Historical Fiction Reviews – Betty Bolte's Musings

Initial Thoughts on The Mermaid from Jeju by Sumi Hahn #FReadom #historical #fiction #HistoricalFictionAroundtheWorld #mustread #books #amreading

Posted on May 15, 2023May 12, 2023 by Betty Bolte

After a short hiatus, let’s return to my Historical Fiction Around the World series, shall we? I’ve chosen The Mermaid from Jeju by Sumi Hahn as next up on my world tour of historical fiction by authors outside of my native USA. If you’ve missed my previous reads, you can do a quick search on the series title to find the others I’ve commented on over the last year or so.

I’ve borrowed it via Hoopla this time, and at least the ebook is formatted correctly. Should make reading it easier and more enjoyable instead of frustrating like some have been. The story is copyrighted 2020 and is 304 pages long. It’s set in Korea in 1910-1945 while that country was occupied by Japan, but the first scene (a sort of Prologue?) is set in Philadelphia in 2001. Interestingly, the Acknowledgements appear after that opening scene—to ensure more readers read it or is it a mistake in the formatting? Sumi Kahn was born in Korea, grew up in the USA, and now lives in New Zealand. She’s probably had a wealth and variety of experience to inform her stories, don’t you think?

There are two parts plus a section called “One Last Story” which I’m eager to find out more about. Hahn included a Glossary of Korean Terms and also Readers Club Guide Questions. I have only virtually dipped my toe into this aquatic tale so I don’t have much to say about it yet. I can tell Hahn has a commanding authorial voice and the story is engaging to me. I’m looking forward to getting back to reading it as a result.

I’m glad to be able to return to this series because I enjoy the stretch to my reading experience through choosing books based on author’s native/resident country instead of purely by topic or familiarity with any given author. Each of these books was recommended to me by other historical fiction readers, so I feel fairly safe randomly picking from the list. Note that I’m in the K’s now so approximately halfway through the alphabet working backwards.

I’m off to continue reading and I’ll have more next week after I’ve finished reading it. Happy reading!

Betty

P.S. If you haven’t already, please consider signing up for my newsletter, which I send out most every month, including news like new covers, new releases, and upcoming appearances where I love to meet my readers, along with recipes and writing progress. Thanks and happy reading!

Visit www.bettybolte.com for more on my books and upcoming events.

Love is never lost; it haunts the heart… An unsuspecting Southern town. Ghosts. Witchcraft. Skeletons in the closet. Discover the Secrets of Roseville in this five book series… Undying Love, Haunted Melody, The Touchstone of Raven Hollow, Veiled Visions of Love, and Charmed Against All Odds!

His search for a home led him straight to her heart…

Psychic Beth Golden longs for the life of a heroine in a suspense novel but fears death by boredom working in the small town bookstore. Until a pilot rolls into town on his motorcycle with a secret mission.

Major Mitch Sawyer wants his own home with a wife and family. He entices a sexy book lover to help him with one last airplane repo job before he can realize his dream. Only Beth’s need for excitement endangers herself and an innocent bystander. Can he save them before it’s too late?

Amazon Books2Read Barnes & Noble Kobo Apple GoogleBooks Bookshop

Impressions of The Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco #historical #fiction #books #novels #fiction #amreading

Posted on March 20, 2023March 17, 2023 by Betty Bolte

I finished reading The Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco. My initial thoughts cover some of the basics about the book. I have very strongly mixed feelings about this book, about the story, but not about the writing. Umberto Eco is a fine storyteller and wordsmith, making reading his writing easy. I found an interview in The Paris Review where he says it usually takes him 6 years to write a novel, so he obviously spends a lot of time perfecting his prose.

He admits that the main character he’s created, Simonini, is despicable and hateful. Writing such a character can have adverse effects on the author. I know that when I’m writing a sad or angry scene, I often feel those emotions to the point that I act out toward others with those feelings still lingering inside. Imagining being in that character’s persona for years is rather unnerving. Simonini is not the kind of person I’d even want to have a conversation with, to be honest.

This entire story and the characters in it—all but Simonini is a historical figure—are disturbing on too many levels for my taste. Naturally, I wondered if my reaction was what the author intended, or if I had misread his story in some way. But after finding a few other reviews, no, I think not.

