Status
Available
Call number
Description
Zoe Ardelay, chosen to become the king's fifth wife, is a coru prime ruled by the elemental sign of water. She must return to the palace, not as an unwilling bride for the king, but a woman with power in her own right. But as Zoe unlocks more of the mysteries of her blood--and the secrets of the royal family--she must decide how to use her great power to rise above the deceptions and intrigue of the royal court.
Pages
416
DDC/MDS
| 813.54 |
Awards
Mythopoeic Awards (Finalist — Adult Literature — 2011)
Series
Genres
User reviews
LibraryThing member NineLarks
Zoe has been blessed with beauty, love, and power. She is barely mourning the loss of her father when she is called to be the King's fifth wife. But when she escapes, she cannot dream that she would be going back to the palace - but this time with power in her blood. But perhaps with her growing
I am a little uncertain why this is so highly regarded at goodreads. I thought it was just okay.
I did enjoy the idea of the elements shaping people's characteristics. Especially because being set into one type did not seem to define the person. It feels much more authentic than, say, the Divergent series where people became stereotypes of their class. Instead, here, people's tendencies are rather explained with an offhand nod at their element, but not confined to those traits. This made the "magic" system particularly interesting. Because it seems that everyone has some sort of power, just not everyone can manifest them in the visible world.
I did have a quibble that I didn't see the random population appear with magic though. What gives a prime so much power? It is never really explained. So unfinished magic system in this world.
Also, if I had rated only based on the world building, this would have gotten 3.5 stars. There was some really lovely moments of understanding the blessings and the temples. I loved the scene where the new father entreats Zoe for help getting the twins' blessings. I also really enjoyed the descriptions of the marketplace and the plazas. The little candies and odds and ends that they buy throughout the book really make up a lot of this world.
I think I just really don't care for the plot and the characters. First off, I am a little blase about Zoe being so powerful. It's rather annoying that she busts out such visible power whenever there's a crisis. Does any other prime do that? Nope, I don't see it. So why does she do so? And it's always so dramatic. Ugh, too deus ex machina.
We don't ever get to know her either. What is her personality? I am really not sure. She always just says she is a coru woman. Like that explains anything?! or rather, as if that explains everything. It really shouldn't. And doesn't. Meh.
Second of all, why was Zoe so entrapped in the machinations of the King's wives? She wasn't going to marry him after she came out as a prime. So why such close affairs to the point where she got to know all of them? None of the other primes had the same relationship with the queens. So basically I am calling foul on a lot of the plot. Most of it is pointless and not that plausible concerning her situation.
Furthermore, I think 90% of the plot is simply Zoe trying to figure out all of Darien's secrets. That does not make for a good story.
I guess their romance was mysterious and secret and intriguing and all that good stuff. But also not very deep... It's all secret passion wrapped in more secrets. Makes for a hot kissing scene, but not a particularly believable one. Especially since he says he knew from the very beginning. How droll.
2.5 stars rounded down. It was an okay book. I would have given a lot higher just for the world, but the lack of plot and character depth brings it down for me. Would probably just recommend for Sharon Shinn fans. And maybe someone who liked the Singer of All Songs trilogy. I probably won't continue with this series though.
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beauty, she might find love as well.I am a little uncertain why this is so highly regarded at goodreads. I thought it was just okay.
I did enjoy the idea of the elements shaping people's characteristics. Especially because being set into one type did not seem to define the person. It feels much more authentic than, say, the Divergent series where people became stereotypes of their class. Instead, here, people's tendencies are rather explained with an offhand nod at their element, but not confined to those traits. This made the "magic" system particularly interesting. Because it seems that everyone has some sort of power, just not everyone can manifest them in the visible world.
I did have a quibble that I didn't see the random population appear with magic though. What gives a prime so much power? It is never really explained. So unfinished magic system in this world.
Also, if I had rated only based on the world building, this would have gotten 3.5 stars. There was some really lovely moments of understanding the blessings and the temples. I loved the scene where the new father entreats Zoe for help getting the twins' blessings. I also really enjoyed the descriptions of the marketplace and the plazas. The little candies and odds and ends that they buy throughout the book really make up a lot of this world.
