Customer Reviews

Clandara

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This is the first Highland Romance book I read back in the late 80s. The book was twenty years old even then, having been written in 1963. This may explain why Clandara (along with Highland Rose by Catherine Linden) tops my "Favorite Highland Historical Romances" list and is in my top 10 list of "All Time Favorite Books". I have come to realize that I like this style of writing best. This was a writing era where there was as much historical detail as there was romance. And where the author thoroughly researched the subject with a creativity that seems to have disappeared. Writers such as Anthony were not afraid and did not succumb to the dictates of modern day feminists who cry foul if a writer choses to write about the reality of the times, whether it be (what is now termed as) bodice rippers, rape, violence, abuse, or blatant chauvinism, etc. There was a seriousness and depth to the writing that gave it an epic feel. Not like all this robotic fluff stuff, put out in recent years by the ever rushing (I have deadlines to meet) new pseudo-writers that are a dime a dozen.

Clandara has all the things that make a historical romance novel exceptional. It has the well-researched and realistic portrayal of family life and feuding of true highland clans. It has the court intricacies of suspense and betrayals that made up the politics of the time. And it has the classic battles scenes written with a realism that is breath-taking. The secondary characters and storylines are equally well developed. There is such intensity to Anthony's writing and yet she manages to write a believable romance into this epic story.

This is a must read book for anyone who loves a well-written highland romance packed with rich history and a sweeping and detailed love story.