According to the New York Times review of it, the very real document that forms the basis of this historical episode was “a forgery represented as the genuine minutes from a secret meeting of Jewish leaders conspiring for world domination, motivated by an unnatural will to power and an unappeasable hatred of Gentiles.” Again, the document was (and is) not real minutes of any meeting but there were players who used it to their own ends, including Adolf Hitler and Kaiser Wilhem II. I came away from reading the story with such a bad taste in my mouth… Looking back on its contents from the 21st century to the 19th century, and to this day apparently it’s still selling, it’s revolting that the claims included as truth are lies. Lies intended to persuade people toward a desired and deadly outcome.

The hate and venom laced throughout this book made it very difficult to finish. I did so only so I could tell you, my lovely readers, about my impression of it. Honestly, I do not recommend it because it’s so full of lies, manipulation of others, dishonesty and subterfuge, it’s almost unbelievable. But the fact that it’s founded on an historical episode in human history…it’s depressing.

In a The Guardian review, reviewer Betsy Reed worries about the impact this story might have on “credulous readers” who miss the fact that Eco is employing “postmodern irony” in his storytelling. She even states, “The chief rabbi of Rome has expressed alarm about the violence of Simonini’s hatred, and a review in the Vatican newspaper worried about the zest with which the novel revives injurious stereotypes.” The anti-Semitism and misogyny throughout made it hard to read for me. There are some very dark, violent scenes as well.

Overall, the material that is the foundation of this book, both the text and the accompanying illustrations, left me wondering about the reason, the motivation, the intent behind the author writing the story. I still don’t know with any certainty. But I do know I won’t be reading more of his work if they’re like this in any way.

I’m going to take a couple weeks away from blogging about historical fiction in order to finish reading/researching for my next historical novel. I only have so much time to read and spend at the archives in the library, after all! I’ll blog about some other aspects of writerly life, perhaps even some of my research tidbits, in the meantime.

I hope you find a good book to read, perhaps even the one mentioned below. Happy reading!

Betty

Visit www.bettybolte.com for more on my books and upcoming events.

In the spring of 2014, my first romance released! That story is Undying Love (Secrets of Roseville #1).

Love is never lost; it haunts the heart…

An unsuspecting Southern town. Ghosts. Witchcraft. Skeletons in the closet. Discover the Secrets of Roseville in this five book series… Undying Love, Haunted Melody, The Touchstone of Raven Hollow, Veiled Visions of Love, and Charmed Against All Odds!

She lost everything but only his love can save her…

When Meredith Reed inherits graceful Twin Oaks, an historic plantation meant for a large family although hers no longer exists, she has some ideas for its future: tear it down; bulldoze it; burn it. Max Chandler, a historic property preservation lawyer, believes Twin Oaks is the perfect historic site, except, perhaps, for the Civil War era ghosts in residence and the attractive, misguided new owner. Will Meredith’s grief destroy her heart and home or will she listen to what the Lady in Blue is trying to teach her?

(Updated and revised edition; originally published in 2014 as Traces.)

Barnes and Noble Amazon Apple Kobo Google Books Books2Read Bookshop

Initial Thoughts on The Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco #historical #fiction #books #novels #fiction #amreading

Posted on March 13, 2023March 10, 2023 by Betty Bolte

One thing I can tell you is that my selection of titles for the Historical Fiction Around the World series is by author name and not by subject matter. The authors came recommended, sometimes along with a title or two. I’ve tried to ensure that all of the authors are not born and raised in the USA (though if you’ve been reading my series you’ll know I haven’t always succeeded). Actually, it’s quite fascinating to me how many of them were born elsewhere but then they and their families moved to the United States when the author was a child. So the author is then raised and educated in the US. I really am trying to read historical fiction written by authors from other countries. One good indicator is if the work had to be translated into English, like this week’s book, The Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco.

Let’s take a bird’s eye view of the book before we dive into any details, shall we? I’m reading a hardback of the story published in 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. The story, comprising 437 pages, is set in 19th-century Europe with the opening date of March 24, 1897. Supporting material includes what is purported to be a plot summary under the title “Useless Learned Explanations” followed by snippets of “Later Events.” In this edition, there are even many pen-and-ink sketches illustrating the people and events within its pages. Not too many novels come with illustrations, do they?

