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Elisabeth and Edvard's World #2
Gisela's Passion
Ever since she can remember, 18-year-old Gisela Winry has wanted to dance. Her strict father sees dancing as the path to immorality, licentiousness and debauchery. Devastated at his wrath after she secretly auditions and wins the title harvest queen of Ylvaton, Gisela turns to her best friend, Hilarion, who proposes a path she cannot take. With their friendship broken, Hilarion retreats to the solace of the forest where he lets his hatred and jealousy fester.
Meanwhile, Gisela meets Vincent, a young nobleman seeking to escape his dead brother’s shadow. Will Gisela be able to uphold her family honour and get to do the one thing she’s always been passionate about? Will Vincent’s chance encounter with the lovely harvest queen from a tiny village become more meaningful than earning his father’s approval? And will Hilarion fight for the love of his life or give in to the darkness within him.
Immerse yourself in the life of the common people of Vendale in this prequel to the Siblings’ Tale. Gisela’s Passion is the retelling of a lesser-known Slavic folk tale which is better known in its incarnation as a French ballet.
Meanwhile, Gisela meets Vincent, a young nobleman seeking to escape his dead brother’s shadow. Will Gisela be able to uphold her family honour and get to do the one thing she’s always been passionate about? Will Vincent’s chance encounter with the lovely harvest queen from a tiny village become more meaningful than earning his father’s approval? And will Hilarion fight for the love of his life or give in to the darkness within him.
Immerse yourself in the life of the common people of Vendale in this prequel to the Siblings’ Tale. Gisela’s Passion is the retelling of a lesser-known Slavic folk tale which is better known in its incarnation as a French ballet.
309 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 28, 2019
4 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
October 30, 2020
Before Reading this title I was in awe with the Cover 😍❤️ And after reading this country folklore am totally smitten 🤩 💃🏻
Gisela’s passion towards her dream is undeterred even though she has a Father who absolutely detests dancing 😢her only solace in this is her friendship with Hilarion who not only supported her in her pursuit but also loved her secretly ❤️
Finally the day arrives when she wins the “Harvest Queen” title her one true desire and passion but the new knowledge of Hilarion’s feelings for her is gnawing at her persistently ☹️ and another aspect diminishing the light of her achievement are the fellow dancers who are younger than her & yet jealous 🥺 Only Dance & the old Church kept her going 👠🙏🏻
Vincent had known nothing about the world outside than his safe haven the aftermath of loosing a brother 😶Being a Lord & Crowned Prince 👑
all he had heard through his over protective mother that the peasants were nothing but a bag of sickness 🤒 His father was always very critical of all his decisions good bad or innocent 😞 Finally he decides to set out on a journey among the common peasants to see the real world but under the pretence of a hunting trip as the real reason would not be approved of 🤓
💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻Will Gisela be only contented with her Best Dancer Harvest Queen title ? Can Hilarion be the friend Gisela needs? What is Vincent’s motive to stay among the peasants & Is it going to be easy for him to go back to his old life and ways? Everything that happens at Harvest Festival will be Life Altering for them 🤫
Their paths and destinies are entwined and this beautiful kaleidoscope will keep you glued into this magical, emotional, passionate, heartbreaking saga of their fates 🤩 💔The ending agonised me totally 💯 😭
Enjoyed reading this so much want to read the Siblings’s Tale desperately 📚❤️
Gisela’s passion towards her dream is undeterred even though she has a Father who absolutely detests dancing 😢her only solace in this is her friendship with Hilarion who not only supported her in her pursuit but also loved her secretly ❤️
Finally the day arrives when she wins the “Harvest Queen” title her one true desire and passion but the new knowledge of Hilarion’s feelings for her is gnawing at her persistently ☹️ and another aspect diminishing the light of her achievement are the fellow dancers who are younger than her & yet jealous 🥺 Only Dance & the old Church kept her going 👠🙏🏻
Vincent had known nothing about the world outside than his safe haven the aftermath of loosing a brother 😶Being a Lord & Crowned Prince 👑
all he had heard through his over protective mother that the peasants were nothing but a bag of sickness 🤒 His father was always very critical of all his decisions good bad or innocent 😞 Finally he decides to set out on a journey among the common peasants to see the real world but under the pretence of a hunting trip as the real reason would not be approved of 🤓
💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻Will Gisela be only contented with her Best Dancer Harvest Queen title ? Can Hilarion be the friend Gisela needs? What is Vincent’s motive to stay among the peasants & Is it going to be easy for him to go back to his old life and ways? Everything that happens at Harvest Festival will be Life Altering for them 🤫
Their paths and destinies are entwined and this beautiful kaleidoscope will keep you glued into this magical, emotional, passionate, heartbreaking saga of their fates 🤩 💔The ending agonised me totally 💯 😭
Enjoyed reading this so much want to read the Siblings’s Tale desperately 📚❤️
May 22, 2020
Romances in any form are usually not my go-to reads, but Giselle (the folktale and ballet) is a tragedy above all else. I’m glad that I gave it a shot! Thank you so much to the author and BookFox tours for sending me a free e-copy to share on Instagram and my blog.
Gisela loves to dance and is otherworldly in her talent. All she wants is to be the harvest queen at the festival, to have one chance to do something of her own before settling into domestic life. Her father has a hatred of debauchery though and is more concerned about choosing her husband and having the vineyard tended. Women were property in that era and not much more.
The writing felt like a stage play at times, which is wildly appropriate. It is vividly descriptive of the sun and sights and scenery, as well as people’s actions. I am sure this was intentional and very well done. Other than one (pretty cringey) sex scene the book is clean and pretty straightforward.
If you have read the Elisabeth and Edvard books and read this as a prequel, the ending makes sense I think. I hadn’t read them and found myself confused at the sudden mention of elves, mages and magic at all at the end of the book. I knew there were spirits involved but the magic hadn’t been mentioned prior to the ending and it came as a shock, which is why I docked a star.
At the end I wish Gisela would have quit making excuses for the men, even in the old world I think women deserved a LOT better. This is a gorgeous retelling of the ballet / folk tale. Whether you like romance, tragedy, theatre or ghosts, I would recommend this to pretty much anyone.
