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Willoyd's Reading 2015


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The Woman Who Dived into the Heart of the World by Sabine Berman ***

 

Isabelle Nieto inherits a tuna processing factory and house in Mexico from her sister. On arrival, she finds a wild child almost literally dug into the basement - a girl she assumes is her niece, who turns out to be a high functioning autistic, who acquires the name of Karen. It is Karen who tells us her life story.

 

There is much to like about this book, and it is understandable why it's received rave reviews. I have to admit it's not one I would have picked up off my own bat (even having read it), but it was the first choice of the year for my book group. There is a sensitivity and empathy in the writing which is both engaging and helps the reader understand, and indeed sympathise with, Karen's perception of the world. The author is also keen to use the opportunity to re-examine a range of 'normal' perspective on various issues (mainly ecological!), whilst never appearing 'worthy' - this remains very much Karen's story.

 

But, for some reason, I never really settled with this book, and found myself all too often checking to see how far I had to go (the time passed steadily enough), a process that became more rather than less frequent as the book progressed. When I got to the end, it almost felt like a relief (I'd certainly started to feel somewhat weary of the style some eighty pages or more before the end), a relief exacerbated somewhat by the fact that the story ending seemed to be the weakest element, fizzing rather soggily to a close. So, a good enough read, one where I'm a little bit mystified as to why I can't get more enthusiastic about it. I am, though, glad it didn't go on much longer.

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Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor ****

 

I grabbed this off the Kindle sale list after recommendations elsewhere on the forum, and a premise that thoroughly appealed: historian Madeline Maxwell gets the chance of working at the rather mysterious St Mary's Institute, which turns out to be a time travel unit, exploring the past to develop our knowledge of history. Historians, apparently, can get into a lot of trouble, and the attrition rate is high, especially as there are others trying to exploit the past in different ways!

 

The book, the first in a series, totally lived up to expectations, but it's fully apparent from the large number of Amazon reviews (over 900 at the time of writing, the vast majority very positive) that one has to be clear what those expectations have to be if one is to enjoy this to the full. This is not serious literature, it's not even particularly 'literary', it's certainly not a scientific look at time-travel (at least one one-star reviewer complained of the lack of explanation behind the time-travel - is there one with our current state of knowledge?!), it's not strong on the moral 'issues' that time-travel can throw up. It's simply a rip-roaring piece of fun, into which the author openly states she "went ahead and slung in elements of history, adventure, comedy, romance, tragedy and anything else she could think of". And it does seem like that on occasions to the extent that, if anything, the book feels rather overloaded; a bit more judicious pacing/editing, might well have benefited the book enormously.

 

But, I come back to that word 'fun', because this exuded that in spades. I loved the spikiness and quirkiness of the heroine, found the story addictive (glossing over the occasional plot hole - or maybe I just missed things, as I can do!), and really enjoyed it - a book that definitely got under my skin contrary to all my usual reading tastes. Classic pulp fiction for turning off is perhaps the best way I can describe it, and none the worse for being so. One reviewer described it, rather disparagingly, as Doctor Who for adults. Well, I have a bit of a weakness for Doctor Who, and have no problem with that analogy. I'm definitely following up the rest of the series.

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I'm torn by that review! It sounds like a fun read, but... I like my moral, structured time-travel! :P I might track it down and at least give it a go :)

Depends what you're after. The book isn't a complete free for all. There is a moral side: the St Mary's Institute is in it for the research, and the villains are exploiting the past for their own immoral gains, so there is a moral subtext of sorts. Equally, there is time-travel structure worked into the plot (for instance, it's not possible to bring back artefacts, as their presence in modern time and their absence from history where they will have played a part, however minor, will mean that the time-lines have changed, which they can't have etc.). It's jus that these issues are not high on the agenda of the plot - unlike, for instance, in parts of Connie Willis's timetravel fiction. Whatever, it won't cost you much to find out, as the first volume is currently 99p (and the 2nd and 3rd are both less than £2).

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Happy Reading in 2015 Will :) Loving your lists. I like the way you list only the books you've read off of the 1001 .. much more sensible really as there's no way we're going to read them all and .. as you say .. you wouldn't actually want to read a lot of them :blush2: Like the way you have a list of authors/works you're going to concentrate on too .. helps to keep you focused. Which Dickens novel do you think you'll tackle next?  

