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Greenwing & Dart #2
Bee Sting Cake
Magic is out of fashion.
Gambling is merely illegal.
Neither law nor common sense has ever stopped anyone in Ragnor Bella from making—or breaking—their fortunes at the table, at the racetrack, and especially at the Dartington Harvest Fair. With Mad Jack Greenwing’s only son Jemis finally back from university, this year’s betting is bidding fair to be the stuff of legend.
Jemis assumes the speculative glances are for his inherited notoriety (and, perhaps, his adventurous first weekend back in town), and is determined to do nothing more than a little light wagering at the Fair.
Perhaps one footrace. The odds on his placing are remarkably high—but the real bets are whether he makes it to the starting line at all.
Lost heirs. Botanizing dukes. Riddling dragons. High Gothic melodrama. And all that’s just to get his name in the race.
Gambling is merely illegal.
Neither law nor common sense has ever stopped anyone in Ragnor Bella from making—or breaking—their fortunes at the table, at the racetrack, and especially at the Dartington Harvest Fair. With Mad Jack Greenwing’s only son Jemis finally back from university, this year’s betting is bidding fair to be the stuff of legend.
Jemis assumes the speculative glances are for his inherited notoriety (and, perhaps, his adventurous first weekend back in town), and is determined to do nothing more than a little light wagering at the Fair.
Perhaps one footrace. The odds on his placing are remarkably high—but the real bets are whether he makes it to the starting line at all.
Lost heirs. Botanizing dukes. Riddling dragons. High Gothic melodrama. And all that’s just to get his name in the race.
308 pages, Paperback
First published January 2, 2018
48 people are currently reading
271 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Goddard
43 books792 followersI walked across England in 2013, fulfilling a long-held dream. I'm currently the sexton of an Anglican church in Nova Scotia, which means I am keeper of the keys and opener of doors (and shutter-off of alarms). I have a PhD in medieval studies from the University of Toronto, looking at poetry and philosophy in the works of Dante and Boethius -- both the poetry and the philosophy come into my stories a great deal (and occasionally the Dante and the Boethius).
I like writing about the ordinary lives of magical people on the other side of the looking glass ... and the extraordinary deeds of ordinary folk, too. Three of my favourite authors are Patricia McKillip (especially 'The Riddle-Master of Hed' trilogy and 'The Bell at Sealy Head'), Connie Willis ('Bellwether' and 'To Say Nothing of the Dog,' which latter would make my top-ten books on a desert island), and Lois McMaster Bujold ('The Curse of Chalion' and its sequels).
I like writing about the ordinary lives of magical people on the other side of the looking glass ... and the extraordinary deeds of ordinary folk, too. Three of my favourite authors are Patricia McKillip (especially 'The Riddle-Master of Hed' trilogy and 'The Bell at Sealy Head'), Connie Willis ('Bellwether' and 'To Say Nothing of the Dog,' which latter would make my top-ten books on a desert island), and Lois McMaster Bujold ('The Curse of Chalion' and its sequels).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
May 23, 2023
3.5, i’ll be the first to admit this was boring and my eyes glazed over a lot (like, an embarrassing amount. do I even know how to read? questionable). HOWEVER. it’s redeemed by its charming cast of characters (even though they don’t deal with any real emotions until the last 50ish pages …. okay VG). i would rate this lower, but i did get to have a very fun realization that had me whipping out Feet (the book) to crossreference, and made me REALLY want a copy of Fitzroy (also the book) to reread a Certain Scene. VG is great at threading the pieces of her giant universe together, and it makes these books compulsively readable if you’ve already read some of the others. The joy of these realizations is unmatched.
Still, I wish there was less dialogue. I wish I liked low-stakes fantasy, or cared about the small-town drama of it all. I really, REALLY wish it was gay. I wish this series had Kip in it. Alas, I will continue to read, even though it will probably never be what I want, because what i want already exists in perfect form in Hands, Feet, and the soon-to-come Shoulders.
Still, I wish there was less dialogue. I wish I liked low-stakes fantasy, or cared about the small-town drama of it all. I really, REALLY wish it was gay. I wish this series had Kip in it. Alas, I will continue to read, even though it will probably never be what I want, because what i want already exists in perfect form in Hands, Feet, and the soon-to-come Shoulders.
December 14, 2021
This was so much better than Stargazy Pie. It's pretty close to what I really wanted out of the series and it had a lot of the writing and character relationship building that I loved so much in The Emperor's Hands. It's a wonderful story about friendship and standing up for what's right with quite a bit to laugh about and even a few interesting things to get excited about. It takes place directly after the previous book and references it pretty heavily, so I'm glad that I decided to pick it up even though I thought that Stargazy Pie was merely decent.
