*/***** (1/5)
I found Julie Garwood's RANSOM listlessly mild, barely holding my interest, and too amateur in terms of writing, plotting and pacing. You can always count on Julie Garwood for mutually giving lead romance pairs and her characters blend together after you've read one of her books. There's really no difference in the lead characters of her books: sweet, loving, innocent virgins and fiendishly big, gruff, yet gentle warriors. Garwood loves her Highlanders, and I didn't appreciate this book's predominantly patronizing and superior attitude with respect to the English. Yes, we know Highlanders detest the English, but why are all the English warriors weak, fat and short and all the Highlanders statuesque giants? Are there no real warriors in England? Like every other romance novelist, Garwood is big on experience in many respects, and not only do Highlander lairds like Brodick Buchanan and Iain Maitland (from THE SECRET *) easily dispose English warriors, but they also patronize their own Highlander young men. For example, Brodick's warrior Dylan patronizing the young MacPherson warrior Proster. In combat, sometimes youth is better served over experience, but you'd never know it from this amateur novel. Not only are Garwood's towering giants preternaturally strong, but they all move as fast lightning! I call bullshit! Ordinarily, agility and stamina don't go hand-in-hand with strength and brute force! Big brutes like Garwood's Highlander lairds usually sacrifice quickness and stamina for brute strength. A smaller warrior will almost always win the endurance and stamina game against bigger, stronger warriors. The bigger they are, the harder they'll fall. Garwood makes her Highlander heroes seem like cartoons the way they discard weak English foes.
This 486-page hardcover contains too much interminable conversation, it dwells on many routinely disengaging plots, and its writing is the basest kind of amateur (I saw the word "bossiness" used). When I compare Garwood's plots and writing with a Laura Kinsale or Madeline Hunter, Garwood's books leave much to be desired. Again, the lead characters here are sweet but they're the same as every other Garwood novel, and you can only take so much of the same thing over and over.
The Story, possible SPOILERS.
RANSOM is actually a sequel to THE SECRET (*) which features Iain Maitland and Judith. RANSOM returns Iain's warriors Ramsey Sinclair and Brodick Buchanan, both lairds of their own clans now. Our hero is the fearsome heathen Brodick Buchanan while our heroine is the sweet, innocent virgin Gillian. In the prologue, our evil English villain, Baron Alford, assaults the English manor Dunhanshire. Gillian is a little child and Gillian's father entrusts a valuable jewelry box to Gillian's older sister Christen. Both Gillian and her older sister Christen flee the sieged castle via secret passageways but Alford's evil English warriors apprehend Gillian and her escort. Romantically, the jewelry box belonged to King John's true love, the deceased Arianna, and holds some secrets.
Years later, we find the young woman Gillian rescuing a young boy, Alec. Alec is none other than the Laird Iain Maitland's son, the hero of THE SECRET. Baron Alford releases Gillian to find and retrieve her sister Christen who he suspects resides amongst the Highlanders. Alford ruthlessly desires the jewelry box entrusted to Christen. If Gillian fails to retrieve her sister and the box, Alford will kill Gillian's beloved Uncle Morgan. Along the way, Gillian runs into Alec's protector Brodick Buchanan and the two share an instant attraction. After running around the highlands, gaining allies, and getting married, Gillian returns to Dunhanshire within Alford's allotted time. There's a secondary romantic pairing between Ramsey Sinclair and Bridgid KirkConnell as well. Everything concludes romantically as King John discovers the real culprit behind the death of his One-True-Love, Arianna.
Showing posts with label medieval romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label medieval romance. Show all posts
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Monday, December 3, 2007
The Marsh King's Daughter, by Elizabeth Chadwick [1]
*/***** (1/5)
I would not wish Elizabeth Chadwick's 13th-century English medieval THE MARSH KING'S DAUGHTER on my worst enemy, let alone a friend. I enjoy challenging, engrossing reads and although THE MARSH KING'S DAUGHTER certainly is that, it offers no payoff for the torture and suffering the book inflicts on its main character Mirial, and, by extension, its readers for close to 300 pages of this 406-page hardcover. Although this book produces a "happy" ending in the last 3-4 pages, I much prefer Chadwick's LORDS OF THE WHITE CASTLE's dolorous conclusion to this book's relentless torture. Like LORDS OF THE WHITE CASTLE (***), Chadwick here shines at transporting the reader to another time and place. Chadwick's medieval English settings are immaculate, her look into the 13th-century mercantile trade thorough, and her writing and prose exquisite. Also like LORDS OF THE WHITE CASTLE, I could not put down THE MARSH KING'S DAUGHTER hoping beyond hope that the book would reward me somewhere for such an agonizing reading experience. Alas, not to be. In the middle of an extramarital affair with her lover (and the book's "hero") Nicholas, Mirial thinks, "There was a price to be paid and she had a nagging premonition that it would beggar them in the end." (p. 251) My reaction: hell, I'm already paying a steep price on behalf of these characters for reading this much, you mean I'll have to suffer even more? Plangently, the book responded with a thunderous, "YES!" Even after faithfully finishing this torturous novel, I'm not sure from where the book derives its title from because Mirial isn't a marsh king's daughter. Maybe it refers to the crown Mirial covets, a crown that once belonged to Empress Mathilda. But I still don't see the connection to a marsh king.
THE MARSH KING'S DAUGHTER mostly drums out an evil man's medieval possession of our main character Mirial. Mirial's willing marital consent to an apparently good, handsome man (Robert Willoughby) quickly dissolves to years of despair and pain. Robert asserts his ruthlessly possessive nature, and, frightfully for Mirial, painfully claims his marital rights as a husband. Although not exactly rape, it's the best word to describe the way Mirial recoils in fear and horror to a coupling with her husband, and then submits her unwilling body to Robert's callous abuse time and time again. Over the years of her second marriage, the book mostly showcases Mirial's fear and pain at the thought of her husband Robert claiming his marital rights during the nights and mornings. When he's not around, she often thanks circumstance for not having to submit to his marital rights. I like challenging books, rich plotting, and eruditely historical reads; but this isn't challenging, it doesn't contain nearly the intricate plotting as LORDS OF THE WHITE CASTLE, and the history doesn't measure up either. There has to be payoff somewhere for this kind of torturous read... but no.
I also didn't enjoy the adulterous affair between Mirial and her "hero" Nicholas. Most of the novel parades Robert's brutal coupling with Mirial or the dreadful anticipation of it. The guilt-ridden adulterous affair Mirial shares with Nicholas represents the only times in the entire novel Mirial enjoys a fulfilled lovemaking. At the time they initiate the affair, Mirial knows nothing of her husband Robert's diabolic malevolence. I was hoping she'd abstain from an adulterous liaison with her hero strife with guilt until she learned the full impact of her husband's perfidy and leaves him. She's basically sleeping with two men at the same time here: times when her husband Robert forces her and the adulterous moments of pleasure with Nicholas. The whole time I'm thinking: who's the father if she becomes pregnant? She thinks she's barren and throws Nicholas' caution out the door when he's careful at first not to spill his seed inside her. When the shock of an impending pregnancy finally looms, Robert informs her she is not the barren one, but he is (Robert has never fathered a child with two previous wives and mistresses in between). Robert proceeds to imprison her after uncovering her faithlessness and surreptitiously arranges Nicholas's demise. Even when she's pregnant with another man's child, the book brutally portrays Robert affirming his marital rights as Mirial's husband. Mirial accepts Robert's sexual brutality because she feels she's wronged Robert, and the contrived plotting which prevents her from learning the full extent of Robert's treachery (until the very end) also checks her from fleeing Robert. When she finally does learn of Robert's treachery, she doesn't kill him when she has the chance! Then she laments over her fate after she's captured by Robert! What did you think he'd do after ruthlessly killing so many people, Mirial? Sit around? The book tortures readers and extends Robert's devious and incessant plotting until page 399 of this 406-page hardcover! Are you kidding me?! Neither Mirial nor Nicholas take proactive steps to at least thwart Robert, in essence allowing him one last gasp after another!
I also didn't understand another thing: why would the Mother Hillary (the Abbess) at St. Catherine's go to so much trouble to notify Muriel's husband (Robert) of a rumored lover when Mirial fled the abbey? The Mother Abbess racks her brain to remember the rumored lover's name and goes insofar to await Robert before his departure just to tell him the name after she remembers . Mother Hillary professes to care for Mirial but how come she doesn't think twice divulging all of the dirty rumors of a past lover to Mirial's current husband, Robert? For a cunning Mother Abbess, she has no discretion?
Although I liked Mirial's fiery spirit, there's too many things I disliked about her too. She just accepts Robert's callous sexual abuse, reasoning she went into the marriage willing. And then she fails to kill him after his true, wicked character surfaces. I was actually hoping for some respite from Mirial's incessant suffering and rooting for Magdalene and Nicholas. A prostitute like Magdalene finally finding some love with Nicholas was the best part of a novel entirely about someone else: Mirial.
The "hero" (I place this in quotes because he fails to do anything and sparingly appears in the novel) Nicholas's honor prevents him from doing anything ruthless, even if it means helping someone in trouble. Stephen Trabe is right, honor is for fools and "honorable" fools like Nicholas de Caen really deserve death for clinging to their superior notions of morality. He has no qualms about filching royal treasure (because he feels King John owes him), but won't take ruthless steps to protect Mirial from Robert. Nicholas shuns doing anything outside of honor because of the underhanded way King John killed his family He doesn't want to become like King John, he reasons. He's simply too naive and too dumb to understand that taking ruthless actions to secure the safety of those you love from a villain who will never relent doesn't make you into a villain! After the pirate who holds Nicholas in captivity (le Pecheur) frees Nicholas (because Nicholas can't do anything by himself), Nicholas runs into his assassins again. The assassins corner him and again he needs rescuing, this time by a factual historical figure, Stephen Trabe. After he returns home, Nicholas thinks he will not resort to murdering Robert like Robert hired assassins to kill Nicholas and numerous others before him. First Nicholas wants to rescue Mirial, then worry about Robert, never really understanding that the two are intimately linked! Nicholas actually wants to honorably bring Robert to trial! Like when has that ever worked in a novel? He fails to understand that Mirial's safety depends on dealing with Robert first! All of it plays out melodramatically in the last 10-12 pages as Nicholas and Mirial run from Robert since Nicholas failed to deal with Robert first. Earlier when Nicholas witnesses the murder of one of Robert's competitors in the merchant business, he fails to investigate the blatant clues linking Robert to the death of Robert's competitor! Nicholas often waits around in a reactionary, "honorable" role (translation, foolhardy).
The Story, possible SPOILERS.
I found the premise of the novel very promising but in spite of Chadwick's superior writing and settings, this book was like punishment. I don't look to literature as an avenue for pain and torture, I really don't!
THE MARSH KING'S DAUGHTER is about the trials, tribulations and hardships of Mirial, born as Mirial Weaver, then Mirial Woolman, and finally (and most calamitously) Mirial Willoughby. Similar to Madeline Hunter's BY DESIGN (***), this book takes a very comprehensive look at the mercantile class in 13th-century England. We first see a spirited Mirial at home in her wealthy grandfather's stone house. Her grandfather was a reputed weaver and loved Mirial while her mother and stepfather wish to send her off in a convent due to her unruly behavior. She's described a kindred spirit, all defiance and pride. We see her stepfather beat her for her defiance and then ship her off to St. Catherine's. As a novice oblate at St. Catherine's, a wicked Sister further causes Mirial problems and Mirial dreams of escape. Meanwhile, Nicholas de Caen travels as a prisoner in King John's baggage train over the coasts of England. After the tide decimates the baggage train, Nicholas barely manages to escape with a treasure chest. After concealing the treasure chest, Nicholas collapses near St. Catherines. Mirial finds him and nurses him back to health. As Nicholas prepares to leave the abbey, Mirial hitches a ride with him and discovers of the treasure. She salivates at a crown originally belonging to Empress Mathilda. Before Nicholas and Mirial prepare to part ways, Mirial absconds with a significant minority of the treasure and the priceless crown in the middle of the night. Nicholas tries to find her but the "hero" that he is, fails.
Seasons pass. In the town of Nottingham, Mirial builds a fortune for herself from the portion of the treasure she took. She excels in the weaving trade, something she loves. Also in Nottingham, she meets ~60 year-old Gerbert Woolman and ~40 year-old Robert Willoughby, Gerbert's heir. Grisly old Gerbert lusts after Mirial and after discovering Mirial's escape from the convent forces her into marriage. But old Gerbert is pretty harmless and Mirial learns to appease him without consummating the marriage. More seasons pass. Mirial's stepfather soon attempts to sabotage his competition in Nottingham after Mirial's business takes off. Gerbert dies, and soon the handsome and vigorous Robert begins courting Mirial. Mirial accepts his heartfelt marriage proposal. After marriage with Robert, Mirial's hell begins as Robert abuses her body in bed. Since Mirial willingly agreed to the marriage and Robert is very caring otherwise, she learns to endure Robert's rights as a husband in the bed.
Mirial's fear, anxiety and pain from the anticipation of coupling with Robert and/or from the actual coupling comprise the bulk of the book's content. Unknown to Mirial for most of the novel, Robert ruthlessly eliminates his competition in his vast businesses and we as readers soon learn that it was Robert who eliminated Mirial's first husband Gerbert to obtain Mirial and her thriving weaving business.
On the side we're privy to brief glimpses of Nicholas's happenings. Nicholas too builds a fortune from the chest Mirial leaves him and realizes his dream in sailing and shipping. He soon owns four ships. The heart of the novel was definitely Nicholas' mistress Magdalene. A prostitute by profession, Magdalene soon comes to love and care deeply for Nicholas. Predictably, Nicholas and Mirial soon reunite under the worst of circumstances: Nicholas with Magdalene, and Mirial as Robert's wife. Nicholas is bitter about Mirial absconding with a portion of the treasure like a thief in the night and they affect a mutual hatred for one another. Nicholas and Mirial share passion though and for the first time in her life, Mirial enjoys sensual pleasure in an adulterous affair with Nicholas. A lot of grief and guilt ensue on both their parts (especially Mirial's). Nicholas asks her to leave her husband, and she rejects his proposal. Nicholas then marries Magdalene when he deduces she's pregnant (Magdalene genuinely didn't want to entrap him). Magdalene loves Nicholas dearly and knows of his affair with Mirial. After Mirial rejects running away with Nicholas, Nicholas comes to return Magdalene's love and devotion in matrimony. Again, I loved Magdalene and Nicholas's union, and it resonated so much more than Mirial and Nicholas. Nicholas is oblivious to Mirial's condition and Mirial's husband Robert discovers Mirial's adultery with Nicholas. Since Robert knows he's barren, he surmises the real father of the child Mirial carries. Again we're treated to more fear, anxiety and pain as Mirial (who feels horrible about her affair Nicholas) allows Robert to abuse her body sexually while she's increasing.
Truly, the adage, "You've made your bed, now you must lie in it," tortuously reverberates with Mirial's character.
The book comes to a very unsatisfying conclusion as Robert treacherously plots and schemes to eliminate Nicholas and sexually abuses Mirial's body. I hated that the book killed off Magdalene just to fabricate a "happy" ending for Nicholas and Mirial. Between Mirial and Magdalene and their babies, Robert kills off Mirial's baby, Mirial survives while Magdalene's baby survives but Magdalene dies. All so Nicholas and Mirial (really barren now after they kill her baby) could be together.
If you're into self-inflicted torture, this book is for you!
I would not wish Elizabeth Chadwick's 13th-century English medieval THE MARSH KING'S DAUGHTER on my worst enemy, let alone a friend. I enjoy challenging, engrossing reads and although THE MARSH KING'S DAUGHTER certainly is that, it offers no payoff for the torture and suffering the book inflicts on its main character Mirial, and, by extension, its readers for close to 300 pages of this 406-page hardcover. Although this book produces a "happy" ending in the last 3-4 pages, I much prefer Chadwick's LORDS OF THE WHITE CASTLE's dolorous conclusion to this book's relentless torture. Like LORDS OF THE WHITE CASTLE (***), Chadwick here shines at transporting the reader to another time and place. Chadwick's medieval English settings are immaculate, her look into the 13th-century mercantile trade thorough, and her writing and prose exquisite. Also like LORDS OF THE WHITE CASTLE, I could not put down THE MARSH KING'S DAUGHTER hoping beyond hope that the book would reward me somewhere for such an agonizing reading experience. Alas, not to be. In the middle of an extramarital affair with her lover (and the book's "hero") Nicholas, Mirial thinks, "There was a price to be paid and she had a nagging premonition that it would beggar them in the end." (p. 251) My reaction: hell, I'm already paying a steep price on behalf of these characters for reading this much, you mean I'll have to suffer even more? Plangently, the book responded with a thunderous, "YES!" Even after faithfully finishing this torturous novel, I'm not sure from where the book derives its title from because Mirial isn't a marsh king's daughter. Maybe it refers to the crown Mirial covets, a crown that once belonged to Empress Mathilda. But I still don't see the connection to a marsh king.
THE MARSH KING'S DAUGHTER mostly drums out an evil man's medieval possession of our main character Mirial. Mirial's willing marital consent to an apparently good, handsome man (Robert Willoughby) quickly dissolves to years of despair and pain. Robert asserts his ruthlessly possessive nature, and, frightfully for Mirial, painfully claims his marital rights as a husband. Although not exactly rape, it's the best word to describe the way Mirial recoils in fear and horror to a coupling with her husband, and then submits her unwilling body to Robert's callous abuse time and time again. Over the years of her second marriage, the book mostly showcases Mirial's fear and pain at the thought of her husband Robert claiming his marital rights during the nights and mornings. When he's not around, she often thanks circumstance for not having to submit to his marital rights. I like challenging books, rich plotting, and eruditely historical reads; but this isn't challenging, it doesn't contain nearly the intricate plotting as LORDS OF THE WHITE CASTLE, and the history doesn't measure up either. There has to be payoff somewhere for this kind of torturous read... but no.
I also didn't enjoy the adulterous affair between Mirial and her "hero" Nicholas. Most of the novel parades Robert's brutal coupling with Mirial or the dreadful anticipation of it. The guilt-ridden adulterous affair Mirial shares with Nicholas represents the only times in the entire novel Mirial enjoys a fulfilled lovemaking. At the time they initiate the affair, Mirial knows nothing of her husband Robert's diabolic malevolence. I was hoping she'd abstain from an adulterous liaison with her hero strife with guilt until she learned the full impact of her husband's perfidy and leaves him. She's basically sleeping with two men at the same time here: times when her husband Robert forces her and the adulterous moments of pleasure with Nicholas. The whole time I'm thinking: who's the father if she becomes pregnant? She thinks she's barren and throws Nicholas' caution out the door when he's careful at first not to spill his seed inside her. When the shock of an impending pregnancy finally looms, Robert informs her she is not the barren one, but he is (Robert has never fathered a child with two previous wives and mistresses in between). Robert proceeds to imprison her after uncovering her faithlessness and surreptitiously arranges Nicholas's demise. Even when she's pregnant with another man's child, the book brutally portrays Robert affirming his marital rights as Mirial's husband. Mirial accepts Robert's sexual brutality because she feels she's wronged Robert, and the contrived plotting which prevents her from learning the full extent of Robert's treachery (until the very end) also checks her from fleeing Robert. When she finally does learn of Robert's treachery, she doesn't kill him when she has the chance! Then she laments over her fate after she's captured by Robert! What did you think he'd do after ruthlessly killing so many people, Mirial? Sit around? The book tortures readers and extends Robert's devious and incessant plotting until page 399 of this 406-page hardcover! Are you kidding me?! Neither Mirial nor Nicholas take proactive steps to at least thwart Robert, in essence allowing him one last gasp after another!
I also didn't understand another thing: why would the Mother Hillary (the Abbess) at St. Catherine's go to so much trouble to notify Muriel's husband (Robert) of a rumored lover when Mirial fled the abbey? The Mother Abbess racks her brain to remember the rumored lover's name and goes insofar to await Robert before his departure just to tell him the name after she remembers . Mother Hillary professes to care for Mirial but how come she doesn't think twice divulging all of the dirty rumors of a past lover to Mirial's current husband, Robert? For a cunning Mother Abbess, she has no discretion?
Although I liked Mirial's fiery spirit, there's too many things I disliked about her too. She just accepts Robert's callous sexual abuse, reasoning she went into the marriage willing. And then she fails to kill him after his true, wicked character surfaces. I was actually hoping for some respite from Mirial's incessant suffering and rooting for Magdalene and Nicholas. A prostitute like Magdalene finally finding some love with Nicholas was the best part of a novel entirely about someone else: Mirial.
