How authentic is the era?

Discuss the January 2016 book of the month For the Love of Suzanne by Kristi Hudecek-Ashwill.
L_Therese
Posts: 588
Joined: 25 Sep 2013, 05:21
Currently Reading: American Psycho
Bookshelf Size: 1970
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-l-therese.html
Latest Review: The Middle Ages by Jane Chance

Re: How authentic is the era?

Post by L_Therese »

I have had a lot of time on my hands in the last couple years, and I don't sleep very much. I completely expect that soon enough I will no longer have enough time to read for fun. I know a little bit about a lot of different things.
User avatar
PashaRu
Posts: 9174
Joined: 15 Mar 2014, 17:02
Currently Reading: Vicars of Christ - The Dark Side of the Papacy
Bookshelf Size: 191
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-pasharu.html
Latest Review: "Damn Females on the Lawn" by Rachel Hurd

Post by PashaRu »

What's the setting/era under discussion here?
[Insert quote here. Read. Raise an eyebrow. Be mildly amused. Rinse & repeat.]
Latest Review: "Damn Females on the Lawn" by Rachel Hurd
User avatar
gali
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 53652
Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 07:12
Favorite Author: Agatha Christie
Currently Reading: The Suite Life
Bookshelf Size: 2287
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-gali.html
Reading Device: B00I15SB16
Publishing Contest Votes: 0
fav_author_id: 2484

Post by gali »

PashaRu wrote:What's the setting/era under discussion here?
The late 1800s.
A retired Admin/Mod

Pronouns: She/Her

"In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you." (Mortimer J. Adler)
User avatar
V_bansal2912
Posts: 231
Joined: 24 Feb 2014, 06:28
Favorite Author: Ayn Rand
Favorite Book: Atlas Shrugged
Currently Reading: The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)
Bookshelf Size: 57
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-v-bansal2912.html
Latest Review: Sigfried’s Smelly Socks! by Len Foley
Reading Device: B00JG8GOWU
fav_author_id: 2597

Post by V_bansal2912 »

Have never been to the country and definetely never in that era...but I loved it. I dont know about the authenticity but liked they way she has left something to our imagination. I think that is the point of fiction, whether or not true, do you love it or not.
User avatar
kimmyschemy06
Posts: 2598
Joined: 20 Oct 2015, 20:49
Currently Reading: The Searching Three
Bookshelf Size: 694
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-kimmyschemy06.html
Latest Review: Kazi Boku by M. Poyhonen

Post by kimmyschemy06 »

This is embarrassing but I did not even consider the authenticity of the era. I just took it the way it was described. For one, I'm not really knowledgeable about Native Americans, the way they lived, etc. Maybe that was the reason I enjoyed the book that much, because I just savor every detail without question :D because if I did question it, the pleasure I got from reading the book might be replaced by skepticism.
User avatar
PashaRu
Posts: 9174
Joined: 15 Mar 2014, 17:02
Currently Reading: Vicars of Christ - The Dark Side of the Papacy
Bookshelf Size: 191
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-pasharu.html
Latest Review: "Damn Females on the Lawn" by Rachel Hurd

Post by PashaRu »

If the era is historically accurate and the descriptions and settings are well done, it would be enjoyable. I do enjoy books set in this time period. One problem I often see with placing a story in a certain historical era is that the setting never really becomes part of the story; it may has well have been placed in a modern setting.
[Insert quote here. Read. Raise an eyebrow. Be mildly amused. Rinse & repeat.]
Latest Review: "Damn Females on the Lawn" by Rachel Hurd
User avatar
Momlovesbooks
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 328
Joined: 13 Apr 2015, 12:49
Currently Reading: A Book for Oreo
Bookshelf Size: 253
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-momlovesbooks.html
Latest Review: Winter's Kiss by H.L. Hines

Post by Momlovesbooks »

I'm by no means an expert in that area, so I just believed the author did her research and provided us with historically correct facts. However, since this is a fictional, time travel novel, I took it as a romantic novel with history as the supporting background. It wasn't a documentary on that time period.
User avatar
saturday+deviant
Posts: 236
Joined: 29 Dec 2012, 16:07
Favorite Author: Riley Hart
Favorite Book: The Virgin Suicides
Currently Reading: Entice
Bookshelf Size: 744
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-saturday-deviant.html
Latest Review: "The Kiss" by Michelle Bolanger
Reading Device: B00OTWQXSI
fav_author_id: 30187

Post by saturday+deviant »

bookowlie wrote:
L_Therese wrote:At the very least, the culture and era is simplified and exaggerated for the purpose of furthering the drama and plotline of the story. I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure this story is better viewed as a romance that happens to take place during a previous time than historical fiction that happens to include a love story. The reader gets just enough detail to encourage the imagination and no more.
I agree with you to a certain extent. However, sometimes books that combine too many genres (in this case - romance, historical, fantasy) can wind up with a too-busy plot and an excess of description if all of the genres are explored in too much detail. I think it's a difficult balancing act.
The fantasy wasn't as big of an issue since that element is focused on in the beginning and the end. But I did have an issue with how easily it was for them to come back to the future with this vortex. If it had been that simple then Suzanne should have been able to go in the beginning. It was too convenient of an ending.

