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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
hopeful
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
informative
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Many thanks to my friends at @librofm for the #gifted audiobook.
Completely charming and utterly delightful. This book left a sweet smile on my face.
A country still reeling from the aftermath of World War II, Britain finds itself with proper cause for celebration. A royal coronation! For many Londoners, including Edie, the proprietor of the Blue Lion, the merriment (and hopes of a turning tide) couldn’t come at a better time.
The storyline rotates through three primary characters: Edie, James, and Stella. With unique perspectives and richly detailed backstories, I found myself eagerly cheering for all. But mostly, I enjoyed the way they began to coalesce into a supportive and encouraging unit. (It’s no secret that found family is my catnip.)
There is a bit of a mystery at play as well. Its execution allowed the themes of a post-war recovery to smoothly unfold.
Don’t be misled, as I was, by the picture on the cover. The queen plays but a background role. Instead, this is a royal-adjacent story following the positive effects of progression after the drudgery of war.
It’s not loss on me that this book’s release nearly coincided with the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II’s successor. How Robson managed that bit of magic is beyond. And yet, I somehow believe it was in her prevue given how enchanted I felt with this tender story.
🎧 This was an audiobook listen for me. With a cast narration, the three characters were afforded distinct voices, enhancing the overall experience.
slow-paced
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
CORONATION YEAR by Jennifer Robson
4.25 STARS
✨ FOR FANS OF: The Crown, Downton Abbey, historical fiction in general, though QEII does not appear until near the end.
⭐️WHAT IT’S ABOUT: a post-WWII historical fiction set in London, this novel follows the interweaving narratives of residents of the Blue Lion, an inn located on the soon-to-be-Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation route. Edie, whose family has owned the inn for centuries, James, a Scottish-Indian war vet painting a commission of the coronation, & Stella, an Italian Holocaust survivor trying to find normalcy in London, all find themselves working together to uncover the truth behind anonymous threats to the Coronation Day parade.
⭐️WHAT I LIKED: the writing in this book is incredibly balanced— descriptive, historical, & reflective without feeling forced or like there was a put on “period piece feeling.” I also loved that it doesn’t overly romanticize royalty or Britain in general, as I feel like some authors can tend toward fawning over the old days in historical fiction. the characters are all fantastic in their dialogue, perspectives, & personalities, but Jamie in particular was a well-written male character that you don’t often see in historical fiction. this book transported me into 1950s London & was a great audiobook production.
⭐️WHAT I DIDN’T: the intrigue of the mysterious threats starts off strong, but ultimately ends up a bit flat & obvious. Stella’s story is important, but I found myself least drawn to her sections— there was also a plot point of hers that went unresolved, or at least only obliquely resolved, which I would have liked to have seen better fixed.
⭐️OVERALL: Coronation Year was an enjoyable, well-paced read with characters that will stick with you. If you’re a historical fiction person, I’d recommend adding this to your list.
‼️ Check trigger warnings, as always.
You can find more reviews @wellredphd.
4.25 STARS
✨ FOR FANS OF: The Crown, Downton Abbey, historical fiction in general, though QEII does not appear until near the end.
⭐️WHAT IT’S ABOUT: a post-WWII historical fiction set in London, this novel follows the interweaving narratives of residents of the Blue Lion, an inn located on the soon-to-be-Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation route. Edie, whose family has owned the inn for centuries, James, a Scottish-Indian war vet painting a commission of the coronation, & Stella, an Italian Holocaust survivor trying to find normalcy in London, all find themselves working together to uncover the truth behind anonymous threats to the Coronation Day parade.
⭐️WHAT I LIKED: the writing in this book is incredibly balanced— descriptive, historical, & reflective without feeling forced or like there was a put on “period piece feeling.” I also loved that it doesn’t overly romanticize royalty or Britain in general, as I feel like some authors can tend toward fawning over the old days in historical fiction. the characters are all fantastic in their dialogue, perspectives, & personalities, but Jamie in particular was a well-written male character that you don’t often see in historical fiction. this book transported me into 1950s London & was a great audiobook production.
⭐️WHAT I DIDN’T: the intrigue of the mysterious threats starts off strong, but ultimately ends up a bit flat & obvious. Stella’s story is important, but I found myself least drawn to her sections— there was also a plot point of hers that went unresolved, or at least only obliquely resolved, which I would have liked to have seen better fixed.
⭐️OVERALL: Coronation Year was an enjoyable, well-paced read with characters that will stick with you. If you’re a historical fiction person, I’d recommend adding this to your list.
‼️ Check trigger warnings, as always.
You can find more reviews @wellredphd.
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Absolutely delightful. Like a warm cup of tea on a cold day.