Marvelous by Molly Greeley

April 19, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Marvelous by Molly Greeley
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rated: 5 stars
Review by Snapdragon

1547: Pedro Gonzales, a young boy living on the island of Tenerife, understands that he is different from the other children in his village. He is mercilessly ridiculed for the hair covering his body from head to toe. When he is kidnapped off the beach near his home, he finds himself delivered by a slave broker into the dangerous and glamorous world of France’s royal court. There “Monsieur Sauvage,” as he is known, learns French, literature, and sword fighting, becoming an attendant to the French King Henri II and a particular favorite of his queen, the formidable Catherine de’ Medici. Queen Catherine considers herself a collector of unusual people and is fascinated by Pedro…and determined to find him a bride.

Catherine Raffelin is a beautiful seventeen-year-old girl whose merchant father has fallen on hard times and offers up his daughter to Queen Catherine. The queen will pay his debts, and his daughter will marry Monsieur Sauvage.

Catherine meets Pedro for the first time on their wedding day. Barely recovered from the shock of her father’s betrayal, she soon finds herself christened “Madame Sauvage” by the royal courtiers, and must learn to navigate this strange new world, and the unusual man who is now her husband.

Gorgeously written, heartbreaking and hopeful, Marvelous is the portrait of a marriage, the story of a remarkable, resilient family, and an unforgettable reimagining of one of the world’s most beloved fairy tales.

The very unexpected beauty of Marvelous starts out as a promise that becomes, through Greeley’s elegant words, a complex, emotional and amazing story. She has a rather immediate style and seems to positively luxuriate in words, though we will notice that later, for at the start, and throughout really, the characters themselves have our attention.

We might dismiss the concept of arranged marriage as an old one. We romance readers might well believe we’ve seen it all in the ‘arranged marriage’ trope: the bride a mere pawn, but the marriage is suitable, or unsuitable, but love triumphs, or perhaps there is a last-minute rescue.

Yet here, in Marvelous, we are made to understand the bride’s dismay to deeply touching levels. This is only tempered by the sympathy the author has already developed in us, for the groom. Their situation is captivating. Their journey – in the courtly society of France in the 1500’s, has them struggle with church, community, and more, the court. We wonder, and then worry, for their future. Their humanity, and that of those around them, is subtly evaluated at every turn. On a day-to-day level, we feel the slightest highs, the depths of the lows. Every friendship is a treasure, their interests and pursuits often surprising. Even the most ordinary event, when they must meet it, will seem unique, because of who they are.

The events of the day are not overlooked, nor the political climate; the reality that was France at the time. Somehow, the ordinary human realm becomes a backdrop.

Greeley manages to convey a deep understanding of the two main characters. I don’t want to spoil a moment of reading, so suffice to say, that this long, involved tale is also incredibly moving and satisfying. It is a novel that one might open casually, but then discover it is somehow incredibly engaging.

One need not be a fan of historical fiction to find Greeley’s Marvelous to be a wonderful, engaging novel. Do read.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

Stompin’ at the Savoy: The Story of Norma Miller by Alan Govenar

April 18, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Stompin’ at the Savoy: The Story of Norma Miller by Alan Govenar
Publisher: Candlewick
Genre: YA (Ages 10+), Historical, Non-Fiction, Biography
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Through extensive interviews with jazz dancer Norma Miller, acclaimed author and filmmaker Alan Govenar captures the vitality, wry humor, and indomitable spirit of an American treasure.

When she was just five years old, in 1924, Norma Miller knew just what she wanted to do for the rest of her life: she wanted to dance. It was the Jazz Age, the Harlem Renaissance, and Norma lived behind New York’s Savoy Ballroom, the only dance hall in a still-segregated America where blacks and whites could mingle on the same mahogany floor. It was in this majestic “home of happy feet” that twelve-year-old Norma first brought the house down, swing-stepping with Twist Mouth George, one of the premier dancers of the day. Before long, the feisty Norma would rise to fame as one of the first performers of the Lindy Hop, an acrobatic dance style named for Charles Lindbergh’s first solo flight (or “hop”) across the Atlantic. With the celebrated dance troupe Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers, a teenage Norma would cross the Atlantic herself on a tour of Europe and even strut her stuff on the silver screen.

