Book Review Year 6 No 3

[smallhobbit]

Six more books, and due to lockdown, none of them were from the library.

The Spanish Bride by Georgette Heyer

This was recommended by moth2fic as one of the ushobwri suggestions. It's very many years since I've read any Heyer, although I've listened to a few audiobooks, but I enjoyed becoming reacquainted. The story takes place during Wellington's Peninsular campaign and concludes at the Battle of Waterloo and there's a lot of army action as well as romance, which I found an excellent mix.


A Vineyard in Andalusia by Maria Duenas

Duenas is my favourite author, and although I began the book some months ago and got sidetracked I had no trouble picking the story up again. It begins in 1861 in Mexico City, moves to Havana and finishes in Jerez. I liked all the local colour and the settings - which is unusual for me, too much description and I'll start to skip parts, and the characters are compelling. I really enjoyed the book and the drama within it and the twists and turns which kept coming.


Final Curtain by Ngaio Marsh

This was a fun case, particularly as it involved Agatha Troy. In fact Alleyn doesn't start to investigate until nearly halfway through, but because Troy has been present all the characters are already described with all their annoying idiosyncrasies.


Deep Waters (Mysteries on the Waves) edited by Martin Edwards

More short stories from the Golden Age of crime fiction. I had bought the book (MIL book token) to take when we went away at the end of March, so I ended up reading it over Easter instead. I skipped the first story (ACD's The Adventure of the Gloria Scott) and enjoyed the variety of tales.


The Black Count by Tom Reiss

My fourth recommendation from ushobwri this time from green   It's the biography of Alexandre Dumas, the father of the author of the same name.  He was the son of a French nobleman and his black slave and born in the French sugar colony of Saint-Dominique.  He went on to become a successful general in the French army, but for various reasons, including the colour of his skin lost everything before his death.  It was a very interesting read about someone who was very different and seeing a bit more about French life at the time.


Women Artists by Flavia Frigeri

SM bought this for me when I was unable to go with him to London for his birthday concert.  (I'd paid for the ticket.)  The book lists over 50 women artists from the late 1500s onwards.  I found the early periods very interesting, but the second half of the book was about modern artists, a considerable number of whom used art forms other than painting, and I had little interest in them.  I found them too determined to put forward a point of view, and their artwork required explanation, which isn't what I look for in art.  But I liked the earlier artists.


My book bingo card:

Comments

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

I like your Bingo sheet! I went back to earlier posts and read what you wrote about the second Ovidia Yu.

I have seen Deep Waters. One day I will read all of those British Classics. They all look so good.

I think I had a bad experience with a Heyer (vague memory) but she's written so much that I'm certain if I tried I could find one I liked.

I haven't read Final Curtain. I want to, though.

[smallhobbit]

I suspect with Heyer although you'd probably like some it might not be worth reading through them to find which one.

I am sure it can be arranged for you to read both Deep Waters and Final Curtain :)

[kingstoken]

The book bingo is looking good, you're getting close to a couple of bingos!

[smallhobbit]

Creeping up on it! Thank you!

[margaret_r]

Some interesting reads there. If you're looking for something for your banned bingo card you could try Black Beauty, it was banned in South Africa in the apartheid era because of the implications of the title ...

[smallhobbit]

I've never read Black Beauty! It's strange the things which are banned.

I have one substitute category left, plus two extra free spaces I can use, so I may not need them.

[moth2fic]

I'm glad you liked The Spanish Bride. You might enjoy An Infamous Army, too, which covers Waterloo and has a similar mix of personal and military.

I've put the Maria Duenas book on my wishlist.

I liked Final Curtain too, though it's years since I read it.

[smallhobbit]

An Infamous Army is already on my To Be Read shelf - along with several other books so it may be a while before I get to it ;)

If you don't mind waiting I shall be happy to send you my copy of A Vineyard in Andalusia.

Somehow Ngaio Marsh slipped through my radar before, but I'm enjoying her books now.

[moth2fic]

I don't mind waiting at all!! How lovely! My tbr pile is tottering, and my Kindle is protesting, too, so it seemed sensible to put it on a wish list that would be unlikely to be satisfied before my birthday in the autumn, or Christmas!

I always preferred Ngaio Marsh to Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayers. I found her characters much more 'real'.

[luthienberen]

A nice Bingo sheet! I like the variety of books you have read. From your reviews now I think I like the sound of The Black Count by Tom Reiss the best due to the fascinating life it retells - added to my To-Read-List!

[smallhobbit]

Following up on people's recs makes sure I read a variety of books. The Black Count does have a fascinating if ultimately tragic life.