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brandypainter's reviews
1984 reviews
The Sherwood Ring by Elizabeth Marie Pope
5.0
Honestly, if I all I had known about this book was its premise I probably would have disregarded it as silly and never read it. However, it was written by Elizabeth Marie Pope and as I love The Perilous Gard I gave it a go. And I am so glad I did.
The book is about a girl named Peggy who has just been orphaned and comes to live with her uncle at her family's ancestral estate in upstate New York. During her first meeting with her uncle he loses his temper and kicks out a perfectly nice young man who has assisted Peggy in reaching her home. After this less than auspicious beginning Peggy is promptly ignored and becomes lonely as she wanders about with no direction or companions. Into this loneliness enter four ghosts from her family's past from the time of the Revolutionary War. As they share thier stories Peggy's present situation begins to take on new and interesting forms.
I was suprised at how much I loved this book and how engrossed I became in the lives of the characters, particularly the four dead ones. The historical setting was genuine and interesting. It makes the reader think of the Revolutionary War in terms of the lives living it rather than the battles and dates that have historically marked it.
The character of Peaceable Sherwood is my number one reason for falling in love with the book though. I love characters who are conniving, snarky and charismatic and he has it all. If you enjoy reading characters like The Scarlet Pimpernel, Gen from the Queen's Thief series and Lord Peter you will enjoy reading this.
Overall, I found The Perilous Gard to be the better of the two but this one is definitely a keeper as well. I am sad that there are no more books by Elizabeth Marie Pope to discover. Why did she only write two books?????
The book is about a girl named Peggy who has just been orphaned and comes to live with her uncle at her family's ancestral estate in upstate New York. During her first meeting with her uncle he loses his temper and kicks out a perfectly nice young man who has assisted Peggy in reaching her home. After this less than auspicious beginning Peggy is promptly ignored and becomes lonely as she wanders about with no direction or companions. Into this loneliness enter four ghosts from her family's past from the time of the Revolutionary War. As they share thier stories Peggy's present situation begins to take on new and interesting forms.
I was suprised at how much I loved this book and how engrossed I became in the lives of the characters, particularly the four dead ones. The historical setting was genuine and interesting. It makes the reader think of the Revolutionary War in terms of the lives living it rather than the battles and dates that have historically marked it.
The character of Peaceable Sherwood is my number one reason for falling in love with the book though. I love characters who are conniving, snarky and charismatic and he has it all. If you enjoy reading characters like The Scarlet Pimpernel, Gen from the Queen's Thief series and Lord Peter you will enjoy reading this.
Overall, I found The Perilous Gard to be the better of the two but this one is definitely a keeper as well. I am sad that there are no more books by Elizabeth Marie Pope to discover. Why did she only write two books?????
The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett
2.0
I wanted to love this book but it and I just didn't click. It seemed like the perfect book for me when I heard about it. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and I love books with a good anti-hero. My very first research paper I wrote for high school I wrote on Mary Queen of Scots and I took a class on the Tudors and Stuarts one semester in college. This book seemed tailor made for me but I just could not get into it..
The historical setting of the book is marvelously written and the characters are interesting for the most part, when you can understand them. I was frustrated by all of the Spanish, French and Latin scattered through the book. It hampered my enjoyment of Lymond's personality because I could not understand half of what he was saying. The plot started off slow and consisted, at first, of nothing but caper after caper showcasing Lymond's brilliance. By the end of the book I was thoroughly annoyed with the man and could have cared less whether or not he was successful in his ultimate goal. He was almost a little too clever, jaded and cynical for my taste.
Because I wanted to like these books so much I started reading the second in the series when I finished this one and I had to stop. I just couldn't take it anymore. I will try to come back to them eventually but for now Lymond and I are saying adieu.
The historical setting of the book is marvelously written and the characters are interesting for the most part, when you can understand them. I was frustrated by all of the Spanish, French and Latin scattered through the book. It hampered my enjoyment of Lymond's personality because I could not understand half of what he was saying. The plot started off slow and consisted, at first, of nothing but caper after caper showcasing Lymond's brilliance. By the end of the book I was thoroughly annoyed with the man and could have cared less whether or not he was successful in his ultimate goal. He was almost a little too clever, jaded and cynical for my taste.
Because I wanted to like these books so much I started reading the second in the series when I finished this one and I had to stop. I just couldn't take it anymore. I will try to come back to them eventually but for now Lymond and I are saying adieu.
The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss
1.0
Wasted potential are the words that most aptly describe this book. A family is shipwrecked and must survive on an island with only each other for support. It should have been a great adventure story. Instead the reader is treated to page after page of monotony. Even the scenes that should have sparked interest were dull and completely lifeless. The characters are obnoxiously perfect. The father knows everything there is to know about everything and accomplishes herculean tasks (like bridge building) in one day. The mother is amazingly well versed in the art of outdoor cooking and whips up a homecooked meal the first night they are on the island. The children never complain and are always eager to have more work put on their shoulders. And where on this planet can you find tigers, lions, bears, kangaroos, boa constricters, and a herd of buffalo residing all on the same island? It is completely unbelievable and not in a fun adventure story kind of way. I would recommend reading something else.
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
5.0
The Scarlet Pimpernel is one of my favorite books of all time. This book has it all: adventure, intrigue, humor and romance.
The Scarlet Pimpernel is the secret identity of a wealthy English nobleman who leads a group of like minded individuals in rescuing French aristocrats from "the fond embrace of Madame la Guillotine". The story is mostly told from the perspective of Lady Marguerite Blackeney, a French woman who was a fierce supporter of the Revolution in its infancy but is now disgusted by the bloody means her fellow countrymen are employing to achieve their Utopian freedom. She is now living in England and married to the foppish Sir Percy Blackeney. Against her will she is drawn into the intrigue surrounding the Scarlet Pimpernel. Marguerite is forced to make some difficult decisions regarding the people she loves and where her loyalties lie. She must contemplate these life altering decisions while enduring the stress of a disintigrating and disappointing marriage.
The book deals with serious themes but is not at all serious. It is fluffy frivolous melodrama at its swashbuckling best. Read it with that in mind and you will enjoy yourself immensely.
The Scarlet Pimpernel is the secret identity of a wealthy English nobleman who leads a group of like minded individuals in rescuing French aristocrats from "the fond embrace of Madame la Guillotine". The story is mostly told from the perspective of Lady Marguerite Blackeney, a French woman who was a fierce supporter of the Revolution in its infancy but is now disgusted by the bloody means her fellow countrymen are employing to achieve their Utopian freedom. She is now living in England and married to the foppish Sir Percy Blackeney. Against her will she is drawn into the intrigue surrounding the Scarlet Pimpernel. Marguerite is forced to make some difficult decisions regarding the people she loves and where her loyalties lie. She must contemplate these life altering decisions while enduring the stress of a disintigrating and disappointing marriage.
The book deals with serious themes but is not at all serious. It is fluffy frivolous melodrama at its swashbuckling best. Read it with that in mind and you will enjoy yourself immensely.