Dandelions in the Garden

Countess Elizabeth Bathory #1

by Charlie Courtland, Robert Helle (Editor (2011 ed.))

Journey into the underworld of the Blood Countess. "Dandelions In The Garden," is a historical fiction novel based on one of the most infamous female mass murderers in history, the 16th century Hungarian countess, Elizabeth Bathory. The Blood Countess was a descendant of Vlad Tepes and is undeniably connected with the vampire legends of Transylvania.

2nd edition proofed by Editor, Robert Helle (March, 2011 revision)

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Horror, Fiction, Mystery, Hungary, Ebooks

426 pages, Paperback

First published December 7, 2009

About the author

I graduated with honors from the University of Washington with a B.A. in English Literature with an emphasis on Creative Writing and a minor in Criminology, but apparently I can't spell or edit. I know, it's a mystery! However, I'm terribly gifted when it comes to critiquing works of fiction, writing reviews, promoting and making other writers famous. It's a gift really...just don't ask me to proofread or facebook without committing typos. If you feel the need to point out a typo, I will feel the need to defriend you immediately.

I am the voice and founder behind the international blog sensation, "Bitsy Bling Books."

I've written 3 genius books although not everyone seems to think so (those people are idiots) and have reviewed hundreds (and counting).

I currently reside in Seattle, Washington.

Amazon Vine book Reviewer.

Following me on Twitter @
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Join Charlie Courtland's fan site on facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/charliecourtland

Book Review Blog
http://bitsybling.blogspot.com

Author Page
http://authorcourtland.blogspot.com

Reviews

[Tara Chevrestt · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first started reading this novel, my first thought was, "This doesn't feel like the 1600s." And it didn't. The narrator, Amara has a very modern way of thinking and speaking, and I found myself wondering if they really had tabloids and chiming clocks that far back. Once the story went back to the late 1500s however, I became so engrossed in two little girls growing up together and experiencing their first loves, first kisses, first broken hearts, and first forrays into rebellion that I completely forgot about possible lack of historical authenticity and just sat back and enjoyed a very good story.

For full review, book comparison, and pictures, click the link
http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2010/...

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

After March 4, 2011 a new edition will be issued. The 2nd edition displays a new front and back cover, author's note, sneak peek at sequel and is proofed by Editor, Robert Helle.

An intriguing and fresh historical fiction novel chronicling the life of the infamous mass murderer known throughout history as the Blood Countess. The Countess Elizabeth Bathory is a descendant of Vlad Tepes, otherwise known as, the Impaler and most notable for being the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula. However, I believe it was his ancestor, Elizabeth Bathory, who should get much of the credit for the character's dark immortality. It was she was rumored to have bathed in and drank the blood of virgins in an attempt to preserve her eternal beauty.

Dandelions In The Garden is book one, in a two-part series told from the point-of-view of the main character, Amara Borbala who becomes Elizabeth's life-long companion, confidante and accomplice.

[Chrissie · Rating 4 out of 5]

NO SPOILERS

Four stars, and I will explain why. I totally enjoyed byself while reading this book. Nevertheless, much felt like fantasy. I don't like fantasy - so why did I enjoy this book so much? Well, I did. I cannot explain it other than saying it moved me and the descriptions were vivid and the horror bits were truly horrid and I also frequently laughed out loud. I believe if there had been an author's note clearly explaining what was fact and what was fiction I may have given it 5 stars. I am the reviewer; I need an author's note. I need to KNOW for sure what is what. Then I could have sat back and enjoyed both parts, the fact and the fiction. Without the author's note I was continually wondering is this fact, is that fiction? In the end it feels more like fantasy simply because I cannot know for sure. I need to know. That is who I am! I will definitely read the next book as soon as it comes out!!!

Through page 462:Here I am again with another quote:

"You've been called a God, a warrior believed to have fallen from the heavens, but now as you stand before me I see you are not immortal, but a vulnerable human man. The scars frightened me not becuase I find them grotesque, but because I know you can be hurt, each one, a reminder you can be killed."

Yes , it is very smaltzy. The two quotes here are very different. You see you laugh and you get all sentimental and remember the horror bits. You get a wide range of emotions.

Through page 353: Some of the lines are just too funny!!! Like this one on page 353:

"I liked you better when you didn't speak," I snapped.

The guy Amara is speaking of rarely opens his mouth. When he does maybe he can spit out tops 20 words! This guy isn't to be played with. Who is he? Sir Draco Lorant, one of the five that made up "the infamous Black Quintet, the most feared and vicious squad of commanders ever to reign over the Holy Roman emperor and Hungary". Amara said this to him! What just happened is totally hysterical, but you will have to read the book to find out.