In this invigorating, humorous, and thought-provoking oral autobiography, Alan Govenar captures the sound and spirit of Norma Miller’s voice as she recalls her early years and coming of age as a determined young dancer during the heyday of swing. Augmenting her lively narrative are Martin French’s jazzy, single-color illustrations, evoking the vibrant style of vintage poster art.

A pioneer in the dance world and a fascinating person all-around.

I loved the Ken Burns documentary Jazz and was thrilled to find a biography of one of the dancers featured in the program. Norma Miller. First, she’s a fascinating person. Second, it’s impressive how she managed to pull herself up. Third, she’s a survivor. I can’t imagine how she managed to live her life and not get bogged down in some of the low points.

This story is a YA book, but really, anyone can read it. This is the story of Norma Miller. She was a Lindy Hop dancer who started out by watching the shadows from the Savoy Ballroom and listening to the music. She had some lessons, but most of her training is self-taught. I liked that she wasn’t just an overnight success. She had to work for it. The author spoke directly to her for this book and that shows. Her voice, just like in the documentary, really shines. She didn’t have an easy life, either, as she went on dance tours and often spent many months away from home, despite the tours only supposed to have been a few weeks.

I liked that she taught dance and works with young dancers to develop their love of dance and jazz in particular.

If you’re looking for a dance biography and want something fascinating, then this is the book for you. Check it out.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Calling Ukraine by Johannes Lichtman

April 18, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Calling Ukraine by Johannes Lichtman
Publisher: Marysue Rucci Books, Scribner
Genre: Historical, Fiction
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree and author of Such Good Work Johannes Lichtman returns with a novel that is strikingly relevant to our times—about an American who takes a job in Ukraine in 2018, only to find that his struggle to understand the customs and culture is eclipsed by a romantic entanglement with deadly consequences.

Shortly after his thirtieth birthday, John Turner receives a call from an old college friend who makes him an odd job offer: move to Ukraine to teach customer service agents at a startup how to sound American. John’s never been to Ukraine, doesn’t speak Ukrainian, and is supposed to be a journalist, not a consultant. But having just gone through a break-up and the death of his father, it might just be the new start he’s been looking for.

In Ukraine, John understands very little—the language and social customs are impenetrable to him. At work, his employees are fluent in English but have difficulty grasping the concept of “small talk.” And although he told himself not to get romantically involved while abroad, he can’t help but be increasingly drawn to one of his colleagues.

Most distressing, however, is the fact that John can hear, through their shared wall, his neighbor beating his wife. Desperate to help, John decides to offer the neighbor 100,000 hryvnias to stop. It’s a plan born out the best intentions, but one that has disastrous repercussions that no amount of money or altruism can resolve.

Like Ben Lerner’s Leaving the Atocha Station and Garth Greenwell’s What Belongs to You, Calling Ukraine reimagines the American-abroad novel. Moving effortlessly between the comic and the tragic, Johannes Lichtman deploys his signature wry humor and startling moral acuity to illuminate the inevitable complexities of doing right by others.

Calling Ukraine presents an American journalist who is offered a job in Ukraine. John Turner’s old friend needs him to go there and teach Ukrainians in a call center how to sound American, in order to make calls go smoother and faster.

John packs his bags and heads there, where he knows very little about the language and culture. He runs into various characters who have their own way of teaching him about Ukrainian society—in and out of the office. He also meets an American woman who is there, and they strike up a temporary friendship.

John’s adventures start out innocent enough then get more troublesome. He finds himself in a difficult situation and can’t handle it the way Americans would back home. He comes up with a strange solution, but this takes a very bad turn. From then on, he’s looking over his shoulder, very anxious of being thrown into a Ukrainian prison.

The book is fast-paced and entertaining. There was one part that stands out as too judgmental, when John has a conversation about Gen X. He is harsh with this generation, and his views don’t sound accurate, but rather like someone younger judging an age group and not understanding how it really was—based on a television sitcom. However, the book is good, with rising tension and complex characters, and it is not predictable. This story was informative about Ukraine and enjoyable.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Washington Wives by Maureen Dean

April 17, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Washington Wives by Maureen Dean
Publisher: Diamond Books
Genre: Historical, Romance, Action/Adventure, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

In five days, the President will announce a new Chief of Staff.

