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Dobrenica #2
Blood Spirits
Before last summer, I was just a normal grad student from California, but then I went to Europe to track down my grandmother's family and my life changed forever.Mistaken for Ruli, a runaway princess who, it turned out, was actually my cousin, I was drugged, abducted, and taken to Dobrenica, a tiny and very unusual little kingdom in Eastern Europe.The handsome man who kidnapped me was Alec, Ruli's fiance, the man who was slated to rule Dobrenica. Like so many things in this odd little kingdom, their marriage would have a magical component―for when certain members of two royal lines married at a particular point in time, Dobrenica...vanished.The solution should have been simple, right? Find Ruli and bring her home. Except Ruli didn't want to come home. Alec and Ruli disliked each other, and to complicate matters further, Alec and I...well, I've always been a romantic at heart.In the end we all did the "right thing." Brokenhearted yet resolute, I returned to America, but I just couldn't seem to forget Alec or Dobrenica.But then I learned that though Ruli and Alec had married, Dobrenica was still in our world. Still in my world. The magic had failed, and no one knew why.So back I went, but my trip became even more dangerous than it was the first time. I expected personal conflict and politics, even sword fighting. I was also prepared for Dobrenica's ever-present specters. But I was not prepared for murder, mystery, or the chillingly real presence of the undead.
432 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2011
19 people are currently reading
441 people want to read
About the author
Sherwood Smith
168 books37.5k followersI am a writer,( Patreon here) but I'm on Goodreads to talk about books, as I've been a passionate reader as long as I've been a writer--since early childhood.
I'm not going to rate books--there are too many variables. I'd rather talk about the reading experience. My 'reviews' of my books are confined to the writing process.
I'm not going to rate books--there are too many variables. I'd rather talk about the reading experience. My 'reviews' of my books are confined to the writing process.
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September 6, 2011Only the reader can decide if I was successful (or even mildly entertaining) but here’s what I was thinking:
I tried to show how a couple of people with no siblings and essentially no secondary family would make a relationship. Boundaries of privacy in headspace would be different than for those of us who grew up in crowded households where everyone knew everything, and poked their noses into each other’s lives without second thought.
On the other hand, I agree with the person who once said that a good marriage is a conversation that never ends. How to show the beginning of that conversation?
Vampires. I didn’t want them, but the area seemed to have a vampire-shaped hole, and the more reading I did into historical records and legends and songs and poetry, the more they kept popping up, clear back to the middle ages. And before. Hmmm. So I tried to draw on that, continuing the hints reaching back to the Roman period—and beyond.
Magic and the supernatural. During the long transition from the medieval paradigm to the modern, Western European thought went through some interesting twists and turns, one of these being the Mannerist. In some ways, I see a parallel to us right now, with the Western Cultural rejection of religious traditions running orthogonal to the absolute explosion of the supernatural in entertainment. I see parallels in Mannerist art, music, and Emperor Rudolph’s collection of clocks, all part of the question: if you only believe what you see, how do you account for what you don’t see, but sense? Or what others see that you can’t?
I tried to show how a couple of people with no siblings and essentially no secondary family would make a relationship. Boundaries of privacy in headspace would be different than for those of us who grew up in crowded households where everyone knew everything, and poked their noses into each other’s lives without second thought.
On the other hand, I agree with the person who once said that a good marriage is a conversation that never ends. How to show the beginning of that conversation?
Vampires. I didn’t want them, but the area seemed to have a vampire-shaped hole, and the more reading I did into historical records and legends and songs and poetry, the more they kept popping up, clear back to the middle ages. And before. Hmmm. So I tried to draw on that, continuing the hints reaching back to the Roman period—and beyond.
Magic and the supernatural. During the long transition from the medieval paradigm to the modern, Western European thought went through some interesting twists and turns, one of these being the Mannerist. In some ways, I see a parallel to us right now, with the Western Cultural rejection of religious traditions running orthogonal to the absolute explosion of the supernatural in entertainment. I see parallels in Mannerist art, music, and Emperor Rudolph’s collection of clocks, all part of the question: if you only believe what you see, how do you account for what you don’t see, but sense? Or what others see that you can’t?
September 14, 2011
Coronets and Steel set up the initial, Prisoner of Zenda-esque story situation; this sequel goes in for a deeper dive. At the end of the last book, protagonist Kim nobly sacrificed her love for Prince Alec to keep him from having to make an impossible choice . . . but instead of everyone appreciating her sacrifice, they're all angry at her--especially when promptings both natural and supernatural push her to return to the tiny Eastern European nation of Dobrenica. And the story takes off from there.
Elements that were hinted at in the first book--ghosts, nature spirits, and vampires--are a much bigger part of this one. It all feels completely real and believable, and yet without sacrificing the aura of the supernatural. We also get more familiar with the rest of Dobrenica's aristocracy, who are very convincingly portrayed--a handful of people who've grown up essentially locked in a room together, always having to socialize with each other, knowing one another's likes and dislikes, romances and embarrassments ... though maybe one or two secrets have been kept. The wonderful Waleska sisters from the last book--the daughters of the woman whose house Kim stays in--also are back in this book, with one of them teaching Kim how to deal with ghosts and how to protect herself from vampires.
To enjoy this story properly, you must enjoy worldbuilding, political intrigue, and conversations about ancestors and old customs. You have to be in the mood for, "What if old legends were really true, in this real world?" You'll also have to content yourself with less of Kim and Alec together (though I'm happy to say we don't have to go through any tedious Hollywood misunderstandings or betrayals) and more of Kim with the other members of Dobrenica's aristocratic hothouse.
With that caveat, I think I can say that if you enjoyed Coronets and Steel, you're very likely to enjoy Blood Spirits
Elements that were hinted at in the first book--ghosts, nature spirits, and vampires--are a much bigger part of this one. It all feels completely real and believable, and yet without sacrificing the aura of the supernatural. We also get more familiar with the rest of Dobrenica's aristocracy, who are very convincingly portrayed--a handful of people who've grown up essentially locked in a room together, always having to socialize with each other, knowing one another's likes and dislikes, romances and embarrassments ... though maybe one or two secrets have been kept. The wonderful Waleska sisters from the last book--the daughters of the woman whose house Kim stays in--also are back in this book, with one of them teaching Kim how to deal with ghosts and how to protect herself from vampires.
