Published by: Crown Publishing

Published on: May 6, 2008

Page Count: 368

Genre: Historical Fiction

My Reading Format: Audiobook rented from my local public library

Audiobook Published by: Random House Audio

Narrator: Mark Bramhall

Audiobook Length: 12 hours 13 minutes

Available Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, and Audiobook

Publisher’s Description

In January 1945, in the waning months of World War II, a small group of people begin the longest journey of their lives: an attempt to cross the remnants of the Third Reich, from Warsaw to the Rhine if necessary, to reach the British and American lines.

Among the group is eighteen-year-old Anna Emmerich, the daughter of Prussian aristocrats. There is her lover, Callum Finella, a twenty-year-old Scottish prisoner of war who was brought from the stalag to her family’s farm as forced labor. And there is a twenty-six-year-old Wehrmacht corporal, who the pair know as Manfred–who is, in reality, Uri Singer, a Jew from Germany who managed to escape a train bound for Auschwitz.

As they work their way west, they encounter a countryside ravaged by war. Their flight will test both Anna’s and Callum’s love, as well as their friendship with Manfred–assuming any of them even survive.

Review from My Bookshelf

I picked up this novel on a whim while skimming the audiobook collection  at my local pubic library. I’d always wanted to read Chris Bohjalian and when I saw that Mark Bramhall narrated Skeletons at the Feast, the choice was clear.  Mark Bramhall is a talented narrator and I loved what he did with this novel. I particularly liked what he did with Callum’s accent. It sounded warm and comforting, just perfect for the character. Just as with the novel itself, Bramhall’s  work was strong from beginning to end.

Earlier this month, my husband’s family buried one of its own. William M. Conner, aged 87, served his country during World War II. He was part of the second wave on Normandy beach, fought during the Battle of the Bulge, and helped liberate a concentration camp in Germany. As I took part in the solemn military graveside service, I thought a lot about Skeletons at the Feast and my reaction to it. I relived some of the less pleasant moments in that story and reflected on how Uncle Bill saw that and probably so much worse. That he was able to return to Virginia and live the good and kind life that he did thereafter is a testament to his character and the human spirit. In that, Uncle Bill and Chris Bohjalian’s characters have much in common.

Skeletons at the Feast is a fantastic novel about the true toll of  warm on a continent, a race, a family, and an individual. Due to the subject matter, it was not the easiest book to read. While fiction may be seen as a means to escape reality, when done well it is also a way to sit vigil for those who have lived through atrocities. I am grateful that Mark Bramhall finally gave me the gentle shove I needed to pick up a Chris Bohjalian book. I very highly recommend this novel.

Rachel Lockyer is under investigation for murder.

It is 1649. King Charles has been beheaded for treason. Amid civil war, Cromwell’s army is running the country. The Levellers, a small faction of political agitators, are calling for rights to the people. And a new law targeting unwed mothers and “lewd women” presumes anyone who conceals the death of her illegitimate child is guilty of murder.

Rachel Lockyer, unmarried glove maker, and William Walwyn, Leveller hero, are locked in a secret affair. But while William is imprisoned in the Tower, a child is found buried in the woods and Rachel is arrested.

So comes an investigation, public trial, and a cast of extraordinary characters made up of ordinary Londoners: gouty investigator Thomas Bartwain, fiery Elizabeth Lilburne and her revolution-chasing husband, Huguenot glover Mary Du Gard, a lawyer for the prosecution hell-bent on making an example of Rachel, and others. Spinning within are Rachel and William, their remarkable love story, and the miracles that come to even the commonest lives.

Accidents of Providence is absorbing historical fiction for fans of Fingersmith and The Dress Lodger. And Rachel Lockyer, a woman wronged by her time, is a character neither history, nor we, will ever again forget.

When I was offered a review copy of Accidents of Providence by Stacia M. Brown earlier this year, I thought it sounded like an interesting read. The premise certainly is interesting in and of itself, but that alone wasn’t what made me want to read it. In today’s world, issues impacting women’s reproductive health are very much front and center. President Obama’s plan to require prescription coverage of birth control has been a huge topic this year, especially as it relates to religious institutions. Women fighting for access to affordable birth control maligned, even to the point of being called sluts or worse in the public media. Then last week, in the Commonwealth of Virginia, the governor signed into law a bill that will require all women seeking an abortion to undergo an abdominal ultrasound. Again, lawmakers and politicians are trying to use shame as a means of controlling women.

