Mozart's Sister
by Rita Charbonnier
Mozat's sister (10/12/2007)
This historical fiction is of high interest as the subject is one that is not well known. Yet the writing does not allow the reader to feel the richness of that era of history. We see little of the history of the times, save for the music. And even that is sketchy. Mozart is depicted as a spoiled child/boy/man and his brilliance is masked in silly episodes. Yet I wanted to keep reading as the story line drew me in. At times, though, I felt that I was reading someone's thesis paper with a little action thrown in. I would recommend this book for a beach read but little else.
The Pirate's Daughter
by Margaret Cezair-Thompson
The Pirates Daughter (10/10/2007)
It was with trepidation that I began reading this book as I usually do not like books that contain what I call gimmicks. This turned out to be an intriguing intergenerational historical novel about the beginning of the independence of Jamaica which coincided with the growing independence of a mother and daughter. The characters were richly portrayed and the inclusion of Erroll Flynn was an added enjoyment. Baby Boomers have long known who Erroll Flynn was, but knew little about him. This showed a side of the movie star that aroused curiosity and interest. Dialect and dialogue made me feel as though I, too, were there at the scene.I highly recommend this book to people who like historical fiction and who appreciate a well written novel.
