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book_concierge's review against another edition
4.0
Digital audiobook performed by Grover Gardner
Simon Boudlin made a brief first appearance in Jiles’ The News Of the World. In this work, he is the focus of the story. Set in Texas at the end of the Civil War and the beginning of the reconstruction period, Jiles follows Simon and his band of iterant musicians as they try to stay alive and out of trouble, and as Simon tries to win the heart of Doris, an indentured immigrant Irish lass, who works as governess for the family of a Union officer.
I love the way Jiles crafts these stories. While the plot focuses on the characters and their reactions to events happening around them, the atmosphere is enhanced by her descriptions of the landscape, the food, and culture of the times.
Simon is a marvelous character. Intelligent, quick witted, resourceful, determined and head-over-heels in love with the charming Doris. Their path is not an easy one and there were times when I feared for their safety and, even, their lives. Still, I was cheering him on in his quest to win her heart and establish their future success.
The supporting cast is equally memorable. Damon Lessing, whom Simon meets when they are conscripted into the Army and assigned to the “band,” is a piper. Patrick O’Hehir is the drummer boy who is the youngest among them. And Doroteo Navarro, a Tejano guitar player, who has some experience as a fisherman and is therefore invaluable to at least one leg of their journey. Together they form a good team, supporting one another and surviving a number of altercations and dangers.
Jiles manages to put me right into the heart of this landscape and time in history. Of course, I’m sure it helps that this is the territory in which I grew up, and I’m very familiar with many of the locations she uses, but I think her writing makes the images equally vivid for those who have never experienced this landscape.
Grover Gardner does a fantastic job of voicing the audio book. I felt as if I were listening to an old-timer recall adventures of his youth. His somewhat gravelly voice is that of an older character, but he was still believable, even when interpreting the female characters.
Simon Boudlin made a brief first appearance in Jiles’ The News Of the World. In this work, he is the focus of the story. Set in Texas at the end of the Civil War and the beginning of the reconstruction period, Jiles follows Simon and his band of iterant musicians as they try to stay alive and out of trouble, and as Simon tries to win the heart of Doris, an indentured immigrant Irish lass, who works as governess for the family of a Union officer.
I love the way Jiles crafts these stories. While the plot focuses on the characters and their reactions to events happening around them, the atmosphere is enhanced by her descriptions of the landscape, the food, and culture of the times.
Simon is a marvelous character. Intelligent, quick witted, resourceful, determined and head-over-heels in love with the charming Doris. Their path is not an easy one and there were times when I feared for their safety and, even, their lives. Still, I was cheering him on in his quest to win her heart and establish their future success.
The supporting cast is equally memorable. Damon Lessing, whom Simon meets when they are conscripted into the Army and assigned to the “band,” is a piper. Patrick O’Hehir is the drummer boy who is the youngest among them. And Doroteo Navarro, a Tejano guitar player, who has some experience as a fisherman and is therefore invaluable to at least one leg of their journey. Together they form a good team, supporting one another and surviving a number of altercations and dangers.
Jiles manages to put me right into the heart of this landscape and time in history. Of course, I’m sure it helps that this is the territory in which I grew up, and I’m very familiar with many of the locations she uses, but I think her writing makes the images equally vivid for those who have never experienced this landscape.
Grover Gardner does a fantastic job of voicing the audio book. I felt as if I were listening to an old-timer recall adventures of his youth. His somewhat gravelly voice is that of an older character, but he was still believable, even when interpreting the female characters.
kdtoverbooked's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
This book was a little too slow for me and I didn’t feel like the action and meat of the story really got started until it was over. I would like to have to heard more of what happened after the story stops. I’d only recommend it to die-hard historical fiction fans who are okay with a slice of life book.
sunrays118's review against another edition
4.0
Finally!!! A good book!!!!!
I have been desperate to find a good book of late, and this one hit the mark. Thank goodness!
An historical fiction novel *not* set in WWII, where the main character isn't a woman who is entirely perfect and forced into a horrible situation; this book has people with flaws set in a very different era!
Briefly, this is the story of a man who tries to evade war, meets a group of merry men, falls in love, makes good and bad decisions, and is engaging.
There are certainly moments of people being caricatures and the next plot point being a bit obvious, but it is well-written and fun. I do wish the author would have used the word "butternut" about 100 fewer times, but alas. I will also say the second half could easily have been cut by 30%.
Overall, I am so glad I picked this up on a whim! Very good book!!!
I have been desperate to find a good book of late, and this one hit the mark. Thank goodness!
