Tag: Shelf Control

Shelf Control #75 – 23/02/2024

This is the third Shelf Control feature I have shared in 2024, and it features yet another non-fiction historical book! I promise that it’s different to those I featured in the series so far this year, so stay tuned to find out what today’s feature is.

Shelf Control is a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

 

Henry VIII – Abigail Archer

 

 

Genre: Non-fiction / History

Pages: 116

Audience: Adult

Publisher: New Word City Inc

Publication Date: 12 Jan 2015

 

 

Goodreads – Henry VIII

Henry VIII ruled England from 1509 to 1547. As a young man, he was fond of sports and hunting, and was said to be uncommonly handsome. Standing more than six feet tall, he loomed large in the lives and minds of his subjects as he navigated his country through the tricky diplomatic and military hazards of the sixteenth century. A man of enormous appetites, Henry conducted affairs with many women, married six, and executed two. His infatuation with Anne Boleyn set in motion a chain of events that reshaped the church in England and eroded the dominance of Rome. But the popular image of Henry as a crude tyrant, dispatching courtiers, enemies, and wives with gusto, obscures a more nuanced and fascinating character. He was a true Renaissance king who presided over one of Europe’s greatest courts and nudged Western civilization onto a new course. Here, from Abigail Archer, author of The New York Times bestseller Elizabeth I, is the story of Henry VIII.

 

My Thoughts

So far in my 2024 Shelf Control posts, I’ve featured World War II and Ancient Egypt as historical topics of interest. Today’s feature is a brand-new time period completely. Tudor England, and particularly the lives of Henry VIII and his wives is a topic that I could go back to again and again!

At only 116 pages, I’m interested to see if the book is more of a summary of the history or whether it goes into any kind of detail. I personally enjoy detail, but I’m expecting Henry VIII to be on the lighter side. There’s nothing wrong with this either; if already shared reviews are anything to go by, there are some interesting tidbits to pick up from this book.

Books like this one great for those who want a refresher on a topic. Or, if you want to explore it for the first time to see if it’s of interest, that would be a reason too. I already know that I enjoy this topic. For me it is a refresher, but also I’m looking to pick up the book and share my thoughts to help other readers decide if this is the book for them!

Do you read historical or fiction books about Tudor England? Is it a topic that interests you? Let me know in the comments!

 

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Shelf Control #74 – 09/02/2024

For those of us done with another working week – congrats on making it! If not, well, sorry… 😅 As you all know by now, I regularly share a Shelf Control feature post. It’s a great way to get excited about upcoming books on my reading list and share with you exactly what inspired me to add them in the first place!

As usual, I’ll share the official blurb and then we’ll get into the book that’s made it into this Shelf Control post!

Shelf Control is a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

 

The Woman Who Would be King – Kara Cooney

 

Genre: Non-fiction / History

Pages: 298

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Crown Publishing

Publication Date: 14 Oct 2014

 

 

Goodreads – The Woman Who Would be King

An engrossing biography of the longest-reigning female pharaoh in Ancient Egypt and the story of her audacious rise to power in a man’s world.

Hatshepsut, the daughter of a general who took Egypt’s throne without status as a king’s son and a mother with ties to the previous dynasty, was born into a privileged position of the royal household. Married to her brother, she was expected to bear the sons who would legitimize the reign of her father’s family. Her failure to produce a male heir was ultimately the twist of fate that paved the way for her inconceivable rule as a cross-dressing king. At just twenty, Hatshepsut ascended to the rank of king in an elaborate coronation ceremony that set the tone for her spectacular twenty-two year reign as co-regent with Thutmose III, the infant king whose mother Hatshepsut out-maneuvered for a seat on the throne. Hatshepsut was a master strategist, cloaking her political power plays with the veil of piety and sexual expression. Just as women today face obstacles from a society that equates authority with masculinity, Hatshepsut had to shrewdly operate the levers of a patriarchal system to emerge as Egypt’s second female pharaoh.

Hatshepsut had successfully negotiated a path from the royal nursery to the very pinnacle of authority, and her reign saw one of Ancient Egypt’s most prolific building periods. Scholars have long speculated as to why her images were destroyed within a few decades of her death, all but erasing evidence of her rule. Constructing a rich narrative history using the artifacts that remain, noted Egyptologist Kara Cooney offers a remarkable interpretation of how Hatshepsut rapidly but methodically consolidated power—and why she fell from public favor just as quickly. The Woman Who Would Be King traces the unconventional life of an almost-forgotten pharaoh and explores our complicated reactions to women in power.

