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Discussion Forums -
Love & Romance
Topic: Virtual Book Club - Lady of Conquest Discussion
Club rule - Please, if you cannot be courteous and respectful, do not post in this forum.
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Hi everyone, I am posting this discussion a day early as I have a crazy day tomorrow. I would like to add a blanket Spoiler alert for this thread - in order to allow for free flowing discussions, we will be exploring all parts of the book, most likely giving away the entire story line. Please do not read this thread if you wish to read the book without any preconceived notions.
1. Conn's Great Hall has a circus like atmosphere, how does that play into the overall story?
2. At the end of Part 1, why do you think that Gelina sent Nimbus with the message: "Tell the King that I understand. Today he was just a man. Tonight he must be a king."
3. Rodney's assumed death has definite consequences, what were they and how did they advance the relationship between Gelina and Conn?
4. Medeiros walks a fine line with Gelina and Conn's evovling relationship, first the foster parent/foster child and then the love/hate relationship. Does she ever take things too far or not far enough?
5. This book seemed a little unusual to me with no actual love scene happening for quite a long time and then when it does, its very rough and forceful. How did you feel about that?
6. The secondary charcters: Sean O'Finn, Nimbus, Sheela, Mer-Cod. How do they assist (or not assist) with the development of the relationship between Conn and Gelina?
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1. Conn's Great Hall has a circus like atmosphere, how does that play into the overall story?
It was chaotic, casual, full of laughter and friendship. I think this gave us an insight into Conn's character and the type of person he is. I would use all those same adjectives to describe him. I think it also shows us that we are in for a ride with this book, it foreshadows the relationship that forms between Conn and Gelina. Again, I would use all those same adjectives to describe their relationship.
2. At the end of Part 1, why do you think that Gelina sent Nimbus with the message: "Tell the King that I understand. Today he was just a man. Tonight he must be a king."
Besides the obvious answer of clueing him in on the fact that she is the woman he can't get out of his head, I think Gelina sends Nimbus with the message as she knows she can trust Nimbus and that Conn does too, and because she is a strong woman who isn't willing to sit around and wait for a guy to get wise. She pushed the envelope to get the relationship ball rolling, while letting him know that she will be waiting for his return. It gives him something to think about and hopefully come home to. And I believe it did the trick. Over the trip to and from Rome, he had time to let all the emotions run their course so the story good keep progressing at what seems a somewhat natural, believable pace.
3. Rodney's assumed death has definite consequences, what were they and how did they advance the relationship between Gelina and Conn?
Well, as readers of this genre we all knew that one can not assume death without seeing a body (lol, also goes for soap operas which I am horribly addicted to). Rodney is a strange bird in my book. I can't quite figure out his intentions towards Gelina. At times it almost seems like he has this unnatural love for her (definitely not brotherly) but that just flits around the edges of the story, never coming quite to fruition. He is more the antagonist in this book than Conn's brother. I think Rodney does a lot more damage to the relationship and gives the main characters more fodder to doubt each other.
4. Medeiros walks a fine line with Gelina and Conn's evovling relationship, first the foster parent/foster child and then the love/hate relationship. Does she ever take things too far or not far enough?
I never really felt the foster parent/child relationship as much as Medeiros had Conn refer to it I think she did a good job to keep the ewwww factor out of it. I always felt the spark between them and never in a paternal relationship kind of way. Now the love/hate relationship was incredibly believable but because Conn automatically assumed, every time, that Gelina was at fault, I don't think this relationship has any strength or chance for a happily ever after. There is way too much distrust between the two. They also had a very abusive relationship towards each other - in thoughts and actions, that helped promote the love/hate relationship but didn't help me to love the book. I guess I had a love/hate relationship with book. lol.
5. This book seemed a little unusual to me with no actual love scene happening for quite a long time and then when it does, its very rough and forceful. How did you feel about that?
I actually liked the fact that they didn't fall into bed together within the first hundred pages. It was like foreplay for the reader. I definitely liked that but was very disappointed when it did finally happen it was so rough and done out of anger. But having said that, I think how it did happen was more in tune with the relationship they had been forming. It would have seemed too cheesy (which is saying a lot for this type of book) if it all romance and flowers and candlelight their first time. They aren't that type of couple. I think Medeiros did a good job keeping the sex scenes in tune with the entire story.
6. The secondary charcters: Sean O'Finn, Nimbus, Sheela, Mer-Cod. How do they assist (or not assist) with the development of the relationship between Conn and Gelina?
