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Eleanor (1463 KP) rated The Mercies in Books
Jan 23, 2020 (Updated Jan 23, 2020)
A Chilling Tale of Witch Hunting
Throughout this book, I felt cold and kept having to pile on the blankets. The writing so effectively evoked the feelings of being in a remote Norway setting in the 17th Century - burrrrrr. The writing style took a little getting used to but it really added to the atmosphere in terms of the historical and geographical setting making for an engrossing historical fiction.
The book begins with a freak storm killing most (all the able-bodied) men who were fishing from the small village of Vardo. (This is based on a true story - the storm thing really did happen to a village of that time.) It’s a horrific tragedy and the women left behind have to work out how to survive without their husbands and sons. From the village, the tale is told from the perspective of Maren who loses her father, brother and betrothed.
With news of the circumstances of the village spreading a commissioner is appointed and travels from Scotland to oversee the village (because God only knows what could happen if you left women to sort stuff out themselves!!) It being the 17th Century, travel takes a long time and he stops off to get himself a wife on the way (must-have travel accessory) so the village gets by for many a year without oversight. With the arrival of the commissioner and his wife (Ursa) life again gets turned on its head as it turns out the new Commissioner has a knack for witch-hunting.
Although I found the pace a bit too slow for my liking it had a great feel and really evoked the frustration for the world women lived in at the time. With at times graphic descriptions of the way witch hunts were operated it’s at times a hard read. With the slow build, I did find the ending a bit rushed and unsatisfying but was left with plenty to reflect upon.
Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The book begins with a freak storm killing most (all the able-bodied) men who were fishing from the small village of Vardo. (This is based on a true story - the storm thing really did happen to a village of that time.) It’s a horrific tragedy and the women left behind have to work out how to survive without their husbands and sons. From the village, the tale is told from the perspective of Maren who loses her father, brother and betrothed.
With news of the circumstances of the village spreading a commissioner is appointed and travels from Scotland to oversee the village (because God only knows what could happen if you left women to sort stuff out themselves!!) It being the 17th Century, travel takes a long time and he stops off to get himself a wife on the way (must-have travel accessory) so the village gets by for many a year without oversight. With the arrival of the commissioner and his wife (Ursa) life again gets turned on its head as it turns out the new Commissioner has a knack for witch-hunting.
Although I found the pace a bit too slow for my liking it had a great feel and really evoked the frustration for the world women lived in at the time. With at times graphic descriptions of the way witch hunts were operated it’s at times a hard read. With the slow build, I did find the ending a bit rushed and unsatisfying but was left with plenty to reflect upon.
Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
David McK (3770 KP) rated Map of Bones (Sigma Force, #2) in Books
Jan 28, 2019 (Updated Sep 12, 2021)
<2021 update>
It's interesting going back to the beginning ('Sandstorm') as I did recently, and seeing how the series as a whole develops. This one is not quite as good as I remember it being, perhaps due my having read the the later novels ... ?
While this may not be the first SIGMA force novel, it is the first in which (what I would term) the core team of Commander Gray Pearce, Monk Kokkalis and Kat Bryant are first put together, and is also the first novel in the series which I read. Thankfully, while there may be the occasional reference to other events, it is not necessary to read the books in order.
SIGMA is best described as, basically, scientists with guns, and these novels invite (perhaps, even, demand) comparisons with Dan Brown as they are based on the same type of subject matter and follow the same plot outlines: secret orders, puzzles to be solved, races against time, and so on.
Based on this book, I would (and have) read more by this author (although I'll admit to being extremely annoyed with some of the characterisations in "Excavation").
It's interesting going back to the beginning ('Sandstorm') as I did recently, and seeing how the series as a whole develops. This one is not quite as good as I remember it being, perhaps due my having read the the later novels ... ?
While this may not be the first SIGMA force novel, it is the first in which (what I would term) the core team of Commander Gray Pearce, Monk Kokkalis and Kat Bryant are first put together, and is also the first novel in the series which I read. Thankfully, while there may be the occasional reference to other events, it is not necessary to read the books in order.