An historical fiction novel *not* set in WWII, where the main character isn't a woman who is entirely perfect and forced into a horrible situation; this book has people with flaws set in a very different era!
Briefly, this is the story of a man who tries to evade war, meets a group of merry men, falls in love, makes good and bad decisions, and is engaging.
There are certainly moments of people being caricatures and the next plot point being a bit obvious, but it is well-written and fun. I do wish the author would have used the word "butternut" about 100 fewer times, but alas. I will also say the second half could easily have been cut by 30%.
Overall, I am so glad I picked this up on a whim! Very good book!!!
machster9's review against another edition
3.0
Realistic, gritty yet romantic in the truest sense
A realistic portrayal of post Civil War life for the folks on the lower class spectrum. I liked Simon, rough on the edges, but with a musician's soul and dreams of a better life. As the war is ending, he gathers together a rather ragtag band that leads him to meet his love interest, Doris, the governess for an unscrupulous Union army captain. Simon's band ekes out a living in Texas cities, while pursuing his dream of reconnecting with Doris and starting a new life with her in the Red River Valley. Many obstacles and a tragedy stand in his way, however.
The writing was very good and the characters were all interesting, but it was a very slow read for the first half of the book.
A realistic portrayal of post Civil War life for the folks on the lower class spectrum. I liked Simon, rough on the edges, but with a musician's soul and dreams of a better life. As the war is ending, he gathers together a rather ragtag band that leads him to meet his love interest, Doris, the governess for an unscrupulous Union army captain. Simon's band ekes out a living in Texas cities, while pursuing his dream of reconnecting with Doris and starting a new life with her in the Red River Valley. Many obstacles and a tragedy stand in his way, however.
The writing was very good and the characters were all interesting, but it was a very slow read for the first half of the book.
mary00's review against another edition
4.0
The author's placid writing style takes what would be an action packed adventure story under another hand and turns it into a beautiful, introspective look at a man with artistic and romantic tendencies surviving, and even triumphing at times, in an untamed, capricious environment.
This book sneakily twisted its way into my heart. I didn't realize how much I actually liked it until I was nearly finished.
This was the first work of Jiles that I have read. I look forward to also reading her most popular book, News Of the World.
This book sneakily twisted its way into my heart. I didn't realize how much I actually liked it until I was nearly finished.
This was the first work of Jiles that I have read. I look forward to also reading her most popular book, News Of the World.
bethsponz's review against another edition
4.0
Not a fast moving book but a delight of a story about a young fiddler who travels in Texas at the end of the Civil War. He finds work in order to buy his sought after land on the Red River. He is besotted by an Irish governess during his travels with his fellow musicians.
katel1970's review against another edition
4.0
I love the beauty and the calmness of Jiles' writing.
jbeen21's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed "News of the World," so I was excited to read Paulette Jiles' new historical fiction novel, "Simon the Fiddler." Unfortunately, despite some unique secondary characters and vivid descriptions of Texas during the Civil War, this was a very slow read.
"Simon the Fiddler" follows Simon, a youthful-looking 23-year-old musician who, until the story begins, has been able to avoid conscription. His luck runs out in Texas. Fortunately, his fiddling talent keeps him safe, and eventually, along with his three band mates, he leaves the Confederate Army without being properly discharged. The group travels around Texas, performing music and trying to scrape together a living. Simon meets and falls in love with Doris, an Irish governess, and most of the story is devoted to his efforts to re-unite himself with her.
"Simon the Fiddler" is a slow, romantic, beautifully-written book set during a tumultuous time in history. If it hadn't taken so long for me to get into the story, I would've enjoyed it more.
Thank you to Edelwiss, William Morrow, and Paulette Jiles for the opportunity to review an ARC of this book!
"Simon the Fiddler" follows Simon, a youthful-looking 23-year-old musician who, until the story begins, has been able to avoid conscription. His luck runs out in Texas. Fortunately, his fiddling talent keeps him safe, and eventually, along with his three band mates, he leaves the Confederate Army without being properly discharged. The group travels around Texas, performing music and trying to scrape together a living. Simon meets and falls in love with Doris, an Irish governess, and most of the story is devoted to his efforts to re-unite himself with her.
"Simon the Fiddler" is a slow, romantic, beautifully-written book set during a tumultuous time in history. If it hadn't taken so long for me to get into the story, I would've enjoyed it more.
Thank you to Edelwiss, William Morrow, and Paulette Jiles for the opportunity to review an ARC of this book!
lezapal's review against another edition
3.0
I love to read historical fiction set in Texas, but this one was just a little slow. Not a bad read, just not exceptional.