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ClareR (6079 KP) rated Our Hideous Progeny in Books
Aug 15, 2023
Our Hideous Progeny by C E McGill picks up the history of the Frankenstein’s where Mary Shelleys novel left off, give or take a generation. Except Mary in this story doesn’t know anything about her Great Uncle Victor. She does know that he went missing in the Artic in mysterious circumstances, but it’s not until she finds some letters that she learns the extent of his work.
Mary is a keen scientist, helping her husband Henry in his geological work. Without wealth and connections though, there is little they can do to really make their names in the field. So when she discovers Victor’s papers, she and her husband decide that there is only one thing to do. So they take themselves off to Henry’s old family home in Scotland to try and create a monster of their own.
Henry is a bit of an idiot though, and has managed to make himself some enemies, and one such turns up on the doorstep demanding money. When they explain to him what they’re doing, he demands to take part - and then things start to go wrong.
I really liked the female characters in this: Mary, and Henry’s reclusive and sickly sister, Maisie. They are determined (even in Maisie’s illness she isn’t a walkover) and intelligent. It was quite frustrating to see Mary treated so badly, whilst at the same time the men relied on her to do a lot of the work. It is her moral compass that grounds the endeavour, but to be fair, they don’t seem to listen to her much (of course, they know better!).
There’s a real sense of time and place in this - from the attitudes of the men towards the women, to the attitudes of the upper classes towards the lower. Horse and carriages, steam trains and bathing houses all entrenched the novel firmly in the Victorian age.
This really is a phenomenal read, and I loved it. There’s nothing like a strong female character or two having a go at the patriarchy to make my day!!
Mary is a keen scientist, helping her husband Henry in his geological work. Without wealth and connections though, there is little they can do to really make their names in the field. So when she discovers Victor’s papers, she and her husband decide that there is only one thing to do. So they take themselves off to Henry’s old family home in Scotland to try and create a monster of their own.
Henry is a bit of an idiot though, and has managed to make himself some enemies, and one such turns up on the doorstep demanding money. When they explain to him what they’re doing, he demands to take part - and then things start to go wrong.
I really liked the female characters in this: Mary, and Henry’s reclusive and sickly sister, Maisie. They are determined (even in Maisie’s illness she isn’t a walkover) and intelligent. It was quite frustrating to see Mary treated so badly, whilst at the same time the men relied on her to do a lot of the work. It is her moral compass that grounds the endeavour, but to be fair, they don’t seem to listen to her much (of course, they know better!).
There’s a real sense of time and place in this - from the attitudes of the men towards the women, to the attitudes of the upper classes towards the lower. Horse and carriages, steam trains and bathing houses all entrenched the novel firmly in the Victorian age.
This really is a phenomenal read, and I loved it. There’s nothing like a strong female character or two having a go at the patriarchy to make my day!!
The London Forgery (A Fabiola Bennett Mystery #1)
Book
1973. Art historian Fabiola Bennett sees herself as a prudently observant deer who becomes a daring...
Historical Mystery Dual Timeline
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Maggie Bright: A Novel of Dunkirk in Books
Jan 2, 2019
The entire history of the world is about to change as Hitler marches his troops across Europe. Can the actions of one person make a difference?
Clare Childs has mysteriously inherited the Maggie Bright. Her suspicions that Maggie holds a secret are proven when a thief comes aboard. Clare is suddenly thrown into the middle of a Scotland Yard investigation that could finally expose one of Hitler's darkest schemes. While on the other side of the channel, Private Jamie Elliot has been tasked with the mission of returning a wounded captain home. The captain has suffered a head injury and the only words he speaks are quotes from John Milton's Paradise Lost. When Churchill calls for civilians to help rescue the stranded British Army from Dunkirk, Clare knows that Maggie must go. Piloted by William Percy, a detective inspector and Murray Vance, a world renowned cartoonist, the Maggie Bright goes to war.
