History and Women

The Pendant - A Gothic Romance Novel

2012-01-26T09:38:00.003-07:00

A Medieval Tale of Murder, Desperation, and True Love!

Recently Re-released!

A lost ancient treasure.

A 100 year family feud.

And a woman with a passion richer than the bloodstone pendant she wears around her neck.

In medieval Italy, as spirited and stalwart as any man, the brazen Contessa Morena is betrothed to the impoverished, black-hearted Count Ernesto, a man desperate to escape his mounting gambling debts by marrying her and laying claim to the ancient treasure secreted somewhere in the underbelly of her castle. Morena meets her match when Amoro, the handsome and brash heir to the Duchy of Genoa, who swears an oath upon his father's grave to claim her as his bride and end the feud between their families. Soon, Amoro's virile charm awakens the passion in her steadfast heart. But a treacherous plot ensnares them; Ernesto abducts Morena and renders Amoro helpless. Embroiled in a life-and-death chase, Morena learns that not even the devious madness of her captor can destroy her love for Amoro as their hearts unite and their destinies become one.

Available at Amazon Kindle
I LOVE COMMENTS

Funny Women Bloopers

2012-01-21T18:25:00.002-07:00

I LOVE COMMENTS

Arriving by Corinne Jeffrey

2012-01-16T15:25:00.004-07:00

A fascinating glimpse into life on the Canadian Prairies

Synopsis:

Corinne Jeffery’s Understanding Ursula trilogy vividly recreates the pioneer world of the Canadian prairies with a multitude of memorable characters. You’ll lose yourself between the pages as you watch them struggle to survive and flourish, always at the mercy of Mother Nature and the ever-changing seasons on the unfettered plains.

On July 1, 1909, the day after his eighteenth birthday, Gustav Werner takes the inaugural ride on the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway between Melville and Regina, to apply for a homestead grant at the Dominion Lands Office. He is eager to become the most thriving homesteader in the townships of Neudorf and Lemberg, Saskatchewan, set aside for Gustav’s people, the German Lutherans, by Sir Clifford Sifton in Canada’s “Last Best West” land deal. What he doesn’t realize is that beyond becoming a man and a landowner, life as he knows it is about to crumble from his grasp. Family drama and conflict plague Gustav as he learns English—the language that sparks hatred in his staunchly traditional father, Christian—and discovers that his parents have arranged his marriage to sixteen-year-old Amelia Schweitzer.

Review:

Arriving is the first of three novels recounting the trials and tribulations of German Lutheran immigrants to Canada in the early 1900’s. And what a pleasant treat this book turned out to be! Part memoir, part family saga, it follows one family as they struggle to make a living upon isolated farmland in the formidable Canadian prairies.

Author Corinne Jeffrey did a spectacular job with her research. Details of farm and town life in a sparsely populated region of Saskatchewan in the early years of the 20th century were beautifully portrayed. Most enchanting of all about this novel was that each character seemed real, full of faults as well as virtues. Their motivations, struggles, and yearnings as they clung to the old ways while trying to fit in within a new culture and society was very endearing. Betrayals, arranged marriages, secrets kept, language barriers, domestic hardships, and the help and support of good neighbours resound strongly throughout its pages.

As a Canadian author who has lived in Alberta all my life, I could strongly relate to the descriptions of warm and cold weather, landscapes, and small town life. Corinne Jeffrey delves deep into the psyche of each character, sharing insights and thoughts as they face their own unique struggles to find happiness.

The novel ends a bit abruptly, so it is obvious the author is hard at work preparing the second book in the series, which I now eagerly await. Well worth the read for a fantastic peek into the realities of life in early Canada.

I LOVE COMMENTS

The Room with a Beehive by Comizia Bellocchi Scoccianti (Author) and Patrizia Argentieri (Translator)

2012-01-16T09:48:00.000-07:00

An ancient world full of values and traditions gives way to a new society. During the difficult change, accentuated by the climate of World War II, a young woman firmly tackles life challenges with inventive, initiative and disarming grace. This true story is refreshing and poetic, inspirational and stirring.

The Room with a Beehive is a family memoir that is set in the small Italian town, Le Marche, before and after World War II. It is a fascinating chronicle of day-to-day life when times were less complicated and more tranquil. What I found most fascinating was how people in the village seemed more like family than neighbors, where they were self-sufficient and people helped people. One of my favourite parts of the book describes how they raised silkworms to make their own silk that was considered superior to that of China.

As the memoir progresses, the author takes us through the events leading to World War II, the shortage of food and supplies, and how they managed to survive despite the vast numbers of men who were called to arms and the hardships born by the women left behind.

I found myself fascinated with the story because it brought to life the era in which my own parents lived in Italy and their stories about how they survived the horrendous events that affected their lives during the war. It swept me back to a simple time, where people depended and trusted each other for help and support. Lush with vividly detailed descriptions about people, places, food, and items, this book provided wonderful insight into Italian daily village life. This book is definitely a must read – especially for readers with Italian roots.

I LOVE COMMENTS

Fanny Fern - Shame the Devil by Debra Brenegan

2012-01-16T08:56:00.003-07:00

Fanny Fern - A wickedly outspoken author!

Shame the Devil is based upon the remarkable and true story of 19th century novelist, journalist, and feminist, Fanny Fern, also known as Sara Payson Willis (1811 – 1872). She was born in Portland Maine. Her father, Nathaniel Willis, owned a newspaper. Early on, she chose the pen name of Fanny Fern because it reminded her of her mother as she picked ferns.

She attended a boarding school in Hartford Connecticut where she was dubbed as one of te worst behaved but most beloved girls. In 1837 she married Charles Harrington Eldredge, a banker. Fanny bore him three daughters. Tragedy struck eight years later when her eldest daughter died of meningitis and her husband died of typhoid fever. Willis was left nearly destitute. With little help from either her father or her in-laws or her brother, she struggled to support herself and her two surviving daughters. Her father encouraged her to remarry as a means to solve their financial difficulties.

So in 1849, she married a merchant by the name of Samuel Farrington. Right from the start, they faced difficulties due to her husband’s intense jealousy. Two years later, she left him, creating a scandal and divorced him.

On her own and with two daughters to support, Fanny began to write in earnest, publishing articles. She sent samples of her work under her own name to her brother Nathaniel, who owned a magazine, but he refused them and said her writing was not marketable. She kept her identity hidden as her abusive ex-husband continued to make strife by spreading vicious rumours. But this didn’t stop Fanny. Her work was accepted by newspapers and journals in New York where she wrote a witty column that proved highly popular.

