Instagram story viewer> @itslauracrow> Tagged

Laura Crow

@itslauracrow

9.8K

followers

498

following

Tudor history lover & classic literature bookworm. Illustrator & writer.
💀 Actor: @laurageorgecrow
🎭 Jane Boleyn play: @vile_thetudorplay

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

The September classics read with #thesecondbreakfastclub was The Castle of Crossed Destinies by Italo Calvino which created some lively discussion.

It was my favourite book of the month

(Sorry, that's not the end of the sentence 😂)

that included tarot card pictures.

I absolutely loved Calvino's If On A Winter's Night A Traveller and when The Castle of Crossed Destinies was chosen as the group read I was excited to pick up this beautiful new paperback edition in the Vintage Classics Brief Encounters series. Both books are translated from the Italian by William Weaver.

A lovely cover, french flaps, stories accompanied by pictures of tarot cards 😍.
And an intriguing premise. A group of travellers in some undefined medieval setting meet in a castle, and then in a tavern. They mysteriously lose the power of their voice and have to use a deck of tarot cards to tell their tales.

So far, so good. And the first chapter promises much.

And then the stories start.
The narrator interprets the cards being laid out to tell the tales and it's a real stretch to come up with some of these elaborate life stories from a handful of cards. At first intriguing, it quickly turns into a tedious exercise of endurance on the part of the reader.
The constraints of the tarot idea create stilted narratives which were either baffling, boring or both, and it became a struggle to get through a short book!

There are many literary references throughout with many tales borrowing from diverse sources such as Faust, the Song of Roland, Shakespeare, even de Sade.
Unfortunately this literary puzzle doesn't add to the flow of the prose or any actual enjoyment.

I know this is a classic, and some will love it, but for me it was boring and tedious. A case of an idea that should have stayed as a concept and not actually written 🤣.
Meaning did not unfold as the back cover blurb promised.

🃏🪄1.5 cards out of 5

103

40

55

3

Baffled, flummoxed and not a Scooby!?! The Castle of Crossed Destinies has challenged The Second Breakfast Club over the last few weeks… has anyone else read it and can you explain it please!!

#bookstagram #theauthorslounge #readersofinstagram #bookclubofinstagram #italocalvino

29

15

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 #𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐛 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔

Together with a lovely little reading group, I’m reading a classic every month this year. These are the classics we’ll be reading between now and the end of the year:

🍃 September: “The Castle of Crossed Destinies” by Italo Calvino

I’m really looking forward to this – it looks set to be quite unusual: a group of travellers meet in a castle and tell their story using tarot cards; the margins of every page are filled with illustrations of tarot cards. I’ve no idea how this story will unfold.

🧛‍♂️ October: “Dracula” by Bram Stoker

In keeping with the season, we’re bringing Count Dracula back to life from the bookshelf – well, not really, hopefully. Gemma thinks it’s the greatest love story ever, as Dracula has remained faithful to his one true love for centuries; I think the Count is incredibly clingy – he really needs to work on that.

🍁 November: “The House of Mirth” by Edith Wharton

I’m really looking forward to it, as this will be the first book I will be reading by Edith Wharton, and I’ve got quite high hopes for it.

🎄 December: “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens

You can always read this during Advent and around Christmas to get yourself into the right festive spirit.

If anyone would like to read one of the books along with us, they’re more than welcome to join in. We read a section each week and then chat about it on Saturday evening. Just send me a DM

@historic_rabbithole
@itslauracrow @ileanainbooklandia @holliebee_ @theauthorslounge

154

13

Cut Him Out in Little Stars is OUT NOW! 🎉🎉🎉

Huge thanks to all the wonderful booklovers, bloggers, bookstagrammers and reviewers who have got in touch to tell us they love it! 🥹🥹🥹

We're having a very special GIVEAWAY competition to celebrate! Do you fancy joining in the fun?

Just post an "old school bookstagram" pic of Cut Him Out in Little Stars here on Insta over the next week (you know, a nice arty pic - maybe with a few props / a steaming mug of coffee etc 😂). Make sure you tag @thelucystrange and @chickenhousebooks

On 4th Sept we'll pick a winner and they'll receive this gorgeous Cut Him Out in Little Stars box of goodies!

It includes: a signed, stamped and dedicated copy of Cut Him Out in Little Stars, a bookmark, milk chocolate buttons from @ryechocolates, a BEAUTIFUL enamel No Coward Soul is Mine pin from @itslauracrow and Seaweed and Samphire bath salts from @plumandashby 🧡

Have fun composing your pics!! 🤗

🧡 Giveaway competition is UK mainland only (due to postage), but feel free to join in the fun anyway even if you're not eligible! 🧡

A winner will be picked by Lucy Strange and Chicken House Books. Entries close at midnight on 3rd Sept 2026.

Cut Him Out in Little Stars artwork and cover design by the amazing @micaelaalcainodesign 😍

📚🧡📚🧡📚🧡

Hi 👋 I'm Lucy Strange - I'm a YA and children's author, RfP advocate, ex-teacher and mum.

