A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel

"They are rioting,” Claude said simply. “The dismissal of M. Necker has caused a furor. We are plunged into a state of anarchy, and anarchy is not a word I use ... There is a state of insurrection .. They are setting the customs barriers on fire. They have closed the theaters and broken into the waxworks … There are five thousand people, six thousand people, marching on the Tuileries. That is just one procession and there are others coming up to join them. They are destroying the city.” - Hilary Manrel, A Place Of Greater Safety

A Place Of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel. Published in 1992 is an excellent novel about the French Revolution and how what began with noble ideals descended into mass terror.  I am on page 202 and the book is over 700 pages but it doesn't feel long. It’s the kind of novel I can't wait to get back to reading.

A Place Of Greater Safety tells the story of the French Revolution by focusing on three of its revolutionary leaders: Camille Desmoulins, Georges Danton and Maximillian Robespierre. Robespierre's name is the most well known because he was the most infamous.

During the French Revolution Robespierre was one of the most prominent leaders of what has come to be known as “The Reign of Terror”. I did some checking and according to AI about 17,000 died by guillotine and many more died in prison during the Reign of Terror and Robespierre referred to the people who were killed as “enemies of the Revolution”.

As for Camille Desmoulins and Georges Danton they bravely spoke out when they saw how bloodthirsty the revolution was becoming and they paid for their courage with their lives. Things did not end well for Robespierre either.

A Place Of Greater Safety isn't all violence and executions however. We meet Camille Desmoulins, Georges Danton and Maximillian Robespierre as children. We get to know their families, their days in school, who they married and how they became revolutionaries.

Many other fascinating characters populate the book. Lucille Desmoulins, Gabrielle Danton, Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, the Duke of Orleans to name just a few.  And they are so well drawn by Hilary Mantel. 

Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette can be exasperating. Louis is ineffectual in dealing with France's worsening economic crisis and Marie Antoinette has been living in her own world buying dresses, jewels, new furniture.

But I had empathy for them in that they were trapped in the roles history assigned to them. Marie Antoinette was married off to Louis XVI at age 16. And Louis from birth was destined to be King a job he didn’t know how to do and probably didn't even want.

I am a quarter of the way through A Place Of Greater Safety and normally I wait until I finish a book before sharing my thoughts. But I just couldn't resist. It's such a great read.

Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey

Dragonflight (1968) by Anne McCaffrey is book six for my classics challenge, choose a science fiction classic, hosted by Ann at Search For Wonder.  Science Fiction/Fantasy is not a genre I normally read but I have been curious for a long time about Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series.   

Dragonflight, the first novel in the series, is set way into the future on the planet of Pern. Pern was first colonized by humans from Earth. But no one from Earth came back to bring the colonists home.  And so after thousands of years the people of Pern have built their own civilization and have forgotten all about their Earthly ancestors.

The people of Pern have created a world that is medieval, a feudal society consisting of three groups: The Holds, The Crafts, and the Weyrs.  The Holds are the townspeople. They farm, provide food and supplies to the Crafts and the Weyrs. The Crafts are skilled at particular trades: artists, doctors, teachers, musicians, etc.

And then we have the Weyr people. They are the dragonriders. Their sole job along with their dragons is to protect Pern. The people of Pern are in danger every 200 years when a wayward planet in their solar system nears them and the "threads" on that planet descend on Pern like a plague of locusts devouring everything in sight.

And as Dragonflight opens, danger is coming. But it’s been so long since the last thread attack that the Holds and the Crafts have decided that fear of the threads is a myth that people once believed in but no longer should. The Weyrs have gotten cavalier as well. The number of dragons has been allowed to run low and only the dragonrider F'lar and Lessa, a young woman from the Hold, understand the danger that Pern is facing. But will they be able to convince others and create a battle plan capable of vanquishing the threads?

