I am SO EXCITED to be hosting my good friend the lovely, generous, amazing Ritu Bhathal on my blog today as part of her blog tour for her new release – Marriage Unarranged – which I had the pleasure to beta read. I can recommend 100% – in fact I loved it so much I read it twice!
So without further ado, let me introduce Ritu to you…
Hello there, Marje, and Hi! to all your readers too! I am so honoured to be visiting your blog in order to promote my new book, Marriage Unarranged, just released yesterday, actually!
Now, the book centres around my main character, Aashi, and her journey after finding out her fiancé has been cheating on her. A key character in the story is her best friend, Kiran, and Aashi would really like to share…
Today I give the floor to a wonderful Internet friend of mine, the talented and charming Inge H. Borg. She’s written some amazing historical fiction and today she kindly allowed me to share this article with you about Khamsin, the Devil Wind of the Nile (Book 1 – Legends of the Winged Scarab)
Fact in Fiction
Every movie lately seems to have “The Making of …” clips. Well, here is a little insight into “The Making of the Legends of the Winged Scarab” series.
With my historical saga, reaching back to 3080 BC, the question was how much research a writer should do on his or her chosen era. My answer: A lot. Next, how much “real history” should be incorporated into a novel. I’d say, 10% (unless writers want to emulate James Mitchener – still one of my favorite authors, by the way). These days, however, most of us must remember, it’s fiction. Readers want to be entertained rather than appearing to be lectured.
When I started my research into Ancient Egypt (and I mean, really ancient), the biggest confusion was over city names. It would have been easy to use Memphis, for instance. But that name – like most of the commonly used ancient Egyptian names – came from the Greeks, specifically the historian Herodotus who described many of the wonders he found in Egypt during his visit around 490 BC. At the time, Egypt was under Persian occupation in the 27th Dynasty – a full three-thousand years after my story takes place during the 2nd Dynasty in the Old Kingdom.
Therefore, I resorted to use the ancient Egyptian names (whenever I could find them). But, for my readers, I enclosed an appendix with both names and a map in the hope this would satisfy the more historically curious. In recent years, Egypt began to use Arabic names for its towns although many of the tourist sites still bear their familiar Greek names.
As to real people, I only used Aha, the Horus-King. He is documented as the second king of the First Dynasty. Its first king and founder of Egypt is usually said to have been Narmer (or Menes). There is also the mysterious Scorpion King of Dynasty Zero. Egyptologists’ opinions on dates vary greatly to the confusion of this lay person.
However, what “my” King Aha was or did stems solely from the figment of my imagination (although, he really did have a son called Djer; his successor). I did find proof that Aha was credited to have kept the newly unified kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt together as there are cartouches with him wearing the double crown indicating both regions.
I did use the Wadi Hammamat for a desperate flight from the Nile toward the Red Sea. No longer awash, this arid gorge was an ancient trade route connecting the two.
One of my biggest worry, however, was whether or not there were donkeys at the time. You think that’s silly. But I poured over volume after volume in hopes of finding a depiction of my desperately needed flea-ridden ass (camels and horses were introduced only much later). Since donkeys were used primarily by commoners and farmers, artists usually did not depict them on tomb paintings and stone reliefs. At last, I found one rare picture of the lowly donkey. Phew. I quickly sent up my thanks to Horus.
I could now have my fictional King Aha (riding in disguise) chafe his royal backside raw on a donkey. Perhaps he appreciated my ruse of escape from enemies’ spies, for his real mummy was eventually found buried with the remains of ten donkeys to accompany him into the afterlife. Would it have mattered if wild asses had not yet been domesticated? For authenticity’s sake, definitely. For instance, I read some Nile/Nefertiti novel in which the author describes a woman’s “strawberry-lips” and “apricot-cheeks.” No strawberries. And precious apricots were brought in from Lebanon only for the royal court – in their dried form. Imagine a supposedly beautiful maiden’s puckered brown cheeks.