I think I just really don't care for the plot and the characters. First off, I am a little blase about Zoe being so powerful. It's rather annoying that she busts out such visible power whenever there's a crisis. Does any other prime do that? Nope, I don't see it. So why does she do so? And it's always so dramatic. Ugh, too deus ex machina.
We don't ever get to know her either. What is her personality? I am really not sure. She always just says she is a coru woman. Like that explains anything?! or rather, as if that explains everything. It really shouldn't. And doesn't. Meh.
Second of all, why was Zoe so entrapped in the machinations of the King's wives? She wasn't going to marry him after she came out as a prime. So why such close affairs to the point where she got to know all of them? None of the other primes had the same relationship with the queens. So basically I am calling foul on a lot of the plot. Most of it is pointless and not that plausible concerning her situation.
Furthermore, I think 90% of the plot is simply Zoe trying to figure out all of Darien's secrets. That does not make for a good story.
I guess their romance was mysterious and secret and intriguing and all that good stuff. But also not very deep... It's all secret passion wrapped in more secrets. Makes for a hot kissing scene, but not a particularly believable one. Especially since he says he knew from the very beginning. How droll.
2.5 stars rounded down. It was an okay book. I would have given a lot higher just for the world, but the lack of plot and character depth brings it down for me. Would probably just recommend for Sharon Shinn fans. And maybe someone who liked the Singer of All Songs trilogy. I probably won't continue with this series though.
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LibraryThing member bunwat
I really enjoy Sharon Shinn's work. When its at its best there's a sort of subtle magic beneath the surface simplicity of the tale. But for some reason I didn't feel that magic here, this one was just a little bit too much fantasy by the numbers for me to love it wholeheartedly. I still enjoyed it,
The romance felt tacked on to me though, and even though it was telegraphed from the outset, I never really bought into it. I think the book would have worked just as well without it, maybe better. There were a number of characters I wanted either more of or less of, too many people I met for just a few pages and then didn't see again.
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the world building and the magic system were both fun, and I liked the heroine and her exploration of the high and low society of her world. The romance felt tacked on to me though, and even though it was telegraphed from the outset, I never really bought into it. I think the book would have worked just as well without it, maybe better. There were a number of characters I wanted either more of or less of, too many people I met for just a few pages and then didn't see again.
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LibraryThing member NCDonnas
Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn was an enjoyable stand alone set in an original magical world that focused on the five elements, earth, wood, air, fire, and water. The writing style was easy to read, giving a clear understanding of how this world works without getting lost in endless descriptive
The main character, Zoe Ardelay, was fascinating. Being raised by her father in exile and growing up in a small village far from court intrigues, she had to overcome a lot of obstacles to find her place as the head of one of the five families, which constitutes nobility in this world. Given insight by both the blessings bestowed upon her at birth by 4 strangers, and the blessings drawn from the baskets at various temples, Zoe learns that her strength lies in the elements of water and blood. Zoe then uses this affinity to help her navigate the complex scheming of the court, sometimes letting her temper cloud her judgement on how to best use her new found power.
The relationship between Zoe and Damien Serlast remained rather combative, it was clear from the beginning what direction they were heading, however, I felt that this romance was a bit underdeveloped and not quite believable. Darien alternately helps her and hides things from her throughout the book.
Some of what I found most fascinating were the blessings themselves. There are 43 blessings, 8 from each of the elements, and 3 that do not belong to an element. Each blessing describes either a personality trait or something to expect, for example, some of the blessings include love, beauty, change, surprise, joy etc. I loved how these affected the lives of those who drew or was given each blessing.
The ending, for me, felt rushed and incomplete, leaving a lot of questions unanswered for a stand alone novel.
Overall, I would rate this a 4, the incredible world that Shinn created in this novel makes it one I would definitely recommend to fans of fantasy.
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detail. I was thoroughly drawn into this world and the array of unique personalities that inhabit it.The main character, Zoe Ardelay, was fascinating. Being raised by her father in exile and growing up in a small village far from court intrigues, she had to overcome a lot of obstacles to find her place as the head of one of the five families, which constitutes nobility in this world. Given insight by both the blessings bestowed upon her at birth by 4 strangers, and the blessings drawn from the baskets at various temples, Zoe learns that her strength lies in the elements of water and blood. Zoe then uses this affinity to help her navigate the complex scheming of the court, sometimes letting her temper cloud her judgement on how to best use her new found power.