 

My Thoughts

This is the second non-fiction book that I have featured in this series already in 2024. The last book was based around the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. Today’s feature is a completely different period and topic, but it’s one that I’m no less excited to read.

Unlike my previous feature Auschwitz, I have a lot less knowledge on Egyptian pharaohs in general. I have watched some documentaries in the past, but it’s not a topic I have read about before. It’s for this reason that I added The Woman Who Would be King in the first place. Of course, I am also fascinated by the prospect of a female Pharaoh as they were few and far between.

Hatshepsut isn’t the first name that may jump to your mind when you think of famous female Pharaohs. Cleopatra is probably the most well-known, and she has been the feature of some of the documentaries I have watched in the past. I deliberately wanted to choose another famous female in order to broaden my knowledge.

I’m hoping I go on to enjoy this book as much as I think I will, as it is a period of history I would be interested in exploring in more detail in future!

Have you read The Woman Who Would be King or any other great non-fiction books about Pharaohs?

 

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Shelf Control #71 – 11/10/2023

Happy Friday lovely readers and welcome to today’s Shelf Control post. Honestly, I’m glad I’m featuring a Shelf Control instead of a Well, I Didn’t Know That! post. Wednesday’s Vikings of Mann post, in terms of content, is very similar to this feature. I wouldn’t have been able to commit to undertaking a Well, I Didn’t Know That! as well.

Shelf Control posts are nice and easy… and give me a chance to get excited about the books I’m going to read! As always, let’s recap the purpose of these posts.

Shelf Control is a regular feature on my blog – a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

Today’s book is actually an omnibus, and currently the first chronologically in a developing, epic scale series. How epic you ask? Well, it has the same number of primary works as Terry Pratchett’s Discworld. Intrigued as to what this is? Let’s take a look!

 

The Mage Wars – Mercedes Lackey

The Mage WarsGenre: Fantasy

Pages: 784

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Titan Books

Publication Date: 06 Sept 2016

 


Goodreads – The Mage Wars

 

Set around three thousand years before the rest of the Valdemar series, this is the ancient history of Velgarth and the story of Skandranon Rashkae, a gryphon with gleaming ebony feathers, keen magesight and acute intelligence. He is the fulfillment of all that the Mage of Silence, the human sorcerer called Urtho, intended to achieve when he created these magical beings to be his champions, the defenders of his realm – a verdant plain long coveted by the evil mage Ma’ar.

Together with Amberdrake, a Healer of body, mind and spirit, Skandranon will defend his nation from his evil counterparts created by Ma’ar, the makaar. The glorious city of White Gryphon will rise from the ashes, but it will take careful negotiation, spying and terrible war against the mysterious Black Kings to secure the stronghold. Even then, the elite guard force, the Silver Gryphons, will discover a greater terror lurking in the forests beyond the city walls…

The Mage Wars omnibus follows Skandranon and his lifelong friend, Amberdrake, and their children, as they seek to establish and defend a Kingdom of peace and tranquillity.


My Thoughts

I’m not committing to starting such a large series when I already have several ongoing. Maybe, because of the size, I should try to finish Discworld before I take this on.

Confession time – I picked up The Mage Wars, together with two other omnibus collections at Waterstones, on a whim. I did check out the books and the author enough to know that these books are very highly rated. I have never read any books by Mercedes Lackey before, but I can recognise potential in the general consensus of the reviews! Flicking through the other books she has written, and looking the average Goodreads rating – she has a good run! 

I love fantasy that involves complex magic systems and plot lines. This omnibus feels like it has all the components of a grand epic fantasy that I enjoy. Personally, I can’t wait to dive in and find out!

The other two omnibus books, I bought at the same time are The Mage Winds and The Mage Storms. I didn’t realise it at the time, but these books chronologically fall later in the series. It’s one of those scenarios where you could read the books in the order they are published, or in chronological order.

I haven’t decided which I’m going to do yet, so if you have any opinions and or experience with these books, I’d love to see what you think I should do? Which should I pick up first?

