Review: Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier

Remarkable Creatures
by Tracy Chevalier
Release Date: October 26, 2010
2010 Plume Books
Softcover Edition; 312 Pages
ISBN: 978-0-452-29672-5
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: Review Copy from Publisher

3.5 / 5 Stars

Summary
From the moment she's struck by lightning as a baby, it is clear Mary Anning is different.  Though poor and uneducated, she learns on the windswept, fossil-strewn beaches of the English coast that she has a unique gift: "the eye" to spot fossils no one else can see.  When she uncovers an unusual fossilized skeleton in the cliffs near her home, she sets the religious community on edge, the townspeople to gossip - and the scientific world alight with both admiration and controversy.  Prickly Elizabeth Philpot, a middle-class spinster and also a fossil hunter, becomes Mary Anning's unlikely champion and friend, and together they forge a path to some of the most important discoveries of the nineteenth century.

My Thoughts
Remarkable Creatures is an amazing accounting of the lives of two women, Elizabeth Philpot and Mary Anning, and their remarkable friendship as they fought against a strict social structure, one to pursue her love of fossils, and the other to survive in a brutal world, and together discovered some of the most important discoveries of the nineteenth century.

Elizabeth Philpot and her sisters arrived in their early twenties in Lyme Regis to live their lives sequestered away from London and their brother and his new wife, with an annual stipend.  To everyone's shock, Elizabeth developed a friendship with a local poor girl, Mary Anning, as they discovered in themselves a love for fossils and fossil-hunting.  Mary had the 'eye', and had an uncanny ability to discern the different types of fossils on the beach, as well as spot them in rocks and other difficult-to-see areas.  Mary came to the attention of 'real scientists' when she first unearthed an ichthyosaurus, and soon many of these learned men swarmed the beaches and wanted Mary to help them find their own specimens.  Little credit was given to Mary at first, except as a fossil-hunter.

What amazed me over and over again is how much Mary knew with the little education she had, and how brilliant a person she must have been.  What she could have done with an education behind her is truly remarkable.  And even more, how little the people around her didn't appreciate her knowledge.  Elizabeth Philpot, a middle-class woman, who normally wouldn't look or speak to someone like Mary, must have been a remarkable lady to notice the brilliance that was contained in Mary and to take the time to cultivate a friendship with her.  But Elizabeth also struggled again societal norms and strictures and was not always looked upon favourably for her actions.  There was a lot of gossip about the two of them and their fossil-hunting ways as it was seen as not being normal.  And many of Mary's earlier finds were not given credit to Mary, but given credit to those who purchased the specimens, and it took years to sort out the issue.  Again, the differences between men and women and their credibility and how much women have to fight for everything is incredible.

I have been to the British Museum and have seen some of these specimens, but was not fully aware of the story until I read the novel, so it was enlightening to me to discover some of the arguments about the nature of extinction and how it was something that was denied during this time.  Or that people really believed the earth had only been in existence for 6 000 years.  I think in our age of discoveries, we often forget how narrow-thinking some of the ideas during this century really were, and how people believed that the nature of extinction went against the Bible and God.   I wish that Ms. Chevalier had gone into more depth over the controversy these issues would have caused however, as the new scientific evidence that was presented during this time certainly challenged many preconceived notions held at the time and many arguments and debates occurred in many an association. 

While I found the fossil-hunting and the finding of the specimens to be absolute fascinating, I did find the plot to be somewhat weak, and I didn't feel like there was a lot of drama and suspense added to the story.  With little to work on, the author uses their creativity to fill in the gaps between historical facts to re-create a person with whom we can identify, but I didn't necessarily feel that way with Mary and Elizabeth.  I often felt like Elizabeth was patronizing towards Mary, or that Mary was brash and arrogant, with little feeling towards others. 

Verdict
Remarkable Creatures was a fascinating and interesting read on some remarkable discoveries from two women who had a great influence on paleontology and helped influence some very important scientific theories during this century.  While the author's writing is flawless, lyrical, and beautiful, I found the plot to be weak and I couldn't connect to the characters themselves.   As usual though, the expectations of nineteenth century women, the conventions and ideas of the time, the scientific arguments, and the fossils themselves held a fascination for me that kept the novel interesting and entertaining.

