Tag: Read

creative writing

The Poison Bed: Book Review

theadventuresofcaptainhetty

Whether we fall by ambition, blood, or lust,

Like diamonds, we are cut with our own dust. –The Duchess of Malfi

Love, politics, truth and lies: E.C. Fremantle’s newly released book ‘The Poison Bed’ is ravelled around the secretive nature of the 1615 Jacobean court. Frances, from the old and prestigious Howard family, has been raised to survive the politics of power. Robert, her husband, has the influence and trust of the king. So as the story unfurls the backlash of stepping too close the flame of King James, the stakes of the couple’s lives get higher. They are accused of murder and someone will pay the price.

‘Love, Politics, Truth and Lies’

At first sceptical of a fictional historical book, my doubts were soon ridiculed as Fremantle takes you by the hand and introduces you through life under James I and VI like you have never seen it before. Following the recent troupe of opening the female narrative of Early Modern history, Fremantle gives us the spectacular character of Frances. She is strong, the victim of her great-uncle’s survival training. Echoing Philippa Gregory’s eye-opening ‘The White Queen’ series, it is refreshing to see women’s history reaching the fiction shelves. Moreover, Robert’s homosexual character and lucrative relationship with James reaffirms LGBTQ+ history. Fremantle delicately hits a lot of literary considerations, without disrupting the carefully laid out historical aspect of her book.

‘With every page I turned, I found myself becoming more and more glued’

As an English and History BA student, this is something I can really sink my teeth into. With each page I turned, I found myself become more and more glued, the stakes getting higher, and the extent of the threat Frances and Robert are under becoming more increased. It was pleasing that Fremantle nurtures historically accurate, or at least plausible, narrative and provides a satisfying scope of aristocratic life in 1615: unlike the modern twists that somewhat tainted Reign.

With desire, fear, and threat running throughout the increasing tense plot, I feel that we have a lot to learn from this book, Brexit considered. How close dare you stand to flame of power without getting burned?

creative writing

Book Review: The Evidence Against You

theadventuresofcaptainhetty

Yesterday the Michael Joseph publishing department at Penguin dropped Gillian McAllister’s The Evidence Against You, a crime thriller. And I was glued from the first page…

The Murder on Hallowe’en 1999 that changed everything…

Izzy English, a restaurant owner, is thirty-six and lives on the Isle of Wight with her husband Nick, a police analyst. Her mother died seventeen years ago and her father, Gabriel, just got released from prison on parole after being convicted for her murder. Gabe immediately finds Izzy at the restaurant, Alexandra’s, which her mother used to run. She has made no attempt to hide, having repressed the murder on Hallowe’en 1999 that changed everything: getting into ballet school, her relationship, her home. She makes little attempt to resist her father getting into contact, and eventually calls and even meets up with him. He has changed almost beyond recognition.

Izzy is stuck in a kind of limbo between the life she had and the life she has settled into. Her husband, Nick, discourages the bond she has formed with her father. Part of her is disbelieving of Gabe, whereas a strong sense of her memories of him gravitate Izzy towards hearing his story. With her indecision, the reader is stretched between the two opposing sides themselves: reminiscent of even Romeo and Juilet.

McAllister forms dynamic and wholly captivating characters who you cannot help but question: means, motives, capability. Without spoiling the ending too much, McAllister’s book is unlike any murder mystery I have read before: you simply cannot guess how the story will end. I found my expectations usually raised by this crime genre to be thoroughly challenged and it really has changed my view of murder mysteries. I was kept on my feet throughout. With no formal detective, Izzy being both a victim and bystander of the tragedy, when the next piece of evidence will come to light is unpredictable. It is a totally refreshing mystery. McAllister masterfully keeps the reader both in the dark and invites them on a thoroughly personal and thought-provoking tour of the effects of tragedy. Death frequently capturing the audience’s imagination, I think McAllister successfully challenges this femme fatale ideal in a vibrant and exciting way.

In all, it is refreshing to read a strong and unashamedly female narrative that is challenging, tragic but completely fun all at once. The novel entices the reader in with beautifully formed characters and threatens everything with a subtle tension urging you to turn page after page. In all, I cannot recommend this book enough to you, I was simply glued from page one.