Tag: Review

Book Review: Vindolanda by Adrian Goldsworthy

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Gripping tale of rebellion and treachery in Roman Britain

VindolandaAbout the Book

Publisher’s description: AD 98 – The bustling army base at Vindolanda lies on the northern frontier of Britannia and the entire Roman world. In twenty years’ time, the Emperor Hadrian will build his famous wall, but for now defences are weak, as tribes rebel against Roman rule, and local druids preach the fiery destruction of the invaders. Flavius Ferox is a Briton and a Roman centurion, given the task of keeping the peace on this wild frontier. But it will take more than just courage to survive life in Roman Britain…

Book Facts

  • Format: ebook
  • Publisher: Head of Zeus
  • No. of pages: 416
  • Publication date: 1st June 2017
  • Genre: Historical Fiction

To pre-order/purchase Vindolanda from Amazon.co.uk, click here (link provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme)

Find Vindolanda on Goodreads

My Review

In Vindolanda, the author has created what feels like an incredibly authentic view of life on the far reaches of the Roman Empire.   Adrian Goldsworthy has a terrific pedigree in this regard as a respected historian who has published numerous non-fiction books on the Roman Empire. What comes across vividly in this book is the sense of the multiplicity of different nationalities making up the Roman Empire and its army, each with their own customs, loyalties and languages and only loosely held together by their oath to serve the Emperor.

Into this mix comes Flavius Ferox, a centurion in the Roman army but a Briton by birth, tasked with keeping the peace in the northernmost part of Roman Britain where a complex structure of different tribes exist. As Ferox observes: ‘I’m on the edge of the empire, almost the edge of the world, if you like. I can see where it ends.’ Added to this, there is word of an uprising that is not just a single tribe causing difficulty but a coalition of people with ‘a mishmash of beliefs from all over the world, twisted into one message of hate and destruction’, incited by a mysterious spiritual leader to engage in a ‘holy war’ against the Roman Empire.   For me, this had echoes of recent conflicts in parts of the world such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. If that wasn’t enough, there may be treachery afoot from those in the Roman nobility who wish to undermine the current emperor, Trajan and for whom such an uprising would aid their cause. In situations such as this who can you trust?

Flavius Ferox makes an ideal hero for this type of book. He’s clever, resourceful but a bit of a maverick and not afraid to challenge his superiors in order to uncover the truth. In fact, we learn this has got him into trouble in the past hence his current posting. There’s a hint of a past relationship that ended in sadness, he can be prone to periods of melancholy during which he finds solace in the wine jug and he has an eye for a beautiful lady. Really he could be a Roman Inspector Morse (but without the crosswords)!

‘Idleness did not suit Ferox, for it gave him too much time to brood and to sink into black moods, when drink seemed the only shelter.’

In the process of tackling the uprising and unravelling the mystery, Ferox gets involved in plenty of action which is vividly depicted with convincing detail about Roman military tactics and weaponry. So if you don’t know your gladius from your pilum, you soon will.   Everything is satisfyingly brought together at the close of the book. The final few lines give me hope that this is not the last we’ve heard of Flavius Ferox.

This was an absolutely cracking read that will be enjoyed by any historical fiction fan, especially those with an interest in Roman history. But really, if you enjoy books with plenty of action regardless of what time period they are set in, then do give this a try.

I received an advance reader copy courtesy of NetGalley and publishers Head of Zeus in return for an honest review.

To find out more about the history of Vindolanda, visit the Vindolanda Trust website:

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In three words: Gripping, realistic, action-packed

Try something similar…The Man from Berlin by Luke McCallin (completely different time period but I thought the two protagonists had similarities)

AdrianGoldsworthyAbout the Author

Adrian Goldsworthy was born in 1969 in Cardiff.  He was educated in Penarth and then read Ancient and Modern History at St. John’s College, Oxford, where he subsequently completed his doctorate in ancient history. His D.Phil. thesis was the basis for his first book, The Roman Army At War 100 BC – AD 200, which looked at how the Roman army actually operated on campaign and in battle. He is the bestselling author of numerous books about Ancient Rome including Caesar: The Life of a Colossus, The Punic Wars and How Rome Fell. He is now a full time writer, and no longer teaches, although he is currently a Visiting Fellow at the University of Newcastle. However, he frequently gives one off lectures and talks both to universities and other groups in the UK, USA, Canada, and Europe. He frequently appears as a talking head or presenter in TV documentaries and has acted as consultant on both documentaries and dramas. He will appear in six of the eight episodes of the forthcoming When Rome Ruled series for National Geographic. He often appears on radio.

Connect with Adrian

Website
Goodreads

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Crimson & Bone by Marina Fiorato

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Crimson&BoneCoverI’m thrilled to be today’s host on the blog tour for Marina Fiorato’s latest book, Crimson & Bone, a gripping story of love and obsession set in 19th century London, Florence and Venice.

