Well I finished The Other Boleyn Girl, and WOW is the word that comes to mind. It only took me three days to get through it- it was just that good. Even for those that don't have a strong interest in European history, this book is well worth your time. Excellent representation of facts, packaged into the juiciest of novels- complete with passion, intrigue, treason, and power obsessed courtiers during King Henry VIII's reign. After reading this one, I am eagerly awaiting its prequel, The Constant Princess, to arrive at my local library. In contrast to Philippa Gregory's depiction of Anne Boleyn, Katherine of Aragon was a lady of grace, sophistication, and loyalty. What was Henry thinking when he got rid of her for Anne??
After a very looong week of work, I'll be cracking open Diana Gabaldon's Outlander tonight at the suggestion of a friend. Seems to follow in the same vein as The Other Boleyn Girl in that it is another work of historical fiction. Hmmm...that seems to be my genre of interest lately.
Although I haven't come across any yet that have surpassed The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet. Now that is a must read if there ever was one! Who knew cathedral building could be so interesting?
Friday, July 28, 2006
Monday, July 24, 2006
The Other Boleyn Girl
Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl has me captivated. I was hesitant to pick it up at first as I can go either way with period pieces, but I am finding the dialogue modern enough that following along is a breeze. I read the first 150 pages in a day and am looking forward to finishing up the work day so I can read some more.
The sacrifices Mary Boleyn makes for her power-hungry family are numerous. She is instructed to win the affections of King Henry VIII which she does at the age of 14. She soon becomes his mistress all the while remaining a lady in waiting to Henry's wife Queen Katherine. She bears him two children, one of which is a boy. Her family continues their scheming in an attempt to secure Mary's son as heir to the throne.
As Mary grows tired of court and longs to be with her children (who are kept at the family's countryside estate), Mary's sister Anne sets her sights on King Henry herself. After a failed attempt at a marriage that would have made her a duchess, Anne has become increasingly bitter and begins a ruthless competition for the King's hand in marriage.
For those who haven't read this one yet and have an interest in historical fiction, I recommend it. You won't be disappointed.
The sacrifices Mary Boleyn makes for her power-hungry family are numerous. She is instructed to win the affections of King Henry VIII which she does at the age of 14. She soon becomes his mistress all the while remaining a lady in waiting to Henry's wife Queen Katherine. She bears him two children, one of which is a boy. Her family continues their scheming in an attempt to secure Mary's son as heir to the throne.
As Mary grows tired of court and longs to be with her children (who are kept at the family's countryside estate), Mary's sister Anne sets her sights on King Henry herself. After a failed attempt at a marriage that would have made her a duchess, Anne has become increasingly bitter and begins a ruthless competition for the King's hand in marriage.
For those who haven't read this one yet and have an interest in historical fiction, I recommend it. You won't be disappointed.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Another hot, humid day
Another hot, humid day here in the northeast. Some complain about such uncomfortable weather and I usually chime in with my displeasure, but secretly sometimes I don't mind these days at all. What better excuse to hole up in the house with the a/c running and a good book? No guilt whatsoever about not running those errands, doing the dreaded yardwork, or forcing oneself to go for that jog (to me aka "a necessary evil").
Today, I finished up Magic Hour- the latest by Kristin Hannah. This is definitely the kind of book best saved for a lazy, humid day in that little thought is required to follow along. The plot was pretty farfetched, the characters bordered on annoying with their self-absorption, and the dialogue was nothing short of being trite, but nonetheless it kept my attention and fulfilled its purpose as something entertaining. I typically have the same reaction to Jodi Picoult books. Usually a hint of melodrama and a gross overuse of similes (many of which make very little sense), but I think her plots are pretty good and I know her books will keep me entertained for a short while before I am ready to move on to something a little more meaty.
Tonight I'll start The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory. With my upcoming book club meeting, I have precisely 3 days to read the book from cover to cover. No easy feat, given its length, but I have faith. Given the reviews I have been hearing, most likely it will be difficult to put down once I start reading.
Ahhh, here's to another evening reading in bed with one cat draped across my feet, the other sleeping on my shoulder, and my husband inches away, snoring while I try to get through as many pages as possible before the hum of the air conditioner lulls me to sleep. My kind of night, indeed.
Today, I finished up Magic Hour- the latest by Kristin Hannah. This is definitely the kind of book best saved for a lazy, humid day in that little thought is required to follow along. The plot was pretty farfetched, the characters bordered on annoying with their self-absorption, and the dialogue was nothing short of being trite, but nonetheless it kept my attention and fulfilled its purpose as something entertaining. I typically have the same reaction to Jodi Picoult books. Usually a hint of melodrama and a gross overuse of similes (many of which make very little sense), but I think her plots are pretty good and I know her books will keep me entertained for a short while before I am ready to move on to something a little more meaty.
Tonight I'll start The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory. With my upcoming book club meeting, I have precisely 3 days to read the book from cover to cover. No easy feat, given its length, but I have faith. Given the reviews I have been hearing, most likely it will be difficult to put down once I start reading.
Ahhh, here's to another evening reading in bed with one cat draped across my feet, the other sleeping on my shoulder, and my husband inches away, snoring while I try to get through as many pages as possible before the hum of the air conditioner lulls me to sleep. My kind of night, indeed.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
New to blogging
After joining LibraryThing.com and tapping into the blog world of book afficiandos, I feel like I have found my people. One would think that after recently completing a degree in library and information science, I would not be so new to blogging. But alas, that is not the case. After months of good intentions, I am finally sitting down to create my personal blog.
Hope what you will see here at Nose In A Book is of interest to some. Feel free to comment on any future posts. Looking forward to hearing from you.
More to come soon...
Hope what you will see here at Nose In A Book is of interest to some. Feel free to comment on any future posts. Looking forward to hearing from you.
More to come soon...
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