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Ella Bandita and the Wanderer #1-4
Ella Bandita and the Wanderer
They were fated to collide, Ella Bandita and the Wanderer. This complex fable about a predatory seductress and an adventurer frozen in grief explores the darkness of the human heart and the allure of erotic obsession over love. The story begins when an outcast young woman tries to kill herself. Yet a sorcerer intervenes with a last chance to change her destiny. But she must be his lover and give him her heart to transform into the immortal Ella Bandita. All his life, the Wanderer hears stories about Ella Bandita, the ruthless thief of hearts. But he never believes she lives and doesn't recognize her when they meet. Driven by lust, he follows Ella Bandita into a battle of wills that threatens to destroy him. The Wanderer wants nothing more than to avenge himself on a woman he loathes, the vagabond seductress who stole his heart.
- GenresFantasy
296 pages, Paperback
First published May 7, 2014
1041 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 27, 2016
This book was so multifaceted and fun to read that I was quickly engrossed in the story. It begins with a girl who is an outcast and unnamed. Very few people speak to her or even accept her. She has no loving family and is in a state of emotional crisis. She strikes a deal with a sorcerer and is named Ella Bandita. Ella becomes a dark, menacing heroin and I found her compelling and intriguing, but wickedly unfeeling. Ella stays true to herself and her life even when she does things that would normally go against the social grain. She's dangerous and lethal and seductive. She's an incredibly complex character, but unbelievably cold and uncaring. Enter the Wanderer. A boy who must mature into a strong man, but falls so easily for Ella.
There is a lot to this novel. And while I was sucked in almost immediately, I was frustrated by some of the lack of character development. We never really understand Ella's backstory and I feel there is a lot that could be done with that. It can be difficult to read a heroin without any sort of conscious and I found myself shaking my head several times throughout this book.
That said, there is no doubt about the storytelling abilities of Montgomery Mahaffey. I would absolutely read more!
There is a lot to this novel. And while I was sucked in almost immediately, I was frustrated by some of the lack of character development. We never really understand Ella's backstory and I feel there is a lot that could be done with that. It can be difficult to read a heroin without any sort of conscious and I found myself shaking my head several times throughout this book.
That said, there is no doubt about the storytelling abilities of Montgomery Mahaffey. I would absolutely read more!
July 13, 2014
Driven through a surprising story arc, this story captures more than just page-turning attention. Ella Bandita and the Wanderer brings to life the old art of storytelling in a fantasy that is both fable and fractured fairy tale. A young girl brought to the verge of womanhood without ever having been given a name, having lived surrounded by villagers and servants who refuse to speak to her because of a declaration made by her father, is teetering on the brink of self-destruction. But what she finds is an alternative offered in the hands of an infamous Sorcerer. Mahaffey chooses a thoroughly non-traditional route for her story, turning that young woman into one of the most feared predators of the land. Ella Bandita, Thief of Hearts, never quite becomes the villain, as I found myself half-rooting for her exploits. Ella Bandita is a book you'll not want to put down!
November 3, 2016
Montgomery Mahaffey writes with an enthusiastic style in this modern day fable about the extreme measures one girl takes to deal with a broken heart. Bereft of a loving family for support, Ella Bandita has but one choice -- as she sees it -- to cope with her own sadness. Rip her heart out. As a reader I have to say I don’t know many girls who go through adolescence without wanting to do the same thing at one point or another.
Ella’s choice sets up a life of sex, adventure and mayhem, creating a very dark heroine who is equally compelling and repulsive. I really enjoyed the story and look forward to learning about her further adventures.
Much like the titular character grows up without a name, the author writes in a manner which parallels the girl’s tragic and dysfunctional circumstances by creating other characters without traditional names as well. Yet as a reader I knew who each was, their occupation or role and their unique attributes by sheer title alone.
The story unfolds at its own pace, bringing the reader along without revealing too much too fast. I was both appalled by Ella Bandita’s behavior and fascinated by it. Even when given the opportunity for redemption -- her instinct for survival and her determination to pursue the path she’s chosen -- propels her forward. Ella stays true to form.
While some might characterize her as a zombie, I don’t agree with that. She’s not some mindless eating machine. Her actions are as deliberate as her targets. Not those of some out of control monster. As a temptress, she’s not so much a marauder as a clever and calculating facilitator intent on thinning the herd. Is she repentant? Not even a little bit. How refreshing.
I received a free copy of this book for review purposes only.
