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Publication
New York : Tor Books, 2014.
Description
"Mercedes Lackey is the New York Times bestselling author of the Valdemar series and romantic fantasies like Beauty and the Werewolf and The Fairy Godmother. JAMES MALLORY and Lackey have collaborated on six novels. Now. these New York Times and USA Today bestselling collaborators bring romance to the fore with The House of Four Winds. The rulers of tiny, impoverished Swansgaard have twelve daughters and one son. While the prince's future is assured, his twelve sisters must find their own fortunes. Disguising herself as Clarence, a sailor, Princess Clarice intends to work her way to the New World. When the crew rebels, Clarice/Clarence, an expert with rapier and dagger, sides with the handsome navigator, Dominick, and kills the cruel captain. Dominick leads the now-outlawed crew in search of treasure in the secret pirate haven known as The House of Four Winds. They encounter the sorceress Shamal, who claims Dominick for her own--but Clarice has fallen hard for Dominick and won't give him up without a fight. Full of swashbuckling adventure, buoyant magic, and irrepressible charm, The House of the Four Winds is a lighthearted fantasy romp by a pair of bestselling writers. "--… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member stefferoo
It’s been a while since I’ve read a satisfying maritime fantasy. “I wish you luck, love, and adventure,” says a character to the protagonist in the beginning of this novel, and incidentally that’s exactly what we get. Starring a princess masquerading as a young man, along with pirates,
Princess Clarice is the daughter of the Duke of Swansgaarde, the eldest of twelve girls (I know…YIKES!) and one boy. While the arrival of a son and heir apparent was a much celebrated event, this left the family with a dilemma – they cannot possibly secure the futures of Clarice and her eleven sisters, as that many royal dowries would surely bankrupt the already small and modest Duchy. The girls, therefore, were raised from an early age to be able and independent, preparing for the day they would be expected to make their way into the world and find their own fortunes.
Sometimes, I get the feeling that a book really wants you to get into the action right away. These books tend not to weave the world’s history into the story and instead the authors push everything you need to know right up front. Readers of House of the Four Winds might find its prologue and the first couple of chapters to be exposition-heavy, outlining the Duchy of Swansgaarde’s circumstances and thus also explaining Clarice’s fighting prowess and motivations for traveling on her own to see the world. Granted, it’s not the most subtle way relaying the information, but it’s efficient and fast, and looking back, the introduction gave the book an almost fairy tale-like “Once upon a time…” quality, which was actually quite nice.
Then we get to the meat of the story, an action-adventure tale with a bit of romance thrown in. As the first princess to seek her fortune, Clarice has decided to play to her strengths as a sword fighter, and intends to hone her skills in the New World across the ocean. Disguising herself as a young nobleman named Clarence Swann, she is charmed by the charismatic and handsome navigator Dominick Moryet and books passage on his ship the Asesino, sailing under Captain Samuel Sprunt who is said to be extraordinarily lucky. There might have been more to Sprunt’s “luck”, however, as the unfortunate crew come to discover when tensions mount and an uprising becomes inevitable.
If your fancies run towards the nautical, then you’ll be in for a treat. Your journey will start with the down-and-dirty details of everyday ship living, as well as meeting the various crew members and officers, all of this seen through Clarice/Clarence’s eyes so it is all very natural and relevant to the young princess’ learning. The authors make it a fascinating experience and the story only gets better as the events unfold, leading to a mutiny and the discovery of a hidden island controlled by pirates and an evil enchantress. Pirates, of course, are always a fan favorite. The plot is also kept fun and lighthearted with the protagonist’s efforts to keep her disguise a secret, even as she begins to fall for the winsome Dominick. Mistrust between the factions aboard the ship keep the story interesting, not to mention the possibility of the crew of Asesino turning privateer themselves.
My only issue with this book involves certain aspects of the writing, especially when we are reading about significant events that I feel should hold more weight and suspense. In my opinion, these scenes weren’t very well executed. Deaths of important characters were glossed over unceremoniously. Fight scenes were cut-and-died without much sense of urgency. And of course, the prime example was the critical and inevitable moment when Clarice’s identity is revealed to Dominick, and the result was a fizzle at best. There was no outrage and no shock of betrayal, and even if Dominick were the most understanding person in the world, I would not have expected his response to be “OMG I LOVE YOU TOO!” Things tied up just a little bit too neatly. Considering how Clarice kept the truth of her identity from the whole crew for pretty much the whole book, I would have expected a more realistic reaction.
