I've always been a fan of historical fiction, but lately there haven't been many that made me lose my sleep. From the top of my mind, old favorites include The Pillars of the earth, The lady and the unicorn, Girl in hyacinth blue, The passion of Artemisia, The Lymond chronicles, The other boleyn girl, The name of the rose, The sunne in splendour, Outlander ... just to name a few.
So when A. suggested I read The tea rose, by Jennifer Donnelly, I started reading it with a mixed feeling of high expectations and not wanting to be too disappointed. Well, I shouldn't have worried. This and its sequel, The winter rose, totally transported me to Victorian London and 19th century New York in a heartbeat. Fiona and India are the kind of heroines I so much enjoy ... smart, determined, passionate and resourceful women. It's true that there are a few too many twists sometimes, but the story never loses its pace and keeps you interested till the end. I enjoyed the first volume immensely but the second one was even better, so now I'll wait eagerly for the third (why is it that I have a hunch it will be about Seamie and Willa ?). So, if you're looking for a nice summer read, give these a try and (I hope) you won't regret it ...
