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★★★★★★★★★★ (10/10)
This book is awesome! I think that's enough to say about it, but I'll write more just because I loved it so much! Anne Bishop may just be my new favorite author if the rest of this series is even half as good as Daughter of the Blood. There is a combination of magic, mystery, intrigue, and ambitious courage in this novel that kept me reading, and made me anxious to read the other novels in this series (I know that there are at least 7 altogether).
Daughter of the Blood is a book that changes perspective multiple times in each chapter, but the characters are so intertwined that it just makes the plot more interesting. The main people of note are Saetan, Daemon, Jaenelle, Surreal, and Lucivar. Jaenelle is the real star of the story. She is the girl that the rest of the main characters have been waiting for for 700 years. Jaenelle is Witch; she is the most powerful person in Terreille, and will grow up to rule the entire realm, which is currently run by a corrupt priestess bent on world domination. Unfortunately, Jaenelle is still just a young girl. She has not grown into her power, and she is subject to the horrors inflicted on her because her family thinks that she is mentally or emotionally disturbed. Saetan and Daemon and determined to keep her safe because, without her, the world will basically destroy itself.
Daemon is possibly my favorite character just because of how twisted he is. He is Saetan's biological son, but grew up not knowing who his true parents were. He assumed that he'd been abandoned by his father to grow up as a bastard to a mother who didn't care about him. Because of the society of Terreille, Daemon's illegitimacy denied him any social status, despite his innate power, and he is put into slavery. The interesting this about this society is that it is entirely matriarchal; men have little if any political power, and are meant to serve the women in charge. Makes me feel a little bad that the men have no other option, but it's a nice change that women are in power for once. But back to Daemon. Due to his ill treatment by the corrupt priestess, Dorothea, Daemon has a deep hatred of all women. The power he possesses from his Black Jewels (I'm not even going to try to explain that, it'll take too long) means that if he loses his temper, he could level an entire city. Whenever a queen he's been sent to serve angers him, she tends to end up dead, or worse. Yet, he has a soft spot for Jaenelle and her sister, Wilhelmina, as well as a select few other women who have been kind to him over the years. I feel that, if I were his therapist, I would go insane myself trying to sort out the inner workings of Daemon's mind. There are dark secrets that don't come out in this novel, but I'm sure that there are complicated reasons behind the way he behaves.
I don't want to go into deep detail about every major character, so I'll stop with those two. I think that if I talk about anyone else, I'll be giving too much of the plot away, so I'll move away from character description. :)
The novel itself is so easy to fall into. There are a lot of things that need to be explained to the reader about the society and the history of its people, but Bishop does this so smoothly and cleanly, without interrupting the plot line, that I hardly noticed when I learned a new tidbit of necessary information about this world. It's obvious that Bishop put a lot of thought into how the three Realms interact (or don't interact) and what Terreille was like before the overarching corruption took over the Blood. Every new detail Bishop introduces about the people of this world blends in with what she's already told you, and I enjoy the fact that I found no contradictions that have a habit of happening in novels like Daughter of the Blood. Kudos to Bishop for taking so much care in the building of this world, and the characters in it!
I'm going to stop there before I just start recounting the entire plot and leave you with no reason to read it for yourself. I am in love with this series and this author already, and I have already borrowed the next two novels from the library, so it's only a matter of time before I get to find out what happens next. They will not be the next book on my reading list, but they'll be close. Please read books by Anne Bishop. She is a fantastic author, whose writing style can't fail to pull you into the novels that she writes. So exciting!
★★★★★★★★★★ (4/10)
So this is why I don't usually read non-fiction. It takes way too long to get through, and half of the time, I'm not really interested in what the author is talking about. That was the case in The Montefeltro Conspiracy. When I purchased this book (for a whopping $1.00), I initially thought it was a work of fiction based on the jacket description and the cover art. Little did I know that 211 pages of research and a grueling week of reading awaited me. While this book may be a gripping read for someone doing post-doctoral research on Italian Renaissance politics, it was not interesting for a casual reader hoping to be a part of the discovery of a dastardly plot.
I almost think that it's needless to say that summarizing this book is impossible. Simonetta includes so many details (which are useful) and covers so many events and situations that I would have to write 30 pages to summarize the conspiracy he uncovered. This being the case, I'm just going to gloss over the summary in a few sentences.
There was a conspiracy to kill Lorenzo de' Medici (The Magnificent) that has been historically proved, but Simonetta discovered (from letters in a family archive?) that the structure of this conspiracy was developed and masterminded in part by the Duke of Urbino, Federico de Montefeltro (thus the title). Simonetta covers a period of around six years, where he explains the plots, letters, wars, political tricks, and money exchanges that took place to bring about the conspiracy as well as its aftermath. By the end of the novel, everyone is dead, and life moves on for the rest of Italy.
I liked all of the art included as visual aids, but I think that was about it.
