This is a companion to News of the World. I definitely recommend it for readers of historical fiction who like to immerse with a fun and fascinating character.

Simon the fiddler is atmospheric, beautifully written, and well researched. While I didn't connect with the characters or enjoy the pace, I could still appreciate the writing.

I really tried to like this book, but I found it wasn't the right book for me right now. The writing was clear and incredibly descriptive. The main character, Simon, was quirky and I wanted to know him more. But overall the story didn't interest me all that much. If you live historical fiction, you will probably like this book. It just wasn't for me.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Simon has managed to avoid conscription until what becomes the last battle of the Civil War in Brownsville, TX. Now on his own, accompanied by a couple of other musicians, he takes his fiddle on the road through Texas. He's hoping to earn enough money to buy some land and settle down with the young Irish woman he met. But first he has to avoid all sorts of trouble in reconstruction Texas and has to find his way to San Antonio to buy the land and claim the girl.

I loved this book, maybe because it is set in my home region, but it's just as likely I loved it for the beautiful language Jiles uses to describe the landscape, environment, people, and events. She really puts the reader into the time and place of post-Civil War Texas. I loved the way she incorporates the music into the story, and how she creates characters who are fully formed and worthy of our interest and empathy. I liked News of the World, but I loved this one.

SIMON THE FIDDLER by Paulette Jiles would make a wonderful holiday gift (or Thanksgiving read) for historical fiction fans. Written by the National Book Award finalist (for News of the World), SIMON THE FIDDLER begins a bit slowly, but builds to a crescendo with plenty of travels and adventures interspersed. The novel is set in post-Civil War Texas and chronicles the travels of Simon and his bandmates. Simon works hard to be able to purchase land since he eventually wants to settle down with Doris Mary Dillon, a young woman he saw briefly at one of his performances. As an indentured servant from Ireland, Doris has to fulfill her contract with the family of a former Union colonel named Webb. Filled with scenes from Nacogdoches and Crockett in East Texas to Galveston and Corpus Christi on the coast to the Hill Country area around San Marco and San Antonio, Jiles succeeds once again in conveying the essence of Texas' frontier while building memorable characters. SIMON THE FIDDLER received starred reviews from both Booklist and Kirkus.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an easy read! I blew right through it. I enjoyed this so much. The writing style was flawless!

Thank you kindly to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this review copy.

I just could not get into this book. It didn't hold my attention. I found it hard to follow in the beginning. The writing was good; it may just be me. Maybe at a different time I will try again.

Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles

Simon Boudlin was a young looking fiddler during the time of the US Civil War. He managed to scrabble together a band which played well enough to get them cash to cross most of Texas.

Their escapades were those of young men who played, gambled, drank and caroused, not caring where they slept or ate, or if even they did. Never having been conscripted into the war, they had some sneaking around to do as well.

Then came along Doris Dillon, a governess from Ireland, who stole Simon’s heart. The rest of the story is chasing the whereabouts of young Doris.

I’m sure writers feel that comparing their books is like someone comparing their children-please don’t do it! In this case I must. I read News of the World, which was fabulous. Simon the Fiddler just didn’t do it for me. The characters weren’t developed enough for me and the story had little attraction or action until the very end. Two and a half stars.

My thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for an ARC for my review.

Love, love, love this author. I was therefore disappointed that this book feel flat for me. I never connected with this rag-tag traveling group so I didn't really care what they did. I tried to read this two different times and it never clicked with me. Because I love this author, I will try again, at a different time and place in my life.

4.5 stars

You can read all of my reviews at https://nerdgirllovesbooks.com/.

Another gorgeous book from Paulette Jiles set in Texas in the aftermath of the Civil War. The book is so beautifully written I was transported back in time and felt like I was in the room with the characters and experiencing the story with them.

Fiddler Simon Boudlin evaded serving in the military during most of the Civil War. Slight in statue and baby faced, he looked too young to serve. If anyone doubted that, Simon had no problem lying about his age. After a bar room brawl in Southern Texas, fate caught up to Simon and he was conscripted into the Confederate Army. Luckily he was placed in the regimental band and avoided action until the very end.

After the Confederate surrender, Simon and his bandmates are told to play at a gathering for officers and their families from both sides of the conflict. There, he sees Doris Dillon, a young Irish woman who is indentured for three years to a Union officer's family. Sparks fly between the two and after they part, Simon vows to find Doris one day and marry her.