In the 1850’s a children’s novel she wrote sold 70,000 copies in its first year, quite an achievement for the times. James Parton, editor for the Home Journal, a magazine owned by Fanny’s brother, published her columns. But when her brother discovered this, he forbade Parton from publishing any more of Fern's work. In protest, Parton resigned.

Fanny’s first book, Fern Leaves (1853), was a best seller. It sold 46,000 copies in the first four months, and over 70,000 copies the first year. With her royalties, she bought a house in Brooklyn and lived comfortably well. She soon became the highest paid columnist in the U.S.

Fern wrote about her happy first marriage, the poverty she endured after he died and lack of help from male relatives, and her struggle to achieve financial independence as a journalist. She did not hesitate to write unflattering portrayals of those who had treated her uncharitably when she most needed help, including her father, her in-laws, her brother N.P. Willis, and two newspaper editors. When Fern's identity was revealed shortly after the novel's publication, some critics believed it scandalous that she had attacked her own relatives; they decried her lack of filial piety and her want of "womanly gentleness" in such characterizations.

Author Nathaniel Hawthorne praised her work. He said, “...enjoyed it a great deal. The woman writes as if the devil was in her, and that is the only condition in which a woman ever writes anything worth reading."

Fanny died of cancer in 1872.

Author Debra Brenegan did an exceptional job writing this inspiring and engrossing biography. She not only writes with very vivid detail, but she did so in a way that truly made Fanny and her surroundings seem real. It is a poignant story of the struggles women faced to survive in a world where few opportunities existed.

This is a really, really great book.

Here is a brief sample of her sarcastic and sometimes vitriolic writing. This piece is entitled, I Can't.

I CAN'T

APOLLO!—what a face! Doleful as a hearse; folded hands; hollow chest; whining voice; the very picture of cowardly irresolution. Spring to your feet, hold up your head, set your teeth together, draw that fine form of yours up to the height that God made it; draw an immense long breath, and look about you. What do you see? Why, all creation taking care of number one;—pushing ahead like the car of Juggernaut, over live victims. There it is; and you can't help it. Are you going to lie down and be crushed?

By all that is manly, no!—dash ahead! You have as good a right to mount the triumphal car as your neighbor. Snap your fingers at croakers. If you can't get round a stump, leap over it, high and dry. Have nerves of steel, a will of iron. Never mind sideaches, or heartaches, or headaches,—dig away without stopping to breathe, or to notice envy or malice. Set your target in the clouds, and aim at it. If your arrow falls short of the mark, what of that? Pick it up and go at it again. If you should never reach it, you will shoot higher than if you only aimed at a bush. Don't whine, if your friends fall off. At the first stroke of good luck, by Mammon! they will swarm around you like a hive of bees, till you are disgusted with human nature. "I can't!" O, pshaw! I throw my glove in your face, if I am a woman! You are a disgrace to corduroys. What! a man lack courage? A man want independence? A man to be discouraged at obstacles? A man afraid to face anything on earth, save his Maker? Why! I have the most unmitigated contempt for you, you little pusillanimous pussy-cat! There is nothing manly about you, except your whiskers.

I LOVE COMMENTS

The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau

2012-01-10T18:21:00.003-07:00

A fascinating mystery about an ancient crown of King Athelstan's!

Synopsis:

An aristocratic young nun must find a legendary crown in order to save her father—and preserve the Catholic faith from Cromwell’s ruthless terror. The year is 1537. . .

Joanna Stafford, a Dominican nun, learns that her favorite cousin has been condemned by Henry VIII to be burned at the stake. Defying the sacred rule of enclosure, Joanna leaves the priory to stand at her cousin’s side. Arrested for interfering with the king’s justice, Joanna, along with her father, is sent to the Tower of London.

The ruthless Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, takes terrifying steps to force Joanna to agree to spy for him: to save her father’s life she must find an ancient relic—a crown so powerful, it may hold the ability to end the Reformation. Accompanied by two monks, Joanna returns home to Dartford Priory and searches in secret for this long-lost piece of history worn by the Saxon King Athelstan in 937 during the historic battle that first united Britain.

But Dartford Priory has become a dangerous place, and when more than one dead body is uncovered, Joanna departs with a sensitive young monk, Brother Edmund, to search elsewhere for the legendary crown. From royal castles with tapestry-filled rooms to Stonehenge to Malmesbury Abbey, the final resting place of King Athelstan, Joanna and Brother Edmund must hurry to find the crown if they want to keep Joanna’s father alive. At Malmesbury, secrets of the crown are revealed that bring to light the fates of the Black Prince, Richard the Lionhearted, and Katherine of Aragon’s first husband, Arthur. The crown’s intensity and strength are beyond the earthly realm and it must not fall into the wrong hands.

With Cromwell’s troops threatening to shutter her priory, bright and bold Joanna must now decide who she can trust with the secret of the crown so that she may save herself, her family, and her sacred way of life. This provocative story melds heart-stopping suspense with historical detail and brings to life the poignant dramas of women and men at a fascinating and critical moment in England’s past.

Review:

Believable characters, heart-wrenching scenes, and a strong determined heroine named Joanna Stafford make this a very engrossing read. Author Nancy Bilyeau has penned a fascinating story set during the Henry the VIII's reign when angry at the Catholic Church, he he dissolved monasteries and religious houses, scattering nuns and priests throughout the country. Although the novel is set during the Tudor period, it is not about the Tudors. Rather, it is a historical mystery that centers around a fascinating search for a crown. I very much enjoyed the historical facts surrounding King Athelstan and the crown, the ancient relic that once belonged to him.

The plot had plenty of intrigue and emotion. I enjoyed the characters, especially the nuns who were not always what I expected and made wonderful antagonists. Excellent writing, plenty of historical detail to really make the era come alive, and a tale with enough twists and turns to keep me reading to the very end. For those who are tired of the Tudors but love the era, this book is perfect. A truly enjoyable story well put together! There is a sequel, and I eagerly await it!

I LOVE COMMENTS

2012-01-10T16:55:00.000-07:00

A beautiful tale of conquest and a fall of the great empire.

Book Description:

The daughter of a prophet and the child slave of Spanish adventurer Hernan Cortes, the life of the Aztec princess Malinali is one of the most enduring legends of Mexico. Her role in history divides opinion even today. Reviled by some as a traitor responsible for the destruction of the Indians, worshiped by others as a heroine and symbolic mother of the nation, hers is the most extraordinary story in the history of the Americas.

