Historical fiction reviews by Sarah L. Nesbeitt - originally published in the Historical Novels Review (Issue 16).  
All reviews on this page ©2001 Sarah L. Nesbeitt.  All rights reserved.

Like what you see here?  Why not consider subscribing to the full magazine!  Each issue of the Review, a quarterly publication of the Historical Novel Society, contains reviews of approximately 200 recent works of historical fiction published in the UK and US, with selected titles from Canada and Australia.  Please see the Historical Novel Society web site for membership information (you can even join online with a credit card).  

THE HOSTAGE
Mary R. DeMaine, PZA Publishing, 2000, $12.95 (£8.11), 316pp, tpb, ISBN 0967347114
Although knowledge of the controversies over the Greek poet Homer may not be necessary for enjoyment of the story, readers should still take time to read the foreword.  In Greek, the author explains, the name Homer means “hostage.” Very little is known about either Homer himself or the origins of the two masterworks attributed to him, the Odyssey and the Iliad. Disproving the stereotype that academics turn out dry historical novels, DeMaine, a classical scholar, presents her theories in the form of an entertaining, action-filled tale.
           
The novel is one of adventure and discovery, with plenty of local and period color.  The author seems at home within the milieu of ancient Greece. Her dialogue is casual and almost modern, but it works.  All her characters have definite personalities, but some are simply annoying, and others occasionally act more like the mythological figures of Homer’s poems than real people. Maps of Greece and the islands would also have helped.  Still, these are minor quibbles in what is otherwise an educational and pleasurable reading experience.

SO FAR BACK
Pam Durban, Picador USA, 2000, $23/$35.99 (£14.40), 259pp, hb, ISBN 0-312-26869-6
For generations, the women of one black Charleston family have served the Hilliards -- first as slaves, later as hired servants.  When a flood disrupts the contents of Louisa Hilliard Marion’s ancestral home, she is forced to sift through old family artifacts.  In coming across the 1837 diary of Eliza Hilliard, an early mistress of the house, Louisa learns of the harsh conditions to which the plantation’s slaves were subjected – and, in so doing, she stirs up a ghost.  It is up to Louisa to determine exactly who the ghost is, and what she wants.
           
The moral of the story, one’s inability to escape the past, is a bit too obvious, as is the social commentary on slavery that inevitably follows.  It is as a historical novel, however, that So Far Back truly excels.  Lengthy excerpts from Eliza’s diary comprise the center sections, and the image of slavery is made even more disturbing when shown through the eyes of a socially-conscious woman who ironically sees herself as one of the kinder slaveowners. Eliza’s portrayal is not completely unsympathetic, however, as she has her share of sorrows to deal with, and her attitude toward slaves doesn’t seem that unusual for the time.
            The novel follows a predictable path, and as such the conclusion is not all that unexpected. But even after all is said and done, one comes away with the distinct impression that the story between the black and white inhabitants of Charleston is still not quite over.

THE SQUIRE’S TALE
Margaret Frazer, Berkley Prime Crime, 2000, $21.95/C$30.99 (£13.19), 277pp, hb, ISBN 0-425-17678-9
Robert Fenner, a landholder and former squire, attempts to settle a dispute between his lady wife Blaunche and her former in-laws.  Believing that Blaunche’s dower property should revert to her former husband’s family, the Allesleys, Robert means to settle this disagreement through the marriage of his ward, Katherine, to the Allesley heir.  However, the young heiress’ hand is widely sought, and she is brought to the nunnery of St. Frideswide’s for protection.  When it’s judged safe to return, two nuns, Dame Claire and Dame Frevisse, are asked to accompany the group back home, where arbitration will settle things once and for all.  The levels of tension and deception escalate, and they eventually lead to murder. 
           
Strangely for a crime novel, in The Squire’s Tale the story leading up to the murder forms the first two-thirds of the book.  This isn’t to say that the background isn’t fascinating in itself, with detailed descriptions of the quiet, contemplative life at St. Frideswide’s, complications of marriage among the minor nobility, and sympathetic, if not always likeable, characters. Mystery fans may find themselves impatiently predicting the murder, but medieval enthusiasts will find plenty to enjoy here.