The relationship between Zoe and Damien Serlast remained rather combative, it was clear from the beginning what direction they were heading, however, I felt that this romance was a bit underdeveloped and not quite believable. Darien alternately helps her and hides things from her throughout the book.
Some of what I found most fascinating were the blessings themselves. There are 43 blessings, 8 from each of the elements, and 3 that do not belong to an element. Each blessing describes either a personality trait or something to expect, for example, some of the blessings include love, beauty, change, surprise, joy etc. I loved how these affected the lives of those who drew or was given each blessing.
The ending, for me, felt rushed and incomplete, leaving a lot of questions unanswered for a stand alone novel.
Overall, I would rate this a 4, the incredible world that Shinn created in this novel makes it one I would definitely recommend to fans of fantasy.
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LibraryThing member Herenya
An interesting, tropical (or so I surmised) fantasy of elemental powers, markets, car-like vehicles and political intrigue. However, at first it is less a fantasy narrative than a story of a young woman who, having escaped from the king's representative who brought her to the city after the death
The first time I read this (2011), I didn't warm to Zoe, or the narrative tone quite as much as I've warmed to some of Shinn's other heroines and narratives. I found something formal, almost stilted, about the tone, but I liked Zoe and enjoyed her story enough to read it in one gulp. Some of the twists took me by surprise, and it was interesting. Between the culture and the combination of (some) technology with more pre-industrial social structures, the setting was different and colourful to many other fantasy landscapes I've read about.
Reading this again -- I've been reading and enjoying later books in this series -- I was surprised by how much I liked it. I remembered the main twists and secrets but not how it all unfolded, so I had the fun of wondering what would happen next and of being able to see how the puzzle pieces were fitting together.
The pacing in this book is a little unusual, albeit thematically appropriate -- it’s like a river: sometimes deep and still, sometimes meandering, sometimes frantic and dangerous. Knowing where it was all heading gave me a different perspective on some of the more oddly-paced sections.
She turned away from him and began a slow, measured pacing, coming to a halt when she was along the shorter wall, where the windows faced west toward the sea. Darien took a few steps forward, so he stood almost dead center in the room, and pivoted slowly to follow her progress. It was as if they were engaged in the stateliest of dances, where every step, every gesture, was weighted with significance.
Half of the room still lay between them, gleaming with refracted sun.
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of her father, goes to live with the poor by the river.The first time I read this (2011), I didn't warm to Zoe, or the narrative tone quite as much as I've warmed to some of Shinn's other heroines and narratives. I found something formal, almost stilted, about the tone, but I liked Zoe and enjoyed her story enough to read it in one gulp. Some of the twists took me by surprise, and it was interesting. Between the culture and the combination of (some) technology with more pre-industrial social structures, the setting was different and colourful to many other fantasy landscapes I've read about.
Reading this again -- I've been reading and enjoying later books in this series -- I was surprised by how much I liked it. I remembered the main twists and secrets but not how it all unfolded, so I had the fun of wondering what would happen next and of being able to see how the puzzle pieces were fitting together.
The pacing in this book is a little unusual, albeit thematically appropriate -- it’s like a river: sometimes deep and still, sometimes meandering, sometimes frantic and dangerous. Knowing where it was all heading gave me a different perspective on some of the more oddly-paced sections.
She turned away from him and began a slow, measured pacing, coming to a halt when she was along the shorter wall, where the windows faced west toward the sea. Darien took a few steps forward, so he stood almost dead center in the room, and pivoted slowly to follow her progress. It was as if they were engaged in the stateliest of dances, where every step, every gesture, was weighted with significance.
Half of the room still lay between them, gleaming with refracted sun.
