Books I've Read: May-June 2023
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hrjMay
The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray (audio)
The Late Mrs. Willoughby by Claudia Gray (audio)
I learned of this somewhat light-hearted murder mystery series (if one may call murder "light-hearted") via a friend's mention in their blog. The premise of the series is that all of Jane Austen’s characters exist in the same story universe and the next generation includes two budding amateur detectives. There were two titles out when I first looked up the series and I zipped through them. (A third volume is coming out in a couple months and I already have it pre-ordered.)
In these two books, some very unlikeable canonical characters are murdered and two original characters—-the son of Pride and Prejudice’s Darcy and Elizabeth, and the daughter of Northanger Abbey’s Catherine and Henry—-team up to investigate. The mysteries are fun, though the writing is repetitive at times. The two central characters are engaging, leading one to root for their eventual romance.
That potential romance is not a central concern, for pertinent reasons. Young Jonathan Darcy is clearly-—if sometimes clumsily—-depicted as on the autism spectrum and Juliet Tilney’s cheerful acceptance of his “oddities” is refreshing. It’s not for me to say if an autistic reader would consider it good representation, but it’s an interesting example of how to do such representation in a historic context. (For what it’s worth, I’ve always considered Austen’s depiction of Mr. Woodhouse in Emma to be someone recognizably on the autism spectrum, though of course Austen had no diagnostic manual as guidance.)
The books are not quite Austen pastiches, but make good use of Austen's characters for original stories. The prose is a bit repetitive and spends entirely too much time reminding us of social rules. But I was willing to forgive the flaws on behalf of the charm.
The Seventh Bride by T. Kingfisher (audio)
A re-making of the Bluebeard story with a lot of fantasy and fierce feminism, and Kingfisher’s usual application of no-nonsense young women to knotty problems. There are some background sapphic elements. It looks like I don't have much to say, but you can usually take it as a given that I love Kingfisher's books.
The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho (audio)
An homage to Chinese martial arts movies, with a fantasy twist and background sapphic elements. I'm afraid it didn't stick enough in memory for me to write more.
Harriet the Invincible (Hamster Princess #1) by Ursula Vernon (text)
On a whim, while on my usual Saturday bike ride to Walnut Creek, I stopped by the library there and looked through their book shop, mostly for interesting hardback titles that I'd enjoy putting in my Little Free Library. This middle-grade title is an utterly delightful and feminist fairy tale. Highly recommended for children of the target age. Especially somewhat adventurous and rebellious girls. (Ursula Vernon is the same author as T. Kingfisher, but the Kingfisher name is for her adult fiction.)
Ruby Finley vs the Interstellar Invasion by Tempest Bradford (text)
Speaking of books I bought with a thought for my Little Free Library, while I was at the Nebulas conference, I picked up this middle-grade sci fi story, which went on to win the Nebula award in its category that weekend. I don’t often buy middle grade books for my own reading, but when I get them for the LFL I take the opportunity to read them first. This is the story about how a young girl with a scientific bent and a fascination with insects investigates a peculiar bug that turns out to be an interstellar visitor. Highly recommended for the young scientists in your social circle.
An Island Princess Starts a Scandal by Adriana Herrera (audio)
This is part of the Las Léonas romance series, focusing on a group of young women, all Caribbean heiresses, attending the 1889 Paris Exposition together to further their individual personal goals and, incidentally, to find love. This is the second book and the only one with a sapphic romance. The plotlines intertwine with each other which makes for some odd jumps and gaps, but I didn't have trouble following it as an isolated read. The heroine has come to Paris for one last sapphic fling before the marriage that will repair her family’s fortunes and reputation. The central couple are the perfect mismatched-but-actually-perfectly-matched pair, and each came complete with a posse of fiercely loyal and non-nonsense friends. There’s some fairly steamy content starting around the mid-point. I’m usually fairly “meh” about sex scenes, the language was so lovely that I rather enjoyed this one...until it went on and on and on.
The Bluestocking Beds her Bride by Fenna Edgewood (audio)
This sapphic historical romance was a bit hard to sort out. If I had to describe it, I’d say an allegedly Regency setting, tackling more Victorian-flavored social issues, with a modern thriller/caper plot and a side order of “here are some fun facts I learned from books about lesbian history.” There’s significant explicit sexual content, although in general the romance takes a back seat to the action. It didn’t quite hit my sweet spot, although mostly in being all over the map historically. (I'm poking at writing an essay on a certain type of historic romance that feels unmoored in time and seems to be rather popular these days. This is one of the books that got me thinking on the topic.)