January 4, 2023
As soon as I finished reading this one I purchased and downloaded the third - this series just keeps getting better and better. (And I really did like the first one! Even if it had a bit of a pilot episode feel.) Here is where I think it really begins to get good. In Bee Sting Cake we have, in no particular order: a baking competition, a dragon's riddle, dancing with bees, meeting your mysterious gothic grandmother who lives in the woods, and lots of village gossip. These books are just so fun, and I am going to be very sad when I've read all of them.
February 25, 2025
Another very enjoyable entry to the series. It's such a pleasure to read something so well written, and it helps that often it's laugh-out-loud funny. I liked the way Jemis is beginning to emerge from his gloom and the very strong relationship between the friends. On to the next one! There are still a lot of mysteries to solve.
October 4, 2025
I came back to this series sooner than I planned - and I’m glad I did.
A real improvement on the first book, and much more like the author I know and love. Jemis comes into his own, as he becomes entangled in a dragon’s riddles, the mystery of missing bees, the web of inheritances, and a local fair’s high-stakes cake-making competition. A true…cozy fantasy mystery hero’s journey?
So much to love here - Jemis, although still struggling, gains a distinct and appealing voice as a protagonist fighting through tragedy to reclaim different parts of himself. His close friendship with Dart and Hal was powerful, who themselves are characters with lots going on and more to be discovered. We learn more about the area, the local townspeople, the history (both before and after the Fall of the Empire), and this world’s myths. Now that I’ve read so many books in this universe, it all adds nicely, although no book is a strong independent starting point in its own right.
The heart of the book was the journey through Jemis’s complex, fantastical family on both sides. It was beautifully revealed, with a lot of emotional impact. I enjoyed it, though it wasn’t obvious at the start of the book that this is where it would head (or leisurely stroll, as the author’s books do with their focus on characters and world, with much introspection and dialogue too).
The ending is a bit abrupt, and there are various threads left for future installments.
As a side note: we finally learn why Jemis calls his closest friendship “Mr. Dart”! It’s the small things in life.
A real improvement on the first book, and much more like the author I know and love. Jemis comes into his own, as he becomes entangled in a dragon’s riddles, the mystery of missing bees, the web of inheritances, and a local fair’s high-stakes cake-making competition. A true…cozy fantasy mystery hero’s journey?
So much to love here - Jemis, although still struggling, gains a distinct and appealing voice as a protagonist fighting through tragedy to reclaim different parts of himself. His close friendship with Dart and Hal was powerful, who themselves are characters with lots going on and more to be discovered. We learn more about the area, the local townspeople, the history (both before and after the Fall of the Empire), and this world’s myths. Now that I’ve read so many books in this universe, it all adds nicely, although no book is a strong independent starting point in its own right.
The heart of the book was the journey through Jemis’s complex, fantastical family on both sides. It was beautifully revealed, with a lot of emotional impact. I enjoyed it, though it wasn’t obvious at the start of the book that this is where it would head (or leisurely stroll, as the author’s books do with their focus on characters and world, with much introspection and dialogue too).
The ending is a bit abrupt, and there are various threads left for future installments.
As a side note: we finally learn why Jemis calls his closest friendship “Mr. Dart”! It’s the small things in life.
March 25, 2024
More fantasy detective fun. Solve the dragon's riddle and all will be well, right? Wrong. The dragon gets angry. Add to that, the games the nobles play with each other. The lady bookstore owner is beginning to remind me of author Kim M. Watt's head of the Woman's Institute. Except, said lady seems to be very comfortable wielding knives and a sword.
Victoria Goddard had fun writing this series, me thinks. Thought I'd try another of her books in a different succession. I can always come back to Greenwing & Dart (G&D). Seven books in the G&D series.
Victoria Goddard had fun writing this series, me thinks. Thought I'd try another of her books in a different succession. I can always come back to Greenwing & Dart (G&D). Seven books in the G&D series.
December 16, 2017
Only a few days have passed since the events in _Stargazy Pie_, but Jemis Greenwing continues to find that Ragnor Bella's reputation as the dullest town in Northwest Oriole is entirely undeserved and likely carefully cultivated. Jemis, too, thinks of himself as a nonentity, a disgraced son of disgraced parents, yet he learns that his lineage, upbringing, and own innate qualities set him apart from the common ranks. He also discovers a dragon, an enchanted village, complicated families, and cake.