Why do I point this out to you? Because the amount of investment by the publisher points to a belief in the story’s merits because they wouldn’t invest in something they didn’t feel would make them money in return. Not only did they spend money on editing and production of the book, but also of reproducing the many images throughout. So even if I might—and I’m not saying this—not like the book, it doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth reading in some way or another. So with that said, let’s take a bit of a closer look at the story.

Mr. Eco was born in Alessandria, Italy, and at the time of the publication of this book (2010) lives in Milan. The story was translated by Richard Dixon into English. (As a brief but meaningful aside, note that the translator credit is on the copyright page in the front matter of the book. Richard’s name doesn’t appear on the cover as is becoming the current practice to recognize the translator’s efforts and contribution to making the work accessible to a larger audience of readers.) The fact the book needed to be translated tells me that Umberto most likely speaks Italian, not English. His story also includes many phrases in other languages than English, as well. Mostly related to street/place names and foods/beverages. As I mentioned when I was reading The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett, sprinkling in such “foreign” phrases can be done for various reasons. (For the wrap-up of my thoughts on her book, click here.) I think in the case of The Prague Cemetery, the characters using these references are displaying their worldliness and education. Perhaps. But I’ll withhold judgement on that until I’ve finished reading the story.

I’ve read to page 170, so not quite halfway through this convoluted tale. I say convoluted because it’s fraught with characters who do not understand what is happening around them. They think they do, and then find out they were wrong. Which of course creates a sense of uncertainty for the reader since the narrator(s) can’t be reliable as a result of their inability to tell what is fact and what is misdirection. It’s a rather masterful technique Umberto is employing in the story, to be honest. I’m left feeling uneasy, doubting everything the Narrator tells me since he may or may not be right. Or half of each? I found myself wondering, why am I reading this if nobody knows what’s going on? Maybe that’s Umberto’s point…? We’ll see.

One aspect of the story I find delightful is the insertion of the characters’ review of the menus at various restaurants and other establishments, sometimes even including preparation details. A bit of comic relief and substance amidst the stew of conspiracy theories and misinformation swirling through the tale. Or…is even that misinformation for the unwary reader? Hmm…

I invite you to pick up a copy of the book and read along with me. Let’s compare notes next week! Until then, Happy Reading!

Betty

Visit www.bettybolte.com for more on my books and upcoming events.

In the spring of 2014, my first romance released! That story is Undying Love (Secrets of Roseville #1).

Love is never lost; it haunts the heart…

She lost everything but only his love can save her…

(Updated and revised edition; originally published in 2014 as Traces.)

Barnes and Noble Amazon Apple Kobo Google Books Books2Read Bookshop

Impressions of The Samurai by Shusaku Endo #historical #fiction #books #novels #fiction #amreading

Posted on March 6, 2023March 3, 2023 by Betty Bolte

Quick announcement! Now you can purchase all four of the novels in my historical romance series, A More Perfect Union, in one box set. See below for details!

Now, on to today’s historical fiction commentary. I finished reading The Samurai by Shusaku Endo. In case you missed them, you can read my initial thoughts on the story here. This book was interesting in several different ways. First, of course, the storytelling was strong and engaging. The narration is mostly in third person when in the point of view of the samurai character, and in first person when in the priest’s point of view. This technique helps the reader to discern who is speaking and whose worldview to expect as these two characters have vastly different experience and motives.

Last time, I mentioned the symbolism of snow and how it seemed to apply to the story. I said, “Snow symbolizes a fresh start, rebirth, change, purity, innocence. It can be a sign of good luck, as well. Each of these meanings could be applied to The Samurai.” While that remains true, it also becomes a rather ironic mirror to the story as it progresses.

