Book Review: Empress Of The Night

Catherine The Great is arguably one of history's greatest women.  She reigned as Tsar of all the Russias from 1762 until her death in 1796.   Canadian Author Eva Stachniak looks back at Catherine's life, and loves in her latest novel: Empress of the Night.

The novel opens in the hours before her death at age 67.  It goes inside Catherine's head as she struggles to realize what's happening to her body; she's conscious and unable to speak.  The story is told from her point-of-view looking back on her life from the moment she first arrived at court as a little girl, to her assumption of the throne following a coup against her husband. These flashes are interspersed with sections of time in the present as servants, and family move around her.

The novel keeps a good pace, which, is unexpected because of how easily moving between time periods can become confusing.  The incredible details speak to Stachniak's research into Russian history.  Long descriptions of the palaces, and traditions give readers a feeling of the grandeur of a Russian Empire at its peak.

As a history buff I loved it.  Being able to see inside Catherine's head is a unique perspective to find out what she thought of her life.  The way the author used an active voice throughout moved the story along well.  There was even a dose of romance as she looked back on her lovers, specifically Gregory Potemkin who made the most impact on her life.

A good read for people who are curious about Russia in its prime, and a key figure who made it that way.

Book Review: Anne Rice's Wolf Gift

Anne Rice is writing horror/supernatural again.  The author best-known for Interview with A Vampire took a break from the genre to focus on Christian literature before moving away from organized religion in 2010.

She released Wolf Gift in February, 2012; the first in the series.  The story followed the adventures of Reuben Golding, a San Francisco Reporter.  Reuben is assigned a story on the sale of an old house in Northern California, and goes to interview the owner.  They're attacked, and Reuben is bitten by a "man-wolf" and as the story goes eventually turns into one.

That's where the usual tale takes an interesting turn.  Rice's take casts werewolves as superheroes.  They only take on the bad guys, and they retain the consciousness of a man, and remember everything they do as a wolf.  Reuben sees the transformation as a gift, instead of a curse; he can help people in need.  This finds him conflicted between his newfound gift, and the values he was taught through his Catholic upbringing. 

I stopped reading Anne Rice for a long time, and I'm thrilled she's writing horror again. This is a great kickoff to a series. It manages to set up the story without getting bogged down in minute details.  Rice's vivid descriptions portray the joy Reuben feels as the "wolf."  The characters introduced at the end are a great way to add the necessary explanation, and set it up for the next novels.

If you're looking for a different take on the werewolf myth, check out Wolf Gift, available at most book stores.