Three very beautiful, very powerful women have each decided that her husband will be the next man in the White House.

Five days. Three women. One golden opportunity to be married to the second most influential man in America.

And only one of them will succeed.

I thought the intrigue in Washington was all make believe…

I knew when I picked up this book that there would be steam. There was a bucketload of that. Every detail is written from the viewpoint of someone who lived it or at least very close to it. This book also showed the maneuverings in Washington and how cutthroat it can be.

The moment I started this book, I couldn’t put it down. There were twists and turns, plus a lot of backstabbing and shaky dealings that added to my enjoyment. I don’t want to live around any of these people, but reading about them is fascinating.

One man dies and it’s up for grabs as to who will fill his spot. I loved reading the deals and rumors/lies used to get what everyone wanted. I got invested in the characters right away and I’m glad I read this. I couldn’t put it down.

If you’re looking for something dealing with 1980s politics and full of intrigue, then this book is for you. Give it a try.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Brussels by André de Vries

April 11, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Brussels: A Cultural History by André de Vries
Publisher: Interlink Books
Genre: Non-fiction, Historical
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

Starting out as a few huts in a forbidding swamp, Brussels took more than a thousand years to become the capital of the Duchy of Brabant, of Burgundy, and from 1830 the capital city of the new kingdom of Belgium. Today its name popularly evokes Eurocrat megalomania and miniature cabbages, its image that of a beer-drinker’s dream, a paradise of chocolates and French fries. Yet Brussels, for all its reputation for bureaucracy and extravagance, is a city that has always been open to outsiders, to invaders and immigrants, always preserving its humanity. Architecturally rich and culturally sophisticated, this European capital defies its stereotypes. André de Vries explores a city and country in perpetual search of an identity, still showing the scars of the Counter-Reformation, peopled by the “Spaniards of the North.” He discovers a capital on the fault-line between Latin and Germanic cultures, with its improbable hybrid languages. A place ruled by the spirit of zwanze “self-mockery and derision,” a city so down-to-earth they had to invent surrealism. * THE CITY OF ARCHITECTURE: the home of Horta and Art Nouveau; the Grand-Place and the Atomium; the palaces of the European Commission; corrupt town planners and the joy of destruction. * THE CITY OF EXILES AND VISITORS: Erasmus, Marx, Proudhon, Victor Hugo, and Balzac; adventurers and soldiers; Byron, Wellington, Victor Serge, and Alexandra David-Neel. * THE CITY OF LITERATURE, ART, AND MUSIC: Charlotte Bronti, W.H. Auden, dos Passos and Huysmans; cartoon heroes Tintin and the Smurfs; the artists Van der Weyden, Brueghel, Ensor, and Magritte; excess and energy; Jacques Brel, Johnny Hallyday, and Toots Thielemans.

Have you ever wondered about the city of Brussels in Belgium? If someone asked you about it, what could you tell them? Brussels by André de Vries is quite informative in this regard. After reading it, one is sure to feel confident in discussing Belgium with a focus on Brussels.

The author goes into detail about its architecture, the people, including famous visited throughout time, its works of art and books, and even music. It is all presented through the lens of history. Many examples are given, and the words of famous and historical people are shown to highlight points. One will also learn about the languages and politics there.

Brussels has its own unique problems, and the author of this book shows us how they dealt with tricky situations. De Vries it very knowledgeable about the topic. Whether you want to travel the Brussels or just educate yourself, this is a good book to check out.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Life in the Mississippi Marine Brigade: The Civil War Diary of George Painter by Beverly Wencek Kerr

April 7, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Life in the Mississippi Marine Brigade: The Civil War Diary of George Painter by Beverly Wencek Kerr
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Historical, Military, Non-Fiction
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Pvt. George Painter, a young man from Richland County, Ohio served in an unusual regiment during the Civil War. His journey as a member of the Mississippi Marine Brigade has been described in his personal diary for the year of 1863. Discover his descriptions of daily life on the brigade and marvel that his dates are exact to major events happening during the Civil War. Life on the Mississippi River and its tributaries held many interesting and exciting adventures and some days were yes, boring. Every time we find a diary of a Civil War soldier, we learn a little more about the trials and tribulations that brought about change in this country.

