My review of A Thin Porridge by Benjamin J. Goh @BenGohs @maryanneyarde

  

A Thin Porridge

By Benjamin J. Gohs

When 19-year-old Abeona Browne's renowned abolitionist father Jon Browne dies in summer of 1860, devastating family secrets are revealed, and her life of privilege and naiveté in Southern Michigan becomes a frantic transatlantic search for answers—and someone she didn't even know existed.

 

Still in mourning, Abeona sneaks aboard the ship carrying her father’s attorney Terrence Swifte and his assistant Djimon—a young man with his own secrets—on a quest to Africa to fulfil a dying wish.

 

Along the journey, Abeona learns of her father’s tragic and terrible past through a collection of letters intended for someone he lost long ago.

 

Passage to the Dark Continent is fraught with wild beasts, raging storms, illness, and the bounty hunters who know Jon Browne’s diaries are filled with damning secrets which threaten the very anti-slavery movement he helped to build.

 

Can Abeona overcome antebellum attitudes and triumph over her own fears to right the wrongs in her famous family’s sordid past?

 

So named for an African proverb, A Thin Porridge is a Homeric tale of second chances, forgiveness, and adventure that whisks readers from the filth of tweendecks, to the treachery of Cameroons Town, across the beauty of Table Bay, and deep into the heart of the fynbos—where Boer miners continue the outlawed scourge of slavery.

 

MY THOUGHTS

This is a story of suffering, revelations and survival. It is also one of hope in a time when hope seemed as fragile as a rose in winter. A Thin Porridge is a novel where I grew to admire the protagonist. Abeona is a character that is initially rather standoffish and arrogant, and in some cases extremely rude. But when the rug is swept from under her feet because of her father’s death, Abeona comes to realise the true depths of despair and suffering that is all around her. The journey, adventure, call it what you will, that Abeona goes on was very moving. The people she meets, the places she goes, the things she sees, help her to grow and by doing so, she becomes someone who is extremely likeable, and by the end of the novel, I was really hoping for the best.

 

The historical setting, the cruelty, the humility and the terror of the slave market is portrayed in a very realistic way which made my heart weep that these innocent people were treated so appallingly. A Thin Porridge does not leave anything to the imagination, which I think made it all the more harrowing. However, it is not all doom and gloom. There are lighter moments in this book which help to drive the story forward.

 

There is a cast of colourful characters in this book, and like Abeona’s father, many are hiding their own secrets. I thought the backstories to these characters added a lot of depth to this tale. Likewise, so did the antagonists who I am not going to name because I don’t want to give any spoilers. Needless to say, he sent shivers down my spine.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed A Thin Porridge. I thought it was a very insightful look into this era.

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Benjamin J. Gohs

Benjamin J. Gohs is a longtime award-winning news editor whose investigative journalism has included stories of murder, sex-crime, historical discovery, corruption, and clerical misconduct.

 

Benjamin now divides his time between writing literary thrillers and managing the community newspaper he co-founded in 2009.

 

Website: https://bengohs.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bengohs

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20132227.Benjamin_J_Gohs

Read an excerpt from COUNTERPOINT Henry, the King's Cavalier (The Lydiard Chronicles: 1603-1664 by Elizabeth St.John

COUNTERPOINT

Henry, the King's Cavalier

(The Lydiard Chronicles: 1603-1664)

By Elizabeth St.John

A man may think his life is only measured by battles fought for the king. Until he meets a woman worth fighting for.

 

Henry Wilmot. Cavalier. Seasoned soldier. Grieving widower. On the eve of battle he is sent by the king to requisition arms. What he did not expect was that the supplies were a gift from a feisty and attractive widow who was hiding her own Royalist beliefs in plain sight. Even more alarming was that his quest took him into the heart of an enemy Parliamentarian household. Will Henry survive the fight of his life? And will Nan remember him if he does?

A counterpoint is a melody played in conjunction with another, or an opposing viewpoint in an argument. Our lives are complex, and each one of us carries within us a counterpoint to another’s story.

 

Here is a counterpoint to Nan Wilmot, from Written in Their Stars.

Excerpt

On the eve of the battle of Edge Hill, Henry Wilmot is in a desperate race to acquire arms on behalf of the king. He enlists the help of Allen Apsley, who leads him to his cousin.

 

The foolish groom just ignored me before bending and feebly pushing the guns back into a pile. He was a weed of a man, the guns near as long as him. At that rate, we would be there all night.

 

I nudged him with my boot. “Don’t be so bloody stupid, you whoreson. Get out of the damned way. Now.”

 

The fellow snatched up a gun and pointed it at me. “And you don’t be so bloody rude.” In a swift motion, Allen seized the weapon and flung it to the ground—and then burst out laughing. I was still struggling to understand why a stripling whose voice had not even broken was on a mission like this.

 

Allen hugged the lad, knocking off his hat. The recruit laughed with a laugh that sent heat to my gut. And shook loose a wash of auburn curls.

 

“Allen!”

 

“Nan!”

 

“Dear God!” I exclaimed.

 

She swept me a look that would have stopped the Earl of Essex dead and saved us the trouble of fighting again that month.

 

“Where’s my brother?” she demanded of Apsley.

 

“With the advance cavalry, on his way to London.” He paused. “Ned’s perfectly safe, Nan. We meet up from here and ride together.”

 

She nodded in my direction. “Who’s this?” 

