Helpful Score: 2
Oh my gosh! This was an excellent book. I'm a fan of historical fiction and have read quite a lot but only for the past year and this book was one I absolutely couldn't put down! Wonderful! The synopsis above is pretty much the picture of the book but woven with much more character depth. Definitely a 5 star for me! Read the next in the series: The Exiled, The Uncrowned Queen AKA: The Beloved.
Stephanie S. (skywriter319) -
Helpful Score: 1
First and foremost, don't read this book expecting historical accuracy, for if you do, you'll be sorely disappointed. That being said, THE INNOCENT is a twisting, bosom-heaving, emotional, gasping historical fiction read! The author gorgeously places us into the heads of all the characters, however minor, so that we are able to get a sense of their thoughts and feelings, their conflicts and uncertainties. I don't know much at all about Medieval England, but I am far from disappointed here: our closeness to the characters makes for an extremely believable court intrigue, a space full of secrets, hidden desires, backstabbing, and political unrest...delicious!
However, I was most bothered by some of the characters and their relationships with one another. The protagonist, Anne, was just too perfect, the perfectly helpless damsel in distress whose occasional bursts of confidence and assuredness seemed fake in light of her more consistent ability to not have a spine. Similarly, I found the romance between Anne and King Edward unrealistic. I got no inkling of the chemistry between them, just an unfathomable draw of "something" driving them together in spite of everything.
Despite those issues I have with the book, I'd still recommend THE INNOCENT to a variety of readers. Even if you don't know or often read books about Medieval England, Posie Graeme-Evans' writing ability is still something to take note of. You will be sucked into the characters' stories, and only unwillingly will you put the book down.
However, I was most bothered by some of the characters and their relationships with one another. The protagonist, Anne, was just too perfect, the perfectly helpless damsel in distress whose occasional bursts of confidence and assuredness seemed fake in light of her more consistent ability to not have a spine. Similarly, I found the romance between Anne and King Edward unrealistic. I got no inkling of the chemistry between them, just an unfathomable draw of "something" driving them together in spite of everything.
Despite those issues I have with the book, I'd still recommend THE INNOCENT to a variety of readers. Even if you don't know or often read books about Medieval England, Posie Graeme-Evans' writing ability is still something to take note of. You will be sucked into the characters' stories, and only unwillingly will you put the book down.