So, this is a warning to me to not read non-fiction unless I have to. Things like biographies or something may not be too bad, but The Montefeltro Conspiracy was much too involved for the type of reading that I like to do. I don't want to talk about this book anymore. :(
★★★★★★★★★★ (8/10)
What happens when you combine Romeo and Juliet, a seminar on Shakespeare, six teenagers, and a villa in Verona? You get The Juliet Club, but this novel is more than just the things I listed. It takes Shakespeare's plays and brings them, in funny ways, into the lives of the characters as they spend a month in Verona. It's a very fast-paced novel, that I enjoyed from start to finish.
A group of six teenagers, along with a handful of college undergraduates, have all won a place in the first annual Shakespeare Seminar in Verona, Italy. Three of the teenagers, Tom, Lucy, and Kate (automatic pun for Taming of the Shrew), are Americans and submitted an essay about their thoughts on Shakespeare for their competition entries. The other three, Giacomo, Silvia, and Benno, got in through other means. They are all good scholars, but were either asked or pushed into attending the four-week seminar. I thought that having dual cultures in this novel was an interesting idea. It points out that there are many people from foreign countries that speak English very, very well, while Americans tend to know only their own language. It gives a slight advantage to the Italian students, but the bonds that form are not the ones you'd expect.
When the story got to Verona, and the seminar was explained, it sounded like the beginning of Letters to Juliet, and in a way, these two do share the common bond of a group writing letters to people who have written to Juliet asking for advice. Considering the film just came out recently, I wondered if that's where Harper got the idea, then decided that I didn't care. The whole seminar sounded like a great experience (that I wish I could have had), and being able to answer letters while imaging what advice Juliet would give, sounds even better. Then there's the question of "do I write as Juliet in the play, or do I write as the historical Juliet (even though there's no proof she existed", along with various other problems I'd have to sort out first, but whatever. That's not important at all for this novel. That's just me thinking too much.
Something that I very much liked about The Juliet Club were all of the references to various Shakespeare plays and sonnets. Obviously, the seminar focuses on Romeo and Juliet, but at one point, Tom reads Henry V, Giacomo and Benno use sonnets to help write a love letter, Kate uses Much Ado About Nothing to explain the prank that is trying to be pulled, etc. Shakespeare isn't merely the ploy needed to kickstart the plot. The plays are an integral part of how the story unfolds, and help to explain certain characters personalities and actions. I don't know where most of the in-dialogue quotes are from, unless another characters says it, but I like that there is a smattering of quotes used to both express feeling and to just have something to say.
I was a little confused about how Harper didn't say much about what went on in the seminar. It felt like the Professoressa explained the theory of the course on the first day, and then left the students to their own devices, hoping that they'd learn what was expected. There were quite a few scenes when I read about the kids learning fight choreography, rehearsing scenes, making mistakes in the Elizabethan dance, and writing letters for the Juliet Club, but I didn't see them learn anything from their teacher. That was weird to me, but I think that may have ONLY bother ME. I can't imagine that other readers would be picky about this point. It didn't distract me too much from the plot, but I would have liked some more scenes with the teens learning about the play, or doing something with the the professoressa in a group environment.
I was very much impressed wtih The Juliet Club, despite the fact that Harper wrote the novelizations for High School Musical and Hannah Montana (I can't stand either of these, and think that novels for them are a bit of a joke, since the shows/films are insults to the human mind). I'm glad that Harper can add this fantastic novel to her repertoire, and I'm glad that I read it. What's even better is that I happened to pick up a signed copy of The Juliet Club from the bargain section of the bookstore. I seem to be having a lot of luck with that lately. So, read this book if you can. I can almost guarantee that if you have been agreeing with the majority of my blog posts, you will like this novel.
★★★★★★★★★★ (9/10)
Envy, the third novel in Godbersen's Luxe series, is quite possibly the most captivating in the series so far (I haven't read Splendor yet, so I may prove myself wrong later). This novel takes the characters introduced in the last two novels and creates a whole new world of betrayal, blackmail, and confusion. I flew through this novel, and I am eagerly awaiting the purchase of Splendor to see where everyone ends up. The Hollands, Hayeses. Schoonmakers, and Lina all come together again to treat me to another dose of -gasp- "oh, no!" and nearly non-stop laughter.
Penelope Hayes has successfully forced Henry Schoonmaker into marrying her, regardless of his feelings for Diana Holland. Penelope blackmailed Henry by threatening to ruin Diana's reputation unless he married her. So, at the beginning of Envy, Henry has become a drunk trying to avoid accepting the fate he was suckered into, and Penelope is gloating over her success and new social status. I can't help but feel sorry for Henry, while at the same time, I want to kick him in the balls for being such an idiot. Penelope, on the other hand, is thoroughly despicable, as usual. I understand her desire for wealth and power, given that she's a bit of a social climber, bent on selfishly getting whatever her cruel hands decide to sink their claws into. Though Henry gave in and married Penelope, he has staunchly refused to be her husband in anything but name: they sleep in separate rooms, and he spends as much time away from her as possible. I'd like to give him some kudos for this, but somehow, I can't do that.
