MADreads

Book reviews by library staff and guest contributors

Infamy in the Bahamas

Cover of The Golden Hour
A review of The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams

I've not read any of Beatriz Williams historical novels and might not have read this, her newest, if I hadn't been assigned it to review for someone else. This novel is an epic dive into the world of one of the most enigmatic couples in history, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.  The famous couple (or perhaps infamous) - he for abdicating as King of England and she for being the divorcee for whom he gave up the kingdom - were sent to the Bahamas near the beginning of WWII. The Duke has been given the title of Governor of the Bahamas.

Posted by Jane J on Sep 28, 2022

Done in by the Bard

Cover of Death by Shakespeare: Sna
A review of Death by Shakespeare: Snakebites, Stabbings, and Broken Hearts by Kathryn Harkup

One was killed by drowning. A few succumbed to grief. At least one fell and broke his neck, while others went by hanging, or in battle, or were stabbed. Some deaths were quite singular—a ‘burning quotidian tertian’, a ‘Malady of France’, a bear’s meal, and even a death from a surfeit of joy. All told, the killer had some 250 victims, not including the nameless souls that died without notice. No, this isn’t some horrid tale of a serial killer run amok, but the casualty list from William Shakespeare’s plays.

Posted by Katie H on Sep 26, 2022

Saving faces and lives

Cover of The Facemaker: A Visionar
A review of The Facemaker: A Visionary Surgeon’s Battle to Mend the Disfigured Soldiers of World War I by Lindsey Fitzharris

It can sometimes be easy to forget how transformative World War I was to the course of history. A war that began with nineteenth century visions of cavalry charges to glory fatally collided with the reality of the technology of the twentieth century. The brutal carnage that the war became soon revealed that medicine, like army tactics, would have to change radically in order to address the wounds—physical and mental—of the casualties returning from battle.

Posted by Katie H on Sep 19, 2022

Shhhh!

Cover of Be Quiet!
A review of Be Quiet! by Ryan T. Higgins

In Be Quiet! Rupert, a mouse, wants to create his very own wordless book. His friends are game, but unfortunately, they won't stop talking about it, filling the book with more and more words and making Rupert more and more frustrated. This book is hilarious, introduces some wonderful vocabulary, and takes advantage of every part of the book, from the cover to the endpapers. It's perfect for elementary school-aged children.

Posted by Janelle C on Sep 16, 2022

Can you trust it?

Cover of The Passengers
A review of The Passengers by John Marrs

If you, like me, are feeling the end of summer doldrums a bit, then I've got the book for you. The Passengers by John Marrs takes you on a wild ride and sets you on a collision course with fun! Too much? One pun too many?

Posted by Jane J on Sep 9, 2022

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