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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I've read this book twice in less than a week.
I really enjoyed the French feel of this novel, and thoroughly appreciated the mysterious Tristan d'Arcenne. I found Vianne's character a little whinny, and terribly insecure, yet I found her truly endearing most of the time. The characters and plot are well developed, for the most part, and Saintcrow does a good job building tension between characters and suspenseful plot. Saintcrow can be a little vague in her descriptions, leaving a little too much up to the reader's imagination, but my interest in Vianne and Tristan overcame that.
I read The Hedgewitch Queen and The Bandit King (it's follower), and then re-read The Hedgewitch Queen, all back to back. I did this to get a better clarity of all the characters and their motivations. I have to say, some things in this series, this novel in particular, annoy me; regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, both times.
I really enjoyed the French feel of this novel, and thoroughly appreciated the mysterious Tristan d'Arcenne. I found Vianne's character a little whinny, and terribly insecure, yet I found her truly endearing most of the time. The characters and plot are well developed, for the most part, and Saintcrow does a good job building tension between characters and suspenseful plot. Saintcrow can be a little vague in her descriptions, leaving a little too much up to the reader's imagination, but my interest in Vianne and Tristan overcame that.
I read The Hedgewitch Queen and The Bandit King (it's follower), and then re-read The Hedgewitch Queen, all back to back. I did this to get a better clarity of all the characters and their motivations. I have to say, some things in this series, this novel in particular, annoy me; regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, both times.
First off, love LOVE the dedication: “For Mel Sanders, with saddles and waterclosets.”
Also, such a great opening “If not for a muddy skirt, I would have been dead like all the rest.” The line hooks you, while also giving a premonition of things to come. Throughout the book, the telling the story from a point of more knowledge is an intriguing one, and it is difficult to do well. Saintcrow has a knack.
I also love the main character, Viane. That’s an important thing here, especially as I don’t normally gravitate towards historical fiction (the fantasy part helps though). She is smart and strong without being overdone and unrealistic. She gets sick. She has nightmares. She cries. These things do not make her any less of a woman.
The love interest, Tristan, was not particularly interesting to me. Rather insta love. To be honest, I was rooting for SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE to become the love interest instead.
I feel like there are many loose ends that I am hoping the next book resolves.
Also, such a great opening “If not for a muddy skirt, I would have been dead like all the rest.” The line hooks you, while also giving a premonition of things to come. Throughout the book, the telling the story from a point of more knowledge is an intriguing one, and it is difficult to do well. Saintcrow has a knack.
I also love the main character, Viane. That’s an important thing here, especially as I don’t normally gravitate towards historical fiction (the fantasy part helps though). She is smart and strong without being overdone and unrealistic. She gets sick. She has nightmares. She cries. These things do not make her any less of a woman.
The love interest, Tristan, was not particularly interesting to me. Rather insta love. To be honest, I was rooting for SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE to become the love interest instead.
I feel like there are many loose ends that I am hoping the next book resolves.
Hm.
Hm. Hm. Hm.
Okay, alright. I was going to give this book three stars, which were almost entirely won by Tristan and the like three occasions where somebody said "that Damarsene cow," but the ending is worth half a star more so... okay. 3.5, I admit it.
Just to round up, four stars.
Hm. Hm. Hm.
Okay, alright. I was going to give this book three stars, which were almost entirely won by Tristan and the like three occasions where somebody said "that Damarsene cow," but the ending is worth half a star more so... okay. 3.5, I admit it.
Just to round up, four stars.
I liked it overall. I think Vianna was a bit dense in places - of course he likes you! I did like the story and adventure -- spoiler warning: the ending is a cliffhanger, good thing the next book has been published.
I got this book from the ‘great reads for under $4.99’ deal so I picked it up cheap and wasn’t sure what to expect. I was not a big fan.
The main character was quite annoying though I think we were meant to like her. The ‘could he really find me beautiful’? crap got a little annoying about 1/3 of the way in – the fact that it continued through the WHOLE book was too much.
The 2 or 3 pages of intro to the 2nd book answered all the questions that needed answering from the first so that was nice that it was included.
The main character was quite annoying though I think we were meant to like her. The ‘could he really find me beautiful’? crap got a little annoying about 1/3 of the way in – the fact that it continued through the WHOLE book was too much.
The 2 or 3 pages of intro to the 2nd book answered all the questions that needed answering from the first so that was nice that it was included.
