REVIEW: 'The First Wife' by Emily Barr

'The First Wife' is a contemporary fiction novel by Emily Barr. I'd never heard of this author until I came across some reviews of this particular book a few months ago. Since it sounded like a fairly interesting story I decided to put this book on my 'to-read' list, and a week ago I rented a copy from the library. Don't be fooled by the lighthearted looking book cover above though- this is far from a lighthearted summer read!

==---Plot---==

Upon the death of the grandparents who raised her, the sheltered, naive Lily Button must find her own way alone in a modern world she isn't accustomed to. With some help she manages to get a cleaning job in the house of the affluent Summers couple. She soon befriends the handsome actor-turned-solicitor Harry and is envious of his wife Sarah with their seemingly perfect lifestyle. So it is all the more baffling when Sarah takes her own life one Christmas during the couple's trip to Barcelona.

Lily soon becomes drawn to a grieving Harry and the pair soon fall into a whirlwind romance and eventually engagement. However, as their marriage looms around the corner, Lily soon becomes uncertain about the circumstances behind Sarah's death. How did Sarah die, if she did at all- and is Harry all that he seems?

==---Opinion---==

'The First Wife' was surprisingly better than expected, even with the positive reviews I read before deciding to read it.

It does have a bit of a slow start, as what the blurb won't mention is that quite a few chapters are spent on Lily adjusting to a "normal" life. They were interesting in that they developed Lily's character a lot, just it didn't really progress the story that much. However, when she finally meets Harry the story definitely picks up as we follow their romance and, underlying that, the secret behind Sarah's death. The book certainly has some suspenseful moments where I wanted to keep reading and get to the secret of the Summers' "perfect" life for Lily's sake, not to mention a few plot twists that kept me on the edge as well. Whilst a couple concerning the main characters are perhaps predictable judging from the synopsis, some details did catch me by surprise!

Emily Barr's narrative is very realistic, especially when she writes as Lily in the first person. Lily is a very sympathetic and relatable character; having been raised from her grandparents after her real parents dumped her rather selfishly, she is very unfamiliar with modern pop culture and technology, hence why their deaths leave her very isolated and unable to cope. Despite this, I didn't find her a frustrating or even that naive because her backstory makes these traits understandable. Besides, she does develop to become familiar with these things and becomes stronger mentally as well, mostly through her relationship with Harry. Their romance is very sweet and I felt happy for Lily despite the disapproval of people who knew Sarah Summers, and you do soon see why.

Interestingly, the other main character in the book is Jack, a guy from New Zealand who comes to Barcelona to teach English- something he has always wanted to do since adolescence but has been frustrated since he married young. His chapters (written in third-person) come interspersed among Lily's and at first I wondered how Jack's story relates to Lily's in any way as the story progresses. Jack is very likeable because of how down-to-earth he is and I found him a great supporting character to the main story despite how random his introduction seems to be at the start of the book- once the characters become connected you do understand why Emily Barr writes Jack in the way she does!

==---Overall---==

'The First Wife' was definitely an enjoyable read. If you want a contemporary summer read that's more substantial than your typical chick-lit then you will definitely enjoy this. I liked this book a lot and I will certainly look twice the next time I come across an Emily Barr novel!

4.5 out of 5

Review based on library copy only. It may also be found on ciao! and Dooyoo.

Book cover image from Goodreads. 

REVIEW: 'Ed King' by David Guterson

One day last November, my friend and I were browsing a copy of the day’s ‘Metro’ newspaper. In the entertainment section when we came across a book review for a book called ‘Ed King’. Why did it catch our eye? Well, because the review mentioned that the novel was a modern retelling of the Greek play ‘Oedipus Rex’- and both of us are Classics students at university!

Nine months later, I’ve finally got round to renting out ‘Ed King’ and reading it. The author is David Guterson, who has also written the books ‘Snow Falling on Cedars’ and ‘The Other’. Although this is the first work I’ve read by him Guterson is a bestselling author so I had high hopes for ‘Ed King’ not only as a modern adaptation of a classic Greek play, but also to be a great standalone novel in its own right.

==---Plot---==

In 1962, actuary Walter Cousins makes the ultimate mistake when he sleeps with his children’s nanny, 15-year old British girl Diane Burroughs. Unfortunately, the result of their 1 month affair is a baby whom Walter persuades Diane to put up for adoption- a plan which fails. While Diane flees with her newborn child and leaves it on a doorstep, continuing her life by trying to integrate into American high society, Walter goes back to his struggling family life- until he is killed fifteen years later when a young driver crashes him off a road.

