Mary Chase is 12(?) years old and lives with her mother, Virginia, and her brother, Caleb, on a farm in/near Salem Village in the late 17th 3.25 stars
Mary Chase is 12(?) years old and lives with her mother, Virginia, and her brother, Caleb, on a farm in/near Salem Village in the late 17th century. Mary’s father died two years earlier and they have worked hard to make a success of their farm without him. It is at this time that some girls in town start accusing others of witchcraft.
I did not listen to the official audio book, but I did listen to it being read, so it was not a professionally done audio, so I was quite happy that the story still mostly kept me interested. Mary’s family was a fictional family caught up in the Salem witch “hysteria” at the time and we followed each of the family as the story was told, though primarily it was Mary’s perspective. There is a very good author’s note at the end. ...more
(One of) Galileo’s daughters wrote letters to her father, so this includes those letters. She was a nun (as were her other sisters, I think, though on(One of) Galileo’s daughters wrote letters to her father, so this includes those letters. She was a nun (as were her other sisters, I think, though one not by choice, I think). Primarily, though, I think this followed Galileo himself more than his daughter.
This is nonfiction, and I listened to the audio (which may explain why I’m not too sure what all happened). It just didn’t hold my interest. I caught bits and pieces of things… Galileo was still religious despite the conflict his science brought to religion; somewhere along the way he was on trial and I think he went to jail? I haven’t read anything else about him, so I’m not sure, and either this book or the audio or both just didn’t interest me enough to pay attention. One word I heard far too many times was the odd pronunciation of Soeur (sounded like “sewer” or “sewar”), so I feel like I heard him say “Sewer” Maria [whatever the rest of her nun name was]. That definitely bothered me! (And as I read the summary now, of course, it’s Italian, not French so the word is Suor… so I’m not sure how that should be pronounced.) Anyway, I might be willing to try a different book about Galileo, but this isn’t the one for me....more
It’s the 17th century. Nella is newly married and travels to Amsterdam to live with her new husband (whom she’s barely met), a somewhat well-3.5 stars
It’s the 17th century. Nella is newly married and travels to Amsterdam to live with her new husband (whom she’s barely met), a somewhat well-to-do merchant. She is young and he is much older. She is “greeted” by Marin, who seems pretty rude, and turns out to be her new sister-in-law. There are two servants in the house – one is a black man! – and her husband is away. No one is particularly welcoming.
When her husband buys a cabinet that is a small version of the very house they are living in as a wedding gift, there is a miniaturist who will make tiny things to add to the house, but the miniaturist starts sending things Nella has not ordered. Nella’s husband is often away on business, and she has a hard time fitting in. And weird things happen in this house.
This was good. It took a short bit to get going for me, and I suppose it is slow-moving in its entirety. I did get more interested and the story moved on, though. There are definitely some (big) surprises. I do think the cover is beautiful. (Though that wasn’t why I chose to read it – it was a gift.) And I see there is a sequel. I will read it....more
In the 1950s, a young painter, Ellie, is asked to “copy” a painting originally done by Sara de Vos, a Dutch woman painter from the 17th cent2.25 stars
In the 1950s, a young painter, Ellie, is asked to “copy” a painting originally done by Sara de Vos, a Dutch woman painter from the 17th century. Is this a forgery? Or a copy? Is there a difference? She does it. Not sure what happens after this, except that someone hires a private detective who finds Ellie, but then things get passed off to another man to take the young painter to an auction to… try to figure out if she’s the forger? Not too sure… The setting seemed to move between Amsterdam, New York City, and Australia.
I listened to the audio, which did a piss-poor job of keeping my interest (that is, it didn’t – must be able to tell from my feeble summary!), except for briefly with Jake whatever-his-fake-last-name was; anyway, Jake and Ellie ended up in some kind of a relationship, or she thought so, anyway. Near the end of the book, suddenly it was 40 years later, and I missed how that transition happened (though as I read the summary, apparently much of the story was already 40 years later? And I missed it.) The story did shift back in time to 17th century Holland, but I have no idea what was happening in that time frame. I missed ALL of that. Art – also not my thing. The ¼ star is for the brief relationship when I actually paid a little bit of attention.
And wow – I’ve learned so much of what I missed in the book by reading other reviews! I imagine I will learn more in my book club discussion (where I will have very little to contribute!). ...more
In 17th century Boston, Mary has been married to Thomas for 5 years. He is incredibly abusive toward her, both physically and mentally, but a3.5 stars
In 17th century Boston, Mary has been married to Thomas for 5 years. He is incredibly abusive toward her, both physically and mentally, but always when there is no one else to notice anything askew. When Mary finally decides she can take it no longer (after he has put a (new-fangled) fork (aka Devil’s tines) through her hand), she is determined to divorce him. In the meantime, though, there have been whisperings of witchcraft. There is a woman in town who dislikes Mary, and Mary and Thomas’ indentured servant also suspects Mary of witchcraft (in part, due to those forks!).