After being released from the army Simon and 3 of his bandmates drift around Texas scraping by playing in bars and hotels. Simon saves his money and dreams of buying a piece of land, building a house, and moving there with Doris. Simon has a plan, and despite the perils of a new nation and the hard scrabble life he is living, nothing will deter him.

I loved the characters in the book. Simon is hard-working, dedicated to his craft, and once he decides on a plan, will let nothing deter him - even himself and his hot-headed nature. More than once Simon is able to talk himself down and resist getting into a fight, or escalating a situation, for fear that it will derail his plans to find Doris and get married. Doris is hard-working, determined and clever, which makes her a great partner for Simon. She does not let adversity get her down, and even when things look bleakest, is able to keep her humor and good-natured spirit.

There are plenty of heroes and villains, and even a surprise cameo appearance by a beloved character. The author doesn't delve too far into his bandmates background, other than how they respond to the predicaments they get themselves into and Simon's actions. Each are given a satisfying, if not sad, ending to their storylines, which I appreciated. Often supporting characters are just kind of left hanging or disappear in a story, so it was nice to see them get their own ending.

Reading this book is effortless. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend you read it.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Anyone who read, "News of the World" by Paulette Jiles, might remember the name Simon “The Fiddler” Boudlin and the love of his life, Doris Dillon. Jiles’s newest work, "Simon the Fiddler", brings the life of the young Paducah, Kentucky lad, Simon Boudlin to center stage. Jiles reminds us on her website:

“. . . Simon from News of the World. . . was playing his fiddle in the Spanish Fort . . . You remember the love of his life Doris Dillon. This is the story of how they met, how Simon survived the last battle of the Civil War and how they lived through his own terrible mistakes and the chaos of Texas under Reconstruction. It is a story of music and what those who create music must endure in a rough-and-tumble world."

It seems that Simon’s life began on the fly, so to speak. His father, an itinerant fiddler, paused long enough in Paducah to impregnate Simon’s mother and to pass along the genetic predisposition to love music. Simon’s mother died when he was young leaving him double grieved – born a bastard; now, an orphan. His kind elderly great-uncle, a bachelor, named Walkin’ Dave did his best to raise him.

Throughout the majority of the Civil War, Simon and his uncle thrived and stayed out of the horrific conflict. The day arrived, however, near the end of the war, that their lives were upended. Nathan Bedford Forrest’s forces swept in and burned Simon’s family’s treasured horse barn to the ground and confiscated the horses for the cause.

As a result, Walkin’ Dave walked away. Simon, now in his early 20s, packed his prized violin and set out to make a living performing music gigs where ever he could find them. Present at every turn was the possibility of running into military “conscriptors”, both Union and Confederate, hungry for troops to sustain the fight. He had one advantage; he was slight of build and appeared much younger than his actual age. He also had one disadvantage; a hot-button fiery temper.

Jiles presents a flawed character in Simon. A young man raised in a world without a “normal” family. In her simple style, we follow Simon – a man with a plan as he conceives a future that will bring him peace.

"He loved solitude; it was as necessary to him as music and water."

All he needs is a wife, the right wife, a woman that accepts his need for solitude and shares his love of music. A homestead, a place where he can live a life without social interference.

"It was there at the Confederate encampment . . . that Simon considered his life and how he would survive in the world to come."

Through the thunder of war, through raucous scenes of bar fights, through placid moments where he is a peace with nature and his own music, we find Simon resolved to live a life of his own choosing. He can be friendly but lacking role models, never learned what it means to be a true friend. He knows what he wants and does what it takes to achieve his dream.

The weakest link in the story is the improbable love story of Simon and Doris. The reader is led to believe that love at the first sight can be sustained while separated through war and reconstruction. The question hangs out there… once reunited and married, can their dream be sustained when facing real life together?

The journey became tedious at times and bogged down with slow motion coverage of the same thing over and over.

The strongest theme throughout the book is the place music plays in life. Ed Power (Irish Examiner, January 31, 2020) expressed the power of music in our lives:

"Music moves us – not just physically, but emotionally and psychologically – reducing stress and improving mood. And it’s been doing it for centuries. . . In the darkest days. . . music feels like a shard of light cutting through the gloom."

In the end, I enjoyed the book but News of the World remains my favorite. That said, any book that has me still thinking about issues and the place of music in our lives is a worthy read.

I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced reading copy of this book for my honest opinion and review.