AMERICAN WOMAN
R. Garcia y Robertson, Forge, 2001 (c1998), $15.95 (£9.98), 349pp, tpb, ISBN 0-312-87629-7
This novel’s finale will come as no surprise: on June 25, 1876, General George Armstrong Custer led the soldiers of the 7th Cavalry to their deaths at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.  Despite this fact, this novel, beginning three years earlier, hardly follows a predictable path.  The narrator is American Woman, born Sarah Kilory, a blonde Quaker from Pennsylvania who originally headed west to convert the natives to Christianity.  Her plans suddenly changed when she fell in love with a Lakota warrior and medicine man -- and soon after became his second wife.
            Through her eyes we see the events leading up to the Little Big Horn from multiple viewpoints.  As a member of the Lakota tribe, American Woman struggles with her identity as an outsider whose sister-wife takes precedence in all but their husband’s heart.  She also sympathizes with the plight of the Indians at a time when the buffalo are near extinction and the railroad threatens their open lands. Still moving well in white circles, she befriends and pities Libbie Custer.  However, the Lakotas are the clear protagonists, as Sarah is now more Indian than white.
            Throughout her ordeals the narrator is practically fearless, approaching dangerous situations with poise (not to mention humor and sarcasm); her own survival is never in doubt.  However, that of her compatriots on both sides is less certain. American Woman, through the author, brings a fresh voice to this familiar story.  This novel is for those so-called discriminating readers who insist they don’t like westerns; if this exciting, moving exploration of a lost way of life won’t convince them otherwise, chances are that nothing will.

A STUDENT OF WEATHER
Elizabeth Hay, Counterpoint, 2001, $24
(£15.02), 364pp, hb, ISBN 158243123X. Pub. in Canada by McClelland & Stewart, 2001 (c2000), $17.99, 376pp, tpb, ISBN 0771037902
Maurice Dove, a botanist and student of weather, journeys from Ottawa to rural Saskatchewan in the mid-1930s to analyze the climate of the Canadian Great Plains.  His handsome presence stirs up a whirlwind of romantic yearnings in the two Hardy sisters.  The elder, beautiful blonde Lucinda, her father's favorite, takes pride in her impeccable housekeeping and graceful manners.  Norma-Joyce, the unattractive dark-haired younger sister, always tries to get her own way.  Though Maurice seems attracted by Lucinda's many charms, it's the eight-year-old Norma-Joyce who stirs his curiosity.  The sisters' rivalry surrounding Maurice extends throughout most of their lives.
            The strengths of this novel are in its characterizations and language.  Lucinda, trying so hard to be perfect, is easy to admire -- but harder to like.  In return, Norma-Joyce's brutal honesty, in her unabashed attempts to capture Maurice for herself, makes the reader root for her despite her faults.
            Hay's prose has not a word out of place. Her world is one of passionate yearnings and stormy weather, both physical and emotional. Though far from your typical romance, A Student of Weather is a sensual exploration of the power of love in its many forms.  Absolutely not to be missed by anyone who simply loves good writing.

RANDOM PASSAGE
Bernice Morgan, Breakwater Books (Canada), 2000 (c1992), $17.95/C$17.95, 269pp, tpb, ISBN 1-55081-051-0
WAITING FOR TIME
Bernice Morgan, Breakwater Books (Canada), 1999 (c1994), $17.95/C$17.95, 232pp, tpb, ISBN 1-55081-080-4.  Both forthcoming from Mentor Books UK, £7.99 each.
These two novels, relating one family’s struggles and triumphs in Newfoundland from the early 19th century until the present, were originally written as one book.  Not surprisingly, in order to get the fullest appreciation for the characters (and because it ends with a cliffhanger), readers of Random Passage will be compelled to read the sequel.
            Random Passage begins as members of one large extended family, the Andrews, are forced to make their way from Weymouth, England to unknown prospects in the remote, uncivilized, God-forsaken place known as Newfound Land.  There, on the island of Cape Random, the Vincent family introduces them to their way of life. Lavinia Andrews, the pensive seventeen-year-old daughter, records their experiences in her journal.
            The story of the family's settlement is gritty and utterly unromanticized. Only the strong survive, but in this story, even great strength isn't always enough.  All characters have unique personalities, from the dreamy Lavinia and her fun-loving brother Ned to the lusty, determined newcomer Mary Bundle and mysterious storekeeper Thomas Hutchings.  The dialogue is plain-spoken, rustic, and authentic.  The storyline jars at first as Morgan attempts to tell the story from too many different viewpoints, but it soon settles into easy, fascinating reading.
            Waiting for Time is the story of Mary Bundle, who at seventeen has barely escaped a life of thievery by finding passage on a ship to Newfoundland.  Her life spans nearly a hundred years. Events formerly seen through others' eyes in Random Passage are retold from Mary's point of view, and the difference is at times remarkable.  Many events hinted at in the earlier book are finally revealed.  Mary's tale is introduced through the discoveries of a modern-day Andrews descendant, but these modern bits were for me the least compelling parts of the novel.
            My one complaint is that I was left wanting more.  I wanted to read of Mary's great-granddaughter Rachel and of the lives of other Andrews and Vincent descendants. With its impressive characterization and unique setting, this is far from your average family saga.  Essential reading for Canadians and non-Canadians alike.

Return to the Previous Page.


Questions or comments?  E-mail me at cfsln@eiu.edu.

Last updated: March 17, 2002