Second, the story highlights some aspects of life and living in the past that I hadn’t considered. One of the interesting things about this story is the cultural background Endo provides glimpses of in the 17th century. Not just in Japan but also in Mexico and other places the story travels to and through. Imagine if you will being required to seek permission to enter a city, forced to wait in an inn until the ruler of the city responds to the request, a length of time which could be days or weeks. Or being required to sit in a specific way when in a formal situation, in this case cross-legged with your hands on your knees, perhaps with your forehead to the floor. (I’m not sure I could flex that far!) As a citizen of the USA, both of these requirements seem difficult if not impossible to enforce today. Think of the level of power/control the ruler of each city had back then as to whether a person would be permitted to enter his domain of a city. I guess that’s why they walled them in and had defensive postures. Nowadays, we whiz right on through on the interstate or other roadway without asking anyone’s permission.

I think it’s one of the benefits of historical fiction stories, this being able to compare then and now to have a better grasp of how societies have evolved over the centuries. To note the situations we have no desire to return to. It’s why it is so important to know history so we can forestall regressing back into untenable and ultimately dangerous times. Indeed, The Samurai can be viewed as a cautionary tale insofar as how the samurai’s trusting acceptance is challenged and ultimately not rewarded in the way he thought it would be.

Last, I’ve been musing on what the message of Endo’s story might be and haven’t really settled on one moral. I think what you take away from the story will depend on your own personal world view, your experiences and expectations, and your depth and breadth of faith. What I take away is that blind trust is a weakness and easily exploited by others.

Overall, I’d say this was a good read and worth reading. Endo allowed me to see inside the culture, the logic and expectations of the Japanese as they live their lives. While I understand that this same set of cultural expectations has most probably evolved, I wonder how much of it lingers behind the traditions of the Japanese people. A pondering without an answer, I’m sure. But if anyone would like to venture a guess, I’d be willing to listen.

For next time, I’m going to read one by the Italian author Umberto Eco, The Prague Cemetery. I’m up to the I’s in the alphabet, working backward toward the beginning in my Historical Fiction Around the World series.

Off to the library I go to pick it up. Happy Reading!

Betty

Visit www.bettybolte.com for more on my books and upcoming events.

Now available! A More Perfect Union – The Complete Box Set!

In 1782, the fight for independence becomes personal…

“Well-researched” with “spirited dialogue and…pleasingly complex emotional insights” combined with “sparkles of humor and the richly textured secondary characters” – Historical Novel Society

Emily’s Vow: When essayist Emily Sullivan faces dangers from all sides including her father’s demand she marry a suspected traitor to the American cause, she vows to fight her own war for independence.

Amy’s Choice: Storyteller Amy Abernathy can’t forgive nor forget her handsome spy, Major Benjamin Hanson, for leaving without a word of goodbye to fight in the American War for Independence until he risks life and limb to save her from desperate and deadly renegade soldiers.

Samantha’s Secret: Samantha McAlester, midwife and healer, tries to keep her past secret but is forced to work with the progressive young Dr. Trent to save their friend’s life without either of them losing their minds or their hearts.

Evelyn’s Promise: Militiaman Nathaniel Williams longs to flee to the frontier of the new country of America until he falls in love with the beautiful widow Evelyn Hamilton who is set on rebuilding her home in Charleston; to stay together one of them must give up their dream, but which one?

Books2Read Barnes & Noble Amazon

Initial Thoughts on The Samurai by Shusaku Endo #historical #fiction #books #novels #fiction #amreading

Posted on February 27, 2023February 24, 2023 by Betty Bolte

Next up on my Historical Fiction (Authors) Around the World tour, is The Samurai by Shusaku Endo. Endo is from Japan and this work of fiction is illuminating of a time and place and peoples for me. Set in the 16th century, the story is an international tale. It begins in Japan and journeys to the New World, Mexico in particular. It’s not a long story, comprising only 258 pages in the paperback I’m reading. There is a Postscript by the translator, but I haven’t read it yet. I decided that since it’s positioned after the story then I’ll read it after I read the story itself.

Speaking of translators, this story was translated by Van. C. Gessel. I often wonder about the process of translation, the nuances the translator considers, rejects, accepts. How much of the original flavor of the story remains or has been altered, even finely, as a result of the translator’s work? I assume the resulting story adheres to the intent of the author and meets with his approval, of course. But sometimes a word choice can shift the tone or ambiance of a phrase. So it makes me wonder.