I tried not to make a mistake like that. Still, an observant reader chided me for the use of the royal “bark” instead of “barque.” When I politely countered with an explanation about the 15th century use of the Portuguese word barque, she graciously upped her review to a glowing five stars. More thanks to Horus floated upward with some private gloating on my side. Mostly, though, it reinforced my belief that, when in doubt, check and double-check. Good advice even when one supposedly is not in doubt.
In the end, while Historical Fiction must ring true to its time, it has to be clear to today’s reader. Loving or hating those characters, readers want to care about them. Oh, and do we writers love to invent hateful people. They are often the most intriguing of the bunch, such as my ugly vizier, Ebu al-Saqqara (how could he not be, with a death-foreboding name like his).
On Friday,February 21st, Ms. Hollick interviews another of my main characters, the High Priest of Ptah, Ramose (a “goodie” – most of the time), on her blog’s Novel Conversations with authors and their characters: https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/
If you have read this far and if your interest has been peaked enough by this award-winning historical saga,
I had this book for ages, persuaded by an industrious book seller once to purchase it, yet I lacked the impetus to get to it.
Admittedly the cover does not convey much fun. I took it on holiday with me – half thinking that I may leave it abroad if it turned out to be dry,
I’m glad to say I brought it back with me, having thoroughly enjoyed it. I do like good travel writing with a personal touch and some lovely insights and The Armenian Sketchbook is a prime example for one of those.
In 1962 Vasily Grossman spent two months in Armenia, translating a novel into Russian. He warmly portrays the country, tells of his small adventures and manages to keep your interest without sensational revelations or dramas.
A writer at odds with the communist regime, having turned into an introspect and dealing with the effects of ageing, the sketchbook tells us a lot about himself as a person – and does so almost unfiltered and honestly.
The sketchbook is not edited for publication, polished to create an image, nor meant to present a story that sells. This has touches of a diary not meant to be seen by anyone else.
Having admired his journalistic talent and objective reporting as seen in his other work, I found it quite amazing to finally see behind the facade and get a glimpse of the person behind the writer.
Unbeknown to him he was already suffering from cancer and the unknowing references to the physical symptoms that soon after led to his demise contribute to the impact the novel had on me.
While I haven’t managed to read the book yet, I’m a fan of Nancy Bilyeau’s historical fiction so am glad to share Olga’s review here.
What the papers say:
‘Achingly believable’ – Publishers Weekly
‘This fast-paced, engrossing novel from Bilyeau… gives readers an up-close and personal view of New York’s Gilded Age’ – Library Journal
‘Beautifully written and impeccably researched, Dreamland is a rollicking ride.’ – Fiona Davis, bestselling author of The Chelsea Girls
‘A marvelous book!’ – Ellen Marie Wiseman, bestselling author of What she Left Behind and The Life she was Given
‘Bilyeau is at the height of her talents in the immersive and gripping Dreamland‘ – Heather Webb, USA Today bestselling author
‘Bilyeau’s thrilling novel plunges deep into Dreamland’s maze of pleasure and menace’ – Marlowe Benn, bestselling author of Relative Fortunes
‘Nancy Bilyeau’s passion for history infuses her books’ – Alison Weir
Plot:
The year is 1911 when twenty-year-old heiress Peggy Batternberg is invited to spend the summer in America’s Playground.
The invitation to Coney Island is unwelcome. Despite hailing from one of America’s richest families, Peggy would much rather spend the summer working at the Moonrise Bookstore than keeping up appearances with New York City socialites and her snobbish, controlling family.
But soon it transpires that the hedonism of Coney Island affords Peggy the freedom she has been yearning for, and it’s not long before she finds herself in love with a troubled pier-side artist of humble means, whom the Batternberg patriarchs would surely disapprove of.
Disapprove they may, but hidden behind their pomposity lurks a web of deceit, betrayal, and deadly secrets. And as bodies begin to mount up amidst the sweltering clamor of Coney Island, it seems the powerful Batternbergs can get away with anything… even murder.
Extravagant, intoxicating, and thumping with suspense, bestselling Nancy Bilyeau’s magnificent Dreamland is a story of corruption, class, and dangerous obsession.