Gisela loves to dance and is otherworldly in her talent. All she wants is to be the harvest queen at the festival, to have one chance to do something of her own before settling into domestic life. Her father has a hatred of debauchery though and is more concerned about choosing her husband and having the vineyard tended. Women were property in that era and not much more.
The writing felt like a stage play at times, which is wildly appropriate. It is vividly descriptive of the sun and sights and scenery, as well as people’s actions. I am sure this was intentional and very well done. Other than one (pretty cringey) sex scene the book is clean and pretty straightforward.
If you have read the Elisabeth and Edvard books and read this as a prequel, the ending makes sense I think. I hadn’t read them and found myself confused at the sudden mention of elves, mages and magic at all at the end of the book. I knew there were spirits involved but the magic hadn’t been mentioned prior to the ending and it came as a shock, which is why I docked a star.
At the end I wish Gisela would have quit making excuses for the men, even in the old world I think women deserved a LOT better. This is a gorgeous retelling of the ballet / folk tale. Whether you like romance, tragedy, theatre or ghosts, I would recommend this to pretty much anyone.
November 30, 2019
This is a beautiful re-telling of Giselle, wonderfully woven prequel for the world of the siblings soon to come.
As in the ballet, Gisela is a woman trying to find her place in a world of patriarchy that sees them as nothing but an artifact, however much they may love them.
It is expressed in how all men in her life treat her - her father, Vincent, Hilarion.
Her final act is one of reclaiming control over herself, and it simply had to be that way.
I do wish she was less subdued in the aftermath, that she would have allowed the well-deserved anger to manifest rather than kept making excuses for all the men around her.
This was an original and interesting read.
As in the ballet, Gisela is a woman trying to find her place in a world of patriarchy that sees them as nothing but an artifact, however much they may love them.
It is expressed in how all men in her life treat her - her father, Vincent, Hilarion.
Her final act is one of reclaiming control over herself, and it simply had to be that way.
I do wish she was less subdued in the aftermath, that she would have allowed the well-deserved anger to manifest rather than kept making excuses for all the men around her.
This was an original and interesting read.
May 30, 2021
One of the most intriguing stories in the Enchanted Kingdoms anthology was Naiya's Wish by Astrid V.J., which retold a beautiful fairy tale that I was not previously familiar with. That was no coincidence as this author has built her career around obscure adaptations. Among her other works, I was most intrigued by Gisela's Passion, which is inspired by the ballet Giselle, a story I knew next to nothing about except that it was featured in the Barbie movie The Pink Shoes and inspired the name of the heroine (but not the story) from Disney's Enchanted. That was just enough to make me want to know more. I trusted Astrid's beautiful descriptive storytelling after reading Naiya's Wish, and this book did not disappoint me in that respect, though it did in others.
No matter how the story is told, Giselle is a classic love triangle between one woman and two men from different backgrounds. It is also a real downer, which is probably why the ballet was never adapted into a children's movie simply by changing the ending like The Swan Princess did for Swan Lake. In Astrid V.J.'s adaptation, Gisela is a peasant girl who dreams of being the Harvest Queen in her village's annual festival. She is close friends with the village gamekeeper, Hilarion, who proposes to her in an act of desperation after her father tells her she cannot dance in the festival. Gisela is so offended by Hilarion's lack of tact that she not only rejects his proposal but also unintentionally breaks his heart in the process, turning him down a dark path of vengeance that leads to horrific and irreversible repercussions. The third corner of the love triangle is Vincent, a prince who acts as a peasant with a false name in order to win over the beautiful Gisela, who he falls in love with the moment he sees her dance.
Like Vincent, it is difficult for any reader not to be swept away by the beautiful imagery of Gisela's movements as her crimson skirts float around her. Gisela falls into a whirlwind romance with Vincent despite not knowing his true name that leads to an uncomfortably graphic sex scene that detracted from the story rather than adding to it. Most adaptations of famous stories make some changes to flesh out a unique identity for that version. Sometimes those changes work, and other times they don't. The new scene makes it seem like Gisela and Vincent are more interested in getting to know each other's bodies than each other. Sure, it was well-written and goes with the title of the book, but it also taints the lore of the wilis from the ballet (referred to as wileys in this version), who were supposed to be young virgins that died before their wedding day.
Despite my issues with the sexist undertones of the second act, I enjoyed this book for what it is--a poetic description of passion and dance. Ballet has always been associated with fairy tale princesses because of the glittering costumes and the grace and elegance of the performers. This connection was demonstrated most recently with the Hulu show Find Me in Paris, which features a time-traveling ballerina princess. Astrid's descriptions of Gisela's performances were a sight to behold that made the passionate maiden feel like an otherworldly being. It was admirable how determined she was to become the Harvest Queen despite her father's protests. Her innocence to the effect her dancing had on the men around her contributed to her tragic downfall at the end of the first act. The place that the story suffers is the love triangle itself. Neither of the two men seems worth of her affections, and her unrelenting forgiveness toward both of them feels forced and unwarranted.
I admire Astrid V.J.'s desire to draw attention to lesser-known classic stories and appreciate this book for being one of few adaptations of the famous ballet. Her captivating imagery is worthy of the stage and the character that inspired it. However, I do not think that the changes she made to the story do a good job of presenting it to a modern audience. Hilarion's sin goes from revealing the truth about Giselle's lover to publicly defaming her character, while Vincent's sin changed from lying about his identity while being engaged to another woman and courting Giselle to lying about his identity while being engaged to another woman and seducing Gisela, which is arguably worse and less worthy of forgiveness. As much as I admired the writing style of this book, I think this is a good point for me to bow out from this author's other works.
No matter how the story is told, Giselle is a classic love triangle between one woman and two men from different backgrounds. It is also a real downer, which is probably why the ballet was never adapted into a children's movie simply by changing the ending like The Swan Princess did for Swan Lake. In Astrid V.J.'s adaptation, Gisela is a peasant girl who dreams of being the Harvest Queen in her village's annual festival. She is close friends with the village gamekeeper, Hilarion, who proposes to her in an act of desperation after her father tells her she cannot dance in the festival. Gisela is so offended by Hilarion's lack of tact that she not only rejects his proposal but also unintentionally breaks his heart in the process, turning him down a dark path of vengeance that leads to horrific and irreversible repercussions. The third corner of the love triangle is Vincent, a prince who acts as a peasant with a false name in order to win over the beautiful Gisela, who he falls in love with the moment he sees her dance.