A word of caution.  The dragons share a close bond with their riders and the dragons do not harm the people of Pern.  But they are predatory and hungry creatures and the livestock on Pern is not so lucky when the dragons are around. This can be somewhat off putting to readers new to science fiction.   But cuddly dragons would not have been believable and they certainly would be no match for the threads

Anne McCaffrey is an excellent writer and I can see why her Dragonriders series is such a classic in the world of science fiction and fantasy. She has created in Pern a world of wonder and imagination. And once I learned the history of Pern the novel opened up to me. I recommend Dragonflight to lovers of science fiction and fantasy, Game of Thrones fans, and those who enjoy medieval historical fiction. My genre continues to be mystery novels, true crime, and gothic suspense. But I am glad I moved out of my comfort zone and gave Dragonflight a read.

The Darkness by Ragnar Jonasson

Hulda Hermannsdóttir has been a detective inspector with the Reykjavík Police Department for many years. But she is approaching 65 when The Darkness ( 2015) by Ragnar Jónasson begins and retirement is mandatory. Hulda, a widow who lives alone, is dreading retirement. And her only child, a daughter, died years ago at age 13 and she continues to feel grief to this day. 

But Hulda's job as a detective, solving crimes and seeking justice for the victims, has given her life a purpose. Hulda doesn't know what she will do once she retires although she has been getting close to her neighbor Petur who is kind, a great cook and a good listener. Maybe Petur is the future Hulda has been hoping for and deserves.

Before Hulda retires the head of her department informs her that she can choose whatever cold case she wants to investigate. Hilda chooses the case of a young Russian woman, Elena, who came to Iceland seeking asylum and wound up dead a year ago. The police ruled it a suicide but Hulda doesn't agree and so her investigation begins.

I loved so much about The Darkness.  Ragnar Jonasson is a wonderful writer and his mysteries are international bestsellers. The Icelandic setting is haunting and cold and adds so much to this novel. And Hulda is such a well drawn and relatable character that I pretty much forgot about Elena's murder.  It was Hulda's life story and my hopes for her future that gripped me. 

But should you read The Darkness? This novel is certainly a fair play mystery in that the clues will lead you to the killer. But if you are waiting for a satisfying ending like I was (SPOILER ALERT) it doesn't come for Hulda, the victims or justice. 

That came as a shock by the time I got to the end of the novel.  A believable shock probably closer to what happens in real life.  Justice doesn't always prevail and people don't always get a second chance at happiness.  But do I really want to be reminded of this in my mystery novels? 

I do intend to try another book by Ragnar Jonasson but maybe something a little more conventional. 

Craven Manor by Darcy Coates

"Mr. Daniel Kane, I would like to offer you the job of groundskeeper for Craven Manor, starting immediately. Follow Tilbrook Street until it forks at the dead oak. Turn right and travel on for two miles to reach the property. I look forward to your direct response. Bran" -  Craven Manor by Darcy Coates

Daniel Kane is a recently homeless young man alone in the world with the exception of his cousin Kyle who is renting him a room.  When Kyle takes on a second roommate Daniel is consigned to the couch.  

Its not a good living arrangement and then a mysterious letter arrives offering Daniel a steady job as a groundskeeper at Craven Manor.  The job seems too good to pass up until Daniel visits Craven Manor and discovers a 200 year old desolate mansion with dust and decay everywhere.  And who is this mysterious Bran?  Still, Daniel  is desperate.  He accepts the job, moves into the groundskeskeeper's cottage next to Craven Manor and the novel proceeds from there.

Craven Manor (2017) is the second novel I have read by Darcy Coates.  The first novel was The Haunting of Ashburn House which I loved.  Both novels center around a young person without a family and badly needing a place to stay.  And so the abandoned estates they arrive at (Ashburn House and Craven Manor) represent shelter and maybe a new start until our protagonists realize these mansions are haunted and there is a mystery to uncover.

The Haunting of Ashburn House remains my favorite but Craven Manor is a good read as well. Daniel Kane is one of the nicest characters I have encountered in a novel in a long time.  Despite the bad luck life has thrown him he feels empathy for others even at his own expense.  

Darcy Coates writes horror novels but not extreme horror and the good guys and gals have happy endings in her books if Ashburn House and Craven Manor are any indication.  I recommend people give Darcy Coates a try beginning with The Haunting Of Ashburn House.

