In the early 16th century, a queen longs for an heir who will rule France and permit Brittany its autonomy in this historical novel.
In 1508, Anne of Brittany, the queen of France, is married to Louis XII, an arrangement that permits her to remain the sole authority over Brittany, its independence the great charge of her life. She has two daughters but no son to ascend to the throne should her husband die, and she pines to produce an heir who will respect Brittany’s sovereignty. Otherwise, Francis I, the son of Louise of Savoy and a brashly arrogant teenager, will become the next king. Louise will stop at nothing to see her son rule—she dreams of her own power as the Madame la Grande of France—but frets that if Anne bears a son, it will spoil her plans. Meanwhile, Louis is obsessed with invading Italy; his “sacred dream” is to rule Milan, which he considers his birthright. But when Pope Julius II brokers an alliance with Venice, a treaty Louis labels a betrayal, he contemplates replacing him with a pontiff of his own selection, risking excommunication and infuriating Anne. In this fourth installment of a series revolving around Anne of Brittany, Gaston once again displays an extraordinary knowledge of the period, an erudite mastery evident on every page. She achieves an impressive historical authenticity, translating an intricate story into a captivating drama. The novel does suffer occasionally from a lumbering pace, partly the result of the author’s inclusion of far too much granular detail. But Anne is a mesmerizingly complex character—decent yet calculating, fierce yet vulnerable. And Gaston’s writing avoids melodrama—but not at the expense of flair and even some emotional poignancy.
An engrossing and rigorously researched work of historical fiction.Pub Date: May 10, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-73258-997-1
Page Count: 347
Publisher: Renaissance Editions
Review Posted Online: April 2, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Categories: HISTORICAL FICTION | GENERAL FICTION
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A whimsical fantasy about learning what’s important in life.
24
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An unhappy woman who tries to commit suicide finds herself in a mysterious library that allows her to explore new lives.
How far would you go to address every regret you ever had? That’s the question at the heart of Haig’s latest novel, which imagines the plane between life and death as a vast library filled with books detailing every existence a person could have. Thrust into this mysterious way station is Nora Seed, a depressed and desperate woman estranged from her family and friends. Nora has just lost her job, and her cat is dead. Believing she has no reason to go on, she writes a farewell note and takes an overdose of antidepressants. But instead of waking up in heaven, hell, or eternal nothingness, she finds herself in a library filled with books that offer her a chance to experience an infinite number of new lives. Guided by Mrs. Elm, her former school librarian, she can pull a book from the shelf and enter a new existence—as a country pub owner with her ex-boyfriend, as a researcher on an Arctic island, as a rock star singing in stadiums full of screaming fans. But how will she know which life will make her happy? This book isn't heavy on hows; you won’t need an advanced degree in quantum physics or string theory to follow its simple yet fantastical logic. Predicting the path Nora will ultimately choose isn’t difficult, either. Haig treats the subject of suicide with a light touch, and the book’s playful tone will be welcome to readers who like their fantasies sweet if a little too forgettable.
A whimsical fantasy about learning what’s important in life.Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-52-555947-4
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
Categories: LITERARY FICTION | GENERAL FICTION
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SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
Light on suspense but still a solid page-turner.
67
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When a devoted husband and father disappears, his wife and daughter set out to find him.
Hannah Hall is deeply in love with her husband of one year, Owen Michaels. She’s also determined to win over his 16-year-old daughter, Bailey, who has made it very clear that she’s not thrilled with her new stepmother. Despite the drama, the family is mostly a happy one. They live in a lovely houseboat in Sausalito; Hannah is a woodturner whose handmade furniture brings in high-dollar clientele; and Owen works for The Shop, a successful tech firm. Their lives are shattered, however, when Hannah receives a note saying “Protect her” and can’t reach Owen by phone. Then there’s the bag full of cash Bailey finds in her school locker and the shocking news that The Shop’s CEO has been taken into custody. Hannah learns that the FBI has been investigating the firm for about a year regarding some hot new software they took to market before it was fully functional, falsifying their financial statements. Hannah refuses to believe her husband is involved in the fraud, and a U.S. marshal assigned to the case claims Owen isn’t a suspect. Hannah doesn’t know whom to trust, though, and she and Bailey resolve to root out the clues that might lead to Owen. They must also learn to trust one another. Hannah’s narrative alternates past and present, detailing her early days with Owen alongside her current hunt for him, and author Dave throws in a touch of danger and a few surprises. But what really drives the story is the evolving nature of Hannah and Bailey’s relationship, which is by turns poignant and frustrating but always realistic.
Light on suspense but still a solid page-turner.Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5011-7134-5
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 10, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2021
Categories: SUSPENSE | FAMILY LIFE & FRIENDSHIP | SUSPENSE | GENERAL THRILLER & SUSPENSE | GENERAL FICTION
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SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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