“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” - C.S. Lewis
Never have these words rung more true for me than when I finished reading Maggie Bright. I wish the story would go on and on. I absolutely love reading about World War II. There is so much evil during this period, but there is also hope and light. Nations coming together with a singular purpose. Fighting and dying side by side. I am ashamed to admit that most of my knowledge of WWII begins with D-Day and America's involvement. My eyes have been opened wide with England's trials at the beginning of the war. I cried four times while reading this book! The horror is real, the fight unbearable, yet the men and women who sacrificed everything did so for us today. So that we might have hope and know that no matter how dark things become, we shall press on to victory.
"God towards thee hath done his part, do thine" - John Milton, Paradise Lost
I received a free copy of Maggie Bright from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.
Clare Childs has mysteriously inherited the Maggie Bright. Her suspicions that Maggie holds a secret are proven when a thief comes aboard. Clare is suddenly thrown into the middle of a Scotland Yard investigation that could finally expose one of Hitler's darkest schemes. While on the other side of the channel, Private Jamie Elliot has been tasked with the mission of returning a wounded captain home. The captain has suffered a head injury and the only words he speaks are quotes from John Milton's Paradise Lost. When Churchill calls for civilians to help rescue the stranded British Army from Dunkirk, Clare knows that Maggie must go. Piloted by William Percy, a detective inspector and Murray Vance, a world renowned cartoonist, the Maggie Bright goes to war.
“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” - C.S. Lewis
Never have these words rung more true for me than when I finished reading Maggie Bright. I wish the story would go on and on. I absolutely love reading about World War II. There is so much evil during this period, but there is also hope and light. Nations coming together with a singular purpose. Fighting and dying side by side. I am ashamed to admit that most of my knowledge of WWII begins with D-Day and America's involvement. My eyes have been opened wide with England's trials at the beginning of the war. I cried four times while reading this book! The horror is real, the fight unbearable, yet the men and women who sacrificed everything did so for us today. So that we might have hope and know that no matter how dark things become, we shall press on to victory.
"God towards thee hath done his part, do thine" - John Milton, Paradise Lost
I received a free copy of Maggie Bright from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Getting Hot with the Scot in Books
Jun 21, 2019
From their freshman year in college, Cassie and her friends may a promise to each other that they would take a European vacation five years after graduation. So that's is where they are. Finishing up their trip in Scotland and then London. All Cassie wants out of this trip is to end her dry spell in the bedroom, but as the trip comes to a close, it doesn't look as though that is going to happen. And then she sees the man she's be waiting for. A long-haired redhead in a kilt named Logan Reid. Could it be more perfect? Cassie throws all her inhibitions to the side and goes for what she wants. Will the be just a vacation fling or something much more.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book. I'm participating in a blog tour for this title next week on my blog, so be sure to check it out. There will be an author interview as well as an audiobook excerpt for the book.
First of all, I would just like to say that I wish I had a good group of girlfriends I could travel around Europe with, or even just explore things here in my own hometown. When Cassie embarked on this journey with her friends, in the back of her mind, she was hoping for a romantic fling in a foreign country. She has never been the relationship type and so, a fling is all she needs to get her over this dry spell.
Logan Reid is Scotland's jokster, his show Shenanigans is gaining quite a bit of attention in Europe as well as across the pond. When Cassie throws herself at him, he is shocked to say the very least, but from that moment forward, she has a hold on him, that he can't seem to shake. Logan is not the relationship type either, but what this woman is doing to him, could change all of that.
From Europe to Chicago, will these two find love they so desperately are trying to avoid, or will they enjoy their fling and go on about their lives?
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book. I'm participating in a blog tour for this title next week on my blog, so be sure to check it out. There will be an author interview as well as an audiobook excerpt for the book.
First of all, I would just like to say that I wish I had a good group of girlfriends I could travel around Europe with, or even just explore things here in my own hometown. When Cassie embarked on this journey with her friends, in the back of her mind, she was hoping for a romantic fling in a foreign country. She has never been the relationship type and so, a fling is all she needs to get her over this dry spell.