Through oage 322: I must add - don't go near this book if you cannot take horror stories. Everybody looks at book ratings and they think, wow, everyone likes that! I will too. That isn't always true. Each reader has to acknowledge their own preferences. We don't all enjoy the same things. You can't expect a dictionary to be a love story. Me, I am thoroughly engroseed in this book. Yeah terrible things happen, but in fact although this is historical fiction, the time line and the events that ensued and all of Elizabeth's family relations are true. These happenings are not fictitious. I asked the author, Charlie Courtland. I had to know! Let's put it this way - Elizabeth had a temper!

Through page 305: What I find most amazing is my empathy for the characters. Elizabeth, she is something else. There is no controlling her. Her behavior, even as a child is consistent with her behavior as she matured. How much is heredity and how much environment? An interesting question! First I felt terribly sorry for her but then my head kicks in and sometimes I am so shocked by her behavior. Nevertheless, her actions when put in juxtaposition with the social codes and mores of the times, although violent and morally wrong don't seem THAT weird. OK, her actions are bad but not unbelievable! The whole threat of Turkish invasion hangs over you. The castles up in the mountains filled with both splendor and horror engulf the reader. I simply adore it, and I am kind of surprised b/c I am so carried away by "the story". It MUST be the writing that catches me. Why these two girls, Elizabeth and Amara, act as they do keeps my head churning. They are little kids!!! That is another explanation.

What else? I love the depiction of the clothes and magnificence of the castles and at the same time there is a pressing gloom. The reader gets thrown around, and that is good. The first view of Francis, Elizabeth's betrothed, is wonderful. I mean this guy is great. And yet nothing works out, but you have a mixture of love and hate for the guy! The characters are NOT made of cardboard. Each is a lovely misture of good and bad and some horrible mixed in too!

There are some typos. How do they happen? How can "your" and "you're" be interchanged? I am having a hard time understanding this. Anybody know how such happens?

And I have been thinking about the title..... Dandelions in the Garden. Yes, these girls have been judged as weeds! Or is there more? I like it when a book gets me to ponder different ideas!

There are no maps, but this really isn't a problem since the text clearly explains where the villages and castles are located. I just use an atlas. However, neither is there an author's note at the end. I need to know what is fact and what is fiction. I love it all, but I like to know!

Through page 134:I really am enjoying my time with this book. It begins by introducing the readers to Elizabeth Bathory's lady in waiting, Amara Borbala. The two women are about the same age. We first meet Amara when she is elderly, in her 60s, and she is looking back on her life, listening to the gossip at a coffee house in Vienna. The gossip is rife with talk of her former patroness, Elizabeth Bathory, aka the Blood Countess. Amara realizes she is one of the few who can really know the truth about Elizabeth Bathory. Was she the demon all believed her to be? And why was she who she was? Amara, in her old age, is a busy-body and kind of bored, but underneath she is sharp and feisty and truly wants to do what is right. She wants to make sure that the same errors are not repeated again. That is why she writes the story. It is very important that the auhor makes the readers like Amara because the story will be told by her. If we don't like her, don't trust her, why should we believe what she says about Elizabeth. The author suceeds with this wonderfully. The author has also already made the readers feel a tension of horror. Bad stuff is going to happen. You get spooked. The underlying tension draws you in.

The following expresses a major question which I have concerning this book. I can already feel a compassion for Elizabeth. The manner in which this girl has been treated is utterly deplorable. In addition, her character is not that of a weak damsel. She challenges all that is wrong. She simply is that kind of person. Nobody gives her any moral support. But here is my question - if you are treated like shit, do you then have the right to give shit back? Of course not! NEVERTHELESS, the author is making me side with Elizabeth. I find this rather amazing. My head says - no, you cannot behave despicably simply because you have been mistreated! Yet my heart is thumping for Elizabeth to get even with the horrid people surrounding her. How can the author make me feel compassion for such a person as the Blood Countess?! But so far, that is exactly what the author is suceeding with. I am rooting for Elizabeth!

I should also add that the author's description of the place and era is superbe. The manners of the aristocracy, clothing and the ruggedness of the Hungarian landscape are vividly brought to life. The tension between the Hungarians, Austrian and the "horrible" Turks hightens the entire feeling of gloom and terror, creating a feeling of imminent danger.

Jagged pieces of ice surfaced over the rapid current of the Danube. Foan bubbled at the breaks and ripples. At first glance I did not see her. I squinted through the mist rising from the river, finally spotting Elizabeth standing on a rocky ledge above the shore. She climbed up the face and stood eyes fixed on the town of sarvar. Her red gown turned burgundy from dampness clinging to her legs as the wind pushed against her. Elizabeth's black hair caught in current whipped around in a mass of tangled strings.

