Mathlide a young and innocent girl comes to watch
the knight’s tournament with her brother Girard. The knights will battle for
Violette’s hand in marriage. Violette is a well off widow and all the knights are
chasing after her beauty and wealth. Therri who is upset over Violette’s
flirting with the famous knight William Marshal, who is sure to win the tournament,
bumps into Mathlide. Her mother’s necklet breaks and falls to the ground. Mathlide
drops to the floor trying to search for it. When she looks up into Therri’s
dreamy face she is in awe."The Vision", she nicknames him. He is a stunning knight, tall in stature with golden
hair and blue eyes. His friend Etienne with
green eyes and black curly hair smirks at her obvious infatuation. He’s used to
all the women falling at his friend’s feet. Drawn to her innocent beauty Etienne
flirts with her.He takes her silk ribbon and says he will wear it on his
sleeve during the tournament and battle in her honor. Mathlide doesn’t understand why he is focusing
on her when much prettier women are around.
Girard is outraged when he finds the ribbon missing that he let Mathlide borrow. Mathlide can’t remember the name of the knight that took it.
Girard is outraged when he finds the ribbon missing that he let Mathlide borrow. Mathlide can’t remember the name of the knight that took it.
During the tournament Etieene is
approached by three Knights that have real weapons instead of the tournament
style weapons and request for the ribbon. Etieene refuses and in a struggle
is shot in the back with a crossbow.
Mathlide and Girard run into an enemy that can only be a ghost, as he was suppose to be dead. Girard
has to hide Mathlide to save her life. He cuts her long blonde hair off and
dresses her up as a squire. He sends her to Therri to work
for him. While tending to Etieene’s injuries Mathlide is suppose to get the
ribbon back for her brother.
Etieene figures out Mathlide’s disguise and during this
time together his heart is stirred. In a moment of weakness he kisses
her and knows he’s in trouble. He can’t marry her,
as the second son he needs to marry someone that can give him land and money.
Mathlide can’t provide him any of that as her family has been shamed and lost all their land. He pushes her away even though he can’t
seem to get her out of his mind.
When Therri figures out who his squire really is he is angered as it has put a wedge between him and Violette. Mathlide goes to meet her brother with the ribbon but instead runs into a trap. To save the lives of those she loves she has to marry her worst enemy and give up her true love.
When Therri figures out who his squire really is he is angered as it has put a wedge between him and Violette. Mathlide goes to meet her brother with the ribbon but instead runs into a trap. To save the lives of those she loves she has to marry her worst enemy and give up her true love.
This story has twists and turns all along the way.
Just when all is about to be revealed something else bad happens. I love that
we get to revisit all of our old friends from previous books. It was like a
happy family reunion to see how they are doing. The story has true
history mixed with a lovely tale that puts you right in the middle ages. I didn’t
want it to end and come back to my time. Joyce's writing was genius; if you ever wanted
to time travel this book is as close as it get, you really feel you are there.
If I had to cast this into a movie here is my pick.
If I had to cast this into a movie here is my pick.
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| Therri "the Vision" |
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| Etienne |
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| Mathilde |
8 comments:
Here is Joyce's website if you want to learn more about her books. http://www.joyce-dipastena.com/
Whoa! Percival and Gawain from Merlin! What fun casting! :-) Thanks for this great review, Julie!
I can't wait to read it. :) Joyce's books are always so good.
This sounds like a great read!
Tina Scott
Dangerous Favor is on my to read list. Joyce always gives the reader an intriguing tale.
Margaret
I have bought the Kindle edition and am anxious to start reading.
I envisioned Therri with longer hair. I guess we all see our characters differently... except I think you got Etieene perfectly. He's hot! I love green eyes. The woman as our sweet Mathilde? I don't think anybody would believe she was a boy even with short hair and a plain straight tunic. Would you?
Good job on the review. I was hoping you weren't going to give away too much of the plot, but you didn't. ;D
I did give a lot away, didn't I? It was like a book report, or a query letter. :) If you watch "Merlin" on the sci-fi channel you can find a lot of knights to compare Etienne & Therri with. Mathilde with her piercing blue eyes would be hard to mistake as a boy but Therri was a little self involved.
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