David by Mary Hoffman

“How can you tell when a piece is finished?'I asked.

'You can't,' he said flatly. 'All you can tell is when you can't do any more to it. And then you need to stop because if you don't, you will spoil it.” 

David by Mary Hoffman tells the (fictional) story of the men behind Michelangelo’s David. This historical fiction novel explores the political tensions existent in Italy during the time period. Gabriele, the model, is a simple man from the countryside. He moves to Florence in search for more exciting work. The city offers many temptations; he is drawn into a world of spies and political treachery. This story explores 16^th Century Florence, the meaning of art and what it means to grow up.

Stasiland by Anna Funder

“Though it is the hardest thing, to work out one's weight and heft in the world, to whittle down all that I am and give it a value.” - Anna Funder

Stasiland is Australian Anna Funder’s literary journalism of Germany’s dark past.  In 1996, seven years after the reunification of Germany, Funder is working in television in West Berlin and grows interested in the occupants of the former German Democratic Republic. She explores the stories of the victims and perpetrators of the Stasi in East Germany. Anecdotes are drawn from people who answer to Funder’s newspaper advertisements and Funder’s own acquaintances. Miriam is the ‘tragic hero’ of the text. Funder sympathises with the 16-year-old who came to be considered an enemy of the state. Miriam tells the story of Charlie, her husband that was killed in custody. Miriam’s story is interwoven with the stories of Julia and Frau Paul. Julia is Funder’s land lady, although reluctant about telling her story, shares the details of how her family went through “internal emigration”. Julia was ostracized because of her Italian boyfriend even though she had no intentions to go against the state. Frau Paul shares her story of how her sick baby was taken to West Berlin for treatment and because of her attempts to visit her son she becomes embroiled with a group helping people leave East Berlin. These sad stories are mixed with the stories of the perpetrators, the people who worked with or helped the Nazi, including Herr Winz, Hagen Koch, Karl E. Schnitzler and Herr Bock. Many of these men think back to the GDR with nostalgia and little to none remorse. Funder’s story is a personal and passionate exploration of Germany’s Stasi epoch.

I really enjoyed Stasiland, and I don’t often read non-fiction. Funder’s literary journalism style may not be conventional or the most factual but I found that it is creates a very interesting way to read non-fiction. I could empathise with these real life characters and it added a breath of fresh air into a topic that is now often seen only through the details of school textbooks.

Hiroshima by John Hersey

"What has kept the world safe from the bomb since 1945 has not been deterrence, in the sense of fear of specific weapons, so much as it's been memory. The memory of what happened at Hiroshima." - John Hersey

Hiroshima by John Hersey is simply summarized as the story of the atomic bomb survivors. Hiroshima follows the story of six of the survivors and the impact of the bomb on their lives. Hersey uses a style of New Journalism - using fiction writing techniques to recount true stories. This allows for readers to really understand the horrific consequences of war and of the nuclear bomb; while the book is non-fiction it focuses on the stories of ordinary people instead of data and statistic.

There is not much to add to this review, it is simply a truly poignant account of ordinary people affected by the decisions of power hungry governments. The book is a fantastic way to gather information on the context and impacts of the bomb. Hiroshima is sad and it's tragic, but it's real life. I (hopefully) will never understand the full effect of the bomb, but this book was able to open my previously ignorant eyes. I had always thought of the atomic bomb as being a completely horrible and unnecessary weapon, but it wasn't until I connected with the characters Hiroshima and saw their struggles that I realized the meaning that horrible and tragic can really take. I knew the facts on what the bomb is capable of, of the number of casualties, their mutations, the amount of town and buildings ruined, but no teacher had been able to pass on the impact of the bomb as clearly and as moving.