My Mama use to say something about the wind in spring - that it was relentless. She'd say the wind conjured spirits in this land.... Currents licked and snatched at the lands vulnerable parts, carving and scarring the crags and basins below. Airs flowing down from the CarpathianMountains carried with it pessimistic attitudes and aroused impulses in those living along the danube River. Armies rode on them, pushed against and resisted from one day to the next, year after year fueled by greed and religious supremacy and often clashing in a violent whirl. Mama told me the people in this land are unique because a deep-seated determination festers in each of our bellies, the culprit being a consistent threat of mortal danger.

There you have a glimpse of the writing styyle. I find it dramatic and engaging, but there are a few to many typos. All in all, I am thorughly enjoying myself. It is FUN to curl up with this book! I guess the reason for this is the writing style; you are physically drawn in.

I am a little scared..... will this wonderful reading experience fizzle out? That happened to me recently, and it makes me nervous to even open my mouth. But hey, it is the whole reading experience from page one to the final sentence that is important. It is NOT just how the book is all tied up at the end that determines how you judge a book; the PASSAGE THROUGH the book should be fun. This is exactly that. :0)

[Jen Knox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. OK, so, this book opened up a dark door in history for me, one that I will most definitely return to out of sheer morbid curiosity. I think this is what the author was going for, and she accomplished it!

Countess Erszebet Bathory is the subject, though the narration of this book is done by a friend, Amara, who seems desperate to cling to old ideas about her sociopathic gal pal. The thing is, as much as this book piqued my interest about the Countess, I was far more invested in Amara. I liked this character and had no problem sticking with her for over 500 pages. This is no easy task, as this is the e-age and my attention span is waning. I love books, but tend toward those under 350, that I can read in two or three days time.

The care and precision that went into the scenic details of this book deserve applause, and I was completely immersed in the word. I will say that I felt a little cheated in areas, a few scenes were mentioned that could've been drawn out (look at me, wanting even more pages--a rarity!).

I heartily recommend this book! And I will be reading the sequel.

[Jo Wun · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Bram Stoker's Dracula as a teenager while visiting an aunt and uncle who lived in an old cottage in a hamlet in the east of England, complete with thatched roof, crooked floors and creaky stairs. Probably an unwise choice of bedtime reading, I succeeded in scaring myself half witless, and came to suspect the wizened old man living next door was not all that he seemed.

I read the eBook version of Dandelions in the Garden by Charlie Courtland on my smartphone, which perhaps goes to show that we do sometimes live and learn. But although it features Elizabeth Bathory, a descendant of Vlad Tepes, who was the inspiration for Stoker's Dracula, it is not a horror story in the traditional Dracula mould.

It's not without horrific scenes though, several characters meeting a grizzly end, and some aspects of the story might be considered quite shocking, in that behaviours we modern humans consider unacceptable are presented as quite normal. But, of course, attitudes in Europe four hundred years ago were somewhat different.

If I had to write a one-sentence review it would be this:

A cracking good tale full of all the ingredients which make a good story -- adversity, conflict, emotional highs and lows, love, sex, violence and a few surprises.

Historical purists might find the use of modern language off putting, but I found it made the characters into people I could believe were real. But more than that, I was able to put myself in their shoes. I'm not entirely sure that all of the views expressed by the narrator are consistent with the period, but I was able to overlook that because it brought an extra perspective to the tale. However, a few typographical and suchlike errors seem to have slipped through the editorial net, which bounced me out of the flow when I came upon them. I'd have been thinking about awarding 5 stars if it wasn't for that.

I don't know if all, or any, of the events depicted actually happened, but if you like a good story, well put together, then that will matter as little to you as it did to me.

There is a deeper level to it, in that it is an illustration of the truth of Lord Acton's words "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." But it's the characters, as portrayed through the eyes, and pen, of Amara Borbala, Countess Elizabeth's lady-in-waiting, that make this story come alive.

I still haven't figured out the relevance of the title of this one, but I'm certainly looking forward to reading the second book in the series.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amara Borbala was the lady-in-waiting companion to Countess Elizabeth Bathory, the Blood Countess. They were together from the time they were young girls until after Elizabeth's trial. This is her account of what really transpired, as dictated in a manuscript intended for Elizabeth's grandson.

Reading these books, I realized neither is a stand alone story, or even books in a series. They are two halves of the same story: a single story split into two volumes. I can see why, the first is over 400 pages while the second is 300. It is a long story, but quite a fascinating one.

The first volume starts with Amara first joining Elizabeth and covers up to right before Elizabeth's reputation as the Blood Countess begins. The second volume details Elizabeth's exploits and her downfall. The story is more than just Elizabeth's though. Amara takes centre stage and much of the story focuses on her as the narrator. This is especially true in the second volume when Amara begins to distance herself from Elizabeth.