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Happy Reading in 2015 Will :) Loving your lists. I like the way you list only the books you've read off of the 1001 .. much more sensible really as there's no way we're going to read them all and .. as you say .. you wouldn't actually want to read a lot of them :blush2: Like the way you have a list of authors/works you're going to concentrate on too .. helps to keep you focused. Which Dickens novel do you think you'll tackle next?  

 

I'm trying to read them in chronological order now, (so will reread Bleak House and Great Expectations at a later date), so it'll be The Old Curiosity Shop.  I usually read at least one Dickens in the early months, but have decided this year I want to read a couple of non-fiction doorstoppers first, and get going on the Patrick O'Brien sequence, so will probably leave it till later in the year, for a holiday (Easter?) as it's a biggie in its own right. Thank you for your kind comments!

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Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian *****
 

I started reading Patrick O'Brians famous Aubrey/Maturin series of books, set in the naval world of the early nineteenth century, some years ago. However good the books, I'm not very good at sustaining a series, and after the first four in the twenty long series, all rated 5 or 6 stars, my reading of them petered out, and, whilst I've gathered the whole series, I've yet to get back into them. Until now! One of the challenges I've set myself this year is to do just that, starting again to get the full flavour of O'Brian's very rich writing - I've really started to miss it!

Master and Commander is the first in the series. It has the same title as the Russell Crowe film, but that was primarily based on the tenth book, The Far Side of the World (as it was subtitled), and there is little other than the odd, minor episode translated from this book to the film.

The film was good, very good. Indeed, it is one of my favourite half dozen films (and I'm not even a particular fan of Russell Crowe). The book, however, is far, far better! In Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin, the two central figures, the friendship between whom is the linchpin of the book and the series, O'Brian has created, in my opinion, two of the great characters of twentieth-century literature, as well as one of the most interesting relationships: Aubrey, a big man, inclined to overweight, bluff, inclined almost to boorishness on occasions, quick-tempered, music lover, riven with insecurity in relationships, yet so confident in his role as a naval officer, almost childlike when it comes to women; Maturin, small, lean, intellectually curious, full of human insight except where his own life is concerned, secretive....I could go on with both, they are so well developed. Together they make a formidable literary team.

O'Brian not only has some wonderful characters (it's not just Aubrey and Maturin who come so alive), but an ability to tell a great story. He makes no bones about the fact that much of what he includes is founded on historical fact. Indeed, the role played by Aubrey is based strongly on the real-life personage of Thomas Cochrane, Earl of Dundonald, who was a famous naval captain of the Napoleonic Wars (and later). The book is littered with historical figures, right down to the captains of the various ships. Many of the episodes in Master and Commander are lifted straight from reality: the fictional HMS Sophie is the alter-ego for the historical HMS Speedy, for the Cacafuego read El Gamo, whilst the descriptions of the climatic actions of the last fifty pages or so, whilst seen through Aubrey's eyes (who was in the same position as Cochrane was at the time), could almost be an historical recount *. But, there is no doubt that this is a work of fiction, and that O'Brian is more than capable of weaving his own highly intricate web.

There are one or two issues that readers have faced on encountering this series. In particular one of the first things the reader notes is that O'Brian doesn't take any prisoners on the technical front. His language is full of the naval jargon of the time, and a fighting sailing ship involves a huge amount of it! Many readers have complained about this, frustrated at being unable to tell stays from shrouds, royals from topgallants! Equally, O'Brian so gets into the early nineteenth century mind, that some readers have found it hard to follow the whys and wherefores of what is happening.

Well, that is certainly one way of looking at this book. Another way is to recognise the richness of what O'Brian is doing, immersing the reader as much as possible in the lives of the characters. In fact, when I first read Master and Commander, I had little comprehension myself of what the jargon meant. However, if you just let it flow over you for the moment, O'Brian usually finds a way to explain it. Thus, early on in the book, Stephen Maturin, a landlubber himself, is taken up the mast of the Sophie, and has the masts and rigging explained by one of the seaman. Stays? Shrouds? No problem now!** And if you don't understand completely, and want to (I actually enjoyed several books without fully understanding all the technical words by any means), there are some brilliant companion volumes available (I recommend Dean King's), which in themselves make for fascinating browsing. Whilst one needs them less and less, they become more and more interesting!

