Book Title: The Warrior's Bride (The Stone of Destiny Series)
Author: Gerri Russell
Genre: Historical Romance
First and foremost.. yes be stunned... it's not vampires or werewolves!
OK, After reading this book, I actually had to think a couple days about what I wanted to writet in this review. This is one reason why, when I read a book or books, I have a nice spiral notebook next to me and/or I make notes in my Kindle at certain spots to go back and look at things to remind me about what point I wanted to think about. As I took my notes I thought about the story in and of itself. I thought about the historical aspect of it. I thought about the way people spoke in the time that the story is suppose to take place and more importantly WHERE. I thought about the beliefs of people in this particular time frame and whether or not what was going on was plausible. Because if it's not plausible, your story isn't quite believable then, is it?
Being of what I believe to be an Irish/Scottish heritage (I say "believe to be" because I'm adopted and that's what's on my birth certificate. My Birth Mother is also adopted and therefore, hers says the same thing!) Lending to my belief is the superficiality of my red hair, temper and just a connection I feel with anything Irish or Scottish. Therefore, I read a lot about Scotland, it's history and Ireland and it's history. I'm pulled especially towards Scottish things. I even have a Celtic Knot-work tattoo on my leg that one of my daughters designed for me, as it includes artwork that each of them have on their backs. So, when I read the summary of this book, I was really relishing the thought of reading another great Scottish history love story.
I have a few authors I adore. But I really love Diana Gabaldon and her Outlander series. I say this for a specific reason. In her books, the way she does her historical research, she literally brings history to life entwining it with her ability to tell a fictional story of love and loss, while giving you the impression of being there, listening to... again listening to SOMEONE SPEAKING WITH A SCOTTISH LILT! The certain way that "R's" are rolled... the cadence of the speech pattern. The actions of those towards someone who is of a higher station of life than themselves.
As I read this story by Gerri Russell, I learned that not everyone can tell a story like Diana. I also realized, the stereo-typical way that someone can write about some who they're trying to claim is Scottish, but so obviously not. Why do I say this? This author used the phrase "aye" to a fault. Like that's the only real Scottish word that mattered and proved the subjects of the story were Scotch. OK... Let's get over my feelings about this and get to the meat and potatoes.. the story.
The story is begins on the Island of St. Kilda. The King has taken his bride and locked her in a tower, just waiting for her to die, but with their marriage, the greedy sod was given ownership of things her family gave as part of a dowry. This "King", however, knows she's a "seer", she uses a stone and can see things that are yet to happen. She still has her stone when she's thrown into the tower. What the King doesn't know, is she's pregnant. She gives birth to a little girl, but as the wife continues to use the stone, simply to escape her entrapment in the tower, she goes insane. Her daughter therefore thinks that using the stone will cause her pain and suffering. After her mother's death, she's given to a local family as their slave. Now dear reader, you've just walked into your own "Scottish version" of the Cinderella story.
One day, out of the blue, a man shows up looking for our little princess. His father, a King, who has never done anything but use him and his brother, has given and edict that his brother will come to harm if he does not marry this girl. He is not told any information about her, just her name and where she can be found. He finds her, and takes her and her only possession in life, a chicken. She's very shy, dirty, dressed in rags, etc. He gets her to the boat and makes a run for home to save his brother. He's made a deal with her that by marrying him, she has the protection of marriage without actions of marriage. He can tell she's pretty young and not wise of things marital. However, after trying to hide and convince herself (along with her chicken) to take the long boat and take her chances at open sea, she's having anxiety... it's a dark place, dark places are scary after being locked in a tower since you were born and abused by your keepers ever since. So, when she tries to make a run for it, just as dusk comes (she can't move while it's dark) our young prince, has, of course figured her out and knows where she is. She falls overboard, he dives in after her and oh my, sparks fly. One of the crew inflicts harm on her, and he gets a beat down too.
OK... she's obviously not used to sticking up for herself, or her....chicken. As life goes on, she's become fond of the prince, doesn't know why she's feeling the way she is... yada yada... you've heard this before....
They arrive at his castle and he's all the sudden VERY protective of our little dirty princess. His Consort, dressed as regally as any queen would be assumes she's just another servant and starts to order her around... gets put in her place and told our little princess is to be his wife. Jealous consort....I think you get where this is going.
It all comes down to the stone though. The Princes best friend (not even labeled his Best MATE like the Scots would call him.) is a seer too, and has a stone. Every time he uses his, his gray streak in his hair gets bigger, even though he's the same age as the prince.
There's going to be problems with both sides of the daddy's now.. the Kings are fighting over land and other things, especially the fact that the stones see the future, AND the sons are expendable as is the princess.
As in every Cinderella story, the prince and princess are together... but somehow our little quiet mouse finds the guts to one day don weapons, chainmail, and gets a horse, to save the one she now so desperately loves (who has also ditched said consort). She rides to her husband's surprise and pride and becomes 'THE WARRIOR'S BRIDE'.
There... now you don't have to read the story. I of course left out quite a bit, but with any Cinderella story, you pretty much get it. There's always going to be a little change-up here and there, especially since it's about the stones (as is indicated in the titles parenthesis') But I really found it wanting. There was really not a lot of growing time for the princess to go from quiet abused, grew up half her life locked in a tower, slave and hardly dressed properly, to grandiose seer with the guts to, while dressed in her new handmade frock fit for a princess, to go to the aid of her prince without so much as a flutter in her stomach. It was like all the sudden she became Xena Warrior Princess or something, trying to speak Scottish! "Oh Aye sir!"
Yes, love stories are all pretty much the same. But when you're trying to incorporate historical facts into your fiction, and do so in a place whose English has a very recognizable BURR and LILT to it, then at least try to treat your readers with more respect than to write a story, with the history wrong, timetable off, and your characters lacking form and actual believability. There aren't many times I get to the point where I will not continue with a series unless fundamental changes are made. This would be one of those. My reasons are simple. I'm ticked. I feel like someone took my heritage, and completely disregarded what fundamentally makes the SCOTTISH. So really... what was the point of placing the story there in the first place?
2 out of 5 bookmarks (and I'm trying to be nice after a not-so-nice review.)
No comments:
Post a Comment