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The Extraordinaries #8
Discerning Insight
London, 1816. After many years confined to an asylum when her ability to sense the emotions of others drove her temporarily mad, Lydia Wescott, Extraordinary Discerner, now serves England as a secret agent. Recruited by the Duke of Craythorne to stop a threat to the King of England, Lydia travels to the American colonies, where intrigue and treason threaten on every side.
Lydia wants nothing more than to put her Discerner’s talent to good use, but her hard-won control could be an illusion. As Lydia and Craythorne close in on the traitors, Lydia’s talent may be the downfall not only of England’s enemies, but of herself.
Lydia wants nothing more than to put her Discerner’s talent to good use, but her hard-won control could be an illusion. As Lydia and Craythorne close in on the traitors, Lydia’s talent may be the downfall not only of England’s enemies, but of herself.
440 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 23, 2022
25 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Melissa McShane
94 books860 followersMelissa grew up a nomad, following her family all over the United States, and ended up living in the shadow of the Wasatch Mountains with her husband, four kids, and three very needy cats. Her love of reading was always a constant during those uncertain years, and her love of writing grew out of that. She wrote reviews and critical essays for many years before turning to fiction, and was surprised at how much she liked it. She loves the fantasy genre and how it stretches the imagination.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 26, 2022
This is the eighth, and final, book of an historical fantasy series. Each tends to introduce the next as it goes and that goes moreso for this story. Lydia was a strong figure in Soaring Flight and one of my favorite characters. So I eagerly anticipated having a whole book with her forefront and recommend reading them in order.
And, of course, my standard, non-standard disclaimer applies. Melissa has accompanied me on nearly all of my life's adventures and there's no believable claim I can make to impartiality. While I strive for honesty in all my reviews, including this one, feel free to apply your own internal adjustment as you see fit.
We saw Lydia coming to Mr. Rutledge's attention in Soaring Flight, so seeing her start off as a genteel spy in this one was very fun. I loved getting to know her internal world as she navigates the emotions of others, doing her best to keep herself from being overwhelmed. I liked her strength and willingness to stand up to powerful people she respected and that she could embrace the things that set her apart (like looking frail and unassuming) without letting them define her.
And I loved getting to know Craythorne, too. He's a bit withdrawn and has let his Scorcher talent define him in an opposing way—being determined not to show any of the instability believed to accompany that talent. His long practice at muting his own emotions makes him very comfortable for Lydia to be around and his respect for her intelligence and talent let them become friends very early on. And that friendship was kind of outstanding and a boon to both. I loved that they came to rely on one another and his eagerness to involve Lydia in his plans was extremely endearing.
But the secondary friendships Lydia develops in the American colonies were even better, I think, starting with Craythorne's prickly mother. Lydia's young American friends were great and I particularly liked how Lady Dorothea was so much more than simply the desperate schemer angling for a moneyed husband.
I liked, too, the mix of historical figures (like the Adams family and the Madisons) that leant authenticity to a setting where the failed Revolution had pivoted on the slavery issue and how Talents prevented the complete subjugation of an entire race without changing the minds (or exploitative economics) of those determined to see others as property. Freeing slaves wasn't the point of the story, or central to the plot, but it was a strong background element that fit the setting extremely well. This had to have been a tricky balance and I think Melissa did an admirable job threading that needle.
I think I'll stop there. The plot was driving and the pace everything it needed to be. And I loved seeing Lydia's growth and understanding of her Talent. And her relationship with Craythorne (and his mother) was so rewarding that I still tear up thinking of it after a whole day's remove. So yeah, I'm going with all five stars.
A note about Chaste: Avoiding strong emotions, like anger, sorrow, and love, starts off being key to Lydia's "control" of her Talent. So love isn't on the table, as far as she knows. So this stays very chaste and I loved how this resolves in the end.
And, of course, my standard, non-standard disclaimer applies. Melissa has accompanied me on nearly all of my life's adventures and there's no believable claim I can make to impartiality. While I strive for honesty in all my reviews, including this one, feel free to apply your own internal adjustment as you see fit.
