Review of Spindle and Dagger: Historical Fiction
5 🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡
I love how this author writes historical fiction. She brings forward elements that important chronicles and historical books leave out, like exploring what could have been the part played or the influence and importance of unsung women's acts, plans, and ideas in famous History.
Spindle and Dagger is one of those. Wales in 1109 is a cruel man's world of war and takers keepers, and Elen uses a Saint's blessing story to survive, pretending to be protected by the same she makes her way through a world of blood, violence, and intrigue but finds a new family and loyal friends.
A great way to look back at the past and instead of reading about the kings and generals' perspectives of their times with their war tables and long drunken discussions, or even having a female character that acts like them to tell the story, the author focuses on the strength of what being a woman at that time might have meant. What they could or not do or use to survive, sacrifice and still protect their family. Women who loved their children, who tried not to be fooled by men's possible love, but still wished for it to be true, storytellers for the sake of survival, and patience and endurance of pain and suffering for a better future.
Author @jandersoncoats
The paperback for this one will be available on September 3rd.
Although history may not care for their part, we can still have fiction like this that reimagines what could have been with credible characters.
Audiobook is also great narrated by Briwnwen Price (whenever I had to interrupt my reading to do chores, I continued with audio)
Book 1
5 ⭐️
This was super cute and to a fan of more than plenty of years of anime and j/k live-action and historical fun dramas... I recommend it.
Elemental magic, a hint of Cinderella retelling, magic, possession, abominations, demons, Asian lore. Dual POV. The Prince is fun. His best friend is awesome. I, too, suffer the giggles that afflict Zhara when she is near a gorgeous person. I immediately fell in love with these characters and the vibe of their world.
I like the parallelism between the prince and Zhara's lives. They come from different ranks in society, but they feel the same towards their younger siblings and will do all they can to protect them.
Easy to follow and read. I love the author's writing style. The humor is cute. The prince has an interest in romance novels and uses them as inspiration to improve his relationship with Zhara. Light romance, like many of my favorite mangas, this historical Asian fantasy has a great magic system.
The plot is always advancing with new and pertinent information, bringing the characters' goals closer, culminating all in one team fighting evil and unveiling twists, fighting evil.
Even the predictable twists are fun to read.
A chosen one type of main character who has the strength to be a chosen one even I she didn't have a special magic.
Book 2
5 ⭐️
Volume 2 starts with new characters, and with new Guardians to discover. It also continues the journey of the first book exactly where book one stopped. This time they are on the move, meeting more characters and different locations. The tension is higher because apart from abominations they have to deal with a lot of Undead that they don't quite understand how they come to be. They unite forces and search for a way to defeat the Mother villain of demons. The author is careful to remind us of important elements that happened in book one in case it's been a while since we read book 1 or never read. Because this one has a new goal/quest we understand it without having read the 1st.Sajah is an amazing familiar/mystical
companion. This volume sounded more serious and with lots of action and less cute.
My review:
5 starsLoved this novel, the pacing, and the characters. The author created a delicate, almost precious main character that is as fragile as her unique instrument but as powerful and majestic as her music. She is forced into a path that will reveal more than meets the eye, but she is also one who has no interest in becoming a mundane, helpless wife. She wants more of the world, and she will get more from it, even dealing with gods. Asian-inspired mythology and legends. Awesome read. I already knew this author's other duology and was very happy with this one as well. The cover as always is stunning. Awesome Gothic vibes ending.
I won a Goodreads Giveaway ARC
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