This all might seem hard work, and I suppose it might be if, as one Amazon reviewer commented, one believes that books should stand on their own and life is too short for it to be otherwise. But what O'Brian has done with this book (and later ones) is go beyond that, to something that attempts to take the reader beyond the confines of the book, into a world that is vividly real. It's a bit like watching a large screen HD television for the first time, after being used to a standard one for years. I'm already looking forward to the next exciting episode!!

* I've deliberately kept this a little bit vague, as I want to avoid spoilers.
** Stays are the parts of the rigging supporting a mast that run forwards (forestays) and backwards (backstays) along the line of the ship; shrouds are the parts of the rigging supporting a mast that go out to the sides of the ship; royals and topgallants are different sails, high on the masts, royals above the topgallants.

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What a fantastic review, willoyd!  Far, far better than I could have put it.  I've just finished the tenth book, The Far Side of the World, so it's good to know there's someone else here who understands my enthusiasm for the books.  Would you consider posting a link to your review in the dedicated thread for the series in the 'Historical Fiction' forum?  I think it deserves it and might encourage others to give it a go  :smile:

 

 

There are one or two issues that readers have faced on encountering this series. In particular one of the first things the reader notes is that O'Brian doesn't take any prisoners on the technical front. His language is full of the naval jargon of the time, and a fighting sailing ship involves a huge amount of it! Many readers have complained about this, frustrated at being unable to tell stays from shrouds, royals from topgallants! Equally, O'Brian so gets into the early nineteenth century mind, that some readers have found it hard to follow the whys and wherefores of what is happening.

Well, that is certainly one way of looking at this book. Another way is to recognise the richness of what O'Brian is doing, immersing the reader as much as possible in the lives of the characters. In fact, when I first read Master and Commander, I had little comprehension myself of what the jargon meant. However, if you just let it flow over you for the moment, O'Brian usually finds a way to explain it. Thus, early on in the book, Stephen Maturin, a landlubber himself, is taken up the mast of the Sophie, and has the masts and rigging explained by one of the seaman. Stays? Shrouds? No problem now!** And if you don't understand completely, and want to (I actually enjoyed several books without fully understanding all the technical words by any means), there are some brilliant companion volumes available (I recommend Dean King's), which in themselves make for fascinating browsing. Whilst one needs them less and less, they become more and more interesting!

 

This has been exactly my experience.  I remember commenting in my review of M&C how bewildered I was by all the nautical terminology but, like you say, if you let it wash over you it gradually gets in the old noggin eventually.  I did buy a companion book, too, and it was very useful at the start, but now I'm just flying through them without even a glance at it.  There are a couple of other companion books I have my eye on but, at the moment, I am getting drawn to factual tomes about Cochrane, Nelson, and Trafalgar.  I always like it when a work of fiction makes me want to look deeper into the fact.

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What a fantastic review, willoyd!  Far, far better than I could have put it.

 

Thank you!

 

I've just finished the tenth book, The Far Side of the World, so it's good to know there's someone else here who understands my enthusiasm for the books.  Would you consider posting a link to your review in the dedicated thread for the series in the 'Historical Fiction' forum?  I think it deserves it and might encourage others to give it a go  :smile:

 

Your wish is my command, and it is done! Having read your review, I'm so glad that you're finding the series worth continuing - it bodes well. I'm determined that I won't leave too long between books now, or I'll do my usual act of stumbling, or getting distracted, and from what I've read so far, that will leave me the poorer.

 

 

There are a couple of other companion books I have my eye on but, at the moment, I am getting drawn to factual tomes about Cochrane, Nelson, and Trafalgar.  I always like it when a work of fiction makes me want to look deeper into the fact.

I read Donald Thomas's biography of Cochrane last time round, and it was a good, solid read, even if it relied a bit more on the amazing life that Cochrane led rather than any out and out literary merit. I've got David Cordingley's book on the shelves to read at some stage. I'm a big fan of Tim Clayton's work (I'm currently reading his book on Waterloo - superb), and was introduced to it through his and Phil Craig's excellent book on Trafalgar (I'm not such a fan of Roy Adkins, but that might be because of being bored out of my mind by a presentation he and his wife did at the Ilkley Literature Festival a couple of years ago rather than any particular deficiencies in his writing!); Mark Adkins's The Trafalgar Companion is simply amazing - if ever a book could be described as 'comprehensive', that is it! I do agree about being drawn into further reading - the best way!

