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When the King Comes Home
Good King Julian of Aravis has been dead for two hundred years, but his kingdom still misses him. The current occupant of the throne is old and witless and has no heir. The true ruler of Aravis is the powerful Prince Bishop, who controls both church and state.
When the King comes home, all wishes will be granted.
Hail Rosmer wants to be an artist-not an ordinary artist, but a great artist, as great as the fabled Maspero, who painted the famous Archangel altarpiece in the Palace of Aravis and made Good King Julian's crown.
When the King comes home, all dreams will be made real.
One day, Hail sees a man catching fish from the river and eating it raw. The man's clothes are antique in fashion. He looks exactly like King Julian of Aravis. And there begins an adventure that takes Hail and her enigmatic companion from palace to wilderness to battlefield and teaches her, and the rest of Aravis, what happens when the King comes home in sober reality.
When the King comes home, all wishes will be granted.
Hail Rosmer wants to be an artist-not an ordinary artist, but a great artist, as great as the fabled Maspero, who painted the famous Archangel altarpiece in the Palace of Aravis and made Good King Julian's crown.
When the King comes home, all dreams will be made real.
One day, Hail sees a man catching fish from the river and eating it raw. The man's clothes are antique in fashion. He looks exactly like King Julian of Aravis. And there begins an adventure that takes Hail and her enigmatic companion from palace to wilderness to battlefield and teaches her, and the rest of Aravis, what happens when the King comes home in sober reality.
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 4, 2000
About the author
Caroline Stevermer
24 books291 followers(from website)
Caroline Stevermer grew up miles from anywhere on a dairy farm in southeastern Minnesota. She has a sister and two brothers. After high school, she attended Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, where she earned a B.A. degree in the history of art. She knew she wanted to be a writer when she was eight years old. She began by writing stories in her school notebooks. (They were not good. Many were not even finished. She persisted.)
By the time she graduated from college, she knew she would need to earn money in other ways, but she kept on writing. Her first professional sale was published by Ace in 1980. In the years since, she has had a variety of jobs and kept on writing. She likes libraries and museums. Her favorite painter is Nicholas Hilliard. Her favorite writer is Mark Twain. She lives in Minnesota.
Caroline Stevermer grew up miles from anywhere on a dairy farm in southeastern Minnesota. She has a sister and two brothers. After high school, she attended Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, where she earned a B.A. degree in the history of art. She knew she wanted to be a writer when she was eight years old. She began by writing stories in her school notebooks. (They were not good. Many were not even finished. She persisted.)
By the time she graduated from college, she knew she would need to earn money in other ways, but she kept on writing. Her first professional sale was published by Ace in 1980. In the years since, she has had a variety of jobs and kept on writing. She likes libraries and museums. Her favorite painter is Nicholas Hilliard. Her favorite writer is Mark Twain. She lives in Minnesota.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
May 25, 2008
I much preferred When the King Comes Home to Stevermer's other books set in the same world; it seemed to have more heart and more at stake. I liked the heroine, Hail, with her devotion to art and her determination to muddle through any problem set before her. I really liked the descriptions of the returned king and his champion. Perhaps it's natural I'd have a soft spot for a book featuring a "wayward librarian turned necromancer" also.
August 9, 2022
What a disappointment. :( I guess since I’d heard so much about this book that I thought it was going to be better than it was. The setting was great and the characters were good, but the plot was so under-developed that a lot of potentially great characters also became under-developed.
Stuff just happens oh so conveniently, and the magic is barely explained at all. The characters don’t quite understand the magic involved and basically say, “Oh well,” so we the readers are never given a chance to understand it either. And the bad guys are described as so easily defeated that it honestly made me wonder what the point of the book actually was. :/
Stuff just happens oh so conveniently, and the magic is barely explained at all. The characters don’t quite understand the magic involved and basically say, “Oh well,” so we the readers are never given a chance to understand it either. And the bad guys are described as so easily defeated that it honestly made me wonder what the point of the book actually was. :/
September 10, 2014
The bad news first. The plot is pretty rough here. Lots of people show up at the right places at convenient times, plans just magically work out (sometimes literally), characters have knowledge (presumably so the dialogue is less clunky). For me, these problems were just confusing and broke immersion.
