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JESS JUST READS

A BOOK REVIEW BLOG

November 11, 2018

Inheritance by Carole Wilkinson

November 11, 2018

Nic is left in the care of her grandfather at the remote family property that was once her mother’s childhood home; a place with thirty rooms, three dogs and no mobile reception.

Left to her own devices, she searches for clues about her mother – who died the day Nic was born. But when Nic learns how to slip through time, she discovers more than she could have imagined. The past holds a dark and shocking secret that haunts the land and the people who live there.

Historical fiction for middle grade readers at its compelling, shocking, fascinating best.

Inheritance by Carole Wilkinson is a historical fiction novel perfect for Australian readers aged approximately 10-12.

This book is not at all what I thought it was going to be, judging by the blurb above. Yes, it’s a novel about time travel. But it’s so much more than that. It’s about massacre and racism and understanding the mistakes of the past.

Inheritance sheds light on the shameful events in Australian history. This book would make a good classroom discussion for primary school children, using it to launch conversations around the history of Australia and the treatment of aboriginals by white people.

“My eyes were still adjusting to the sudden change from absolute darkness to brilliant daylight. In the distance, among all the yellow, I could see dark out-of-focus shapes. I blinked. One of the shapes changed. I heard a sound. It took me a while to realise it was a voice. The other shapes changed, becoming taller and thinner. They were people. Women.”

Teenager Nic Gervase lives in the present-day timeline and lives in regional Victoria. Her fathers on a cruise ship and has left her to live with her maternal grandfather. She stumbles upon a way to travel back in time, and discovers the shocking truth about what life was like back then.

Inheritance confronts the massacre of the local Gulidjan people in 1839. At times, the content in the book is a little shocking but it’s based on true events and it’s important for young readers to know the history of Australia.

“The men stared at me with curiosity, not fear. One of them spoke. The sounds made no sense to me. I couldn’t even recognise them as words. He seemed to be talking to the women. Then the men turned and ran off, their spears held high.”

At times, the vocabulary, sentence structure and prose felt a little too young for the audience but the concept of time travel is so interesting that I think it will entice and engage young readers’ minds.

I recommend this to young readers intrigued by historical fiction and Australian history.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Inheritance
Carole Wilkinson
September 2018
Walker Books Australia

Leave a Comment · Labels: 8/10, Book Reviews, Children's Fiction Tagged: book review, children's fiction, fiction, historical fiction, review

August 15, 2018

The Desert Nurse by Pamela Hart

August 15, 2018

Amid the Australian Army hospitals of World War I Egypt, two deeply determined individuals find the resilience of their love tested to its limits.

It’s 1911, and 21-year-old Evelyn Northey desperately wants to become a doctor. Her father forbids it, withholding the inheritance that would allow her to attend university. At the outbreak of World War I, Evelyn disobeys her father, enlisting as an army nurse bound for Egypt and the disastrous Gallipoli campaign.

Under the blazing desert sun, Evelyn develops feelings for polio survivor Dr William Brent, who believes his disability makes him unfit to marry. For Evelyn, still pursuing her goal of studying medicine, a man has no place in her future. For two such self-reliant people, relying on someone else for happiness may be the hardest challenge of all.

From the casualty tents, fever wards and operating theatres; through the streets of Cairo during Ramadan; to the parched desert and the grim realities of war, Pamela Hart, author of THE WAR BRIDE, tells the heart-wrenching story of four years that changed the world forever.

The Desert Nurse by Pamela Hart is a grand love story set during World War I. From 1911 – 1918, we follow headstrong nurse Evelyn Northey as she advances in her medical career and helps treat injured soldiers.

The strength lies in the very believable, detailed information on being a nurse during World War I. It’s very clear how much research went into this book to make sure that the plot was authentic and realistic.

You can really feel the exhaustion and anxiety and tension in those operating wards — the pain and fear that those soldiers felt. You come to understand the pressure placed on doctors and nurses, and the emotional toll on them when they witness injuries, death and amputations.

“Dying men, and men in unendurable pain, call for their mother. Night after night, the calls of ‘Mum…Mam…Mummy…Mama…’ All you could do was hold their hand and whisper gently to them.”

