The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
The Inheritance Series, book 1
by N.K. Jemisin
Copyright: 2010
Publisher: Orbit, Hachette Book Group
Format: e-Book
Pages: 432
Source: Own
Read for... The Women of Fantasy Book Club

Synopsis taken from Barnes & Noble:
Yeine Darr is an outcast from the barbarian north. But when her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, she is summoned to the majestic city of Sky. There, to her shock, Yeine is named an heiress to the king. But the throne of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is not easily won, and Yeine is thrust into a vicious power struggle with cousins she never knew she had. As she fights for her life, she draws ever closer to the secrets of her mother's death and her family's bloody history.
With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, Yeine will learn how perilous it can be when love and hate - and gods and mortals - are bound inseparably together.

First Sentence:
I am not as I once was.

My Thoughts:  Wow!  I loved this story. I loved everything; the writing, the storyline, the world, the characters.  I am gushing as I write this post because I am feeling a rush as I try to pause my spinning head, quick breathes, and fluttering heart. Everything about this tale mesmerized.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms spun an amazing tale. I was enthralled from the first sentence through the last. I was enthralled with the allusion to Greek mythology. I definitely was enthralled with the gods, and the mortals alike as they played a game; a game of power.  As the tale unfolded, I found that I  became increasingly aware of the layers within the story; aware of the intricacies of all that was happening. 

The world for which this story takes place is not like any other world I have entered.  The kingdoms all have different customs but must abide by one powerful ruling kingdom.  Yeine is such a powerful character; her narration is simple, and very alluring.  However, while I do like first-person point-of-view, I did struggle a bit with the flow of the narration.  Yeine is not talking to us, the reader, rather she is talking to one person; relating her memories, trying to recall memories.  Due to this style of narration, Yeine does move around a bit in her narration; present time, jumping abruptly to past events as she tries to fill gaps in her memory, and than right back to present time.  Yes, it did take me a bit to acclimate to her narration.  Yes, her delivery would throw my reading eyes into confusion as I tried to figure out where she took us and why, but swiftly within the read, I became accustomed to her pace,and rhythm. I became acclimated to her pauses, and flow between present narration, and flashbacks.   Once I understood the flow of the narration then the story became much more worthy of my reading time.

Nahadoth… the dark, alluring, powerful, dangerous and very seductive god.   I found him to be the most compelling character; there were many layers to this god.  He was conflicted and not always predictable.  I did not like him much at first, but by end of the story, I do believe I understood him far better, and did like him. He was interesting, and complex.  As the story progressed, the tale of the gods unfolded little by little, and with each layer that was unfolded, I began to understand the gods; their beginnings, and conflicts. I began to understand Nahadoth a bit better.  I will say, I was, at first, taken aback to how the gods procreated, but in the end, it did not matter to me, nor bother me because my mind was able to suspend reality and go with the myth that Jemisin created.  This myth worked for me.

Sieh is another god that played an integral role within this story. I was immediately drawn to him, and found him to be rather interesting throughout the entire read, and at the same time, a bit disturbing.  Don’t let the childlike exterior, and personality fool you. He is a trickster that can be utterly cruel.  Even so, it is hard not to find a bit of compassion towards Sieh because I do believe he was sincere towards Yeine…most of the time.  Sieh is a god with layers within himself, and a god that added to this story with those layers.

I remain curious about the gods, and about Yeine.  These characters were written with utter fabulousness.  Yes, I wish I knew a bit more about the other gods that were within the pages of this story, but ultimately, I am okay to be in the dark a bit about them.  In the end, I felt they all served purpose for this fantastic tale.

I did not know what to expect when I went into this read, but I do know that I was not expecting to come out of the read with complete admiration for the author, N.K.Jemisin.  I feel admiration for her ability to write one of the best fantasy stories I have read. Her amazing ability for storytelling gifted this reader with an incredibly strong tale that entertained on so many levels; intrigue, mystery, suspense, horror, compelling, power, attraction, love, fear, hate.   Jemisin smoothly wove all those elements into a story with a beautiful pace that captured, held and commanded my attention. I loved every minute that I spent within The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. I am thrilled that I can jump right into the second book of The Inheritance Trilogy, The Broken Kingdoms and immerse myself back into this incredible world that N.K. Nesmin has created.  I am thrilled that I will be able to spend more time immersed in this author’s amazing talent for storytelling.

Bottom Line:  I could not put this book down; it is one of the best I have read.

Recommendation:  For those who like fantasy reads. All may not like this story as much as I did, but I do think it is worth reading.

 To see what other have to say about The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, click here, Jawas Read, Too!  Read the review, and then the discussion in the comments.  By the way, Erika has a different take on the story than I.

To find out more about the book club - details, and book selections – click the button.

Side Note:  This story does indeed contain political conflicts for which I did not address within my ‘review’ mostly because I found this to be both the plot element that set things in motion but also secondary to the myth of the gods, and to Yeine herself.  I am a character centric reader, therefore, if the characters are working for me then the plot, while it does need to follow the rules the authors sets into place, does not necessarily have to be strong or always make complete sense.  If the characters are working for me then I tend to be a forgiving plot-line reader.  I liked the main characters; they worked for me, and ultimately, I felt that the various storylines within the story worked for me, were intriguing, and did make sense to me.

The following is my attempt to answer the discussion questions that Erika asked the book club.  There will be spoilers, I am sure, within the answers.  I have them here for my own record keeping purposes, but they also will be placed in the comment section of Erika’s post.

1. It becomes apparent that Yeine has done some things in her life that her Arameri ancestors would be proud of—namely killing her aggressor in her coming of age ceremony.  Does the contradiction in this surprise you or does it suit her character as one who is discovering she is equally Darre and Arameri?  Did being raised Darre help her better cope with adapting to Arameri culture?

I did not question much about Yeine heritage.  She is both Darre and Aramer and with that fact, I assumed she would know a bit about both.  It would seem that she would be more Darre since she was raised in that land, in that culture, but I did not necessarily feel that way because I got the distinct impression that her mother was a bit of an outcast which means that Yeine was as well.

3. There was some drama with Yeine’s homeland. Do you think its troubles are over or is war unavoidable?

I do not think the troubles in Yeine’s homeland could have been avoided nor are they over.  The only way, may be, they could have been avoided if is Yeine’s mother never left the Arameri.

4. Jemisin was careful to include the physical differences as well as the cultural ones between the Northern folk of Darre and those living in Sky.  How different do you feel the cultures actually are?  Or are the two more similar than the distinction appearances Yeine persists in noticing?

While I firmly believe that the Darre people possess a cruel streak, I do think the people of Sky are far more cruel, and selfish.  The whole society of Sky is built upon obtaining power within one family, and to use all those in their way to maintain that power.  I feel that the people of Sky are harsher, and quicker to to strike the blow of cruelty onto another. While I think the Darre people have a greater capacity for fairness, and compassion.

