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A review by thelibrophile
The Embroidered Book by Kate Heartfield
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.25
"The best lies are those which have truth mixed in them"
This book proves this quote. As in - the best fictions are those which have facts mixed in them.
Because, did I read history with this interest or what? This book was such a perfect web of facts and fantasy! I never even thought that I had an interest in this part of the world history. All my reading on the topic so far has been compulsory reading till high school.
Never thought I would side against the overthrowing of monarchy for democracy. We were all pro-French Revolution, right? Well, I'm not so sure now. And that is what a good book does to you!
Anyway, I started from the ending. Let's start with the beginning first. I had no idea that an Austrian family had control over most of Europe. And then doing some research, the Hapsbergs ruled Austria from 1282 to 1918. So what led the author to choose this particular century from amongst over 600 years of rule - I want to know this.
This statement in the book, I think, sums it from the beginning to the end.
"Europe is populated with Habsburgs on every throne, just as Maria Theresa intended, and a fat lot of good it has done anyone. They may not be fighting each other but they don’t have the power to fight the enemies rising up from within their own nations."
The beginning and the end, really. Not the middle.
The middle is total women power. These two girls, thrust in an unknown country, separated from everyone they know, married to a stranger, all for the sake of politics , and amidst all that political power struggle in the new countries - they struggle, they suffer, they fight, they scheme, and eventually they become the primary powers in their countries.
They become two powerful queens who change the course of history.
And yet history blames them.
Has history ever sided with women really?
Now the magic. These threads so finally wovem with reality. The historical events all moulded with the cause and effect being elements of magic. The whole fight being fought on the magical front along with the hardcore facts.
I do not need to show a screenshot of my search history after this.
Now, all that knitting and weaving that was being done from the beginning - I was wondering how it would end. Where it would end. We know the history. We know the ending.
So I was wondering how the book will end. Will I ne satisfied?
And God was I!
This was perfect.
I'll remember this story for days to come..
This book proves this quote. As in - the best fictions are those which have facts mixed in them.
Because, did I read history with this interest or what? This book was such a perfect web of facts and fantasy! I never even thought that I had an interest in this part of the world history. All my reading on the topic so far has been compulsory reading till high school.
Never thought I would side against the overthrowing of monarchy for democracy. We were all pro-French Revolution, right? Well, I'm not so sure now. And that is what a good book does to you!
Anyway, I started from the ending. Let's start with the beginning first. I had no idea that an Austrian family had control over most of Europe. And then doing some research, the Hapsbergs ruled Austria from 1282 to 1918. So what led the author to choose this particular century from amongst over 600 years of rule - I want to know this.
This statement in the book, I think, sums it from the beginning to the end.
"Europe is populated with Habsburgs on every throne, just as Maria Theresa intended, and a fat lot of good it has done anyone. They may not be fighting each other but they don’t have the power to fight the enemies rising up from within their own nations."
The beginning and the end, really. Not the middle.
The middle is total women power. These two girls, thrust in an unknown country, separated from everyone they know, married to a stranger, all for the sake of politics , and amidst all that political power struggle in the new countries - they struggle, they suffer, they fight, they scheme, and eventually they become the primary powers in their countries.
They become two powerful queens who change the course of history.
And yet history blames them.
Has history ever sided with women really?
Now the magic. These threads so finally wovem with reality. The historical events all moulded with the cause and effect being elements of magic. The whole fight being fought on the magical front along with the hardcore facts.
I do not need to show a screenshot of my search history after this.
Now, all that knitting and weaving that was being done from the beginning - I was wondering how it would end. Where it would end. We know the history. We know the ending.
So I was wondering how the book will end. Will I ne satisfied?
And God was I!
This was perfect.
I'll remember this story for days to come..