Pamela’s writing is evocative and emotional, allowing the reader to really understand the characters and sympathise for them.

Evelyn is defiant but also trustworthy. She’s compassionate and caring, but she stands up to her controlling father and follows her head and her heart. She knows what she wants, and she knows what’s important to her.

Her father is a very manipulative man, refusing to give her access to her inheritance until she’s thirty. He doesn’t want her to study; he just wants her to work with him. But Evelyn has bigger ideas.

She’s living in a very sexist time in history — it’s a man’s world. But Evelyn is not willing to accept what men tell her to do. She’s career-driven and she doesn’t apologise for that.

“Over the past two weeks the wards had begun emptying, as the casualties stopped coming in and men recovered or were transferred to the rehabilitation facility in Alexandria. The post-surgical ward was only just full, not overflowing, and there was ample space to walk between the beds.”

World War I does not just bring Evelyn injured soldiers, but also fellow nurses who become her friends. They work together over the four years, their paths crossing in many different locations and wards. They share their hopes and their fears, and they form very strong bonds.

Evelyn may not have a strong relationship with her family, but it’s really fantastic to read about her friendship with the other nurses.

“The hospital staff went to the Pyramids properly as a Sunday treat, all the nurses who were off duty. Evelyn rode on a camel (so uncomfortable!) and touched the Sphinx, astonished at its baleful beauty.”

The plot is a little slow and long-winded and perhaps should’ve been edited down. Between Evelyn and William’s many transfers and location changes, I did feel exhausted by the end.

I’d recommend this to historical fiction readers, and romance fans. Anyone with an interest in stories during World War I will love this novel.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.


The Desert Nurse
Pamela Hart
July 2018
Hachette Book Publishers

Leave a Comment · Labels: 7/10, Adult Fiction, Book Reviews Tagged: book review, fiction, historical fiction, review, romance

July 26, 2018

The Peacock Summer by Hannah Richell

July 26, 2018

At twenty-six, Lillian feels ancient and exhausted. Her marriage to Charles Oberon has not turned out the way she thought it would. To her it seems she is just another beautiful object captured within the walls of Cloudesley, her husband’s Chilterns manor house.

But, with a young step-son and a sister to care for, Lillian accepts there is no way out for her. Then Charles makes an arrangement with an enigmatic artist visiting their home and her world is turned on its head.

Maggie Oberon ran from the hurt and resentment she caused. Half a world away, in Australia, it was easier to forget, to pretend she didn’t care. But when her grandmother, Lillian, falls ill she must head back to Cloudesley. Forced to face her past, she will learn that all she thought was real, all that she held so close, was never as it seemed.

The Peacock Summer by Hannah Richell is a compelling story of secrets, betrayals and the consequences of a long-ago summer.

Maggie leaves Australia and returns home to Cloudesley to help her ailing grandmother, and when she learns that her grandmother is in serious debt, she does all she can to save the house. She could sell the land and the property, but she knows how much the manor means to her grandmother. Additionally, Maggie runs into an old boyfriend and she is forced to confront her past.

“She avoids him for two days. Or perhaps he avoids her. Either way, it is a relief not to come upon him in the immediacy of her embarrassing blunder. She busies herself with menus and staffing arrangements.”

The Peacock Summer switches back and forth between Lillian as a young woman in 1955, and Maggie in present day as she tries to restore Cloudesley. Lillian is trapped in an abusive marriage, until she meets the charming and handsome Jack Fincher.

Like many historical fiction novels, The Peacock Summer is a story about lost love, heartache, sacrifice, and family secrets travelling through generations.

“It had become the pattern in their lives: Albie blowing in and out like a leaf on the wind, and the mother she had once known featuring in only the most distant echoes of memories and dreams.”

The cover design of this book is exquisite, and the inside filled with emotion and heartache. The language is evocative and the characters engaging. The lives of Lillian and Maggie do parallel each other and in many ways, they’re similar women.

Both women are flawed. Maggie runs away from difficult decisions, and finds it tough to confront her mistakes, and Lillian always seems to be looking for an excuse not to make a difficult choice, even if it’s the right choice.

Readers will sympathise for both women in the novel, and they’ll find comfort in the close relationships that Hannah has captured. In particular, the relationship between Lillian and her stepson Albie, and of course Maggie and Lillian.

