Magical Realism and Gothic Historicals | Review

 

Discovered: Barnes & Noble
Status: Read
Purchased: Kobo
Mode: Kobo Glo

My previous post has my in-depth reflection of The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld. As previously stated, The Enchanted is one of the most enthralling novels I've read this year. The book is chiefly enthralling due to its magical narrative. You may even mistake is as a fantasy, but its stark portrayal of prison and vice will leave you gasping at the horrors humans are capable of. Yet The Enchanted also portrays redemption and the power of hope even among despair and wretchedness.

Discovered: Books On The Nightstand
Status: Read
Purchased: Barnes & Noble
Mode: Hardcover

If you're looking for a book that has you walking away in soot and blood, The Quick is definitely for you! A recommendation on Books On The Nightstand twitched my interest, but it wasn't until I saw the book's cover at my local Barnes & Noble retailer that I got really interested.  I mean look at it, a sepia photograph of a classic dapper Oxford gentleman reading beside a gorgeous bookshelf. But wait! The photograph is tainted with blood. At first glace, The Quick is a Gothic adventure just waiting to happen and I was hooked after reading the synopsis.

The Quick is about various characters that get entangled in the politics and violence of London's darkest society. It is very easy to ruin the twist of this book, so if you want that "WTF" moment I urge you to just pick it up and read it without doing too much research. Before you know it you'll be drawn into London's bloodiest secrets while strolling through its darkest alleys and inside its most exclusive club.

Magic

 

Discovered: Oyster
Status: Read
Purchased: Oyster
Mode: iPhone

Dragonwyck by Anya Seton is another Gothic romance marvel I picked up at Oyster. Hooray for Oyster for their awesome Gothic Romance list! First published in 1944, Dragonwyck follows Miranda Wells, a young woman from a humble farm, who goes to live with her mother's distant wealthy cousin, Nicolas Van Ryn, as companion to his wife and daughter. At Dragonwyck, Miranda, who had always disdained her humble upbringing, is instantly wooed by the rich and bourgeois lifestyle. She also becomes infatuated with Nicolas who embodies all her romantic notions of genteel and masculinity.

Dragonwyck is a Gothic indulgence. There is the ill-fated love between a young and naive heroine and the older mysterious gentleman. We see this kind of pairing in Rebecca and Jane Eyre. And the story includes other Gothic elements such as the haunted manors, married men and their first wives, mysterious deaths, etc. But Dragonwyck is more than just an angsty love story. It shows the destructive consequences of excess and perceived invincibility. Materialism, class snobbery, even romantic naivete are no longer defenses against the force of social trends and tensions of the time as we see Miranda and Nicolas face their own limitations.

Stay tuned next month for another post on Frontlist Favorites and Backlist Marvels!

Historicals From Across the Pond | Review

 

Discovered: Oyster
Status: Read
Purchased: Oyster
Mode: iPhone

Summons to Chateau D'Arc by Kay Cornelius was published on April 11, 2012 by indie publisher, Diversion Books. It was the first book I read and finished on Oyster. As stated in a previous post, one of the items I received in the Book Riot Quarterly Box was 2 months access to Oyster. And I must say, I'm very impressed with Oyster. I expected the app to be naturally text heavy, considering its a product for reading; however, it was very visual. Pictures of books, rather than words dominate the app and synopsis are not overly long. Oyster's great explore feature allowed me to find this marvel.

It is about Ellen Edmonds, who is "summoned" to a mysterious chateau in the French countryside after her mother passes away and she is left with no close relation in America. Once she arrives at the Chateau D'Arc, romance and family drama ensue as she attempts to unravel the mystery of her connection with the Marquis d'Arc and his family. If you love a story with a Chateau, endless wine, Parisian fashion, and boar hunting, this is the marvel for you!

Discovered: Barnes & Noble
Status: Read
Purchased: Barnes & Noble
Mode: Hardcover

The Movement of Stars by Amy Brill was on April 18, 2013 by Riverhead Books. I found this marvel last summer while browsing the new fiction shelves at my local Barnes & Noble retailer. Its about a headstrong astronomer, Hannah Gardner Price, who longs to become independent of the rigid Nantucket Quaker island she lived on all her life. Her single-minded passion is admirable as she attempts to find a comet, win a reputable award, and break out of her expected station as a woman. She also meets and falls in love with Isaac Martin, a dark-skinned whaler, who also longs to break out his expected station and expand his career.

I'm not overly familiar with astronomy, yet I was sucked into the early days of Nantucket and Harvard, and the pursuit of knowledge beyond the grasps of humanity and women. However, Hannah and Isaac break traditional notions of independent study and academia. Amy Brill's novel is richly narrated and quietly inspiring. Those looking for a summer read while gazing at the stars, I urge you to pick up The Movement of Stars.

Stay tuned next month for another post on Frontlist Favorites & Backlist Marvels!