As these stories have unfolded, I could see just how much Accidents of Providence would make an excellent book to read with a group. I don’t belong to a physical book club and I would love to have someone to read this book with me. I have a feeling I’ll have much to say both about the story told within the book and how it relates to the current political climate. Won’t you join me for a read-a-long?

If you would like more information, there is more information on Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s website as well as the author’s website.

The Basics

Who? You, I hope!

What? A group discussion about Accidents of Providence.

Why? Because sometimes it can feel lonely to read a book that you know will raise many thoughts and feelings. You feel like you just have to discuss it with someone who has shared the same experience.

When? Thursday, April 19th.

Where? Right here at Literate Housewife

How? Simply read the book on or before April 19th. Then, come back and share your thoughts throught what I hope will be a lively discussion in comments.

If you are planning on joining me, I would love it if you would fill out the following form. I’d be happy to send a reminder as the date draws near and let you know when the discussion post has been published.

The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose

Published by: Atria Books

Published on: March 13, 2012

Page Count: 384

Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery

My Reading Format: eGalley provided by the publisher in order to participate in the book tour

Available Formats: Hardcover, eBook and Audiobook

Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tour
Welcome to my very first Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tour event. I’m very pleased to host M.J. Rose today as I review her latest novel, The Book of Lost Fragrances. Be sure to come back on Thursday for a guest post from the author!

About the Author

M.J. Rose is the international best selling author of eleven novels and two non-fiction books on marketing. Her next novel The Book of Lost Fragrances (Atria/S&S) will be published in March 2012.  Her fiction and non-fiction has appeared in many magazines and reviews including Oprah Magazine. She has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio.  Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the ’80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors -Authorbuzz.com.  The television series Past Life, was based on Rose’s novels in the Renincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and runs the blog- Buzz, Balls & Hype.  She is also the co-founder of Peroozal.com and BookTrib.com.

Rose lives in CT with her husband the musician and composer, Doug Scofield, and their very spoiled and often photographed dog, Winka.

For more information on M.J. Rose and her novels, please visit her website. You can also find her on Facebook.

About The Book of Lost Fragrances

A sweeping and suspenseful tale of secrets, intrigue, and lovers separated by time, all connected through the mystical qualities of a perfume created in the days of Cleopatra–and lost for 2,000 years.

Jac L’Etoile has always been haunted by the past, her memories infused with the exotic scents that she grew up surrounded by as the heir to a storied French perfume company. In order to flee the pain of those remembrances–and of her mother’s suicide–she moved to America. Now, fourteen years later she and her brother have inherited the company along with it’s financial problems. But when Robbie hints at an earth-shattering discovery in the family archives and then suddenly goes missing–leaving a dead body in his wake–Jac is plunged into a world she thought she’d left behind.

Back in Paris to investigate her brother’s disappearance, Jac becomes haunted by the legend the House of L’Etoile has been espousing since 1799. Is there a scent that can unlock the mystery of reincarnation – or is it just another dream infused perfume?

The Book of Lost Fragrances fuses history, passion, and suspense, moving from Cleopatra’s Egypt and the terrors of revolutionary France to Tibet’s battle with China and the glamour of modern-day Paris. Jac’s quest for the ancient perfume someone is willing to kill for becomes the key to understanding her own troubled past.

My Review

The Book of Lost Fragrances is an ambitious novel that follows a thread beginning with Cleopatra and ending in modern time. Although there are several couples along the way, the main characters are those living in modern time. Jac and Robbie are sister and brother and are the current generation leading the House of L’Etoile, a French perfume company. It’s seen its better days and they disagree about how best to handle the finacial crisis. Meanwhile in China, Xie, a gifted calligrapher is biding his time in university waiting for an opportunity to meet the Dalai Lama and let him know that he is the lama who was kidnapped by the Chinese government in a ploy to destroy the Buddhist tradition in Tibet. As these story lines come together, the ties that bind them together become more clear. At the same time, the danger for all involved grows.