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Waterloo by Tim Clayton ******

 

I've long held a fascination with this subject, ever since reading the first volume of Elizabeth Longford's biography of the Duke of Wellington (The Years of the Sword) as a teenager, so this year's 200th anniversary promises to be a bit of a boon year with new books and material being published in recognition. Inevitably, some of it will be, or even has already been, published simply to ride on the back of the event, the most glaring being the battle account written by Bernard Cornwell, who, on that evidence, really needs to stick to writing fiction (but then he did!), whilst others will go beyond that. One example of the latter I've already come across is Brendan Simms's highly readable slim volume The Longest Afternoon, which focuses on one small part of the battle, the defence of La Haie Sainte. Tim Clayton goes to the opposite extreme, and broadens his perspective out to take in the four days of fighting that culminated in the carnage of Waterloo itself. It is, like Simms, very much an example of a book that adds to, rather than merely supplements, the literature.

 

Having previously read the author's books Tars and Trafalgar (the latter co-authored by Phil Craig), I was already confident that Waterloo would be a cut above the average. That confidence was not misplaced. Book-ended by chapters that place the four days of the invasion of Belgium by Napoleon in context, Clayton focuses on that short period, encompassing the four battles of Ligny, Quatre-Bras, Wavre, and, of course, Waterloo (although Wavre is somewhat skimmed over, as Clayton himself explains). It was a confusing period, involving three armies (one of which split into two), multiple nationalities, horrible weather and conditions, a campaign spread over an extensive area and yet some of the most intense fighting of the Napoleonic Wars, rivalling anything before or since.

 

The confusion didn't stop with the fighting. Given the political importance of the battle, and the variety of people involved, variations in reporting and interpretation have abounded, and historians, even those without a particular axe to grind, have found it a real challenge to find a way through the subsequent obscurity, and lead their readers with any sense of confidence in their accuracy.

 

Tim Clayton's book seems to achieve all this, stepping carefully but precisely through the complex sequence of events. He writes fluidly and with beautiful clarity, handling the mass of individual threads, each in themselves highly tangled, with superb aplomb, whilst sustaining a gripping narrative. It's a masterpiece of writing, one that is solidly founded on research that brings a wide variety of sources, some apparently contradictory, together in a way that enables the reader to move smoothly between the overview of generals and the personal accounts of individuals.

 

It's also a highly balanced account. So many see the battle from a particular viewpoint, beating a particular drum, in particular the Napoleonic accounts that deem Napoleon was unlucky/betrayed, or those that claim it was the British who beat the French. Clayton clearly demonstrates that there was far, far more to the campaign. In particular, the role of the other nationalities on the Allied side is clearly shown to be massively more important than all too often given credit. Indeed, it was the commitment of the Prussians under Blucher and Gneisenau to support the rest of the Allies, and the actions that surrounded that commitment on all sides that seems to have been the linchpin of the Allied success: Wellington wouldn't have made his stand where and when he did without it, Napoleon wouldn't have planned the way he did if he had recognised the possibility of that commitment, the battle wouldn't have turned out the way it did with its dramatic last minute denouement, without it. Equally, without the commitment of a veritable cocktail of northern European nationalities, Wellington's defence of the Mont St Jean ridge (brilliantly generalled) simply couldn't have happened.

 

My only source of (relatively minor) complaint is the maps. They are, in fact, better than most books, and it almost seems churlish to comment, but for me, somebody who has grown up with maps (and worked professionally with them), there is barely a history book (especially a military history book) that is sufficiently well mapped, and this is no exception. In particular, it would have benefited from more that showed the layouts of the various battles at different stages and included more names that tied in with the text, and more maps that illustrated specific areas, e.g. the Hougomont Estate, La Haie Sainte, the battle for Plancenoit. All had detailed verbal descriptions, which would have massively benefited from maps that tied in with them. Fortunately, I have a copy of Mark Adkins's amazing book (a book of reference rather than reading!), which sat alongside me whilst I read this, and made a profound difference.

