Love the concept on this one. Couldn't enjoy it though. It's too politcal for me. You almost need to keep a map of the characters and how they're intertwined. Not nearly as good in my opinion as some of her other works.
Helpful Score: 4
Not as good as her Urban Shaman series but entertaining to a degree. I had to keep a scorecard at all the characters and how they are to the main character, Belinda.
Helpful Score: 3
This book had me torn. Sometimes I absolutely HATED this book and the next I couldn't put it down. It was definitely a love-hate relationship. The main character Belinda Primrose confused me. I would feel so bad for her because her entire life she has been trained to be an assassin but she dreams about what it would be like to be normal and find love. Then she would do something so nasty and I would just be disgusted with her character. I had a tough time keeping everything straight with the different kingdoms and who ruled them and who fathered what child. So like I said, very torn about this book. I have decided that I most likely won't read the next book in this series anytime soon.
Whitney C. (CollegeKid0010) -
Helpful Score: 1
So out of all the books sitting on my self awaiting my attention, I chose one of my newer arrivals. The Queens Bastard. The title implies a couple of thingswere looking at a historical context and a lot of power. I have to admit that right away, it wasnt what I expected it to be. I knew the queens out-of-wedlock child would have a rather sordid life, but C.E. Murphy instantly started painting a world far beyond what I expected. Belinda herself is a resilient and adaptable woman who is completely dedicated to the mother who can never acknowledge her, as well as the father who raises her to be a deadly weapon. Robert telling Belinda to find a way to kill du Roz and then her quick work in pushing him down a flight of stairs the same night really jarred me. It was then I knew that I was reading about a woman who was literally a weapon.
With this single book, Murphy has earned a place on my Favorite Authors list because of her descriptive style. Being the sponge of a writer that I am, I found myself going back over entire sections to pull out key phrases and look at wording and gauge the amount of information given. She had in-depth descriptions, but not the conventional type; hers somehow float around the issue at hand in a way thats both detached and very straight to the point, and I really liked that.
Another thing I admire was the virtual lack of wasted ends. Everything came back around in one way or another, even Viktor, one of her many lovers. As the hopeless romantic, Im used to seeing a meshing of emotions and attempts to not hurt others. Belinda acknowledges Viktor but still disregards him in a way that shows her dedication to her mission and her detachment from the world. Her abandonment of him is powerful, because nothing will stand in the way of her duty to her mother, the queen.
She cant remain detached forever though, and years of being moved from one life to another in the interest of accomplishing someones death finally seems to catch up with her when she settles in to play the role of a minor noble lady, Beatrice Irvine. Belinda admits to herself that playing such an obvious public role is a stark contrast to the serving maids shes used to being, and it presents her with unique challenges. Her past threatens her present though, in a way that both challenges her and places her mission in jeopardy. Couple that danger with the sudden question of whether her loyalty will win out over her love and affection for the prince shes using, and Belinda is in more than one tight place. Not to mention the power shes found within herself!
I wont tell you about the ending, in part because I dont know it. The series is just getting started, with The Pretenders Crown as the next installment, and Im very much looking forward to it. The Queens Bastard has been a smooth and crazily addictive read, and I highly recommend it to fans of conspiracy, romance and fantasy.
www.whitneycarter.wordpress.com
With this single book, Murphy has earned a place on my Favorite Authors list because of her descriptive style. Being the sponge of a writer that I am, I found myself going back over entire sections to pull out key phrases and look at wording and gauge the amount of information given. She had in-depth descriptions, but not the conventional type; hers somehow float around the issue at hand in a way thats both detached and very straight to the point, and I really liked that.
Another thing I admire was the virtual lack of wasted ends. Everything came back around in one way or another, even Viktor, one of her many lovers. As the hopeless romantic, Im used to seeing a meshing of emotions and attempts to not hurt others. Belinda acknowledges Viktor but still disregards him in a way that shows her dedication to her mission and her detachment from the world. Her abandonment of him is powerful, because nothing will stand in the way of her duty to her mother, the queen.
She cant remain detached forever though, and years of being moved from one life to another in the interest of accomplishing someones death finally seems to catch up with her when she settles in to play the role of a minor noble lady, Beatrice Irvine. Belinda admits to herself that playing such an obvious public role is a stark contrast to the serving maids shes used to being, and it presents her with unique challenges. Her past threatens her present though, in a way that both challenges her and places her mission in jeopardy. Couple that danger with the sudden question of whether her loyalty will win out over her love and affection for the prince shes using, and Belinda is in more than one tight place. Not to mention the power shes found within herself!
I wont tell you about the ending, in part because I dont know it. The series is just getting started, with The Pretenders Crown as the next installment, and Im very much looking forward to it. The Queens Bastard has been a smooth and crazily addictive read, and I highly recommend it to fans of conspiracy, romance and fantasy.
www.whitneycarter.wordpress.com
Espionage, politics, religion, and sex, this book has it all plus a little magic to boot. Set in a fantasy world with notes from the Elizabethan era you follow the heroine from one appalling act to another and I was completely fascinated with her. As a fan of the Tudor story from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I, I was immediately drawn into the intrigue of royal court politics that this book portrays and I am very much looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