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LibraryThing member ahappybooker
Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn was an enjoyable stand alone set in an original magical world that focused on the five elements, earth, wood, air, fire, and water. The writing style was easy to read, giving a clear understanding of how this world works without getting lost in endless descriptive
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detail. I was thoroughly drawn into this world and the array of unique personalities that inhabit it. The main character, Zoe Ardelay, was fascinating. Being raised by her father in exile and growing up in a small village far from court intrigues, she had to overcome a lot of obstacles to find her place as the head of one of the five families, which constitutes nobility in this world. Given insight by both the blessings bestowed upon her at birth by 4 strangers, and the blessings drawn from the baskets at various temples, Zoe learns that her strength lies in the elements of water and blood. Zoe then uses this affinity to help her navigate the complex scheming of the court, sometimes letting her temper cloud her judgement on how to best use her new found power. The relationship between Zoe and Damien Serlast remained rather combative, it was clear from the beginning what direction they were heading, however, I felt that this romance was a bit underdeveloped and not quite believable. Darien alternately helps her and hides things from her throughout the book.Some of what I found most fascinating were the blessings themselves. There are 43 blessings, 8 from each of the elements, and 3 that do not belong to an element. Each blessing describes either a personality trait or something to expect, for example, some of the blessings include love, beauty, change, surprise, joy etc. I loved how these affected the lives of those who drew or was given each blessing. The ending, for me, felt rushed and incomplete, leaving a lot of questions unanswered for a stand alone novel. Overall, I would rate this a 4, the incredible world that Shinn created in this novel makes it one I would definitely recommend to fans of fantasy. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheLostEntwife
I love Sharon Shinn. This book is exactly why I love her. The religious system (not overpowering, but perfect) was a bit hard to get at first and I spent some time flipping back to the chart at the start of the book, but it wasn't overwhelming either. The word-building was convincing and fun to
Zoe is a daughter of a fire (sweela) man and a water (coru) woman. Fire and water don't normally mix, but they mix well in Zoe, possessed of spirit filled with fire and a love of change, like shifting water. Her story starts simply, the death of a loved one, the life of an exile - but then something extraordinary happens to this ordinary girl ... the king chooses her to be his fifth wife. And off the story goes.
Filled with twists and turns, a touch of romance and quite a bit of excitement this is one of the most fun fantasy books I've picked up this year.
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explore, characters were filled with spirit, were likeable (or unlikeable depending on who they were) and the storyline built and developed more tension as the book progressed. All that means.. one solid read from Sharon Shinn.Zoe is a daughter of a fire (sweela) man and a water (coru) woman. Fire and water don't normally mix, but they mix well in Zoe, possessed of spirit filled with fire and a love of change, like shifting water. Her story starts simply, the death of a loved one, the life of an exile - but then something extraordinary happens to this ordinary girl ... the king chooses her to be his fifth wife. And off the story goes.
Filled with twists and turns, a touch of romance and quite a bit of excitement this is one of the most fun fantasy books I've picked up this year.
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LibraryThing member theepicrat
Sharon Shinn has again delivered another fantastic read, similar to her Twelve House series and yet so very different and unique. In Twelve Houses, any random person can be born with magic powers which range from shape-shifting to fire-controlling to mind-reading. The magic in Troubled Waters only
Troubled Waters is a perfect fantasy read that had all the good trimmings of romance and political intrigue. I loved Troubled Waters and am really sad if this is the only venture into this world! I hope that Ms. Shinn will bring us back here, even though it probably will feature different characters whom I may not love as much as Zoe and company!
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involves the elementals (elay - air/soul; hunti - wood/bone; sweela - fire/mind; coru - water/blood; torz - earth/flesh). Yet while a commoner can exhibit elemental personalities, the heads of the Five Families wield actual awesome powers such as stopping the flow of the river at will. The rich details of the magic system was really awe-inspiring -and I could only imagine the time that Ms. Shinn spent on creating such an amazing world.Troubled Waters is a perfect fantasy read that had all the good trimmings of romance and political intrigue. I loved Troubled Waters and am really sad if this is the only venture into this world! I hope that Ms. Shinn will bring us back here, even though it probably will feature different characters whom I may not love as much as Zoe and company!