These tiny quibbles aside, The House of the Four Winds is a fine tale of swashbuckling adventure. The story is to be taken lightly and enjoyed at face value, and the book is the boisterous seafaring romp it was meant to be. As another bonus, it wraps up nicely with satisfying ending. This conclusion along with the series name of One Dozen Daughters leads me to wonder if future books will focus on Clarice’s sisters’ individual journeys instead, rather than continue with Clarice herself. If that turns out to be the case, then there’s no telling the places this series can go; the possibilities are exciting and endless. Either way, I’m looking forward to seeing more.
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magic, a secret map and untold treasures, perhaps the “adventure” part is what we get the most of all in this story that takes place mostly on the high seas.Princess Clarice is the daughter of the Duke of Swansgaarde, the eldest of twelve girls (I know…YIKES!) and one boy. While the arrival of a son and heir apparent was a much celebrated event, this left the family with a dilemma – they cannot possibly secure the futures of Clarice and her eleven sisters, as that many royal dowries would surely bankrupt the already small and modest Duchy. The girls, therefore, were raised from an early age to be able and independent, preparing for the day they would be expected to make their way into the world and find their own fortunes.
Sometimes, I get the feeling that a book really wants you to get into the action right away. These books tend not to weave the world’s history into the story and instead the authors push everything you need to know right up front. Readers of House of the Four Winds might find its prologue and the first couple of chapters to be exposition-heavy, outlining the Duchy of Swansgaarde’s circumstances and thus also explaining Clarice’s fighting prowess and motivations for traveling on her own to see the world. Granted, it’s not the most subtle way relaying the information, but it’s efficient and fast, and looking back, the introduction gave the book an almost fairy tale-like “Once upon a time…” quality, which was actually quite nice.
Then we get to the meat of the story, an action-adventure tale with a bit of romance thrown in. As the first princess to seek her fortune, Clarice has decided to play to her strengths as a sword fighter, and intends to hone her skills in the New World across the ocean. Disguising herself as a young nobleman named Clarence Swann, she is charmed by the charismatic and handsome navigator Dominick Moryet and books passage on his ship the Asesino, sailing under Captain Samuel Sprunt who is said to be extraordinarily lucky. There might have been more to Sprunt’s “luck”, however, as the unfortunate crew come to discover when tensions mount and an uprising becomes inevitable.
If your fancies run towards the nautical, then you’ll be in for a treat. Your journey will start with the down-and-dirty details of everyday ship living, as well as meeting the various crew members and officers, all of this seen through Clarice/Clarence’s eyes so it is all very natural and relevant to the young princess’ learning. The authors make it a fascinating experience and the story only gets better as the events unfold, leading to a mutiny and the discovery of a hidden island controlled by pirates and an evil enchantress. Pirates, of course, are always a fan favorite. The plot is also kept fun and lighthearted with the protagonist’s efforts to keep her disguise a secret, even as she begins to fall for the winsome Dominick. Mistrust between the factions aboard the ship keep the story interesting, not to mention the possibility of the crew of Asesino turning privateer themselves.
My only issue with this book involves certain aspects of the writing, especially when we are reading about significant events that I feel should hold more weight and suspense. In my opinion, these scenes weren’t very well executed. Deaths of important characters were glossed over unceremoniously. Fight scenes were cut-and-died without much sense of urgency. And of course, the prime example was the critical and inevitable moment when Clarice’s identity is revealed to Dominick, and the result was a fizzle at best. There was no outrage and no shock of betrayal, and even if Dominick were the most understanding person in the world, I would not have expected his response to be “OMG I LOVE YOU TOO!” Things tied up just a little bit too neatly. Considering how Clarice kept the truth of her identity from the whole crew for pretty much the whole book, I would have expected a more realistic reaction.