Ella’s choice sets up a life of sex, adventure and mayhem, creating a very dark heroine who is equally compelling and repulsive. I really enjoyed the story and look forward to learning about her further adventures.
Much like the titular character grows up without a name, the author writes in a manner which parallels the girl’s tragic and dysfunctional circumstances by creating other characters without traditional names as well. Yet as a reader I knew who each was, their occupation or role and their unique attributes by sheer title alone.
The story unfolds at its own pace, bringing the reader along without revealing too much too fast. I was both appalled by Ella Bandita’s behavior and fascinated by it. Even when given the opportunity for redemption -- her instinct for survival and her determination to pursue the path she’s chosen -- propels her forward. Ella stays true to form.
While some might characterize her as a zombie, I don’t agree with that. She’s not some mindless eating machine. Her actions are as deliberate as her targets. Not those of some out of control monster. As a temptress, she’s not so much a marauder as a clever and calculating facilitator intent on thinning the herd. Is she repentant? Not even a little bit. How refreshing.
I received a free copy of this book for review purposes only.
September 9, 2014
I received a copy of this book from the author, not knowing quite what to expect. The story begins with a young woman who has been ostracized from everyone - family, friends, servants - and has not, in fact, even been given a name. Although she has been warned to stay away from the Sorcerer, who preys on young women and their hearts (literally), she finds herself striking a deal with him. The story continues from there, introducing us to several characters whose paths intersect with the young woman, who comes to be known as Ella Bandita. The narrative proceeds mainly in linear fashion, the POV switches notwithstanding, with the exception of a few flashbacks here and there, which take place using the device of storytelling.
There is an old-fashioned fable air about this book. The characters, most of whom are known by their archetypes, i.e. The Rogue, The Bard, The Youngest, The Wanderer, are broadly drawn against the morality of their actions and the lessons they must learn. Ella Bandita, as the force that acts upon them and sometimes through them, is herself amoral even as she brings many of them to heel. At first, I thought this narrative distance would be problematic in getting into the story, but I quickly found myself engrossed. The stories flowed in and out of one another with a good sense of pacing, and the author rarely if ever allowed any of her characters the easy path.
The author possesses a fine gift for storytelling, and a unique voice and tone, which remained consistent throughout the book. I would recommend this novel to fans of folktale and fantasy, as Ella Bandita presents a rich blend of both to contribute to the genre.
There is an old-fashioned fable air about this book. The characters, most of whom are known by their archetypes, i.e. The Rogue, The Bard, The Youngest, The Wanderer, are broadly drawn against the morality of their actions and the lessons they must learn. Ella Bandita, as the force that acts upon them and sometimes through them, is herself amoral even as she brings many of them to heel. At first, I thought this narrative distance would be problematic in getting into the story, but I quickly found myself engrossed. The stories flowed in and out of one another with a good sense of pacing, and the author rarely if ever allowed any of her characters the easy path.
The author possesses a fine gift for storytelling, and a unique voice and tone, which remained consistent throughout the book. I would recommend this novel to fans of folktale and fantasy, as Ella Bandita presents a rich blend of both to contribute to the genre.
August 27, 2014
This was a stay up all night and read until you fall asleep with it on your pillow type of book! I really enjoyed the story, the setting, and the characters. This was a true fairy tale and a great read. Once I started reading it, I was engrossed and finished it quickly. I would definitely, for sure, completely recommend this and can't wait to read more books by this author.
****disclaimer-I received this books in a Goodreads drawing.
****disclaimer-I received this books in a Goodreads drawing.
October 2, 2014
Ella is a zombie (lich) that feeds—not on flesh—but on love, passion, and the human heart. Her sole purpose is to destroy men and take their hearts so that she can eat them and remain immortal. There is no family or community life for her. She has no children or friends or husband or lover. She is quite alien and bizarre in her craving for human suffering. Ella has an insatiable desire to hurt and destroy men, and by doing so, hurt and destroy the people who rely on these men for sustenance (e.g.: their wives and families). Ella’s obsession for revenge (her own heart was mortally wounded by love) borders on insanity and she seems unable to grasp the fact that many people are grievously wounded by love. Yet they persevere, and do not sell their souls to the devil for the sake of revenge.
