Bora Erdem Erdem itibaren Gümüşlü Mahallesi, Amasya Merkez/Amasya, Türkiye
A very enjoyable depiction of a remarkable woman's life. Not being familiar with the period, I can't comment on the historical accuracy, but the story seemed plausible and there was nothing that threw me out of the story. I had a few minor issues with it, which prevent me giving it five stars: it started off somewhat slowly, and it took some time for me to become absorbed with the story (at one stage, I put the novel down and went onto something else). The narrative is third person limited, but particularly in the beginning, I found there were frequent and distracting POV shifts from person to person. However, I'm really glad I persisted with it, because Emma of Normandy is a fascinating woman, and on the whole, this novel does her justice. Helen Hollick demonstrates here that historical fiction does not need to be "sexed up" to be made more interesting, but lets the events and people of the time speak for themselves.I particularly liked the way Hollick did not rely on sensationalised legends for a number of events but used a more prosaic explanation (eg. the bizarre manner of death for certain individuals), which was just as effective and made the story more interesting rather than less. Any characters or events that were fictionalised fitted seamlessly into the narrative, and the author provides a comprehensive and informative Author's Note at the end. Definitely recommended.
A strong book from a strong woman. Focusing on the increasing divide between the haves and have-nots (and the fall out from that), the author obliges us to acknowledge our responsibility in being part of the problem or part of the solution. She writes so intelligently and clearly that it's like seeing a flashing neon sign: "Wake up!"
Holy OMG THIS BOOK IS AWESOME!!!! It picks right up where The Name of the Wind leaves off, and is just as well written, complex, and engrossing as the first book. Amazing!!!!!!!! I can't wait for the third book!!!!!!!
What a legend. It jumps around a lot and MAN does she love to talk about her little black dress and her hair and her pink boots, but still, what a legend