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15th out of 17 books
—
9 voters
Sylvia
From master storyteller Bryce Courtenay comes a colourful, lusty story set in the thirteenth century. The story of Sylvia Honeyeater, who sings like an angel and can literally charm the birds from the trees, this epic tale of a Europe torn by religious intolerance also features the Pied Piper of Hamelin, Francis of Assisi, the Muslim Sultan and his harem, as well as the fe...more
Hardcover, 498 pages
Published
January 1st 2006
by Not Avail
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This is a well-written (fictional, of course) memoir, by a girl named Sylvia, of her early life leading up to the 13th century Children's Crusade across Europe and the trials and tribulations which occurred during the journey.
The first two-thirds of the book concentrates on her life prior to the Crusade: first her drunken, raping father and dead mother; then her life as a traveling performer; her life as a nun; and, her life as an ex-communicated, then re-enstated member of the Catholic Church...more
The first two-thirds of the book concentrates on her life prior to the Crusade: first her drunken, raping father and dead mother; then her life as a traveling performer; her life as a nun; and, her life as an ex-communicated, then re-enstated member of the Catholic Church...more
audiobook 6/16. Uh oh......too many elements, too pure, too many coincidences....doesn't bode well.
Thank goodness that this is an audiobook. I would have chucked the book by now. So many, many coincidences, Sylvia is holier than Jesus and water parts for her.
First book by Courtenay that has me scratching my head. He's usually a wonderful story-teller. Sigh.........only 5 discs left.
Oy! So much holiness.
The most interesting part of this story was in the acknowledgments: Sylvia was a real person....more
Thank goodness that this is an audiobook. I would have chucked the book by now. So many, many coincidences, Sylvia is holier than Jesus and water parts for her.
First book by Courtenay that has me scratching my head. He's usually a wonderful story-teller. Sigh.........only 5 discs left.
Oy! So much holiness.
The most interesting part of this story was in the acknowledgments: Sylvia was a real person....more
I got this book as a Christmas present and really wanted to like it, but was somewhat disappointed.
It is a story about the Children's Crusade, an event about which so little is known. Unfortunately it does not become any clearer.
There is hardly any explanation what makes the characters tick, nor do they develop. Most of the characters are nasty and very unpleasant, while the "good" are too good to be true. Most of the story plays in Cologne, but there is no local atmosphere, this could be any t...more
It is a story about the Children's Crusade, an event about which so little is known. Unfortunately it does not become any clearer.
There is hardly any explanation what makes the characters tick, nor do they develop. Most of the characters are nasty and very unpleasant, while the "good" are too good to be true. Most of the story plays in Cologne, but there is no local atmosphere, this could be any t...more
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Damn Courtnenay knows how to write. He has an amazing writing style. However, I wandered about all the mishaps Sylvia faced - was it over done? Would love to know from Bryces lips the accuracy of the character. Apparently, thoses in the know on the children's crusade checked and varified everything he wrote.
Still not sure on the theme of the story. I can think of a couple I guess.
My favourite character was the Ratcatcher and Sylvia too. I found myself wishing that I had Reinhardt in my life.
I h...more
Still not sure on the theme of the story. I can think of a couple I guess.
My favourite character was the Ratcatcher and Sylvia too. I found myself wishing that I had Reinhardt in my life.
I h...more
Courtenay weaves a captivating tale of quite striking characters into a historical event from the year 1212. The medieval setting is abysmally dark and full of superstition, cruelty, ignorance, and church abuse. Belief in magic and signs and omens rules the populace.
Sylvia, after whom the book is named, rises from unpromising and abused peasant stock to become the petticoat angel. Sylvia's remarkable intelligence combined with her skill in calling birds, learning languages, and amazing the pop...more
Sylvia, after whom the book is named, rises from unpromising and abused peasant stock to become the petticoat angel. Sylvia's remarkable intelligence combined with her skill in calling birds, learning languages, and amazing the pop...more
SPOILER ALERT
Was there ever a bigger Mary Sue created than this character? I'm sure many of you are sitting here thinking, well, what on earth is a Mary Sue? Here's a little bit of a definition on that term (courtesy of Urban Dictionary): "Mary-Sues are characters who are usually extraordinarily gorgeous, amazingly talented, unusually powerful, and exceedingly attractive .... They often possess ridiculously fancy and pretentious first names -- Angel, Raven, Jewel, Lorelei Bianca Julia Marizza Sn...more
Was there ever a bigger Mary Sue created than this character? I'm sure many of you are sitting here thinking, well, what on earth is a Mary Sue? Here's a little bit of a definition on that term (courtesy of Urban Dictionary): "Mary-Sues are characters who are usually extraordinarily gorgeous, amazingly talented, unusually powerful, and exceedingly attractive .... They often possess ridiculously fancy and pretentious first names -- Angel, Raven, Jewel, Lorelei Bianca Julia Marizza Sn...more
"Sylvia is the story of the Children's Crusade - 1212 - possibly the strangest event to take place in European history. It is the story of the power of a young girl's love in the midst of medieval darkness to fight brutality and bigotry.''
The book started off promising but lost momentum towards the middle, sadly it never recovered. It is also a very long book and I struggled to finish it as I became bored and fatigued by a story that seemed to go around in circles.
I found too many references to...more
The book started off promising but lost momentum towards the middle, sadly it never recovered. It is also a very long book and I struggled to finish it as I became bored and fatigued by a story that seemed to go around in circles.