Could a scent truly put a person in a state where he or she remembers things that took place in past lives? I fell into Jac’s more cynical camp especially as the novel began. I do not believe in reincarnation. The most I’ve ever really thought about it was when my Dad’s mother joked in the car one day that if there is such a thing as reincarnation she prayed she came back as someone with a decent singing voice. That being said, as the story continued, I remembered just how powerful the sense of smell really is. Two years ago my brother sent me a tin for Christmas that was sealed with packing tape. We exchange gifts over the phone and when I opened that tin and smelled the beer battered peanuts that were inside, I instantly began crying. That same grandmother who joked about reincarnation made those peanuts every year for Christmas. It had been 13 years since she passed away, but in that moment when the smell hit me, she was with me again. I can’t deny the power of scent.

This book was an adventure from the beginning. After establishing the principle characters in the modern setting, it was a race for truth and for the future. Although I did feel that Jac almost enjoyed her scars from the past, I related to her straightforward approach toward Robbie and his dream of the lost fragrance. At the same time, it was Jac’s hesitancy that made me ultimately hope that things would turn out Robbie’s way in the end. I very much respected his zeal and wished his past shared equal weight with Jac’s.

I’ve wanted to read a M.J. Rose for a while because so many readers I trust have enjoyed her Reincarnationist series. After finishing The Book of Fragrances, I want to read her series even more. In addition to an interesting story, I thought the ending was just as it should have been. The best interests were served well without any type of fairy tale ending. While I felt that the story was finished, it really hasn’t been over. I’ve enjoyed letting my imagination follow Xie into his future.  I enjoyed my first  M.J. Rose experience. I would especially recommend The Book of Lost Fragrances to those who enjoy mysteries with a paranormal twist. I think you’ll like it.

Published by: St. Martin’s Press

Published on: August 30, 2011

Page Count: 400

Genre: Historical Fiction / Family Saga

My Reading Format: Audiobook provided to me by the publisher for consideration.

Audiobook Published by: Macmillan Audio

Narrator: Roger Allam and Emelia Fox

Audiobook Length: 12 hours and 41 minutes

Available Formats: Hardcover, eBook and Audiobook; Mass Market Paperback edition to be released on February 28th.

Note: This is the first book in the Clifton Chronicles. The second book in the series, Sins of the Father,  is due to be published in May of 2012.

My Review

Harry Clifton was told that his father had died a war hero. Given the date of his birth, it wasn’t a possibility, but it didn’t much concern him when he was young.  Then, he was content to skip school and prepare for a life working the docks like his uncle. It wasn’t until his beautiful voice was discovered and he began talking to a mysterious and wise older gentlemen that Harry began to think of a life outside of his working class origins. His mother worked hard as a waitress to support his attendance at an exclusive boy’s school, where he meets his best friend, Giles Barrington. Giles’ father would never even shake his hand, but he assumed that was due to his humble origins. The Barrington family owned the shipyard where his father and uncle worked. It wasn’t until he reached adulthood and something heart-wrenching and unforgivable happened that Harry learned the truth about his father.

Although I have only ever read one of his novel before listening to Only Time Will Tell, Jeffrey Archer has had an influence on my life. I read Kane and Abel over Christmas break during my Sophomore year of high school. It was that book that influenced me to write the short stories that led to me being offered a place in Honors English Junior year. As with my first read, I loved the epic quality to Archer’s storytelling. I loved all of the detail during Harry’s early years because I knew his story wouldn’t be completed within the covers of Only Time Will Tell. Just as I remembered from Kane and Abel, there were rich characters throughout. I especially loved Harry’s mother Maisie and Old Jack. They were characters crafted with care and made the book a richer experience. Even those less virtuous characters are fun to read. When I came to the end of this book, I immediately wanted to pick up the next book in the series. Because it has yet to be released, I had to settle for researching the release date of Sins of the Father and add it to my Google calendar.

Both Roger Allam and Emelia Fox were new-to-me narrators with this book. I enjoyed their work immensely. They made the hours fly by. Without being able to see the structure of the novel, I was a little confused when Roger Allam and not Emelia Fox narrated a large section from Maisie’s point of view. As the audiobook progressed, it soon became clear why those decisions were made. Even if it never made sense, it would have only been a minor issue. I loved Emelia Fox and likewise would have been okay had Roger Allam narrated the entire novel. As the second novel is going to take place in the United States (not a spoiler as this detail is mentioned in the synopsis), I’m not sure how narrators will be selected. I do hope that Roger Allam’s at least is able to continue.