Review: By Fire, By Water by Mitchell James Kaplan

By Fire, By Water
by Mitchell James Kaplan
Release Date: May 18, 2010
2010 Other Press LLC
Softcover Edition; 284 Pages
ISBN: 978-159051352-1
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: Review Copy from Publisher

4 / 5 Stars

Summary
Luis de Santángel, chancellor to the court and longtime friend of the lusty King Ferdinand, has had enough of the Spanish Inquisition. As the power of Inquisitor General Tomás de Torquemada grows, so does the brutality of the Spanish church and the suspicion and paranoia it inspires. When a dear friend's demise brings the violence close to home, Santángel is enraged and takes retribution into his own hands. But he is from a family of conversos, and his Jewish heritage makes him an easy target. As Santángel witnesses the horrific persecution of his loved ones, he begins slowly to reconnect with the Jewish faith his family left behind. Feeding his curiosity about his past is his growing love for Judith Migdal, a clever and beautiful Jewish woman navigating the mounting tensions in Granada. While he struggles to decide what his reputation is worth and what he can sacrifice, one man offers him a chance he thought he'd lost.the chance to hope for a better world. Christopher Columbus has plans to discover a route to paradise, and only Luis de Santángel can help him.

My Thoughts
I am a huge fan of historical fiction and love learning about time periods of which I am not so familiar.  While I am very familiar with the Inquisition itself, and know quite about it in other parts of Europe, I have to admit that I am not as versed with the Spanish Inquisition, in particular, how the Jewish people were treated during this time period. 

Conversos were Jewish people who had converted to Christianity during these troubled times, but were often treated with suspicion and often brought in by the priests of the Church for questioning.  It was illegal to have any Jewish trappings in one's household, including Jewish books, vestments, candles, statues, and so on.  Any suspicion would be treated severely and could result in torture and death.  Luis de Santangel, the main character in the novel, is a third generation Converso, a close associate of King Ferdinand, with many ties to the throne and to many high ranking people the land, as well as chancellor of Aragon.  Yet, he is attracted to the Jewish faith and its teachings and secretly meets at night with a few others to discuss things he would not dare to discuss during the light of day.  When one of the men betrays one of the others, and that man is tortured and killed, Luis is afraid of what that man might have said to implicate him and the others.  Thus begins a long arduous path to discover the truth and clear his name.  Unfortunately, he has to undergo some personal losses and tragedies before everything comes to its conclusion.

I was totally fascinated by the events in this novel, shuddering at quite a few of them.  Mr. Kaplan writes with great skill in that he manages to convey the atrocious and horrifying events that some of the people went through without being overly graphic and bloody.  I actually think that made it worse for me as my imagination could picture the scenes so vividly I was overwhelmed at times.  The scenes when the Jewish people were evicted from Spain were just heartbreaking and so many men, women, and children were killed, or left to face a new life from the one which they have known for generations. 

While I admired Luis for how he dealt with some things, I didn't feel connected to his character like I did with some of the others such as his brother Estefan or Judith, whom I admired considerably.  While some scenes, like the one where he breaks the table after a certain event, I could understand and feel empathy, some of the scenes I felt disconnected, such as the one where he had to leave his son behind in the church.  You would think that such a scene would convey powerful emotions.  I know that I would be kicking and screaming the cell down before I would ever leave my child behind.  Is it a sign of the times that I just didn't understand, that Luis did what he had to do to protect his child, and the disconnectedness was his way of protecting himself?  It's hard to say, but maybe I'm more of a coward than he is.  I also thought Luis' son Gabriel was a bit spoiled and selfish, also a sign of the times?

Judith was an amazing woman who had to make some extraordinary choices in order to make her way in a man's world, and I admire her so much for what she did and the choices she made.  She is a woman I would have loved to sit down and share a cup of tea with and discuss love and life as she would be someone who would have something interesting to say. 