5. There was a creation myth in this novel. Did this work for you or did it merely explain the history of the God’s War?

Yes, the creation of the god myth did indeed help to explain the god’s war, but it also worked for on the whole of the story.

Yes, I did indeed skip question #2.

Sunday Post

The inspiration for my Sunday Post format came from In the Heart of my Home , and Shower of Roses. Both blogs write “Daybook” posts; I like their format, and have decided to take their lead.

 

My thoughts were written on Saturday evening.

Outside My Window..... It is dark, and cold.  Nothing unusual for this hour, for this time of the year.

I am Listening to..... the hockey SuperSkills competition.  This is like a pre-game of sorts for hockey before their all-star game on Sunday. Concurrently with the hockey noise, IJ is constantly chattering about the same thing over and over again…the fact that he wants the tv remote.

I am Thinking..... about my W2 and what an idiot I am.  For all the years that I have been working, and that is more than 2 decades, I have never...I say NEVER lost my W2 until this year AND I lost it within a few days of its arrival. So totally lame of me...an idiot!  Grrr...  This coming Monday, I will request a new W2 be sent my way.  Grrr.... I wonder how long it will take?????

I am Grateful for.....friends, most especially Jody.

I am Pondering..... this post, How To Make A Marriage Bed.  Please, go read it. I think you may find it full of beauty as I did.   You may even find yourself reflecting upon the message as I am doing.  Mostly though…the beauty, the poetry, the love…. I am reflecting.  If you like what you read over on that post then do keep in mind that for the next two weeks The Practice of Marriage will be the theme for a holy experience’s Walk with Him Wednesdays.

I am Reading..... On Friday, I started Dust by Elizabeth Bear. I am liking this story even though I am having a bit of a difficult time understand the world, and all that is going on.  This week I will start my reading of Villette by Charlotte Bronte for the read-along over at Unputdownables.  For information on this read along, take a look at Villette Read-a-Long: Starting Post.  As far as our family read-along is concerned as well as the book I am reading to ED and EJ, well they are still the same.  See left side bar for title.  EJ and I are still reading, Pegasus by Robin McKinley, and we are past the half way point in the story…. EJ is hooked. Reading this book again is pure enjoyment on my part.

I am photographing.....several things. Most notably, EJ’s drawings, and school project.  At the bottom of this post I will have a few photo examples of her work.

Photo Notes..... I need to learn my camera better. Sure, I have had the camera for almost a year, but I have not fully bothered to truly understand it.  First thing that I need to get a handle on is the ISO.

I am Listing..... names for IJ’s address book.  Yep, he has an address book for his photo album.

I am Creating..... a couple of things. IJ’s photo album.  He has taken a strong liking, bordering on obsession, to photography, more specifically…taking photos of of his interest, printing said photos out to be placed in album.  This album is going to school, and is of use for his “writing” of sentences.  He then is taking a photo, with a sentence, and mailing them to very lucky individuals.  This has been a huge motivator in getting him to sit down with the computer program...with his teachers help.  IJ does not truly know sentence structure as one would know intuitively...this program is a big deal. 

On my Zune..... Ummm…this has not truly changed. Well, I guess technically it has changed since I have added another album into my playlist rotation, but the rotation is all of the same artist. Yes…yes… I am still listening to Josh Groban.  Umm…I  swear that this playlist obsession of mine will change up…it will, but when…I am not sure, but don’t thing that will happen any time soon.  Which album have I added to the list?  Closer would be the name of the album, and I will say that I am enjoying this one too.  Now, now…I know you want to hear more about him on my blog, no worries.  I am certain that I will be featuring more of his songs on my Song of the Week posts. I am going to try to hold off for at least two more weeks...I will try.

To Live my Faith..... I am still on track with my Bible reading.  To supplement all that I am gaining for the Word itself, I have started to slowly make my way through Joseph: A Man of Integrity and Forgiveness by Charles Swindoll.  Joseph happens to be on of my top favorites in the Bible.  He is such an honorable man, and I look forward to learning more of him.  Also, I mentioned before that I have become highly intrigued by the Catholic church, and I want to know more so I have taken on a Bible study that Caroline of Flowing Streams is hosting.  The posts are enlightening. I wish I had more time to converse with her...need to make those comments of mine more of a priority.  If you are curious or interested, check out her posts that are tagged, Bible Basics.
How is the memorization of Colossians going?  Why, thank you for asking.  It is going very well, if I do say so myself.  Through a holy experience post, I found the memorization site, Scripture Typer .  I have started going through the site, and am liking what I have seen thus far.  It matches my idea that I need to write the verses out several times per week to put them to memory, and to keep them there as well. I am very excited to see what I will gain from this memory work. I am very excited to be taking a journey with Paul again as he is another of my top favorites in the Bible.

I am Hoping and Praying.....  for my children’s futures.  I pray and hope that they all grow to be strong, loving, independent, compassionate, caring, and God loving people.

Around the House..... yippee yippee yay yay…the kitchen faucet has been replaced.  By the way, what is that spray thing with the faucet?  Just kidding…I know what it is, but we have been without one for so long that it looks foreign.

From the Kitchen.....  I made a fantastic broccoli/cheddar soup...so very yummy…I mixed the recipe up with the one I linked in the soup title with this one..  We also had salmon and used the recipe that Sue left in the comments last week.  It turned out great...thanks Sue!  This coming week, we will grill chicken and tofu, chicken soup, fish of some sort (probably salmon again) and who knows what else because yeah...I did not make up a new menu plan since we did not utilize it last week.  Please share a recipe that you and your family loves. I would love to try it…keep in mind, we have a vegetarian in our midst, and we do not eat much meat on the whole….still I am gamed…please share, if you like.'

One of My Favorite Things..... is having an ‘adult’ child. It is a very interesting fact of life...for me. I love his independence, and not because that means we no longer need to take care of him...nope, we still care for him, but in a different way.  I love his independence because I am thrill that he is able to do for himself...make decisions, live life. He is growing; he is becoming his own.

The Children this week.....nothing hugely exciting going on with the children that I have not already mentioned…IJ’s photo album/letter “writing”….. EJ’s fantastical book project; awesome work indeed….EM’s driving experience had my gut all twisted  up in a ball of nerves when she drove my mom’s automatic car from our home to the library which requires travelling down a busy road. Umm…braking and turning corners need a bit of improvement, but hey…the girl has only started to learn to drive, and with that in mind…she is awesome especially with her persevering desire to conquer the stick-shift car...ED and volleyball…the saga continues…GD told me again that she does not want to learn the letters of the alphabet…hmmm…she is only 4…oh yes, she also told me the following {{ when she grows up that she will have a house in our backyard. I said, "Oh? Does that mean you will take care of me when I am old?" She said, "No." I said, "oh...why not?" She replied, "Your younger." Me…"huh?"   Grace... "You are never going to be old." I laughed.}}   Benji is doing well at school…had a nice email exchange with him….oh yes, I must not forget….one child (not IJ or GD) called me “mama” several times, and I will say…I loved it!