I found too many references to...more
Bryce hits another home run. This time he tackles the ill fated Children's Crusade. I didn't know quite what to expect from this book as it is set much further back in history, than the time periods he usually keeps himself to. His ability to write so clearly from a male or a female perspective made me confident that he could carry Sylvia's voice, convincingly. I read this book in 2 days (it's much shorter than his usual behemoth novels- only about 500 pages) But, in a similar echo to my previou...more
May 29, 2010
Amanda (LoveofJoe11)
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audio-book,
2010
Up until the end, I was going to rate this 3 stars, however, I felt the ending was rushed and abrupt. The last third of the book was drawn out, but I don't think the story was resolved.
I also didn't like the narration. The story is set in Germany and I guess that gave the narrator permission to pronounce every word beginning with W as if it began with V. That would be fine if the narrator was German, but she clearly was American and knew how to pronounce W's. She also attempted to give character...more
I also didn't like the narration. The story is set in Germany and I guess that gave the narrator permission to pronounce every word beginning with W as if it began with V. That would be fine if the narrator was German, but she clearly was American and knew how to pronounce W's. She also attempted to give character...more
I was given this book for christmas and found it really silly. I have enjoyed some of Bryce Courtenay's books, but I found that I had to suspend belief too far, he just piled too much on. The book combines the Pied Piper of Hamelin, the Children's Crusade and a peasant girl with a wonderful singing voice, a gift for mimicry and languages, who also has the uncanny knack of working miracles...
That said, if you want some historical fiction to while away a plane flight, it may tick the boxes for you
That said, if you want some historical fiction to while away a plane flight, it may tick the boxes for you
Initially the story gripped my attention but by about the middle of the book, I found it lagged. I forced myself to finish it by skimming and skipping 10 pages at once then going back to be sure I didn't miss anything. I didn't. If you want a great Bryce Courtenay read, try The Potato Factory or The Power of One. Although the main characters seem to be super heroes, the plot development and pacing of these stories hold the reader's attention.
As the name suggests this book follows the life of a German peasant girl Sylvia Honeyeater from the death of her Mother through to her involvement in the Children's Crusade of 1212. I knew absolutely nothing about the Children's Crusade prior to reading this and after reading this book I know only marginally more. Granted it's fiction based around true events but I expected, more! What I got was an interesting genuinely like-able character repeating what at first was a clever talent but by the e...more
I gave this one star as it was the only option for I didn't like it. In all fairness I must admit that I didn't read past the first few chapters. I read this book at a time after I had my first child and the violence against Sylvia just did not sit well with me. Maybe if I re read it when my kids are older I may like it better, but just not for me at this time.
I am not much of a history buff so I have no idea what really happened on the Childrens Crusade, that is probably why I absolutely enjoyed this book. It was easy to read and to imagine the characters.
In all if you love to stick to the script and real life events then don't read this book but if you like a good story then this is a great book.
In all if you love to stick to the script and real life events then don't read this book but if you like a good story then this is a great book.
A lot of the people I talked to found this book difficult to read... personally I thought it captured the essence of the times it was written about. It may have been a little fanciful at points, but hey, who knows what went on back in the day... Loved the main character!
I think Bryce Courtenay can do no wrong! I love 98% of all his books :)
I think Bryce Courtenay can do no wrong! I love 98% of all his books :)
I can't really give this a real rating as I didn't finish it. I really like Courtenay's books generally but this one was terrible. I really couldn't stand the whole father/pig sty/ daughter scenes - you will know them when you get to it. I thought it just went too far and the story was slow and not really intriguing.
My best Bryce Courtenay reads have definitely been his harrowing story from his own family experience - April Fool's Day, and the Potato Factory series. Sylvia is not in the same league, but in saying that, I found it to be quite a good holiday read.
Sylvia is a moderately entertaining tale set around the events of the Children's Crusade of 1212. I usually enjoy Courtenay's books but he put so many modern ideas, and beliefs into medieval minds that the anachronism was jarring.
This is an adult novel about the Children's Crusade.I say 'adult' because the content is very adult. Well researched, bit too predictable for my taste, but I enjoyed it. I especially liked the theology, which is a character and definitely moves the plot along.
A long and tedious read. Unrealistic in many aspects and repetitive with the theme of everyone being against the heroine .... seems to be the same theme in his other two novels: Power of One and Tandia.
This is about the third time I have attempted to read this book of a period of about 18 months. It took a while to get into the book with all Sylvia's history and attempts to follow what she believed it. I felt the ending was rushed and would have prefered to get start to the point and read from there. A shame because I quite enjoy reading Bryce's books.
I enjoyed this 12th century historical novel but was disappointed it veered off into the subject the the Children's Crusade so much and was less and less about the main character.
Interesting story that takes place in the medieval age. Sylvia isan engaging character of remarkable strength and ability. I look forward to reading the sequel.
I couldn't finish this one, I just could not stand reading anymore about the abuse, sickened me, maybe one day I will go back to it but for now its back in the bookcase
I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/10279815
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/10279815
Very different from his previous writings. Could not put this book down felt as though I was actually in the time he describes - superb read
I thought I liked this author but now I am not sure...really did not live up to some of his previous work. I was really disappointed.
I couldn't finish this novel. After the second child abuse scene I'd had enough. Not something I am interested in reading.
Not a bad read, i really enjoyed the book but the ending felt a little rushed after spending so much time setting it up .
Not his greatest work, but still a good yarn centred on an event I knew little about - The Childrens Crusades.
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I was born illegitimately in 1933 in South Africa and spent my early childhood years in a small town deep in the heart of the Lebombo mountains.
It was a somewhat isolated community and I grew up among farm folk and the African people. At the age of five I was sent to a boarding school which might be better described as a combination orphanage and reform school, where I learned to box - though less...more
More about Bryce Courtenay...
It was a somewhat isolated community and I grew up among farm folk and the African people. At the age of five I was sent to a boarding school which might be better described as a combination orphanage and reform school, where I learned to box - though less...more
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May 06, 2013 07:15pm