 

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Shelf Control #70 – 29/09/2023

Happy Friday fellow readers and welcome to today’s instalment in my Shelf Control series. In today’s post, I feature a young adult novel by an author I have come to know and love every book I’ve read of his so far. I’ve recently picked up a young adult series by this author, and I’m eagerly awaiting publication of the next instalment!

As always, let’s recap the premise of this post and then get into the details of the book!

Shelf Control is a regular feature on my blog – a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

 

The Rithmatist – Brandon Sanderson

The Rithmatist

Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy

Pages: 386

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Tor UK

Publication Date: 01 May 2014

 

 

Goodreads – The Rithmatist

More than anything, Joel wants to be a Rithmatist. Rithmatists have the power to infuse life into two-dimensional figures known as Chalklings. Rithmatists are humanity’s only defense against the Wild Chalklings. Having nearly overrun the territory of Nebrask, the Wild Chalklings now threaten all of the American Isles.

As the son of a lowly chalkmaker at Armedius Academy, Joel can only watch as Rithmatist students learn the magical art that he would do anything to practice. Then students start disappearing—kidnapped from their rooms at night, leaving trails of blood. Assigned to help the professor who is investigating the crimes, Joel and his friend Melody find themselves on the trail of an unexpected discovery—one that will change Rithmatics—and their world—forever.

 

My Thoughts

One of my favourite things about Sanderson novels is that he grounds the magic systems built into his stories with some scientific element. I’m hoping that’s the case with this book as well. It is something he does very well, and even still, manages to do it in a unique way for each separate series!

Whilst young adult isn’t a genre I read all that much of, I still enjoyed the Skyward series, which has a similar audience to The Rithmatist. If this book is anything like that, then we can expect a lot of angst and a desire to prove oneself in the characters driving the narrative.

To date, I am yet to find a Sanderson book that I haven’t enjoyed! Given that I’ve read quite a few at this point, that is quite a feat. He is also a very diverse writer in terms of storylines and setting. I’m yet to find anything he hasn’t done well. I’ve already read and experienced great writing in a fantasy and science-fiction overlap, just as this book is.

I really can’t think of any reason why I should expect any different here!

Have you read The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson?

 

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Shelf Control #69 – 08/09/2023

In today’s Shelf Control post, I am thrilled to share the details of a historical thriller novel originally published in German. There’s no particular reason for translated books making up only a small proportion of my TBR… I just don’t discover them all that often! That means when I do, I get really excited about them! 

Before I share the details of that book, let’s recap what the Shelf Control regular feature is all about!

Shelf Control is a regular feature on my blog – a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

 

The Hangman’s Daughter – Oliver Pötzsch

Genre: Historical Fiction/Thriller

Pages: 450

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Amazon Crossing

Publication Date: 16 May 2011

 

 

Goodreads – The Hangman’s Daughter

Magdalena, the clever and headstrong daughter of Bavarian hangman Jakob Kuisl, lives with her father outside the village walls and is destined to be married off to another hangman’s son—except that the town physician’s son is hopelessly in love with her. And her father’s wisdom and empathy are as unusual as his despised profession. It is 1659, the Thirty Years’ War has finally ended, and there hasn’t been a witchcraft mania in decades. But now, a drowning and gruesomely injured boy, tattooed with the mark of a witch, is pulled from a river and the villagers suspect the local midwife, Martha Stechlin.

Jakob Kuisl is charged with extracting a confession from her and torturing her until he gets one. Convinced she is innocent, he, Magdalena, and her would-be suitor race against the clock to find the true killer. Approaching Walpurgisnacht, when witches are believed to dance in the forest and mate with the devil, another tattooed orphan is found dead and the town becomes frenzied. More than one person has spotted what looks like the devil—a man with a hand made only of bones. The hangman, his daughter, and the doctor’s son face a terrifying and very real enemy.

 

My Thoughts

The Hangman’s Daughter, or Die Henkerstochter, appealed to me initially as it’s a work of historical fiction. However, I’m also intrigued by the thriller and mystery element that takes place within the story.

If you like reading books that feature witchcraft, or speculation of witchcraft, then this should appeal to you as well. I haven’t read very many books from this angle, but I have several on my TBR (both fiction and non-fiction!). Off the top of my head, the only witchy book I’ve read is To Snare a Witch, now titled Bell, Book and Candle. 