 

“Henry Wilmot, at your service.” I swept my best bow. Somehow her attitude and the occasion demanded it.

 

“Should I know you, Mr. Wilmot?”

 

Again that arrogance. I just stared at her.

 

Apsley rushed to my rescue. “Colonel Wilmot is the king’s Commissioner General of the Horse. He leads the cavalry in his army, Nan. He is the most experienced military commander, second only to Prince Rupert.” He paused. “And more popular.”

 

She sniffed. “Let’s see if you can ride as well as you curse.” She turned to Apsley. “Give me a leg up, Allen. I’ll show you the shortcut across Ditchley Park. It’ll save you two hours on the track.”

 

This was too much. We did not need a woman slowing us down at this vital moment. “Can’t your men lead us? This is really no place for a lady.”

 

As Apsley cupped his hands and Lady Lee stepped up on her high horse—if it was even possible for her to climb any higher—her cloak swung open, revealing a pair of breeches and a man’s jacket, some kind of linen shirt and velvet waistcoat. None of which did anything to hide her figure nor her agility.

 

“Not what I had expected, Apsley,” I muttered under my breath. “Yet certainly more than I wished for.”

 

He grinned and quickly mounted, as did I. “Ride forward with Nan, Colonel, and I’ll bring up the rear to ensure the pack ponies don’t lag.” Cantering down the track, he left me at his cousin’s mercy.

 

“Shall we go?” She shot me another glance. “Or are you concerned about keeping up with a woman in unknown territory?”

 

She urged her horse forward, her hair streaming behind like the mane of a wild filly.

Amazon

Elizabeth St.John

Elizabeth St.John was brought up in England, lives in California, and spends most of her time in the 17^th Century. To inspire her writing, she has tracked down family papers and residences from Nottingham Castle, Lydiard Park, and Castle Fonmon to the Tower of London. Although the family sold a few castles and country homes along the way (it's hard to keep a good castle going these days), Elizabeth's family still occupy them - in the form of portraits, memoirs, and gardens that carry their imprint. And the occasional ghost. But that's a different story.

Connect with Elizabeth: Website • Facebook • Twitter • Amazon Author Page.

My review of Kindred Spirits: Ephemera by Jennifer C. Wilson

Kindred Spirits: Ephemera

By Jennifer C. Wilson

The afterlife is alive with possibility…

In this collection of stories, we follow kings and queens as they make important (and history-defying) visits, watch a football game featuring the foulest of fouls, and meet a host of new spirits-in-residence across the British Isles and beyond. 

Be transported to ancient ruins, a world-famous cemetery, and a new cathedral, and catch up with old friends – and enemies. 

Because when the dead outnumber the living and start to travel, the adventures really do begin.

Kindred Spirits: Ephemera is a charming collection of stories about your favourite ghosts!

Included short- stories are

Kindred Spirits: St Paul’s Cathedral

Kindred Spirits: Jailbreak

Kindred Spirits: Carlisle Castle 

Kindred Spirits: The Sisterhood of Hampton Court Palace 

Kindred Spirits: Leicester – Return of the King 

Kindred Spirits: The Jewel of the Wall 

Kindred Spirits: Eurostar 

Kindred Spirits: Père Lachaise

Kindred Spirits: York, Revisited

Kindred Spirits: Windsor Castle 

MY THOUGHTS! 

A collection of short stories that doesn’t stick to just one era or specific historical figures, Kindred Spirits Ephemera throws everyone in together, creating acquaintances that are impossible except for in the world of ghosts. A highly entertaining collection, the relationships that occur, such as the meeting of all six of Henry VIII’s wives, and the reunion of Edward IV, Richard III and George Plantagenet were expertly portrayed and I couldn’t put the book down as I went from one story to the next, wondering which historical figure would pop up next. I vastly enjoyed reading about how the ghosts enjoy themselves, finding creative ways to show themselves or to ‘haunt’ the tourists visiting what was once their homes. I Highly Recommend Kindred Spirits Ephemera to everyone! You don’t necessarily need a lot of knowledge about the historical figures to enjoy this book, there is a cast list that helps to explain who these people were and how they were related to others, helping to emphasize the humour in the figures from different time periods hanging (or rather floating!) around each other and the strange friendships between various kings and monarchs. If you want something to read, grab a cup of tea and sit down with one of these short stories. I can assure you, you will read more than one, no matter whether that was your intention or not!

AMAZON

Jennifer C. Wilson

Jennifer C. Wilson stalks dead people (usually monarchs, mostly Mary Queen of Scots and Richard III). Inspired by childhood visits to as many castles and historical sites her parents could find, and losing herself in their stories (not to mention quote often the castles themselves!), at least now her daydreams make it onto the page.

 

After returning to the north-east of England for work, she joined a creative writing class, and has been filling notebooks ever since. Jennifer won North Tyneside Libraries’ Story Tyne short story competition in 2014, and in 2015, her debut novel, Kindred Spirits: Tower of London was published by Crooked Cat Books. The full series was re-released by Darkstroke in January 2020.

 

Jennifer is a founder and host of the award-winning North Tyneside Writers’ Circle, and has been running writing workshops in North Tyneside since 2015. She also publishes historical fiction novels with Ocelot Press. She lives in Whitley Bay, and is very proud of her two-inch view of the North Sea.

 

You can connect with Jennifer online: Blog • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • Amazon