gwensreading's review
4.0
It was easy to read and interesting. I'm not really well versed in the history of the Normans & Anglo-Saxons, but I was intrigued and captivated. There isn't a ton of plot here but the characters are well built and likable.
jarlina's review
3.0
this book met so many high expectations in terms of historical accuracy. i don't read a lot of historical novels because i find them inaccurate and hard to get through. (i'm a huge lover of history, which is why accuracy is a big deal for me). i loved how clear it is that the author has done her research into both the anglo saxon and norman cultures. random anglo saxon words were inserted into the book every once in a while (and translated, of course), but it felt really wrong and forced as it didn't happen very often. (i think if there was more of it, it would've flowed better and been really cool. i do appreciate the research the author has put into the book and the languages, however.)
considering this book is a romance, you'd expect many sex scenes. i truly wasn't expecting there to be a lack of in this novel, but i'm glad as i think they would've disrupted the flow of the novel. the romance itself i found was a huge let down. melville and avis hate each other due to him being normal and her being anglo saxon, but every time they have an argument they suddenly feel attracted to the other???? i personally don't like this as it promotes the idea that fighting = love, when it should be the opposite. this could be because i don't read a lot of romance, but it really did bother me and i feel the need to mention it.
avis is the heroine of the story. i had this continuous love-hate relationship with her. there were a couple times when her actions made no sense to me and felt like something she shouldn't be doing, but i guess that's just part of her character. something that really affected my reading experience was the constant sentences of "he's a norman" and "she's an anglo saxon" as the character's excuses to hate each other. it became repetitive and annoying.
i loved the writing style of this book so much. although the plot lagged in places and became somewhat boring, the writing flowed so well that i just flew through the book. it really frustrated me that there was constant "head swapping" between the two main characters (as it got somewhat confusing at times), but i really enjoyed being able to see both sides of the story/both sides of the cultural difference.
considering this book is a romance, you'd expect many sex scenes. i truly wasn't expecting there to be a lack of in this novel, but i'm glad as i think they would've disrupted the flow of the novel. the romance itself i found was a huge let down. melville and avis hate each other due to him being normal and her being anglo saxon, but every time they have an argument they suddenly feel attracted to the other???? i personally don't like this as it promotes the idea that fighting = love, when it should be the opposite. this could be because i don't read a lot of romance, but it really did bother me and i feel the need to mention it.
avis is the heroine of the story. i had this continuous love-hate relationship with her. there were a couple times when her actions made no sense to me and felt like something she shouldn't be doing, but i guess that's just part of her character. something that really affected my reading experience was the constant sentences of "he's a norman" and "she's an anglo saxon" as the character's excuses to hate each other. it became repetitive and annoying.
i loved the writing style of this book so much. although the plot lagged in places and became somewhat boring, the writing flowed so well that i just flew through the book. it really frustrated me that there was constant "head swapping" between the two main characters (as it got somewhat confusing at times), but i really enjoyed being able to see both sides of the story/both sides of the cultural difference.
r_j_setser's review
4.0
I received this book from the author for the purpose of this review. All comments and opinions are entirely my own.
A beautiful romance that captures the trials, pain, and confusion of a noble marriage during war, but also the love, commitment, and dedication that is sometimes brewed out of arranged marriages.
I fell in love with this story from page one! Avis is an incredibly strong main character, with all of the charm, wit, and sass that could be desired to fulfil such a powerful role. Hers and Melville's story is one that is enchanting and memorable, and also illustrates how valuable communication is in a relationship.
There is some mild language, sexual comments, thoughts, and actions (though no scenes), and the details of the war can become very gruesome. However, though these things are present, they do not come very often at all, and are mild when they are included in a scene.
Thus, I give Conquests, 4 out of 5 stars and look forward to more of the author's work in the future.
This review was originally published on Literature Approved (http://literatureapproved.wordpress.com).
A beautiful romance that captures the trials, pain, and confusion of a noble marriage during war, but also the love, commitment, and dedication that is sometimes brewed out of arranged marriages.
I fell in love with this story from page one! Avis is an incredibly strong main character, with all of the charm, wit, and sass that could be desired to fulfil such a powerful role. Hers and Melville's story is one that is enchanting and memorable, and also illustrates how valuable communication is in a relationship.
There is some mild language, sexual comments, thoughts, and actions (though no scenes), and the details of the war can become very gruesome. However, though these things are present, they do not come very often at all, and are mild when they are included in a scene.
Thus, I give Conquests, 4 out of 5 stars and look forward to more of the author's work in the future.
This review was originally published on Literature Approved (http://literatureapproved.wordpress.com).
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