The Mookse and the Gripes discussion

A Little Trickerie by Rosanna Pike

Don’t know what to think about this - Tibb is an interesting and striking character (I suspect she will be the most loved character on the longlist) but as historical fiction it’s pretty lacking.

Kings Lynn places a crucial part in the novel - and happens to be my birthplace - but it’s a port town not a sea marsh beach place and even worse it was called Bishop’s Lynn at the time of the novel (only named Kings Lynn in the reign of Henry VIII for fault obvious reasons) - that’s not exactly deep research to work that out and it’s symptomatic I think of a novel which I think reinterprets historical events with a very 21st century mindset.

Fuller thoughts

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Darn. I had hopes for this one, but dislike Western Liberalism moonlighting in historical novel form.

That’s only my view - you may see it differently.

I just started this, and the prose is a bit exhausting. I came here hoping for a reason to read on, but since anachronistic (?) sensibilities are one of my pet peeves, this goes to the end of my list to maybe be picked up again!

I have to say that I really loved this one. I take GY's points about its lack of historical accuracy, but that did not impact my enjoyment of the story itself. It did take me a while to get used to Tibb's way of speaking (and thinking), but once I did, I became completely engrossed in the story and found it in turns utterly delightful and almost painful to read. I will be recommending this one (and hoping that it is published in the US in due course).

And yes, of course, how could you not love Tibb? But I loved Ivo too and Ambrose and Maria. These are quirky, lovable characters.

Shortlisted today for the Winston Graham Historical Prize for historical fiction with a powerful sense of place.

That's quite a shortlist, actually.

It is.

I was rather surprised because the reviews so far seemed a bit critical in parts, but really praised the characters - who I found quite unbelievable and uninteresting. It's a good read in the sense that it's a quick read, but I could have done with fewer pages.

For me, this is a charming debut at best, but it should not have made the longlist! It reads so ... trope-y, stumbling from one near rape to the next, presenting us with cute, pure gay love interests and pulling the saving information out of a head just in time. It just doesn't really work from a storytelling point of view, and the found family narrative (where everyone meets their perfect partner) becomes cloying and naive. It felt a bit like well-done fanfiction. It is charming in a way, and I would have judged it less harshly if it had been sold as a "guilty pleasure" read. But it doesn't work as historical fiction or as a literary offering, I think.

I agree with Anna that it felt more like a guilty pleasure than seriously literary or historical. That said, I loved Tibb and was happy to have a book with a likable character. I think the author did a fantastic job maintaining her voice which was distinct and fun. It was an easy read.