Espina negra

by Susan King

Rare book

Genres: Historical Romance, Historical, Romance, Medieval, Historical Fiction, Adult, Scotland

544 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1994

About the author

Susan King, née Longhi, is a multi-published, bestselling, award-winning author and a former art history lecturer. She holds a B.A. in art and an M.A. and most of a Ph.D. in art history, with postgraduate work in medieval studies. Her books are widely praised for historical detail and a lyrical writing style, and she has won multiple honors and awards for her novels written as Susan King, Sarah Gabriel, and Susan Fraser King. Susan visits Scotland as often as possible for research and relaxation, and lives in Maryland with her family.

Reviews

[Majo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Para ser un libro de romance histórico es demasiado pesado. La autora se centra tanto en los conflictos políticos, la corrupción y las disputas territoriales, que la trama se desdibuja.
Hubo momentos en que no estaba segura si estaba leyendo un romance histórico o una novela histórica con algo de romance.


Me gusto mucho la narrativa, la autora describe todo con minuciosidad y se toma su tiempo para plantear situaciones y, aunque eso le quitaba dinamismo a la historia, esto se compensa en otros momentos, mucho más ágiles. Hay un constante altibajo surcado por cortes abruptos entre capítulos, que suele saltear días o semanas.

La trama empieza muy interesante, pero hay situaciones que se alargaron demasiado de manera innecesaria, Vamos que yo no me creo que Nicholas pudiera engañar durante tanto tiempo a Emlyn... ¿Cómo no pudo darse cuenta que su esposo, Espina negra, y el barón eran la misma persona? Y ni hablar de la charada que llevan durante semanas, ignorándose el uno al otro cuando convivían en el mismo castillo. y eso sí me molesto. Tampoco puedo estar de todo conforme con el final, me pareció demasiado dulce y edulcorado en comparación con el resto de la historia, más cruda y violenta. ¡No me entra en la cabeza que perdonaran a Halcón blanco después de todo lo que paso! Que él se arrepienta (cuando está a punto de morir) no vale. No intento redimirse en ningún momento. Ni siquiera cuando el castillo estalla en llamas y su hijo y nuera quedan atrapados. ¡Huyo para tomar el castillo de Hawksmoor!
No me creo que Nicholas perdone a su padre todo de manera tan fácil... no merecía lástima después de todo lo que hizo.
¡Y Nicholas tampoco se vengo de Hugh!
El final fue decepcionante, como si la autora no tuviera ganas de hacerle nada malo a los villanos e intento redimirlos, pero esto no pasa, ninguno de ellos mostró el más mínimo arrepentimiento.

A pesar de mis criticas, el libro me gusto y me entretuvo. Nicholas es un amor, un gran héroe de novela. Emlyn no tanto. Me pareció bastante egoísta por momentos, aunque se redime en otros. Hay demasiados personajes secundarios, algunos que casi no cumplen funciones, y que están apenas esbozados.

Una lectura adictiva, llena de aventura, amor, pasión y, sí, bastante política. Vale la pena leerlo si lo que se busca es lecturas de este tipo.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I probably would not have read this book if I had seen that cover. I read this on my Kindle. I enjoyed the story, set in England during King John's reign. The outlaw Black Thorne attacking Earl Bertran de Hawkwood, called Whitehawke because of his long, white hair. Escaping after being captured, he encounters a golden girl child, who helps him in his escape. Fast Forward 8 years. Black Thorne hasn't been seen in years and is presumed dead. The girl, Emlyn de Ashbourne, is the sister of the baron of Ashbourne, who has been arrested by King John and sent to London. Lord Whitehawke has designs on Ashbourne Castle. She is practicing archery in the woods near her home when she accidentally hits Baron Nicholas de Hawkwood, son of Whitehawke. Father and son are coming to Ashbourne Castle because it has been transferred to Whitehawke by royal decree. The younger Ashbourne children are to be given over to Nicholas as guardian, and Emlyn is to wed Whitehawke, a cruel, angry man. The caravan taking Emlyn to Graymere Keep, the home of Whitehawke, is disrupted by a mythological character, The Green Man, and Emlyn escapes, and then is rescued by Black Thorne. The rest of the tale tells of Emlyn's attempt to get her brother Guy out of prison, and reunite with her younger brothers and sister, while falling in love with Black Thorne.

