The Confabulist by Steven Galloway

Publisher: Knopf Canada

Publish Date:April 29, 2014

Format: Advanced reading copy

Pages: -

ISBN: -

The Confabulist weaves together the life, loves and murder of the world’s greatest magician, Harry Houdini, with the story of the man who killed him (twice): Martin Strauss, an everyday man whose fate was tied to the magician’s in unforeseen ways.  A cast of memorable characters spins around Houdini’s celebrity-driven life, as they did in his time: from the Romanov family soon to be assassinated, to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the powerful heads of Scotland Yard, and the Spiritualists who would use whoever they could to establish their religion.  A brilliant novel about fame and ambition, reality and illusion, and the ways that love, grief and imagination can alter what we perceive and believe.

My Thoughts

Whether or not this book is historically accurate (which it's not) I still found it to be an entertaining read.  I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to others, just as long as they don't dissect and really analyze it.  Harry Houdini was a fascinating person - there is no doubt about it.  And his career was only a small part of it.  And I think that's what I wanted more of with this book.  So much of it was fabricated (such as Martin Strauss) that I wanted maybe just a bit more reality.  But on the other hand had I wanted all the facts I would have just read a biography.  I liked the uniqueness of this retelling and learned a few things about Houdini that I didn't know before such as his involvement with the Romanov family and his strange relationship with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the spiritualists.  But it did peak my interest enough  that I gave it 4 stars because it grasped my interest and held it, I never struggled to keep going. 

Thank you to Random House Canada via Goodreads First Reads Giveaway for an advanced copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

My Rating: ««««

Buy it Now!

The reviews made here are my personal opinion. I’m not being paid to review any of these books. I am by no means a professional book reviewer or editor.  I do this for the love of books.

Loving Frank by Nancy Horan

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Publish Date: August 2007
Pages: -
Format: Kobo
ISBN: 978-0345502254

Loving Frank is a fictional recreation of the true story of the adulterous affair between Frank Llyod Wright and Mamah Cheney.

In 1903 Mamah Cheney and her husband, Edwin, had commissioned the renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright to design a new home for them.  During the construction of the house, a powerful attraction developed between Mamah and Frank, and in time the lovers, each married with children embark on a course that would shock Chicago society and forever change their lives.

My Thoughts
In the debut novel by Nancy Horan, fact and fiction blend together skillfully.  While many have considered Mamah a footnote in the life of America’s greatest architect, Horan gives full weight to their dramatic love story and Cheney’s profound influence on Wright.  It’s the mix of fact and fiction that fills in the blanks of a story that is typically unknown.

The Story, in which is told from the view point of Mamah, near the end of the book reveals a startling and unexpected twist you won’t see coming.  The pace and intensity may lag a bit in the middle and drop off after the tragic events on 1914, which anyone with former knowledge of the outcome of Frank and Mamah’s life together knows a terrible end is in store for them, but Horan somehow arranges for it to sneak up on the reader.  In this way, the author puts readers in Frank Lloyd Wright’s place, as we discover the aftermath through his eyes.

Do yourself a favour and refrain from Wikipedia searches while you’re midway through the story.  That way, you can fully enjoy the impact of this remarkable book.

My Rating: ««««

Buy it Now!

The reviews made here are my personal opinion. I’m not being paid to review any of these books. I am by no means a professional book reviewer or editor.  I do this for the love of books.