I am a sucker for the secondary characters (as you are probably catching on since I think I ask about them in every book discussion we have). My favorite character by far in this book was Nimbus. I was horrified when he died, but I applaude Medeiros for being true to the story and letting it go where it needed to even when that meant death. Nimbus is definitely that character that is the "fairy godmother" of the story, looking out for the relationship, giving guidance where and how it is needed, and just being there for Gelina. I think I totally fell for him when he wanted to help her when she was serving the King's table and we see how mad he was that she was being treated so unfairly. Sheela was needed to show some jealousy and I think that is her only role in this book. Personally I liked that. Other authors would have played her up more and then, in my opinion, there start to get too many enemies, but you needed a character like her to give some sort of challenge and to keep Conn looking "manly" for lack of a better word.
I also like Sean O'Finn, another well rounded character as far as this story goes. He had enough knowledge of Gelina to know what she could do, but not all of the info that would make him lose respect for her or harm her in anyway. His continued loyalty to his King was also very important as it gave us a character who did what he had to do, but who could also soften the harshness of things. His actions around the wedding are pivotal to how the book ended. By keeping Conn and Gelina apart for the wedding, it allowed Rodney to come in and do his dastardly deeds. Then his hurt that Gelina could actually harm Nimbus (this seemed a little far fetched to me that he would accuse her right away too), gives him the strength to carry out Conn's commands to send Gelina away. Then his contriteness about being wrong stopped Gelina from leaving Erin for good.
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Well, I've managed to sort of finish it! By which I mean, with copious skimmings. Having given myself permission to skip all the stuff I don't enjoy, I don't exactly feel qualified to have a strong opinion, but I actually wound up somewhat enjoying it. ;-) I usually like Medeiros' sense of humor and it was unexpected to see it in a book of this type. And I thought she structured it rather well for such an episodic, meandering type of story, especially the ending.
I think all your insights are excellent, Jennifer.
3. Rodney's assumed death has definite consequences, what were they and how did they advance the relationship between Gelina and Conn?
Well, as readers of this genre we all knew that one can not assume death without seeing a body (lol, also goes for soap operas which I am horribly addicted to). Rodney is a strange bird in my book. I can't quite figure out his intentions towards Gelina. At times it almost seems like he has this unnatural love for her (definitely not brotherly) but that just flits around the edges of the story, never coming quite to fruition. He is more the antagonist in this book than Conn's brother. I think Rodney does a lot more damage to the relationship and gives the main characters more fodder to doubt each other.
I'd say it's also set-up as another conflict between them -- to make Galina think Conn deliberately lied to her. I'm not entirely certain, because of not reading carefully, but I don't think he actually did, did he?
4. Medeiros walks a fine line with Gelina and Conn's evovling relationship, first the foster parent/foster child and then the love/hate relationship. Does she ever take things too far or not far enough?
I never really felt the foster parent/child relationship as much as Medeiros had Conn refer to it I think she did a good job to keep the ewwww factor out of it. I always felt the spark between them and never in a paternal relationship kind of way. Now the love/hate relationship was incredibly believable but because Conn automatically assumed, every time, that Gelina was at fault, I don't think this relationship has any strength or chance for a happily ever after. There is way too much distrust between the two. They also had a very abusive relationship towards each other - in thoughts and actions, that helped promote the love/hate relationship but didn't help me to love the book. I guess I had a love/hate relationship with book. lol.
I think this is in the very nature of bodice-rippers and one of the things I most dislike about them. (Though Gaffney made it kinda work for me in Lily.) I agree that it never got eww to me -- I don't believe anyone actually ever saw it as a parental relationship. And I agree that after so many ups and downs, it's hard to believe in a genuine HEA. Which is why I don't like bodice-rippers.
5. This book seemed a little unusual to me with no actual love scene happening for quite a long time and then when it does, its very rough and forceful. How did you feel about that?
I actually liked the fact that they didn't fall into bed together within the first hundred pages. It was like foreplay for the reader. I definitely liked that but was very disappointed when it did finally happen it was so rough and done out of anger. But having said that, I think how it did happen was more in tune with the relationship they had been forming. It would have seemed too cheesy (which is saying a lot for this type of book) if it all romance and flowers and candlelight their first time. They aren't that type of couple. I think Medeiros did a good job keeping the sex scenes in tune with the entire story.
Again, kind of the nature of the beast. What would we read bodice-rippers for, if not the cruel sex? ;-)
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