Elentarien

• Rated 3 stars

“A retelling of the classic tale "Gawain and the Green Knight", I found this an interesting take on the traditional story. It brought things more into 'perspective' and somewhat more believable a setting. While still dealing with 'magic', transformations and such, it built things so they actually made sense rather than being random occurrences.

An easy to read, but satisfying story. ”

Elentarien wrote this review Friday, November 20 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“An enjoyable book. It was a bit 'slow', and certainly nothing terribly active or exciting happens. But over all it was a very gentle, and enjoyable read. And interesting 'peek' into these people's lives, and a glimpse at another way of living.

NOT a book to read on an empty stomach. There's too much food mentioned for that. Nor if you are on a diet. But it was fun to see how the subplots unfolded and follow along with this quaint town for the year it follows.

I also love that dog! I was rather upset when he was stolen and it took so long to get him back I was getting worried he wouldn't be brought back!

I am definitely looking forward to reading the rest of the series. ”

Elentarien wrote this review Tuesday, November 3 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Loved it. Good sequel to Airborn. :D ”

Elentarien wrote this review Tuesday, October 6 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Loved it! Both interesting and intriguing, the author has a way of pulling you in and keeping you interested until it ends. His descriptions and use of words are the best I've encountered in a long time. ”

Elentarien wrote this review Tuesday, October 6 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“Very enjoyable book. Was hard to put down, though the ending seemed a bit rushed. Don't think there was much more for her to cover with it, though, so all in all it was very satisfying. ”

Elentarien wrote this review Wednesday, September 16 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“I actually quite enjoyed this novel. It was simple reading for an adult, but quite enjoyable. It contained many of the familiar aspects of the original fairytale, though brought it down to a more 'believable' level, and filled in more details. I don't hugely care for the style it was written in - the fact that multiple characters are telling the story, but all in all, it worked.”

Elentarien wrote this review Saturday, March 14 2009. ( reply | permalink )

0 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 2 stars

“Didn't care for this one much. Or, rather, I didn't like the ending. The story itself is fairly interesting - if a bit drawn out. But I found the end extremely unsatisfactory. I could not say *why* exactly, or suggest what might have been done better, but it did not leave me, as the reader, feeling satisfied at all.”

Elentarien wrote this review Friday, March 13 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“This is the first book of hers I've read. I really quite enjoyed it. It has a similar feel to the Victoria Holt novels, while not being exactly the same (of course). Enjoyed the history and the adventure surrounding it. Though the ending felt a bit abrupt to me. It didn't really need any more - but it did feel a bit chopped off.”

Elentarien wrote this review Wednesday, December 31 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 2 stars

“I really did not care for this one nearly as much as the rest of her books. The story is alright, I did like how the characters are once again reunited - that needed done after the last series left them separated. The story was somewhat more complex and a bit more 'adult' than the straightforward stories these characters started wtih, but didn't really seem to 'deliver' the intrigue it promised to start with. Even the Empress who was said to be so clever and devious just seemed end up with trying to force them to stay by brute force - and very little intrigue at all. Most of the 'intrigue' seemed to be short spurts of badly thought out plots by the men trying to kidnap Sandry than complex plots.

I did like how the four main characters started at odds. . .they had all changed in their years apart and had to relearn how close they truly were. Though the 'catalyst' to this was fairly expected, as soon as trouble started, they banded together again. This is not bad, just predictable.

I did not like the whole bit about Daja being a lesbian. To me it ruined the whole book. Apparently their teachers were as well, but in the early books this was left ambiguous and definitely unstated, so one did not have to have it 'in their faces', so to speak. In this book its too blatant, specific and 'in your face' for it to be ignored if one would rather take it another way. This definitely takes it from being a 'children's fiction' to more adult in my opinion and definitely put me off to wanting it in my library.

I also found several apparent inconsistencies. In the former books the children were 14. In the beginning of this one it specified they had been travelling for two years, and said Sandry was 16. . .then abruptly a short ways in. . .they are all eighteen. Yet they had still only been travelling for two years? The timeline definitely seemed to be somewhat confused in this one.

Definitely not one of her best.”

Elentarien wrote this review Tuesday, October 21 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“Like all the Winslow books, this was another good addition to the series. With a character that I could identify with in some ways and an intriguing storyline.

My biggest complaint about this one is pretty much the same as most of the later books in the series. Too much time passes too quickly that the story sort of feels like it takes a lifetime (literally, in the case of the characters) to come out, then the last bit of the book where it comes together seems a bit rushed. As opposed to spending the book building things up, then wrapping them nicely.

But then, I personally am not a fan of single books that span years or lifetimes, rather than having the story take place in months or a year. I sort of feel by the time so much time has passed, you don't really know the character, as a person changes so much over a lifetime you can't. (A series about one person, over the course of their life might be different, if done right. But a single book just feels rushed.)

Still a nice, easy and satisfying read.

”

Elentarien wrote this review Wednesday, September 24 2008. ( reply | permalink )