We finally get to meet characters who were only alluded to in the first book, including the delightful Hal, Jemis's former roommate and the Duke of Fillering Pool, Master Torquin Dart and his lover Sir Hamish Lorkin, and Jemis' appalling old grandmother. Old friends Mr. Dart and Mrs. Etaris figure prominently again, and we get to learn more about their backgrounds and possible motivations.
The worldbuilding in these novels is magnificent, every hint about culture, history, magic, literature, cuisine, fashion, even philosophies of education and regional attitudes toward sexuality deepening the fascination.
The plot is extremely convoluted, and in this book not so much resolved as directed into channels that might lead to a resolution one day. There are still plenty of questions left unanswered, such as what will happen with Jemis' relatives? What's going to happen at the Winterturn Assizes? Will Hal's great-uncle turn up? Will Jemis go to law school? What about Mr. Dart's arm? What IS going on with the Honorable Rag? I'm very much hoping for another Greenwing and Dart adventure.
We finally get to meet characters who were only alluded to in the first book, including the delightful Hal, Jemis's former roommate and the Duke of Fillering Pool, Master Torquin Dart and his lover Sir Hamish Lorkin, and Jemis' appalling old grandmother. Old friends Mr. Dart and Mrs. Etaris figure prominently again, and we get to learn more about their backgrounds and possible motivations.
The worldbuilding in these novels is magnificent, every hint about culture, history, magic, literature, cuisine, fashion, even philosophies of education and regional attitudes toward sexuality deepening the fascination.
The plot is extremely convoluted, and in this book not so much resolved as directed into channels that might lead to a resolution one day. There are still plenty of questions left unanswered, such as what will happen with Jemis' relatives? What's going to happen at the Winterturn Assizes? Will Hal's great-uncle turn up? Will Jemis go to law school? What about Mr. Dart's arm? What IS going on with the Honorable Rag? I'm very much hoping for another Greenwing and Dart adventure.
August 19, 2021
This was better than the first part - or I’ve gotten used to the canon/setting. Goddard is just so good at dialogue, character, everything. Enjoying myself so much.
May 31, 2023
I found this much more enjoyable and interesting than Stargazy, but still nowhere near as compelling as Hands or Feet.
I would die for Hal and Mr. Dart
I would die for Hal and Mr. Dart
May 15, 2025
4.25 Could have sworn I wrote that review already, but here you go. While the first book was far too hectic for me, this one was much better paced. Still a lot of beneficial coincidences, still a a lot of happening (especially compared to The Hands of the Emperor), but things do get a sense of direction and I felt much less lost. The characters develop a bit, but they do still feel awfully young to me (which is not a criticism, but I could related much better to Cliopher and Co. than Jemis and folks).
All in all a good read and the hints for the future of the series are tantalising, especially now that I learned that the author sells DRM-free from her own website (for the same price as in a bookstore even).
All in all a good read and the hints for the future of the series are tantalising, especially now that I learned that the author sells DRM-free from her own website (for the same price as in a bookstore even).
July 27, 2025
I'm not exactly sure why it took me so long to finish reading this book, but I guess it just has this slow rythm that requiers slow reading and savouring the text. It's just simply charming.
September 19, 2023
Maybe I’m a little dim, but I didn’t expect the protagonist to develop all the power and strength and extra sensory speed so quickly. I was thinking about a more gently paced buddy adventure. Also, I really don’t think that dragons should be disposable in any book.
August 13, 2024
So it turns out that the lack of protagonism from the main character in the first book, which I was so scathing about, was part of his character arc - at least, it is now if it wasn't before. At just over 60% through this one, the worm turns and he decides to stop reacting and start initiating. Not before time.
It runs straight on from the first book, which I read three years ago and didn't remember all that well, and also has a lot of backstory from the author's other books in this setting, which I haven't read at all. So the first half, or a little more than half, is pretty dense with references to other books, character backstory, setup, and pipe-laying, and didn't grip me particularly strongly. It definitely picks up in the second half, though, with a dragon, riddles, noble titles, hypocrisy, a race, a baking contest, highwaymen, and the breaking of a curse.
The tone of these books is uneven; some parts - mostly the early parts - are the most languid slice-of-life cosy fantasy you can imagine (set against a background of epic, tragic apocalyptic fantasy that's happened as recently as the previous generation), but high magic and deep plots and desperate heroics take place in the latter parts of them.
