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36th out of 134 books
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289 voters
Isolde, Queen of the Western Isle (Tristan and Isolde #1)
In the golden time of Arthur and Guenevere, the Island of the West shines like an emerald in the sea—one of the last strongholds of Goddess-worship and Mother-right. Isolde is the only daughter and heiress of Ireland’s great ruling queen, a lady as passionate in battle as she is in love. La Belle Isolde, like her mother, is famed for her beauty, but she is a healer instead...more
Paperback, 368 pages
Published
June 24th 2003
by Broadway
(first published July 9th 2002)
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Childish emotions--too overwrought and changeable. Imagery obvious. Writing veers from painfully bad to barely serviceable. Characters appear to have the emotional capacity of twelve-year-olds. I can't really comment on the story, because I was too busy groaning at the writing to notice if the plot was progressing the way the story of Tristan and Isolde should.
A smattering of quotes:
p. 32 "The noonday sun shone on his silver helmet and the gold torque of knighthood round his neck. Across his b...more
A smattering of quotes:
p. 32 "The noonday sun shone on his silver helmet and the gold torque of knighthood round his neck. Across his b...more
Isolde Queen of the Western Isle by Rosalind Miles is a fantastic book! Miles writes the story of the original star crossed lovers Isolde and Tristan in a way I haven’t read before. The two heroes are briefly mentioned in myths but this book to me was splendid.
Isolde is a strong and courageous woman who has to deal with her overbearing mother who wants to go to war with Cornwall. Isolde’s mother sends her knight Marhaus to challenge King Mark of Cornwall for his thrown but King Mark sends Trista...more
Isolde is a strong and courageous woman who has to deal with her overbearing mother who wants to go to war with Cornwall. Isolde’s mother sends her knight Marhaus to challenge King Mark of Cornwall for his thrown but King Mark sends Trista...more
This story takes place in the time of Arthur and Gwenevere and so reads like a fairytale. Ireland was one of the last places where Goddess-worship and Mother-right disappeared or at least diminished because of Christianity emerging. Rosalind Miles takes these two ideas to their extreme and that is why the book is a light and 'airy-fairy' read. But the age-old story of a princess and her knight is always captivating and this story definitely is. Isolde, the Queen of Ireland's daughter and a renow...more
The first Isolde book is a pleasant read, very easy to get into, with interesting and likeable characters and a sweeping romance to back it. While not particularly challenging as a read, it's still a good, readable story. The star-crossed nature of the love story gives plenty of options for the plot, and the political background lends it substance. Isolde herself is a strong lead, and her enemies genuinely distressing in places. It is a very pro-feminist novel which is pleasing to read, and Isol...more
4.5 ****.* stars Hmm how can I put into words what I felt when I was reading this tale. I have done a lot of reading on Tristan and Isolde, but this is the first time that Isolde came to life for me. She took over my life for a few days. As I would quote the Boyfriend "You are back to that book again?? Why don't you watch some tv with me?" lol yes that's how good it was that I was ignoring the BF. :) It had everything a tale of this magnitude should have and more. Why didn't I give it the full f...more
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Um...I guess it was okay. I mean, if every time something of any consequence happens, good or bad, the proclamations to "Goddess, Mother" is something you enjoy, then yeah. It was okay.