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week.....umm…nothing really except daily stuff of life.

Word(s) of the Moment....infonesia…..perfect word for me considering my last week or so of misplacing things. The meaning from MSN Encarta:  inability to remember an item of information or its location, especially on the Internet ( informal ).  Now, using the word strictly for internet usage…well…no worries there, I too forget about sites that held interest to me, and I also forget where I found information on the web.  I have, however, started using EverNote and that may be a source of some help.   Besides, I like how the word sounds… {in-foh-NEE-zje}
Quotation from the book Endangered Words, “I read this article about infonesia recently. I don’t remember where.” – John Alejandro King , “the School of Assassins,” the Covert Comic, March 2002

On this date..... January 31, 2008….Getting Ready…even with all the typos, I found this post interesting indeed, and yes, I still agree…it was for me.

Photo example of…. EJ’s art, her book project, and the characters that she likes to draw which she made into a necklace. (I really need to get my laminator going so that her necklaces and few other creations will last).

 

She made a graphic novel of sorts by illustrating one chapter of Snow Treasure, and added all the words of that chapter to her pages.  Here creation..a treasure of a book it is.

The lovely artful hand.

EJ’s character necklace.

Now…on to IJ’s current high-interest…hockey…his skates, stick and puck…

How about you? How was your week?

Song of the Week: Influences of My Brothers…

Yes…yes people…I am still inflicted with the illness that I have spoken about in this post and eluded to on this post.   Yes…it is the dreaded (or not so dreaded…depending) “song rotation, or lack thereof illness…umm..really though…this illness is more like “musical artist rotation, or lack thereof”  To add to the problem, I now have another album to listen to, and that now makes two of this artist in my collection…well, three when counting his Christmas album.  Anyway, I do feel that I will feature more of his music here on my Song of the Week posts, but until I do succumb,  I am trying hard to listen to other artists.  In the meantime, I have something a bit different for my Song of the Week post.

 

While listening to other music this week, even though it was ever so fleeting, I started to reflect upon my childhood, once again. More specifically, I reflected upon the music that my brothers liked as it is etched strongly into my mind as a young girl, and teenager.  Their music has played a role in the music that I like. How could it not?  Listening to their stuff while I was young girl, and teenager…very impressionable, I was.  I will admit though, I leaned more towards my second brother’s music taste than my oldest brother.  This is true because Doane, my oldest brother, is 5 years older, AND he moved out of the home when he was 18 to become a world traveler that he is today.  My second brother, Darin, is 3 years older than me, and well…I spent more time with him.

This week, I am going to highlight two bands that my oldest brother, Doane, would listen to back in the late 70’s and early 80’s (I think early 80’s).

Kiss … um yeah, now that I am older, I can see why people liked this band, and most especially teenagers, and young twenty something kids.  When I was kid, however, I did not like them.  They sounded like a bunch of noise to me.  Besides, I think my mom did not like them for some reason…I have a memory of her voicing her dislike rather strongly.  If I do not like them much then why am I highlighting them?  Well, they are not bad, just not a band I would blast from my car, but a band that I would listen to now and then if Robert and I were goofing off with the kids.  I do like this song though, Shout It Out Loud.  It is a fun song…very catchy!

I will say, I don’t care much for Gene Simmons. Really, what girl truly likes a guy that is totally disgusting with all of that yucky ducky tongue action. Pure grossness.  Paul Stanley, on the other hand, um yeah… if I were a teenager in the late 70’s and early 80’s…I would  have been in total lust heaven.  Oh wait…technically, I was a teenager in the early 80’s…just barely. ha.

Pink Floyd…now this is one group that Doane would listen to that I do indeed like.  Granted, I am not running out to buy any of their stuff to have on my Zune, but still…the sound is a sound that I like, and gravitate towards.  Besides, who does not like Pink Floyd?  Really. 

This song, Time, must be one that sticks in my brother’s head because when I was briefly emailing him about Pink Floyd…several months ago…he wrote back with just the lyrics of this song within the body of the email.  I am thinking he likes this one!  I do too, for that matter.

Because I do like Pink Floyd, and would blast their music from my car…that is, if I had any of their music on my Zune… I am going to highlight a few other songs.  Very well known songs.

And finally… a newer song of theirs…. Learning To Fly…this song came out in 1987…the year I graduated from high school. 

I will say, when I think of Kiss or Pink Floyd that I am not really thinking about the groups themselves…I think of my brother…for the most part.

I do truly believe that part of the reason why I gravitate towards rock music far more than any other musical genre is because of my brother and his constant need to have his music play…loudly. Although, I could be exaggerating a bit here with his “constant need”, and maybe even with “loudly” because truly…I was a child and children can exaggerate. 

NOW…Let me ask you… what music from your youth as a child, or teenager made some sort of impact upon your life…upon your memories?

 

Side Note:  While writing this post, I started to wonder what kind of music does my brother enjoy listening to these days…as an old man..haha…just kidding Doane, not really…no, seriously, he is 46 years old pushing 47 this year.  Anyway, I would like to know, so I emailed him the question.  When he replies…and he will because I will hound him until he does…I will then edit this post with the answer and a video if there is one.  Stayed tuned…if you are curious. 

I had fun doing this post. There is more fun ahead because next week, or shortly thereafter, I will highlight the influences my second brother, Darin, had over my music taste.

The photo above is indeed of my brother Doane. I believe he is in Israel in this photo, and of course, he has donned his Indiana Jones hat…he loves the Indiana Jones movies…do you?  I like.

Comment from my brother: Hi Deanna, A few comments 1)(a) I don't really "like" the Indiana Jones movies. They are simple plots. But the cinematography is excellent and he is an archeologist from the U.of Chicago. (b) In the photo I'm standing at Tel Lachish (famous mound of the ancient biblical Judean city.)It was destroyed by Sennacherib, king of Assyria ( II Kings: 18-19). (c) Also, the hat is really great, it's warm and waterproof and looks hip in synagogue. 2) I only liked KISS for a year (13) but Pink Floyd from 16 on. Now Pink Floyd is too sad (no hope). (b) I prefer, depending on my mood...electronic dance music or ACDC if I need energy music for a long drive. I like Jewish music ( very broad range here in Israel), NFL films music (seasonal NFL playoffs), I watched at various sport bars late at night (Tel Aviv and Munich) hotel room-cold morning in Munich Best Regards, Doane (Doron)

 My Reply: I find it interesting how memory works. I strongly remember the sounds of Kiss within our home, so that one year must have really stuck...at least with the band. Ummm...he may say that he does not really "like" Indiana Jones, but I beg to differ. I clearly remember when in Israel how pleased he was to obtain a Indiana Jones like hat. ACDC...now? really? Umm...okay. Actually though, Robert likes ACDC too, and I find them tolerable. I will admit though, when I was 18-19 or 20...I like them far more than now. Well, this post was fun for me.

