Six Months, Three Days, Five Others
Book
"A master absurdist...Highly recommended." ―The New York Times Before the success of her debut...
Science fiction
The Recognitions
Book
A postmodern masterpiece about fraud and forgery by one of the most venerated novelists of the last...
The Murderess Must Die
Book
On a winter day in 1898, hundreds of spectators gather at a Brooklyn courthouse, scrambling for a...
Historical Fiction Crime
The White Headhunter
Book
A REMARKABLE TRUE-LIFE HEART OF DARKNESS In 1868, Jack Renton, a teenage Scots sailor, was...
Memoir History Biography
Exhalation: Stories
Book
From an award-winning science fiction writer (whose short story "The Story of Your Life" was the...
Proving Grounds
Tabletop Game
Maia Strongheart stands alone against the world. A cabal of conspirators has framed her for the...
The Man Who Broke into Auschwitz
Book
THE MAN WHO BROKE INTO AUSCHWITZ is the extraordinary true story of a British soldier who marched...
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Katherine of Aragon, the True Queen in Books
Sep 6, 2021
Book
Katherine of Aragon the true Queen ( Six Tudor Wives)
By Alison Weir
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
A Spanish princess. Raised to be modest, obedient and devout. Destined to be an English Queen.
Six weeks from home across treacherous seas, everything is different: the language, the food, the weather. And for her there is no comfort in any of it. At sixteen-years-old, Catalina is alone among strangers.
She misses her mother. She mourns her lost brother.
She cannot trust even those assigned to her protection.
KATHERINE OF ARAGON. The first of Henry's Queens. Her story.
History tells us how she died. This captivating novel shows us how she lived.
It took me a bit longer than normal to finish this book I really enjoyed it but came away feel so sad for Katherine. I’m fascinated with this period of history and she is one queen who always hits the heart when I read her story. This is one of the best ones I’ve read so far and knowing Alison kept as close as possible to history made me even more sad. Something about the princesses of Wales they always get dealt a hard blow by the monarchy. Overall it was a beautifully written version of her. Looking forward to reading Anne’s next.
The Stable Boy of Auschwitz [Audiobook]
Book
This heart-wrenching memoir from a Holocaust survivor reveals the terrible realities of life in...
ClareR (5716 KP) rated End of Story in Books
Apr 14, 2023
It’s 2035, fiction has been banned for the last five years, and even owning a work of fiction is a criminal act. Fern Dostoy had won a prestigious book award before the laws came in to force, and now she isn’t allowed to write. She has random home checks by frightening men in suits, is threatened by imprisonment - or worse.
I found this a very disturbing read - I mean, I would be among the first to be booked in to a stay at His Majesty’s Pleasure (aka, prison). And is this so very far from the truth right now?
Some aspects of the pandemic are referred to, especially the isolation that so many people struggled through.
This is a pretty bleak read, but I just loved it. It’s touching, too, and gave me a lot to think about. This isn’t a book to race through (or it at least needs a second read), because it throws up so many questions with regards to fiction, the arts and society in general.
As Fern says: “if you tell a story we’ll enough, it’s true”. I honestly hope not in this case!
Highly recommended - and many thanks to The Pigeonhole and Louise for reading along with us.