The main protagonists in this book may be considered unsavoury, or at least unpleasant to deal with. Let’s face it, if you have business with a hangman it doesn’t look good for you! It’s a unique perspective to take in a book, and if done well, I think there is ample opportunity for character depth and exploration.

The Hangman’s Daughter is quite unlike anything I have read before. I’m looking forward to picking this up and exploring a new period of historical fiction and uncovering the mystery within.

That’s all for today’s Shelf Control post! Have you read The Hangman’s Daughter? Let me know what you make of this book either way in the comments!

 

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Shelf Control #68 – 11/08/2023

Welcome to a happy Friday! It’s the end of another working week, and today marks the beginning of some annual leave for me! I’m planning to pick up several reads whilst I’m off from the 9-5, but I doubt I’ll make it to today’s Shelf Control feature just yet…

In today’s Shelf Control post, I share the details of a historical fiction novel from one of my favourite periods – the Tudors! Before we get into the detail of today’s post, let’s take a moment to recap what Shelf Control is all about if you’re unfamiliar!

Shelf Control is a regular feature on my blog – a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

 

Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen – Alison Weir

 

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 602

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Publication Date: 31 May 2016

 

Goodreads

The lives of Henry VIII’s queens make for dramatic stories and Alison Weir will write a series of novels that offer insights into the real lives of the six wives based on extensive research and new theories.

In all the romancing, has anyone regarded the evidence that Anne Boleyn did not love Henry VIII? Or that Prince Arthur, Katherine of Aragon’s first husband, who is said to have loved her in fact cared so little for her that he willed his personal effects to his sister? Or that Henry VIII, an over-protected child and teenager, was prudish when it came to sex? That Jane Seymour, usually portrayed as Henry’s one true love, had the makings of a matriarch? There is much to reveal …

Alison will write about the wives in the context of their own age and of the court intrigues that surrounded these women and – without exception – wrecked their lives. She will transport readers into a lost and vivid world of splendour and brutality: a world in which love, or the game of it, dominates all.

 

My Thoughts

I am yet to read any books by Alison Weir. She’s a prominent writer in the genre focusing on royalty, and as a result has written several books about the Tudors. On the one hand I’d say it’s a wonder I haven’t picked any up yet. However, considering the constant number of books I want to read, I suppose it’s not really.

I’m looking forward to diving into her Tudor books. Katherine of Aragon is the first book in her Six Tudor Queens series. If I enjoy these as much as I expect to, I’m sure I’ll branch out to other books and periods she explores.

Katherine of Aragon has been on my TBR for a little over five years now. I distinctly remember reading an article in Writing Magazine and discovering her books as a result like it was yesterday. Isn’t it funny what you remember?! If only my memory were that good all the time… I’d forgotten when I started writing my regular Sunday Summary posts on my blog. I was surprised to find a Sunday Summary post mentioning the discovery when I searched for other posts on the book on my blog!

The combination of a new-to-me author and a favourite subject is one that I can’t wait to get to. This book, and potentially the series, are a promising jaunt into a turbulent and interesting period of history!

 

I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s Shelf Control instalment!

Have you read any books from the Six Tudor Queens series, or by Alison Weir? What’s your favourite period of history to read about?

 

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Shelf Control #67 – 14/07/2023

It’s the end of the working week, so it can only be time for a Friday feature. This week I’m back with a Shelf Control post. I have the pleasure of featuring a stand-alone historical fiction novel that I’m excited to pick up! I have already read several books by this particular author, all from this best known series which has been televised in recent years.

Before we jump into the details of the book, let’s recap what Shelf Control is all about!

Shelf Control is a regular feature on my blog – a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

 

Fools and Mortals – Bernard Cornwell

 

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 384

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication Date: 19 Oct 2017

 

 

Goodreads – Fools and Mortals

 

Lord, what fools these mortals be . . .

In the heart of Elizabethan England, Richard Shakespeare dreams of a glittering career in one of the London playhouses, a world dominated by his older brother, William. But he is a penniless actor, making ends meet through a combination of a beautiful face, petty theft and a silver tongue. As William’s star rises, Richard’s onetime gratitude is souring and he is sorely tempted to abandon family loyalty.