3 in 30: January Closing Comments, and Looking Ahead…

Since when did 28 days start to run by quickly?  Seriously, it feels like January double-timed itself.  It feels like we just started the month yet February looms ahead in just a few days.  Grrr…I don’t feel like I got my feet underneath myself in order to accomplish the goals I set. I am also thinking that I set high goals…maybe they are dream goals rather than goals based in reality.  That reality can be rather harsh at times too.  Harsh in the sense of the double-time rate that days seem to fly by, the busyness of every day life, the numerous daily obligations that are upon my plate. I think that truly, in the depths of my soul, I yearn for simplicity, days that are unhurried, and more moments than not of less multi-tasking…of feeling pulled in many directions at once.  The truth, the reality, is that my life is in a season where much is going on in such a different way than prior years, and most especially when the children are home in the evenings, and I need to go with it instead of trying to swim against the current.

My goals for January, if the above paragraph does not give a clue as to how they went, let me be straight forth…. (my closing comment will be parenthesis and italicized)

January’s Goal Focus: Increase my energy level. (I don’t feel energized)

1. Spiritual Goals: to feed my soul for energy

~~ Daily Bible Reading following One Year Chronological plan  (I am on track. This is good)

~ ~ Scripture Memorization… Colossians in a Year plan found at a holy experience. (I may not be great with reciting verbatim, but I do know what the verses contains…having a tough time memorizing Chapter 1:5-6. Otherwise, I am SOOOO loving this memorization work)

~~ Family Nights… held weekly which follows a Sabbath type format with a family read aloud and activity. ( Hmm…this one is not as easy to accomplish as one may think.  ED is active every night after school which puts a bit of wrench into the plans.  However, while we are not quite doing the whole format that I would like, we are having a family read aloud during/after dinner at least twice per week.)

2. Personal Goals: to feed my mind/body energy

~~ Go to sleep earlier… lights out by 10pm 5 out of 7 nights. (I am a night-owl by nature, and an early-bird by necessity which means I do not obtain much sleep) ( I have not met this goal…too little time for as much as I would like to do.  However, I am far more conscious of my sleep time, and will turn off the lights sooner than I would have otherwise.  I would say, I am averaging 3 nights per week that lights are out by 10pm)

~~ Dare to Disconnect… click on the link for further info. (another goal with a slow start. I have not been great about this one. I am more conscious of my time, and have quickly learned that I need to adjust where I spend my time while online.  Ummm….that is tough because I do like to browse.  Still…a work in progress, and am making progress…albeit, very slow progress.  Oh yes, the TV is off far more during the day, and let me tell you, GD is going through withdrawal. )

~~ Write daily… letters, blog posts, journal (If writing letters with IJ and GD counts, then I am rocking here.  Really though, I have personally only written one letter, but have thought of numerous ones.  I have decided to incorporate a purposeful mindset to once a week, write a Thank You note to someone for something.  Blog posts, I have written many, but many are still in my head unwritten. I need to figure out how to write a post in a more timely manner, and with speed.  How are other bloggers doing it???  Journal…umm…big royal fail. I have the journal…I have my idea…I need to Just Do It!… ah…a Nike slogan, actually like the slogan, and I do like Nike shoes, remembering back to 8th grade)

3. Put some order into my home – to feed my environment energy

~~ Put together my daily planner (Well, not good.  Again… I need to Just Do It!)

~~ organize the bedrooms ( Grrr… remember how I said the days are in double-time speed mode?  Well, this is why the bedrooms have not been done.  By time I am able to get to them, it is 2pm, and IJ is about ready to arrive home.  Why not start in the morning?  Well, my body has a little switch the that seems to want to stay in passive mode during the morning hours, and the active mode switch really does  not seem to work until around 1pm.  Not to imply I am sitting on my bum all morning doing nothing, au contraire.  Still though, the tasks at hand during the morning are more routine (housework), and of the mind thinking sort rather than physical aspect that organizing demands.  Make sense? Does  not to you? Oh well, it does to me.)

~~ organize the upstairs hall closet.  (Yes again, big fail. I have thought plenty about this goal, but with no action behind the thoughts.  This will get done…it must)

February Goals:  I have not completely settled  upon them. I like my 3 goal areas because all three areas are important, but I think I will pare down the sub-goals.  Stay tuned…or not…to next Friday.

By the way, any tips or words of wisdom as to how I can pare down my goals list…please share.

 

Head on over to the tuckers take tennessee for the 3 in 30 post on  January – Closing Comments... to see how everyone else is doing.

Guest Post: Michelle Moran– Author (Madame Tussaud) AND Giveaway (worldwide)

Back in 2009, I read Cleopatra’s Daughter by Michelle Moran was absolutely blown away.  I loved the book so I hope you can understand how excited I am for the release date of Michelle’s newest book, Madame Tussaud.  To  add to my excitement, I am pleased to have a guest post from Michelle, AND a giveaway.  Michelle kindly offered to give one book away to you, my readers.  Not only is she going to send you a book, she will also send a beautiful pair of cupcake earrings.  This is very gracious of Michelle, if I do say so myself…and I do.  Information about the giveaway will be at the bottom of this post.  Don’t skip down there yet, first read her guest post….interesting stuff. 

MADAME TUSSAUD: The Woman

When most people hear the name Madame Tussaud, the first thing that comes to mind are the eerily lifelike waxworks which crowd her museums throughout the world. But who was the woman behind the name, and what was she like in the flesh?

Madame Tussaud’s story actually began in 18^th century Paris. While most people know her from her famous museum in London, it was in France, on the humble Boulevard du Temple, where Marie first got her start as an apprentice in her uncle’s wax museum, the Salon de Cire. At the time, the Boulevard du Temple was crowded with exhibits of every kind. For just a few sous a passerby might attend the opera, watch a puppet show, or visit Henri Charles’ mystifying exhibition The Invisible Girl. The Boulevard was a difficult place to distinguish yourself as an artist, but as Marie’s talent grew for both sculpting and public relations, the Salon de Cire became one of the most popular attractions around. Suddenly, no one could compete with Marie or her uncle for ingenious publicity stunts, and when the royal family supposedly visited their museum, this only solidified what most showmen in Paris already knew — the Salon was an exhibition to watch out for.

Marie in her workshop

But as the Salon’s popularity grew, so did the unusual requests. Noblemen came asking for wax sculptures of their mistresses, women wanted models of their newborn infants, and – most importantly – the king’s sister herself wanted Marie to come to Versailles to be her wax tutor. While this was, in many ways, a dream come true for Marie, it was also a dangerous time to be associated with the royal family. Men like Robespierre, Marat, and Desmoulins were meeting at Marie’s house to discuss the future of the monarchy, and when the Revolution began, Marie found herself in a precarious position. Ultimately, she was given a choice by France’s new leaders: to preserve the famous victims of Madame Guillotine in wax, or be guillotined herself.