A man in a situation few thought they’d be in and writing about it along the way.

I picked this book up because the journalist grew up in the same area as I did and that fascinated me. I had no idea how much Ohio contributed to the Civil War. It’s not like many big battles were here, so the connection always seemed thin. Now I see it wasn’t so much.

This book is part journal by George Painter and part explanation by the author, Kerr. I liked that the author printed pages from the journal and the actual entries just as Painter wrote them – misspellings and all. I also liked that the author updated his words just below (so it seems the entries are in twice), with the corrected spellings and slight punctuation fixes. I have to say, just as the author did, for a man of his time period, Painter does write well and seems rather well-educated. Not just a farmer from Ohio.

I liked that the story isn’t just a reprint of the journal entries, but there are explanations alongside them. The author explains what was happening at the time, what battles might have been going on elsewhere, what the various terms mean and how the pay worked for the men of the brigade. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the time period.

The writing is simple at times, but this book doesn’t require something exceptionally technical. It needs the touch of a writer who writes like conversing with a friend. The writing flows well and drew me right in.

If you’re looking for a different take on the Civil War and the Mississippi Marine Brigade, then this might be the story for you. Check it out.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

A Union Like Ours: The Love Story of F. O. Matthiessen and Russell Cheney by Scott Bane

April 5, 2023 By Leave a Comment


A Union Like Ours: The Love Story of F. O. Matthiessen and Russell Cheney by Scott Bane
Publisher: Bright Leaf
Genre: Historical, Biography, Non-Fiction, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

After a chance meeting aboard the ocean liner Paris in 1924, Harvard University scholar and activist F. O. Matthiessen and artist Russell Cheney fell in love and remained inseparable until Cheney’s death in 1945. During the intervening years, the men traveled throughout Europe and the United States, achieving great professional success while contending with serious personal challenges, including addiction, chronic disease, and severe depression.

During a hospital stay, years into their relationship, Matthiessen confessed to Cheney that “never once has the freshness of your life lost any trace of its magic for me. Every day is a new discovery of your wealth.” Situating the couple’s private correspondence alongside other sources, Scott Bane tells the remarkable story of their relationship in the context of shifting social dynamics in the United States. From the vantage point of the present day, with marriage equality enacted into law, Bane provides a window into the realities faced by same-sex couples in the early twentieth century, as they maintained relationships in the face of overt discrimination and the absence of legal protections.

Two men who want to be together finding a way to make it work.

I’d never heard of activist F. O. Matthiessen and artist Russell Cheney until I picked up this book. I was intrigued by the way these two managed to navigate life and a relationship during the early 20th century. I can’t imagine being them, with the laws against LGBTQ people, the hatred and the harshness of trying to be authentic at the time.

I loved that there are pieces of their private correspondence in amongst the rest of the story because it made the men seem more real, not just a story to be told.

I liked, though that seems odd, that these men were human and struggled. I know that sounds strange, but it made them more human. There’s success, but there’s also the problem of healthcare at the time, how to handle depression and the general atmosphere of the world at the time. I liked seeing how they navigated these choppy waters and still managed to stay together. It was refreshing.

If you’re looking for a book that’s not like the rest with a couple that proves love is real, then pick up a copy today.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Anywhere You Run by Wanda M. Morris, Narrators: Janina Edwards, Shayna Small and Adam Lazarre-White

April 3, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Anywhere You Run by Wanda M. Morris, Narrators: Janina Edwards, Shayna Small and Adam Lazarre-White
Publisher: William Morrow (Harper Audio)
Genre: Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

It’s the summer of 1964 and three innocent men are brutally murdered for trying to help Black Mississippians secure the right to vote. Against this backdrop, twenty-one year old Violet Richards finds herself in more trouble than she’s ever been in her life. Suffering a brutal attack of her own, she kills the man responsible. But with the color of Violet’s skin, there is no way she can escape Jim Crow justice in Jackson, Mississippi. Before anyone can find the body or finger her as the killer, she decides to run. With the help of her white beau, Violet escapes. But desperation and fear leads her to hide out in the small rural town of Chillicothe, Georgia, unaware that danger may be closer than she thinks.

