The First Thanksgiving Feast: Salt Pork, Garbanzo Beans, and Tortoise?

[This post originally appeared on November 27, 2013.]

Tradition--and most history books--teach that the first Thanksgiving feast was held in Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts, in November of 1621, when Protestant Pilgrims invited their Wampanoag neighbors to share a meal of wildfowl, corn and venison. However, the true "first Thanksgiving" may well have taken place fifty-six years earlier in St. Augustine, Florida.

In 1565, King Philip of Spain sent Pedro Menéndez de Avilés (1519-1574), a Spanish admiral, to destroy a colony of French Huguenots that had established itself in Florida in territory claimed by Spain. On August 28, the Feast of St. Augustine of Hippo, Menéndez and his men landed near the native Timucua village of Seloy and founded the settlement of St. Augustine. Shortly after, they commemorated their safe passage by celebrating Mass--considered by many to be the first Catholic Mass celebrated on American soil--and invited their Timucuan neighbors to a meal of Thanksgiving.

As the meal took place shortly after the Spaniards' arrival, it would have been comprised of dishes produced from the remaining provisions brought from Spain. The most likely candidate was a stew called cocido, made of garbanzo beans and salt pork flavored with garlic, which would have been served with hardtack biscuits and red wine. The Timucua probably contributed dishes made of corn, venison, and tortoise, staples of their diet.

The battle over the "first Thanksgiving" is in all likelihood a moot point, for as historian Michael Gannon points out, other Europeans in pre-Mayflower days would have marked their arrival with prayers of thanksgiving and perhaps even meals with their Native American neighbors. Gannon does emphasize, however, that the thanksgiving at St. Augustine was the first to take place at a permanent European settlement on the American continent. Sorry, Pilgrims!

In any case, I wish you a happy holiday marked by a spirit of genuine thanksgiving for all the blessings we share!

Source: 
Horowitz, Tony. A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World (Picador, 2008).

Review and Giveaway: TIME AND REGRET by M. K. Tod

In M. K. Tod's third novel, TIME AND REGRET (Lake Union), a ticking-clock mystery provides the link between two narratives set in different eras. In March 1991, Grace Hansen, a just-divorced single mom trying to determine a new course for her life, finds a tackle box in her attic. The box contains mementos gathered by her beloved grandfather, Martin Devlin, over the course of his deployment in France during the First World War. Included among the bullet casings, brass buttons, and photographs are Martin's wartime diaries, accompanied by a curious note: "To my dearest Grace, read carefully. I never should have taken them. Love always, Grandpa." Reading the diaries, however, fails to identify the object of her grandfather's regrets. Intrigued by the puzzle she knows her grandfather is depending on her to solve, Grace decides to retrace his steps in France, certain that visiting the battlefields and cities where Martin was stationed will provide the clues she needs.

Martin's past sets the itinerary for Grace's journey. Tod weaves entries from Martin's diaries into Grace's first person account of her travels in northwestern France. In addition, the author introduces chapters narrated from Martin's unique perspective. This powerful combination of dramatic action and Martin's own musings eloquently depicts the effects of the horrors of war on a conscientious, honorable man. The reader watches Martin spiral into deep depression and unchecked rage as he witnesses the deaths of the men he commands and the friends he loves. Tod channels her extensive research on life in the trenches and the larger objectives of the war into a realistic yet touching portrait of a single psyche struggling to remain true to honor and duty in the face of senseless brutality. By asking Grace to rectify the crime he committed at his lowest point, Martin seeks forgiveness for his failing and offers her the key she needs to understand the family's thorny dynamics.

As she struggles to decipher her grandfather's secret and later, to make amends for his actions, Grace's life becomes increasingly complicated. Martin's secret has far-reaching effects. It becomes a point of contention between Grace and her imperious grandmother, who profited from her husband's actions. It threatens to destroy Grace's burgeoning relationship with charming museum director Pierre Auffret. It places Grace's very life in danger, as third parties trail and threaten her in order to recover the diaries and abscond with prize. The difficulties and dangers Grace faces help her to sort out her future and regain her self-possession after the heartache and uncertainties of her divorce. As Martin spirals downwards, Grace engages in an upward climb, garnering the courage to make difficult choices and acknowledge the validity of her dreams and desires. Her ultimate success in undoing Martin's wrong proves doubly powerful--not only does Grace redeem her beloved grandfather and correct a longstanding injustice, but she saves herself and opens a future she'd never imagined possible.