I very much enjoyed jumping back into Jeffrey Archer’s writing. Only Time Will Tell was everything that I’d hoped it would be. Full of interesting characters and a compelling story. As this is part of a series, there is a cliffhanger at the end. While reading this I intuitively knew that there would be one. Still, when it came it caught me off guard. I must know what happens to Harry next. Come on Sins of the Father.

The Baker’s Daughter by Sarah McCoy

Published by: Crown

Published on: January 24, 2012

Page Count: 304

Genre: Fiction / Historical Fiction

My Reading Format: eBook purchased for my Kindle – I’ll be buying my Hardcover copy on 02.24.2012 when Sarah McCoy will be at Fountain Bookstore  in Richmond.

Available Formats: Hardcover and eBook

My Review

Reba has been given the assignment to interview the owner of a local bakery about the Christmas traditions her family celebrated while she was growing up in Germany. This interview proves to be more difficult to come by than originally anticipated. When Elsie doesn’t return her phone calls, Reba goes to the bakery in person to get the interview. She is surprised to discover it is impossible for her to keep a professional distance. Not only do Elsie and her daughter pick up on personal difficulties Reba likes to think she’s kept hidden, Elsie’s experiences of Christmas are tarnished by WWII. What began as a simple quest for a human interest article forces both Reba and Elsie to confront the past and move forward into the future.

I liked this book right from the very beginning. Elsie’s story in Germany during her youth caught my attention. It’s outside of my reading experience to get introduced to a young woman excited to go to a Nazi party. Yet most certainly there were very many young women just like that. Watching her opinions change based on her experiences was more than interesting. In between episodes of her early life, we learn more about Reba and Elsie’s life in America. Reba’s past struck a chord with me. As someone who has lost a family member to suicide, we were instant friends. My uncle and Reba’s father had striking similarities. All that Reba felt and how she reacted to the memories was authentic and real. It brought to mind and to heart all that happened 20 years ago to my family.

When a novel takes place during a time of war, it is expected that there will be commentary about the nature of war and its affects on society and family. Sarah McCoy did this beautifully and without judgement. As much as movies and culture would like to paint any war as the good guys against the bad guys, not everyone backing the losing side is evil. Elsie’s family was a proud German family. That they started the war backing the Nazi party does not make them evil. Especially in times without the overwhelming presence of news and governmental oversight, the reality of what their government was doing dawned on them slowly. Just as hearing about the atrocities that went on are hard to stomach for those not involved, how much more difficult must that knowledge be for those who trusted their leaders? The way that McCoy told the story of Elsie’s family was honest, yet loving. They had to learn to live with the reality of what took place in a way the rest of us will never understand.

What I hadn’t been expecting about The Baker’s Daughter was the astute social commentary about the United States’ immigration policyh. With just as much compassion, McCoy shines a light on the similarities between trying to exterminate people from within and forcibly keeping others out. She did so by interlacing the stories of Elsie’s Nazi fiance and Reba’s fiance Riki. By telling their story side by side, she allows the readers to draw their own conclusions about what is happening. She points out that the folly of letting the law to do your thinking for you is still alive and well today.

The Baker’s Daughter was the perfect read for me. On top of telling a wonderful story, it connected me to my past and gave me pause to think about current social issues and the hurts I’ve been holding on to for far too long. I was in this novel the entire way through. The ending was bittersweet and brought tears to my eyes several times over. I reflected on how much there is in this life that can separate us from those we love. Those things that separate us may seem very important at the time, but in the end it is the love and the closeness that is most precious. That is why forgiveness is such a gift. Perhaps it is the capacity to be merciful more than anything else that makes us human, that makes being human worthwhile. Pick up The Baker’s Daughter. Read it for the stories Sarah McCoy has crafted. Then, pick up the phone and call those you love. Forgive and be forgiven. It feels better than you know.