OLGA’s review:
I thank the publisher, Endeavour Quill, for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for the launch of this book and for providing me an ARC copy of it, which I freely chose to review. This has in no way influenced my opinion.
I recently read and reviewed Bilyeau’s novel The Blue (you can check my review here) and loved it so much that I did not hesitate when I got an invitation to read her new novel and join the blog tour. Like the previous one, this book also successfully combines history with intrigue, adventures, mystery, a fantastic cast of characters, and a heroine who is trying to find her own way amid a society in turmoil due to changes in the status-quo and to international historical events.
As the description explains, the novel is set in New York and Coney Island in the summer of 1911. Peggy Batternberg, the protagonist (the author explains that she was inspired by the historical figure of Peggy Guggenheim when she created her main character), belongs to the upper class, although as she observes, her family is only a couple of generations away from very humble origins as immigrants, and they would not have figured among the very select of society a few years earlier. They are also Jewish (not very religious), and although their money protects them from the worst of prejudice and antisemitism, that does not mean it does not exist, as the novel exposes time and again. She is trying to lead her own life as a modern woman, but her family’s power and influence, and society’s double standards of morality for men and women make it difficult for her to break completely free, and she ends up having to leave her job at a bookstore and spend the summer holiday at a posh hotel near Coney Island. Of course, although the hotel is very close to the three amusement parks, including the Dreamland of the title, the clientele of both are separated by the chasm of money and social class.
Peggy is a fascinating character. She is very young, determined, and contradictory at times. She is strong but naïve, passionate and rushed, headstrong and totally unrealistic. She tries to be practical and become independent from her family, but she acknowledges that much of what she does is only possible because she has the support of her family, and she does not have to rely solely on her salary, like her colleagues at work. She lost her father when she was young, and she is aware of the kind of hypocritical behaviour the males of her family engage in, but no matter how she struggles against it, she is still trapped by the morality of the period. Following some fairly traumatic experiences with men of her own class (and the male sense of entitlement —especially of men of a certain class— runs through the novel as a theme, and unfortunately recent events only prove that things haven’t changed as much as we might like to think), it is unsurprising that she feels attracted to an artist, a futurist painter, a foreigner, and somebody who is genuinely interested in her as a person, and not as a rich heiress. I am not a fan of love at first sight (or insta-love) stories, but considering what we know of the character and of her circumstances, it is easy to understand the attraction, and let’s say that I was quite reconciled to it by the end of the story. The character is forced to question herself and her motives more than once throughout the novel, and she does grow and develop as a result.
The story is told, almost in its entirety, in the first person, from Peggy’s point of view, but there are many other characters that create a rich tapestry of both, the wealthy upper-class society of the era (there are some real historical characters that make brief guest appearances as well), and also the working class, the underclass, and the artists working at the fair. The author paints a clear picture of the Batternberg family, its power structure, the differences between male and female roles within the dynasty, and it makes for a sobering and absorbing read, especially because over the course of the story, Peggy discovers things are even worse than she thought, and the web of deceit, secrets, and false appearances is woven thick. The fact that this people of loose morals look down upon hardworking individuals without a second thought is highlighted by the murders that take place in close proximity to the hotel, and how nobody (other than Peggy) seems to care about the victims or their relatives, only about preventing anything from disturbing the elegant guests. By contrast, some of the lower-class characters, that have the most to lose if things go wrong, go out of their way to help, even at a serious personal cost.
I must admit to being quite taken by some of the secondary characters that appear in the story, and in many cases, I’d love to know more about them (the whole of Lilliput scene is amazing; Madame Kschessinska is very intriguing; the police detective; Stefan, of course; and what to say about Ben, Peggy’s cousin, a real puzzle), but I agree with many of the reviewers and Lydia, Peggy’s sister, is a favourite of mine as well. She knows her own mind, she is supportive of her sister, and she grows in strength and maturity through the story. With her like with most things and characters in the story, appearances can be deceptive.