“The further they get from Cloud Green, the more she feels her shoulders relax and her jaw unclench. Away from the flower show, she can feel the mantel of her public self being cast off like a scarf tossed to the wind. It is a relief to be free from the intense scrutiny of the village.”

It’s fascinating to read the timeline from both POV, because it shows you how incorrect someone’s judgment can be. Maggie views Lillian and Charles’ relationship to be one of great, mad love. But she’s misunderstood, and it’s only as we make our way through the novel we realise just how wrong Maggie is. And Maggie realises it too — the pedestal she’d been holding that relationship on was misguided and incorrect.

Despite it being predictable how Lillian and Jack’s relationship would end, I did find myself really invested in their storyline. The mysterious art in the nursery allowed for an element of intrigue and suspense, whilst also putting a timeframe on Lillian and Jack’s love. It made the reader want to keep reading. We could sense the looming deadline, and we want to know how Hannah will deliver the ending.

As hard as I tried, I just wasn’t interested in Maggie’s storyline. She’s a caring granddaughter, desperately trying to hold on to her grandmother’s home. But, I just didn’t connect with her and the scandalous breakup with her ex-boyfriend. I was far more invested in Lillian’s story, and her relationship with the men in the Cloudesley estate.

I’d recommend this to readers of historical fiction. It contains the overused but popular dual timeline of granddaughter and grandmother, and closely kept family secrets, but it’s an interesting and compelling read.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Peacock Summer
Hannah Richell
July 2018
Hachette Book Publishers Australia

Leave a Comment · Labels: 8/10, Adult Fiction, Book Reviews Tagged: book review, fiction, historical fiction, review, romance

June 20, 2018

The Juliet Code by Christine Wells

June 20, 2018

1947. The war is over, but Juliet Barnard is hiding a secret. While her family believed she was helping the war effort from the safety of England, in truth Juliet was a trained wireless operator, dropped behind enemy lines in Paris to spy on the Germans. But the mission went critically wrong when Juliet was caught and imprisoned in a mansion in Paris’s Avenue Foch. Now she can’t – or won’t – relive the horrors that occurred there, and the people she betrayed…

The last thing Juliet wants is to return to France, but when ex-SAS officer Mac begs Juliet to help him find his sister, another British agent who is still missing, she can’t refuse. And in retracing her past, Juliet begins to realise that in wartime, the greatest enemy isn’t always the one that you’re expecting to fight.

The Juliet Code is a historical fiction novel set in the 1940s in Europe. Protagonist Juliet spends months training with the Special Operations Executive and then in 1943 she parachutes into Paris to spy on the Germans.

When the mission goes horribly wrong, she realises immediately how dangerous the situation is. She is captured by the Germans and subjected to months of physical and psychological torture in an effort to extract information from her about coding that would prove vitally important for the Germans.

The premise of the novel is very engaging and unique, drawing me in with the blurb and keeping me intrigued as I read on.

“In spite of my resolution to defy him, the knowledge that he meant me no immediate harm was an enormous relief. After the harsh, bleak horror of Fresnes, it was disorientating to be met with protective kindness.”

Like most historical fiction novels, the plot switches between past and present. In the present, Juliet has survived her captivity and is now free. But ex-SAS officer Mac begs Juliet to help him find his sister, and Juliet is forced to confront the past that she’s been desperately trying to suppress.

“The Paris of 1947 was very different from the Paris of 1943. It seemed determinedly gay, almost in defiance of what the city went through during occupation.”

I respect the stereotypical role reversal in the book. British code-breaker Felix has to watch the woman he loves leave on a mission that she likely won’t survive, and then he is heartbroken when she is captured by the Germans. It’s very different from the usual male-female roles you hear about from World War II, and I found it to be a refreshing twist on the gender construct.

The Juliet Code is quite a long novel, and I think it could’ve been trimmed down. The plot – whilst interesting – is a little slow to start, and the pacing lulls in the middle.