On the other hand, the setting and the characters were a delight! The setting is a fictional region of Renaissance(?) Europe. The story is narrated by Hail Rosamer, the elderly artist, telling about the adventures of her youth. From her apprenticeship with a certain Madame Carriera to the flight to the shrine of St. Istvan, Hail Rosamer is the sort of intrepid, often inept, often frustrating protagonist it is easy for me to like. Also it's a coming of age fantasy story that is not trying to be Tolkien. It's more like one of those quiet, earnest novels about hopeful young artists coming to grips with craft and love and friendship and family. At least, all of my favorite parts were like that. And I can forgive a lot of plot holes for that.
On the other hand, the setting and the characters were a delight! The setting is a fictional region of Renaissance(?) Europe. The story is narrated by Hail Rosamer, the elderly artist, telling about the adventures of her youth. From her apprenticeship with a certain Madame Carriera to the flight to the shrine of St. Istvan, Hail Rosamer is the sort of intrepid, often inept, often frustrating protagonist it is easy for me to like. Also it's a coming of age fantasy story that is not trying to be Tolkien. It's more like one of those quiet, earnest novels about hopeful young artists coming to grips with craft and love and friendship and family. At least, all of my favorite parts were like that. And I can forgive a lot of plot holes for that.
April 20, 2025
Recommended by Rachel Neumeier, who posted the very compelling opening which reminded me of Robin McKinley’s writing. It also contained a few of my favorite things: necromancy, coin forging, and imaginary Europe AUs. Apprentice artist Hail Rosmer is dragged into court politics when a vengeful fellow apprentice plays a malicious trick on her– leading her to flee the city, and encounter a man who looks exactly like a king two hundred years dead.
I liked Hail Rosmer very much. She’s prickly, and difficult, and spectacularly narrowly focused on her art. Through Hail, we get all sorts of interesting details about painting workshops, casting metals, and the like. This is also a very odd and disjointed novel. Some of which is the fault of Hail’s narration– the story is told as Hail’s autobiography, written when she’s old, and it’s clearly glossing over some details and uninterested in others. At times this has a curious charm, at other points (like the ending), it’s detrimental because the emotional arcs of certain characters are never resolved.
A very odd little book. Recommended.
I liked Hail Rosmer very much. She’s prickly, and difficult, and spectacularly narrowly focused on her art. Through Hail, we get all sorts of interesting details about painting workshops, casting metals, and the like. This is also a very odd and disjointed novel. Some of which is the fault of Hail’s narration– the story is told as Hail’s autobiography, written when she’s old, and it’s clearly glossing over some details and uninterested in others. At times this has a curious charm, at other points (like the ending), it’s detrimental because the emotional arcs of certain characters are never resolved.
A very odd little book. Recommended.
January 3, 2009
I keep thinking I like this book more than I actually do. It's good, but I'm never as involved in it as College of Magics or Scholar of Magics. I can't pinpoint what about it that doesn't keep me utterly enthralled - I like the characters and the setting; the plot is fine, nothing groundbreaking but not terrible; and I enjoy Stevermer's style. I always think Hail is younger than she actually is and I tended to misremember minor details, which was rather jarring when they were referenced in the text. I like the idea of the book very much, but something was off in the execution.
June 4, 2024
Extremely early-aughts high fantasy, which activated my teen nostalgia HARD, even though I only ever read A College of Magics as a teen.
This book was very slice-of-life-y, but I found it incredibly exciting and propulsive. I liked Hail a lot and was delighted by her tight first-person point-of-view and the way magic is not mentioned until about halfway through because it is completely irrelevant to Hail's single-minded pursuit of Becoming A Great Artist.
None of the economics or politics or hierarchy stuff made any sense--for instance: Hail's family of 2 parents and 7 children are wool merchants, but apparently they supply their own woolen goods from sheep straight on through weaving and sewing and then ship their own goods to the city to sell, there don't seem to be very many (if any) hired employees, and yet all of the children go to school and it's totally fine for 1 or 2 of them to apprentice in completely unrelated trades--but I was having too much fun to care.
The first two-thirds of the book completely enchanted me: I loved all of the day-to-day minutiae of Hail's life in the atelier, and I was extremely here for her surprise quest with Fisher/Istvan. However, it didn't quite stick the landing for me--the ending felt very rushed, and Hail herself didn't seem very affected by any of the events, which made me wonder what the point of it all was, particularly since the conceit of the novel is that a much older Hail is looking back on her youth.
This book was very slice-of-life-y, but I found it incredibly exciting and propulsive. I liked Hail a lot and was delighted by her tight first-person point-of-view and the way magic is not mentioned until about halfway through because it is completely irrelevant to Hail's single-minded pursuit of Becoming A Great Artist.