I found both volumes fascinating. The second volume is much darker, as can be expected. The first was much lighter as the girls were much brighter, happier and more adventuresome in their youth. Something I found interesting was the feeling of age in the narration. It was easy to distinguish which sections were written as Amara as an old lady. The feeling of these sections was much older than the narration of her youth. As the narration progressed, the tone definitely matured and aged. I thought this was very well done.

Overall, I was impressed with the story. I would recommend it to fans of historical fiction. With the warning that you need to read both volumes back to back to get the full story.

[Nakota · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting historical fiction set in Vienna 1600 time period. Characters Amara and Elizabeth defy authority to survive in a time when men ruled and women were chattels.

Story of love, desire, lust, cruelty, suspense, and intrigue. Some content for mature readers only.
Story told by Amara spanning her childhood to old age.
You will love and hate the characters.

From the first page to the last, you are caught up in the lives and sorrows of the women and men of this story.
A story the grips you into real life drama, frightening and descriptive, bold, sexual desire, cunning wiles of the women, fierce men warriors all hold you on the edge as the
story unfolds.

Five Stars Reading.
Can not wait for the sequel 'The Hidden Will of the Dragon'.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so excited to read this!!! I just won this in a "First-Reads" auction, and can't wait to get my copy in the mail.

UPDATE: 4.5 stars. I loved this book! And I am so happy I now have an autographed copy.

I really enjoyed the character of Amara, and seeing Elizabeth through her eyes. Elizabeth's descent into madness was so subtle, as she slowly started to get more evil as the years passed.

The only bad thing? The cliffhanger! Now I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for the sequel.

[Randall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story of Countess Elizabeth Bathony as told by her long time friend Amara.

Historical fiction set in 1600 Vienna.

I gave this book 5 stars.

Well written, keeps you in suspense. Very descriptive, never boring, easy to immerse yourself into the characters lives and the time period they lived.

I recommend for the Mature Adult reader.

Can not wait to read the next book in this series 'The Hidden Will of the Dragon !'

[Lyla · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t even know… if it wasn’t for my book club I’d have dnf this one… It was long and drawn out, and the grammar error/typos got to me. At one point the character’s name changed from Francis to Frances.

The overall story was ok, but already at 30% in I was like where is this going? Elizabeth is supposed to be a mass murderer but at 50% in no murders had occurred yet. And at 90% I thought how is this going to conclude with only 10% left. Lo and behold, the story continues in the second book. That did it in for me. I’m sorry to those that enjoyed this book. As much as I enjoy historical fiction, I would not recommend, this book could have been condensed to a much shorter version and the description of the book is not accurate.

[Katherine Marple · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charlie Courtland's writing is astounding in that she can take me into the storyline and make me care deeply for her characters. Every character is flawed in some way, just as every person is flawed in real life. Every character has their strengths as well as their downfalls, just as all humans do. Courtland knows this and she portrays these details well.

Dandelions in the Garden is about Amara's re-telling of the story of Countess Elizabeth who was said to have been evil to the core and had drank the blood of her servants. Amara is an old lady at the beginning of the story, trying to pen her memories for a descendant of hers. The entire book is set in the 1600s (I believe) while she tells the story of a descendant of Dracula.

The story was well crafted, the writing was superb. There were just many typos that drew away from the story enough to demote my original 4-star rating. If you can look beyond those, then you will have no trouble devouring this novel, part I of a two part series.

We follow the two young ladies, Countess Elizabeth and her lady in waiting Amara as they grow from childhood, age 11 to the end of the story when they are both in their mid-twenties. There isn't a whole lot of gore in the book (I wish there was more, considering the back text which really piqued my interest), but it is written well enough to be memorable, for the characters to be memorable.

Good book, good story. Can't wait to find out what happens in Venice!

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was good; HOWEVER.... it was littered with typographical errors to the point of complete ridiculousness! It was extremely distracting and detracted from my enjoyment. Who is the editor anyway? Seriously - they need to be fired!

[Jessica Allyse · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book focuses more on the lady in waiting of Elizabeth and not Elizabeth herself. Not what I was expecting and can't say I loved it.

Also, there are typos throughout. Also there are expressions that don't fit the period it is in which throws off the reader.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall rating: 3.75

I will say right upfront that it's obvious Charlie Courtland has done her research. I looked up some items about which I had questions, and found that she was spot-on for the period in those matters.

There were some others, though, where it did not go so well in her telling of Elizabeth Bathory's story. The well-constructed epic novel about the notorious Blood Countess faltered in some tiny details (e.g., describing the use of envelopes during a time when letters were written on parchment or vellum, folded into quarters, addressed and sealed with wax rather than using a separate paper to carry them). I found these and other minutia a little distracting. Some Hungarian names were Anglicized (e.g., Gyorgy Drugeth, an historical personage, became George) while others were not (Sir Draco Lorant ... who was referred to as Sir Lorant several times; knights are Sir Firstname).

