I liked this book a lot - and (surprising absolutely nobody!) I gave in to temptation and ordered Book 2 in the series (Glamour in Glass) before I'd e...moreI liked this book a lot - and (surprising absolutely nobody!) I gave in to temptation and ordered Book 2 in the series (Glamour in Glass) before I'd even finished reading this one! Looking forward to both Books 2 and 3.(less)
Ohhhhh, I loved this book. As always with Susanna Kearsley's novels, The Firebird is deeply romantic and filled with rich, fascinating history. This t...moreOhhhhh, I loved this book. As always with Susanna Kearsley's novels, The Firebird is deeply romantic and filled with rich, fascinating history. This time it also has the added fun of several different fabulous (and gorgeously described) European locations as the characters (both historical and modern-day, in two parallel storylines) race across the continent.
Both storylines are equally compelling - for once in a dual-storyline book, I didn't have a "favorite" main character or storyline. They were both completely absorbing, and I raced through this novel, regretting every moment I had to spend away from it. (It's 500 pages and I finished it in about 22 hours, but I hated every moment that had to be spent on dishwashing/ordinary life instead of reading!) Part of the climax made me cry. I loved every moment.
Having already read The Winter Sea and The Shadowy Horses, it was fun to revisit a few familiar characters, but this book stands alone perfectly - you certainly wouldn't need to read either of the other novels to enjoy it.
This is now my very favorite Kearsley novel, even surpassing The Rose Garden, which is saying a lot. I can't wait to re-read it and pick up on all the (really clever and well-buried) clues that I missed in my first read! (There was one moment at the end that made me suck in my breath and go, "Ohhhhh!" And I'd never even guessed that it was coming. But now I want to re-read so that I can savor all the buildup to that moment!) (less)
I'm not a frequent mystery-reader anymore, so I started this book without much enthusiasm (I needed an ebook to read ASAP, and this was what I could f...moreI'm not a frequent mystery-reader anymore, so I started this book without much enthusiasm (I needed an ebook to read ASAP, and this was what I could find in my library's ebook catalogue)...but by the time I was thirty pages into the ebook, I had to take a break just to hurry up and reserve every other book in the series at my local library, immediately, in paper!
I LOVE the energy of the writing, the fantastic characters, the dry sense of humor that runs all through it. I love the medieval setting, and most of all I love the richness of the book, the way that the world it describes is so full of texture and life. And of course I love the heroine, Adelia, the mistress of the art of death, who is awesome - totally out of place in her new home, brilliant, compassionate, and yet socially a bit clueless, and entirely baffled by why everyone around her wouldn't be fascinated by other people's insides!
I can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series. (less)
Just a quick note first, because I know that a lot of parents and kids read my reviews: this is definitely a book written for adults, not for kids. I...moreJust a quick note first, because I know that a lot of parents and kids read my reviews: this is definitely a book written for adults, not for kids. I usually don't review the adults-only books that I read here on Goodreads, because I don't want to offend any of those readers.
However, I was thrilled to win an ARC of this book, after loving Jo Graham's earlier adult historical fantasy novels, and part of the deal was that I agreed to review it publicly. So, with that warning out of the way...
*4.5 stars*
The tagline on the back says "Girl With a Pearl Earring meets Dangerous Liaisons", and that's a pretty accurate tagline in terms of genre. This is a very, very steamy historical novel, and an absolutely delicious one. It's based on the memoirs of a real woman in the Napoleonic era who left behind her unhappy marriage in the Netherlands to become the mistress of a high-ranking French general, and then embarked on a series of adventures across Europe as a courtesan, actress, medium, and footman, in various guises.
The erotic scenes are explicit and frequent, but her other adventures are just as compelling, and I loved the lushness of the historical setting. It's a fascinating historical era, and Jo Graham conveys it beautifully.
Elza is a fabulous heroine, whether she's calling herself Ida St. Elme, as an actress/courtesan, or whether she's calling herself Charles Van Aylde, in her crossdressing alternate identity, which starts as a mere tool and then becomes an important part of her life. There's also a compelling romance plot across the novel, with a man who understands and connects with both parts of her fluid identity.
Unlike Jo Graham's earlier novels, which were published in the sf/f section of the bookstore, this one is being published as a mainstream historical novel. However, there's still a strong subplot of the fantastic, in her Tarot readings and her sense of connection to earlier eras and past lives. It's all linked in to Graham's earlier novels (Graham's characters surface again and again across the centuries, reincarnated in different genders and circumstances), but I don't think you need to have read any of the earlier novels to follow Elza's wary half-recognition of the people she's met in her life before, in different eras.
Mostly, this is just a gorgeously written historical novel with an incredibly compelling heroine and a really strong voice. Because of the amount of explicit erotic content, I couldn't recommend it to everybody I know, but if you enjoy (or don't mind) that kind of content, I definitely would recommend it...and I'm really hoping that a sequel will be published, so that I can find out where Elza's adventures took her afterwards.(less)
My very favorite Kearsley novel, and since she's one of my favorite authors in the world, that is saying a LOT. This book created a world of its own a...moreMy very favorite Kearsley novel, and since she's one of my favorite authors in the world, that is saying a LOT. This book created a world of its own and sucked me straight in. I wished I never had to leave. It was so rich and vivid and ohhhhh, so deeply, deeply, romantic. It was also one of the most cleverly managed time travel novels I've ever read.
The eighteenth century sections were exciting and vivid, full of smuggling and action and danger along with an incredibly moving and powerful romance, and the modern sections were lovely too, and they all just fit together perfectly. I am in awe of Kearsley's storytelling abilities.
If you grew up reading & loving Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters and/or Mary Stewart, I can't imagine that you wouldn't love Susanna Kearsley, too. Read this book! :) (less)
Smart, fierce, and wounded country girl Lucy Wentnor travels to big, bad London in the middle of the UK Civil War...and discovers independence, politi...moreSmart, fierce, and wounded country girl Lucy Wentnor travels to big, bad London in the middle of the UK Civil War...and discovers independence, politics, an exciting career and a really wonderful, understated romance. I loved this book, and I can't wait to read the sequel!
Perfect for anyone who loves the historical parts of Susanna Kearsley's novels.(less)
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