The opening line of the tale has me wondering, also. “It began to snow.” To my mind, this is not an auspicious beginning, one which would grip me into devouring the story. Yet it also does intrigue me. Why did Endo focus on the fact that it started to snow? In the second paragraph (the first consists of only those four words), he expands upon the image: “Until nightfall a faint sunlight had bathed the gravel-covered river bed through breaks in the clouds. When the sky turned dark, an abrupt silence ensued. Two, then three flakes of snow fluttered down from the sky.” This situation has been repeated a few times in the 120+ pages I’ve read, where the snow brings silence. While I haven’t finished reading the story, it seems fitting to have this story begin thus. Especially after I verified the meanings and symbolism of snow. (An aside: I’ve recently been reminded that we are surrounded by symbols, whether we recognize them as such or not.) Snow symbolizes a fresh start, rebirth, change, purity, innocence. It can be a sign of good luck, as well. Each of these meanings could be applied to The Samurai.

The silence aspect of the setting is also intriguing. While it’s a natural phenomenon that when it snows the world hushes, it’s also working as a means of muting the other symbolic meanings of the snow. In this case, without trying to strain the analogy, the main character isn’t aware of how his life will change during the course of the story. So while the snow is bringing the change, he’s silent about any changes he’s forced to face. Don’t get me started on the sky turning dark…

I’m enjoying the story so far and wonder just how twisted the political scene will become before it’s all over. I feel rather sorry for the samurai, or at least did at the beginning of the tale. He’s growing stronger and more capable as the story progresses, making it easier to identify with him.

Back to work now… Happy Reading!

Betty

Visit www.bettybolte.com for more on my books and upcoming events.

How could she love a man suspected of being a turncoat?

Emily Sullivan is beset from all sides but vows to fight her own war for independence. As the American Revolution drags on, Charles Town, South Carolina, remains under siege by the British, and one woman’s father is determined to marry her off to a suspected traitor.

Frank Thomson walks a fine line between spying for the Americans and being a perceived loyalist traitor. Posing as a simple printer of broadsheets and pamphlets, he sends crucial encrypted intelligence to the general camped outside of town. But when Frank learns Emily has been imprisoned by the enemy, he risks his own life, freedom, and heart for hers.

Books2Read Barnes and Noble Amazon Apple Kobo Google Books Bookshop

Audiobook Buy Links

Google Play Scribd Lantern Audio Audiobooks.com Audible

Impressions of Pachinko by Min Jin Lee #historical #fiction #books #novels #fiction #amreading

Posted on February 20, 2023February 17, 2023 by Betty Bolte

I’ve finished reading Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, the next book on my Historical Fiction Around the World series. Last time I shared my initial thoughts about the book. Now that I’ve completed the story, I’d like to share what I’ve learned as well as some thoughts on the experience of reading this particular story.

The story, first published in 2017, is told through the eyes of various characters, so as time passes the point of view shifts between female and male perspectives. That in itself makes this an interesting story to read and, I’m sure, to tell. The story is divided into three parts, or books. Let’s take a look at the breakdown and see what we can glean:

Book 1 Gohyang/Hometown 1910-33 (23 years) pp5-147 (143 total pages)

Book 2 Motherland 1939-62 (23 years) pp153-325 (173 total pages)

Book 3 Pachinko 1962-1989 (27 years) pp331-485 (145 total pages)

We start with essentially the origin story of one of the main female characters, Sunja. Now, we don’t actually start with her but with her parents’ story and then we flow into hers. It’s interesting to note that the story ends in her point of view as well. So Sunja is a connecting thread through the entire book. What happens in Book 1 has direct consequences for actions and reactions throughout the rest of the story, too.

Book 2 tells us about life as this family knows it. The choices and decisions they—and in particular Sunja—must make for the best interests of the family. As would be expected, this middle book is the longest one, providing the meat or heart of the story.

Book 3 weaves together the various individual stories into a recognizable pattern. The threads of each individual point of view create a final tapestry I can sit and ponder, and compare to my own life and decisions. Note that this book/part is also entitled Pachinko, which is a pinball-type gambling game the Japanese are apparently very fond of. According to this story many Korean Japanese found themselves working in the industry to make a decent living in Japan. But that industry was also rife with crime and mob involvement. So money earned from working for a Pachinko parlor was “dirty” and tainted.

