Episode 6: Historical Settings
Summary: Today, Holly and Devin dig into one of their favorite themes, books set in the past! They are in agreement that historical settings work well for both mysteries and romances, especially when the author does their research and works hard to make the setting vivid and accurate. Both books touched on feminist characters and themes, and have connections to the British colonial empire. Beyond that, though, the books diverge in plot but remain united as fantastic examples of historical settings done well.
Topics Discussed:
The Dagger (2:24): Holly discussed The Satapur Moonstone by Sujata Massey. The year is 1922 and the princely state of Satapur, India has suffered multiple tragedies that culminate in the new king being a 10 year-old boy. The dowager queen and her daughter-in-law seek the aid of Perveen Mistry, the only female lawyer in Bombay. Her key takeaways from this book were:
Feminism and female empowerment are a major theme, with explorations ranging from a purdah (custom in some Muslim and Hindu societies where women sequester themselves to stay out of sight of men) to a woman going to Oxford to become a lawyer and coming back to pioneer the career in Bombay.
The vivid description of the environment and the jungle/rural area of Satapur transported Holly in an enjoyable way; Massey described the treacherous journeys back and forth from where Perveen was staying and the palace itself.
If you enjoy literary mysteries and historical fiction, this series is a must-read. Massey’s books combine the techniques of Agatha Christie and Louise Penny, while following a badass lawyer.
The Heart (18:46): Devin discussed Portrait for a Scotsman by Evie Dunmore. In this third book of the League of Extraordinary Women series, Dunmore explores 1880s England and Scotland with two enemies who end up in a forced marriage - Hattie Greenfield and Lucian Blackstone. Her key takeaways were:
Dunmore touches on similar themes to her past novels in the series, driving home key messages on the patriarchy and the restrictive society in late 19th century England. In this novel, though, she adds an extra socialist layer by examining themes like worker’s rights and socioeconomic inequality.
If you ship Dramione (Draco Malfoy/Hermione Granger), this is the book for you. The romance and intimacy is explicitly and steamy, and the redemption arc for Lucian as the initial villain is juicy.
At times, Hattie comes across as just a bit too privileged and pampered to be sympathetic, whereas Lucian is the true hero of the book and the exploration into his motivations and traumas is the actual cornerstone of the book.
Hot On the Shelf (41:04):
What’s Making Our Hearts Race (47:46):
Holly: Love is Blind Japan on Netflix
Devin: Our Flag Means Death on HBO Max
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