To enjoy this story properly, you must enjoy worldbuilding, political intrigue, and conversations about ancestors and old customs. You have to be in the mood for, "What if old legends were really true, in this real world?" You'll also have to content yourself with less of Kim and Alec together (though I'm happy to say we don't have to go through any tedious Hollywood misunderstandings or betrayals) and more of Kim with the other members of Dobrenica's aristocratic hothouse.
With that caveat, I think I can say that if you enjoyed Coronets and Steel, you're very likely to enjoy Blood Spirits
May 27, 2024
I liked Blood Spirits even more than it's predecessor. The characters take better shape, the suspense is better, and we get to see the fruits of the meticulous research and thought that Smith has put into the creation of Dobrenica. The culture and history, infused with mythology and magic are fascinating. I love how complete it all feels, although sometimes the attention to detail made me want to skim. Kim is still a fabulously kick-butt heroine--or should I say "madeuffween"? I really hope there will be another sequel!
December 2, 2011
This is the sequel to CORONETS AND STEEL, a contemporary Ruritarian romantic adventure that will take you to a small middle European country you will swear must exist – but doesn’t? (Don’t recognize the word Ruritarian? Go hit Wikipedia. I’ll wait. Seriously, think “The Prisoner of Zenda” as a feminist tale.) BLOOD SPIRITS is the continuing tale of an American girl who finds out that her roots are not what she expected – and that some secrets may be literally deadly.
You will be fascinated and stunned by the detail Smith has put into her tiny country. Kim has matured from her first sojourn in Dobrenica, no longer the best and worst of an LA just-past-teenager, too trusting for her own good. Now she asks questions, and knows when she can’t ask questions, but must figure things out another way. A vision of her cousin Ruli, now the uncrowned queen of Dobrencia, calls her back to that tiny foreign country. Help me! Kim does not know what else to do but try.
The magic that is worked by the elders of the country – no matter what their religion, prayer, in any language, has a lot to do with magical power – is fascinating and given more force here. Complexities in language and culture are smoothly handled, giving us a travelogue even as the mystery advances.
And there will be mysteries, one on top of another, as this time Kim faces not only family politics, fiercely competing clans, and ghosts, but murder, still more secrets – and the presence of creatures both faerie and undead.
I can’t say much more without giving things away. Suffice to say that the book is intricate, at times bewildering, for we are seeing with Kim’s eyes, and yet it pulled me on, in small but complete packets, through a hard time in my life. I did not see coming some of the loose ends that were neatly stitched up. And so I recommend it to you. If you liked the first book, if you like Smith’s writing, give this one a try.
You will be fascinated and stunned by the detail Smith has put into her tiny country. Kim has matured from her first sojourn in Dobrenica, no longer the best and worst of an LA just-past-teenager, too trusting for her own good. Now she asks questions, and knows when she can’t ask questions, but must figure things out another way. A vision of her cousin Ruli, now the uncrowned queen of Dobrencia, calls her back to that tiny foreign country. Help me! Kim does not know what else to do but try.
The magic that is worked by the elders of the country – no matter what their religion, prayer, in any language, has a lot to do with magical power – is fascinating and given more force here. Complexities in language and culture are smoothly handled, giving us a travelogue even as the mystery advances.
And there will be mysteries, one on top of another, as this time Kim faces not only family politics, fiercely competing clans, and ghosts, but murder, still more secrets – and the presence of creatures both faerie and undead.
I can’t say much more without giving things away. Suffice to say that the book is intricate, at times bewildering, for we are seeing with Kim’s eyes, and yet it pulled me on, in small but complete packets, through a hard time in my life. I did not see coming some of the loose ends that were neatly stitched up. And so I recommend it to you. If you liked the first book, if you like Smith’s writing, give this one a try.
February 9, 2012
I just finished Blood Spirits and thought it was an excellent sequel to the first volume. Smith develops the setting more thoroughly, playing with ideas of light and shadow, magic hidden in folk music, and the way that oral history means that sometimes, various stories must be shared in order to reach the whole truth. While narrator Kim makes bad decisions on occasion, one of the things that's endearing about her is that she realizes when she's made a bad choice and she works to fix it. She doesn't get to do quite as much sword fighting in this volume, but the development of her magical talents makes this a logical shift in the way she combats the supernatural.
While this would be an excellent duology conclusion, I hope that there will be more Dobrenica titles -- it's too fun a setting to think I'll never return!
While this would be an excellent duology conclusion, I hope that there will be more Dobrenica titles -- it's too fun a setting to think I'll never return!
September 11, 2011
I think Blood Spirits is my favorite book by Sherwood Smith so far. It’s the sequel to Coronets and Steel, the first of her Dobrenica urban fantasy series. I wasn't satisfied with the ending of Coronets and Steel—it was the right ending, mind you, just not the one I wanted—but Blood Spirits totally makes it worth it.
The Dobrenica series is called an urban fantasy, but it also has a lot in common with Ruritanian romance. I had no idea what that was, but if you check omniscient wikipedia, the series has a lot in common with that genre. However, while I gather other Ruritanian romances have been criticized for their sheer implausibility, Sherwood Smith deals with that issue rather thoroughly. As for how, I won’t spoil it for you =P.
Usually urban fantasy calls to mind a P.I. with some magical ability in a city. The Dobrenica series is more like a modern American girl having to deal with the Hapsburgs. Sherwood Smith is a world-building genius. She knows what people are eating, how they do their laundry, how education changed after the Soviets invaded, what the patterns on the curtains mean, what they’re singing in which language and how the words have changed and why. Her attention to detail is mind-boggling.
As I was reading Blood Spirits, I actually began to feel like any time the protagonist, Kim, tried to break an awkward silence by asking a question about Dobrenica, it was so that Smith could show us more of her awesome world-building skills with intermittent exposition, but it was actually all relevant. The minute level of mundane detail didn’t just flesh out the world; it also made the characters and their motivations much more comprehensible.
I loved all the political machinations in this book. There weren’t quite so many daring escapes off bridges and such in the sequel, but that isn’t to say Kim doesn’t get into a duel or two =D. (I promise dueling makes sense in context; despite growing up in LA, Kim has a lot of training that comes in handy dealing with the Dobreni aristocracy). The relationships, political and otherwise, between people were fascinating to uncover.