The legendary Aztec civilization is here brought to life in blazing colour, as the author traces the story of the enigmatic Malinali who held for a moment the future of an entire country in her hands. Contradictory, sensuous and fiercely intelligent, Malinali became the key to Cortes’ conquest of Mexico. It is a story of impossible odds, unimaginable cruelty, extraordinary courage, and craven betrayal. Who were the heroes and who the villains?

Today the Aztecs are a distant memory. But Malinali's name lives on. This book spent four months on the bestseller lists in Mexico, re-igniting debate yet again about the true heritage of a people and the very nature of western colonization of the natural world.

My Review:

In the novel AZTEC, Spanish conquistador, Hernán Cortés, leads an expedition into Mexico to bring it under the rule of the King of Castile during the early 1500’s. He encounters a young, courageous slave woman named Malinali who was an once an Aztec princess sold into slavery to the Mayans when she was a child. Malinali becomes an interpreter and guide and consort to Cortés on his journey to speak to the greatest leader of Mexico.

This book is a remarkable novel, not only for its fascinating historical details, but because author Colin Falconer holds nothing back in recounting the pagan brutality and horrendous cruelties of this exotic land and time. He brings the legendary character of Malinali to life. She stands out as a paragon, a woman of virtue and enigmatic strength who will definitely appeal to feminine readers. Although there is a romantic element between Malinali and Cortés, it does not overpower the story. Rather, it acts as a comfort, soothing the reader’s mood after some of the more shocking, brutal scenes.

A fast-paced read, Aztec fascinated me from start to finish. As with all of Colin Falconer’s novels, his characters have depth and credibility, moving the story forward through their often unpredictable actions. His work takes the reader through a never-ending labyrinth of twists and turns that grips and entertains. You must get this book. It is a magnificent piece of work!

I LOVE COMMENTS

An Affair with Mr Kennedy by Jillian Stone

2012-01-09T17:21:00.000-07:00

A thrilling Victorian mystery and a very sexy couple!

Back Cover Blurb:

London, 1887. Part stoic gentleman, part fearless Yard man, Zeno “Zak” Kennedy is an enigma of the first order. For years, the memory of a deadly bombing at King’s Cross has haunted the brilliant Scotland Yard detective. His investigation has zeroed in on a ring of aristocratic rebels whose bloody campaign for Irish revolution is terrorizing the city. When he discovers one of the treacherous lords is acquainted with his free-spirited new tenant, Cassandra St. Cloud, his inquiry pulls him unexpectedly close to the heart of the conspiracy—and into the arms of a most intriguing lady. Cassie is no Victorian prude. An impressionist painter with very modern ideas about life and love, she is eager for a romantic escapade that is daring and discreet. She sets her sights on her dour but handsome landlord, but after she learns their meeting was not purely accidental, she hardly has a chance to forgive her lover before their passionate affair catapults them both into a perilous adventure.

Part Victorian romance and part mystery thriller, An Affair with Mr Kennedy by author Jillian Stone has plenty of plot to keep a reader interested and reading. The hero of the story is Zeno, a detective with Scotland Yard. Smart and private, Zeno is determined to solve a crime that has haunted him for years – the deadly bombing at the King’s Cross station in London.

He encounters Cassie, his new tenant, a gutsy and bold beauty who balks at the mores and strictness of the Victorian society, which binds her. Instantly, their attraction begins, binding them together as the secrets of this who-dun-it are revealed.

First, I enjoy novels set in the Victorian period. What makes this story really stand out is the sexual tension between Cassie and Zeno as they face one challenge after another. The plot had lots of fun twists and turns. It was an easy book to read and culminated in a very satisfying ending. For anyone who loves a cozy mystery and intriguing, well-written romance, than this is definitely a book you must read. Loads of fun and entertainment!

You can pre-order the book at Amazon

I LOVE COMMENTS

Off to Save the World: How Julia Taft Made a Difference by Ann Blackman

2012-01-06T20:24:00.001-07:00

An exciting new book about a fascinating humanitarian!

“This book is an eloquent and informative testament to Julia Taft, a heroic, indefatigable, and prodigiously effective champion of refugees and other victims of natural and man-made disasters. In capturing the essence, the scope, and the spirit of Julia’s lifework and legacy, Ann Blackman has brought to bear her prodigious reportorial and narrative skill, along with an intimate personal knowledge of Julia. The result is a labor of love and a fitting tribute to a remarkable individual and to the entire field of humanitarian activism.”

-Strobe Talbott, President, Brookings Institution

“The story of Julia Taft should serve as an inspiration to us. This vibrant and funny woman never stood by daunted by the size of the world’s problems or the stubbornness of its politicians. Instead, she stepped up whenever she saw people in need—whether it be survivors of natural disasters, victims of atrocities, sufferers from famines and disease, refugees from wars —and found a way to help them. With admiration and amusement, Ann Blackman tells the story of her friend and extended family member who changed the way the United States responds to disasters, proving that one person truly can make a difference in thousands, if not millions, of lives. “

-Cokie Roberts, Senior news analyst, ABC News, National Public Radio and trustee of Save the Children

OFF TO SAVE THE WORLD: How Julia Taft Made a Difference

By Ann Blackman

_________________________________________________

http://www.offtosavetheworld.com/

For more than three decades, Julia Taft was one of the United States’ top humanitarian relief experts, friend and ally of the world’s most impoverished people. She was, simply put, a legend in her field.

In OFF TO SAVE THE WORLD: How Julia Taft Made a Difference (Maine Authors Publishing, November 1, 2011) veteran journalist and author Ann Blackman paints a mosaic of a witty, determined and idealistic woman who not only ran some of the most dramatic relief efforts of her generation, but also influenced the debate at home as the international spotlight moved from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos to the collapse of the Soviet Union to ethnic conflicts in Africa and the former Yugoslavia.

“At a time when undeveloped countries are overwhelmed by refugee problems and people in the developed world are struggling with the consequences of immigration, Taft’s story deserves to be told,” Blackman said. Taft, who married into a famous Republican family, dedicated herself to restoring honor and dignity to those far less fortunate than herself. Starting in 1975 when she was 32 years old, Taft directed the task force that managed the resettlement of refugees from the Vietnam War. Over the years, she basically invented the way the United States government responds to natural and man-made disasters around the world. She also directed:

• The American relief effort during the Armenian earthquake.

• Operation Lifeline Sudan.

• Harrowing refugee relief missions during the siege of Sarajevo and the crisis in Kosovo.

• The United Nations task force that coordinated the recovery effort in Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban government in 2001.