I enjoyed the story, but the Kindle book had many problems. There were many typos, and it seemed like someone had made the Kindle version out of an edited manuscript copy. There were numerous places where two synonyms would be adjacent to each other, as if the author had changed the wording but hadn't deleted the first word. This led to some difficulty in deciphering the action, and was very disrupting to the flow of the story.

[Jonel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet novel, packed full of events one doesn’t generally associate with your typical romance. War, intrigue, and suspense kept me on my toes throughout. King takes readers deep into a world where the characters King’s well edited, enchanting style makes you feel like you’re part of the story. Both the plot and the world itself were well developed, providing a complexly multifaceted tale that took me back in time.

The Robin Hood meets Prince Charming aspects of the hero’s character was, well... charming. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know him, even if his methods weren’t always sound. Our heroine’s intractable character made the entire story even more plausible. Yes, her inability to believe something once she’s made up her mind made her seem unforgiving at times, but it also made the bulk of the plot possible. As a pair these two were very enjoyable to get to know. King also develops the rest of her cast well. Some of them I loved getting to know, they really rounded out the lives of the main characters well. Others were purely villainous, making me root for our heroes.

As a whole, this was an enjoyable novel that combines all the best of medieval romance with a rather unique plot. I’ll definitely be delving further into this author’s work in the future.

Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot - I loved the time period, the quality of the writing, and the strong female character, as well as the plot twists. I would suggest closer proofreading - there were maybe twenty-some errors. (I have always thought that would make a great second job for this English teacher!) I appreciate being able to read it on my Nook - I will read more of Susan King's books!

[Tania Ferro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me gustó mucho. Temática medieval, aventura, pasión, erotismo y valentía.
Vale la pena leerlo si lo que se busca es lecturas de este tipo.

[Alba Turunen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Estrellitas. Sí, he tardado bastante en leerlo, mi situación laboral y personal me impide leer tanto como quisiera y no puedo avanzar más día a día. Lo importante, es que sigo constante haciendo lo que más me gusta. Aunque a veces juega en contra de los libros que leo el tiempo que le dedico, debo decir que he disfrutado muchísimo de la lectura de este libro.

Son varios los libros que he leído de Susan King, pero creo que este es el único independiente que he leído de ella, y me ha dejado muy satisfecha. "Espina Negra" es una historia de aventuras, con sus villanos, sus doncellas valientes, y lo que más me ha gustado, un héroe con un alter ego que hoy día diríamos que es un superhéroe, Espina Negra.

Estamos a principios del siglo XIII, Inglaterra se hunde ante la ineptitud del monarca Juan sin Tierra. Mientras unos cuantos nobles continúan fieles al rey, algunos barones están conspirando para quitarle ciertos poderes y privilegios.

En esta vorágine de incertidumbre se encuentra Emlyn de Ashbourne, la hermana de uno de esos barones rebeldes, a quien el rey ha encarcelado. Emlyn se encuentra en su castillo, como señora del mismo, cuidando a una retahíla de hermanos menores, y pagando unas tasas imposibles a la Corona para que el rey saque de prisión a su hermano.

Es un momento de debilidad para Emlyn, y hasta el castillo de Ashbourne ha llegado Halcón Blanco, el conde de Graymere, uno de los nobles fieles al rey, quien tiene unas órdenes inquietantes para Emlyn, el rey ha ordenado que la despose para mantener la paz, mientras que sus hermanos pequeños pasarán a ser pupilos de Nicholas de Hawkswood, hijo de Halcón Blanco. Emlyn se siente intimidada ante ambos hombres, el padre, casi un anciano que podría ser su propio padre, por quien Emlyn siente una gran repulsión, y Nicholas, por quien siente una extraña atracción, pero también pavor.

