Blurb (from Goodreads):  Spring, 1549. Two years after the death of Henry VIII, England is sliding into chaos ... The nominal king, Edward VI, is eleven years old. His uncle Edward Seymour, Lord Hertford, rules as Protector. The extirpation of the old religion by radical Protestants is stirring discontent among the populace while the Protector's prolonged war with Scotland is proving a disastrous failure and threatens to involve France. Worst of all, the economy is in collapse, inflation rages and rebellion is stirring among the peasantry. Since the old King's death, Matthew Shardlake has been working as a lawyer in the service of Henry's younger daughter, the Lady Elizabeth. The gruesome murder of the wife of a distant Norfolk relation of Elizabeth's mother, John Boleyn - which could have political implications for Elizabeth - brings Shardlake and his assistant Nicholas Overton to the summer assizes at Norwich. There they are reunited with Shardlake's former assistant Jack Barak. The three find layers of mystery and danger surrounding the death of Edith Boleyn, as a second murder is committed. And then East Anglia explodes, as peasant rebellion breaks out across the country. The yeoman Robert Kett leads a force of thousands in overthrowing the landlords and establishing a vast camp outside Norwich. Soon the rebels have taken over the city, England's second largest. Barak throws in his lot with the rebels; Nicholas, opposed to them, becomes a prisoner in Norwich Castle; while Shardlake has to decide where his ultimate loyalties lie, as government forces in London prepare to march north and destroy the rebels. Meanwhile, he discovers that the murder of Edith Boleyn may have connections reaching into both the heart of the rebel camp and of the Norfolk gentry . . .

 

My Thoughts:

I got all excited when I saw that there was a new C. J. Sansom book out! I love his Matthew Shardlake mysteries. They are set in Tudor times, and never fail to shine a new light on this fascinating period of history. I popped up to the bookshop to buy it straight away. It’s a big thick tome of a book, at 865 pages, but C.J. Sansom has the knack of keeping the story moving along swiftly. This is the 7th book in the series, but - like most murder mysteries - you do not need to read in order (though I always do).

The story is set in 1549. Henry VIII has died, and his eleven-year-old son Edward is king. His uncle Edward Seymour – Jane Seymour’s brother - rules as Protector. There is a great deal of unrest, with religious tension between Protestants and Catholics exacerbated by war with Scotland. Matthew Shardlake, who is a lawyer and a hunchback, is asked by the young Lady Elizabeth to investigate a case in which a distant relative of hers has been accused of murder. So he and his assistant set off to Norwich, to interview John Boleyn, accused of murdering his wife Edith. The mystery is a puzzling one, with an element of sexual sadism in it that makes all involved uneasy. Just as Matthew feels he is getting closer to the truth, a few key witnesses die or disappear … and then he and his friends are caught up in an uprising of peasants, seeking to protest the injustice of the feudal system and to bring attention to their own sad plight.

Soon the king’s forces are converging on Norwich as they seek to crush the rebellion. Matthew needs all of his wits simply to survive, but in his usual dogged way never forgets the mystery he is there to solve. C. J. Sansom does a brilliant job of bringing history to life, and showing the complexities of the situation. At no time does the pace flag, and I didn’t skip a single passage despite the book’s great length. And the solution to the murder is most satisfyingly – tricky and yet believable.

A wonderful historical murder mystery series – I don’t think I will ever tire of them.

Please leave a comment and share your thoughts.

Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres – and I love time travel stories too. Have you read anything by Susannah Kearsley yet? Check out my review of her novel Mariana here:

https://kateforsyth.com.au/what-katie-read/book-review-mariana-by-susanna-kearsley

 

The Blurb (from Goodreads): In December 1888, Vincent van Gogh cut off his ear. It is the most famous story about any artist in history. But what really happened on that dark winter night?