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LibraryThing member janemarieprice
Exactly what I was looking for. Zoe, after the death of her father, is returned to the capital city to marry the king. However, she escapes once there and we follow her journey of discovery of her past, political intrigue, and magic. In this world, people and families belong to various elemental
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groups which have effects on their personalities. The plot was fast paced and exciting. Zoe, like most of Shinn’s heroines was dynamite. Show Less
LibraryThing member cissa
I really liked the world, the magic system, and the secondary characters.
I did get a bit frustrated with the protagonist, though, because she was so determined to remain a cipher. I t worked, in context, but it was still frustrating.
I did get a bit frustrated with the protagonist, though, because she was so determined to remain a cipher. I t worked, in context, but it was still frustrating.
LibraryThing member dreamweaver529
This book has a lot of things going for it. The world is well thought out and engaging. The use of the five elements, rather than the more traditional four, to describe people and their personalities was handled so well it felt natural. It is an easy flow to read, though I was thrown from the story
The main character, Zoe, is well formed, playing well into the element she is assigned (water/blood). While a little naive for my tastes, it is appropriate for a young adult story. The romance, too, was very subtle, almost to the point that what physical affection was shown (kissing, and vague kissing at that) was enough to jar me a little from the story.
I would love to read more from this world.
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in a spot or two where the linear flow of the narrative was broken (at one point a meeting is described in general terms and then narrated).The main character, Zoe, is well formed, playing well into the element she is assigned (water/blood). While a little naive for my tastes, it is appropriate for a young adult story. The romance, too, was very subtle, almost to the point that what physical affection was shown (kissing, and vague kissing at that) was enough to jar me a little from the story.
I would love to read more from this world.
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LibraryThing member ngoldfdf
Great traditional fantasy novel, with a pretty likable heroine. Not the most original plot, but Shinn is very talented in her world building. She knows how to really make you feel immersed in the cultural norms and values of each society, and how that dictates the characters behaviors. Zoe is a
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decently likable girl, while nicely enough Shinn strays away from the black and white, good vs. evil characters, as everyone justifies their behavior in terms of what they believe is good. People are complicated and all have flaws, which she shows especially with Navarr, Zoe's father. I admired how she didn't let the romance at the end of the novel completely overshadow the development of Zoe. Though I have to say (this is an assumption) that Shinn's personal religious beliefs most certainly made them very visible throughout the story, not to say anything against them. But I always feel hesitant when an author trying to prove a certain righteousness of their belief to reader through a certain story. Show Less
LibraryThing member drhapgood
Decently entertaining, enough so that I will seek other books out by this author.
LibraryThing member humouress
Hmm; this is a hard one to evaluate. While a good story, it didn't live up to my expectations of a Sharon Shinn book, based on "The Twelve Houses" series of hers, so I think it may suffer from the comparison in this review. At the moment, it is a stand-alone book, although I see from her website
In the country of Welce, when a baby is born, three random blessings are chosen for it. Except for three extraordinary blessings, these blessings fall under one of five elements ( elay - air / soul; hunti - wood / bone; sweela - fire / mind; coru - water / blood; torz - earth / flesh) and foretell the personality of the child.
Zoe Ardelay has been living with her father in political exile, who, at the beginning of the novel, has just died. Numb with grief, she is surprised but doesn't resist when an advisor of the king comes to her village to take her back to the capital, Chialto, to marry the king.
There are Five Families who lead politics, each led by a prime, and each connected to one of the five elements. Zoe's father was of the Ardelay clan, who are sweela (fire and mind), while her mother was of the Lalindar clan who are coru (water and blood). Zoe discovers that she is the coru prime and gradually finds that she wields elemental (being able to affect water and blood) as well as political powers. How will she adapt to life at the palace, and learn how to use her new-found powers for the good of the kingdom?
Although it was an engaging story, I didn't fully empathise with the heroine - mainly, I suspect, because she didn't behave the way I would have. I thought she used her powers a bit haphazardly, and not completely ethically. It could have been written that way intentionally though, since (as pointed out in the story) she hadn't had a chance to be trained properly.
I was also not completely satisfied by the romantic plot. Having loved the romance in "Summers at Castle Auburn" enough to go out and buy a heap of Sharon Shinn books based on that and an LT recommendation, I was expecting something more.