The one thing that bothered me a little was some of the language, and it’s probably just me. The main character is educated, fluent in multiple languages, and well-read; she also grew up in LA. Maybe I just don’t spend enough time with people that use that many colloquialisms, but it sometimes felt to me like she was deliberately inserting colloquialisms into speech to remind the readers that she was raised American. Speaking with colloquialisms is fine, but then she sometimes uses words so rare that even my kindle’s dictionary gave up a couple of times. As it’s told from first person, these are words she’s familiar with, that she’s thinking in, but then she speaks like an American cliché. I don’t mean that people who are educated don’t also speak idiomatically, but the discrepancy of language felt a little off to me. That said, that’s my only complaint, and it’s a half-hearted one at best. I do think that Smith dealt with the uses of different languages (Dobreni, French, German, Russian, English, Latin…) brilliantly.
Now, In Coronets and Steel, characters dropped some hints that vampires are real. I was glad she dealt with the vampires in this book, not so much because I wanted vampires, but it was like a Chekhov’s gun. She introduced a plot element, drew attention to it, and so she couldn’t just let it sit there without further explanation or use. Well, I guess she could, but it would have been annoying. However, while the vampires play a much more significant role in this story, they’re not the focus: the characters, their relationships, and their world are.
The time is contemporary, so there is technology—limited, though, for reasons that I won’t spoil. There is also magic in this series, but it is not the Dungeons & Dragons variety. More and more authors seem think that the key to building magic systems is rules and limitations (see Jim Butcher, Patrick Rothfuss, or Brandon Sanderson). That’s one way to do it. Smith’s treatment of magic is rather different. Because it’s magic, it doesn’t have easily definable rules. Kim gradually learns that she can see ghosts and that she has the Sight, but she can’t control her abilities, no one can teach her how, she can sometimes see them but not others, and I actually really like how wild and unreliable magic was. Though not everyone believes in the old protections, or vampires, etc., I love how deeply embedded magic is in the folk culture. I love how people don’t have the same stories, and people only know part of the “truth.”
Basically, if you want to see a world-building genius at work, I highly recommend this series. It’s a total outlier on the urban fantasy scale, and it’s a ton of fun.
The Dobrenica series is called an urban fantasy, but it also has a lot in common with Ruritanian romance. I had no idea what that was, but if you check omniscient wikipedia, the series has a lot in common with that genre. However, while I gather other Ruritanian romances have been criticized for their sheer implausibility, Sherwood Smith deals with that issue rather thoroughly. As for how, I won’t spoil it for you =P.
Usually urban fantasy calls to mind a P.I. with some magical ability in a city. The Dobrenica series is more like a modern American girl having to deal with the Hapsburgs. Sherwood Smith is a world-building genius. She knows what people are eating, how they do their laundry, how education changed after the Soviets invaded, what the patterns on the curtains mean, what they’re singing in which language and how the words have changed and why. Her attention to detail is mind-boggling.
As I was reading Blood Spirits, I actually began to feel like any time the protagonist, Kim, tried to break an awkward silence by asking a question about Dobrenica, it was so that Smith could show us more of her awesome world-building skills with intermittent exposition, but it was actually all relevant. The minute level of mundane detail didn’t just flesh out the world; it also made the characters and their motivations much more comprehensible.
I loved all the political machinations in this book. There weren’t quite so many daring escapes off bridges and such in the sequel, but that isn’t to say Kim doesn’t get into a duel or two =D. (I promise dueling makes sense in context; despite growing up in LA, Kim has a lot of training that comes in handy dealing with the Dobreni aristocracy). The relationships, political and otherwise, between people were fascinating to uncover.
The one thing that bothered me a little was some of the language, and it’s probably just me. The main character is educated, fluent in multiple languages, and well-read; she also grew up in LA. Maybe I just don’t spend enough time with people that use that many colloquialisms, but it sometimes felt to me like she was deliberately inserting colloquialisms into speech to remind the readers that she was raised American. Speaking with colloquialisms is fine, but then she sometimes uses words so rare that even my kindle’s dictionary gave up a couple of times. As it’s told from first person, these are words she’s familiar with, that she’s thinking in, but then she speaks like an American cliché. I don’t mean that people who are educated don’t also speak idiomatically, but the discrepancy of language felt a little off to me. That said, that’s my only complaint, and it’s a half-hearted one at best. I do think that Smith dealt with the uses of different languages (Dobreni, French, German, Russian, English, Latin…) brilliantly.
Now, In Coronets and Steel, characters dropped some hints that vampires are real. I was glad she dealt with the vampires in this book, not so much because I wanted vampires, but it was like a Chekhov’s gun. She introduced a plot element, drew attention to it, and so she couldn’t just let it sit there without further explanation or use. Well, I guess she could, but it would have been annoying. However, while the vampires play a much more significant role in this story, they’re not the focus: the characters, their relationships, and their world are.
The time is contemporary, so there is technology—limited, though, for reasons that I won’t spoil. There is also magic in this series, but it is not the Dungeons & Dragons variety. More and more authors seem think that the key to building magic systems is rules and limitations (see Jim Butcher, Patrick Rothfuss, or Brandon Sanderson). That’s one way to do it. Smith’s treatment of magic is rather different. Because it’s magic, it doesn’t have easily definable rules. Kim gradually learns that she can see ghosts and that she has the Sight, but she can’t control her abilities, no one can teach her how, she can sometimes see them but not others, and I actually really like how wild and unreliable magic was. Though not everyone believes in the old protections, or vampires, etc., I love how deeply embedded magic is in the folk culture. I love how people don’t have the same stories, and people only know part of the “truth.”
Basically, if you want to see a world-building genius at work, I highly recommend this series. It’s a total outlier on the urban fantasy scale, and it’s a ton of fun.
January 24, 2012
This second part of Aurelia Kim's story follows on well from the first, Coronets and Steel.
Both books form a kind of modern day, magical The Prisoner of Zenda and Rupert of Hentzau.
Kim is a great heroine (Sherwood Smith's heroines usually are), she's sporty, courageous, and charmingly down-to-earth. And Alec is great as the 'heroine support', he's the noble, humble ruler we've also come to expect from Smith. And even all the sub-characters are interesting because they are so creatively diverse: reckless Tony, background Beka, Kim's mum and dad (as little as they feature), and her Gran, and all the other flawed heroes and selfish villains who pop in and out of the story - there are hundreds.