Admittedly, my nitpicking is a minor point. Courtland has created an intriguing world of romance, revenge and intrigue. Told through the eyes of Amara, one of Bathory's ladies-in-waiting, "Dandelions in the Garden" is a fascinating look at 16th C. Austro-Hungarian culture. Courtland writes with both compassion and frankness about Bathory and the legends that surround her.

At the end of the book, we find Bathory on her way to Vienna. Embarking on new adventures that are only revealed in The Hidden Will of the Dragon, the young "Blood Countess" is just starting the period that gave rise to the folk tales about her.

I am given to understand that a new edition of "Dandelions," which corrects some of the editorial issues in this version, is forthcoming.

Overall, I would recommend this book to historical fiction buffs with the caveats that I mentioned firmly in place.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! An exceptional story which I enjoyed immensely. The author excels at all the important elements of creative writing. The character development is excellent and I could picture each one in my mind easily. The plot is well constructed with many twists and turns that unlike most books I could not foresee. By the authors footnotes and my own love of history books, much research is injected into this story. Also the narrative is most interesting as the story is not related in the first person. I know that women had pitiful rights back in the 1600's and the only way to have a good life is to marry into nobility. Nobility really means wealth, prestige and power which is well reflected in the book. The story is about two main characters, Lady Amara and Elizabeth Bathory among many others. All marriages back then that included nobility was prearranged. Elizabeth refused to marry within the confines of a prearranged marriage and wishes to marry for love. She became bitter that her first love and her first child is taken away from her and forced to marry Francis anyways. She became disillusioned and as time went by she used her prestige and wit to revenge anyone who wronged her. She became very interested in torture and from the many castles she lived in constructed rooms to torture people just for fun. An interesting twist is near the end her companion throughout the story, Lady Amara, discovers Elizabeth is kin to Vlad the Impaler. There is much more in the second book in this fascinating two book adventure. A very talented author. Recommended to any reader despite their preferred genre.

[Megan Logue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blood Countess

This book was quite entertaining, especially for those long nights when sleep evades you. As a Hungarian and as a distant relation to the Bathory family, it's consistent with one of the many tales that were documented within the court proceedings at her trial. In all honesty , due to the rampant ignorance and illiteracy that plagued majority of society, noone truly knows what exactly occurred and the reasons behind such actions. I believe that as a woman she was judged harshly and unjustly.

[♥Tricia♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Historical genre has never been one that I have been fond of, but Charlie Courtland makes me LOVE it!!

Every thing about this book was absolutely wonderful! Full review to be posted on literaryescapism in the near future!

[Megan M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now I want to learn everything about Elizabeth Bathory....

[LitAddictedBrit · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the reasons I love to read historical fiction is that I like to learn more about other cultures and countries while enjoying a good story! Now, before you think I believe every word of the fiction I read, let me assure you that I often finish the novel and read up on the history behind it - my way of gently broadening my historical horizons... (Worry not, Phillippa Gregory's musings on the world of Anne Boleyn did not appear in my Tudor History A-Level!) This book was no exception - I have learnt much more about Hungary in the 16th century than I knew before. Largely because I formerly knew nothing...

Anyway, this one is another of those deliciously intriguing areas of history where there is still some debate over what happened. Although the Countess was imprisoned for the monstrosities she was accused of, she was never actually tried, which obviously means no court testimonies or similar to base her guilt on. It's a morbidly fascinating case and that is translated into the book brilliantly. Even though the narrator, Amara, knows the "truth" of the story, she maintains the intrigue by weaving her tale fairly objectively.

The narrator, Amara, is a life-long friend of the Countess after being sent to live with her when they are both young. The first part of the novel could be any historical fiction book and I didn't really get a sense that the book was set in Hungary - in fact, it felt very British in its traditions. That could well be realistic, however. The narrator's voice is very accessible and isn't blighted by an author's attempts to be overly authentic. I had a sense of the time, I think, just not the place.

As the novel progresses, so do the characters. The more depraved Elizabeth became, the more interesting the book got for me. And that isn't because of the actual monstrous behaviour but because of Amara. One of my favourite things about the novel was the way it dealt with morality. Amara witnesses, and in a way is an accomplice to, horrifying acts of torture and degradation. She is repulsed and disturbed by the actions...and yet, she loves Elizabeth so she tries to stand by her. The descent is gradual and I got the feeling that Amara was being pulled along by her dominant mistress and just kept rationalising as she went. A "slippery slope" type argument, if you will, that I was both intrigued and appalled by.