We saw Lydia coming to Mr. Rutledge's attention in Soaring Flight, so seeing her start off as a genteel spy in this one was very fun. I loved getting to know her internal world as she navigates the emotions of others, doing her best to keep herself from being overwhelmed. I liked her strength and willingness to stand up to powerful people she respected and that she could embrace the things that set her apart (like looking frail and unassuming) without letting them define her.
And I loved getting to know Craythorne, too. He's a bit withdrawn and has let his Scorcher talent define him in an opposing way—being determined not to show any of the instability believed to accompany that talent. His long practice at muting his own emotions makes him very comfortable for Lydia to be around and his respect for her intelligence and talent let them become friends very early on. And that friendship was kind of outstanding and a boon to both. I loved that they came to rely on one another and his eagerness to involve Lydia in his plans was extremely endearing.
But the secondary friendships Lydia develops in the American colonies were even better, I think, starting with Craythorne's prickly mother. Lydia's young American friends were great and I particularly liked how Lady Dorothea was so much more than simply the desperate schemer angling for a moneyed husband.
I liked, too, the mix of historical figures (like the Adams family and the Madisons) that leant authenticity to a setting where the failed Revolution had pivoted on the slavery issue and how Talents prevented the complete subjugation of an entire race without changing the minds (or exploitative economics) of those determined to see others as property. Freeing slaves wasn't the point of the story, or central to the plot, but it was a strong background element that fit the setting extremely well. This had to have been a tricky balance and I think Melissa did an admirable job threading that needle.
I think I'll stop there. The plot was driving and the pace everything it needed to be. And I loved seeing Lydia's growth and understanding of her Talent. And her relationship with Craythorne (and his mother) was so rewarding that I still tear up thinking of it after a whole day's remove. So yeah, I'm going with all five stars.
A note about Chaste: Avoiding strong emotions, like anger, sorrow, and love, starts off being key to Lydia's "control" of her Talent. So love isn't on the table, as far as she knows. So this stays very chaste and I loved how this resolves in the end.
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March 21, 2023So, here we are. The end of the series. I've said before that I didn't expect to write any books set post-Waterloo. I don't think I've mentioned that I put off writing the book with the Extraordinary Discerner as main character because I didn't think that talent had much scope for adventure. Empathy is the most passive of all the eight talents, and although I experimented with it in Abounding Might by making my villain an Extraordinary Discerner, I still didn't really believe it could be interesting in a main character.
What saved me, in the end, was my practice of introducing future main characters in books earlier than their own. Lydia Wescott appears first in Soaring Flight as a young, flighty, apparently frail young woman who is not always connected to reality, and in developing her as a character in that book, I came to realize what Discernment looked like through her eyes. By the time I began writing this book, I knew what Lydia could do with her talent and (thanks to the intervention of Mr. Rutledge) how she could turn it to her country's advantage as a secret agent.
I did not, however, ever expect for these books to be set in North America. I had put a throwaway reference to the colonists losing the War of Independence in Burning Bright because...I don't remember why, but it might have been along the lines of how as long as I was writing historical fantasy, why not make a big change to real history? And I had a few things planned for what that meant, like the Six Nations Confederacy being a sovereign nation at an uneasy peace with Britain, and the effect of magical talent on the slave trade. But when it came time to plan this book, the conspiracy plot strongly suggested an American element, and I had to solidify all those nebulous ideas.
It was unexpectedly difficult--unexpectedly because the difficult part was not the worldbuilding; it was the feeling that I was cheering for the wrong historical side in making England the victors. I won't go into detail about the historical events and characters I used and altered, so I can leave it to readers to decide what they think. I feel I was at least consistent in the changes I made.
Handling the issue of slavery was also difficult, but in that case it was because I had established enough details in previous books that I couldn't suddenly reveal a grand alternate history of the slave trade in which slaves who developed magical talent in 1666 rose up against their masters and obliterated the entire system. As with earlier books (notably Abounding Might and Whispering Twilight) I didn't want to write about cultures not my own as if I had any idea what it's like to be Indian or Inca or Black. Fortunately for me, slavery is not a major plot point in this book, but I do regret the lost opportunity to create a network of escaped slaves Bounding or Flying others to freedom.