TIME AND REGRET successfully melds elements of women's fiction, historical fiction, and traditional mystery into an entertaining and satisfying read. A competent historian and skillful storyteller, M. K. Tod should certainly harbor no regrets in sharing this highly engaging tale with a broad audience.

**********

To read other reviews and an excerpt of TIME AND REGRET and an interview with M. K. Tod, please follow this link to the France Book Tours blog tour home page.

**********

To enter the drawing to win one of five print copies of TIME AND REGRET, please follow this link below. Contest open internationally.

Entry-Form 

**********

M. K. Tod began writing in 2005 while living as an expat in Hong Kong. What started as an interest in her grandparents' lives turned into a full-time occupation writing historical fiction. In addition to writing historical novels, she blogs about reading and writing at www.awriterofhistory.com, reviews books for the Historical Novel Society and the Washington Independent Review of Books, as has conducted three highly respected reader surveys. She lives in Toronto, Canada, with her husband and is the mother of two adult children.

Interview with Susan Spann, Author of THE NINJA'S DAUGHTER

Today I welcome my friend Susan Spann, author of the popular Shinobi Mystery series set in sixteenth century Japan. Susan has just published the fourth novel in the series. In THE NINJA'S DAUGHTER (which I reviewed yesterday), master ninja Hiro Hattori and Portuguese Jesuit Father Mateo investigate the murder of an actor's daughter from the Kyoto theater district--an investigation that soon reveals a mysterious golden coin, a forbidden love affair, a missing mask, and a dangerous link to corruption that leaves both Hiro and Father Mateo running for their lives. I hope the following interview with Susan will have you running to your nearest bookstore for a copy of THE NINJA'S DAUGHTER as soon as you reach the end!

THE NINJA’S DAUGHTER is set in the theater district of sixteenth-century Kyoto, with actors as primary characters. What about this milieu particularly appealed to you as a rich setting for a historical mystery?

Medieval Japanese culture was multifaceted, with each social or mercantile group coexisting but also living distinctly separately from the others. I love exploring a different aspect of the culture in every book, and the theater world had such fascinating customs that I wanted to bring it to life. For example, the custom that only men could act on the stage made women far less prominent in the acting guilds than they often were among merchant families. The idea that an actor’s daughter might not accept her societal role—and what might happen to her as a result—intrigued me, and that in turn gave birth to THE NINJA'S DAUGHTER.

What is your favorite scene from THE NINJA’S DAUGHTER and why? Which scene was the most difficult to write?

My favorite scene is one that actually didn’t appear in the original manuscript. My fabulous agent, Sandra Bond, read the completed story before we sent it on to my editor, Dan Mayer, at Seventh Street Books. When she finished reading, she sent me an email that basically said, “it’s great . . . but it needs another death.” Without giving away too much (or any spoilers) I added a scene in which Hiro and Father Mateo have to deal with an unexpected (and unwanted) body.

All of the scenes involving the victim’s family were difficult to write, because of their high emotional charge. The victim was a teenaged girl, and portraying that loss realistically was difficult, both in the writing and on an emotional level.

Last year you were able to travel to Japan for research. How have your descriptions benefitted from your sensory experience of Japan? Did cultural or historical discoveries influence the trajectory of your plot?

I adore Japan, and spending time there definitely impacts my novels. The biggest benefit is walking in the footsteps of my characters—seeing the temples and shrines that form the settings of many scenes in the novel helps me set the scenery in a more realistic and accurate way. For example, visiting Fushimi Inari shrine helped me recreate the nō play that takes place near the base of Mt. Inari in THE NINJA'S DAUGHTER.

I spent a lot of time researching nō theater and the performers’ customs, particularly the treatment of the special, often sacred masks the performers wore on stage. Although most of that research did not make it onto the page, my fascination with masks did inspire and influence one of the story’s major subplots.

Since I’ve never written a mystery, I’d love to hear how you construct one. Do you begin from a forward-looking “what if” sort of question or work backwards from a desired end result? Do you layer in different characters’ reactions and alibis in subsequent drafts or do you have most things worked out before you begin? As you write, how do you judge whether misdirection and red herrings are working?