The political and magical worlds of Dobrenica are dense, and it is sometimes hard to be clear about who is who, and who did what to whom and why... all of which is further complicated by layers of history that bears upon the present. It needs to be read slowly and with mental attention to grasp all of the magical logic - portals being opened and who can pass through, and what exactly the vampires can do... as well as the politics and working out who is on whose side. Unfortunately most of this information is given in the form of one character lecturing another, so it's hard to keep the concentration focused.
Dobrenica is described as a 'liminal' location, ie a place where magic is more active than in other parts of the world. This is why no mobile phones or other forms of technology function there, a convenient way to bring good old fashioned fantasy into the modern day without interferences. The references to magic and superstition among the people of Dobrenica are also made compatible with their religious spirit, they say novenas but sleep with a knife under their pillow, and they support customs like a royal marriage between certain families on a certain day in order to gain the Blessing which will ensure peace for their country. Kim herself has the gift of sight, she can see ghosts and sometimes scenes from the past. And the vampires are very real, but not quite as friendly or involved as the Twilight set - thank heavens. Yet all the magic is not sinister and nor does it seem to be there for its own sake. As in other good fantasy it seems to facilitate the visualisation of complex political and personal relationships, and is an effective tool for storytelling.
The romance is good overall but not for younger readers, as it is sometimes rather blunt and physical when spelt out in in modern day talk - a couple of tempting situations of physical attraction, explanations given about dancing the Tango and what it means, and the pros and cons of a one-night-stand - but values are essentially in the right place once these situations are overcome. In addition to her love for the main hero, Kim is also attracted to another, but she understands the difference between attraction and real love and lets this guide her actions - something that could help a lot of romantic young adults. Aside from something suggested at the end of book one (only a kiss is described but more could be suggested), the right decisions are made and good reasons given for them.
It isn't quite the brilliantly momentous story we've hoped for from Smith since Crown Duel, but if you have the time and energy to wade through the politics, the characters are usually good company.
Both books form a kind of modern day, magical The Prisoner of Zenda and Rupert of Hentzau.
Kim is a great heroine (Sherwood Smith's heroines usually are), she's sporty, courageous, and charmingly down-to-earth. And Alec is great as the 'heroine support', he's the noble, humble ruler we've also come to expect from Smith. And even all the sub-characters are interesting because they are so creatively diverse: reckless Tony, background Beka, Kim's mum and dad (as little as they feature), and her Gran, and all the other flawed heroes and selfish villains who pop in and out of the story - there are hundreds.
The political and magical worlds of Dobrenica are dense, and it is sometimes hard to be clear about who is who, and who did what to whom and why... all of which is further complicated by layers of history that bears upon the present. It needs to be read slowly and with mental attention to grasp all of the magical logic - portals being opened and who can pass through, and what exactly the vampires can do... as well as the politics and working out who is on whose side. Unfortunately most of this information is given in the form of one character lecturing another, so it's hard to keep the concentration focused.
Dobrenica is described as a 'liminal' location, ie a place where magic is more active than in other parts of the world. This is why no mobile phones or other forms of technology function there, a convenient way to bring good old fashioned fantasy into the modern day without interferences. The references to magic and superstition among the people of Dobrenica are also made compatible with their religious spirit, they say novenas but sleep with a knife under their pillow, and they support customs like a royal marriage between certain families on a certain day in order to gain the Blessing which will ensure peace for their country. Kim herself has the gift of sight, she can see ghosts and sometimes scenes from the past. And the vampires are very real, but not quite as friendly or involved as the Twilight set - thank heavens. Yet all the magic is not sinister and nor does it seem to be there for its own sake. As in other good fantasy it seems to facilitate the visualisation of complex political and personal relationships, and is an effective tool for storytelling.
The romance is good overall but not for younger readers, as it is sometimes rather blunt and physical when spelt out in in modern day talk - a couple of tempting situations of physical attraction, explanations given about dancing the Tango and what it means, and the pros and cons of a one-night-stand - but values are essentially in the right place once these situations are overcome. In addition to her love for the main hero, Kim is also attracted to another, but she understands the difference between attraction and real love and lets this guide her actions - something that could help a lot of romantic young adults. Aside from something suggested at the end of book one (only a kiss is described but more could be suggested), the right decisions are made and good reasons given for them.
It isn't quite the brilliantly momentous story we've hoped for from Smith since Crown Duel, but if you have the time and energy to wade through the politics, the characters are usually good company.
November 6, 2023
I wasn't quite sure what to expect of this book. The first one had me enthralled from page one as I was sucked into this alternate not-exactly-here urban fantasy world taking place mostly in Dobrenica, a microscopic European country that never was with politicking embroilments like you wouldn't believe!
What drew me into the first book was the characterization and the fun hijinks that ensued with a bit of romance and a lot of political entanglements thrown in to spice things up. There was just enough of everything to leave me wanting more and I waited with baited breath for the next installment to come out.
This story takes off after a couple month hiatus when Kim left Dobrenica. She's now teaching French and German at a school in Oklahoma trying to outrun all of the painful memories that she left behind when she fled the country to go back to the US. And now months later - and a brush with a colleague's near-death experience - she has decided to go back and once again face those problems.
I have to admit that I'm only giving this 3 stars though. I'd almost put this at a 3.5 but after mulling it over I have to drop it down from 4 to 3 only because the fun, the fast, the furious, the crazy hijinks and highs and lows were not present like they were in the first book. This was far more of a Dobrenican political book focusing on familial and hierarchical relations within the five royal families. New characters were introduced and names from the first book were fleshed out but the overall characterization and charm was not really there for me.
I still plowed through this book in one-marathon session (which I tend to do with books and authors that I absolutely love) but it pains me to say that this book was a little bit of a let-down. Kim's self-absorbed ways and ridiculous use of "Americanese" started getting on my nerves. I grew up in SoCal - part of that in L.A. - and while I'm in my late (not early) 20's I don't see it necessary to say something like 'for the win' or 'frienimies'. The characters I loved reading about were not really present in this book and there wasn't much interaction with Kim and Alec at all throughout most of the book and the new names introduced fell a bit flat for me. Also, while I loved the meticulous attention to detail the Dobrenican politicking and maneuvering started to get a little overwhelming after a while; I found myself tuning out every now and again when governmental procedures or precedents were mentioned. I just couldn't care enough about the politics to love that aspect of the book.