Atmospheric - yes
Beautifully Written - Yes
Wonderfully researched - yes
Tale of struggles - yes
Spot on Descriptions - yes
Attention to detail – yes
Transports the reader to another time - yes

And yet, I felt this book went on and on and on - especially in the middle. I enjoyed [book:News of the World|25817493] and this was not as enjoyable as that book for me. Even with the research, the beautiful writing, and her attention to the harsh, dirty, gritty time that her characters lived in, I never felt a connection to the characters in this book. As Simon tried to free Doris, my attention was waning. Again, beautifully written and researched. This book describes the struggles and harshness of life. It also describes a man's love of music, his struggle for survival, his use of his wits, a woman's strength, and a journey not only to reach a destination but of the human spirit.


Twenty-three-year-old Simon can pass for a fifteen-year-old yet finds himself conscripted into the Confederate army where his fiddle playing gets him a position with the band. On the eve of the Confederate surrender, Simon and some of his band mates are playing for the officers and their families when Simon notices Doris Mary Aherne, an indentured servant sitting with the Union Colonel's daughter.

They go their separate ways, but Simon cannot get Doris out of his head and vows he will find her. Music and Doris are Simon's two loves. He is a musician and his love of music is deep and as he sets out to play to survive, he also sets about keeping in touch with Doris through correspondence.

Many are enjoying this more than I did. I encourage you to read their reviews as well I guess I am not the slow burn kind of gal. The middle really dragged on for me. It is strange to really appreciate a book for certain aspects and at the same time be continuously hoping and wishing this book would pick up the pace. This will not stop me from reading Jiles in the future. She is a gifted author but this one missed the mark for me. I still enjoyed it but would have liked a faster moving story line.

Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed the author's News of the World and was eagerly anticipating this title. I was not disappointed! No one writes historical fiction like Paulette Jiles. The detail that she puts into these books is amazing. This book tells the story of post-Civil War Texas and Simon, a travelling fiddler, who falls in love with Doris Dillon at first site. Site is about all he knows of her since they exchange only a few words. She is lately from Ireland and under 'contract' to a Union officer and his family as a governess for two years. As the family travels to Texas, Simon follows, determined to purchase land and marry the young woman. The journey is not an easy one and he must overcome many obstacles, not the least of which is finding a way to contact her and establish a relationship.

Jiles returns to the post-Civil War setting in this saga of a musician in the American West. Simon is a lover of music who just wants to play his fiddle. After avoiding military recruitment for a long time, he finally gets caught up in the war, just as it is ending. One good thing to come out of his war experience is that he met a couple of other musicians and they begin playing together.

After the war Simon and his band are playing for a group of officers when the young fiddle player meets Doris, an Irish lass who makes an indelible impression on him. This chance meeting is the start of a quest to re-connect with the elusive servant girl who has captured his heart. This old-time road trip story follows the musicians as they travel by boat and on foot, continually seeking gigs that earn them money and hopefully get Simon ever closer to Doris.

There is a gritty feel to the novel. It’s part of the dusty, grimy world Simon and his friends inhabit. But it also is a world filled with grit of another kind – a determination to follow one’s dreams. Simon has two passions (the fiddle and Doris) but he’s also a realist. He is determined to buy land and settle down. To do that, he uses his considerable charm and talent to find jobs and save for his stake in the land of America’s great West. There’s so much to love about Simon. He’s a dreamer as well as a lover. He won’t be deterred despite roadblocks to reaching his goals.

Though the book moves a little slowly, there’s so much to savor. Reminiscent of Kent Haruf and other authors who weave their tales of simple people and simple lives into a beautiful tapestry. This fiddler will captivate readers just as he does the audiences who hear him play. A story of resilience, determination and love that is sure to please.

Admitting defeat that not every single book is for every single reader, especially regardless of how much you already enjoy the author. I really wanted to love this one. Paulette Jiles writing is so beautiful and encapsulating, so between that and the time period, setting, and synopsis appealing to me, this sounded like the makings of an unforgettable read. Unfortunately, it fell quite a bit short for me.

This is a slow burn historical fiction, one you don’t breeze through but get slowly involved and swept away by. I felt like that was a big downfall in the case of this story though because it could have used some “oomph”. The pacing felt off here and we really don’t even get into much of a story until about the last third of the book. There was simply so much background that it was a struggle for me to get into and really feel compelled to keep going forward.

This was also quite a character driven story, and sadly I had a next to impossible time connecting with the characters, especially Simon as he was not only a hard character to click with, but was an unlikeable character overall that I was never even able to feel sorry for in his selfishness. I was hoping for some redeeming element and expecting some sort of growth on his behalf but that never happened. The whole cast of characters felt surface and I was left disappointed that it felt I really never got to get to know them before the story ended, which wasn’t helped by the abrupt ending we get here.

