historical fiction anyone?

[jenn]

i've been reading a lot of historical fiction lately and really loved sandra gulland's josephine bonaparte trilogy. i have tried margaret george's mary queen of scotland, but got frustrated and only made it halfway. i don't know if my frustration was with mary or margaret, so i will have to try another of her novels.
any suggestions? i don't favour a particular period, but i tend to lean towards female protagonists. for no other reason than to make comparisons to my own life. just as happy to read about men too.

 

[ksheppard]

I really loved Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series. The first one is The First Man in Rome. They're a bit long and heavy, but really engaging. She tells the stuff from a bunch of viewpoints, so you get both male and female perspectives.

I tried Margaret George's book about Cleopatra and only got 1/4 of the way through!

 

[jenn]

I tried Margaret George's book about Cleopatra and only got 1/4 of the way through!

ok good to know. i was so excited about the story of mary and just felt bogged down. plot was interesting enough, but i just felt like get on with it already!!!!

tks for the series tip.

 

[ksheppard]

It's not fiction, but I recently read Alison Weir's book "Mary Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley" which was quite good. I learned lots about Mary, the tricky part is keeping all the Scottish lords straight.

 

[jenn]

ksheppard,

so i see that you are reading jonathan strange. what do you think so far? i almost bought it the other day. the reviews have been positive.

 

[ksheppard]

I am quite enjoying it - it is written in a fairly "historical-like" manner, although the subject matter is completely fanciful! It was not what I expected going in, I guess I would describe it as Jane Austen meets fantasy with a good dose of English folklore thrown in.

If you have the money, I think I would buy it in hardcover - as a paperback it's too clumsy to read in a relaxed fashion.

 

[Drizzt Do'Urden]

I'm a pretty big fan of Historic-Fiction, although I've only read a few books of the genre, each of with has taken place in Newfoundland. Alot of Historic Fiction has been written about Newfoundland.

 

[honeydevil]

it is not exactly your genre but you could try Barbara Wood's VIRGINS OF PARADISE!!!
I found this book amazing and has a lot history in it, too!!!
bye

 

[magemanda]

I managed to plunge through Cleopatra by Margaret George and found it heavy going right to the end, so I would say that is her writing style.

For historical fiction, my favourite is always, and will always be, Sharon Penman. She writes unbelievably good and sprawling tales of past Kings of England - she concentrates principally on the Plantagenet line. I would recommend 'Here Be Dragons' as the most ideal one if you like a female protagonist.

(and buy Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell - it really is a classic book, with the language of Austen and the otherworldliness of Narnia).

 

[jenn]

(and buy Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell - it really is a classic book, with the language of Austen and the otherworldliness of Narnia).

ok good. i am definitly going to get it. tks

 

[jane_w]

Yes, the Josephine B trilogy is indeed a good one. Sandra Gulland writes as is she lived in 18th Century France!!! For another good piece of historical fiction, I'd recommend 'Beneath a Marble Sky: A Novel of the Taj Mahal'. This is an amazing book. - Jane

 

[Stewart]

I might give JS & MN a second chance - I think it was the winter blues that caused me to toss it.

 

[ParadoxicalRae]

Sappho's Leap by Erica Jong is a very good book...I read it a few years ago when I went with my mother to Austin so she could take her massage therapy final thing. It's just the story of Sappho's life..I thought it was really neat. Here's the synopsis from the inside jacket:

Sappho's Leap is a journey back 2,600 to inhabit the mind of the greatest love poet the world has ever known. At the age of fourteen, Sappho is seduced by the beautiful poet Alcaeus, plots with him to overthrow the dictator of the island, and is caught and married off to a repellent old maner man in hopes of matrimony will keep her out of trouble. Instead, this unhappy unionstarts her off on a series of amorousadventured, taking her from Delphi to Egypt, and even to the Land of the Amazons and the shadowy realm of Hades.
Throughout her travels, Sappho gives birth to and loses a daughter, becomes the most famous singer of the ancient world, and learns to understand the forces that have shaped her life.

 

[hatter]

Tracy Chevalier

I really like her books. Girl With a Pearl Earring is probably her most well known but I like The Lady and the Unicorn best. I also enjoyed Falling Angels I think she researches her books well and her style catches a lot of the feel of the times she writes about without going over the top.

 

[jenn]

Sappho's Leap by Erica Jong is a very good book...I read it a few years ago when I went with my mother to Austin so she could take her massage therapy final thing. It's just the story of Sappho's life..I thought it was really neat. Here's the synopsis from the inside jacket:
.[/I]

see i thought i would love that because i loved fear of flying, but i thought it was awful. i plowed through it and was disappointed.

 

[Ell]

i have tried margaret george's mary queen of scotland, but got frustrated and only made it halfway. i don't know if my frustration was with mary or margaret, so i will have to try another of her novels.

I tried Margaret George's book about Cleopatra and only got 1/4 of the way through!

Maybe it's Margaret George's writing because I read her "The Autobiography of Henry the VIII" and thought it was dreadful. I finished it, but in retrospect, shouldn't have bothered.

 

[jenn]

Maybe it's Margaret George's writing because I read her "The Autobigraphy of Henry the VIII" and thought it was dreadful. I finished it, but in retrospect, shouldn't have bothered.

yes i am thinking the same thing. my mom tried henry and thought great story, what is wrong here. i wonder if margaret's editor knows this.

 

[ParadoxicalRae]

see i thought i would love that because i loved fear of flying, but i thought it was awful. i plowed through it and was disappointed.

You didn't like Sappho's Leap ? Hmm...I only read it once a few years ago, but I enjoyed it...maybe it's just because I like Sappho's poetry though--or perhaps because I don't read a lot of historic fiction myself.
I haven't read anything else by the author though....

 

[jenn]

You didn't like Sappho's Leap ? Hmm...I only read it once a few years ago, but I enjoyed it...maybe it's just because I like Sappho's poetry though--or perhaps because I don't read a lot of historic fiction myself.
I haven't read anything else by the author though....

i read it about 2 years ago and i would have to look at it again, but i remember thinking, this seems like a harlequin romance novel, which i personally don't like.

but i know what you mean about liking a book because it has a connection to something. i will read anything about japan or set in japan because i lived there. or i read alot of josephine bonaparte history so if a story is even remotely related to her, i instantly feel a connection to it.

 

[StillILearn]

Alison Weir

Alison Weir writes wonderful historical novels:

Wars of the Roses
Princes in the Tower
The Life of Elizabeth I
Children of Henry VIII
Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Four Kings
Six Wives of Henry VIII