None of the economics or politics or hierarchy stuff made any sense--for instance: Hail's family of 2 parents and 7 children are wool merchants, but apparently they supply their own woolen goods from sheep straight on through weaving and sewing and then ship their own goods to the city to sell, there don't seem to be very many (if any) hired employees, and yet all of the children go to school and it's totally fine for 1 or 2 of them to apprentice in completely unrelated trades--but I was having too much fun to care.
The first two-thirds of the book completely enchanted me: I loved all of the day-to-day minutiae of Hail's life in the atelier, and I was extremely here for her surprise quest with Fisher/Istvan. However, it didn't quite stick the landing for me--the ending felt very rushed, and Hail herself didn't seem very affected by any of the events, which made me wonder what the point of it all was, particularly since the conceit of the novel is that a much older Hail is looking back on her youth.
August 8, 2022
A young girl growing up to be an artist finds herself in the middle of the weird happenings, people coming back from the dead, and it all seems to be linked to something she studies...
Well, Stevermer is one of the authors certain to write a book that I will find enjoyable. Interesting characters, meandering plot, deeper themes that come to the surface. I really liked the coming of age aspect of this, and having a main character that is headstrong and blunt. I was intrigued by hints of the time passed, things changed, and was a bit sorry it wasn't explored more. I would've also liked for the "magic" aspect to be a bit clearer in its execution, or being even more vague - this confused me a bit. Also, some parts of the story were skipped over and thus lessened the emotional impact.
Well, Stevermer is one of the authors certain to write a book that I will find enjoyable. Interesting characters, meandering plot, deeper themes that come to the surface. I really liked the coming of age aspect of this, and having a main character that is headstrong and blunt. I was intrigued by hints of the time passed, things changed, and was a bit sorry it wasn't explored more. I would've also liked for the "magic" aspect to be a bit clearer in its execution, or being even more vague - this confused me a bit. Also, some parts of the story were skipped over and thus lessened the emotional impact.
July 6, 2018
It was okay.
I really enjoyed the world and the premise. There were shades of the fisher king and King Arthur all over. I loved that the heroine felt like a fresh character. Artists aren’t the normal go-to for main characters in this genre.
But.
There was no real story. It was just a flashback. A moment. It didn’t have enough depth to make an impression. And we didn’t see the character grow at all. Or really even get a sense of what happened after.
The plot was full of deus ex machina. Which is a personal pet peeve.
I thought it wasted potential.
I really enjoyed the world and the premise. There were shades of the fisher king and King Arthur all over. I loved that the heroine felt like a fresh character. Artists aren’t the normal go-to for main characters in this genre.
But.
There was no real story. It was just a flashback. A moment. It didn’t have enough depth to make an impression. And we didn’t see the character grow at all. Or really even get a sense of what happened after.
The plot was full of deus ex machina. Which is a personal pet peeve.
I thought it wasted potential.
January 22, 2022
Utterly charming!
Although published in 2000, it gives me the feeling of more classic literature. It is apparently part of a series but I never felt a lack of context or story and can happily recommend it as a stand alone. The dialogue is particularly delightful work.
Hail Rossamer is an artsy in all her ways, and not the sort of modern fantasy heroine to take control of the situation and save the day. I think she is allowed to be herself, and not a modern heroine, she is nonetheless engaging to follow.
Although published in 2000, it gives me the feeling of more classic literature. It is apparently part of a series but I never felt a lack of context or story and can happily recommend it as a stand alone. The dialogue is particularly delightful work.
Hail Rossamer is an artsy in all her ways, and not the sort of modern fantasy heroine to take control of the situation and save the day. I think she is allowed to be herself, and not a modern heroine, she is nonetheless engaging to follow.
April 7, 2021
Very different and much darker than her other books, taut and rich with ideas. There's nothing leisurely about it. In many ways her view of magic and its connection with death prefigured Susanna Clarke.
January 23, 2026
The first part of the book, when Hail is simply an apprentice to a famous artist in the big city of Aravis, is pretty great. Then the plot kicks in, and it all goes downhill from there. To use the vernacular, this book is mid.
October 27, 2018
Fun cute fluffy enjoyable fantasy, set in an interesting parallel-Europe. I'd read more books set in that world....
Read
September 19, 2022???? huh?????
July 7, 2023
Reread after many years. Interesting magic system. I would have liked more arty bits (and to see Gabriel get some kind of comeuppance), but overall very enjoyable.
