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The final entry in Bernard Cornwell's long-running 'Saxon Stories'/'The Last Kingdom'/Warrior Chronicles' (the series name seems to keep changing), that first started way back in the early noughties with The Last Kingdom, with the series following Uhtred of Bebbanburg: born a Saxon, raised by the Danes and reluctantly fighting for Alfred (the future 'the Great') of Wessex.
We're now into his - Alfred's - grandchildren time, and the notion of England has now come to all but fruition: indeed, by the end of this novel, and after the battle of Brunanburgh, all of the counties are united under the rule of Aethelstan.
A fitting end to the series.
We're now into his - Alfred's - grandchildren time, and the notion of England has now come to all but fruition: indeed, by the end of this novel, and after the battle of Brunanburgh, all of the counties are united under the rule of Aethelstan.
A fitting end to the series.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Woman in Black in Books
Nov 6, 2022
202 of 230
Book
The Woman in Black
By Susan Hill
⭐️⭐️
"The Woman in Black" tells haunting testimony of a young solicitor, Arther Kipps, who records in detail the nightmarish events of his stay in a house on a marsh in northern England, and the terrible events that were to alter his life forever.
I have never taken so long to read such a short book! I was so bored and disappointed in it. I think it’s one of those books you hear so much about that you go in with high expectations and unfortunately I found it lacking. At least it’s one of those must reads ticked off!
Book
The Woman in Black
By Susan Hill
⭐️⭐️
"The Woman in Black" tells haunting testimony of a young solicitor, Arther Kipps, who records in detail the nightmarish events of his stay in a house on a marsh in northern England, and the terrible events that were to alter his life forever.
I have never taken so long to read such a short book! I was so bored and disappointed in it. I think it’s one of those books you hear so much about that you go in with high expectations and unfortunately I found it lacking. At least it’s one of those must reads ticked off!
ClareR (5603 KP) rated Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen in Books
May 3, 2018
Tudor England at it's best!
Everyone knows the stories of Henry VIII and his six wives, don't they? Jane Seymour always seems to be the quietest, almost childlike, always doing as she's told. This novel paints a very different picture of her. She is a young woman of her time: obedient to her parents and the males in her family, religious, and ready to do her part as a woman (and that means bearing children!).
This novel looks at how she probably wasn't as innocent as we have always been led to believe. In all honesty, she lived at court - a place where family loyalties and wealth were above all else in importance: she couldn't afford to be an innocent.
I like the Jane that Weir portrays. She's resilient and cares deeply about her family and HER Queen (Katherine of Aragon). I really liked this book and all of the courtly intrigues: Tudor England has always fascinated me. It was such a sad end for Jane, and the authors extended notes at the end really explained well what she and some experts thought had really happened to her and why she died (heres a clue: it wasn't childbirth). I will be going back to the first two books in this series to read about Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn in preparation for Katherine Howard (wife #4 - and that should be a good one!!).
This novel looks at how she probably wasn't as innocent as we have always been led to believe. In all honesty, she lived at court - a place where family loyalties and wealth were above all else in importance: she couldn't afford to be an innocent.
I like the Jane that Weir portrays. She's resilient and cares deeply about her family and HER Queen (Katherine of Aragon). I really liked this book and all of the courtly intrigues: Tudor England has always fascinated me. It was such a sad end for Jane, and the authors extended notes at the end really explained well what she and some experts thought had really happened to her and why she died (heres a clue: it wasn't childbirth). I will be going back to the first two books in this series to read about Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn in preparation for Katherine Howard (wife #4 - and that should be a good one!!).
ClareR (5603 KP) rated The Confessions of Frannie Langton in Books
May 3, 2019 (Updated May 3, 2019)
Frannie has grown up on a Jamaican sugar plantation as a house girl. She is a mulatto slave, and when her master, Mr Langton, is forced to return to England, she accompanies him. Although she is considered free as soon as she enters England in the 1820s, Mr Langton ‘gives’ her to a colleague and friend, Mr Benham. She becomes Mrs Benham’s abigail (companion), friend and lover. However, we first meet Frannie as she sits in Newgate prison, writing the story of her life for her solicitor, and how she came to murder Mr and Mrs Benham. Something that she can’t at all remember doing. She has a lot going against her: she’s working class, a woman, and most importantly, she’s black.
This was a captivating story. I learnt a lot about how black Jamaicans were regarded by Londoners (it’s not good), how laudanum was the ‘mother’s little helper’ of its time (although I think it was pretty much taken by anyone, male or female, who could afford it), and how black people were regarded as little more than animals.
The whodunnit element was really puzzling for me, I honestly couldn’t figure it out. I couldn’t think of Frannie as being a murderer and killing the woman she loved.
This is a really good read, and I would highly recommend it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this wonderful book.
This was a captivating story. I learnt a lot about how black Jamaicans were regarded by Londoners (it’s not good), how laudanum was the ‘mother’s little helper’ of its time (although I think it was pretty much taken by anyone, male or female, who could afford it), and how black people were regarded as little more than animals.
The whodunnit element was really puzzling for me, I honestly couldn’t figure it out. I couldn’t think of Frannie as being a murderer and killing the woman she loved.
This is a really good read, and I would highly recommend it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this wonderful book.
Deborah (162 KP) rated A Lady Never Tells (Willowmere, #1) in Books
Dec 21, 2018
I've really enjoyed some of Camp's previous books and I often think that in this genre books work best where they are in a series with some continuing characters, so I was looking forward to getting my teeth into the Willowmere series.
This is the first book in said series and although I didn't actively dislike it, I did find it a bit mediocre. A lot of plot elements seemed very reused and I always find the 'American girls coming over to England and catching eligible aristocratic batchelor' a bit too Mary-Sue-ish.