The editing is a bit uneven too, with a number of sentences that got partly revised but not fully, and so don't make grammatical sense. An example with two issues in it: "He reached out to the off-set spatula and running his finger down the edge to the collect the cream." There are typos, too, and misplaced apostrophes ("Mrs. Ingleside's sister" where it should be "Inglesides'", since the S is part of the name; "in each others' company" instead of "each other's company"), and the homonym error "dowsing" for "dousing". Hyphenation is inconsistent. There are about an average number of these problems; I've seen far worse.
The worldbuilding, too, veers from deep and elaborately thought through to the inclusion of such this-worldly things as haiku and the ace of spades. And I didn't always find the protagonist's few competent actions particularly plausible.
Still, there are some good lines: "You don't expect people to be wicked on purpose, somehow. By accident or mischance, yes, but on purpose?" (establishing the book's noblebright credentials right there), and "The heart of culture is taking the time to do the unnecessary in the most picturesque manner possible." And Jemis Greenwing, the protagonist, is at least a protagonist for the last 40% of the book, and is likeable throughout (if sometimes self-pitying), and his friends are likeable too. His employer, Mrs. Etaris, isn't as prominent in this book as in the first, where she largely drove the plot; this is good in the sense that she overshadowed both of the series' title characters completely, but bad in the sense that she's more interesting than either of them. Mr. Dart remains a bit of a cypher, honestly, though we do get more of his backstory.
Overall, it's too uneven and not quite fully cooked enough to get a high rating from me, and just makes it to the lowest tier of my annual recommendation list. Even though I enjoyed it to a degree, I don't currently plan to read other books in the series or from the author, because I don't want to be disappointed again by unfulfilled potential and a lack of care over details. There's a chapter about halfway through that doesn't have a chapter number, for example, and the incompletely revised sentences are symptomatic of the overall feel I got of the author leaving the job only half-done.
It runs straight on from the first book, which I read three years ago and didn't remember all that well, and also has a lot of backstory from the author's other books in this setting, which I haven't read at all. So the first half, or a little more than half, is pretty dense with references to other books, character backstory, setup, and pipe-laying, and didn't grip me particularly strongly. It definitely picks up in the second half, though, with a dragon, riddles, noble titles, hypocrisy, a race, a baking contest, highwaymen, and the breaking of a curse.
The tone of these books is uneven; some parts - mostly the early parts - are the most languid slice-of-life cosy fantasy you can imagine (set against a background of epic, tragic apocalyptic fantasy that's happened as recently as the previous generation), but high magic and deep plots and desperate heroics take place in the latter parts of them.
The editing is a bit uneven too, with a number of sentences that got partly revised but not fully, and so don't make grammatical sense. An example with two issues in it: "He reached out to the off-set spatula and running his finger down the edge to the collect the cream." There are typos, too, and misplaced apostrophes ("Mrs. Ingleside's sister" where it should be "Inglesides'", since the S is part of the name; "in each others' company" instead of "each other's company"), and the homonym error "dowsing" for "dousing". Hyphenation is inconsistent. There are about an average number of these problems; I've seen far worse.
The worldbuilding, too, veers from deep and elaborately thought through to the inclusion of such this-worldly things as haiku and the ace of spades. And I didn't always find the protagonist's few competent actions particularly plausible.
Still, there are some good lines: "You don't expect people to be wicked on purpose, somehow. By accident or mischance, yes, but on purpose?" (establishing the book's noblebright credentials right there), and "The heart of culture is taking the time to do the unnecessary in the most picturesque manner possible." And Jemis Greenwing, the protagonist, is at least a protagonist for the last 40% of the book, and is likeable throughout (if sometimes self-pitying), and his friends are likeable too. His employer, Mrs. Etaris, isn't as prominent in this book as in the first, where she largely drove the plot; this is good in the sense that she overshadowed both of the series' title characters completely, but bad in the sense that she's more interesting than either of them. Mr. Dart remains a bit of a cypher, honestly, though we do get more of his backstory.
Overall, it's too uneven and not quite fully cooked enough to get a high rating from me, and just makes it to the lowest tier of my annual recommendation list. Even though I enjoyed it to a degree, I don't currently plan to read other books in the series or from the author, because I don't want to be disappointed again by unfulfilled potential and a lack of care over details. There's a chapter about halfway through that doesn't have a chapter number, for example, and the incompletely revised sentences are symptomatic of the overall feel I got of the author leaving the job only half-done.
June 21, 2025
These really do read like nothing else. I don't always enjoy the feeling that I'm missing something - be it a clue, or indeed the point - but the execution and payoff are always so delightful that I think I'm just going to have to let go my ironclad desire to keep up with everything and just enjoy the ride.
I enjoyed this one even more than Stargazy - the new characters are delightful, the old ones are even better realised, and there's an emotional heart and message to this particular installment that really got me on a personal level that I didn't see coming.