Blackman also describes Taft’s fascinating and enduring friendship with the Dalai Lama, whom she

met in 1999 when she was the State Department’s coordinator for Tibetan issues. His Holiness counseled Taft when she was battling cancer.

There are poignant stories and funny ones, heroic moments and terrifying ones, all woven into an emotional and adventurous life. There was no one like Julia Taft.

###

Ann Blackman is the author of Seasons of Her Life, a biography of Madeleine Korbel Albright (Scribner/Simon & Schuster, 1998) and co-author of The Spy Next Door The Extraordinary Secret Life of Robert Philip Hanssen, about the FBI agent who spied for the Russians, (Little Brown, 2002.) She is also the author of Wild Rose, a biography of Civil War spy Rose O’Neale Greenhow (Random House, 2005.)

Blackman worked at TIME magazine and The Associated Press, specializing in reporting about the life of the nation’s power brokers and their families. She has appeared on TV and radio shows including A&E Biography, Washington Week in Review, The Diane Rehm Show, Hardball with Chris Matthews, CNN, Fox Morning News, The Charlie Rose Show, Book Notes/CSPAN, The Hill, To the Best of Our Knowledge and The Jim Bohannon Show. She lives in Washington, DC, and on the coast of Maine.

OFF TO SAVE THE WORLD by Ann Blackman

On sale: November 1, 2011/ Hardcover $24.95, softcover $12.95

Also available as an eBook $4.99.

www.Offtosavetheworld.com.

Advance Praise Includes:

"Julia was the real All-American. Leading humanitarian operations from the front, never taking no for an answer but then racing home to be mother and wife, Ann Blackman has captured a Julia that personified the very best of her country."

-Mark Malloch-Brown, former Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations.

“Julia Taft was one of a kind. Ann Blackman has captured this extraordinary woman with a passion that equals her passionate personality. She brought a voice, a commitment and tireless purpose to our cause, making US NGOs a force to be reckoned with in policy circles.”

-William S. Reese, President and CEO, International Youth Foundation

“Everyone who knows Julia Taft has a favorite “Julia story” and Off to Save the World is a treasure chest of stories about an incredible individual whose passion, wit, and charm empowered people impacted by disasters worldwide. I had the privilege to work with and learn from Julia and will be using the chapters detailing Julia’s involvement with Operation Lifeline Sudan, the Armenian Earthquake, the War in Bosnia, etc., as case studies that illuminate the qualities of leaders in the humanitarian field for our students in the Master of Science in Disaster Resilience Leadership program at Tulane University.”

-Ky Luu, Executive Director, Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy, Tulane University

“Julia Taft was a consummate humanitarian whose intelligence, openness, and deep caring for the world’s most vulnerable people will continue to be sorely missed. Ann Blackman has written a highly entertaining and very enlightening book about Julia’s unusually productive life. We need more books like this and more people like Julia Taft.”

-Ron Waldman, Founding Director, Program on Forced Migration and Health, Mailman School of Public Health Columbia University

I LOVE COMMENTS

Conjuigal Rights

2012-01-02T18:14:00.002-07:00

I LOVE COMMENTS

The Printmaker's Daughter by Katherine Govier

2011-12-30T15:50:00.000-07:00

A fascinating novel about a woman artist in Edo Japan

Summary

Recounting the story of her life, Oei plunges us into the colourful world of nineteenth-century Edo, in which courtesans rub shoulders with poets, warriors consort with actors, and the arts flourish in an unprecedented moment of creative upheaval. Oei and Hokusai live among writers, novelists, tattoo artists, and prostitutes, evading the spies of the repressive shogunate as they work on Hokusai’s countless paintings and prints. Wielding her brush, rejecting domesticity in favour of dedication to the arts, Oei defies all expectations of womanhood—all but one. A dutiful daughter to the last, she will obey the will of her eccentric father, the man who created her and who, ultimately, will rob her of her place in history.

Vivid, daring, and unforgettable, The Printmaker’s Daughter shines fresh light on art, loyalty, and the tender and indelible bond between a father and daughter.

Set in 19th century Japan, the Edo period, The Printmaker's Daughter is a fascinating rendering of life’s hardships for Japanese women and artists in that era. Oei is the favourite daughter of her famous master painter artist father, Hokusai. Despite Hokusai’s fame, his family was truly poor. Born to him late in life, she immediately enchanted him because of her aptitude for art and her vivid personality, unusual for Japanese women. When he leaves his family to pursue his art, he takes his favourite child with him. Despite the restrictions imposed on her, she served as a dutiful business partner to her father, keeping his accounts, helping his students, and even secretly completing some of his art projects. He struggled against strict government control and strong sentiments against artists. He took his daughter along with him in his travels, leaving her in the care of courtesans in the pleasure district so he could work. Oei struggles to find a balance between honing her talent as an artist and learning the womanly household arts expected of a young woman in such a strict culture. She also grapples with her allegiance to a father she equally resents is sometimes repulsed by – a man truly selfish in his pursuits with poor appreciation for the Oei’s own sacrifices.

In this dual biographical historical novel about Oei and Hokusai’s lives, readers will experience rich details of Japanese life. Told in first person narrative through Oei’s point of view, this is a beautifully written and well-researched story. As with most biographical historical novels, I did find the pace slow at various points in the story. This is normal and to be expected; after all, true life is not always filled with constant turmoil and conflict. Therefore, readers should understand this and enjoy the story for what it is - an accurate portrayal of two struggling artists who left an indelible mark upon history, art, and culture in Japan. The novel describes a world far removed from that which we know in the West.

Oei’s story is one of dauntless courage to overcome cultural restrictions for women of the time. Through beautiful prose, the writer evokes emotion and I could not help becoming fascinated with this exotic story, especially when given glimpses into the brothel life and prostitution.

The Printmaker's Daughter was published in Canada as The Ghost Brush.

I LOVE COMMENTS

Lucrezia Borgia (1480 - 1519)

2011-12-27T00:51:00.068-07:00

Lucrezia Borgia

Painting by Bartolomeo Veneziano

Twenty-eleven was a good year for the Borgias, who were depicted in not one but two television shows. In fact, I was bored at home with Netflix one night when I decided to watch Jeremy Irons play Rodrigo in Showtime’s The Borgias, only to discover that the show on Netflix was not The Borgias but Borgia, an entirely separate show produced by Canal Plus.

Neither show is for the faint of heart, as stories about the Borgia are generally told with a sneer or a blush. Lucrezia’s life was none too pious and, as with many women of the era, she was played like a chess piece by the men in her family. This is not to say, of course, that Lucrezia didn’t have a few tricks of her own—namely the rumored empty ring on her hand she often filled with poison.