The child, soon adopted, grows up to be Ed King: a smart, if somewhat overconfident man who becomes one of the most powerful and richest men in the world as the head of ‘Pythia’ (a ‘Google’-like corporation).  It is during his rise to power that he meets Diane- fifteen years his senior, but able to pass for much younger due to facial plastic surgery over the years...

==---Opinion---==

Many will be familiar with the Greek myth of Oedipus, whom unknowingly marries his mother and kills his father. Fortunately for many, ‘Ed King’ doesn’t heavily rely on ‘Oedipus Rex’ and is a good novel in its own right; rather it’s a part modern retelling, part social commentary with plenty of American cultural references over the decades in which the story takes place. Even so, there are a few nice allusions to the play (the company ‘Pythia’, a dream sequence Walter has which turns out to be prophetic on later events, heck even the main character’s name itself!) to show its roots, which I think is a nice touch whilst it doesn’t alienate anyone whom isn’t doesn’t know the full myth. Even though I do know how the original story goes, Guterson’s witty and engaging storytelling technique is such that I was still engrossed in reading it to the end just to know how everything unravels.

There is one weak point in the narrative however, which is the inevitable moment when Diane and Ed do “it”. Guterson decides to break the fourth wall at this point, knowing that people familiar with ‘Oedipus’ were waiting for this bit, as if he’s having a laugh at the two knowingly related people too. Unfortunately this is at the reader’s expense because it ruins the narrative here and results in a poorly-written, boring sex scene which unremarkably is the closing point of the chapter.

We get three narrative strands through the story (which quickly go to two) through Walter, Diane and Ed. This allows us to see events and how people’s lives go from these POVs, and it’s interesting as to how certain events throughout the novel are seen at different perspectives. For example, in one chapter Ed kills a man by crashing him off the road in a fit of anger; in the next chapter, we see what Walter was doing in the last months and days before his death. See the connection here? Since the story begins with Ed’s death being reported online (and ends with a further report), so immediately I wanted to keep reading to learn how the Ed ends up the way he does and how it links his fate to that of his birth parents.

The characters in ‘Ed King’ are developed brilliantly with three main characters that are very realistic. We don’t see much of Walter after the middle of the book for certain reasons, but we get clear impressions of a mild-mannered, slightly gullible man who clearly regrets his mistake, especially for the long-term consequences it causes in the relationships in the rest of his family. He was perhaps the character I sympathized with the most. Diane on the other hand is a clever, manipulative woman who is determined to get the better of others by both staying young and beautiful, even if it means doing some rather immoral things throughout the novel. I dislike her but I did admire the way she moves up and down the social ladder.

As for Ed himself, I had mixed feelings, mainly due to the fact that Guterson writes him rather...’distant’ until he reaches adulthood. During his [smothered] childhood years we learn about him as he grows but I didn’t really connect with him until his motor-related incident. Nevertheless he is soon portrayed as a formidable man who is brilliant at many things that allow him to reach to the top. His huge ego and arrogance makes him, not somebody to root for even given the inevitability of the novel, but then again the character he’s based on isn’t a paragon of perfection either. In fact, none of them truly likeable due to the scope of their actions, but they’re still flawed human beings whom we can relate to in one way or another.

==---Overall---==

I enjoyed ‘Ed King’ because of its well-written characters and Guterson’s excellent, humorous narrative. It builds perfectly on the myth and the modern twists and focus on narcissism and greed fit in with the original morals. Whether you know the myth or not this is still a book for readers of modern fiction to check out!

4 Stars out of 5.

Review of library copy only. It may also be found on 'ciao!' and Dooyoo.

Book cover image from Goodreads. 

Progress...(July-August)

So yeah...these 'Progress...' posts are meant to be monthly things in regards to the books I've read, but as you can see this has failed miserably. I did remember before the 9th August that one was due, but in terms of actually getting round to writing it I just kept procrastinating!

Books read 10th June- 20th August:

'1Q84: Book 3' by Haruki Murakami
'Remember Me' by Lesley Pearse
'I Am A Cat' by Soseki Natsume
'The Girl King' by Meg Clothier
'The Queen's Secret' by Victoria Lamb

Currently Reading:

'Ed King' by David Guterson

In the reading pile:

'The First Wife' by Emily Barr
'Tyrant' by Christian Cameron

Actually, I've had 'Tyrant' in my reading pile since May. In fact I finished the first chapter...but decided to put it to one side and read some other books instead. I'll admit, said first chapter didn't really grab my attention to finish it off, hence the constant procrastination!

