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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
I really just did not like this book. The only reason I finished it was because I had bought it.
My roommate read this before me, and when she handed it to me she said, "After you read this, I want to know who your favorite character is." Hers was the king; mine was the fool -- and when we handed it to a friend, hers was the queen. Each of us chose a different character, though all three of us tend to have similar tastes. Many interesting discussions were had once we'd all read it!
The author chose to set this novel in medieval Wales, thus giving all her characters names that made discussing them afterwards even more hilarious (I'm pretty sure we each had different ways of pronouncing each name). I wasn't struck by any glaring problems with the setting or style; the book was an easy read stylistically, and for that I commend the author.
There was a point near the end of the book where the plot twists came to a head and it became clear to me: this will not end well. And boy, did Galland deliver. It was definitely a thrill to read!
The author chose to set this novel in medieval Wales, thus giving all her characters names that made discussing them afterwards even more hilarious (I'm pretty sure we each had different ways of pronouncing each name). I wasn't struck by any glaring problems with the setting or style; the book was an easy read stylistically, and for that I commend the author.
There was a point near the end of the book where the plot twists came to a head and it became clear to me: this will not end well. And boy, did Galland deliver. It was definitely a thrill to read!
The way to tell if a book is good is if the characters and stories stayed with you when you put the book down....this passed the test. Beautiful story about love, obsession, and betrayel of every kind. I enjoyed it alot even if it broke my heart a bit.
I wanted to love this book, and I almost did. When I finished it I was on a roller coaster of emotions, and I couldn't wait to tell my husband about it. The thing is, I was able to give him the entire basic plot in a span of about 1 minute. The fact that I was able to take something that had originally captivated me and whittle it down to a 1 minute description left me feeling a little deflated - especially considering the amount of time I dev oted to reading the book. I loved the characters and the setting, and the end of the story left me with a lump in my throat. Maybe I'm used to overly complex plots like Diana Gabaldon's novels. Maybe my own preconceived notions got in the way of a story that was intended to be primarily driven by the emotional development of the character. But in the end I was left wanting a little more action. Still, this is definitely a worthwhile read!
The Fool's Tale is a romance/historical fiction taking place in Wales. Unfortunately, it's one of those historical fiction books that may as well not be considered that genre because it is entirely made up. As in, the king Noble is based on was dead already. And so on. On top of which, I spent a good quarter of this book hating all of the characters, until a couple of them did things that were just so beyond the pale it forced me to Like Gwirion and Isabel out of comparison.
I did honestly enjoy the book - nothing spectacular, just an alright way to pass the time. It is a rare example of two characters falling in love after they started out hating each other that works.
I did honestly enjoy the book - nothing spectacular, just an alright way to pass the time. It is a rare example of two characters falling in love after they started out hating each other that works.
I didn't care for this book. I had been wondering whether it was because the author had accurately portrayed the attitudes of the time and I was simply uncomfortable with them because I'm a modern kind of person... but after reading a couple reviews here that specifically mention its historical inaccuracy, I think I just didn't like it. Yay! I feel better about that.
Liked the writing but parts of the story and the ending pissed me off. Definitely a love hate relationship with this book.
A fairly lengthy read but entertaining! I've had this one for a while but have been putting off reading it because I'm a fan of shorter books, but I'm glad I finally got to it. After finishing it and looking back, there really wasn't a lot of action - not all that much happened- but it's a great character study of the three main characters (Noble, Isabel, and Gwirion). A solid historical fiction novel.
3.5-4 stars!
3.5-4 stars!
The Fool's Tale is not your usual medieval fiction. It's utterly compelling, with three main characters who are each lovable and hateful in equal measure (I love me some fallible characters). It makes for an excellent history lesson in terms of the relationship between Wales and England during the reign of Richard the Lionhearted (something I knew nothing about, previously). It's also an excellent story of human nature, obligation and power.
There's romance, but it's also not your typical setup. And nobody is made into a villain (and everybody is), and nobody is the hero (and everybody is). It's complex but not complicated, and although the first half was a bit slow and frustrating because I didn't like any of the three very much, by the middle of the book it took off. By the end, I was gasping and flipping pages like a fiend, skipping sleep and totally emotionally overwrought.
So, of course, I highly recommend it for fans of historical fiction, especially medieval. Also for fans of complex, three-dimensional characters with grey morality who are so real you feel like you could touch them. Also for fans of England, and Wales. And classic lit/myth (like Beowulf, Tristan & Isolde, Der Ring des Nibelungen, Arthurian legend, etc).
There's romance, but it's also not your typical setup. And nobody is made into a villain (and everybody is), and nobody is the hero (and everybody is). It's complex but not complicated, and although the first half was a bit slow and frustrating because I didn't like any of the three very much, by the middle of the book it took off. By the end, I was gasping and flipping pages like a fiend, skipping sleep and totally emotionally overwrought.
So, of course, I highly recommend it for fans of historical fiction, especially medieval. Also for fans of complex, three-dimensional characters with grey morality who are so real you feel like you could touch them. Also for fans of England, and Wales. And classic lit/myth (like Beowulf, Tristan & Isolde, Der Ring des Nibelungen, Arthurian legend, etc).