In Van Gogh's Ear, Bernadette Murphy reveals the truth. She takes us on an extraordinary journey from major museums to forgotten archives, vividly reconstructing Van Gogh's world. We meet police inspectors and café patrons, prostitutes and madams, his beloved brother Theo and fellow painter Paul Gauguin.

Why did Van Gogh commit such a brutal act? Who was the mysterious 'Rachel' to whom he presented his macabre gift? Did he really remove his entire ear? Murphy answers these important questions with her groundbreaking discoveries, offering a stunning portrait of an artist edging towards madness in his pursuit of excellence.

I always knew that Vincent Van Gogh cut off his own ear. And I’ve always wanted to know why. I have a few books about the artist, including a lovely illustrated edition of his letters from Provence, and have read many articles about him, but none ever really satisfied my curiosity. So when I saw this biography of Van Gogh’s ear, I bought it at once.

My Thoughts:

The author, Bernadette Murphy, spent seven years trying to discover the truth of what happened that fateful night in Arles. Her own dogged detective work becomes part of the story, so that we follow her research step-by-step. Like any good investigator, she does not believe all that is told to her, but interrogates all the known facts and uncovers many unknown ones. The result is truly fascinating and very readable. This is not a heavy academic biography, but rather a warm, intimate and very personal story of one woman’s curious search to understand how a man could cut off his own ear. Having read the book, I feel as if I know exactly what happened and perhaps understand the why … a great place for anyone interested in Vincent Van Gogh to start.

Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Love memoirs and creative non-fiction? Try my book review of The Orchid Thief: A True Story of Beauty and Obsession by Susan Orlean here:

https://kateforsyth.com.au/what-katie-read/book-review-the-orchid-thief-a-true-story-of-beauty-and-obsession-by-susan-orlean

Today I interview Stephanie Parkyn, author of the book I have just reviewed Into the World:

Are you a daydreamer too?

I didn’t think so, but when out walking with my characters and their dramas in my head I have stepped straight out into traffic and had cars stop for me. I’ve done this twice, so it’s good I have moved away from a city!!

Have you always wanted to be a writer?

Yes, from about age 8 or 9 I used to write short stories and poems and collect them together and mark a little red ‘P’ in the corner of any that I thought could be published one day!

Tell me about your novel.

It is based on the extraordinary true story of Frenchwoman Marie-Louise Girardin, a destitute mother with an illegitimate child, who flees the wrath of her father by joining a voyage to the South Pacific disguised as a man. It is set in the volatile times of the French Revolution and during the Enlightenment era, a golden age in Europe of scientific expeditions to unexplored lands. She is swept along on this dangerous adventure in search of a lost explorer, while searching for her own independence and the means to raise her child. On the ship, the conflict of the Revolution is never far away and she soon finds the secrets of her past still have the power to threaten her safety.

How did you get the first flash of inspiration for this book?

I had just moved to Tasmania and was camping in Recherche Bay where the explorers visited. I read of the French scientists’ friendly meeting with the Aboriginal inhabitants of the bay and I was curious about that first contact before colonisation would catastrophically change everything for the indigenous people. As I read more I came across the casual mention that there was a woman in disguise aboard the ship. What? This was an amazing feat, surely worth more attention than a few lines. Why hadn’t we heard of her before? I learned that she fought a duel in Recherche bay and was the first European woman to set foot in Tasmania. I was immediately hooked. What was her story? What could have driven her to take this dangerous course?

How extensively do you plan your novels? 

Not at all – which is why it takes me so long to write them! I tend to get an initial vision of the first scene and then I just want to write it immediately and let it go from there. With Into the World I had the overall course of the voyage to follow, but I needed to make sure there were crisis points for my main character at the right times (and thank you Kate for your excellent blog post on this subject that came at a perfect time for me). I had a general idea of what these might be and then I just wrote. It became a massive lump of words that I had to carve and shape into a satisfying story. With Josephine’s Garden, my second novel, I had a slightly different approach, it felt like I was sketching out the story as I went, finding the crisis points, and going back to colour in the whole later. Each book might demand a different approach. Next time I must try plotting – it might save a lot of rewriting.

