August 2019 Reading Round Up
Posted 2nd September 2019
Category: Round-Ups Genres: N/A
4 Comments
This month I finished two books and began two more. In terms of available reading time, I’m calling this a success. I also went back to using the library which I had effectively forgotten due to having lists of other books; I started a new book yesterday and it’ll be on September’s list. One book-related thing I did this month was visit the grave of Alice Liddell, the (likely, if you go by the amount of evidence) muse of Lewis Carroll for Wonderland – it’s in a church graveyard in Lyndhurst, New Forest. It’s a bit of an ‘icky’ story as Carroll was quite taken by Alice and later asked her parents for her hand, but it’s still interesting for its literary value. I decided to go inside the church, too, which proved a good idea; they’ve a lot of information currently on stands and there was a lady there who welcomed me and told me even more. (I wouldn’t say to go out of your way to visit, but if you’re passing Lyndhurst it’s worth it, and I recommend stopping for a cream tea at the Mad Hatter’s cafe, too. I’ll see about writing a slightly longer report and including photos.)
Both books are works of fiction.
The Books
Anne Melville: The Daughter Of Hardie – continuing the saga that begun with two pairs of siblings, book two follows the children of the one marriage that resulted, with a fair-sized focus on the youngest child of the house who, with the onset of the First World War, finds more options available to her than the women of the previous generation. A solid continuation: a few bumps but well worth reading.
Elizabeth Chadwick: The Irish Princess – A fictionisation of the life of medieval royal, Aoife McMurchada/MacMurrough, this story looks the Irish politics of the day, the constant warring between rival rulers, the Norman-British influence, and Aoife’s relationship with Richard de Clare of Chepstow (then Striguil). The history, where factual, is interesting and well accounted for but the book drags a lot.
I enjoyed reading the Melville a lot – I was worried for a while that it wouldn’t at all match the previous book but given a bit of time it really did. In terms of the Chadwick I enjoyed the history lesson but it took me a while to get through it all; I tend to find her books either excellent or not so good and this is one of the latter, more developmental editing needed.
For September I’m continuing the two books already begun. I’ll then work from there; I want to keep my options open.
Do you have any authors you find hit or miss?
September 3, 2019, 5:16 pm
A shame that Elizabeth Chadwick: The Irish Princess dragged a bit as of the two this is the one that really appealed to me.
September 6, 2019, 10:20 am
Freda: Definitely. Having had none, I’ll take two any day.
Felicity Grace Terry: It was a surprise; I’d say it could have done with 100 or so less pages.
September 13, 2019, 2:54 pm
Charlie, I’m afraid I can’t think of an author who I’ve find so distinctly hit or miss. However I am pleased to hear you enjoyed a trip to Lyndhurst – My mum doesn’t live too far from there. Although I never knew that’s where Alice Liddell’s grave was!
4 Comments
Comments closed
September 3, 2019, 3:41 pm
Two are better than none. :-) Happy September!