Blog Tour: Honesty and Lies

I love historical fiction so was delighted to be asked to join this Blog Tour. Eloise’s ‘Gaslight’ remains one of my favourites- deliciously dark with a vivid Victorian setting (a must read if you haven’t already!). ‘Honesty and Lies’ takes the reader to Elizabethan London…

It’s 1601 and thirteen-year-old Honesty arrives in London, desperate to escape the fate awaiting her at home in Wales. A chance encounter with a girl called Alice leads to Honesty working at the court of Elizabeth I. A talented storyteller, Honesty seeks advancement whilst Alice, carrying secrets of her own, is keen to merge into the background and escape notice. Can their friendship- and they themselves- survive the intrigues and deceptions of life at court?

Once again, Eloise Williams has come up trumps and written a stunner of a novel which is full of friendship against a background rich in historical detail. Written from the alternating viewpoints of the two girls, she reveals the layers of truth and lies behind each girl’s story, gradually revealing their secrets and the reasons for their actions.

At first glance, the two girls appear very different. Honesty is rebelling against the path chosen for her by her father. Determined to carve her own path in life, she is willing to take risks and grasp at any opportunity. Her impulsive nature can make her thoughtless, but she has a generous nature and loyal heart. Alice seems cold and withdrawn, reluctantly befriending ‘this Welsh girl’. Her frustrations with Honesty are compounded by the state of nervous tension she is in due to …something I can’t reveal without spoiling things! However, the two come to trust one another, valuing their differences and realising that together they can be stronger, helping each other to become who they are ‘destined to be’.

The story would make an excellent text for guided reading. Full of historical detail, there is much to explore around the court of Elizabeth I and life at this time. The unpleasantness of the ladies-in-waiting and the capriciousness of Elizabeth herself are (sadly!) sure to be recognised in society today, offering plenty of opportunity for exploring why people might act as they do. The role of women in general, the divide between rich and poor, life in Elizabethan London, the theatre… there are so many threads to draw on for research, role play, discussion and writing in role- all wrapped up in a highly engaging story.

Make sure you read this- and everything else Eloise has written! ‘Honesty and Lies’ is one not to be missed.

Honesty and Lies Eloise Williams

Firefly Press ISBN: 978-1913102999

Many thanks to lovely Karen at Firefly Press for asking me to be part of this tour. Tomorrow’s stop- Shelves of Starlight!

A Sense of Place…

One of the many sessions I am looking forward to at the FCBG Conference on Saturday is the ‘A Sense of Place’ panel with Eloise Williams, Roderick O’Grady and Jess Butterworth, chaired by Annie Everall.

Jess Butterworth’s books have the most incredible settings, drawing on her travels and experiences. Her first book, ‘Running on the Roof of the World’, is set in the Himalayan landscape of Tibet and India. The ‘sense of place’ conveyed here is not just through the vivid landscapes, but also through the tension of living under an occupying force. ‘Into the Volcano’, her most recent stand alone adventure, is set in both England and America, but with a focus on Yellowstone National Park. The wildness of the park is vividly portrayed as the children, Vivi and Seb, try to find the ‘Rainbow Pool’.

‘Bigfoot Mountain’ by Roderick O’Grady is set in the remote mountains of North America. Full of wonderful descriptions, the story is full of the joy of nature and the wild - and the impact humans have on this.

In ‘Seaglass’, Eloise Williams has created a story which is enhanced by vivid descriptions of the countryside and seashore and the mood of the plot is frequently echoed in by the weather- the drifting fog hiding mysterious figures, the squall at sea. Victorian Cardiff is the perfect setting for ‘Gaslight’, atmospheric and rich in detail of the theatre and life.

However, each of these authors also draws on the myths, legends and traditions of their setting, rooting their stories in that place. Whether the loup-garou, Bigfoot or 'tide singers, these tales, in my opinion, add a real ‘sense of place’ to the writing of each.

Really looking forward to this session!