These tiny quibbles aside, The House of the Four Winds is a fine tale of swashbuckling adventure. The story is to be taken lightly and enjoyed at face value, and the book is the boisterous seafaring romp it was meant to be. As another bonus, it wraps up nicely with satisfying ending. This conclusion along with the series name of One Dozen Daughters leads me to wonder if future books will focus on Clarice’s sisters’ individual journeys instead, rather than continue with Clarice herself. If that turns out to be the case, then there’s no telling the places this series can go; the possibilities are exciting and endless. Either way, I’m looking forward to seeing more.
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LibraryThing member Isisunit
I would like to thank NetGalley & Tor Books for granting me a copy of this e-ARC to read in exchange for an honest review. Though I received this e-book for free that in no way impacts my review.
The rulers of tiny, impoverished Swansgaard have twelve daughters and one son. While the prince’s
Disguising herself as Clarence, a sailor, Princess Clarice intends to work her way to the New World. When the crew rebels, Clarice/Clarence, an expert wth rapier and dagger, sides with the handsome navigator, Dominick, and kills the cruel captain.
Dominick leads the now-outlawed crew in search of treasure in the secret pirate haven known as The House of Four Winds. They encounter the sorceress Shamal, who claims Dominick for her own—but Clarice has fallen hard for Dominick and won’t give him up without a fight.
Full of swashbuckling adventure, buoyant magic, and irrepressible charm, The House of the Four Winds is a lighthearted fantasy romp by a pair of bestselling writers.
Having not read anything by Ms. Lackey in quite some time, I found this novel was not at all what I was expecting. While most certainly an highly entertaining fantasy, I would also say it isn't much of a stretch to call this a romance as well. In fact, it was far more like a romance novel than I had anticipated. That's not to say it was bad, however it wasn't like anything I'd ever read that had come out of Pern! Yet it still had its share of entertainment and excitement.
The ruling family of tiny Swansgaard were smart, for they knew their tiny principality couldn't cover twelve dowries and weddings. And that was before their unanticipated last child, a son, was born. Since only sons could inherit titles, they'd long ago given up on passing the title down through their immediate family. However they'd done the best they could for their twelve daughters, who ranged from age six to eighteen. As they grew up each daughter was taught everything she might need to know, even if she ever had to travel incognito; each learned how to care for herself and others; the art of diplomacy; how to ensure that whatever she was responsible for (be it just herself or an estate or entire principality) was not taken advantage of; how to hunt, dress, skin, and cook her kill; and among many other things a craft of her choice, should she ever need to support herself.
Her eighteenth birthday marked her final year being supported by the royal family. She could do whatever she chose during that year, with the understanding that she would be on her own at the end of that year. Princess Clarice was the eldest daughter, and had always been good at swordplay. Her plan was to open her own sallé and teach swordplay to others. Yet to get paying students she first had to earn a reputation, as she knew that simply having been taught by other experts would not be enough.
Six months into her year and she'd yet to find the adventure she so craved, and that her future career required. She could either return home, tail between her legs, or risk everything and travel to the New World. Of the three ships leaving only one met her criteria of accepting passengers and allowing her a private berth. The private accommodations were a necessity, if she was to maintain her identity as Clarence Swann. Though a simple transformation, it required privacy nonetheless. As Princess Clarice was tall enough to pass for a young man, all else that her disguise required was a special corset to conceal her breasts. Luckily the fashions of the day made the transformation simple, as young men wore their hair long and tied back in a queue, and the clothes seemed specifically designed to cover a young woman's curves. And just like that Princess Clarice Swann became Clarence Swann, a young man of means looking for adventure.
Luck or fate led Clarice to meets a kind and helpful young man while still on the docks. A young man who was the navigator for the ship she'd be sailing on. They develop a tremendous friendship over the course of the story. One that might not have been possible had he known of Clarice's true gender and heritage. And of course that situation makes one question how relationships between the members of the same gender differ from relationships between members of the opposite gender? Would the outcome of the story have been the same had Clarice not been traveling in disguise?
The characters in this story are colorful and entertaining, covering the range from absolutely heinous to stunningly sweet and everything in-between. There were self-centered characters and self-sacrificing characters, and then there were characters that were simply confused like most of us. Characters who didn't know themselves well enough to know how they'd react to a situation until it arose, or even sometimes until after it was over.