I think this is a moving story about family and heritage and its impact and influence on your life—both good and bad. It peeks behind the curtain of family dynamics and above all the choices made for the sake of family reputation, pride, well-being. Or to hide something shameful.

I learned a lot of interesting things reading this book. Seeing how Korean Japanese were viewed and thus treated from the perspective of the Korean Japanese was quite eye-opening for me. I admit to having a rather naïve, protected view of the world. Not that I don’t have a sense of the hardship, injustice, and dismaying aspects of how some people treat others. I do. I just haven’t experienced it first hand. So I thank Min Jin Lee for writing this book to educate people like me. How else would I ever know what it’s like to be a foreigner in the country in which you were born? To be dismissed and put down because of your ancestry? This story, despite the fact or actually because of it being fiction, lets me witness and eavesdrop on the thoughts and feelings of the characters so I can appreciate, if not fully comprehend, what they faced. I mean, how could I know without having lived it myself? Reading about it has to suffice in this instance.

Which of course is the reason why I read about people and places and the society and history of both. To learn about what their lives are like in places and times I can’t know from firsthand experience. I recommend this book for the insights and lessons learned through seeing how it feels to be treated with disrespect and disdain. It’s pretty dang uncomfortable and upsetting when you put yourself in those shoes…

I hope you had a loving Valentine’s Day. Happy Reading!

Betty

Visit www.bettybolte.com for more on my books and upcoming events.

An unsuspecting Southern town. Ghosts. Witchcraft. Skeletons in the closet. Discover the Secrets of Roseville in this five book series… Undying Love, Haunted Melody, The Touchstone of Raven Hollow, Veiled Visions of Love, and Charmed Against All Odds!

She lost everything but only his love can save her…

How does one recover after tragic loss demolishes your heart and soul? Meredith Reed grapples with that question every day, especially after she inherits Twin Oaks. The historic plantation is meant for a large family but hers no longer exists. She has some ideas for its future: tear it down; bulldoze it; burn it. Regardless of her incensed family and the handsome, irate estate lawyer’s objections. And despite the influence of the Lady in Blue haunting the place…

Max Chandler anticipates buying his dream home with the raise from his expected promotion after passage of the historic property preservation legislation he championed. Twin Oaks is just the sort of place he dreams of. Big and roomy, with lingering echoes of laughter and love from past generations within its very walls. Perfect. Except, perhaps, for the Civil War era ghosts in residence. They’ll have to go.

When Twin Oaks is threatened with a bulldozer, he has to fight, ignoring his growing attraction to Meredith. Her intentions go against everything he’s worked for. He has no choice but to do all in his power to stop her.

Will Meredith’s grief destroy her heart and home or will she listen to what the Lady in Blue is trying to teach her?

Barnes and Noble Amazon Apple Kobo Google Books Books2Read Bookshop

Initial Thoughts on Pachinko by Min Jin Lee #historical #fiction #books #novels #fiction #amreading

Posted on February 6, 2023February 3, 2023 by Betty Bolte

I’ve started reading Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, the next book on my Historical Fiction Around the World series. This story is much longer than the last one I read, so it will take me a little while to finish reading it, but I can give you my initial take on what I’m reading.

The hardback I’m reading has a different cover than the one I found on Bookshop. The story is 485 pages long. Lee didn’t provide any supporting information related to the story. No glossary or maps or recipes, etc. But so far I haven’t needed them, either.

While the author was born in Korea, she moved to the USA when she was 7 and was educated through university in this country. So her story is told using standard English so she didn’t need a translator or additional explanatory materials. Her Acknowledgements indicate the kind of research and interviews she conducted before writing this book, including many interviews with Korean Japanese people she met while living in Tokyo as an adult. Thus, she offers the best of both worlds to this American reader since I can learn more about Korean Japanese people but in a familiar language.

Not surprisingly, Lee’s writing voice is strong and clear as she tells the story of this family over the course of the 20th century, specifically 1910-1989. For a summary of the story line, I found this description although I haven’t read it all because I don’t want to spoil the experience of reading the book. I’m not even 100 pages into the story, so there is much to come!