I really enjoyed the book - it wasn't always easy to read in its brutality but I got the sense of a darker, more physical age which was interesting. Having said that, my main criticism is of the ending. For the most part, the pace is very consistent; the character development likewise. Towards the last 100 pages or so, however, there is a shift and it seems as though the author is reaching desperately for a cliff-hanger, something that will drive you to the second book. I found it a bit unnecessary - there were unresolved romances, a descent into utter carnality to witness and a whole host of characters I wanted to see through their tempestuous existences. I'm sure I and other readers would have stuck with the Countess without a "mystery" to follow...

Overall: This is in no way suitable for younger readers but I would definitely recommend it to fans of historical fiction looking for a new period to explore. It's stormy and cruel. it has romance, revenge, scandal and history and it will not let you go - I will definitely be reading the sequel.

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Dandelions in the Garden" is a book about Elizabeth Bathory, known as the 'Blood Countess', and narrated by her lady in waiting, Amara Borbala.

As it can be expected, the story revolves around these two women (well, first very young girls and then women), while the other characters, even if quite well depicted, are not very well developed. This could have been a weak point of the book, but luckily the two female protagonists are enough well depicted to immediately capture the reader's interest.

Elizabeth is a fierce, fascinating character. She is treated in an atrocious way in her youth, being forced to marry a brute man and give up the child she had with her first love, but that does not make her an innocent, positive heroine. She has a lot of darkness in her, and I think the author did a great job portraying her that way, because you can feel she is not a very decent person, but at the same time you cannot help but root for her and admire her strenght. I also loved that, through Amara's point of view, we can see Elizabeth very closely, but never completely: we can only perceive some shadows of her character that will ultimately lead to her fate, and we can also draw our own conclusions about her.

Amara is an interesting character as well, and her point of view is very nice to read. She is a strong woman just like her mistress, and has a very modern way of thinking, which was very entertaining to read. At the same time, however, I found this characteristic a little too unrealistic at times. For example when, at the age of only 13, she speaks so freely and sometimes so rudely, especially with men.

Another great thing about this book is the relationship between Elizabeth and Amara, as well as their differences and similarities. They have a lot in common: as Amara says, the main difference between them is that Elizabeth actually does what Amara only imagines of doing, like killing her rival in love. Amara is Elizabeth's good side because, even if she is capable of strong feelings like her mistress, she rationalizes and controls them, while the other sets them free. Of course, by doing this Elizabeth becomes more and more uncontrollable and immoral, and Amara does not try to justify her, but at the same time she stays by her side because she truly loves her.

The only reason I give this book 3 and not 4 stars is because of the writing. Don't get me wrong, the style is lovely: the opening scene is written beautifully, with an elegant style which immediately captures your attention. Unfortunately, this style gets a little lost in the rest of the book. The thing that bothered me the most, however, were the many errors in the time tenses: the narrative shifts from present tense to past tense and vice versa, but while in the beginning it is motivated (Amara uses the present tense when she is talking about her present, and the past tense when she narrates her past), in the end there is a lot of confusion, and eventually it really bothered me.

Still, this is a book I greatly enjoyed, and I look forward to reading the sequel.

[PollyAnna Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haha! The first book I finish in 2015 is a fictionalized text telling the story of Countess Elizabeth Bathory, DANDELIONS IN THE GARDEN by Charlie Courtland. Awesome! I accept that much of the parts of this version are completely made up by Ms. Courtland for the sake of fictionalized literature, but considering the fact that much of what we know about the Countess is not actually KNOWN anyway, it is always interesting to read what new authors think happened with the Countess. I am absolutely fascinated by Elizabeth Bathory. Her story is one that draws me like a moth to a flame. I can't explain what it is about her that is so incredibly fascinating since so many of the details of her story are so incredibly gruesome, but I the fact remains that I am. I don't know the exact number of books I have or that I have read concerning the Countess, but I would guess that this one is no less than the 5th fictionalized version not to mention the ones I have and/or have read that are based on actual accounts--as historians have the information from legal and historical documents to share. I have watched the movies about her that I have been able to get a hold of. Many of the movies about her are foreign films which makes watching them difficult.

Did you know that you can buy things like mouse pads, coffee mugs, light switches, and other such trinkets with images of the real Elizabeth Bathory? I've never gone that far in my fascination with her, but I do find it absolutely fascinating that things like that are available for those who want to buy them. Oh, and there is even a wine in honor of her! Apparently you can even go visit her castle and stay in a hotel in the village where they serve food and wine dedicated to the Countess' infamous legend.

Personally, I think what draws us more than anything is not just the blood and gore associated with her, but the fact that there are so many different legends that it is difficult to determine what is fact and what is fiction. It does seem to be a consensus that the Countess Elizabeth Bathory murdered MANY young women--quite a few of them virgins--and murdered them in gruesome ways, quite often torturing the young women hideously prior to their deaths. Some texts say that she killed only about 200 while others say that she killed more than 600 girls. Since I also believe that Elizabeth had a violent temper and that she could fly into a rage faster than a you can shoo a fly, I do believe that the number of murdered girls was a high one.

