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melindamoor's review
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
deathbyscotch's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
ungoliant1234's review against another edition
1.0
DNF
Started off strong, but in the long run I found myself much less engaged (even in comparison to the first book of Lymond). Perhaps because of its focus on merchants, which is not something I care much for. I’ll probably finish Checkmate and then return (if at all).
Started off strong, but in the long run I found myself much less engaged (even in comparison to the first book of Lymond). Perhaps because of its focus on merchants, which is not something I care much for. I’ll probably finish Checkmate and then return (if at all).
liberty91362's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
informative
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Dorothy Dunnett is my favorite writer ever. This is the first book of her second series, (The House of Nicole). which chronologically occurs before her first series (The Lymond Chronicles starting with Game of Kings). You should start with the first series and then read this one.
Her books are so elegantly-wrought that they've practically ruined me for other writers. All her books have stupendously deep and accurate historical research, depth and complexity of character and plot, mystery, action, humor, lyrical writing, settings so fully-rendered it's like being there. This series travels all over Renaissance Europe, the remnants of Byzantium, North Africa, even Iceland, and is filled with real historical characters and fictional characters so beautifully developed and realized that it's almost hard to believe they don't exist in the real world. This review really applies to all her books. These books never get old or dated. I think I speak for a lot of her readers when I say she may be the best historical fiction writer of the 20th Century, and maybe of all time. Dorothy Dunnett inspired many other writers who have tried, but never equaled her masterpieces, and I'm never surprised when I read somewhere that Dorothy Dunnett is the favorite writer of so many good writers.
Her books are so elegantly-wrought that they've practically ruined me for other writers. All her books have stupendously deep and accurate historical research, depth and complexity of character and plot, mystery, action, humor, lyrical writing, settings so fully-rendered it's like being there. This series travels all over Renaissance Europe, the remnants of Byzantium, North Africa, even Iceland, and is filled with real historical characters and fictional characters so beautifully developed and realized that it's almost hard to believe they don't exist in the real world. This review really applies to all her books. These books never get old or dated. I think I speak for a lot of her readers when I say she may be the best historical fiction writer of the 20th Century, and maybe of all time. Dorothy Dunnett inspired many other writers who have tried, but never equaled her masterpieces, and I'm never surprised when I read somewhere that Dorothy Dunnett is the favorite writer of so many good writers.
casbb's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
coffee_and_wool's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
amlibera's review against another edition
5.0
This is a reread for me - alternating slowly on audiobook and kindle. I have to say that I prefer Niccolo to Lymond (heresy for some) but for me, his tortures and his joys feel more genuine and less performative. I've said it before here that I think that Dunnett is in some ways designed more to be reread than to be read. And listening is brilliant because I caught a number of things that escaped me on the previous (2!) readings. I know what is going to happen so I hold my breath at certain points but the world of these books and the well-drawn characters who inhabit it never fails to draw me in.
There are some issues with the exoticism of non-European cultures (less in this outing than some of the others) but I find the general point of view of the series to reflect that of the meetings and discoveries of other cultures that typifies this age (and there is a certain exoticism to the Europeans and Scots as well). Anyway, I loved it and I'm likely to dive right into Spring of the Ram (although Audible doesn't currently carry the rest of the series right now).
There are some issues with the exoticism of non-European cultures (less in this outing than some of the others) but I find the general point of view of the series to reflect that of the meetings and discoveries of other cultures that typifies this age (and there is a certain exoticism to the Europeans and Scots as well). Anyway, I loved it and I'm likely to dive right into Spring of the Ram (although Audible doesn't currently carry the rest of the series right now).
lauriestein's review against another edition
4.0
not quite lymond.
ETA, 2010: enjoying Nicholas more on the re-read.
ETA, 2010: enjoying Nicholas more on the re-read.
sgusername39's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
giada_andolfo's review against another edition
4.0
Un romanzo inteso, che ti travolge dalla prima all'ultima pagina. Un po' di confusione per quanto riguarda i nomi, ma per il resto promuovo la scrittrice a pieni voti. Do' 4 stelle per un motivo valido: l'edizione che ho letto aveva qualche errore di battitura qua e là, errori che non hanno minato la lettura, ma che sono comunque da tenere in considerazione. Un altro motivo per l'assegnazione della quarta stella è la confusione di nomi del protagonista, che poi ho capito per quale motivo venivano usati. In ogni caso, Dorothy, la prossima volta usa un solo nome per il protagonista, per favore!
La mia recensione completa si trova qui --------> http://fantasticandosuilibri.blogspot.it/
La mia recensione completa si trova qui --------> http://fantasticandosuilibri.blogspot.it/