The Diamond by Julie Baumgold
>> Monday, March 17, 2008
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publication Date: 2005
Pages: 304
Challenges: TBR 2008 #5, A-Z Reading #17 (D title), Royalty Rules #3
This is a fictionalized story about a real diamond and real people. The Regent Diamond was one of the largest ever found. Discovered in India around 1700, it was later cut in England and possessed by an ancestor of William Pitt who eventually sold it to the nephew of Louis XIV. This was the Regent (for Louis XV) for whom the stone was named.
This novel follows the diamond and its owners through all the French kings and emperors over the next century and a half. The story is told primarily by two narrators. The main narrator is the Count las Cases who begins to write the history of the diamond at the same time he’s living on St. Helena, writing the memoirs with the exiled Napoleon. The final portion of the story is told by an anonymous narrator,
This book was not an easy or quick read because I spent almost as much time looking up people and events on the internet as I did reading the book. Perhaps the writer presumes the reader has a much more thorough knowledge of French history than I did. Parts of the book were a bit chopped up due to needing to go back online to find out the whole story of events and people that are hinted at and quickly passed over. I did learn a lot about the French rulers and history. Other parts of the book were totally fascinating and compelling to read. Overall however, I ended up having mixed feelings about this one. OK but I felt like I needed a prerequisite refresher on 18th and 19th century France to make it good.
No stars – I couldn’t even finish it
1 star – I didn’t like it but I managed to finish it.
2 stars – It was OK. Not good, but seriously just OK.
3 stars - I liked it. I didn’t think it was great, but I thought it was good entertainment.
4 stars – I really liked it. I really think you might like it too.
5 stars – It was amazing. I’d recommend this to just about anyone.
9 comments:
Great review!
The story itself, sounds like it has so much potential. It's too bad that the book was disappointing. I am still contemplating if I should add it to my TBR or not.
Sounds like an interesting basis for a story. I don't know my French history, apart from what I've read up on due to fiction. I found out a little about my Huguenot ancestry from The Virgin Blue, Napoleon's reign in France from Desiree, etc. Gotta love that you learned from the book, in spite of finding it choppy.
Your write-up made me think of Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland, except instead of a diamond the story follows a painting of Vermeer's.
TeddyRose: There was a lot of it that was interesting, but I think I really enjoyed the background research it led to me to more than the book itself.
Bookfool: I love books that lead me to read more - I learned a lot about the history of France while reading this and really enjoyed that.
Booklogged: I read The Girl in Hyacinth Blue - there are a lot of similarities.
Ah well, sounds like one to skip for me. I have neither the background nor the patience for looking everything up, sadly!
Suzi, I read this book and I too found it not an easy, quick read. It was an interesting story but alot of checking on who was who and alot of French History research on line.
Heather: yeah - you should probably skip this one - it does take a bit of concurrent online searching.
Sherri: I knew that I'd heard about this book from someone in the Booklovers group, but couldn't remember exactly who - must have been you. It was intersting, but I think I enjoyed the stuff I read online almost more than the book itself.
I might really enjoy this one. I like the thought of looking up people on the internet to learn more about them.
Framed: If you don't mind taking time out to read background online and if (like me) you enjoy that, I think you'd find this one interesting.
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