I need to go read, so I’ll talk to you all soon! Happy Reading!

Betty

Visit www.bettybolte.com for more on my books and upcoming events.

Audrey Harper needs more than home and hearth to satisfy her self-worth despite being raised with the idea that a woman’s place is in the home. Working as a music critic for the city newspaper in Baltimore, Maryland, during the Second World War, she’s enjoyed both financial freedom and personal satisfaction in a job well done. When she uncovers evidence of German spies working to sabotage a secret bomber plane being manufactured in her beloved city, she must choose between her sense of duty to protect her city and the urgings of her boss, her family, and her fiancé to turn over her evidence to the authorities. But when her choices lead her and her sister into danger, she is forced to risk life and limb to save her sister and bring the spies to justice.

Set against the backdrop of the flourishing musical community during the 1940s in Baltimore, Notes of Love and War weaves together the pleasure of musical performance with the dangers of espionage and spying.

Books2Read Amazon Barnes and Noble Kobo Apple Google Books Bookshop

Impressions of The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho #historical #fiction #books #novels #fiction #amreading

Posted on January 23, 2023January 21, 2023 by Betty Bolte

The latest book I’ve read for my Historical Fiction Around the World series is The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho, an author from Malaysia and England. This book is on the shorter side, under 160 pages. It’s set in a pre-industrial mythical China but otherwise the time period is undefined. In fact, the story seems largely portable as related to time and place. No explanatory information is included, such as a glossary or maps.

The author has a light touch with storytelling in a good way. The tale is easy to grasp and the characters interesting if somewhat vaguely portrayed. I don’t feel like I know very much about any of them, including the main character. That said, Cho deftly painted the layers of the characterization so that I feel like I gradually knew everything I needed to know without weighing down the pace with unnecessary details and history. That’s an art unto itself!

The author wove together the historical aspects with mystical and religious themes as well as contemporary topics we all can recognize playing out around us today. I’m a fan of the mystical and the inexplicable nature of life and belief systems. Cho embodied them in her characters.

I enjoyed this quick read even though sometimes I personally was a bit confused as to what was happening. Chalk that up to my inexperience with the place and time and belief system described. But the characters and the plot are thought providing as well as entertaining.

Next up is Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, a Korean author. However, I’m going to take a week off for a vacation with my husband, and be back with my thoughts on that story first thing in February.

Until then, Happy Reading!

Betty

Visit www.bettybolte.com for more on my books and upcoming events.

Announcing the 3rd Edition of this inspiring collection of historical fiction about 19 real-life girls who made a difference in their hometowns. Winner of the 2014 Gold Medal for Young Adult Fiction awarded by Children’s Literary Classics, among other awards.

What would you do if you heard a train crash through the trestle during a violent thunderstorm? How would you suggest to a presidential candidate that he change his appearance in order to be elected? If your family was under attack and surrounded, what would you do to save them? Could you refuse to help someone hoping to better themselves or would you help them?

These are just a few of the situations these girls found themselves in and rose to the occasion, saving the day in more ways than one. Through their bravery, their daring, and their sense of adventure, each used their skills, talents, and insights to meet the need before them.

If you’re a fan of the American Girl series or merely enjoy reading about heroic girls, you’ll love reading about these historic figures in American history.

Books2Read Barnes & Noble Amazon Apple Kobo

Now available on NetGalley! Thank you for reading and reviewing Hometown Heroines!

Impressions of Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe #historical #fiction #books #novels #fiction #amreading

Posted on January 16, 2023January 13, 2023 by Betty Bolte

I’ve finished reading Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. This story is fairly short, only 209 pages. A short Glossary of Ibo Words and Phrases is included at the end of the book. The paperback I read has “50th Anniversary Edition” on the cover, too. That tells me this story has been around for a long time and enjoyed/read by many people. The author has written at least 20 other works of fiction and poetry. Achebe is quite a good storyteller and appears to be quite beloved by many readers. If he’s a new author for you, you might give him a try with either this story or any of his others.

As far as Things Fall Apart goes, I found it interesting to experience the culture of the society of the story. The story seems to be about how a strong, ambitious clansman could not adapt to the societal changes wrought by newly arrived white men. Thus the title.

