The Romanov Empress

 

Title: The Romanov Empress: A Novel of Tsarina Maria Feodorovna 

Author: C.W. Gortner 

Review: Admittedly, I am probably much more fascinated by the Romanovs than the average person, so I did not think that there was any possibility of my not enjoying this book. And, I was right, because I absolutely loved it and really did not want to return it to the library before rereading it. It's already a long book and I really only wish it was longer. Sure it is fiction, but it is so obviously well-researched, all of the characters are well developed, and the main character, Minnie or Maria Feodorovna, mother of the last Tsar, grandmother of the last Russian Grand Duchesses (OTMA), was likable in a way that history does not necessarily portray her as (in my experience, anyway). I felt as if I was truly looking into the private life and thoughts of the real woman who lived all of those years ago. Everything, even the more intimate scenes, are tasteful and this book can be enjoyed by young teens and adults alike. I really enjoyed watching the Empress evolve as she aged and the family trees in the front of the book were very helpful as minor characters drift in and out of the story at times, and I found myself needing the trees to consult. The writing is wonderful, this is definitely one of the best historical fiction books I've ever read. 

Girl in the Blue Coat

 

Title: Girl in the Blue Coat 

Author: Monica Hesse 

Review: I started this book once and put it down, as the opening felt a bit slow for me. Maybe I was just tired, because when I somewhat reluctantly picked it up a few weeks later, I found that it was too difficult to put down. I had not really read any WWII fiction like it and the mystery was very appealing. I found myself guessing what was going to happen next, and oftentimes being correct, however that did not take away from the story as it might with other mysteries. It was an interesting premise, the characters felt real, and some of the scenes had me on the edge of my seat with intensity. It is obvious that the author did a wonderful job with research (especially after reading the author's note on historical accuracies at the back of the book) and some of the descriptions really made me feel as if I could have been there right alongside Hanneke. For some reason, the ending felt right and anticlimactic at the same time, and I still cannot place my finger upon why. I also found myself wondering why exactly it was that Amalia ran away from Hanneke when she was so close to being rescued. I suppose it was from fear and guilt, and perhaps it was best that the author left the reasoning rather open-ended. A recommended historical fiction mystery.  

The Glass Castle

 

Title: The Glass Castle

Author: Jeannette Walls 

Review: A friend recommended this to me, I knew people who loved the movie, I found a free copy of the paperback, so naturally all signs pointed to my reading it. And, I am so very glad that I did. I do not tend to read too many memoirs, though nearly every time I do pick one up, I enjoy it. But I can't say I have enjoyed any as much as this one. Nearly every few chapters, I found myself pausing in wonderment. This was a true story? I discovered that I could not put the book down, so I sat reading from beginning to end. The growing up, the evolution of the family, the raw emotions, the intense descriptions, the little scenes that probably did not seem like much at the time but would one day captivate a whole population of readers. It is a story of hope, resiliency, and adventure and I think it is an important read for teens and adults alike. The book absolutely never got boring or slow, moving along at a pace that could keep anyone's attention. All of the characters absolutely come to life on the pages and even for the less likable characters, Walls writes in such a way that the humanity can be seen in everyone. There's a reason this book has so much hype built around it. It certainly lived up to its reputation for me.    

The Face on the Milk Carton

                                      

Title: The Face on the Milk Carton 

Author: Caroline B. Cooney 

Review: It's September, it's 2020, don't we all need something a little frightening to read? This book was listed online at my local Barnes and Noble and the cover looked interesting. Have to admit that I'd never even heard of it. I picked it up, vowing to read it only after midnight to get the full horror/thriller experience that the cover promised. And, it was good. But it was not necessarily something that I had to read after midnight. Because, it wasn't very scary. Within the first few pages, Janie Johnson recognizes a toddler picture of herself on a school lunch milk carton and the story sets off; her journey to discover whether or not her loving parents kidnapped her as a toddler. I found the sudden flashbacks she began remembering to be a bit unrealistic, but having - thankfully - never been in the situation myself, I do not know the psychology of such an event. The characters, especially the friends, like Sarah-Charlotte, felt flat and one-dimensional. It is a rather short book, and as a result not much time is spent setting the scene, giving backstories, etc. The secondary plot with Reeve is not nearly as interesting as the kidnapping story, so the teenage romance and sexual overtones of certain scenes seem a bit out of place or at least unnecessary. I was not expecting that it was a series with an ending that would leave me hanging - so be prepared to hunt down the next book (and the books after that one), because even if it's not necessarily a piece of great literature, it has a thrilling pace and a writing that would keep many teens coming back for more. Lots of dated 80s' technology references, too, which personally only adds to the charm. A fun, quick read for some October afternoon. 

The Devil in Vienna

                                                                Title: The Devil in Vienna 

                                                                Author: Doris Orgel 

                                                               Review: After picking this book up, it was impossible for me to put it down. It is a somewhat quick read, mostly because every page made me anxious to turn to the next. The book is written in a journal entry format, which I found creative, and while it was a bit different and took me a chapter to get used to it, it ultimately was a great choice for the book's structure, because I found that I knew Inge's voice a lot better because of what she chose to "write" in her journal. The plotline is intense and gripping, while still allowing the main characters to seem realistic and relatable and remain as children - talking about growing up and girlish topics, despite all that is going on around them. This book is packed with historical information and anyone who reads this - child or adult - will gain a better understanding of every day life for children and adults in the situations that Inge and Liselotte and their families faced. The message of an enduring friendship that was strong enough to withstand so much, is so important. I had not read the author's note at the beginning or the end of the book prior to reading, so I was surprised when I read that it was loosely based on her and her sister's own lives as young girls in Vienna during that time. Finding that out gave the book a whole new meaning, and suddenly it became more than just a work of fiction with an important message. I do wish that there had been some sort of epilogue or that it would have ended a bit less open-ended, but nevertheless, the ending was wonderfully done. I highly recommend this book.