Barbara Michaels fan finds new author
Rating:
5 / 5
As a fan of Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters work, this book at first moved slower than I am used to. However, the book delivered on many of the elements that makes me most interested in picking up a mystery novel - historical/archeological/mythological themes, exotic settings well described, a strong female heroine, adventure, and maybe just a touch of romance (not too much). What I found most interesting/facinating was Mary Stewart's ability to paint with words a richly detailed/atmospheric landscape (in this case the rugged mountains of Greece and historically significant center of Delphi) was enough to leave a lasting impression, like snapshots in your mind of time spent in a place that just by being there spiritually uplifted you in some way. Armchair travelers with an interest in experiencing through osmosis impressions left on people upon visiting historical/mythological places will like this book.Other recommended authors: Sharyn McCrumb, Nevada Barr, Jessica Speart, Beverly Connor, Lyn Hamilton, Susanna Kearsley, and Kathleen Skye Moody.
Revisiting Mary Stewart...
Rating:
4 / 5
I remember before I discovered Ruth Rendell, Elizabeth George, Minette Walters, and P.D. James, my favorite writer was Mary Stewart. I may never read her "Merlin" series again, but I still think of it fondly as a great step along the way to good reading. So when I came across a few of her books recently that I may or may not have read 20 years ago, I snatched a couple of them up, anxious to see if they held up over time. I probably should have resisted. "My Brother Michael" is an interesting story, and Mary Stewart's writing is good, but she just isn't in the same league as the Big Four. This was an OK read, and the setting was beautifully described, but the story sort of lurched along for me. I may go ahead and read another of the Stewart books I picked up at the same time as this in hopes of redemption, but then again, I may not. The good news: this is a very fast read. : )
Mary Stewart's Magic
Rating:
5 / 5
I'm so glad to see some of Mary Stewart's romantic fiction reissued. As a young girl I envisioned Greece while reading My Brother Michael, as a young adult I went there and it was sublime. We read and, then, we experience. If you read to see the world, start at home with Mary Stewart and let your imaginations take you to Europe; her books will grow with you. With Madam Will you Talk in mind, (her best I think) I danced on the entrance to the Pont d'Avignon, I stood on Hadrian's Wall and thought of the Ivy Tree; Corfu did indeed boast men named Spiro, but sadly, no magic dolphin. I wish there were more of her books.
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