Ella is like a leprechaun who thinks of nothing but gold, or a vampire who wishes for nothing but human blood, or an incubus who does nothing but copulate with sleeping woman. She is a one-dimensional character who never truly changes, a one-trick pony with one overwhelming drive: a zeal for human hearts. Ella’s power is so great that her opponents offer her no challenge. She is never truly in danger. Her only real vulnerability is her heart once it is coaxed back to life by the Wanderer. The resurrection of her heart occurs at the very end of the book and is of little consequence, for Ella refuses to accept her living heart. Instead she chooses to remain heartless, both literally and metaphorically.
Ella’s curse can be lifted, but she does not want it to be lifted. She revels in it. The narrator states: “Follow your heart…Remember, it’s the most precious part of you. Follow your heart and you will always do right in life.” Ella refutes this sage advice and so it is hard to sympathize with her. It’s also hard to sympathize with Ella because she is not a victim. She never had anything at stake, she never had anything to lose; her heart was already dead before she gave it to the sorcerer.
The men in the book seem to exist for the sole purpose of copulating, and usually they desire one particular woman who eventually spells their doom. There’s plenty of fish in the sea, and it’s hard to believe that these Casanovas would spend all their time pining away after one particular super special female. Well, at least no one sparkles in sunlight.
The narrator repeatedly calls Ella “ugly,” and for much of the beginning of the book we read about an ugly girl having sex with an ugly sorcerer as the sorcerer teaches her numerous sexual positions. Ella’s sexual appetite is insatiable, yet she doesn’t see herself as a sex-obsessed nymphomaniac. No, she sees herself as perfectly normal. In her eyes, society is wrong and deviant whereas she is righteous and justified. A basic truism of the book is that society hates Ella and Ella hates society. The first person Ella truly loved was a no-holds-barred vagabond who liked to get down and dirty and let it all hang out. As a young woman, Ella wanted to lose herself in a world of hedonism and animalistic rutting and was frustrated that she could not do so. As a result, she became insanely jealous of other vice-ridden folk who managed to live debauched lives.
No man loves Ella (except for a rare wandering soul or two) because she is supposedly so ugly (with monkey features, according to her father). And so the “ugly,” love-deprived Ella takes out her frustrations on people who are comely enough to have lover’s and liasons.
Is Ella’s ugliness a physical ugliness or an ugliness of personality? She rarely smiles, is cold and self-absorbed, and relishes people’s pain and fear. As a teenage girl she fall to pieces when her would be lover leaves her, and her heart literally dies. Soon, her homely face is outmatched by her ugly, sullen demeanor and growing malcontent over everything.
Ella doesn’t want to be a lady. She wants to run wild and free and rut with animalistic lust, yet her father keeps her on a tight leash and Ella resents him for forcing propriety on her. Then he tries to rape her, and the plot becomes more and more convoluted as each chapter tries to justify her darkening persona.
Soon, high class prostitutes and Casanovas are demanding Ella’s head on a spike, and all the while Ella cackles in glee as she ruins their fun. She ruins their secret romances and infidelity, not out of a sense of righteousness, but out of jealousy.
In summary, Ella wants more than her due, and in her anger takes out her frustration on the world. She lacks sexual capital and so she gets a measure of it artificially through the sorcerer, and then she steals the rest from others. The capital she can’t steal she ruins, so that others can’t enjoy it.
Most everyone in the book, Ella included, wants more than their due. Their sense of entitlement is overwhelming. For me, the phrase that summed up the book reads as follows:
“You really think you’re one of the chosen few? ...what foolish vanity you have.”
I did not like this book. However I must admit that it was some damn good writing with well-thought out story structure and impeccable prose. Moreover, the book had "depth" and wasn't just escapist fluff. I found myself thinking about the protagonist long after I had finished reading the last page.
If you’re seeking a misanthropic erotic adventure, this book will not disappoint.
Ella is like a leprechaun who thinks of nothing but gold, or a vampire who wishes for nothing but human blood, or an incubus who does nothing but copulate with sleeping woman. She is a one-dimensional character who never truly changes, a one-trick pony with one overwhelming drive: a zeal for human hearts. Ella’s power is so great that her opponents offer her no challenge. She is never truly in danger. Her only real vulnerability is her heart once it is coaxed back to life by the Wanderer. The resurrection of her heart occurs at the very end of the book and is of little consequence, for Ella refuses to accept her living heart. Instead she chooses to remain heartless, both literally and metaphorically.
Ella’s curse can be lifted, but she does not want it to be lifted. She revels in it. The narrator states: “Follow your heart…Remember, it’s the most precious part of you. Follow your heart and you will always do right in life.” Ella refutes this sage advice and so it is hard to sympathize with her. It’s also hard to sympathize with Ella because she is not a victim. She never had anything at stake, she never had anything to lose; her heart was already dead before she gave it to the sorcerer.
