What we're reading in Historical Fiction

After mistakenly posting this in Book Talk--

What're you working on? How are you finding it? Anything interesting planned?

A place to talk about historical fiction reads of the year!

My first book of the year was historical fiction - The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory. I really liked it, especially the (totally fictional) character of Hannah Green, the titular "Queen's Fool" who escaped with her father from Spain and the Inquisition to end up in a new land that burned heretics.

I don't read much historical fiction (but I *do* like what I do read, I should read more!) but my first read of the year probably falls into this category: Missus by Ruth Park. (I just posted my review on my thread, http://www.librarything.com/topic/104918#2415860)

It was written back in 1985(ish) and about Irish families in Australia during the late 1800s and early 1900s. It's the first in a trilogy, and I really enjoyed it - not a big plot book, but was filled with great believeable characters. I'm looking forward to the next in the series! (Need to buy them first, *sigh*...)

I hope to finally read Wolf Hall this year.

Oh, I thought Wolf Hall was marvellous! I hope you like it too.

I just realised that The Long Song counts as historical fiction! Just finished it, and reviewed it on my thread. It was rather good, but strangely written at times. Excellent narrator though!

And for all my "I don't read romance", I read a romance over the past few days. It's all the fault of the name: What Would Jane Austen Do?. Probably not half the stuff our heroine gets up to in this time-travelling romance.

I remember the first time I walked into the local sci-fi/fantasy shop to be horrified by romance novels slowly taking over, and legitimately: they were *time-travelling* romances, so counted towards the fantasy genre. I feel like a traitor to my former self, having finally succumbed to the lure of a time-travelling romance. But at least I didn't think much of the book. :)

I guess Ariana Franklin's "Mistress of the Art of Death" books are historical fiction... can anyone recommend a similar writer or books?

I really like Boris Akunin- 19th century Russia detective.
If you are looking for medieval- try Michael Jecks.

The Matthew Shardlake series (first is Dissolution) by C.J. Sansom are also excellent - although I've only read the first. Again, crime in times long gone (Matthew Shardlake is dealing with the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII).

Can't find the first Boris Akunin (Winter Queen?) anywhere in Sydney! I'll track it down one day....

Must admit, I haven't read much else like Mistress of the Art of Death, it came across as an episode of "C.S.I.: Medieval Europe" at times. :) Can't say I've leapt onto the second book with any sort of compulsion. Should give it a go though, the first was a page turner once I got over my quibbles.

I'm currently reading The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein by Peter Ackroyd. But I can't say I'm enjoying it all that much - I can't quite see the point of rewriting the original story, although I do rather like Frankenstein hanging around London with Shelley. (The cover says that Mary Wollstonecraft also turns up, but she's taking her sweet time about it.) I'm hanging on, in the hope that it turns a corner and becomes fascinating.

I've finished The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein, and yes, it did improve once Mary Shelley turned up. (A feminine touch?) But it never became fascinating. Writing my review now. Ish.

Moving on to The Merry-Go-Round in the Sea (finally! was supposed to start this *ages* ago for bookgroup), which counts as historical fiction - it's an Australian classic written in the 1980s or thereabouts, but set during WW2 in Perth.

I like the look of The Merry-Go-Round in the Sea and have just requested it via my local library - in the UK. Surprised and pleased once again by the extent of its Australian collection!!

I was fortunate enough to visit for a few days in Perth during my military service. Enjoyed it very much... but I seem to recall thinking that Fremantle, the much smaller town where we actually docked our ship, would be a much nicer place to live...

Would love to go back!

I received Margaret George's new book on Elizabeth I and just finished one of the Shardlake mysteries-Dark Fire.
I also like the Inspector Murdoch series about late 19th century Toronto by Maureen Jennings.

#12> Unfortunately, it's been a busy and annoying week, so I've put aside the serious literature of The Merry-Go-Round in the Sea for Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. Needed something fantastical.

And bookgroup is up to final questions and summings-up of Merry-go-Round, bother. Not the first time I've missed joining in! (They liked it, so it's still worth your time to read it!)

And it was written in the 1960s, I was wrong above. My edition is just from the 80s, that's probably where I got muddled.

Oh, I forgot we had this thread. :)

I'm currently most of the way through (and if the kids will actually GO TO SLEEP AT THEIR BEDTIMES tonight) should finish The Observations, a cracking read, narrated by Bessy, a young Irish maid in an isolated Scottish house in the nineteenth century. It's very Gothic, but Bessy's snarky comments keep on adding in so much humour that it stops it from ever becoming too serious. (Although her backstory is fairly shocking, so not so much humour there.)