James Conroyd MartinReseñas

Excellent fictional biography of Empress Theodora from her early life until her coronation. I think this may be one of the best fictional works concerning her. I'm looking forward to the concluding volume.

Excellent historical novel. I loved the characters, and the author did a great job of building a real sense of the time and place. I've wanted to read more about this period of Polish history for a while and I bought the entire trilogy on impulse knowing nothing about the author, or the woman on whose diary the story is based. I’m not disappointed!

Loved it

Kept me interested from start to finish. I knew nothing about this woman but she was amazingly strong, intelligent and ambitious. I liked that it told two stories and was a constant page turner. I can't wait for the next book.

Pretty good despite only covering the first half of Theodora's life. I feel that the story is stretched out a tad too long, given that not that much is known about her background before becoming empress.

In Fortune's Child, the reader is transported back to the Byzantine Empire beginning in 500 AD. Settle in for the ride, because you won't want to put this book down. It was a two-day read for me. I have read and recommend the author's other works (including the Poland Trilogy, also based on true events.) He gets better with each new book, which says a lot because the others are good. This story stands by itself, and is also based on a real historical figure, Empress Theodora, who I knew nothing about. James Conroyd Martin has done an incredible amount of research to paint with words a rich and unique picture of the time. He brings the time period, and Theodora alive, and uses a clever storytelling angle and narrator. No spoilers. If you love historical fiction, this book is for you. And if you really like it, a sequel is in the works. I can't wait to read it.

For more reviews and bookish posts please visit http://www.ManOfLaBook.com

Fortune’s Child: A Novel of Empress Theodora by James Conroyd Martin is a historical novel about a woman, born to a circus bear keeper in Constantinople, who used her wits and good looks to become the wife of the ruler of the empire. Mr. Martin is the award-winning novelist living in Hollywood, CA.

The story is told through the eyes of Stephen, a good looking Syrian Eunuch, who befriends Theodora well before she became empress. Theodora asks Stephen to write her biography so her enemies won’t get the last historical word, and so the story begins.

We follow Theodora through childhood, daughter to window trying to make ends meet. Teenage and adulthood where the beautiful woman finds the bug of acting, but does not shy away from prostitution. She ties her fortunes to an upperclassman who has been given a governorship in Africa, but quickly finds out that meddling in affairs of the state will not earn her any friends. Broke and alone Theodora returns to Constantinople to see what the future holds.

This book should be an example of how to write a description to sell a book. On top of that, Fortune’s Child: A Novel of Empress Theodora by James Conroyd Martin lives up to its expectations as a vivid, well researched historical fiction.

I knew nothing about Empress Theodora , wife of Emperor Justinian I and probably the most powerful woman in Byzantine history, but she sounded very intriguing and like all good history, it’s something that you simply just can’t make up. The story switches between first and third person narratives, between past and present but the author made it all work and I never got lost.

I thought that the storytelling device, Theodora asking Stephen, to write her biography was a smart choice. It allowed the author to include or exclude any information, since Theodora wants to glorify herself and omit any unfavorable events, while Stephen is free to share with the readers his experiences outside of Theodora’s spin or echo chamber.

The one thing I thought was missing from the book was the political games she must have played, the author put some in it but he was more interested in telling her story from a human point of interest instead of her intelligence and political acumen . There is another book in the works which will complete the story and I am looking forward to find out more about this interesting historical persona.

Drew me in very quickly with it's unique cast of characters in an historical setting I've never read before. Wow, I had no idea about Poland's turbulent history prior to the 1900s. We hear about the horrors of the French Revolution, and this story is set during that time, with similar fears and looming perils. This is really an adventure epic with a strong romantic thread binding it together, even though the romantic couple are rarely together, the reader continues to root for them through the whole tale.

The story spans a nation, its social classes, its politics, and specifically deals with the ordeals of one very dysfunctional family and a heroine who begins out as very naïve and vulnerable, but grows into a woman with an elegant strength.

