Category: Book Review
Improbable Women by William Woods Cotterman
(Cover picture courtesy of Syracuse University Press.)
Zenobia was the third-century Syrian queen who rebelled against Roman rule. Before Emperor Aurelian prevailed against her forces, she had seized almost one-third of the Roman Empire. Today, her legend attracts thousands of visitors to her capital, Palmyra, one of the great ruined cities of the ancient world.
In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, during the time of Ottoman rule, travel to the Middle East was almost impossible for Westerners. That did not stop five daring women from abandoning their conventional lives and venturing into the heart of this inhospitable region. Improbable Women explores the lives of Hester Stanhope, Jane Digby, Isabel Burton, Gertrude Bell, and Freya Stark, narrating the story of each woman’s pilgrimage to Palmyra to pay homage to the warrior queen. Although the women lived in different time periods, ranging from the eighteenth century to the mid–twentieth century, they all came from middle to upper-class British backgrounds and overcame great societal pressures to pursue their independence.
Cotterman situates their lives against a backdrop of the Middle Eastern history that was the setting for their adventures. Divided into six sections, one devoted to Zenobia and one focused on each of the five women, Improbable Women is a fascinating glimpse into the experiences and characters of these intelligent, open-minded, and free-spirited explorers.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
As someone who personally admires Zenobia, I knew I just had to pick up Improbable Women. A biography of one of my favourite heroines as well as five other incredible women? How could could I not read it?
I was slightly disappointed in the level of detail in the biographies, but I’m fully aware that including enough details to satisfy me would have meant a separate book for each woman. If you haven’t heard anything about these women the information could be a little overwhelming at first, but William Woods Cotterman has a great writing style to help you along. It’s actually easier to read Improbable Women if you read one biography and then pause to reflect before going onto the next one, but it’s not a requirement.
Improbable Women was actually broken up into logical segments which seems to be rare in the nonfiction books I’ve read through NetGalley. Each section is clearly labelled and the order the biographies are in actually make sense. Some of the women profiled in here were inspired by other women in the book, so I liked how that was mentioned and the similarities between each the two were pointed out. At the same time, readers are never spoken down to when these similarities are drawn.
Overall, Improbable Women is a great read for anyone who loves reading about women who were ahead of their time. Every single woman in this collection of biographies from Zenobia to Freya Stark was ahead of her time and lived a fascinating life. Some were more interesting than others, but that’s a matter of personal preference than anything. I would highly recommend Improbable Women to people who love history when it comes out on October 15 or 16 (it says 15 on Goodreads, 16 on NetGalley) of this year.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Bullying Under Attack by Various Authors
(Cover picture courtesy of Teen Ink’s Facebook page.)
WORDS ARE POWERFUL- they can inflict damage and they can heal. In this anthology of first-person accounts written by teenagers for both their peers and adults, words transform pain into hope and the possibility for change.
Bullying Under Attack is an eye-opening anthology of all three players in the bullying cycle. These conversational essays on life as the bullied, the bully, and the bystander provide insight and inspiration for change. Rather than offer a cumbersome psychological breakdown, this graceful and hard-hitting book places the reader firmly in the shoes of all involved.
The stories written by The Bullied explain the subtleties and agony of harassment, helping readers understand that there is more to unkind words and behavior than “just joking around.” Although many of these teens have suffered through harassment by their peers, their essays are both empowering and inspiring. By exploring the essays by The Bullies, readers will discover that the bullies are often times incorrectly labled as bad kids, but many are simply trying to fit in, despite their own insecurities and fears. While these bullies may still have their own seemingly insurmountable obstacles at home, they share their experiences and insights hoping to manage and reforming other bullies. The section voiced by The Bystander shares tales of those who have regrettably watched and those who have stepped up to help others. Here, readers will find the inspiration to speak out rather than just standing by while others are emotionally harmed.
Whether due to race, weight, or jealousy, there are a myriad of reasons WHY. Included in this startling compendium of personal stories that convey the complexity and nuances of what it means to be bullied, are stories of regret, promises, and encouragement that will help readers find solace during their teen years and show them how—as adults—their words and actions can provide strength and reassurance to others experiencing all aspects of bullying. Ultimately, they will learn to find their voices in order to break the cycle for good.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
You know, I’ve read a lot about bullying and why kids do it, the stories of victims, etc. And although Bullying Under Attack is being touted as eye-opening, it isn’t anything new. Truly, I admire all of the teens in this anthology for writing about their experiences in a generally coherent manner, but in truth they don’t really have any ground-breaking wisdom to share about the topic of bullying. If you haven’t read any first person accounts of bullying this will probably be an eye-opener for you, but other than that this is pretty much what everyone is saying.