Like Vincent, it is difficult for any reader not to be swept away by the beautiful imagery of Gisela's movements as her crimson skirts float around her. Gisela falls into a whirlwind romance with Vincent despite not knowing his true name that leads to an uncomfortably graphic sex scene that detracted from the story rather than adding to it. Most adaptations of famous stories make some changes to flesh out a unique identity for that version. Sometimes those changes work, and other times they don't. The new scene makes it seem like Gisela and Vincent are more interested in getting to know each other's bodies than each other. Sure, it was well-written and goes with the title of the book, but it also taints the lore of the wilis from the ballet (referred to as wileys in this version), who were supposed to be young virgins that died before their wedding day.
Despite my issues with the sexist undertones of the second act, I enjoyed this book for what it is--a poetic description of passion and dance. Ballet has always been associated with fairy tale princesses because of the glittering costumes and the grace and elegance of the performers. This connection was demonstrated most recently with the Hulu show Find Me in Paris, which features a time-traveling ballerina princess. Astrid's descriptions of Gisela's performances were a sight to behold that made the passionate maiden feel like an otherworldly being. It was admirable how determined she was to become the Harvest Queen despite her father's protests. Her innocence to the effect her dancing had on the men around her contributed to her tragic downfall at the end of the first act. The place that the story suffers is the love triangle itself. Neither of the two men seems worth of her affections, and her unrelenting forgiveness toward both of them feels forced and unwarranted.
I admire Astrid V.J.'s desire to draw attention to lesser-known classic stories and appreciate this book for being one of few adaptations of the famous ballet. Her captivating imagery is worthy of the stage and the character that inspired it. However, I do not think that the changes she made to the story do a good job of presenting it to a modern audience. Hilarion's sin goes from revealing the truth about Giselle's lover to publicly defaming her character, while Vincent's sin changed from lying about his identity while being engaged to another woman and courting Giselle to lying about his identity while being engaged to another woman and seducing Gisela, which is arguably worse and less worthy of forgiveness. As much as I admired the writing style of this book, I think this is a good point for me to bow out from this author's other works.
November 28, 2019
If you know and love the ballet Giselle, this is a book for you. That is - if you ever wondered why Giselle’s childhood friend shamed her publicly or if kisses was all there was with the aristocrat. The beginning of the book reads as an extended libretto, flushed out to give more background, colours and scenery to the tale. The author provides an interesting glimpse into the background of things familiar from the ballet. Her father’s violent character drives Gisela to earn his attention, except she didn’t factor in that they have very different notions of what would bring honour to the family nor that it would be her fondness for dance and her disobedience that might trigger long forgotten shame and regret. Gise’s mother supports her daughter’s dreams in secret defiance of her husband’s opinions, but you get a feeling she would sacrifice her own daughter in a heartbeat if it earnt her a reprieve from a beating. Self-loathing of Gise’s best friend Hilarion leads him to latch on to her in her hour of need and make her an offer that would rescue her from the bruises he never gets used to seeing... only to secure him a mate who would be co-dependent in his misery. An interesting bouquet of dark backgrounds explaining the actions of all those involved in the tragedy much better than a dance could. It’s almost a textbook case of searching for love and approval, of not wanting to be alone. Loneliness is definitely a feeling that permeates this book - you feel it with all the central characters - Gise, Hilarion, Vincent, the father. They are all alone, misunderstood, hurting and looking for love and acceptance. For me, it was a heavy read due to the depressive circumstances of the main characters of doing what they must and not what they want. Even Gise’s ability to dance was turned into a practicality of selecting her the best husband and ridding the family of a disobedient girl by her father. Vincent’s reason for having a bride to begin with was illuminating and heartbreaking. At the ballet, I always judged the young nobleman for seducing Giselle because he knew he was betrothed. This book gives a good reason why he would do what he did - to find hope and love for himself rather that obey what was thrust upon him. I liked the stark original ending - unexpected (much like the sex scene - level: medium), I had to go on wiki to look up that this was how it was in the original tale. I also really liked the ties to magic and the lore - references to the tales of the dragon gods, Dragon Mother and especially the cuss words in this book - dragons! :) Thank you for trusting to read this as an advanced reader copy (ARC), it was a fascinating and enlightening read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2020
A Beautiful Ballet Fairy Tale Retell
I’ll start by saying that I am I love with the classic story ballet, Giselle. I was very excited to find a retelling of it in written form. The author’s description of setting was absolutely beautiful and probably my favorite part of the book. Seriously, I want to find this story book world so rich in the landscapes and culture I’ve always imagined when thinking of regional Eastern European folkdance and set up camp. Gisela’s village was vibrant and her vineyard home quaint. All the characters from the original story make an appearance in V.J’s retelling and I like what she did with the male MC’s character especially.
It is no secret that Gisela’s passion is her dancing and the dance scenes were very nicely described, I thought. The connection and romance between the leading pair was somewhat brief. What we learn about the characters mostly revolves around each one’s personal internal struggles. I do wish there had been a little more ‘Gisella and Vincent’ before the book’s dramatic end. But we have it from the author herself that this book is a precursor to other stories set in the same world with more magic to come. All in all, a beautifully written interpretation of an old tale. Would recommend to readers who love old world romance with a touch of magic woven in.
*Small spoiler and WARNING to romance readers with a penchant for HEAs. This retelling stays true to the classic folktale and ballet that it is derived from which is, in essence, a tragedy. As such, it was written sans a romantic HEA, but is still a lovely rendition of the story that remains one of the most well known and beloved ballets of the Romantic Era.
I’ll start by saying that I am I love with the classic story ballet, Giselle. I was very excited to find a retelling of it in written form. The author’s description of setting was absolutely beautiful and probably my favorite part of the book. Seriously, I want to find this story book world so rich in the landscapes and culture I’ve always imagined when thinking of regional Eastern European folkdance and set up camp. Gisela’s village was vibrant and her vineyard home quaint. All the characters from the original story make an appearance in V.J’s retelling and I like what she did with the male MC’s character especially.
