Tag: Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Things I Love About The Count of Monte Cristo

17 Comments

This week’s topic for Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl) is “Ten Things I Loved About [Insert Book Title Here]” (Pick any book and tell us ten things you loved about it!) (submitted by Cathy @ WhatCathyReadNext)

I’ve just finished reading The Club Dumas by Arturo Pérez-Reverte, so when I saw the topic for this week’s TTT the first book to come to mind was Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo, a French classic I love and have read several times, despite the length! Here are ten things I particularly enjoyed about it:

1. Edmond Dantès – Our hero (or anti-hero, at various times in the book) and one of my favourite characters in all of literature. Early in the novel, he is falsely accused of treason and imprisoned for fourteen years. He finally engineers an escape, but we quickly find that the youthful, naive Edmond Dantès we once knew has been transformed into the bitter and vengeful Count of Monte Cristo, out to hunt down the men who betrayed him and make them pay!

2. The exciting plot – With murders, poisonings, court cases, duels, thefts, anonymous letters, illegitimate children and searches for buried treasure, there’s always something happening. Most editions have over 1000 pages, so naturally there are some slower sections, but everything is relevant and I wouldn’t recommend reading an abridged version.

3. The setting – Or rather settings, as there are several. From Marseille with its island fortress, the Château d’If, and the small Catalan community where Edmond’s fiancée Mercédès lives, to Rome during Carnival, they are all memorable.

4. The Abbé Faria – When Edmond is imprisoned in the Château d’If, the Abbé Faria is occupying a neighbouring cell and the two manage to communicate and become friends. Faria passes on his wisdom and knowledge to Edmond and encourages him to never give up hope.

5. Monsieur Noirtier – M. Noirtier is the elderly father of Villefort, one of the Count’s main enemies. After suffering a stroke, he devises a form of communication using only his eyes and forms a special bond with his granddaughter, Valentine, two things that endeared him to me as a character!

6. The revenge theme – Stories of victims getting their revenge against the people who wronged them are usually very satisfying, but in this book the revenge plot has more layers to it. At times Dantès has doubts about the path he has set out on, regretting that “I did not tear out my heart the day I resolved to revenge myself”. When you finish the book you can decide for yourself whether it was all worth it in the end.

7. Monsieur Morrel – Another favourite character is M. Morrel, who makes Edmond Dantès captain of his ship, the Pharaon. During Edmond’s imprisonment, Morrel tries unsuccessfully to get him released, while also taking care of his elderly father in his absence, and his kindness is later rewarded by the Count.

8. The way there’s always something new to discover – The Count of Monte Cristo is a book that rewards multiple readings as there’s so much to take in the first time and it’s easy to miss important details. Re-reading has given me an even greater appreciation for the complexity of the story and how things that initially seem irrelevant are actually crucial to the plot.

9. The entertaining subplots – On re-reading the book, I found that I could slow down and enjoy some of the longer digressions and stories-within-stories that I got impatient with on my first read. During my most recent read I found that I particularly enjoyed the subplot involving La Carconte (the wife of Caderousse, another of Dantès’ enemies) and a valuable diamond ring. It could almost have made a great short story on its own.

10. The writing – It’s not just an adventure novel; there’s also some great writing, with quotes like this:

“Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes.”

And this:

“Live, then, and be happy, beloved children of my heart, and never forget that until the day when God shall deign to reveal the future to man, all human wisdom is summed up in these two words —’Wait and hope’.”

~

Have you read The Count of Monte Cristo? If so, what did you love (or not love) about it?

Top Ten Tuesday: Going Green

37 Comments

This week’s topic for Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl) is “Books with My Favourite Colour on the Cover”.

I’ve always loved green so here are ten books I’ve read and enjoyed with green on the cover:

1. The Village of Eight Graves by Seishi Yokomizo – A Japanese classic crime novel first published in 1950 and available in a new English translation by Bryan Karetnyk.

2. A Corruption of Blood by Ambrose Parry – The third book in one of my favourite historical mysteries series, set in the medical world of 19th century Edinburgh.