The men in the book seem to exist for the sole purpose of copulating, and usually they desire one particular woman who eventually spells their doom. There’s plenty of fish in the sea, and it’s hard to believe that these Casanovas would spend all their time pining away after one particular super special female. Well, at least no one sparkles in sunlight.
The narrator repeatedly calls Ella “ugly,” and for much of the beginning of the book we read about an ugly girl having sex with an ugly sorcerer as the sorcerer teaches her numerous sexual positions. Ella’s sexual appetite is insatiable, yet she doesn’t see herself as a sex-obsessed nymphomaniac. No, she sees herself as perfectly normal. In her eyes, society is wrong and deviant whereas she is righteous and justified. A basic truism of the book is that society hates Ella and Ella hates society. The first person Ella truly loved was a no-holds-barred vagabond who liked to get down and dirty and let it all hang out. As a young woman, Ella wanted to lose herself in a world of hedonism and animalistic rutting and was frustrated that she could not do so. As a result, she became insanely jealous of other vice-ridden folk who managed to live debauched lives.
No man loves Ella (except for a rare wandering soul or two) because she is supposedly so ugly (with monkey features, according to her father). And so the “ugly,” love-deprived Ella takes out her frustrations on people who are comely enough to have lover’s and liasons.
Is Ella’s ugliness a physical ugliness or an ugliness of personality? She rarely smiles, is cold and self-absorbed, and relishes people’s pain and fear. As a teenage girl she fall to pieces when her would be lover leaves her, and her heart literally dies. Soon, her homely face is outmatched by her ugly, sullen demeanor and growing malcontent over everything.
Ella doesn’t want to be a lady. She wants to run wild and free and rut with animalistic lust, yet her father keeps her on a tight leash and Ella resents him for forcing propriety on her. Then he tries to rape her, and the plot becomes more and more convoluted as each chapter tries to justify her darkening persona.
Soon, high class prostitutes and Casanovas are demanding Ella’s head on a spike, and all the while Ella cackles in glee as she ruins their fun. She ruins their secret romances and infidelity, not out of a sense of righteousness, but out of jealousy.
In summary, Ella wants more than her due, and in her anger takes out her frustration on the world. She lacks sexual capital and so she gets a measure of it artificially through the sorcerer, and then she steals the rest from others. The capital she can’t steal she ruins, so that others can’t enjoy it.
Most everyone in the book, Ella included, wants more than their due. Their sense of entitlement is overwhelming. For me, the phrase that summed up the book reads as follows:
“You really think you’re one of the chosen few? ...what foolish vanity you have.”
I did not like this book. However I must admit that it was some damn good writing with well-thought out story structure and impeccable prose. Moreover, the book had "depth" and wasn't just escapist fluff. I found myself thinking about the protagonist long after I had finished reading the last page.
If you’re seeking a misanthropic erotic adventure, this book will not disappoint.
August 23, 2016
Ella Bandita and the Wanderer is unlike any book I've ever read. It reads like a fairy tale, but this is no Disney story. The folk tale-style storytelling, the lack of true names, and the mystical journey of the characters all combine to create an atmosphere of illusion and magic. The pacing is slow and methodical, measured, like the beating of a heart. And the world is a swash-buckling fantasy realm filled with Sorcerers, Vagabonds, and Patrons.
I don't even know how to review this book, simply because it's not like anything I normally read. Instead of a clear, linear plot, Ella Bandita circles around a core idea: listen to your heart. There's not a mystery to solve, or a romance to root for, or a world-killing problem that must be fixed. But there's plenty of mayhem, and ultimately there's gorgeous story of a girl who's heart is broken and the man who tries to fix it. I won't give away whether or not he succeeds; that's up to you to find out.
[I received this book for free through First Reads and was not required to write a positive or any other type of review. All opinions stated herein are solely my own.]
I don't even know how to review this book, simply because it's not like anything I normally read. Instead of a clear, linear plot, Ella Bandita circles around a core idea: listen to your heart. There's not a mystery to solve, or a romance to root for, or a world-killing problem that must be fixed. But there's plenty of mayhem, and ultimately there's gorgeous story of a girl who's heart is broken and the man who tries to fix it. I won't give away whether or not he succeeds; that's up to you to find out.
[I received this book for free through First Reads and was not required to write a positive or any other type of review. All opinions stated herein are solely my own.]