Logan Reid is Scotland's jokster, his show Shenanigans is gaining quite a bit of attention in Europe as well as across the pond. When Cassie throws herself at him, he is shocked to say the very least, but from that moment forward, she has a hold on him, that he can't seem to shake. Logan is not the relationship type either, but what this woman is doing to him, could change all of that.
From Europe to Chicago, will these two find love they so desperately are trying to avoid, or will they enjoy their fling and go on about their lives?
Iron Blade
Games
App
... To all Action-RPG fans: The ancient prophecies were true. The Demon Lord Baal is set to return...
The Prince Who Would be King: The Life and Death of Henry Stuart
Book
Henry Stuart's life is the last great forgotten Jacobean tale. Shadowed by the gravity of the Thirty...
Ascent
Book
Sir Chris Bonington is Britain's premier mountain man. Ascent will chart his childhood, and...
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4
7.3
Rate It
Book
Re-issued with the charming original artwork from 1982, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4...
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Out For Blood (DI Eve Hunter #2) in Books
Dec 13, 2020
After reading and enjoying the first in this series, Hold Your Tongue, I was looking forward to getting my teeth into this one and I wasn't disappointed. I will say that although you don't necessarily have to have read the first, I do think you will enjoy this second one more if you do.
This is a gritty police procedural set in Aberdeen, Scotland which delves into the seedy and repulsive world of human trafficking but what does the death of a privileged young man and the apparent suicide of a young woman have in common? On first impressions, absolutely nothing however, DI Hunter and her team set about investigating and what they find is worse than they expected.
Mainly written from Eve's perspective interspersed with other characters and those of an unknown young woman, this gave insight from all the important protagonists in this book and provided a well-rounded view of the situation from all angles. The characters are well developed and believable with the relationships between Eve and her wider team excellently portrayed.
The story is a difficult one to read in parts but, I felt, was dealt with respectfully but with no holds-barred which made it feel authentic making me feel both sad and angry in equal measure that these things are likely to be happening to someone right now! The pace is good, it does start off a little slow but increases as the story develops and this follows the pace of the investigation, again making it feel believable and, once again, the author manages to keep the identity of the killer well hidden which kept me guessing and second guessing throughout.
Overall, I have no hesitation in recommending this to others who enjoy a cleverly written and gripping police procedural and I look forward to reading the next instalment in what is a great series with DI Hunter fast becoming a favourite character of mine.
I was fortunate enough to have been invited to read an advance copy by Transworld Publishers, part of Penguin Random House UK, via NetGalley in return for an unbiased and unedited review and for which, I am thankful.
This is a gritty police procedural set in Aberdeen, Scotland which delves into the seedy and repulsive world of human trafficking but what does the death of a privileged young man and the apparent suicide of a young woman have in common? On first impressions, absolutely nothing however, DI Hunter and her team set about investigating and what they find is worse than they expected.
Mainly written from Eve's perspective interspersed with other characters and those of an unknown young woman, this gave insight from all the important protagonists in this book and provided a well-rounded view of the situation from all angles. The characters are well developed and believable with the relationships between Eve and her wider team excellently portrayed.
The story is a difficult one to read in parts but, I felt, was dealt with respectfully but with no holds-barred which made it feel authentic making me feel both sad and angry in equal measure that these things are likely to be happening to someone right now! The pace is good, it does start off a little slow but increases as the story develops and this follows the pace of the investigation, again making it feel believable and, once again, the author manages to keep the identity of the killer well hidden which kept me guessing and second guessing throughout.
Overall, I have no hesitation in recommending this to others who enjoy a cleverly written and gripping police procedural and I look forward to reading the next instalment in what is a great series with DI Hunter fast becoming a favourite character of mine.
I was fortunate enough to have been invited to read an advance copy by Transworld Publishers, part of Penguin Random House UK, via NetGalley in return for an unbiased and unedited review and for which, I am thankful.
Banking 4i
Finance and Business
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Mit Banking 4i haben Sie alle Ihre Konten bei nahezu 3000 deutschen Kreditinstituten sowie PayPal...