Furthermore, there are a few more books I want to get out of the library first before university starts again next month. You see, I'm seriously overdrawn (sad times!) so trying to be cautious with spending money on leisure things, including books. Yes, paperback books are ridiculously cheap nowadays, but it's still 1p-£5 you're spending on something that you might never read again, and that's taking up space which you're running out of. :(

Any recommendations on newly released books? I'm participating on some giveaways for Goodreads, since I want to make this blog more popular then people are going to be searching for reviews of the latest book. Maybe I should join NetGalley...

Hope you're enjoying this blog. Thanks for reading!
Antonia. :)

REVIEW: 'The Queen's Secret' by Victoria Lamb

‘The Queen’s Secret’ is a historical fiction novel by Victoria Lamb set in Elizabethan England. This is more or less my first foray into Tudor territory, which you probably find surprising given the glut of books, films and televisions shows set in this period. So amongst all the competition, how does ‘The Queen’s Secret’ hold up? For me, pretty well!

==---Plot---==

It’s 1575, and Queen Elizabeth has come to stay in Kenilworth Castle with her court for the summer. The ambitious Robert Dudley- Earl of Leicester, Elizabeth’s favourite and owner of the castle who is providing the festivities taking place for her stay- hopes to use this opportunity to finally persuade the ageing queen to marry him. Among the entertainers heading to Kenilworth is a young black singer, Lucy Morgan. Her skin colour has forced her to be hidden among the other singers until Dudley picks her out to sing solo for the queen- and keep word of what she says.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth’s affections for Robert are brought into turmoil due to her younger cousin Lettice Knollys. Despite being a married woman, Lettice is also smitten with Robert and proving to be a strong rival to Elizabeth for his affections, and their affair soon becomes widespread among the court. Desperate to thwart the affair, Elizabeth enlists Lucy Morgan to act as a spy on the couple as well. However, among acting as both a spy and a go-between Lucy soon uncovers a plot to kill the queen- one that will put her own life at risk.

==---Opinion---==

I picked up ‘The Queen’s Secret’ mainly because of it having a black, female protagonist in a then almost completely Caucasian England (being black and a fan of the Elizabethan period in general) and wanted to see how Victoria Lamb would write it. Fortunately I found that I’ve enjoyed the book on other merits. It’s very well-written and I was drawn into both the love triangle between Elizabeth, Lettice and Robert, as well as the subplot of which of many interested parties was out to kill the queen, and how.

Four of the main characters- Lucy, Lettice, Lucy’s guardian and English agent Master Goodluck (whose narrative focuses on the plot on Elizabeth’s life) and the Virgin Queen herself- serve as narrators in different chapters, which works great in providing different perspectives on the story. I found I connected with Lucy the most, because she is a determined character whose new role as a spy makes her compromised between staying alive and scandalizing the couple she is forced to keep tabs on. Despite the difficulties she faces throughout the novel, I was pleased that she began gaining favour because of her talents among the Elizabethan court despite her skin colour and ‘servant’ status (in fact at the beginning it is mentioned she was hidden at the back of the other singers for fear of her skin colour scaring the queen during a performance). She develops a friendship/romance with Tom Black, one of Robert Dudley’s grooms and also black. Their relationship has its own problems as Tom wants something more that Lucy doesn’t, and I was intrigued as to how it would develop as Lucy gets embroiled more into the court life.

I had mixed feelings towards the other third-person narrators. Lettice was difficult to sympathize with; to me she is very petty, selfish and extremely vindictive towards the queen (albeit for justified reasons). However towards the end of the novel the fragility of her position has been made clear and she has to make some horrible sacrifices due to events that have happened. Elizabeth herself is a complex character, and rightly so; now in her forties she is pressured to marry soon and produce an heir for the throne, and Robert seems like the perfect candidate. On the other hand she is jealous of Lettice and determined not “to be mastered by any man”. Her personality seems very much in line with the real Queen Elizabeth who would be facing the same crises at this point in her reign. She is not always likeable but I could understand some of her cold actions toward other characters on account of her position.