The "hero" (I place this in quotes because he fails to do anything and sparingly appears in the novel) Nicholas's honor prevents him from doing anything ruthless, even if it means helping someone in trouble. Stephen Trabe is right, honor is for fools and "honorable" fools like Nicholas de Caen really deserve death for clinging to their superior notions of morality. He has no qualms about filching royal treasure (because he feels King John owes him), but won't take ruthless steps to protect Mirial from Robert. Nicholas shuns doing anything outside of honor because of the underhanded way King John killed his family He doesn't want to become like King John, he reasons. He's simply too naive and too dumb to understand that taking ruthless actions to secure the safety of those you love from a villain who will never relent doesn't make you into a villain! After the pirate who holds Nicholas in captivity (le Pecheur) frees Nicholas (because Nicholas can't do anything by himself), Nicholas runs into his assassins again. The assassins corner him and again he needs rescuing, this time by a factual historical figure, Stephen Trabe. After he returns home, Nicholas thinks he will not resort to murdering Robert like Robert hired assassins to kill Nicholas and numerous others before him. First Nicholas wants to rescue Mirial, then worry about Robert, never really understanding that the two are intimately linked! Nicholas actually wants to honorably bring Robert to trial! Like when has that ever worked in a novel? He fails to understand that Mirial's safety depends on dealing with Robert first! All of it plays out melodramatically in the last 10-12 pages as Nicholas and Mirial run from Robert since Nicholas failed to deal with Robert first. Earlier when Nicholas witnesses the murder of one of Robert's competitors in the merchant business, he fails to investigate the blatant clues linking Robert to the death of Robert's competitor! Nicholas often waits around in a reactionary, "honorable" role (translation, foolhardy).
The Story, possible SPOILERS.
I found the premise of the novel very promising but in spite of Chadwick's superior writing and settings, this book was like punishment. I don't look to literature as an avenue for pain and torture, I really don't!
THE MARSH KING'S DAUGHTER is about the trials, tribulations and hardships of Mirial, born as Mirial Weaver, then Mirial Woolman, and finally (and most calamitously) Mirial Willoughby. Similar to Madeline Hunter's BY DESIGN (***), this book takes a very comprehensive look at the mercantile class in 13th-century England. We first see a spirited Mirial at home in her wealthy grandfather's stone house. Her grandfather was a reputed weaver and loved Mirial while her mother and stepfather wish to send her off in a convent due to her unruly behavior. She's described a kindred spirit, all defiance and pride. We see her stepfather beat her for her defiance and then ship her off to St. Catherine's. As a novice oblate at St. Catherine's, a wicked Sister further causes Mirial problems and Mirial dreams of escape. Meanwhile, Nicholas de Caen travels as a prisoner in King John's baggage train over the coasts of England. After the tide decimates the baggage train, Nicholas barely manages to escape with a treasure chest. After concealing the treasure chest, Nicholas collapses near St. Catherines. Mirial finds him and nurses him back to health. As Nicholas prepares to leave the abbey, Mirial hitches a ride with him and discovers of the treasure. She salivates at a crown originally belonging to Empress Mathilda. Before Nicholas and Mirial prepare to part ways, Mirial absconds with a significant minority of the treasure and the priceless crown in the middle of the night. Nicholas tries to find her but the "hero" that he is, fails.
Seasons pass. In the town of Nottingham, Mirial builds a fortune for herself from the portion of the treasure she took. She excels in the weaving trade, something she loves. Also in Nottingham, she meets ~60 year-old Gerbert Woolman and ~40 year-old Robert Willoughby, Gerbert's heir. Grisly old Gerbert lusts after Mirial and after discovering Mirial's escape from the convent forces her into marriage. But old Gerbert is pretty harmless and Mirial learns to appease him without consummating the marriage. More seasons pass. Mirial's stepfather soon attempts to sabotage his competition in Nottingham after Mirial's business takes off. Gerbert dies, and soon the handsome and vigorous Robert begins courting Mirial. Mirial accepts his heartfelt marriage proposal. After marriage with Robert, Mirial's hell begins as Robert abuses her body in bed. Since Mirial willingly agreed to the marriage and Robert is very caring otherwise, she learns to endure Robert's rights as a husband in the bed.
Mirial's fear, anxiety and pain from the anticipation of coupling with Robert and/or from the actual coupling comprise the bulk of the book's content. Unknown to Mirial for most of the novel, Robert ruthlessly eliminates his competition in his vast businesses and we as readers soon learn that it was Robert who eliminated Mirial's first husband Gerbert to obtain Mirial and her thriving weaving business.
On the side we're privy to brief glimpses of Nicholas's happenings. Nicholas too builds a fortune from the chest Mirial leaves him and realizes his dream in sailing and shipping. He soon owns four ships. The heart of the novel was definitely Nicholas' mistress Magdalene. A prostitute by profession, Magdalene soon comes to love and care deeply for Nicholas. Predictably, Nicholas and Mirial soon reunite under the worst of circumstances: Nicholas with Magdalene, and Mirial as Robert's wife. Nicholas is bitter about Mirial absconding with a portion of the treasure like a thief in the night and they affect a mutual hatred for one another. Nicholas and Mirial share passion though and for the first time in her life, Mirial enjoys sensual pleasure in an adulterous affair with Nicholas. A lot of grief and guilt ensue on both their parts (especially Mirial's). Nicholas asks her to leave her husband, and she rejects his proposal. Nicholas then marries Magdalene when he deduces she's pregnant (Magdalene genuinely didn't want to entrap him). Magdalene loves Nicholas dearly and knows of his affair with Mirial. After Mirial rejects running away with Nicholas, Nicholas comes to return Magdalene's love and devotion in matrimony. Again, I loved Magdalene and Nicholas's union, and it resonated so much more than Mirial and Nicholas. Nicholas is oblivious to Mirial's condition and Mirial's husband Robert discovers Mirial's adultery with Nicholas. Since Robert knows he's barren, he surmises the real father of the child Mirial carries. Again we're treated to more fear, anxiety and pain as Mirial (who feels horrible about her affair Nicholas) allows Robert to abuse her body sexually while she's increasing.
Truly, the adage, "You've made your bed, now you must lie in it," tortuously reverberates with Mirial's character.
The book comes to a very unsatisfying conclusion as Robert treacherously plots and schemes to eliminate Nicholas and sexually abuses Mirial's body. I hated that the book killed off Magdalene just to fabricate a "happy" ending for Nicholas and Mirial. Between Mirial and Magdalene and their babies, Robert kills off Mirial's baby, Mirial survives while Magdalene's baby survives but Magdalene dies. All so Nicholas and Mirial (really barren now after they kill her baby) could be together.
If you're into self-inflicted torture, this book is for you!
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Risk Everything, by Sophia Johnson [1]
*/***** (1/5)
Sophia Johnson's 11th-century Scottish medieval romance RISK EVERYTHING offers nothing in terms of substantive characters, engaging story or captivating settings. The prose here exceeds a Julia Quinn, Samantha James, Kathryn Caskie or Lisa Kleypas but not by much. The book reads as a woman's secret fantasy to have a beautiful, muscle-leaden, huge- "tarsed" (manhood) Scottish warrior dominate and possess. RISK EVERYTHING cuts to the chase and often borders on the erotic maltreatment of its virgin heroine Meghan of Blackthorn to magnify a sensual possession. Both lead characters are utterly forgettable and the love scenes often eclipse the participants and their purported connection. The hero Rolf MacDaidh must assert his masculinity with Meghan at every turn. Meghan meanwhile harbors the I-am-like-man-hear-me-roar syndrome, also for the entire book. She is an expert marksman, lethal with a dirk and sword, master horseman and mesmerizing on the bagpipes. Of course she spits curses at Rolf 24/7 but that's fine given Rolf's maltreatment. Meghan initiates nothing from a lovemaking standpoint even though the entire middle section of the novel contains copious love scenes. Apparently, having our virtuous Meghan initiate anything sensually would make her look like a slut. From her first oblique reference, we recognize the book's villain. Rolf of course spurns the villain's lewd advances -- apparently only female villains initiate anything sensually. We also know that false pretenses compel Rolf to the vengeance he exacts from Meghan of Blackthorn. The flimsy evidence which points to Blackthorn's Connor as the culprit behind Rolf's grievances seemed a ridiculous ruse to have the hero abduct and "possess" the heroine.
The book would be remiss to let a moment pass without reminding us Meghan can, in fact, best all men in arms with the possible exceptions of Rolf, her cousins Mereck and Damron and her brother Connor. Mereck, Damron and Connor appear so often in their happily-married lives, we quickly deduce they appeared as heroes in prior Sophia Johnson novels. Even the final climax featured these heroes from other books, not Rolf and Meghan necessarily. When our muscular, high-handed medieval cartoon pimp (Rolf) services Meghan in their first love scene, Meghan even thinks of how the men in her family (i.e., Mereck, Damron and Connor) have a reputation for pleasing women and superior lovemaking skills (p. 160). I thought it a little incestuous and creepy to think about relatives' lovemaking skills while going at it with Rolf. Even though this book takes place mostly in Rolf's castle at Rimsdale, it often depicts Rimsdale's inferiority compared to Damron's Blackthorn. Rimsdale's dog Ugsome pales in comparison to Blackthorn's hound Guardian (p. 93). The Pride of Blackthorn Meghan must properly teach all of Rimsdale's inept warriors in arms and combat. In her thoughts, Meghan constantly compares Rimsdale and its people with Blackthorn and finds Rimsdale entirely lacking. Why didn't this book just take place in Blackthorn if it rocks so much?
I'm reminded of many superior, yet sensual, medieval romances reading this. Julie Garwood's characters in GENTLE WARRIOR (***) and SAVING GRACE (**) discovered a sensual passion that resonated. I found Shannon Drake's bellicose hero-and-heroine chemistry passionately entertaining in COME THE MORNING (***). As far as honorable medieval possessions goes, Madeline Hunter's BY POSSESSION (****) still reigns supreme. Its characters Addis and Moira are memorable and their chemistry palpable.
The Premise.
After discovering Connor of Blackthorn's plaid and weapons, Rolf MacDaidh blames Blackthorn for the death of his wife and bairn. The Lord of Vengeance Rolf MacDaidh abducts the Pride of Blackthorn Meghan to exact his revenge as recompense for his wife and bairn's demise. Fiery-spirited and capable of besting any man in combat and arms, Meghan insists his brother innocent of the crimes against Rolf's family. Romantically, Rolf and Meghan have known each other since they were young and share a mutual attraction. As revenge against Blackthorn, Rolf intends to ruthlessly use the Pride of Blackthorn Meghan as his leman, his whore.
We may segregate the book into three parts. The first part involves Meghan's abduction, her repeated attempts at escape, and finally her acclimation at Rimsdale as Rolf provides her time to accustom her to the idea of his leman. Although he feels bad about it, Rolf often exhibits brutal savagery towards Meghan. We have the predictably common plot device of making the sexually-experienced hero Rolf behave as a "callow youth" around our virginal Meghan. The second part begins as Rolf proposes a "handfast" (a temporary marriage) to reconcile Meghan's pride and steadfast refusal to become Rolf's whore. Rolf initiates a virginal Meghan to passion and he feels triumph that he's the only man having plunged the depths between Meghan's legs. They promptly engage in many love scenes showcasing Rolf's engorged "tarse" and muscular, broad-shouldered frame. It's funny, although it lacked avid descriptions of the guy's muscular frame, Sylvia Day's ASK FOR IT (**) still surpassed this cheap novel as far as sensuality goes. The final third part displaces Meghan as mistress of Rimsdale when Rolf must honor his marriage contract to another woman. After bedding her many times, Rolf still refuses to let Meghan return to her home. Everything comes to a convenient conclusion as Blackthorn's heroes from prior novels fly to their rescue.
I'm having no luck at finding finding substantive, fun romances lately...
Sophia Johnson's 11th-century Scottish medieval romance RISK EVERYTHING offers nothing in terms of substantive characters, engaging story or captivating settings. The prose here exceeds a Julia Quinn, Samantha James, Kathryn Caskie or Lisa Kleypas but not by much. The book reads as a woman's secret fantasy to have a beautiful, muscle-leaden, huge- "tarsed" (manhood) Scottish warrior dominate and possess. RISK EVERYTHING cuts to the chase and often borders on the erotic maltreatment of its virgin heroine Meghan of Blackthorn to magnify a sensual possession. Both lead characters are utterly forgettable and the love scenes often eclipse the participants and their purported connection. The hero Rolf MacDaidh must assert his masculinity with Meghan at every turn. Meghan meanwhile harbors the I-am-like-man-hear-me-roar syndrome, also for the entire book. She is an expert marksman, lethal with a dirk and sword, master horseman and mesmerizing on the bagpipes. Of course she spits curses at Rolf 24/7 but that's fine given Rolf's maltreatment. Meghan initiates nothing from a lovemaking standpoint even though the entire middle section of the novel contains copious love scenes. Apparently, having our virtuous Meghan initiate anything sensually would make her look like a slut. From her first oblique reference, we recognize the book's villain. Rolf of course spurns the villain's lewd advances -- apparently only female villains initiate anything sensually. We also know that false pretenses compel Rolf to the vengeance he exacts from Meghan of Blackthorn. The flimsy evidence which points to Blackthorn's Connor as the culprit behind Rolf's grievances seemed a ridiculous ruse to have the hero abduct and "possess" the heroine.
The book would be remiss to let a moment pass without reminding us Meghan can, in fact, best all men in arms with the possible exceptions of Rolf, her cousins Mereck and Damron and her brother Connor. Mereck, Damron and Connor appear so often in their happily-married lives, we quickly deduce they appeared as heroes in prior Sophia Johnson novels. Even the final climax featured these heroes from other books, not Rolf and Meghan necessarily. When our muscular, high-handed medieval cartoon pimp (Rolf) services Meghan in their first love scene, Meghan even thinks of how the men in her family (i.e., Mereck, Damron and Connor) have a reputation for pleasing women and superior lovemaking skills (p. 160). I thought it a little incestuous and creepy to think about relatives' lovemaking skills while going at it with Rolf. Even though this book takes place mostly in Rolf's castle at Rimsdale, it often depicts Rimsdale's inferiority compared to Damron's Blackthorn. Rimsdale's dog Ugsome pales in comparison to Blackthorn's hound Guardian (p. 93). The Pride of Blackthorn Meghan must properly teach all of Rimsdale's inept warriors in arms and combat. In her thoughts, Meghan constantly compares Rimsdale and its people with Blackthorn and finds Rimsdale entirely lacking. Why didn't this book just take place in Blackthorn if it rocks so much?
I'm reminded of many superior, yet sensual, medieval romances reading this. Julie Garwood's characters in GENTLE WARRIOR (***) and SAVING GRACE (**) discovered a sensual passion that resonated. I found Shannon Drake's bellicose hero-and-heroine chemistry passionately entertaining in COME THE MORNING (***). As far as honorable medieval possessions goes, Madeline Hunter's BY POSSESSION (****) still reigns supreme. Its characters Addis and Moira are memorable and their chemistry palpable.
The Premise.
After discovering Connor of Blackthorn's plaid and weapons, Rolf MacDaidh blames Blackthorn for the death of his wife and bairn. The Lord of Vengeance Rolf MacDaidh abducts the Pride of Blackthorn Meghan to exact his revenge as recompense for his wife and bairn's demise. Fiery-spirited and capable of besting any man in combat and arms, Meghan insists his brother innocent of the crimes against Rolf's family. Romantically, Rolf and Meghan have known each other since they were young and share a mutual attraction. As revenge against Blackthorn, Rolf intends to ruthlessly use the Pride of Blackthorn Meghan as his leman, his whore.
We may segregate the book into three parts. The first part involves Meghan's abduction, her repeated attempts at escape, and finally her acclimation at Rimsdale as Rolf provides her time to accustom her to the idea of his leman. Although he feels bad about it, Rolf often exhibits brutal savagery towards Meghan. We have the predictably common plot device of making the sexually-experienced hero Rolf behave as a "callow youth" around our virginal Meghan. The second part begins as Rolf proposes a "handfast" (a temporary marriage) to reconcile Meghan's pride and steadfast refusal to become Rolf's whore. Rolf initiates a virginal Meghan to passion and he feels triumph that he's the only man having plunged the depths between Meghan's legs. They promptly engage in many love scenes showcasing Rolf's engorged "tarse" and muscular, broad-shouldered frame. It's funny, although it lacked avid descriptions of the guy's muscular frame, Sylvia Day's ASK FOR IT (**) still surpassed this cheap novel as far as sensuality goes. The final third part displaces Meghan as mistress of Rimsdale when Rolf must honor his marriage contract to another woman. After bedding her many times, Rolf still refuses to let Meghan return to her home. Everything comes to a convenient conclusion as Blackthorn's heroes from prior novels fly to their rescue.
I'm having no luck at finding finding substantive, fun romances lately...
Friday, August 31, 2007
Untamed, by Elizabeth Lowell [1]
*/***** (1/5)
Elizabeth Lowell's UNTAMED provides for many paranormal elements steeped in tradition (rather than outright magic) as excuses for its plotting and pacing. After a while, it just seems like Lowell relishes lapping on one esoteric rule after another. The book also grasps and offends at quantifying love, and measuring it. For example, only love can produce a male offspring with a Glendruid witch (like our heroine) while pleasure will merely result in daughters. The implication: somehow, male offspring require a higher level of intimacy than female offspring. For the majority of 408 pages, rumors of another man (Duncan) restrain our hero Dominic's desire for Meg and he awaits Meg's monthly bleeding before consummating their marriage. Meanwhile, Meg snips at Dominic's crude practicality over wanting land and sons, and laments over his lack of faith in her and his dearth to love (Meg cannot love any man whom she knows will not love her back). She's a virgin of course, and the novel again involves a virgin heroine's sensual awakening.
The prose wasn't bad, but failed to engage, and the plotting/pacing stagnates. The ending represents the epitome of cheeseball. The conclusion showcases our hero Dominic's transformation into the "Glendruid Wolf," a legend portending peace and prosperity for the people of the land. This ridiculous "transformation" into the "Glendruid Wolf" hinges on Dominic discarding the sensible thing and mouthing his words of love for Meg first. I found all the people coming forward to show their dedication and devotion for their abducted Glendruid mistress terribly cheezy. Meg's lack of faith in Dominic resonated throughout (he can't love, blah, blah, blah) and especially in the end when she doesn't believe he'll rescue her consequently risking war. She lacks faith in her husband despite the fact that she's the recepient of Dominic's very tender affection and caring throughout the novel. He ignites and pleasures Meg.
The backdrop of UNTAMED? It's a time following the William the Conquerer's conquest of England, a time when the Normans vanquished or assimilated the Saxons. King Henry I awards the Saxon stronghold in Northern England Blackthorne Keep to our tall, dark and handsome Norman knight Dominic le Sabre. In the absence of any legitimate Blackthorne male heirs, the King awards Lady Margaret ("Meg") and Blackthorne Keep's opulent and fertile lands to his redoubtable Norman knight Dominic.
Like many a man during the time, Dominic dreams of land and sons. He views sons as a means of preserving peace. Meg resents serving as the tool for any man's aspirations for land and sons, though she's willing to marry Lord Dominic in order to avert bloodshed. Following the marriage, Meg isn't averse to all of his sensual servicing either.
And this is where all the rules of paranormal tradition factor into the story. The paranormal rules range from ridiculously contrived to offensive.
Meg hails from a long line of Glendruids, women many consider witches. Glendruid witches traditionally fail to bear many children, much less sons, and they're rarely impassioned exhibiting a very cold demeanor to passion and love. Incidentally our hero Dominic has little trouble stirring Meg's passion on his first attempt. Glendruids are revered and much loved by the people of Blackthorne Keep, and if the Glendruid women are forced in any way, the rules call for the dessication of Blackthorne lands, cattle and its people. If the Glendruid women are cast off, again the people will revolt. If the Glendruid women are pleasured, but not truly loved, then a daughter is possible. If there's love -- and only love -- can a Glendruid bear a son. A Glendruid hasn't borne a son for centuries. There's also a legend that the next Glendruid son born (dubbed the Glendruid Wolf) will hail a time of peace and prosperity. Furthermore our old Glendruid witch Gwyn explains to us, "ultimately [it] rests on the woman's love, not the man's. Many Glendruid women have wanted sons to bring peace to their world. Not one has managed the kind of love a son requires." Oh, and for good measure, Lowell adds another caveat to the Glendruid traditions so Glendruid women aren't tricked into loving their men: "Glendruid women see beneath the sensual lure of broad shoulders and handsome faces. They see a man's soul." Of course it doesn't hurt for the man to possess broad shoulders, a chiseled frame and a handsome countenance either. Nothing less would do for a hero in a romance novel!