The historical background is well achieved, and I loved the descriptions of Coney Island, the seaside hotels, the fast trains, the clothes, the incubators, the art, the buildings… It felt as if I was peering into that era, and even experiencing the heat, tasting the food, and joining in the rides. The descriptions don’t overwhelm the story but help create a realistic setting and increase our understanding of what the period and the place were like. This is a work of fiction, and although some characters and events are recreated, the novel does not claim to historical accuracy (in fact, Dreamland was no longer functioning in the summer of 1911), but I have no doubt that it will encourage readers to learn more about the period and about Coney Island.
As for the mystery side of things… There are red-herrings; there is misdirection, and several suspects, as it pertains to the genre. There is a fair amount of action, surprises, scares, and Peggy’s turn as an amateur detective is fraught with risk. Although she is neither experienced nor particularly skilled as an investigator, she makes up for it with her determination, persistence, and a good nose for choosing her collaborators. This part of the story is the one that requires a greater suspension of disbelief, but the novel is not intended to be a police procedural, and the intrigue fits well into the overall story arc and will keep readers turning the pages at a good speed.
I have already talked about the issue of gender and gender politics that is explored in the novel. Although things were moving and women were fighting for the vote, it was not easy, and if it was hard for privileged women to have a say on how their lives should be run, for working-class women it could get positively dangerous, when not lethal. The author also explores the issue of migration, the suspicion towards foreigners (despite the melting-pot mythos of the United States society), the prejudice of society and authorities towards newcomers, and this is also linked to international politics (and, of course, we readers know that the situation was about to get much worse and it would result in World War I). These subjects are well integrated into the fabric of the novel, elevating it beyond the typical historical adventure romp, and they make comparisons to current historical events unavoidable.
The writing style is compelling, with beautiful descriptions combined with a great skill in making us feel and experience the events first-hand, and a good pace, alternating between action and more contemplative scenes, without ever stalling the flow.
I’ve read some reviews that complain about the ending being somewhat rushed and sudden. It speaks to the skill of the author the fact that we don’t want the story to end, and although there are elements of it that I think could have been further developed, overall I enjoyed the ending, especially because it isn’t a conventional one.
In sum, I enjoyed the wild ride that is Dreamland. I wish I could have visited the real one, but lacking that opportunity, this is a close and satisfying second best. I congratulate the author for this great novel, and I look forward to the next.
What readers are saying about Dreamland…
“If you enjoyed Downton Abbey and want something from that time, set in the US, but with a delicious murder mystery thrown in, you will love this book.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 *s
“I loved everything about this book and I will definitely look for more to read by Bilyeau! I enjoyed the pacing and character development so much and completely got wrapped up in the story.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 *s
“This suspenseful tale has every element of success: murder, deceit, love, corruption, perseverance, obsession, and redemption. A book that will keep you up at night rushing to the end but that will leave you wanting more once you’re finished.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 *s
Nancy Bilyeau is the author of the historical thrillers “The Blue” and “Dreamland” and the Tudor mystery series “The Crown,” “The Chalice,” and “The Tapestry.” She is a magazine editor who has lived in the United States and Canada.
In “The Blue,” Nancy drew on her own heritage as a Huguenot. She is a direct descendant of Pierre Billiou, a French Huguenot who immigrated to what was then New Amsterdam (later New York City) in 1661. Nancy’s ancestor, Isaac, was born on the boat crossing the Atlantic, the St. Jean de Baptiste. Pierre’s stone house still stands and is the third oldest house in New York State.
Nancy, who studied History at the University of Michigan, has worked on the staffs of “InStyle,” “Good Housekeeping,” and “Rolling Stone.” She is currently the deputy editor of the Center on Media, Crime and Justice at the Research Foundation of CUNY and a regular contributor to “Town & Country” and “Mystery Scene Magazine.”
Nancy’s mind is always in past centuries but she currently lives with her husband and two children in New York City.
I had this book for ages, persuaded by an industrious book seller once to purchase it, yet I lacked the impetus to get to it.