So when a priceless manuscript goes missing, suspicion falls upon Richard, forcing him onto a perilous path through a bawdy and frequently brutal London. Entangled in a high-stakes game of duplicity and betrayal which threatens not only his career and potential fortune, but also the lives of his fellow players, Richard has to call on all he has now learned from the brightest stages and the darkest alleyways of the city. To avoid the gallows, he must play the part of a lifetime . . . .

Showcasing the superb storytelling skill that has won Bernard Cornwell international renown, Fools and Mortals is a richly portrayed tour de force that brings to life a vivid world of intricate stagecraft, fierce competition, and consuming ambition.

 

My Thoughts

I’m interested to see what I make of Bernard Cornwell’s writing given that Fools and Mortals is a completely different setting to The Last Kingdom. I’ve come to really enjoy his writing on that series, having read the first 6 books of that series so far.

I’ve featured Fools and Mortals in a First Lines Friday, and I was drawn in by the introduction. I’ll link that post in case you’re interested to see it!

As a former performing arts student, I’m looking forward to seeing whether I like the setting of the stage and theatre. It’s something I’ve enjoyed in other historical fiction books, so I have all my fingers crossed that I’ll like it!

If I go on to enjoy this book as much as I think I will, then I’ll definitely consider reading some other stand-alones by Bernard Cornwell. Some of his other ones were published quite a bit earlier than Fools and Mortals, but that’s okay! He also has a number of other series I could try!

Thanks for reading my Shelf Control post!

Have you read Fools and Mortals, or any other books by Bernard Cornwell?

 

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Shelf Control #65 – 20/05/2023

Happy Friday Saturday and welcome to today’s Shelf Control feature post. As you know, I usually post these on a Friday. However, I made a mistake in planning as I was out with friends on Friday night. I had most of the post drafted, but I didn’t get home till after midnight. Needless to say, I wrote off trying to finish and share the post!

In today’s belated Shelf Control, I feature a YA fantasy novel I intended to read in September last year, but didn’t get around to it. Before we get into the details, let’s recap what my Shelf Control feature is all about.

Shelf Control is a regular feature – a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

 

Everless – Sara Holland

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 362

Audience: Young Adult

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: 02 Jan 2018

 

 

Goodreads – Everless

In the kingdom of Sempera, time is currency—extracted from blood, bound to iron, and consumed to add time to one’s own lifespan. The rich aristocracy, like the Gerlings, tax the poor to the hilt, extending their own lives by centuries.

No one resents the Gerlings more than Jules Ember. A decade ago, she and her father were servants at Everless, the Gerlings’ palatial estate, until a fateful accident forced them to flee in the dead of night. When Jules discovers that her father is dying, she knows that she must return to Everless to earn more time for him before she loses him forever.

But going back to Everless brings more danger—and temptation—than Jules could have ever imagined. Soon she’s caught in a tangle of violent secrets and finds her heart torn between two people she thought she’d never see again. Her decisions have the power to change her fate—and the fate of time itself.

 

My Thoughts

I don’t read much young adult fantasy, but I really like the premise of the book. There are elements of danger, mystery and intrigue to unravel! The book has it’s own magic system, whixh I’m looking forward to exploring.

Being the length it is, I think this will also make a great book as a palette cleanser. It’s long enough to establish a world and some details to get immersed in, but short enough to avoid being dense.

It’s also good to branch out and read books for a slightly different audience once in a while. Whilst I don’t read a lot of YA, I have enjoyed a number of books that fall into this category before.

That’s all for today’s Shelf Control post. Have you read Everless?  Would you recommend it?

 

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Shelf Control #62 – 10/03/2023

Happy Friday and welcome to today’s Shelf Control post! I don’t know about you, but it has been a very snowy 24 hours here! I hope you’re keeping safe and warm if you’re in a similar situation!

Today I feature a novel written in collaboration between two authors. One author, I have read before extensively; the other I have merely sampled. However, I am excited to give this book and potential series a try.

Before we jump into the post in earnest, here is a recap of what Shelf Control is all about.