It is no secret that Gisela’s passion is her dancing and the dance scenes were very nicely described, I thought. The connection and romance between the leading pair was somewhat brief. What we learn about the characters mostly revolves around each one’s personal internal struggles. I do wish there had been a little more ‘Gisella and Vincent’ before the book’s dramatic end. But we have it from the author herself that this book is a precursor to other stories set in the same world with more magic to come. All in all, a beautifully written interpretation of an old tale. Would recommend to readers who love old world romance with a touch of magic woven in.
*Small spoiler and WARNING to romance readers with a penchant for HEAs. This retelling stays true to the classic folktale and ballet that it is derived from which is, in essence, a tragedy. As such, it was written sans a romantic HEA, but is still a lovely rendition of the story that remains one of the most well known and beloved ballets of the Romantic Era.
October 31, 2020
Tragic vivid story-telling
Astrid V.J is a master wordsmith and amazing story-teller! This is a re-telling of a tragic ballet with many magical twists. I have read the first in her sibling's tale duology and this is a lovely story within the same universe set several decades earlier. I would say this is a quieter and self-contained fantasy in the sense that it is based in a small town like VE Shwab's The Near Witch and not an epic adventure. Gisella (Gise)loves dance and it was her life's ambition to be selected as Harvest Queen. Her father initially forbids her from dancing and her lifelong "friend" Hillarion offers to marry her to allow her to dance. She rejects him as she does not love him and he slowly begins down a dark path out of jealousy and anger. His desire for revenge leads to travesty as his jealousy gets out of hand when Gise turns her affections to another. The magic picks up in the second half of the book. Gise's dancing is other worldly. Astrid V. J.'s descriptions are masterful and flow beautifully on the page. The descriptions of dancing are spellbinding. Unfortunately there is no HEA for Gise and Vincent, but the ending is not completely depressing and still gives you hope and intrigue about the world. I do wish Gise and Vincent's relationship was a little more developed, but I still think Astrid V.J. has done an amazing job switching between the three main character's viewpoints.
Astrid V.J is a master wordsmith and amazing story-teller! This is a re-telling of a tragic ballet with many magical twists. I have read the first in her sibling's tale duology and this is a lovely story within the same universe set several decades earlier. I would say this is a quieter and self-contained fantasy in the sense that it is based in a small town like VE Shwab's The Near Witch and not an epic adventure. Gisella (Gise)loves dance and it was her life's ambition to be selected as Harvest Queen. Her father initially forbids her from dancing and her lifelong "friend" Hillarion offers to marry her to allow her to dance. She rejects him as she does not love him and he slowly begins down a dark path out of jealousy and anger. His desire for revenge leads to travesty as his jealousy gets out of hand when Gise turns her affections to another. The magic picks up in the second half of the book. Gise's dancing is other worldly. Astrid V. J.'s descriptions are masterful and flow beautifully on the page. The descriptions of dancing are spellbinding. Unfortunately there is no HEA for Gise and Vincent, but the ending is not completely depressing and still gives you hope and intrigue about the world. I do wish Gise and Vincent's relationship was a little more developed, but I still think Astrid V.J. has done an amazing job switching between the three main character's viewpoints.
December 5, 2019
A tragic tale
A friends jealousy causes a gifted dancer to make a devastating decision based on her own self-worth. It is a tragic tale with a lot of other elements at play. The answers to these are hinted at, and appear to be addressed in subsequent novels. The author crafts emotive prose, delving completely into the heads of the characters.
This story would appeal to lovers of folk tales.
A friends jealousy causes a gifted dancer to make a devastating decision based on her own self-worth. It is a tragic tale with a lot of other elements at play. The answers to these are hinted at, and appear to be addressed in subsequent novels. The author crafts emotive prose, delving completely into the heads of the characters.
This story would appeal to lovers of folk tales.
October 30, 2020
This is the story of Gisela, Hilarion and Vincent. Gislela is a passionate dancer and want to be the Harvest Queen but her father doen't allow her to dance. Hilarion is Gisela's friend. Hilarion wants to marry Gisela but Gisela has no love for him. Vincent is crown prince and is taking time off from his parents. He came to Gisela's town and fall for her.
The story is good but it has slow pace. I feel that there is unnecessarily tough words while it could be simple and lucid. Overall the books is good
The story is good but it has slow pace. I feel that there is unnecessarily tough words while it could be simple and lucid. Overall the books is good
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May 10, 2021Love will always carry on
This heartfelt tale about a young woman acting on her dream of dancing was inspiring. Her attitude about forgiveness and love was a good message for all to hear and take to heart.
This heartfelt tale about a young woman acting on her dream of dancing was inspiring. Her attitude about forgiveness and love was a good message for all to hear and take to heart.
May 20, 2020
Really good book!! It kept me hooked and I finished it in a day!! Will recommend this to everyone❤
Thank you author for the e Arc✨
Thank you author for the e Arc✨
December 9, 2019
Brilliant. Poignant. Tragic. Beautiful. These are but a few of the words to describe Gisela's Passion, a tale of a young woman who risks it all to follow her dream. I'm a huge fan of Astrid's other books and was couldn't wait to get my hands on this story. It did not disappoint. I felt all myriad of emotion as I followed the tale that wove together the discovery of true love and the ache of love when it isn't reciprocated.
I've always stated that Astrid's world building skills are second to none, but it is her character arcs that truly flourish in this novel. Each character is flawed so as to make them approachable, understandable and so very, very real.
A work of art, in every sense of the word.
I've always stated that Astrid's world building skills are second to none, but it is her character arcs that truly flourish in this novel. Each character is flawed so as to make them approachable, understandable and so very, very real.
A work of art, in every sense of the word.
March 26, 2020
Charming Tale of Truths and Consequences
Gisela’s story is a charming fable written with a serious edge. The light, lyrical quality of the prose belies the darkness beneath. Each of the characters are flawed, searching for something in themselves that will prove their value to the world.
I found myself occasionally frustrated with the characters, wanting them to reveal more layers to explain their extreme despair and jealousies, which for the most part were revealed in the end. Ultimately, we are left with a tale of unfulfilled lives and wasted talents, and finding hope when we have to face the consequences of our choices and lack of faith. An important message, especially when presented within the framework of lost love, Gisela’s tale is one that will ask you to dig deep and examine life in such a way to decide whether the choices you make are based on truth or ego.
Gisela’s story is a charming fable written with a serious edge. The light, lyrical quality of the prose belies the darkness beneath. Each of the characters are flawed, searching for something in themselves that will prove their value to the world.
