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ClareR (6256 KP) rated Maude Horton’s Glorious Revenge in Books

Nov 24, 2024  
Maude Horton’s Glorious Revenge
Maude Horton’s Glorious Revenge
Lizzie Pook | 2024 | Fiction & Poetry
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Maude Horton’s younger sister, Constance, has run away aboard a ship bound for the Arctic and the Northwest Passage. She is killed on the voyage, and Maude is determined to have revenge on the man that she’s sure is responsible for. Constance had kept a diary on board - and everything Maude needs to know is within its pages, even though the admiralty reports that the death was an accident.

Maude is an assistant to her Apothecary grandfather, and she will use whatever it takes to get the truth out of the expedition’s scientist. He is conducting public hanging tours, and Maude joins one of them. I had no idea that there was such a thing! How macabre! Very Victorian, though.

Constance’s diary entries were fascinating - what an experience it must have been, how dangerous (especially for Constance!) and completely different from anything she had ever experienced. Victorian London is described so well, and the hardships of the Arctic, equally so.

Maude’s dedication to her sister is admirable, and it’s refreshing to read about a young woman with so much skill and knowledge. The danger that Maude puts herself in, had me on the edge of my seat!

I listened to this on Xigxag audiobooks, and the narration was excellent. The story was brought to life by the narrator, Genevieve Gaunt.

An adventure-filled, gripping story!
  
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Merissa (14188 KP) rated The Low Road in Books

Jan 23, 2024  
The Low Road
The Low Road
Katharine Quarmby | 2023 | Fiction & Poetry, LGBTQ+
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
THE LOW ROAD is a sombre story that starts in Norfolk and finishes in Australia. Hannah's life as a child is almost idyllic, living on a farm with her mother, together with the farmer and his wife. Unfortunately, it wasn't to last, and the death of the goodwife set in motion a sequence of events that would change Hannah's life forever.

Told from Hannah's perspective, in both present and past tense, you see how 'nicely' poor people were judged, even more so if they were female and the constant threat of unwanted attention. It explained how a child could be found guilty of its mother's 'moral' crimes, which was shocking by itself, but add it together with the rest, and it's one helluva story on every level.

I can't say as I was fully behind the love between Annie and Hannah, although I understand how it would be something to hold on to. It never seemed balanced and real to me, just convenient.

A gripping book to read on hard times in history; absolutely recommended by me.

** 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 - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 22, 2024
  
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ClareR (6256 KP) rated The King’s Mother in Books

Jan 7, 2025  
The King’s Mother
The King’s Mother
Annie Garthwaite | 2024 | Fiction & Poetry
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I realise as I write this that I’ve read The King’s Mother before the first part of this duology (Cecily). Ah well. It hasn’t spoilt my enjoyment one bit, though. I have a fair bit of knowledge of the War of the Roses from Edward and Richard’s points of view, and it was fascinating to learn about Edward’s reign (and later Richard’s) from Cecily.

This novel explores those things that the women, in particular, would have experienced. Their lives wouldn’t have just been about waiting for their husbands, sons and fathers to come home, it would have been about the relationships with other women, their children, and in Cecily’s case, about her relationship to the throne and those in power.

Cecily was a formidable woman (as was Henry VII’s mother, Margaret Beaufort). She saw the death of her husband, sons, and regime changes. She backed her sons up, no matter her personal opinions. She was unendingly loyal - but anyone else was fair game!

This is such a well-researched, gripping read. I would have hated to have been in Cecily’s shoes, and she proved that power didn’t always bring happiness.

This was a fabulous read, and I will go back and read Cecily. If you enjoy historical fiction, then this would be a great addition to your TBR!