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amym84's review against another edition
5.0
I was extremely surprised how much I liked [b:A Spear of Summer Grass|16074560|A Spear of Summer Grass|Deanna Raybourn|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1356914412s/16074560.jpg|19200712]. So when I learned that Deanna Raybourn was doing another book set in the 20's, I knew I immediately wanted to read it. When I read the synopsis, I was sure I would love it and City of Jasmine definitely doesn't disappoint.
Evie Stark is a famous aviatrix on a very publicized tour with her eccentric Aunt Dove. On one of their stops Evie receives a picture of her husband Gabriel in Damascus. The problem with the picture is that it's a currently dated picture and her husband has been dead for five years. Of course this prompts Evie to go on a search for her "deceased" husband. What she meets with is an adventure that will have her questioning everything she thought she knew about herself as well as the man who was / is her husband.
Again, Deanna Raybourn does a wonderful job describing the landscape and the area of Damascus. She successfully makes it seem like this exotic, mysterious place full of wonders. Again, just like in A Spear of Summer Grass, it makes me wish I could go back in time to experience this place too.
I really liked Evie. She was a great heroine and very independent woman in the 20's. She loved Gabriel with all her heart. At the time of their whirlwind marriage she was very young. Losing him how she thought she did forced her to have to become more self-reliant. She was forced to grow up a little more and learn to take care of herself without a man.
Gabriel, for his part, was an interesting hero. We know that there are secrets he can't tell Evie yet. It's very interesting to see him get to the point where he's ready / able to tell her why he had to fake his own death. I wish we could have gotten Gabriel's POV, but City of Jasmine is Evie's story told from her viewpoint.
Both Gabriel and Evie were different people when they married. With Gabriel's reappearance I liked their interactions in learning how much the other has changed and what has stayed the same. I liked seeing the little significant things that they still remembered about the other, but I liked seeing the new things that they hadn't gotten time to learn yet.
The adventure was fun and interesting. There were quite a few twists and turns and it's difficult to tell who can truly be trusted and that includes Gabriel.
I love where Deanna Raybourn has gone with these new stories. I especially liked that Delilah and Ryder both had mentions in this book. If you've read A Spear of Summer Grass you'll appreciate the connections. I'm looking forward to reading [b:Whisper Of Jasmine|19193473|Whisper Of Jasmine|Deanna Raybourn|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1389363328s/19193473.jpg|27236228] which is a prequel novella. I truly hope Deanna Raybourn continues releasing these books, they have become an instant buy.
Evie Stark is a famous aviatrix on a very publicized tour with her eccentric Aunt Dove. On one of their stops Evie receives a picture of her husband Gabriel in Damascus. The problem with the picture is that it's a currently dated picture and her husband has been dead for five years. Of course this prompts Evie to go on a search for her "deceased" husband. What she meets with is an adventure that will have her questioning everything she thought she knew about herself as well as the man who was / is her husband.
Again, Deanna Raybourn does a wonderful job describing the landscape and the area of Damascus. She successfully makes it seem like this exotic, mysterious place full of wonders. Again, just like in A Spear of Summer Grass, it makes me wish I could go back in time to experience this place too.
I really liked Evie. She was a great heroine and very independent woman in the 20's. She loved Gabriel with all her heart. At the time of their whirlwind marriage she was very young. Losing him how she thought she did forced her to have to become more self-reliant. She was forced to grow up a little more and learn to take care of herself without a man.
Gabriel, for his part, was an interesting hero. We know that there are secrets he can't tell Evie yet. It's very interesting to see him get to the point where he's ready / able to tell her why he had to fake his own death. I wish we could have gotten Gabriel's POV, but City of Jasmine is Evie's story told from her viewpoint.
Both Gabriel and Evie were different people when they married. With Gabriel's reappearance I liked their interactions in learning how much the other has changed and what has stayed the same. I liked seeing the little significant things that they still remembered about the other, but I liked seeing the new things that they hadn't gotten time to learn yet.
The adventure was fun and interesting. There were quite a few twists and turns and it's difficult to tell who can truly be trusted and that includes Gabriel.