In writing this review, I find there are a lot of things I did that I don't remember reasons for. I had avoided making many of my main characters or their heroes of the nobility because I wanted to show explicitly how talent affected men and women of non-noble status (though in practice, in England having an Extraordinary talent generally means elevation to the peerage). But I think, since this was the last book, I decided--why not? Make the hero a duke! I do know that I made him a Scorcher because I wanted someone who had developed an iron-hard control over his passions as a reaction to the assumption that all Scorchers are erratic and ungoverned.
I am not the sort of writer who laments how ideas plague her every waking moment, alas, or how I have so many stories I might tell I'm constantly torn between them. I tend to get one idea at a time, and if I'm lucky, I can get several books out of that idea before I have to generate another. But after writing Soaring Flight and Discerning Insight, I have some inkling of how a follow-up series would go and what social changes it would address as the world moves into the modern era. And I have ideas for a series following my other popular series, The Last Oracle.
And I'm not emotionally moved to write either of those.
It's a weird feeling, having ideas for books my heart isn't attached to. There's almost a sense of infidelity, like I'm cheating on those other nonexistent books. All I can say is that someday I will come back to this world, and I hope when I write the follow-up series, it will be as much fun for me (and for readers!) as the original eight books. Until then--there's a new series on the horizon, The Books of the Dark Goddess, and I hope people love that one too.
What saved me, in the end, was my practice of introducing future main characters in books earlier than their own. Lydia Wescott appears first in Soaring Flight as a young, flighty, apparently frail young woman who is not always connected to reality, and in developing her as a character in that book, I came to realize what Discernment looked like through her eyes. By the time I began writing this book, I knew what Lydia could do with her talent and (thanks to the intervention of Mr. Rutledge) how she could turn it to her country's advantage as a secret agent.
I did not, however, ever expect for these books to be set in North America. I had put a throwaway reference to the colonists losing the War of Independence in Burning Bright because...I don't remember why, but it might have been along the lines of how as long as I was writing historical fantasy, why not make a big change to real history? And I had a few things planned for what that meant, like the Six Nations Confederacy being a sovereign nation at an uneasy peace with Britain, and the effect of magical talent on the slave trade. But when it came time to plan this book, the conspiracy plot strongly suggested an American element, and I had to solidify all those nebulous ideas.
It was unexpectedly difficult--unexpectedly because the difficult part was not the worldbuilding; it was the feeling that I was cheering for the wrong historical side in making England the victors. I won't go into detail about the historical events and characters I used and altered, so I can leave it to readers to decide what they think. I feel I was at least consistent in the changes I made.
Handling the issue of slavery was also difficult, but in that case it was because I had established enough details in previous books that I couldn't suddenly reveal a grand alternate history of the slave trade in which slaves who developed magical talent in 1666 rose up against their masters and obliterated the entire system. As with earlier books (notably Abounding Might and Whispering Twilight) I didn't want to write about cultures not my own as if I had any idea what it's like to be Indian or Inca or Black. Fortunately for me, slavery is not a major plot point in this book, but I do regret the lost opportunity to create a network of escaped slaves Bounding or Flying others to freedom.
In writing this review, I find there are a lot of things I did that I don't remember reasons for. I had avoided making many of my main characters or their heroes of the nobility because I wanted to show explicitly how talent affected men and women of non-noble status (though in practice, in England having an Extraordinary talent generally means elevation to the peerage). But I think, since this was the last book, I decided--why not? Make the hero a duke! I do know that I made him a Scorcher because I wanted someone who had developed an iron-hard control over his passions as a reaction to the assumption that all Scorchers are erratic and ungoverned.
