The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden

THE UNICORN HUNTERS by Katherine Arden is a work of historical fiction, based in part on a real person, Anne, Duchess of Brittany. The story occurs in 1491 and centers around her attempts to keep Brittany separate from France, despite the efforts to have her wed the French King. Initially, the unicorn hunt is conceived as a delaying tactic, but it opens connections to The Lost Lands and the magic – sorcery and enchantments – still practiced there. As a result, Anne, her sister, and her kingdom are in great peril. In its starred review, Booklist says, “The lush historical details, descriptive language, and intriguing relationships will draw readers into this world of mystery, deception, danger, and fantasy.” THE UNICORN HUNTERS blends romance (including some bedroom scenes), folklore (with a legendary missing city and sea dragons), pageantry, and political intrigue for a memorable reading experience.

All We Say by Ben Rhodes

ALL WE SAY by Ben Rhodes, a New York Times best-selling author, highlights “The Battle for American Identity: A History in 15 Speeches.” He divides the book into three chronological parts: from the Revolution to Civil War; from Reconstruction to the 1940s and beginning of the Superpower era; and from Civil Rights to MAGA. The speakers and their topics are sometimes well-known (e.g., Benjamin Franklin, Frederick Douglass, Louis Brandeis, or FDR’s “Four Freedoms”), but Rhodes has included a variety of speakers who were well-known in their own time like Red Jacket’s “We Have Always Lived Here,” delivered in 1805, or Mary Lease speaking about how “Wall Street Owns This Country” in 1891. Speeches from several other female activists (Maria Stewart, Anna Dickinson, and Dolores Huerta) are presented.  Plus, Rhodes deftly contrasts the oratorial might of Confederate Alexander Stephens and Abraham Lincoln and later Martin Luther King, Jr. and John F. Kennedy. More modern-day speeches by Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump are also provided. In each chapter, Rhodes supplies some background and historical context as well as the experiences that shaped the speakers; gives the text of the speech itself; and then additional analysis. He is not a neutral observer by any means and chose these speeches to illustrate a 250-year argument about what it means to be American, contrasting “a story that views the nation as inherently right from the beginning” with one that “views the nation as engaged in a struggle to live up to that founding promise in the Declaration of Independence: a multiracial democracy founded upon the idea of human equality.” It is interesting, too, to reflect upon the ways that technological change has impacted both the audiences (size, attention span, common access) and delivery. Be forewarned that the text is rather dense although avid readers will appreciate the Selected Bibliography and Notes (roughly fifteen percent of the text). Much to ponder here.

Our Story by Rachel Seidman

OUR STORY by Rachel Seidman is subtitled “A Guide to Recording and Sharing Your Family History.” Seidman, a curator at the Smithsonian’s American Women’s History Museum and previously director of the Southern Oral History Program at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, places the focus squarely on establishing an oral history, devoting the majority of the book to three parts that deal with Before the Interviews, The Interviews themselves, and After the Interviews. As a professional historian herself, she advocates for significant preparation (e.g., background research) prior to beginning interviews. In addition, she offers some practical advice (e.g., what (if any) recording devices to use) although I wish there were simpler prompts (e.g., instead of asking about gender roles in your family) for questions and topics to explore. Her suggestions for follow-up questions are constructive and informative. There are many books available about collecting family stories and Seidman’s attention to options for organizing, publishing and saving the research makes this one a bit unique. Overall, OUR STORY was a useful resource, but its emphasis on producing a quasi-professional product may be intimidating to many potential readers. Still, she makes it inspiring: “In a world where we can easily feel disconnected from one another, where we hear more sound bites than stories, where we post quick, selectively shiny updates about ourselves online, it is deeply rewarding to slow down, dig deeper, and draw closer to one another by listening more carefully and sharing memories.”

Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure by Rhys Bowen

MRS. ENDICOTT'S SPLENDID ADVENTURE is the latest historical fiction from Rhys Bowen (In Farleigh Field). She is a personal favorite and a prolific author of novels including The Constable Evans mysteries, The Royal Spyness series, and many featuring Molly Murphy in addition to several dealing with WWII and its impact.  This novel begins in 1938 in Surrey, England and moves fairly quickly to the South coast of France (near Marseille) throughout the war. After Mrs. Endicott’s husband seeks a divorce, she – and a group of “strays” – settle in a charming village whose inhabitants, including many fishermen, are largely self-sufficient. Gradually, Mrs. Endicott and her companions (an older woman with health problems, a kind-hearted cleaner fleeing spousal abuse, and a young, unmarried lass) build a community and start to thrive. Even in this remote area, the war years are predictably difficult, but most everyone (including other English ex-pats, a broad-minded priest, and the head of a nearby monastery), pull together. Mrs. Endicott learns to try new adventures, reflecting, “All my life I've been sensible and reasonable. I've done the right thing, tried to please everybody, but nobody ever tried to find out what I wanted.” Instead of giving into despair, she and the others grow and manage to find happiness. At one point, the abbot advocates prayer: “Why don't you start with three things you're blessed with, three things you're afraid of and finally three things you ask of him? And don't forget to listen, too.” An uplifting story in a beautiful setting. 