October 10, 2024
Low 3, I really haven't enjoyed anything Stevermer has written since 1994. I never warmed to Hail and the writing is really drained of colour, highly noticeable in a story featuring an artist.
January 9, 2025
Some good ideas, and has some well written descriptions, but doesn't for me quite merit four stars.
May 12, 2025
I don't think I would re-read this, but it was interesting. As with all her books set in this world, I feel like I've missed a good bit of what actually happened.
July 15, 2025
This is a really interesting historical fantasy (except for the ending).
May 7, 2020
Apprentice Hail's efforts to emulate the artist who created the medallion for King Julian's tomb, result in her medallion's being used to resurrect the King.
March 18, 2015
Quick review originally posted on 5 May 2013 at Falling Letters.
I had a cautiously optimistic hope for this book! I stopped signing books out of the scifi/fantasy section of the library years ago because I could only find awful books, but somehow this caught my eye and the description on the dust jacket sounded very nice, just the sort of thing I would like to read. But...
Oooh, what a disappointment! It was alright for about 50 pages, then I thought it was going to get better, so I kept going, and by the time I realized it was going to stay awful I was so far in I decided to finish it. This is the only book I made any notes on because it frustrated me so much - here they are!
The first note I made was 'Nice little read, not too much to note - lots of art, a little too perfect and blissful' - hah!
There's no real conflict (a bit of teasing is the most we see) then BOOM out of nowhere about 60 pages in everything turns around and the main character's running away and she finds the alleged King and things start to go haywire. There's a number of weird plot things that don't make sense or seem pointless or are really weak. For example, one numerous occasions the MC continues to tag along because it's 'not convenient' for her to go home, as she is supposed to be doing - this isn't played as wishful thinking, like the MC wants to tag along so she pretends it isn't convenient; it's played as actually being inconvenient therefore she must stay. It seems like the author had to work so hard to make sure her MC stays the MC and so everything feels really forced and awkward and out of place. Most of my notes are comments on the poor plot; you get the idea so I won't post them all here.
I did like the writing style - nothing too fancy, fairly concise, but easy to read. I like to think it's the sort of style I write in.
I had a cautiously optimistic hope for this book! I stopped signing books out of the scifi/fantasy section of the library years ago because I could only find awful books, but somehow this caught my eye and the description on the dust jacket sounded very nice, just the sort of thing I would like to read. But...
Oooh, what a disappointment! It was alright for about 50 pages, then I thought it was going to get better, so I kept going, and by the time I realized it was going to stay awful I was so far in I decided to finish it. This is the only book I made any notes on because it frustrated me so much - here they are!
The first note I made was 'Nice little read, not too much to note - lots of art, a little too perfect and blissful' - hah!
There's no real conflict (a bit of teasing is the most we see) then BOOM out of nowhere about 60 pages in everything turns around and the main character's running away and she finds the alleged King and things start to go haywire. There's a number of weird plot things that don't make sense or seem pointless or are really weak. For example, one numerous occasions the MC continues to tag along because it's 'not convenient' for her to go home, as she is supposed to be doing - this isn't played as wishful thinking, like the MC wants to tag along so she pretends it isn't convenient; it's played as actually being inconvenient therefore she must stay. It seems like the author had to work so hard to make sure her MC stays the MC and so everything feels really forced and awkward and out of place. Most of my notes are comments on the poor plot; you get the idea so I won't post them all here.
I did like the writing style - nothing too fancy, fairly concise, but easy to read. I like to think it's the sort of style I write in.
March 30, 2014
Somehow this book just didn't connect with me. The heroine, Hail Rosamer, is well-drawn, but her bulldog-like tendency to fixate on one thing and hang on like grim death, largely ignoring everything around her, makes her hard to relate to (and makes it slightly unbelievable that she only once ends up in serious danger). And aside from Hail, we never really learn much about any of the other characters. Given that Hail is narrating, this makes sense -- Hail doesn't really seem all that interested in other people's inner lives -- but it tends to leave characters as either blurs or caricatures. The setting is also doesn't quite work: the book takes place in the Lidian Empire, an alternate-universe European country which we deduce is in the Balkans, as battles against both Austria and the Turks are mentioned, though the complete absence of Slavic names harms the verisimilitude. Clearly the universe of the book is supposed to be quite similar to ours in roughly the late 16th or early 17th centuries: Austria is prominent, the names of Italian cities are dropped, the people are clearly Catholics. Aside from the Lidian Empire, the big difference is the existence of magic: there are two characters who can work magic in the book, one of whom is clearly quite powerful. And the existence of magic is clearly widely known: when spells are cast, those who observe them treat them as a fairly normal occurrence, with no boggling of minds even when, say, the dead are summoned back to life. The result is that things feel a bit off: if magic does exist, how can it have had such a limited impact on society? How can the prince-bishop -- who is, as his title suggests, a spiritual, in addition to temporal, potentate -- openly employ a wizard in his personal retinue? It just doesn't quite make sense. Finally, there's the deux ex machina ending to the story (which I'll say no more about for fear of spoilers). Individually, each of these problems wouldn't really be significant, but put together they're enough to make the book not sit quite right.