Bible Story by Karen Alkalay-Gut

When they opened the door to the ark

the hatch unfolded to show blue sky

and then slowly we began to see ruins,

what was left of the world as we knew it.

 

The birds flew out before us, eager to grab

whatever might be edible, even if sea-soaked,

unaware of what might have been lost,

uncaring of what needed to be restored.

 

Beasts came next, many more

than had entered the ark, cautiously stepping

on wet unfamiliar ground, mistrustful

of what would hold them on the earth

 

and then we strode out, blinded by sun,

believing the world could be as it was

as we stepped over bodies, cities,

our own libraries, ignorant

of where to begin.

Many years ago I discovered Karen Alkalay-Gut's Tel Aviv Diary.  Karen has been keeping her online daily diary about life in Tel Aviv for over 20 years.  Her diary has been one of my inspirations for starting and sustaining my blog Reading Matters.  Karen is a gifted diarist and published poet.  I loved her poem Bible Story and thank you Karen for letting me share it.

The Murder Of My Aunt by Richard Hull

 "My father was unfortunate in his financial affairs … My aunt was made my sole guardian and trustee. Everything was to be hers for life, but out of it she was to make me an allowance, the size of which she was to determine, as long as I lived with her or in any place of which she approved. Should I leave her, she was under no moral obligation to assist me, and at no time was she under any legal obligation. … So then at Llwll I must live while my aunt lives and insists on my staying there. If only, if only my aunt— No, I’m not going to think about that possibility. It makes my pen tremble, it makes the most frightful thoughts rise to my mind." - Richard Hull, The Murder of My Aunt

The Murder of My Aunt (1934) by Richard Hull is a classic from the golden age of mystery novels. It's a different sort of mystery where the murderer or would be murderer is known to the reader right from the beginning. The mystery is not who did it but will they be caught.  

And so when the Murder of My Aunt begins we are introduced to Edward Powell. It is the early 1930's and Edward is living with his aunt in the fictional town of Llwll located in a rural part of Wales. Edward narrates the book through his diary and he is not happy to be living in Llwll which he regards as a place lacking in culture and refinement.  

Edward would love to leave Llwll for London or Paris but his Aunt Mildred controls the purse strings and due to a clause in her will she gets to decide where Edward will live. Granted, Edward could decide to defy his aunt and move out anyway but he would need to get a job. And every job according to Edward including office work is beneath him: "The idea of my solemnly expressing a preference as to which compartment of hell I preferred, was too comic". 

Most people are beneath Edward as he sees it. He regards his neighbors as fools and people of no class and they don't take kindly to him either. But Edward though he detests his aunt does have a real respect for her intelligence. It's very much a battle of wills between these two and the drama is in who will end up being victorious

I enjoyed The Murder of My Aunt.  Edward is not a likeable character but he is fascinating and also funny in a dark humor sort of way. And I finished the book wondering how much Edward is to blame for the way his life turned out?   His parents died when he was a baby under mysterious circumstances and Aunt Mildred was not the best parenting figure.  

She puts Edward down referring to him in one climatic scene as “a sponger on my bounty who hasn’t even the decency to admit that he is sponging”.  And  more insults proceed from there. That would have been a hard woman to grow up with. And so Edward's sense of superiority and not trusting anyone is probably a defense mechanism. But the empathy ends when we learn about the violent ways Edward is planning to murder Mildred.

I recommend The Murder of My Aunt. You don't always have to be in the dark with regard to who the culprit is for a mystery novel to keep your attention.

Autumn Day - A Poem by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926)

Lord: it is time. The summer was immense.
Lay your shadow on the sundials
and let loose the wind in the fields.

Bid the last fruits to be full;
give them another two more southerly days,
press them to ripeness, and chase
the last sweetness into the heavy wine.

Whoever has no house now will not build one
anymore.
Whoever is alone now will remain so for a long
time,
will stay up, read, write long letters,
and wander the avenues, up and down,
restlessly, while the leaves are blowing.