3. The Case of the Gilded Fly by Edmund Crispin – A Gervase Fen mystery with a theatrical theme. I’ve only read two books in the series so far and must read more!

4. That Lady by Kate O’Brien – The first of two Virago Modern Classics on my list, with those famous green covers. This one is about Ana de Mendoza, Princess of Eboli and Duchess of Pastrana.

5. Hungry Hill by Daphne du Maurier – This family saga set in Ireland is a particularly bleak du Maurier novel and not a favourite, but I did still like it.

6. Anne Boleyn: A King’s Obsession by Alison Weir – Part of Weir’s Six Tudor Queens series, retelling the stories of the six wives of Henry VIII.

7. The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith – The first in McCall Smith’s popular detective series set in Botswana and still the only one I’ve read!

8. Troy Chimneys by Margaret Kennedy – Another VMC book. I loved this one, set in Regency England and telling the story of a man with two very different sides to his character.

9. The Deadly Truth by Helen McCloy – A 1941 mystery featuring the New York psychiatrist Dr Basil Willing. McCloy’s books seem to have gone back out of print again, so I’m glad I managed to read some of them while they were available!

10. Human Croquet by Kate Atkinson – This early Atkinson novel is an unusual, imaginative read that plays with the concept of time in some fascinating ways.

~

Have you read any of these? Are there any other books you’ve enjoyed with green covers?

Top Ten Tuesday: May Flowers

13 Comments

This week’s topic for Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl) is “May Flowers”. There are a number of suggestions for ways to approach this topic, such as books with flowers on the covers or books about flowers or gardeners, but I’ve decided just to list ten books with names of flowers in the title.

These are all books that I’ve read and reviewed on my blog – and I’ve managed to find ten different flower names!

1. Blackberry and Wild Rose by Sonia Velton – An interesting historical novel about the community of Huguenot silk weavers living and working in London’s Spitalfields in the 18th century. I was drawn to this book by the pretty cover, but enjoyed the story as well.

2. The Lady of the Camellias by Alexandre Dumas, fils – The novel which inspired the opera La traviata. I read a translation by Liesl Schillinger and enjoyed this story of Marguerite Gautier, who uses bouquets of red and white camellias to send messages to her lovers.

3. The Orchid Hour by Nancy Bilyeau – Historical thriller set in New York’s Little Italy during Prohibition. It’s a fascinating setting and we do learn a little bit about growing orchids too.

4. Daisy in Chains by Sharon Bolton – This is a contemporary crime novel about a man serving a life sentence for murder and the lawyer he chooses to help him overturn the verdict. A typical Bolton novel with lots of twists and turns!

5. The Red Lily Crown by Elizabeth Loupas – An excellent historical fiction novel set in 16th century Florence and following the story of an alchemist’s daughter who enters the household of Francesco de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany.

6. The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas, père – I would never have imagined that a book about a tulip-growing contest could be so exciting, but this one is! I love Dumas and have thoroughly enjoyed everything I’ve read by him so far.

7. The Poppy Field by Deborah Carr – A dual-timeline novel split between the present day and 1916-18 where the story unfolds of a VAD nurse at a casualty clearing station in France during the war. Interesting but predictable.

8. Black Narcissus by Rumer Godden – This classic novel from 1939 follows a group of nuns who set out to establish a new convent in the Himalayas. I loved the atmosphere Godden creates as she explores the relationships between the nuns and how they adjust to the unfamiliar environment.

9. Jasmine Nights by Julia Gregson – A novel about a singer working for ENSA (Entertainments National Service Association) during World War II, performing for the troops in North Africa. An aspect of the war I hadn’t read about before.

10. The Daffodil Affair by Michael Innes – This 1942 mystery novel about a stolen horse, a missing girl and a haunted house is part of Innes’ Inspector Appleby series. I found it too bizarre to be very enjoyable and would recommend starting with a different Appleby novel.

~

Have you read any of these? Which other books can you think of with flowers in the title?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on my Spring TBR

33 Comments

This week’s topic for Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl) is “Books on my Spring TBR”.