Back in Jackson, Marigold, Violet’s older sister, has dreams of attending law school. Working for the Mississippi Summer Project, she has been trying to use her smarts to further the cause of the Black vote. But Marigold is in a different kind of trouble: she’s pregnant and unmarried. After news of the murder brings the police to her door, Marigold sees no choice but to flee Jackson too. She heads North seeking the promise of a better life and no more segregation. But has she made a terrible choice that threatens her life and that of her unborn child?

Two sisters on the run—one from the law, the other from social shame. What they don’t realize is that there’s a man hot on their trail. This man has his own brand of dark secrets and a disturbing motive for finding the sisters that is unknown to everyone but him . . .

The sign of a good book is when you hate to get to the end because you will have to let the characters go or you are left with an emotional tie well after you have finished reading. “Anywhere You Run” is a historical suspense with in-depth characters that I got to know very well after approximately ten hours of audio play. Readers will start off knowing whodunnit but will be propelled to keep reading to know how the events unfold.

The author effortlessly delivers an enhancing reading experience that is told through alternating points-of-view. Several events set the tone in the beginning of the book. Three Civil Rights Activist (two white, one black) are killed by locals near Jackson, Mississippi and also around that time Violet Richards is raped by Huxley Broadus. Two strong sisters, Marigold (whos is 22 years of age — she’s the smart one with dreams of going to college to become a lawyer), and Violet (a year younger — she is the pretty one that makes fast decisions and does not have any dreams). While different, they are strong and determined women each with their own problems.

The author delivers a good idea of what life was like as a black woman in the South during the 60’s. The author kept history as it was including language fitting during the Jim Crow era. Violet sees the opportunity that Dewey Leonard offers to make her escape from Jackson after she kills Huxley. After Marigold confronts the father of her child and he wants nothing to do with her she settles for the proposal from her longtime admirer Roger Bonny. Both women are on the run, but can they truly escape what they are running from?

This is a masterfully scripted well paced story, and the author adds to the intensity when Mercer Buggs takes on the job of hunting down Violet. The characters and suspense of the chase kept the plot progressing. I wanted Marigold and Violet (Vera) to win, to find happiness, to turn their tragedy to triumph, for the sisters to heal and see redemption but there were so many dangers ahead of them. I loved the relationship between Marigold and Violet, they did not judge each other for their mistakes or faults, in fact each spoke highly of the other sister.

A story of loss, heartbreak but also bonds are made stronger. In a story like this I wasn’t sure how Marigold and Violet’s stories would end; I could only hope for a happy ending. No spoilers but I will confess I did not like the ending at first, but then I thought maybe in a funny way the author gave some accountability to everyone for all the wrongs that were done.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this audiobook. There is something about the author’s writing, the audio’s narration, the story in itself that I found incredibly gripping and wonderfully structured. If I could pick one word to sum up my thoughts, it would be resilience. The flower sisters, Marigold and Violet successfully withstood a difficult and challenging early life experience. I have a new favorite author and I will definitely look forward to reading more of her work. A highly recommend read for those that enjoy historical details told in a serious tone along with emotional subject matter surrounding the strength of sisters.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

In Search of the Animalcule by Steven L. Berk, M.D.

March 22, 2023 By Leave a Comment


In Search of the Animalcule by Steven L. Berk, M.D.
Publisher: iUniverse
Genre: Historical, Fiction
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

When he is born in 1847 Vienna, Jacob Pfleger shares just two days with his mother, a female obstetrician who dies, like thousands of other women around the world, of the mysterious childbed fever. Because his birth father wants nothing to do with him, Jacob is placed in an orphanage. His mother’s dying wish is that he will grow up with resilience and independence.

As Jacob matures into a precocious twelve-year-old, he is told about the legacy of his mother by her colleague, Ignaz Semmelweis, and learns that his father is a winemaker in Lille, France. Determined to find his father and his destiny, Jacob embarks on a quest to locate him. When he arrives in France, Jacob is introduced to Louis Pasteur who is working with is father to determine why the wines of France are spoiling. As he is led on an intense scientific journey, Jacob eventually also works with Joseph Lister and Robert Koch, participating in the great discoveries of the era that uncover the animalcules, the bacteria, that have caused global disease and death. Later Jacob studies to become a doctor under the mentorship of Sir William Osler at Johns Hopkins.