That said, it was still an engaging story, and I'll be looking out for the sequel. As ever, Shinn writes well; her world-building is good and her characters are nicely drawn.
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that she's planning to release a sequel in 2013 (tentatively titled "Heir to Air").In the country of Welce, when a baby is born, three random blessings are chosen for it. Except for three extraordinary blessings, these blessings fall under one of five elements ( elay - air / soul; hunti - wood / bone; sweela - fire / mind; coru - water / blood; torz - earth / flesh) and foretell the personality of the child.
Zoe Ardelay has been living with her father in political exile, who, at the beginning of the novel, has just died. Numb with grief, she is surprised but doesn't resist when an advisor of the king comes to her village to take her back to the capital, Chialto, to marry the king.
There are Five Families who lead politics, each led by a prime, and each connected to one of the five elements. Zoe's father was of the Ardelay clan, who are sweela (fire and mind), while her mother was of the Lalindar clan who are coru (water and blood). Zoe discovers that she is the coru prime and gradually finds that she wields elemental (being able to affect water and blood) as well as political powers. How will she adapt to life at the palace, and learn how to use her new-found powers for the good of the kingdom?
Although it was an engaging story, I didn't fully empathise with the heroine - mainly, I suspect, because she didn't behave the way I would have. I thought she used her powers a bit haphazardly, and not completely ethically. It could have been written that way intentionally though, since (as pointed out in the story) she hadn't had a chance to be trained properly.
I was also not completely satisfied by the romantic plot. Having loved the romance in "Summers at Castle Auburn" enough to go out and buy a heap of Sharon Shinn books based on that and an LT recommendation, I was expecting something more.
That said, it was still an engaging story, and I'll be looking out for the sequel. As ever, Shinn writes well; her world-building is good and her characters are nicely drawn.
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LibraryThing member jenzbaker
Classic fantasy in which a girl and her father live in exile after he was banished by the king. The dad dies and Zoe is chosen by the king to become his 4th wife. She goes, but eventually escapes and discovers the king's big secret: none of his daughters are really his own.Lots of world-building is
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a bit frustrating, but fun to read Show Less
LibraryThing member Tiffmeister
I really liked this book as an opening to a possible new series. Let's just say I hope there is a sequel. I love the world that was created and the balance of magic with real life. There is a sort of sweet just deserts in the ending too. Totally satisfying start to many books to follow.
LibraryThing member treehorse
This would be a 2.5.
I thought Zoe was incredibly bland and Mary Sue-ish. The worldbuilding was interesting and Shinn's writing wasn't offensive. The worldbuilding is lovely and accounts for why i sped through the book so quickly. However.
What is the point of a prime? Yes, Darien tells its that
I thought Zoe was incredibly bland and Mary Sue-ish. The worldbuilding was interesting and Shinn's writing wasn't offensive. The worldbuilding is lovely and accounts for why i sped through the book so quickly. However.
What is the point of a prime? Yes, Darien tells its that
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they bring "balance," but all this requires of Zoe is that she continues to exist. all Zoe ever seems to do is go clothes shopping and moon over her man. Aside from, y'know, causing a ton of infrastructure issues. Show Less
LibraryThing member Isana
Sharon Shinn does it again. I've found that she's pretty hit & miss when it comes to what I like but Troubled Waters is pretty great. The world is lovely and so are the characters. It ended up feeling slightly incomplete but the ending was still good. The romance isn't annoying and the flaws of the
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main character are interesting. Show Less
LibraryThing member Pascale1812
Starts out slow, has some cool moments by the end. Compared to Shinn's Mystic and Rider (and the other books of Twelve Houses), this book had to work harder to hold my interest. The main developments revolve around discovering secrets and court intrigue rather than fights and adventure, and
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partially due to that, I had a hard time getting to know and empathizing with Zoe's character. On the other hand, the new world has a unique culture, with distinct, memorable customs and a society teetering on the verge of technological/scientific discovery. Show Less
LibraryThing member catseyegreen
Zoe Ardelay lives with her father in a remote village after his exile from the royal court. After his death, she is stunned to discover that she is supposed to become the fifth wife of the king. She learns that she is the Prime of her Mother's family and she has magical control over all water.