Aside from the inept writing and the droning on and on of similies, metaphors, and using "Otherworldly" to describe just about EVERYTHING, it was remedial at best. The characters were droll; very 2 dimentional. I found Isolde too whiny much of the time. Tristan was no one that I would lust after or just need to k...more
Aside from the inept writing and the droning on and on of similies, metaphors, and using "Otherworldly" to describe just about EVERYTHING, it was remedial at best. The characters were droll; very 2 dimentional. I found Isolde too whiny much of the time. Tristan was no one that I would lust after or just need to k...more
LOVE THEM!!!! Couldn’t stop reading. After reading the first one I couldn’t wait to pick the 2nd one up at the library I just went out and bought it instead, then two days later I bought the third book!!!! Here is the skinny: before there was Romeo and Juliet, there was Tristan and Isolde; ancient Celtic/Arthurian legend of star crossed lovers. There so many versions of the story but this one I find most inspiring. Told from a feminist perspective it gives power and a life to Isolde’s character...more
I never really knew the basis behind the Tristan and Isolde story, except from the movie version. This book is mainly linked to the mystical Avalon tales and focuses on the Great Mother goddess, and the three ladies (the Lady of the Lake being the one Isolde knew when she as at Avalon the same time that Guunevere was there). Clearly, Isolde is bound to Ireland and will be the future queen after her mother dies. She loves Tristan after she healed him from mortal wounds made when he fought the Que...more
This book was ok. I was pretty excited to start reading it, because I love books about mythology and I have a special place in my heart for King Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin, the Knights of the round table, and the surrounding characters. I knew the plot was going to be excellent so there was no question in my mind when I picked it up at the library. However, when I got home, I was sadly underwhelmed. The imagery and descriptions were lovely, but it felt like the author's focus was entirely on desc...more
I was a little frustrated with this book. I've read the Guenevere trilogy and this novel seemed to have the same voice...the same "Mother Goddess help me" and "Oh my love" in every other sentence. It got repetitive and annoying. Even the straying into the Guenevere and Arthur legend got old because it seemed like Miles was depending too much on her previous work and research. But, on the positive side, I thought the pace was good and the character development was solid. The characters are introd...more
Miles adds layers to Tristan and Isolde that most of the older classic legends are lacking. She also includes a great deal of Irish and Cornish history and culture into the story. Although this book is a fantasy, the legend of Camelot is founded in British history, and Miles expands the worldview appropriately. I am curious to know if the subplots that don’t seem at all related to Tristan and Isolde will come to mean something more in later novels in this series or if they are Miles’s way of bro...more
Tristan and Isolde in this novel seem more like selfish children than star-crossed lovers. They bring most of their troubles upon themselves through pouting and poor decision making.
I also couldn't help wondering why it took a love potion to unite these two lovers who were supposedly destined for each other.
I also couldn't help wondering why it took a love potion to unite these two lovers who were supposedly destined for each other.
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I took a few goes at getting into this book. When I pushed through and arrived at chapter 4, I settled in. Currently at chapter 12. Enjoying the character development, the imagery and the language. But oh, my - there are some faux pas that should have been sorted in the editing phase. Repeat phrasing, inconsistencies in character movement, and I've never seen so many dashes used for such a variety of punctuation uses. These are really jolting - but - am enjoying the story enough to plough throug...more
I have this trilogy for reference only. I've read Rosalind Miles' Guenevere trilogy, and it's... terrible. Quickly reading this and the other two books of the trilogy, I can see that it suffers all the same pitfalls. I don't understand Miles' reputation as an academic, though I suppose being an academic doesn't bar you from writing purple prose in your fiction.
Anyway, if you know anything about Rosalind Miles you know what to expect from this: purple prose and syrupy sex and of course, a guise o...more
Anyway, if you know anything about Rosalind Miles you know what to expect from this: purple prose and syrupy sex and of course, a guise o...more
I read this book on the heels of a 900+ page novel written in 18th century England. After reading such a piece of British literature, I found the writing in this book too simple and too easy to read with no challenge. I felt the language too modern and mismatched to the time period of the story. The story and characters were not well developed and "Goddess, Mother" was greatly overused. I love historical fiction but was disappointed with this book. I do not plan to continue with more books of th...more
This book caught my eye because of my obsession with anything having to do with the Tristan and Iseult legends. Unfortunately, this book didn't really do it for me.
I really, really did not like Isolde. I was already inclined to dislike her right off the bat, anyway, because the first few chapters of the book before we meet her consist mainly of the other characters talking about how wonderful she is. When we finally do meet Isolde, she comes across as sort of a brat, which just made me dislike h...more
I really, really did not like Isolde. I was already inclined to dislike her right off the bat, anyway, because the first few chapters of the book before we meet her consist mainly of the other characters talking about how wonderful she is. When we finally do meet Isolde, she comes across as sort of a brat, which just made me dislike h...more
My reccomendation
"In a golden time of Arthur and Guenevere, the island of the West shone in the sea.. Isolde is the only daughter and heiress of Ireland's great ruling queen"
I have always loved the Tristan and Isolt myth a love as passionate and doomed as Romeo and Juliet. What Rosalind Miles has breathed into this myth is passion, magic, strength . This first book focuses on Isolt and her mother. Ireland is one of the few country's left that honors the Goddess faith. As her mother battles wit...more
"In a golden time of Arthur and Guenevere, the island of the West shone in the sea.. Isolde is the only daughter and heiress of Ireland's great ruling queen"
I have always loved the Tristan and Isolt myth a love as passionate and doomed as Romeo and Juliet. What Rosalind Miles has breathed into this myth is passion, magic, strength . This first book focuses on Isolt and her mother. Ireland is one of the few country's left that honors the Goddess faith. As her mother battles wit...more
I love this time period in history. The time of King Arthur and his knights. The varying tales of passionate love, court betrayals, the battle between the ways of old (druids) and new (christianity), and the ever present struggle for power between men and women.
