Revenge of the Rose

Inspired by a thirteenth-century poem called "Roman de la Rose," "Revenge of the Rose" envelops readers in a thrilling tale of courtly love, political intrigue, and cunning wit. The minstrel Jouglet is a riveting character whose schemes and quick-mind made me laugh out loud, while the main characters of Willem and Lienor provide an irresistible combination of the idealistic knight trying (too hard) to protect his spirited sister from the ways of the world. Galland weaves their stories into an incredibly well-developed, unpredictable plot that will keep you guessing until the very last page. And though the novel feels like historical fiction, I was surprised to learn in the author's notes that the court of Emperor Konrad - where much of the story takes place - did not exist, nor did the personalities and politics around him. As an avid historical fiction reader this revelation truly delighted me, and revealed the depth of Galland's talent. Combining her vivid imagination with a profound knowledge of history she was able to create an entirely new world, filled with characters you wish really existed.

Nicole Galland's Revenge of the Rose is an interesting twist on the medieval 'Romance of the Rose.' Its strengths are the delightful characters, the interesting presentation of historical detail for an entirely fictional background, and, my favorite, a strong heroine. Its major weakness is Galland's tendency to visualize the entire novel with little attention to interior states [this is more screenplay than novel]; her novels are very visual, but she needs to work at moving from screenplays to novels. That said, the conclusion is among the most satisfying I have ever read. It's a winner!

I'm about a third through this book and had to stop long enough to say I'M LOVING IT. Page turner, satisfying, smart enough not to insult my intelligence. Even the steamy stuff is smart and smartly plotted. So I can enjoy it without guilt :) Those political marriages and scheming power plays are all over European history. As a feminist I cringe at that scenario where men marry for the land, etc. and could care less because they just ignore their wives and take mistresses, but wives had to do needlework and shut up. I'm sure their was PLENTY of eye contact. Reading on...Do not, I repeat, do NOT start this book at bedtime or you will be up very very late. :)

I thoroughly enjoyed this juicy novel, and would highly recommend it to anyone who takes pleasure in clever writing. As with the Fool's Tale (a truly wonderful book!), Galland snared me with her characters. I am most likely to reject a book if the characters are not people I can believe in, or care about, so I've put aside many a skillfully written novel on those grounds. This book will not dissapoint, but I warn you not to begin it if you won't be able to treat yourself to a minor obsession until you're done.

If you want a book that's great for beach reading, or when you just want to be completely carried away into another world, this book is it. (You can read other reviews for the historical context and type of genre.) What was important to me was that Ms. Galland integrated suspense, chivalry, betrayals, and surprises to create a veritable literary feast! I couldn't put the book down until I reached the very end, and then I felt completely sated, my literary stomach full and content, because not one aspect of the story was overcooked or underdone; everything was in its place at the table and it all fit together. The only problem: it left me looking forward to the next literary 'meal' from Ms. Galland, and hoping it's just as tasty!