The Fairest of All
Rumors riddle Lucrezia’s biography, but certain things are clear: she was born in 1480 an illegitimate daughter of Rodrigo Borgia, later the corrupt Pope Alexander VI.

Pope Alexander VI

She bedazzled onlookers with her hazel eyes, perfect complexion, and waves of golden hair that fell past her knees as she walked gracefully down the aisle with her first husband Giovanni Sforza.

Lucrezia Borgia

Giovanni Sforza

Condottiere and Lord of Pesaro and Gradara

The marriage was more an alliance—when Rodrigo became Pope Alexander VI, he needed strong allies like the Sforza family, even if it meant annulling Lucrezia’s previous engagement to a lord in Valencia.

The Unconsummated Marriage

Eventually, the pope no longer needed the Sforzas. While many theories abound regarding the divorce, it is generally accepted that when the pope ordered Giovanni’s quiet execution, Cesare informed his sister and Lucrezia convinced her husband to flee Rome.

Cesare Borgia

Another popular (and perhaps juicier) rumor, however, is that Cesare and Lucrezia were having an incestuous affair and Giovanni simply needed eliminating, even if it meant putting words into the pope’s mouth. Either way, the pope claimed the marriage had not been consummated, that it was invalid, and that his daughter was free to “choose” her next husband, never mind that she was supposedly pregnant at the time of the annulment.

The Fruit of Said Unconsummated Marriage
Lucrezia awaited the divorce at the convent of San Sisto and there, before her marriage to Alfonso of Aragon, allegedly gave birth to a son named Giovanni, known today as Roman Infante. It was not long before two papal bulls were issued concerning little Giovanni, neither of them mentioning Lucrezia as his mother—one, that he was Cesare’s child from an affair before his marriage, and another that Giovanni was Pope Alexander’s child. It was assumed at the time that Giovanni’s was Cesare’s brood, but Giovanni later stayed with Lucrezia in Ferrara, where he was accepted as her half-brother.

Giovanni Borgia

A Pearl Among Women
When her second husband died, Lucrezia was handed to Alfonso d’Este, Duke of Ferrara, with whom she had numerous children and besides whom she had many extramarital affairs.

Alfonso d'Este

These included her married brother-in-law, who later contracted syphilis and kindly ended matters with Lucrezia, as well as the noted French soldier, the Chevalier Bayard, who described her as a “pearl among women.”

Chevalier Bayard

Lucrezia died in October 1519 at the age of 39 after the complicated birth of her eight child and buried in the convent of Corpus Domini. Her legacy—beauty, incest, murder, passionate affairs, and perhaps above all courage, or rather nerve—is one that fascinates historians, storytellers, and gossips alike. She did, after all, survive the fall of the Borgias after Pope Alexander VI’s death. The same cannot be said for everyone.

About the author:

Amanda Tradwick is a grant researcher and writer for CollegeGrants.org. She has a Bachelor's degrees from the University of Delaware, and has recently finished research on college grants for minorities and vermont education grants.

I LOVE COMMENTS

The Birth of Jesus

2011-12-25T07:00:00.010-07:00

The true story of Christmas

Good morning everyone! I send you my warmest wishes this Christmas morning. I hope that your day is beautiful and loving surrounded by good friends and family.

Despite the many gifts we have exchanged this morning, and amid all the commercialism we have endured this month, never forget the real reason for our celebration. Here is my gift to you.

Merry Christmas to all!

I LOVE COMMENTS

Hoyden of the Week - A wedding blooper

2011-12-23T06:51:00.000-07:00

Hoyden Catherine Deneuve at her wedding to British photographer David Bailey

The Blighted Troth in the Top Ten!

2011-12-21T16:27:00.000-07:00

Christmas is a time that is full of surprises, and today I certainly received a wonderful and unexpected gift.

One of my favourite blogs is Unabridged Chick, a site owned by a fabulously enthusiastic lady named Audra who reads and reviews books at a voracious pace. I have bought many a book on her recommendation and have never been disappointed based on her honest opinions.

I subscribe via email to her blog and today as I was going through my email, I read her latest post. She posted her top ten favourite books for 2011 and I read her list eagerly. To my utter surprise, The Blighted Troth was on that list, ranked among authors like Stephen Kinga and Thomas Hardy and the other bestsellers Audra enjoyed reading last year.

I am so very honoured and proud to be on such a prestigious list. And thrilled too!

You can read the entire list and check out each book at:

http://unabridged-expression.blogspot.com/2011/12/top-10-of-2011.html

Thank you Audra for the best Christmas present an author can receive.

Mirella

I LOVE COMMENTS

Harem and Seraglio by Colin Falconer

2011-12-19T15:11:00.002-07:00

History's most notorious woman
A gripping tale about one of the world's most wicked woman and the man who loved her.
Reprinted from Colin Falconer's Looking for Mr Goodstory Blog

Haseki Huerrem Sultan Roxelane

When people think of bad, bad women they perhaps think of Isabella the First - the woman who commissioned Torquemada - or Bloody Queen Mary, the scourge of Protestant England. Few people have heard of Hürrem Haseki Sultan, or Roxelana, as she is better known in Europe. Yet she made Anne Boleyn, one of her contemporaries, look like a milquetoast. Anne, after all, fell out of favour with her king and ended up with her head on the block. Roxelana married the Sultan of the Ottomans, had him throw out his entire harem, and kept him in her thrall the rest of her life.

By fair means or foul.

Roxelana was born in the Ukraine and at some time in her teens found herself a concubine in the harem of the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman, Lord of Lords, King of Kings, Possessor of Men's Necks. Her portraits suggest classical features and blazing red hair. Her history reveals a woman of ruthless ambition with the strategic intelligence of a chessmaster.

What was a harem like? Victorian paintings depict dream-like canvases of half naked young women soaping each other in what look like Asiatic day spas. In reality the old harem of Suleiman's time was a grim and twilight maze of dark panelled rooms where the sun seldom penetrated. It was a snake pit; imagine, if you will, a cross between a Miss World contest and a reality show, where the winner becomes an Empress and the other three finalists are drowned in a sack. Oh, and all the runners-up never ever get to leave the house.

Which leads us to the story of Suleiman the Magnificent and Roxelana. Her influence over him from moment she replaced his long term favourite, Gulbehar, was pervasive. Yet she would have known that his throne would pass to the oldest male heir, and the Osmanli Code of Laws allowed the Sultan elect to execute all his brothers to secure it. In other words she knew that she, and all her children, were just a heartbeat away from catastrophe.

