Review: Daughters of Time - Anthology (+ Extract from Sue Purkiss)

Be surprised, as you look afresh at the stories of some of history's most remarkable women, as imagined by the finest female authors of historical fiction for children.

Be enthralled, as you encounter both famous figures and lesser-known heroines from across the ages from warrior queens to anti-nuclear activists.

But most of all . . . be inspires.

With stories by members of The History Girls blog: 
Penny Dolan, Adele Geras, Mary Hoffman, Dianne Hofmeyr, Marie-Louise Jensen, Catherine Johnson, Katherine Langrish, Joan Lennon, Sue Purkiss, Celia Rees, Katherine Roberts, Anne Rooney and Leslie Wilson.

Visit the The History Girls blog for more informtion

Review:
Daughters of Time is an anthology containing thirteen stories about extraordinary women throughout history, some you will have come across before but also more than a few who you've probably never even heard of before. After each story there is also a short note from the author explaining what inspired them followed by some true facts about the historical figure they wrote about.

I thought it would be nice to include a list of the stories here for you so you can see which famous characters you'll get to read about:

1. Tasca's Secret by Katherine Roberts (about Queen Boudicia)
2. The Lady of the Mercians by Sue Purkiss (about Athelflaed)
3. The Queen's Treasure by Adele Geras (about Eleanor of Aquitaine)
4. All Shall Be Well by Katherine Langrish (about Julian of Norwich)
5. Learn to Die by Mary Hoffman (about Lady Jane Grey)
6. The Phoenix Bride bu Dianne Hofmeyr (about Elizabeth Stuart)
7. A Night at the Theatre by Marie-Louise Jensen (about Aphra Behn)
8. An Unimportant Woman by Penny Dolan (about Mary Wollstonecraft)
9. Best After Storms by Joan Lennon (about Mary Anning)
10. The Lad that Stands Before You by Catherine Johnson (about Mary Seacole)
11. Return to Victoria by Celia Rees (about Emily Davidson)
12. The Colours of the Day by Anne Rooney (about Amy Johnson)
13. Please Can I Have a Life by Leslie Wilson (about The Greenham Common Women)

The anthology has stories ranging from approx c.30 AD right through until the 1980's so it really does span the ages. It's not often you come across such a variety in one book so I really enjoyed dipping in and out of the different eras that it covers. You'll find stories about warrior princesses and queens next to stories about famous female writers and campaigners for women's rights. Not to forget a pilot, a nurse and an archaeologist!

What I enjoyed most was getting to learn something about women who I'd never even heard of before, I'm definitely going to have to do some research now to find out more about them! Daughters of Time is a fab anthology for anyone who is interested in history, especially if you want to learn more about some of the women who have had a huge impact on society throughout the ages.

Source: Received from Templar in exchange for an honest review.

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback:



Extract:

Thanks to Templar I also have this extract from Sue Purkiss talking about why chose to write a story about Aethelflaed for her contribution to the anthology.

Extract: Daughters of Time Anthology

Winners: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick & Dido by Adele Geras

I had 2 giveaways end yesterday and it's time to announce the winners with the help of random.org.

First is the winner of Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick - we had an amazing number of entries for this one so thank you all for spreading the word.  There were a total of 47 people entered into the giveaway with 419 entries between them and the lucky winner is.....

Blueicegal

Next we have 3 lucky winners for Dido by Adele Geras and I'd like to say a massive thank you to RHCB publisher for offering this giveaway for my readers.  There are 3 winners for this book (2 UK winners & 1 international winner) and the books will be sent out directly by RHCB.

UK winners:

Carly & Dwayne

International winner:

Mariska

A massive congratulations to all of today's winners!  Don't worry if you didn't win - I have several more giveaways coming up soon.  I'm about to send all of the winners an email asking for your addresses so I can arrange for the books to be sent to you.  I'll be sending the copy of Hush, Hush myself but please note that the copies of Dido will be coming directly from RHCB so I'll need to pass your address over to them.  Please respond to my email within 48 hours or I'll have to pick new winners.  Thanks to everyone for taking part.

Giveaway: Dido - Adele Geras

*UPDATE - THIS GIVEAWAY HAS NOW ENDED - Winners

announced here*

Aeneas leaned forward a little and kissed her on the mouth.  Just one swift, soft touch of his lips on hers and then he turned and walked away.

Love can be deadly.  Especially when two young women fall for the same man - one a queen, the other a serving maid.

Elissa knows she is playing with fire, but she can't resist.  Queen Dido suspects nothing, until one fateful night ... Secrets are revealed, hearts are broken and as dawn breaks, a terrible tragedy unfolds.

A passionate tale of love, betrayal and revenge.

For more information visit Adel Geras' website

I'd like to say a massive thank you to publisher Randon House Childrens Books for offering 3 copies of Dido by Adele Geras to giveaway to my readers.  I really enjoyed Dido - you can read my review here - and am really excited to be able to help share the book with this giveaway.