I didn't find it easy to like the heroine in this book all that much and it was difficult to see quite why the hero (who was likeable) would fall in love with her. Mary (or Marigold!) brings her sister to England to find their English family after their mother dies and they want to escape a somewhat unpleasant stepfather, but after this they all, but Mary in particular, do some pretty silly things. OK, they may not be up on British aristocratic ettiquette, but they seem to loose all common sense sometimes! Mary deliberately decides to conceal some important information and they go off on a jaunt whenever they feel like it, despite being attacked and suffering attempted abductions, and they seem to think it is unreasonable that the gentlemen taking responsibility for them want to try and stop them exposing themselves to danger!
Hopefully the next two books will be better.
This is the first book in said series and although I didn't actively dislike it, I did find it a bit mediocre. A lot of plot elements seemed very reused and I always find the 'American girls coming over to England and catching eligible aristocratic batchelor' a bit too Mary-Sue-ish.
I didn't find it easy to like the heroine in this book all that much and it was difficult to see quite why the hero (who was likeable) would fall in love with her. Mary (or Marigold!) brings her sister to England to find their English family after their mother dies and they want to escape a somewhat unpleasant stepfather, but after this they all, but Mary in particular, do some pretty silly things. OK, they may not be up on British aristocratic ettiquette, but they seem to loose all common sense sometimes! Mary deliberately decides to conceal some important information and they go off on a jaunt whenever they feel like it, despite being attacked and suffering attempted abductions, and they seem to think it is unreasonable that the gentlemen taking responsibility for them want to try and stop them exposing themselves to danger!
Hopefully the next two books will be better.
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated Oliver Twist in Books
Oct 10, 2017 (Updated Oct 11, 2017)
Bleak but beautifully written
I bawled while reading this as a child, especially reading this horrendously bleak tale. Orphan Oliver Twist escapes a rundown orphanage and workhouse only to live in further poverty at the hands of a terrible thief, who exploits young children to do his bidding. Oliver, a very simple and innocent boy, moves from one place to another in order to survive the harsh streets of early 19th century England.
It literally is a never-ending saga of one horrific incident after another, highlighting Dickens' strong views about how children were treated during Victorian times. And while there is a bittersweet ending, it leaves you with a feeling of deep sadness for these lost children.
It literally is a never-ending saga of one horrific incident after another, highlighting Dickens' strong views about how children were treated during Victorian times. And while there is a bittersweet ending, it leaves you with a feeling of deep sadness for these lost children.
Dana (24 KP) rated A Serious Proposal to the Ladies in Books
Mar 23, 2018
This was a very interesting read. It is a compilation of, primarily, two essays directed at the women of the Restoration and Revolution period in London, England. While it mainly speaks to women to be more free in their religions, it also talks about women's political freedoms. This seems to be an early feminist essay which calls to give women more power over their lives.
I did enjoy the first essay more than I did the second because the second got a lot more religious and quite repetitive. But it was still interesting.
If you are interested in early feminist lit or in religious literature, check this book out. I think you would thoroughly enjoy it.
I did enjoy the first essay more than I did the second because the second got a lot more religious and quite repetitive. But it was still interesting.
If you are interested in early feminist lit or in religious literature, check this book out. I think you would thoroughly enjoy it.
Erika (17788 KP) rated Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded in Books
Feb 1, 2020
This novel is commonly known as the first true English novel, as well as the first epistolary novel. I've taken numerous British and English Literature classes, but had not been introduced to this novel until I studied in England and took an English novel class taught by a German professor who learned English solely so he could read Shakespeare in the vernacular. I'm glad that this prof included this wonderful novel. It was a nice change from just assigning Jane Eyre and Great Expectations.
It's an interesting study on Pamela, and spawned so many great, satirical novels. This is definitely a must read if you like classic literature and enjoy reading the novels that shaped the literature of today.
It's an interesting study on Pamela, and spawned so many great, satirical novels. This is definitely a must read if you like classic literature and enjoy reading the novels that shaped the literature of today.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Pride and Prejudice in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The protagonist of this book is Elizabeth Bennet, one of five daughters of a middle-class family in a little village in England. Her mother’s ultimate goal is to marry off her daughters, but Elizabeth is not in a rush. I really liked Elizabeth in this book, she is a very strong-willed and sensible young lady. I really loved the way Jane Austen picked the characters for this novel, they are very well developed and very intriguing. I think Mr Darcy is an absolute twit, but with a golden heart. If he would exist in reality, I have no idea how a woman would understand this man. HE IS SO FRUSTRATINGLY COMPLICATED
CHILLFILTR (46 KP) rated Happiness by Callum Pitt in Music
Jul 11, 2019
Callum Pitt comes to us from Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, where he sits by the river and strums his guitar, whispering sweet nothings into the belly of the wind. His new single is a must-listen called simply Happiness.
It's a Disney-style romp through meadows of arpeggiated bells and jangly guitars, with a deep gentle swing and a little cowboy piano for good measure. Lately the BBC has taken an interest in Callum and we think his star is on the rise. He is building on the fanbase he connected with in 2016 with a spot at Evolution Emerging Festival.
You can also hear his song Happiness on Volume 2 of the CHILL NEW Songwriters series.
It's a Disney-style romp through meadows of arpeggiated bells and jangly guitars, with a deep gentle swing and a little cowboy piano for good measure. Lately the BBC has taken an interest in Callum and we think his star is on the rise. He is building on the fanbase he connected with in 2016 with a spot at Evolution Emerging Festival.
You can also hear his song Happiness on Volume 2 of the CHILL NEW Songwriters series.