Now, I truly did enjoy the atmospheric setting Jiles paints. It’s something she does so very well and it was one element that did draw me in and honestly kept me holding on. This “end of the Civil War” time frame was also one I’ve not read a lot about in the historical fiction I’ve picked up, and it was an eye opener, so I was able to appreciate what I learned and took away from it. Ultimately though, this book left me wanting and wishing for so much more from it and this author.

Due to all of the above, and so as not to blast this author, this is not a book I can confidently recommend to my audience, and therefore will not be posting to my social media and blog.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.

Not having read _News of the World_ I had no idea I was in for such a treat. First, I had no idea what was happening in Texas during the Civil War or after. This is the first time I had connected the Mexican Revolution timewise to American history. That’s what good historical fiction does it helps me connect the dots. Simon’s story was brutal, but gave me a look at Texan who were not cowboys. Now I want to know what happens to Simon and Doris as they head to his newly purchased land. And I want to know what happened to Doroteo? I really liked that guy. Sequel please?

3.5 stars

To say that I struggled with rating this book is an understatement. On the one hand, I absolutely loved the writing! Paulette Jiles is a masterful writer who has the ability to transport the reader to a completely different time and place — in this case, Texas in 1865, right after the Civil War — through her atmospheric prose. With the realistic descriptions of the desolate landscape that Simon and his ragtag band travel through, areas mostly devastated by war but yet still contained glimpses of hope for the future, I truly felt like I was inhabiting their world and experiencing the events as they did — which of course is what great historical fiction does.

Despite how much I liked the writing though, I found it difficult to get into the story for some reason. Perhaps because the story was really really slow-moving, with not much plot to speak of for majority of the book, plus I got tired of Simon’s adventures after a while. I was actually more interested in each of the characters’ background stories, which sounded much more fascinating, but unfortunately, only tidbits of their stories were shared here and there — instead, most of the narrative was too focused on Simon’s various encounters as he and his friends traveled around trying to find work. It wasn’t until the last third or so of the book that the story picked up enough to keep my interest.

Aside from the story, I also didn’t connect much with the characters, whether main ones or supporting. I liked Simon as a character and Doris too, but I never really felt invested in their relationship. It seemed kind of farcical to me the way their relationship progressed, starting with Simon falling in love with Doris (a complete stranger to him at the time) almost instantaneously, then doing everything in his power to make himself worthy enough to pursue her — later when they finally meet, their interaction the entire time felt predictable, clumsy, and largely emotionless. I basically wasn’t convinced of their relationship, which made those sections where Simon and Doris profess their affinity for each other a bit awkward to read.

My overall sentiment is that I wanted very much to love this book, but ended up merely “liking” it instead. As I mentioned earlier, the setting was beautifully rendered and the writing was absolutely exquisite, but the story and the characters didn’t quite work for me. With that said, I seem to be in the minority with this one so I would say please don’t let my review deter you if you were already planning on reading it – if anything, the writing itself makes this a worthwhile read even if the story isn’t great. Personally, even though, I wasn’t too keen on her newest novel, I am still quite excited to explore Paulette Jiles’s backlist of works, especially her acclaimed News of the World, which has been on my TBR for quite some time.

Received ARC from William Morrow (HarperCollins) via NetGalley.

A touching reinterpretation of a romance and a western. If you liked The News of the World you will like Simon the Fiddler. The story takes place in Texas at the end of the Civil War. The eponymous Simon is an itinerant fiddle player, accompanied by a ragtag band of musicians with whom he travels trying to make a living, Simon briefly meets a charming young Irish lass who steals his heart. As historical fiction, we learn about the fluid pot war situation and the power of determination. If you believe in the power of music you will find this a charming read.

This is a slow moving story filled with music and literature quotes that takes the reader on a roundabout tour of the American SW after the Civil War. I enjoyed the descriptive settings and the glimpse into everyday life during that time. This is mostly a quiet novel based on the strengths of friendship and hope. (Watch for the brief appearance of Captain Kidd from News of the World!)

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC to read and review.

The author seem to take great joy in writing about music in this book in a manner that she must’ve been saving up for. The writing is very descriptive and wordy with very little action in the first 2/3 of the book. The latter third of the book is where the action is and I finally could enjoy it. Thanks to net galley for an arc copy.