I love where Deanna Raybourn has gone with these new stories. I especially liked that Delilah and Ryder both had mentions in this book. If you've read A Spear of Summer Grass you'll appreciate the connections. I'm looking forward to reading [b:Whisper Of Jasmine|19193473|Whisper Of Jasmine|Deanna Raybourn|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1389363328s/19193473.jpg|27236228] which is a prequel novella. I truly hope Deanna Raybourn continues releasing these books, they have become an instant buy.
beastreader's review against another edition
4.0
I have been a long time fan of this author's. I really love her Julia Grey series. So I was curious what the author could do aside for that series. First off the world that Mrs. Raybourn built in the 1920s, the ancient City of Jasmine, and the desert was wonderful. Then there was the adventure. There was plenty of action happening in this book and the characters were great that it made reading this book a breeze. I enjoyed Gabriel being a man of many disguises as it added some mystery to him and made him intriguing. However my personal favorite person was Evangeline. She was full of spunk.
I do agree with another reader that this book had the Indiana Jones feel to it but I thought it also had undertones of Tomb Raider and The Mummy but minus the mummy. More of the love story and adventure aspect from The Mummy. So my final conclusion after reading this book is that Deanna Raybourn has the magical touch of gold. City of Jasmine is a treasure of a read!
I do agree with another reader that this book had the Indiana Jones feel to it but I thought it also had undertones of Tomb Raider and The Mummy but minus the mummy. More of the love story and adventure aspect from The Mummy. So my final conclusion after reading this book is that Deanna Raybourn has the magical touch of gold. City of Jasmine is a treasure of a read!
ktaylor1164's review against another edition
4.0
Rich historical detail, some delightful characters, and a mystery--just what I wanted on a rainy Sunday! I didn't entirely believe the relationship between the pair, though--half the time the hero is James Bond, and the other half he seems a total fool.
lisawreading's review against another edition
3.0
The love story in City of Jasmine gets overwhelmed by the frantic pace of the action scenes in this history-lite romance set in Damascus, 1920. Evie Starke believes her husband died in the sinking of the Lusitania, but five years later, she discovers that he's alive and well and living in the Middle East. Set amidst the political turmoil following World War I, during which European powers carved up the former Ottoman Empire to suit their own needs, City of Jasmine presents a surface-level view of the intrigues, conspiracies, maneuverings, and intelligence operations of the time, while at the same time the plot revolves around attempts to capture and recapture a priceless ancient artifact discovered in an archaeological dig.
Meanwhile, Evie and her long-lost husband navigate the ruins of their impetuous marriage and its subsequent failings, while trying to stay alive despite a whole slew of people trying to kill or kidnap them.
The romantic elements of the story are promising, and there's a nice chemistry between Evie and Gabriel, but I do feel that their backstory needs more substance in order for a reader to feel truly invested in the outcome of their love story.
A full review is posted at Bookshelf Fantasies. Review copy courtesy of Harlequin MIRA via NetGalley.
Meanwhile, Evie and her long-lost husband navigate the ruins of their impetuous marriage and its subsequent failings, while trying to stay alive despite a whole slew of people trying to kill or kidnap them.
The romantic elements of the story are promising, and there's a nice chemistry between Evie and Gabriel, but I do feel that their backstory needs more substance in order for a reader to feel truly invested in the outcome of their love story.
A full review is posted at Bookshelf Fantasies. Review copy courtesy of Harlequin MIRA via NetGalley.
tessisreading2's review against another edition
3.0
Everybody in a Deanna Raybourn novel is always so charming and witty and dashing. It's exhausting, really. And it's pleasant to read about them but at the same time one begins to suspect that underneath the surface they're not necessarily very nice people. If it were an Evelyn Waugh novel, one would KNOW that they're not very nice people - that's the point - but in a Raybourn novel, one ends up feeling like one is supposed to like them.
Anyway, this one has the usual Raybourn hallmarks: first-person narrator who's slightly more annoying than we're supposed to think she is, eccentric aunt who is supposed to be more endearing than she actually is, and a love triangle that can only end with, which in this case wasn't adequately foreshadowed at all. Very much in the spirit of Indiana Jones or The Sheikh; Raybourn made efforts to escape the exoticism of the latter, but The political stuff was faintly awkward; Raybourn had done her research, clearly, but it's difficult to pull in politically-correct modern-day non-exoticized history of the Near East while writing an old-school Thrilling Adventure. She managed pretty well, but there was almost too much going on.