This story is particularly interesting for the spiritual aspects the author creates as part of her world building. The concept of the Blessings and how they shape the lives of people was fascinating.
library book re-read 6/14/2023
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Entering the King's court she is involved with international intrigue. This story is particularly interesting for the spiritual aspects the author creates as part of her world building. The concept of the Blessings and how they shape the lives of people was fascinating.
library book re-read 6/14/2023
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LibraryThing member jennybeast
There are so many things that I like about this book -- not least that it held up well to a re-read. I really like the world -- the elemental blessings, the way that people seek guidance and the ways they lean into their own character traits. I love that Zoe is so very content sleep by the river
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with minimal possessions, and that she is so fierce in care and defense of others when she has the opportunities. I love that the first part of the book really sweeps me along in the world-building, and getting to know the characters is a slow and building process -- as the book progresses, the characters really take over and the plot starts to zip along. It mirrors Zoe's state of mind. I also love the alternate reality in which something that sounds like cleaner energy is in the process of transforming a society. It's very interesting, and doesn't have the residual sorrow and discomfort for what we've done to our own world. Just very satisfying. Show Less
LibraryThing member SandyAMcPherson
Great start to this series; Zoe is an engaging lead character. Shinn very adroitly develops the character from a shy, impoverished girl into a strong commanding woman. The supporting characters are plausible and each very 3-dimensional. The king (Vernon) seems the weakest character and
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inconsistently portrayed. Darien Serlast comes across as an arrogant twerp even though he means well. Show Less
LibraryThing member lexilewords
I'm a long time fan of Shinn's; her Mystic and Rider book is one of my favorite fantasies and her stand alone fantasy Summers at Castle Auburn is one of my 'feel good' books I turn to when I get tired of dark fantasy (not that often, but hey we all reach a limit at times). Troubled Waters is much
While Zoe may not always believe in the blessings she was given at her birth (blessings are charms chosen at birth that give a glimpse into what a person has to look forward to in their life; they can also be chosen at Temple), but she does believe that whatever happens she will endure it. Through happenstance, or maybe its fate, Zoe finds out about her destiny (the destiny her grandmother pronounced years ago) that her father hid from her and from there her story begins to tangle with the complicated threads of the royal court.
Much like people believe in the zodiac (astrological or chinese) can determine a person's personality or love life, the idea of blessings and the elemental signs is strongly believed to be what holds everything in balance. Darien relates a story to Zoe about a past King who sought to have a 72nd child because until he did the land was plagued by disease and droughts, but as soon as he adopted a nephew as his own the land began to flourish. Zoe remains skeptical that such things can be wholly dependent upon the balance and Darien gives a practical view on this. If a person feels more confident because it is widely believed a man with his sign is meant to be confident, then he is confident. If a person is lazy because a person with his sign is reported to be lazy, then he is lazy. Belief is a powerful thing, and their world revolved around belief.
Though Zoe acknowledges that she made hasty decisions and things could equally have turned out badly instead of as well as they did, there is a naivete to the entire book that I found a little irritating. Dark subjects are touched upon--such as pedophilia, child murder plots, adultry--but they are treated as obstacles to easily overcome. Or, in the case of adultry for at least one character, because he is sweela (elemental sign of fire) its not surprising he had dalliances. Or Darien, who is hunti (wood), Zoe doesn't feel as much frustration as I would about his stubbornness. As much as several of the characters declaimed the signs ruling their beliefs or thoughts, they based opinions on those very things. No one is surprised that Zoe is a passionate person who likes to travel, because she is the daughter of a coru woman and sweela father.
This isn't a fast paced book. There are often scenes of daily life that don't move along the plot, but depict the lives of the people in better detail. Time is kind of hard to calculate (even with the guide in the back of the book), but months go by where Zoe is just working at the shoe shop, enjoying meals with her friends at the river where they all camp out and just learning what it means to be free. The sudden change from focusing on Zoe's newfound freedom to royal intrigue was jarring.