I found myself occasionally frustrated with the characters, wanting them to reveal more layers to explain their extreme despair and jealousies, which for the most part were revealed in the end. Ultimately, we are left with a tale of unfulfilled lives and wasted talents, and finding hope when we have to face the consequences of our choices and lack of faith. An important message, especially when presented within the framework of lost love, Gisela’s tale is one that will ask you to dig deep and examine life in such a way to decide whether the choices you make are based on truth or ego.
December 13, 2020
I got a free copy of this book as a part of a giveaway with no obligation to write a review.
Absolutely loved this book! Finished reading in 2 days! Just couldn't put it down. The storyline is enchanting, magical & unforgettable. Gisela is a teenage girl from a village whose only goal is to dance as Harvest Queen in the festival. But life has its own plans in store for her. Hilarion is a young gamekeeper & Gisela's best friend for years. Vincent is the crown prince visiting the village in disguise. Both young men fall in love with the young girl while watching her dance. The ending was spectacular. I can't wait to read the next book.
Absolutely loved this book! Finished reading in 2 days! Just couldn't put it down. The storyline is enchanting, magical & unforgettable. Gisela is a teenage girl from a village whose only goal is to dance as Harvest Queen in the festival. But life has its own plans in store for her. Hilarion is a young gamekeeper & Gisela's best friend for years. Vincent is the crown prince visiting the village in disguise. Both young men fall in love with the young girl while watching her dance. The ending was spectacular. I can't wait to read the next book.
December 16, 2019
Hauntingly Beautiful
At first I didn't know what to expect from Gisela's Passion. Having never read any of the author's other work. However, I was pleasantly surprised by it's simple yet poignant message.
It's set in an alternate reality similar to a Regency novel but with a touch of fantasy elements. This isn't a book with many twists and turns yet it surprised me. It takes a while for the story to really flow, because it's intensity burns on a low simmer gradually heating up to a boil. This allows the reader to spend more time getting to know Giesela and Hillarion. Which is something Ido appreciate. (By the way, I Iove their names) Meanwhile we're left guessing about the third protagonist/antagonist in the story, Vincent. The author did an exceptional job siphoning droplets of his past within the plot. Keeping us curious as tention between the three grew. I would call all three lead characters both protagonists and antagonists. Everyone of them is their own worst enemy at one point or another.
I wouldn't mind knowing more about their world, culture and religion. Especially the elements of magic. The book only lightly touches on these things until the end. More a literary romance than a bodice busting sexy romp, there is still a little sex. Those moments were very well written. I just wish that the lovers had more scenes, falling in love before the relationship turned sexual.
A moody, emotion tale of longing, love and revenge. The themes and tone of the writing are reminiscent of Tess of the d'urbervilles, Weithering Heights and Anna Karenina. I would recommend this book to any romance reader.
(Full Disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book in return for an honest review)
At first I didn't know what to expect from Gisela's Passion. Having never read any of the author's other work. However, I was pleasantly surprised by it's simple yet poignant message.
It's set in an alternate reality similar to a Regency novel but with a touch of fantasy elements. This isn't a book with many twists and turns yet it surprised me. It takes a while for the story to really flow, because it's intensity burns on a low simmer gradually heating up to a boil. This allows the reader to spend more time getting to know Giesela and Hillarion. Which is something Ido appreciate. (By the way, I Iove their names) Meanwhile we're left guessing about the third protagonist/antagonist in the story, Vincent. The author did an exceptional job siphoning droplets of his past within the plot. Keeping us curious as tention between the three grew. I would call all three lead characters both protagonists and antagonists. Everyone of them is their own worst enemy at one point or another.
I wouldn't mind knowing more about their world, culture and religion. Especially the elements of magic. The book only lightly touches on these things until the end. More a literary romance than a bodice busting sexy romp, there is still a little sex. Those moments were very well written. I just wish that the lovers had more scenes, falling in love before the relationship turned sexual.
A moody, emotion tale of longing, love and revenge. The themes and tone of the writing are reminiscent of Tess of the d'urbervilles, Weithering Heights and Anna Karenina. I would recommend this book to any romance reader.
(Full Disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book in return for an honest review)
November 13, 2020
Rating 3.5 stars
I went into the novel knowing it was retelling of a Slavic folk tale most known as the French ballet Giselle, and thus it is a tragic-romantic tale of a ballerina and a nobleman. Gisela has a fierce passion for dance, and the stage is the only place where her body and soul feel complete and free.
I enjoyed the authors description of her feelings combined with her love for dance, which are full of magic and grace, and in our minds we can visualize her dancing in moments of pure sublime beauty, almost unaware to boundaries of space and time. She is involved in a love triangle, one of my guilty-pleasure tropes, between a man who she considers only a friend, and a disguised nobleman that shows up to her village during the time of her preparation for her big dance performance.
Both men are presented in unique manner; one noble, handsome and futile, aspiring to learn about life outside his palace; and the other peasant poor and ignorant, who only attends to his needs and feelings. The characters deeply believe in legends of dragons and ghosts, which makes the story filled with these magical moments.
The drama unravels itself throughout the story, as the romance between the ballerina and the nobleman Vincent blooms in parallel to the envious peasant Hilarion. By trying to prove her talent to her family and people from the village it shows a good representation of the woman’s way of life in previous times; always destined only for family and nothing else. This ballerina tale is a beautiful and tragic retelling that brought me to a world of fantasy, love, magic and drama.
I went into the novel knowing it was retelling of a Slavic folk tale most known as the French ballet Giselle, and thus it is a tragic-romantic tale of a ballerina and a nobleman. Gisela has a fierce passion for dance, and the stage is the only place where her body and soul feel complete and free.
I enjoyed the authors description of her feelings combined with her love for dance, which are full of magic and grace, and in our minds we can visualize her dancing in moments of pure sublime beauty, almost unaware to boundaries of space and time. She is involved in a love triangle, one of my guilty-pleasure tropes, between a man who she considers only a friend, and a disguised nobleman that shows up to her village during the time of her preparation for her big dance performance.
Both men are presented in unique manner; one noble, handsome and futile, aspiring to learn about life outside his palace; and the other peasant poor and ignorant, who only attends to his needs and feelings. The characters deeply believe in legends of dragons and ghosts, which makes the story filled with these magical moments.