Of course my fascination will continue as I begin reading the 2nd book in Ms. Courtland's series called THE HIDDEN WILL OF THE DRAGON. I am sure that these books will not be the last ones I read about the fascinating Countess!

Here a few links in case you want to read a little more about her for yourself.

http://www.infamouslady.com/

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-hi...

http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/21/travel/...

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Books are a subjective business, and it doesn't mean a book is bad or good because it isn't someone's cup of tea. Although the idea of "Dandelions in the Garden" was intriguing to me when I first heard of it, but it really wasn't my cup of tea once I got beyond chapter 1. I felt a little disappointed because I couldn’t connect with the characters, even though they were well articulated with well-defined personalities, but I often had trouble believing in them. It’s just me, I guess. With that said, overall it was a good read. It flowed along well enough, in spite of the inconsistent style; it was too modern to be historical, and some of the banter was too silly to fit in with the rest, which lead me to think of it as more in the fantasy genre instead. After the first three or so chapters I gave up on trying to connect the character, Elizabeth Bathory, the Blood Countess with the historical figure, Elizabeth Bathory, the Blood Countess; once I made that disconnect, it became easier for me to continue reading and enjoy the book. (This is always the danger of writing about historical figures, the believability factor.) It had many gems that showed the author's research and interest in the subject, but the lack of proofreading was unfortunate ("reigning in" the horse, when it should've been written as "reining in" and other improper sound-alike word use scattered throughout the book) the work could've been so much better with proper attention. Inconsistent formatting of paragraphs was also an unfortunate issue; careful preparation of the manuscript coding and proofreading of the pre-publication PDF also catches things like spacing issues. It's an investment to publish a book (self, indie imprint, or traditional) and the extra effort to make the reading experience as smooth as possible is ultimately the author's job even when there is a fresh pair of eyes pitching in to help. It’s always a learning experience to go through the process, and with practice it gets easier, and it becomes instinctive as to what needs to be done to make it right. I do applaud Charlie Courtland’s determination for making “Dandelions in the Garden” (and the second volume, The Hidden Will of the Dragon) happen, goodness knows, the effort to take on such a work is an amazing endeavor; she truly has a talent and a vision that is unique and I do hope to see her grow as an author.

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a really difficult time deciding how to rate this book. I loved the idea behind this novel, and the story itself proved very interesting. However there were many editing errors that I found hard to overlook. As one reviewer previously noted, there were a lot of simple mistakes that should have been caught (such as a "finally" that should have been "final").

Also, the author had obvious issues with tense. I didn't mind that the narrator spoke in present tense during the "present day" scenes and past tense when telling her story--that is not the tense issue I found, since that was obviously deliberate. But it seemed that the author would forget which tense she should be writing in. One sentence would be past, the next present, then the next past again. And if this wasn't troublesome enough, I found in a few instances that the tense switched mid sentence.

Finally I feel that this novel and the sequel would be best presented in the form of one lengthier novel as opposed to two. This is simply a personal preference, and I understand why two shorter novels would be more appealing to others and thus it was written as such. This also does not account for the loss of stars in my rating, as I said it is purely personal preference (I would have rather paid one price for a single poorly edited book rather than two--luckily they were "cheap" by B&N ebook standards).

Because of the above reasons making this novel seem very unpolished, I could not give a review higher than three stars.

[Pia · Rating 2 out of 5]

The blurb states this is a story about the Blood Countess, Elizabeth Bathory, a descendant of Vlad the Impaler. Unfortunately, she does not earn the title Blood Countess in this story, and her kinship with Vlad doesn't make an appearance until the last 5% of the book.

This story is written from the POV of Lady Amara, Elizabeth's favorite lady in waiting and trusted companion. It is more a story of Amara being stuck between nobility and commonfolk in her position serving the Countess than about the Countess herself. The best part of the tale was Lady Amara interacting with Sir Draco, during with Elizabeth acted like a very normal member of the noble class.

There were some episodes of tantrums and torture by the Countess, plus some BDSM, but used solely to inflict pain. While Elizabeth's fascination with pain grew, and eventually included a torture room, I've read much worse. I didn't not get a good picture of her earning a title like Blood Countess during the course of this story.