WinPlus, I’m delighted to give one of you the opportunity to win a copy of Crimson & Bone (UK & Republic of Ireland only).  To enter, click the link below. The giveaway closes on 26th May 2017.  

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About the Book

London, 1853. Annie Stride has nothing left to live for – she is a penniless prostitute, newly evicted from her home and pregnant. On the night she plans to cast herself from Waterloo Bridge into the icy waters of the Thames, her life is saved by Francis Maybrick Gill, a talented pre-Raphaelite painter – and her world is changed forever. Francis takes Annie as his artist’s muse, elevating her from fallen woman to society’s darling. With her otherworldly beauty now the toast of London, her dark past is left far behind.  But Annie’s lavish new life is not all is seems – and there are some who won’t let her forget where she came from…

Book Facts

  • Format: Hardback
  • Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
  • No. of pages: 320
  • Publication date: 18th May 2017
  • Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance

To purchase Crimson & Bone from Amazon.co.uk, click here (link provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme)

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My Review

I have really enjoyed all the previous books by Marina Fiorato that I’ve read so I came to this one with high expectations and I wasn’t disappointed.

For the first part of the book, the author moves away from her usual Italian setting and we find ourselves in London of 1853.   Alongside Annie’s story, the reader is given tantalising glimpses of the story of her friend, Mary Anne, and how the two girls first met. In their names and occupation, there are echoes of actual historical events in the East End of London of that era.  Only towards the end of the book does the reader learn how their two stories converge.

As well as being his muse and model, Annie quickly learns that Francis expects her to be grateful for his rescue of her and to express that gratitude both verbally and by going along with his plans for her. For him, ingratitude is the most heinous of sins. Annie learns how to please him – by altering her dress, deportment and speech according to his instruction – similar to the way she learned to meet the sexual needs of her clients, suppressing her own nature in the process. As part of this transformation of her, Francis introduces Annie to works of art, literature and music – but always those of his own choosing.

Francis seems to want to ‘remake’ her in the image of some idealised woman for a reason as yet unknown. Here the reader may observe intertextual links with Pygmalion, both the Greek myth of the sculptor who falls in love with his statue of the sea-nymph, Galatea, which eventually comes to life, and the George Bernard Shaw play in which a ‘flower girl’ (possibly a euphemism for prostitute) is transformed into a society lady. Other links include the fact that Edward Burne-Jones, a leading Pre-Raphaelite (the school of art with which the fictional Francis Maybrick Gill associates) painted a series entitled ‘Pygmalion and Galatea’.

There are explicit references as well: to Dante, the death of whose great love, Beatrice, inspired his greatest work, The Divine Comedy; to Alexandre Dumas’ La Dame aux Camelias, based on the author’s love affair with a courtesan; and to La Traviata, Verdi’s opera based on Dumas’ novel. The flower, the camellia, will come to play a significant role in Annie’s story. Themes of control, death and obsessive love are a constant undertone to the emerging narrative.

The novel is full of beautiful descriptive writing about art and, as the title suggests, it is suffused with colour, both actual and metaphorical.   At one point, Annie likens the way she is being ‘remade’ by Francis to a transformation from black and white pen and ink sketch to ‘fully coloured’.   She feels Francis has approached her like one of his paintings, starting with the background, then adding broad strokes, then blocking in the colour and finally adding the detail in finer strokes.  Later, Annie’s introduction to the colours of the rainbow will mark an awakening of other feelings and herald new possibilities.

In the last two sections, the story moves to Florence and Venice, where the sense of gothic melodrama increases as dark and disturbing secrets are brought to light.   In the end, as a mystery tour, it’s not too difficult to guess the destination but this by no means spoils the journey which is lavishly depicted, dark and compelling.   After just a few pages, I found myself completely immersed in the story and enthralled by the gorgeous, lush writing. I think this is my favourite of all the author’s novels to date.

Thank you to Jenni Leech at publishers, Hodder & Stoughton, for my proof copy in return for an honest review.

In three words: Intense, dark, compelling

Try something similar…Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

MarinaFioratoAbout the Author

Marina Fiorato is half-Venetian. She was born in Manchester and raised in the Yorkshire Dales. She is a history graduate of Oxford University and the University of Venice, where she read for a master’s degree in Shakespeare. After university she studied art and worked in the film and music industries, creating visuals for U2, The Rolling Stones and the Queen musical, We Will Rock You. Her novels Daughter of Siena and Beatrice & Benedick were shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association Historical Fiction Award. Marina was married on the Grand Canal in period costume and lives in north London with her husband, son and daughter.

Connect with Marina

Website http://www.marinafiorato.com/
Twitter https://twitter.com/marinafiorato
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/772663.Marina_Fiorato