March 3, 2009
I truly loved the character telling the story. This was one of the few times where I felt like I really got to know and understand the narrator. Often, with first person writing, it's too easy to let main character become a narrator of the story as a whole, rather than their own personal experience. That didn't happen here. I really loved her, she's feisty and sarcastic and drives other people nuts. I laughed out loud several times. The whole book was worth the read just because of this character.
The writing was beautiful. I liked how she really wrote it from the first person, so that if the main character didn't understand what was going on at the time, neither did we. Her descriptions were heart melting.
The ending....left something to be desired, wasn't at all what I hoped would happen, and I have to say I was a little dissapointed. But like I said, the whole book was worth it because of the main character. Watch for the humor in this book, it sneaks up on you and you might miss it if you haven't got your wits about you, but its golden every time.
The writing was beautiful. I liked how she really wrote it from the first person, so that if the main character didn't understand what was going on at the time, neither did we. Her descriptions were heart melting.
The ending....left something to be desired, wasn't at all what I hoped would happen, and I have to say I was a little dissapointed. But like I said, the whole book was worth it because of the main character. Watch for the humor in this book, it sneaks up on you and you might miss it if you haven't got your wits about you, but its golden every time.
November 3, 2009
I liked this book better than I expected, given that I really did not enjoy A College of Magics. I could like the protagonist, even though it did get the point where she's going around with these people for no particular reason and also seems to be an adjunct to the actual goings-on. She does actually do things and has at least one important thing to do.
I think I picked this book up for a promised threesome. That is, a love triangle that's not at odds with itself. There might be another word for this? Love triad? Anyhow, there is one, but you have to read into it a little bit. And it doesn't involve the main character, though it is central to the story.
So, in short, it's pretty good.
(I'm not sure why it says A College of Magics in parantheses on goodreads. This may take place in the same world, possibly, though I'm not too sure about that. Otherwise it has nothing to do with it as far as I know.)
I think I picked this book up for a promised threesome. That is, a love triangle that's not at odds with itself. There might be another word for this? Love triad? Anyhow, there is one, but you have to read into it a little bit. And it doesn't involve the main character, though it is central to the story.
So, in short, it's pretty good.
(I'm not sure why it says A College of Magics in parantheses on goodreads. This may take place in the same world, possibly, though I'm not too sure about that. Otherwise it has nothing to do with it as far as I know.)
November 23, 2022
I first read When The King Comes Home when I borrowed from the library sometime after it was published in 2000, and haven’t seen a copy of it since. Now there's an e-book and I hope more people will discover this lovely historical fantasy.
Hail Rosmer is an apprentice artist in a sharply realized Renaissance city in an alternate Europe with magic. She’s such a strong voice: blunt, focused on her art, tending to single-minded enthusiasms which she will not stop talking about. Very much a teenager of a particular time and place. Lots of details about art and artists’ studios and the life of apprentices.
She ends up on a bit of an adventure (sparked by her artistic obsessions), and there’s a king, and he comes home, but this isn’t Aragorn. Surplus kings turning up unexpectedly can rather complicate the political situation.
Hail Rosmer is an apprentice artist in a sharply realized Renaissance city in an alternate Europe with magic. She’s such a strong voice: blunt, focused on her art, tending to single-minded enthusiasms which she will not stop talking about. Very much a teenager of a particular time and place. Lots of details about art and artists’ studios and the life of apprentices.
She ends up on a bit of an adventure (sparked by her artistic obsessions), and there’s a king, and he comes home, but this isn’t Aragorn. Surplus kings turning up unexpectedly can rather complicate the political situation.