This was good. It felt slow-moving even though we got to Mary’s petition for divorce fairly early on in the book, but of course, this wasn’t the entirety of the story. There were a couple of twists toward the end. I found the bit about the forks interesting – that is, they were a new item and people looked on them suspiciously. I had no idea! I did like the book, but there are others by the author that I’ve liked better. ...more
This is a detailed history of the witch accusations and trials in Massachusetts in 1692, not just in Salem, but in neighbouring areas, as we3.25 stars
This is a detailed history of the witch accusations and trials in Massachusetts in 1692, not just in Salem, but in neighbouring areas, as well.
I listened to the audio and did miss parts. What I heard more of, I would rate 3.5 stars “good”. But it’s unfortunate I missed the stuff I did as I got distracted from listening. I do feel like I might have taken in more if I’d read it. I don’t think I’d previously read as much of the aftermath as this book included, not just in the surrounding areas but about the people after everything died down. I did like that the narrator also read the footnotes....more
In the late 17th century, the hangmen of Bavaria are gathering just outside Munich for their guild council. They don’t often get to meet bec4.25 stars
In the late 17th century, the hangmen of Bavaria are gathering just outside Munich for their guild council. They don’t often get to meet because, being the dishonourables that they are, no one wants to host their meetings. On this occasion, they happen to be near Munich as the dead bodies of two young girls are discovered, murdered in various styles of execution from the time. As more bodies are found, the hangmen, of course, are suspected. Jakob Kuisl, his daughter Magdalena, and her doctor husband Simon, try to help figure out what it going on.
Meantime, there is also a group of people distributing counterfeit money, and Simon (whose reputation as a mystery-solver has preceded him) has been asked to find the lost dog of a local “royal” family. Really, this turns out to be the young prince’s dog, who befriends Simon and Magdalena’s son, Peter. And Jakob’s younger daughter, Barbara, is at an age where she should be getting married; although, Magdalena was lucky and found someone above her station, Barbara is likely to have to marry one of the other executioners or their sons.
I really like this series and I feel like it gets better and better. I believe I am now caught up in the series, so it’s hard to say when I will get to the next one (I am assuming there will continue to be more – I hope!). The book switches points of view (though never first-person) quite often, but I like that it gives me the feel of all of these things happening, as different characters go about their business, at the same time. Of course, for suspense, it often cuts to a different character/scene just as something exciting is about to happen or happens....more
It is 1670. Jakob Kuisl is the hangman in Schongau, Bavaria. His daughter, Magdalena, married an almost-doctor (he didn’t quite finish his study/trainIt is 1670. Jakob Kuisl is the hangman in Schongau, Bavaria. His daughter, Magdalena, married an almost-doctor (he didn’t quite finish his study/training), Simon, a while back. Even still, hangmen and their families are the lowest of the low in society. Simon is taking his oldest son, Peter to the next town over, Oberammergau, so he will have a better chance at a good education (which is harder for him to get in Schongau, with the prejudices toward him as the hangman’s grandson). Peter will stay with a former teacher of Simon’s, who will teach Peter at the schoolhouse there.
The morning Simon takes Peter to Oberammergau, however, one of the town’s residents is found crucified on a cross. Oberammergau has been planning and rehearsing for a Passion play, and the young man playing Jesus is the one found on the cross. One of the town’s council members (a rich man – whose son is the one who died) asks Simon to stay a while to help figure out what happened and to help out as a doctor, as Oberammergau is currently without one. In the meantime, back home in Schongau, Magdalena’s younger sister, Barbara, is finding herself in trouble.
I like historical fiction and I like mysteries, but historical mysteries don’t always pull me in. However, I really like this series. I feel like it’s gotten better as it goes along. This is actually a translation and the author discovered he actually has a hangman in his family’s history, so the series is based on that. There actually ends up being a lot more going on in this than my summary suggests. I’m happy to see that the series continues. ...more
It’s the 17th century. Katherine (Kit) is from the Caribbean and is now an orphan, so she manages to find passage on a ship to Connecticut, 3.25 stars
It’s the 17th century. Katherine (Kit) is from the Caribbean and is now an orphan, so she manages to find passage on a ship to Connecticut, where she has an aunt. Her aunt and uncle (and cousins) take her in, but she has a hard time adjusting to the culture, and to the amount of work she is expected to help with (she is used to having slaves to do the work). She befriends the local elderly woman who lives alone, Hannah. Hannah is a Quaker, and is also considered a witch by the locals and Kit is asked not to visit Hannah, anymore.