Restoration by Olaf Olafsson

Published by: Ecco

Published on: February 7, 2012

Page Count: 336

Genre: Historical Fiction

My Reading Format: ARC sent to me by a publicist for consideration

Available Formats: Paperback and eBook

My Review

Alice, the daughter of British ex-patriots living in Florence, gained a title when she married. Unfortunately, her husband offers little else than his title and her parents disapprove. Still, she finds happiness early in her marriage as she and her husband set out to restore a Tuscan villa. Unfortunately, after boredom sets in, she runs into a gentleman from her past with her mother’s blessings. Only heartache results. Meanwhile, Kristin, a young artist who is technically proficient if not lacking in her own spark, finds restoring older paintings for Robert Marshall, a reputable art dealer. Kristin makes the mistake many young women do and begins an affair with Robert. The consequences for both women are heartbreaking. Then, as WWII heats up, their lives intertwine in Tuscany. The novel’s title refers to art, the old Tuscan villa, and the lives of both women. When all is lost but your own life, what other choice is there?

Tuscany isn’t a part of the world I’ve spent much of my time reading. That is what drew me to Restoration. Sometimes I feel like I’ve overdosed on WWII historical fiction, but I love it when it is both good and unique to my experience. Restoration is just that. The way that Olaf Olafsson told Alice’s story, Kristin’s story and then weaved them both together sparked my interest from the very first page. There is something about a well written doomed affair that will always fascinate me, I absolutely loved Kristin’s work. Imagine having the talent to take a famous artist’s work and restore what has been damaged. It must be thrilling. At the same time, it’s a little less the work of the master. The more I thought about this, the more it shaped my reaction to the final pages of the book.

It is such a satisfying experience to read a book like Restoration that is both enjoyable and thought provoking. The title itself provides an initial frame of reference, but it is not static. Its meaning expands as the novel progresses. First there is the villa, then the art, and ultimately the lives of the two women left to fight for so much. Just remembering Restoration makes me want to curl up under my warm afghan and read. This was my first Olaf Olafsson read and it will not be my last. Having a taste for his writing and his story telling, each of his four previous novels sound wonderful. I highly recommend this novel and this author.

The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak

Published by: Random House

Published on: January 10, 2012

Page Count: 464

Genre: Historical Fiction

My Reading Format: eGalley downloaded from NetGalley

Available Formats: Hardcover and eBook

Book Tour: I am pleased to be Eva Stachniak’s tour host today. Today is an extra special day because The Winter Palace is officially published today. Please read my review and be sure to come back on Thursday for a guest post from the author about the perils of researching too much. I will also have a copy of the book to giveaway.  In the meantime, you can also view the book trailer at the end of my review.

My Review

Barbara is the story of an immigrant book binder. He may not be a rich man, but he is the best at what he does. It is his skill and dedication that first catch the eye of Empress Elizabeth. Because of his work for her, he is able to request a place for Barbara in her court should anything ever happen to him. Too soon, Barbara’s father does pass away. That promise from the Empress does not immediately pave her way to a better life. Quite the contrary. She is at a disadvantage because of her background. It is her intelligence that brings her our of her initial miserable servitude. Count Bestuzhev, always vying for favor, discovers how clever she is. It is he who teaches her how to spy effectively to become one of Empress Elizabeth’s most trusted tongues. His other introductions to court life were less desirable, but Barbara’s downfall was ignoring his most valuable advice.

There is nothing more intriguing, especially at a safe distance, than a royal court in turmoil. The Winter Palace brings this non stop tumult directly to the reader. Empress Elizabeth forcibly took over power from the infant Ivan VI. She intentionally has no children of her own and brings a nephew in to be her heir. Her nephew Peter is an odd young man, putting his ascension in jeopardy. It is most important to Elizabeth to find a suitable wife for him, one who will bare him many heirs. When she joins Elizabeth’s court, Barbara takes it upon herself to help Catherine. By acting on her own, she puts her place in the Winter Palace in jeopardy, but that isn’t the only consequence. In the end, it will cost her so much more.

I became very much engaged in Barbara’s story. She herself makes some cruel decisions, but mainly in her youth. For the most part, she acts as she does to keep those she loves safe. The rest of the characters are not always so noble. Elizabeth lived the life of one who constantly has to remain on guard. Overthrowing the government did not bring security and no one is too precious not to willfully sacrifice when needed. She lived up to her promise not to execute her subjects, but she found much worse ways to punish those who crossed her. Count Bestuzhev was the most distasteful character of all. His life was entirely about getting ahead and using everyone he can in every way he can. He reminded me a great deal of Thomas Howard with a couple extra helpings of depravity. Young Catherine is new to everything in Russia. She couldn’t afford to be naive and impressionable long. She, too, has a role to play and a place to secure.