I enjoyed this one even more than Stargazy - the new characters are delightful, the old ones are even better realised, and there's an emotional heart and message to this particular installment that really got me on a personal level that I didn't see coming.
December 19, 2021
Lots of ideas
Jemis continues to solve the various mysteries and weirdnesses around his life, and this book has the cake knife incident. Hal is now my favorite character.
Jemis continues to solve the various mysteries and weirdnesses around his life, and this book has the cake knife incident. Hal is now my favorite character.
April 6, 2022
oh this was so much better than the first book. and not just because Hal was in this one.
July 23, 2024
I'm still not loving the Greenwing & Dart sub-series nearly as much as the other books I've read in author Victoria Goddard's broader Nine Worlds saga, but this second volume is a marked improvement over the first. Taking place only a few days later, it feels far more settled in its tone and its particular corner of this fictional universe, and it benefits tremendously by not having to rehash those details for the audience (who in consequence would unfortunately be lost if they skipped the weaker novel and started here, I'm afraid). It also introduces a fun new addition to the cast in the form of the protagonist's visiting school friend Hal, although the fact that he's actually an incognito duke, in the same adventure where Jemis learns that he's inherited a noble title of his own through his reclusive grandmother, is perhaps a bit much. Generally I prefer to read about people triumphing over difficult straits by means of their wits and their inner resolve rather than simple birthright and others' fawning reaction to it, and this piece sometimes blurs that line more than I would like.
The plot remains fairly low-stakes and cozy; while there are death cults and hired thugs and a riddle-asking dragon flitting around on the periphery of the tale, the heroes largely shrug them off to process lingering hurts from their respective backstories and discuss plans for the upcoming community fair and its associated baking contest. It's all Regency-pastiche fantasy of manners, and it's neat as always to spot references and connections to the writer's work across this shared continuity. But I do hope this specific branch continues to improve throughout the remaining volumes ahead. For now, it's landing fine as a pleasant diversion with some charming extensions to the underlying series worldbuilding, but is rarely delivering anything wholly compelling on either a character or a story level.
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The plot remains fairly low-stakes and cozy; while there are death cults and hired thugs and a riddle-asking dragon flitting around on the periphery of the tale, the heroes largely shrug them off to process lingering hurts from their respective backstories and discuss plans for the upcoming community fair and its associated baking contest. It's all Regency-pastiche fantasy of manners, and it's neat as always to spot references and connections to the writer's work across this shared continuity. But I do hope this specific branch continues to improve throughout the remaining volumes ahead. For now, it's landing fine as a pleasant diversion with some charming extensions to the underlying series worldbuilding, but is rarely delivering anything wholly compelling on either a character or a story level.
Like this review?
--Throw me a quick one-time donation here!
https://ko-fi.com/lesserjoke
--Subscribe here to support my writing and weigh in on what I read next!
https://patreon.com/lesserjoke
--Follow along on Goodreads here!
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6...
--Or click here to browse through all my reviews!
https://lesserjoke.home.blog
April 16, 2024
Oh, I love the simultaneously sardonic and disastrous adventure that seems to be Jemis Greenwing's life. Goddard really nailed her description of this series with the tagline of "fantasies of manners - and mischief".
Instead of waiting months to read the next book like I did after the first, I think I'm going to jump right into the next one soon. The events in these books seem to be within days of each other so this second book is such a smooth transition from the first and I imagine going right into the third will be like slipping on a pair of well-worn shoes.
If you're looking for a feelgood (although there are sad things/unfortunate happenings etc) fantasy adventure with a fun cast of characters, I'd highly recommend.
Instead of waiting months to read the next book like I did after the first, I think I'm going to jump right into the next one soon. The events in these books seem to be within days of each other so this second book is such a smooth transition from the first and I imagine going right into the third will be like slipping on a pair of well-worn shoes.
If you're looking for a feelgood (although there are sad things/unfortunate happenings etc) fantasy adventure with a fun cast of characters, I'd highly recommend.
July 8, 2021
I was tempted to give this book an extra star for the excellence of its cakes but decided not to on the grounds that although I admire Goddard's world-making abilities I still dislike her story-telling techniques. In this one bizarre things continue to happen to Mr Greenwing as he explores the aristocratic heritage he'd carelessly forgotten about while dull Mr Dart does nothing very much. Our amnesiac hero is baffled by events and so will most readers be. At least there is a dragon in this one which adds some excitement.
