"I'm in heaven
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak
And I seem to find the happiness I seek" - Irving Berlin
With a novella about a supporting character who is not weak.
Pretty good rhyming, huh? Eat your heart out Irving Berlin. King! Yes I got my wish. Kelly
Bowen has given us a gift in this short story by bringing King to life. You remember King; he is one of the best secondary characters ever! He is on that ladder with my all-time favorite, Cat, from The Windflower, by Laura London. While that old classic, written in 1984, does not stand up to the test of time, Cat does. I, along with a gazillion other readers, always thought Cat deserved his own book. However, Laura London, aka Sharon and Tom Curtis, were never able to come up with a good story for him. Anyway, Kelly Bowen created King, a wonderful supporting character who is a little rough around the edges.King is one of those intriguing characters who run around the dark streets of England. He is mysterious, he's alpha, he is hot, and I found him intriguing. I always find it fascinating when an author creates a secondary character, who jumps out of the pages. I have heard of characters taking over the story, and I suspect authors are as drawn to them as their audience. I also suspect that they have a hard time controlling them, especially when authors are trying to create a different narrative. I think the whole struggle between an author and a character is intriguing. When an author creates an irresistible secondary character, who the public raves about, there is always a danger that when that character"s story comes out, it will not live up to our expectations. Well, let me tell you, even though this story is a short one, it fulfilled the promises made when King first appeared on the scene. Sigh.
So, we are happy that King was able to maintain his character without changing. However, who has Ms. Bowen picked as his heroine? Well Ms. Bowen went with a more mature woman, who has also had some hard knocks. Lurking behind our heroines facade was a mystery waiting to be solved. When King first encounters her, she is fighting some ruffians in a dark street. Does he rush to her assistance? Does he try to save a damsel in distress? Nope. He just watches. Why does he just watch? Well he thinks she does not need his help. How he could deduce that in the dark was beyond me, but then I am not an enigmatic character in a book. Maybe it was the sword and knife she had in her hands. Enter Adeline Archambault.
Adeline Archambault is on a mission. She even has a code name. She is a super power, out to right wrongs and bring justice to those who need it, like King. King has a doozy of a backstory. Do not be worried, my little Petunia’s, you will all find out what his sad story is. All will be revealed in only 133 pages.
Adeline and King’s dialogue was a thing of beauty. There was humor, and pathos. They understand each other, they uncover each other’s secrets, they balance each other out, and they are perfect for each other.
Did I have any issues? Yes, it was not a full-length novel. I wanted King and Adeline’s story to go on longer. However, when I consider the power contained within these two characters, maybe the short story format was a better choice. I am not sure how well these two overwhelming characters would have fared if given 100 more pages to consume.
Anyway, Night of the Scoundrel was simply delightful. If you have read any of the other books in the series, you will want to partake of this one. I am doing a happy dance right now because Ms. Bowen made my holiday season just a little bit brighter. I suggest you read Night of the Scoundrel.
PS: Thanks to Irving Berlin's Cheek to Cheek, for the lyrics that are lovely. The next sentence is really: "When we're out together dancing, cheek to cheek." Mr. Berlin didn't say anything about supporting characters in his tune.
Time/Place: Regency England I think
Sensuality: Warm/Hot
1 comment:
Doozy! Really looking forward to reading it.
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