The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society: Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

 

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is an epistolary novel set in London and on Guernsey in 1946. Juliet Ashton, an author who lives in London, receives a letter from Dawsey Adams, a pig farmer who lives on Guernsey. Dawsey owns a copy of a book by Charles Lamb that Juliet once owned and wrote her name in. Dawsey asks her to recommend a bookshop in London which will sell him more books by Charles Lamb, as there are no bookshops on Guernsey after the war. He mentions the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society in his letter, and Juliet is intrigued by the Society and why it was formed. And thus a correspondence begins that eventually leads to many friendships.

This was the seventh book I read for the 20 Books of Summer challenge. In addition to being a historical fiction book about World War II, it is a book about books and celebrates reading. Thus it fits into the Bookish Books Reading Challenge. Many letters by the residents on Guernsey related their reading, what they read and why. 

My thoughts:

I enjoyed the story told through letters. In addition to Dawsey, Juliet writes to her editor, Sidney, and her best friend, Sophie, Sidney's younger sister who lives in Scotland. Once the correspondence with Dawsey Adams gets going, many other people on Guernsey start writing to Juliet, and she learns more about the book club and life on Guernsey during the war. I found reading about all of these people delightful, even the spiteful and entitled ones. 

Before reading this book, I was only vaguely aware of the German occupation of Guernsey during World War II, so I learned a lot from the book. Now I want to read some nonfiction on that subject. Any suggestions would be welcome.

I was appalled at the conditions on the island after the Germans took over. It wasn't just being under the rule of the Germans, but also the lack of food, which towards the end of the war affected the German soldiers also.

An incident that was especially distressing to read about was the evacuation of school children from the island. The parents had to decide whether it was better to have their children evacuated to some spot unknown in the UK or stay on Guernsey, and some parents did not hear from their evacuated children again until after the war.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed reading this book. The story about the war and the occupation was dark, but there were pleasant parts too, including the friendships on the island and how they supported each other. This book is not a mystery at all, but there are many small mysteries within the plot, and I enjoyed those. 

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Publisher: Dial Press, 2009 (orig. publ. 2008)
Length:    291 pages
Format:    Trade paperback
Setting:    UK, London and Guernsey 
Genre:     Historical Fiction
Source:    Purchased at the Planned Parenthood Book Sale, 2018.

The Lady Hardcastle Mysteries by T.E. Kinsey

 

In this series of historical mysteries, set in the early 1900's, Lady Hardcastle (Emily) and her maid Florence Armstrong solve mysteries while living in the English countryside. I was attracted by the idea of a lady and her maid solving mysteries, but I was not sure how that would work given the class differences in England at that time. Lady Hardcastle and Flo are more friends than mistress and servant, and each has skills that complement the other. 

Cath at Read-Warbler recommended this series. Cath has read several books in the series, and praised them highly. I wasn't sure if the books were too much on the cozy side for me, but I am so glad I gave it a shot. This is a series with interesting plots, wonderful characters, and a lot of humor. 

A Quiet Life in the Country was the first book in the series. It sets up the main characters, why they are living in the country, and a bit of their backstory. Flo came to work as Lady Hardcastle's maid at a very young age. Later, they had some espionage adventures together that are only briefly alluded to. 

Once they have settled into their new home, Emily and Flo go for a walk in the countryside and discover a body. In the course of the investigation, they meet Inspector Sunderland of Scotland Yard and are able to provide useful help in solving the case. This relationship continues in later books.

I read the first book in June, and moved on to the second book in the series, In the Market for Murder, in July. In that story, Lady Hardcastle and Flo work on two cases, one a local case of theft, the other the murder of a disagreeable farmer in the area. In August I read the third book in the series, and I enjoyed all three books.

In Death Around the Bend, Lady Hardcastle has just recently purchased an automobile, and she and Flo take turns driving it. Emily (and her maid of course) is invited to a country estate for a week of motor racing and parties.  The old friend that Lady Hardcastle is visiting has promised that both women will be able to do some racing while visiting. But during the first race, one of the drivers is killed in a crash, which puts a damper on things. Emily and Flo thinks it was murder, but the local inspector does not.

Another interesting element of this book was that one of the women visiting at the same time is an amateur photographer who would love to do more serious work in that area. Lady Hardcastle is very supportive of that, of course. And it is in this book, more details about the early adventures of the main characters are supplied, which I had been waiting for.