September 26, 2024
SO much better than the first one - all the feels from signature Goddard friendships, the world's softest cinnamon roll boy Jemis Greenwing, and the cosy setting of a sleepy little village but with dragons and attempted murder. I still had some small issues with the plot (every time I get invested in one part of the story, the plot decides to make a sharp turn and won't revisit that part until much later), but everything came together in the end in this one.
November 17, 2025
Victoria Godard’s novels are so wonderfully and compassionately trauma informed.
December 31, 2024
I wanted to end my reading year on a lovely note. Thank you, Bee Sting Cake.
The second book was even better than the first. We are in our fantasy of manners again, in the supposedly dull town of Ragnor Bella, just a few days after thedisasters adventures of Stargazy Pie. So Mr. Dart still sports a petrified arm (it doesn’t impede him much).
Jemis Greenwing is still reeling and trying to recover from revelations of the last book. Jemis, you are great, and don’t you dare doubt it. He does doubt, for reasons that seem valid to him… I want to give Jemis a hug, some cookies, and tea. The story of his family is so heartbreaking. Somehow, it hit me harder this time. Oh, and Sir Vorel, Jemis’ uncle, is a big pile of manure.
Another character enters the scene – Hal, a university friend of Jemis. (He is a Duke, actually. But do call him Hal.) I loved Hal! He is a plant geek who will jump off his horse in the middle of an adventure to look at a rare flower. Awww.
Now, what ingredients do we have in Bee Sting Cake? (Ha!) More revelations about Jemis’ family; other revelations; lessons in magic; magic curses; assassins; a three-mile race; a baking competition; a dragon asking riddles (yes!); Jemis being extremely badass. It all feels as if a Golden Age Mystery setting with a dash of Wodehouse plummeted right into a fairy tale. Yummy.
Above all, this is a wonderful story about friendship.
”Hal and Mr. Dart exchanged glances, quite as if they had years of friendship behind them, and for a moment my heart rejoiced in the rightness of the moment.”
This book was a delight, and I am so happy that I can follow these characters and their adventures.
Just a few more quotes I simply need to share:
”I am glad to know it is mere lack of skill preventing you from tearing up the countryside, Mr. Greenwing.”
”The dragon was coiled into the space between malthouse and garden hedge. An incongruous line of washing flapped above it, adding a festive air.”
”Sunlight caught in sweetness.” (=honey :))) )
Baking competition:
”Old Mrs. Quimby tried to stick her finger into my batter. I batted her hand away, hoping my expression looked mischievous rather than feral.”
The second book was even better than the first. We are in our fantasy of manners again, in the supposedly dull town of Ragnor Bella, just a few days after the
Jemis Greenwing is still reeling and trying to recover from revelations of the last book. Jemis, you are great, and don’t you dare doubt it. He does doubt, for reasons that seem valid to him… I want to give Jemis a hug, some cookies, and tea. The story of his family is so heartbreaking. Somehow, it hit me harder this time. Oh, and Sir Vorel, Jemis’ uncle, is a big pile of manure.
Another character enters the scene – Hal, a university friend of Jemis. (He is a Duke, actually. But do call him Hal.) I loved Hal! He is a plant geek who will jump off his horse in the middle of an adventure to look at a rare flower. Awww.
Now, what ingredients do we have in Bee Sting Cake? (Ha!) More revelations about Jemis’ family; other revelations; lessons in magic; magic curses; assassins; a three-mile race; a baking competition; a dragon asking riddles (yes!); Jemis being extremely badass. It all feels as if a Golden Age Mystery setting with a dash of Wodehouse plummeted right into a fairy tale. Yummy.
Above all, this is a wonderful story about friendship.
”Hal and Mr. Dart exchanged glances, quite as if they had years of friendship behind them, and for a moment my heart rejoiced in the rightness of the moment.”
This book was a delight, and I am so happy that I can follow these characters and their adventures.
Just a few more quotes I simply need to share:
”I am glad to know it is mere lack of skill preventing you from tearing up the countryside, Mr. Greenwing.”
”The dragon was coiled into the space between malthouse and garden hedge. An incongruous line of washing flapped above it, adding a festive air.”
”Sunlight caught in sweetness.” (=honey :))) )
Baking competition:
”Old Mrs. Quimby tried to stick her finger into my batter. I batted her hand away, hoping my expression looked mischievous rather than feral.”
January 31, 2022
In a way, I found Bee Sting Cake even more delightful than Stargazy Pie. While I was not as emotionally invested as with the first book, I loved the character growth, development, and progression of the overall narrative. The story was entertaining, satisfying, and even more filled with pointed social commentary and references to literary analysis. It was great to see Jemis having one more friend on his side, and I have so many more questions about Mr. Dart — I truly hope to see everything resolved in due time.