 

However, that point aside, this is simply an outstanding book, one that I was loath to put down. Completely absorbing, it was by turns illuminating, absorbing and exciting (and sometimes all three at the same time!): the account of the final throws of the dice by Napoleon is amongst the best historical writing I've read - even knowing the outcome, I was on the edge of my seat! Yet, above all, it was the understanding it engendered - how and why it all happened - that I will mainly take away, and that, after all, has to be one of the primary aims of any history book. Nothing less than a full six stars!

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Great review, Willoyd! I am torn between reading Clayton's Waterloo or the new Bernard Cornwell one. Maybe I'll decide by the quality of the maps ;)

 

Absolutely no shadow of doubt about which one I would choose.  The Clayton book is a hundred times better than the Cornwell one, which is shoddily written and short on accuracy (you were so right Steve!).  I cannot believe it has garnered so many positive reviews on Amazon, and have yet to bring myself to finish it, it's that poor.  Clayton's book is not over endowed with maps, but better than many, and certainly better than Cornwell's.  However, I read the Clayton book with Mark Adkin's book alongside.

 

As you may gather, the Cornwell book wouldn't come close to my shortlist of books to read or dip into.  Some of this list I admit I have yet to read, but they are on the list because of the ratings provided by people who I respect:

 

Read and rate highly myself

Waterloo - Tim Clayton

The Waterloo Companion - Mark Adkins ( if you want maps, this is THE book to get, but I use this more for reference and dipping than reading as the detail and information is sooo dense.  Brilliant reference book!)

Waterloo - Andrew Roberts (slim, quick overview)

Wellington and Waterloo - Jac Weller (excellent on the battlefield with plenty of good photos of it)

The Longest Afternoon - Brendan Simms (focuses on the defence of La Haie Sainte.  Short and erudite)

 

Yet to read, but look good

The Battle - Alessandro Barbero (widely reckoned to be the best single book on the subject before the recent batch; on my TBR shelf)

Waterloo, The French Perspective - Andrew Field (well reviewed, with a different angle; also written other volumes on Quatre Bras etc)

Waterloo, The Decisive Victory - Nick Lipscombe (ed.) (10 experts give their views on different aspects.  I've dipped into this having bought it recently, and it looks very good).

Waterloo Battlefield Guide - David Buttery (yet to buy, but on my shortlist given the reviews.  Apparently plenty of good maps)

 

Two others that I've seen rated highly:

Waterloo, A Near Run Thing - David Howarth

Waterloo, The Hundred Days - David Chandler

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Post Captain by Patrick O'Brian *****
 
The second volume in the Aubrey/Maturin series. The more I read, the more I wonder why on earth I let my reading of this series drift off course. This volume focuses primarily on the development of his two central characters, their relationship, and their relationships, the latter becoming rather fraught as romantic liaisons and financial challenges contribute to a heady mix. It was already clear that Aubrey is much more at home at sea, the phrase 'a fish out of water' never being more apposite when on land, whilst Maturin's much more considered, double life starts to play an increasingly prominent part, as do his landlubberly eccentricities!

The plot itself can be split into three phrases: a sojourn ashore, in England and France, which establishes a whole new set of relationships and circumstances for the two men; a stint aboard the ungainly Polychrest, an abomination of a construction, and the final section on the distinctly more seaworthy Lively. O'Brian's writing is sublime, drawing the reader inexorably in. There are some superb sequences, one particular action on the Polychrest being ferociously exciting, edge of the seat reading, and the book reaches a satisfying climax. However, taken as a whole, the plot has more a feel of transition and long term establishment than a stand-alone story; it was also, for me, a bit slow to get underway - so early in the sequence I didn't want to spend so long ashore.

So, whilst increasingly engrossing and unputdownable (not a book to be read whilst commuting, which I found myself doing at one stage!), I would definitely not want to read this out of sequence, and there's a distinct feeling that most strands are to be continued, if not resolved. I suspect from what I've read from reviews of the series, that this will apply at various other stages of the sequence as well, but it does mean that in itself , Post Captain doesn't quite reach the heights of an individual favourite. The series already is, but as a stand-alone book, this has to lose a star. But what a start to a story - I can't wait for the rest, and am actually delighted that there is so much to go at (eighteen more volumes!).

