Wildish by Robert Parry

 

Title:   Wildish
Sub Title:  A Story Concerning Different Kinds of Love
Author:  Robert Parry
Publisher:  Creative Space Independent Publishing
Publication:  February  16, 2013
ISBN-10:  1475158254
ISBN-13:  978-1475158250
Version:  Advanced Readers Copy
Source:  Received from the Author
Pages:  598

This is Robert Parry's third novel, and in my opinion it is his best work to date!  I did not think it was possible to top his first two novels, but he did!  I savored every word of this wonderful book,and since I finished reading it, I miss it so much.  While I was reading this book, I would look forward to getting back to it all day long.  Now that it is finished, I truly miss Matthew Wildish and all of his friends, as I felt they had become a part of my life.  I guess you could say that I miss them like I would old friends.

Wildish is full of surprises.  It will truly shock you in places, and in ways that you cannot imagine.  But, they are great surrprises, the kind that makes you suck in your breath sometimes, and  the kind that makes you  laugh out loud sometimes.The excitement level in this book is high, and it will keep you wanting to know more from one chapter to the next.  The story is perfectly balanced with intrigue, humor, excitment, and mystery.  Add to that perfect balance, the beautiful imagery portrayed throughout this book and it all adds up to being one of the best books that I have ever read!  I promise that you will not want to put it down!  Also, it is a nice chunky book, so you can have the pleasure of reading it for at least a few days.  But,no matter how fast or slow you read it, you are likely going to miss it when it is finshed.

Matthew Wildish is a Master wig Maker and a sometime poet in London society during 1745.  Matthew is on a personal quest for discovering love, not just any love, but love that transcends reality.  On his quest, he finds himself in some pretty touchy situations.  Just when you think he is done for, somehow he wiggles his way out of trouble.  However, the wiggiling out of troubles are some of the best parts of the story.

This is the perfect read to end this Mardi Gras season with because it is full of beautiful Masquerade Balls and fireworks.  The women are beautifully dressed and the men are handsomely dressed, along with beautiful scenery, the story provides a perfect mixture of historical fiction, costumes, and interesting characters to keep you turning those pages.  This book is about love, however, it has so much more to offer than just romance.  In fact, I think it is one of the BEST books that I have ever read!

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The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Former academic Setterfield pays tribute in her debut to Brontë and du Maurier heroines: a plain girl gets wrapped up in a dark, haunted ruin of a house, which guards family secrets that are not hers and that she must discover at her peril. Margaret Lea, a London bookseller's daughter, has written an obscure biography that suggests deep understanding of siblings. She is contacted by renowned aging author Vida Winter, who finally wishes to tell her own, long-hidden, life story. Margaret travels to Yorkshire, where she interviews the dying writer, walks the remains of her estate at Angelfield and tries to verify the old woman's tale of a governess, a ghost and more than one abandoned baby. With the aid of colorful Aurelius Love, Margaret puzzles out generations of Angelfield: destructive Uncle Charlie; his elusive sister, Isabelle; their unhappy parents; Isabelle's twin daughters, Adeline and Emmeline; and the children's caretakers. Contending with ghosts and with a (mostly) scary bunch of living people, Setterfield's sensible heroine is, like Jane Eyre, full of repressed feeling—and is unprepared for both heartache and romance. And like Jane, she's a real reader and makes a terrific narrator. That's where the comparisons end, but Setterfield, who lives in Yorkshire, offers graceful storytelling that has its own pleasures. (Sept.)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.