My favorite character is Flo. She tells the stories in first person, so we mainly get her point of view. Lady Hardcastle walks a fine line between including Flo in her activities, especially when visiting other Lords and Ladies, and using Flo's ability to blend in with other servants when it benefits the situation. At times it stretches disbelief, but not any more than many other mystery novels.

These books do lean towards being cozy, but Lady Hardcastle and Flo cannot exactly qualify as amateur sleuths because they have a background of dealing with crime and intrigue together for years before they settle down in the country. The stories are excellent historical fiction, and the mystery plots are well-done. The early 1900s is a time that I haven't read much about in fiction or nonfiction, and each book focuses on a different theme. 

The Assault: Harry Mulisch

The Assault by Harry Mulisch was a great read, brief and straightforward, and very effective. Set in the Netherlands, it starts with a horrendous event during World War II.

Near the end of the war, when many countries in Europe had been liberated, the Netherlands was still occupied. A policeman in the city of Haarlem, who was collaborating with the Germans, was shot down in a small neighborhood. Reprisals are taken and many people are killed, including children. This novel takes that one event and shows how it affected the people who were involved.  It continues up to 1980. 

The focus of the novel is on Anton Steenwijk, who is only 12 years old when the event happens. It follows him through important times in his life, each of which trigger memories and emotions in him.

The story is based on a real event that happened during the war, although I have no idea how closely it follows the actual event.

This historical novel about World War II was very different from others I have read. I found the writing style mesmerizing. Along the way there are revelations and surprises both for Anton and the reader. I especially like that the story focuses on a child and how he carries the trauma of the war with him throughout his life. 

This book was recommended to me by Patricia Abbott at Pattinase. Also see Sam Sattler's review at Book Chase.

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Publisher:   Pantheon, 2016 (orig. pub. 1982)
Translated from the Dutch by Claire Nicolas White
Length:       185 pages
Format:       Trade Paperback
Setting:       Netherlands, World War II
Genre:        Historical Fiction
Source:       A recent purchase.

Rules of Civility: Amor Towles

I found Amor Towles' Rules of Civility to be an excellent book. It was one of those that took me at least a quarter of the book to settle into and enjoy, and then, as I got close to finishing, I didn't want it to end.

The book starts with a Preface set in New York City in 1966. Katey, who narrates the story, tells of an art exhibition she attended with her husband Val.

On the night of October 4th, 1966, Val and I, both in late middle age, attended the opening of Many Are Called at the Museum of Modern Art—the first exhibit of the portraits taken by Walker Evans in the 1930s on the New York subway with a hidden camera.

At that exhibit, Katey sees two photos of Tinker Grey, a man she knew well when she was in her twenties. One was taken in 1938 and he is well-dressed in expensive clothing; the other photo was from 1939 and his clothes are worn and threadbare. 

The story then jumps back to New Year's Eve in New York City in 1937, when Katey and her roommate Eve met Tinker at a jazz bar. Very quickly the three become friends, even though Katey and Eve are living in a boarding house and have low paying jobs and Tinker is a part of New York society. There is a big turning point when the three of them are in a serious automobile accident and only Eve has significant injuries.

From that point, the story mostly focuses on what happens to Katey in the next year. She is ambitious and resourceful; she works toward having a more rewarding job while still mingling in New York society. There are some wonderful minor characters: Wallace Wolcott, Tinker Grey's wealthy friend, who teaches Katey how to shoot and ends up going to Spain to fight in the Civil War; Anne Grandyn, an older woman (also wealthy of course) who encourages Katey to do bigger things with her life.

The book is divided into four sections, one for each season of the year. At the end of each section, there are a few pages told from Tinker Grey's point of view. There are also many changes in his life in 1938. At the end  of the book there is an Epilogue that ties together with the Preface. 

My thoughts:

I think a lot of what I liked in this book is due to Amor Towles' gift of storytelling. I also enjoyed A Gentleman in Moscow by the same author. It was set in Moscow starting in 1922 and continuing through the next three decades, and had a more unrealistic, fantastical feel, but I loved reading that one too.

Katey is a reader. I always love a book where reading plays a part. She reads and rereads Dickens. Her reading keeps her grounded. At one point she starts reading Agatha Christie's mysteries and has interesting comments on them. 