Dominic promptly resolves to teach Meg to love him. We all know the rest, right? In the process of trying to make her love him, obviously he loses his own heart to her. The sexual tension in UNTAMED involves having the hunky, experienced dark knight ignite a virgin's passions in spite of her scathing resistance. Dominic answers Meg's feisty imprecations with his experienced wiles of seduction. Despite Meg's notorious indifference to passion, she succumbs to Dominic's touch and kiss on their very first meeting. The rest of the novel interminably plays out the seducing-the-virgin-and-igniting-her-passion routine. It's a kind of antiquated and tedious banality under the most contrived paranormal contexts (rules). Obviously, Dominic will cede control of his heart and soul to Meg first, and in so doing, Meg wins the game! Yay!
The lengthy and wearisome seduction of said virgin was just too much. Over the days and weeks, he slowly assaults her "defenses" (which are nonexistent) with caresses, light touches, and kisses. Nothing happens whatsoever. The books is mildly sensual, if that. The plotting/pacing feeble, the ending cheezy beyond belief.
The title of the book stems from the tradition/rule of Glendruid witches exhibiting a cold, detached disposition towards passion and love. Meg is untamed, and similar to Dominic training and taming a peregrine to his touch, so too does Meg soar to new heights under Dominic's experienced touch. Again, the same'ole-same-'ole sexually-experienced-hero-igniting-virgin's-passion routine. Of course, there's also making the hero recognize his love for his heroine. In this particular version of the typical romance routine, we see very cheesy paranormal elements thrown in for good measure as well.
Elizabeth Lowell's UNTAMED provides for many paranormal elements steeped in tradition (rather than outright magic) as excuses for its plotting and pacing. After a while, it just seems like Lowell relishes lapping on one esoteric rule after another. The book also grasps and offends at quantifying love, and measuring it. For example, only love can produce a male offspring with a Glendruid witch (like our heroine) while pleasure will merely result in daughters. The implication: somehow, male offspring require a higher level of intimacy than female offspring. For the majority of 408 pages, rumors of another man (Duncan) restrain our hero Dominic's desire for Meg and he awaits Meg's monthly bleeding before consummating their marriage. Meanwhile, Meg snips at Dominic's crude practicality over wanting land and sons, and laments over his lack of faith in her and his dearth to love (Meg cannot love any man whom she knows will not love her back). She's a virgin of course, and the novel again involves a virgin heroine's sensual awakening.
The prose wasn't bad, but failed to engage, and the plotting/pacing stagnates. The ending represents the epitome of cheeseball. The conclusion showcases our hero Dominic's transformation into the "Glendruid Wolf," a legend portending peace and prosperity for the people of the land. This ridiculous "transformation" into the "Glendruid Wolf" hinges on Dominic discarding the sensible thing and mouthing his words of love for Meg first. I found all the people coming forward to show their dedication and devotion for their abducted Glendruid mistress terribly cheezy. Meg's lack of faith in Dominic resonated throughout (he can't love, blah, blah, blah) and especially in the end when she doesn't believe he'll rescue her consequently risking war. She lacks faith in her husband despite the fact that she's the recepient of Dominic's very tender affection and caring throughout the novel. He ignites and pleasures Meg.
The backdrop of UNTAMED? It's a time following the William the Conquerer's conquest of England, a time when the Normans vanquished or assimilated the Saxons. King Henry I awards the Saxon stronghold in Northern England Blackthorne Keep to our tall, dark and handsome Norman knight Dominic le Sabre. In the absence of any legitimate Blackthorne male heirs, the King awards Lady Margaret ("Meg") and Blackthorne Keep's opulent and fertile lands to his redoubtable Norman knight Dominic.
Like many a man during the time, Dominic dreams of land and sons. He views sons as a means of preserving peace. Meg resents serving as the tool for any man's aspirations for land and sons, though she's willing to marry Lord Dominic in order to avert bloodshed. Following the marriage, Meg isn't averse to all of his sensual servicing either.
And this is where all the rules of paranormal tradition factor into the story. The paranormal rules range from ridiculously contrived to offensive.
Meg hails from a long line of Glendruids, women many consider witches. Glendruid witches traditionally fail to bear many children, much less sons, and they're rarely impassioned exhibiting a very cold demeanor to passion and love. Incidentally our hero Dominic has little trouble stirring Meg's passion on his first attempt. Glendruids are revered and much loved by the people of Blackthorne Keep, and if the Glendruid women are forced in any way, the rules call for the dessication of Blackthorne lands, cattle and its people. If the Glendruid women are cast off, again the people will revolt. If the Glendruid women are pleasured, but not truly loved, then a daughter is possible. If there's love -- and only love -- can a Glendruid bear a son. A Glendruid hasn't borne a son for centuries. There's also a legend that the next Glendruid son born (dubbed the Glendruid Wolf) will hail a time of peace and prosperity. Furthermore our old Glendruid witch Gwyn explains to us, "ultimately [it] rests on the woman's love, not the man's. Many Glendruid women have wanted sons to bring peace to their world. Not one has managed the kind of love a son requires." Oh, and for good measure, Lowell adds another caveat to the Glendruid traditions so Glendruid women aren't tricked into loving their men: "Glendruid women see beneath the sensual lure of broad shoulders and handsome faces. They see a man's soul." Of course it doesn't hurt for the man to possess broad shoulders, a chiseled frame and a handsome countenance either. Nothing less would do for a hero in a romance novel!
Dominic promptly resolves to teach Meg to love him. We all know the rest, right? In the process of trying to make her love him, obviously he loses his own heart to her. The sexual tension in UNTAMED involves having the hunky, experienced dark knight ignite a virgin's passions in spite of her scathing resistance. Dominic answers Meg's feisty imprecations with his experienced wiles of seduction. Despite Meg's notorious indifference to passion, she succumbs to Dominic's touch and kiss on their very first meeting. The rest of the novel interminably plays out the seducing-the-virgin-and-igniting-her-passion routine. It's a kind of antiquated and tedious banality under the most contrived paranormal contexts (rules). Obviously, Dominic will cede control of his heart and soul to Meg first, and in so doing, Meg wins the game! Yay!
The lengthy and wearisome seduction of said virgin was just too much. Over the days and weeks, he slowly assaults her "defenses" (which are nonexistent) with caresses, light touches, and kisses. Nothing happens whatsoever. The books is mildly sensual, if that. The plotting/pacing feeble, the ending cheezy beyond belief.
The title of the book stems from the tradition/rule of Glendruid witches exhibiting a cold, detached disposition towards passion and love. Meg is untamed, and similar to Dominic training and taming a peregrine to his touch, so too does Meg soar to new heights under Dominic's experienced touch. Again, the same'ole-same-'ole sexually-experienced-hero-igniting-virgin's-passion routine. Of course, there's also making the hero recognize his love for his heroine. In this particular version of the typical romance routine, we see very cheesy paranormal elements thrown in for good measure as well.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
The Chase, by Lynsay Sands [0]
/***** (0/5)
9/10 on the chick-lit meter
Lord almighty, what a nightmare of a book. Prose, plotting, characters, settings, pacing-- everything is just garbage. Welcome to Lynsay Sands' tribute to the common handsome, chiseled libertine pimp inciting the sexual arousal of our typically very ordinary-looking, tall, skinny virgin amazon. Lord, I hate pretty-boy heroes. And THE CHASE's Blake represents just such a hero: pretty and "intrigued" by the very first woman who refuses him. You would think that at least one woman would have denied him in the past, but no. Our heroine Seonaid alone piques his curiosity and earns his pursuit simply by being the first to refuse him. The book drones on and on about how the heroine is more manly than any of the other women Blake has had, and how Blake lusts after her manly hardness and musky male scents. God. Kill me now.
I admit what follows is probably more rant than review. But here it is nonetheless. I'm almost wistful when I think about my first Lynsay Sands novel, THE RELUCTANT REFORMER. How did her writing plummet with time so badly?
More than 250 pages into the novel, we have our first coupling after a wedding. I just have this nasty image in my mind of a god-like Adonis coupling with a lean, flat and tall man-looking woman. This is chick-lit at its worse. You have an extremely long-winded account of a virgin's awakening passion as her husband pleasures her, and then insecurities later on over her tall, gangly looks while Blake serenades her about how she's perfect just the way she is: manly, insulting, scathing, kicking and punching.
Scottish woman Seonaid and Englishman Blake have been betrothed since they were little children. When the 24 year-old heroine Seonaid antagonizes Blake that he didn't fetch her 10 years ago so he should be happy she doesn't want to go now, again I had to laugh. Well then, if he came earlier, he wouldn't have gained all the sexual experience to ably satisfy your needs now would he? That is the entire point, isn't it, to have him nice and sexually experienced so he's ready to pleasure you satisfactorily? Later, after they consummate the marriage, Seonaid is grateful for all the experience he's had with so many other women! And how flattering to have a pretty boy so many women want, lusting after your tall, skinny, gangly body, right? True to chick-lit, there's nothing to notice in our heroine's tall, skinny body (except for eyes, hair and a charming smile), while of course Seonaid gawks at the perfectly chiseled frame Blake showcases for her at every turn. Our Adonis hero doesn't care about pretty women anymore as he settles down with tall, skinny and rather ordinary-looking Seonaid.
If you enjoy arrogant, chiseled pimps outsmarted and unmanned by the heroine at every turn, this is the book for you. If you enjoy muscular, brainless libertines offering little more to the story than to bathe and flex his muscles in front of the truculent virgin heroine and bear her spitting expletives, this book is for you. If you enjoy a sexually-accomplished pimp constantly thinking about the heroine and how different she is from the other women he's had (I hope the hero doesn't hurt himself thinking), while the manly heroine claws and scratches at him, this book is for you. If you enjoy the heroine taken aback by the hero's chiseled nudity and overwhelming handsomeness (no brains required), this book is for you. Where have I heard of all this before, let's just repackage and refurbish these trite romance formulas for any time period: medieval, regency, Victarian, and contemporary.
I enjoy romantic tension between the hero and heroine, I really do. Unfortunately, what passes for "romantic tension" in a lot of romance novels involves having the ordinary-looking, feisty virgin heroine curse, kick, claw and punch the arrogant, sexually-experienced, handsome hero. If the tension involved more of see-saw back-and-forth I'd enjoy it more. As it is, THE CHASE consists of a one-way street where the heroine consistently outsmarts, unmans and abuses the hero, while the hero responds in true chick-lit fashion by bathing nude in front of the heroine and fondling her nipples to stir the beginnings of her virgin passions (because this heroine lacks even the most remote signs of a breast).
For over 200-250 pages in this 371-page paperback, our pretty-boy hero broods over the heroine's apparent lack of interest in him when he's normally used to having all women fawn all over him. For most of the book, Sands uses the pretty boy's thoughts and introspection to remind us (over and over, again and again) how the heroine is the first woman who ever refuses him, and how many women in the past throw themselves at him. For most of the book, he's inexplicably aroused by her tall, skinny, and gangly appearance.
In fact, when it's his turn to chance on the naked Seonaid, he's fascinated by her "lithe body" and her "hardness," noting how there's nothing soft about her and how to touch her would be like touching one of his soldiers! Uhm, okay? And he's turned on by touching the lean, hardness of one of his soldiers? Close to 180 pages into the novel, Blake and Seonaid share their first kiss, and I was cringing as it noted the hero's soft lips against Seonaid's hardness. For most of the book, our gangly, homely, scathing heroine represents a challenge for our hero.
None of this is funny. None of it particularly attractive. I didn't find anything cute or funny about the heroine deliberately poisoning her hero Blake and a bunch of other men. Later, Sands try to redeem Seonaid by having her feel guilty about the poisoning. C'mon, she was joking over having them die and how it would relieve their misery. Guilty my ass. I didn't find anything cute about the virgin heroine gawking at the hero's Adonis appearance; but of course, that's really all the hero Blake is good for: pimping.
Like so many other romance novels, the sexually-experienced pretty-boy is good for little else other than... well, looking pretty and pimping around. He's consistently outsmarted and unmanned by everyone. He doesn't figure out why "Sister Helen" travels with Seonaid and her cousin, he waits for Seonaid's father to figure it out. He dithers over enjoying the heroine's "wit" at his expense, unable to explain why he enjoys the verbal dressing-down. I had to laugh when he thinks he really enjoys her "wit." I don't see much "wit" needed to maintain a steady barrage of insults, kicks and punches. Does it really take "wit" to hurl insults 24/7? And everyone gives Blake a dressing-down: Seonaid, Seonaid's father, Seonaid's cousin Aeldra, Seonaid's sister-in-law's mother, everyone! Blake really can't do anything on his own and he needs to 20+ men (including a 6-foot-10 brute) to guard 3 women. And he still can't hold or protect the women. Earlier, he was headed the wrong way from the convent and had to have others tell him that the women were headed in another direction.
The book calls him a "warrior" at one point, and again, I couldn't help but laugh at that, there's no evidence of his "warrior skills." Blake is grievously injured trying to fend of some enemies at the end, while Seonaid jumps to protect him. Pretty boy, chiseled, broad-shouldered and huge manhood? Definitely. Warrior skills? Brains? Please, don't make me laugh.
It seems most of Lynsay Sands' more recent writing abandons settings and woven plots, instead opting for a more conversationalist diction to drive the pacing of the novel. The prose, again, is much worse than her older novel, THE RELUCTANT REFORMER. Except THE CHASE focuses entirely on appearances, libertines, and virgins, a combination I just couldn't abide.
9/10 on the chick-lit meter
Lord almighty, what a nightmare of a book. Prose, plotting, characters, settings, pacing-- everything is just garbage. Welcome to Lynsay Sands' tribute to the common handsome, chiseled libertine pimp inciting the sexual arousal of our typically very ordinary-looking, tall, skinny virgin amazon. Lord, I hate pretty-boy heroes. And THE CHASE's Blake represents just such a hero: pretty and "intrigued" by the very first woman who refuses him. You would think that at least one woman would have denied him in the past, but no. Our heroine Seonaid alone piques his curiosity and earns his pursuit simply by being the first to refuse him. The book drones on and on about how the heroine is more manly than any of the other women Blake has had, and how Blake lusts after her manly hardness and musky male scents. God. Kill me now.
I admit what follows is probably more rant than review. But here it is nonetheless. I'm almost wistful when I think about my first Lynsay Sands novel, THE RELUCTANT REFORMER. How did her writing plummet with time so badly?
More than 250 pages into the novel, we have our first coupling after a wedding. I just have this nasty image in my mind of a god-like Adonis coupling with a lean, flat and tall man-looking woman. This is chick-lit at its worse. You have an extremely long-winded account of a virgin's awakening passion as her husband pleasures her, and then insecurities later on over her tall, gangly looks while Blake serenades her about how she's perfect just the way she is: manly, insulting, scathing, kicking and punching.
Scottish woman Seonaid and Englishman Blake have been betrothed since they were little children. When the 24 year-old heroine Seonaid antagonizes Blake that he didn't fetch her 10 years ago so he should be happy she doesn't want to go now, again I had to laugh. Well then, if he came earlier, he wouldn't have gained all the sexual experience to ably satisfy your needs now would he? That is the entire point, isn't it, to have him nice and sexually experienced so he's ready to pleasure you satisfactorily? Later, after they consummate the marriage, Seonaid is grateful for all the experience he's had with so many other women! And how flattering to have a pretty boy so many women want, lusting after your tall, skinny, gangly body, right? True to chick-lit, there's nothing to notice in our heroine's tall, skinny body (except for eyes, hair and a charming smile), while of course Seonaid gawks at the perfectly chiseled frame Blake showcases for her at every turn. Our Adonis hero doesn't care about pretty women anymore as he settles down with tall, skinny and rather ordinary-looking Seonaid.
If you enjoy arrogant, chiseled pimps outsmarted and unmanned by the heroine at every turn, this is the book for you. If you enjoy muscular, brainless libertines offering little more to the story than to bathe and flex his muscles in front of the truculent virgin heroine and bear her spitting expletives, this book is for you. If you enjoy a sexually-accomplished pimp constantly thinking about the heroine and how different she is from the other women he's had (I hope the hero doesn't hurt himself thinking), while the manly heroine claws and scratches at him, this book is for you. If you enjoy the heroine taken aback by the hero's chiseled nudity and overwhelming handsomeness (no brains required), this book is for you. Where have I heard of all this before, let's just repackage and refurbish these trite romance formulas for any time period: medieval, regency, Victarian, and contemporary.
I enjoy romantic tension between the hero and heroine, I really do. Unfortunately, what passes for "romantic tension" in a lot of romance novels involves having the ordinary-looking, feisty virgin heroine curse, kick, claw and punch the arrogant, sexually-experienced, handsome hero. If the tension involved more of see-saw back-and-forth I'd enjoy it more. As it is, THE CHASE consists of a one-way street where the heroine consistently outsmarts, unmans and abuses the hero, while the hero responds in true chick-lit fashion by bathing nude in front of the heroine and fondling her nipples to stir the beginnings of her virgin passions (because this heroine lacks even the most remote signs of a breast).
For over 200-250 pages in this 371-page paperback, our pretty-boy hero broods over the heroine's apparent lack of interest in him when he's normally used to having all women fawn all over him. For most of the book, Sands uses the pretty boy's thoughts and introspection to remind us (over and over, again and again) how the heroine is the first woman who ever refuses him, and how many women in the past throw themselves at him. For most of the book, he's inexplicably aroused by her tall, skinny, and gangly appearance.
In fact, when it's his turn to chance on the naked Seonaid, he's fascinated by her "lithe body" and her "hardness," noting how there's nothing soft about her and how to touch her would be like touching one of his soldiers! Uhm, okay? And he's turned on by touching the lean, hardness of one of his soldiers? Close to 180 pages into the novel, Blake and Seonaid share their first kiss, and I was cringing as it noted the hero's soft lips against Seonaid's hardness. For most of the book, our gangly, homely, scathing heroine represents a challenge for our hero.
None of this is funny. None of it particularly attractive. I didn't find anything cute or funny about the heroine deliberately poisoning her hero Blake and a bunch of other men. Later, Sands try to redeem Seonaid by having her feel guilty about the poisoning. C'mon, she was joking over having them die and how it would relieve their misery. Guilty my ass. I didn't find anything cute about the virgin heroine gawking at the hero's Adonis appearance; but of course, that's really all the hero Blake is good for: pimping.
Like so many other romance novels, the sexually-experienced pretty-boy is good for little else other than... well, looking pretty and pimping around. He's consistently outsmarted and unmanned by everyone. He doesn't figure out why "Sister Helen" travels with Seonaid and her cousin, he waits for Seonaid's father to figure it out. He dithers over enjoying the heroine's "wit" at his expense, unable to explain why he enjoys the verbal dressing-down. I had to laugh when he thinks he really enjoys her "wit." I don't see much "wit" needed to maintain a steady barrage of insults, kicks and punches. Does it really take "wit" to hurl insults 24/7? And everyone gives Blake a dressing-down: Seonaid, Seonaid's father, Seonaid's cousin Aeldra, Seonaid's sister-in-law's mother, everyone! Blake really can't do anything on his own and he needs to 20+ men (including a 6-foot-10 brute) to guard 3 women. And he still can't hold or protect the women. Earlier, he was headed the wrong way from the convent and had to have others tell him that the women were headed in another direction.
The book calls him a "warrior" at one point, and again, I couldn't help but laugh at that, there's no evidence of his "warrior skills." Blake is grievously injured trying to fend of some enemies at the end, while Seonaid jumps to protect him. Pretty boy, chiseled, broad-shouldered and huge manhood? Definitely. Warrior skills? Brains? Please, don't make me laugh.
It seems most of Lynsay Sands' more recent writing abandons settings and woven plots, instead opting for a more conversationalist diction to drive the pacing of the novel. The prose, again, is much worse than her older novel, THE RELUCTANT REFORMER. Except THE CHASE focuses entirely on appearances, libertines, and virgins, a combination I just couldn't abide.
Monday, August 20, 2007
The Brat, by Lynsay Sands [2]
**/***** (2/5)
Actually I found Lynsay Sands' THE BRAT (2007) very entertaining with the right touches of sweetness, humor and a heroine's courage to keep her man safe, almost reminding me of one of Julie Garwood's sweet romances. Compared to the other Sands novel I've read THE RELUCTANT REFORMER (***), I thought THE BRAT was a quicker read consisting mostly of conversations and anecdotal, soap-opera-ish plotting. Although I was charmed by THE BRAT, I thought it lacked the settings, prose and magic of THE RELUCTANT REFORMER. Most of the time, it seemed like THE BRAT took place in empty space, and its tendency to resort to conversational diction reminded me of Julia Quinn's horrible THE DUKE AND I (*). Still, I'd read THE BRAT any day of the week, I enjoyed its offbeat, shy-yet-strong hero who fumbles around when he speaks to his heroine, and I definitely enjoyed our heroine Murie's resilience to keep her man safe. Murie & Balan enjoyed a very sweet and passionate camaraderie which seemed to resonate and easily overcome misunderstandings which mire most plots in romance novels.