December 4, 2016
Montgomery Mahaffey's epic fable is a fascinating read. The characters are identified by their archetypal roles, rather than names: the Sorcerer, the Patron, the Bard, the Wanderer, the Shepherd etc. Even the protagonist is referred to as "the Girl" until age twenty, when her father's fevered mumblings are misinterpreted, turning "Eh...la bandita" into the sobriquet "Ella Bandita."
The narrative follows the adventures of Ella as she sheds the persona of neglected daughter to become a heartless seductress, wreaking a path of destruction through a population of spineless, self-absorbed men. The Wanderer, who grew up listening to cautionary tales about her, loses his heart to Ella, and then pays dearly for it...
Though beautifully written, with a deceptively simple style, evocative imagery and faultless pacing, this book is not a light read. Nor is it a particularly happy one. But if you're looking for a thought-provoking adult allegory about the dark nature of love, lust, revenge, and human frailty, Ella Bandita and the Wanderer definitely fits the bill.
The narrative follows the adventures of Ella as she sheds the persona of neglected daughter to become a heartless seductress, wreaking a path of destruction through a population of spineless, self-absorbed men. The Wanderer, who grew up listening to cautionary tales about her, loses his heart to Ella, and then pays dearly for it...
Though beautifully written, with a deceptively simple style, evocative imagery and faultless pacing, this book is not a light read. Nor is it a particularly happy one. But if you're looking for a thought-provoking adult allegory about the dark nature of love, lust, revenge, and human frailty, Ella Bandita and the Wanderer definitely fits the bill.
December 4, 2016
Montgomery Mahaffey can weave a really entertaining tale.
Ella Bandita and the Wanderer is about a motherless girl who is shunned by her father and everyone else, apparently for her plain looks and also because they suspect the feared and disliked Sorcerer has taken her heart. Ella's only friend, briefly, is a horse groom. After he is ordered off by her father, her loneliness becomes too much for her to handle and she tries to kill herself. The Sorcerer saves her and they strike a Mephistophelian bargain.
She is transformed into a cold, hard-headed personality who thrives on seducing and destroying mostly well-off, important men. Only two, the Shepherd and the Wanderer, seem to get any kind of regard from her. The latter tries to save her from herself, but she rejects the gesture and goes her own way.
Ella is a strong character and, even if I didn't really get the point of her going around destroying the men she crosses paths with or goes out of her way to cross paths with, it was a well-written and intriguing story and held my attention from start to end.
Ella Bandita and the Wanderer is about a motherless girl who is shunned by her father and everyone else, apparently for her plain looks and also because they suspect the feared and disliked Sorcerer has taken her heart. Ella's only friend, briefly, is a horse groom. After he is ordered off by her father, her loneliness becomes too much for her to handle and she tries to kill herself. The Sorcerer saves her and they strike a Mephistophelian bargain.
She is transformed into a cold, hard-headed personality who thrives on seducing and destroying mostly well-off, important men. Only two, the Shepherd and the Wanderer, seem to get any kind of regard from her. The latter tries to save her from herself, but she rejects the gesture and goes her own way.
Ella is a strong character and, even if I didn't really get the point of her going around destroying the men she crosses paths with or goes out of her way to cross paths with, it was a well-written and intriguing story and held my attention from start to end.
July 8, 2015
ELLA BANDITA is written from an omnipotent point-of-view reminiscent of fables and such. It is written with good sentence structure and word selection. Dialogue was a strong point at various points in the story. The author uses titles such a Wanderer and Sorcerer in place of names and though this does allow ease in orienting oneself to the characters being discussed it detracts from bringing the reader deeply into the visceral core of the characters. Character development is superficial and growth/arch is present only in the girl who is the center of the story - and that occurs near the end. Pacing was lacking and led to some difficulty staying with the story. I rated the mechanics of writing at four stars, but the execution of plot and character arch were two stars for an average of three. I reviewed the book as a member of the Goodreads author review group.
June 13, 2016
I received this book for free in return for an honest review.
Ella’s life isn’t what she’d hoped it would be, and she finally decides to end it all. When she goes to the river she is intercepted by a sorcerer who gives her another option. She becomes the fabled immortal and thief of hearts, known to all. When she meets the Wanderer the trouble starts.
This fantasy fairy tale has all the warnings that a fable should, and is full of adult lessons. Ella is an insatiable character who is not easily liked, with her hunger and erotic undercurrents. The book was well-written and intriguing with plenty of emotional content. Although, not my usual genre I did enjoy the book very much.
