Kaseys Korner

The Romanov Prophecy

I was literally glued to this book. I'm kind of a Romanov fan girl so the subject matter was right up my alley. It's always been my opinion that when the Bolsheviks made that ill fated decision to eliminate the entire Imperial family, they elevated the Romanovs' status in history. If they'd executed ONLY the Tsar (many leaders are executed, exiled, assassinated, etc.,) and not the Tsarina and all the children, it would have been headlining and memorable but not created the lasting fascination with the family that it did. It's the sympathetic view toward their horrific fate that made us want to hope at least one member survived. Well, that and the fact that two of the childrens remains were not with the rest of the family when they were finally located and exhumed.

Although they were eventually discovered, this book feeds into the theory that two of the Imperial children survived. The characters and the storyline of 'The Romanov Prophecy' worked so much better for me than those in 'The Amber Room.' It's fast paced, believable and feeds into the hypothetical restoration of a Romanov to the throne of Russia. The latter a real idea still floated today among Monarchists. Everything I've read indicates Nicholas II (the last Tsar) was not a benevolent and particularly effective Tsar but because of the way he was killed, history has softened the opinion many of us hold of him.

I think Berry did a compelling job pulling together so many threads of the history surrounding the collapse of the 300 year reign of this Dynasty. It includes (as it has to) Rasputin ~ that repulsive (to me) yet transfixing character that undeniably contributed to the events that unfolded.

Captivating, detailed, well researched fiction. I'm definitely reading more books by Mr. Berry. He's my summer 2021 obsession.

The Amber Room

I couldn't believe this was a 400+ page novel ~ it read like so much less.

First time reading a Steve Berry novel. I'm moving immediately to a second. I can't say it's because the characters were that compelling (in fact I didn't particularly like most of them) but rather the history of the Amber Room (which seemed to be well researched) and the mystery of what happened to it kept me enthralled. It's fascinating fodder for the imagination to ponder the current whereabouts of all the exquisite art treasures the Nazi's looted during WWII. The author noted that media coverage about the Amber Room wasn't as comprehensive in the United States as it was in Europe and he's right about that, I'd never heard or read anything about it.

I like to call this kind of book "educational fiction" but I guess historical fiction works too. It was a learning experience cloaked in a readable format. Great beach type read. Focus on the real life mystery and the plausible whereabouts of this treasure that the author presents more than the flawed characters and it will be an entertaining and enjoyable book.

Silent in the Sanctuary

Anyone looking for a fast paced thriller should forego this series. BUT if you are a fan of the Victorian era, Deanna Raybourn excels at building a detailed mystery and a slow burning chemistry between her main characters. Nothing too violent but intuitively solved and a little reminiscent of Agatha Christie.

Lady Julia Grey's family features largely in this novel as well as her families estate which happens to be an old monastery. The house and family members are equally interesting components of the story.

If you like a crime set up fairly innocuously and a light old-fashioned read, maybe try the series. It could get tedious tho if you're anxious for action ~ 500 pages and the murder doesn't occur until halfway thru!! No problem for me but I get into the clothes they're wearing and constantly changing, the outings to the village and Romany camp, etc., etc. It's a quirk and I cop to it. I believe the novels could be read out of sequence, the mysteries are independent of each other but some of the nuances of the (very light, almost inconsequential) romance might be lost on the reader at midstream.

The Last Tiara

M.J. Rose books are part fabulous and part flop for me. I LOVE her passion for art, jewelry & history. It's readily apparent she's a connoisseur of all fine things & those three in particular. I appreciate that. She also seems to have a decided interest in Tsarist Russia, as do I. The combination of jewelry that belonged to one of the last grand duchesses and the mystery of what might have become of the actual real tiara had me from the cover blurb. Where could it be?? It couldn't have been easy to "lose" such a thing, encrusted as it was with sapphires and diamonds. It's one of those wonders that's tantalizing to ponder... Herein the author presented a potential answer that's definitely more than plausible. The mystery of that tiara is what kept me reading.

The "flop" part of the book was the forced romance between Isobelle Moon and Jules. ugh. Two more awkward characters could not be written. Isobelle was supposedly curious and determined (likened to her biological father) but she seemed insecure, tentative and just downright tepid as a woman. The mystery of the tiara would never have gotten anywhere without Jules but tho he was described as suave and sophisticated, it must have been surface only. The interactions we read about were anything but. There was very little chemistry between them and a lot of bad communication.

Very easy read. A piece of missing jewelry I never knew about before but very intriguing to think about and interesting ending involving the tiara and its design. I think I can say that without giving anything away? Every book I read about the last Tsar and his family, I wish for a different ending for their lives. It makes no sense to me that I would root for an Autocrat that definitely contributed to the demise of the Romanov reign but I do. It's inexplicable. Imperial Russia for the nobility and their families seemed like the stuff of fairytales. A life every exile wants to return to... Not so much for the regular citizen. But it sucks me in EVERY time.

3.5 stars for primarily those elements and the cover is to die for (but M.J. Rose books are always good for that.)

The Map of Salt and Stars

I wrote this book primarily for people like me: people living in the Syrian diaspora, unable to return to their ancestral homeland, who are in deep pain and grieving the beloved people, places, and heritage that have been lost and that continue to be lost every day. ~ Zeyn Joukhadar

This is truly a remarkable debut novel! Although the authors note states that she's Syrian American, and has never lived in Syria, roots clearly bleed true and hers are undeniably thrust deeply into the fabric of her ancestral country. The way she chose to draw attention to the plight of Syrian refugees was unique and compelling. Creating a dual timeline, with the narrator of the current timeline being a child was a fantastic perspective.

The timeline from 800 years past tho was genius. It was presented as somewhat of a fairytale & I didn't understand until I finished reading, that so many characters in this section were real historical figures. It's told from the perspective of another girl, this one on a quest, battling fantastical creatures and exuding bravery & intuition beyond her years. The two timelines are connected by stars, maps, mapmakers, and geography. Rawiya is an apprentice to Al-Idrisi, a real, legendary mapmaker who made the most accurate maps of the world at that date. They remained relevant for over 300 years. He was funded in his task by King Roger II of Sicily (another real person) and once you know this, it makes the story even more fascinating to follow.

It's also easier to understand the book once you get that it's divided into five sections (each section devoted to a country in both girls journeys) and each of the five sections contains a part of the story from the current and historical timeline. I'm such a Westerner, I really wish I knew the geography of the Middle East better than I do. As much as this book is about maps and mapmakers, why isn't there a map of the region included??? Maybe there is if you buy an actual copy of the book but I downloaded mine and didn't see it. I'm definitely going back to google tho so I can truly understand the undertaking they embarked on or were forced into.

Another point of interest: (for every mystery lover/treasure seeker out there) King Roger II actually commissioned a silver planisphere as referenced in the story, and no one has ever discovered what happened to it. Don't you hope it's still tucked away somewhere, waiting to be stumbled upon...

There are many interesting side elements incorporated into the book and the authors personal interest in stars is among them. There's also a lot of additional information about her at the end of the book & it's worth reading to gain insight into the books conception, the title and why particular things were included. After finishing 'The Map of Salt and Stars' there's no doubt in my mind that Zeyn Joukhadar has a wonderful imagination, an inquiring mind and a gift for storytelling.

One final thing, can I just say the title & cover are awesome too?!!

No hesitation whatsoever to recommend this book.  It's a beautiful melding of historical fiction, current day events, and fantasy.