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english_lady03's review
3.0
OK, I'm gonna be generous and give this 3 stars because I think the ending was better than most of the rest of the story.
I'm not familiar with the fairy tale this is bases on at all, but even then I just didn't connect with most of the characters. Just not at all. Delia was bland, the Sir Elliot degenerated into cartoonish. To the point that he's described as having sharp fang-like teeth.
Oh, and Delia bases her decisions to trust people and her view of their character on whether or not they have a kind or nice face. A "sincere look". Really? How superficial is that.
Its leaning so far towards the goodies= beautiful, baddies = ugly stereotype that it really rankled me.
The writing felt rushed, with a lot of telling rather than showing, and was also very repetitive in places.
This historical details. No. Just no. I'm sorry. Just to state it right off. I'm British, so I tend to hold novels set in my country to a higher standard than those set in other countries whose history, geography, culture and customs I'm unfamiliar with. I do get protective of my country's history. I'll confess it.
There were just so many inaccuracies in this one. Major ones. The Wardrobe Tower in the Tower of London wasn't used as a prison at this time- and here's the thing. The biggie. Even the parts of the Tower where prisoners were incarcerated were not the way we imagine them.
Noble prisoners were usually lodged in comfort. They sometimes even had servants tending them. Thomas More wrote letters during his time as a prisoner in the Tower, he was allowed books etc. Some were allowed to exercise in the grounds, there's even records of "prisoners" composing poetry, gambling, and entertaining female visitors.
The point is that these people were generally not kept in cells or "dungeons". This is probably due to the fact that the Tower was not built as a prison. It was not intended to be a prison. It was a fortress and royal Palace first and foremost for the first several centuries of its history.
There was also the curious scene in which Sir Geoffrey could hear what was going on in one part of the Tower from outside? Really? The walls are like several feet thick, I can't see that somehow, and where were the boats?
I mean seriously the Tower is famously abutted by the River Thames on one side, and during Medieval times, there were a couple of "gates" that actually opened onto the river which people entered into by barges or riverboats. There was even a moat.Yet everyone seems to walk in and out here. Not a boat or water in sight.
I also don't know of any law or custom even in Medieval England by which a 10 year old son of an Earl could be executed for treason. I mean boys weren't even counted as coming of age until 21, and whilst there were a few cases of 19 year olds, even 16 year olds being executed for "treason". A 10 year old? Pushing the boundaries of credibility. The legal proceedings? Where was the trial before the Lords, before their peers? Proper witnesses? Convicted on the basis of the testimony of commoners?
Richard II didn't gain his reputation for clashing with the nobles and executing them until closer to the end of his reign, not the beginning.
Also, one other point here. If one wanted to get access to a Medieval English King, without having to deal with his courtiers it would have made more sense to wait until he was on a hunting expedition or going on his way to church or something. They did do things like that. Some even put aside time to hear "petitions". Going to see him at dinner. Yeah, there were better ways.
Now there were a few details which were done well the ones about seamstresses working in the entourage of the Queen was for example, but to me there were just too many mistakes and inconsistencies in the important details. The minor details right, but the important ones not, yeah that kinda frustrates me.
The religion. Oh my. Well. It is a Christian romance, but the treatment and attitude to religion seemed very, very modern. The attempt at a discussion of why bad things happen to good people lacked nuance and depth as did many of the characters sentiments. Delia was basically "oh well he seems like a selfless and kind person, so he couldn't possibly do anything wrong".
Yeah sorry, but this is the real world. Good people do bad things, sometimes just to survive, sometimes with good and noble intentions.
Not everyone who does bad things is an evil, Satanic villain. Few people are totally and entirely evil.
I've heard that this is going to be a trilogy, but the number of Delia's siblings makes me suspect this is building to a much longer series, like the Hagenhiem series. There's a part of me that's excited at the prospect of it being set in England, but this one could have been so much better. Better characterization, better writing etc.
Also, I'm not saying that Mrs Dickerson needs to personally visit England, but there are guidebooks to the Tower of London out there. I do hope this series improves, I really do as I want to read more.
I'm not familiar with the fairy tale this is bases on at all, but even then I just didn't connect with most of the characters. Just not at all. Delia was bland, the Sir Elliot degenerated into cartoonish. To the point that he's described as having sharp fang-like teeth.
Oh, and Delia bases her decisions to trust people and her view of their character on whether or not they have a kind or nice face. A "sincere look". Really? How superficial is that.
Its leaning so far towards the goodies= beautiful, baddies = ugly stereotype that it really rankled me.
The writing felt rushed, with a lot of telling rather than showing, and was also very repetitive in places.
This historical details. No. Just no. I'm sorry. Just to state it right off. I'm British, so I tend to hold novels set in my country to a higher standard than those set in other countries whose history, geography, culture and customs I'm unfamiliar with. I do get protective of my country's history. I'll confess it.
