Review: A Spear of Summer Grass by Deanna Raybourn

Paris, 1923 

The daughter of a scandalous mother, Delilah Drummond is already notorious, even amongst Paris society. But her latest scandal is big enough to make even her oft-married mother blanch. Delilah is exiled to Kenya and her favorite stepfather's savannah manor house until gossip subsides. 

Fairlight is the crumbling, sun-bleached skeleton of a faded African dream, a world where dissolute expats are bolstered by gin and jazz records, cigarettes and safaris. As mistress of this wasted estate, Delilah falls into the decadent pleasures of society.  

Against the frivolity of her peers, Ryder White stands in sharp contrast. As foreign to Delilah as Africa, Ryder becomes her guide to the complex beauty of this unknown world. Giraffes, buffalo, lions and elephants roam the shores of Lake Wanyama amid swirls of red dust. Here, life is lush and teeming-yet fleeting and often cheap.  

Amidst the wonders-and dangers-of Africa, Delilah awakes to a land out of all proportion: extremes of heat, darkness, beauty and joy that cut to her very heart. Only when this sacred place is profaned by bloodshed does Delilah discover what is truly worth fighting for-and what she can no longer live without.

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There is almost too much to say about Deanna Raybourn's newest novel, A Spear of Summer Grass. I've enjoyed her writing before, in her Lady Julia Gray mystery novels, but, as much as I loved those novel and recommend them to fellow readers regularly, this novel has stolen my heart.

The novel, set in the 1920s, begins in Paris, but quickly relocates to Africa. Delilah Drummond is no stranger to scandal: her mother has married many times, Delilah herself has been married three, and her latest marriage has once again exposed her to gossip and speculation. In an attempt to avoid the negative effects of this most recent scandal, Delilah leaves Paris for a season in Africa. Africa is not the place Delilah dreamed of as a child, but in many ways it's more... and it has a drama all it's own. In the middle of this foreign landscape, Delilah discovers beauty, danger, love, and, most of important of all, her place in the world.

For many, Delilah may, at least at first, be one of those unlikeable characters. For me, I loved her from the start. She's quite frank and unapologetic about her life and actions. Her peers often find her loose of morals and standards, but that's not at all the reality of the situation. In many ways, I suppose Delilah could be considered a woman before her time. To be truthful, I'm unsure of exactly how female independence and sexuality was viewed in 1920s Europe, but the novel left me with the distinct impression that Delilah was not the norm. She takes lovers (but is never unfaithful during her marriages), stands up for what she believes, and is entirely capable (and willing) to do "a man's work." 

I especially loved her character's history. She, like all the characters in the novel, are complex and layered. All of her actions and beliefs are rooted in something in her history, which one can assume is true of all characters, but Raybourn  is especially skilled at weaving a character's tale in a believable, elegant fashion. Little by little, I felt that I came to know and understand Delilah, and, while I feel that A Spear of Summer Grass had a satisfying conclusion, I loathed leaving her behind.

I can't say I've ever read a novel that was set in Africa, but, after the descriptions of the landscapes, wildlife, and culture, I've come to love it a bit. Setting the novel here, in the 1900s, also opened up the perfect opportunity for Raybourn to incorporate themes and questions regarding colonialism and women's rights. These are two themes that I have a particular interest in when it comes to literature and I felt that Raybourn did a fantastic job of considering these subjects without being at all overbearing, instead settling for thought provoking and engaging.

Of course, I must touch on the romance within A Spear of Summer Grass. I've always admired Raybourn's deft hand when it comes to romance and the relationship in this novel is no exception. Raybourn takes two extremely flawed characters and fits their broken edges together in a beautiful, redeeming sort of way. The romance between Ryder and Delilah is, without at doubt, one of my all-time favorite romances. 

I cannot recommend A Spear of Summer Grass enough. You'll not be able to leave these characters behind, nor the gorgeous African setting.

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Harlequin MIRA, April 2013, Paperback, ISBN:9780778314394, 370 pgs.

Review: The Ambassador's Daughter by Pam Jenoff

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Paris, 1919. 

