A visit with an old friend.
http://www.csharris.net/historical.php
Because I happened to mention Candice Proctor recently, I decided to reread one of her books. I was in the mood for a medieval, so I chose The Last Knight, which is not my favorite, but nonetheless I remember liking it.
After reading it, I arrived at the same opinion as the last time I read it in 2009 as part of my Candice Proctor project. This is a story about a fair aristocratic girl who dresses up in boys clothing to chase across dirty, smelly medieval England to save Henry II. And, I must admit that this was really a suspension of disbelief moment. To think that this young woman, Attica, who has had people do everything for her, would actually think she could make it across England was pushing it. She does have a sidekick, Walter, to help her, but he doesn't last very long. And then it's Damion de Jamac to the rescue! I was happy to see that Damion wasn't one of those nincompoop heroes who can't tell the difference between a woman and man...er, young boy. It doesn't take Damion long to see through her disguise, and since she happens to be going the same way that he is - oh what the hey, he'll travel with her...he'll be her knight.
This is a road story. Our plucky pair escape one dangerous situation after another, climb over roofs, hide in stinky stuff, decipher messages, and outsmart the bad guys. The problem I have with this book is the same problem I had in 2009. SPOILER ALERT! Attica's brother, Stephen, is a traitor. Now, Attica loves her brother very much, and she is at the scene of Stephen's death at the hands of Damion. I had a hard time accepting the HEA of Attica and Damion after this very horrible moment. Ms. Proctor has included a rather lengthy grovel, a guilt trip and all kinds of absolution, but I just never bought that Attica would ever be able to forgive or forget Damion's hand in her brother's death.
I do think this is a good Candice Proctor and I'm glad I reread it. It was nice to be with an old friend.
Time/Place: Medieval England
Sensuality: Warm/Hot
2 comments:
Jo Beverley's "Lord of Midnight" offers the same kind of difficulty for the heroine's acceptance, although in that it's the father the hero has killed. Romance fiction authors seem to have a remarkable ability to write their way out of moral dilemmas most would quail at.
Anony: Wow, it's been a long time since I've read Lord of Midnight...but you are right. Some authors are better at writing themselves out of the hole they dig. Honestly, as much as I liked this book and love Candice Proctor - in my opinion she didn't dig herself out. She tried, but there just wasn't enough time at the end of the book to do it.
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