Their story didn't wind up completely, but continues in two more books. Still, the ending was complete enough to satisfy, and it left me wondering about the sequels in a good way.

i didn't expect such a fast-paced enjoyable read, but this is a pretty fun book that is based on both political/historical fact as well as the personal journals of the main character. it's pretty well written, although in the vein of the overly dramatic. while i am not particularly interested in the time period or area, i found it interesting and was glad to learn more about it, while getting a good story in the bargain.

and i liked the quotes - mostly proverbs - that open each section of the book.

"Old minds and hearts are difficult to change, Anna reasoned, but that should not preclude the attempt."

"Push not the river; it will flow on its own accord. - Polish Proverb"

"If there is no wind, you must learn to row. - Polish Proverb"

"Life is like the moon - now dark, now full. - Polish Proverb"

http://poland.leonkonieczny.com/blog/?p=957

Push Not the River, by James Conroyd Martin, is a historic, romantic novel written somewhat in the grand tradition of Doctor Zhivago or Gone With the Wind. To call it “fiction” would do it no justice at all–it is set in late 18th Century Poland, in the years including the 3rd of May Constitution and leading up to the third partition of Poland in 1792. But it is also based on deeper history and true story, on the unpublished memoir of Anna Maria Berezowska.

In a sense, it is a grand novel of romance and intrigue, but on a deeper level, it provides a sense of the place of strong women in the history of Poland. Indeed, during the 125 years of the partition (and non-existence as a country) of Poland, it was in large part the matriarchy that kept alive the sense of Polish nationalism and pride which allowed Poland to emerge from World War I as a sovereign nation. Historic figures such as Tadeusz Kościuszko, (the last King) Stanisław August Poniatowski, and Russian Empress Catherine are woven throughout the fabric of this story, but it is the strong character of Anna and Zofia (cousins, but often at secret odds with each other), the main characters, that bring the story to life, woven around their trials and tribulations. The story is honest which makes it stark and tragic at times. Twists and turns of the storyline will keep you entertained and guessing. It’s not all pretty, it’s not all happy, but all along, you will learn a bit about late 18th century Polish culture, society, and politics–the good and the bad.

This is a heartwarming book and–good news–only the first in a trilogy of books Martin has written. I cannot wait to read the next two. This book kept me engrossed every bit of the way. I was impressed with how historical fact was interwoven seamlessly with the plot. The characters were wonderfully developed and seemed to leap off the page at me–I could almost see and feel and hear them and I felt totally drawn into the storyline, almost as if I was there, silently watching every event, every emotion, listening to every conversation.

I would heartily recommend this book on many levels. I’d previously given it as a Christmas gift to one of my sisters, and she dutifully passed it on to the others and to my sister-in-law–they all absolutely loved it (and the sequel too, which I plan to read soon). If you like romance, if you appreciate the place that strong woman have played in the course of history, and/or if you are interested (as I certainly am) in all things Polish, then you will absolutely love this novel. Once I started it, I had a hard time putting it down. It has my highest recommendation. I hope you love it, too! And by the way, it is available on Kindle, too–that’s how I read it!

Although the writing is a bit stiff at times, this is an overall enjoyable story from a period of history often overlooked -- the Polish "Third of May" Constitution and their battles with Catherine the Great. The heroine, Lady Anna, based on the diaries of a real Polish countess, is a strong one and the supporting characters add interest and depth -- you never know what Anna's cousin Zofia will do next, or what her true motives are. Recommended.

Incredibly accurate portrayal of the era. Learned a lot about the history in question, always a good sign of a good book. Covers about a two year period of Polish history right around 1794. Enjoyable read.

This book very much wanted to be Gone With the Wind, I think.

It helped to know the story was based on the actual diary a Polish countess -- especially when reading the quoted passages from her cousin's diary, as I never would have believed them otherwise. So lurid!

The story itself is very exciting and tense, but the writing simply isn't up to the story. It is a shame. i think it could have been a great historical novel/romance/thriller in the hands of the right author. Instead it seems limp and tepid, filled with silly turns of phase and under-descriptive language.

Very good; heavy on the history.

Story based on the actual diaries of a Countess. Originally written in Polish about Warsaw in the late 1700's.

As the author of this story, I will not review it.