Although this book is subtitled A Novel of Catherine the Great, it was aptly named. This book is about the comings and goings of the Winter Palace leading up to the end of Empress Elizabeth’s reign. Certainly Catherine is there and is central to Barbara’s story, but what connects the beginning to the end isn’t the emerging monarch. It’s the palace in which Barbara interacts with the every shifting powers that be that define the story.

The Winter Palace was my introduction to Russian historical fiction and I enjoyed my time there. In many ways, the Russian court makes Henry VIII’s seem forgiving and peaceful. Not only did this book inspire me to learn more about Catherine the Great, I thought the ending of this book was just perfect. I cared for Barbara and I was so pleased with the life she went on to have. Given the title and the setting of this novel, it makes an excellent selection for this time of year.

22 Britannia Road by Amanda Hodgkinson

Published by: Penguin

Published on: April 28, 2011

Page Count: 336

Genre: Historical Fiction

My Reading Format: Audiobook purchased from Audible.com

Audiobook Published by: Penguin Audiobooks

Narrator: Robin Sachs

Audiobook Length: 11 hours 19 minutes

Available Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook

My Review

Janusz and Silvana are  a young married couple when Janusz goes off to fight as WWII  breaks out in Poland. Silvana was left behind to care for their infant son, Aurek. To escape both the Germans and the Russians, she learns how to survive in the wilderness with her son. When the two are rescued from a refuge camp and brought to Ipswich to be reunited with Janusz after the war, both husband and wife are hopeful of once again being happy, but  they each have secrets that make it difficult to easily piece their family back together.

This novel alternates between Janusz and Silvana together in post-war England and the past in Poland for each character separately. As they try to build a new life and recapture their relationship, the reader is introduced slowly to the events and secrets that shaped them while they were apart. This structure worked well for me. It built tension and peaked my curiosity. I did find Silvana to be more difficult to wrap myself around, so the sections focusing Janusz were essential. It was because of him that I was able to care about Silvana and Aurek. They were broken characters, but something solid came in between me and them that prevented compassion from taking over. Were it not for Janusz, I wouldn’t have enjoyed the book.

It was a pleasure to experience this novel through Robin Sachs narration. He has such a comforting voice, yet it lends itself well to mystery and human pain. I may never be able to spell Janusz without assistance, but I can still hear Sachs say his name in my memory. After now listening to his narration of 22 Britannia Road and The Last Werewolf, I truly appreciate how versatile Robin  Sachs is. If you’ve yet to listen to one of his audiobook, I strongly suggest it. His is a voice you’ll not soon forget.

22 Britannia Road is a novel about the impact of secrets on lovers and families. It is also a story about the strength of the human spirit during war and its aftermath. While I didn’t love Amanda Hodgkinson’s debut novel, I certainly enjoyed it. I hope to read excellent things from her in the future.

Sylvester or The Wicked Uncle

Published by: Sourcebooks

Published on: April 1, 2011

Page Count: 400

Genre: Regency Romance

My Reading Format: Review copy sent to me by the publisher for review

Available Formats: Paperback and eBook

My Review

Sylvester, the bachelor Duke of Salford, became the guardian of his young nephew when his twin brother passed away. Although [insert boy’s name]’s mother is alive and living with the Duke at Chance, but she is not the attentive mother she’d have the world believe. It is the knowledge that his nephew needed a strong female influence that compelled him at long last to discuss his own marriage with his mother. It was then that Phoebe Marlow, the daughter of his mother’s best friend was mentioned. Phoebe just came out the year before and, unbeknownst to anyone other than her close childhood friend Thomas Orde and her governess, her first impression of Sylvester was so poor that she made him the villain in a society novel set to be published anonymously. Sylvester was equally unimpressed with Phoebe when he arrives at her father’s estate for a visit. As fate and other people scheme to bring them together, will their first impressions hold up or they too close to the situation to see what’s best?