The characters, like the arc of the story, developed more quickly and gained more depth as the story progressed. From a semi-slow start things picked up speed, ending in a race to the finish, but still rounding out with a little time too cool down from all the excitement before the story reached its conclusion. And as the subtitle of the book is One Dozen Daughters, it leaves this reader anticipating future collaborations focussing on the Swann daughters as they come of age and have their own year to 'find themselves,' and likely their own adventure.
The rulers of tiny, impoverished Swansgaard have twelve daughters and one son. While the prince’s
Show More
future is assured, his twelve sisters must find their own fortunes.Disguising herself as Clarence, a sailor, Princess Clarice intends to work her way to the New World. When the crew rebels, Clarice/Clarence, an expert wth rapier and dagger, sides with the handsome navigator, Dominick, and kills the cruel captain.
Dominick leads the now-outlawed crew in search of treasure in the secret pirate haven known as The House of Four Winds. They encounter the sorceress Shamal, who claims Dominick for her own—but Clarice has fallen hard for Dominick and won’t give him up without a fight.
Full of swashbuckling adventure, buoyant magic, and irrepressible charm, The House of the Four Winds is a lighthearted fantasy romp by a pair of bestselling writers.
Having not read anything by Ms. Lackey in quite some time, I found this novel was not at all what I was expecting. While most certainly an highly entertaining fantasy, I would also say it isn't much of a stretch to call this a romance as well. In fact, it was far more like a romance novel than I had anticipated. That's not to say it was bad, however it wasn't like anything I'd ever read that had come out of Pern! Yet it still had its share of entertainment and excitement.
The ruling family of tiny Swansgaard were smart, for they knew their tiny principality couldn't cover twelve dowries and weddings. And that was before their unanticipated last child, a son, was born. Since only sons could inherit titles, they'd long ago given up on passing the title down through their immediate family. However they'd done the best they could for their twelve daughters, who ranged from age six to eighteen. As they grew up each daughter was taught everything she might need to know, even if she ever had to travel incognito; each learned how to care for herself and others; the art of diplomacy; how to ensure that whatever she was responsible for (be it just herself or an estate or entire principality) was not taken advantage of; how to hunt, dress, skin, and cook her kill; and among many other things a craft of her choice, should she ever need to support herself.
Her eighteenth birthday marked her final year being supported by the royal family. She could do whatever she chose during that year, with the understanding that she would be on her own at the end of that year. Princess Clarice was the eldest daughter, and had always been good at swordplay. Her plan was to open her own sallé and teach swordplay to others. Yet to get paying students she first had to earn a reputation, as she knew that simply having been taught by other experts would not be enough.
Six months into her year and she'd yet to find the adventure she so craved, and that her future career required. She could either return home, tail between her legs, or risk everything and travel to the New World. Of the three ships leaving only one met her criteria of accepting passengers and allowing her a private berth. The private accommodations were a necessity, if she was to maintain her identity as Clarence Swann. Though a simple transformation, it required privacy nonetheless. As Princess Clarice was tall enough to pass for a young man, all else that her disguise required was a special corset to conceal her breasts. Luckily the fashions of the day made the transformation simple, as young men wore their hair long and tied back in a queue, and the clothes seemed specifically designed to cover a young woman's curves. And just like that Princess Clarice Swann became Clarence Swann, a young man of means looking for adventure.
Luck or fate led Clarice to meets a kind and helpful young man while still on the docks. A young man who was the navigator for the ship she'd be sailing on. They develop a tremendous friendship over the course of the story. One that might not have been possible had he known of Clarice's true gender and heritage. And of course that situation makes one question how relationships between the members of the same gender differ from relationships between members of the opposite gender? Would the outcome of the story have been the same had Clarice not been traveling in disguise?
The characters in this story are colorful and entertaining, covering the range from absolutely heinous to stunningly sweet and everything in-between. There were self-centered characters and self-sacrificing characters, and then there were characters that were simply confused like most of us. Characters who didn't know themselves well enough to know how they'd react to a situation until it arose, or even sometimes until after it was over.