Then three things happened that historians cannot rationally explain. First, the harem conveniently burned down, which meant that Roxelana and her entire entourage had to move into Suleiman's palace, until a new harem could be built. But it never was, and Roxelana stayed right where she was.

The second occurrence was no coincidence; it was, quite simply, astonishing. The Sultan married her. A Sultan had not taken a queen since the Ottomans lived as nomads on the plains. Then, to compound the amazement of all Stamboul, he resigned his entire harem.

To this point it reads like a Hollywood screenplay; a powerful and potent man giving up everything for the woman he loves. Pretty Woman with sherbets and turbans. But Roxelana had another agenda entirely, and it had nothing to do with love. Historians can only speculate why and how she did what she did next. But as a novelist, it's not that hard to imagine.

It resulted in one of her sons, Selim the Sot, a drunkard and a lecher and the least able man in Suleiman's entire circle, inheriting the Sultanate. It happened because, like a great Shakespearian tragedy, all the other candidates had been murdered.

But Roxelana herself never reached absolute power, though her scheming was to affect the Ottoman empire for centuries to come. She died before Selim's moment of glory. Suleiman himself mourned her until his own death eight years later.

Money, power, conquests; it seems none of it guarantees happiness in the end. What happened after Suleiman married Roxelana is one of the most tragic stories of any prince, from east or west. They now share a tomb in the garden of the Suleimaniye mosque in Istanbul. A grapevine of blood-red amaranthus flowers straggles over the the tomb. The flower is known locally as 'love lies bleeding.'

Go there on a quiet summer's day and I swear you'll hear him whisper the words of one of his poems:

"What men call empire is worldwide strife and ceaseless war.

In all the world the only joy lies in a hermit's rest."

Photograph: Giovanni dall'Orto

There has been much written about the Tudors and their scheming. But Roxelana made the Boleyn sisters look like the Sisters of Charity. Henry and Suleiman were contemporaries but Henry VIII was lucky. He only had six wives to contend with. Suleiman had three hundred - and picked out the worst of the lot.

HAREM is available on

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Who Dares Wins Publishing

Harem Overview

He had everything a man might dream of; wealth, power and the choice of hundreds of the most beautiful women in his Empire. Why then did he forsake his harem for the love of just one woman, and marry her in defiance of the centuries-old code of the Osmanlis?

This is the astonishing story of Suleiman, the one they called the Magnificent, and the woman he loved. From medieval Venice to the slave markets of Algiers, from the mountains of Persia to the forbidden seraglio of the Ottoman's greatest sultan, this is a tale of passion and intrigue in a world where nothing is really as it seems.

Suleiman controlled an empire of thirty million people, encompassing twenty different languages. As a man, he was an enigma; he conquered all who stood against him with one of the world's first full time professional armies - yet he liked to write poetry; he ravaged half of Europe but he rebuilt Istanbul in marble; he had teams of torturers and assassins ready to unleash at a whim - yet history remembers him as a great lawmaker.

''Harem' literally means 'Forbidden': Forbidden to men. Once the Sultan was the only man - the only complete man - who could pass through its iron-studded doors. But what was that world really like? For a woman living in the Harem the only way out was to somehow find her way into the Sultan's bed and bear him a son. But the young Sultan was often away at war and when he did return he neglected his harem for just one favourite wife. But one young Russian concubine inside his seraglio was not content to allow fate decide the course of her life. She was clever and she was ruthless. And she had a plan.

Into this world are drawn two unforgettable characters; a beautiful young Italian noblewoman, captured by corsairs and brought to the Harem as a concubine; and the eunuch who loved her once, long ago, in Venice.

Loved her? He still stopped loving her. Far from the imagined world of steamy baths and languorous sensuality, the real Harem was a world of intrigue and despair. This is a story of a man who has everything, striving to find a measure of happiness; it is also about a slave who had nothing, but wants only to be a better man.

Seraglio Overview

Suleiman has the world at his feet; he has an Empire to rival that of any Caesar, and now his Vizier even wants to take his armies against the great infidel, the Pope, in Rome.

But the Sultan is a man in conflict with himself; he has the soul of a poet but the responsibility for jihad; he has a dream of building a great city while his advisers want him to tear cities down; his generals urge him to war when he wants only to spend his summers with Hurrem, the love of his life.

He is the most envied man in the world, yet he can no find peace. History itself records how Suleiman resolved all these dilemmas; but what he did in the end defies rational explanation. So what really happened behind the doors of the Sublime Porte?

Suleiman is still a young man when he is forced to face the circumstances of his own death. The law of the Osmanlis says that when his eldest son, Mustapha, succeeds to the throne he has the right to execute the three boys Suleiman has fathered with the woman he adores. Mustapha says he will never invoke the law. But can he trust him?

Meanwhile his army of wardogs strains at the leash. His lifelong friend and Vizier urges him to march on Rome. He is sick of war but has a duty to God to conquer in His name. His favoured wife, Hurrem, argues for love over his faith.

Has the most powerful man in the world no power over his own life?

But there are wheels within wheels; in the Italian colony, two men and a woman inextricably enmeshed in the politics of the Harem struggle with similar questions of life and the passions of the heart; how far should we go to make someone love us?

Can they find the peace that eludes Suleiman, the man they call the Lord of Life?

This is the astonishing conclusion to the story begun in HAREM; from the shadowed cloister of the seraglio to the mountain fastnesses of Persia; from the private steam baths of pashas to the dusty battlefields of the steppe; from the Sultan's palace to the midnight docks at Galata this is a tale of vengeance and devotion, ruthlessness and compassion, as astounding as it is true.

My Review

If you haven’t read one of Colin Falconer’s novels, then I promise you are in for a real roller-coaster ride of never ending intrigue with both these novels.

Set in the 16th century, Harem, and its sequel Seraglio, weave a spectacular, haunting tale of malice, obsession, and zeal set in the magnificent Harem of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent, Lord of Lords of this World, Possessor of Men’s Necks, Allah’s Deputy, and absolute ruler of the mighty Ottoman Empire.

Based on the true-life story of Roxelana (called Hürrem in the novels) and Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, Colin Falconer lends his interpretation to the machinations of a most vile villainess who strives to gain power while captive in the sultan’s harem. Ruthless, manipulative, vengeful, clever, and power hungry, Hürrem stops at nothing to gain the upper hand in a violent world where women and slaves are worth little. With one nod, the Sultan can brutally take a life and danger is rampant around every corner.