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HMS Surprise by Patrick O'Brian *****(*)
 
The third volume of the Aubrey-Maturin series, and one in which O'Brian really starts to hit his stride. An extended introductory section, with Aubrey on blockade duty in the Mediterranean with the Lively, and Maturin on an intelligence mission, leads to a daring escapade and a brief sojourn in England before proceeding with the main meat of the novel, the cruise of HMS Surprise into the Indian Ocean.

Once again, it is O'Brian's characters that dominate the story. It's an interesting approach that the author takes with his leads: whilst we are often privy to the inner thoughts of Stephen Maturin, particularly those expressed in his private diary, we are generally only able to observe Jack Aubrey from the outside. Both are complex characters (Maturin in particular), very different as friends often are, but fiercely attached to each other, even though they are more than aware of each other's faults - the mark of true friendship? Other characters are also starting to develop: they may not appear in every scene, indeed in every novel, but a web is clearly being spun.

Some reviewers find the stories a bit slow paced, with not enough action. True perhaps, if that is what you regard as the most important element, but compared to the likes of Forester, Kent, Pope et al (and I never really got into the latter two, although loved the first), there is so much more to the novels than merely action. Having said that, HMS Surprise isn't exactly short of it, even if it's not always broadside to broadside, and the increased tempo and stronger focus of the narrative are key reasons behind why this makes for a much more satisfyingly complete book on its own than Post Captain.
And when the action does take off, it does so with a vengeance, leaving the others bobbling, even floundering, around in his wake, and me sitting very close to the edge of my seat (that storm scene!!).

 

This is definitely a series that needs to be read in order, and whilst no book has yet gained an outright 6 stars, the series as a whole most certainly has. Indeed, I'd go so far as to say that, taken as a whole, it's now amongst my top half dozen 'novels', and I'm having to restrain myself from plunging straight into the fourth volume: I really do need to read something else now!

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Remarkable Creatures by Tracey Chevalier ****

 

Tracey Chevalier's historical fiction is always highly readable, and Remarkable Creatures is no exception. It tells the story of the relationship between the famous fossil hunter Mary Aning and her less well-known friend, Elizabeth Philpot, as seen through their own eyes, with the narrative point of view alternating with each chapter.

 

Superficially, not a lot happens, as essentially the vast bulk of the 'action' is in the fossil hunting/extraction, but that's because the plot runs a lot deeper, exploring the ways in which the women challenge, deliberately and accidentally, the social limits of the time whereby class and gender could so massively limit opportunities if on the wrong side of the divide. It says much for the two women that the the scientific world eventually grew to take them seriously.

 

Normally, I particularly enjoy multiple viewpoint narrative. I continued to do so here, although I did tend to breathe a bit of a sigh of relief when it was Elizabeth's turn to speak, some of the language used by the author to differentiate Mary beginning to wear somewhat (would Aning really have stuck to baby like words as 'ichy' and 'curies' with all her connections - perhaps, but it felt out of place once she grew up).

 

Another sub-text woven into the book's fabric was the religious position and the challenge these fossils started to put up to the then accepted biblical interpretations of life (Bishop Usher's 4000-odd years still being widely accepted). However, whilst it bubbled to the fore on occasions, it never really became central to the story development, and indeed rather petered out, unexpectedly.

 

Aside from this, the book flowed well enough, and I was consistently keen to get back to it. I can't say though that it grabbed me in quite the way that, for instance, Falling Angels did, but it has left me interested in following up the historical aspects, particularly in relation to the 'unknown' of the two, Elizabeth Philpot. Tracey Chevalier, whilst not quite a 'favourite' author, remains one to to whom one can reliably turn for a good, thought-provoking, read.

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Aside from this, the book flowed well enough, and I was consistently keen to get back to it. I can't say though that it grabbed me in quite the way that, for instance, Falling Angels did, but it has left me interested in following up the historical aspects, particularly in relation to the 'unknown' of the two, Elizabeth Philpot. Tracey Chevalier, whilst not quite a 'favourite' author, remains one to to whom one can reliably turn for a good, thought-provoking, read.

I agree with this completely. One of the things that made me want to go back to it was the setting of Lyme Regis, as I've spent a lot of time there on holidays and days out. Falling Angels is still my favourite of her books, but Remarkable Creatures is one I enjoyed a lot.

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