It should not be so hard to write both poetry and fiction. Both arts, after all, make use of the same materials, words and punctuation. Poems...
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I just finished The Snow Child and I'm a little bit in awe. It is incredible. It amazes me that this is Ivey's first novel, because her writing is breathtaking; she has a rare talent for writing beautiful, flowy paragraphs without being wordy or overly fluffy. The story is magical, mysterious, and moving. I was so entranced that I didn't want to stop reading. It seems that more and more authors these days write about subjects they've extensively researched; it's rare to find an author writing a fictional novel about something he/she really knows about like Ivey does here. It's obvious that she has forged a life in the unrelenting Alaskan wilderness just like her characters. I really hope she writes more. As it is, I'll be purchasing a copy of this book and reading it again. This is by far my favorite book so far this year--LOVED it. 5 stars!
This book is very aptly titled; it really is "A Novel of the French Revolution". Although I'm a lover of historical fiction, I haven't read much HF set in France so went into this book largely ignorant of the events of the Revolution. As Moran states at the beginning of her "Historical Note" at the end of the novel, "It is hard to relate just how turbulent and bloody the years of the French Revolution really were...[they] make for what can be a challenging read, simply because so many innocent people perished in the name of liberty, equality, and fraternity." I'm still in a bit of shock at just how bloody and tragic it was. Moran does a great job at imparting knowledge of the events spanning from 1789 through 1794 while keeping the reader engaged and maintaining historical accuracy by taking very few fictional liberties. This is not a feel-good story, but it isn't meant to be. The witch hunt for those who are "traitors to the patrie" is reminiscent of our own HUAAC mixed with the Inquisition. And, as one part of the book says, "people's imagination has proven stronger than reality" in the conviction and execution of supposed traitors. They really were sad and tragic times.
As for Madame Tussaud herself, her character is incredible. I will admit when I first heard of this book I immediately thought of the slightly cheesy wax museums of our day and age. As Moran has pointed though, people in the late 1700s didn't have the means or ability to travel and see people and places as we do now, nor did they have the media we do today where we know what everything and everyone looks like. Tussaud truly was an artist creating 3D portraits of people and places that the general populous would rarely, if ever, get the opportunity to see.
Wow, I can't believe this book is over...I feel a sense of accomplishment for having finished it (it's really, really long) and a sense of loss that it's over. The writing is so beautiful and real that it isn't a stretch at all to imagine that Cleopatra wrote it herself. There are so many incredible sentences in this book I could write page after page of quotes. Some of my favorites: "Always carry a limited gold service with you, was my motto." and "When fate offers you no choice you must appear to relish it." and "Goddesses do not grow old." Those are just quick samples of some sentences that made me smile. My only small complaint about this book would be the length, but, after thinking about it, this book would not have felt complete or like a true memoir if it was any shorter. By spending so much time with Cleopatra you really feel like you know her by the conclusion. And, you can't help but feel a dramatic sense of loss by the end even though you know it's coming. Knowing doesn't make her fate any less lamentable.
Wow, I can't believe this book is over...I feel a sense of accomplishment for having finished it (it's really, really long) and a sense of loss that it's over. The writing is so beautiful and real that it isn't a stretch at all to imagine that Cleopatra wrote it herself. There are so many incredible sentences in this book I could write page after page of quotes. Some of my favorites: "Always carry a limited gold service with you, was my motto." and "When fate offers you no choice you must appear to relish it." and "Goddesses do not grow old." Those are just quick samples of some sentences that made me smile. My only small complaint about this book would be the length, but, after thinking about it, this book would not have felt complete or like a true memoir if it was any shorter. By spending so much time with Cleopatra you really feel like you know her by the conclusion. And, you can't help but feel a dramatic sense of loss by the end even though you know it's coming. Knowing doesn't make her fate any less lamentable.
This book is very aptly titled; it really is "A Novel of the French Revolution". Moran does a great job at imparting knowledge of the events spanning from 1789 through 1794 while keeping the reader engaged and maintaining historical accuracy by taking very few fictional liberties. As for Madame Tussaud herself, her character is incredible. I will admit when I first heard of this book I immediately thought of the slightly cheesy wax museums of our day and age. As Moran has pointed out, people in the late 1700s didn't have the means or ability to travel and see people and places as we do now, nor did they have the media we do today where we know what everything and everyone looks like. Tussaud truly was an artist creating 3D portraits of people and places that the general populous would rarely, if ever, get the opportunity to see. Excellent read!
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KimberlyB has commented on (28) products.