Title :  The Thirteenth Tale
Author:  Diane Setterfield
Publisher:  Atria Books
Date:  2006
Source:  Purchased
Pages:  708

My Review:
Ahhh! I do not really know where to begin in reviewing this book because there are so very many great things to be said about it.  The first thing that comes to mind, are the many different paths that it takes the reader down.  It will keep you guessing for all 708 glorious pages.  Just when you think you have something figured out, there comes along another unforeseen twist.
The characters are awesome!  Each of them have such depth that they become real and leap from the pages right  into your reality.  This story is being narrated by a lovely girl named Margaret.  Margaret is a bibliophile, a biographer, and in a way she is also a detective.  She is writing the life story of the world's most beloved authoress, Ms Winter.  Along the way, Margaret gets herself caught in to the  mysterious past of Ms Winters.  Not only is Margaret writing the biography , but she is also trying to solve the mystery that she has gotten herself mixed up in.  All the while she is lost in Ms Winter's story, she is also dealing with her own personal demons.
You will form many, many questions along the way, but not to worry because they will all be answered in the end.  Don't you just hate to read a book that leaves you hanging?  Well, The Thirteenth Tale will not do that.  Every mystery that is uncovered during this story will be answered.
You will not be disappointed with this book!  It has something new to discover around every corner!

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The Glass of Time by Michael Cox

Title:  The Glass of Time

Sub Title:  The Secret Life of Esperanza Gorst

Publisher:  W.W. Norton & Co.

Publication Date:  2008

Source:  Purchased

Pages;  583

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Set in 1876, Cox's gripping second gothic thriller (after The Meaning of Night) follows the fortunes of 19-year-old orphan Esperanza Gorst, whose guardian charges her to go undercover as a lady's maid. Without knowing precisely why she's doing so, Gorst insinuates herself into the inner circle of Baroness Tansor, the fiancée of the preceding volume's villain, Phoebus Daunt. The fake maid soon learns that her mistress has many secrets, and may, in fact, have been complicit in the death of a former servant. Cox excels at conveying his heroine's conflict over deceiving her employer, especially after learning the role the lady played in her own difficult personal history. While readers unfamiliar with the first book will find themselves deeply engaged by the elegant descriptive prose, those with the benefit of the full context and nuances of The Meaning of Night will better appreciate this sequel. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

The author’s first novel, The Meaning of Night (2006), set in London in 1854, was told from the viewpoint of a scholar turned murderer, but this sequel, set some 20 years later, is narrated by an innocent, 19-year-old Esperanza Gorst. Orphaned as a child, she has been raised in relative luxury in Paris by her guardian and given an excellent education by her tutor. However, her world is upended when they inform her that she is to leave for England in two months, where she will be employed as a lady’s maid by the widowed Baroness Tansor on the vast estate of Evenwood. It is to be the first step in what they call the Great Task, but Esperanza’s ultimate goal will only be revealed to her in phases. Although she appears far too refined for her occupation, Esperanza is immediately embraced by the family, but Lady Tansor proves to be a difficult employer, given to hysterics due to her tragic past—the love of her life, the pretentious poet Phoebus Daunt, was murdered by an old friend. Cox so cleverly incorporates the plot of his first novel that his new one can be read by both those who are familiar with The Meaning of Night and those who have never read it. Great period atmosphere, a cunning plot, and an intelligent narrator make this one a special treat for those who like some history with their mystery. --Joanne Wilkinson

My Review:

To all of the readers of The Meaning of Night ,you need to  read this book!  This is the story of Esperanza Gorst, narrarated by herself.  Her parents both died when Esperanza was very young.  She has been raised  by a family friend and her tutor, Mr. Thornhaugh.    At the request of her guardian and her tutor, she seeks employment at Evenwood as Lady Emily Tansor's Ladies maid.  Esperanza knows very little about her parents, but has been told that it is her duty t complete a Great Task by her Guardian and Tutor. She does not know what the Gr eat Task is, she only knows that it has something to do with her parents.  Slowly, the details of the Great Task are revealed to her and she goes along with the plan, even though she does not understand why. Having secured a position as the Ladies maid, her next step is to befriend the Lady Tansor.