The characters, like the arc of the story, developed more quickly and gained more depth as the story progressed. From a semi-slow start things picked up speed, ending in a race to the finish, but still rounding out with a little time too cool down from all the excitement before the story reached its conclusion. And as the subtitle of the book is One Dozen Daughters, it leaves this reader anticipating future collaborations focussing on the Swann daughters as they come of age and have their own year to 'find themselves,' and likely their own adventure.
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LibraryThing member 4hounds
The romance was (of course) predictable. Some of the villains and set-up of the House of the Four Winds - the place that gives the book its name - weren't, but I wanted them to be fleshed out a little more. This felt like a novella that had been pumped up to novel-size, though not nearly as much as
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Lackey's most recent Elemental Mages book. (Can't think of the name...too lazy to look.) It's an okay read, but I've read other books of hers that I've enjoyed more. Show Less
LibraryThing member eyes.2c
...the way of the sword!
The Duchy of Swansgaarde has been blessed with twelve beautiful princesses and one prince. Twelve royal dowries would impoverish the small Duchy so it was determined by the princesses at a family council that the only way forward was for them to leave the Duchy on their
It is Princess Clarice of Swansgaarde's eighteen birthday. She goes forth to make her way in the world. Princess Clarice had chosen the way of the sword.
Her search for her fortune, her life's journey, is an eventful story full of merit. The New World is her destination. Disguised as a young man, Mr. Clarence Swann takes ship. Pirates, entrapment and ensorcellment are encountered. The major characters are interesting but somehow the story just didn't come off with the verve and energy I expect from these two authors.
A new twist to the Twelve Dancing Princesses, the premise of The House of Four Winds is fascinating with a wide vista of potential for the series.
A NetGalley ARC
The Duchy of Swansgaarde has been blessed with twelve beautiful princesses and one prince. Twelve royal dowries would impoverish the small Duchy so it was determined by the princesses at a family council that the only way forward was for them to leave the Duchy on their
Show More
eighteenth birthday and seek their fortune. Each daughter is allowed to pick a trade on her tenth birthday. Duke Rupert advises them to expect the best and plan for the worst. Wise words indeed.It is Princess Clarice of Swansgaarde's eighteen birthday. She goes forth to make her way in the world. Princess Clarice had chosen the way of the sword.
Her search for her fortune, her life's journey, is an eventful story full of merit. The New World is her destination. Disguised as a young man, Mr. Clarence Swann takes ship. Pirates, entrapment and ensorcellment are encountered. The major characters are interesting but somehow the story just didn't come off with the verve and energy I expect from these two authors.
A new twist to the Twelve Dancing Princesses, the premise of The House of Four Winds is fascinating with a wide vista of potential for the series.
A NetGalley ARC
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LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey
Sweet and light - like the early Valdemar books. And like them, it deals with some pretty heavy concepts and nasty situations in its sweetness and lightness - mutiny, gory deaths, vile sorcery, treachery on several sides. However, the protagonist (or protagonists - but we never get anything from
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Dominick's viewpoint) is a decent person; there's no anti-hero business here. Clarice/Clarence is definitely on the side of the angels throughout, and opposing some seriously nasty people for good reasons. It's funny how her being a princess suddenly is a major point near the end - she's forgotten it, or left it behind, pretty thoroughly throughout the book, and then she becomes a valuable object. Which is the villain's error - assumptions about her abilities lead to massive underestimation. The final battle is more than a little confusing - but it's appropriately so, we're just as confused as Clarice. And a happy-ever-after ending that actually makes sense. I think I will greatly enjoy this series - looking forward to the next one. Show Less
LibraryThing member anyaejo
3.5 Stars
Full review to come. I enjoyed the prologue of this one immensely and then the rest of the book didn't quite hold up the humor and fun, oh well. I was very much reminded of The Princess Bride but on the sea and with the girl disguised as a man ;-).
Full review to come. I enjoyed the prologue of this one immensely and then the rest of the book didn't quite hold up the humor and fun, oh well. I was very much reminded of The Princess Bride but on the sea and with the girl disguised as a man ;-).
LibraryThing member AltheaAnn
Just recently, I was bemoaning the lack of good, fun pirate books. And then, entirely by coincidence, in one week I read two! (The other being Kage Baker's excellent 'Or Else My Lady Keeps the Key.')