I listened to the audio, and mostly I liked it, but it was hard to keep focus, unfortunately. I liked it enough that I often rewound to listen again to try to catch what I’d missed, but I still missed more than I would have liked. ...more
In the mid-17th century Bavaria/Germany, two brothers are executioners at neighbouring towns. Bartholomaus had come to replace the executioner, who diIn the mid-17th century Bavaria/Germany, two brothers are executioners at neighbouring towns. Bartholomaus had come to replace the executioner, who disappeared at the end of the witch trials about 40 years earlier. Although the brothers are estranged, Jakob agrees to attend – with some of his family – Bartholomaus’ wedding. When they arrive in Bamberg a few days prior to the wedding, they discover that people have been going missing and parts of some of them have been found. Locals are convinced there is a werewolf attacking the people of Bamberg. This is beginning to be reminiscent of the witch trials from decades ago.
I really liked this. This is the 5th in the series and one of my favourites. Jakob’s two daughters are stubborn and strong. As I learned in the first book, at the time, executioners not only tortured and killed (it was their job), but they were also healers. They were the very bottom class of people and really were not permitted to rise above their station. Very interesting. Even more interesting was the brief author’s note at the end describing the panic surrounding werewolves at the time, not too long after witch trials that had happened. So, in addition to the characters being based on the author’s ancestors (he descended from the Kuisl executioner family), some of the events that make up the basis of the plot really happened....more
This is book 4 of the series. Jakob is the hangman in a small town in Bavaria; Magdalena is his adult daughter. She married “above her statio3.5 stars
This is book 4 of the series. Jakob is the hangman in a small town in Bavaria; Magdalena is his adult daughter. She married “above her station” to the local doctor, Simon, and they have two young sons. Magdalena and Simon have gone to the next town over on a pilgrimage. They are at a monastery when two murdered monks are discovered and a third has disappeared along with an automaton one of the monks had been working on. Jakob comes to help find out what’s going on.
I quite enjoyed this installment of the series. I hate when I’m not sure how to rate something, though. 3.5 is good, and that’s how I felt through most of the book. I never lost interest in the almost 500-page book, but at the same time, it wasn’t really a “page-turner”, either. Boy, the number of times everyone seemed to insult others, though! I still enjoyed it enough, though, to continue with the series. ...more
This is a biography of Peter the Great, who was Tsar of Russia in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Of course, it’s also a history of Russia at This is a biography of Peter the Great, who was Tsar of Russia in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Of course, it’s also a history of Russia at the time. Entwined with that (due to wars) is some history of Sweden.
I should start by mentioning that I listened to the audio. It was very very loooooong. And boring. At least, the entire looooong middle section about warring with Sweden (or Tsweden, as pronounced by the narrator – like tsar; and unfortunately, we also got words like tsea and tsince), just isn’t all that interesting to me, so I tuned out. The stuff about Peter’s family life and Russian architecture – that held my interest a bit more, but not by much, unfortunately. But, oh my god – listening to that guy pronounce many words starting with ‘s’ as if they start with ‘ts’ - gaaahh! I should also add that I do find the history/biography of women more interesting to start with. Also, I seem to prefer female narrators – not all the time in either case, but often. So, all those factors may have lessened my interest in this one....more
At the start of the book, it is 1662 and Nell is 12 years old. Her 14-year old sister is a prostitute (thanks to their mother, who is a drun2.75 stars
At the start of the book, it is 1662 and Nell is 12 years old. Her 14-year old sister is a prostitute (thanks to their mother, who is a drunk). Nell refuses to become a whore, so she finds her own path - she initially becomes an "orange girl" (selling oranges), then works her way up to an actress, then manages to become the king's mistress.
I wasn't crazy about it. The premise sounded promising, but I probably would have been more interested in the story if it had focused more on Rose. I enjoyed the parts about Nell's family, but the acting and her life there, I just couldn't get interested in. Nor was I all that interested in King Charles II and her life as his mistress.
The book was told in diary form, which I was fine with, but the book also included letters between Charles and his family (his mother and sister, as well as letters between the mother and sister), and other interludes like a society gossip column in the paper. To me, these interrupted the actual story, and I didn't really see the purpose behind them.
I was surprised (but interested) to learn in the author's note at the end that almost all the characters in the book were real people, including Nell's fellow actors. Overall, though, I was disappointed. ...more
(My summary is not giving away anything that isn't in the blurb on the book.) This is the third in the “Hangman's Daughter” series. It is 1662 in Bava(My summary is not giving away anything that isn't in the blurb on the book.) This is the third in the “Hangman's Daughter” series. It is 1662 in Bavaria. The Schongau hangman, Jakob, heads to a bigger city, Regensburg, to help take care of his sister, who he just heard is sick, and likely dying. When he arrives, he finds both her and her husband dead, throats slit. The officals find him there at that moment and he is arrested and brought to the prison, later to be tortured. Meanwhile, Jakob's daughter, Magdalena, and her love, Simon, decide to leave Schongau, where they are persecuted and not allowed to marry due to their differing social classes. When they arrive in Regensburg, they discover Magdalena's father has been arrested, so they try to help free him.