Since I write series mystery, I already have my detectives and their basic world in mind before I start each book. Because of that, I normally start with the setting and work from there. THE NINJA'S DAUGHTER is unusual, because it was originally supposed to be set among the outcaste classes—butchers and tanners—but I switched it to a theater book about halfway through the initial draft when I realized my original setting wouldn’t work for the plot I had in mind. (Fortunately, I already knew I wanted to write a theater book, so it was more a matter of overlaying the theater on the existing skeleton than a total rewrite.)

With most of my mysteries, including next year’s BETRAYAL AT IGA, I start with a setting—for that book, the mountain village that’s home to my detective’s Iga ninja clan—and then decide what kind of death would likely occur in that particular time and place. Since the Iga ninjas were assassins, and Hiro and Father Mateo are traveling there to keep the peace during tense negotiations with the rival Koga clan, the most alarming death I could imagine was the murder of the Koga ambassador, by poison, under conditions that made it look as if the Iga clan was responsible for his death. The rest of the plot, the suspects, and the story grew from there.

I write an 8-10 page outline before I start drafting, and most of the alibis, red herrings, and major clues get figured out at the outline stage. Once I start writing, however, the outline always changes. New characters show up unexpectedly, existing characters act in ways I hadn’t anticipated, and I often discover subplots and additional clues as I go along.

Hiro and Father Mateo have worked together now through four novels. How has their relationship changed since the first book? What obstacle/character flaw/cultural restriction poses the greatest threat to their friendship? Do you foresee a time when their mutual trust might become sorely tested?

Hiro and Father Mateo’s relationship has definitely deepened, and their friendship strengthened substantially, since CLAWS OF THE CAT. They’ve begun to trust one another more, which allows me to share more about them with readers (through their communications). Their different perspectives—Hiro’s pragmatism and Father Mateo’s faith—continue to be stumbling blocks on occasion, but their growing mutual respect allows them to get along despite their differences.

Their mutual trust will absolutely be tested in future books, starting with the next installment, BETRAYAL OF IGA.

Of the numerous secondary characters who populate your novels, which intrigues you the most? Has any character turned out very different from what you first envisioned?

I love writing secondary characters, because they can be so unique and so different—and because I don’t necessarily have to bring them back in every book. Many of them do surprise me, mainly by becoming more important to the story than I originally anticipated. In THE NINJA'S DAUGHTER, my favorite secondary character is the victim’s younger brother, Haru. The scene in which he saves a giant Japanese beetle runs a close second for my favorite scene in the book.

THE NINJA’S DAUGHTER is your fourth published novel. How have you progressed as a writer since penning the first, CLAWS OF THE CAT? How do you challenge yourself to improve and grow, especially within the confines of a series?

I try to improve my craft with every book I write (and hopefully, I succeed!). My dialogue skills have definitely improved since CLAWS OF THE CAT, and I think my characters have more depth now, too. I’ve learned to tap into deeper emotions, which was important for THE NINJA'S DAUGHTER.

From a series perspective, I don’t let myself get away with repeating tricks. Each novel has to involve a different kind of murder, in a different setting, and my ninja detective, Hiro, has to use a different kind of ninja skill or tool in every book. In the future installments, I’ll also be putting my medieval Japanese spin on a few classic mystery tropes, like the “locked room murder”—but presented in a fresh, new way.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers, especially in today’s difficult market?

To quote the movie GALAXY QUEST: “Never give up—Never surrender.” Publishing is difficult, and the journey to publication can be long, hard, and apparently never-ending. It took me ten years and five full manuscripts to find my agent and secure my first publishing deal. Many times, I wondered if the effort was worth it or if I should just give up. The problem is, you never know if the last rejection really was the last one, and the next response you receive might be the “yes” that you’ve been waiting for.

My advice is keep writing, keep believing, and keep pushing forward. As soon as you finish one book, start the next one. Each manuscript you write will make you stronger, and bring you that much closer to fulfillment of your dream.