The Cliffs by J. Courtney Sullivan

THE CLIFFS by J. Courtney Sullivan features an old, possibly haunted, house near Awadapquit, Maine. The other main character, a young woman called Jane, used the abandoned house as an isolated refuge when she was a lonely high schooler. She soon left town for college and ultimately found a “dream job” as an archivist specializing in women’s issues at a Cambridge Library. Over the years, she introduces her future husband to the house when they visit her mother and sister, who work together in the resale field and both of whom struggle with alcoholism. Then, at 38, Jane ends up back in Awadapquit, with both her marriage and career in jeopardy due to her own overindulgence with alcohol (“Sometimes the tragedies of a person's life didn't happen neatly, single file, one at a time, but all at once, so that it was impossible to know how you felt about any part of the whole.”). At that time, the new owner hires Jane to learn more about the house’s history and her capable research was my favorite part of the book. Sullivan expands upon Jane’s findings about the sea-faring captain who built the house; she devotes entire chapters to his wife and her maid, giving each a voice in describing their lives. Readers also meet the next owner, a talented artist who experienced a family tragedy. And there are even sections on the Indigenous people who named the area. Sullivan has included numerous threads – spiritualism and mediums (“…bodily death is not the end of consciousness. It is merely the passing of the soul into another plane.”); the Shaker religion; abuse and misuse of historical artifacts; women’s roles over time; alcoholism’s impact across generations; and modern-day entitlement. Both The Washington Post and The New York Times (“This skillful novel makes the case that knowing what came before offers us our best chance to truly understand our connections to one another, and what we owe to the land we inhabit.”) also reviewed THE CLIFFS which received a starred review from Kirkus and was the July 2024 Reese’s Book Club selection.

The Madstone by Elizabeth Crook

THE MADSTONE by Elizabeth Crook is very aptly described by the publisher as “a work that echoes Lonesome Dove and News of the World.” Taking place a few years after the Civil War, it is a Western adventure featuring Ben Shreve, a young carpenter with a good heart. He gets hired to help a traveling stranger, Dickie, reconnect with the stagecoach in Texas Hill Country near Comfort, Texas, on the way to a boat for New Orleans. Along they way, these two run into robbers, murderers, and a young pregnant woman, Nell Banes, with her four-year-old son, Tot. Crook recounts the story through Ben’s eyes and his homespun reflections: “it's the oddest thing in the world, Tot, the friends you make in a lifetime.” Readers will be enthralled by the adventures – full of twists and turns including a rabid coyote and a poisonous snake, plus a touch of romance. THE MADSTONE received a starred review from Kirkus (“an entertaining, well-paced yarn”). Be sure to add it to your reading list.

And enjoy Ben’s quoting and retelling of stories about Benjamin Franklin “[who] said a person who thinks hisself in possession of all truths, and believes those who differ are far in the wrong, compares to a man walking in foggy weather. Those at some distance ahead on the road appear to him wrapped in the fog, and those behind him, wrapped in the fog as well, and those in the fields either side, all wrapped in the fog. Yet nearby and about him, things appear clear, despite he is just as much in the fog as any of them.” Enjoy!

The Magnolia Palace and more ...

After having praised the deserving January 2022 Library Reads selection titled The Maid, here are a couple of other selections from this month – with female protagonists – that may well appeal:

THE MAGNOLIA PALACE by Fiona Davis is a wonderful work of historical fiction from this very popular author. Like her other novels (The Masterpiece, The Lions of Fifth Avenue, etc.), this story features an iconic New York City location (Henry Clay Frick’s mansion in this case) and two time periods (1919 and the mid-1960’s).  Based on a real-life model, Audrey Munson, the character of Lillian Carter (or Angelica) has been a sculptor’s muse in New York – her position changes dramatically after the deaths of her mother and of her landlady. Through some fortunate coincidences, she ends up becoming the social secretary for Helen Clay Frick, the businessman’s daughter. It is fascinating to read about the family dramas and that Gilded Age time as well as the art collection with which a subsequent model, Veronica Weber, poses decades later. Locked in the mansion, Veronica and a young intern discover clues to a mystery that lead to a murderer from the earlier time. History and mystery – especially appealing to fans of the new HBO series. THE MAGNOLIA PALACE received starred reviews from Library Journal and Publishers Weekly (describing this title as “Davis’s best work to date”).