The Story.
THE BRAT showcases our heroine Lady Murie Somerdale's funny superstitions which, albeit annoying, always seem to ring true. I thought the book is a misnomer, and should be titled SUPERSTITIOUS or something like that. In the second chapter, we discover Lady Murie's reputation as the brat unwarranted, and she plays on the reputation so as to avoid conflict at King Edward III's court and encourage other schemers at court to leave her alone. The King dotes on his goddaughter Murie after Murie's parents pass away, and now he's given her the choice to pick her own husband when she's well past the marriageable age for the time period. Her dubious reputation aside, Murie comes with a rich dowry from her late parents and significant connections, especially the King.
The Black Plague has hit Lord Balan Gaynor and Gaynor Castle hard. Balan finds himself destitute and in desperate need of a wealthy maiden to help his people at Gaynor. He's served the King faithfully and ably in campaigns in France and now attends the King's court with his cousin seeking a wealthy potential wife to save his people. After witnessing Murie's seemingly juvenile display of crying in front of the King, Balan shudders to even consider Murie as a possible candidate for his wife.
After learning Murie isn't really a brat and it's a show she puts on so people would leave her alone, Balan also overhears of a devious conspiracy to use Murie's superstitious nature against her. The treacherous yet wealthy and handsome Lord Malculinus Aldous wishes to gain Murie's connection with the King, and plots to use her superstitious predilections so she'll pick Malculinus as her husband.
Malculinus' sister explains that on St. Agnes Eve, if a woman fasts all day or eats rotten meat right before going to bed, she'll dream of the man she's to marry. Malculinus' sister Lauda schemes to drug the rotten meat and have Malculinus slip into Murie's room so she'll see him in a drug-induced fitful sleep. Balan diverts Malculinus and Balan kisses Murie in her drug-induced sleep instead. Murie briefly opens her eyes to see Balan, a man she's never seen before.
After sidestepping many of Malculinus's schemes, Balan and Murie marry relatively early. They share some heated scenes of passion, and they grow to love each other dearly. Their interaction was very sweet we also have the trademark Sands scene having the hero and heroine caught after their passions get the better of them in compromising place (happened towards the end in this case).
Following their marriage, the primary storyline deals with attempts on Balan's life. I thought Murie & Balan's good friends the happy couple Emilie and Reginald tarried in the first half of the book too long. I also thought no one really actively investigated the attempts on Balan's life as Murie uses superstitious signs to predict the future and try to save her husband. Murie definitely shows her mettle as she rescues her husband Balan from certain death conspiracies time and time again. The book is often amusing, passionate and sweet rolled up into one relatively entertaining package.
If I didn't know for a fact Sands can do better with the prose, settings and storyline (I've seen it), I would have given the book 3 or 4 stars. As it is, the book fails to really come alive, and the plotting dealing with the attempts on Balan's life too fragmented, its resolution very weak.
Actually I found Lynsay Sands' THE BRAT (2007) very entertaining with the right touches of sweetness, humor and a heroine's courage to keep her man safe, almost reminding me of one of Julie Garwood's sweet romances. Compared to the other Sands novel I've read THE RELUCTANT REFORMER (***), I thought THE BRAT was a quicker read consisting mostly of conversations and anecdotal, soap-opera-ish plotting. Although I was charmed by THE BRAT, I thought it lacked the settings, prose and magic of THE RELUCTANT REFORMER. Most of the time, it seemed like THE BRAT took place in empty space, and its tendency to resort to conversational diction reminded me of Julia Quinn's horrible THE DUKE AND I (*). Still, I'd read THE BRAT any day of the week, I enjoyed its offbeat, shy-yet-strong hero who fumbles around when he speaks to his heroine, and I definitely enjoyed our heroine Murie's resilience to keep her man safe. Murie & Balan enjoyed a very sweet and passionate camaraderie which seemed to resonate and easily overcome misunderstandings which mire most plots in romance novels.
The Story.
THE BRAT showcases our heroine Lady Murie Somerdale's funny superstitions which, albeit annoying, always seem to ring true. I thought the book is a misnomer, and should be titled SUPERSTITIOUS or something like that. In the second chapter, we discover Lady Murie's reputation as the brat unwarranted, and she plays on the reputation so as to avoid conflict at King Edward III's court and encourage other schemers at court to leave her alone. The King dotes on his goddaughter Murie after Murie's parents pass away, and now he's given her the choice to pick her own husband when she's well past the marriageable age for the time period. Her dubious reputation aside, Murie comes with a rich dowry from her late parents and significant connections, especially the King.
The Black Plague has hit Lord Balan Gaynor and Gaynor Castle hard. Balan finds himself destitute and in desperate need of a wealthy maiden to help his people at Gaynor. He's served the King faithfully and ably in campaigns in France and now attends the King's court with his cousin seeking a wealthy potential wife to save his people. After witnessing Murie's seemingly juvenile display of crying in front of the King, Balan shudders to even consider Murie as a possible candidate for his wife.
After learning Murie isn't really a brat and it's a show she puts on so people would leave her alone, Balan also overhears of a devious conspiracy to use Murie's superstitious nature against her. The treacherous yet wealthy and handsome Lord Malculinus Aldous wishes to gain Murie's connection with the King, and plots to use her superstitious predilections so she'll pick Malculinus as her husband.
Malculinus' sister explains that on St. Agnes Eve, if a woman fasts all day or eats rotten meat right before going to bed, she'll dream of the man she's to marry. Malculinus' sister Lauda schemes to drug the rotten meat and have Malculinus slip into Murie's room so she'll see him in a drug-induced fitful sleep. Balan diverts Malculinus and Balan kisses Murie in her drug-induced sleep instead. Murie briefly opens her eyes to see Balan, a man she's never seen before.
After sidestepping many of Malculinus's schemes, Balan and Murie marry relatively early. They share some heated scenes of passion, and they grow to love each other dearly. Their interaction was very sweet we also have the trademark Sands scene having the hero and heroine caught after their passions get the better of them in compromising place (happened towards the end in this case).
Following their marriage, the primary storyline deals with attempts on Balan's life. I thought Murie & Balan's good friends the happy couple Emilie and Reginald tarried in the first half of the book too long. I also thought no one really actively investigated the attempts on Balan's life as Murie uses superstitious signs to predict the future and try to save her husband. Murie definitely shows her mettle as she rescues her husband Balan from certain death conspiracies time and time again. The book is often amusing, passionate and sweet rolled up into one relatively entertaining package.
If I didn't know for a fact Sands can do better with the prose, settings and storyline (I've seen it), I would have given the book 3 or 4 stars. As it is, the book fails to really come alive, and the plotting dealing with the attempts on Balan's life too fragmented, its resolution very weak.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
The Love Slave, by Bertrice Small [1]
*/***** (1/5)
"There was life, and there was death. Living was the harder, stronger choice, and she wanted to live even if she could not have Karim."
Granted, THE LOVE SLAVE ends on a happy note, but the journey to arrive at that happily-ever-after proved nothing short of torturous. In THE LOVE SLAVE (1995), author Bertrice Small chronicles the sexual triumphs of beautiful Zaynab (Scottish-born Regan MacDuff) in 10th-century Moorish Spain and northwest Africa. Initially, what piqued my curiosity for this novel was a strong heroine not melting at every kiss and not cooing at every touch. Definitely, Zaynab is a strong heroine. I was also interested in the different locale for this historical with middle-eastern lavish settings, lavish settings admirably staged. I also found the grand scope of the novel intriguing in this 449-page superior paperback. Finally, Bertrice Small's erotic love scenes will assuredly engage the interest of any romance fan.
Unfortunately too many things didn't work for me. First, our libidinous heroine Zaynab is 13-14 when she undergoes extensive tutelage in the erotic, eastern arts. I realize this is the 10th century, but a 13 year-old going at it with a 28 year-old? I thought Bertrice Small should have taken some liberties with Zaynab's age. Although the book was at times unputdownable, the pacing of the story crumbles in a lot of places too. The pacing and story especially dulls and chokes in places detailing Zaynab's love scenes with men other than the hero. I understand the hero Karim is honorable, but he seemed too amenable to relinquish the heroine he loves. Twice, he lets her go *without putting up a fight*, once in the beginning and later towards the end. Though a couple of rape scenes in the beginning of the book could have been worse, I found the scenes of brutality and fornication at the villain Ali Hassan's camp towards the end and the retribution following it, overly gratuitous. Certainly, THE LOVE SLAVE doesn't hold back on its ruthless savagery. Finally, THE LOVE SLAVE contrivedly effected too many deaths at the end to manufacture its happily-ever-after and to make Karim a Prince. And it's true, the "hero" Karim sparingly appears in this novel.
You'll definitely have liberal sensibilities to enjoy THE LOVE SLAVE, as the "romance" didn't seem like a romance and the "hero" didn't seem like a hero. I keep saying I'd like markedly different romance stories, but maybe I'm a hypocrite, I don't know.
I constantly wondered whether the elixir concubines and mistresses quaff daily to prevent childbirth in THE LOVE SLAVE was really as effective as this book implies. I mean our heroine Zaynab is very active with 3 different men and she's enceinte just once over these years (and that was the time when she wasn't taking the elixir)! The elixir seemed one-hundred percent, efficaciously fault-proof, what's in it and how is it different from birth control pills?
Zaynab's rapacious carnal appetite no matter the man drained the novel's "romance" too quickly. I understand she's making the best of her circumstances and being strong, but c'mon the book even described her arousal by a brutal rapist and murderer at the very end. Before, Zaynab desires to lie with an esteemed physician just to sate her lust. Undoubtedly, this is the only "romance" novel I've read where one of the last love scenes isn't between the hero and heroine but in fact a threesome involving the heroine and 2 other people not including the hero! Empty...
On the plus side, the first part of the book did manage to hook and reel me in. In the first part, the Passion Master Karim training the apt Love Slave Zaynab was equal parts sizzling and fun. For example, the scene where Zaynab suspiciously dumps cold water on an aroused Karim after bathing him was fun. And I had to find out what happens after that first part, even as the book painfully gorged on graphic accounts of Zaynab's sexual conquests with prominent men other than the hero. The final nail in the coffin comes at the end, a copulation with the villain Ali Hassan.
Yep, the ugh/*wince*/ok-next-page/aaah-let's-end-this moments appeared in droves after the first part. I don't know, maybe men and women may find this book interesting strictly in the carnal sense. But there's other erotic books out there without the cringing revulsion THE LOVE SLAVE evinces.
The Story, possible SPOILERS.
Twin Regan MacDuff was supposed to be a boy. Her bitter mother Sorcha weaves an intricate conspiracy of vengeance on the Fergusons and the Ferguson laird who killed Sorcha's husband and Regan's father. Born second behind her twin sister Gruoch, Regan never knows anyone's love as her mother preserves all of her affections for her twin Gruoch. Ever since they were young, the sisters know that Gruoch will marry the Ferguson heir while Regan will head to the convent after Gruoch is bedded (Regan hanging around as back-up). The twins grow into beauties and on Gruoch's wedding night, Sorcha cruelly plays on Regan's affection for her twin sister to make Regan switch places with Gruoch on Gruoch's wedding night. Sorcha's grand vengeance has Gruoch impregnated from another MacDuff prior to the wedding while Regan sacrifices her virginity to the Ferguson heir.
Satisfied of Gruoch's virginity (really Regan at the time) and Gruoch's potential child, the Fergusons then ship off Regan over to a convent run by a corrupt nun dealing in female slaves. Eventually, Regan finds herself in the services of Moorish Captain Karim al Malina, one of the last Passion Masters who trains Love Slaves. Love Slaves are a treasured commodity in Moorish culture as the Passion Masters who train them are few and far in between. Karim gives Regan a new name for the new culture and for the majority of the novel, she's referred to as Zaynab, or most beautiful one. Karim accepts the commission to train Zaynab, and agrees to present a trained Zaynab to the Caliph of the Moors Abd-al Rahma as a new addition to his harem already consisting of hundreds of concubines. If Zaynab manages to win favor and become the caliph's favorite (which she does in no time), it will bring great honor to Karim and the man who entrusts Zaynab to Karim, Donal Righ. After an year of exquisite training, Karim regretfully and honorably turns over Zaynab to the 50+ year caliph Abd-al Rahman despite both Karim and Zaynab admitting their love for each other.
Even though both the caliph Abd-al Rahman and Zaynab find comfort and pleasure in each other, the graphic scenes of their erotic lovemaking are grueling from a reader's standpoint. Especially after Karim. But alas, the caliph wasn't the end of Zaynab's conquests. Afterwards, Zaynab copulates with the hard-working, virgin physician Hasdai ibn Shaprut (a Jewish prince in his own right) and finally the brutal villain Ali Hassan, a murderer and rapist that Zaynab pleasures to death. THE LOVE SLAVE attempts to assuage the intimate scenes with the villain Ali Hassan by noting Ali Hassan's monstrous manhood, in fact the biggest Zaynab has had! The entire sequence with Ali Hassan served as sort of a case study in perverse attraction to a monstrous villain (yet handsome and with a huge manhood). The final conquest with the villain represents some sort of a crown on Zaynab's varied triumphs in her promiscuous resume. It was too much and certainly not enjoyable.
Earlier, Hadsai and Zaynab go at it (often) under the "hero" Karim's very roof where Karim and Zaynab settle down together by the conclusion! Karim is aware! Worse, after Zaynab prepares for her marriage with her "One-True-Love" Karim, she indulges in a threesome with Hasdai to show Hasdai her gratitude for reuniting her with Karim! Yep, I'm too traditional I think, I couldn't take that threesome after Zaynab knows she will finally get to marry Karim.
I particularly didn't care for the plotting which bartered Zaynab's daughter's life from her days as the caliph's favored concubine for her happily-ever-after with Karim. The happily-ever-after also bartered away Karim's entire family. Had Karim's family not perished and had Zaynab's daughter not died, Zaynab would have continue in her role as Love Slave for Hasdai. She would never know her happily-ever-after without these tragedies.
I could only take so much ugh-next-page moments.
"There was life, and there was death. Living was the harder, stronger choice, and she wanted to live even if she could not have Karim."
Granted, THE LOVE SLAVE ends on a happy note, but the journey to arrive at that happily-ever-after proved nothing short of torturous. In THE LOVE SLAVE (1995), author Bertrice Small chronicles the sexual triumphs of beautiful Zaynab (Scottish-born Regan MacDuff) in 10th-century Moorish Spain and northwest Africa. Initially, what piqued my curiosity for this novel was a strong heroine not melting at every kiss and not cooing at every touch. Definitely, Zaynab is a strong heroine. I was also interested in the different locale for this historical with middle-eastern lavish settings, lavish settings admirably staged. I also found the grand scope of the novel intriguing in this 449-page superior paperback. Finally, Bertrice Small's erotic love scenes will assuredly engage the interest of any romance fan.
Unfortunately too many things didn't work for me. First, our libidinous heroine Zaynab is 13-14 when she undergoes extensive tutelage in the erotic, eastern arts. I realize this is the 10th century, but a 13 year-old going at it with a 28 year-old? I thought Bertrice Small should have taken some liberties with Zaynab's age. Although the book was at times unputdownable, the pacing of the story crumbles in a lot of places too. The pacing and story especially dulls and chokes in places detailing Zaynab's love scenes with men other than the hero. I understand the hero Karim is honorable, but he seemed too amenable to relinquish the heroine he loves. Twice, he lets her go *without putting up a fight*, once in the beginning and later towards the end. Though a couple of rape scenes in the beginning of the book could have been worse, I found the scenes of brutality and fornication at the villain Ali Hassan's camp towards the end and the retribution following it, overly gratuitous. Certainly, THE LOVE SLAVE doesn't hold back on its ruthless savagery. Finally, THE LOVE SLAVE contrivedly effected too many deaths at the end to manufacture its happily-ever-after and to make Karim a Prince. And it's true, the "hero" Karim sparingly appears in this novel.
You'll definitely have liberal sensibilities to enjoy THE LOVE SLAVE, as the "romance" didn't seem like a romance and the "hero" didn't seem like a hero. I keep saying I'd like markedly different romance stories, but maybe I'm a hypocrite, I don't know.
I constantly wondered whether the elixir concubines and mistresses quaff daily to prevent childbirth in THE LOVE SLAVE was really as effective as this book implies. I mean our heroine Zaynab is very active with 3 different men and she's enceinte just once over these years (and that was the time when she wasn't taking the elixir)! The elixir seemed one-hundred percent, efficaciously fault-proof, what's in it and how is it different from birth control pills?
Zaynab's rapacious carnal appetite no matter the man drained the novel's "romance" too quickly. I understand she's making the best of her circumstances and being strong, but c'mon the book even described her arousal by a brutal rapist and murderer at the very end. Before, Zaynab desires to lie with an esteemed physician just to sate her lust. Undoubtedly, this is the only "romance" novel I've read where one of the last love scenes isn't between the hero and heroine but in fact a threesome involving the heroine and 2 other people not including the hero! Empty...
On the plus side, the first part of the book did manage to hook and reel me in. In the first part, the Passion Master Karim training the apt Love Slave Zaynab was equal parts sizzling and fun. For example, the scene where Zaynab suspiciously dumps cold water on an aroused Karim after bathing him was fun. And I had to find out what happens after that first part, even as the book painfully gorged on graphic accounts of Zaynab's sexual conquests with prominent men other than the hero. The final nail in the coffin comes at the end, a copulation with the villain Ali Hassan.
Yep, the ugh/*wince*/ok-next-page/aaah-let's-end-this moments appeared in droves after the first part. I don't know, maybe men and women may find this book interesting strictly in the carnal sense. But there's other erotic books out there without the cringing revulsion THE LOVE SLAVE evinces.
The Story, possible SPOILERS.
Twin Regan MacDuff was supposed to be a boy. Her bitter mother Sorcha weaves an intricate conspiracy of vengeance on the Fergusons and the Ferguson laird who killed Sorcha's husband and Regan's father. Born second behind her twin sister Gruoch, Regan never knows anyone's love as her mother preserves all of her affections for her twin Gruoch. Ever since they were young, the sisters know that Gruoch will marry the Ferguson heir while Regan will head to the convent after Gruoch is bedded (Regan hanging around as back-up). The twins grow into beauties and on Gruoch's wedding night, Sorcha cruelly plays on Regan's affection for her twin sister to make Regan switch places with Gruoch on Gruoch's wedding night. Sorcha's grand vengeance has Gruoch impregnated from another MacDuff prior to the wedding while Regan sacrifices her virginity to the Ferguson heir.
Satisfied of Gruoch's virginity (really Regan at the time) and Gruoch's potential child, the Fergusons then ship off Regan over to a convent run by a corrupt nun dealing in female slaves. Eventually, Regan finds herself in the services of Moorish Captain Karim al Malina, one of the last Passion Masters who trains Love Slaves. Love Slaves are a treasured commodity in Moorish culture as the Passion Masters who train them are few and far in between. Karim gives Regan a new name for the new culture and for the majority of the novel, she's referred to as Zaynab, or most beautiful one. Karim accepts the commission to train Zaynab, and agrees to present a trained Zaynab to the Caliph of the Moors Abd-al Rahma as a new addition to his harem already consisting of hundreds of concubines. If Zaynab manages to win favor and become the caliph's favorite (which she does in no time), it will bring great honor to Karim and the man who entrusts Zaynab to Karim, Donal Righ. After an year of exquisite training, Karim regretfully and honorably turns over Zaynab to the 50+ year caliph Abd-al Rahman despite both Karim and Zaynab admitting their love for each other.
Even though both the caliph Abd-al Rahman and Zaynab find comfort and pleasure in each other, the graphic scenes of their erotic lovemaking are grueling from a reader's standpoint. Especially after Karim. But alas, the caliph wasn't the end of Zaynab's conquests. Afterwards, Zaynab copulates with the hard-working, virgin physician Hasdai ibn Shaprut (a Jewish prince in his own right) and finally the brutal villain Ali Hassan, a murderer and rapist that Zaynab pleasures to death. THE LOVE SLAVE attempts to assuage the intimate scenes with the villain Ali Hassan by noting Ali Hassan's monstrous manhood, in fact the biggest Zaynab has had! The entire sequence with Ali Hassan served as sort of a case study in perverse attraction to a monstrous villain (yet handsome and with a huge manhood). The final conquest with the villain represents some sort of a crown on Zaynab's varied triumphs in her promiscuous resume. It was too much and certainly not enjoyable.
Earlier, Hadsai and Zaynab go at it (often) under the "hero" Karim's very roof where Karim and Zaynab settle down together by the conclusion! Karim is aware! Worse, after Zaynab prepares for her marriage with her "One-True-Love" Karim, she indulges in a threesome with Hasdai to show Hasdai her gratitude for reuniting her with Karim! Yep, I'm too traditional I think, I couldn't take that threesome after Zaynab knows she will finally get to marry Karim.
