I said a few posts ago that I would like to do a post to the women writers who have inspired me. This isn't it. This is, however (and in another coincidental twist of fate) a quick look at some of the books that I have recently read - all Historical Fiction - that have moved me, or inspired me but they are certainly not the definitive list.
The first one is "The Historian" by Elizabeth Kostova.
Now this book came out in 2005, so I'm a bit behind the times. Not that this is a review, there are plenty of those online. What I'd like to say about this book is more of a note, or two. Kostova writes in a very academic, and not always reader friendly way. At times it seems like a labour of love to work through it - especially toward the end, when it, unfortunately does seem to drag on. But the amount of historical research that goes into this book (and I hear from a reliable source that it is all accurate) is impressive. The story is based around the idea that Count Dracula, or Vlad the Impaler, is still alive. But this is written is such an intense and historically rich manner that it is so much more than simply another vampire story.
The second book that I want to mention is called "The Twisted Heart" by Rebecca Gowers.
Unlike "The Historian" this book came out only this year. Yea for me! It's hard to say what I thought of this book. It was interesting and certainly VERY different to most books that I have read but there was something about the characters that got to me - and if this was Gowers intent then brava to her. Anyway, Gowers was very clever in combining an historical "literary mystery" with a "modern day love story." In fact I really liked this idea and I must admit it was the inspiration for the second novel that I started writing. In Orpheus Olivia travels back in time but I think (and yes I have gone back to this original idea :) ) that this is a niche market. People need to connect with things that are real. And as all good historians know, history is not just about facts and dates, but also how its effects linger in our souls and more importantly in the collective memory of a society.
Anyway, back to "The Twisted Heart," if you're interested in Dickens and some of the more grisly aspects of Victorian England (think viciously murdered prostitutes) then this is the book for you.
Last but not least, is a book called "Death at Dawn" by Caro Peacock.
Apparently this is the first in a line of books based on the character, a Victorian heroine-cum-detective, Liberty Lane. This book is set in Victorian England, during the early days actually of "Little Vicky's" reign. The historical details aren't quite as rich as Kostova's "Historian" but that in a sense makes it a much more readable book. This is not a love story, it's a murder mystery and I found it very entertaining and really appreciated the way Peacock wove in the historical significant details (like the dandy writer Disraeli at the banquet) in a subtle yet confident manner.
It's a hard thing when writing historical fiction, especially if you want to include an actual figure from history. But Peacock did it well, and I enjoyed reading it. Not sure if I'll delve into the following Liberty Lane books, but as it's such an easy and delightful read, I may as well :)
So, in case you are still reading and you're wondering about KV's own novels here's the latest. I have started re-writing the beginning of Finding Orpheus, changing the character of Olivia slightly, but have decided to stick with the time travel for the time being. What can I say? I'm a sucker for that kind of thing.
It seems only fitting then that the next book on my reading list should be "The Time Traveller's Wife". I'll let you know how that one goes (hopefully before the movie comes out later this year).
And as for the second novel, well it's been put on the shelf for the moment but the ideas and the plan are there. It's too confusing for me to write two at once and I'm finding that I'm just not writing either and avoiding the whole thing altogether! So, I'm getting back on track with Orpheus and the second one will just have to wait.
Oh, and before I go there is one other lady I'd like to recognise. Miss Snark. Now, as some dedicated writers out there may know, Miss Snark is sadly no longer with us in blog land (and even more sadly I found her site about three years too late!) But the good thing is she has left her blog online, perfectly preserved like a 21st century version of Tutankhamun's mummy. So, who is she? Well Miss Snark is/was a literary agent who offered advise, FOR FREE, to aspiring writers. Now, there are still heaps of benefits for a young writer, such as myself, to go to her site. She has advise on synopses (and honestly if you don't know the plural of synopsis should you even be a writer???), cover letters, first pages etc. Just check down her side column bar under Crapometer. It's great, a very entertaining read, but also very useful if you take it seriously.
So, for her contributions to the world of writing I have added her here and also to my own list of writer's resources. Enjoy reading her - she's a hoot!!
Ciao for now... xx
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