This is a more YA-oriented adventure, but I found it to be rollicking good fun. Clarice is a
Clarice's ambition is to become a tutor of swordplay - but first she wants to travel the world and build up her reputation. For safety, she disguises herself as a man and goes by 'Clarence.' [Although, with the lack of detail provided about the difficulties of maintaining such a disguise, the masquerade could well have been eliminated.] But when she tries to book passage aboard a ship, all the more reputable ones are full up. She's leery of the captain of the 'Asesino' - but the ship's handsome navigator sways her better judgement, and soon she's at sea...
Mutiny, piracy, and sorcery - along with a bit of romance - are in Clarice's future...
I am quite certain that many of those who are expert at the sailing of ships and familiar with the facts of life at sea, will likely find quite a number of quibbles with this narrative. However, while 'Two Years before The Mast' it's not, I quite enjoyed the book. I'd recommend it for fans of L.A. Meyer's Jacky Faber series.
Much appreciation to NetGalley for the advance copy of the book! As always, my opinion is unaffected by the source...
This is a more YA-oriented adventure, but I found it to be rollicking good fun. Clarice is a
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princess of a small duchy. Her parents have recently produced a male heir, so they've encouraged their twelve daughters to go out and seek their fortunes. This book follows the eldest (I suspect more daughters' tales are forthcoming.)Clarice's ambition is to become a tutor of swordplay - but first she wants to travel the world and build up her reputation. For safety, she disguises herself as a man and goes by 'Clarence.' [Although, with the lack of detail provided about the difficulties of maintaining such a disguise, the masquerade could well have been eliminated.] But when she tries to book passage aboard a ship, all the more reputable ones are full up. She's leery of the captain of the 'Asesino' - but the ship's handsome navigator sways her better judgement, and soon she's at sea...
Mutiny, piracy, and sorcery - along with a bit of romance - are in Clarice's future...
I am quite certain that many of those who are expert at the sailing of ships and familiar with the facts of life at sea, will likely find quite a number of quibbles with this narrative. However, while 'Two Years before The Mast' it's not, I quite enjoyed the book. I'd recommend it for fans of L.A. Meyer's Jacky Faber series.
Much appreciation to NetGalley for the advance copy of the book! As always, my opinion is unaffected by the source...
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LibraryThing member Bodagirl
Poorly written and unoriginal plot, think cross between Pirates of the Caribbean and The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. Lackey is much better on her own, rather than with Mallory.
Also, I'm wondering if one of Mallory's tropes is virginal men, because it was a plot point in the other series
Also, I'm wondering if one of Mallory's tropes is virginal men, because it was a plot point in the other series
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I've read by Lackey and Mallory, something about unicorn knights. Show Less
LibraryThing member yonitdm
fun read with good adventure. the main conflict was a bit brief though.
LibraryThing member Linyarai
I really enjoyed the first half, and how naturally everything felt building up. I would have preferred a longer book, as I felt the excitement ended quickly and the ending wrapped up too easily. I was expecting more drama and conflict, and what there was didn't last long. Still looking forward to
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the next books though. Show Less
LibraryThing member books-n-pickles
I was desperate for a sea tale and I'd been saving this one up. Didn't quite hit the spot, but it'll work.
I'm impressed I made it as far as I did, to be honest. There were so many named places being thrown around and they were all jumbled up between real and imagined: Poland and Turkey, but
To be honest, this felt like a sequel, or maybe fan fiction: we jumped right in with Clarice and I was expected to care about her. Okay, she's plucky and practical, but what else? I was also frustrated by the way things weren't holding together: why did she feel she had to disguise herself as a man if the Albionese navy allowed women? How was this her tiny little nation so forward thinking when most of the rest of the world seemed to reflect reality? Well, except for the Albionese navy and the apparent lack of slaves everywhere except Dorado. How did the Hisp-whatevers, the Caribbean equivalents, function without a slave society? Not that it would have been impossible, but it was such an integral, dark part of that area's history that it's hard to imagine it just...not being.
My biggest beef, though? The jacket copy advertised that Clarice's love interest, "to his own surprise, increasingly attracted to Clarence" [Clarice's name when she's disguised]. I was looking forward to this--surely we're modern enough to have fun here! This is roughly what I wanted to happen:
Dominick: Clarence, my handsome fellow, I do believe I'm in love with you.
