
ClareR (5854 KP) rated The Drowned City in Books
Apr 15, 2021
Jacobean England, where a year to the day after the failed Gunpowder Plot, a huge wave destroys much of Bristol, killing hundreds of people and destroying homes and businesses. This is a superstitious time, where the blame is put on witches and demons. And Catholics.
Daniel Pursglove is freed from Newgate jail where he has been imprisoned, suspected of witchcraft, by one of King James’ closest advisors, Charles FitzAlan. He is given the task of tracking down Spero Pettingar - the man who got away during the arrests of the Gunpowder Plot. He is suspected of going to Bristol to recruit supporters - namely Jesuits.
The descriptions of Newgate Prison are horrific - as are those of a destroyed Bristol. This is a really atmospheric book with some great descriptions. Not that you’d really want to be, but you can imagine yourself there, amidst the mud, filth and decay.
I really liked how the chapters flashed between Daniel and London, where we would see the King or Robert Cecil (a man who fascinates me!).
Daniel doesn’t seem to me to be the most accomplished investigator. Most of what he discovers he does by accident, but he does get results. Just not the ones he was necessarily asked to get.
I’m really looking forward to reading the next in this series, it really has piqued my interest!

Kim Gordon recommended Bay Head by Gunn-Truscinski Duo in Music (curated)

Air: Nature and Culture
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Legume Nitrogen Fixation in a Changing Environment: Achievements and Challenges
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Ari Augustine (10 KP) rated The Deep in Books
May 4, 2020
Annie Hebley is a nurse who survived the sinking of Titanic and has since confined herself to an mental institution. However, at the start of The Deep, she is hired to work on the Britannica to help the wounded WW1 soldiers. What I love about this story is how well it blends actual history in between these moments of atmospheric supernatural events. We meet characters who were once very much alive on a ship that actually existed. There's something eerie about tethering such a story in a historical way that connects to the reader, and this element of the story certainly spoke to me. But what I loved MOST was how unreliable Annie was as a character. Her point of view jumped between 1912 and 1916, blurring the lines of reality even further. Although the pacing wasn't always consistent, I love, love, LOVED Katsu's writing.
Overall, I'd recommend The Deep to anyone with a dash of patience, a dangerous curiosity for the supernatural, and, well, anyone who lives creepy stories rooted in history.

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Historical Fiction