This is the second of Chevalier's books that I have read. Last year I tackled "Girl with the Pearl Earring" and despite the critical acclaim, it fell flat for me and I found it obvious, and sort of a chore. I also didn't like Remarkable Creatures, but for somewhat different reasons. This novel … [Read more]
The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears
This is the second of my (at least!) ten African authors in this year's Cannonball. I picked this up based mostly on the title and the fact that I hadn't read anything by an Ethiopian author yet. But this book is not about Ethiopia, really--it's about being an Ethiopian in America or, more … [Read more]
's CBR6 Review No:5 ·
Genres: Fiction ·
Tags: Destaw Mengestu, Ethiopia, immigrant, The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears, Washington DC ·
A trip through Dante’s Inferno
As a true lover of Dante’s Divine Comedy, I must confess that Brown’s choice of inspiration for his fourth Langdon novel hit just the right spot for me. While some readers may be bored by his lengthy descriptions of Dante’s cantos on the odyssey from Inferno and Purgatory to Paradise, I … [Read more]
's CBR6 Review No:9 ·
Genres: Fiction, History, Mystery, Suspense ·
Tags: Dante, Florence, genetic engineering, Istanbul, Malthus, overpopulation ·
A Splendid Time Travel Tale (Or, Connie Willis Deserves All of Her Awards)
Kivrin, a historian and student at Oxford in 2054, plans a trip to the Middle Ages using the well-established technology of “the net.” She must do extensive research in order to blend in with the locals. The history department’s technicians must perform complex calculations to get her to the right … [Read more]
's CBR6 Review No:1 ·
Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, History, Science Fiction ·
Tags: #CBR6, ConnieWillis, Fiction, historical fiction ·
Like The Da Vinci Code, only better
Another Nic Costa crime thriller set in Rome, which reads less like a movie script and more like a subtler and fully-fleshed version of The Da Vinci Code. Young cop Nic Costa has recently been partnered with burned-out detective Luca Rossi and is sitting outside St. Marks Square trying to … [Read more]
's CBR6 Review No:8 ·
Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense ·
Tags: Catholic church, mafia, Rome, serial killings, Vatican ·
Lady Macbeth
Quick Synopsis: Lady Gruadh comes of age in 11th century Scotland and makes a play to become Queen of Scots Quick Review: A well-told story for anyone interested in Scottish history or the characters behind Shakespeare's famous (and fairly inaccurate) play Read the full review here … [Read more]