Tristan and Isolde has long been a romantic and tragic tale, but Rosalind Miles manages to capture all the romance and tragedy while bringing a fresh look to the tale. The love of Tristan and Isolde being a result of a love potion Isolde...more
Tristan and Isolde has long been a romantic and tragic tale, but Rosalind Miles manages to capture all the romance and tragedy while bringing a fresh look to the tale. The love of Tristan and Isolde being a result of a love potion Isolde...more
The tragedy of Tristan and Isolde is not new, it is written into the classics themselves. However, this author takes the old tale of star-crossed lovers and adds so much detail and narration that was never before included. For once, it is also told not for the sake of the male main character. This book's perspective is through Isolde herself, adding a much necessary feminine touch. The classics do not do this story justice as this author does, she doesn't just go through their tragic plot. She a...more
The first of a trilogy of books featuring Isolde of the famous Tristan and Isolde legends. In this first book she starts out as a young maiden, and we go through her life until her mother's death. So she meets and falls in love with Tristan, gets married to his uncle, King Mark, and has troubles at court because of her love for Tristan.
While I love the story of Tristan and Isolde, this book was hard for me to get through. Miles is a very talented writer but the plot was just not engaging enough and was rather disappointing. I would love to read the rest of the series, but I'm afraid I will meet the same fate as I did with this one.
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Underwhelmed, really. A perfectly nice, unchallenging book. Very easy to read, but I also found it very easy to put down and walk away from. At times I found the behaviour of the characters hard to understand - in the "why are you making this such a big deal? Why don't you just... . Settings were vividly drawn. The emotional stuff seemed overly syrupy and I admit to skimming some of the schmaltz. Unlikely to read any more in this series.
(and OMG, whoever designed the cover for this edition... w...more
(and OMG, whoever designed the cover for this edition... w...more
I got this book to read on a flight home and enjoyed it. I really like historical fiction and all things Great Briton...This is an interesting take on the folk lore of Tristan and Isolde and I really enjoyed the strong female characters.
I enjoyed this book however, it's been hard for me to read the series because it's such a depressing story most of the time!! I suppose that should be expected in books that have any connection to King Arthur and the like...
This series of books just makes me smile, for reasons all my own. They do expand out well on this lovely story at the fringe and outer reach of Arthur's Round Table tales, amid the lush green and mystical tradition of Ireland.
One of the few books I've ever been unable to finish...
As I reached the misunderstanding I just couldn't look at the book anymore, it reminded me of a bad sitcom.
Maybe I'll try reading it again someday, not not anytime some.
As I reached the misunderstanding I just couldn't look at the book anymore, it reminded me of a bad sitcom.
Maybe I'll try reading it again someday, not not anytime some.
I thoroughly enjoy any good dealing book with Avalon and that general time period. Looking forward to reading the next two books in this trilogy. Rosalind Miles is a very good author. I hope to read some of her non-fiction books as well.
This is probably my all-time favorite series. I don't know what it is, but it is always the first trilogy I mention when I talk about my favorite books... and I have a LOT of favorite books. :)
This book was really fun, not too deep and not real realistic - but involves ireland and england relations in the time of arthur and guenevere and in the time when women ruled ireland :)
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Rosalind Miles is an author born and raised in England and now living in both Los Angeles and Kent, England. She has written both works of fiction and non-fiction. As a child, Miles suffered from polio, and had to undergo several months of treatment. After being accepted to a junior women's college, Miles acquired a working knowledge of Latin and Greek, along with developing her life-long love of...more
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“True lovers may never know what love means. A man may love a woman out of his reach. She does not know he loves her, and he will never speak of it.”
—
104 people liked it
“To face a man in combat is challenge enough. To find the goddess in a woman is the life work of a man. Hard though the first may be, the second is the harder longer road. But every man seeks the woman of the dream, and only the best of men finds what he seeks.”
—
49 people liked it
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