The Sweetness

...was finally being able to finish not one, but TWO books.  In the SAME week!

The first book I tackled was Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley.  Score!  This was a fun read--I was taken by 11-year-old Flavia DeLuce, budding detective and Chemistry whiz who, as the youngest of three girls left motherless, cleverly sleuths her way in and out of trouble and comes up with ways to rub salt in the wound that is the relationship with her older siblings.  Some of her scheming had me chuckling out loud.  Set in 1950s England, it grabbed me on the first page and I didn't want to put it down until the ride was over.  Also, who cannot love a girl who names her bicycle?  Two thumbs, WAY up.

The second book was Remarkable Creatures, by Tracy Chevalier.  I loved her novel Girl With a Pearl Earring, and was drawn to this book looking for something as enjoyable. 

Here's the thing:  I found it hard to even compare the two.  Though both books are a fun glimpse into 18th and 19th Century England and class distinctions and being born to privileges or without them, one deals heavily in the arts, and the other delves into archaeology and the discovery of dinosaur fossils.  The twist here, is that the fossil hunters are women.  Remarkable women, who, despite class and gender, fight their way into a world dominated in so many ways, by men.  I loved the facts interwoven with the historical fiction.  I loved the independent spirit of both books I chose.  They were perfect choices for my independent weekend.  Also, I listened to Chevalier's book on CD as I drove through the New England countryside.  

The accents were delightful, and the story charming.

Leisurely reading, how I've missed you!