771 (2017 #69). The Memoirs of Mary Queen of Scots

by Carolly Erickson,
read by Rebekah Germain

I'm calling this book a historical romance because it strays so far from the historical record as to be almost a fantasy.  Author Carolly Erickson, in her author's note at the end, describes her book as "historical entertainment" or "whimsy," and gives no other details about what is true and what is fiction. The trouble is, many readers who know nothing about Mary Queen of Scots will be very misled by this book, especially with the word "memoirs" in the title, which to me implies that although fiction, it is more based on fact than this book is.  Erickson has Mary traveling to Rome (!) and hiding with her grandmother and secret daughter (!) in France, and her last husband, Bothwell, witnessing her execution.  Rebekah Germain is fine as a narrator, but this novel is NOT recommended.

I said two years ago, after listening to my third Erickson audiobook, that I would not read any more of her "historical entertainment."  I've been doing a lot of traveling lately (six hours on the road most weekends) and listening to a lot of audiobooks, so I made an exception this time, but I definitely need to give up on Erickson's fiction.


© Amanda Pape - 2017

[The e-audiobook was borrowed from and returned to a public library.]

770 (2017 #68). Mrs. Hemingway

by Naomi Wood,
read by Kate Reading

The title is clever, as this book is actually about all four Mrs. Ernest Hemingways - Hadley Richardson, Pauline Pfeiffer, Martha Gellhorn, and Mary Welsh - told from their points of view.

In an interview, author Naomi Wood says, "I decided to show the dying days of each marriage, with flashbacks. I wanted each wife to give her account and for us to see how people remember and sometimes misremember their past."  But she also writes about "the love that got them there in the first place."

Of course, for the first three wives, the "dying days" include Ernest's affairs with the next wife - and for Mary Welsh, the "dying days" occur after his suicide.

This is a well-researched and very enjoyable read - or listen-to.

Kate Reading (a.k.a. actress Jennifer Mendenhall) is (as usual) outstanding as the narrator for the audiobook.

© Amanda Pape - 2017

[This e-audiobook, and a print copy for reference, were borrowed from and returned to local public libraries.]

769 (2017 #67). Before Versailles

by Karleen Koen,
read by Grover Gardner

Before Versailles is historical fiction set in France in just six months, March through September of 1661, early in the reign of Louis XIV.  The book portrays the young king coming into his own to outmaneuver an advisor who has become too powerful.  The novel also provides a glimpse into the complex relationships between the king, his mother and brother, his brother's wife, and various government officials and members of the royal household - including many flirtatious ladies.

Karleen Koen's novel was quite interesting to me, but a bit hard to follow at times, because the narrative viewpoint shifts between so many characters.  I thought Grover Gardner was fine as the narrator.  The list of characters in the print book and on Koen's website was extremely helpful.


© Amanda Pape - 2017

[The e-audiobook, and an e-book for reference, were borrowed from and returned to public libraries.]

768 (2017 #66). Love Anthony

by Lisa Genova

Love Anthony is an interesting book.  The title implies it's about a boy named Anthony who had autism and died at age eight.  His mother, Olivia, comes to Nantucket to start over when Anthony's death also ends her marriage.  Meanwhile, another woman living on the island, Beth, has to start over too, when she learns her husband is cheating on her with a local woman.  Beth goes back to her first love, writing, inspired by a little boy with autism she observed on a Nantucket beach some years before.

You can probably figure who that little boy was.  While I liked many things about this book, the premise that Beth could write so accurately about a child with autism without knowing anything about it was both unbelievable (I'm not much for the concept of channeling), and puzzling, as it lessened the importance of Beth returning to an earlier passion (was she writing or channeling?).

I didn't like this one as much as Lisa Genova's Still Alice or Inside the O'Briens.  It works much better to have the afflicted person tell his/her own story about one's illness, but that's not really possible with autism.  Still, it's obvious this neuroscientist author knows her stuff.


© Amanda Pape - 2017

[This book was borrowed from and returned to my local public library.]