I am not the sort of writer who laments how ideas plague her every waking moment, alas, or how I have so many stories I might tell I'm constantly torn between them. I tend to get one idea at a time, and if I'm lucky, I can get several books out of that idea before I have to generate another. But after writing Soaring Flight and Discerning Insight, I have some inkling of how a follow-up series would go and what social changes it would address as the world moves into the modern era. And I have ideas for a series following my other popular series, The Last Oracle.
And I'm not emotionally moved to write either of those.
It's a weird feeling, having ideas for books my heart isn't attached to. There's almost a sense of infidelity, like I'm cheating on those other nonexistent books. All I can say is that someday I will come back to this world, and I hope when I write the follow-up series, it will be as much fun for me (and for readers!) as the original eight books. Until then--there's a new series on the horizon, The Books of the Dark Goddess, and I hope people love that one too.
March 18, 2024
This is more like a 3.5 to me, rounded up because I still enjoyed it even after I found it a bit tame compared to the previous book.
It seems like an interesting choice to me to end the series on a character who's Extraordinary power is kind of dull. This gave me vibes of Book 2 (where the main character could See via dreams of the past/present/future), because her power didn't really help her DO anything exciting. Lydia's power is that she can sense other people's feelings, and know when they're lying....and that's it. Oh sure, she gets sent to America as a spy, but she had barely any involvement in espionage. Compared to flying, teleportation, fire control, telepathy...having a *feelings* power was a bit bland. Oh sure, there was definitely a lot of angst since she could sense others' feelings, but she's not out there flying around in the sky, or healing people with a touch, or teleporting across continents. Oh sure, there were a couple of scenes where Lydia was In Peril™, but as a whole it was pretty light on the action. Like I said, this felt a bit tame compared to other books.
That said, the one area where the Feelings super power helped was the romantic subplot. As with all of the other books in this series, this on featured a Regency-chaste romance that's very predictable (but in a pleasant way) from the beginning. What was unique here was that there was no "Ooo, I wonder if they like each other" intrigue because she could feel that, no, he did not like her in That Way. They were just pleasant, respectable friends. Until circumstances I liked that, and I liked the moment when their mutual feelings grew into something more. This time, the MC knew EXACTLY how the romantic interest felt about her, and even though she had a bit of an emotional-overload meltdown, it was quickly resolved because, well, she learned to feel her own feelings as well as others.
Something I REALLY appreciate about the romance component in each of these books is that the love interests are always...like...nice. I don't mean nice as a code word for "bland" or "incel". I just mean that these aren't books where the dude is like some glowering asshole whose mouth always twists into a cruel scowl whenever he talks to anyone but oh wow does he have smoldering eyes and titanium abs. Right? Like, why do love interests have to be guys that would be considered psychopaths or domestic abusers in real life? Why can't there be more like THIS where the love interest is just a respectable but charming dude who knows how to laugh and genuinely likes the main character WITHOUT her having to, like, chisel through the stony shell around his bitter wounded heart? (Ok, maybe this particular book in the series isn't the best example, since she DOES sense that he has some mysterious guilt in relation to his late wife, but he's at least still pleasant to the MC.)
One thing I did find particularly intriguing in this book was the portrayal of America in a scenario where the Continental Army did NOT win the Revolutionary War, and are still ruled by the British. In this Napoleonic time period, it definitely feels like we're gearing up toward a War of 1812 revolutionary do-over...So that's interesting, even though the plot ended before any actual war broke out. I mostly had my ear out for historical cameos (we heard/saw Washington, Monroe, and Jay) and would have squealed at mentions of Hamilton or Lafayette, but alas, no. I'll be interested to see if the author revisits this world in future books.
AS A WHOLE: I really enjoy this series, and can't believe it isn't better known. I think the writing is good (ie, not thesaurus-abusing or clunky), I like that each book is a different-but-not-unknown character so that you can read this as standalones, I like the sweet romances that don't overpower the plot, and I like the imaginative ways that the author explored the various Extraordinary Talents. I definitely prefer the stories where the MC's talent lends itself to more action/battles/etc instead of drawing rooms and carriage rides, but overall I liked all of the books. I think book 2 is the only one that got as low as a 3 star rating from me. I'll definitely reread all of these someday, which will help to nail down my favorites order, but for now the first one is still my favorite...though some of that feeling might be a reaction to my initial delight at discovering that this series is actually wonderful, when I was sure that it sounded too good to be true.