Do you ever use dreams as a source of inspiration?

No – I haven’t yet anyway. But often the early morning is when ideas will suddenly come together and I will see what happens next, the scene will play out in my head and it will feel like it truly happened, even if it is fiction.

Where do you write, and when?

I can write anywhere if needs be: in bed, at the kitchen table, on a park bench, or in a café. But I do find that a dedicated area that can be a creative zone, a different space to where you do your taxes or pay bills, and somewhere you can close the door to outside annoyances is helpful! I used to have a nook in the side of my bedroom, now I have a cabin in the woods. I treat writing like a full-time job with flexible hours, mostly I write (or edit) every day usually from 6 – 8 hrs through the day or longer if necessary for deadlines. I don’t write in the evenings. I like the flexibility to have occasional days away from the computer rather than a proscribed weekend. Thinking time is also important. Writing can also be lying down and thinking up the next scene, or is that just me?

What is your favourite part of writing?

When the subconscious takes over and solves the problems for you. I love those moments where the little piece of historical fact you once read suddenly pops into your head and fits with the metaphor or the storyline you want to express. When the characters have vivid conversations to one another and you feel like you are recording what they say, not putting words into their mouths.

What do you do when you get blocked? 

Fortunately, I haven’t had that problem yet. I have a lot of possible projects, half-formed ideas around things that pique my interest, queuing up in the background, so I hope if I got stuck I would move on to another project for a while.

How do you keep your well of inspiration full?

I love art, science, nature and listening to other people’s conversations, endless inspirations! I am writing historical fiction, so I tend to read widely around a topic or character before I begin – I like to think of it as filling up the subconscious with information that might come out at the right moment sometime. I also like to travel to find the stories. I might have a vague idea that I want to write about a certain place or happening, but not be entirely sure what the theme or story will be. I love research!

Do you have any rituals that help you to write? 

No

Who are ten of your favourite writers?

Kate Forsyth, of course! Emma Donoghue, Michelle Lovric, Joanne Harris, Anthony Doerr, Kate Grenville, Hannah Kent, Peter Carey, Marcus Zusak, Agatha Christie

What do you consider to be good writing? 

When the characters are so intriguing that I have to know what happens next for them and when I find a description or an image that is so perfect and surprising that it makes me smile.

What is your advice for someone dreaming of being a writer too?

Start now! It takes longer than you think to learn the craft, but if you make the love of writing and learning to write better your goal, it will be such a rewarding journey.

What are you working on now? 

I am almost finished copy edits for my second novel Josephine’s Garden to be published by Allen & Unwin in December 2019. It is the story of how Josephine Bonaparte built her exotic garden at Malmaison and grew Australian plants for the first time in Europe, while needing to give Napoleon an heir or risk losing it all. Readers of Into the World will recognise the gardener Félix Lahaie and botanist Labillardière who are intricately bound up in this story. I am also working on a first draft of the story of Rémi, the son Marie-Louise left behind in Into the World.

You can read my review and purchase a copy of Into the World here.

The Blurb (From Goodreads):

In the midst of the French Revolution, in 1791, unwed mother Marie-Louise Girardin takes one last look at her baby son before thrusting him into the arms of her friend, the revolutionary Olympe de Gouges. She must escape, and only the most daring plan will bring her both the anonymity she needs and the independence to return one day for her son.

Marie-Louise disguises herself as a man and joins a voyage of exploration employed as a steward on the Recherche, one of two ships commissioned to journey to the Great Southern Ocean to find the missing explorer La Perouse.