I particularly didn't care for the plotting which bartered Zaynab's daughter's life from her days as the caliph's favored concubine for her happily-ever-after with Karim. The happily-ever-after also bartered away Karim's entire family. Had Karim's family not perished and had Zaynab's daughter not died, Zaynab would have continue in her role as Love Slave for Hasdai. She would never know her happily-ever-after without these tragedies.
I could only take so much ugh-next-page moments.
Friday, August 10, 2007
This Is All I Ask, by Lynn Kurland [1]
*/***** (1/5)
For a PG-rated romance novel, I enjoyed the sweet h/h interaction in Lynn Kurland's THIS IS ALL I ASK but found the rest mostly monotonous, and the message a bit extreme to say the least. Much better than Carroll's PG-rated THE NIGHT DRIFTER, but still not as sweet Julie Garwood's sweet, yet passionate romances. I didn't like the essential premise of this novel. Basically the take-home message of the novel rests on making the hero blind as punishment for choosing outward beauty in his first wife. A bit drastic, don't you think? Even at the end, our wise witch Berengaria harangues, "The loss of your sight forced you to see with the eyes of your soul," as if blindness was the only way he could perceive true inner beauty. Making him blind also seemed to help him deduce the villain's secret plot towards the end before it comes to fruition. Maybe we should just make the entire male population blind. That will teach them from trusting in outward beauty while inducing a bit of cleverness in the process!
Along with belaboring our heroine's less-than-average to average looks, THIS IS ALL I ASK suggests that Christopher would fail to recognize Gillian's true beauty without his blindness. Essentially, the book impresses upon us blindness a suitable penalty for handsome heroes trusting in beautiful women. That's right, Christopher falling in love with his homely heroine depended on stripping Christopher of his eyesight. Christopher's blindness wasn't only extreme, but it was unnecessary. Christopher's honor and his promise to Gillian's brother William already compelled him to marry Gillian. After marrying her, they would inevitably spend time together (as they did regardless), and he would perceive Gillian's inner beauty over time (as he did) despite her less-than-desirable looks. He doesn't have to be blind for it!
Kind of sad actually, he will never truly see his heroine, he will never see his children or watch them grow up...
Simplistically, the book implies that beautiful women are treacherous while handsome men are wholesome. All well and good from a female's point-of-view. Stereotypically (for romance), the hero falls for the heroine's inside beauty (because she lacks it on the outside) while the heroine is free to love the hero's chiseled handsomeness. When Gillian chances on Christopher's near-naked frame wrestling with his squire in the courtyard, Gillian gasps with admiration of Christopher's muscled appearance. Gillian blushes and admires Christopher's handsomeness and powerful frame. Meanwhile, Christopher admires Gillian's innocent charm and tender compassion. Admiring her looks over time isn't an option obviously.
If you're going to make the woman undesirable yet beautiful on the inside, at least let's see some equality here and make the hero physically unattractive but with a compassionate heart! Alas, this is romance after all so we have the kind, handsome hero but the imperfect virgin heroine...
Worse, Christopher moons over Gillian relatively early despite not having seen her nor talked to her in person all that much. When Gillian runs away after Christopher threatens to cast her off (scenarios inspired by jumping to the wrong conclusions from hearsay and rumors), Christopher adamantly searches for two days without rest like a man stricken with love (even in his thoughts). But he can't see her, he barely touches her, and he hasn't spoken to her all that much during her stay so far. So where's all this affection coming from, other than the author's obvious desire to force a handsome knight see the inner beauty in homely women. The witch Berengaria says, "Your knight is learning to see things his eyes never could, girl." Answer: blind him so he has no choice?
The whole book seemed cheap, insinuating that for a handsome guy to fall in love with a sweet yet ugly girl, that guy must lack eyesight. Yet, the handsome knight was already compelled to marry her and consequently spend time with her, a situation that could result in love without the blindness!
The first half of THIS IS ALL I ASK comprises mostly of jumping to the wrong conclusions and misconceptions. Such as when the heroine Gillian overhears rumors of Christopher of Blackmour's demonic ministrations and takes them to heart. Like when Christopher learns of Gillian's attempt to speak to a midwife and drawing all the wrong conclusions as a result. Misconceptions of Gillian believing Christopher will want her if she can make herself pretty (lord knows how a blind man can see beauty), and of Christopher's misconception that Gillian won't want him because he's blind and thus less than a man.
And it wouldn't be a romance novel if it didn't deal with the insecurities of the heroine's appearance. THIS IS ALL I ASK isn't nearly as bad in this department as VANQUISHED (**) or a couple of Medeiros novels I've read, all of which mercilessly drum out insecurities over a heroine's bland looks, but there's many traces of these insecurities in this novel nonetheless. Even after 325 pages, Gillian is thankful that her lord Christopher is blind because otherwise, he wouldn't wed one so ugly such as she. Even though Christopher already loves her beyond petty appearances by this point.
So what did I like about THIS IS ALL I ASK? After the misconceptions were out of the way, I did enjoy the H/H interaction and they really seemed to want to give to each other. Gillian goes out of her way to please Christopher and Christopher genuinely cherishes her, giving all he is to her privately in spite of his gruff public demeanor. Christopher soothes her with loving words, massages her, aids her with her clothes and bath, feeds her. He affectionately cares for her while Gillian reciprocates in every way.
The Story, possible SPOILERS.
Bernard of Warewick beats and maltreats his sweet, skinny and plain daughter Gillian. Before Gillian's loving brother dies, he makes his friend, the handsome Christopher of Blackmour, promise to provide his sister Gillian succor from their father Bernard. Despite misgivings of his own from his first marriage, the honorable Christopher obliges and marries Gillian, providing Gillian with his name and protection. Except for her sweetness and virginity, Gillian offers only her paltry dowry and skinny, plain looks. The looks don't mean much to Christopher. Christopher feels he's the one with nothing to offer Gillian as he considers himself less than man without his eyesight.
The first half of the story rings with misconceptions while the second half of the novel portrays the mutual affection Christopher and Gillian bear for each other. As you can tell, there's parts in the second half I really enjoyed, I really liked the tender moments of affection each bestow upon the other. It is also during this time Gillian and Christopher vocalize their I-Love-You's (Gillian is first).
The finale sheds light on a sinister conspiracy Gillian's father Warewick hatches, and again we have this notion of Christopher somehow needing his blindness to recognize Gillian's inner beauty. If we weren't reminded of this dumb notion, I would have enjoyed the novel more. I didn't mind Christopher staying blind, I didn't mind his public humiliation in a duel against Warewick (that was fitting actually), but I do mind the persistent reminders that recognizing inner beauty in a skinny, plain girl depends on a handsome knight's loss of eyesight. That he wouldn't fall in love with her if he wasn't blind. That being blind helped Christopher decipher Warewick's plot to subdue Blackmour (made him clever).
Again, it's sweet, and enjoyable in some parts for the H/H mutual affection, but cheap in the end also. A cheapness asserted by taking away a handsome hero's eyesight to make him perceive of a virgin's inner beauty, a beauty she lacks on the outside. Why a seeing Christopher couldn't love Gillian after his disastrous first marriage and after the time he spends with Gillian, I'll never know.
For a PG-rated romance novel, I enjoyed the sweet h/h interaction in Lynn Kurland's THIS IS ALL I ASK but found the rest mostly monotonous, and the message a bit extreme to say the least. Much better than Carroll's PG-rated THE NIGHT DRIFTER, but still not as sweet Julie Garwood's sweet, yet passionate romances. I didn't like the essential premise of this novel. Basically the take-home message of the novel rests on making the hero blind as punishment for choosing outward beauty in his first wife. A bit drastic, don't you think? Even at the end, our wise witch Berengaria harangues, "The loss of your sight forced you to see with the eyes of your soul," as if blindness was the only way he could perceive true inner beauty. Making him blind also seemed to help him deduce the villain's secret plot towards the end before it comes to fruition. Maybe we should just make the entire male population blind. That will teach them from trusting in outward beauty while inducing a bit of cleverness in the process!
Along with belaboring our heroine's less-than-average to average looks, THIS IS ALL I ASK suggests that Christopher would fail to recognize Gillian's true beauty without his blindness. Essentially, the book impresses upon us blindness a suitable penalty for handsome heroes trusting in beautiful women. That's right, Christopher falling in love with his homely heroine depended on stripping Christopher of his eyesight. Christopher's blindness wasn't only extreme, but it was unnecessary. Christopher's honor and his promise to Gillian's brother William already compelled him to marry Gillian. After marrying her, they would inevitably spend time together (as they did regardless), and he would perceive Gillian's inner beauty over time (as he did) despite her less-than-desirable looks. He doesn't have to be blind for it!
Kind of sad actually, he will never truly see his heroine, he will never see his children or watch them grow up...
Simplistically, the book implies that beautiful women are treacherous while handsome men are wholesome. All well and good from a female's point-of-view. Stereotypically (for romance), the hero falls for the heroine's inside beauty (because she lacks it on the outside) while the heroine is free to love the hero's chiseled handsomeness. When Gillian chances on Christopher's near-naked frame wrestling with his squire in the courtyard, Gillian gasps with admiration of Christopher's muscled appearance. Gillian blushes and admires Christopher's handsomeness and powerful frame. Meanwhile, Christopher admires Gillian's innocent charm and tender compassion. Admiring her looks over time isn't an option obviously.
If you're going to make the woman undesirable yet beautiful on the inside, at least let's see some equality here and make the hero physically unattractive but with a compassionate heart! Alas, this is romance after all so we have the kind, handsome hero but the imperfect virgin heroine...
Worse, Christopher moons over Gillian relatively early despite not having seen her nor talked to her in person all that much. When Gillian runs away after Christopher threatens to cast her off (scenarios inspired by jumping to the wrong conclusions from hearsay and rumors), Christopher adamantly searches for two days without rest like a man stricken with love (even in his thoughts). But he can't see her, he barely touches her, and he hasn't spoken to her all that much during her stay so far. So where's all this affection coming from, other than the author's obvious desire to force a handsome knight see the inner beauty in homely women. The witch Berengaria says, "Your knight is learning to see things his eyes never could, girl." Answer: blind him so he has no choice?
The whole book seemed cheap, insinuating that for a handsome guy to fall in love with a sweet yet ugly girl, that guy must lack eyesight. Yet, the handsome knight was already compelled to marry her and consequently spend time with her, a situation that could result in love without the blindness!
The first half of THIS IS ALL I ASK comprises mostly of jumping to the wrong conclusions and misconceptions. Such as when the heroine Gillian overhears rumors of Christopher of Blackmour's demonic ministrations and takes them to heart. Like when Christopher learns of Gillian's attempt to speak to a midwife and drawing all the wrong conclusions as a result. Misconceptions of Gillian believing Christopher will want her if she can make herself pretty (lord knows how a blind man can see beauty), and of Christopher's misconception that Gillian won't want him because he's blind and thus less than a man.
And it wouldn't be a romance novel if it didn't deal with the insecurities of the heroine's appearance. THIS IS ALL I ASK isn't nearly as bad in this department as VANQUISHED (**) or a couple of Medeiros novels I've read, all of which mercilessly drum out insecurities over a heroine's bland looks, but there's many traces of these insecurities in this novel nonetheless. Even after 325 pages, Gillian is thankful that her lord Christopher is blind because otherwise, he wouldn't wed one so ugly such as she. Even though Christopher already loves her beyond petty appearances by this point.
So what did I like about THIS IS ALL I ASK? After the misconceptions were out of the way, I did enjoy the H/H interaction and they really seemed to want to give to each other. Gillian goes out of her way to please Christopher and Christopher genuinely cherishes her, giving all he is to her privately in spite of his gruff public demeanor. Christopher soothes her with loving words, massages her, aids her with her clothes and bath, feeds her. He affectionately cares for her while Gillian reciprocates in every way.
The Story, possible SPOILERS.
Bernard of Warewick beats and maltreats his sweet, skinny and plain daughter Gillian. Before Gillian's loving brother dies, he makes his friend, the handsome Christopher of Blackmour, promise to provide his sister Gillian succor from their father Bernard. Despite misgivings of his own from his first marriage, the honorable Christopher obliges and marries Gillian, providing Gillian with his name and protection. Except for her sweetness and virginity, Gillian offers only her paltry dowry and skinny, plain looks. The looks don't mean much to Christopher. Christopher feels he's the one with nothing to offer Gillian as he considers himself less than man without his eyesight.
The first half of the story rings with misconceptions while the second half of the novel portrays the mutual affection Christopher and Gillian bear for each other. As you can tell, there's parts in the second half I really enjoyed, I really liked the tender moments of affection each bestow upon the other. It is also during this time Gillian and Christopher vocalize their I-Love-You's (Gillian is first).
The finale sheds light on a sinister conspiracy Gillian's father Warewick hatches, and again we have this notion of Christopher somehow needing his blindness to recognize Gillian's inner beauty. If we weren't reminded of this dumb notion, I would have enjoyed the novel more. I didn't mind Christopher staying blind, I didn't mind his public humiliation in a duel against Warewick (that was fitting actually), but I do mind the persistent reminders that recognizing inner beauty in a skinny, plain girl depends on a handsome knight's loss of eyesight. That he wouldn't fall in love with her if he wasn't blind. That being blind helped Christopher decipher Warewick's plot to subdue Blackmour (made him clever).
Again, it's sweet, and enjoyable in some parts for the H/H mutual affection, but cheap in the end also. A cheapness asserted by taking away a handsome hero's eyesight to make him perceive of a virgin's inner beauty, a beauty she lacks on the outside. Why a seeing Christopher couldn't love Gillian after his disastrous first marriage and after the time he spends with Gillian, I'll never know.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Stealing Heaven, by Madeline Hunter [5]
*****/***** (5/5)
"Besides, I always said, if a thief is going to hang, it might as well be for a horse and not an apple."
"When did you always say that?"
He smiled slyly. "When I was a thief."
"So now I am a horse?"
He shook his head. "You are the stairway to the stars. It is heaven that I am stealing here [with you]."
I'm completely spellbound. Bewitched. Enthralled. Mesmerized.
A singularly memorable Madeline-Hunter novel, STEALING HEAVEN rises high above romance stereotypes and its tendency to dwell on characters' appearances. STEALING HEAVEN chronicles a fervid romance, a heart/gut-wrenching romance, an impossible romance, a romance that you simply cannot forget. There's a few books you read once in a blue moon that just never leave you. STEALING HEAVEN is just such a romance. Once I started reading, I literally could not stop. I smiled, I laughed, I cheered, and the novel even brought me to tears. Madeline Hunter throws the gamut of emotions at her unsuspecting readers like me in STEALING HEAVEN.
With BY POSSESSION (****), BY DESIGN (***) and finally STEALING HEAVEN (*****), Madeline Hunter appears to raise the stakes on impossible loves each time. Whereas status and birth seemed to separate our star-crossed lovers in BY POSSESSION and BY DESIGN, there's a lot more at stake in STEALING HEAVEN dividing our hero and heroine. A lot more. As STEALING HEAVEN's heroine Nesta reminds her hero Marcus more than once, "What I want is a small thing in this. In any of it. In all of it."
STEALING HEAVEN's prose and settings could be better given BY POSSESSION, THE SEDUCER (**) and THE RULES OF SEDUCTION (*****). But lord, did the poignancy of the characters, love and story make up for it in STEALING HEAVEN. And I mean make up for it big time. I thought this novel was more passionate and sensual than other Madeline Hunter novels; or maybe I felt that way because of the characters, it's tough to tell now. The chemistry and passion between Marcus & Nesta crackles with a profound intensity.
Marcus of Anglesmore. I don't think I have the words to describe this hero. Marcus lays it all on the line, he risks everything to win his heroine. He's handsome of course, but he also exudes power and cunning. He's experienced it all: being groomed for a lordship as a young child, then having brutally lost it all, watching his sister forced so he could live, living in poverty and thieving to earn a cold, hard piece of bread and then having his lordship returned to him again. Marcus isn't a warrior in Addis's league at the peak of Addis's ability, but still no push-over in that department either. When Marcus arranges to dupe Nesta into a betrothal, it really hits you what he's risking in order to win Nesta considering all of Nesta's dangerous connections. If anyone were to discover what Marcus intentionally fails to report about Nesta's treasonous activities, Marcus would lose everything, he would lose it all again and his life in a blink of an eye. As he tells Nesta from the start, "I would fight to claim you..." And fight he does, even using Nesta as an instrument to claim her. Marcus doesn't care about Nesta's past, he doesn't blink twice about Nesta's promiscuous reputation, and even after their first time he doesn't ask her about it.
What Marcus risks for Nesta considering how little he knows for sure about her shady history and considering what he suspects regarding her treasonous plans for the future makes his plight to win Nesta that much more moving, that much more soulful. Not to take anything away from Nesta, but STEALING HEAVEN belongs to Marcus.
Towards the end, Nesta realistically points out, "The King's man should not be so easily swayed by passion, Marcus." Marcus confidently replies, "The King's man did his duty. If he found a way to do it and avoid a war, he is content. If he found a way to do it and keep the woman he loves (Nesta), he is satisfied. If that woman takes his hand willingly, he will consider it the greatest victory of his life." Later, Marcus admits he's no poet, yet his heartfelt words strike a cord: "I am not good with pretty words, Nesta. Telling you that I love you is easy, but it will never express what is in my heart...I am honored that you gave all of yourself to me...Loving you is the best part of my life. Holding on to you became the most important thing to me after [our first meeting]."
Yes, Marcus sure has grown up from BY DESIGN. Wow, his character is realistic, sensual, cunning and honorable. And yes, romantic beyond any words of expression.
I don't think I've ever read a heroine quite so mature, quite so confident, quite so bold, quite so shrewd, quite so unafraid of the world of men as Welsh-born Nesta verch Llygad. She doesn't blush and melt at Marcus's every touch, she doesn't back down to Marcus's "maleness" and deploys her own female weapons in return, and boy does she give him a run for his money in the battle of wits and deception. Usually even if the heroine is a widow, her first marriage was loveless. In this case, Nesta has actually experienced pleasure before Marcus. It takes courage to write such a heroine as Nesta verch Llygad in a genre chock full of virgins or near-virgins, and I doubt most romance readers warm up to a heroine like Nesta, confident, beautiful, cunning, promiscuous, unbelievably smart and not above using her "weapons" (beautiful figure) to get what she wants. And you have to be beautiful if you caught the King's eye. Nesta has tons of dark connections and a ton of dark history. STEALING HEAVEN's Nesta reminds me of Guy Gavriel Kay's Dianora from TIGANA, the only difference being Nesta's happy ending. Just like Nesta, Dianora too anguishes over her divided heart and divided loyalties. Duty and love wrench Nesta's heart, and her journey as a worldly-wise and cynical woman to actually realize her little girl's dream of true love with a dashing, handsome knight was simply breathtaking. She's totally worthy of Marcus in every way. Marcus is totally worthy of her.
Even though THE PROTECTOR's Anna is the strongest of Hunter's heroines from an athletic and leadership point of view, Nesta verch Llygad is the boldest and most cunning of any Madeline-Hunter heroines I've read to date. As far as the combined realms of brains, beauty and experience goes, Nesta wins hands down, no contest.
Although the title of the book literally refers to Marcus stealing heaven, I thought it could have gone the both ways. In the subtle ways Nesta thwarts Marcus's attempts to marry Nesta's sister in the beginning, she steals heaven for herself too. Only a strong-willed, extremely cunning woman like Nesta could steal heaven in Marcus's arms, every bit his equal in their battle of wits.
The Story.
King Edward has arranged Lord Marcus of Anglesmore's marriage to a Welsh girl with royal blood. After delaying the meeting with his intended for weeks, Marcus finally steals into the garden on a moonlit night for a glimpse of his future bride. Following an electric meeting, Marcus promptly steals some heaven right then and there with some kisses. Marcus anxiously returns the next morning for a formal meeting with his intended bride only to find that he stole kisses with his intended bride's sister Nesta last night. Marcus is livid. The witch didn't tell him who she was when he was kissing her last night!
Readers from BY DESIGN will remember Marcus "Mark" as Joan's younger brother, the heir to Anglesmore. Marcus and his sister Joan had to escape Anglesmore and live an impoverished life in London after Mortimer's man Sir Guy Leighton terrorizes Anglesmore. BY DESIGN ends with Anglesmore returned to Marcus and Addis de Valence (BY POSSESSION) serving as Marcus's tutor and warden. Marcus has already led a scrappy life going from riches to rags back to riches. He's been a thief, fighting in a gang, learning to be a lord, and training to be a knight. The roots of his vast street-smart experience shows clearly in STEALING HEAVEN, and god, has he ever grown up! Under Addis's guidance so too does he demonstrate his honor and cunning as a capable lord.