En su fuero interno, Emlyn sabe que solo una persona podría ayudarla ante esta situación, Espina Negra, un personaje de leyenda, a quien muchos dan por muerto, pero de quien Emlyn ha estado enamorada desde que era niña.

Aunque han pasado años desde su última aparición, Espina Negra ha vuelto. Durante un tiempo, Espina Negra estuvo enfrentándose al conde de Graymere, para que este no robara los bienes de unas tierras que no le pertenecen. Espina Negra actuaba como una especie de Robin Hood, pero su objetivo era distinto. Ahora, Espina Negra luchará contra el conde de Graymere por otro motivo, por Emlyn.

El libro en sí, es bastante denso. No esperaba que fuese tan largo, pero leyéndolo, lo cierto es que no me ha importado su longitud, porque he disfrutado la historia capítulo a capítulo. Entiendo que para la lectora de hoy día, puede ser algo farragoso debido a una narración prolongada y minuciosa, pero a mí realmente este tipo de novelas siempre me han parecido buena literatura, y no es el estilo rápido y facilón al que malamente nos estamos acostumbrando.

Por otro lado, lo que me ha tenido enganchada es la historia en sí, aunque densa, la autora va al meollo, pero a los protagonistas les pasa de todo. El libro es enteramente una aventura, donde veremos huidas, refriegas, raptos, pero también mucha pasión y amor entre sus protagonistas, de modo que no da pie al aburrimiento, porque siempre está pasando algo. El romance, aunque no profundiza demasiado en él, me ha parecido muy bonito, la sensación de amor, lealtad y bienestar que despiertan sus protagonistas me ha parecido muy enternecedora.

No quiero desvelar mucho más, porque creo que el libro merece la pena leerse. Desde mis ojos no creo que sea una joyita, pero sus 4 estrellitas se han ganado un rinconcito en mi corazón. He disfrutado mucho de su lectura, y seguiré leyendo a Susan King.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lady Emlyn de Ashbourne runs away when she is betrothed upon the king’s approval to the cruel Earl of Whitehawke. She wants nothing to do with him or his complicit son, Nicholas. They mean to obtain her estate and care little for her wellbeing. Hiding in the woods, she’s rescued by a mysterious benefactor known as Black Thorne. As they fall for each other, she has no idea of his true identity or of the depths to which he’ll go to protect her. Thorne fears she’ll despise him once she learns his secret. Can he convince her they’re meant to be together? A classic historical romance to add to your reading list.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This medieval romance was unique and wonderful.
I liked the Black Thorne character he was good compliment to the Emlyn de Ashbourne character. King John's reign was a very difficult time and Emlyn is caught right in the middle of the horrors that the countryside was experiencing. When fate decides she is to be married to a cruel man, she takes things in hand and does what she needs to do but do expect a twist or two. I thought this was a very intriguing tale full of suspense and a complex cast of characters. I am happy to recommend this book. I received this book for free from eBook Discovery and voluntarily chose to review it.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leí este libro hace muchísimos años y conservaba un recuerdo muy especial de él. Al releerlo ahora me ha vuelto esa sensación de confort y alegría mientras vivía las aventuras de Espina Negra y Lady Emly otra vez.
Me encantan estos libros románticos situados en la época medieval... ¡Qué le vamos a hacer!

[Anne Patkau · Rating 4 out of 5]

x-rated. Crush by forgiving girl grows as does knight's responsibility over keep's peasants. Author writes atmosphere and minor roles to feel real.
Typos: c3 p14 fosted is fostered; c3 p15 sone is son; c7 p9 "isbut" is "is";
c8 p3 myway is my way; c9 p24 Emlin is Emlyn; c10 p5 "sure not" is "sure";
c10 p11 "homeless" is "to those rendered homeless";
c11 p30 kissedthem is kissed them; c13 p39 "Aelric.She" is "Aelric. She";
c16 p8 "behind it" is "may be behind him"; c20 p11 fatique is fatigue;
c21 p10 thoughyet is though; c22 p13 aa key is a key; c25 p3 it is the rope;
c25 p9 if land is if that were land; c27 p3 delaying delaying is delaying;
c27 p14 he Hawksmoor is he takes Hawksmoor; c28 p7 where there is were there;
Ep p2 stepped ng is stepped