The author note explained the rest of Elizabeth's history after it ended rather abruptly. In fact, the author note explained all of the stuff that I'd been looking forward to reading -- the Blood Countess murdering young girls, using blood-based elixirs of youth, and bearing accusations, trials, and imprisonment due to her behavior. The author's note gave so much detail about the historical figure that there is little need to read the second book in the story.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I will say that I really enjoyed reading this book. I have read one or two other books about Elizabeth Bathory and her depravity and cruelty shocks and appalls me. The story is told from the perspective of Elisabeth's childhood friend who witnesses Elisabeth's increasingly deviant behavior. While Amara, the friend, does not exactly condone her cruelty neither does she condemn it but seems to rationalize it whenever she can. Because of her close bond with the countess, Amara seems in denial of the countess's propensity for pure evil and her departure from sanity.
While Bathory's wickedness is central to the plot, the author manages to give her some measure of humanity thus avoiding making her a one dimensional character. Amara's own romances and adventures are interwoven with Bathory's which makes the story more than a mere recounting of Bathory's notoriety (a fascinating subject in itself).
Now for my one and only complaint about the book. I was puzzled at the lack of good proofreading. I saw misspellings and grammatical errors throughout the story. For instance, the author uses the word shuttering for shuddering. This was a distracting flaw in an otherwise excellent story. I wonder if anyone else noticed this when reading the book.
Regardless, I am eager to buy the sequel as soon as it's available.

[Darcia Helle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elizabeth Bathory, otherwise known in our history books as The Blood Countess, was, by most accounts, a savage killer who took pleasure in torturing her victims. Courland's book takes a look at the real Elizabeth's early life through the fictional eyes of young Amara, her closest friend and lady in waiting.

Dandelions in the Garden starts out with Amara as an old woman. She decides to write what we would consider a memoir or biography and her writing then becomes the story. I am not normally a fan of books that shift back and forth in time but Courtland handled this well. She does a great job bringing her characters to life and showing what the world was like for women during the 16th century. The girls' behavior sometimes makes us laugh and other times makes us gasp. But, through it all, we can understand how circumstances could shape these young women.

This is the first book in the series and leaves Elizabeth and Amara as young married women. Book two - The Hidden Will of the Dragon - takes them through adulthood.

[Iola Snaderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a fan of Victorian type fiction especially stories from the woman's' point of view. Very well written I flew through the pages, eager to get to the next chapter. Read the entire book in one night, could not seem to put in down.
Then I had to read it again, more slowly, to absorb the story line and characters.
Sometimes a little too graphic for my taste, a bit too much sex, violence and gore. Often I disliked the characters for their 'Mean Streak' understanding circumstances and the time period played a major role in shaping their lives and characters.
Definitely a book for the mature reader, not for young teens or weak of heart.
Still in all looking forward to reading Charlie Courtlands next novel. This new author has great promise and I hope to see many many more books from Charlie in the future.
How about a Sweet Romance Adventure novel? Still with female heroines but not quite so graphic?

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a free Kindle download from Amazon. The story is historical fiction taking place in 16th century Hungary. It is the life of Elizabeth Bathory, better known as the "blood Countess" and descendant of Vlad Tepes, The Impaler (of Transylvania vampire fame.)

The story is told through the eyes of Amara, her lady in waiting. It starts out in a restaurant where Amara is having tea and overhears two lady's gossiping about her former companion. The story then goes back to her early years when she first met Elizabeth and goes through their first loves, arranged marriage, pregnancies and heartbreak.

Despite all the evil in Elizabeth (cruelty, sex, torture and violence,) the author finds a way to make Amara (and readers) somewhat forgive her.

The story was not what I expected. The "nonending" was very abrupt and you need to read the sequel to find out what happens. Despite all, it was a good read.

[Nicki Markus · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've long had an interest in Elizabeth Bathory and so this book seemed a good pick for me. On the whole the book held my attention and I enjoyed the story and characters, particularly Amara's relationship with Lorant. However, the book really needs major editing work. There are issues with typos, jumps between tenses etc. and if a skilled editor had been let loose to clean those things up, I'd have been giving this book four stars instead of three. I understand editing work has been done on it in 2011, so perhaps the copy I received from Book Depository for Christmas was still an older edition....

That said, I probably will still try to read book two in the future as I'd like to see the story through to the end.

In conclusion, Dandelions in the Garden is an interesting read that is only let down by the lack of editing prior to publication: a worthwhile read for fans of historical fiction.

[Rebekah · Rating 2 out of 5]

In many ways I should have really enjoyed this book. I like historical fiction, the Countess of Bathory is a very interesting historical figure, and hey ties to Vlad. I just couldn’t get passed the far too modern narration, this would not have been a problem if the book was written in 3rd person but the author choose to write the book as a first person narrative from the point of view of Amara, Elizabeth’s Lady in Waiting.

The other disappointment of the book is that it didn’t even get to the “good stuff”. The whole lure of the book is that it is about the Blood Countess but we see nothing that shows how she earned that title within the story itself, that is all outlined in the author’s note at the end. Sure we see her fascination with pain and torture but the story does not cover the mass murder of serving girls or the blood based beauty treatments.