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
KimberlyB, May 6, 2012
I just finished The Snow Child and I'm a little bit in awe. It is incredible. It amazes me that this is Ivey's first novel, because her writing is breathtaking; she has a rare talent for writing beautiful, flowy paragraphs without being wordy or overly fluffy. The story is magical, mysterious, and moving. I was so entranced that I didn't want to stop reading. It seems that more and more authors these days write about subjects they've extensively researched; it's rare to find an author writing a fictional novel about something he/she really knows about like Ivey does here. It's obvious that she has forged a life in the unrelenting Alaskan wilderness just like her characters. I really hope she writes more. As it is, I'll be purchasing a copy of this book and reading it again. This is by far my favorite book so far this year--LOVED it. 5 stars!Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran
KimberlyB, January 2, 2012
This book is very aptly titled; it really is "A Novel of the French Revolution". Although I'm a lover of historical fiction, I haven't read much HF set in France so went into this book largely ignorant of the events of the Revolution. As Moran states at the beginning of her "Historical Note" at the end of the novel, "It is hard to relate just how turbulent and bloody the years of the French Revolution really were...[they] make for what can be a challenging read, simply because so many innocent people perished in the name of liberty, equality, and fraternity." I'm still in a bit of shock at just how bloody and tragic it was. Moran does a great job at imparting knowledge of the events spanning from 1789 through 1794 while keeping the reader engaged and maintaining historical accuracy by taking very few fictional liberties. This is not a feel-good story, but it isn't meant to be. The witch hunt for those who are "traitors to the patrie" is reminiscent of our own HUAAC mixed with the Inquisition. And, as one part of the book says, "people's imagination has proven stronger than reality" in the conviction and execution of supposed traitors. They really were sad and tragic times.As for Madame Tussaud herself, her character is incredible. I will admit when I first heard of this book I immediately thought of the slightly cheesy wax museums of our day and age. As Moran has pointed though, people in the late 1700s didn't have the means or ability to travel and see people and places as we do now, nor did they have the media we do today where we know what everything and everyone looks like. Tussaud truly was an artist creating 3D portraits of people and places that the general populous would rarely, if ever, get the opportunity to see.
The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George
KimberlyB, October 5, 2011
Wow, I can't believe this book is over...I feel a sense of accomplishment for having finished it (it's really, really long) and a sense of loss that it's over. The writing is so beautiful and real that it isn't a stretch at all to imagine that Cleopatra wrote it herself. There are so many incredible sentences in this book I could write page after page of quotes. Some of my favorites: "Always carry a limited gold service with you, was my motto." and "When fate offers you no choice you must appear to relish it." and "Goddesses do not grow old." Those are just quick samples of some sentences that made me smile. My only small complaint about this book would be the length, but, after thinking about it, this book would not have felt complete or like a true memoir if it was any shorter. By spending so much time with Cleopatra you really feel like you know her by the conclusion. And, you can't help but feel a dramatic sense of loss by the end even though you know it's coming. Knowing doesn't make her fate any less lamentable.The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George
KimberlyB, October 5, 2011
Wow, I can't believe this book is over...I feel a sense of accomplishment for having finished it (it's really, really long) and a sense of loss that it's over. The writing is so beautiful and real that it isn't a stretch at all to imagine that Cleopatra wrote it herself. There are so many incredible sentences in this book I could write page after page of quotes. Some of my favorites: "Always carry a limited gold service with you, was my motto." and "When fate offers you no choice you must appear to relish it." and "Goddesses do not grow old." Those are just quick samples of some sentences that made me smile. My only small complaint about this book would be the length, but, after thinking about it, this book would not have felt complete or like a true memoir if it was any shorter. By spending so much time with Cleopatra you really feel like you know her by the conclusion. And, you can't help but feel a dramatic sense of loss by the end even though you know it's coming. Knowing doesn't make her fate any less lamentable.Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran
KimberlyB, July 18, 2011
This book is very aptly titled; it really is "A Novel of the French Revolution". Moran does a great job at imparting knowledge of the events spanning from 1789 through 1794 while keeping the reader engaged and maintaining historical accuracy by taking very few fictional liberties. As for Madame Tussaud herself, her character is incredible. I will admit when I first heard of this book I immediately thought of the slightly cheesy wax museums of our day and age. As Moran has pointed out, people in the late 1700s didn't have the means or ability to travel and see people and places as we do now, nor did they have the media we do today where we know what everything and everyone looks like. Tussaud truly was an artist creating 3D portraits of people and places that the general populous would rarely, if ever, get the opportunity to see. Excellent read!1-5 of 28next