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Historical Fiction March 2021 When a new book comes out, I read an old one. - Samuel Rogers
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The Last Garden in England
by Julia Kelly
What it is: a poignant and unforgettable tale of five women living across three different times whose lives are all connected by one very special place.
What it's about: Given the opportunity of a lifetime to restore an admired designer’s famed historic gardens, Emma uncovers long-hidden secrets about her role model and three women who lived on the property during World War II.
Reviewers say: "Like gardens themselves, these pages invite lingering and thoughtful reflection" (Booklist).
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The House on Vesper Sands
by Paraic O'Donnell
What it is: a Victorian-inspired supernatural mystery following the experiences of a Cambridge dropout and his savvy detective partner who connects a paramour’s disappearance to a bizarre suicide.
Read it for: the smart, often laugh-out-loud funny dialogue and chemistry between Inspector Cutter, Bliss, and Octavia that begs for a sequel.
For fans of: fantastical stories by the likes of Sarah Perry, Charles Dickens, and Wilkie Collins.
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| Better Luck Next Time by Julia Claiborne JohnsonWhat it is: an amusing and dramatic story set in 1930s Nevada as Reno becomes the center of a burgeoning industry in quickie divorces.
Starring: Yale dropout Ward Bennett, who takes a desperately needed job at a dude ranch that hosts soon-to-be-divorcées; guest Emily Sommer, who shares an undeniable spark with Ward despite her cool veneer of patrician superiority; larger-than-life aviatrix Nina O'Malley, a guest who is on divorce number 3. |
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| Yellow Wife by Sadeqa JohnsonThe setup: Mixed-race Pheby Brown is anxiously awaiting her 18th birthday, when her white father (and owner) Jacob has promised to set her free.
What goes wrong: A carriage accident kills Pheby's mother and incapacitates her father, and Jacob's bitter and jealous wife seizes the chance to sell Pheby to a cruel jailer, whose treatment Pheby endures until an unexpected opportunity arrives.
Reviewers say: Yellow Wife is a "powerful, unflinching account of determination in the face of oppression" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| The Prophets by Robert Jones, Jr.What it is: a lyrical and heartwrenching story of the power of human connection under even the worst circumstances.
The premise: Enduring the horrors of slavery, two young men living on a Mississippi plantation find love and solace in each other. But when another slave becomes a preacher to gain favor with their master, they soon become a target of his sermons and their community begins to fracture.
You might also like: Edward P. Jones's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Known World, which also features arresting writing and centers on the complex relationships that develop in communities of enslaved people. |
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Books You Might Have Missed
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| The First Actress: A Novel of Sarah Bernhardt by C.W. GortnerStarring: legendary French actress Sarah Bernhardt the unwanted daughter of a courtesan who rose to a level of international stardom never seen before.
Why you might like it: Bernhardt's life -- both professionally and personally -- was a dramatic one, from having a child out of wedlock to working as a nurse during the Franco-Prussian war to her outrageous yet brilliant publicity stunts.
About the author: C.W. Gortner's other biographical novels include The Vatican Princess, The Romanov Empress, and Marlene. |
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| Aria by Nazanine HozarWhat it's about: the difficult childhood of Iranian orphan Aria and her own journey into motherhood as the 1979 Revolution unfolds around her.
Try this next: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, another sweeping novel that features a woman navigating complex personal circumstances against a backdrop of major social upheaval.
Reviewers say: Aria is a "vibrant, unsettling portrait" of "a nation's fraught history" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| The Henna Artist by Alka JoshiStarring: artistic Lakshmi Shastri, who has left behind her arranged marriage to make a new life for herself in 1950s Jaipur, India, where she works as a henna artist for wealthy women in the city.
The problem: Lakshmi's 13-year-old sister Radha arrives at her door with news that their parents have died, and in her grief Lakshmi must find a way to keep her own dreams alive while making room for her sister in her life.
Why you might like it: Lush writing evokes the sensory experience of hectic, beautiful Jaipur; Lakshmi's determination and adaptability, which make her easy to root for. |
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The Pull of the Stars
by Emma Donoghue
What it is: the richly detailed and moving story of three days in a Dublin maternity ward during the worst days of the 1918 Flu Epidemic.
Why you should read it: The moving and well-researched portrait of dedicated but overworked health care workers trying to get through a major disease epidemic is especially poignant and timely.
About the author: Irish novelist and Man Booker finalist Emma Donoghue has written both contemporary and historical fiction including Slammerkin, The Sealed Letter, Room, and Frog Music.
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| The Paper Daughters of Chinatown by Heather B. MooreWhat it's about: Inspired by a dark chapter in San Francisco history, this well-researched and character-driven story follows Chinese survivors of sex trafficking in the late 1800s and the work of missionary Donaldina Cameron to advocate for them.
Is it for you? Author Heather B. Moore doesn't shy away from some of the less-admirable aspects of the missionaries' work, including their lack of consideration for the Chinese women's own traditions and their strong religious zeal, which was inseparable from their desire to take care of the needy. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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