THE DEPARTMENT OF RARE BOOKS AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS by Eva Jurczyk is a debut work which seemed to move a bit slowly for me, but which was yet another a LibraryReads Selection for January. Professional reviewers tended to enjoy it as well, with Kirkus describing this mystery story as “The perfect gift for librarians and those who love them—and doesn’t that include just about every reader?”

As the story begins, Liesl Weiss has assumed responsibilities as acting as head of the Department and soon discovers that a recent rare book acquisition has gone missing. Was it somehow mis-shelved or stolen? The university President actively discourages police involvement while requiring a reluctant Liesl to “schmooze” with the donors. Soon a fellow librarian goes missing and theft looks more likely as the donors apply increasing pressure. Poor Liesl struggles to gain respect and find the valuable text. Book groups might well enjoy debating her predicament in the face of ageism and male chauvinism.

The Bone Cay by Eliza Nellums

THE BONE CAY by Eliza Nellums is a mystery story that begins just as a major hurricane is bearing down on the Florida Keys. First question: how can someone be so obsessed with her job and the life of a long dead poet to risk her own life and stay behind in the storm? That’s Magda Trudell, caretaker of the estate where poet Isobel Reyes grew up in isolation and committed suicide. Next question: why is handyman Hank McGrath still on the island and can he and Magda get help for his pregnant daughter, Emily, during the worsening storm? Another question: Who is the skeleton that Magda finds buried in a trunk? Oh, and even more questions: Who broke the radio transmitter? As the storm stalls and causes major damage and flooding, how will they manage to get food and water? Will any of them survive? This soon-to-be-released fast-paced thriller is full of diverting action and creepy happenings (on several levels). Enjoy! 

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY by Amor Towles (A Gentleman in Moscow) is a beautifully written coming of age story set on the road in America during the 1950s. Emmett is a sincere, well-meaning 18-year-old who has just returned from a work farm where he was incarcerated due to the accidental death of a local bully. Released early due to his own father’s death, Emmett plans to take his prized Studebaker, the little money he has, and his eight-year-old brother Billy and head to Texas. But once again, circumstances intervene: Billy wants to head to California to find their mother who left years ago and before they can begin, two young escapees, Duchess and Woolly, steal Emmett’s car and his money. The adventures begin as Emmett and Billy ride the rails in pursuit. THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY received starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus (“exhilarating ride through Americana”), and Publishers Weekly and was a LibraryReads selection for October. A bit slow to begin and rather long (almost 600 pages) for the average teen; however, as Booklist says, “Teen readers of classics and literary historical fiction will find ambitious, determined Emmett appealing.”

The Book of Lost Friends and Furmidable Foes

I have not yet read Lisa Wingate’s best seller Before We Were Yours, but I had heard positive comments so I was excited to read her newest work of historical fiction, THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS.  Set mostly in Louisiana, this novel alternates between events of 1875 and 1987. Just after the Civil War, recently freed Hannie disappears with Juneau Jane and Miss Lavinia, half-sisters whose father is Hannie’s former owner. It is a perilous journey with Hannie pretending to be a boy as the three of them travel West. Interspersed between chapters are reproductions from Southern papers of “Lost Friends” columns humbly and movingly seeking missing loved ones. Closer to modern day, the story features Benny Silva, a young teacher struggling to make school engaging for her students. She says, “Books were the escape hatch that carried me away during long lonely times …. Books made me believe that smart girls who didn’t necessarily fit in with the popular crowd could be the ones to solve mysteries, rescue people in distress, ferret out international criminals, fly spaceships to distant planets, take up arms and fight battles. … Books built my identity. I want that for my students.” I especially liked the modern story with Benny’s optimism and the work she did to help make the past relevant for the class and the town.  A LibraryReads selection, THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS will be welcomed by Wingate’s many fans. 

Another new book which alternates time periods (1788 and 2019) is FURMIDABLE FOES by Rita Mae Brown. Loyal readers will recognize this as another fun Mrs. Murphy mystery (book 29) featuring cats named Pewter and Mrs. Murphy, plus corgi Tee Tucker and a new wolfhound pup named Pirate. Harry Harristeen, best friend Susan Tucker, and other members of the Dorcas Guild are into gardening and beautifying the local church’s property until one of them is killed at a charity event. I generally like these light, cozy mysteries and read this one in an afternoon, but found it to be a bit disappointing.  My personal preference would be to stick to the modern story and that was reinforced in this case due to the historical tale of slave catchers that did not seem to have any real resolution.  From her references to many characters in the past, my impression is that Brown is trying to build two worlds: Harry’s in the present day and one in post-colonial Virginia. Frankly, that means too many details (there is a five page “Cast of Characters”) for the reader – looking for escapist entertainment – to track.