Hello everyone. Welcome back to Bibliophilia Book Reviews. In this post, I will be doing a wrap up of all the books I read in August. This month is probably the one in which I read the least amount of books that fulfill my monthly reading challenge. I only completed three prompts, and two books of the six that I read this month were rereads. Also, this is the only month of the year thus far in which I read more nonfiction books than fiction.
1. NONFICTION: The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made England by Dan Jones
This book relates 245 years of English history and warfare as the country transforms from an Anglo-Norman realm to one of the most powerful and sophisticated realms in Europe of the Middle Ages. It begins with the civil war betwe+Maude, Countess of Anjou, the heir of king Henry I, and her cousin Stephen, who does not welcome the prospect of being ruled by a woman and seizes the throne. And it ends when Henry Bolingbroke deposes king Richard II in 1399 and becomes king Henry IV of the House of Lancaster. Read my full review for this book here.
2. LIBRARY BOOK: Greek Myths: A New Retelling by Charlotte Higgins
This book is a retelling and reinterpretation of the Greek myths that have come down to us in literature since Homer and Hesiod. Higgins’ book is similar to timeless classics such as Robert Graves Greek Myths, Edith Hamilton’s Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes, and Bulfinch’s Mythology by Thomas Bulfinch as well as to the more contemporary books Mythos, Heroes, and Troy by Stephen Fry. Every myth retold in this book is narrated from the point of view of a woman, who weave the scenes of the myth she is telling on her tapestry. This manner of recounting the myths is a form of art particular to women, and the author never lets us forget that it is women who take center stage here. Hence, she begins her retelling by summoning the powers of the most powerful and mayhap most misunderstood goddesses in the Greek pantheon: The Fates, weavers of life, who, in turn, summon the goddess who invented weaving and who begins telling the myth of Creation on her loom: Athena.
Other famous weavers of Greek mythology include Helen and Penelope, both of whom are featured in this book. Hence, every myth retold here is linked to one another through weaving, which was such an important aspect of Greek culture and the lives of its women. I Liked This Book And Will Probably Read It Again. Disclaimer: This picture is not mine. I borrowed it from Goodreads.
3. BOOK CLUB BOOK: The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
This book is the story of two nations divided by their religious beliefs. One of them worships dragons while the other despises them. One of them rides dragons and the other kills them. The impending threat of The Nameless One, however, will force both of them to unite forces and save the world.
This synopsis is rather simple and generic, I know, considering how big this book is. But I would need more space otherwise. Told from the point of view of four main characters, this book is frequently compared to the paragon of political intrigue in fantasy, Game of Thrones. Sadly, I don’t agree. Yes, this book is a behemoth (and GoT is one of the longest fantasy series out there) and full of political intrigue but this is not an accurate comparison. GoT is an entirely different level of political intrigue. This is not to say that The Priory of The Orange Tree is bad, though, it’s just different.
I ended up liking this book more than I thought I would. But I do have some complaints. First, the romance. I liked Ead and Sabran’s relationship, but I did not like that EVERY romantic relationship in this book, except one, was a gay or lesbian relationship. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t have anything against same-sex romantic relationships, it’s just that it’s harder for me to connect with the characters that way because I don’t identify as a lesbian. Does that make sense? However, I did like that both Ead and Sabran were very mature in their relationship, and both of them grew into the most powerful form of themselves once they accepted who they were. On the other hand, I did think that Ead’s story took precedence over that of the other three main characters, and that Tané and Loth’s storylines were not explored as well as they could have been. And finally, the villain was a little disappointing. The Nameless One was obviously based on Lord Voldemort or Sauron, but he fell rather short in his evilness and was defeated very quickly. His second in command was actually more memorable in my opinion. Nonetheless, I Really Liked This Book And Will Probably Read It Again.
4. The War of the Roses by Dan Jones
This is a historical account of the Wars of the Roses that took place in England between 1455 and 1485. These wars were the result of the battles waged between the Yorks (whose badge was a white rose) and the Lancastrians (whose badge was a red rose) to occupy the throne. The wars ended after 30 years of political manipulation, carnage, and annihilation when a new royal dynasty emerged: The Tudors.
If there is one thing that I learned about this period of English history after reading this book is that it is amazing how much trouble and strife a person can cause. A person unfit to rule, that is. And no offense to Henry VI but a lot of lives were lost to his ineptitude. Let us not forget that Richard II, of the House of York, was deposed in 1399 by Henry Bolingbroke, later known as Henry IV, of the House of Lancaster. Henry IV’s grandson, Henry VI, was himself deposed in 1461 by Edward IV of the House of York. Despite several attempts to put Henry VI back on the throne, Edward IV remained on the throne until his death, whereupon his brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, seized the crown by imprisoning the young Edward V and his younger brother Richard in the Tower of London and became Richard III. Edward V and his brother were eventually killed, and Richard III would be known to posterity as the king who imprisoned his nephews to seize the throne. He is also the last king of the House of York and Plantagenet dynasty after Henry Tudor defeats him in the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. With Henry Tudor’s accession to the throne, as Henry VII, he married Edward IV’s eldest daughter, Elizabeth of York, and the white rose of York and red rose of Lancaster become one and are now known as the Tudor Rose. By the reign of Henry VIII, the Plantagenet dynasty was all but annihilated.
5. The Body by Bill Bryson
This book is a recount of how the body works for the non-specialist. It is also aptly named A Guide For Occupants, for that is what it is. It is a tour of the human body, beginning from the hair and skin to the head, heart, lungs, digestive system, reproductive system, immune system, circulatory and nervous system, and other parts of the body. It also has a chapter on microbes and diseases that are very interesting. Though I do not think that this book provides any new knowledge to a doctor, it is, however, a worthwhile read for anyone interested in learning more about our bodies and how they work. Most importantly, it brings to mind how often we take our body for granted and don’t take care of it as we should.
6. Servant of the Underworld by Ailette de Bodard
This book is a reread for me. I read it the first time around earlier this year and wrote a review for it in my February Wrap Up. Read it here.
