I wanted to hurry up and review this fabulous book by Karen Engelmann before Oprah so that everyone will know when she steals my material.
The book isn't out yet, but I got a sneak preview because I sucked up to the right people. The author originally categorized it as a "bodice-ripper," but it's not. It is a masterful work of historical fiction laced with cultural nuance and political intrigue at its finest. I couldn't put it down and read it in three days. I highly recommend the novel to anyone who enjoys reading books that aren't crap.
The setting is 18th century Stockholm and it's filled with the juicy political goings on of ladies using handheld fans to destroy monarchs, oracles attempting to influence major world events through card-reading and undertones of classist Sweden and the social limitations that entailed at the time. The reigning King, Gustav III, was enlightened and attempted to bring more power and freedoms to his people - which got him killed.
In the novel, a special type of card-laying technique is used when a person or entity is about to experience a major life-altering event. Your octavo is a grouping of 8 people who will play a significant role in the outcome of the event and if the cards help you to find them in time, you can influence the outcome with your additional knowledge. The prominent use of card-reading in the book even inspired me to buy a recent Groupon to a local psychic offering thirty minute sessions for $30. Great deal, right? When the psychic helps me to become the dictator of a small, yet prosperous island nation, you will regret not having read THE STOCKHOLM OCTAVO. You can pre-order on Barnes and Noble or Amazon.
What a book! What a talent! By the end of the year, Karen Engelmann is going to be adored and envied everywhere. Yes, Rachel, we read it here first!
ReplyDeleteQuite quite!
ReplyDeleteI mean, Oprah's review might be better and more widely read, but still. Umm, I read the book, too, Oprah, so you can't have all the glory