The drama unravels itself throughout the story, as the romance between the ballerina and the nobleman Vincent blooms in parallel to the envious peasant Hilarion. By trying to prove her talent to her family and people from the village it shows a good representation of the woman’s way of life in previous times; always destined only for family and nothing else. This ballerina tale is a beautiful and tragic retelling that brought me to a world of fantasy, love, magic and drama.
July 3, 2024
Gisela just wants to dance. But the oppressive and volatile reaction that her father has about dancing keeps her from fulfilling this passion. She confides in her best friend Hilarion her dreams and fears and only he knows about her audition for the autumn festival dance. After winning the leading role, her father becomes enraged like she has never seen and fears her dream will be shattered. Hilarion comes up with an idea, that Gisela become his wife. He has been pining after her for so long, this plan allowing him to make his claim and he would give her the freedom to dance. What he didn't expect was her to say no or that some stranger seems to have captured her attention. Vincent didn't plan to have any whirlwind romances or flings before his responsibilities take over his life. But the dazzling force that is Gisela immediately captured his attention. And he knows this is more than just a passing fancy. Will they be able to have their dreams fulfilled before their realities come shattering down on them?
I had never heard of this tale before and not gonna lie did a little investigation/spoiler seeking. This is a tragic tale and the author does it justice. Not every story has a happy ending and stories that are about loss and grief are just as important as the ones with happy endings. I also appreciate the lesson of truly valuing someone vs putting someone on a pedestal to the point they don't see the person any more. I've always enjoyed this author's work and how she spins a story to where I'm just immersed. I'm excited to see how this lays some foundation to other stories in the series
I had never heard of this tale before and not gonna lie did a little investigation/spoiler seeking. This is a tragic tale and the author does it justice. Not every story has a happy ending and stories that are about loss and grief are just as important as the ones with happy endings. I also appreciate the lesson of truly valuing someone vs putting someone on a pedestal to the point they don't see the person any more. I've always enjoyed this author's work and how she spins a story to where I'm just immersed. I'm excited to see how this lays some foundation to other stories in the series
March 17, 2020
If I had known it was a tragedy from the beginning, perhaps I wouldn’t have disliked it as much. My main issue was with the choices the characters made. I was upset at the ending and the mindsets that led to the tragedy. I had a hard time getting along with the characters, but that didn’t stop me from caring about them. I think it takes a really good author to create characters so real that people are comfortable disliking them. Then again, reading is about empathy, so perhaps I needed that stretch to understand different personalities from my own.
The fact that I didn’t like the book doesn’t take away from the author’s skill. She is very good with keeping the reader hooked. The sex scene was well done, I would read that part again. Her descriptions of Gisela’s mindset when dancing are beautifully done. Gisela’s Passion seems set up to follow certain tropes: Prince in disguise, attractive townswoman, unexpected meeting and attraction. Any seasoned reader would assume they know where it’s going, but to V.J.s credit you likely have no clue how this one will end. Again, there is a lot of appeal there and skill shown by the author. While, I cannot rate this one high, for me, I hope my description hits the spot for readers who are all about this book. I have no doubt Astrid V.J. will have a huge following. I would read another of her works because of the quality of her writing any day.
The fact that I didn’t like the book doesn’t take away from the author’s skill. She is very good with keeping the reader hooked. The sex scene was well done, I would read that part again. Her descriptions of Gisela’s mindset when dancing are beautifully done. Gisela’s Passion seems set up to follow certain tropes: Prince in disguise, attractive townswoman, unexpected meeting and attraction. Any seasoned reader would assume they know where it’s going, but to V.J.s credit you likely have no clue how this one will end. Again, there is a lot of appeal there and skill shown by the author. While, I cannot rate this one high, for me, I hope my description hits the spot for readers who are all about this book. I have no doubt Astrid V.J. will have a huge following. I would read another of her works because of the quality of her writing any day.
August 14, 2020
This is such a great story about pursuing one's passion in the adversity of unapproving parents. We all know that the old generation people don't consider Singing and Dancing as a good career option as they think that it won't lead to making good money.
Same happened with Gisela.
Ever since she can remember 18-year-old Gisela Winry has wanted to dance. Her strict father sees dancing as the path to immorality, licentiousness and debauchery. Devastated at his wrath after she secretly auditions and wins the title Harvest Queen of Ylvaton, Gisela turns to her best friend, Hilarion, who proposes a path she cannot take. With their friendship broken, Hilarion retreats to the solace of the forest where he lets his hatred and jealousy fester. Meanwhile, Gisela meets Vincent, a young nobleman seeking to escape his dead brother’s shadow.
Will Gisela be able to uphold her family honour and get to do the one thing she’s always been passionate about?
Will Vincent’s chance encounter with the lovely harvest queen from a tiny village become more meaningful than earning his father’s approval?
And will Hilarion fight for the love of his life or give in to the darkness within him?
To know the answers to all the above questions, give this a read.
Same happened with Gisela.
Ever since she can remember 18-year-old Gisela Winry has wanted to dance. Her strict father sees dancing as the path to immorality, licentiousness and debauchery. Devastated at his wrath after she secretly auditions and wins the title Harvest Queen of Ylvaton, Gisela turns to her best friend, Hilarion, who proposes a path she cannot take. With their friendship broken, Hilarion retreats to the solace of the forest where he lets his hatred and jealousy fester. Meanwhile, Gisela meets Vincent, a young nobleman seeking to escape his dead brother’s shadow.
Will Gisela be able to uphold her family honour and get to do the one thing she’s always been passionate about?
Will Vincent’s chance encounter with the lovely harvest queen from a tiny village become more meaningful than earning his father’s approval?
And will Hilarion fight for the love of his life or give in to the darkness within him?
To know the answers to all the above questions, give this a read.
October 31, 2020
Gisela's Passion is a romantic and a fantasy book written by Astrid V.J. It is a beautiful story about Gisela who loves dancing but her father detested dancing and think of it as a derogatory and shameful thing to do. She came from a peasant family, her father only wants her to get married fast. Hilarion is a peasant boy who loves her.
Now, the crown prince Vincent has the same tale. Being the prince his parents always told him about the royalty he is having. But he wants to explore and know about people and there he met Gisela. Now it's the tale of trio about love, passion and life. It's all about them.