Verdict
I loved the historical setting of this novel and would recommend By Fire, By Water to anyone who is interested in reading about powerful events that have shaped our current world and the people who have helped shape them.  Did I mention that Cristobal Colon is also a good friend of Santangel and plays an important role in this story?  By Fire, By Water is an excellent debut novel by Mitchell James Kaplan.

Review: Lady in Waiting by Susan Meissner

Lady in Waiting
by Susan Meissner
2010 Waterbrook Press
Softcover Edition: 340 Pages
ISBN: 978-0-307-45883-4
Genre: Fiction
Source: Local Library

4 / 5 Stars

Summary
Content in her comfortable marriage of twenty-two years, Jane Lindsay had never expected to watch her husband, rad, pack his belongings and walk out the door of their Manhattan home. But when it happens, she feels powerless to stop him and the course of events that follow Brad’s departure.


Jane finds an old ring in a box of relics from a British jumble sale and discovers a Latin inscription in the band along with just one recognizable word: Jane. Feeling an instant connection to the mysterious ring bearing her namesake, Jane begins a journey to learn more about the ring—and perhaps about herself.

In the sixteenth-century, Lucy Day becomes the dressmaker to Lady Jane Grey, an innocent young woman whose fate seems to be controlled by a dangerous political and religious climate, one threatening to deny her true love and pursuit of her own interests.


As the stories of both Janes dovetail through the journey of one ring, it becomes clear that each woman has far more infl uence over her life than she once imagined. It all comes down to the choices each makes despite the realities they face.

My Thoughts
I have always been a fan of fiction novels that can weave an historical thread throughout the novel, but still keep the present moving along without interruption or unforgiving breaks in the flow of the story.  Susan Meissner's Lady in Waiting is able to flow back and forth effortlessly from the sixteenth century to modern day without interrupting the flow of the story or creating huge headaches for the reader.  I enjoyed this novel from start to finish, enjoying the sense of suspense and intrigue that built throughout.

The present day Jane finds a ring tucked into a sixteenth-century prayer book and immediately feels a connection with it, especially when she discovers her name inscribed in the ring.  She is going through her own problems as her own husband recently walked out on her, and her story is one of self-reflection and growth, and the realization that she has always has choices in her life, that no one has ever forced her to make the decisions she has made in life.  I enjoyed taking Jane's road to self-discovery and watching her grow and develop self-worth and it made me reflect on my own life as well.  I had been showing "The Bucket List" to my class at this same time and I couldn't help but feel the connection between this novel and the movie and as Jane started making her own list of things to do in her life, so did I.  It was certainly rejuvenating.

The sixteenth-century Lady Jane Grey has a tragic story, but I found myself looking at her decisions and choices in a new light in this novel.  I had always looked upon her as being a tragic pawn in a big chess game, but Ms. Meissner reminds us that everyone has choices and Jane made her choices as well, despite her limitations and the seeming control of everyone around her.  It's so easy to blame everyone else for our problems and situations, but we only have to look at ourselves for everything that is created.  Jane certainly had other choices, and I definitely admire her tenacity and her faith.  She had to be someone special to inspire loyalty in those around her. 

I also really enjoyed the interaction between the Janes and their mothers.  It was interesting to note the different relationships and to be truly thankful for my own mother.  I sometimes felt that modern-day Jane needed to be more forceful with her mother, but was forced to rethink certain things in light of events and how they played out.  I wish I could say more, but I would give away some spoilers and I don't want to do that.  Suffice it to say that maybe we need to remember that everyone has a history and a story and we should never judge one another too harshly, especially our mothers. 

Lucy Day, the seamstress to Lady Jane Grey, was a breath of fresh air.  She was loyal, strong, and a good friend, providing a shoulder for Jane to cry on when things became difficult or uncertain.  Because she was around many of the gentry, she was able to help Jane make informed decisions about what she should do about certain situations, always encouraging her to be true to herself.  I liked that she never told Jane what to do, which would have earned her reprimands anyways, but remained loyal despite everything.  I also liked how the novel showed how women and men could be independent and find other work if they did not like where they were working.  Too often, novels focus mainly on the gentry and forget about the commoners, but I liked how this novel focused equally on both.  I would have actually liked to have learned more. 