Meanwhile, poor, stupid Diana (who let her virginity go just a few weeks before Henry married Penelope) sits at home with her newly bereaved sister, debating whether she should forget Henry or not. The acrobatics Diana's mind goes through throughout the novel are mind boggling, but I can imagine that a girl in her position at the turn of the century (around 1900) would be thinking the same things. Just as in Jane Austen's 19th century England, young women depend on good marriage to see them safely settled in life. Love is great if they can find someone to love who has a lot of money, but, often, money is the more important factor. Diana, however, having lost her love, is at a point where it seems as though she doesn't want to be married, ever. Still, her actions at the end of the novel make me curious as to what she intends to get out of her next adventure.
Elizabeth Holland's life is in complete disarray, so I don't really want to get into that. I will say that I do pity her, and wish her the best of luck in Splendor, not that I have very high hopes for her happiness. Lina, on the other hand, has a series of ups and downs in Envy, and I want to see how much longer she can pull of her act.
There is so much packed into this novel that I'm not going to try to condense it here. Again, I feel like this series is just getting better and better, with more twists, heartbreak, and interesting circumstances, that I can't wait to read Splendor. It's just sad to know that after that novel, Luxe is over, and I'll have to find a new book or series to capture my interest. I love this series not only for the dramatic society, but for the characters, and how getting what you want is never easy, and Godbersen proves that sometimes you have to settle for what you can get instead. There is a great deal of LIFE in these novels, not just a bunch of fluff and happy endings. How their stories will end is a mystery to me now, but I look forward to discovering what will happen next.
★★★★★★★★★★ (8/10)
I wanted to read this again because I just watched the BBC TV series Robin Hood, and I was in a "rob from the rich, give to the poor" type of mood. This is a bit of an oddity for Robin McKinley, since she usually sticks to off-the-wall versions of fairy tales, but I think that she can do just as well with legendary figures as she does with fabled heroines. This tale features a reluctant Robin, goaded by his friends into accepting others to form an outlaw band, and a Marian who is one of the boys. There's more danger here, and less glamor than the "classic" versions (I'm thinking Errol Flynn in tights...), but it feels more true to life, and I applaud McKinley for that. I also enjoy the fact that I have an autographed copy of this book (one of only two signed books I own).
McKinley's version of Robin Hood starts with an accident. Unlike most tales, Robin is just a forester, not a noble, and he becomes an outlaw after accidentally shooting an arrow into the heart of a man that was trying to kill him. He was being bullied, and, as he was escaping an ambush of people who just didn't like him, he fired off an arrow hoping to give him some time; Robin didn't think it would actually hit anything. I like the idea of a Robin who is mostly a nobody: he isn't particularly good with a bow, he's not a skilled fighter, and he'd rather spend his days with his friends than plotting against the sheriff.
Reading a book like this, with more practical scenes, also makes me think that McKinley really thought about what outlaws do once they have to leave their homes. I would imagine that most people wouldn't know the first thing about living out of doors, without camping equipment, money, or a clue as to how to stay dry if it rains. Robin is luckier than most in this respect because he worked in Sherwood, and knew a lot about the forest and the protection if could offer. Still, the people who joined him faced damp beds, hard work, and never knowing where the next meal might come from. These outlaws have to deal with figuring out how to live, and stay alive, while battling the elements and the sheriff's men who want them brought to justice.
I also appreciate that McKinley didn't bring Prince John into the story. She kept it simple by making the outlaws the focus of the story, instead of the injustices of the Prince Regent. The sheriff, though corrupt, is mostly out for his own glory, and just wants Robin brought in to save his own reputation. While Robin and his men (and women) do believe that Richard needs to return to England and BE the king, they are more concerned about keeping themselves alive so that they might help the people of Nottinghamshire. They use the money they steal to help people who have been evicted or maimed to start a new life somewhere else, and if they happen to like the outlaw life, they stay and help the outlaws. Cecil is a very interesting case, but I'll let you discover why on your own.
The relationship between Robin and Marian remains the same, for which I'm grateful. Robin is in love with Marian, but because she is nobly born, and he is not, he doesn't want to say anything. His becoming an outlaw also makes it even less likely that they would be able to marry. Marian, on the other hand, loves Robin, and doesn't care a whit about their class difference. The two of them had been friends since childhood, and Marian was more at home in boys clothes in the forest that she was at home with her gowns and embroidery. As usual, they take forever to realize how the other feels, and there are arguments and loud differences of opinion that make each of them think the wrong things about the other. Still, Robin and Marian figure out what they want together, and it's a lovely scene.
The King Richard ending, I thought, was interestingly appropriate. Richard, who is French, has become king of England through his father, Henry II and Queen Eleanor of Aquitane. The English people have no reason to love a French king, but they do because Richard is uncommonly kind and just for a monarch (even if he spends too much of his reign in the Holy Lands). Having Richard come to Nottingham to resolve Robin's situation stays in line with the tradional story, even if the resolution is a bit strange to me.
I like this novel, and not just because I found a signed copy. It's enjoyable overall, and there are enough differences between it and "traditional" Robin Hood narratives to make it interesting and endearing. I took off one star (since I can't figure out how to do half) because it got a little slow at parts, but if I could find a way to give it 8.5, I would. Robin McKinley is still a fantastic author (see my other R.M. posts), and The Outlaws of Sherwood is a great addition to a collection of her literary works.