Ella’s life isn’t what she’d hoped it would be, and she finally decides to end it all. When she goes to the river she is intercepted by a sorcerer who gives her another option. She becomes the fabled immortal and thief of hearts, known to all. When she meets the Wanderer the trouble starts.
This fantasy fairy tale has all the warnings that a fable should, and is full of adult lessons. Ella is an insatiable character who is not easily liked, with her hunger and erotic undercurrents. The book was well-written and intriguing with plenty of emotional content. Although, not my usual genre I did enjoy the book very much.
August 19, 2020
I Bought This Book Because The Author Is Pretty. Her con booth was really beautiful so I stopped to talk, and she told me it was her first con having a booth to promote her book. Now, I NEVER buy self-published books from authors at cons, but she looked like Counselor Troi without the Botox and I know that sometimes a person can sit at their booth all weekend without selling anything. And she had these great illustrations (Why don't more books for adults have them?) so I bought one because I kind of had a crush on her. She was also really nice. The story is confusing, but the plot is very original. Since the author's background is in oral storytelling, I'd like to hear her tell Ella Bandita stories in person. (The Author Photo doesn't do her justice. She's way hotter in person)
December 22, 2014
Exquisitely written fable for adults full of sorrow, mischief, and over the top reprisal. This lengthy four-part novel does a beautiful job with narrative, language choice, and expression… unfortunately world building and character development fall short. I went into this not knowing what to expect, and the end result was awe and interest, followed by confusion and frustration!
The story follows an emotionally jilted woman with no name who has been ostracized, not only by her family, but also by society as well for most of her life. The only connection she is able to make with another is that which she shares with a vagabond who requests to work at her father’s estate. As their friendship develops, she experiences true joy. He is the only one who has been able to look past her “savage” features and treat her like a person, so when he is forced to leave, the woman becomes so overcome with despair that she attempts to take her own life. This is the turning point for the woman. A blood-thirsty sorcerer who ravages women before consuming their hearts as means to remain in power and immortal intervenes. The woman is faced with a choice that will forever change her as she embarks on a journey that transformed the unnamed woman to the feared Ella Bandita, seductress of men… can she be redeemed?
The story of the Wanderer is that of a boy who must mature into the respectable man he wants to be. His coming of age story involves recognizing his own weaknesses and flaws, and willing himself to overcome them. Meeting Ella Bandita makes this journey a difficult one as he never realizes what he is up against when his finds himself lusting for the cold and detached woman he shares a camp with. He soon finds his heart in Ella Bandita’s clutches and his body on four paws… will he ever be whole again?
The premise was novel was intriguing and provocative, but not something I would have picked for myself had it not been suggested. More fantasy, less fable-like is my preference, but I got sucked in by my curiosity and wanted to see how this wretched woman would redeem herself. Montgomery’s choice in diction is phenomenal. However world building left the desire for more. Characters are heavily driven by their emotions and past, yet I felt like pertinent information was not presented when it should have been. I love powerful twists and turns, but the effect of this one was lost on me.
I loved the characters, their complex nature and how humanly flawed they were, but again their histories were limited, more could have been provided to allow for a better understanding of them. What I enjoyed the least was the lack of growth in their characters. After enduring so much and quite a lengthy novel, I feel like there should have been more personal development. Granted, there is an emotional depth that I missed while reading, but appreciated upon reflection.
Another nuisance was making sense of why she was shunned and what made her so ugly, the constant reference to "savage" features were not sufficient to portray why she was ugly and why that mattered.
The ending was infuriating for me. That is all I’ll say on that as to not give anything away.
This was not my type of book, and while I am not particularly fond of it and the style it was presented in overcomplicates things, I cannot deny that the author is a talented writer.
If you can appreciate a book simply for how well it is written, and are looking something with a dark-fable feel, then you’d enjoy this one. If you like something with a definitive beginning and end, with a large sense of redemption, and a heavy dose of world building, I’d stay away from this.
** This ARC was received from the Author in exchange for an honest review. **
*** 3.5 Stars ***
The story follows an emotionally jilted woman with no name who has been ostracized, not only by her family, but also by society as well for most of her life. The only connection she is able to make with another is that which she shares with a vagabond who requests to work at her father’s estate. As their friendship develops, she experiences true joy. He is the only one who has been able to look past her “savage” features and treat her like a person, so when he is forced to leave, the woman becomes so overcome with despair that she attempts to take her own life. This is the turning point for the woman. A blood-thirsty sorcerer who ravages women before consuming their hearts as means to remain in power and immortal intervenes. The woman is faced with a choice that will forever change her as she embarks on a journey that transformed the unnamed woman to the feared Ella Bandita, seductress of men… can she be redeemed?
