagine nurses were seen as little better than prostitutes in 1860, but it's true.  One of the good things to come out of this terrible war was the realization of the importance of nurses in the care of and as advocates for patients.  

Clara Barton, addressing an audience in 1888 said "...that as a result of the Civil War women had advanced at least fifty years beyond the position they would have held had the country remained at peace" (p. 221). 

I learned so much about Civil War medicine, the perception of women's capabilities and "delicateness" during mid-19th century America, and the sheer strength and determination of so many women to contribute to the healing of so many damaged men during such a brutal war. It's a fascinating read, and anyone who is interested in women's history, the Civil War, politics, or even medical history will find this a good addition to their history bookshelf. I'd recommend this to anyone who is interested in pursing nursing as a career.

Rating:  4/6 for a part of Civil War history that has been long overlooked.  Such a rich history, and well worth the read!  

Available in paperback and e-book.

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Heroines of Mercy Street: The Real Nurses of the Civil War by Pamela D. Toler, PhD