Clarice: Oh no! Tragedy! My dear Dominick, I'm a woman! If you're gay, we'll never be happy.
Dominick: My heteronormative darling, no need to worry. I love you just as much as a woman as I did when you were a man. I'm bisexual!
Clarice: That's a thing?
Dominick: That is, in fact, a thing.
Clarice: But how can you be bisexual if you've never had sex?
Dominick: Shockingly, sweetheart, it is in fact possible to be bisexual without ever having had sex. I simply recognized that I was sexually attracted to people of both genders. You're my best friend. I love you either way.
Clarice: Oh, well, that's okay then. We get our happily ever after, after all!
Alas, not only did this not happen, the promised Shakespearean confusion didn't happen at all. Maybe Clarice had time to fall for Dominick, but when did he have time to fall for her?
So yes, a fun and fluffy romp with unexpected and unexplored flashes of darkness. A good beach read, but one that I'll put on the charity shelf for someone else to enjoy.
Quote Roundup
p. 161 - "[Magic] is the after-echo of the Divine Word which created the world."
I liked this idea a lot. Thought it was a clever way to account for magic in a world that sort of takes from our own.
p. 261 - Clarice is incapable of embroidery. Because masculine skill with a sword could never be paired with feminine skill with a needle, never mind how thorough Clarice's training in, well, everything. Natch.
I'm impressed I made it as far as I did, to be honest. There were so many named places being thrown around and they were all jumbled up between real and imagined: Poland and Turkey, but
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Cisleithan (France? Holy Roman Empire?). Some I could muddle along with just because I've read so much that I'm familiar with obscure names for familiar places: Albion for England I'd heard, but Lochrin for London? Why? And many of those names aren't even relevant to the story telling. To be honest, this felt like a sequel, or maybe fan fiction: we jumped right in with Clarice and I was expected to care about her. Okay, she's plucky and practical, but what else? I was also frustrated by the way things weren't holding together: why did she feel she had to disguise herself as a man if the Albionese navy allowed women? How was this her tiny little nation so forward thinking when most of the rest of the world seemed to reflect reality? Well, except for the Albionese navy and the apparent lack of slaves everywhere except Dorado. How did the Hisp-whatevers, the Caribbean equivalents, function without a slave society? Not that it would have been impossible, but it was such an integral, dark part of that area's history that it's hard to imagine it just...not being.
My biggest beef, though? The jacket copy advertised that Clarice's love interest, "to his own surprise, increasingly attracted to Clarence" [Clarice's name when she's disguised]. I was looking forward to this--surely we're modern enough to have fun here! This is roughly what I wanted to happen:
Dominick: Clarence, my handsome fellow, I do believe I'm in love with you.
Clarice: Oh no! Tragedy! My dear Dominick, I'm a woman! If you're gay, we'll never be happy.
Dominick: My heteronormative darling, no need to worry. I love you just as much as a woman as I did when you were a man. I'm bisexual!
Clarice: That's a thing?
Dominick: That is, in fact, a thing.
Clarice: But how can you be bisexual if you've never had sex?
Dominick: Shockingly, sweetheart, it is in fact possible to be bisexual without ever having had sex. I simply recognized that I was sexually attracted to people of both genders. You're my best friend. I love you either way.
Clarice: Oh, well, that's okay then. We get our happily ever after, after all!
Alas, not only did this not happen, the promised Shakespearean confusion didn't happen at all. Maybe Clarice had time to fall for Dominick, but when did he have time to fall for her?
So yes, a fun and fluffy romp with unexpected and unexplored flashes of darkness. A good beach read, but one that I'll put on the charity shelf for someone else to enjoy.
Quote Roundup
p. 161 - "[Magic] is the after-echo of the Divine Word which created the world."
I liked this idea a lot. Thought it was a clever way to account for magic in a world that sort of takes from our own.
p. 261 - Clarice is incapable of embroidery. Because masculine skill with a sword could never be paired with feminine skill with a needle, never mind how thorough Clarice's training in, well, everything. Natch.