[IoFumoFiori · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

Non è poi così male, solo che alcune cose sono un po' troppo... incredibili, letteralmente: non riesco ancora a crederci.
Non riesco a credere che 'sta tizia non si è accorta che Nicholas e Thorne erano la stessa persona, perché andiamo! lui non si è neanche travestito, ma neanche poco poco, ha solo cambiato atteggiamento e questa non si è accorta di niente!
Ha colpito Nicholas con una freccia, l'ha aiutato ad estrarla, l'ha medicato e visto mezzo nudo e quando qualche decina di pagine dopo è comparso nei panni di Thorne, non l'ha riconosciuto.
Non riesco a crederci, non riesco proprio a crederci.
L'acume di Emlyn è qualcosa che ti lascia proprio basito.

Per il resto è una lettura carina, scorrevole, di quelle adatte a passare in modo spensierato un pomeriggio e in cui quasi tutto è prevedibile, ma in modo confortante più che irritante.
L'happy ending forzato con la quasi riconciliazione tra padre e figlio stride parecchio considerato che fino all'ultima decina di pagine si sarebbero volentieri scannati, ma ormai è una cosa quasi aspettata in questi tipi di libri, quindi non è che me la prenda più di tanto.

[kendermouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been far too long since I read it to give a full review, but I can say that I rather liked some of the interesting small details the author included; and that I recall finding their writing style to be reminiscent of Margaret Mitchell's.

I was rather put out when I lost my copy of this book, too, since at the time, I couldn't seem to find a replacement copy anywhere. It seems to have possibly been reprinted since then, or possibly Amazon's just collected a majority of the original copies, so maybe I'll finally get around to having it in my collection again.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really good and I very highly enjoyed it. With that being said, however, there were quite a few grammatical errors that threw me (and I can usually just fix them in my head and move on). I really loved this book, but it had more potential (if that makes sense. Haha!). Like I said, even with the errors and whatnot, I still loved this book and I would recommend it to someone looking for a good historical who won't mind overlooking the errors. <3

[Geovanna Maya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una historia que me pareció muy pesada desde el inicio, estuve a nada de abandonarla pero decidí seguir a pesar de eso y del romance poco atractivo para mi, sin olvida a la protagonista que en los primeros capítulos no fue mi favorita.
Pero bueno, casi en la mitad del libro las cosas mejoran y ya no se me hace tan fastidioso leerlo, entretiene, y todo empieza a agradar, desde la historia, hasta el romance.

[Mary23nm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read. A couple of irritations: Emlyn doesn't recognize Nicholas when he appears as Thorne but even after she marries Thorne, it takes forever to realize he is Nicholas! Also the wrap up at the end is just too sweet!

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear you calendar before you start reading. You won't want to put it down. A gripping story with wonderful, well written characters. The only flaw was a number of errors that should have been caught buy a proofreader.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

England in the 13th century: corruption, politics, & gentle love. An interesting read!

[L.W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover on the book I read was nothing like this one showing...oh well...it was a nice tale, well written and certainly made me take an interest in other books she might have out there.

[❆ Crystal ❆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't really care for this book. I gave 2 stars.

[Bradley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad fare, but several of the names really drew me in. Be afraid, a romance book I am keeping. =)

[Kit★]

Was free for Kindle, so I grabbed it up.

[Tracyk · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don't know why but this just didn't grab my attention enough to want to read it properly!

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is a great book to read

[Daneesha · Rating 5 out of 5]

fantastic!

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

The cover on Goodreads is horrible. ...if I would have seen that I would ne
ver have read it.

I could not get into this book and stopped reading it.

[Sally Hannoush · Rating 3 out of 5]

This took me a while to get into but once I did, I enjoyed the book.

[Serena]

Read for 06.2015 Western and Medieval Romance Lovers BotM.

[B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5