While Marcus fumes over Nesta's true identity and his strong reactions to her, Nesta schemes to escape London with her younger sister Genith while the King is out of the country. Welsh-born Nesta has surreptitious plans for herself and her sister, and they don't include marriage to the English lord Marcus. She dismisses her own reactions to Marcus as a magical foray from another world, and completely impossible. Marcus has other ideas. Marcus gives chase and finally captures Nesta and Genith after much hardship in spite of Nesta's clever plots to throw off any pursuit. With Nesta and his future bride Genith in tow, he heads to his seat in Anglemore. He also decides to quickly marry the sister Genith as the King arranged and be done with it.
Again, Nesta thwarts him.
After Nesta plots an escape again, Marcus is left with just one sister, Nesta. Marcus's emotions and reactions to Nesta boil over and he resolves to walk a very sharp double-sided edge as the King's loyal baron by tricking Nesta into a betrothal. A betrothal the King could very well disapprove of given the King's connection to Nesta. A betrothal that could could cost him everything. A betrothal to a rebel that could end with his life. Nesta's furious reaction to the betrothal is too fun.
The story rages on in intensity and poignancy as Marcus and Nesta spar in a battle of wits and deception, a battle surrounding a rebellious plot with Welsh freedom at stake. A Welsh autonomy and freedom Nesta will do just about anything for. A worthy cause, to be sure. Both Nesta and Marcus understand each other, both anticipate each other, both accept in each other a conflicting and betraying call to duty, and yet, both still manage to find heaven in each other's arms. Impossible love, you say? It doesn't get more impossible than Marcus and Nesta. At times, this battle of wits is very fun, at other times, very heart-wrenching. At the end of the day, it's all worth the price of admission.
I'm going to be re-reading this one.
"Besides, I always said, if a thief is going to hang, it might as well be for a horse and not an apple."
"When did you always say that?"
He smiled slyly. "When I was a thief."
"So now I am a horse?"
He shook his head. "You are the stairway to the stars. It is heaven that I am stealing here [with you]."
I'm completely spellbound. Bewitched. Enthralled. Mesmerized.
A singularly memorable Madeline-Hunter novel, STEALING HEAVEN rises high above romance stereotypes and its tendency to dwell on characters' appearances. STEALING HEAVEN chronicles a fervid romance, a heart/gut-wrenching romance, an impossible romance, a romance that you simply cannot forget. There's a few books you read once in a blue moon that just never leave you. STEALING HEAVEN is just such a romance. Once I started reading, I literally could not stop. I smiled, I laughed, I cheered, and the novel even brought me to tears. Madeline Hunter throws the gamut of emotions at her unsuspecting readers like me in STEALING HEAVEN.
With BY POSSESSION (****), BY DESIGN (***) and finally STEALING HEAVEN (*****), Madeline Hunter appears to raise the stakes on impossible loves each time. Whereas status and birth seemed to separate our star-crossed lovers in BY POSSESSION and BY DESIGN, there's a lot more at stake in STEALING HEAVEN dividing our hero and heroine. A lot more. As STEALING HEAVEN's heroine Nesta reminds her hero Marcus more than once, "What I want is a small thing in this. In any of it. In all of it."
STEALING HEAVEN's prose and settings could be better given BY POSSESSION, THE SEDUCER (**) and THE RULES OF SEDUCTION (*****). But lord, did the poignancy of the characters, love and story make up for it in STEALING HEAVEN. And I mean make up for it big time. I thought this novel was more passionate and sensual than other Madeline Hunter novels; or maybe I felt that way because of the characters, it's tough to tell now. The chemistry and passion between Marcus & Nesta crackles with a profound intensity.
Marcus of Anglesmore. I don't think I have the words to describe this hero. Marcus lays it all on the line, he risks everything to win his heroine. He's handsome of course, but he also exudes power and cunning. He's experienced it all: being groomed for a lordship as a young child, then having brutally lost it all, watching his sister forced so he could live, living in poverty and thieving to earn a cold, hard piece of bread and then having his lordship returned to him again. Marcus isn't a warrior in Addis's league at the peak of Addis's ability, but still no push-over in that department either. When Marcus arranges to dupe Nesta into a betrothal, it really hits you what he's risking in order to win Nesta considering all of Nesta's dangerous connections. If anyone were to discover what Marcus intentionally fails to report about Nesta's treasonous activities, Marcus would lose everything, he would lose it all again and his life in a blink of an eye. As he tells Nesta from the start, "I would fight to claim you..." And fight he does, even using Nesta as an instrument to claim her. Marcus doesn't care about Nesta's past, he doesn't blink twice about Nesta's promiscuous reputation, and even after their first time he doesn't ask her about it.
What Marcus risks for Nesta considering how little he knows for sure about her shady history and considering what he suspects regarding her treasonous plans for the future makes his plight to win Nesta that much more moving, that much more soulful. Not to take anything away from Nesta, but STEALING HEAVEN belongs to Marcus.
Towards the end, Nesta realistically points out, "The King's man should not be so easily swayed by passion, Marcus." Marcus confidently replies, "The King's man did his duty. If he found a way to do it and avoid a war, he is content. If he found a way to do it and keep the woman he loves (Nesta), he is satisfied. If that woman takes his hand willingly, he will consider it the greatest victory of his life." Later, Marcus admits he's no poet, yet his heartfelt words strike a cord: "I am not good with pretty words, Nesta. Telling you that I love you is easy, but it will never express what is in my heart...I am honored that you gave all of yourself to me...Loving you is the best part of my life. Holding on to you became the most important thing to me after [our first meeting]."
Yes, Marcus sure has grown up from BY DESIGN. Wow, his character is realistic, sensual, cunning and honorable. And yes, romantic beyond any words of expression.
I don't think I've ever read a heroine quite so mature, quite so confident, quite so bold, quite so shrewd, quite so unafraid of the world of men as Welsh-born Nesta verch Llygad. She doesn't blush and melt at Marcus's every touch, she doesn't back down to Marcus's "maleness" and deploys her own female weapons in return, and boy does she give him a run for his money in the battle of wits and deception. Usually even if the heroine is a widow, her first marriage was loveless. In this case, Nesta has actually experienced pleasure before Marcus. It takes courage to write such a heroine as Nesta verch Llygad in a genre chock full of virgins or near-virgins, and I doubt most romance readers warm up to a heroine like Nesta, confident, beautiful, cunning, promiscuous, unbelievably smart and not above using her "weapons" (beautiful figure) to get what she wants. And you have to be beautiful if you caught the King's eye. Nesta has tons of dark connections and a ton of dark history. STEALING HEAVEN's Nesta reminds me of Guy Gavriel Kay's Dianora from TIGANA, the only difference being Nesta's happy ending. Just like Nesta, Dianora too anguishes over her divided heart and divided loyalties. Duty and love wrench Nesta's heart, and her journey as a worldly-wise and cynical woman to actually realize her little girl's dream of true love with a dashing, handsome knight was simply breathtaking. She's totally worthy of Marcus in every way. Marcus is totally worthy of her.
Even though THE PROTECTOR's Anna is the strongest of Hunter's heroines from an athletic and leadership point of view, Nesta verch Llygad is the boldest and most cunning of any Madeline-Hunter heroines I've read to date. As far as the combined realms of brains, beauty and experience goes, Nesta wins hands down, no contest.
Although the title of the book literally refers to Marcus stealing heaven, I thought it could have gone the both ways. In the subtle ways Nesta thwarts Marcus's attempts to marry Nesta's sister in the beginning, she steals heaven for herself too. Only a strong-willed, extremely cunning woman like Nesta could steal heaven in Marcus's arms, every bit his equal in their battle of wits.
The Story.
King Edward has arranged Lord Marcus of Anglesmore's marriage to a Welsh girl with royal blood. After delaying the meeting with his intended for weeks, Marcus finally steals into the garden on a moonlit night for a glimpse of his future bride. Following an electric meeting, Marcus promptly steals some heaven right then and there with some kisses. Marcus anxiously returns the next morning for a formal meeting with his intended bride only to find that he stole kisses with his intended bride's sister Nesta last night. Marcus is livid. The witch didn't tell him who she was when he was kissing her last night!
Readers from BY DESIGN will remember Marcus "Mark" as Joan's younger brother, the heir to Anglesmore. Marcus and his sister Joan had to escape Anglesmore and live an impoverished life in London after Mortimer's man Sir Guy Leighton terrorizes Anglesmore. BY DESIGN ends with Anglesmore returned to Marcus and Addis de Valence (BY POSSESSION) serving as Marcus's tutor and warden. Marcus has already led a scrappy life going from riches to rags back to riches. He's been a thief, fighting in a gang, learning to be a lord, and training to be a knight. The roots of his vast street-smart experience shows clearly in STEALING HEAVEN, and god, has he ever grown up! Under Addis's guidance so too does he demonstrate his honor and cunning as a capable lord.
While Marcus fumes over Nesta's true identity and his strong reactions to her, Nesta schemes to escape London with her younger sister Genith while the King is out of the country. Welsh-born Nesta has surreptitious plans for herself and her sister, and they don't include marriage to the English lord Marcus. She dismisses her own reactions to Marcus as a magical foray from another world, and completely impossible. Marcus has other ideas. Marcus gives chase and finally captures Nesta and Genith after much hardship in spite of Nesta's clever plots to throw off any pursuit. With Nesta and his future bride Genith in tow, he heads to his seat in Anglemore. He also decides to quickly marry the sister Genith as the King arranged and be done with it.
Again, Nesta thwarts him.
After Nesta plots an escape again, Marcus is left with just one sister, Nesta. Marcus's emotions and reactions to Nesta boil over and he resolves to walk a very sharp double-sided edge as the King's loyal baron by tricking Nesta into a betrothal. A betrothal the King could very well disapprove of given the King's connection to Nesta. A betrothal that could could cost him everything. A betrothal to a rebel that could end with his life. Nesta's furious reaction to the betrothal is too fun.
The story rages on in intensity and poignancy as Marcus and Nesta spar in a battle of wits and deception, a battle surrounding a rebellious plot with Welsh freedom at stake. A Welsh autonomy and freedom Nesta will do just about anything for. A worthy cause, to be sure. Both Nesta and Marcus understand each other, both anticipate each other, both accept in each other a conflicting and betraying call to duty, and yet, both still manage to find heaven in each other's arms. Impossible love, you say? It doesn't get more impossible than Marcus and Nesta. At times, this battle of wits is very fun, at other times, very heart-wrenching. At the end of the day, it's all worth the price of admission.
I'm going to be re-reading this one.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Lord of a Thousand Nights, by Madeline Hunter [3]
***/***** (3/5)
1. BY ARRANGEMENT (haven't read yet, having trouble tracking this one down!)
2. THE PROTECTOR (***)
3. LORD OF A THOUSAND NIGHTS (***)
LORD OF A THOUSAND NIGHTS somewhat exceeded my low expectations for it, and I enjoyed many parts of it. Still, I'd rank it a slight cut below other 3-star Madeline Hunter novels such as BY DESIGN (***) and THE PROTECTOR (***). I never did like Ian of Guilford from THE PROTECTOR, and seeing him as a formidable warrior here in LORD OF A THOUSANDS NIGHTS didn't seem to follow from his role as a courtier/consort in the English court from THE PROTECTOR. Now, the Lord of a Thousand Nights title, seducer of a thousand women, that definitely followed. I thought the love between Ian and Reyna was more about Ian's capable talents and past experience with many other women than really about Ian & Reyna. Unlike so many other romance novels, Reyna hurling many expletives Ian's way was handled in a fun way here, actually adding to the romantic tension instead of squeezing the life out of the love and romance.
Possible SPOILERS ahead.
Fortunately, I also thought Madeline Hunter weaved some interesting mystery plots with this romance, and I found myself pleasantly engaged. The mystery involves plenty of backstory on both Ian & Reyna, and once again, each characterization is fleshed out superbly. The only thing I found a bit ridiculous was the way Ian found Robert's treasure at the end. The way he found it was way too easy, treasure map? Okie doke!
The backdrop of LORD OF A THOUSAND NIGHTS continues Morvan Fitzwaryn's strife to recapture his father's seat at Harclow. You'll recall from THE PROTECTOR that Morvan delayed this dream for Harclow to spend time with his love and wife, Anna de Leon. Also from THE PROTECTOR, you'll recall a younger Ian forced himself on Anna only to have Anna punch him. Now, 8 years later, while Morvan and the bulk of his army lays siege to Harclow, Ian of Guilford leads a company of Morvan's men to capture Black Lyne Keep, a keep overseeing strategic land on the border with Scotland. Lord of Clivedale, Maccus Armstrong, is a Scot who captured Harclow from Morvan's father so long ago.
The story begins with the recently-widowed Reyna Graham, Lady of Black Lyne Keep, conspiring to kill the besieging company's leader, Ian. Reyna was married to the honorable Robert of Kelso (more than thrice her age) in order to divert a family feud between the Grahams and Armstrongs, neighbors on the English-Scottish border. Since Morvan is laying siege to the Armstrongs at Harclow, he's secured a promise from Duncan Graham not to attack in exchange for Reyna's safety when Black Lyne Keep falls. Upon seeing the incredibly handsome Lord of a Thousand Nights, Ian, Reyna falters in her assassination attempt and ends up prisoner instead.
Using Reyna, Ian swiftly captures Black Lyne Keep and things between our our capable seducer and beguiling enchantress progress from there as Ian secures Black Lyne Keep for Morvan. There's some interesting plots having to do with the mystery behind Reyna's late husband's (Robert's) history and the circumstances surrounding Robert's sudden death (Templar, poisoning). Towards the very end after Harclow finally falls, we also learn more about Reyna's parentage and Ian's past sins. Meanwhile, we see BY ARRANGEMENT's David & Christiana and THE PROTECTOR's Morvan & Anna in some very fun and enjoyable subplots in the middle. I thought the negotiations for marriage here between Ian and Reyna weren't nearly as fun as those between Morvan and Anna from THE PROTECTOR or Hayden and Alexia from THE RULES OF SEDUCTION.
Oh and I have to say:
Anna de Leon (from THE PROTECTOR) totally steals the show! I swear I cheered and laughed with her every appearance and reference. I was dying for more Anna in this book! Like "...and that big one (Anna), well, show me the man who wants to try telling her what to do...and the big one, well, when they left she practically threatened me, just stared at me dangerous-like and felt her dagger hilt and told me to obey their orders and all would be well." Or Ian saying, "Are you suggesting that Reyna forced Anna into leaving? Hell's teeth, Morvan, your wife could pick [Reyna] up with one arm." Or Anna talking: "[Ian] has a weakness below the right ribs if you need to hit him." Or Anna & Morvan's reunion after 5 months in front of everyone at Black Lyne Keep. Or even: "[Ian] tried his most charming smile [on Anna]. It had no effect whatsoever." Now I want to read THE PROTECTOR all over again!
Lady Reyna is cruel. Twice, Ian of Guilford works at pleasuring her and building her arousal with touches and kisses, and the second before the critical moment of joining when he's fully aroused too, she refuses him, muttering, "I can not." Ouch. That's heartless. We learn later that she's still a virgin from her first marriage and she wishes to protect her late husband from ridicule, but still! Ian says he wants her, but I found that hard to believe if he's able to so easily cut it off like that -- not once, but twice! Ian is a good sport about it, he obediently obliges Reyna's capricious behavior, and then proceeds to bring her climax using his fingers. Unlike other Madeline Hunter novels in similar circumstances, there isn't a mutual agreement abstaining from sexual intercourse here (see BY POSSESSION, BY DESIGN), so these refusals right before the critical moment in this novel are... wow, just... just... cold... brutal... malevolent of Reyna even!
The Lord of a Thousand Nights' chartered and deliberate first joining with Reyna after their marriage reads more like a detached science than a mutual passion. A touch here, a kiss there, a graze, the right position, the right kiss, Ian's calculated restraint. Since it was Reyna's first time, she was in obvious pain for some of it, and for someone like the Lord of a Thousand Nights, he's clearly had more pleasure than the incredible patience, restraint and servicing he showers Reyna with during their first real joining. All of the seduction including the first joining was more about Ian and other women than Ian & Reyna. Even in the very last chapter, Reyna is complimenting Ian's talents with other women: "You have a talent for making philosophy the last thing on a woman's mind." A woman, general. The very last paragraph of the book, when Reyna looks up to Ian, she sees the Lord who's seduced a thousand other women, not her Ian. Maybe women like that, I don't know, but the resulting love didn't resonate quite like the loves from THE RULES OF SEDUCTION, BY POSSESSION, and BY DESIGN.
I thought the THE RULES OF SEDUCTION's story, characters and passion rises above the stereotypes prevalent in historical romances: handsome, experienced guy pleasuring, seducing and igniting the passion of the average-looking, stubborn and resilient virgin. However, these stereotypes mire LORD OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS' love and romance. In fact the central love is the stereotype here.
1. BY ARRANGEMENT (haven't read yet, having trouble tracking this one down!)
2. THE PROTECTOR (***)
3. LORD OF A THOUSAND NIGHTS (***)
LORD OF A THOUSAND NIGHTS somewhat exceeded my low expectations for it, and I enjoyed many parts of it. Still, I'd rank it a slight cut below other 3-star Madeline Hunter novels such as BY DESIGN (***) and THE PROTECTOR (***). I never did like Ian of Guilford from THE PROTECTOR, and seeing him as a formidable warrior here in LORD OF A THOUSANDS NIGHTS didn't seem to follow from his role as a courtier/consort in the English court from THE PROTECTOR. Now, the Lord of a Thousand Nights title, seducer of a thousand women, that definitely followed. I thought the love between Ian and Reyna was more about Ian's capable talents and past experience with many other women than really about Ian & Reyna. Unlike so many other romance novels, Reyna hurling many expletives Ian's way was handled in a fun way here, actually adding to the romantic tension instead of squeezing the life out of the love and romance.
Possible SPOILERS ahead.
Fortunately, I also thought Madeline Hunter weaved some interesting mystery plots with this romance, and I found myself pleasantly engaged. The mystery involves plenty of backstory on both Ian & Reyna, and once again, each characterization is fleshed out superbly. The only thing I found a bit ridiculous was the way Ian found Robert's treasure at the end. The way he found it was way too easy, treasure map? Okie doke!
The backdrop of LORD OF A THOUSAND NIGHTS continues Morvan Fitzwaryn's strife to recapture his father's seat at Harclow. You'll recall from THE PROTECTOR that Morvan delayed this dream for Harclow to spend time with his love and wife, Anna de Leon. Also from THE PROTECTOR, you'll recall a younger Ian forced himself on Anna only to have Anna punch him. Now, 8 years later, while Morvan and the bulk of his army lays siege to Harclow, Ian of Guilford leads a company of Morvan's men to capture Black Lyne Keep, a keep overseeing strategic land on the border with Scotland. Lord of Clivedale, Maccus Armstrong, is a Scot who captured Harclow from Morvan's father so long ago.
The story begins with the recently-widowed Reyna Graham, Lady of Black Lyne Keep, conspiring to kill the besieging company's leader, Ian. Reyna was married to the honorable Robert of Kelso (more than thrice her age) in order to divert a family feud between the Grahams and Armstrongs, neighbors on the English-Scottish border. Since Morvan is laying siege to the Armstrongs at Harclow, he's secured a promise from Duncan Graham not to attack in exchange for Reyna's safety when Black Lyne Keep falls. Upon seeing the incredibly handsome Lord of a Thousand Nights, Ian, Reyna falters in her assassination attempt and ends up prisoner instead.
Using Reyna, Ian swiftly captures Black Lyne Keep and things between our our capable seducer and beguiling enchantress progress from there as Ian secures Black Lyne Keep for Morvan. There's some interesting plots having to do with the mystery behind Reyna's late husband's (Robert's) history and the circumstances surrounding Robert's sudden death (Templar, poisoning). Towards the very end after Harclow finally falls, we also learn more about Reyna's parentage and Ian's past sins. Meanwhile, we see BY ARRANGEMENT's David & Christiana and THE PROTECTOR's Morvan & Anna in some very fun and enjoyable subplots in the middle. I thought the negotiations for marriage here between Ian and Reyna weren't nearly as fun as those between Morvan and Anna from THE PROTECTOR or Hayden and Alexia from THE RULES OF SEDUCTION.
Oh and I have to say:
Anna de Leon (from THE PROTECTOR) totally steals the show! I swear I cheered and laughed with her every appearance and reference. I was dying for more Anna in this book! Like "...and that big one (Anna), well, show me the man who wants to try telling her what to do...and the big one, well, when they left she practically threatened me, just stared at me dangerous-like and felt her dagger hilt and told me to obey their orders and all would be well." Or Ian saying, "Are you suggesting that Reyna forced Anna into leaving? Hell's teeth, Morvan, your wife could pick [Reyna] up with one arm." Or Anna talking: "[Ian] has a weakness below the right ribs if you need to hit him." Or Anna & Morvan's reunion after 5 months in front of everyone at Black Lyne Keep. Or even: "[Ian] tried his most charming smile [on Anna]. It had no effect whatsoever." Now I want to read THE PROTECTOR all over again!