Bestselling author Colin Falconer writes with succinct prose. Each chapter ends with a gripping cliff-hanger that makes the book irresistible and unputdownable. Although both books can stand alone, I strongly recommend you read both books to enjoy the full impact of the story. He delves deep into the thoughts and motivations of his characters, truly making them seem larger than life.

As the story unfolds in both novels, the reader will immerse themselves in a world ripe with an abundance of historical details, atrocities, brutality, dissension, forbidden love, ambition, and love and hate. The plot twists are plentiful and the story draws one in. Entertaining and shocking, Harem and Seraglio are intense and truly bring to life a turbulent period in the Ottomon Empire.

HAREM is available on

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Who Dares Wins Publishing

I LOVE COMMENTS

Hilarious Oh Christmas Tree Song

2011-12-17T13:18:00.001-07:00

Laugh with these Victorian carolers

As we go through the hectic Christmas season and all of its hectic pace and incredible responsibilities, stop and take the time to laugh. Spread a little Christmas cheer.

I LOVE COMMENTS

Hoyden of the Week - Masked Women

2011-12-16T17:44:00.001-07:00

The Devil's Dime by Bailey Bristol

2011-12-15T13:41:00.001-07:00

A novel of corruption, madness, and mystery set in 1890's New York!

Overview:

Investigative reporter Jess Pepper made it his life’s mission to use his column to expose those who lived on the devil’s dime. With his words he could defend the innocent and bring down corruption, one evildoer at a time. But when his column forces an innocent Samaritan into the public eye, and puts a target on his back, Jess must discover not only who wants this good man dead, but how to save the man’s daughter, who has captured his heart.

Violinist Adelaide Magee came to New York City with little more than a violin tucked beneath her chin and enough determination to launch her dream. Her women’s orchestra, the Avalon Strings, was fast becoming the city’s hot new item, until reporter Jess Pepper put the one man she loved in deadly peril.

Can Addie trust Jess to save this good man? Or will she have to do it herself?

Corruption and greed set the scene for this vividly drawn tale of danger, heartbreak, unexpected love and family found in 1890’s New York.

Review

From its beautiful cover to the engaging tale that unfolds on this book’s pages, there is much to savour in this novel of suspense and heart-wrenching love. The hero is Jess Pepper, a struggling journalist who is investigating a series of mysterious murders that occurred twenty years prior. He meets Adelaide Magee, our heroine, as she performs with her ladies musical group at a local restaurant.

Adelaide is seeking her father, Ford Magee, who abandoned her when she was a small child, but their first meeting does not go well. In an effort to mend their relationship, he pens a letter to her explaining the circumstances of his absence and how he secretly kept a watchful eye on her as she grew up. But a secret diary reveals that Ford disappeared at the same time the murders were occurring. Suspicion falls upon Ford. Jess and Adelaide team up to unravel the mystery in order to prove Ford’s innocence. Step by step they encounter corruption, treachery, and family secrets.

Beautifully presented, the story was interesting with fascinating characters. The romance between Addie and Jess unfolded tenderly, realistically, and without the melodrama one usually finds in the romance genre. The twists and turns added to the story’s unrelenting suspense as the hero and heroine face one difficulty after another. I enjoyed the unique setting of 1890’s New York where the author added wonderful descriptions of landmarks and period facts. For a nice cozy mystery, this is definitely a great read!

The Devil's Dime is Book One of the Samaritan Trilogy, so keep an eye out for Jess and Addie to return!

I LOVE COMMENTS

Women - Know your Limits

2011-12-13T18:11:00.001-07:00

I LOVE COMMENTS

Hoyden of the Week - The web a woman weaves

2011-12-09T06:57:00.000-07:00

Sultana and Sultana's Legacy by Lisa J. Yarde

2011-12-07T12:41:00.003-07:00

Intrigue, deception, and murder in 13th century Moorish Spain

Sultana

Overview

In thirteenth-century Moorish Spain, the realm of Granada is in crisis. The union of Fatima, granddaughter of the Sultan of Granada, with the Sultan’s nephew Faraj has fractured the nation. A bitter civil war escalates and endangers both Fatima and Faraj’s lives.

All her life, Fatima has sheltered in lavish palaces where danger has never intruded, until now. A precocious child and the unwitting pawn of her family, she soon learns how her marriage may determine her future and the fate of Granada. Her husband Faraj has his own qualms about their union. At a young age, he witnessed the deaths of his parents and discovered how affluence and power offers little protection against indomitable enemies. Guilt and fears plague him. Determined to carve his own destiny, Faraj struggles to regain his lost inheritance and avenge his murdered family.

Throughout the rugged frontiers of southern Spain, the burgeoning Christian kingdoms in the north and the desert states of North Africa, Fatima and Faraj survive ruthless murderers and intrigues.

They unite against common enemies bent on destroying the last Moorish dynasty. While Fatima and Faraj establish a powerful bond, the atmosphere of deceit creates opportunities for mistrust and tests their love.

Sultana’s Legacy

Overview

In thirteenth-century Moorish Spain, the Sultanate of Granada faces a bleak future, as a tyrant seizes control.

Fatima, the daughter of a Sultan, and her devoted husband Faraj have enjoyed years of peace and prosperity. Now, a power-hungry madman claims the throne. He murders almost everyone Fatima holds dear. His reign fractures a weakened Sultanate, under siege from Christian kingdoms to the north and Moorish dynasties in the south.

Fatima must preserve the legacy of her forefathers at all costs. She risks everything, even the love and trust of her husband. Amidst treachery and intrigue, she stands alone against her adversaries, determined to avenge terrible losses. Can she survive the test of divided loyalties and shocking betrayals?

Review

Sultana and its sequel, Sultana’s Legacy, are wonderful historical fiction novels set in 13th century Moorish Spain. It is a tale of a young royal woman named Fatima, the Sultan’s granddaughter, her husband Faraj, and an extended family fuelled by personal ambition and discord. Together, the novels span their entire lives. As one reads, one fully experiences how the characters evolve and are driven by circumstances that ultimately destroy family loyalties.

Author Lisa Yarde brings to life an ancient world filled with beautiful description and vibrant characters. One cannot help but enjoy this rich story because of its beautiful prose and exotic setting. Filled with betrayal, plenty of suspense, and vengeance, this well-conceived and well-executed story is ripe with intrigue and speaks to the resilience of the human spirit.