SIGMA is best described as, basically, scientists with guns, and these novels invite (perhaps, even, demand) comparisons with Dan Brown as they are based on the same type of subject matter and follow the same plot outlines: secret orders, puzzles to be solved, races against time, and so on.
Based on this book, I would (and have) read more by this author (although I'll admit to being extremely annoyed with some of the characterisations in "Excavation").
Fast Jets and Other Beasts: Personal Insights from the Cockput of the Hunter, Phantom, Jaguar, Tornado and Many More
Book
Over a thirty-two-year military flying career which spanned a period when the RAF regularly replaced...
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Divergent in Books
Feb 11, 2019
So this book is a bit of a recycled plot - whether or not Roth was aware that it resembled Hunger Games. Honestly, though, I really don't care. The book was entertaining, the world-building was still unique, and I can't wait to read the next one.
I found the idea of dividing society into factions based on a specific personality trait interesting in that I wanted much greater detail about each faction, much more so than the main character, Tris, was willing to provide. Tris is a teenager being forced into making the greatest decision of her life, and there just is not time for dwelling on the details. I found the simulation that is designed to help decide the faction of each individual too simplistic. Human beings are complex creatures, and an individual's personal prerogatives can change very easily from year to year. Abnegation, Amity, Erudite, Candor, Dauntless, or the rebellious Divergent - I could easily fit into any of these at different times in my life. The characters in the book are no different.
Much of the book centers around Tris undergoing the trials of becoming Dauntless, with details of the other factions trickling in, as well as the state of the political current. While this world of factions was originally created with the best of intentions, corruption has set in at all levels, and Tris's world will be toppled by the end of the book. While her trials are a journey of self-discovery, she is also forced to grow up quickly to protect the people she loves.
The only thing I would have liked to end differently is what happens to Tris's mother - with everything that we discover about her, she could have been a fountain of fascinating plot elements. Unfortunately, in most YA books, parental figures rarely stick around. Hopefully, I will get my hands on Insurgent soon!
I found the idea of dividing society into factions based on a specific personality trait interesting in that I wanted much greater detail about each faction, much more so than the main character, Tris, was willing to provide. Tris is a teenager being forced into making the greatest decision of her life, and there just is not time for dwelling on the details. I found the simulation that is designed to help decide the faction of each individual too simplistic. Human beings are complex creatures, and an individual's personal prerogatives can change very easily from year to year. Abnegation, Amity, Erudite, Candor, Dauntless, or the rebellious Divergent - I could easily fit into any of these at different times in my life. The characters in the book are no different.
Much of the book centers around Tris undergoing the trials of becoming Dauntless, with details of the other factions trickling in, as well as the state of the political current. While this world of factions was originally created with the best of intentions, corruption has set in at all levels, and Tris's world will be toppled by the end of the book. While her trials are a journey of self-discovery, she is also forced to grow up quickly to protect the people she loves.
The only thing I would have liked to end differently is what happens to Tris's mother - with everything that we discover about her, she could have been a fountain of fascinating plot elements. Unfortunately, in most YA books, parental figures rarely stick around. Hopefully, I will get my hands on Insurgent soon!
Rembrandt: The Late Works
Gregor J. M. Weber, Jonathan Bikker, Marjorie E. Wieseman and Erik Hinterding
Book
The first book to focus exclusively on the extraordinary paintings, drawings, and prints that...
Basketball's Greatest Stars
Book
Profiles of the very best NBA players and a great history of the game. The spectacular success of...
CONFLICT - the Insiders' Guide to Storytelling in Factual/reality TV & Film: The C.O.N.F.L.I.C.T Toolkit for TV and Film Producers
Book
"The recipe book of great television from one of the best TV makers in the world" Jamie Oliver Story...
Dereliction of Duty
Book
"The war in Vietnam was not lost in the field, nor was it lost on the front pages of the New York...
Before You Wake: Life Lessons from a Father to His Children
Book
From Erick Erickson, "arguably the most powerful conservative in America today" (The Atlantic), an...
ClareR (6134 KP) Jan 23, 2020
Eleanor (1463 KP) Jan 25, 2020