Also.... vampires. Hrm. Well, not where I expected this book to go at all. I did like the fact Kim generally maintained her tenuous grasp of magic (prism power?) rather that suddenly become amazingly adept all at once but the thing with the vampires... Wow. Um. Well, I knew this was an urban fantasy which was hinted at in the first book but because it was mentioned only in passing I didn't put much stock in the magical aspect of this story. It just seemed a little... off to me. I plowed through that aspect of this book because it did not feel like the important part of this plot.
With all of that said, I still very much enjoyed this book. It was a far darker journey but the writing was top-notch, the characterization was decent, the story kept pace, and I still had to keep turning pages because I needed to know how it was going to end. All in all I don't regret my $10 Amazon purchase so that's the important thing.
What drew me into the first book was the characterization and the fun hijinks that ensued with a bit of romance and a lot of political entanglements thrown in to spice things up. There was just enough of everything to leave me wanting more and I waited with baited breath for the next installment to come out.
This story takes off after a couple month hiatus when Kim left Dobrenica. She's now teaching French and German at a school in Oklahoma trying to outrun all of the painful memories that she left behind when she fled the country to go back to the US. And now months later - and a brush with a colleague's near-death experience - she has decided to go back and once again face those problems.
I have to admit that I'm only giving this 3 stars though. I'd almost put this at a 3.5 but after mulling it over I have to drop it down from 4 to 3 only because the fun, the fast, the furious, the crazy hijinks and highs and lows were not present like they were in the first book. This was far more of a Dobrenican political book focusing on familial and hierarchical relations within the five royal families. New characters were introduced and names from the first book were fleshed out but the overall characterization and charm was not really there for me.
I still plowed through this book in one-marathon session (which I tend to do with books and authors that I absolutely love) but it pains me to say that this book was a little bit of a let-down. Kim's self-absorbed ways and ridiculous use of "Americanese" started getting on my nerves. I grew up in SoCal - part of that in L.A. - and while I'm in my late (not early) 20's I don't see it necessary to say something like 'for the win' or 'frienimies'. The characters I loved reading about were not really present in this book and there wasn't much interaction with Kim and Alec at all throughout most of the book and the new names introduced fell a bit flat for me. Also, while I loved the meticulous attention to detail the Dobrenican politicking and maneuvering started to get a little overwhelming after a while; I found myself tuning out every now and again when governmental procedures or precedents were mentioned. I just couldn't care enough about the politics to love that aspect of the book.
Also.... vampires. Hrm. Well, not where I expected this book to go at all. I did like the fact Kim generally maintained her tenuous grasp of magic (prism power?) rather that suddenly become amazingly adept all at once but the thing with the vampires... Wow. Um. Well, I knew this was an urban fantasy which was hinted at in the first book but because it was mentioned only in passing I didn't put much stock in the magical aspect of this story. It just seemed a little... off to me. I plowed through that aspect of this book because it did not feel like the important part of this plot.
With all of that said, I still very much enjoyed this book. It was a far darker journey but the writing was top-notch, the characterization was decent, the story kept pace, and I still had to keep turning pages because I needed to know how it was going to end. All in all I don't regret my $10 Amazon purchase so that's the important thing.
November 29, 2011
FYI: the spoilers in this review assume you have read the book. If you display them you will be confused, at minimum, and probably spoiled.
I'm a happily-ever-after kind of person. Not in the sense that all stories must end that way, but in the sense that ... if a book ends and there is the general sense that well, maybe the characters didn't get everything they want, but they'll be continuing on with their lives and that's all right, then that's fine with me. What will upset me is if you leave me with that sense and then in the next book everything has irretrievably fallen apart and then it just gets worse from there. (Ancient Light, I'm looking at you.)
So, generally, I'm not a fan of that kind of deconstruction in fiction. But weirdly, after this book, I kind of want it. I want to see the ten years down the road story when Kim and her conspecifics have worked out a more complicated relationship dynamic. Ideally one that doesn't make the Blessing fall apart. But I guess that wouldn't be a deconstruction so much as it would be a subversion.
I give Mme. Smith props for dealing doing the thematic wrestling (albeit subtly) with a lifestyle that a lot of people are leery of, in fiction and real life. But it weirds me out a bit that there was a bunch of info that seems like it should have been in the first book if it was going to be a thing.
The characters made mistakes. Theoretically this should make them more real. But the nature of the mistakes made me see some of them as ... not unlikeable, but somewhat unsympathetic.
So, I'd call this flawed but interesting. And definitely brain-engaging, even if you don't have my interest in imaginary countries. I might even buy it in paperback format, or as an ebook if I ever decide it's worth getting on that train.
This next part is not actually a spoiler, just my ramblings from before I read it.
I'm a happily-ever-after kind of person. Not in the sense that all stories must end that way, but in the sense that ... if a book ends and there is the general sense that well, maybe the characters didn't get everything they want, but they'll be continuing on with their lives and that's all right, then that's fine with me. What will upset me is if you leave me with that sense and then in the next book everything has irretrievably fallen apart and then it just gets worse from there. (Ancient Light, I'm looking at you.)
So, generally, I'm not a fan of that kind of deconstruction in fiction. But weirdly, after this book, I kind of want it. I want to see the ten years down the road story when Kim and her conspecifics have worked out a more complicated relationship dynamic. Ideally one that doesn't make the Blessing fall apart. But I guess that wouldn't be a deconstruction so much as it would be a subversion.
I give Mme. Smith props for dealing doing the thematic wrestling (albeit subtly) with a lifestyle that a lot of people are leery of, in fiction and real life. But it weirds me out a bit that there was a bunch of info that seems like it should have been in the first book if it was going to be a thing.
The characters made mistakes. Theoretically this should make them more real. But the nature of the mistakes made me see some of them as ... not unlikeable, but somewhat unsympathetic.
So, I'd call this flawed but interesting. And definitely brain-engaging, even if you don't have my interest in imaginary countries. I might even buy it in paperback format, or as an ebook if I ever decide it's worth getting on that train.
This next part is not actually a spoiler, just my ramblings from before I read it.
April 19, 2013
Kim is attempting to forget Alec, the gorgeous Mr. Darcy lookalike that she fell in love with last summer and who just happens to be the crown prince of Dobrenica. AKA the man Kim left behind so that he could marry her cousin and defend his country from all manner of deadly and hazardous danger.
Except the “marriage magic” that was supposed to protect the kingdom failed. And Kim’s self-inflicted exile, teaching school in Oklahoma, frankly sucks. Plus there’s the whole “seeing ghosts” aftereffect from her summer visit.
