Play Book Tag discussion

I have a category I invented (I think) called Historical Fantasy. This is when history is changed to add elements that weren't there. For instance, Laura Anderson's wonderful trilogy or sextet, or what would have happened if Anne Boleyn's son, would have lived, and Elizabeth still got to be queen? And like in the Book of Esther, where during some fictionalized early war, Golem's rose in the earth to help fight the Jewish cause. This feels to me like it sits in the same category. We don't know much about the time of the Amazon women warriors, but this society and world that has been created, well we really have no idea how or what they lived by. Its not quite history or fantasy. Its historical fiction, I think......

Many of you know Alice Hoffman is one of my favorite, if not my absolute favorite authors. I love everything she writes and I find her soulful and spiritual. And when I talk about magic being done the right way, I am often talking about her - and how it fits with the spiritual story being driven. I also love about her, the fact that she has range. That she writes for YA, for general bestseller, book to movie, she write historical fiction. Always exploring an interesting theme. This is more of a YA fantasized world book, but I still love how she manages to do "her thing" even when she writes a shopping list. Still and almost for always, The Dovekeepers and the Marriage of Opposites remains the books I pull when someone says what is your favorite book? She has a talent that is truly unique and special. I often tell the story, that I never click on long videos, have never seen a podcast, but somehow years back, when I was watching my kid in a playspace on a busy day by myself, for a quick hour, I managed to watch the entire interview of Alice Hoffman interviewing Jodi Piccoult.
I know they are friends and often lunch together, and how I would love to be either a fly on the wall or lunch with them - my heroines and spiritual best friens. And as I always say when I review her books, that I am her best and top fan, and if she comes into the Waban Starbucks - her coffee is on me. Not because I am a barista, simply because its the place I often sneak out to read, and that I often talk books with people there. I will buy her lunch or dinner or breakfast wherever we cross paths.

Now for the book, and I guess for the purposes of a specific challenge, I'd better refer to horses. In this fictionalized early time of the Amazon Women Warriors, their society exists of only women. Which of course immediately begs the question of how are the daughters born? But this book follows Rain, daughter of the queen and queen to be. But it tells the timeless tale, of a girl meant for greatness, who does not feel her mother's love or pride in her. In this society, the women and the horses are blended. The horse sisters are a part of their being and breath, and are embedded as a part of their very existence. It is a tale of women, of horses, of mothers and daughters, of prophecy, of coming of age, of what it means to be queen, and of love versus war. That's a mouthful for the lady who does not like to give spoilers of any kind, and for a book that was only 167 pages long. Less if you count elaborate chapter breaks.

Want to say also, that Kelly and I read this 'together' this month, and I really loved your review, Kelly. Happy to talk more about it, but there might not be that much more to say. I hope we read a lot of books together this year. We both chose it for the unofficial Trim challenge as an emergency substitution for number 22. I have really loved sharing with you all on Goodreads. Now - should you read it? If it calls to you, if its up your alley, enjoy.....

Historical Fantasy is a legit subgenre of fantasy:


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_fantasy

It's been a while since I've read this one, might be time to reread.

And I like your Historical fantasy tag. You should definitely use it.

I just saw your review. I missed it with everything going on right now. It really captured the book. I enjoyed reading it with you also. I also am an Alice Hoffman fan. Somehow I have not read The Dovekeepers yet. I think I will need to do that this year.