With that said, Bullying Under Attack is still a good book. It was well edited and generally well written by the teens who contributed. Some writers had excellent mature voices whereas others gave away their young age right away. And you know what? That’s okay. This is an anthology essentially by teens for teens. If it stops even one teen from bullying another or one person from standing by and just letting bullying happen, I’ll be happy.
The formatting of my NetGalley copy sucked, to be perfectly blunt. Yet I’m reasonably sure that the real Kindle copy of the anthology will be much better formatted. It was not the easiest to read at times, but the teens involved in this got their points across with sometimes extremely blunt honesty. The only thing I can really criticize is that there should have been a better balance of the three types of writers (bullies, victims, bystanders).
I give this book 4/5 stars.
Helen, The First Trojan Horse by Michael Lally
(Cover picture courtesy of Tower Books.)
“Helen, The First Trojan Horse” is a great love story wrapped up in a brutal war during an incredible time in history. This book provides a unique twist on the legend of the Trojan War. Helen of Troy is the most enigmatic and villified woman in history. Like the wooden horse to come later, Helen was not what she seemed to the Trojans and she helped to fulfill the Trojan prophecy of their own destruction.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
I was absolutely certain I’d love this book. The idea of Helen seducing Paris in order to help Greece because of an impending Trojan attack was too good to pass up. I mean, that turns the whole Paris-seduced-Helen idea on its head! What could possibly go wrong?
Well, the main problem was the execution. Michael Lally’s writing was very basic. Throughout Helen, The First Trojan Horse I was being told what was happening rather than being allowed to see what was happening and drawing my own conclusions. The descriptions were nonexistent and the dialogue was so stiff I had trouble even reading it, let alone doing my usual reading aloud test. Although I can usually forgive some historical inaccuracies and the occasional anachronism, this book was full of them: poor people holding out banners with writing on them, the very modern attitudes toward Helen’s kidnapping, the wedding vows being said, etc.
Helen was very much the main character of the novel, yet I didn’t feel any connection with her. Part of it was the overall poor writing, but the other part was that she didn’t change all that much throughout the novel. Sure, she agreed to go with Paris to Troy so Agamemnon and Menelaus could launch an attack against the Trojans (who had been plotting to attack the Greeks one by one in this version), but I never really felt her despair. We see that she is sharp with Paris and are told she misses Menelaus, but overall I didn’t feel much emotion coming from her. The lack of emotional quality in the writing made it very hard to connect with her character, let alone all of the secondary characters.
Another part of my problem with this book is the lack of transitions. One minute we’re with Helen in Troy and then in the next sentence we’re with Agamemnon plotting the war. Or with Menelaus trying to get Odysseus to join the war. Perhaps part of it was a formatting thing because there were no physical separations of such passages, but the main part was a lack of transitions within the writing itself.
So yeah, overall I was not impressed with Helen, The First Trojan Horse. It had an amazing premise that really could have changed how readers view the legend of Troy, but fell flat.
I give this book 1/5 stars.
Short Story: Aphrodite’s Curse by Luciana Cavallaro
(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
APHRODITE’S CURSE is about a dynasty’s fall from grace, unrequited love and retribution.
A powerful family is brought to ruin, the consequences unforeseen and irreparable. The trouble begins with King Mino who asks the gods for a bull to be sacrificed so that he may become ruler of Kretos and surrounding lands. Poseidon sends him a gift of a white bull and instead of sacrificing it, King Minos keeps it. Poseidon is angry by his supplicant’s actions and as punishment glamour’s the king’s wife, Pasiphae to lust after the bull.
The story is told by PHAEDRA, Theseus’ wife, who witnesses first-hand, the rise and fall of her family. She grows up in a privileged environment, a princess and daughter of King Minos. From a very early age she knows the power her father wields, but is also aware his actions may have precipitated the misfortunes that followed.