Christine has captured Juliet’s emotions well — her fear and her pain, but also her determination and her resilience. I have to admit, Juliet isn’t an overly memorable character, and she doesn’t inspire confidence. I think in an effort to paint the character as a reluctant hero, the author has actually constructed a hero who falls a little flat. She’s a little bland, her internal thoughts just skimming the surface and doing little to reveal a strong, authentic voice.

“I said it over and over as he sat sipping wine, gently probing for information, apparently in no hurry to be served. Strasser was unperturbed by my refusal to converse.”

Setting is one of the strengths of this book — Christine captures the fear and tension of World War II set against the backdrop of Paris. These spies possess such strength and determination, despite the risks involved.

I recommend this to fans of historical fiction, particularly anyone with a strong interest in stories set during World War II.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Juliet Code
Christine Wells
May 2018
Penguin Random House

2 Comments · Labels: 7/10, Adult Fiction, Book Reviews Tagged: book review, fiction, historical fiction, review

April 29, 2018

The Paris Seamstress by Natasha Lester

April 29, 2018

1940. Parisian seamstress Estella Bissette is forced to flee France as the Germans advance. She is bound for Manhattan with a few francs, one suitcase, her sewing machine and a dream: to have her own atelier.

2015. Australian curator Fabienne Bissette journeys to the annual Met Gala for an exhibition of her beloved grandmother’s work – one of the world’s leading designers of ready-to-wear clothing. But as Fabienne learns more about her grandmother’s past, she uncovers a story of tragedy, heartbreak and secrets – and the sacrifices made for love.

Crossing generations, society’s boundaries and international turmoil, The Paris Seamstress is the beguiling, transporting story of the special relationship between a grandmother and her granddaughter as they attempt to heal the heartache of the past.

The Paris Seamstress by Natasha Lester is a novel about two women — separated by a generation — and how their lives and their creative passions intertwine. A thrilling mystery envelopes this sweeping saga, taking the reader on a journey through multiple countries and generations.

Natasha Lester is a bestselling Australian historical fiction writer, and I’ve been a huge fan of her work ever since I read Her Mother’s Secret last year. She weaves these wonderful stories together, featuring brave women at key historical moments. Her books are full of warmth, heart and emotion. You find yourself completely absorbed in the story and the characters, rooting for these women as they chase their dreams and overcome hurdles in order to achieve what they’ve set out to do.

The Paris Seamstress is no different.

Estella and her granddaughter Fabienne are both heavily invested in the fashion world. Estella is a well-known fashion designer and her granddaughter Fabienne has the opportunity to take over her grandmother’s line. Both women have to overcome hardships and judgement in order to succeed, particularly Estella because she was trying to forge a career in the male-dominated world of 1940s New York fashion.

“The woman stalked off and Estella couldn’t help feeling as if she’d just made a huge mistake. That, once again, she should have buttoned her mouth one sentence earlier. She reached for another drink — gin this time — and Janie spun back out onto the dance floor.”

After Estella escapes France, she arrives in New York where she only knows one person — Sam. She met Sam on the boat to America, and he has experience as a fashion cutter. Sam helps Estella find her feet in New York, and the two end up working together for many years building Estella’s ready-to-wear line. It isn’t until Estella meets Lena, her doppelgänger, that her story really begins.

The Paris Seamstress is written with eloquent, flowing prose and rich description — the imagery in the book is unique and beautiful.

The reader connects with the characters in The Paris Seamstress because of how relatable they are — they are confident and determined, but they also don’t give up when things don’t go well for them. Estella has a dark past that she knows nothing about, and as she starts to unravel the mystery of her heritage, it threatens to ruin everything that she’s built so far. And yet, she pushes on, more determined than ever.

“Spirit. It had forsaken her. All Estella could think right now was that this was her one and only chance and everything rested on it. If the showing was a failure, then Janie would marry Nate and move out of the city. Sam would never have the job he wanted and would be so disappointed in her he would take his friendship elsewhere, to someone more deserving.”

Adults will love this even if they’re not regular readers of historical fiction. The majority of the story may take place in the 1940s, but at its core, this is about two women who are following their dreams and who are just trying to make their way in the world.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Paris Seamstress
Natasha Lester
April 2018
Hachette Book Publishers

1 Comment · Labels: Book Reviews Tagged: adult fiction, book review, fiction, historical fiction, novel, review

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