This author had a reasonably good concept, which I am sad to say she didn't have the skill to execute. She's obviously a fan of George R. R. Martin, because she borrows heavily from his writing, and not very subtly.
I am a fan of good fantasy and sci-fi, but as any fan of good fantasy and sci-fi knows, it's not enough to make up a few names and invent a vaguely unfamiliar kingdom or language (which in this case is a rather silly pseudo-French). The author must completely draw us in to his world and suspend our disbelief, which Ms. Saintcrow doesn't come close to accomplishing. Too much time is spent on the completely unconvincing and unsatisfying romance, and not enough on the conspiratorial plot. This reads like amateur fan fiction.
And the ludirous "cliffhanger" of an ending, while obviously designed to entice one to read more of this tedious series, just served to make me furious that I wasted all of that time reading drivel in the hopes of reaching a vaguely satisfying resolution.
I am a fan of good fantasy and sci-fi, but as any fan of good fantasy and sci-fi knows, it's not enough to make up a few names and invent a vaguely unfamiliar kingdom or language (which in this case is a rather silly pseudo-French). The author must completely draw us in to his world and suspend our disbelief, which Ms. Saintcrow doesn't come close to accomplishing. Too much time is spent on the completely unconvincing and unsatisfying romance, and not enough on the conspiratorial plot. This reads like amateur fan fiction.
And the ludirous "cliffhanger" of an ending, while obviously designed to entice one to read more of this tedious series, just served to make me furious that I wasted all of that time reading drivel in the hopes of reaching a vaguely satisfying resolution.
Not sure if this is a story of intrigue that wants to be a romance, or a story of romance that wants to be intrigue. As a romance, it is very clumsy and contrived - all the hand-wringing heroine and foolishly chivalrous hero that seems to pass for relationship in this type of book, spelled out in enough excruciating detail to pad the page count to the author's desire. And as intrigue, it's a little dissatisfying: the plot doesn't twist very far, or very unexpectedly (especially not when you tack on a "bonus" preview of book 2). The questions I would most like to have explored don't get as much ink as i would like.
Still, our heroine, while being very stupid about love, does have something of a backbone, which is nicely expressed without treading into tired feminist or mother-goddess tropes. In fact, I quite liked the tender depictions of her relationship with her princess - very sweet and very real. And (as you might expect from book 1) there are a number of unanswered questions of loyalty and intrigue that I would much like to know the answer to.
Among the drawbacks: some clumsiness of language - too much liberty taken, in my opinion, with the romance languages, and entirely too much tis and twas. Very distracting. The male characters seem to be insufferably stupid toward the end - chivalry taken to an extreme that seems meant only to drive the plot as there is nothing sensible about it. In fact, the latter half of the book in particular seems designed more for emotional manipulation - to drive the reader into book 2 - than strictly necessary for plot development.
But as reasonably interesting escapist reading, it is light and entertaining. I resent the emotional manipulation, so I am not yet convinced to read the second book. (The first review I wrote of this book was much more ranty. You may thank me for sparing you.)
Still, our heroine, while being very stupid about love, does have something of a backbone, which is nicely expressed without treading into tired feminist or mother-goddess tropes. In fact, I quite liked the tender depictions of her relationship with her princess - very sweet and very real. And (as you might expect from book 1) there are a number of unanswered questions of loyalty and intrigue that I would much like to know the answer to.
Among the drawbacks: some clumsiness of language - too much liberty taken, in my opinion, with the romance languages, and entirely too much tis and twas. Very distracting. The male characters seem to be insufferably stupid toward the end - chivalry taken to an extreme that seems meant only to drive the plot as there is nothing sensible about it. In fact, the latter half of the book in particular seems designed more for emotional manipulation - to drive the reader into book 2 - than strictly necessary for plot development.
But as reasonably interesting escapist reading, it is light and entertaining. I resent the emotional manipulation, so I am not yet convinced to read the second book. (The first review I wrote of this book was much more ranty. You may thank me for sparing you.)
This was a wonderful book and I can't wait for the next book!
3.5/5 stars
This book started out really promisingly for me, and would have potentially been a 5 star book if not for the last 1/3 of the book. Vianne is a Duchesse of the Court, the special companion to the prince, and content in her role in life as a gentile lady with no desire to social climb. On the day she sees the King's Left Hand kill a man she learns of a plot to assassinate the king. Before she can process these events the king and princess are assassinated by the king's brother and she is fleeing through the castle holding a magical artifact through which the gods speak. Tristan, the King's Left Hand, is her only chance for survival and escape from a similar death. Freeing him from the dungeons is only the beginning of her troubles. Vianne it turns out is the only other rightful claim to the throne and the Seal has chosen her as its chosen heir.