This novel got off to a rough start for me. The premise sounded promising, but the heavy prose of the first few chapters bogged me down. Once Phoebe arrived on the scene, the novel picked up some much needed steam. There was never any doubt how the novel would end. That isn’t the point of a Georgette Heyer Regency romance. The fun is in the getting there. I very much enjoyed Phoebe’s character and her misadventures in London society and publishing. Although she is easily flustered around her step mother, she is a spunky woman who won’t follow convention when she feels it will ruin her life. Her relationship with Tom adds an interesting element to her character and the story as well. I never warmed up to Sylvester’s character as much as I had hoped. I would have preferred him to have a touch of evil instead of unknowingly acting like a spoiled Duke. I never saw him as the wicked uncle. Had I, the story would have been more compelling over all. That being said, Sylvester or the Wicked Uncle is a pleasant and often humorous Regency romance.

Today is Georgette Heyer’s birthday! Sourcebooks is celebrating by pricing all of their Heyer eBooks at $1.99 this week. Be sure to check out what’s available through your eBook vendor. I would definitely recommend picking up Sylvester or the Wicked Uncle as well as The Reluctant Widow, which I especially loved.

The Mistress of Nothing

Published by: Simon & Schuster

Published on: January 2011

Page Count: 250

Genre: Historical Fiction

My Reading Format: Review copy sent to me by the publisher

Available Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook

My Review

The Mistress of Nothing came into my reading life at an advantageous time. Just prior to me picking it up, Egypt had overthrown its government. I had also recently watched the first installment of Downton Abbey, a PBS series about British aristocracy and their hired help. These things put me in the perfect mindset to read this novel, which is written from the point of view of Sally Naldrett, the lady maid for Lady Duff Gordon.

Lady Duff Gordon has a terrible case of consumption and, as different climates on the continent were of little help to her, she is forced to leave her family for at least two years to live in the hotter, dryer climate of Egypt. As Lady Duff Gordon’s lady maid, Sally had little choice but to travel with her. Luckily, she was excited for the adventure and longed to see her Lady feeling better. While Egypt was literally a world away to the two women, they acclimated as well as could be expected. It was the women’s great good luck to encounter, Omar, the man who would become their dragoman, a translator, guide, and all around helper. Soon, they dropped their stays and confining dresses and adopted the dress of the Egyptians. Lady Duff Gordon was soon well enough to entertain both other British nationals as well as local men of a similar station to her own. When she is not ill, Lady Duff Gordon needs very little from Sally and Omar and their relationships, much to Sally’s shock, becomes more casual. Sally realizes that traveling to Egypt has given her the opportunity to be treated almost as an important friend, something that never would have occurred were she in England. This time of happiness did not last. With the arrival of Lady Duff Gordon’s husband for a visit does not go as the Lady had hoped and Sally makes it impossible for her not to tell Lady Duff Gordon the one secret she’d been keeping from her, Sally’s life comes crashing down.

While The Mistress of Nothing dealt with the lives of actual human beings, what struck me the most about the story is the relationship between those with power, in this case Lady Duff Gordon, and those with none, Sally and Omar. Even in times of illness, while Lady Duff Gordon believes that she is in control of her life and her environment, she is kind-hearted to those needing her help and assistance. Before they left England for Egypt Sally relates the a fellow servant who had fallen from grace. The father of her unborn child left her and without her work, this unfortunate woman has nothing and no where to go. Sally is certain that her Lady will be kind to the girl and she was. Benevolence is easy when one feels in control. Benevolence also has a nasty flip side.

When you’re in the situation of relying on the good will of another human being, be that for your livelihood or your life, you ought never take it for granted. This is what happened to Sally. She is taken aback by the way Lady Duff Gordon relaxed their relationship in Egypt. Both Sally and Omar mistook the growing intimacy of their evenings for her Lady Duff Gordon’s growing fondness of them. In actuality, it was all about Lady Duff Gordon and the freedom she herself had discovered. Taking that change as a sign of friendship and relaxing themselves set the stage for what was to come.

I truly enjoyed The Mistress of Nothing. Not only did the Egyptian landscape and lifestyles come to life, I cared very much about the characters and how they made their lives there. It’s interesting how one can adapt so easily and thoroughly to physical, mental and religious changes in the landscape. Kate Pullman is an excellent writer and she had me hooked from the very first sentence. She adds depth to the characters and the situation in which they found themselves in a concise and beautiful manner. This is a novel for historical fiction fans and all readers interested in the dynamics between classes and how women interact with and treat one another. I highly recommend reading this novel.