The world's leaders have gathered to rebuild from the ashes of the Great War. But for one woman, the City of Light harbors dark secrets and dangerous liaisons, for which many could pay dearly. 

Brought to the peace conference by her father, a German diplomat, Margot Rosenthal initially resents being trapped in the congested French capital, where she is still looked upon as the enemy. But as she contemplates returning to Berlin and a life with Stefan, the wounded fiancé she hardly knows anymore, she decides that being in Paris is not so bad after all. 

Bored and torn between duty and the desire to be free, Margot strikes up unlikely alliances: with Krysia, an accomplished musician with radical acquaintances and a secret to protect; and with Georg, the handsome, damaged naval officer who gives Margot a job—and also a reason to question everything she thought she knew about where her true loyalties should lie. 

Against the backdrop of one of the most significant events of the century, a delicate web of lies obscures the line between the casualties of war and of the heart, making trust a luxury that no one can afford. 

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Pam Jenoff's newest release, The Ambassador's Daughter, is one of those books that I had a hard time putting down. In fact, I'm a bit divided about this book because, even though I did truly like it, I wasn't a huge fan of the main character.

For those that have read Jenoff's The Kommandant's Girl, this newest book takes place before the events in that particular books, so you may be happy to discover that some of the characters in that novel make appearances in The Ambassador's Daughter. As someone who hasn't read the Kommandant books, I found the descriptions of those books to be a bit spoilery, since they, in effect, reveal some things about the future of the characters in The Ambassador's Daughter. So, if you're first experience reading Jenoff is The Ambassador's Daughter, DO NOT read any reviews or descriptions of the Kommandant books until you've finished and are ready to move on!

I'd categorize this novel as historical fiction with strong romance elements, as, for me, I felt like the focus was more on the history and politics. Even though I know very little about the time period, I didn't find myself getting too confused by events. I think it helped immensely that the reader sees everything through the eyes of a naive 20-year old, meaning that everything is slowed down and simplified as she reflects upon the events and situations she finds herself thrown into. I can't say for sure that everything in the novel is historically accurate, but it felt realistic and, for me, that was enough.

As noted earlier, I didn't find much to like about Margot Rosenthal. She felt quite silly to me... she was terribly naive and almost seemed to let herself fall into unfortunate situations, which she then complained about and fretted over to no end. I like my characters to take responsibility for their actions and fight for what they believe in, and I did not see Margot as this type of character at all. In the end, she finally does what I felt she should do all along, but it wasn't something she actually made the choice to do. Instead, things just worked out. Dislike! Take some initiative, Margot! I had to keep reminding myself that she is only supposed to be twenty, which is quite young, but, in my opinion, she could have used a bit more fire.

I think, because Margot felt so young and silly to me most of the time, I found her relationship with Georg Richwalder, an older man, improbable at times. In retrospect, I even found it a bit uncomfortable. It'd be one thing if I felt Margot was mature with a sensibilities that made her feel older than her twenty years, but this was not the case. I'm a bit unsure as to why Richwalder would be interested in someone who, to me, was a child. Margot's father spent much of the book trying to both support Margot while warning against the match and I can't say I disagreed with him. I felt that Margot had a lot of growing to do and that a relationship with a broken, potential alcoholic like Georg was not in her best interest.

Despite my issues with Margot, I really did love the setting and even started to take interest in the political and military scheming of the era. I developed a soft spot for the Polish musician Krysia, displaced from home and without a country. My great-grandparents came from Poland and, though I don't know near as much as I should about the country and my heritage, I couldn't help but feel a kinship with her. I was very happy to discover that Krysia is also a character in Jenoff's other novels. 

I plan to read the rest of Jenoff's novels because, though I wasn't a fan of Margot, I really did enjoy Jenoff's writing, the complexity of the plot, and the secondary characters (which, thankfully can be found in the Kommandant books!). The romance is there if you're a reader that gravitates toward that in particular, but I appreciated this book much more as a historical drama.

Harlequin MIRA, January 2013, Paperback, ISBN: 9780778315094, 336 pages.