I like Vianne as a character. There are a lot of complaints that Vianne is weak. For the record if I read one more "historical" style fantasy where the female noblewoman is suddenly capable of feats most men of the time wouldn't manage I will scream. Royal women were expected to be pretty and vaguely useful when it came to things like flower arrangement and needle work. Vianne is very believable in the role while still managing to have a huge amount of back bone and ingenuity. If your female must be kick butt and never cry or doubt Vianne isn't for you, but if you'd rather have a capable woman, working hard to meet the sudden new expectations of her life go for it. Tristan's love for Vianne is really sweet. Saintcrow writes enamored men better than anyone I know. They manage to be totally head over heels in love with their women while still being as masculine and kick ass as possible.
Most of the book follows Vianne and Tristan fleeing with loyal guards across the country as the Duke/King tracks them to kill Tristan and force Vianne into marriage. Vianne is more and less useful throughout but manages to bear up. If you've read Saintcrow you know her women are dense when it comes to their men, but I felt a spark of hope when it became obvious she was in love with Tristan and actually capable of admitting to it and enjoying this love. Throughout there is mystery around Tristan, Vianne, and events in the past. Without giving anything away, in the last 1/3 of the book Vianne has made it to safety, there are admittedly some attempts but the steady drama of before is gone. The entire build-up here is headed towards one event that I guess is meant as a twist, but I saw it coming miles away so I was honestly expecting something a little greater. Even Vianne suspects it and if she'd stayed true to character and not gotten dense she might have come up with it faster as well. Just as things are actually getting interesting it comes to a grinding halt. The last 1/3 could have maybe been pared down a bit to make the twist more interesting, instead of a welcome relief of "finally". Still, I think I'll read the next book. I enjoy Tristan and I'm so used to beating my head against the wall over Saintcrow's angsty women that I don't even notice anymore.
This book started out really promisingly for me, and would have potentially been a 5 star book if not for the last 1/3 of the book. Vianne is a Duchesse of the Court, the special companion to the prince, and content in her role in life as a gentile lady with no desire to social climb. On the day she sees the King's Left Hand kill a man she learns of a plot to assassinate the king. Before she can process these events the king and princess are assassinated by the king's brother and she is fleeing through the castle holding a magical artifact through which the gods speak. Tristan, the King's Left Hand, is her only chance for survival and escape from a similar death. Freeing him from the dungeons is only the beginning of her troubles. Vianne it turns out is the only other rightful claim to the throne and the Seal has chosen her as its chosen heir.
I like Vianne as a character. There are a lot of complaints that Vianne is weak. For the record if I read one more "historical" style fantasy where the female noblewoman is suddenly capable of feats most men of the time wouldn't manage I will scream. Royal women were expected to be pretty and vaguely useful when it came to things like flower arrangement and needle work. Vianne is very believable in the role while still managing to have a huge amount of back bone and ingenuity. If your female must be kick butt and never cry or doubt Vianne isn't for you, but if you'd rather have a capable woman, working hard to meet the sudden new expectations of her life go for it. Tristan's love for Vianne is really sweet. Saintcrow writes enamored men better than anyone I know. They manage to be totally head over heels in love with their women while still being as masculine and kick ass as possible.
Most of the book follows Vianne and Tristan fleeing with loyal guards across the country as the Duke/King tracks them to kill Tristan and force Vianne into marriage. Vianne is more and less useful throughout but manages to bear up. If you've read Saintcrow you know her women are dense when it comes to their men, but I felt a spark of hope when it became obvious she was in love with Tristan and actually capable of admitting to it and enjoying this love. Throughout there is mystery around Tristan, Vianne, and events in the past. Without giving anything away, in the last 1/3 of the book Vianne has made it to safety, there are admittedly some attempts but the steady drama of before is gone. The entire build-up here is headed towards one event that I guess is meant as a twist, but I saw it coming miles away so I was honestly expecting something a little greater. Even Vianne suspects it and if she'd stayed true to character and not gotten dense she might have come up with it faster as well. Just as things are actually getting interesting it comes to a grinding halt. The last 1/3 could have maybe been pared down a bit to make the twist more interesting, instead of a welcome relief of "finally". Still, I think I'll read the next book. I enjoy Tristan and I'm so used to beating my head against the wall over Saintcrow's angsty women that I don't even notice anymore.