Anyway, this one has the usual Raybourn hallmarks: first-person narrator who's slightly more annoying than we're supposed to think she is, eccentric aunt who is supposed to be more endearing than she actually is, and a love triangle that can only end with
Spoiler
the losing man turning out to be a villainSpoiler
the fact that Gabriel was the Falcon was fairly obvious and extremely annoying, especially given (a) there was not a really good explanation as to why it had to be a White Savior given that no one knew that he was white, and (b) that he immediately renounced the title.hannahsatreat's review
4.0
This is just the kind of adventure I was hoping for! Evie the aviatrix extraordinaire finds herself in 1920s Damascus with her Aunt Dove. I recommend for fans of Elizabeth Peters, The English Patient, or other of Raybourn's books.
mjwerts's review against another edition
3.0
When choosing a reading order for books, the publication date/author's intent usually is gospel to me, especially when the books in question are by one of my favorite authors, so I dutifully read the novella Whispers of Jasmine before starting City of Jasmine. I wish I hadn't, as it clouded my whole experience of the novel—and not in a good way.
Set in 1920s Damascus and the surrounding areas, City of Jasmine tells the story of Evangeline "Evie" Starke and her archeologist husband Gabriel Starke, a man Evie and everyone else has thought was dead for the past five years. As is typical of Deanna Raybourn's writing, her characters and settings are imbued with vitality and realism. I'm just not sure I really liked any of the characters, which is atypical. Due to the aforementioned knowledge from the novella, I spent most of the novel screaming at Evie and Gabriel to just be honest with each other, even while recognizing that it was five years of built up hurt and remorse that kept them from being so. Then again, those five years would never have happened if they were honest with each other in the first place. Ugh. The one positive to their estrangement is that they do sizzle together.
Beyond my frustration with Evie and Gabriel's relationship, their never-ending adventure grew a bit tedious. How many times can the same two people get out of tight binds in the desert?
Not a terrible book, as Raybourn is a compelling writer and I'm judging this book based on a profound love of her other work, but it is my least favorite of her works thus far.
Set in 1920s Damascus and the surrounding areas, City of Jasmine tells the story of Evangeline "Evie" Starke and her archeologist husband Gabriel Starke, a man Evie and everyone else has thought was dead for the past five years. As is typical of Deanna Raybourn's writing, her characters and settings are imbued with vitality and realism. I'm just not sure I really liked any of the characters, which is atypical. Due to the aforementioned knowledge from the novella, I spent most of the novel screaming at Evie and Gabriel to just be honest with each other, even while recognizing that it was five years of built up hurt and remorse that kept them from being so. Then again, those five years would never have happened if they were honest with each other in the first place. Ugh. The one positive to their estrangement is that they do sizzle together.
Beyond my frustration with Evie and Gabriel's relationship, their never-ending adventure grew a bit tedious. How many times can the same two people get out of tight binds in the desert?
Not a terrible book, as Raybourn is a compelling writer and I'm judging this book based on a profound love of her other work, but it is my least favorite of her works thus far.
j3nnplam's review against another edition
5.0
This could be The Adventures of Young Amelia Peabody. If you are an Elizabeth Peters fan, do give this a try.
seeinghowitgoes's review against another edition
4.0
Having been introduced to Deanna Raybourn via her Lady Julia series, it was interesting to see her writing style imposed on a whole new set of characters. Much unlike Julia, Evangeline Starke is a strong, bold and startling woman who just happens to fall into a ridiculously interesting set of circumstances when a photo of her husband appears in the mail, her husband who died 5 years ago.
It's a journey that ends up being a love story of sorts to Damascus and brings to mind all sorts of imagery, not unlike the Mary Russell novels. I'm not sure if this will end up being a series, but it's a lovely start to one.
It's a journey that ends up being a love story of sorts to Damascus and brings to mind all sorts of imagery, not unlike the Mary Russell novels. I'm not sure if this will end up being a series, but it's a lovely start to one.
cammmiam's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 out of 5 stars.
