Alice I Have Been

First, I have to confess, I never loved Alice in Wonderland the way some people do. I just never got into it. And this novel by Melanie Benjamin did not make me want to read Alice in Wonderland. But it's a great novel about the woman who supposedly was the inspiration for Alice.

Benjamin does a nice job taking the bones of history and fact, and creating a story and characters that are compelling and multidimensional. And there's the mystery: what REALLY happened between young Alice and Charles Dodgson that ended his relationship with the family? And why did a 30-year-old man enjoy spending time with a 10-year-old girl? And what was it with those photographs he took?

Despite the mystery -- and it does inform most of the story -- I really liked Alice the person. In Benjamin's hands she comes across as funny, smart, and irreverent, and someone I would enjoy having a cup of tea with. Definitely a worthwhile read.

Alice I Have Been: A Novel

Paradise Lane

I initially had difficulty getting into this novel by Elizabeth Gill, but I stuck with it, and I'm glad I did. It's a really nice story about learning what's really important in life, and also about forgiveness and starting over.

The story is kind of old fashioned, and it's set in turn-of-the-century England - that's 1900's, not this century. Annabel learns that her parents are not who she thought they were and goes off in search of her real family. Along the way she learns to look out for herself - though not without some help, particularly from the kindly Mrs. Hatty and the adorably un-gentlemanly Ned.

I really like the contrast between newspaper-owner Ned and "gentleman" Tom. There is a great line about Tom's white hands and how he's not really fit to be in "regular" society - but of course he looks down his patrician nose at "regular" society so he couldn't care less.

Both Annabel and her sister Millie grow up over the course of the novel, and learn about the true meaning of "quality" when it comes to people. It was a very enjoyable read.

Paradise Lane

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void

I really enjoyed this book about the space program. Mary Roach writes in a super-accessible style about all of the techy stuff that goes into space flight. I am not a science fiction or outer space person at all, but Roach brings a very human perspective to the subject matter, and that made for a great read.

This is one of those books that, as I read, I kept finding passages I wanted to read aloud to whoever was around me. I also spent most of a one-hour car ride telling Mike about the logistics of going to the bathroom in zero-gravity - pretty exciting stuff. That's what made the book so great for me: it isn't ultimately about the technology, it's about how to ensure that people can survive and function in an atmosphere that is completely different from the one we are designed for.

I highly recommend this book, both to science geeks and non-geeks alike. It's just a really good read.

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void

Secrets of the Tudor Court: Between Two Queens

I really enjoyed this second book in Kate Emerson's Tudor series. The main character is Anne (Nan) Bassett, a beautiful and intelligent Maid of Honor to Jane Seymour. When Jane dies from childbirth a month into Nan's tenure, Nan has to do what's necessary to maintain her place in court - and gain influence to advance herself and her family.

Like Emerson's previous novel, this one is more historical than romantic, and it gives a lot of detail about the intriques of the court. But unlike the previous novel, King Henry VIII is definitely on the down-slide into obesity and old age, and that made the novel kind of sad for me. He was such a vibrant and exciting young man, and Emerson's portrait of him as a manipulative and whiny old man made him rather pitiable.

But the character of Nan is wonderful, though from Emerson's endnotes it seems she is mostly imagined. Emerson based her novel on the correspondence of Nan's mother, Lady Lisle, so she obviously takes a lot of literary liberties. But I enjoyed the story, and will definitely look for the next in the series.

Having said that, I am taking a break from Tudor fiction. Just started a nonfiction book about the space program that has really grabbed me...

Secrets of the Tudor Court: Between Two Queens

A Murderous Procession

This is the next book in the "Mistress of the Art of Death" series, and I enjoyed it immensely. Adelia is still a wonderfully likeable character and her new adventures are as exciting as ever.

In this novel Franklin takes Adelia and her group (except for Allie and Gyltha) on the voyage of Princess Joanna from England to Palermo to marry the prince of Sicily. Of course there are many adventures along the way, and of course someone wants Adelia dead. I have to admit, I figured out who that was pretty early on, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the novel.

I liked the descriptions of the various parts of England and the European continent, and the people Adelia meets. And the story definitely held my interest. I continue to enjoy this series and will certainly look for next book in the future.

A Murderous Procession (Mistress of the Art of Death)

A Creed for the Third Millennium

I am currently reading - or should I say trying to read - this Colleen McCullough novel for the second time (the first time had to have been 10 years ago). I'm not digging it. I don't know if it's because I've been reading historically for the last little while, and this book is set many years in the future, or if it's because McCullough's 1985 style of writing isn't doing it for me... I'm just finding it to be a bit of a slog.

There's definitely a lot of creativity at work, and I'm happy that McCullough sees the future as colder (as in impending ice age - take that all you global warming wackos!). And I think it's almost prescient that she has the Pope named Benedict. But I'm just not finding it the page-turner I remembered it being.

So, I don't think I'm going to finish this one. It's 350 pages long, I'm on page 40, it's due back at the library on Saturday, and I leave for vacation on Monday. It just isn't a vacation book. Maybe I'll try again during the winter...

A Creed for the Third Millennium