ISBN of original cover edition: 9781520105895 This is a new cover edition
Three noble families – worlds apart but bound together by the choices they have made, and the fates chosen for them.
Rich man’s child or rich man’s servant. Highborn or low. Everyone’s a slave, until love has set them free.
Beck - a fairy tale of medieval lives and forbidden loves…and a little bit of magic.
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When she’s not writing stories or thinking up stories or reading other people’s stories, Nina likes to paint and collage pictures, get taken for long walks by her adorable dogs, and cook all things plant-based. She also does other things, like office work, but that’s the boring bit. She lives very happily in rural Cornwall, England with her family.
I loved this original fairy tale, an "epic" spanning two generations of family with intertwining relationships, all connected with one old herb woman. It reminded me of an older style of novel, first immersing the reader in the family, including a loveless marriage for Lady Beck, stepchildren tragically like their heartless father, and a childhood betrothal (I truly could not envision a happy ending for poor Cicely Rose!). Then comes a new baby, several memorable side characters whose lives intertwine with and affect the tangled plot, a most unlikely romance in a distant land (Shula-Jane's story is my favorite!), plus the cursed "herb woman"--it all equals happy endings in situations where happiness seems impossible!
My one minor complaint: I would have liked a more complete ending for the two sets of sisters whose lives were bound up in the plot. I really wanted more detail!
The author's rich writing brings together beloved fairy-tale tropes, the retelling of a Scottish ballad, some familiar alternate-world history, and the overarching story of a fairy's redemption. It all adds up to a story not to be missed by any lover of fairy-tale lore!
I did not read the description before purchasing this book, I simply just dove right in, although the title was very vague and the cover (to me) didn't tell much. I found myself wanting good for ALL the characters that were introduced to me! I loved the ending
I did not expect this book to have led me on the adventures that it did but I am sure glad to have stumbled upon it. It is unlike most other books I have read. I look forward to more by this gifted author.
A beautiful fully fleshed out world of lords, ladies, and marquees that spans across generations. Unfortunately, there were too many characters for me to keep track of, which made it difficult to enjoy.
A slow start really, but the last half of the book takes off and just doesn't stop once the momentum happens, one "oh no!" moment on top of another! This would actually be a really great movie IMHO.
After a fairly slow start this story meanders through a generation of tales full stop it takes a little sprinkle of 1 Fairy Tail and mix it with another fairytale to become quite a couldren of its own flavour. It is quite slow reading it draws you in with the story of the first lady and marriage and then through her children being born and growing and the attachments and loves and losses of her children and culminates in a happy ever after for everyone the author considers worthy. I felt a little sorry 4 some of the characters we know as children who grow into adults and are then hastily disposed of and considered never do Wells. I believe this may have been the first story by this author, although I read it after reading for others.
I found that the tail was both too slow and that the characters we're not well rounded and nuanced with good and bad traits.
Nevertheless I have given this five stars because I still thoroughly enjoyed it. I would just comment that you must read her other stories.
This one was a little bit Arthur mixes with Arabian nights and Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves mixes with the lady of shalott full stop the ending raps up all that loose ends quite tightly but overall there were far too many characters given the same amount of importance to feel properly connected to any particular one. Looking forward to the next novel from this author I thoroughly enjoy her Fairy tale series even the least of her novels is very enjoyable and comparable to the Fairytale novelis of Cameron Dokey.
I'm not really sure how to write this review. This book was awesome but also kinda random. I started it not knowing anything at all about it! My sister had downloaded and I just opened it and started reading randomly. It was really fun! But It was kinda confusing and It took a while for the story to make sense. There was tinges of magic thought-out the book but it went full force for like 5 pages at the end. Which I think was kinda stupid, but the rest was great so it didn't really matter. It felt like more of a after-thought like "Oh I should add some more magic at the end because I need a good blurb." Still I loved it and would recommend it for anyone seeking a clean "fairy-tale"! For context I'm 15. :)
I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy this book. It seemed that there were some bitter pills to swallow. But things do change! Even then I wasn't sure if there could be a happy ending... But when the end did come, I was completely satisfied! Persevere through the bitter and you WILL enjoy the sweetness to come. And not just one happy ending, but several. You are in for a treat...
This is a wonderful story for every adult that never outgrew their love of reading fairy tales. The author has written several other fairy tale retellings that I am looking forward to reading in the future.
I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads Giveaways.
This wasn't the story I expected, but I enjoyed it a long, especially that it didn't feel like a rush to wrap loose ends. The story unfolded over enough years for the resolution to seem realistic & not a net wrap-up.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It's very well-written, great plot, well-rounded characters that grab your attention and interest. I would feel comfortable recommending this book to a close friend...I can also recommend it to you, too.