She reflects on the different and disturbing events from a detached perspective. Her tone can sometimes be one of a spoilt child, then at other times resigned and on occasion shows an uncanny insight. This retrospective musing comes from her sighting of Hippolytos, her husband’s son from a previous marriage. She falls in love with him and finds it difficult to contain this secret and eventually tells her nurse.
Phaedra asks for Aphrodite’s help, even builds a temple, however Hippolytos spurns her advances. Shamed by her actions and by his revulsion, she poisons herself, leaving a letter to her husband writing that Hippolytos had raped her.
[Full disclosure: I was never asked to review Aphrodite’s Curse like I was Luciana Cavallaro’s other books, but instead received it for free when I signed up for her newsletter. As always, this review is honest.]
Out of all the women Luciana Cavallaro has written about, I liked Phaedra the least. This is more of a matter of personal preference because I didn’t find her the least bit sympathetic. But could I understand her motives and did I care about what she had to say? Absolutely!
The fact that I didn’t like Phaedra but actually really enjoyed this story is a testament to Luciana Cavallaro’s skill as a writer. Phaedra had believable motivations for what she did because of her personality, which we glimpse both through her reflective flashbacks as well as her present day commentary as she is dying.
I’m not exactly familiar with the myth of Phaedra because it was relatively minor in the scheme of things, but after a bit of research I find that I appreciate Aphrodite’s Curse even more. It was well researched and the level of detail was enough to make me feel like I was there in Phaedra’s world. I could see the handsome Hippolytos, the temples, Phaedra’s deathbed, etc. The description wasn’t on par with the beautiful descriptions in The Curse of Troy, but it was certainly up there.
Really, Aphrodite’s Curse is what a short story should be: short and sweet but powerful. The descriptions are great but they’re not overdone, the characters come to life and I felt like I was back in the time period the story took place in.
I give this short story 5/5 stars.
Feyland: The Bright Court by Anthea Sharp
(Cover picture courtesy of Kobo Books.)
INSIDE THE GAME…
Jennet Carter escaped the dark faeries of Feyland once. Now, fey magic is seeping out of the prototype game, beguiling the unwary and threatening everyone she cares about.
MAGIC…
Tam Linn may be a hero in-game, but his real life is severely complicated. Still, he’ll do whatever it takes to stop the creatures of Feyland, even if it means pushing Jennet toward the new guy in school–the one with an inside connection to sim-gaming… and the uncanny ability to charm everyone he meets.
ALWAYS WINS…
Despite the danger, Jennet and Tam must return to Feyland to face the magic of the Bright Court–and a powerful new enemy who won’t stop until the human world is at the mercy of the Realm of Faerie.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy of this book from Anthea Sharp in exchange for an honest review.]
Since Feyland: The Dark Realm was almost a futuristic retelling of the ballad of Tam Linn, I really had no idea where Anthea Sharp would go from there. Would book 2 in the Feyland trilogy just drag on and on pointlessly and focus on the romance between Tam and Jennet? Or would she completely change the fairytale underpinnings of the story and go for a pure technological thriller?
Thankfully, Anthea Sharp did neither of those. She manages to get Jennet and Tam back in Feyland without making it seem forced and creates a believable explanation for the Roy Lassiter’s (the new guy in school) charm. What the explanation is I can’t reveal without spoiling some major plot points, but you’ll definitely be surprised at what he did to obtain his seemingly magical charm. Okay, maybe you won’t be that surprised considering we’re dealing with the world of the fae, but there are definitely a few plot twists you won’t see coming because of Roy’s actions.
What I liked about the plot is not that it was unpredictable (which it generally was) but that it was such a departure from the first book yet stayed true to it all the same. It’s hard to explain without spoiling things, but I like how it didn’t follow a fairytale storyline like the Tam Linn story in the first book and yet still retained those fairytale elements. So it ended up being different from the first book, but just as good!
My favourite part is the character development when it comes to Jennet and Tam’s characters. I love how the two have grown closer since their adventure in the last book but how they still have to learn how to trust one another throughout The Bright Court. There’s more than just friendship between the two and I like how Anthea Sharp manages to create that romantic tension without being in your face about it all the time. It’s definitely a skill more authors need to learn.
In short, if you loved Feyland: The Dark Realm you’ll love the sequel, The Bright Court. And if you haven’t started the Feyland trilogy yet, you should. It’s the perfect mix of technology and fantasy.
I give this book 5/5 stars.