Excellent: 97%
Despite being about a closed-off community of Hassidic Jews, this is a sad and powerful story is surprisingly relatable for the world at large – many of the reviewers said they wept when they read it.
Category Archive: Historical Fiction
‘Sacre Bleu’ by Christopher Moore: A (86%) – Aggregate Book Review
Excellent: 86%
An irreverent, debauched historical comedy about impressionists, most of the reviewers found it brilliant, and the few issues found in it were a slightly lagging main story and juvenile humor.
‘Bring Up the Bodies’ by Hilary Mantel: A+ (95%) – Aggregate Book Review
Excellent: 95%
Reviewers were genuinely surprised Mantel could make this particular period of history fresh and engaging, with all the other media out there on it. The second book in her trilogy about Cromwell (Thomas, not Oliver), it will keep you hooked even though you already know the ending. It’s a Prosenotes Pick!
‘May the Road Rise Up to Meet You’ by Peter Troy: A (89%) – Aggregate Book Review
Excellent: 89%
Compelling historical fiction encompassing Ireland and American in the mid-1800s, this book was widely praised by bloggers and professional reviewers alike. The only issue few took with that one of the four main character’s story was less interesting.
‘The Dressmaker’ by Kate Alcott: D (61%) – Aggregate Book Review
Below Average: 61%
A meticulously-researched historical fiction about characters on the Titanic, many bloggers said the characters were not as deep as they could have been and the ending was predictable and rushed.
‘The Song of Achilles’ by Madeline Miller: A (91%) – Aggregate Book Review
Excellent: 91%
Madeline Miller manages to craft a compelling love story while sticking very closely to Homer’s “Iliad”. The few issues reviewers had with it were minor and varied.
‘Iago’ by David Snodin: F (50%) – Aggregate Book Review
Avoid: 50%
A cinematic historical thriller, it failed on the character front, where the titular character lacked the nuance and horror he possessed in “Othello”.
‘A Train in Winter’ by Caroline Moorehead: C+ (75%) – Aggregate Book Review
Average: 75%
An important novel about the holocaust, many reviewers took issue with the multitude of names to keep track with in the first half, though most enjoyed the book when it focused on the friendship of a smaller group in the second half.
‘The Buddha in the Attic’ by Julie Otsuka: A (89%) – Aggregate Book Review
Excellent: 89%
A poetic novel about “picture brides” from Japan in the early 1900s, a couple of the reviewers mentioned feeling emotionally manipulated by the novel, though the vast majority praised it for making a relatively unknown portion of American history into a captivating story.
‘The Sisters Brothers’ by Patrick deWitt: B (84%) – Aggregate Book Review
Above Average: 84%
Darkly funny and anachronistic, this western deftly paints the picture of a slow-witted, compassionate assassin. Some reviewers found the episodic format a little disjointed, but overall it is a worthy read for those interested in Westerns with a little something different.
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