Cut Him Out in Little Stars is my 14th book published, and it's available now wherever you love to buy your books (perfect for all romance / mystery lovers 12+) xxx

30

6

It’s almost time for Bath Pride! We’re so excited to join in with the parade as it comes right outside our door. 👀
Check out these amazing new pins by @itslauracrow which will be coming out on the shop floor tomorrow ahead of Septembers Austen festival. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️💕
A reminder that we’re a proud part of the Safe Space Bath network, and that everyone is welcome to shop here free of judgement - let’s celebrate together!

#BathPride @bath.pride

25

1

Ok and if it IS Katherine Howard… then we all need to be talking A LOT MORE about how he’s going to call our sweet Anna “uGLy” and then turn around and marry a younger version??
However… to me…
Thats.
Her.
Face.
🤷🏻‍♀️ what do you think??
I’m looking forward to reading @tudors_reimagined ‘s research on this miniature (and why it’s Anne 😉) while we all continue to hunt for Katherine’s portrait… it’s out there. I believe it ✨
•
#tudorhistory #henryviii #anneofcleves #katherinehoward #thetudors
Henry VIII’s wives | Holbein paintings | historic portraits | Tudor queens | Tudor portraits | contemporary portraits of Catherine Howard | was Anne of Cleves unattractive | who is in this portrait

3

70

The giveaway has closed and the royal winner has been notified 👑💕

His Most Royal and Majestic Highness Prince Stewart (or should I say Stuart?) cordially invites his UK fans to enter a giveaway for his mom’s book, which he has deigned to endorse. (For treats, of course.)

HENRY TUDOR MUST DIE will be out in less than a week (!!), so here’s your chance to get a bag full of goodies from this cool cat across the pond.

GIVEAWAY

💀 A finished UK hardcover, signed and personalized, plus bookmarks!
💀 A gorgeous Anne Boleyn pin by @itslauracrow
💀 A quite excellent (and hilarious) tote bag with art by @lilaselle
💀 Art from @kristinagehrmann, @s_holdthebus, and @xena.fay
💀 The perfect summer candle filled with black tea, lemon, and feminine rage from @evilqueen

HOW TO ENTER

✨ Follow
✨ Like this post
✨ Tag a friend
✨ Share in the comments your favorite Tudor queen
✨ Extra entries if you follow me on other socials or subscribe to my newsletter! (Link in bio for all of the above)

INFO

⚔️ Giveaway CLOSES Friday, 24 July.
⚔️ No purchase necessary. Open to UK residents 18+.

443

296

Always been there. Always will be 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️ Who is ready for @prideinthepeaks on Saturday? 🙋‍♀️

101

3

One of my favourite things about #bookstagram is buddy & group reading & being able to discuss them with people from near & far.

I joined #thesecondbreakfastclub for the May readalong of:
📘 Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh

The weekly discussions added a lot to the reading as this was my first time reading this classic.

Shout out to the Brideshead readers
@the.bibliophile.violet
@theauthorslounge
@itslauracrow
@historic_rabbithole

So what did we learn?

📖The main theme is religion. The book is subtitled 'The sacred and profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder'
📖 Waugh's writing is wonderful. Lyrical prose in places. Characters that seem like real people. Deep themes and humour make for an entertaining read .
📖The phrase 'it's all bosh' needs to make a comeback🤣
📖 Charles is upper middle class but positively poor compared to the Marchmain family.
📖The friendship between Charles and Sebastian is at the heart of the novel. It's deliberately ambiguous as to whether their relationship is at times more than just good friends.
📖 Becoming best friends with a stranger that vomits into your university lodgings window is not your usual ice breaker🤮
📖 Anthony Blanche is an outrageously camp and flamboyant character.
📖 Sebastian's brother Brideshead is described as 'a very sound fellow'.
📖 There's a melancholic atmosphere. The 1920s and 1930s saw a decline in the aristocracy and their grand old houses. This coincided with a decline in the Catholic religion and the looming darkness of WWII.
📖 Charles and Sebastian party hard at Uni. This is the start of Sebastian's decline as alcoholism takes hold.🥂
📖Love is another big theme both in relationships and the love of the divine.
📖 Sebastian has a strong attachment to his teddy bear, Aloysius.
📖If you're struggling to find a partner then a matchbox collection could be a lifesaver 😉
📖 Sebastian is as doomed as the aristocracy. It's the end of an era.
📖 Charles gets married but loves someone else.
📖 Adultery, divorce and Catholicism become dominant story threads.
📖 Oxford scenes take autobiographical details from Waugh's life.

It's a book I may love more on a second read.
✨✨✨✨4 stars

190

33

Why am I sat here this morning with a 🧸? Because I’m talking to you about Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh. I read this with my book family in #thesecondbreakfastclub 🥰 Probably his most reflective and nostalgic novel and one of my all time favourites.
So have you read it? Watched it? And do you have a bear called Aloysius??🧸🤩🧸

#bookstagram #theauthorslounge #bookreviewersofinstagram #bridesheadrevisited

24

9

A Big Thank You to The Avenging Anne Boleyn squad, for this gorgeous stack of books and Pin Badges, won in their recent giveaway 📚📚📚📚📚📚

Thank you to @hollyracebooks @itslauracrow @clemmiebennettauthor @rebeccalehmannauthor @jillianlaineauthor

I love a bit of historical fiction and fantasy, that’s my holiday reads sorted for next month 📚📚📚📚📚

#historicalfiction #anneboleyn #historicalfantasy #bookstagram #tudors

88

16