Thanks to my friend ST’s excellent book review site Whispering Gums I discovered the writings of Tasmanian Heather Rose.
My first Rose novel was Bruny, and I could scarcely leave iTunes, once I started listening. So much did I like it that I sent an email to her publisher to express my absolute pleasure in this terrific novel. (I got an acknowledgement from the Publisher, but I doubt that my email was passed on ..)
To me, that’s a somewhat underwhelming grab, even if all those things are true: they seem, somehow, to reduce the book to something less than it is. I have, I must admit, no alternative to present to this (to me) unsatisfying statement. Just be assured that this is my favourite book since Truth*, and that’s saying something !
So, with 1 credit available on Audible, I searched under Rose’s name and came up with The Butterfly Man. Audible’s précis is attention-grabbing, and I very willingly rendered up my last current credit. I must confess here that I am avoiding Rose’s The Museum of Modern Love, simply because I read of it when I was in Cluny mode, and was put off. (No, there’s no way of comprehending how my mind works: heaven knows, I’ve tried ..)
It’s really difficult to describe this book. Maybe if I tell you that it caused me to wonder how in the name of all the gods someone can put together such amazing fiction – so intelligent, so fascinating, so creative, so .. appealing ! .. then you might get some idea of the effect it had on me. I listened to it with awe for Rose’s skill – but that came after the actual listening response; and that was utter enjoyment.
I’ve often discussed with other audiobook ‘readers’ the importance of a book’s narrator. In Rose’s case, both Bruny’s Zoe Carides and The Butterfly Man’s Humphrey Bower are – well, ideal. Perfect choices, happily for me and for their other audiobook listeners. In fact, it’s my firm opinion – yes indeed, they are all firm ! [grin] – that listening to Bower’s gentle Scottish accent provides a better all-round experience that merely reading the book could. Mais chacun son goût.
I don’t intend to start posting book reviews, many will be happy to learn; but I haven’t experienced such pleasure in ‘reading’ two books by the one writer since the wonderful Peter Temple – all nine of whose novels are up there on top of my list.
*Peter Temple is now and always will be my favourite writer in the world. The news of his death hit me like a blow and took me a long time to recover from.
DOWNUNDER WITH BOODZ 
Not heard of her
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Try her ..
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I didn’t like the daughters of time…
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Whereas I loved it for the reveal of Tudor propaganda that exposed every lie about Richard – just like Trump lies about Obama, eh ?
It’s very dated in writing style; but as I’ve been reading crime since I was about 13, I’m not affected by that.
Your honesty is GOOD, Amanda ! :)
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I admit to liking the historical side to the story. How people embellish history and put past figures on a pedestal. When really, they are just as hopeless and flawed as any one of us, with the exception of a few folks. I didn’t like the writing style and skipped over large sections as it just didn’t hold my interest. But then I find a lot of books have that effect on me now, unfortunately. I did enjoy Phillipa Gregory’s books, however.
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Heather Rose is a Goodreads author, so you can tell her how much you enjoy her tale, there, if you wish. I found the blurbs for all of her books enticing!
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So am I. Which says all you need to know about my attention to Goodreads. Still, I could always rave at her there .. Thanks, CJ.
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Yes, I noticed. I checked you were there before I suggested it. Also marked your book as read and will copy and paste from my review and add read dates eventually.
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No need, me old china: the publishers have ignored it from the outset, as they have every other one-time author’s work. I would like to know why they bother publishing these works from we nobodies ..
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Just in case you made them a lot of money, M-R. It’s a bloody good book! GOSH, just looked [eyes popped] the price of the ebook is nearly the same as the paperback on Amazon.
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Erhmm .. what is an eBook ?
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It’s available on Amazon as a KIndle version.
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My problem – my fault for not thinking about eBooks when writing: all dialogue is written as if part of a film script. Only the gods know what happens to it when concertina-ed onto a Kindle screen. :(
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