The thing is this book is new to me, I don't usually read fantasy novels. But I loved it, it seriously felt like a different and fun read to me. The cover page is very beautiful, I would love to have a hard copy of this book. The plot of the story is very beautiful and light, one would love to read it.
The writing style of the book is unique and in the flow. It is a slow pace book but it is for everyone who want to drift your reading with usual stuff. Overall, it is recommended to all who love fantasy and romance genre. Thank you for the review copy and I'll definitely gonna buy hardcopy of it.
Now, the crown prince Vincent has the same tale. Being the prince his parents always told him about the royalty he is having. But he wants to explore and know about people and there he met Gisela. Now it's the tale of trio about love, passion and life. It's all about them.
The thing is this book is new to me, I don't usually read fantasy novels. But I loved it, it seriously felt like a different and fun read to me. The cover page is very beautiful, I would love to have a hard copy of this book. The plot of the story is very beautiful and light, one would love to read it.
The writing style of the book is unique and in the flow. It is a slow pace book but it is for everyone who want to drift your reading with usual stuff. Overall, it is recommended to all who love fantasy and romance genre. Thank you for the review copy and I'll definitely gonna buy hardcopy of it.
October 20, 2020
I am in two minds about this retelling of a tragic fable / fairy tale.
On the one hand, the author's words flow and she writes with passion. Her descriptions of Gisela and Hilarion are well penned and their characters have depth.
On the other hand, there are inconsistencies in character where one minute these two main protagonists are decisive and resolved but in the next moment they act contrary to their feelings or declared course of action. I found myself increasingly confused by this, particularly with regard to Hilarion.
I was also in two minds regarding the moments of passion in the novel. The author, whilst capably evoking eroticism, uses some incongruous, near-tortuous descriptions (flambeed insides / incendiary lips / love tunnel ...). I found these detracted from what should have been moments of arousal.
I was also sorry not to understand the nature of the Gods and religious beliefs alluded to in the story, but maybe this will be elaborated upon in the two volumes? I appreciate this story is a prequel to the others.
I would recommend this to those who enjoy fables and darker fantasy.
On the one hand, the author's words flow and she writes with passion. Her descriptions of Gisela and Hilarion are well penned and their characters have depth.
On the other hand, there are inconsistencies in character where one minute these two main protagonists are decisive and resolved but in the next moment they act contrary to their feelings or declared course of action. I found myself increasingly confused by this, particularly with regard to Hilarion.
I was also in two minds regarding the moments of passion in the novel. The author, whilst capably evoking eroticism, uses some incongruous, near-tortuous descriptions (flambeed insides / incendiary lips / love tunnel ...). I found these detracted from what should have been moments of arousal.
I was also sorry not to understand the nature of the Gods and religious beliefs alluded to in the story, but maybe this will be elaborated upon in the two volumes? I appreciate this story is a prequel to the others.
I would recommend this to those who enjoy fables and darker fantasy.
November 1, 2020
A medium length fairytale, romance book. Book has mythology, tragedy's into Gisela's world of fiction. Basically this book it all about Gisela's passion to her dance which is clearly shown in cover.
Some character like Hilarion who has great dedication towards Gisela and in other hand we have a crown prince Vincent who just want to run from his life and he met Gisela in middle. Most of the story covered without dialogues but you can't leave reading that involving this book is.
Gisela's life revolves around her passion and her father who thinks dancing is a evil or shameful act. Prince Vinvent and Hilarion find there journey after very mess. Involution and graph of every character is great even you will hate there parents too for commanding there child for not to go after there desire. book language is ok but sometimes some heavy words with meet you. Flow is great book will tie you with the story
Creating this kind of timeline is not easy you have to imagine every single thing in it and i love the way author created this book. If you want to feel the magic you have to experience it. fantasy lovers go for it you will gonna love this one.
Some character like Hilarion who has great dedication towards Gisela and in other hand we have a crown prince Vincent who just want to run from his life and he met Gisela in middle. Most of the story covered without dialogues but you can't leave reading that involving this book is.
Gisela's life revolves around her passion and her father who thinks dancing is a evil or shameful act. Prince Vinvent and Hilarion find there journey after very mess. Involution and graph of every character is great even you will hate there parents too for commanding there child for not to go after there desire. book language is ok but sometimes some heavy words with meet you. Flow is great book will tie you with the story
Creating this kind of timeline is not easy you have to imagine every single thing in it and i love the way author created this book. If you want to feel the magic you have to experience it. fantasy lovers go for it you will gonna love this one.
October 21, 2020
Gisela’s passion is a beautiful fantasy story which revolves around three main protagonists. Gisela who is passionate about dancing and her only dream is to become a harvest queen but is suppressed by her father who considers dancing as shameful and evil. Vincent a prince who is trying to live up to his family’s expectations while also following his heart desires to live a little. And finally Hilarion a gamekeeper and an orphan who is obsessed with his crush but is unable to master his emotions when love and hate battle in his heart.
Three people, three desires, three destiny. What has fate stored for them? When they all cross each other. Do they find what they love or perish trying to attain their dreams. Do check this one out to know more.
This book is a prequel to the siblings series. The narration is pretty lucid and engaging. Did not see that ending coming. This one is definitely a character based story than plot based. A fun light read. Will definitely check out the other books from this author. Recommend it to fantasy and romance lovers.
Three people, three desires, three destiny. What has fate stored for them? When they all cross each other. Do they find what they love or perish trying to attain their dreams. Do check this one out to know more.
This book is a prequel to the siblings series. The narration is pretty lucid and engaging. Did not see that ending coming. This one is definitely a character based story than plot based. A fun light read. Will definitely check out the other books from this author. Recommend it to fantasy and romance lovers.
October 10, 2020
"Gisela's Passion" Review 🗣️
It's an amazing book written by Astrid V.J. and published by New Wings Press of about 312 pages.
It's an amazing historical fiction story of girl who loves to dance and want to pursue it but her father doesn't like it.
It's an amazing book and completely new for me I haven't read something like this before. The story is very engaging and kept you hooked with the story throughout the end.
It's not a fast pace story but will hold you and engage with the Characters and plot.
Vocabulary of the book is very good and writing style of the author is very good and error free.