Sultana and its sequel, Sultana’s Legacy, are the culmination of years of research, travel, and writing - a tale that is spellbinding because of its passion and intrigue. The author travelled extensively to the Al Hambra, walking its corridors and grounds getting a sense of the surroundings in which the heroine, Fatima, lived. This is why these novels resound with readers. It is the type of novel that will sweep you away into another world and time, and will keep you reading long past bedtime. I loved both of these novels, and I highly recommend them! A must read.

I LOVE COMMENTS

The Time in Between by Maria Duenas

2011-12-04T15:12:00.000-07:00

The inspiring international bestseller of a seemingly ordinary woman who uses her talent and courage to transform herself first into a prestigious couturier and then into an undercover agent for the Allies during World War II .

Between Youth and Adulthood . . .

At age twelve, Sira Quiroga sweeps the atelier floors where her single mother works as a seamstress. At fourteen, she quietly begins her own apprenticeship. By her early twenties she has learned the ropes of the business and is engaged to a modest government clerk. But everything changes when two charismatic men burst unexpectedly into her neatly mapped-out life: an attractive salesman and the father she never knew.

Between War and Peace . . .

With the Spanish Civil War brewing in Madrid, Sira leaves her mother and her fiancé, impetuously following her handsome lover to Morocco. However, she soon finds herself abandoned, penniless, and heartbroken in an exotic land. Among the odd collection of European expatriates trapped there by the worsening political situation back on the Continent, Sira reinvents herself by turning to the one skill that can save her: her gift for creating beautiful clothes.

Between Love and Duty . . .

As England, Germany, and the other great powers launch into the dire conflict of World War II, Sira is persuaded to return to Madrid, where she takes on a new identity to embark upon the most dangerous undertaking of her career. As the preeminent couturier for an eager clientele of Nazi officers’ wives, Sira becomes embroiled in the half-lit world of espionage and political conspiracy rife with love, intrigue, and betrayal.

Already a runaway bestseller across Europe, The Time In Between is one of those rare, richly textured novels that enthrall down to the last page. María Dueñas reminds us how it feels to be swept away by a masterful storyteller.

The Time in Between is a novel that became an international bestseller in Europe through the power of word-of-mouth. This comes as no surprise; the story unfolds with a luscious first person narrative and detail that truly creates some incredibly vivid scenes.

In 1920’s Spain, Sira Quiroga is the daughter of a poor seamstress who must work alongside her mother in order to earn a scant living. Through painstaking tutelage, she hones her skills. Although engaged to marry a well-established, kind-hearted man, she leaves him for an extremely handsome and charismatic man who sweeps her off her feet with his romantic attentions. Against her mother’s better judgement, she moves in with him, without the benefit of marriage.

One day, the father she has never known mysteriously summons her. Due to the turbulent political situation, he is fearful of his life and is prepared to flee from Spain. He hands her an incredible amount of money and jewellery to take care of her future.

Her lover convinces her to move with him to Tangier and Tetouan on a business scheme. There they live the high life until the day Sira learns she is pregnant. When she returns home to tell her lover, she discovers he has abandoned her, taking all the money and jewels, and leaving her without a penny to pay the extensive hotel bill.

Devastated, Sira struggles to pay off her debts and earn a decent living, enough so that she can bring her mother out of the dangerous political situation in Spain. She opens shop as a seamstress and soon attracts a cliental of rich German women. Soon, she is lead into a dangerous role ad risks her life spying against Hitler’s growing regime.

The appeal of this novel is definitely the human portrayal of a brave heroine who must overcome insurmountable circumstances. Add to that the politics of a volatile world on the eve of World War II, and you have a novel with a fascinating plot. Filled with peril, deception, poverty, corruption, and excessive wealth, we feel as if we are actually experiencing the heroine’s pain and troubles with each page turn.

Written with vivid prose that evokes deep emotion in its reader, The Time in Between is a timeless novel of treachery, duplicity, and bravery.

I LOVE COMMENTS

The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak

2011-12-03T00:36:00.011-07:00

Catherine the Great's story told through the eyes of a spy!

Overview

From award-winning author Eva Stachniak comes this passionate novel that illuminates, as only fiction can, the early life of one of history’s boldest women. The Winter Palace tells the epic story of Catherine the Great’s improbable rise to power—as seen through the ever-watchful eyes of an all-but-invisible servant close to the throne.

Her name is Barbara—in Russian, Varvara. Nimble-witted and attentive, she’s allowed into the employ of the Empress Elizabeth, amid the glitter and cruelty of the world’s most eminent court. Under the tutelage of Count Bestuzhev, Chancellor and spymaster, Varvara will be educated in skills from lock picking to lovemaking, learning above all else to listen—and to wait for opportunity. That opportunity arrives in a slender young princess from Zerbst named Sophie, a playful teenager destined to become the indomitable Catherine the Great. Sophie’s destiny at court is to marry the Empress’s nephew, but she has other, loftier, more dangerous ambitions, and she proves to be more guileful than she first appears.

What Sophie needs is an insider at court, a loyal pair of eyes and ears who knows the traps, the conspiracies, and the treacheries that surround her. Varvara will become Sophie’s confidante—and together the two young women will rise to the pinnacle of absolute power.

With dazzling details and intense drama, Eva Stachniak depicts Varvara’s secret alliance with Catherine as the princess grows into a legend—through an enforced marriage, illicit seductions, and, at last, the shocking coup to assume the throne of all of Russia.

Impeccably researched and magnificently written, The Winter Palace is an irresistible peek through the keyhole of one of history’s grandest tales.

Review

The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak is a novel about a young woman named Barbara (or Varvara for the Russian version). She was the daughter of a Polish bookbinder who, through fate, finds herself an orphan and is sent to work in the palace of the elderly Empress Elizabeth. Before long, a marriage is arranged between a young princess named Sophie to Elizabeth’s only heir, her nephew. Princess Sophie is then renamed as Catherine she befriends Sophie. Behind the scenes, Barbara is left with no choice but to become a spy within the palace and soon she is trapped by intrigues and divided loyalties.

Told in first person narrative voice of Barbara, the novel quickly engaged me. Catherine and Elizabeth were portrayed as difficult antagonists, which added a continual thread of conflict from start to finish. Their personalities continually evolved and kept me interested. The author wrote a beautifully researched novel about the rise of a fascinating woman of history. Readers need to be aware that this is novel is only indirectly about Catherine the Great told through the eyes of another woman.

I LOVE COMMENTS

Marguerite de Valois Quote

2011-12-02T08:34:00.000-07:00

We shall all be perfectly virtuous when there is no longer any flesh on our bones.

Marguerite de Valois