**********
You can learn more about Susan Spann and her books at her website.

Review: THE NINJA'S DAUGHTER: A Hiro Hattori Novel by Susan Spann

Exciting as it is to discover a new author's works, it can be even more satisfying to watch a favorite author's novels grow richer and ever more compelling. Susan Spann takes her Shinobi Mysteries to a new level with this fourth installment, THE NINJA'S DAUGHTER, newly released from Seventh Street Books. Spann sets ninja detective Hiro Hattori and Portuguese Jesuit Father Mateo on a quest to identify the killer of an actor's daughter found strangled on a riverbank in sixteenth century Kyoto, Japan. As the men question suspects and seek motives, Spann probes the pair's pasts and scrutinizes their deepening friendship. Tantalizing glimpses of Hiro's and Mateo's inner lives enhance the novel's well-constructed plot and endow the story with an emotional richness the series' earlier books lacked.

From the back cover: When an actor's daughter is murdered on the banks of Kyoto's Kamo River, master ninja Hiro Hattori and Portuguese Jesuit Father Mateo are the victim's only hope for justice. As political tensions rise in the wake of the shogun's recent death and rival samurai threaten war, the Kyoto police forbid an investigation of the killing, to keep the peace. Undeterred, Hiro and Father Mateo undertake a secret investigation into the exclusive world of Kyoto's theater guilds, where nothing, and no one, is as it seems. Their investigation soon reveals a mysterious golden coin, a forbidden love affair, a missing mask, and a dangerous link to corruption that leaves both Hiro and Father Mateo running for their lives.

Of particular interest and importance to this book is its theatrical setting. Although their vocation required them to interact with members of the upper classes, Japanese society of the time viewed actors as social outcasts, individually dispensable and subject to strict rules of etiquette. Within a troupe itself, an actor's position and duties were determined by age, skill, and sex. Choosing an actor's daughter--the lowest of the low--as the murder victim allows Spann to not only expose her readers to a fascinating milieu, but to examine questions of personal dignity and self-determination--questions upon which Father Mateo's Christian worldview sets him in direct oppostion to Hiro's cultural mores. Plunged into a world where masks are continually donned then shed, Hiro and Mateo find their own masks--the habitual personas they've adopted to survive--beginning to slip. The murdered girl's similarity to someone in Father Mateo's past affects him deeply and causes him to reveal to Hiro memories long suppressed; Hiro, though displaying an assassin's ruthlessness when circumstances require it (and they do), finds himself questioning long-held assumptions and betraying a compassion his sardonic veneer cannot completely hide. No longer deniable, the influence of each man on the other lends a certain piquancy to their interactions and an added dimension to their investigation, which seeks to reclaim the dignity of a woman robbed of the destiny she struggled to forge.

Spann's handles the large cast of characters and intricate plot with deft assurance, taking care to insert the immediate mystery into the overarching political conflict without overwhelming it. Likewise, she provides enough context from the previous books to orient new readers without boring dedicated fans (or spoiling the earlier tales' reveals). Hiro's wry perspective and dry humor provide a delicious counterbalance to Father Mateo's honest earnestness and selfless dedication to saving souls. If you've yet to read a Hiro Hattori mystery, you're in for a treat; if you've enjoyed the earlier installments, you'll find THE NINJA'S DAUGHTER particularly satisfying--even as it leaves you hungry for Hiro's next adventure.

**********
Susan Spann has published three previous novels in the Shinobi Mystery series: CLAWS OF THE CAT, BLADE OF THE SAMURAI, and FLASK OF THE DRUNKEN MASTER. She has a lifelong love of Japanese history and culture. When not writing, Susan works as a transactional attorney and raises seahorses in her marine aquarium. You can learn more about Susan and her books at her website.

Review: AT THE EDGE OF SUMMER by Jessica Brockmole

Summer is now in full swing, but there's no better time to read Jessica Brockmole's latest historical novel, AT THE EDGE OF SUMMER (Ballantine). Set in France during the years 1911 to 1919, it offers a poignant story of love and self-discovery amid the turmoil of war and explores the power of art to heal broken souls.

With her artist mother, Maud, having abandoned the family four years earlier and her scholarly grandfather traveling the world in search of obscure dialects, fifteen year-old Clare Ross is left little more than an orphan when her father dies unexpectedly in Scotland. Clare faces a lonely future with only servants for companions until Rowena Crépet, her mother's best friend from art school, whisks her off to Mille Mots, the Crépets' shabby but comfortable manor house in France. Consoled by the Crépets' warm welcome and the bright, unfamiliar colors of the French countryside, Clare slowly begins to heal. The Crépet's tennis-loving son, nineteen year-old Luc, returns from his studies in Paris each weekend to spend time with Clare. Together they steal treats from the kitchen, rove the countryside, draw--and fall in love.