Verdict
Lady in Waiting was an interesting novel, suspenseful at times, and definitely full of intrigues, especially if you do not know the history of Lady Jane Grey.  It touched me personally on many levels, causing me to reflect on my own marriage and on my own life.  I am definitely looking forward to reading another novel by this author in the future.

Review: The Poet Prince by Kathleen McGowan

The Poet Prince (Book 3, The Magdalene Line)
by Kathleen McGowan
Release Date: May 25, 2010
2010 Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 978-0-7432-9998-5
Hardcover Edition; 407 Pages
Genre: Fiction
Source: Review Copy from Publisher

3.5 / 5 Stars

Summary
Worldwide controversy surrounds Maureen Paschal as she promotes her new bestseller - the explosive account of her discovery of a gospel written in Jesus' own hand.  But a scandalous headline about her lover, Berenger Sinclair, shatters Maureen's plans and sends her to Florence.  In Tuscany, Maureen and Berenger seek out their spiritual teacher Destino, who insists the besieged couple study one of history's great Poet Princes: Lorenzo de' Medici, the godfather of the Italian Renaissance.  Berenger is a Poet Prince of the ancient bloodline prophecy, and even across the centuries, his fate is intertwined with Lorenzo de' Medici's.  Berenger must uncover the heretical secrets of the Medici family - and the shocking truth behind the birth of the Renaissance - if he is to fulfill his own destiny.  These heretical secrets were hidden for a reason, and there are those who would stop at nothing to prevent Berenger's assumption of his rightful role.

My Thoughts
I thoroughly enjoyed The Expected One and The Book of Love, the first two books of the series, and was thrilled when the third book in this series was published.  That it was an interesting read is beyond doubt, but to say I was disappointed, in comparison to the first two novels, is without question.

All of the elements were definitely in place:  there were heretical secrets, extremely interesting historical characters, a vibrantly written historical past and culture, elements of mystery, intrigue, and adventure, and romance.   I enjoyed learning and reading about the history of the Renaissance and about Lorenzo de' Medici, Botticelli, da Vinci, Savonarola, Michelangelo, and other assorted characters during this time period. As usual, I am always fascinated to learn more about those people we hear so much about, but don't always know so much about, except maybe through their work or their great deeds (or not so great deeds).  To imagine what drove these people, what their passions were, is an amazing thing, even if we will never really know for certain.

Unfortunately, I found the writing in this novel didn't flow smoothly and I found the storyline itself somewhat disconnected, especially in comparison with the first two novels.  I couldn't seem to connect very well with the characters and didn't feel the usual compassion or empathy I felt in the earlier novels, except maybe in the scene about Felicity at the beginning of the novel.  For those who follow Saint Felicity, I apologize, but I have never been one of her followers, and the scene at the beginning of this novel certainly didn't help in that respect.  I personally think the author was trying too hard to give us the facts that she kind of forgot about the story, which is a shame as the characters appeared disconnected from each other and the story seemed rather thin.  I had a hard time trying to figure out exactly who the bad guys were in this one

Verdict
Although the series was orignally presented as a trilogy, the events towards the end of the novel give me dim hope that perhaps Ms. McGowan is intending to write a fourth book in the series.  I am really hoping she will continue the series, but I seriously hope the fourth book will return to the magic and mystery of the first two books in the series.  Meanwhile, enjoy this book as a 'beach' book for its own sake, enjoy the beautiful descriptions of the art and magic of the Renaissance world of which Ms. McGowan is obviously so very passionate, enjoy the historical descriptions of the Medici family and their world, but it is definitely the weakest novel of the series so far.