One thing about the story that bothers me is the essential endorsement of the brutality of the clansmen toward their dependents (women and children, in particular). The traditions included, to my 21st-century eye, appear harsh and caveman-ish. I don’t mean to be negative about the story. Moreso that I wonder what other men interpret about the culture of the story and society depicted for present-day men. What is Achebe saying with his story? What do readers glean from it?

Since the story written from a man’s perspective about a man’s experience, women and children are decoration and a backdrop for men’s needs and actions within the tale. This is not unexpected nor unwarranted by any means! I found it interesting to see the world through a man’s experiential lens. I tried to “become” the main character to some extent in order to understand his motivations and reactions to the people and events around him.

Achebe’s writing style in this story left me rather startled and confused at times as he glossed over events with a sentence or passing comment by the characters. Actions happened “off stage” of the story in places where I would have expected to be a witness to them. That’s just me, probably. Or maybe a difference in storytelling technique and expectations? Or both, of course! One of the reasons I embarked on this Historical Fiction Around the World quest is to learn about the similarities and differences in storytelling techniques used by writers from around the world.

Up next is The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho, an author from Malaysia and England.

Happy Reading!

Betty

Visit www.bettybolte.com for more on my books and upcoming events.

If you’re a fan of the American Girl series or merely enjoy reading about heroic girls, you’ll love reading about these historic figures in American history.

Books2Read Barnes & Noble Amazon Apple Kobo

Now available on NetGalley! Thank you for reading and reviewing Hometown Heroines!

Impressions of The Wreath by Sigrid Undset #historical #fiction #romance #books #novels #fiction #amreading

Posted on January 9, 2023January 6, 2023 by Betty Bolte

Last week I shared my first thoughts about The Wreath by Sigrid Undset, translated into English by Tiina Nunnally. The story is about a young Norwegian girl named Kristin and how she grows into a strong-minded, assertive young woman in a time when such an attitude was not readily accepted by her family. Indeed, she was expected to do what her father dictated. The path she chooses is fraught with obstacles and challenges, too.

Now mind, the story takes place in the 14th century so there is a lot different about the society in which she is raised and which she resists from our present-day worldview here in the USA. Indeed, in many ways this story, first published in 1920, foreshadows our current existence in some ways. Kristin takes the reins of her life to steer her way through all obstacles and barriers, much like many women do today. She faced the same kinds of threats that women today do, as well: dismissal, subjugation, lewdness, overbearing men, even rape. (Why is it that men keep that weapon in their arsenal?)

One thing that reading this story brought forcibly home to me is that people do not change at their core despite new places, technologies, situations. Still, we tend to view each other as either an opportunity/known entity or a threat, and act accordingly. The characters within the covers of The Wreath seemed to reflect mostly the unsavory aspects of humanity. There were, to be fair, some religious people and kind people too, but most of the prominent figures had an ulterior motive of one kind or another at work. Even Kristin dealt underhandedly with her family all while rationalizing her choices up until the bitter end. Most likely the subterfuge people employ is still true today, as well.

I did enjoy the story overall after I’d adjusted to the different narration style and the unfamiliar names of people and places. But isn’t that part of the wonder of reading historical fiction from around the world and from different time periods? The opportunity to experience something different from my day-to-day life and activities. The concerns expressed by the people in The Wreath, while familiar and relatable, are also unique and otherworldly. This is the first story of a trilogy but I don’t think I’m interested enough to continue reading. Others probably will find it worthwhile, though!

Next up on my Historical Fiction Around the World series is Nigerian Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. Off to the library I go!

Happy Reading!

Betty

Visit www.bettybolte.com for more on my books and upcoming events.

If you’re a fan of the American Girl series or merely enjoy reading about heroic girls, you’ll love reading about these historic figures in American history.

Books2Read Barnes & Noble Amazon Apple Kobo

Now available on NetGalley! Thank you for reading and reviewing Hometown Heroines!

	Impressions of The M… on Initial Thoughts on The Mermai…
	Betty Bolte on A Bit of History of the Green…
	Kate Hopkins on A Bit of History of the Green…
	Cliff M on Getting to know Alle C. Hall #…
	Impressions of The P… on Initial Thoughts on The Prague…