Kletva krvi : vampiri u Versaillesu

by Ange (text author), Anne Guero (text author), Gerard Guero (text author)

Francuska revolucija nije se dogodila, monarhija vlada i danas, a govorka se da su neki (ili možda svi) na dvoru vampiri. Priča počinje kad glavnu junakinju, tinejdžerku Angélique, kći vojvotkinje koja se bori za svoj položaj na dvoru, netko pokuša ubiti. Angélique otkriva dugogodišnji sukob između dvije velike aristorkatske obitelji, jedne podrijetlom od anđela, a druga od demona. Ali ni anđeli ni demoni u 21. stoljeću nisu ono što su nekad bili...

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Vampires

370 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Ange is a pseudonym used by Anne and Gérard Guèro to publish comic books with artist Alberto Varanda and medieval fantasy.

They also publish science fiction and roleplaying texts under the pseudonym G.E. Ranne.

Reviews

[Amra Alihodzic · Rating 5 out of 5]

e ovo se zove knjiga sa akcijama ....
od prve do zadnje stranice trka, frka, galama, vika .... meni predobra ...
taman onako kako volim

Hvala Amra !!!

[Učitaj se! | Martina Štivičić · Rating 2 out of 5]

Zamislite svijet u kojem se Francuska revolucija nikada nije dogodila. Bi li svijet kakav poznajemo bio ovakav kakav jest da se taj najznačajniji događaj za početak vladavine demokracije nikada nije zbio? Na to su pitanje pokušali odgovoriti autori ovog romana, Anne i Gérard Guéro (tj. ANGE), dodajući u svoj odgovor žličicu magije i prstohvat vampirâ.

"Svijet nije onakav kakav bi trebao biti."

Ideja apsolutne monarhije u 21. stoljeću, onako kako su ju zamislili autori romana, zanimljiva je, ali realizacija te ideje me se nije baš dojmila. Jer ono što nam u suštini ovaj roman prikazuje je dvor Luja XVI iz 18. stoljeća copy-pastean u 21. stoljeće, s ponešto drugačijim likovima i ubačenim ponekim modernim gadgetom u sveopći izgled osamnaestostoljetnog Versaillesa. Sam život na dvoru, dvorske procedure i propisi, ceremonije, čak i večernje toalete, ne razlikuju se baš od onih od prije 200 godina, što je pomalo teško pojmiti - čovjek bi očekivao da će se puno više toga promijeniti u tako dugačkom vremenskom razdoblju.

Radnja je zanimljiva, dosta se brzo odvija, događaji teku u logičnom slijedu i iznenadni obrati pojavljuju se baš u pravim trenucima da održe napetost na nivou. Likovi su također zanimljivi, posebno mi se svidjelo to kako je portretirana moderna plemićka 'zlatna mladež' - buntovni tinejdžeri koji iskušavaju svoje granice, opijeni porocima i zabranjenim stvarima - vrlo realan opis klinaca koji 'imaju sve' i čiji su roditelji dovoljno moćni da im omoguće još više od toga. Ispod svega se krije i još jedna priča, koja spaja tajanstvene događaje iz prošlosti s onima danas, te koja mnogo toga o današnjem svijetu i njegovom ustroju objašnjava (između ostalog, i zašto je zapravo "svijet onakav kakav nije trebao biti"). Zbog te priče ovaj roman je kod mene zaslužio dodatni plus, a ona stvar za koju mislim da je zapravo u cijeloj toj priči nepotrebna su upravo - vampiri. Zašto je u priču bilo potrebno uvesti vampire i koja im je zapravo uloga nije mi baš jasno, da se ta komponenta izbriše iz priče, ništa se u njoj ne bi promijenilo (osim, možda, podnaslova).

Ono što me poprilično smetalo za cijelo vrijeme čitanja je nevjerojatno velik broj pogrešaka u knjizi: ima ih na baš svakoj (doslovno!) stranici, njih 367, a na nekima i više njih. S obzirom na ne baš malu cijenu tvrdog uveza ove knjige, više od 370 pogrešaka je veliki minus. Ako ste 'Grammar Nazi', kao ja, pripremite se.

Duža recenzija je na FB stranici.

[Antea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is a really good book,but I couldn't catch up with it at some point.I love the idea,but I really need more details.I was so sad that the king died at the end.I loved that they offered Angie to work with them.

[Marina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jedna riječ: oduševljena.

[lara ♤ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Awful.

[Demoness Tenebrae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paris, 21. century

Louis XXIV. is the young king of France, the French Revolution never happened, monarchy rules to this day and age. Gossip spreads.... apparently you can find vampires in Versailles and some even go as far as to say that everyone in Versailles is a vampire. But we begin this story with a young beautiful teenager called Angélique, the daughter of a duchess who is struggling to keep her head and her station while just being introduced to court. She inadvertently reveals the struggle for power between two of the most known and prominent families in France, family Condé and family Orléans. One is said to be the legacy of angels and the other of demons.

(*note: This book is originally written and published in French - Sang Maudit, Des Vampires a Versailles - tome 1 -, this Croatian edition is only a translation of the original book)




My thoughts.

I picked this book up in my local library simply because I had room for one more book and this one's cover called to me, yes, yes I admit it. The cover is beautiful, the title most appealing and short summary on the covers called out to me like nothing else... history and alternate future, France, politics, intrigue and... vampires. Imagine the combination. I almost melted while I carried this book home happy as a little child whose mommy just bought him/her some ice cream or in my case, chocolate.

And I will admit that this book has everything I hoped for. It is very engrossing, characters have depth and layers and we see their progress, story has so many elements that some people might find it confusing and get lost in it because there are so many references to French history and notable people as well as known events that you can fully enjoy it only if you understand it. And I loved this aspect. There is also a couple of action scenes and holding your breath ones. There is also a wonderful imagination of the two authors who write under the pseudonym Ange (Anne and Gérard Guéro respectively) about the future, or the alternate future, we would have if the French Revolution never took place. Modern and old combined.

This book was definitely amusing. It kept me glued to my seat and it told a wonderful story. But. But. If only this wasn't a young adult book I would be ecstatic right now. Generally, I have no problem with the young adult genre, everything has its merits. But politics, intrigue, court and conspiracies and all of it told from a perspective of a 17 year old girl who does things in this book that are quite unbelievable for someone that age and especially someone who was pushed into that world a couple of days before... that aspect I had difficulties reconciling with. Because I am able to think and I know how the world works and how teenagers work, been there, done that, seen that.

One more thing was the fact that three teenagers who are friends are also people who carry this story and all the events happening in this book. And each one is very different and we learn about all of them because it is all a part of a bigger picture which comes together in the end. Sometimes it is difficult to remember all the details about the bunch of information thrown at us in a very short time frame and that is if I am including the fact that all the historical references about everything, from places, people, events, books, ideas etc are already well known to the reader.

If this was meant for the younger readers, teenagers I suppose, I do not see how they can fully appreciate this story not making all the connections properly and if it was meant for the more adult readers, why oh why make it a teenage heroine one???

I will not put any spoilers here and most of the things I would like to say would be considered a spoiler because every detail will be in the end relevant and I don't want to give any of the pieces away before time to those of you who plan on reading it. And I do encourage everyone who loves history, especially French history, old court intrigues and plots in the modern age, teenage heroins and vampires to read this, I believe it will surprise you as it did me.

[kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5