So when Kim’s parents invite her to come along with them to Europe, she caves. And then she sees Ruli. Or rather, a vision of the beautiful cousin now married to Alec. A cousin who opens her transparent lips and cries, Help me.
Which sounds, honestly, like a decent invitation. Or it does until Kim steps off the train and finds out that . . .
1. Her vision might have actually been her cousin’s ghost.
2. Alec is being accused of the murder.
3. And rumor has it, Kim must be involved as well.
Maybe Oklahoma wasn’t that bad.
Blood Spirits is the second book in the Dobrenica series by Sherwood Smith. I love the action scenes and the blend of a traditional fantasy-style kingdom within a modern day setting. And, of course, Kim’s go for broke (act first, possibly think later) mentality.
Except the “marriage magic” that was supposed to protect the kingdom failed. And Kim’s self-inflicted exile, teaching school in Oklahoma, frankly sucks. Plus there’s the whole “seeing ghosts” aftereffect from her summer visit.
So when Kim’s parents invite her to come along with them to Europe, she caves. And then she sees Ruli. Or rather, a vision of the beautiful cousin now married to Alec. A cousin who opens her transparent lips and cries, Help me.
Which sounds, honestly, like a decent invitation. Or it does until Kim steps off the train and finds out that . . .
1. Her vision might have actually been her cousin’s ghost.
2. Alec is being accused of the murder.
3. And rumor has it, Kim must be involved as well.
Maybe Oklahoma wasn’t that bad.
Blood Spirits is the second book in the Dobrenica series by Sherwood Smith. I love the action scenes and the blend of a traditional fantasy-style kingdom within a modern day setting. And, of course, Kim’s go for broke (act first, possibly think later) mentality.
September 15, 2011
I really enjoyed this book but it wasn't quite as good as Coronets and Steel. I think in part this was because Coronets inherited some structure from Prisoner of Zenda that was lacking here. That said, I've read this book twice now—it's been out a week— and by any normal standard it's excellent; it has the misfortune to be a sequel to a book that was BEYOND excellent.
On the first reading, I felt the early days of Kim's return to Dobrenica was such a downer and such slow going that I nearly despaired, but the book picks up after and from there I was hooked. When I reread it, the beginning didn't bother me at all. Curiously, this is exactly how I felt about the camping scenes in the last Harry Potter book, so there must be something about knowing a book picks up later that makes slow parts more bearable on a reread.
Without giving away anything, the end of the book is upbeat but hardly resolves all the issues, so I hope this means Sherwood Smith will write another book (or more than one!) and give us a well-resolved ending.
On the first reading, I felt the early days of Kim's return to Dobrenica was such a downer and such slow going that I nearly despaired, but the book picks up after and from there I was hooked. When I reread it, the beginning didn't bother me at all. Curiously, this is exactly how I felt about the camping scenes in the last Harry Potter book, so there must be something about knowing a book picks up later that makes slow parts more bearable on a reread.
Without giving away anything, the end of the book is upbeat but hardly resolves all the issues, so I hope this means Sherwood Smith will write another book (or more than one!) and give us a well-resolved ending.
May 31, 2015
This is the sequel to Coronets and Steel, which I haven't reread since last year but LOVED.
I loved this one too, just not as much. It has:
- an intelligent, liberal female protagonist who is classically schooled in the American system, yet ends up being a long-lost relative of royalty
- a Central European setting in the made-up country of Dobrenica, which is quaintly behind-the-times in terms of technology but pretty heavy on the folklore and mysticism
- political intrigue
- murder plots
- fancy royal events
- more than one roguishly handsome lead male
- and vampires. HOWEVER, although their existence is a large part of the story, they are not sparkly Twilight vampires or overly sexual ones. The basis is on folklore, which makes a difference. I think I might like to reread this once the big vampire craze has passed, though.
I loved this one too, just not as much. It has:
- an intelligent, liberal female protagonist who is classically schooled in the American system, yet ends up being a long-lost relative of royalty
- a Central European setting in the made-up country of Dobrenica, which is quaintly behind-the-times in terms of technology but pretty heavy on the folklore and mysticism
- political intrigue
- murder plots
- fancy royal events
- more than one roguishly handsome lead male
- and vampires. HOWEVER, although their existence is a large part of the story, they are not sparkly Twilight vampires or overly sexual ones. The basis is on folklore, which makes a difference. I think I might like to reread this once the big vampire craze has passed, though.
September 14, 2011
This second book had pretty much everything I thought the first one lacked. It's almost as if she wrote the first one without a clear idea of where everything would go or who the characters were, but she had it all figured out in the second book. The first book was great for the Kim and Alec characters, but the supporting cast was pretty flat. In this book, the supporting cast really shined, and I wanted to know more about their stories. The first book didn't do much more than hint at the fantasy elements, but here they were front and center. (Authors: this is the way to get me to read a vampire book--don't tell me it's about vampires until the second book when I'm already hooked. And don't make the vampires all lovesick.) I think what I like most about this series so far is that I've found it to be entirely unpredictable. I expect a third book, as I'd say the story isn't nearly done yet.
September 18, 2011
Wooo -- love the opening! I'm looking forward to the start of a four day weekend tomorrow when I can hunker down and just blitz through the rest of it.
This is the sequel to Coronets and Steel which should definitely be read first. C&S is sort of like a contemporary Prisoner of Zenda but with a female protagonist and a touch of magic. I loved it and have been looking forward to the sequel.
Update: This sequel did not disappoint. It was just as much fun as the first book, and in some respects there was a little more depth. I liked that the heroine was able to sort out the difference between love and mere attraction.
I loved the author's portrayal of love between kindred spirits. And I appreciated her use of humor.
This is the sequel to Coronets and Steel which should definitely be read first. C&S is sort of like a contemporary Prisoner of Zenda but with a female protagonist and a touch of magic. I loved it and have been looking forward to the sequel.
Update: This sequel did not disappoint. It was just as much fun as the first book, and in some respects there was a little more depth. I liked that the heroine was able to sort out the difference between love and mere attraction.
I loved the author's portrayal of love between kindred spirits. And I appreciated her use of humor.
July 31, 2011
Really not my kind of book. Might be other people's kind of book, though.
I really just don't like the protagonist. She feels really self-centered and shallow to me and I had a hard time buying into the whole concept of the novel. I will admit that the fact that the vampires are repelled by sparkly things was amusing, though.