There were just so many inaccuracies in this one. Major ones. The Wardrobe Tower in the Tower of London wasn't used as a prison at this time- and here's the thing. The biggie. Even the parts of the Tower where prisoners were incarcerated were not the way we imagine them.
Noble prisoners were usually lodged in comfort. They sometimes even had servants tending them. Thomas More wrote letters during his time as a prisoner in the Tower, he was allowed books etc. Some were allowed to exercise in the grounds, there's even records of "prisoners" composing poetry, gambling, and entertaining female visitors.
The point is that these people were generally not kept in cells or "dungeons". This is probably due to the fact that the Tower was not built as a prison. It was not intended to be a prison. It was a fortress and royal Palace first and foremost for the first several centuries of its history.
There was also the curious scene in which Sir Geoffrey could hear what was going on in one part of the Tower from outside? Really? The walls are like several feet thick, I can't see that somehow, and where were the boats?
I mean seriously the Tower is famously abutted by the River Thames on one side, and during Medieval times, there were a couple of "gates" that actually opened onto the river which people entered into by barges or riverboats. There was even a moat.Yet everyone seems to walk in and out here. Not a boat or water in sight.
I also don't know of any law or custom even in Medieval England by which a 10 year old son of an Earl could be executed for treason. I mean boys weren't even counted as coming of age until 21, and whilst there were a few cases of 19 year olds, even 16 year olds being executed for "treason". A 10 year old? Pushing the boundaries of credibility. The legal proceedings? Where was the trial before the Lords, before their peers? Proper witnesses? Convicted on the basis of the testimony of commoners?
Richard II didn't gain his reputation for clashing with the nobles and executing them until closer to the end of his reign, not the beginning.
Also, one other point here. If one wanted to get access to a Medieval English King, without having to deal with his courtiers it would have made more sense to wait until he was on a hunting expedition or going on his way to church or something. They did do things like that. Some even put aside time to hear "petitions". Going to see him at dinner. Yeah, there were better ways.
Now there were a few details which were done well the ones about seamstresses working in the entourage of the Queen was for example, but to me there were just too many mistakes and inconsistencies in the important details. The minor details right, but the important ones not, yeah that kinda frustrates me.
The religion. Oh my. Well. It is a Christian romance, but the treatment and attitude to religion seemed very, very modern. The attempt at a discussion of why bad things happen to good people lacked nuance and depth as did many of the characters sentiments. Delia was basically "oh well he seems like a selfless and kind person, so he couldn't possibly do anything wrong".
Yeah sorry, but this is the real world. Good people do bad things, sometimes just to survive, sometimes with good and noble intentions.
Not everyone who does bad things is an evil, Satanic villain. Few people are totally and entirely evil.
I've heard that this is going to be a trilogy, but the number of Delia's siblings makes me suspect this is building to a much longer series, like the Hagenhiem series. There's a part of me that's excited at the prospect of it being set in England, but this one could have been so much better. Better characterization, better writing etc.
Also, I'm not saying that Mrs Dickerson needs to personally visit England, but there are guidebooks to the Tower of London out there. I do hope this series improves, I really do as I want to read more.
annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review against another edition
4.0
I requested this book some time ago already on Netgalley and the moment my request was granted I was so looking forward to reading this book. But life happened and the right moment didn't really come, but this week, the calm week before Christmas, I really felt like reading a nice, sweet, soft and heartwarming fairytale retelling. And I knew, since I've read a few more books by this author, that this book would be absolutely perfect.
The book was exactly what I had expected it to be. I really love how Dickerson manages to write a contemporary fairytale. There is no magic in this story and yet it captures the essence of the original tale and keeps the important elements making up the core of this story. And it all fitted perfectly into the historical world of London. This book really showed England as it was. Not so much the beauty, but the ugly side of backstabbing, politics, greed and the fight of innocent people trying to find justice.
However, even though the theme of this book seems heavy and dark, it somehow feels like I've been reading a story of hope. That's partly because of the Christian influence and as I had already noticed before, the way Dickerson writes her characters' faith in God is a lot like mine. I recognized myself, my doubts and worries in the questions our main character asked herself and God. And it was nice to see her faith and prayers and hope rewarded in the end.
Because Dickerson really managed to write characters we could root for. All of them found a way into my heart and I really started caring about them and their fate. I'm pretty sure that this is the start of a new series and that we will get to know the other brothers in future books, but I've already seen that, just like their sister and her soldier, they're all amazing people. I can't wait to witness them finding their true love, written in such a way that it's impossible to ever imagine those characters with someone else.