It seems like an interesting choice to me to end the series on a character who's Extraordinary power is kind of dull. This gave me vibes of Book 2 (where the main character could See via dreams of the past/present/future), because her power didn't really help her DO anything exciting. Lydia's power is that she can sense other people's feelings, and know when they're lying....and that's it. Oh sure, she gets sent to America as a spy, but she had barely any involvement in espionage. Compared to flying, teleportation, fire control, telepathy...having a *feelings* power was a bit bland. Oh sure, there was definitely a lot of angst since she could sense others' feelings, but she's not out there flying around in the sky, or healing people with a touch, or teleporting across continents. Oh sure, there were a couple of scenes where Lydia was In Peril™, but as a whole it was pretty light on the action. Like I said, this felt a bit tame compared to other books.
That said, the one area where the Feelings super power helped was the romantic subplot. As with all of the other books in this series, this on featured a Regency-chaste romance that's very predictable (but in a pleasant way) from the beginning. What was unique here was that there was no "Ooo, I wonder if they like each other" intrigue because she could feel that, no, he did not like her in That Way. They were just pleasant, respectable friends. Until circumstances I liked that, and I liked the moment when their mutual feelings grew into something more. This time, the MC knew EXACTLY how the romantic interest felt about her, and even though she had a bit of an emotional-overload meltdown, it was quickly resolved because, well, she learned to feel her own feelings as well as others.
Something I REALLY appreciate about the romance component in each of these books is that the love interests are always...like...nice. I don't mean nice as a code word for "bland" or "incel". I just mean that these aren't books where the dude is like some glowering asshole whose mouth always twists into a cruel scowl whenever he talks to anyone but oh wow does he have smoldering eyes and titanium abs. Right? Like, why do love interests have to be guys that would be considered psychopaths or domestic abusers in real life? Why can't there be more like THIS where the love interest is just a respectable but charming dude who knows how to laugh and genuinely likes the main character WITHOUT her having to, like, chisel through the stony shell around his bitter wounded heart? (Ok, maybe this particular book in the series isn't the best example, since she DOES sense that he has some mysterious guilt in relation to his late wife, but he's at least still pleasant to the MC.)
One thing I did find particularly intriguing in this book was the portrayal of America in a scenario where the Continental Army did NOT win the Revolutionary War, and are still ruled by the British. In this Napoleonic time period, it definitely feels like we're gearing up toward a War of 1812 revolutionary do-over...So that's interesting, even though the plot ended before any actual war broke out. I mostly had my ear out for historical cameos (we heard/saw Washington, Monroe, and Jay) and would have squealed at mentions of Hamilton or Lafayette, but alas, no. I'll be interested to see if the author revisits this world in future books.
AS A WHOLE: I really enjoy this series, and can't believe it isn't better known. I think the writing is good (ie, not thesaurus-abusing or clunky), I like that each book is a different-but-not-unknown character so that you can read this as standalones, I like the sweet romances that don't overpower the plot, and I like the imaginative ways that the author explored the various Extraordinary Talents. I definitely prefer the stories where the MC's talent lends itself to more action/battles/etc instead of drawing rooms and carriage rides, but overall I liked all of the books. I think book 2 is the only one that got as low as a 3 star rating from me. I'll definitely reread all of these someday, which will help to nail down my favorites order, but for now the first one is still my favorite...though some of that feeling might be a reaction to my initial delight at discovering that this series is actually wonderful, when I was sure that it sounded too good to be true.
February 13, 2023
As the final book of this main series, this was a fun way to end it. We got to see how Discerners work, we got to learn more about Lydia, and we got to see her have a happy ending. We also got to see some old faces again, though not as many as the previous book!
