Joan Aiken: One of my heroes. Have you read her other books? She writes gothic romances for adults (along with really creepy ghost stories) and has a number of interesting books for children. You would probably like the Dido Twite series, beginning with Wolves of Willoughby Chase.
Sherryl Jordan: Secret Sacrament kind of irritated me, but I like this author generally. Raging Quiet is fairly compared to Thomas Hardy (while being fantasy for young people); and her Hunting of the Last Dragon I found to be incredibly poignant. Her older books need to be reprinted so I can read them.
Forever Amber: This falls into the category "books my grandmother read." My gma loved this book so much she named her children after Amber's children. (I think she probably saw the movie first, which is the case with most of her favorite books.) I inherited her book collection, and this has always been a special book category for me. She died when I was a teenager and never got to see me grown. I have imaginary conversations with her all the time about her favorite books, and recommend things she would like (Sandra Gulland's Josephine trilogy.)
Forever Amber, on one hand, is incredibly trashy. Amber's relationship with Bruce is truly pathetic. That attitude, more than any other part of the book, really reflects attitudes contemporary to when the book was written. (Like Gone with the Wind.) However, it is well researched and has really withstood the test of time. It opened up the Restoration period for me (a period I still dislike) and is written in a style similar to literature of that period. (Most obvious comparison being Moll Flanders.) I wasn't sure about it when I was reading it, but ultimately I really liked it.
Dress reform is covered under physical health. Girls can't run around and leap fences and bring a healthy glow to their cheeks as nature intended while encased in whalebone, don't you know. Cold baths and roomy underwear for all!
I've read a few of Joan Aiken's works, mostly ones for children. I do like her. I'll have to check out her ghost stories; with her flair for imagery I bet she's a dab hand at creepy atmospherics.
I strongly recommend Winter of Fire, although the heroine has a nasty habit of being allegedly unbeautiful and yet irresistibly attractive to every single man in her life, which is always irritating. Vicky in A Ring of Endless Light has the same problem. But I love both books, so that's okay.
I gathered from Winner of the National Book Award that Forever Amber was pretty trashy... Dorcas says something about "what Amber wore to look beautiful for her first rapist," from which I gather that it's one of those sweep-me-away-my-beating-heart-under-your-hand romances. I definitely want to read it, it sounds... illuminating. :)
I wouldn't consider what happened to Amber a rape. It was clearly irresponsible on the part of her partner and his intentions toward her; but Amber isn't exactly unwilling.
Oh well, read it and find out for yourself. I recommend getting a box of those frozen eclairs and reading it in bed. And honestly, even though we use the word "trashy" the book is much better than that. This isn't one of those heaving manhood kind of books. It compares reasonably well to Gone with the Wind in terms of the historical content and the ridiculous romantic arc.
Also, if you have never read Rebecca (Daphne Du Maurier) you really should.
Other books my grandmother read include: Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Friedman about a woman who marries a Canadian Mounty; Desiree by Annemarie Selinko, about Napoleon's first fiancee who winds up the Queen of Sweden (the movie version starred Marlon Brando as Napoleon!); and there's one more book about the California Gold Rush that absolutely blew my mind, but I can't think of it at the moment.
Note: When reading historical novels it is important to be aware of how the politics contemporary to when the book was written shape the books. Both Mrs. Mike and the Gold Rush novels have some unfortunate references to Native Americans, but I think both books are also still worth reading.
Joan Aiken: One of my heroes. Have you read her other books? She writes gothic romances for adults (along with really creepy ghost stories) and has a number of interesting books for children. You would probably like the Dido Twite series, beginning with Wolves of Willoughby Chase.
Sherryl Jordan: Secret Sacrament kind of irritated me, but I like this author generally. Raging Quiet is fairly compared to Thomas Hardy (while being fantasy for young people); and her Hunting of the Last Dragon I found to be incredibly poignant. Her older books need to be reprinted so I can read them.
Forever Amber: This falls into the category "books my grandmother read." My gma loved this book so much she named her children after Amber's children. (I think she probably saw the movie first, which is the case with most of her favorite books.) I inherited her book collection, and this has always been a special book category for me. She died when I was a teenager and never got to see me grown. I have imaginary conversations with her all the time about her favorite books, and recommend things she would like (Sandra Gulland's Josephine trilogy.)
Forever Amber, on one hand, is incredibly trashy. Amber's relationship with Bruce is truly pathetic. That attitude, more than any other part of the book, really reflects attitudes contemporary to when the book was written. (Like Gone with the Wind.) However, it is well researched and has really withstood the test of time. It opened up the Restoration period for me (a period I still dislike) and is written in a style similar to literature of that period. (Most obvious comparison being Moll Flanders.) I wasn't sure about it when I was reading it, but ultimately I really liked it.
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I've read a few of Joan Aiken's works, mostly ones for children. I do like her. I'll have to check out her ghost stories; with her flair for imagery I bet she's a dab hand at creepy atmospherics.
I strongly recommend Winter of Fire, although the heroine has a nasty habit of being allegedly unbeautiful and yet irresistibly attractive to every single man in her life, which is always irritating. Vicky in A Ring of Endless Light has the same problem. But I love both books, so that's okay.
I gathered from Winner of the National Book Award that Forever Amber was pretty trashy... Dorcas says something about "what Amber wore to look beautiful for her first rapist," from which I gather that it's one of those sweep-me-away-my-beating-heart-under-your-hand romances. I definitely want to read it, it sounds... illuminating. :)
Reply
Oh well, read it and find out for yourself. I recommend getting a box of those frozen eclairs and reading it in bed. And honestly, even though we use the word "trashy" the book is much better than that. This isn't one of those heaving manhood kind of books. It compares reasonably well to Gone with the Wind in terms of the historical content and the ridiculous romantic arc.
Also, if you have never read Rebecca (Daphne Du Maurier) you really should.
Other books my grandmother read include: Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Friedman about a woman who marries a Canadian Mounty; Desiree by Annemarie Selinko, about Napoleon's first fiancee who winds up the Queen of Sweden (the movie version starred Marlon Brando as Napoleon!); and there's one more book about the California Gold Rush that absolutely blew my mind, but I can't think of it at the moment.
Note: When reading historical novels it is important to be aware of how the politics contemporary to when the book was written shape the books. Both Mrs. Mike and the Gold Rush novels have some unfortunate references to Native Americans, but I think both books are also still worth reading.
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