Every character was genuine, real, and absolutely fantastic, and I loved how everyone played off of each other. The interactions, jokes, humour were all *chef’s kiss* and I was thoroughly entertained throughout the book. Bee Sting Cake continues the theme of healing, grieving, and finding one’s place in the world, and it was great to see Jemis mourn for his mother, father, step-father, and himself in a way that was cathartic — actually dealing with those feelings and memories rather than repressing them.
If the first book was about looking beyond the surface level, this second book is about Jemis choosing to move forward. To claim his identity — both from his father’s legacy, but also the responsibility of his mother’s legacy. I also appreciated how he struggled with that part — having the claim to a noble title — because he didn’t want to lose his sense of self and also become a distant overlord, like the nobility of Ragnor Bella. Not everything is resolved. He still needs to learn magic, his friend Mr. Dart is going through many things, and there are many adventures and mysteries that await. Yet just as he breaks the curse on Noirell, he also breaks the curse on himself.
Like all of Victoria Goddard’s books, Bee Sting Cake is delightful, hopeful, emotional, full of depth, and utterly memorable. I cannot wait for the next instalment of Greenwing and Dart.
September 6, 2025
The last book had to do the hard work of setting up the characters and the setting, but this one can get right down to things and I think I enjoyed this more than Stargazy Pie for that reason. I'm not sure an awful lot actually happened - Jemis Greenwing did lots more running around (sometimes literally, since he's fond of long distance running) and there was a riddle-spouting dragon, as well as a mystery surrounding the disappearance of a lot of bees.
I was disappointed by the comparative lack of Mrs Etaris in this book, but her place is taken by Jemis' university friend Hal, who is searching for a missing uncle and his search brings him to this area where he reunites with Jemis and decides to stay a while. So that's the second old university friend appearing in as many books. How long until the infamous Lark makes an appearance?
Mr Dart is still mostly just there rather than doing an awful lot, and with the lack of Violet and Mrs Etaris, there's almost no female characters in the book. We do find out Mr Dart's first name though, which he hates (it's not bad, really) and some more about him. It'll be interesting to see where that goes.
I do enjoy Goddard's writing and will definitely be going on to the next book.
I was disappointed by the comparative lack of Mrs Etaris in this book, but her place is taken by Jemis' university friend Hal, who is searching for a missing uncle and his search brings him to this area where he reunites with Jemis and decides to stay a while. So that's the second old university friend appearing in as many books. How long until the infamous Lark makes an appearance?
Mr Dart is still mostly just there rather than doing an awful lot, and with the lack of Violet and Mrs Etaris, there's almost no female characters in the book. We do find out Mr Dart's first name though, which he hates (it's not bad, really) and some more about him. It'll be interesting to see where that goes.
I do enjoy Goddard's writing and will definitely be going on to the next book.
September 5, 2021
This is the second book in the Greenwing and Dart fantasy series, which, according to the back cover copy, are "fantasies of manners--and mischief." I am happy to report that I enjoyed it considerably more than book one, which is to say, rather considerably.
Mild spoilers ahead.
Most enjoyable. Four out of five honeyed stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
Mild spoilers ahead.
Most enjoyable. Four out of five honeyed stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
July 14, 2022
Loved this. The series is really into its stride now. This book is looking at Jemis Greenwing's heritage - in particular his mother's side of the family in the Woods Noirell, famous for a particularly special honey - but there is no new honey for sale and there seems to be a problem with the Woods.
Jemis is starting to get himself sorted out, has taken up cross country running again, and then meets a dragon who is waiting for him to challenge him to solve a riddle.
This book brings out more about the different Universities Jemis and his friends attended - I do love the concept of Morrowlea University where you are not allowed to tell other students your surname or status and all are expected to do chores whatever their outside wealth and rank.
Jemis is being thoroughly gossiped about, so decides to enter the long distance running race - far below his class and station - and with his friend Hal enters the cake baking competition, the first young gentlemen to do so. You have to cook in the competition tent. They are of course cooking Bee Sting Cake (which I've looked up and is a real recipe).
Extremely clever and witty ending with a degree of slapstick. Loved it. Far less of the annoying Honourable Rag as well, which counted as an improvement.
Jemis is starting to get himself sorted out, has taken up cross country running again, and then meets a dragon who is waiting for him to challenge him to solve a riddle.
This book brings out more about the different Universities Jemis and his friends attended - I do love the concept of Morrowlea University where you are not allowed to tell other students your surname or status and all are expected to do chores whatever their outside wealth and rank.