This book will answer any questions you might have after reading The Meaning of Night.  The Glass of Time  is written as well as The Meaning of Night.  It is also every bit as exciting!  Both of the books are right up there with the likes of Wilkie collins.  Even though they were written in totally different worlds, these books read like they were written in the mid 1800's.  I don't know how Michael Cox did it, but he writes as if he lived in the mid 1800's.  Both The Meaning of night and The Glass of Time are going on my all time favorite list.

Quote from The Glass of Time
" i stare constantly into the glass of time, that magic mirror in which the shifting shadows of lost days pass back and forth in dumb show before the eyes of memory.  As for the present, the days come and go in pleasantly uneventful- yes, and often dull - succession."
page 568

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Virgin and the Crab by Robert Parry

Title:  Virgin and the Crab
Author:  Robert Parry
Source: Bought
Publisher:  Create Space
Date:  September 29, 2009
Pages:  492

My Review
This was by far one of the best books I have ever read!  It was the best book I have ever read about Queen Elizabeth I.  From the very first page to the last sentence I was held spellbound!  I usually do not like for a movie to be made of a great book, but in this case, I would love, love, love to see a movie made of this book.  I think it would be a box office hit, if it was done well.  The story is awesome and it is from such a different angle from the usual Queen Elizabeth story that I think it could be the most interesting movie ever made about Queen Elizabeth I.  After all, it was the most interesting book I have ever read about her.

This is the story of John Dee, An Astronomer, and a mathematician as well as a host of other abilities, and his friendship to Queen Elizabeth I.  Their friendship began at an early age and lasted a lifetime.   It is a story of devotion, a fight for survival and the struggle for freedom.

King Edward, Henry VIII's only son is a sickly King that finally succumbs to his illnesses.  This left his sisters, Mary and Elizabeth in line for the throne.  Mary, the daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon takes the throne.  She then has Elizabeth, the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn,  imprisoned in the tower, in the very room occupied by her mother while she awaited her execution.  Mary is a very disturbed lady.  She is obsessed with putting the Catholic Church back into power and will do just about anything to make it happen.  She earns the name 'Bloody Mary' because of all the people she had executed while she reigned.  The execution method of choice started as beheading (just like her father), but then became burning people at the stake.  So many were burned during her reign that the air was constantly filled with the smell of burnt flesh.  I found it interesting how Robert Parry portrayed her.  Not only was she a very devout Catholic woman, but she seemed to be obsessed with the teachings of the faith and her beliefs became toxic.  She was also very afraid of having sex.  Her biggest fear in marriage was the wedding night.  Her beliefs were not just a self interest, but she believed everyone should feel as she did.  She did finally marry.  She married Prince Phillip of Spain.  Soon afterward she became pregnant.  At least that is what everyone was led to believe.  After her due date came and went and still no baby, it was finally determined that she was not pregnant.

Most everyone knows that Elizabeth did finally become Queen of England.  But not everyone knows just how close she came to being put to death, not just once, but many times.  This story gives us a look at Queen Elizabeth from an angle not ever seen before, at least not to my knowledge.  It is an angle that I found intriguing.  It is told by John Dee and he is truly the hero of the story.  This is the first story that I have ever heard mention him and yet he played a very important role in Queen Elizabeth's life.  He is such an interesting character that I cannot believe I have not read about him before.

This story is full of Mystery, Intrigue, Suspense, Horror, Jealousy, Determination, and Devotion and I just did not want to put it down.  When you add all of those things to Historical fiction as well as Historical facts, it just adds up to a perfect story.  I did find myself wondering how Robert Parry can write such stories that hold you captive.  He writes almost as if her was there when these things took place.  Then I remembered one of the characters in the book was named Thomas Parry.  I looked Thomas Parry up and found that he was the the Comptroller of the Household for Queen Elizabeth I.  So, then I realized that he may be one of Robert Parry's ancestors and maybe this helps Robert write such awesome stories because it is in his blood!

Robert's book, "The Arrow Chest" is just as good as this one.  So, if you haven't read that one, you are in for a real treat!  I will miss reading this book as I almost hated for the story to be over. I do hope he is working on another one and when it comes out, I will be the first in line to buy it!