I’m expecting to read more than ten books this spring, but here’s a selection that are coming up soon on my TBR:

Some NetGalley review copies:

1. Enlightenment by Sarah Perry
2. The Puzzle Wood by Rosie Andrews
3. Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz
4. A Different Sound by various authors

From my Classics Club list:

5. The Elusive Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
6. The Black Lake by Hella S. Haasse

For Read Christie 2024:

7. Lord Edgware Dies by Agatha Christie
8. Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie

From the Walter Scott Prize longlist:

9. The Fraud by Zadie Smith
10. The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng

~

What are you hoping to read this spring?

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Quick Reads

19 Comments

This week’s topic for Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl) is “Top Ten Quick Reads/Books to Read When Time is Short”. I am listing below a selection of ten books with fewer than 200 pages – perfect if you don’t have much time to read.

1. Every Eye by Isobel English – A beautifully written novella published by Persephone in which a woman on her honeymoon in Ibiza looks back on her life. (144 pages)

2. Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu – This early example of the vampire novel was first published in 1872 and is thought to have influenced Bram Stoker’s Dracula. (160 pages)

3. The Man from London by Georges Simenon – One of many standalone novellas by Simenon, this psychological thriller from 1937 is available in an English translation by Howard Curtis. (160 pages)

4. Water by John Boyne – The first in a new quartet of books based on the four elements. I’m looking forward to reading the second one, Earth, soon. (161 pages)

5. The Beacon by Susan Hill – An atmospheric and unsettling story about a family living in a lonely farmhouse in the north of England. (162 pages)

6. Mr Harrison’s Confessions by Elizabeth Gaskell – This 1851 novella about a young doctor working in a small, rural community is a prequel to Gaskell’s better known book, Cranford. (113 pages)

7. The Lifted Veil by George Eliot – I think this science fiction/horror story will surprise a lot of people as it’s not typical of Eliot at all! My edition also includes her essay, Silly Novels by Lady Novelists. (110 pages)

8. Chocky by John Wyndham – This short book about a boy with an imaginary friend is one of my favourites so far by Wyndham! (164 pages)

9. The End of the Alphabet by CS Richardson – A moving little book in which a man with only a month to live sets out on a tour of the world, visiting each place on his list in alphabetical order. (128 pages)

10. The Frozen Deep by Wilkie Collins – I love Collins and enjoyed this novella based on the ill-fated 1845 Franklin Expedition to the Arctic in search of the North West Passage. (112 pages)

~

Have you read any of these? Which other short books have you read and enjoyed?

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I discovered in 2023

19 Comments

This week’s topic for Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl) is “New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2023”. There were lots of authors I tried for the first time last year, but the ten I’m listing below are all authors whose books I enjoyed and would consider reading again.

1. Edgar Rice Burroughs – His more famous books have never really appealed to me, but The Efficiency Expert was recommended to me and it was very entertaining.

2. E.C.R. Lorac – I’m not sure whether Death of an Author was really the best Lorac to start with, as I liked it but didn’t love it. I hope to try another one soon!

3. Helen Scarlett – I enjoyed The Lodger for its portrayal of London in the aftermath of World War I and must try Scarlett’s previous novel at some point.

4. Geoffrey Household – A man goes on the run after a failed assassination attempt in Household’s 1939 novel, Rogue Male. An interesting read, but I’m not sure if any of his other books appeal.

5. Dolores Hitchens – I read The Cat Saw Murder, a Rachel Murdock mystery, for Mallika’s Reading the Meow week and would like to read some of the others in that series.

6. Ursula Bloom – Wonder Cruise was my first Ursula Bloom book; it seems she was a very prolific author, so I have lots more to look forward to.

7. Patricia Highsmith – Having meant to try something by Patricia Highsmith for years, I finally read her classic psychological thriller Strangers on a Train in 2023!

8. J.B. Priestley – Benighted, Priestley’s 1927 novel, was a creepy and unsettling read, perfect for October!

9. Kate Grenville – Restless Dolly Maunder, based on the story of Grenville’s own grandmother, was an interesting look at life in Australia in the early 20th century.