Love, however, is not easy for either of them. Repeatedly abandoned by those closest to her, Clare finds it difficult to trust; she overreacts to perceived slights directed at herself or at her wayward mother. Luc, standing on the brink of his adult life, struggles with his growing feelings for the younger, vulnerable girl. In contrast to Clare, Luc trusts far too easily, as the series of tragic incidents involving a German friend of his will ultimately prove. Just when it seems Clare and Luc might indeed find their way into each other's arms and hearts, events and distance separate them. For a time, they correspond by letter, but ultimately lose track of each other. Chance--and art--will bring them together again, yet each has been so shaped by circumstance that their reunion, on a romantic level, is far from assured. Battle has robbed Luc of trust in himself and others; it up to Clare this time to find a way to draw him from his cave of pain.

Brockmole alternates between Clare's and Luc's perspectives in structuring her tale, offering insights into each character's mind and providing the reader the factual framework behind their frequent misunderstandings. The author employs her knack for letter writing, honed in her immensely popular debut novel LETTERS FROM SKYE (Ballantine, 2013), to good effect in the long stretches of novel where distance separates Clare and Luc. The characters' correspondence skillfully captures the bashful hesitancies and unfulfilled yearnings of a young couple exploring the terrain of love for the very first time. Brockmole grounds her characters' emotional journey squarely in history, constructing a central conflict that pits the duties of national allegiance against the ties of friendship and trust. This betrayal leads the reader into the Parisian studio of sculptor Anna Coleman Ladd, whose staff creates lifelike masks for soldiers disfigured by chemicals or wounds during the war--a fascinating and, for me, unfamiliar place. Although I was a bit disappointed the plot did not more fully exploit the thread of Clare's search for her mother, I found AT THE EDGE OF SUMMER to be a solid and satisfying follow-up to LETTERS FROM SKYE and a perfect summer read.

**********

Jessica Brockmole's first novel, the internationally bestselling LETTERS FROM SKYE, was named one of the best books of 2013 by Publishers Weekly. Her novella "Something Worth Landing For" appears in FALL OF POPPIES: Stories of Love and the Great War (William Morrow, 2016). She lives in northern Indiana with her husband, two children, and far too many books. You can learn more about Jessica and her books at her website.

Review: PROMISED TO THE CROWN by Aimie K. Runyan

Years ago, Nicole Macé's novel MARIE CARDUNER, FILLE DU ROY, written in French, introduced me to the fascinating history of the filles du roy, the eight hundred young French women who emigrated to Canada between 1663 and 1673 under the sponsorship of Louis XIV in order to find husbands and increase the population of New France. Intrigued by the world Macé evoked, I searched for other novels on the topic, only to discover the story of the filles du roy virtually unknown to English-language readers. Aimie K. Runyan's lovely novel, PROMISED TO THE CROWN, released today from Kensington, is the novel I had searched for back then. As the first volume in the DAUGHTERS OF NEW FRANCE series, it guarantees that the filles' story will reach a broad, and appreciative, audience.

PROMISED TO THE CROWN follows the plight of three filles who board ship for Québec and an uncertain future: Rose Barré, a well-born orphan relegated to a charity hospital after being abused by her guardian; Elisabeth Martin, a Parisian baker fleeing a scheming mother and an unwanted match; and Nicole Deschamps, a Norman farmer's daughter escaping rural poverty and a broken heart. During the long weeks at sea, the women develop a deep friendship that will sustain them through the joys and vicissitudes of life in the New World. Once arrived, they lodge in a convent where they learn the skills needed for life on the frontier and mingle with the settlement's eligible bachelors at carefully chaperoned receptions. Marriages eventually follow; each of the three women embraces, with varying amounts of enthusiasm, the challenges and opportunities their choice of husband entails. Runyan deftly weaves their personal hardships, tragedies, and blessings into a seamless narrative by alternating between their three perspectives by chapter. The resultant story chronicles not only the women's personal histories, but the evolution of a friendship that never would have been possible within the restrictive social framework of Old France.

