First fiction from French historian Armel (and biographer of Marguerite Duras): a skillful, knowledgeable, and moving...
A subtle and quietly compelling double look back: at the life of Piero della Francesco (d. 1492), then, from there, at the life of the Queen of Sheba in the tenth-century b.c.
From the moment Piero first sees the young Silvia, he wants to marry her, and he does so, even though she’s an orphan of mysterious origin, raised by monks. The marriage is happy except for two things: the pair remain childless; and Silvia fears that if Piero heeds those calling him to Rome to pursue his painting there, he will be tainted and corrupted by that sinful place. So, to keep him at home, she begins the Scheherazade-like tactic of writing the story of the Queen of Sheba from notes (provided by Fra Bartolomeo, one of the monks from her childhood) said to be those of a traveler to the east. What Silvia hopes is that her story will inspire Piero with ideas for paintings that he will start on right away, not in Rome, and so vivid is the tale she writes that Piero is indeed obsessed by it—as is Silvia, the teller of the tale, as the story becomes wholly intertwined with the novel itself. When Sheba’s king dies in battle, his daughter Bilqis is only 16, yet she must take over the reins of government as he had trained her in the years of her growing up. Like Silvia, Bilqis is lovely and sensitive; like Silvia, she has a mysterious mother; and, like Silvia, she loves a great man: Piero in Silvia’s case, King Solomon in that of Bilqis, whose long journey to Jerusalem—on diplomacy—and her stay there in the court of Solomon, both as diplomat and lover, are beautifully realized. The fate of each, Silvia and Bilqis, must be left for the reader to learn.
First fiction from French historian Armel (and biographer of Marguerite Duras): a skillful, knowledgeable, and moving double-historical.Pub Date: July 15, 2004
ISBN: 1-59264-053-2
Page Count: 180
Publisher: Toby Press
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2004
Anyone who believes in true love or is simply willing to accept it as the premise of a winding tale will find this debut an...
True love flares between two people, but they find that circumstances always impede it.
On a winter day in London, Laurie spots Jack from her bus home and he sparks a feeling in her so deep that she spends the next year searching for him. Her roommate and best friend, Sarah, is the perfect wing-woman but ultimately—and unknowingly—ends the search by finding Jack and falling for him herself. Laurie’s hasty decision not to tell Sarah is the second painful missed opportunity (after not getting off the bus), but Sarah’s happiness is so important to Laurie that she dedicates ample energy into retraining her heart not to love Jack. Laurie is misguided, but her effort and loyalty spring from a true heart, and she considers her project mostly successful. Perhaps she would have total success, but the fact of the matter is that Jack feels the same deep connection to Laurie. His reasons for not acting on them are less admirable: He likes Sarah and she’s the total package; why would he give that up just because every time he and Laurie have enough time together (and just enough alcohol) they nearly fall into each other’s arms? Laurie finally begins to move on, creating a mostly satisfying life for herself, whereas Jack’s inability to be genuine tortures him and turns him into an ever bigger jerk. Patriarchy—it hurts men, too! There’s no question where the book is going, but the pacing is just right, the tone warm, and the characters sympathetic, even when making dumb decisions.
Anyone who believes in true love or is simply willing to accept it as the premise of a winding tale will find this debut an emotional, satisfying read.Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-525-57468-2
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: July 30, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK TO SCREEN
Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of...
Hoover’s (November 9, 2015, etc.) latest tackles the difficult subject of domestic violence with romantic tenderness and emotional heft.
At first glance, the couple is edgy but cute: Lily Bloom runs a flower shop for people who hate flowers; Ryle Kincaid is a surgeon who says he never wants to get married or have kids. They meet on a rooftop in Boston on the night Ryle loses a patient and Lily attends her abusive father’s funeral. The provocative opening takes a dark turn when Lily receives a warning about Ryle’s intentions from his sister, who becomes Lily’s employee and close friend. Lily swears she’ll never end up in another abusive home, but when Ryle starts to show all the same warning signs that her mother ignored, Lily learns just how hard it is to say goodbye. When Ryle is not in the throes of a jealous rage, his redeeming qualities return, and Lily can justify his behavior: “I think we needed what happened on the stairwell to happen so that I would know his past and we’d be able to work on it together,” she tells herself. Lily marries Ryle hoping the good will outweigh the bad, and the mother-daughter dynamics evolve beautifully as Lily reflects on her childhood with fresh eyes. Diary entries fancifully addressed to TV host Ellen DeGeneres serve as flashbacks to Lily’s teenage years, when she met her first love, Atlas Corrigan, a homeless boy she found squatting in a neighbor’s house. When Atlas turns up in Boston, now a successful chef, he begs Lily to leave Ryle. Despite the better option right in front of her, an unexpected complication forces Lily to cut ties with Atlas, confront Ryle, and try to end the cycle of abuse before it’s too late. The relationships are portrayed with compassion and honesty, and the author’s note at the end that explains Hoover’s personal connection to the subject matter is a must-read.
Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of the survivors.Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-5011-1036-8
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Atria
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