Lady Reyna is cruel. Twice, Ian of Guilford works at pleasuring her and building her arousal with touches and kisses, and the second before the critical moment of joining when he's fully aroused too, she refuses him, muttering, "I can not." Ouch. That's heartless. We learn later that she's still a virgin from her first marriage and she wishes to protect her late husband from ridicule, but still! Ian says he wants her, but I found that hard to believe if he's able to so easily cut it off like that -- not once, but twice! Ian is a good sport about it, he obediently obliges Reyna's capricious behavior, and then proceeds to bring her climax using his fingers. Unlike other Madeline Hunter novels in similar circumstances, there isn't a mutual agreement abstaining from sexual intercourse here (see BY POSSESSION, BY DESIGN), so these refusals right before the critical moment in this novel are... wow, just... just... cold... brutal... malevolent of Reyna even!
The Lord of a Thousand Nights' chartered and deliberate first joining with Reyna after their marriage reads more like a detached science than a mutual passion. A touch here, a kiss there, a graze, the right position, the right kiss, Ian's calculated restraint. Since it was Reyna's first time, she was in obvious pain for some of it, and for someone like the Lord of a Thousand Nights, he's clearly had more pleasure than the incredible patience, restraint and servicing he showers Reyna with during their first real joining. All of the seduction including the first joining was more about Ian and other women than Ian & Reyna. Even in the very last chapter, Reyna is complimenting Ian's talents with other women: "You have a talent for making philosophy the last thing on a woman's mind." A woman, general. The very last paragraph of the book, when Reyna looks up to Ian, she sees the Lord who's seduced a thousand other women, not her Ian. Maybe women like that, I don't know, but the resulting love didn't resonate quite like the loves from THE RULES OF SEDUCTION, BY POSSESSION, and BY DESIGN.
I thought the THE RULES OF SEDUCTION's story, characters and passion rises above the stereotypes prevalent in historical romances: handsome, experienced guy pleasuring, seducing and igniting the passion of the average-looking, stubborn and resilient virgin. However, these stereotypes mire LORD OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS' love and romance. In fact the central love is the stereotype here.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Saving Grace, by Julie Garwood [2]
**/***** (2/5)
SAVING GRACE demonstrates Julie Garwood's panache for extremely light, sweet stories. Her heroines are very sweet, and her heroes are generally rough-around-the-edges but gentle intimately and ultimately very caring. The love between the hero and heroine is always mutually giving, which I very much appreciate in Julie Garwood's stories. Unfortunately, her stories harbor little substance, and her weak prose and settings mire the overall effect. Similar to the THE SECRET, soap-opera-ish conversations and plots saturates SAVING GRACE's content, completely overshadowing the sweetness and humor her stories exude. The pacing of the novel plods along at a snail's pace.
SAVING GRACE hones in on a woman's place from the eyes of the Church and God. One evil bishop's interpretations places women behind dull-witted oxen and other animals in God's eyes. Our heroine Johanna takes this to heart and allows her husband the Baron Raulf to shatter her confidence and self-respect first, and then later, Raulf abuses her physically. When news arrives of Raulf's demise, Johanna is overjoyed. Her brother Baron Nicholas promptly arranges Johanna's marriage to a Scottish highlander, the Laird Gabriel MacBain, a mighty warrior. Since the MacBain lands technically belong to Johanna, Gabriel agrees to the marriage, primarily to acquire the land. At first sight, both are stricken by the other's imposing, handsome appearance in Gabriel's case, and beauty in Johanna's case.
Since Gabriel is a warrior and very rough-around-the-edges, I did enjoy how SAVING GRACE's Johanna manipulates him with tenderness and caring to calm him down first, and then make him forget his anger over her willfulness. For example, when Gabriel is very angry at Johanna for venturing out on her own in search of some barrels of ale to barter with, she touches Gabriel gently on the cheek and neck to completely subdue him. It was funny, and the parallel to petting an angry dog was not missed.
I can't help but draw comparisons between Julie Garwood's heroines and other heroines I often read about in this genre. SAVING GRACE's Johanna was verbally and physically abused, and although she's sweet and gentle, she still shows plenty of strength in her own way. Instead of constantly provoking, antagonizing and bickering with her hero Gabriel, she forges her own unique way with love, tenderness, and apparent submission. She confronts her enemies on her own towards the end, and she does what she feels needs to be done to secure the safety of her clan and Gabriel. She's meek when it suits her, she's stubborn and willful otherwise. I think she's much stronger, more mature than so many of the childish, acrimonious heroines we read about so often.
I'll continue to read Julie Garwood's books despite their sluggish pace and gossiping, soap-opera plots. They're sweet in their own right.
SAVING GRACE demonstrates Julie Garwood's panache for extremely light, sweet stories. Her heroines are very sweet, and her heroes are generally rough-around-the-edges but gentle intimately and ultimately very caring. The love between the hero and heroine is always mutually giving, which I very much appreciate in Julie Garwood's stories. Unfortunately, her stories harbor little substance, and her weak prose and settings mire the overall effect. Similar to the THE SECRET, soap-opera-ish conversations and plots saturates SAVING GRACE's content, completely overshadowing the sweetness and humor her stories exude. The pacing of the novel plods along at a snail's pace.
SAVING GRACE hones in on a woman's place from the eyes of the Church and God. One evil bishop's interpretations places women behind dull-witted oxen and other animals in God's eyes. Our heroine Johanna takes this to heart and allows her husband the Baron Raulf to shatter her confidence and self-respect first, and then later, Raulf abuses her physically. When news arrives of Raulf's demise, Johanna is overjoyed. Her brother Baron Nicholas promptly arranges Johanna's marriage to a Scottish highlander, the Laird Gabriel MacBain, a mighty warrior. Since the MacBain lands technically belong to Johanna, Gabriel agrees to the marriage, primarily to acquire the land. At first sight, both are stricken by the other's imposing, handsome appearance in Gabriel's case, and beauty in Johanna's case.
Since Gabriel is a warrior and very rough-around-the-edges, I did enjoy how SAVING GRACE's Johanna manipulates him with tenderness and caring to calm him down first, and then make him forget his anger over her willfulness. For example, when Gabriel is very angry at Johanna for venturing out on her own in search of some barrels of ale to barter with, she touches Gabriel gently on the cheek and neck to completely subdue him. It was funny, and the parallel to petting an angry dog was not missed.
I can't help but draw comparisons between Julie Garwood's heroines and other heroines I often read about in this genre. SAVING GRACE's Johanna was verbally and physically abused, and although she's sweet and gentle, she still shows plenty of strength in her own way. Instead of constantly provoking, antagonizing and bickering with her hero Gabriel, she forges her own unique way with love, tenderness, and apparent submission. She confronts her enemies on her own towards the end, and she does what she feels needs to be done to secure the safety of her clan and Gabriel. She's meek when it suits her, she's stubborn and willful otherwise. I think she's much stronger, more mature than so many of the childish, acrimonious heroines we read about so often.
I'll continue to read Julie Garwood's books despite their sluggish pace and gossiping, soap-opera plots. They're sweet in their own right.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
When Love Awaits, by Johanna Lindsey [1]
*/***** (1/5)
Johanna Lindsey should have retitled WHEN LOVE AWAITS to MISCONCEPTIONS, MISUNDERSTANDINGS AND CONFUSIONS. Every romance novel plays out some misunderstanding or misconception between its hero and heroine, but this novel takes this plot device to new heights. WHEN LOVE AWAITS comprises of incessant bickering and one misunderstanding after another from page 1 to the very last. Johanna Lindsey is a bit more brutal in terms of violence than I'm used from romance authors, showing the heroine getting beat up by villains and almost raped. But brutal writing can be a good thing when it's fun, or when it's necessary to the overall plot, and/or when there's a suitable payoff towards the end. In this case, it isn't fun nor necessary, and there was no payoff at the end. Interestingly enough, even though we have beatings, mistresses and almost-rapes, the love scenes and passion in WHEN LOVE AWAITS are flat, Lindsey electing to take a lighter direction there. Again, the plot centers around misunderstandings while the prose is pretty bad, and the settings worst. I found the characterizations of both our hero and heroine equally invidious, not a single endearing trait between the two.
Another novel released in the mid-to-late 80s, it must have been fashion to have romance-novel heroes and heroines constantly fight over misunderstandings they refuse to talk about more openly. Ever wanted to scream your lungs out over an overblown misunderstanding that a simple talk could easily clear up? Well imagine screaming your lungs out over and over for 350+ pages because of it.
The idiocy of the hero and the callous, acrimonious nature of the heroine didn't help my enjoyment at all. Two things in this regard.
One, I don't understand how the hero Rolfe could allow his mistress to stay in the same home as the wife he professes to love. It really doesn't matter that the mistress misled Rolfe in believing she's carrying his child, he should have moved the mistress elsewhere. The point is, he's either stupid to believe a word the mistress spews at him and/or cruel to allow her to live in the same home as his beloved wife no matter the child situation.
Two, the heroine Leonie was way too cold throughout. Despite all the times Rolfe asks for her forgiveness and despite all the times he showers her with caring and kindness, she remains pretty stiff with him. The love scenes are equally cold if not moreso. Basically, they bicker and fight over and over and over during the day, go at it at night, and return to their bickering pattern during the day. She mistrusts his fighting ability during a tournament, drugs him so he's forced to avoid the tournament, then runs from his anger only to be captured by thieves and rapists. Towards the end, during a love scene, she thinks she can give everything to this man only to run from him the very next morning again. She believes everything Rolfe's former mistress tells her as well, and allows the mistress to take advantage of every situation. Instead of talking about it more openly with her husband or fighting with the mistress for him, she gives Rolfe a consistent cold shoulder.
The Story.
King Henry II has granted Rolfe d'Ambert the rebellious estates at Kempston, spread out over 6 keeps and various rich lands. Before Rolfe can rule, he must conquer and bring the various keeps to heel. The keep at Crewel falls first and borders Lady Leonie at Pershwick. Leonie's father extricated her from his seat at Montwyn after her mother whom he loved dearly passes away. Although Leonie blames her father for her eviction, it's her stepmother who drugs and keeps her father too comatose to comprehend and rein in his second wife's perfidies.
Although she hasn't met Rolfe, Leonie believes Rolfe a monster, a corrupt mercenary of the King's, while Rolfe believes Leonie behind the sabotages of his estate at Crewel. Rolfe has the King arrange his marriage to Leonie hoping to exact revenge and subdue Leonie into submission. Rolfe's mistress Amelia misleads Rolfe into believing she's carrying his child and Rolfe allows her to stay. Rolfe introduces Amelia as his ward, but Leonie heard the truth from servant gossip yet doesn't openly broach the subject to Rolfe.
Both Rolfe and Leonie harbor ill-begotten misconceptions of each other perpetuated by the books' antagonists that a simple talk could elucidate. This entire fiasco of a book climaxes to a pinnacle of a misunderstanding at the end which is easily dissolved in 1-2 pages.
You get the point.
Johanna Lindsey should have retitled WHEN LOVE AWAITS to MISCONCEPTIONS, MISUNDERSTANDINGS AND CONFUSIONS. Every romance novel plays out some misunderstanding or misconception between its hero and heroine, but this novel takes this plot device to new heights. WHEN LOVE AWAITS comprises of incessant bickering and one misunderstanding after another from page 1 to the very last. Johanna Lindsey is a bit more brutal in terms of violence than I'm used from romance authors, showing the heroine getting beat up by villains and almost raped. But brutal writing can be a good thing when it's fun, or when it's necessary to the overall plot, and/or when there's a suitable payoff towards the end. In this case, it isn't fun nor necessary, and there was no payoff at the end. Interestingly enough, even though we have beatings, mistresses and almost-rapes, the love scenes and passion in WHEN LOVE AWAITS are flat, Lindsey electing to take a lighter direction there. Again, the plot centers around misunderstandings while the prose is pretty bad, and the settings worst. I found the characterizations of both our hero and heroine equally invidious, not a single endearing trait between the two.
Another novel released in the mid-to-late 80s, it must have been fashion to have romance-novel heroes and heroines constantly fight over misunderstandings they refuse to talk about more openly. Ever wanted to scream your lungs out over an overblown misunderstanding that a simple talk could easily clear up? Well imagine screaming your lungs out over and over for 350+ pages because of it.
The idiocy of the hero and the callous, acrimonious nature of the heroine didn't help my enjoyment at all. Two things in this regard.
One, I don't understand how the hero Rolfe could allow his mistress to stay in the same home as the wife he professes to love. It really doesn't matter that the mistress misled Rolfe in believing she's carrying his child, he should have moved the mistress elsewhere. The point is, he's either stupid to believe a word the mistress spews at him and/or cruel to allow her to live in the same home as his beloved wife no matter the child situation.
Two, the heroine Leonie was way too cold throughout. Despite all the times Rolfe asks for her forgiveness and despite all the times he showers her with caring and kindness, she remains pretty stiff with him. The love scenes are equally cold if not moreso. Basically, they bicker and fight over and over and over during the day, go at it at night, and return to their bickering pattern during the day. She mistrusts his fighting ability during a tournament, drugs him so he's forced to avoid the tournament, then runs from his anger only to be captured by thieves and rapists. Towards the end, during a love scene, she thinks she can give everything to this man only to run from him the very next morning again. She believes everything Rolfe's former mistress tells her as well, and allows the mistress to take advantage of every situation. Instead of talking about it more openly with her husband or fighting with the mistress for him, she gives Rolfe a consistent cold shoulder.
The Story.
King Henry II has granted Rolfe d'Ambert the rebellious estates at Kempston, spread out over 6 keeps and various rich lands. Before Rolfe can rule, he must conquer and bring the various keeps to heel. The keep at Crewel falls first and borders Lady Leonie at Pershwick. Leonie's father extricated her from his seat at Montwyn after her mother whom he loved dearly passes away. Although Leonie blames her father for her eviction, it's her stepmother who drugs and keeps her father too comatose to comprehend and rein in his second wife's perfidies.
Although she hasn't met Rolfe, Leonie believes Rolfe a monster, a corrupt mercenary of the King's, while Rolfe believes Leonie behind the sabotages of his estate at Crewel. Rolfe has the King arrange his marriage to Leonie hoping to exact revenge and subdue Leonie into submission. Rolfe's mistress Amelia misleads Rolfe into believing she's carrying his child and Rolfe allows her to stay. Rolfe introduces Amelia as his ward, but Leonie heard the truth from servant gossip yet doesn't openly broach the subject to Rolfe.
Both Rolfe and Leonie harbor ill-begotten misconceptions of each other perpetuated by the books' antagonists that a simple talk could elucidate. This entire fiasco of a book climaxes to a pinnacle of a misunderstanding at the end which is easily dissolved in 1-2 pages.
You get the point.
Friday, July 6, 2007
The Secret, by Julie Garwood [1]
*/***** (1/5)
Though Julie Garwood apparently wrote THE SECRET after GENTLE WARRIOR, I found THE SECRET pales in comparison in all respects. The one thing I liked about THE SECRET though: Garwood has her hero and heroine give to each other, both in affection and love. I found the rest of THE SECRET however an interminable series of inane conversations about clan gossip and the bureaucratic operations of a Scottish clan. Unlike GENTLE WARRIOR, THE SECRET falls short in plotting, pacing, settings and prose. I also found GENTLE WARRIOR's passion between its lead pair stronger than this novel's. The main reason I wanted to read this novel: it's the precursor to Julie Garwood's highly recommended THE RANSOM.
The Story, possible SPOILERS.
Frances Catherine (Scottish) and Judith (English) have been best friends since they were 4 years old, constantly meeting at the Festival Games on the border. Frances Catherine's mother and grandmother both died from childbirth and fearing the worst, Frances Catherine secures a promise from Judith to come during Frances Catherine's time of pregnancy.
Now married to Laird Iain Maitland's brother Patrick, Frances Catherine stands before the Maitland Council of Elders for permission to allow Judith to visit. Iain travels to the border to fetch Judith himself. They share an instant attraction and Iain jealously refuses to allow her to travel horseback with any of his companions.
For years, Judith has been gathering information on childbirths from midwives so she can help her friend Frances Catherine. Once she arrives to the Maitland holdings, it's one clan gossip conversation after another. And it's like every woman is pregnant because Judith ends up taking over midwife duties and assists 3 mothers with their childbirths before Frances Catherine. The dumb conversations to impact a change in the clan's traditional way of thinking was painful to read, and romance between Iain and Judith even dumber.
The big secret deals with Judith's troubled past, and it isn't much of a secret since we find out fairly early on. Judith is daughter to the MacLean clan, fierce enemies of the Maitlands. After the series of insipid conversations and birthings, we have a boring ending as Judith finally meets her father Laird MacLean.
Nothing here, moving on...
Though Julie Garwood apparently wrote THE SECRET after GENTLE WARRIOR, I found THE SECRET pales in comparison in all respects. The one thing I liked about THE SECRET though: Garwood has her hero and heroine give to each other, both in affection and love. I found the rest of THE SECRET however an interminable series of inane conversations about clan gossip and the bureaucratic operations of a Scottish clan. Unlike GENTLE WARRIOR, THE SECRET falls short in plotting, pacing, settings and prose. I also found GENTLE WARRIOR's passion between its lead pair stronger than this novel's. The main reason I wanted to read this novel: it's the precursor to Julie Garwood's highly recommended THE RANSOM.
The Story, possible SPOILERS.
Frances Catherine (Scottish) and Judith (English) have been best friends since they were 4 years old, constantly meeting at the Festival Games on the border. Frances Catherine's mother and grandmother both died from childbirth and fearing the worst, Frances Catherine secures a promise from Judith to come during Frances Catherine's time of pregnancy.
Now married to Laird Iain Maitland's brother Patrick, Frances Catherine stands before the Maitland Council of Elders for permission to allow Judith to visit. Iain travels to the border to fetch Judith himself. They share an instant attraction and Iain jealously refuses to allow her to travel horseback with any of his companions.
For years, Judith has been gathering information on childbirths from midwives so she can help her friend Frances Catherine. Once she arrives to the Maitland holdings, it's one clan gossip conversation after another. And it's like every woman is pregnant because Judith ends up taking over midwife duties and assists 3 mothers with their childbirths before Frances Catherine. The dumb conversations to impact a change in the clan's traditional way of thinking was painful to read, and romance between Iain and Judith even dumber.
The big secret deals with Judith's troubled past, and it isn't much of a secret since we find out fairly early on. Judith is daughter to the MacLean clan, fierce enemies of the Maitlands. After the series of insipid conversations and birthings, we have a boring ending as Judith finally meets her father Laird MacLean.
Nothing here, moving on...
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Gentle Warrior, by Julie Garwood [3]
***/***** (3/5)
I actually enjoyed Julie Garwood's GENTLE WARRIOR, though there's many things wrong with it too. My first book by prolific author Julie Garwood features a very harsh hero from the middle ages (1086), gentle in matters of intimacy, but very rough otherwise. Still, I found GENTLE WARRIOR's prose above-average, the plot had potential for better intrigue though falls short, the settings below average, and the romance not bad at all. I found the relationship between our lead pair, Geoffrey and Elizabeth, interesting to say the least, and not what I'm normally used to from romance novels. There was plenty of teasing between the two, and that had me smiling too. It was refreshing to see the hero helping the heroine for her quest in revenge for a change of pace.
Opposite from the last novel I read (THE DRAGON AND THE JEWEL), I felt GENTLE WARRIOR's harsh hero really didn't deserve his loyal, trusting heroine. Ah, it's always one or the other isn't it? But alas, Elizabeth Montwright gives everything she is -- her faith, her trust, her love -- to her hero Geoffrey and yet Geoffrey holds back until the very end. When Geoffrey finally comes to understand his true feelings for Elizabeth, he still holds back from divulging them to Elizabeth until later. That was cruel in and of itself.
I thought Geoffrey's refusal to share his plans with Elizabeth really led to the danger Elizabeth finds herself in towards the end. She really places a lot of trust in Geoffrey in a very short time, and all he had to do was be more forthcoming with her. But he refuses to be more forthcoming with Elizabeth, obstinately holding to traditional values of a woman's place.
