Recommended Reads with the Huntsville Public Library - April Edition
What's on your reading list for April? We're back with our friends from the Huntsville Public Library with more tips on what books you may want to explore this month. This month, we are focused on historical fiction.
The Woman Before Wallis by Bryn Turnbull
With shows like The Crown throwing the British Royal family into the spotlight, it’s no surprise that books in this historical fiction genre are also becoming more popular. You are more than likely familiar with Wallis Simpson, the wife of the former King Edward VIII. However, you may not be as familiar with Thelma Morgan Furness, the divorcee who came before her. Furness is the aunt of Gloria Vanderbilt, and the mistress of the future king. The author covers two major scandals in Furness’ life in the 1930s from her affair with the Duke, to the sensational custody trial of her niece little Gloria Vanderbilt. The fast pace plot focuses on the commitment that runs deep between two sisters and the scandalous situations they both find themselves in.
Our Darkest Night by Jennifer Robson
Jennifer Robson is best known for her most recent book The Gown and her series The Great War. Her novels centre around a strong female heroine and despite the tragedy taking place around them, often have an element of romance and positivity embedded within. In her newest novel Our Darkest Night, Antonina Mazin finds her homeland becoming more perilous for Italian Jews like herself. She must flee Venice and hide with Nico, a man who she has only just met. Altering from city life, to country farmer is an adjustment for Antonina. As her relationship with Nico grows and deepens, so do the suspicions about them from their neighbours. This is a tale of hope, love and sacrifice inspired by true events.
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
It’s 1940 and New York is all glamour and excitement. What better place for 19-year-old Vivian Morris to spend a summer after dropping out of her Ivy League College? She rooms with her bohemian Aunt Peg who owns a vaudeville theatre in Manhattan. The rich setting with sparkling detail makes you feel like you are living this sexy and glamourous life right alongside the characters. Inevitably, every good thing must come to an end and Vivian’s high living escapades eventually catch up with her. The plot contends with moral issues of the 1940s and the gendered inequality that Vivian and her female friends face with the times. From the author of Eat, Pray, Love this novel delves into the topics of close friendships, early feminism, and in the end love. This is a great book to pick up and escape into another glamourous world, and who doesn’t need that right now?