Jemis is being thoroughly gossiped about, so decides to enter the long distance running race - far below his class and station - and with his friend Hal enters the cake baking competition, the first young gentlemen to do so. You have to cook in the competition tent. They are of course cooking Bee Sting Cake (which I've looked up and is a real recipe).
Extremely clever and witty ending with a degree of slapstick. Loved it. Far less of the annoying Honourable Rag as well, which counted as an improvement.
March 21, 2025
Follows on directly from Stargazy Pie, which should be read first. The magic gets more evident in this one, and our hero Mr. Greenwing gets a trifle overpowered, the way protagonists do. I expect Mr. Dart to get more attention along these lines in a later volume.
The best part for my tastes was the arc about the bees, which reminded me weirdly of the fantasy work of Lord Dunsany. Which is a high compliment, btw. For those who don't know Dunsany, he was an Anglo-Irish fantasy writer of the early 20th C., predating Tolkien. The books of his I remember, if dimly, would be The King of Elfland's Daughter, The Charwoman's Shadow, and Don Rodriguez: Chronicles of Shadow Valley, although it's been decades since I read them -- pre-internet, so I expect they'll be easier to find now, plus perhaps others that didn't come my way back then -- I'll have to take a look.
Ta, L.
The best part for my tastes was the arc about the bees, which reminded me weirdly of the fantasy work of Lord Dunsany. Which is a high compliment, btw. For those who don't know Dunsany, he was an Anglo-Irish fantasy writer of the early 20th C., predating Tolkien. The books of his I remember, if dimly, would be The King of Elfland's Daughter, The Charwoman's Shadow, and Don Rodriguez: Chronicles of Shadow Valley, although it's been decades since I read them -- pre-internet, so I expect they'll be easier to find now, plus perhaps others that didn't come my way back then -- I'll have to take a look.
Ta, L.
January 31, 2019
Excellent follow up to Stargazy Pie!
This part of the story is again we'll written and fast paced! I appreciated the author's skill at recapping subtle, avoiding the several pages of annoyance to muddle through while they try to catch up imaginary readers that didn't read the first book. Instead she added new depth and previously uncounted detail to the previous information. The only thing I didn't like was the sudden appearance of this talent of Jemis to fight as though everyone else is in slow motion. Where was that when Violet attacked him? But since Jemis is such a likable character, I will forgive him the sudden development of a superpower. He has enough stacked against him otherwise. Can't wait to read the next installment and hopefully get to the bottom of the "coincidences" that led to his father's besmirching and death.
This part of the story is again we'll written and fast paced! I appreciated the author's skill at recapping subtle, avoiding the several pages of annoyance to muddle through while they try to catch up imaginary readers that didn't read the first book. Instead she added new depth and previously uncounted detail to the previous information. The only thing I didn't like was the sudden appearance of this talent of Jemis to fight as though everyone else is in slow motion. Where was that when Violet attacked him? But since Jemis is such a likable character, I will forgive him the sudden development of a superpower. He has enough stacked against him otherwise. Can't wait to read the next installment and hopefully get to the bottom of the "coincidences" that led to his father's besmirching and death.
October 29, 2022
The 1st book in this series was not available so I started reading the 2nd. I really wanted to like this book. I did. The characters should have been engaging. The plot should have pulled me in. And yet my eyes just kept glazing over. I ended up skimming everything after the initial first third and feel I did not miss a thing. I am sure this writer is perfect for some readers given the other reviews but she is not my type of writer. Her style is baroque but with very little depth. Many words were used but nothing seemed to happen. There were times when I just simply did not have a clue what was being said. I kept waiting for the second shoe to drop and it never did. I re-read sections multiple times and remained baffled. Again, as you can see by the ratings, many people love her books. I am not one of those. I gave it 2stars rather than 1 because the premise was good.
August 8, 2024
It wasn’t as exciting, humorous, or interesting as the first one but I still enjoyed it. I liked the riddle and the addition of Hal and Jemis’s growth as a wizard and a gentleman. But it didn’t build on elements the first book introduced, such as Violet or Lark or their families or the mysterious “club” thing the ring represents or the guy who gave Jemis the ring. We did find out more about his family and history which was nice. There was more world building, though a long tangent of religion and politics that really didn’t add much made me uncomfortable and nearly gave me second thoughts about finishing it. There seriously can’t be anything else countries and regions bicker about besides homosexuality? I get enough of that in my own nation. Please pick something else to showcase. But all in all, a good book. I love the dynamics of the characters and the slight nuances of the dialogue
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