The Deserter: A Tale of the Foreign Legion
Book
Algeria 1908. Gil Vincente is a Boer War veteran, broken and adrift on the rough streets of...
Historical Fiction Adventure
The Devil You Knew
Book
Atlanta. 1963. Three adolescent girls go missing. And a killer is on the loose. Young Billy...
Historical Crime Fiction
Three Strikes – You're Dead!
9.0
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This original collection of sports-themed mystery stories features felonies and foul play across a...
The Vaster Wilds
9.0
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A profound and explosive novel about a spirited girl alone in the wilderness, trying to survive A...
Historical fiction
Merissa (13952 KP) created a post
Mar 24, 2026
The Women in the Shadows
8.0
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London, 1888. A monster prowls the gaslit streets, and the police are looking in all the wrong...
Historical Crime Mystery
Kyera (8 KP) rated Gentleman's Guide To Vice And Virtue in Books
Jan 31, 2018
Monty is quite enamored with himself and unconcerned about the responsibility that his title infers that he should possess. He doesn't think through his actions and gets in more trouble than the pretty face of his would lead you to believe. Despite that, and despite his absolute ineptitude, you can't help but love him as a character. His shenanigans and lack of forethought throw the trio into a situation that they might not make it out of unscathed.
Percy, his best friend, is much more responsible and adds a perspective to the history that we might not think of otherwise. Although his father is a titled man, he fathered Percy with a woman of colour which gives readers the perspective of a man of mixed-race rather than the white-privilege that we see from Monty. Felicity is well-educated because she is stubborn and refuses to bow to the whims of society. She wants to study medicine, so she finds any book she can on the subject and devours it. Felicity's character also allows readers to see the position of a woman in those times, to realize how far we have come in the treatment of woman, or just anyone who is not a Caucasian male, their equality, and how far we still have to go on all accounts.
I have noticed that some people find the story to be slow, which is not quite how I would describe it. The first few chapters might be tough to get into as it is not immediately the energy of a swashbuckling pirate adventure or high stakes battle in space, but it does find its stride. The journey the reader is taken on is highly enjoyable and certainly worth the slower early build up. Plus the flirting is precious and I want to believe that it is a historically accurate portrayal of a person from that time period.
Mackenzie Lee does a wonderful job of taking us on a Grand Tour of Europe, despite the fact that most of us probably are not familiar with the continent in the 1700's. She adds authentic little items into the story like cities, events or jobs that make the story feel real. It is clear that she did a lot of research and it makes her book shine.
I highly recommend this to young adult/teen readers even if they don't feel that they are historical fiction readers. This story is fun and will give you all of the feels, although you may want to hit Monty upside the head a few times. This cute story will leave you wanting more of the trio and wondering if you are a historical fiction fan after all.
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Hazel (1853 KP) rated These Shallow Graves in Books
Dec 17, 2018
Known for her young adult series about mermaids, Jennifer Donnelly also proves she is an excellent writer of historical murder mysteries. <i>These Shallow Graves</i> is set in the USA during the late 1800s where Josephine Montfort, a headstrong seventeen-year-old from a respectable family, is expected to marry well and produce a male heir. However, Jo’s innocent lifestyle is disrupted after her father’s mysterious death. With her passion for writing at the forefront of her mind, Jo rejects social etiquette and begins searching for answers.
Jo meets Eddie, a young, ambitious newspaper reporter who agrees to assist with her enquiries. However it is not as straightforward as Jo expects it to be. As the pair begin to uncover dangerous secrets, Jo is also witness to the injustices in the world. Life for the rich was a whole different world from that of the poor, but as Jo learns, that does not make anyone less worthy of being treated as a person.
<i>These Shallow Graves</i> is an exciting story that is gripping from beginning to end. Not only is there a crime to solve, Jo also ends up in a forbidden relationship that crosses the boundaries of her social status. From an historical point of view it is refreshing to read of a female challenging her position in society rather than being the naïve protagonist that many novels written during this time period contain. In some ways she is comparable to Jo March in <i>Little Women</i>, and not only because of their shared name.
Having read the first two books in the <i>Waterfire</i> saga, and been slightly disappointed with the writing style, I was a little apprehensive when beginning to read <i>These Shallow Graves</i>. I presumed I would get bored part way through, or find the narrative dreary, however I was pleasantly surprised. Donnelly is significantly better at historical fiction. The book was greatly researched thus the setting and dialogue were perfectly in keeping with the time period.
As with most murder mysteries the murderer is only revealed at the very end of the story. I guessed who it was fairly early on, however that is all it was, a guess. Most readers will be left hanging until the final chapters – will you work out who it was before then?
The Ghosts of the Avant-Garde: Exorcising Experimental Theater and Performance
Book
The Ghosts of the Avant-Garde(s) offers a strikingly new perspective on key controversies and...