Photographs also play a role in the story. There are the subway photos at the beginning, photos along the walls at various homes, school photos.

Appearances can be very deceiving in this book. There are many surprises in store as the book progresses. 

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Publisher:  Sceptre, 2012 (Orig. pub. 2011)
Length:     335 pages
Format:    Trade paperback
Setting:     New York City
Genre:      Historical Fiction
Source:     Purchased in 2020.

Black Robe: Brian Moore

Description on the back of the book:

His name is Father Laforgue, a young Jesuit missionary come from Europe to the New World to bring the word of God to the heathen. He is given minimal aid by the governor of the vast territory that is proudly named New France but is in reality still ruled by the Huron, Iroquois, and Algonkin tribes who have roamed it since the dawn of time and whom the French call Savages. His mission is to reach and bring salvation to an isolated Huron tribe decimated by disease in the far north before incoming winter closes off his path to them. His guides are a group of Savages who mock his faith and their pledges even as they accept muskets as their payment.

Quote from the Author's Note preceding the text of Black Robe... 

In the early part of the seventeenth century the native people of Canada were not known to the French as “Indians,” but by the names of their tribal confederacies, and were referred to collectively as "Les Sauvages" (the Savages). The natives, for their part, spoke of the French as “Normans” and of the Jesuit fathers as “Blackrobes.” As for the obscene language used by the natives at that time it was a form of rough banter and was not intended to give offense.

Throughout the book this terminology is used, and there is much rude language used by the Algonkins and the Iriquois. Brian Moore's source data for this novel was Relations, letters from Jesuits in New France sent back to their superiors in France.

This book is set in the 1600s in what is now Canada. Some members of the Algonkin tribe have contracted (informally) with Champlain, the leader of the settlement, to deliver Father Laforgue and his companion Daniel (a younger man, also from France) to their destination. The guides and the two Frenchmen making this journey travel in two canoes that also contain supplies. The Algonkins travel in family groups, men with their wives and children of all ages.

Along the way they have many problems: bad weather, not enough food, the mutual distrust between the priest and the Algonkins, and much worse along the way. Daniel is in love with the daughter of one of the Algonkin leaders. Algonkin females in their teens are promiscuous, having sex with any males they desire, but when they marry, they are treated by their husbands as slaves. It appears in this group that the men value their wives, but they keep it to themselves.

This was a challenging read for me. Eventually some of the Algonkins and the two French men are captured by members of the Iriquois tribe. The violence and torture (and more) in this book was disturbing. But it is also a compelling story, thrilling and very well-written.

Moore does an amazing job of portraying the points of view and beliefs of the Savages and Father Laforgue without being judgmental of either one. They have different spiritual beliefs and the priest wants the Savages to be baptized to save their souls. I found myself more sympathetic to the beliefs of the Savages, at times. Clearly, religion, the differences in belief systems, and the clash of different cultures is a theme in this book. 

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Publisher:  Plume Books, 1997 (orig. pub. 1985)
Length:      246 pages
Format:     Trade Paperback
Setting:      New France in North America, 1600s
Genre:       Historical Fiction
Source:      Purchased in November 2020.

Young Bess: Margaret Irwin

Young Bess is the first book in a trilogy about Elizabeth I of England, written by Margaret Irwin and first published in 1944.  It covers her life from the time she was 12 until she was about 20, including Henry VIII's death, his son Edward VI's years as king (from age 9 to 15), and Elizabeth's relationships with her brother Edward and Princess Mary, her sister. A large part of the story is about her living with her stepmother Catherine Parr and Tom Seymour, who married Catherine after Henry VIII's death. While Tom was married to Catherine he pursued Elizabeth, a teenager at the time, and she was also attracted to him. So a very awkward and potentially damaging relationship develops. 

I was interested in this book because I had read good reviews and wanted to learn more about Elizabeth I, what happened to her between the time her mother died and the time she  ascended to the throne. For those who know Elizabeth's history backward and forward, it is probably old hat but for me it was a revelation.

Elizabeth's teenage years were very interesting. As the daughter of Anne Boleyn (referred to as Nan Bullen in the book), she was labeled the Little Bastard by her father. At times her father was friendly, at other times he sent her away. I was surprised by the education she was getting and the amount of time she spent with her tutors. She was learning six languages and was eager to learn. She could translate passages from English into Italian, Latin, and French at the age of 12. She knew she was second in line to the throne and was determined to be prepared if that happened. The politics were incredibly complex, and I was amazed at the scheming and treachery. (I know, I am very naive.)