By the end, I felt for all of the characters and especially for Lucy, given what she gains but moreso loses in the climax (don’t worry, I won’t spoil anymore!), and the book ends on a very bittersweet, emotional note which I felt was appropriate given what the characters go through.

==---Overall---==

Whilst I wouldn’t say ‘The Queen’s Secret’ goes above and beyond typical historical fiction tropes, it is still an entertaining read. Lamb writes a tight story of part-mystery and part-romance during a turbulent period that should satisfy many readers, and her unique protagonist perhaps gives a new perspective on Tudor lifestyles for the common people. Fans of Elizabethan fiction should be more than satisfied with this novel. Apparently the author plans to write more books in the series with Lucy Morgan as a protagonist, which personally I would be interested in following up on!

4 Stars out of 5.

 Review is of a library copy only. This may also be found on 'ciao!' and 'Dooyoo'.

REVIEW: 'The Girl King' by Meg Clothier

‘The Girl King’ is a historical fiction novel by first-time author and journalist, Meg Clothier. This is another library rental which I picked up due to a positive review on the blog 'Medieval Bookworm'. Set in 12^th century Georgia, its setting is different and very refreshing from the swathes of English historical fiction based in the same period. So I put it at the top of my ‘To Read’ list and dove into ‘The Girl King’ with high expectations!

==---Plot---==

Tamar is the rebellious, tomboyish princess of Georgia, a kingdom fraught with rebellion and unrest from enemies inside and out. Coming towards the end of his life, the indomitable King Giorgi decides that his daughter will become the next heir of the throne- the first queen of Georgia.

However Tamar’s ascension to the throne isn’t easy. The court elders don’t really want a girl ruler, especially given her father’s tyrannical reputation. It seems the only way she can establish loyalty and avoid conflict among them is to marry an approved noble of their choice. Yet Tamar has fallen for Soslani, a mountain noble whom she met when sent away from the palace during a rebellion against her father. Among all this strife, will Tamar choose a man for her country or for herself?

==---Opinion---==

Georgia isn’t a country I’m familiar with- all I really know is that’s it’s close to Russia and was formerly part of the Soviet Union, but I could tell you nothing about its early history. However, Tamar of Georgia is a real historical figure there and I think this book really brings her to life as a formidable character and one whose rise to power was not an easy task. In ‘The Girl King’ Tamar not only has to deal with dissent for being a female ruler over men, but also for being in the shadow of her father, whose approach to ruling has a strong influence on his daughter. Several people want to take advantage of her situation behind the scenes, yet Tamar manages to persevere over her obstacles and as a reader I was rooting for her to hold her own. Her character also matures from an idolizing daughter to a determined queen in her own right.

As a place that is probably unfamiliar to some, Meg Clothier does an excellent job of immersing us in Georgia’s history. It’s a country that is surrounded by various nations, including the friendly and powerful Byzantium (of whose family Tamar’s sister marries into), the hostile Seljurks and the ‘Rus’ to the north, all of which are distinguished culturally in the novel. We get a clear impression that Georgia is a kingdom in uncertainty with several designs on it from certain neighbours; hence it is one of the clear problems Tamar has to resolve upon becoming queen.

The other characters are also very well-developed and rounded as they all try to serve either their own interests or their queen’s. The other main lead is Tamar’s love interest, Soslani (nicknamed Sos) and like Tamar he is a frustrated character with expectations from his father that put him at odds with the queen’s ambitions. He eventually matures to become a reputable character in his own right, and throughout the story I could connect with him well. Sos’s relationship with Tamar is realistic for the most part, especially when you almost think it will end badly at some points, but I do think that perhaps their first times together in the mountains could have been elaborated a bit more by the author, as it seems to jump to a friendship a bit too fast for me.

The only other drawback is that Meg Clothier’s descriptions sometimes veer into purple prose territory, especially with weather or time changes. For example: ‘The grass turned a pale-green brown, notched with little dust tracks as if a giant had idly scratched his fingernails on the ground as he passed on his way north.’ Some readers might like this kind of vivid narrative, but I personally just found it a bit over-the-top. This is the only real drawback of Clothier’s writing style, which is otherwise engaging throughout.

==---Overall---==

If you’d like to try some historical fiction not set in the usual places then I highly recommend ‘The Girl King’ and see how Georgian history fares for you. It is an enjoyable book about a historical figure that I might never have learned about otherwise, while balancing action, romance and intrigue for a great read.

 Review is of a library copy only. It can be read on 'ciao!' and Dooyoo.