A wax sculpture of young Marie Tussaud holding the wax head of Benjamin Franklin

Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution is the story of Marie’s life during one of the most tumultuous times in human history. Her survival was nothing less than astonishing, and how she survived makes for what I hope is a compelling read.

Thanks so much Michelle for the guest post.  As always, you are such a pleasure to work with; a delight.

Michelle Moran was born in the San Fernando Valley, CA. She took an interest in writing from an early age, purchasing Writer's Market and submitting her stories and novellas to publishers from the time she was twelve. When she was accepted into Pomona College she took as many classes as possible in British Literature, particularly Milton, Chaucer, and the Bard. Not surprisingly, she majored in English while she was there. Following a summer in Israel where she worked as a volunteer archaeologist, she earned an MA from the Claremont Graduate University.

Michelle has traveled around the world, from Zimbabwe to India, and her experiences at archaeological sites were what inspired her to write historical fiction. She is the international bestselling author of Nefertiti,The Heretic Queen, and Cleopatra's Daughter. Her fourth novel,Madame Tussaud, will be released on February 15, 2011.  - michellemoran.com

Be sure to check out:
 Michelle’s website
Madame Tussaud excerpt
Madame Tussaud synopsis
Michelle’s Blog: History Bluff

 

Update on March 18th: This story is indeed compelling. Check out my review of Madame Tussaud.

Giveaway Details:

...GIVEAWAY DATE EXPIRED...One of my lucky readers has the chance to win:

1 signed hardcover of Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution 
PLUS
Marie Antoinette cupcake earrings (seen below)

Michelle, herself, will mail the book and earrings to the winner.  Not only that, she is willing to mail to anywhere in the world.  Yay!  That means my international readers can enter too! Thanks Michelle for your graciousness.

Guidelines:
* Open worldwide
* Contest ends on Feb. 22, 2011 at 11:59 CST
* Winner will be announced on this blog.

How To Enter, You Must:
1. Leave a comment with you email address

Optional Extra Entries:
+1 Follow my blog
+1 Tweet this giveaway. Leave link in comments
+1 Post or place a sidebar link on your blog. Leave link in comments

Good Luck and Happy Reading!

 

A Brush of Darkness by Allison Pang

A Brush of Darkness, book one
by Allison Pang
Release Date: January 25, 2011
Publisher: Pocket Books
Format: PDF
Pages: 368, mass market paperback
Source: Allison Pang
Read for… my curiosity; my reading pleasure

Description:

Six months ago, Abby Sinclair was struggling to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. Now, she has an enchanted iPod, a miniature unicorn living in her underwear drawer, and a magical marketplace to manage. But despite her growing knowledge of the OtherWorld, Abby isn’t at all prepared for Brystion, the dark, mysterious, and sexy-as- sin incubus searching for his sister, convinced Abby has the key to the succubus’s whereabouts. Abby has enough problems without having this seductive shape-shifter literally invade her dreams to get information. But when her Faery boss and some of her friends vanish, as well, Abby and Brystion must form an uneasy alliance. As she is sucked deeper and deeper into this perilous world of faeries, angels, and daemons, Abby realizes her life is in as much danger as her heart—and there’s no one she can trust to save her.

First Sentence:

Cat piss and cabbages.

My Thoughts: My Mom has been telling me about Allison Pang and her debut book for several months now. I sort of listened, and jokingly would ask, “Did you tell her that your daughter writes “reviews” about books on her blog? Did you ask for a copy?” Joking because really, I am a bit uncomfortable with reading books that come directly from the author…pressure, you know. A few weeks ago, I was in a daring mood, I asked my Mom to inquire with Allison if there was a way for me to read her book. My Mom did, and Allison emailed me. There you have it….that is how I got my hands on this book, in PDF format.

What did I think? By the end of the story, I let a big “whew!” because I was very pleased with the read, and very glad that I could honestly say…

This is a unique and fun, fun urban fantasy.

I greatly enjoyed the storyline; good pace that kept my eyes glued to the “pages” of my NOOK. I was intrigued with the life that Abby was leading; the world she was living in. The OtherWorld is not like any other urban fantasy world; full of characters you may not expect together. This lot of characters consists of werewolf, demons, pixies who take a stand with PEETA, a faery boss, elven princess, and a very cool unicorn, and other paranormal creatures. Seriously, one would think that with this mixed lot of fantasy world beings that the story would then be crazy mixed up too, but it wasn’t. These crazy, fun, serious, different characters added great flavor, and interest to the story. I got a kick out of them, and the quest they each undertook.

The storyline itself was fantastically fun. Yes, there are some familiar urban fantasy elements within these pages, but the way Allison Pang pulls it all together is another reason why the story has unique flair. She did a fabulous job adding in twists along the way that kept me curious and wanting to discover more of the world. This world provided me with an interesting concept; the touchstone. I really liked that aspect of the story; unique The touchstone added a dimension into this urban fantasy that truly made the story all Allison Pang. Meaning, sometimes, reading urban fantasy after urban fantasy can start to leave a reader a bit flat. You know, how many stories can truly have originality? Well, Pang mixed in originality. Although, I must admit, I did get slightly lost with a few plot elements, and twists but no worries, my reading style enabled me to get myself back on track; a fun ride.

The key to kick-ass story was Abby and Brystion. Abby, of course, is our heroine. She appears to be an average chick who naively finds herself engrained in a paranormal world without any apparent super traits…initially. She is sassy, and won’t back down even when she clearly is being confronted by someone of greater power. I found her to be a bit on the brash side of life but that is what makes her interesting, and, honestly, slightly annoying. I do think she could be a fun character to watch evolve into greatness; shed a bit (just a bit) of her in your face sass, and replaces it with a bit of in your face finesse. Abby really is fun though, and she has some great friends in her life; friends who stick with you through thick and thin no matter the situation. They all were very cool too with their own little fantastical twists. Yes, Abby was fun character, indeed.

Okay, Brystion….he is hot, but how could he not be when he is an incubus out to accomplish a goal. Around him, women melt including Abby, but even while she is having some rather steamy dreams…Abby does resist, fairly well, the urge to act upon on his sexual allure, and because she does resist, an emotional relationship beyond the sexual attraction starts to take shape. Back to Brystion himself… I liked him…a lot. Ooops…see…women melt. He is cool, and adds tons of allure, but don’t let me mislead you though because he is not one dimensional. Nope, he has emotions, insecurities, and what I like best….his banter….seriously fun. Actually, in general, I liked the banter throughout this story; humor was woven throughout. Anyway, I was truly intrigued with Abby and Brystion’s relationship….steamy with sparks and tension flying all around.