The story of the Wanderer is that of a boy who must mature into the respectable man he wants to be. His coming of age story involves recognizing his own weaknesses and flaws, and willing himself to overcome them. Meeting Ella Bandita makes this journey a difficult one as he never realizes what he is up against when his finds himself lusting for the cold and detached woman he shares a camp with. He soon finds his heart in Ella Bandita’s clutches and his body on four paws… will he ever be whole again?
The premise was novel was intriguing and provocative, but not something I would have picked for myself had it not been suggested. More fantasy, less fable-like is my preference, but I got sucked in by my curiosity and wanted to see how this wretched woman would redeem herself. Montgomery’s choice in diction is phenomenal. However world building left the desire for more. Characters are heavily driven by their emotions and past, yet I felt like pertinent information was not presented when it should have been. I love powerful twists and turns, but the effect of this one was lost on me.
I loved the characters, their complex nature and how humanly flawed they were, but again their histories were limited, more could have been provided to allow for a better understanding of them. What I enjoyed the least was the lack of growth in their characters. After enduring so much and quite a lengthy novel, I feel like there should have been more personal development. Granted, there is an emotional depth that I missed while reading, but appreciated upon reflection.
Another nuisance was making sense of why she was shunned and what made her so ugly, the constant reference to "savage" features were not sufficient to portray why she was ugly and why that mattered.
The ending was infuriating for me. That is all I’ll say on that as to not give anything away.
This was not my type of book, and while I am not particularly fond of it and the style it was presented in overcomplicates things, I cannot deny that the author is a talented writer.
If you can appreciate a book simply for how well it is written, and are looking something with a dark-fable feel, then you’d enjoy this one. If you like something with a definitive beginning and end, with a large sense of redemption, and a heavy dose of world building, I’d stay away from this.
** This ARC was received from the Author in exchange for an honest review. **
*** 3.5 Stars ***
December 1, 2014
This fantasy novel is well-written and assured in style. It held my interest throughout. The descriptive passages are evocative and skilfully conjure place and setting. The author also handles the erotic element with aplomb, no mean feat when writing sex can easily stray into gratuitous salaciousness or worse, the downright laughable. Ella Bandita is a feisty heroine, but in keeping with her role of thief of hearts, her character lacked heart. In a sense this portrayal was deliberate as she literally had no heart, but from the point where the sorcerer fashions her into a monster in his own image, we cease to see events from her viewpoint and lose that route to empathy with the novel’s main protagonist. We guess at her feelings and motives through the eyes of the male characters, particularly the Wanderer, and as a result, the empathy switches from Ella to them. Only at the end of the novel, through the ingenious device of Ella Bandita’s stolen heart, do we resume the main character’s viewpoint, and are drawn into the heart of the character. I wished I’d been fed those insights earlier in the novel, rather than having them all stored up for the denouement.
Also I felt the internal logic of the novel was a little woolly and that the construct of this fantasy world didn’t always hold together. For instance, why was Ella Bandita’s vendetta against vain, over-privileged young men? There was nothing in her life to justify this. Why was she immortal and ageless when the sorcerer aged and ultimately was killed? Why turn the Wanderer into a wolf? His nature was not predatory or lupine. In giving the male characters archetypal names, we assume an allegory, but the nature of this allegory wasn’t clear. For instance, was the Shepherd a Christ character, the redeemer? Why did he and Ella recognise one another? Was he the Trainer returned?
I won’t give away the novel’s ending but I applaud the way it conveyed the depths of sacrificial love whilst avoiding cliché. Ample scope for an intriguing sequel which I’ll look forward to with interest.
Also I felt the internal logic of the novel was a little woolly and that the construct of this fantasy world didn’t always hold together. For instance, why was Ella Bandita’s vendetta against vain, over-privileged young men? There was nothing in her life to justify this. Why was she immortal and ageless when the sorcerer aged and ultimately was killed? Why turn the Wanderer into a wolf? His nature was not predatory or lupine. In giving the male characters archetypal names, we assume an allegory, but the nature of this allegory wasn’t clear. For instance, was the Shepherd a Christ character, the redeemer? Why did he and Ella recognise one another? Was he the Trainer returned?