We the Living by Ayn Rand

“To a life; which is reason unto itself.”  - Ayn Rand

We the Living by Ayn Rand is set in the early 1900s in the uprise of communism in Russia. Although it is about the U.S.S.R. the story is still relevant (as Rand points this out, in her foreword) because it is about totalitarianism and how humans should never think them above anyone else to have the right to decide who lives and who dies, because it is those that are fighting for life that deserve it and make progress and those who kill or live for others have much to learn. The plot revolves around Kira, a young woman who returns to her family home in Petrograd. Kira is very passionate about life and living it for her own sake, she dislikes the communists and yet she dislikes their enemies, she prefers to live not for a group but for herself. Kira studies at the institute to become an engineer. At the institute she meets Andrei Taganov. Andrei is a strong proletariat but starts developing feelings for Kira. However, Kira falls in love with a handsome stranger she met in the park at night time. This is the story of her own battle and struggles that she faces to become the woman she always wanted to be.

This book was amazing! It was captivating and had a nice love story, and yet it still taught a lot about Russia at the start of the Communist movement. There were some parts that I wished for  a 'glossary' at the end of the book or at least notes to explain some terminologies, however, the overall book was not so hard to understand. Just if someone has troubles understanding, here are the words I got stuck at,

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

“Why be the sheep when you can be the wolf?”  - Grave Mercy

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers is the first book in His Fair Assassin series. After escaping the brutalities of her father and her newly wed husband she is sent to a convent.There Isame learns that she is a daughter of death, just like the other girls of the convent of St. Mortain. She has been assigned a duty to kill those with a 'marque', to bring justice into the world. Ismae learns all the ways to kills a man and is ready for where her duties will take her. She has sworn loyalty to her God and convent to do their bidding. However,  everything is shaken when she starts falling in love with the man she is supposed to snoop and potentially kill. Also, she is starts to realise that maybe the convent can make mistakes.

To start off I have to say that this book is an older youth fiction; it is suitable to girls in their 20s. At the start I was a bit discouraged and thought that this book would be inappropriate for someone in their mid-teens. However, the book shifts in their focus, away from the villainy and brutality towards more of a mystery and romance novel. 

Although this book is all about an assassin, I think it can relate a lot to real life. The theme/idea that stayed with me through this book is one that I have always debated; the relationship between believing in religion and believing in the religion's faith.

King of Shadows by Susan Cooper

King of Shadows by Susan Cooper is about an 11 year-old boy who is part of the Company of boys, a group of boys who are rehearsing to perform Shakespeare’s plays. It is first set in the late 20^th century but after Nathan gets the Bubonic plague, he goes back in time to 1599. He works with William Shakespeare and makes new friends, but he still misses his life in the 20^th century. He also wonders if he will ever be able to return to his old life. Everything is so different in the 16^th; no light bulbs or television and very brutal punishments. So how is he supposed to act like a boy from the Elizabethan Era?

Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould

"In Venice, a secret is indeed more powerful than a sword. " - Cross My Heart

Cross my Heart by Sasha Gould is set during the Italian Renaissance. Laura della Scala, the protagonist, is sent to the convent at the age of 10. When her sister dies her father calls her back home to marry her sister's fiancée. Laura despises whom she is to marry, he is completely disgusting. However, all her father cares about is wealth and power. Laura finds out about someone who can help her; they call themselves the Segreta, a secret society of women all they ask is a secret. At the start they seem to help but soon she realises that it may not have been all good. She thinks they link up to the murder of her sister. 

This book will have a similar review to a recent book review I wrote about Ever . It is a very quick read with a short plot. There was quite a lot of mystery but I wouldn't say it was a complex novel. At the end things got quite gruesome but overall I found the story very cute and romantic. 

Battle of Britain - Harry Woods, England 1939-1941 by Chris Priestley

Battle of Britain by Chris Priestley is part of the My Story series. This book is set in England during mid 20th Century. It is the life of a young man during World War II whose love for flying gets him to enlist for the RAF. 

This book really let me down. This review had a very short plot summary and will probably be a short review because really the plot felt short. The books in the My Story series are usually a short read, however this time the plot was so short that it just skipped on the details.