There is a lot that happens towards the ending, and a lot that I did not see coming…love it when that happens. I cannot say that I am completely satisfied with the ending though, and this is mostly due to…well…if I tell you then a spoiler would be in this review and that I do not want. Let me assure you, even with this ending dissatisfaction of mine, I am very glad that I was able to read this story, AND I want to read the sequel. Actually, I cannot wait to read the sequel and am holding out hope for a change in that dissatisfaction that I allude to.

Bottom Line: a fun, fun urban fantasy with a creative world that kept my eyes glued to the “pages”. I am glad that I read this book; a good debut book that holds promise for a rockin’ series.

Recommendation: Urban fantasy readers, and those who like Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series. Really, this book rocks along the lines of the Fever books….not exactly the same but pretty damn close, and maybe will rival it one day as the series matures.

You Should Know: This is an adult urban fantasy book with many steamy, steamy scenes. I was fanning myself at times, and blushing too.

Side Note: My Mom met Allison through a group that they both belong to…a group that raves about a mutual interest of theirs. Raves…I tell ya!!! This connection did not influence my liking of the story. Believe me, I cannot be bring myself to like something if I don’t.

By the way, very soon, say…the week of February 14th, I will be telling you about that mutual interest of theirs. Will I be raving? Ah…most likely, but not gushing as I am currently doing over…well…stay tuned .

I am not keen on the cover. I don’t think it does the story justice. Nor does it give the sense of Abby’s capabilities, and possibly makes her look a bit on the seedy side of life…a bit trashy. While my heroines can exude sexiness and all that, I do like them to also exude strengthen of being beyond the little clothes book covers want them to wear. I suppose, I take issue with the ulta mini-skirt, and stockings. Hmmm…did she dress like this in the book? My mind does not remember that. What do you think?

I did say in the beginning of this post that I am not comfortable accepting books from authors themselves. This is true, unless I already know that I tend to like the author’s style of writing….less pressure (notice that I did not say that there is *no* pressure). Anyway, this coming week will feature a guest post from an author with whom I am comfortable with because I already know that I do indeed like her style of storytelling. Stay tuned….

Sunday Post: the mundane of life, the purposed life…

The inspiration for my Sunday Post format came from In the Heart of my Home , and Shower of Roses. Both blogs write “Daybook” posts; I like their format, and have decided to take their lead.

My thoughts were written on Friday evening, January 21st.

Outside My Window..... crunchy white snow, gusty winds that chill you to the bone all of which gives me peace.

I am Listening to..... peace. You know, the sound of nothing except for the fan of the computer and the movement of the computer keys as I hit them with my fingers.

I am Thinking.....about taking on a project at work. It would create more work for me; my responsibility level would increase, but then again, so would my pay.

I am Grateful for..... heat for my home. It was a cold, cold day on Friday (-5 degrees, not including wind chill)

I am Pondering..... something that my brother Doane wrote in an email to me. He and his family live in Israel, and on Jan. 20th, they observed Israel's “arbor day.” They marked this day, as he told me, by having “a kabbalistic festive meal of fruits and wine with various blessing, including a request for a good Etrog fruit for this coming Sukkot holiday.” He went on to write…now this is what I am pondering… “A person is called a "tree" ,..may we produce much good fruit in our lives. Amen”

I am Reading..... Still the same read aloud books as last week which can be found on my sidebar (left side). I also am starting Dust by Elizabeth Bear, my first venture into the sci-fi genre for this year.

I am photographing.....snow type scenes. It struck me that I become very engaged, and thrilled about taking photos during the winter. I felt exhilarated by this last year, and here I am again, renewed interest with honing in on my photography skills while it is winter.

Photo Notes.....I have been saving photos that I admire , and would like to emulate. However, I feel funny about saving other people's photos, and not sure if I am breaking some sort of rule. I don’t use them for any other purpose except to look at, and hopefully to try to recreate. Please tell me if there is a better way to keep track of photos that strike my fancy.

I am Listing..... groceries. This listing of groceries, and menu planning is one big pain in my butt. It is time consuming, and I really do not gain much joy from it. Although, I do gain joy from frugal (not tightwad) spending, and serving healthy dinners.

I am Creating.....my visual journal, and learning my scrapbook software (just a little bit).

On my Zune..... Okay...this is a bit embarrassing...do I have to tell you what is on my Zune? I think you ought to know if you have been paying any attention at all to my music related posts lately. If you know what is on my Zune, then by all means...have fun with me and leave a comment to let others know.

To Live my Faith..... so, I am reading my Bible in a year - chronologically. well, I missed several days this past week. Why? simple, I allowed myself to become sidetrack in the morning and evening. I did not make it a priority, and that must change. Also, for my memorization of Colossians, I am making progress, and still like the format, but I am one week behind. I am behind because I started one week late, and I have yet managed to catch up. I have decided that one week is not bad, and there could be a chance to catch up at some point during the year, and if not...well...then it takes me one year and a week to memorize Colossians.

I am Hoping and Praying..... my prayer life kind of stinks. I have known this, but it struck me a lot this week that my first reaction towards strife or victories is not prayer.

Around the House..... the kitchen faucet still needs to be replaced and we have had the replacement for well over 6 months. The downstairs room still needs to be finished (rest of the drywall needs to be hung, etc.) Our new furniture piece from CSNstores. com still needs to be put together. All these things are in need of Robert’s attention.

From the Kitchen..... I decided last week to go the route of using dry beans rather than the ones in the can. Trouble is, I am having a hard time remembering to actually start soaking the beans the night before which means a couple of nights we are in the “scrounge for yourself” mode. This coming week, I will be cooking Salmon. Wish me luck because I have no real clue how to cook Salmon. I am cooking it for EM as she loves fish, and this her favorite. Jamie Oliver’s Simple Salmon Supper recipe looks good. Do you have any suggestions for me?

One of My Favorite Things..... The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin… a fantastic book. I am sure it will be amongst my list of favorite reads. I will post about the book later this month.

The Children this past week..... EM started to learn to drive. I started teaching her how to drive a stick shift. She is doing good, but she is very, very nervous. I take her to a fairly remote road to practice because she first needs to become comfortable with shifting before I take her into any sort of traffic. Slow going, but that is okay. The only problem is that she not very tall, and I don’t think she fits the car well. IJ started his new medication, and so far so good. He slept (several naps) during the day for the first four days on the medication, but otherwise, no side effects. I kept him home on Friday to observe him as I work weekends. I have to say, he was very good. He had his moments; all kids do, but still...I think he was very good. Now to work on his impulse control, and attention span. EJ is working on a book project for her school, and my goodness, she is doing a great job. Her attention to detail, and the effort she is putting forth is amazing. I will post about it once it is complete. ED is enjoying her volleyball, and I am over the initial angst about the fees for this sport. GD has been great all week; did you expect anything less? What I find amazing about GD is her command of language. The sentences that she puts together along with the understanding makes me stop to pause, wonder, and send up a prayer of gratitude.