Review: A Wretched Man: A Novel of Paul the Apostle by RW Holmen

A Wretched Man: A Novel of Paul the Apostle
by RW Holmen
2010 Bascom Hill Publishing Group
Softcover Edition; 401 Pages
ISBN: 978-1935098218
Genre: Historical
Source: Review copy from publisher

4.5 / 5 Stars

Summary
Saint Paul comes alive as a complex individual in this novel by RW Holmen.  He is a sinner.  He never met Jesus, but he experienced the famous conversion on the road to Damascus long after the Messiah had been crucified.  Paul believed his Damascus experience had healed his guilty soul, but Jesus' own brother doubted Paul's tale.  But what accounts for his visceral attack on Torah?  And what was behind his careful avoidance of James' and Jesus' first followers in Jerusalem?

James' doubtful reaction and rejection spurred Paul to hike the Roman highways of the Mediterranean world to proclaim the truths of Damascus, over and over again, if not for James' approval, then for his own.  Had he not been healed at Damascus?  And there was the stinging thorn in his flesh that kept the guilty wound on his flesh festering.

Journey to the first century world of the Roman Empire.  Here you will encounter emperors and slaves, Jews and Greeks, and men and women lifted from the pages of the New Testament as they stumble forward following the death of Jesus, unwitting midwives to the birth of Christianity.  Follow Paul and James as they contend for the soul of the newborn Jesus movement; their struggles is the story of Christian origins.

My Thoughts
I was afraid when I first began to read this novel that it would be more about homosexuality and less about Paul and his thoughts and actions and what he did during his lifetime.  Those fears were quickly put to rest right from the beginning as the author clearly showed that Paul's possibly homosexuality was not to be the primary focus of this novel, but Paul's growth and spiritual leadership as well as his struggles with various factions as he tried to develop a following for what he believed the true teachings of Jesus were to be according to his vision on the road to Damascus.  It was about the political movements of the time and of the people, men and women, who were caught up in those politics and who fought to keep those spiritual ideas blossoming and growing despite great hardships.

I've been listening to Paul's letters almost all of my life and yet it's only been recently that I really tried to get true meaning as to what those letters actually mean and meant to people who lived through those times.  I don't think I actually gave it much thought as to the real struggles and difficulties that Paul went through in order to give his vision to the world and the more I learn about him, the more I am in awe at what he accomplished.  Mr. Holmen was able to show Paul's struggles with his own spiritual self as well as with the political world in this novel, to the point where I felt I was right there along with the people involved.  I felt a connection with the people (I can't use the word characters as these people were actually alive and existed) and a great empathy for their belief and what they were trying to accomplish, putting themselves in great danger.  I really don't know if I could have done what they did, knowing the outcome that some of them faced.  Paul languished in prison for up to six years and I truly can't imagine what was going through his mind all that time.  Reading this novel has definitely given me a different perspective on the readings I hear every week at Mass and a new appreciation for the struggles that people in early Christian eras underwent.  I especially love the scenes between Paul and James as they try to come to an accomodation in their spiritual differences as well as express their doubts as to how the Messiah shall return to save them.  I can see how they grew doubtful as his return is not fully explained or expressed.

The world in Mr. Holmen's book is also brought vividly to life and I enjoyed reading about the daily life of the people involved in the New Testament.  Even simple things like what they ate for breakfast and descriptions of the homes, boats, clothing, jobs, and traditions were very enjoyable.  I loved learning about things like where and how they slept, what they used to transport materials, what was used for currency in different parts of the Roman world; it was all so fascinating.  It added a rich element to Paul's life that made it so much easier to understand and made the characters so much more real. 

Verdict
A Wretched Man is not a traditional book about Paul the Apostle, but if you want to read a well-written tale about one of the most important characters who helped found the Christian movement, then this novel is for you.  Simply put, this novel is about a simple man who struggles with complex ideas and leads a complex life and ends up leaving us with some fundamental ideas about God wants us to view the world.  

You can view more information about the author and the novel at his website A Wretched Man.

You can also access a novel study guide for this novel and other assorted readings about Paul the Apostle at the author's blog, The Author's Blog.