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This fun romp of a book will appeal to history aficionados and lovers of the Victorian age and its etiquette, as well as anyone who enjoys a good laugh at the oddly absurd. [See "Editors' Fall Picks," LJ 9/1/16, p. 27.]
Blending fact with fiction, Mawer's (The Glass Room) latest novel is a historical spy thriller with a realistic feminine voice that should appeal to a wide readership. The writing is fast-paced and engrossing. Occasional dry spots are juiced up with plenty of Paris dazzle, heart, and action. [See Prepub Alert, 2/27/12; for a nonfiction account of the SOE's activities, see Sarah Helm's A Life in Secrets: Vera Atkins and the Missing Agents of WWII.—Ed.]
This is an amazing read; truly funny, genuine, and compelling. It's gut-wrenchingly intimate, showing the realistic detail of a decaying life as filtered through a likable but unreliable narrator. It is dark without punishing the reader, and the characters, even the gross ones, are fascinating. For a wide variety of readers.
While not a rollicking adventure or page-turning mystery, this is a highly readable study of fear, compulsion, and what it means to be trapped. The writing is smoky and beautiful; the lonely island setting is the most compelling character in the story. Against this backdrop, Parker delves into the human heart and distills for his readers the truths found there. Recommended for fans of Southern gothic, nautical, and historical fiction.
George's writing is of an older, more formal style; neither cinematic nor intimately personal. Her story arc is leisurely to the point of plodding, her focus much more on the accurate history of her subjects than the fiction that breathes life into them. This is a book that would be treasured by history buffs but may try the patience of casual readers. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 11/15/10.]
Featuring a fresh and thrilling gothic mystery, cinematic storytelling, and fully developed characters who possess layers of deliciously surprising secrets, this complex story is developed at a leisurely but compelling pace that keeps readers hooked. Recommended for a wide readership, including mystery lovers and historical fiction fans. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 6/15/10.]
Though written at a slightly plodding pace with long sections of tedious prose about the politics and history of the time, loosely disguised as dialog or character musings, The Lady's Slipper has all the characteristics of well-received historical romance. Recommended for fans of Philippa Gregory and Rose Tremain, as well as students of the English Civil War. [Library marketing campaign.]