If you're a beginner reader and have read few of fantasy you can pick this one. It's easy to read.
The cover of the book is very good and i really loved it. It grab my attention on first look.
Moreover it's an amazing book and I really loved it. I highly recommend this book to all the readers.
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Rating 4.8/5
It's an amazing book written by Astrid V.J. and published by New Wings Press of about 312 pages.
It's an amazing historical fiction story of girl who loves to dance and want to pursue it but her father doesn't like it.
It's an amazing book and completely new for me I haven't read something like this before. The story is very engaging and kept you hooked with the story throughout the end.
It's not a fast pace story but will hold you and engage with the Characters and plot.
Vocabulary of the book is very good and writing style of the author is very good and error free.
If you're a beginner reader and have read few of fantasy you can pick this one. It's easy to read.
The cover of the book is very good and i really loved it. It grab my attention on first look.
Moreover it's an amazing book and I really loved it. I highly recommend this book to all the readers.
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Rating 4.8/5
October 18, 2020
Book- Gisela’s Passion
Author- Astrid V.J.
Format- Amazon Kindle
Length- 312 pages
Rating- 4/5
Review-
Gisela’s Passion by Astrid V.J. is a fairy-tale story of a girl who vows to achieve success in her life. I would label the book as a dramatic fiction, and trust me it is worth reading. The fantasy world created by the author was really fascinating.
Gisela Winry is a peasant girl comes from a respected family faces e wrath of his father due to her dance. Peasant boy Hilarion longs for Gisela. Her life turned upside down when she met Crown Prince Vincent, who was running from his parents. They strive for the same passion. What life had in store for them? The end is tragic. No more bloopers.
I generally don’t prefer these fairy tales kinda book but I really liked this one. The writing is lucid and engaging and the characters are well developed. If you like stories of magic with a mythical twist, this one’s for you.
Author- Astrid V.J.
Format- Amazon Kindle
Length- 312 pages
Rating- 4/5
Review-
Gisela’s Passion by Astrid V.J. is a fairy-tale story of a girl who vows to achieve success in her life. I would label the book as a dramatic fiction, and trust me it is worth reading. The fantasy world created by the author was really fascinating.
Gisela Winry is a peasant girl comes from a respected family faces e wrath of his father due to her dance. Peasant boy Hilarion longs for Gisela. Her life turned upside down when she met Crown Prince Vincent, who was running from his parents. They strive for the same passion. What life had in store for them? The end is tragic. No more bloopers.
I generally don’t prefer these fairy tales kinda book but I really liked this one. The writing is lucid and engaging and the characters are well developed. If you like stories of magic with a mythical twist, this one’s for you.
October 18, 2020
GISELA'S PASSION an interesting tragic love story based on folktale By Author Astrid V.J.
Gisela Winry, a peasant girl who desireto dance based on an old fable despite opposition from a brutish father.peasant boy Hilarion lives only for Gisela, while Crown Prince Vincent wants only to escape for a time from his parents – until he sees Gisela.the characters mostly revolves around each one’s personal internal struggles. Then their passions collide and the scene is set for tragedy. Read on to see how the story unfolds.
Great story of different paths people choose when its seems that their dreams are out of reach.
This book lessons to young adults generation finding their way and pursuing their dreams. There had been a little more ‘Gisella and Vincent’ before the book’s dramatic end.
The ending was completely unexpected
Overall stunning LoveStory
💜💜💜💜💜
Gisela Winry, a peasant girl who desireto dance based on an old fable despite opposition from a brutish father.peasant boy Hilarion lives only for Gisela, while Crown Prince Vincent wants only to escape for a time from his parents – until he sees Gisela.the characters mostly revolves around each one’s personal internal struggles. Then their passions collide and the scene is set for tragedy. Read on to see how the story unfolds.
Great story of different paths people choose when its seems that their dreams are out of reach.
This book lessons to young adults generation finding their way and pursuing their dreams. There had been a little more ‘Gisella and Vincent’ before the book’s dramatic end.
The ending was completely unexpected
Overall stunning LoveStory
💜💜💜💜💜
December 13, 2019
Wonderfully Original Tale!
I am inspired by this charmingly original tale. Sometimes we need to follow our fate, what we love and are passionate about. We need to fully commit and believe for others to believe in us, despite what others think. Love, passion, and choices we make can determine our fate.
I loved this read and the characters that were created. This is the kind of story that draws you in and makes you feel fully invested in the outcome. This is a new author for me and I will be following her from here on out.
I received a free copy of this book. This review was posted voluntarily
I am inspired by this charmingly original tale. Sometimes we need to follow our fate, what we love and are passionate about. We need to fully commit and believe for others to believe in us, despite what others think. Love, passion, and choices we make can determine our fate.
I loved this read and the characters that were created. This is the kind of story that draws you in and makes you feel fully invested in the outcome. This is a new author for me and I will be following her from here on out.
I received a free copy of this book. This review was posted voluntarily
July 27, 2020
A totally original and fascinating story. A great fusion of fairy tale, romance, drama and tragedy in this tale of Gisela and her passion for dancing, Hilarion and his passion (at times, quite dark) for Gisela, and Prince Vincent's discovery of love and passion as directed towards the figure of Gisela herself. The writing effortlessly transports us into a world of romance, dreams, and also bitter reality; characters are well-drawn, and a fairy tale/fantasy world created which is viable and engrossing. Highly recommended.
January 9, 2020
This is the tale of Gisela, Hilarion, and Vincent. They are all seeking the approval of someone else. A love that was once pure, turns into jealous.
This is a well written and very vivid with descriptions. I loved the reference to magic and how it played in the story as well.
I did not know this fairy tale about Gisella, I looked it up and am glad I did. I feel like Astrid V.J. gave the story a new life with a twist.
This is a well written and very vivid with descriptions. I loved the reference to magic and how it played in the story as well.
I did not know this fairy tale about Gisella, I looked it up and am glad I did. I feel like Astrid V.J. gave the story a new life with a twist.
July 3, 2020
Gisela’s Passion by Astrid V.J. Is the story of a girl’s desire to dance based on an old fable. Beautifully written, it is the tale of love and jealousy, of rash decisions and wasted lives. Stunning descriptions bring this book to life. Although it is an easy read, it is also a stop-and-think book because of its deep subject matter. It was a very enjoyable read.
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