This was a fantastic novel, which surpassed my expectations and has become one of my favourite Elizabeth Chadwick novels.
The story of William de ValenThis was a fantastic novel, which surpassed my expectations and has become one of my favourite Elizabeth Chadwick novels.
The story of William de Valence, Henry III's half-brother, and Joanna de Valence, an eventual co-heiress of the Marshal fortune, this presents the Barons War of the 1260s from a new perspective. I have read plenty of fiction from Simon and Eleanor de Montfort's perspective, or from a royal viewpoint but this is the first I have read from the "villains". Looking at the portrayal of "aliens" was one of the things I most enjoyed at university so this was a major plus for me.
I loved our lead character Joanna, and she was well-developed. The only issue I had was that the Montfort family were all a little one-dimensional. This meant that some of the heartbreak of cousins fighting and killing cousins was missing. And whatever else Simon de Montfort was in life, one-dimensional wasn't it. I still admire him alot, but this novel is a timely reminder to consider all viewpoints before rushing to judgement. ...more
Unlike Normal People which I felt started to run out of steam but started brilliantly, I felt this book started slowly and was slow to engage my interUnlike Normal People which I felt started to run out of steam but started brilliantly, I felt this book started slowly and was slow to engage my interest but became more and more interesting.
This is novel that tries to engage with our time. What is love and what is the point of it in a declining world with falling living standards and, indeed the prospect of total societal collapse facing us? I particularly liked the fact that one of the characters was religious and was not portrayed as a right-wing nutjob. In fact, one of the themes of the book is how the characters cope with living in a largely post- Christian secular society when they cannot embrace the meaningless that comes with being an atheist.
I didn't know I needed this book. A beautifully written sequel to the Silence of the Girls, this tells of the aftermath of the Trojan war. Victorious,I didn't know I needed this book. A beautifully written sequel to the Silence of the Girls, this tells of the aftermath of the Trojan war. Victorious, but trapped by the wind and unable to leave for home discontent rises in the Greek camp as Briseis tries to help the new crop of Trojan slaves.
Well, I would rather have read the very overdue Merry Gentry novel.
I was weary of this book as both her other series have lost their way and need to eWell, I would rather have read the very overdue Merry Gentry novel.
I was weary of this book as both her other series have lost their way and need to end and I am honestly not as interested in the angel concept in this book as I am in the ideas behind her other series.
But this book was interesting enough that I will probably carry on. It had a few of the more annoying LKH moments; people having random conversations about their names (or other random topic) repeatedly and a weird attitude towards "political correctness" with the characters constantly making reference to talks or training about issues. You will always know how tall and how curly-haired a LKH character is, and also what type of guns they prefer. There is also a lot of filler in the book and some potentially interesting plot points that don't seem to have been used effectively. An example is that Zaniel gets a few wounds with a supernatural taint that bleed when they should be too healed to do so, but then they stop being mentioned and I cannot remember an explanation for it (because I don't think there was one).
On the plus side there are no bouts of "I-have-dug-myself-into-a-hole-and-need-Anita-to-have-sex-with-some-random-person-to-save-the-world-or-at-least-St-Louis" moment.
This was an okay book but I just find myself lukewarm about it....more
I wish this was not so famous as I would never have got the twist ending if it wasn't so embedded in Western Culture.I wish this was not so famous as I would never have got the twist ending if it wasn't so embedded in Western Culture....more
I was fascinated by the concept of this series but while I found the first book mediocre this sequel was a struggle to get through.
For most of the booI was fascinated by the concept of this series but while I found the first book mediocre this sequel was a struggle to get through.
For most of the book nothing happens. When something does and the characters head off into a magical world (I cannot be bothered to look up what it was called, sorry) the storyline felt pointless and dull. The author is setting up a love triangle but there is no tension or excitement in Celene's relationship with Michael so... I don't see the point.
One of the major secondary characters dies at the end of the book...and I felt nothing. Zilch.
I never read this series back in my 20s when I was reading all the paranormal books I could lay my hands on. Lately I have seen quite a few books fromI never read this series back in my 20s when I was reading all the paranormal books I could lay my hands on. Lately I have seen quite a few books from later in the series turn up in charity shops and they sounded quite interesting. And I hate reading series out of order, so here we are.
First off, the plot for this book sounded stupid. (Possibly why I did not pick it before). A vampire who faints at the sight of blood? It gets worse with an obvious villain, a hero who never actually gets informed that he was turned because the heroine had misunderstood the situation... also he spends most of the first half of the book tied to a bed and is not nearly concerned enough (apart from for the state of his penis).
Not for me. I may continue as I quite like the snippet from the next book included at the end of this one, but I am not feeling the urge immediately to do so....more