Bloody Tower - The Diary of Tilly Middleton, London 1553-1559 by Valerie Wilding

Bloody Tower; The Diary of Tilly Middleton by Valerie Winding is about the short lived reigns of Lady Jane Grey and Queen Mary as well as how Queen Elizabeth I came to the throne. The story is told through the eyes of the young Tilly Middleton who lives in the castle as her father is the physician.

This novel is part of the My Story series and like I said in my last blog, I really like that series. There are many things that are found in all of the books in the series that I really like and find useful, such as the timeline and historical background notes at the end. (More on that can be found on my last blog on the ' Anne Boleyn and Me.') I was lucky that by chance I read this one straight after the story of Anne Boleyn and Me, because it gave the story more flow and I had a bit of background reading going into this book. 

Now, about this specific book; I found that it was good but it wasn't the best of the series. The book's plot left a bit to wish

Anne Boleyn and Me - The Diary of Elinor Valjean, London 1525-1536 by Alison Prince

Anne Boleyn and Me by Alison Prince is part of the My Story series. The story is about eleven year old, Elinor Valjean. Elinor lives as a member of the royal court under the reign of King Henry VIII. Her mother is Queen Catherine's friend and favourite lady in waiting while her father is court jester. The story is set in London through 1525 to 1536 when Henry VIII wanted to divorce his wife, Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn. The story follows the conflicts and the rise and fall of Catherine and Anne Boleyn through the eyes of a young servant girl.

The My Story series is one of my favourite historical fiction series and this book was one of the best of the series. It provided a very insightful look into that time period and I learnt so much. The book even made me empathise with characters that I probably wouldn't have if I was researching about Henry VII and his divorces through the internet or through a history textbook. 

 

Apart from the story itself there are a few points I would like to make.

Shakespeare's Apprentice by Veronica Bennett

"My love can never marry a player," said Sam. "But she loves me because I am a player."

Shakespeare's Apprentice by Veronica Bennett is about a teenage boy called Sam Gilbourne. He works in Shakespeare's theatre as an actor. One day, he sees Lucie Cheetham and falls in love with her and she loves him back. But he is a player and she is Lord Essex's niece so they can't get married. They secretly meet and send letters to each other. But will they be able to overcome any obstacle to be together?

This book is set in England from the late 1598 to early 1601. It is historical fiction and romance. Although it is set in the past, it does not have Old English, except for the dialogue, so it is easy to understand. It is written in third person. 

I thought that the first 80 pages were boring. The book got a lot better in the middle but also got a bit repetitive. The first few pages were hard for me to understand because there were so many names so it was hard to remember the characters at the beginning. But after I finished the book, I went back to those pages and it was much easier to understand. This story is very similar to Romeo and Juliet except for the ending. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know what life was like in the Shakespeare's theatre company or likes reading romance books. 

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

“Didn't help to ponder things that were forever gone. It only made a body restless and fill up with bees, all wanting to sting something.”  - Chains

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson is a historical fiction novel set in 1776 during the American Revolution. It follows the story of thirteen-year-old girl, Isabel. Her mistress has just died and although this is a mournful period it is also a happy celebration because in her will Isabel and her sister were freed. However, the mistress' relatives do not know this and do not want to know this and sell Isabel and her sister to the highest bidders, who turn out to be a loyalist couple returning back to New York, the Lockton. Mrs Lockton disregards any human emotions of Isabel and uses her cruelly. One day when Mrs Lockton sells Isabel's sister, Isabel turns against her 'owners' and spies on them. 

Arthur: The Seeing Stone by Kevin Crossley-Holland

''Each of us needs a quest, and a person without one is lost to himself.''

Arthur: The Seeing Stone is about a 13 year old boy called Arthur, who lives in the Middle Ages. He wants to be a squire (a knight's attendant) and be betrothed to Grace but his father has other plans for him. His problems increase when Merlin, his friend, gives him a magical and mysterious obsidian stone. On the stone, Arthur can see things. The stone shows him a story but he doesn't know why and how it is connected to him. This is the first book in the trilogy and it is about Arthur trying to find out what the stone is showing him  and what is going to happen to him in real life.