Within its well-researched historical framework and convincing seventeenth century setting, PROMISED TO THE CROWN is a moving celebration of feminine friendship and strength. Elisabeth, Nicole, and Rose face uncertain, dangerous situations with a fortitude they never realized they possessed. Each turns to the others for advice in solving problems, support in grieving shattered dreams, and companionship in sharing good fortune. No matter what cruelties life in the northern settlement throws at them--and these trials are many and severe--the friends help each other overcome and prosper. More than once I wished misunderstanding, disapproval, or even betrayal might test their friendship; for all they face external hardships, nothing ever disturbs their cozy circle of comfort and unquestioning approbation. But the love Elisbeth, Nicole, and Rose share is hardly insular; in healing them of past hurts and traumas, it allows their circle of warmth to expand to include others in need of generous validation. Letting go of old resentments and forgiving the individuals they fled allows all three women to embrace a truly new life on New France's distant shores.

Sound in craft and big in heart, PROMISED TO THE CROWN offers convincing testimony to the courage of our continent's early settlers, the role of female friendship in creating vibrant community, and ability of love to heal brokenness of spirit. The filles du roy have found a gifted spokesperson in Aimie K. Runyan. I eagerly await forthcoming volumes of THE DAUGHTERS OF NEW FRANCE series.

**********

For more than a decade, Aimie K. Runyan taught French to high schoolers, with stints into English, Public Speaking, and Competitive Forensics. When she's not writing or wrangling her wayward toddlers, she enjoys hiking, baking, sewing (especially costumes), music (especially live), theater, movies, and all things sacred unto Nerd Culture. 

Aimie is proud to be a member of the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, Pikes Peak Writers, and the Women's Fictions Writers Association.

For more information about Aimie and her books, visit her website.

Review: THE SERPENT'S CROWN: A Novel of Medieval Cyprus by Hana Samek Norton

Readers eager for a sweeping historical novel with the flavor and complexity of a Dorothy Dunnett tale need look no further than THE SERPENT'S CROWN by Hana Samek Norton. Recently released by Cuidono, an independent press dedicated to publishing quality historical fiction, THE SERPENT'S CROWN continues the adventures of Juliana de Charnais and Guérin de LaSalle, scion of a minor branch of the powerful Lusignan family descended from the mythical enchantress Mélusine. The action of the novel moves from medieval Poitou in France to the Levant and back again as it seeks to answer Juliana's question, "What does a marriage make?" Cautioned by the example of Mélusine's marriage to her husband's ancestor and witnessing the treacherous net of ambitious unions that define the power structure of outre-mer, Juliana's physical search for her absent husband takes on intriguing philosophical and emotional overtones.

Troubled with doubt over the canonical legitimacy of their marriage (Guérin had been betrothed to another as a child) and desperately in love with her husband although she would never admit it, former novice Juliana devotes herself to their infant daughter Eleanor and to finding her place among her husband's people in Poitou. But then a messenger arrives from the Knights Templar in Jerusalem, summoning Guérin to the Levant to shore up the crown of his cousin Aiméry de Lusignan, King of Cyprus. Guérin abandons Juliana, and soon after his departure, his father assumes custody of Eleanor. Distraught at her loss and seeing no other way to reclaim her child, Juliana travels to Cyprus to bring Guérin home. Her task is far from easy: Guérin has become deeply emmeshed in the convoluted plots and complicated loyalties of the interrelated Frankish families that seek hegemony over Jerusalem and Cyprus. Juliana must rely on wits and inner strength to survive the treachery that threatens not only to upset the balance of power in the Levant, but to destroy her marriage. As she works to outmaneuver shadowy agents intent on wresting the kingdom from Aiméry's young son Hugh, she is forced to confront her own inability to trust her husband and the difficulties she has ordering marriage's conflicting duties and purposes.

Norton does a marvelous job recreating the opulent, treacherous world of outre-mer as the arena for Juliana's growth. The author's descriptions of the physical setting are replete with sensory detail, from the taste of grapes and olive oil to the haunting beauty of tumbled classical ruins. She keeps the reader grounded amid the complicated politics and factional interests of the families competing to rule the Holy Land, the details of which might overwhelm those with little previous knowledge of the place and time. Within this broader framework, Norton creates unique characters whose particular aims and foibles generate fast-paced yet often subtle action laced with delicious twists. I did occasionally feel a bit lost trying to follow cryptic conversations and understand veiled motives, but disparate plot elements ultimately came together in satisfying fashion. Norton admirably meets what can be a difficult challenge for writers of historical fiction: the interweaving of the main characters' personal conflict and the broader political intrigue into an absorbing and gratifying whole.