The story was beautifully written, vividly describing details of the life at that time. I learned a lot, I was entertained, and I enjoyed reading the book. What more can you ask for? I am very eager to continue the trilogy. The next two books are Elizabeth, Captive Princess and Elizabeth and the Prince of Spain.

The Wikipedia article on Thomas Seymour points out that he is a character in three historical mysteries by CJ Sansom (Revelation, Heartstone, and Lamentation); that will be interesting when I read those novels. 

Also see:  Reviews at Pining for the West, Staircase Wit, and Historical Novels.info.

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Publisher:  Sourcebooks Landmark, 1998 (orig. publ. 1944)
Length:     381 pages
Format:    Trade paperback
Setting:     England
Genre:      Historical Fiction
Source:     Purchased in 2020.

Wolf Hall: Hilary Mantel

Wolf Hall follows Thomas Cromwell from his youth to his role as an important adviser to King Henry VIII. The main emphasis is on the period when the king wanted to marry Anne Boleyn and annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, a solution that the Catholic Church would not agree to.

Hilary Mantel presents an alternative to other characterizations of Thomas Cromwell in fiction. This quote is from the review at the Historical Novels.info site:

King Henry VIII's adviser Thomas Cromwell has long been one of history's villains. Wolf Hall reconsiders the verdict. This densely packed, long and witty novel, portrays him as a man of intellect, daring, practicality, ambition, humor and – here's the surprise – kindness and affection. It works. The portrait is psychologically rich and well supported with historical detail.

I cannot describe the book overall any better than that.


MY THOUGHTS

Wolf Hall was the first book I read in 2020. First I must say that I liked this book very, very much and will soon be reading the second book in the trilogy, because some of my comments here may not sound that way.

How this novel is experienced probably depends on how much you know about the life of Thomas Cromwell and historical events centered around Henry VIII and his six wives. I have read books set at this time and watched movies on the subject over the years, but still I don't remember that much about this period in history and Thomas Cromwell specifically. I am well aware of Anne Boleyn's story, but I was hazy on the order of the wives of Henry VIII, their fates, and was not really quite sure how Cromwell fit into this. For my enjoyment of the book, this was mostly a good thing. I could read most of the story without the feeling that I knew the outcome.

There is a huge cast of characters which was necessary but can be quite confusing. There is a list of the "Cast of Characters" and family trees for the Tudors and the Yorkist Claimants, which helped a bit, but having to refer back and forth was distracting. On the other hand, I now have a much better picture of the court at this time and the way people lived, at various levels in society.

This book was not an easy read for me and there were elements of the author's writing style that I did not like. The story is written from Thomas Cromwell's point of view but in third person present tense. Throughout the book, whenever a scene included multiple males, I had problems with understanding who "he" was referring to, and whether it was referring to Thomas Cromwell. I  read multiple reviews commenting on this problem. I thought it was just me. But the author must have been doing something right, because I was pulled into the story from the beginning. A good bit of the writing was beautiful, just breathtaking.

Moira at Clothes in Books has done multiple posts on Wolf Hall and the second book in the trilogy, Bring Up the Bodies. See two of them here and here.

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Publisher:   Picador, 2010 (orig. publ. 2009)
Length:       604 pages
Format:      Trade paperback
Series:       Thomas Cromwell Trilogy #1
Setting:      England
Genre:       Historical Fiction
Source:      On my TBR pile for five years.

My Reading: January 2020

I read 14 books in January. One book of mystery reference, one nonfiction book, three books in the historical fiction genre, and the rest crime fiction. Of the fiction books, five were published after 2000, four in the 1990s, and three between 1953 and 1977.

And all twelve of the fiction books were from my TBR piles.

Mystery reference

Hatchards Crime Companion: 100 Top Crime Novels of All Time Selected By The Crime Writers' Association (1990)
edited by Susan Moody

I enjoy reading most mystery reference books. This was a reread. The book lists 100 favorite crime novels, as chosen by members of the British Crime Writers Association. Susan Moody provides commentary on each book on the list and there are interesting essays on various crime genres.

Rich Westwood of the Past Offences blog read and reviewed all 100 of the crime novels listed in this book. You can see the list here and links to his reviews.