-- February 3rd, 2016, 6:48 pm --
PashaRu wrote:If the era is historically accurate and the descriptions and settings are well done, it would be enjoyable. I do enjoy books set in this time period. One problem I often see with placing a story in a certain historical era is that the setting never really becomes part of the story; it may has well have been placed in a modern setting.
I thought that as well. When picturing the events in my mind, most of the setting took a modern tone because visually there wasn't as much description to help visualize the fort and village and everywhere else they were trekking.

I did think that the animosity between Native Americans and white people was well written. However, for particular people, I wish that more reason had been given as to why they were so angry and distrustful. Why was Cody allowed to enter the fort and the next he had a warrant on his head. It became a bit confusing especially when most individuals in the story had no issue with him at all and acted accordingly.
Latest Review: "The Kiss" by Michelle Bolanger
User avatar
bluemel4
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 5222
Joined: 01 Mar 2015, 14:43
Favorite Author: Anne Bishop
Currently Reading: The Dark Tower, Books 1-3
Bookshelf Size: 466
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-bluemel4.html
Latest Review: "Severed Threads" by Kaylin McFarren
Reading Device: B00JG8GOWU
fav_author_id: 6086

Post by bluemel4 »

I am unsure like most are about the authenticity of the era. The author seemed to rely a lot on "it looked just like in the movies" but dirtier discription. I wish there was more. Plus calling the Major Richards loco did not ring true for me. Yes he was crazy but they did not use any other spanish words in the entire novel.

I am not very familiar with the time period or the differences between tribes. I went with it because there were too many other things to pay attention to. I am a bit shocked that Suzanne did not have a miscarriage after all of those beatings.
"Life is a journey, not a destination" --Ralph Waldo Emerson
Latest Review: "Severed Threads" by Kaylin McFarren
User avatar
CCtheBrave
Posts: 180
Joined: 11 Jul 2015, 14:35
Favorite Author: Jorge Luis Borges
Currently Reading: Under Wildwood
Bookshelf Size: 168
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ccthebrave.html
Latest Review: "Wild Ozark Nature Journal" by Madison Woods
Reading Device: B00I15SB16
fav_author_id: 2819

Post by CCtheBrave »

CzechTigg wrote:I always like a historical 'living and breathing' vibe. I also can allow artistic licence such that the book reads well, instead of being just a documentary piece.
i feel the same way. I'm ok with an author taking some liberties with historical information in order to keep the pot line interesting. I think that most of the time, authors do a pretty good job letting readers know if the historical details are accurate or not. I think that when authors are proud of the work they put into historical accuracy, they'll let you know on the synopsis or book jacket, somewhere.
read well and write bravely
Latest Review: "Wild Ozark Nature Journal" by Madison Woods
User avatar
Kaitlyn12
Posts: 128
Joined: 08 Feb 2016, 12:15
Favorite Book: <a href="http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelve ... 0">Lost</a>
Currently Reading: City of Bones
Bookshelf Size: 16
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-kaitlyn12.html
Latest Review: "Merikh's Daughter" by Gabriela M. Sanchez

Post by Kaitlyn12 »

I wondered this as well. I don't know that I have ever read a book that involved this era so I don't really know. I do want to know if back then the Native American's were really that vicious. Were women really treated like that? I just don't know!
Latest Review: "Merikh's Daughter" by Gabriela M. Sanchez
Skoraeus
Posts: 23
Joined: 17 Mar 2016, 22:55
Currently Reading: Magnus Chase and the God of Asgard
Bookshelf Size: 10
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-skoraeus.html

Post by Skoraeus »

Different era have different settings as well. Just like in a book, it differs from each individual timeline, can't imagine living in a different era. Hate to adapt all over again.
User avatar
NEELAM KUSHWAHA
Posts: 1
Joined: 02 Nov 2016, 22:37
Currently Reading: The Regent's Gamble
Bookshelf Size: 52

Post by NEELAM KUSHWAHA »

the book was interesting... dealt nicely with human emotions.. but time travel could have been dealt more carefully and logically...some incidents do had loose ends that could have been tied... overall it is a good lovestory
Post Reply

Return to “"For the Love of Suzanne" by Kristi Hudecek-Ashwill”