THE SERPENT'S CROWN is the sequel to THE SIXTH SENSE, published by Plume in 2010. Although I thoroughly appreciated CROWN on its own, I suspect my understanding of the dynamics of the relationship between Juliana and Guérin would have benefitted from having read the previous novel. I sometimes wished for a deeper understanding of why Juliana fights her love for Guérin and mistrusts him for so long. The sequel sketches in the facts of the couple's early history but not much in the way of its emotional contours. Nevertheless, I rooted for Juliana and Guérin throughout and hoped that by the end of the novel they would not only be able to answer the question "What does a marriage make?" but live out that answer together.

********

Hana Samek Norton grew up in the former Czechoslovakia exploring the ruins of castles and cloisters where she became captivated by history and historical fiction. She later earned history degrees from the University of Western Ontario and the University of New Mexico. She currently lives in New Mexico, where she works as a consultant and occasionally teaches. THE SERPENT'S CROWN is her second novel. You can learn more about Hana and her books at her website. THE SERPENT'S CROWN may be purchased directly from Cuidono Press or from Amazon.

Easter Wishes

HAPPY EASTER!

Famed Renaissance artist Léonard Limousin painted this image of the Resurrection of Christ in enamel on copper in 1553 as an altarpiece for the Sainte Chappelle in Paris. Installed on Assumption Day in 1553, the painting adorned the Sainte Chappelle until the Revolution. It was moved to the Louvre in 1816. Note the intertwined H and D emblem of Henri II and his mistress Diane de Poitiers emblazoned in the border.

Review: FALL OF POPPIES: Stories of Love and the Great War (William Morrow)

Riding high on the current wave of interest in the Great War, FALL OF POPPIES (William Morrow, March 1) offers lovers of historical fiction a poignant array of stories from some of the genre’s most popular writers. The nine-story collection explores the panoply of emotions that gripped the war-weary world on Armistice Day, dramatizing the effect of the end of conflict on those who survived to see it. Like the blood-red ceramic poppies planted in the moat of the Tower of London to commemorate the war’s fallen soldiers, each story pays tribute, through the evocative, emotional power of fiction, to the soldiers and civilians that experienced the relief, joy, grief, and hope that swept over Europe and America on that long-awaited day.

FALL OF POPPIES includes stories by Jessica Brockmole, Hazel Gaynor, Evangeline Holland, Marci Jefferson, Kate Kerrigan, Jennifer Robson, Heather Webb, Beatriz Williams, and Lauren Willig. Each story exhibits the sound, vivid writing expected of established authors. Linked only by Armistice Day as a point of reference, the collection presents a broad range of characters, settings, and conflicts. The selections move from an Allied hospital in Belgium to a coffee plantation in Kenya to the nightclubs of Paris to a museum in Dublin. Novice pilots, generous sculptors, vengeful mothers, and conscientious objectors all search to make sense of their disrupted lives and disordered worlds. The fallen are mourned as new births are celebrated; aspirations die through tragic mistakes even as happy coincidence opens unimagined futures; destruction and upheaval force change and forge opportunity. It is hope that unites and animates these characters on their disparate paths: the hope of finding their missing, of hugging their beloved, of living another messy, uncertain, yet glorious day. Victim and victor alike struggle to build a future from the ruins of the past, a future all the stronger and more beautiful for the suffering endured along the way.

Readers will appreciate the individual stories for varied reasons, be it unforgettable characters (Webb’s devastated mother, Brockmole’s selfless pilot, Gaynor’s dedicated midwife), unique voice (William’s idealistic airman, Holland’s cautious cabaret dancer), heartrending conflict (Kerrigan’s ill-fated Irish/English romance, Willig’s disastrous misunderstanding), or distinctive historical content (Robson’s masks for the maimed, Jefferson’s underground nurses). Fans of particular authors will be more than satisfied by their favorites’ contributions and grateful for the introduction to the other authors’ work. An engaging, electrifying read, FALL OF POPPIES channels broader questions of love and loss through the prism of the Great War and demonstrates with convincing aplomb why historical fiction enjoys its current appeal.