In this amazing story that captures the real lives and work of the great scientists of the time, an orphan assists in shocking discoveries that change the worlds understanding of disease and uncovers the field of infectious disease.

To read an entertaining and engaging account of what is probably the most important medical breakthrough of the nineteenth century—germ theory—this book should not be missed! It is seen through the eyes of the highly likeable orphan boy, Jacob, whose mother died birthing him at the hands of doctors who didn’t wash their hands. Jacob’s mother was a doctor who believed that germs, or rather, animalcules, were responsible for many deaths. This sets young Jacob on a life-long course to discover more and save lives, but first, he must find the father he never met.

Jacob starts off on an adventure and runs away from the orphan home in a quest from Vienna to France to find his father, a vineyard worker. What comes next is a tale of danger, showing what a brave boy Jacob is. He heads out on foot with little food.

Over the course of the story, he runs into interesting people, both fictional and real. The characterization is done with excellence, and readers are treated to wonderful inside views of doctors and scientists who made history: Pasteur, Lister, and others. The author of this story is not only a doctor who understands the medical aspects involved but knows how to write these concepts in a way that laypeople can understand and enjoy.

Jacob’s interaction as he lives and works with those who have dedicated their lives to unfolding the mysteries of germ theory is not only charming but also enlightening. Readers will learn things, which is a bonus to being entertained. They will see what it was like to be a researcher in an era without modern equipment.

The author doesn’t forget the women who were involved and includes their important contributions. Jacob’s relationships are at times motivating and at others heartbreaking.

Setting in this story is done in a way to bring in even more realism and put readers there with a sense of time and place.

This is a fascinating account that is sure to touch readers’ hearts and inspire their minds. It is worth the read!

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Death in the New Land by Kaye George

March 21, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Death in the New Land by Kaye George
A People of the Wind Mystery, #3
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Historical
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Enga Dancing Flower and her tribe have reached a place they can stay in safety. Or have they?

It’s clear the groups of other settlers in the area do not want more neighbors, and this is made even more evident when a male of Enga’s tribe is murdered, and a baby is kidnapped.

The future of the tribe is immediately put into question. Can Enga and her people find the killer and rescue the baby? Or will the security and bright future the tribe has dreamed of fall to pieces?

No one can hide the truth forever.

The mystery was exciting and well done. I appreciated how much time Ms. George spent reintroducing the main characters and explaining how their lives had changed since the events of the previous book. It gave me time to connect with everyone again, remember what I’d previously learned about them, and begin wondering who might be involved in Enga Dancing Flower’s latest case. She was the sort of character who thought carefully about her actions before making decisions, so this was a great decision from a character development perspective as well. Once the pacing picked up, I only became more emotionally invested in who was responsible for the murder and the kidnapping and if they’d be brought to justice. There is so much more I want to say about this, but I don’t want to spoil anything for other readers!

World building is especially important in stories like this one that are set so far in the past. The narrator painted a vivid picture of what life was like for hunter-gatherers in prehistoric times. It was difficult to tear myself away from this world, and I often found myself staying up later than usual or putting off what I could in order to read just a few more pages. There is definitely something to be said for creating such an immersive experience for the reader, and I will eagerly anticipate whatever the author comes up with next based on how many times I’ve enjoyed her world building abilities so far.

My review of Death in the Time of Ice mentioned some trouble I had with getting to know the large cast of characters when they were first introduced. It was a thrill to revisit these characters for the third time now that I know them so well. The periodic reminders of how certain people were connected to each other were helpful, too, as I settled back into their prehistoric society and found out what they had been up to since I last heard from them. I’d like to commend Ms. George for all of the hard work she’s put into developing her characters and giving them time to shine. Her efforts truly paid off here, and they were greatly appreciated by this fan.

This is the third instalment in the People of the Wind series. It is best read in order for character and plot development reasons.

Death in the New Land was well worth the wait. I was delighted by these characters and hope to hear more from them in the future.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
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