After five years of silence and a funeral that should have put him to rest, Evangeline Starke is shocked to receive by post a picture of her late-husband in the desert of Damascus. Gabriel should have met a watery grave with the sinking of the Lusitania; Gabriel should no longer be such a shadow over her life when she had every intention of divorcing him once it became clear their impetuous marriage was a disaster. But, because she has not been able to come to terms with the past nor is she able to resist the need to know answers, Evie sets off to Damascus to discover what has become of her husband. The search takes her beyond the confines of the City of Jasmine, however, and into the Badiyat ash-Sham (the Syrian desert), where all she thought she knew is challenged and an adventure is undertook to secure an artifact Gabriel took pains to give to her.
Despite its prominence as a plot point, I actually found the journey to retrieve the historic relic to be the least impressive aspect of this story. Things became very convoluted with so many different parties on the hunt and loyalties constantly dubious. It came to the point where I wished everyone would just give up on The Cross and instead focus on the political struggles of the Arabs against the French or English governments that wish to control the region. Set not long after the time of Lawrence of Arabia’s term in the desert, the history on the politics of the Middle East was purely fascinating to read.
Like she always does, Deanna Raybourn has created such a distinct time and place for her characters to inhabit. She has a way with words to beautifully paint Damascus, an archaeological dig site, or most impressively, the endless sea of sand that comprises the beautiful and harsh realities of the desert. Her research into the locale and the Bedouin people was perfect; I could have happily stayed among these characters to learn more of their way of life and the causes they would fight for. Characters come alive when a setting is powerfully realized, and this was definitely the case for Evie, Gabriel, and the memorable cast of supporting characters.
If you can ignore the cover (which I really don’t think does the story inside justice) then I would recommend this book for those interested in the beginning of the modern-day struggle in the Middle East and those who seek a desert landscape to escape to. I might also suggest ignoring some of the characters, since the jury is still out for me on whether or not I liked Gabriel, and focus in on the things I have said I enjoyed above.
(I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The expected publication date is February 25, 2014.)
After five years of silence and a funeral that should have put him to rest, Evangeline Starke is shocked to receive by post a picture of her late-husband in the desert of Damascus. Gabriel should have met a watery grave with the sinking of the Lusitania; Gabriel should no longer be such a shadow over her life when she had every intention of divorcing him once it became clear their impetuous marriage was a disaster. But, because she has not been able to come to terms with the past nor is she able to resist the need to know answers, Evie sets off to Damascus to discover what has become of her husband. The search takes her beyond the confines of the City of Jasmine, however, and into the Badiyat ash-Sham (the Syrian desert), where all she thought she knew is challenged and an adventure is undertook to secure an artifact Gabriel took pains to give to her.
Despite its prominence as a plot point, I actually found the journey to retrieve the historic relic to be the least impressive aspect of this story. Things became very convoluted with so many different parties on the hunt and loyalties constantly dubious. It came to the point where I wished everyone would just give up on The Cross and instead focus on the political struggles of the Arabs against the French or English governments that wish to control the region. Set not long after the time of Lawrence of Arabia’s term in the desert, the history on the politics of the Middle East was purely fascinating to read.
Like she always does, Deanna Raybourn has created such a distinct time and place for her characters to inhabit. She has a way with words to beautifully paint Damascus, an archaeological dig site, or most impressively, the endless sea of sand that comprises the beautiful and harsh realities of the desert. Her research into the locale and the Bedouin people was perfect; I could have happily stayed among these characters to learn more of their way of life and the causes they would fight for. Characters come alive when a setting is powerfully realized, and this was definitely the case for Evie, Gabriel, and the memorable cast of supporting characters.
If you can ignore the cover (which I really don’t think does the story inside justice) then I would recommend this book for those interested in the beginning of the modern-day struggle in the Middle East and those who seek a desert landscape to escape to. I might also suggest ignoring some of the characters, since the jury is still out for me on whether or not I liked Gabriel, and focus in on the things I have said I enjoyed above.
(I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The expected publication date is February 25, 2014.)