Review: Major Pettigrew's Last Stand (Helen Simonson)

I loved this book!!! Well written and with a heartwarming story (that's right, I wrote heartwarming) this book made my commute a joy.

It's the story of Major Ernest Pettigrew, retired, and Mrs. Jasmina Ali, grocer. Both have lost their spouses and still feel a little lost. They strike up a friendship after Mrs. Ali helps Major Pettigrew on the day of his brother's death. They discover they share a love of books (they had me at hello!) and an appreciation for long walks.

Major Pettigrew enjoys these simple pleasures and assumes there was a time when everyone did. Of course, times weren't really simpler, and Mrs. Ali shows him this. The story isn't preachy, but it does highlight race relations in a small English town. Simonson manages to do this while writing a witty, and funny book.

Secondary characters highlight the pair's differences, and that adds a bittersweet tone to the story. You cheer for the Major and Mrs. Ali, especially as they maneuver how people in town see them. Neither one is used to the attention or the gossip. Still, I was glad that the story still led to a satisfying conclusion. Usually books that are written this well have tragic endings. It almost seems like those authors do that because they take themselves too seriously. Glad this book didn't do that!

I can't recommend this book enough. A real treat!

Next up: The Scarlett Contessa, by Jeanne Kalogridis.

Review: The Confessions of Catherine De Medici (C.W. Gortner)

Portrayals of Catherine de Medici usually go the way of the evil-witch. I first heard of her during a discussion on religious persecution in Europe. So, of course, the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre came up.


Usually Catherine de Medici is described as a religious fanatic that dabbled in black magic and murdered a whole lot of people. After first hearing about her in high school, I'd forgotten about her, really, until I rented La Reine Margot. The French film, starring a very beautiful Isabelle Adjani and the also quite beautiful Vincent Perez, shows Catherine as evil and as having a borderline incestuous relationship with her favorite son (future Henri III). I later read the book on which this movie is based. Alexander Dumas really, really didn't like Queen Catherine.

Times, they are a-changing. Jeanne Kalogridis' The Devil's Queen, in which the author portrays Catherine in a much more sympathetic light. This book, although taking a different path, also portrays Catherine more positively. C.W. Gortner writes her character as a strong woman, but one whose actions are defined by her circumstances more than her will.


Gortner surprised me when he included an affair between Admiral Coligny and Catherine after her widowhood. He also brought Diane de Poitiers into Catherine and Henry's bedroom, and I'm not talking about it in a metaphorical sense. Granted, the relationship between Catherine and Henry must have been extremely complicated. She had no real power while he lived, but she clearly learned a thing or two before the became regent for her sons. Gortner shows her resilience and intelligence, although he has a lot of ground to  cover. She lived a long time and served as an advisor to three of her sons.


The story moves well, although it could get a little boring at times. I enjoyed The Devil's Queen more, but enjoyed this one anyway.

Next up: Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, by Helen Simonson. Waited for this one for months to come in at the library. Woo!

Review: The Hand That First Held Mine (Maggie O'Farrell)

First off, this book isn't as entertaining at The Vanishing Life of Esme Lennox. Also, it worked as a form of birth control for a few days. One of the main characters, Elina, has a horrible delivery. Absolutely. Horrible. So, if you're looking for a story that makes motherhood sounds romantic, skip this.

It took me a while to get into this book. Not that Maggie O'Farrell presented a poorly written story. Indeed, she wrote something real and startling. She interwove two story lines that converge towards the end of the book. Supposedly, you don't know how until the crucial moment. I knew after a few pages in what was going to happen, more or less. And I don't say this in a snooty way. Really, usually I'm the last person to know what's going on in a story. I'm one of those that would read R.L. Stein and not know who the bad guy was until the author made the reveal. This story just wasn't a mystery.

Ok, so that bothered me a little. Still, Maggie O'Farrell's representations of motherhood made for a beautiful story at times. Her other main character, Lexie, epitomizes the woman of the 60s. She's a free spirit in a way, but ambitious and willing to put in more than hard work to build a name for herself. Lexie starts working as a journalist after leaving her family and moving to London. She hooks up with Innes Kent, the editor of the magazine. Now, it may look like Lexie gets the job just because she's sleeping with Innes. But, that's not why Innes hires her. Has has had many lovers and he hasn't employed them. He knows his connection with Lexie isn't just physical. And he recognizes her talent even before she does.

Elina, on the other hand, works as a successful artist. She lives with Ted, the father of her newborn baby. Save for the gory delivery, they go through all the strains of a couple that has become parents for the first time. Ted, however, starts to go through a major identity crisis. He starts remembering flashes of his past that don't mesh with his image of reality.

You can see where this is going. Not a bad book, but I just didn't get that into it.

Next up: The Confessions of Catherine de Medici, by C.W. Gortner. Hope I can finish this one before it's due back at the library.