Japan's International Fisheries Policy: Law, Diplomacy and Politics Governing Resource Security
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Few nations rely upon the ocean as much as Japan for livelihood, culture and transport. The seas...
Viking Britain: An Exploration
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A new narrative history of the Viking Age, interwoven with exploration of the physical remains and...
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The Essential Guide to Beachcombing and the Strandline
Steve Trewhella and Julie Hatcher
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From time immemorial people have been drawn to the beach to collect practical resources as well as...
DJ Muggs recommended Led Zeppelin IV by Led Zeppelin in Music (curated)
Flying Scotsman: A Pictorial History
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Built at Doncaster works in 1923 the Nigel Gresley designed then-A1 class Pacific (4-6-2) first...
The Devil Aspect
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A terrifying novel set in Czechoslovakia in 1935, in which a brilliant young psychiatrist takes his...
gothic historical fiction thriller suspense murder
Merissa (14198 KP) rated The Spirit of the Times in Books
Jul 27, 2026
Karia is a nomad, living in gers, and is a Nestorian Christian of the Turgut tribe. It begins with the wedding of her sister, Bacaq, to Sanmaq of the Danko tribe. The Danko tribe have converted to Islam, and therefore Bacaq has to too, or the wedding won't go ahead. Time moves on, and Bacaq is about to become a mother when Sanmaq does something terrible. This is the start of the pestilence, or so some believe. The years pass by, and we stay with Karia as she travels across lands she never dreamt of being in. All she wants to do is go back home, but knows this is something she may never do again.
Although the year is given at the beginning of each chapter, I did occasionally get lost as time sometimes skips ahead a few years. If I wasn't paying full attention, or couldn't remember what year the previous chapter had been, I got lost in the passage of time.
Karia remains the heart of the story throughout, with her steadfast loyalty and determination to do the right thing. Abi is headstrong and innocent, a delight most of the time. Abbot Bernard made me smile every time he was on the page, but Jonathan was neither here nor there.
This is a historical novel with a strong supernatural feel to it, alongside myth and folklore. I enjoyed it, but the supernatural aspect might not be for everyone.
** The same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian
Jul 27, 2026
Uptown Oracle (24 KP) rated The House of Mountfathom in Books
Jun 30, 2017
My favourite aspect was how alive the house felt as it was so full of magic. The House of Mountfathom seemed like another member of the family almost like it had a mind of it's own. There was so much time given to explaining the house, magic and family though, that it reduced the actual plot to the second half of the book.
The House of Mountfathom has a strong focus on family. The Mountfathom family are the protagonists of the book. The Order of Driochta are another kind of family. There's no romance subplot which was a big plus point for me.
Another thing was that the house was in Ireland. I cant think off the top of my head another book I've read based in Ireland. The introduction of both historical aspects and folklore was great. There's also a distinct discussion about class systems. The 'big houses' aka the upper class in Ireland are in trouble, including the Mountfathom house, even though they're trying to keep the peace.
A problem I had was the format seemed odd, I assume it would be best in a printed book. My kindle seemed to push everything together and it was difficult to discern between chapters. The illustrations would have also worked much better within a book. Since this was an e-ARC though, I wouldn't take that into account.
Another problem is the book doesn't seem quite finished. Understandable as Nigel McDowell passed away in February. Although the ambiguous ending does give something towards the mysterious aspect of the book as a whole.
I really enjoyed how McDowell described the hows of magic. The first part of the book follows Luke as he grows up and learns magic. The five principles are distinct in how Luke learns them. I would compare The House of Mountfathom to Lemony Snicket and Neil Gaiman's Coraline. It was a bit dark and creepy in places. Full of intrigue and magic.
Heroes and Landmarks of British Aviation: from Airships to the Jet Age
Peter J. Edwards and Richard Edwards
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Heroes and Landmarks of British Aviation tells the dramatic story of a world leading aviation...
The Phoenix: An Unnatural Biography of a Mythical Beast
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Arising triumphantly from the ashes of its predecessor, the phoenix has been an enduring symbol of...