Also, the character named Nat annoyed me because I am sorry, that is not an acceptable nickname for Natalie. (Okay, it's not an acceptable nickname for this Natalie: I have always hated it and hardly anyone is allowed to call my by it--it's family use only.)
I really just don't like the protagonist. She feels really self-centered and shallow to me and I had a hard time buying into the whole concept of the novel. I will admit that the fact that the vampires are repelled by sparkly things was amusing, though.
Also, the character named Nat annoyed me because I am sorry, that is not an acceptable nickname for Natalie. (Okay, it's not an acceptable nickname for this Natalie: I have always hated it and hardly anyone is allowed to call my by it--it's family use only.)
July 11, 2015
At first I thought this book was a bit of a letdown from the constant adventures of "Coronets and Steel," the first book in this series, but it's grown on me over time. It does have a slower pace, but I enjoyed reading more about the country and people of Dobrenica and Kim's development of her magical skills and her relationship with Alex, and her search to resolve the mystery of what happened to her identical second cousin. The ending was a surprise but very satisfying to me. (Thankfully Sherwood departed from the disappointing ending of the sequel to Prisoner of Zenda!)
January 14, 2016
Having adored the Inda series, I looked forward to trying another series by this author. The first book was okay, but 70 pages into this I just couldn't be bothered persisting. I don't like the characters, there's too much description of scenery, clothes, etc, it all seems a bit silly - how many times can someone kidnap you, attack you with a sword, etc, until you stop forgiving him because he's hot? My number is obviously lower than Kim's.
I love the idea of this series, but the reality hasn't grabbed me at all.
I love the idea of this series, but the reality hasn't grabbed me at all.
August 8, 2013
I have no idea why I didn't change the status from 'to-read' to 'read' a very long time ago, but I read this in MS and then again, of course, once it was published! Some day I'll have to sit down with my reading notebook, take the phone off the hook (ha, don't really get to do that), and do a lot of updating. To compensate for this omission, at least, I'm doing a rating, which I normally don't do for books by friends!
February 20, 2025
Consequences! After running rough shod over Dobrenica in her quest for personal answers and skipping town without resolving anything, Kim's return to the country is messy. Despite the ending of Coronets and Steel, Kim has kept running, moving to Oklahoma to teach and ignore last summer. A new ghost sends her running home, then sends her to Dobrenica, once again looking for answers. The country is even more stirred up, as old wrongdoings linger.
So, Kim remains my least favorite character in this series. Self-centered and naive, she doesn't want to leave her black and white view of the world, even as the evidence piles up that she's the one in the wrong. Honestly, she reads a lot younger than she is meant to be; unless she's very different at work, I would not believe her as a college professor - more like a very young student. But she does start to show some growth here, once she finally accepts that her view of reality is not the only one at play here.
My favorite part was the expanded cast. In Coronets and Steel, the von Mecklundburgs were a united front of antagonism and Kim was so smug about how she was on the moral high horse. But in Blood Spirits, we get to see them as indivuals, with their own personalities and thoughts. Their disdain for her is the result of her actions over the summer, and she has to deal with the consequences of that on top of all the other problems.
The plot here is quite convolted - I think it'll take a reread or two to really see what's going on. I guessed one of the plot twists fairly early, but the other was a complete shock to me, though looking back I think I can see the set up being woven in. Smith has clearly considered the history of her world here - just because the occupations are over doesn't mean the scars are healed. Everything is connected in Dobrenica, just as Gran warned Kim when she decided to go back. Now to see how the return of the Dsaret family alters the weave.
So, Kim remains my least favorite character in this series. Self-centered and naive, she doesn't want to leave her black and white view of the world, even as the evidence piles up that she's the one in the wrong. Honestly, she reads a lot younger than she is meant to be; unless she's very different at work, I would not believe her as a college professor - more like a very young student. But she does start to show some growth here, once she finally accepts that her view of reality is not the only one at play here.
My favorite part was the expanded cast. In Coronets and Steel, the von Mecklundburgs were a united front of antagonism and Kim was so smug about how she was on the moral high horse. But in Blood Spirits, we get to see them as indivuals, with their own personalities and thoughts. Their disdain for her is the result of her actions over the summer, and she has to deal with the consequences of that on top of all the other problems.
The plot here is quite convolted - I think it'll take a reread or two to really see what's going on. I guessed one of the plot twists fairly early, but the other was a complete shock to me, though looking back I think I can see the set up being woven in. Smith has clearly considered the history of her world here - just because the occupations are over doesn't mean the scars are healed. Everything is connected in Dobrenica, just as Gran warned Kim when she decided to go back. Now to see how the return of the Dsaret family alters the weave.
March 19, 2020
The second in the Dobrenica series by Sherwood Smith, Blood Spirits picks up a few months later (Christmas break to be exact) after Coronets and Steel with Kim helping to save her coworker and realizing that she needs to face what happened, to face Alec. Only to learn that her doppelganger has died. And that she did more harm than good by leaving the first time.
For me, this book was much more… logical in the pacing. We have the world set up and we have an idea of how crazy the actions of the characters are. And we got to see a lot more of the magical side of everything.
Sadly, we don’t get as much of Alec as I would like, and we see him far more reserved and cautious compared to the first novel. What helped too is that there weren’t too many new characters to try and keep straight, and the story really reached back into time more than even the first one did as far as the country itself is concerned, separate from Kim’s family’s past.
Better written than the first novel, Blood Spirits has gotten me to request the next novel in the series from my local library.
If you enjoy action and adventure with very little romance and a good deal of magic into the modern world, this could be a very good choice. The writing is still a bit confusing and all over the place, but if you made it through the first one and didn’t give up halfway through, I’d say the sequel is worth the read if you enjoyed the plot and characters from the first.
For me, this book was much more… logical in the pacing. We have the world set up and we have an idea of how crazy the actions of the characters are. And we got to see a lot more of the magical side of everything.
Sadly, we don’t get as much of Alec as I would like, and we see him far more reserved and cautious compared to the first novel. What helped too is that there weren’t too many new characters to try and keep straight, and the story really reached back into time more than even the first one did as far as the country itself is concerned, separate from Kim’s family’s past.
Better written than the first novel, Blood Spirits has gotten me to request the next novel in the series from my local library.
If you enjoy action and adventure with very little romance and a good deal of magic into the modern world, this could be a very good choice. The writing is still a bit confusing and all over the place, but if you made it through the first one and didn’t give up halfway through, I’d say the sequel is worth the read if you enjoyed the plot and characters from the first.