What I enjoyed:
- The world of course. I love how McShane crafted this world. It's what drew me in the first place. The second thing that drew me was of course the time period it's set.
- Lydia is an interesting character. She's less active compared to Clemency, and her ability is more passive, which meant she is a character who handles things 'subtly'. Well almost.
- I liked her development, and can appreciate the thought that came into depicting the abilities of a Discerner.
- The developing romance was nice, and so were the friendships.
- The overall plot is reasonably captivating.
What I would have liked more but...:
- I think for the most part the book is paced well, but there are some parts that didn't feel as well paced, but I think this caused mainly by the fact that Lydia isn't actively in the centre of the violence.
- I did think Lydia going straight for Mr Sabbot was a little too much, but it's a minor thing I could overlook.
Overall though, I did enjoy this immensely, and by this book, I'm 100% biased since I love this world too much.
What I enjoyed:
- The world of course. I love how McShane crafted this world. It's what drew me in the first place. The second thing that drew me was of course the time period it's set.
- Lydia is an interesting character. She's less active compared to Clemency, and her ability is more passive, which meant she is a character who handles things 'subtly'. Well almost.
- I liked her development, and can appreciate the thought that came into depicting the abilities of a Discerner.
- The developing romance was nice, and so were the friendships.
- The overall plot is reasonably captivating.
What I would have liked more but...:
- I think for the most part the book is paced well, but there are some parts that didn't feel as well paced, but I think this caused mainly by the fact that Lydia isn't actively in the centre of the violence.
- I did think Lydia going straight for Mr Sabbot was a little too much, but it's a minor thing I could overlook.
Overall though, I did enjoy this immensely, and by this book, I'm 100% biased since I love this world too much.
October 22, 2022
I was so sad to come to the end of this series (although McShane mentions in the Afterward that she has plans for more stories set in this world). The premise of Extraordinary (and regular) Elemental Talents was so unique (to me, anyway!) that I couldn't help but become enthralled. McShane is a gifted writer with engaging characters, complicated plots, and beautiful writing. This book was no exception and was an excellent end to the series.
The reason that I only gave this 4 stars instead of the expected 5 was because of the supposed secrecy of Lydia's talent. My dissatisfaction on this point may have been because I read this last book immediately upon finishing Soaring Flight, where Lydia was introduced as Colin's sister, so the major revelation at the end of that book, where Lydia reveals General de Villiers as a liar who is still under his Coercion by Napolean during his attempt to ruin Clemency at Almacks, where she states specifically, "I am an Extraordinary Discerner." Having declared herself as the only ED in England who is not insane in front of the cream of English Society, there is no way in the world that everyone in England would not have heard of her before the next day was out, and her fame through the Colonies before the end of the week. That would have made the basis for this book completely impossible and, as much as I really loved everything else about this book, I just couldn't get past that. Does that mean that the book isn't worth reading? Of course not! Many readers wouldn't necessarily remember that scene if they didn't read the two books so close together, and many other readers who would remember it wouldn't be bothered by it. And even being annoyed by this, I still loved this book and Lydia and Oliver and their adventures in this story.
So if you're pedantic like I am, gird up your loins, grit your teeth, and read it anyway. This really is a lovely ending to an outstandingly imaginative series. I look forward to more stories set in this world.
The reason that I only gave this 4 stars instead of the expected 5 was because of the supposed secrecy of Lydia's talent. My dissatisfaction on this point may have been because I read this last book immediately upon finishing Soaring Flight, where Lydia was introduced as Colin's sister, so the major revelation at the end of that book, where Lydia reveals General de Villiers as a liar who is still under his Coercion by Napolean during his attempt to ruin Clemency at Almacks, where she states specifically, "I am an Extraordinary Discerner." Having declared herself as the only ED in England who is not insane in front of the cream of English Society, there is no way in the world that everyone in England would not have heard of her before the next day was out, and her fame through the Colonies before the end of the week. That would have made the basis for this book completely impossible and, as much as I really loved everything else about this book, I just couldn't get past that. Does that mean that the book isn't worth reading? Of course not! Many readers wouldn't necessarily remember that scene if they didn't read the two books so close together, and many other readers who would remember it wouldn't be bothered by it. And even being annoyed by this, I still loved this book and Lydia and Oliver and their adventures in this story.
