pickThis author has really gotten into the historical fiction and I'm here for it. She takes real people, adds in some extras, and imagines a real life situation as it could have been. Maybe. This is that famous early photo of the train engine that went off the platform.
#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
pickA pleasant read. Historical fiction about a train journey and the passengers on the trip. Don't know that I will remember it. 3 🌟
pickLaced with suspense, this is based on a true story…the photo at the back of the book shows the aftermath of the event described. Donoghue tells the story from the perspective of multiple characters, before real and fictional characters, including an anarchist with a deadly plot in mind. And, the train engine is a character—don‘t worry, the train‘s perspective actually adds depth to the story. Fast read! #SebastianKitty #Zeke #Xander #CatsOfLitsy
pickEnjoyable middle school read about Marion, a young girl chosen to serve Madame de Montespan, Louis XIV's favorite.
Marion, daughter of a gardener, is a gifted nose. Her talent for perfume is going to place her in the middle of an intrigue to kill the queen...
#bibliophile #redcover
Based on a true event. The story was interesting but the large number of narrators made it challenging to follow. Even at the end I struggling to keep them straight.
@Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
On the platform below, the bookstall's yellow awning
reads Hachette: Banish Monotony and Ennui. The word banish makes Maurice think of villains sent abroad and never allowed to return to France. Georges says if Maurice listens to his elders and reads every spare minute he gets, one day he'll know all the words there are and could even be a school-teacher.
After working all day and doing laundry, I finally sat down to read. I‘ve been looking forward to this one, however, Mama Cat had other plans. I can‘t even be upset 💛🐈
pickI had an ARC of this so started it in (digital) print but wasn‘t drawn in. The audio was much better, although there were too many characters so it was difficult to get to know / care about some of them.
The storyline had me gripped though, and I was desperate to find out the ending.
However, I‘m also slightly disappointed as I expected more (something quirky, unusual or clever) from this author and this felt like a fairly standard HF.
pickI enjoyed this much more than I expected. Donoghue delivers an excellent novel based on a historical event, but this book focuses on the different individuals on the train before the accident. It's a wonderfully written character study that explores class, politics, and human nature.
It's a short read that only took me a few hours because I couldn't stop reading it.
so-soI had high hopes for this one as I enjoy this author, but it never quite met my expectations. While I enjoyed it, the overwhelming number of characters meant that with some exceptions, it was hard to differentiate among them. I think the author captured the time and place well and I did learn something, but I wanted more. It is still, however, a worthy read, but perhaps not as good as her previous works. Thanks to Edelweiss+ for the ARC. 3.25/5