June
Sixpenny Octavo by Annick Trent (text)
I got a slow start on this book, but it was worth the effort. This is a sweet, slow-paced romance set in the late 18th century featuring working-class young women in London who get caught up in the political turmoil around “dangerous publications.” The historical grounding is excellent and the interior lives of the central characters are very believable and true to the setting.
The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women by Elizabeth Norton (audio, non-fiction)
This was an Audible free book and I figured it would make good casual listening and deep-background research on women’s lives. I was a little disappointed that it implied it was focused on ordinary women’s lives but ended up centering largely around royalty and a few celebrities, with much less content on everyday lives sprinkled throughout.
The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman (audio)
This book came to my attention through an interview on Smart Bitches Trashy Podcast, but in the end I wasn't as charmed by it as I expected. It's something between a novel in three acts and a collection of three connected novellas. Two spinster sisters decide to rescue various imperiled women with the aid of a disinherited nobleman-turned-highwayman who of course turns out to be the love interest. More of a dark thriller than a romantic adventure, which was what I thought I was getting. And the dark parts can be very dark indeed to the point of unpleasantness. Trigger warning for all sorts of period-appropriate misogyny, domestic abuse, and forced incarceration.
Books Out Of Order -- While doing housekeeping on my reviews database, I found an item that should have been in an early post.
February 2023
Sistersong by Lucy Holland (audio)
Inspired by a cross-over between Britain in the midst of the Saxon invasions, and the folk song about a murdered sister who is converted into a harp that sings her fate, we follow three very different sisters with magical connections to the land: one whose disfigurement makes her hungry for love, one whose self-centered spite brings disaster, and one who is destined to cross gender boundaries and become king. It’s a complex story with many twists and turns, revealing key elements of the past and present in a gradual fashion. (I did spot some of those keys in advance, which added to my enjoyment of the book.) The story was slow at first, and the conflict between Christian and non-Christian elements was a bit overdone, but the story picked up as it went along.
The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray (audio)
The Late Mrs. Willoughby by Claudia Gray (audio)
I learned of this somewhat light-hearted murder mystery series (if one may call murder "light-hearted") via a friend's mention in their blog. The premise of the series is that all of Jane Austen’s characters exist in the same story universe and the next generation includes two budding amateur detectives. There were two titles out when I first looked up the series and I zipped through them. (A third volume is coming out in a couple months and I already have it pre-ordered.)
In these two books, some very unlikeable canonical characters are murdered and two original characters—-the son of Pride and Prejudice’s Darcy and Elizabeth, and the daughter of Northanger Abbey’s Catherine and Henry—-team up to investigate. The mysteries are fun, though the writing is repetitive at times. The two central characters are engaging, leading one to root for their eventual romance.
That potential romance is not a central concern, for pertinent reasons. Young Jonathan Darcy is clearly-—if sometimes clumsily—-depicted as on the autism spectrum and Juliet Tilney’s cheerful acceptance of his “oddities” is refreshing. It’s not for me to say if an autistic reader would consider it good representation, but it’s an interesting example of how to do such representation in a historic context. (For what it’s worth, I’ve always considered Austen’s depiction of Mr. Woodhouse in Emma to be someone recognizably on the autism spectrum, though of course Austen had no diagnostic manual as guidance.)
The books are not quite Austen pastiches, but make good use of Austen's characters for original stories. The prose is a bit repetitive and spends entirely too much time reminding us of social rules. But I was willing to forgive the flaws on behalf of the charm.
The Seventh Bride by T. Kingfisher (audio)
A re-making of the Bluebeard story with a lot of fantasy and fierce feminism, and Kingfisher’s usual application of no-nonsense young women to knotty problems. There are some background sapphic elements. It looks like I don't have much to say, but you can usually take it as a given that I love Kingfisher's books.
The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho (audio)
An homage to Chinese martial arts movies, with a fantasy twist and background sapphic elements. I'm afraid it didn't stick enough in memory for me to write more.