10. Rebecca Netley – I enjoyed The Black Feathers, a Gothic novel set in Victorian England, and I would like to read Netley’s previous book, The Whistling, now.

~

Have you read any of these authors? Which new (or new-to-you) authors did you discover last year?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books set at sea

32 Comments

This week’s topic for Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl) is “Books Set In X (Pick a setting and share books that are all set there. This could be a specific continent or country, a state, in outer space, underwater, on a ship or boat, at the beach, etc.)”

I am listing here, in no particular order, ten books that are set entirely or mainly at sea. Let me know if you’ve read any of these!

~

1. She Rises by Kate Worsley – I’m starting my list with this novel about a young man press-ganged into the Navy in the 18th century, and his sister, left behind in England, trying to find out where he has gone. I found this a very atmospheric book with some clever twists when the two storylines begin to merge together.

2. A Fatal Crossing by Tom Hindle – I loved this murder mystery set aboard a cruise ship crossing the Atlantic in 1924. A ship is the perfect setting for this kind of novel as the suspects are all together in one place and nobody can arrive or leave!

3. Life of Pi by Yann Martel – I didn’t expect to enjoy Martel’s Booker Prize winner, especially as I’d had a previous failed attempt to read it a few years earlier, but I ended up loving it. An Indian boy, Pi, finds himself stranded in a lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan – and a Bengal tiger!

4. Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini – I could have included both this book and The Sea-Hawk, but decided to stick to one book per author. This one tells the story of Peter Blood, who is wrongly found guilty of treason after the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685 and is transported to Barbados as a slave. Driven into piracy, he sets out to clear his name so he can marry the woman he loves. Sabatini’s books are always entertaining and this is one of his best known.

5. Master and Commander by Patrick O’Brian – No list of nautical fiction would be complete without at least one book by Patrick O’Brian! This is the first in his Aubrey-Maturin series, set during the Napoleonic Wars and following the adventures of Captain Jack Aubrey of the Royal Navy and his friend, the surgeon and spy Dr Stephen Maturin. I confess to not really understanding all the naval terminology, but I’m eight books into the series now and looking forward to reading the rest!

6. The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton – This is a wonderfully eerie novel set aboard a cursed ship on a trading voyage from Batavia to Amsterdam in 1634. I loved the atmosphere and the twists and turns of the plot, but wished the historical setting had felt more authentic.

7. My Beautiful Imperial by Rhiannon Lewis – Set in the 19th century, this novel follows a young Welsh sailor, Davy Davies, as he embarks on a career at sea, becoming captain of the Imperial, which just happens to be sailing down the coast of South America when civil war breaks out in Chile in 1891. I knew nothing about the Chilean Civil War before reading this book, so I found it fascinating, particularly after learning that the main character is based on the author’s own ancestor.

8. Blue Water by Leonora Nattrass – This is the second book in the Laurence Jago historical mystery series, although it would also work well as a standalone. A murder takes place aboard the Tankerville, sailing from Britain to Philadelphia to deliver an important treaty to George Washington. I’ve enjoyed all three books in this series so far.

9. Cup of Gold by John Steinbeck – This was Steinbeck’s first novel, published in 1929. The story is loosely based on the life of the 17th century Welsh pirate, Sir Henry Morgan, taking us from the hills and valleys of Wales to Barbados and Panama and incorporating some Arthurian legend along the way. It’s beautifully written, but not at all what I’d expected from Steinbeck!

10. Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh – This is the first book in Ghosh’s Ibis Trilogy and introduces us to a large, diverse cast of memorable characters who are thrown together on a voyage from India to Mauritius aboard a former slaving ship just before the First Opium War. I enjoyed all three books in the trilogy and learned a lot from them.

~

As someone who has never really considered myself a fan of nautical fiction, I’m surprised to see how many books I’ve enjoyed that are set on ships and boats! I could also have included Georgette Heyer’s pirate adventure novel Beauvallet, The Night Ship by Jess Kidd in which a ship is wrecked off the coast of Australia in 1629, and The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware, a modern thriller set on a cruise liner in the Norwegian Fjords.

What books have you read that are set at sea?