3 out of 5 stars
On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads
How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.
In a Nutshell: Short stories set in London, from the Romans to the future.
The mood of these stories varies a lot, from the early historical ones that are centred around actual historical events, to the more imaginative of the modern pieces. At least half of the stories are set from the 20th Century onwards.
My favourite was the second story, about Wat Tyler and the Peasants' Revolt of the 14th Century, and I also liked the one set in 1666 to a ferocious backdrop of the Great Fire of London, about a gentleman being sought for his part in the murder of King Charles I, now that the Royalists were back in power. These were both atmospheric and well researched, as was the first one about the Roman soldier; taught me a few interesting facts!
I was less keen on the stories from 1966 onwards; they didn't evoke the spirit of the times for me so much as I'd hoped. Also, some of the dialogue seemed a tad unlikely, particularly in the story about two forty-somethings on a bender around 2015 (I think), where the dialogue's main purpose appeared to be as a vehicle to convey the author's research. I would describe some of them as vignettes rather than stories.
I did like the future story, set in 2050. It's always fun to read other people's ideas about how the years will pan out!
Thank you Terry.
ReplyDelete