I really liked this one. It was jam packed with action. It did slow down for me a bit in the middle (I'm actually not sure why, as there was still plenty going on), but overall, I really enjoyed it. It really drew me in. I often wanted to get back to reading this one when I wasn't....more
Julia is drawn to a particular house in rural England when she if 5 years old. When she comes across the house agaiMariana / Susanne Kearsley 3.5 stars
Julia is drawn to a particular house in rural England when she if 5 years old. When she comes across the house again at 29 years old, she discovers it's for sale and immediately buys it. After she moves in, she has strange experiences which she figures out are flashbacks to a previous life she lived as Mariana in the 17th century.
It was good. I listened to the audio and, especially at the start, it took some figuring out when she was Julia and when she was Mariana (having previously read – as an ebook – another novel by Kearsley, I suspect the flashbacks, in the print, may have been in italics or some alternate font to make it easier in that format). Later on, it was easier to figure out, based on the people and what was happening. The book got a bit more interesting toward the end, winding up what was happening for Mariana. ...more
This is a political history of England in the 17th century.
I hadn't realized it was going to be all politics. There was a lot of conflict between theThis is a political history of England in the 17th century.
I hadn't realized it was going to be all politics. There was a lot of conflict between the monarchy and the Parliament. It probably didn't help that it was on audio, which is always trickier to hold my attention. I guess, in addition to the politics, there was some religion, but that doesn't make it much (any?) better for me, either. My attention focused in brief intervals, but it wasn't enough to enjoy it or even rate it “ok” for me. I had hoped to learn about a new group of people, but it just wasn't interesting enough for me. ...more
Peony is only a few days from her 16th birthday when she meets the man she falls hard for and he for her. Unfortunately, this is 17th century3.5 stars
Peony is only a few days from her 16th birthday when she meets the man she falls hard for and he for her. Unfortunately, this is 17th century China and she is betrothed (as is he).
I didn't want to say too much in the summary so as to give anything away. Overall, I liked the book. It wasn't fast-moving. I was a bit bored with all the comparisons to the opera, but I liked the rest of the story. It was interesting to read the author's note (and interview) at the end of my edition to find out that this story was based on real people....more
In the mid-17th century in Bavaria, when a priest is murdered, Jakob, the local hangman, his daughter Magdalena, and her love Simon, try to f3.5 stars
In the mid-17th century in Bavaria, when a priest is murdered, Jakob, the local hangman, his daughter Magdalena, and her love Simon, try to figure out what happened. Also, it is dangerous to be travelling at this time, as there are robbers on the road.
Overall, I liked it, though there were a few times I lost focus. I didn't like it as much as the first book in the series, but I liked it enough that I'll read the next book. Like at the end of the first book, the author does talk a little bit more about the real Jakob the hangman, the author's ancestor. After that, there was another “extra” in the book that was something different from anything I've seen before – a sort of “walking tour” of the area featured in the book. ...more
It’s the mid-1600s. Laure grew up in a hospital in Paris that housed orphans. When some of the girls are chosen to be sent to New France (Can3.5 stars
It’s the mid-1600s. Laure grew up in a hospital in Paris that housed orphans. When some of the girls are chosen to be sent to New France (Canada) to become wives for the many men who are already there, Laure is one who is chosen to go. The girls have heard horror stories about New France, including about the “savages” and don’t know what to expect.
I enjoyed this. I listened to the audio, and the narrator spoke very slowly, but I only noticed that once in a while. I suppose it did also help with the few French words that were thrown in. The plot itself doesn’t move quickly and it took me a little bit of time at the start to get interested, but once I was interested, I did enjoy it. It was interesting to learn about the colonization of French Canada hundreds of years ago, and for me, it’s always more interesting through the eyes of a woman. ...more
This is a fictional account of the Salem witch trials, mostly told from the points of view of three of the girls who accused many of the peop2.5 stars
This is a fictional account of the Salem witch trials, mostly told from the points of view of three of the girls who accused many of the people, two 17-year olds and one 12-year old.
I was initially excited to find a fictional book about the Salem witches, but I skipped entire first chapter, thinking it was a quote. Suddenly the 2nd chapter started with another “quote” and I realized – oh, crap! I think the entire book is written this way: like poetry. Or, I guess the term is “in verse”. Not a fan. I skim/read that kind of thing quickly, and don’t really pay attention.
The good part: it was quick! The book did go right at the end with the notes on the real-life people, both the accusers and the accused. Also a note, in general, on why they may have accused so many people. That gave it the extra ½ star, but I’d still like to find a good fictional work on this topic. ...more
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