Nonfiction

Life Below Stairs: in the Victorian and Edwardian Country House (2011) by Siân Evans

An entertaining social history of the life of servants in Victorian and Edwardian times, with photographs of rooms used by servants, items of clothing, etc. This was the perfect mix of information and anecdotes about the subject and very readable.

Historical Fiction

Wolf Hall (2009) by Hilary Mantel

This story follows Thomas Cromwell from his youth to his role as an important adviser to King Henry VIII. The main emphasis is on the period when the king wanted to marry Anne Boleyn and annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, a solution that the Roman Catholic Church would not condone. A wonderful, compelling book, with some problems in writing style, but well worth the read. Even at 600 pages.

A Gentleman in Moscow (2016) by Amor Towles

Another long read, over 450 pages. In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropole Hotel in Moscow because his aristocratic attitudes threaten the ideals of the Russian Revolution. The alternative, if he leaves the hotel, is to be shot to death. He lives the next three decades within the confines of the hotel. This is a very fascinating look at Russia in that time, but sometimes reads more like a fantasy than historical fiction. 

The World at Night (1996) by Alan Furst

Alan Furst has said that he writes "historical spy novels." He is writing more about a time than about the actual espionage. This is the story of Jean Casson, a film producer living in Paris when Germany invades in 1940. He is approached by both the British secret service and the Germans to spy for them. The story continues in Furst's next novel, Red Gold.

Crime Fiction

A Kiss Before Dying (1953) by Ira Levin

The debut novel of the author of The Boys from Brazil, Rosemary's Baby, and The Stepford Wives. My review here.

The Lewis Man (2011) by Peter May

The second book in the Lewis Trilogy, set on the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides off the coast of Scotland. Fin MacLeod was a Detective Inspector in Edinburgh, but has resigned from that post and returned to the Isle of Lewis to restore his parents' croft and to try to establish relationships with people he left behind when he moved to Edinburgh. This is my favorite of all the Peter May books I have read.

The Thief (2009) by Fuminori Nakamura

This was a short book about a pickpocket in Tokyo. Very intense, very bleak, sometimes confusing, and even so I enjoyed it. My first read for the Japanese Literature Challenge 13.

The Last Defector (1991) by Tony Cape

This is the second book in a short series about Derek Smailes, who starts out as a Detective Sergeant in Cambridge, England and in this book is an MI5 agent stationed in New York at the UN. My review here.

Death Lives Next Door (1960) by Gwendoline Butler

This is book #6 in the John Coffin Mystery series of 34 books, published from 1956 to 2002. Dr. Marion Manning is a well-known and respected professor at Oxford University. There is a stranger who follows her around and watches her house, yet she is reluctant to complain to the police about it. It is an unusual story, but I enjoyed it and liked the writing style.

An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good (2018) by Helene Tursten

This is a book of 5 short stories that are connected. The protagonist is an 88-year-old woman, living in a lovely apartment in Gothenburg, Sweden, rent free. Some people try to take advantage of her due to her age and seeming infirmities; she is not easy to fool. This small book is full of dark humor.

Midwinter of the Spirit (1999) by Phil Rickman

This is book #2 in the Merrily Watkins series. The main character is a single mother of a teenage daughter and a Church of England vicar in a small town in Herefordshire. She is also in training to be a Diocesan Exorcist, or Deliverance Consultant. This book had maybe a little too much of the supernatural for me. But I really enjoyed reading about a female vicar in the Church of England and I like the writing.

A Drink of Deadly Wine (1991) by Kate Charles

This is the author's debut novel and the first book in Book of Psalms Mystery series. The vicar of St. Anne's church in London is being blackmailed and asks his old friend, David Middleton-Brown, to come help with the situation. The plot is very complex; I thought I had it figured but was totally surprised at the end.

A Morbid Taste for Bones (1977) by Ellis Peters

The first book in the Brother Cadfael mystery series, set in Medieval times. A group of men from Brother Cadfael's religious order have been sent to Gwytherin, a small parish in Wales, to acquire the bones of a saint and bring them back to Shrewsbury Abbey in England.  Cadfael goes along because he is Welsh and can translate for them. The people of Gwytherin must agree to let the bones of the saint be moved, but then a prominent man in the village is killed, which complicates things. This was a very educational read, but also enjoyable. I am ready to move on to the next book soon.