January 11, 2023
Some fairly disconnected thoughts before I forget any more of them:
The magic here feels pretty darn wishy-washy in a way that kind of annoyed me. For instance, Kim can't see vampires properly until all of a sudden (at a moment when it's important for the plot), she can. Come on now. And one pretty central question (which I nonetheless forgot until just now because there was simply too much to keep track of):
Not enough Alec. Enough said. And even when he was there, he was being a bit ...dense.
Because I am a huge softie, I enjoyed where this book took Tony's character/how he developed from his appearance in Coronets and Steel. (And, yes, for those keeping score at home, he's probably the reason for one of my tags this time.)
The vampires were a bit creepy, especially in That One Scene, but I appreciated that this book at least touches on honestly fascinating questions about vampire morality. Can they act according to motives other than pure bloodlust? An intriguing question.
These are a lot of complaints, but overall, this was pretty fun, and I'd probably re-read it and its predecessor again sometime, now that I know (mostly) what's actually going on. I think I'd appreciate a lot of the subtle clues and foreshadowings and double meanings a lot more, since I spent so much time here knowing that there was something I was missing. And I'll probably try out the pseudo-sequel, too.
The magic here feels pretty darn wishy-washy in a way that kind of annoyed me. For instance, Kim can't see vampires properly until all of a sudden (at a moment when it's important for the plot), she can. Come on now. And one pretty central question (which I nonetheless forgot until just now because there was simply too much to keep track of):
Not enough Alec. Enough said. And even when he was there, he was being a bit ...dense.
Because I am a huge softie, I enjoyed where this book took Tony's character/how he developed from his appearance in Coronets and Steel. (And, yes, for those keeping score at home, he's probably the reason for one of my tags this time.)
The vampires were a bit creepy, especially in That One Scene, but I appreciated that this book at least touches on honestly fascinating questions about vampire morality. Can they act according to motives other than pure bloodlust? An intriguing question.
These are a lot of complaints, but overall, this was pretty fun, and I'd probably re-read it and its predecessor again sometime, now that I know (mostly) what's actually going on. I think I'd appreciate a lot of the subtle clues and foreshadowings and double meanings a lot more, since I spent so much time here knowing that there was something I was missing. And I'll probably try out the pseudo-sequel, too.
January 7, 2024
The second book in the series featuring Kim Murray, I once again like the world that Ms. Smith has created. It's an Eastern European city that feels real, and has unique fun due to the lack of electricity and internet services that make the rest of the world run. Yes it's a bit cliched, but I don't particularly care. The reason for that is the mix of magic that is also prevalent in the city, and the fables that run through their historical lore.
Kim's adventures reunite her with the character from book 1, and the surrounding cast gets a bit more fleshed out and the book is better for it. She needed some friends. He lack of a job and youth still drives me a bit nuts, but I'm letting it go.
Kim helps figure out how to help Alec solve a major mystery, and helps her new friends solve several things that are happening to the city and one another. Alec continues to be a bit boring (and his plotline nonsensical) so her chemistry with others sizzles better than with Alec, and as such I don't really view these books as a romance.
But if you want a fable esque fantasy with some interesting characters this fits the bill. I'm more looking forward to the next book as the fantasy elements of this series is FINALLY picking up steam.
Kim's adventures reunite her with the character from book 1, and the surrounding cast gets a bit more fleshed out and the book is better for it. She needed some friends. He lack of a job and youth still drives me a bit nuts, but I'm letting it go.
Kim helps figure out how to help Alec solve a major mystery, and helps her new friends solve several things that are happening to the city and one another. Alec continues to be a bit boring (and his plotline nonsensical) so her chemistry with others sizzles better than with Alec, and as such I don't really view these books as a romance.
But if you want a fable esque fantasy with some interesting characters this fits the bill. I'm more looking forward to the next book as the fantasy elements of this series is FINALLY picking up steam.
August 9, 2025
Sherwood Smith does an absolutely fantastic job of world building, and Dobrenica is a place where I would love to go. This alone makes it worth the read. I really enjoyed my time with this book and was always interested to come back to it, but in retrospect, the characterization ends up feeling a little thin, and I’m not sure what’s taking up all the pages. It’s the kind of plot with a lot of backing and forthing and nobody understands what’s going on, and I didn’t particularly either. There are some great revelations finally at the end, and I’m still content to go on, but I’m not sure that these are books that I’ll reread.
March 3, 2022
I very much liked this second book in the Dobrenica series - about as much as I liked the first book. There's more depth given to the characters in this book, as well as to the relationships between them. It was good to become better acquainted with several of the secondary characters, and to fill in some of the blanks from the first book. As with "Coronets and Steel", I found the dialogue and Kim's point of view engaging and often funny, which kept the pace of the book moving. Another fun read!
May 1, 2018
Love this series!
This is book 2 in Sherwood Smith's Dobrenica. You really need to read book 1 to get the full effect.Very well written, it is Sherwood Smith after all. More paranormal --- even vampires, but still lots of mystery and adventure, and yes romance. Really enjoyed the book. On to book 3......
This is book 2 in Sherwood Smith's Dobrenica. You really need to read book 1 to get the full effect.Very well written, it is Sherwood Smith after all. More paranormal --- even vampires, but still lots of mystery and adventure, and yes romance. Really enjoyed the book. On to book 3......
July 30, 2017
This one is pretty awesome. Kim makes more sense here, she learns about the society around her and about herself along the way. Named characters are three-dimensional and do stuff on their own. The world makes sense. I am satisfied.
September 4, 2018
I couldn't get into this one. I really liked her descriptions of food though. And, as a Minnesotan, I appreciated that a majority of the book takes place during winter! Snow! Cold weather! Often absent from books everywhere.
April 8, 2019
A good follow-on but 150 pages too long. I was almost ready to put the book down and move on, but for a couple of plot twists I hadn't expected and natural curiosity compelling me to finish the story.
May 1, 2020
A great sequel from where we left off in book one, but not enough Alec time for where the author wanted to go with the two characters and their relationship. Lots of misdirection and more magic, which I liked.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2016
Wonderful!
Loved the plot! The mix of modern day and a place out of time was well done. The characters were well developed. Read Coronets and Steel first.
Loved the plot! The mix of modern day and a place out of time was well done. The characters were well developed. Read Coronets and Steel first.
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