I'll say this much for Darien, even though I didn't approve of his methods, or high-handedness, or deceit, I did approve of how he respected Zoe and respected her need for privacy or time by herself to find herself. He could have easily blabbed to her mother's family, the Lalinder's, where she was, but he let her come to the conclusion by herself and let her approach when it was right for her.
In the end I enjoyed this book and enjoyed Zoe's adventures. It was refreshing that she was twenty-three (or so) instead of being a teenager. I think it served the book better that she wasn't a precocious teen girl. I definitely enjoyed the elemental signs and the blessings, and I hope to one day read another story in this world!
(re read 3/5/16, comments hereunder are from my re read )
I realized on my re read that this often comes across less like a fictional novel and more like an anthropological quasi-docudrama about the Land of Welce. it's fascinating, though dry (ironically given the title) at times. Maybe because I listened to it as an audiobook, but the story felt much slower this time around and things definitely didn't happen quite as quickly as I remembered.
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like Auburn in that its a generally upbeat and positive book, about a young girl coming into her own and navigating a world of secrets.While Zoe may not always believe in the blessings she was given at her birth (blessings are charms chosen at birth that give a glimpse into what a person has to look forward to in their life; they can also be chosen at Temple), but she does believe that whatever happens she will endure it. Through happenstance, or maybe its fate, Zoe finds out about her destiny (the destiny her grandmother pronounced years ago) that her father hid from her and from there her story begins to tangle with the complicated threads of the royal court.
Much like people believe in the zodiac (astrological or chinese) can determine a person's personality or love life, the idea of blessings and the elemental signs is strongly believed to be what holds everything in balance. Darien relates a story to Zoe about a past King who sought to have a 72nd child because until he did the land was plagued by disease and droughts, but as soon as he adopted a nephew as his own the land began to flourish. Zoe remains skeptical that such things can be wholly dependent upon the balance and Darien gives a practical view on this. If a person feels more confident because it is widely believed a man with his sign is meant to be confident, then he is confident. If a person is lazy because a person with his sign is reported to be lazy, then he is lazy. Belief is a powerful thing, and their world revolved around belief.
Though Zoe acknowledges that she made hasty decisions and things could equally have turned out badly instead of as well as they did, there is a naivete to the entire book that I found a little irritating. Dark subjects are touched upon--such as pedophilia, child murder plots, adultry--but they are treated as obstacles to easily overcome. Or, in the case of adultry for at least one character, because he is sweela (elemental sign of fire) its not surprising he had dalliances. Or Darien, who is hunti (wood), Zoe doesn't feel as much frustration as I would about his stubbornness. As much as several of the characters declaimed the signs ruling their beliefs or thoughts, they based opinions on those very things. No one is surprised that Zoe is a passionate person who likes to travel, because she is the daughter of a coru woman and sweela father.
This isn't a fast paced book. There are often scenes of daily life that don't move along the plot, but depict the lives of the people in better detail. Time is kind of hard to calculate (even with the guide in the back of the book), but months go by where Zoe is just working at the shoe shop, enjoying meals with her friends at the river where they all camp out and just learning what it means to be free. The sudden change from focusing on Zoe's newfound freedom to royal intrigue was jarring.
I'll say this much for Darien, even though I didn't approve of his methods, or high-handedness, or deceit, I did approve of how he respected Zoe and respected her need for privacy or time by herself to find herself. He could have easily blabbed to her mother's family, the Lalinder's, where she was, but he let her come to the conclusion by herself and let her approach when it was right for her.
In the end I enjoyed this book and enjoyed Zoe's adventures. It was refreshing that she was twenty-three (or so) instead of being a teenager. I think it served the book better that she wasn't a precocious teen girl. I definitely enjoyed the elemental signs and the blessings, and I hope to one day read another story in this world!
(re read 3/5/16, comments hereunder are from my re read )
I realized on my re read that this often comes across less like a fictional novel and more like an anthropological quasi-docudrama about the Land of Welce. it's fascinating, though dry (ironically given the title) at times. Maybe because I listened to it as an audiobook, but the story felt much slower this time around and things definitely didn't happen quite as quickly as I remembered.
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Publication
Publisher Unknown, Kindle Edition, 416 pages
Original publication date
2010-10-05