Giveaway Details:

• RHCB have offered 3 copies of this book for my readers, 2 copies will be sent to the UK but they have also kindly offered to send 1 copy to an international reader.
• You don't have to be a follower to enter (although of course I'd love it if you were LOL)
• You can get extra entries by spreading the word but that isn't required
• You can also get extra entries by commenting on Adele's guest post here or my review of Dido here (again this is not required)
• To enter please fill in the form below
• You have until 16th June to enter the giveaway and I'll announce the 3 winners on the 17th. I will email the winners as well as announcing it on my blog and you will have 48 hours to contact me or new winners will be chosen.
• The books will be sent to the winners directly by RHCB so if you win you agree for me to pass your address to them so they can send out your prize.

Review: Dido - Adele Geras

Aeneas leaned forward a little and kissed her on the mouth.  Just one swift, soft touch of his lips on hers and then he turned and walked away.

Love can be deadly.  Especially when two young women fall for the same man - one a queen, the other a serving maid.

Elissa knows she is playing with fire, but she can't resist.  Queen Dido suspects nothing, until one fateful night ... Secrets are revealed, hearts are broken and as dawn breaks, a terrible tragedy unfolds.

A passionate tale of love, betrayal and revenge.

Adele Geras' books based on classic Greek Myths:
Troy
Ithaka
Dido

Visit Adele Geras' website for more information

Review:
This is the story of Queen Dido and nursemaid Elissa and their love for Trojan prince Aeneas.  Dido and Aeneas are married but Aeneas is leaving to fulfill his destiny and Dido is distraught.  Elissa has fallen in love with the Queen's husband, she knows it is wrong but she just can't help herself.  The events of the book take place over one fateful night but we learn of events over the previous 2 years in the form of flashbacks from various characters.  Dido and Elissa's tale is full of secrets, jealousy and lies - can if have anything other than a tragic ending?

Dido is a re-telling of a classic Greek myth, I have to confess that I don't know much about Greek mythology so I don't know the original story & can't compare this book to it.  However, I can say how much I enjoyed reading Dido and what a fantastic job Adel Geras has done bringing these characters to life. 

The story is told by 4 different narrators - nursemaid Elissa, Dido's sister Anna, Poet Iopas and kitchen boy Cubby.  Sometimes I find having multiple narrators can make for a confusing read but Adele Geras has done such a great job of giving each of them individual voices that I found it easy switching between them.  The way the story is told through flashbacks by the different narrators really added to the story, allowing the reader to see events from different perspectives and discover the character's feelings and motives.

I love the way various Greek Gods & Goddesses are brought to life and make appearances throughout the book meddling in the lives of the various characters.  Although I have to say that the minute one appears to me I'll be running in the opposite direction as fast as I possibly can because even when they mean well they have a knack of causing more harm than good!  I thoroughly enjoyed the story and am looking forward to reading Adele's other books based on Greek mythology - Troy and Ithakas.

Source: Thanks to RHCB for sending me this book for review

Other reviews of this book:
Chrissie's Corner
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Author's Animal Antics - Adele Geras

Author's Animal Antics is a new regular blog feature here at Sarah's Book Reviews where I'm very excited to have some fantastic authors come and chat to us about their pets.  I'm thrilled to introduce the lovely Adele Geras as my guest today...

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I wrote this poem in 1999 when our beloved cat, Mimi, was still alive. She died in 2005 and we remember her with much love. She was a very beautiful tabby cat with a white shoulder, and, as her name suggests, the embodiment of elegance and grace. She was a completely useless hunter and quite often used to position herself as if to pounce but it never came to anything. Someone told us we were feeding her too well, but I just think she was both kind gentle.  Every word of what follows is true.

MIMI'S DAY

From her position on the windowsill

she gives the garden her consideration.

Later, both the camellias and the ferns

will undergo a full investigation.

First, she will be a small domestic sphinx

unmoving on the carpet, enigmatic,

thinking: there was a fire here last night

and now it's gone. All life is problematic.

The second serious question of the day

is: where to sleep? Which bed or chair to grace?

The velvet spaces of the chesterfield?

Or should she seek a woolly resting‑place?

They sometimes leave (she thinks) jerseys on beds,

or there's the shawl spread softly on a chair.

Also a cupboard, full of fluffy towels

and gurgling darkness..maybe I'll go there.

She steps into the garden after lunch:

a meal she'd hoped might magically be prawns

but wasn't. She is philosophical.

It is the hour for stalking things on lawns.

Squirrels are jet‑propelled and every bird

annoyingly decides to fly away.

She races up a tree‑trunk, just to show

she might catch something, on some other day

and meanwhile, she'll adopt a watchful pose

on a convenient step, warm in the sun,

until her head grows heavy, droops and falls.

The work of sleepy cats is never done.

The moths come out at night. Then she's awake.

Their grey and blurring wings catch on her claws.

When they are still, she stretches, bends and yawns

and with a sharp pink tongue, tidies her paws.

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Thank you so much for visiting today Adele!  Adele Geras is the author of the fab young adult novel Dido which was released in paperback in the UK in April.  I've just finished reading Dido and will be posting my review later today along with a fantastic giveaway thanks to publisher Random House Children's Books

Find out more about Adele and her work here - Website

For more information about the Author's Animal Antics feature click here