September 9, 2013
While I enjoyed the well-written main character, the mixture of real and fantasy was a little uneven. The first part is set in a Renaissance-esque Italian-esque town, where Hail Rosamer is apprenticed to a (female) master artist. We follow her as she learns about pigments, befriends or tolerates her fellow-apprentices, and becomes enamored of the work of the great Maspero, who sculpted and painted masterpieces in the time of Good King Julian 200 years before. Then one day Hail encounters a beggar who is more than he appears to be, and suddenly a whole layer of sorcery and enchantments opens up when it appears that a witch has called back Julian from the dead and a civil war might be brewing. The first part of the book was completely rooted in reality, so this seemed to come out of nowhere. Both halves were interesting, but they didn’t seem to fit together.
May 5, 2013
Another "meh" book, unfortunately. I'm not really sure what kept me from liking the book more. It was set in an interesting time period, and at least some of the characters drew me in (Istvan and Julian, particularly). I found myself wishing that there was a previous book that was actually set 200 years earlier, when Julian and Andred and Istvan were originally alive. Their backstory was intriguing and I wanted to see it "first-hand."
My other problem seems to have been that I didn't like Hail all that well. The opening part where she was learning the artist's craft was just kind of dull for me.
I felt like there was a great story in there somewhere, obscured by all the stuff currently going on.
My other problem seems to have been that I didn't like Hail all that well. The opening part where she was learning the artist's craft was just kind of dull for me.
I felt like there was a great story in there somewhere, obscured by all the stuff currently going on.
May 14, 2013
Rarely do I buy a book on a whim without recommendations or at least having heard of the author. I'm glad I did.
When The King Comes Home is unlike the other fantasies I read. I was pleasantly surprised to find that despite it being so short, it had a crisp world and characters; something most fantasy authors need 700+ pages of lengthy description to succeed in.
My only qualms being I wish the book had been slightly longer if only because I would have wanted more time with some of the characters, and the climatic ending would have been better had it not happened so quickly. It felt rushed. Otherwise, I enjoyed this book.
When The King Comes Home is unlike the other fantasies I read. I was pleasantly surprised to find that despite it being so short, it had a crisp world and characters; something most fantasy authors need 700+ pages of lengthy description to succeed in.
My only qualms being I wish the book had been slightly longer if only because I would have wanted more time with some of the characters, and the climatic ending would have been better had it not happened so quickly. It felt rushed. Otherwise, I enjoyed this book.
September 14, 2011
Like a satisfying piece of dark chocolate.
I did not want to put it down, and I did not want it to end.
Honestly, I need to read it again before I give more details; I lent it to someone (ok, watch out friends!) and never got it back. But I definitely loved it.
Stevermer is a fantastic author.
--new: I am reading it again, and it is just as satisfying the second time through. The imagery is fantastic, and she includes just the right amount of detail in each scene, whether it's dialogue or descriptions.
I did not want to put it down, and I did not want it to end.
Honestly, I need to read it again before I give more details; I lent it to someone (ok, watch out friends!) and never got it back. But I definitely loved it.
Stevermer is a fantastic author.
--new: I am reading it again, and it is just as satisfying the second time through. The imagery is fantastic, and she includes just the right amount of detail in each scene, whether it's dialogue or descriptions.
June 8, 2010
(5/19/09) Weird. I'm not sure I got it.
(6/7/10) I've upped the rating from 3 to 4 stars, because I did much better with it this time. I still think the main characters is overly impetuous, but just because I wouldn't like her in person doesn't mean she is a bad main character. The plot hung together better on a second reading, too. My favorite part is still the description of life in the atelier, but I can appreciate the adventures more. It's really a pity about Ludovic; he seems very pretty.
(6/7/10) I've upped the rating from 3 to 4 stars, because I did much better with it this time. I still think the main characters is overly impetuous, but just because I wouldn't like her in person doesn't mean she is a bad main character. The plot hung together better on a second reading, too. My favorite part is still the description of life in the atelier, but I can appreciate the adventures more. It's really a pity about Ludovic; he seems very pretty.
October 11, 2011
It’s been awhile since I read the other two books in this series, which meant that I wasn’t quite sure where this one was supposed to fall in the timeline. The first two were both sort of early 20th century, whereas this one seemed much more Renaissance-y. Eventally I just let it go and enjoyed the book. I found all of the details about learning to be an artist fascinating. I also liked the fact that it didn’t have romance, but didn’t have it in a way that seemed natural to the character. Quite different from the other books, but good.
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