Welcome to Litsy!

My #currentread while sitting in my chair listening to the #raindrops
Planted cucumbers, carrots and green beans today, hopefully the heavy rain 🌧 didn't wash them away!

I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join in if you want!

#ABookADay2023

You know you've made it in the book world when your books are turned into biscuits! 💕💕💕

I will read practically anything set in Tudor England, it is one of my favourite time periods to read about. This was OK but it didn't captivate me as I found it difficult to warm to the MC for some reason, but sometimes it takes a book or two. The plot itself was rather good, and I hadn't worked out everything in advance which is always a good sign. 3⭐

CW: graphic scenes of public execution, i.e. burnings and the 'hung, drawn, & quartered' type.

This debut compares favorably to the Matthew Shardlake series. It takes place during the early reign of Elizabeth I and, like Shardlake, Giordano Bruno is called upon to serve the interests of the powerful while navigating religious/political pitfalls. The fact that Bruno was a real historical figure who spent his life trying to outrun The Inquisition, as well as excellent atmospheric storytelling, makes me keen to continue this series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It took me a short while to really get hooked into a new tudor mystery as I had the shadow of shardlake in the back of my mind. However once Bruno is in Oxford and the gruesome murders start and Bruno is hunting for a culprit i started to get hooked and by the end was rattling through the pages. Ill definitely give book 2 a go at some point.

Read the first 71 pages of this book during Easter 2019 but for some reason never felt motivated to get back to the book over the past year, so really need to get it off my reading shelf! So at the moment it is a bail but not getting rid of the book so might go back and start it again at some point in the future especially as I own the audio book of book 2.

Bk4 in my #QuarantineLibraryHaul is the 1st book in the Giordano Bruno series. I ran across his name while reading A Discovery Of Witches,when I saw an historical mystery series with him as the MC, I couldn‘t resist. He was a monk, poet & scientist in the 16th century where his belief that the earth orbited the sun had him branded a witch & heretic by the inquisition.In real life he was burned at the stake,in this he becomes a spy for Elizabeth I.

A great historical mystery set in 16th century Oxford. The central mystery was absorbing, but my favourite thing about this book is how it evokes the suspicions and dangers of a time when Catholics and Protestants were tearing Europe apart... And scientists were starting to question old understanding. A solid ⭐⭐⭐⭐ read

Oxford 1583. Protestant Queen Elizabeth I on throne of England for 25 years but subjects long to return to Catholic faith. Italian Monk Giordano Bruno has been charged with heresy for believing in a heliocentric universe. Plot to assassinate Elizabeth sends Bruno to Oxford which is a hotbed of Catholic rebellion. An Oxford fellow is murdered and Bruno is plunged into a game of cat and mouse as someone has a revenge against faith. But which faith?

I‘m slowly warming up to this book, but apparently my dog thinks it‘s good 🤣

Have started Heresy which I am reading with @Tove_Reads and @EadieB . Read the first 45 pages so far but yet to feel it has really sparked my interest. Early days!

The historical fiction lover in my want to read all of these books now!

I enjoyed this and will read the sequel. Could have been c 50 pages shorter and there are a few coincidences too many, but on the whole a page-turner and evocative of the period. Clever use of a protagonist from Italy as enables outsider‘s perspective, with friends in high places so that real historical figures can be brought in. Historical details well researched and religious conflict brought to life.

Anyone read this series? Is it good? @EadieB @Andrew65

Hmmmm.... I am perhaps rating this book to highly. Giordano Bruno, ex monk, philosopher and heretic arrives in Oxford to debate the Copernican theory and is drawn into a murder mystery set against a background of hidden Catholics, conspiracies against the crown and Walshingham‘s secret service. An interesting setting, and a competent murder mystery, but I found that it suffered in comparison to Sansom‘s Shardlake series.

Just read this book before I had to return to classes for college. Bruno is at Oxford to defend the Copernican Theory and now I sit in Astronomy studying the Copernican Theory.

I have a question, Littens. I'm only a quarter through the book, and so far it is pretty accurate; however, some of the language used is historically inaccurate. I am an avid Oxford Dictionary user so I've been looking up phrases to check the accuracy. The conversations are modern with no use of common vernacular of the 1500s . I am slightly bothered by it. Anyone else bothered by inaccurate word use / lack of common vernacular in His. Fiction?

"Books prohibited to scholars? How then should men of learning sharpen their intellect, or learn to discern between truth and heresy."

I love that this book defends reading and intellectual discovery. Also, the subtle title drop.

"So I learned that, in Italy, words and ideas are considered as dangerous as swords and arrows, and that a philosopher or a scientist needs as much courage as a soldier to speak his mind."

How incredibly poignant in this chaotic world.

"The works of Erasmus are on the Inquisition's Index of Forbidden Books, as you well know, Brother Giordano."

All day long I've been doing obligation reading. This is my reward. Elzabetham espionage mystery!

It's my birthday, so naturally I went to the bookstore. I bought this lovely book. I'm love anything to do with Tudor England or the Renaissance.