Harriet the Invincible (Hamster Princess #1) by Ursula Vernon (text)
On a whim, while on my usual Saturday bike ride to Walnut Creek, I stopped by the library there and looked through their book shop, mostly for interesting hardback titles that I'd enjoy putting in my Little Free Library. This middle-grade title is an utterly delightful and feminist fairy tale. Highly recommended for children of the target age. Especially somewhat adventurous and rebellious girls. (Ursula Vernon is the same author as T. Kingfisher, but the Kingfisher name is for her adult fiction.)
Ruby Finley vs the Interstellar Invasion by Tempest Bradford (text)
Speaking of books I bought with a thought for my Little Free Library, while I was at the Nebulas conference, I picked up this middle-grade sci fi story, which went on to win the Nebula award in its category that weekend. I don’t often buy middle grade books for my own reading, but when I get them for the LFL I take the opportunity to read them first. This is the story about how a young girl with a scientific bent and a fascination with insects investigates a peculiar bug that turns out to be an interstellar visitor. Highly recommended for the young scientists in your social circle.
An Island Princess Starts a Scandal by Adriana Herrera (audio)
This is part of the Las Léonas romance series, focusing on a group of young women, all Caribbean heiresses, attending the 1889 Paris Exposition together to further their individual personal goals and, incidentally, to find love. This is the second book and the only one with a sapphic romance. The plotlines intertwine with each other which makes for some odd jumps and gaps, but I didn't have trouble following it as an isolated read. The heroine has come to Paris for one last sapphic fling before the marriage that will repair her family’s fortunes and reputation. The central couple are the perfect mismatched-but-actually-perfectly-matched pair, and each came complete with a posse of fiercely loyal and non-nonsense friends. There’s some fairly steamy content starting around the mid-point. I’m usually fairly “meh” about sex scenes, the language was so lovely that I rather enjoyed this one...until it went on and on and on.
The Bluestocking Beds her Bride by Fenna Edgewood (audio)
This sapphic historical romance was a bit hard to sort out. If I had to describe it, I’d say an allegedly Regency setting, tackling more Victorian-flavored social issues, with a modern thriller/caper plot and a side order of “here are some fun facts I learned from books about lesbian history.” There’s significant explicit sexual content, although in general the romance takes a back seat to the action. It didn’t quite hit my sweet spot, although mostly in being all over the map historically. (I'm poking at writing an essay on a certain type of historic romance that feels unmoored in time and seems to be rather popular these days. This is one of the books that got me thinking on the topic.)
June
Sixpenny Octavo by Annick Trent (text)
I got a slow start on this book, but it was worth the effort. This is a sweet, slow-paced romance set in the late 18th century featuring working-class young women in London who get caught up in the political turmoil around “dangerous publications.” The historical grounding is excellent and the interior lives of the central characters are very believable and true to the setting.
The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women by Elizabeth Norton (audio, non-fiction)
This was an Audible free book and I figured it would make good casual listening and deep-background research on women’s lives. I was a little disappointed that it implied it was focused on ordinary women’s lives but ended up centering largely around royalty and a few celebrities, with much less content on everyday lives sprinkled throughout.
The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman (audio)
This book came to my attention through an interview on Smart Bitches Trashy Podcast, but in the end I wasn't as charmed by it as I expected. It's something between a novel in three acts and a collection of three connected novellas. Two spinster sisters decide to rescue various imperiled women with the aid of a disinherited nobleman-turned-highwayman who of course turns out to be the love interest. More of a dark thriller than a romantic adventure, which was what I thought I was getting. And the dark parts can be very dark indeed to the point of unpleasantness. Trigger warning for all sorts of period-appropriate misogyny, domestic abuse, and forced incarceration.
Books Out Of Order -- While doing housekeeping on my reviews database, I found an item that should have been in an early post.
February 2023
Sistersong by Lucy Holland (audio)
Inspired by a cross-over between Britain in the midst of the Saxon invasions, and the folk song about a murdered sister who is converted into a harp that sings her fate, we follow three very different sisters with magical connections to the land: one whose disfigurement makes her hungry for love, one whose self-centered spite brings disaster, and one who is destined to cross gender boundaries and become king. It’s a complex story with many twists and turns, revealing key elements of the past and present in a gradual fashion. (I did spot some of those keys in advance, which added to my enjoyment of the book.) The story was slow at first, and the conflict between Christian and non-Christian elements was a bit overdone, but the story picked up as it went along.