The book was exactly what I had expected it to be. I really love how Dickerson manages to write a contemporary fairytale. There is no magic in this story and yet it captures the essence of the original tale and keeps the important elements making up the core of this story. And it all fitted perfectly into the historical world of London. This book really showed England as it was. Not so much the beauty, but the ugly side of backstabbing, politics, greed and the fight of innocent people trying to find justice.
However, even though the theme of this book seems heavy and dark, it somehow feels like I've been reading a story of hope. That's partly because of the Christian influence and as I had already noticed before, the way Dickerson writes her characters' faith in God is a lot like mine. I recognized myself, my doubts and worries in the questions our main character asked herself and God. And it was nice to see her faith and prayers and hope rewarded in the end.
Because Dickerson really managed to write characters we could root for. All of them found a way into my heart and I really started caring about them and their fate. I'm pretty sure that this is the start of a new series and that we will get to know the other brothers in future books, but I've already seen that, just like their sister and her soldier, they're all amazing people. I can't wait to witness them finding their true love, written in such a way that it's impossible to ever imagine those characters with someone else.
emlickliter's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
4.0
Court of Swans (The Dericott Tales #1) by Melanie Dickerson – This is a historical retelling of the Children of Lyr or The Seven Swans set in medieval England. Clearly, that is right up my alley! I love how Melanie Dickerson blends faith and fairy tale, and I’m so excited to have a whole new series to inhale! Happy Reading!
jennlongb's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
ladygenevieve's review
5.0
This book was a real page-turner. There were many times I was reading it that I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN because I just HAD to see what was going to happen! Melanie Dickerson continues to amaze me with her historical fiction. Every book I read, I learn something new, whether it’s History or Vocabulary. I really liked this book in particular because it is about a girl and her seven brothers. I can relate, as I have seven daughters and one son.
cmags's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Such a slog to get through.
ameserole's review
4.0
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It is all kinds of awkward that I'm just now diving into Court of Swans Trust me, it really truly is. Mostly because I got this back in October and I'm just reading it now. It's February. So, yeah, I definitely suck when it comes to reading eARCs sometimes but there are rare occasions that I can just sit and focus on them as well.
Exhibit A - today. For some reason it is definitely eARC day and I'm not ashamed one bit.
Back to the book though. In this, you will meet Delia. We are also getting to see the beautiful England in 1381. I've never been to England but I would be pretty excited to visit nowadays. I've only ever been out of the country twice - Canada and Paris.
Sooooooo I definitely need to travel once it's a-okay in the world again.
Again, back to the book. After meeting Delia, I came to the conclusion that she was a pretty sweet and cute girl. Not sure how she manages to like all seven of her brothers when I can't even get along with my two older siblings.. but the world is filled with mysterious people. I will say that the evil step-monster, I mean step-mother, was horrible. I absolutely hated her in the beginning and after her brothers were under arrest - well, I immediately thought of her.
Evil wench.
Luckily for them, Delia knows that they are being wrongly accused of whatever stupid blasphemy the king's men stated to her. I mean.. yeah it's totally and completely believable that the a 10 year old was plotting against the king or whatever.
TOTALLY. BELIEVABLE.
Then there's King Richard. For some reason, which seems pretty odd to me now, he was making me think of the movie 'Robin Hood'. The one with Russel Crowe. Yet, this character reminded me of Prince John from the movie who becomes King after his brother dies at battle. The reason why my brain went down this route.. well, they both ended up annoying me. Plus, they were both on this war path of killing people on a whim. Especially if they posed a threat.
Like Delia's 10 year old brother. Such a threat.
Honestly, so much happens in this book and I enjoyed every second of it. I enjoyed all the twists and turns throughout it because they kept me on my toes. Even the ending was surprisingly good and I wasn't expecting it to go that way at all.
In the end, I'm definitely intrigued to dive into the second book to see what is going to happen to Audrey.
It is all kinds of awkward that I'm just now diving into Court of Swans Trust me, it really truly is. Mostly because I got this back in October and I'm just reading it now. It's February. So, yeah, I definitely suck when it comes to reading eARCs sometimes but there are rare occasions that I can just sit and focus on them as well.
Exhibit A - today. For some reason it is definitely eARC day and I'm not ashamed one bit.
Back to the book though. In this, you will meet Delia. We are also getting to see the beautiful England in 1381. I've never been to England but I would be pretty excited to visit nowadays. I've only ever been out of the country twice - Canada and Paris.
Sooooooo I definitely need to travel once it's a-okay in the world again.
Again, back to the book. After meeting Delia, I came to the conclusion that she was a pretty sweet and cute girl. Not sure how she manages to like all seven of her brothers when I can't even get along with my two older siblings.. but the world is filled with mysterious people. I will say that the evil step-monster, I mean step-mother, was horrible. I absolutely hated her in the beginning and after her brothers were under arrest - well, I immediately thought of her.
Evil wench.