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Ruth by Elizabeth Gaskell and Gaskell Reading Challenge

Title:  Ruth
Author:  Elizabeth Gaskell
Publisher:  
Date:  March st 1998 (First Published 1853)
Version:  Kindle
Pages:  432

The first thing I should mention about this book is that it is the first time I have read a Elizabeth Gaskell novel, and it was so wonderful that I cannot wait to read another one!  This book took my breath away!  It was so beautifully written that I did not want to put it down.  Elizabeth Gaskell has a way with words that evokes such strong emotions in the reader.  Her words provide such imagery throughout the book that you can actually smell the fragrance in the air, and most importantly, to feel the emotions the characters are experiencing.

The setting is the mid 1800's in England and Ruth Hilton is a twelve year old orphan that has been signed over by her guardian to woman that has a sewing business.  The work conditions are deplorable and Ruth has no relatives or friends in the city.  Ruth is extremely beautiful, however she does not believe that beauty has much value.  Her beauty causes the other working girls to be jealous of her, therefore she is an outcast which makes her even more lonely.  She misses her parents and longs for someone to care for her.

One Sunday, after church she notices a boy playing near a stream.  The boy falls in and is close to drowning.  Ruth screams until a young man comes to help her with the child.  The young man's name is Mr Bellingham and he is immediately enamored by her beauty.  They begin to go on walks after church and become good friends.  One day, Mr Bellingham talks Ruth into going for a long walk to the house where she was born, because she misses it very much.  On the walk back, it begins to get dark and a coach approaches and in it is the woman she works for.  The woman tellsRuth that she cannot have such loose girls working for her and that she is not to go back to work.  Mr. Bellingham convinces Ruth to go traveling with him.  And the rest is history!


You will fall in love with Ruth.  She is such a sweet, loving person that you just have to fall in love with her.  She has an extremely difficult time making her way in the world.  It is interesting to read about the differences between then and now, and to see just how the female has risen above such terrible ideas of how a woman is supposed to act and what is expected of her.

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The Arrow Chest by Robert Parry

Amazon's Description


London, 1876. The painter Amos Roselli is in love with his life-long friend and model, the beautiful Daphne - and she with him - until one day she is discovered by another man, a powerful and wealthy industrialist. What will happen when Daphne realises she has sacrificed her happiness to a loveless marriage? What will happen when the artist realises he has lost his most cherished source of inspiration? And how will they negotiate the ever-increasing frequency of strange and bizarre events that seem to be driving them inexorably towards self-destruction. Here, amid the extravagant Neo-Gothic culture of Victorian England, the iconic poem ‘The Lady of Shalott’ blends with mysterious and ghostly glimpses of Tudor history. Romantic, atmospheric and deeply dark.






Title:  The Arrow Chest
Author:  Robert Parry
Publisher:  Create Space
Date:  January 2011
Version:  Kindle
Pages:  342

My Review:

I just finished this book about 5 minutes ago and I am already wanting more! I did not want it to end! This is the first book I have read by Robert Parry, and I can promise that it will not be the last.  From the very first page, I was in awe!  Robert Parry has managed to write a Victorian Gothic story in the 21st century that rivals many of the great authors of the 19th century.  It is very beautifully written.  If I did not know better, I would never have suspected that it was not written in the Victorian era.

This story is an intermingling of the Victorian Era and the 16th century tragedy of Anne Boleyn.  How is that possible?  Well, you need to read it to find out!  It starts out with the discovery of Anne Boleyn's bones under the floor of a church along with an arrow chest.  From there the story consists  of the weaving of the two centuries together.  Had I not read the book, I would not have thought it could be done.  It seems an impossible combination, but, Robert Parry has managed to combine my two favorite genre's together, Victorian gothic and historical fiction. So, I am giving this my couldn't put it down rating and adding to that, because I will be reading more of Robert Parry's work!

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