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week..... I work one day (Tuesday), but I need to take a 4 hour recertification for Neonatal Resuscitation Program… fun stuff...hmmm... Beyond that, I really need to get going with my organizational goals for this month...thinking my closet and the hallway closet are up first. Boring stuff; life stuff.

Other news, notes, and miscellaneous from the week: Early last week,Bloom (in) Courage announced their next book for the bookclub. They are excited by the choice, and so am I. I have been talking up a holy experience a lot lately and that is because I have been greatly moved by Ann Voskamp’s writing, and well, when I saw that Bloom (in) Courage will be reading One Thousand Gifts as their first bookclub read for the year, I knew that I needed to join in. They will be featuring weekly vlogs, and Ann will be apart of the videos. Sounds like a fun bookclub. Another exciting aspect is that my friend Jody said she would read the book too. Now, I am not certain she will read it during the bookclub timeframe but still...
Take a look at One Thousand Gifts - details for the reading schedule. If you would like to join in, it is not too late.

Word(s) of the Moment....etrog...Do you know what it means? I did not, and my brother referred to it in an email he sent to me. I looked it up, and now I am enlightened. etrog, according to Wikipedia, is a citron fruit. It is used for its fragrance and zest of the rind. It does not seem to be very edible. For it to be considered kosher, it must reach the size of an hen’s egg. For the Jews, it is used during the Feast of Tabernacles (the Sukkot holiday as my brother mentioned). It is considered a Jewish symbol....correct me if I am wrong on that one. Interesting...a bit of knowledge gained all from a simple email from my brother.

On this date.....Fun,fun, fun to read this post again... Grace’s Firsts...first time feeding herself! This post is also my very first one on my blog. The format is not great, for sure. Fun.

What was the highlight of your week...last week?
I wish you a blessed week.

Song of the Week: The NEW Cannon Rock

Okay, truth be told, I don’t have a Song of the Week this week. Well, actually I do, but it is the same as last week, Alla Luce Del Sole. Yes, I do believe, right now, I have an illness which is called “song rotation, or lack thereof”. I really can not shrug off this song yet, nor the album – Josh Groban. I really need to get his second album, Closer. I really need to start listening to something else, I mean, that is the whole purpose of these posts; to not allow myself to get into a rut for weeks; to vary up my playlist.

You, my reader, do not need to suffer through my illness though. For this week, I am sharing with you a fantastic guitarist that Robert discovered during his Saturday morning YouTube obsession. Well, to be fair, he is not obsessed, but he does like to search out different music to listen to on YouTube far more than I.

It is great fun listening to Matt Rach’s YouTube videos, but mostly, when I first heard him play, I was greatly impressed…he has talent, for sure. NEW Cannon Rock is fun. Turn up the volume and loose yourself in the music…dance, or whatever.

Here is another by Matt Rach.

I actually like this song, I can't Fly, better than New Cannon Rock. It is mellower, for sure, but still has a rock feeling. Mind you, when I listen to Matt Rach, I always need to listen to his Cannon Rock videos.

What do you think of Matt Rach? What “unknowns” have you discovered on YouTube?

The biggest question that I have is… Does anyone else have my song rotation or lack thereof illness, or am I alone on this island?

Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning

Shadowfever
Fever series, book 5
by Karen Marie Moning
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
ISBN: 978-0-38-534167-7
Format: eBook, read on my NOOK
Pages: 510 on my NOOK, 608 in hardcover
Source: Own
Read for…. Ireland Reading Challenge – 2011, and I needed to finish this series; I needed answers

Goodreads Description:
MacKayla Lane was just a child when she and her sister, Alina, were given up for adoption and banished from Ireland forever. Twenty years later, Alina is dead and Mac has returned to the country that expelled them to hunt her sister’s murderer. But after discovering that she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, Mac is plunged into a secret history: an ancient conflict between humans and immortals who have lived concealed among us for thousands of years. What follows is a shocking chain of events with devastating consequences, and now Mac struggles to cope with grief while continuing her mission to acquire and control the Sinsar Dubh — a book of dark, forbidden magic scribed by the mythical Unseelie King, containing the power to create and destroy worlds. In an epic battle between humans and Fae, the hunter becomes the hunted when the Sinsar Dubh turns on Mac and begins mowing a deadly path through those she loves. Who can she turn to? Who can she trust? Who is the woman haunting her dreams? More important, who is Mac and what is the destiny she glimpses in the black and crimson designs of an ancient tarot card? From the luxury of the Lord Master’s penthouse to the sordid depths of an Unseelie nightclub, from the erotic bed of her lover to the terrifying bed of the Unseelie King, Mac’s journey will force her to face the truth of her exile, and to make a choice that will either save the world... or destroy it

First Sentence:
Hope strengthens. Fear kills.

My Thoughts: Oh, what a damn good book. It is my favorite, I do believe, in the Fever series. Okay, okay…true, I was not all that thrilled with the beginning part of the story, but still, KMM’s writing glamoured me right back into the world of MacKayla Lane. Let me tell you, before I knew it, I was completely and utterly enthralled with Shadowfever. I was entranced, and my heart was pounding throughout the read.

KMM wove a complex web, and oh so fabulous the web it was as it snared me in with intrigue, fascination, action, sensual undercurrents and in your face currents. This story has power, and weakness, highs, and lows. There were so many twists and turns that I felt my head spin with trying to keep up, get ahead, make sense of all that was going on.

Gah…I would love to go on an on. I would love to scream out right here and now…scream out all that I did not like (which was very little), and all that I liked in complete delicious detail. I will tell you three things. I still do not care much for Dani; she is a bit blunt, and crass for my taste. I like that Mac has grown immensely in strategic planning, forethought, emotions; she has layers, no longer a superficial girl. Barrons still rocks in my fictional world but how…that I will not say.

What about the ending? you ask. Things are explained, and situations become clear. The world is not left in a cliff-hanging type moment, but there is room for further books whether in a spin-off type of story, or some other type. There is room for something more. What did I think of the ending? Ahhh…now see, I cannot tell you that. I cannot because that, dear reader, could spoil the book for you.

Bottom Line: I feared that this book would be a let down as Faefever was for me; no worries, this book rocked. I could not put it down.

Recommendations: It goes without saying, but I will, anyone who has been reading the Fever series really needs to read Shadowfever. If you have not started the series; well then, if you like urban fantasy, what are you waiting for?

You Should Know: If you already have been reading this series, then you already know, if not, then you should know that there is much in the way of sexual tension, and release within these pages. However, I must say, the storyline does not revolve around the sexual aspects, rather, the sexual aspects revolve around the storyline.