Luckily for them, Delia knows that they are being wrongly accused of whatever stupid blasphemy the king's men stated to her. I mean.. yeah it's totally and completely believable that the a 10 year old was plotting against the king or whatever.
TOTALLY. BELIEVABLE.
Then there's King Richard. For some reason, which seems pretty odd to me now, he was making me think of the movie 'Robin Hood'. The one with Russel Crowe. Yet, this character reminded me of Prince John from the movie who becomes King after his brother dies at battle. The reason why my brain went down this route.. well, they both ended up annoying me. Plus, they were both on this war path of killing people on a whim. Especially if they posed a threat.
Like Delia's 10 year old brother. Such a threat.
Honestly, so much happens in this book and I enjoyed every second of it. I enjoyed all the twists and turns throughout it because they kept me on my toes. Even the ending was surprisingly good and I wasn't expecting it to go that way at all.
In the end, I'm definitely intrigued to dive into the second book to see what is going to happen to Audrey.
library_of_kindredspirits's review
4.0
MY RATING SYSTEM
* "I can't believe this got published!"
** "Mediocre."
*** "It was still missing something."
**** "Good. It satisfied."
***** "Impeccable."
As predictable and simple Dickerson's novel are, they still manage to pull me in. I usually have one done in two to three days. Sometimes, even under 48 hours. Dickerson may not be Jane Austen, but she is certainly doing something right.
Dickerson's books put me in mind of films like "Ever After" and "A Princess Bride", which are both very fun, but idealistic and sometimes cheesy, stories. So if you aren't in for a good cheesy medieval romance, you should know that you may be disappointed. The characters resemble those of the formulaic Hallmark protagonists, and don't have a lot of internal conflict or complexity. The plots are relatively simple, however, if you love a good fairytale, Dickerson knows how to retell it.
Something I particularly like about this one, is the setting. Most of Dickerson's novels take place in Germany, and I much preferred to be able to pronounce the characters' names and villages. I also just have a soft spot for England, and English history. :)
If I was rating this book for it's quality, the rating would probably be a 2 or 3. The quality of writing is mediocre. Dickerson does not use a large vocabulary but I'm not sure it's a lack of vocabulary. Occasionally she'll drop a word I don't know and then the rest of the time she uses all cliché words like "look" "watch" "walk". But then again, it's easy to go into the rewriting stages with Thesaurus. Not to mention the cheesy inner dialogue she writes. Every chapter, her characters will stop to ask the same type of questions. "Did he feel the same way she did about him?" "Would they get out of here?" "Would they be strong enough to defeat the bad guy?" And it goes on for at least a paragraph. Usually the character will ask the same question every time so it starts to get redundant and to be honest, kind of hilarious.
All that said, I give this book a 4 for entertaining me and giving me all the happy feelings I get from watching a Hallmark movie. The overall plot was crafted pretty well, and it was fun to read. I'm excited to read the series, and I doubt anything will be able to stop me.
* "I can't believe this got published!"
** "Mediocre."
*** "It was still missing something."
**** "Good. It satisfied."
***** "Impeccable."
As predictable and simple Dickerson's novel are, they still manage to pull me in. I usually have one done in two to three days. Sometimes, even under 48 hours. Dickerson may not be Jane Austen, but she is certainly doing something right.
Dickerson's books put me in mind of films like "Ever After" and "A Princess Bride", which are both very fun, but idealistic and sometimes cheesy, stories. So if you aren't in for a good cheesy medieval romance, you should know that you may be disappointed. The characters resemble those of the formulaic Hallmark protagonists, and don't have a lot of internal conflict or complexity. The plots are relatively simple, however, if you love a good fairytale, Dickerson knows how to retell it.
Something I particularly like about this one, is the setting. Most of Dickerson's novels take place in Germany, and I much preferred to be able to pronounce the characters' names and villages. I also just have a soft spot for England, and English history. :)
If I was rating this book for it's quality, the rating would probably be a 2 or 3. The quality of writing is mediocre. Dickerson does not use a large vocabulary but I'm not sure it's a lack of vocabulary. Occasionally she'll drop a word I don't know and then the rest of the time she uses all cliché words like "look" "watch" "walk". But then again, it's easy to go into the rewriting stages with Thesaurus. Not to mention the cheesy inner dialogue she writes. Every chapter, her characters will stop to ask the same type of questions. "Did he feel the same way she did about him?" "Would they get out of here?" "Would they be strong enough to defeat the bad guy?" And it goes on for at least a paragraph. Usually the character will ask the same question every time so it starts to get redundant and to be honest, kind of hilarious.
All that said, I give this book a 4 for entertaining me and giving me all the happy feelings I get from watching a Hallmark movie. The overall plot was crafted pretty well, and it was fun to read. I'm excited to read the series, and I doubt anything will be able to stop me.