Historical fiction

I know I haven't written a blog in awhile.... but I have been reading.   I have found a new love in Historical fiction.   In saying that though, I am not sure about the accuracy of the books I am reading because actual history holds no interest for me.  The last two books that I read were Historical Fiction, and they were fabulous.

Fever by Mary Beth Keane

This book chronicles the life of Typhoid Mary.   Mary is a well respected cook in New York.   She is unaware that she is a carrier of typhoid, but sickness follows her around.   Health officials quarantine her to an island.  She feels that she has been places there unjustly.   Once released with the understanding she is not allowed to cook for the public again, she returns to society.  Unable to avoid her previous life, she discovers that she may indeed be a carrier of this horrid disease that has killed some of the people she has cared for.   Her realization of this fact is a pivotal moment in the novel.   This novel is well written and engaging.   The author did a great job of playing with your emotion of wanting Mary to have justice and wanting what was right for society as a whole.   A great read!

The Traitor's Wife by Allison Pataki

Another great piece of historical fiction... although less "literary" than the last one.  This one reads more the a tame romance novel.   But the story is great and engaging.   I knew Benedict Arnold was a traitor but I never knew the story.  The story is told from the point of view of Arnolds wife's maid.  The maid, Clara, is an extremely likable character that you root for throughout the novel.   While Peggy Shipmen Arnold is not unlikeable, she is scheming and at time whiny.   One almost feels sorry for Arnold as he falls victim to his wife's demands.   It could be said that she is the ruin of him.   A nice light read for those of you who might be on spring break.

Coincidentally, this author is the daughter of former New York Governor George Pataki