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Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Mechanical in Books

Apr 27, 2018

The Mechanical

Ian Tregillis | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry

10.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

The Mechanical surprised me. The first few chapters were hard to get into. It was so different than anything I’ve read. I’m not a fan of historical fiction (even if it is supernatural or steampunk) but I gave this book a chance based on a recommendation from a friend. I’m so glad I did.

The Mechanical is a wild ride through the lives of three characters; a catholic priest pretending to be protestant and smuggling information to New France, a female spy known in the legends as The Tallyrand, and Jax, the mechanical in question. The characters stories intertwine together to create a rich well-developed adventure of excitement, love, treachery, betrayal, and euphoric freedom. The book looks you in the eye and challenges the idea of free will, religion, and the tendency for us to believe everything the government wants us to believe.

In the beginning, I found the narrator hard to listen to, maybe because of his pacing, and steady non-fluctuating voice. But as I got more and more into the story, learned more about this world and what was going on, fell in love and hatred with the characters, I appreciated the way he read more. It worked for the characters and for the story.

I am super excited for the rest of this series and highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a well thought out story. Ages 17 + for some violence and sexual scenes.

Kudos

David McK (3623 KP) rated Warlord (The Outlaw Chronicles, #4) in Books

Jan 30, 2019

The fourth book in Angus Donald's <i>Outlaw</i> series, this one is primarily set in and around the last years of Richard I (The Lionheart) reign, leading up to his death on 06/04/1199 after being struck in the shoulder by a crossbow bolt fired from a castle he was besieging in Southern France.

Like the previous three books in the series, this is presented as an elderly Alan Dale recounting the adventures of his youth, with each section (and the epilogue) of the novel as him committing the tale to paper, and his thoughts in so doing.

While the cover of the novel also has "A Robin Hood tale" above the title, I actually found that character to be sidelined more in favour of Alan in this novel than in the previous, where he very much was central to the story but seemingly not so much here. That's not to mean that he's not present, and that he doesn't have a role to play: just that this novel is more about Richard than it is Robin.

The novel also includes elements form that other great Medieval tale/obsession of the Holy Grail, which is worked into the reason why Richard is besieging the castle (at Robin's urgings) at which he receives his fatal wound. That plot strand, however, is also left wide-open for the sequel, already announced as titled <i>Grail Knight</i>, and which I'm already looking forward to!

Kudos

ClareR (5996 KP) rated A Long Petal of the Sea in Books

Jan 14, 2020

A Long Petal of the Sea

Isabel Allende | 2020 | Fiction & Poetry

10.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

My first, and not my last, Isabel Allende book!

A Long Petal of the Sea is my first foray into the books of Isabel Allende, and after reading this, it most certainly wont be my last.

This is the sweeping historical story of the Dalmau family, their role in the Spanish Civil War, their escape in to France (which was horrific), and their journey to Chile as refugees on the ship ‘Winnipeg’ arranged by the poet Pablo Neruda.

It’s a devastating and yet heartwarming look at humanity and it’s ability to endure. I hadn’t known about the concentration-style camps that the French forced the Spanish refugees in to after Franco and his right wing party won the Civil War. It looks as though people have always been able to destroy one another in inhuman ways (this is no surprise to me, by the way). We see more of the use of concentration camps in Chile after the military coup.

The main characters, Victor and Roser Dalmau continue to see Chile as their home, over and above Spain. They show us that home is where your friends, family and community are - and that you can make this home anywhere.

This book really is a joy to read. I’ve learnt so much of the history of this time, as well as having the pleasure of just reading a great story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for my copy of this book to read.