I won’t give away the novel’s ending but I applaud the way it conveyed the depths of sacrificial love whilst avoiding cliché. Ample scope for an intriguing sequel which I’ll look forward to with interest.
November 1, 2014
I was given this book for free in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed the descriptions and felt the author painted a vivid picture of the Sorcerer’s caverns, Ella’s travels throughout the land and the weak-willed men she met along the way.
Ella is not a character I liked in this novel. Although the author tries to paint her as an outcast young woman who becomes a seductress out of necessity I felt no empathy for Ella as an individual. I felt the Wanderer was written as a spineless, pathetic man. I wanted him to get a backbone and stand up to Ella earlier.
The novel dragged in spots and I found the pacing awkward. It goes forward then backward then some of the backstory is given then it races off again. The flow of the story was all over the place. I enjoyed the parts where the author wrote the characters in their present time yet got bored when yet more backstory was inserted.
Although a fable, this fantasy is aimed at adults. The mythical elements are plentiful and well written. There is an abundance of hedonism and self-indulgence laced throughout the story to support the author’s premise that erotic obsession trumps love.
Ella is not a character I liked in this novel. Although the author tries to paint her as an outcast young woman who becomes a seductress out of necessity I felt no empathy for Ella as an individual. I felt the Wanderer was written as a spineless, pathetic man. I wanted him to get a backbone and stand up to Ella earlier.
The novel dragged in spots and I found the pacing awkward. It goes forward then backward then some of the backstory is given then it races off again. The flow of the story was all over the place. I enjoyed the parts where the author wrote the characters in their present time yet got bored when yet more backstory was inserted.
Although a fable, this fantasy is aimed at adults. The mythical elements are plentiful and well written. There is an abundance of hedonism and self-indulgence laced throughout the story to support the author’s premise that erotic obsession trumps love.
December 18, 2014
Fantasy, folk tale or fable. I’m not sure what category Ella Bandita and the Wanderer falls in, but I’ll refer to it as “fantasy”. For me, as someone who doesn’t read fantasy novels, I found the book interesting and it kept me reading. However, it was never clear to me what the characters were trying to accomplish, so I felt a bit lost at times. Ella Bandita (simply called “The Girl” in the beginning) turns to the dark side as a very young woman. Why she chose that path wasn’t explained until the end. Most of the other characters are simply drawn, almost caricatures of their roles in the story. They don’t have names, but are referred to by their role (the Wanderer, the Shepard, etc.). I didn’t find myself pulling for any of the characters, especially Ella Bandita. The book is beautifully written. The dialogue was very well presented, but there were long stretches in the book with no dialogue at all, which slowed the pace a bit.
Readers who enjoy fantasy should give Ella Bandita a try. I think you’ll like it.
Readers who enjoy fantasy should give Ella Bandita a try. I think you’ll like it.
July 1, 2014
Captivating story. Like a bard, Mahaffey tells her tale in the oral tradition of a fable or fairy tale, but this one is clearly for adults. Ella Bandita, the Thief of Hearts, is both villain and protagonist as she negotiates the territory of loss, love, and redemption. But all is not as it seems in this novel, whose twists and turns are as varied as the characters which act in it. Anyone who has suffered grief will read deeper into this novel, and anyone who simply picks it up is in for a scintillating read. This is a must have for anyone who loves fantasy, magical realism, and anything but old fashioned fairy tales.
December 19, 2014
I won a free copy of this book through first reads.
All in all, this was a fun and enjoyable read. It reminded me of the fairy tales I used to read as a child (except this is definitely for adults). The story has so many great things - a sorcerer, magic, a talking wolf, a love story, etc. In my opinion, it's worth checking out.
All in all, this was a fun and enjoyable read. It reminded me of the fairy tales I used to read as a child (except this is definitely for adults). The story has so many great things - a sorcerer, magic, a talking wolf, a love story, etc. In my opinion, it's worth checking out.
March 22, 2015
I received this book as a first read. It was a slow and verbose read and pretty much cookie cutter with a lot of other books in the fantasy/romance genre. The characters aren't developed and their motivations are unclear. There's also a bit of a creeper vibe to the book that leaves you with a slightly icky feeling.
July 31, 2014
Great descriptions, lively characters, interesting world-building devices, but the writing gave me the feeling of being on a whitewater raft: moving forward but up the wall and backward too, with its plotting and pacing. Interesting story, but could have been tighter.
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