Protecting her identity throughout, Marie-Louise forms friendships among the eccentric naturalists. But tensions rise between the royalist officers and the revolutionaries, and Marie-Louise's position becomes precarious when she discovers someone on board knows the secrets of her past. When the expedition docks in Java, chaos erupts as they learn of King Louis XVI's execution and are imprisoned by the Dutch. Marie-Louise seems certain to be unmasked. Will she ever return to France and be reunited with her child?

Inspired by a true story, Into the World is a compelling novel of the amazing life of Marie-Louise Girardin battling perilous seas, her own self-doubt, and finding unforeseen loves on a journey to reclaim her child.

My Thoughts:

Into the World by Stephanie Parkyn is a richly imagined tale inspired by the true story of Marie-Louise Victoire Girardin who fled France in the early days of the Revolution and disguised herself as a man, spending the next few years working as a steward on a French tall ship. She sailed from France to Van Dieman’s Land, and thence on to New Caledonia. Although many of her ship-mates suspected she was really a woman, Marie-Louise Girardin defended her masquerade doggedly, even fighting a duel to defend her honour. It’s an extraordinary and little-known story, and Stephanie Parkyn does a brilliant job of bringing it to life.  Marie-Louise’s grief at giving up her illegitimate child, her fear of her being unmasked, her confusion and longing are all made real and believable.

I was particularly interested in this book because it is set at the same time as my novel The Blue Rose (i.e. the French Revolution), and is mainly set on board a ship sailing from Europe to the other side of the world (I have quite a few scenes set on a sailing ship too!) Our heroes even stop at a few of the same ports. It’s always interesting to see how another author deals with similar material as oneself.

I really enjoyed Into the World and will be interested to see what Stephanie Parkyn does next.

Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think.

Fascinated by the French Revolution? Check out my review of The Lost King of France by Deborah Cadbury:

 

https://kateforsyth.com.au/what-katie-read/book-review-the-lost-king-of-france-how-dna-solved-he-mystery-of-the-murdered-son-of-louis-xvi-and-marie-antoinette-by-deborah-cadbury

 

 

The Blurb (from Goodreads):

Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: her mother is stolen away―by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother's stories are set. Alice's only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.”

Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began―and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong.

My Thoughts:

I love books that use fairy tales in new and inventive ways, and so was interested in this contemporary urban fantasy for young adults. The premise is intriguing … seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have lived their life on the road, always running, always looking over their shoulders. Alice does not really know why. It has something to do with Alice’s grandmother, Althea Proserpine, a recluse who once wrote a collection of dark, strange, creepy fairy tales that have gained a kind of weird cultish following.  Alice has never read her grandmother’s book, much as she’d like to. The book is so rare, its almost as if someone (or something) is deliberately hunting down copies and destroying them.

Then Alice’s grandmother dies. Alice’s mother is taken. Alice must solve the mystery on her own. The only clue she has is her mother’s last message: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.” Luckily Alice has a super-rich friend who is as obsessed with Althea Proserpine as she is. Together they set out to find the Hazel Wood.

Alice’s voice is very well done. She’s cool, wry, and sarcastic. She trusts no-one, suspects everything. To begin with, the book has a strong narrative pull, carried along by the strength of Alice’s voice and the tantalising glimpses we get of her grandmother’s stories. The pace falters about halfway through the book, but there is was enough momentum set up by the mystery to keep me reading. And Melissa Albert has a lovely turn of phrase, and is not afraid to surprise and even shock the reader.

Once the narrative moves from our world to the Hinterland, the magical world of story, I felt my interest flag even more, which is odd because I was really looking forward to seeing this strange and magical world that is the source of Alice’s grandmother’s stories. All in all, though, I enjoyed the book and think the author has got real talent. My favourite parts of the book were actually Althea Proserpine’s fairy tales themselves – very dark and eerie.

Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Another wonderful Young Adult novel that draws on fairy tales is Katherine Arden’s The Girl in the Tower – I review it here:

https://kateforsyth.com.au/what-katie-read/book-review-the-girl-in-the-tower-by-katherine-arden

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