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LibraryThing member lexilewords
This book could have conceivably been a series of short stories tied together by the fact they're stories of Clarice. There's several different "arcs" throughout the book that have a beginning, middle and end making this feel more serialized at times in fact. There's Clarice's decision to leave
In all fairness time is so weirdly mentioned or figured that while the above sounds like quite a bit, I couldn't tell you exactly how long it was (except that it wasn't a full year as the book began on Clarice's birthday and we didn't pass her next one).
Clarice is a likeable, if rather a Mary Sue, main character. She's pragmatic almost to her detriment and has a thirst for knowledge that is kept sharp by her perceptiveness. For all that she is still a tad young (18) and comes off as naively lucky. She mentions at one point she was happy that she thought to disguise herself as a boy, since no one gives her and her sword two looks that way so she's had a relatively safe journey from home. That strained my credulity a little bit to be honest. Even a young boy (Clarice guessed she looked about 15 or 16) traveling alone, with relatively high quality though not flashy apparel and sword would attract attention.
Aboard the ship as Clarence, our dear princess splits her idle time between fraternizing with Dominick (the ship's required but mostly ignored navigator, who's only a couple years older then her, charming, tragic backstory and vow of resilience (Beyonce was his spirit animal singing "I will survive" constantly) or hanging out with the crabby, but tender-hearted ship's doctor. She spends a good deal of her time avoiding the Captain, his first mate and the preacher on board as well however.
World building is...sketchy at best I'd say. Its sort of, kind of set in an alternate history Earth somewhere in the late 1700's/early 1800's. Common enough fantasy adventuring details are included and the only really interesting things to me were Clarice's oddly liberal and forward thinking ancestors/family and the Pirate island hangout place. The Pirate island fared better in the detailing, though even that is stifled in lieu of Plot Convenient Evil Other Woman appearing.
Overall there's nothing particularly wrong with the book, but it won't stand out to long time fantasy fans. If you're looking for an interesting pirate fantasy book I'd point you at CHILD OF A HIDDEN SEA by A.M. Dellamonica and better sketched out world building Lackey books exist in the "Elemental Masters" series she writes solo.
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home and seek adventure as far she could travel (culminating with her finding passage on the Asesino), the precursor to the mutiny, after the mutiny and lastly outwitting a demon spawn witch.In all fairness time is so weirdly mentioned or figured that while the above sounds like quite a bit, I couldn't tell you exactly how long it was (except that it wasn't a full year as the book began on Clarice's birthday and we didn't pass her next one).
Clarice is a likeable, if rather a Mary Sue, main character. She's pragmatic almost to her detriment and has a thirst for knowledge that is kept sharp by her perceptiveness. For all that she is still a tad young (18) and comes off as naively lucky. She mentions at one point she was happy that she thought to disguise herself as a boy, since no one gives her and her sword two looks that way so she's had a relatively safe journey from home. That strained my credulity a little bit to be honest. Even a young boy (Clarice guessed she looked about 15 or 16) traveling alone, with relatively high quality though not flashy apparel and sword would attract attention.
Aboard the ship as Clarence, our dear princess splits her idle time between fraternizing with Dominick (the ship's required but mostly ignored navigator, who's only a couple years older then her, charming, tragic backstory and vow of resilience (Beyonce was his spirit animal singing "I will survive" constantly) or hanging out with the crabby, but tender-hearted ship's doctor. She spends a good deal of her time avoiding the Captain, his first mate and the preacher on board as well however.
World building is...sketchy at best I'd say. Its sort of, kind of set in an alternate history Earth somewhere in the late 1700's/early 1800's. Common enough fantasy adventuring details are included and the only really interesting things to me were Clarice's oddly liberal and forward thinking ancestors/family and the Pirate island hangout place. The Pirate island fared better in the detailing, though even that is stifled in lieu of Plot Convenient Evil Other Woman appearing.
Overall there's nothing particularly wrong with the book, but it won't stand out to long time fantasy fans. If you're looking for an interesting pirate fantasy book I'd point you at CHILD OF A HIDDEN SEA by A.M. Dellamonica and better sketched out world building Lackey books exist in the "Elemental Masters" series she writes solo.
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Language
Original publication date
2014-08
ISBN
9780765335654
Local notes
One Dozen Daughters, 01
DDC/MDS
| Fic SF Lackey |