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The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell

September 19, 2022

marriage

I adored Maggie O’Farrell’s last novel, Hamnet. She returns, with another novel set in the 1500s, but in Italy this time. The Marriage Portrait is about a young Italian princess and bride, Lucrezia of the famous Medici family, known for its support of key artists and scientists of the Renaissance. The Marriage Portrait is both her story and the name of one of the few portraits ... Read More...

2 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: 16th century, historical fiction, Italy, literary

Joan: A Novel by Katherine J. Chen

August 15, 2022

joan

Fresh week and time to really start sharing my summer reading. I’m coming in hot with a 5-star novel that is on track to be a favorite of the year. It’s Joan by Katherine Chen. The novel is about Joan of Arc, but is cast from the same mold as renderings of great men from historical times with few written records. Embellishing? Maybe, only this time, I’m here for it. What is ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: 15th century, France, historical fiction

Booth: A Novel by Karen Joy Fowler

June 21, 2022

booth

I’m not a Civil War buff so have never paid much attention to the time period, but when I saw Karen Joy Fowler had a new novel out, I knew I wanted to read it regardless of subject matter. Which is how I found myself immersed in the serpentine history of one of America’s most infamous families, the Booths. Fowler’s novel is Booth and it is not just about John, but his entire ... Read More...

6 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: Civil War, historical fiction, Southern life

Bloomsbury Girls: A Novel

June 6, 2022

bloomsbury

Hello! Before I get into my thoughts on the book I need to preface them. If you’ve been reading this blog for a while (thank you!) you know at least two things about me. One, my disdain for books I deem too sweet or cozy. Two, I’m not quiet when it comes to my thoughts about women’s rights. These are not worlds that usually collide, but today I have a 5-star fabulous novel, ... Read More...

6 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: chick lit, England, historical fiction, women

May Reading Recap

May 31, 2022

May

Wait a minute—is May over? I’m pretty sure I was cheated out of a week. Or maybe it’s just that the bad news is coming at a faster pace, whether it’s the increasing attack on women’s rights or the unrelenting uptick in gun violence. I veer between apathy and a rage that wants to know: why doesn’t the government apply the same attention and rigor to young men buying guns as they ... Read More...

6 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Feature Tagged: book clubs, debut, food, historical fiction, memoir, mini-reviews, racism, true crime

Lessons in Chemistry

April 20, 2022

lessons in chemistry

It's the 1960s and you’re a brilliant chemist exploring one of the most elusive topics in chemistry—the chemical reaction that led to life. You should be at the forefront of the scientific community. Instead, you’re grappling with your thesis advisor as he tries to rape you and later being called “luscious” by the director of a chemical laboratory where you work. This is ... Read More...

10 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: debut, historical fiction, humor, women

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