A review by feliciaj
The Last Banquet of Temporal Confections by Tina Connolly
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
A tale of a tyrant duke who quite literally gets his just desserts.
A loving couple are both forced into the service of the regent to the throne and kept cruelly separated. Saffron is the duke's food taster, a task that ensures her husband Danny, the pastry chef, won't try to poison the duke. But Danny has other weapons, because the pastries he creates invoke memories and the emotions associated with them. The sociopathic duke enjoys watching other nobles suffer the pain of hurtful memories, so he forces Danny to prepare and Saffron to describe the confections at weekly banquets. Can Danny bake something to bring the duke down without harming his wife?
I especially enjoyed how the author used Saffron's memories to tell the story of this devoted couple, who only wanted to help others by serving them the pastries needed to help them process their emotions. Their relationship will ring true to any long-term couple who can communicate with each other without speaking. The tale also highlights how ordinary people can make huge differences in the lives of others simply by showing empathy and understanding.
Listened to on Cast of Wonders podcast, Episodes 366 and 367.
A loving couple are both forced into the service of the regent to the throne and kept cruelly separated. Saffron is the duke's food taster, a task that ensures her husband Danny, the pastry chef, won't try to poison the duke. But Danny has other weapons, because the pastries he creates invoke memories and the emotions associated with them. The sociopathic duke enjoys watching other nobles suffer the pain of hurtful memories, so he forces Danny to prepare and Saffron to describe the confections at weekly banquets. Can Danny bake something to bring the duke down without harming his wife?
I especially enjoyed how the author used Saffron's memories to tell the story of this devoted couple, who only wanted to help others by serving them the pastries needed to help them process their emotions. Their relationship will ring true to any long-term couple who can communicate with each other without speaking. The tale also highlights how ordinary people can make huge differences in the lives of others simply by showing empathy and understanding.
Listened to on Cast of Wonders podcast, Episodes 366 and 367.