herself was born in 1943 in Turkey and lived in Paris, Ankara, Istanbul, Berlin and Zurich, where she died in 1986. This entry was posted in Lesbrary Reviews and tagged 1600s, 2023, Celia Bell, France, gothic, historical fiction, lesbian, mystery, Paris, queer, Rachel Friars, twisty by Lesbrarians. Eig ( Ali: A Life) gives a rousing recap of King’s triumphs as a civil rights leader—the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott, his “I Have a Dream” speech at the 1963 march on Washington, the 1965 procession from Selma to Montgomery, Ala. CELIA BELL has written short fiction for VQR, The White Review, The Sewanee Review, The Southern Review, and Bomb Magazine. It’s an enthralling reappraisal that confirms King’s relevance to today’s debates over racial justice.

She's involved in a clandestine affair with younger noblewoman, Victoire Rose de Bourbon, a relative of the king. Perhaps we aren't meant to be left wondering what will become of the lovers, perhaps we aren't meant to be left reeling by some delicious little twist. The author also included many details relating to life in seventeenth century Paris that added to the story, although the setting never felt immersive or vibrant.While several offerings, including “Lila the Werewolf” (1969) and “Come Lady Death” (1963), stem from Beagle’s early years, the majority represent his post-2000 output, demonstrating that his skills have only been refined over the decades. I finished this one on audio yesterday and it’s a great slice of queer, feminist historical fiction!

If the POV just flipped between the two of them, it would have been a lot more focused, though I understand that other characters' POVs (I will not name names in case of spoilers) are important and even necessary to the story.I felt like the whole book needed a really good editor - someone with a big red pen - who could strike out the unnecessary and pull what was left together. Celia Bell’s debut novel, The Disenchantment(Pantheon 2023), is a stunning example of queer historical fiction at its finest.