My Other Fever Reviews:
Darkfever
Bloodfever
Faefever
Dreamfever

Side Note: You know how I love the book The Immortal Highlander? You should, I just posted about it. Well, a giddy thrill was had when a brief appearance of Adam was found within these pages. (swoon…only very briefly though). Another thing, the MacKeltar men - Cian, Drustan, Daegus, and Christian - appear in this book…as well as Daroc, and Aoibheal . I really like the crossover of some Highlander characters into the Fever series. It makes things a bit more interesting.

During my “reading” of Dreamfever, I discovered the fabulous narrators – Natalie Ross, and Phil Gigante. I was captivated by their talent, and I have an incredible desire to listen to them narrate this story. Phil Gigante does an awesome Barrons, and Natalie Ross brought a lot of character to Mac. While reading this book, Shadowfever, I could hear their voices in my head. So yeah, I will be downloading Shadowfever from audible.com rather soon, and become mesmerized with this story once again….mesmerized with the voices.

What kind of sucky mom allows her 4 year old to scrounge through the kitchen because she was hungry and wanted to eat? What kind of sucky mom would allow her 4 year old to prepare her own lunch (leftover broccoli/noodles) and warm it up in the microwave after asking said mom what numbers to punch into the microwave? That sucky mom would be me! Yes, indeed, GD put together her lunch because I could not put the book down; I needed to finish reading…really, I did. I was compelled to read this book, actually, maybe I was “voiced”. Who knows? What I do know, GD’s desire to eat lunch at her specific moment ranked low on my scale of things to do beyond read. No worries, while I was definitely entranced with the words before my eyes, I did keep tabs on the younger two children; they were fine, safe, dressed, entertained, and well…you know about the food part.

The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

The King of Attolia
The Queen’s Thief series, book 3
by Megan Whalen Turner
Copyright: 2006
Publisher: Greenwillow Book, an imprint of HarperCollins
ISBN: 978-0-06-083579-8
Format: Paperback
Pages: 385
Source: Own

Back Cover:
By scheming and theft, the Thief of Eddis has become King of Attolia. Eugenides (yoo-JEN-ə-deez) wanted the queen, not the crown, but he finds himself trapped in a web of his own making.
Then he drags a naive young guard into the center of the political maelstrom. Poor Costis knows he is the victim of the king's caprice, but his contempt for Eugenides slowly turns to grudging respect. Though struggling against his fate, the newly crowned king is much more than he appears. Soon the corrupt Attolian court will learn that its subtle and dangerous intrigue is no match for Eugenides

First Sentence:
The queen waited.

Warning: There will be spoilers within this post. There is no way to avoid them without spoiling The Thief, and The Queen of Attolia. There may also be spoilers for The King of Attolia. I needed to write this review without censoring my thoughts due to a spoiler being brought into the post. Sorry. However, if you do read this ‘review’ without reading the first books, and you are like me and wait to start reading the books for a bit….the spoilers are not so bad, I think you will still enjoy the series with the same awe invoking experience that I had.

My Thoughts: Yet again, another clever book in The Queen’s Thief series that I thoroughly enjoyed. There is intrigue and mystery woven throughout the story with intricate detail.

Writing my thoughts for this book was hard to do because I really liked the story, really…really did, but what did I like? With the risk of sounding too simplistic, I greatly liked that all the parts of this story are tightly intertwined which makes it difficult for me to discern correctly if I like or dislike a path that the story has taken. This intertwining aspect truly adds to strength of the book.

You already know I think this series is clever, and I will tell you that this book is no exception. The cleverness within these pages are integral to the intertwining parts of the story. But what makes this story clever? Gen…in a word, in a person. The story is moving along, I see Gen as being out of sorts – passive, dismissive, jut not his usual quick wit. Yeah, submissive to his new life role without utilizing any authority. Me… I am thinking, “No Gen”, “Spunk up”. Then, the story twists, and turns to reveal that the clever Gen still exists only under the guise of his submissiveness. Yes, I am happy, and also pleased not only with the clever aspects but also that the twists and turns make sense. So..part of the cleverness in this book is Gen’s ability to twist and turn when in situations so that the other party sees Gen’s way; understands it, agrees with it, is in his corner. Very clever because it is done tastefully, tactfully, subtly, and with integrity.

Truly, I never cease to be amazed at the inner working of Gen’s mind; he is a very clever, intelligent, and a strong character. Yet, this time, I must admit, he fell a bit flat for me. I suppose that was due to the fact that he was trying to find his niche in his role as king. Even so, his mind was working the whole time even when I, the reader, could not see the work in progress…clever.

Queen Attolia has always bothered me which made Gen and Irene’s match a hard storyline to swallow. I had a hard time truly believing that Irene and Gen have love for one another. I guess, I just do not see the Queen of Attolia truly in that light. But swallow this storyline I do because the overall arc of the story is superb. I think my big issue is that I don't see Gen and Irene as equals or rather I didn’t feel Irene thought of Gen as an equal. Anyway, the joke is on me , so-to-speak, because by the end of this story, I do see their relationship with clarity. They fit, and can be one awesome union….another clever aspect of this book…of this series.

One of the great things about this series is that each book brings us something new, and fresh. This time around, a new character was brought into the mix. Costis is his name, and he is a gem. He brought freshness into the story as well as a good sparring partner for the King along with fantastic sense of being. He is an intelligent character that added greatly to the story. I found his character to be appealing on several levels. He is smart, and quick thinking. He is honest, and loyal. He does not always make the correct decision, but he is honorable, and not foolish. I liked him a lot.

This book is an incredible read, and one that I cannot clearly say how much I liked it. Why? Well, because like I have eluded to, there were parts that I teetered with not liking, and then at the same time I would teeter with understanding, and then teetered with liking or being okay with said part. When all was said and done, I cannot say I did not like those questionable parts because they helped to weave the story into its fabulousness. Which, yet again, points towards another clever aspect of this author’s writing.

Bottom Line: As with the other books, once I was finished with the reading, my mind immediately reeled out the thought… Clever…with a feeling of incredible satisfaction. A very good read.

Recommendations: Children and adults alike who love to read fantasy, world-building, clever books. However, you need to read The Thief, and The Queen of Attolia to have a full appreciation for this book. Read the series; it really is a great one.

You Should Know: My daughter, EJ - age 11, has read all three books, and absolutely loves this series. Her favorite genre is fantasy with historical fiction right behind.

My Other Queen’s Thief Series Reviews:
The Thief
The Queen of Attolia

Other Reviews of The King of Attolia:
It’s All About Books
Stella Matutina
Angieville

Side Note: I apologize here, and right now, for the fact that I have used the word ‘clever’ several times throughout this review (ummm…counted 16 times…geesh), and throughout the reviews of the other books in The Queen’s Thief series. Please know, that word continues to pop into my mind, and hard as I try, I just cannot get that word out of my head when I think of this book; this series.

I read this book in August of 2010. I have had the review all written up on paper as it is here. Have no idea why it took me so long to post except I was lazy to do the transcribing.