Saturday, December 18, 2010

Book Review: The Tale of Oat Cake Crag

If you’re a fan of Beatrix Potter or Susan Wittig Albert or historical fiction or books that make you want to curl up in a chair by the fireplace and read, check out The Tale of Oat Cake Crag.

Susan Wittig Albert has done more and written more than anyone I know. She started a now international group of writers, called Story Circle Network. I’m honored to say I’ve participated in two of the national conferences for SCN – once as a workshop leader and once as a one-on-one mentor. Susan writes non-fiction as well as fiction. In the fiction category, she writes the China Bayles mystery series, The Darling Dahlias series, and, with her husband, a Victorian-Edwardian mystery series. She also writes the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter series. The Tale of Oat Cake Crag is the latest in that last series.

Here’s just a bit of the back cover blurb:
Miss Beatrix Potter has returned to Near Sawrey, seeking refuge from the bluster of London in the quiet of a mild March. But it is 1912, and elsewhere in England, Winston Churchill, the first Lord of the Admiralty, is said to be preparing for the unpleasant possibility of war. In the Lake District, the country peace has been interrupted by the numerous and noisy test flights of a new flying machine: the hydroplane.
Reading The Tale of Oat Cake Crag, you feel transported back to that time and place. If this is your first Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter book, you may be caught by surprise since the animals talk (to you and to each other), but you quickly lose your surprise because the animals have so much to say and have a different perspective on the people and the goings-on. An unseen narrator takes you on your journey, keeping you up on the ties between characters and animals and lets you in on the gossip or history when needed. Susan Wittig Albert takes great care to be true to the time period and historical happenings. She’s also true to Beatrix Potter.

If you’re new to the Land Between the Lakes, Susan gives you a Cast of Characters which you can read before you begin the story, as well as recipes and a Glossary in the back. I admit, though, I did not read the Cast of Characters nor the Glossary before beginning the book – and I never had a reason to search either since Susan does a great job of making things clear through the writing.

I remember reading Beatrix Potter as a kid, but I didn’t fall in love with her until I read The Tale of Oat Cake Crag. I’m now a fan of Susan Wittig Albert’s Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter series. This is the seventh in the series. You can read the series out of order, though, since the Narrator makes sure you’re never lost.

The Tale of Oat Cake Crag
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
Or you can go to Susan’s site to order an autographed copy

I give The Tale of Oat Cake Crag a Hel-of-a-Writer rating.
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FTC Disclaimer: The author, Susan Wittig Albert, sent me an ARC of The Tale of Oat Cake Crag. That did not influence my review. I met Susan many years ago at the first book signing I had ever attended. There were multiple authors signing and I carried her book around the store for a long time before I worked up the nerve to ask her for her autograph. I won’t give away this ARC because she signed it, but I believe I’ll buy the first in the series and give it to a favorite aunt. I think she would love this series. And don’t be put off if you’ve never read a single Beatrix Potter book. You don’t need to in order to fall in love with the people and animals who live in the Land Between the Lakes.

25 comments:

  1. This sounds like something I'd love. On my list it goes...well, they all go. Thanks Helen!

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  2. Sounds wonderful - thanks for the tip!! :)

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  3. That sounds like a book for me!

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  4. I love this author's series! Nice review, Helen. :)

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  5. You hang on to that book - it holds meaning for you!

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  6. It's a book that will make you smile.

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  7. The Animals are the funniest part of the book.

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  8. It sounds like an interesting book; I've never heard of the book/series before, so thanks for the review!

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  9. Even if you like hard-core mysteries or thrillers, a light-hearted cozy can be fun.

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  10. Thanks so much. It won't arrive in time for Christmas, but I know exactly which of my friends this is going to.

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  11. What a great review! The story sounds amazing, thanks Helen.

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  12. Nice review, Helen. Makes me want to read this book.

    Thanks,
    Monti
    NotesAlongTheWay

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  13. Thanks for the review Helen. I love, love, love the China Bayles series but didn't enjoy the Beatrix Potter books as much. Maybe I need to try again and read this one.
    Ann

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  14. So, Susan has done it again, eh! Big congrats, Susan! Looking forward to reading it!
    Sylvia Dickey Smith

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  15. Ann, it's definitely different from the China Bayles series. When I think of the Cottage Tales series, words like peaceful, cozy, warm, and fun come to mind. It evokes a long-ago era.

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  16. My Mum would love the Cottage Tales (and so would I), she visited Beatrix Potter country this April.

    I will look them up and treat her.

    Have a great festive period and a happy, healthy New Year.

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  17. Same to you, Glynis, and to your mum. (I wish I'd taught my kids to call me "Mum" -- I like the sound of it.) Probably wouldn't have worked, though, since my kids are only 18 months apart and yet they call me different things. My son calls me Mama and my daughter calls me Mom.

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  18. This sounds delightful! And such a nice change of pace from all the "serious" reading I do! Thanks for sharing! Now I'm going out to search for this! :-)

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  19. That's funny- my eldest two are eighteen months apart, one still calls me mummy & the other mum. Our youngest calls me mumsy and my son-in-law calls me mum2. So I know who I am, my daughter-in-law calls me Glynis. LOL

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  20. Wow, Glynis. At least you know who's calling by how they address you when you answer the phone.

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  21. Wonderful review. I have been tempted by this series before and may have to give in to the temptation. LOL

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  22. Because I’m not a big talking animal person, I haven’t read Beatrix Potter or Susan Albert’s series, but you make them both sound interesting. I’ll go to Susan’s site and find out more. I’m thinking a series like this might be fun to start for my grandson as something special to read together when he’s at our house.

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  23. I love the China Bayles series and now I have two great nieces to buy books for, so I'll seek out this series.

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  24. I'm a long-time follower of Susan's mystery series, but I haven't tried the Beatrix Potter books yet. I think I need to remedy that situation.

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