So if you're pedantic like I am, gird up your loins, grit your teeth, and read it anyway. This really is a lovely ending to an outstandingly imaginative series. I look forward to more stories set in this world.
September 5, 2023
A satisfying conclusion to a series I enjoyed.
This one picked up after the last one which was just okay. The characters, plot, and setting were interesting, I loved learning more about the Discerning Talent, and the romance was not always the main focus, and cute enough to make me smile instead of roll my eyes. The revelation near the end about the male lead was also great. I liked that Lydia discovered how to master her Talent and it left me hopeful that she can teach others to do the same instead of them all going insane.
I was a bit sad at the end because I don't expect to see more in this world. I enjoyed all of the books and I think the author is talented, but I tried a few of her other works, both standalones and other series, and wasn't interested in them. Here's hoping she will return to this world sometime in the future. I bought all of the books and have them on my shelf, waiting to be reread, because I know I will be doing that one day.
This one picked up after the last one which was just okay. The characters, plot, and setting were interesting, I loved learning more about the Discerning Talent, and the romance was not always the main focus, and cute enough to make me smile instead of roll my eyes. The revelation near the end about the male lead was also great. I liked that Lydia discovered how to master her Talent and it left me hopeful that she can teach others to do the same instead of them all going insane.
I was a bit sad at the end because I don't expect to see more in this world. I enjoyed all of the books and I think the author is talented, but I tried a few of her other works, both standalones and other series, and wasn't interested in them. Here's hoping she will return to this world sometime in the future. I bought all of the books and have them on my shelf, waiting to be reread, because I know I will be doing that one day.
August 21, 2022
Melissa McShane’s Discerning Insight eighth installment from her The Extraordinaries series is another great book to read. It is by far my new favorite of the series. I adored Lydia’s story. She was one character that I connected with instantly. I loved how the author vividly describes the setting and the history that made me feel as though I was right there with the characters and being part of the scenes.
Discerning Insight will be getting five stars from me. Readers who enjoy reading historical fantasy will love it as much as I did. As usual, I will be looking forward for more upcoming books by Melissa McShane.
I received a paperback copy of Discerning Insight from the publisher but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.
Discerning Insight will be getting five stars from me. Readers who enjoy reading historical fantasy will love it as much as I did. As usual, I will be looking forward for more upcoming books by Melissa McShane.
I received a paperback copy of Discerning Insight from the publisher but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.
August 27, 2022
This one is my least favourite of the series. I just felt like Lydia was all over the place - her ‘subtle’ questioning of people was clumsy, and half the time it seemed she couldn’t keep thoughts straight let alone be involved in subterfuge. It’s probably exacerbated because Clemency was such a strong character, the comparison to me was not in Lydia’s favour. Mind you, I also am not a fan of Jane Austen and this felt very much like one of her characters, whereas Clem was more a Jo March.
I love the series, and the talents, but I hope this isn’t the last book as it would be a sad way to end (for me). Seeing the talents and how they would move into a more modern world would be a very enticing start to the new series (mentioned in the review written by Melissa), if she does decide to go down that path :)
I love the series, and the talents, but I hope this isn’t the last book as it would be a sad way to end (for me). Seeing the talents and how they would move into a more modern world would be a very enticing start to the new series (mentioned in the review written by Melissa), if she does decide to go down that path :)
January 23, 2023
A good end to the series. Lydia, a young woman with none of the protections many of the other protagonists of this series have had, is particularly vulnerable and strangely reckless. This may be to try to prove that she is not as fragile as she has been thought to be. The alternate history of the Americas is fascinating and I regret that McShane did not have time to explore this part of the world more thoroughly.
November 13, 2025
Really enjoyed this one. I liked Lydia a great deal.
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