Shelf Control is a regular feature – a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

 

The Long Earth – Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter

Genre: Science fiction / fantasy

Pages: 336

Audience: Adult

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: 21 Jun 2012

 

 

Goodreads – The Long Earth

1916: the Western Front. Private Percy Blakeney wakes up. He is lying on fresh spring grass. He can hear birdsong and the wind in the leaves in the trees. Where have the mud, blood and blasted landscape of No Man’s Land gone?

2015: Madison, Wisconsin. Cop Monica Jansson is exploring the burned-out home of a reclusive – some said mad, others dangerous – scientist when she finds a curious gadget – a box containing some wiring, a three-way switch and a… potato. It is the prototype of an invention that will change the way Mankind views his world forever.

And that is an understatement if ever there was one…

 

My Thoughts

I have read a book that Terry Pratchett has co-authored previously. That book was co-authored with Neil Gaiman, and unfortunately, that didn’t end up being a hit! I’d had a hit and miss experience with Neil Gaiman’s writing before. Take my reviews of Stardust and American Gods, for example. In hindsight, it wasn’t really a surprise.

On the other hand, I am a huge fan of Terry Pratchett. I am nearly halfway through his Discworld series, which I’m picking up again very soon. I love his serious content matter, entwined with the satirical tone of which he is a master. I don’t know if this will come to play in The Long Earth, as this is very different from his Discworld novels. That is why I want to give it a try!

I have less experience with Stephen Baxter’s writing, so I’ll be going into The Long Earth without any especial bias. I have sampled one of his books before – one that my dad has loaned me. In truth, I have multiple books that I’ve been loaned that I REALLY need to get around to. Sorry dad! I’m looking forward to giving The Long Earth a try. It could be the perfect opportunity to Segway into his solo books. 

Science fiction is a genre that I have been picking up more of in recent years. It is one I enjoy going back to and exploring different themes in. I’m looking forward to seeing how these two authors broach this genre together.

Have you read The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter, or any other books by these authors?

 

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Shelf Control #61 – 17/02/2023

Happy Friday and welcome to today’s Shelf Control post! Today I feature a classic novel that I’m willing to try. If it were a more modern book, it’s not something I would really choose for myself. However, it is it’s fame that makes me want to give it a try. Even if I don’t like it, I can say I’ve tried it!

Before I share the details of the book, here is a recap of what Shelf Control is all about.

Shelf Control is a regular feature on my blog. It’s a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies… a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

Now, let’s dive into today’s featured classic novel!

 

Jane Eyre – Charlotte Brontë

 

Genre: Classic / Romance

Pages: 532

Audience: Adult

Publication Date: 16 Oct 1847

 

 

Goodreads – Jane Eyre

Orphaned as a child, Jane has felt an outcast her whole young life. Her courage is tested once again when she arrives at Thornfield Hall, where she has been hired by the brooding, proud Edward Rochester to care for his ward Adèle. Jane finds herself drawn to his troubled yet kind spirit. She falls in love. Hard.

But there is a terrifying secret inside the gloomy, forbidding Thornfield Hall. Is Rochester hiding from Jane? Will Jane be left heartbroken and exiled once again?

 

My Thoughts

Romance isn’t a common genre to find on my reading list. Despite that, there are a couple of instances in which romance has been a hit with me.

I have never read a classical novel in this genre. The Brontë sisters are very well-known in the classical world. Even if I don’t particularly like their books, I would like to at least give them a chance. I have heard a lot of mixed things about Jane Eyre. It is just one of those books that I’m going to have to pick up for myself in order to make my own mind up.

Arguably, I am more likely to like Jane Eyre compared to contemporary romances based on the setting and tone of the book. It’s not flowery. If anything, I have read that it is more gloomy, almost Gothic in nature. For the most part, I’m not a fan of happy ever afters and the predictability of modern contemporary romance. They have their place and I’ve enjoyed a couple in my time. But they are not catnip for me like they are for others. The complete change of tone, and I hope elements of historical fiction (or at least the historical setting) will help with the appeal of this novel.

If nothing else, I want to try and pick up Jane Eyre as I want to slowly work my way through the classics. Reading classical novels is completely different to reading something modern. Very often, the language and setting is very different. Characters and culture can portray very different attitudes to that of society now. As a result, there is a lot to gain from a book like this from a historical point of view.

 

I hope you have enjoyed today’s Shelf Control post.

Have you read Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, or any other books written by any of the Brontë sisters?

 

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