Still, Geoffrey is gentle in his own way, and his rigid demeanor is probably more realistic for the time period than other romantic heroes (Simon from THE DRAGON AND THE JEWEL, for example). I found the relationship between Geoffrey and Elizabeth very unique, and only a few pages into the novel, things get moving quickly as we're treated to a marriage and a love scene. No meek heroine herself, Elizabeth stubbornly challenges Geoffrey's traditional way of thinking and shrugs off his rules in public. For example, Elizabeth pulls up a chair beside (not behind) Geoffrey while he's holding court and hugs him in front of everyone, essentially contesting Geoffrey's traditional rules. Elizabeth challenging Geoffrey formed the highlights of the novel, and were very fun to read as Geoffrey's austere nature slowly crumbles in the face of Elizabeth's gentle affection and stubborn challenges. I thought there should have been more parts of the like. And Geoffrey deserved a dressing down, his harsh demeanor and arrogance was over-the-top, even for me.
The Story.
Elizabeth Montwright has witnessed the death of her entire family -- her two sisters, her parents and many others. Barely escaping Montwright Manor with her 7 year-old brother and now the heir to Montwright Manor, she now pledges death for who she believes is responsible: her greedy uncle Belwain. Elizabeth is described as strong-willed character, expert with her bow as well. Still, she's probably more affectionate and caring to her hero than any heroine I've read as of late. She's the first to voice the words I-Love-You and trusts her hero like no other heroine I've ever read.
As the story begins, Lord Geoffrey Berkley resolves to expunge his enemies from his vassal's holding at Montwright Manor. Although Geoffrey's forces are successful in reacquiring the manor, he's critically injured. Elizabeth arrives as a peasant to assess the new victors of the manor and to help nurse Geoffrey back to full health. They share an intimate kiss while Geoffrey is still recovering and he cannot forget her. Geoffrey is a very rigid man, he adheres to traditional values of a woman's place, he believes intimacy only appropriate during the night, and often is prone to fits of frightening anger.
At first sight, Geoffrey wants Elizabeth and only few pages into the novel, Geoffrey quickly arranges a marriage after he's recovered from his critical wounds. Elizabeth doesn't refuse, and she reasons that he wants to atone for what befell her family and protect her. A sensual night of passion where Geoffrey shows his gentle side soon follows.
From here on, Elizabeth challenging her new husband's thinking about a woman's place and other rigid rules really represent the highlights of the novel. Geoffrey isn't exactly easy to deal with and often times his anger and shock of Elizabeth's boldness in challenging his rules bring him to the brink of cruelty. Elizabeth's strength of character shines. Although other novels may try to paint a bad or harsh or tortured light on the hero, the said hero is usually a very tender and good guy at heart. But Geoffrey's anger and medieval way of thinking is palpably frightening and you really get a sense of what Elizabeth has to deal with in her hero. As much as her true nature wills it, Elizabeth can't constantly challenge and fight with Geoffrey, and she picks and chooses her battles wisely.
The plot dealing with the party responsible for the murder of Elizabeth's family comes to fruition and it contained some good intrigue. Though the identity of the ultimate culprit was unsurprising, it was good. I think there could have been more political intrigue though. Elizabeth's plight for revenge also takes a backseat to her loyalty and love for Geoffrey, which was interesting, but still unwarranted considering Geoffrey's hot/cold treatment of her.
Overall though, I enjoyed this one, and the novel obviously belonged to Elizabeth. I thought there should have been more scenes of Elizabeth breaking down Geoffrey's rigid demeanor and traditional way of thinking towards women.
I actually enjoyed Julie Garwood's GENTLE WARRIOR, though there's many things wrong with it too. My first book by prolific author Julie Garwood features a very harsh hero from the middle ages (1086), gentle in matters of intimacy, but very rough otherwise. Still, I found GENTLE WARRIOR's prose above-average, the plot had potential for better intrigue though falls short, the settings below average, and the romance not bad at all. I found the relationship between our lead pair, Geoffrey and Elizabeth, interesting to say the least, and not what I'm normally used to from romance novels. There was plenty of teasing between the two, and that had me smiling too. It was refreshing to see the hero helping the heroine for her quest in revenge for a change of pace.
Opposite from the last novel I read (THE DRAGON AND THE JEWEL), I felt GENTLE WARRIOR's harsh hero really didn't deserve his loyal, trusting heroine. Ah, it's always one or the other isn't it? But alas, Elizabeth Montwright gives everything she is -- her faith, her trust, her love -- to her hero Geoffrey and yet Geoffrey holds back until the very end. When Geoffrey finally comes to understand his true feelings for Elizabeth, he still holds back from divulging them to Elizabeth until later. That was cruel in and of itself.
I thought Geoffrey's refusal to share his plans with Elizabeth really led to the danger Elizabeth finds herself in towards the end. She really places a lot of trust in Geoffrey in a very short time, and all he had to do was be more forthcoming with her. But he refuses to be more forthcoming with Elizabeth, obstinately holding to traditional values of a woman's place.
Still, Geoffrey is gentle in his own way, and his rigid demeanor is probably more realistic for the time period than other romantic heroes (Simon from THE DRAGON AND THE JEWEL, for example). I found the relationship between Geoffrey and Elizabeth very unique, and only a few pages into the novel, things get moving quickly as we're treated to a marriage and a love scene. No meek heroine herself, Elizabeth stubbornly challenges Geoffrey's traditional way of thinking and shrugs off his rules in public. For example, Elizabeth pulls up a chair beside (not behind) Geoffrey while he's holding court and hugs him in front of everyone, essentially contesting Geoffrey's traditional rules. Elizabeth challenging Geoffrey formed the highlights of the novel, and were very fun to read as Geoffrey's austere nature slowly crumbles in the face of Elizabeth's gentle affection and stubborn challenges. I thought there should have been more parts of the like. And Geoffrey deserved a dressing down, his harsh demeanor and arrogance was over-the-top, even for me.
The Story.
Elizabeth Montwright has witnessed the death of her entire family -- her two sisters, her parents and many others. Barely escaping Montwright Manor with her 7 year-old brother and now the heir to Montwright Manor, she now pledges death for who she believes is responsible: her greedy uncle Belwain. Elizabeth is described as strong-willed character, expert with her bow as well. Still, she's probably more affectionate and caring to her hero than any heroine I've read as of late. She's the first to voice the words I-Love-You and trusts her hero like no other heroine I've ever read.
As the story begins, Lord Geoffrey Berkley resolves to expunge his enemies from his vassal's holding at Montwright Manor. Although Geoffrey's forces are successful in reacquiring the manor, he's critically injured. Elizabeth arrives as a peasant to assess the new victors of the manor and to help nurse Geoffrey back to full health. They share an intimate kiss while Geoffrey is still recovering and he cannot forget her. Geoffrey is a very rigid man, he adheres to traditional values of a woman's place, he believes intimacy only appropriate during the night, and often is prone to fits of frightening anger.
At first sight, Geoffrey wants Elizabeth and only few pages into the novel, Geoffrey quickly arranges a marriage after he's recovered from his critical wounds. Elizabeth doesn't refuse, and she reasons that he wants to atone for what befell her family and protect her. A sensual night of passion where Geoffrey shows his gentle side soon follows.
From here on, Elizabeth challenging her new husband's thinking about a woman's place and other rigid rules really represent the highlights of the novel. Geoffrey isn't exactly easy to deal with and often times his anger and shock of Elizabeth's boldness in challenging his rules bring him to the brink of cruelty. Elizabeth's strength of character shines. Although other novels may try to paint a bad or harsh or tortured light on the hero, the said hero is usually a very tender and good guy at heart. But Geoffrey's anger and medieval way of thinking is palpably frightening and you really get a sense of what Elizabeth has to deal with in her hero. As much as her true nature wills it, Elizabeth can't constantly challenge and fight with Geoffrey, and she picks and chooses her battles wisely.
The plot dealing with the party responsible for the murder of Elizabeth's family comes to fruition and it contained some good intrigue. Though the identity of the ultimate culprit was unsurprising, it was good. I think there could have been more political intrigue though. Elizabeth's plight for revenge also takes a backseat to her loyalty and love for Geoffrey, which was interesting, but still unwarranted considering Geoffrey's hot/cold treatment of her.
Overall though, I enjoyed this one, and the novel obviously belonged to Elizabeth. I thought there should have been more scenes of Elizabeth breaking down Geoffrey's rigid demeanor and traditional way of thinking towards women.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
The Dragon and the Jewel, by Virginia Henley [2]
**/***** (2/5)
Wow, Virginia Henley sure seems intent on exploring a woman's fantasy with huge men and their proportionately gargantuan phallus in THE DRAGON AND THE JEWEL. Over half the novel seemed focused on Simon de Montfort's herculean physique; who knows, probably out of necessity since he towers over other men. I thought the love scenes featuring Simon's extraordinary size detracted from the passion and love (or overwhelmed it, depending on how you look at it!). The size factor and Henley's infatuation with her hero's huge size easily overshadowed the words of tenderness Simon bestows Eleanor after their first time (and many times thereafter).
As far as historical backdrops, plotting and settings go, I found Chadwick's LORDS OF THE WHITE CASTLE (***) superior, as far as tempestuous interactions go, I enjoyed Shannon Drake's COME THE MORNING (***) better, and as far as uninhibited passions go, Elizabeth Hoyt's ordinary-of-appearance characters in THE LEOPARD PRINCE (****) shared a heated passion and love far beyond that of our beautiful couple in Henley's THE DRAGON AND THE JEWEL. Finally as far as sensuality with beautiful characters go, Sylvia Day's ASK FOR IT (**) was better.
I thought the love between our Eleanor & Simon was fairly one-sided for the most part, both in the deeds of love and in words of love. Along with possessing an unmatched warrior's strength and ability, a cunning and observant mind, gargantuan proportions in size, a servicing lovemaking flair for his heroine, and a predilection to justice, Simon de Montfort also serenades our heroine with poetic words of tenderness (throughout). Yup, he's also a regular poet. Eleanor's scathing words (repeatedly) quickly got old while Simon is showering her with tender words and focusing on giving Eleanor pleasure in all the lovemaking. Simon is very gentle and tender with her, while Eleanor scratches, claws and bites Simon everywhere. In every way, the giving was all one-sided: Simon giving everything he is to Eleanor. I really didn't think Eleanor deserved Simon, but hey, it's Virginia Henley's story and Henley's characters. Eclipsing everything are these insistent and persistent references to Simon's enormous size! Also got old quickly, seemingly draining the resulting "love" and "romance." You immediately see the book for what it is: Virginia Henley's "passion" for ginormous-cock worship. ;> Shannon Drake's heroine in COME THE MORNING also seethed and lambasted her hero, but that was handled in a fun manner and turned into an all-consuming love on both of their parts.
Eleanor is one annoying, airhead of a heroine. I like a defiant, willful, badgering girl just as much as the next guy, but too many times, I wanted to slap her so she'd shut up, please don't talk, and please stop thinking ha! When she isn't railing against the hero for being a brute, oaf and a devil, she's enamored with jewels and costly gowns. She exacerbates poor Simon's debt 100-fold with lavish jewels, gowns and gifts. When Eleanor buys a costly gift for her brother King Henry's newborn prince, she pays little heed to Simon's enormous debt (only equaled by his gargantuan size!). Later, when Simon pleas with Eleanor about all her lavish tastes and to take it easy, she ignores him and fights with him instead. She fails to recognize any plots in her first husband's death, and she defends her capricious and feckless brother King Henry like an insipid dolt. She was endearing when she proved herself worthy of her first husband (though she enjoyed every liberty and freedom with her kind, first husband). Then with Simon, she's horrible. Though she was affectionate and caring with her late first husband William Marshal, she's not an affectionate person at heart, and she rails and rants at Simon constantly. When she's pregnant a second time, instead of being happy at the prospect of a second child, she's furious with Simon thinking he sidelined her to bed.
In fact, the love, trust and worship is so one-sided that when Eleanor overhears of a plot to trap and kill Simon, she again fails to return Simon's love, trust and loyalty. She's more concerned about the prospect of Simon's ambition for the English crown than about any danger to Simon. At one point in the novel, Eleanor accuses her sister (Holy Roman Empire's Empress) and sister-in-law (Richard's wife) of being materialistic. Ha, I love it! That's rich, considering her lavish tastes digging her husband deeper in debt. Then, when they gossip about Simon's first wife, again she doubts her husband. Despite Simon's constant worship of Eleanor, she never truly trusts him.
Then, in the Middle East, she ventures to a Sultan's palace, hoping to negotiate in earnest for Simon's captive brother. Whether in public matters of state or in private, Eleanor always gets her way with Simon despite Simon constantly telling her to learn her woman's place. So gaily, Eleanor assumes all men from the time period will honor and worship her esteemed status as Princess of England on a pedestal like her husband Simon does. Similar to most men during the time period, when the Sultan doesn't feel the same way as Simon, she's shocked. Well, duh! Her plight to free Simon's brother quickly turns ugly.
Eleanor may be passionate, but she's definitely not affectionate or understanding or smart.
The Story (briefly).
Ever since she was a small girl, Princess Eleanor Plantagenet, dreams of marrying her hero the marshal of England, William Marshal. Eleanor is willful and usually has the many men in her life wrapped around her finger and finally her brother the feckless King Henry arranges the marriage of 40+ year-old William Marshal to Eleanor when she's 9 years old. William is a kind and strong character, and Eleanor resolves to please him by subduing her will and passion and become the wife William wants. William honorably abstains from a sexual union with Eleanor until she's 16 and mature enough. Both Eleanor and William grow to love each fondly during the year before she turns 16, since Eleanor has grown into a beautiful woman and William lusts for her now.
I liked reading about a heroine's first love. Unlike Chadwick's LORDS OF THE WHITE CASTLE though, it was too idealistic and there's an instant attraction and love between Eleanor & William despite the vast age difference. LORDS OF THE WHITE CASTLE described the heroine's growing fondness and love for her old, first husband over time, which seemed more appropriate.
After a poisoning plot kills her husband William, Eleanor mourns and vows to remain chaste in widowhood before the Church. Enter Simon de Montfort close to 200 pages later, the "greatest warrior" of the time, a behemoth in proportions, honorable, shrewd, and a man who adopts and loves England as his own country. Simon of course pursues Eleanor relentlessly after their first meeting and finally Eleanor relents.
From the moment Simon enters the story, the book is more about Simon's enormous size than anything else, and the poisoning plot was dropped too conveniently later on. The "epic" feeling of the early pages quickly dissipates, and the love between Eleanor & Simon seemed a one-way street throughout with Simon giving all to Eleanor.
The prose is below-average, the plotting just average, the settings fairly nonexistent, the characterizations too childish (Eleanor) or too perfect (Simon), and the romance/love mostly dry.
I'm not giving up on Virginia Henley though, there's potential and I'm curious to see her more recent writing.
Wow, Virginia Henley sure seems intent on exploring a woman's fantasy with huge men and their proportionately gargantuan phallus in THE DRAGON AND THE JEWEL. Over half the novel seemed focused on Simon de Montfort's herculean physique; who knows, probably out of necessity since he towers over other men. I thought the love scenes featuring Simon's extraordinary size detracted from the passion and love (or overwhelmed it, depending on how you look at it!). The size factor and Henley's infatuation with her hero's huge size easily overshadowed the words of tenderness Simon bestows Eleanor after their first time (and many times thereafter).
As far as historical backdrops, plotting and settings go, I found Chadwick's LORDS OF THE WHITE CASTLE (***) superior, as far as tempestuous interactions go, I enjoyed Shannon Drake's COME THE MORNING (***) better, and as far as uninhibited passions go, Elizabeth Hoyt's ordinary-of-appearance characters in THE LEOPARD PRINCE (****) shared a heated passion and love far beyond that of our beautiful couple in Henley's THE DRAGON AND THE JEWEL. Finally as far as sensuality with beautiful characters go, Sylvia Day's ASK FOR IT (**) was better.
I thought the love between our Eleanor & Simon was fairly one-sided for the most part, both in the deeds of love and in words of love. Along with possessing an unmatched warrior's strength and ability, a cunning and observant mind, gargantuan proportions in size, a servicing lovemaking flair for his heroine, and a predilection to justice, Simon de Montfort also serenades our heroine with poetic words of tenderness (throughout). Yup, he's also a regular poet. Eleanor's scathing words (repeatedly) quickly got old while Simon is showering her with tender words and focusing on giving Eleanor pleasure in all the lovemaking. Simon is very gentle and tender with her, while Eleanor scratches, claws and bites Simon everywhere. In every way, the giving was all one-sided: Simon giving everything he is to Eleanor. I really didn't think Eleanor deserved Simon, but hey, it's Virginia Henley's story and Henley's characters. Eclipsing everything are these insistent and persistent references to Simon's enormous size! Also got old quickly, seemingly draining the resulting "love" and "romance." You immediately see the book for what it is: Virginia Henley's "passion" for ginormous-cock worship. ;> Shannon Drake's heroine in COME THE MORNING also seethed and lambasted her hero, but that was handled in a fun manner and turned into an all-consuming love on both of their parts.
Eleanor is one annoying, airhead of a heroine. I like a defiant, willful, badgering girl just as much as the next guy, but too many times, I wanted to slap her so she'd shut up, please don't talk, and please stop thinking ha! When she isn't railing against the hero for being a brute, oaf and a devil, she's enamored with jewels and costly gowns. She exacerbates poor Simon's debt 100-fold with lavish jewels, gowns and gifts. When Eleanor buys a costly gift for her brother King Henry's newborn prince, she pays little heed to Simon's enormous debt (only equaled by his gargantuan size!). Later, when Simon pleas with Eleanor about all her lavish tastes and to take it easy, she ignores him and fights with him instead. She fails to recognize any plots in her first husband's death, and she defends her capricious and feckless brother King Henry like an insipid dolt. She was endearing when she proved herself worthy of her first husband (though she enjoyed every liberty and freedom with her kind, first husband). Then with Simon, she's horrible. Though she was affectionate and caring with her late first husband William Marshal, she's not an affectionate person at heart, and she rails and rants at Simon constantly. When she's pregnant a second time, instead of being happy at the prospect of a second child, she's furious with Simon thinking he sidelined her to bed.
In fact, the love, trust and worship is so one-sided that when Eleanor overhears of a plot to trap and kill Simon, she again fails to return Simon's love, trust and loyalty. She's more concerned about the prospect of Simon's ambition for the English crown than about any danger to Simon. At one point in the novel, Eleanor accuses her sister (Holy Roman Empire's Empress) and sister-in-law (Richard's wife) of being materialistic. Ha, I love it! That's rich, considering her lavish tastes digging her husband deeper in debt. Then, when they gossip about Simon's first wife, again she doubts her husband. Despite Simon's constant worship of Eleanor, she never truly trusts him.
Then, in the Middle East, she ventures to a Sultan's palace, hoping to negotiate in earnest for Simon's captive brother. Whether in public matters of state or in private, Eleanor always gets her way with Simon despite Simon constantly telling her to learn her woman's place. So gaily, Eleanor assumes all men from the time period will honor and worship her esteemed status as Princess of England on a pedestal like her husband Simon does. Similar to most men during the time period, when the Sultan doesn't feel the same way as Simon, she's shocked. Well, duh! Her plight to free Simon's brother quickly turns ugly.
Eleanor may be passionate, but she's definitely not affectionate or understanding or smart.
The Story (briefly).
Ever since she was a small girl, Princess Eleanor Plantagenet, dreams of marrying her hero the marshal of England, William Marshal. Eleanor is willful and usually has the many men in her life wrapped around her finger and finally her brother the feckless King Henry arranges the marriage of 40+ year-old William Marshal to Eleanor when she's 9 years old. William is a kind and strong character, and Eleanor resolves to please him by subduing her will and passion and become the wife William wants. William honorably abstains from a sexual union with Eleanor until she's 16 and mature enough. Both Eleanor and William grow to love each fondly during the year before she turns 16, since Eleanor has grown into a beautiful woman and William lusts for her now.
I liked reading about a heroine's first love. Unlike Chadwick's LORDS OF THE WHITE CASTLE though, it was too idealistic and there's an instant attraction and love between Eleanor & William despite the vast age difference. LORDS OF THE WHITE CASTLE described the heroine's growing fondness and love for her old, first husband over time, which seemed more appropriate.
After a poisoning plot kills her husband William, Eleanor mourns and vows to remain chaste in widowhood before the Church. Enter Simon de Montfort close to 200 pages later, the "greatest warrior" of the time, a behemoth in proportions, honorable, shrewd, and a man who adopts and loves England as his own country. Simon of course pursues Eleanor relentlessly after their first meeting and finally Eleanor relents.
From the moment Simon enters the story, the book is more about Simon's enormous size than anything else, and the poisoning plot was dropped too conveniently later on. The "epic" feeling of the early pages quickly dissipates, and the love between Eleanor & Simon seemed a one-way street throughout with Simon giving all to Eleanor.
The prose is below-average, the plotting just average, the settings fairly nonexistent, the characterizations too childish (Eleanor) or too perfect (Simon), and the romance/love mostly dry.
I'm not giving up on Virginia Henley though, there's potential and I'm curious to see her more recent writing.
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