Customer Reviews

A Connecticut Fashionista in King Arthur's Court

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

There is a fine line between Chick Lit and Romance, and a lot of authors toe the line delicately. I would definitely say that although "A Connecticut Fashionista in King Authur's Court" by Marianne Mancusi is supposed to be Chick Lit, it fits more comfortably (in my opinion) into the Romance category.

Katherine (Kat) Jones is the heroine of this novel. She is a bright, outspoken woman in her late twenties trying to get the latest scoop for her fashion columnist job, which just happened to be about Medieval garb. Traipsing around at the local King Authur Faire isn't helping her disposition much, and when she agrees to get a palm reading by a gnarled gypsy woman, she scoffs so much that the gypsy threatens to put a curse on her. (A curse to send her into another "time"). Kat waves her off in what I soon learned to be her trademark airy, carefree way.

But after getting hit over the head with a flying lance a little while later, she awakes and finds herself in a strange place filled with strange people. After much confusion, a couple of horseback rides (one with the famous Lancelot), and a conversation with Queen Guenevere, she realizes the gypsy woman had made good on her promise: Kat has somehow ended up in Camelot... back in King Authur's day. And with the handsome Lancelot always trying to rescue her, she might soon find herself in over her head.

This book was an extremely light read filled with hilarious dialogue, romance, and fashion. Kat is a tough, sometimes brash, but often spunky heroine that I liked. Being a modern girl used to the 21st century's amenities, comfort and fashion, she handles things with aplomb. She was a character that I wouldn't mind reading another book about.

My main disappointment with this book was that I had been expecting a chick lit novel, with more of a developed and fleshed out story line, characters and resolution. Instead it turned out to be a mostly contemporary (time-travel) romance, complete with bodice-ripping type love scenes and a love-centered story. But the extremely far-fetched plot held together well for the most part of the novel and had an unexpected (and funny) ending.

This was a very light read - if you are looking for substance, you will not find much of it here. But if you are looking for a madcap, hilarious contemporary time-travel romance, you will love this book. I enjoyed it and recommend it especially to King Authur fans, as it also gives a new interesting twist to some of the old legends.

This book is a lot of fun to read from page one. Kat Jones is a snarky, feisty, funny heroine who will keep you laughing until the end of the book. Great twist on taking a classic tale and making it fresh and new in a chick lit voice. The first person really allowed the reader to know Kat and walk alongside her through her adventure...and oh, what an adventure! This book is a fast-paced, fun read that'll have you cracking up. Kudos to the author for making it an adventurous ride. Definitely pick it up for summer beach reading.

First of all, this book was written in first person, and it really needed to be in third. First person made the language feel awkward and I felt detached from Katy. There were also a lot of flaws with the writing in general. I got so tired of hearing designer brand names being dropped, and it ended up making Katy look stupid and self-absorbed.I wasn't impressed with Lancelot's character. I also hated how everything wrapped up neatly. All of a sudden Guen and Katy are BFF, and Katy gives Guen this ridiculous makeover. I don't even think that chapter was needed. To be honest, I didn't even want to finish reading the book. The only reason I did was because I felt guilty.

I thought the ending was just as bad, and it obviously reads as a sequel--but no thanks. I'll pass.

Ms. Mancusi has taken the concept of time-travel, the legend of King Arthur, and the sub genre Chick-lit and created a story that is entertaining. This read offers plenty of laugh out loud and tender moments that readers will enjoy.

Kat Jones finds herself transported back in time to King Arthur with the dubious task of saving Camelot. Yes, that's what I said 21 century gal sent to change history. The result of this bit of time travel is Kat finds love for the first time with the Knight Lancelot, and becomes good friends with Queen Guenevere. She also brings a little of the 21st century back in time...and the world will never be the same again...in anytime period. In fact the ending is very clever and leaves open the possiblity for a sequal.

For those that do not care for the first person POV be aware that this story is written from that point of view but done so in such a way that it's not obnoxious. Kat although a bit much at some points in the story is still a fun character, and Lancelot is one yummy hero. Trust me this is not your typical "King Arthur" legend and the developing relationship between Kat and "Lance" is darn right romantic. This was a fun read and I look forward to reading Ms. Mancusi again in the future.

(...)

Ugh. Or not.

Spoilers ahead, incase anyone hasn't read this yet.

I love fiction based in Medieval times and was hoping this book would be a fun read. I finished it, but Kat's stupidity, arrogance and shallowness, the over-the-top "love" scenes (is this chick lit or a trashy romance novel?), and the ending all made it more annoying than fun.

Yes, there are words that we use now that they wouldn't understand, and we do have a very different way of speaking, but must there be stupid phrases like "down-low" and "hook up"? Is Kat really 29 or is she 16? Most people grow out of that type of slang. She also is stupid enough to babble on like your typical vapid teenager when there are serious matters being discussed. And the nicknames? Again, is she a child? What adult can't call someone by their name and needs to abbreviate it or add an "ee" sound to the end? How disrespectful can a person be?

The fashion crap (a la "21st century fashion is SO much better than anything else") got really old. Kat was wearing beautifully dyed silk gowns and she constantly bitched that it wasn't D&G or Gucci and that none of it was black.

The sex scenes were pretty far off from the chick lit genre, definitely more fitting for romance. They were also seemingly the only thing that Kat & Lancelot had going for them. Love? Right. Try lust.

Also, I saw the "purple veil" crap coming from so far away... Seriously, was Kat so self-absorbed she couldn't figure that it would be a bad idea to come out of the "boys' side" and pretending to be the queen while Arthur was away? That it was equally bad to leave "Guen" in "Lance's" room in the middle of the night?

Contrary to all of this, the book had it's moments. I did like that most other characters were a bit less shallow and more noble, as one would expect. The twist to the folklore (misunderstanding, etc) was amusing.

All in all, it had a lot of potential, but fell short.

The title of this book made me think that this would probably be a light, fun and entertaining romance like the ones written by MaryJanice Davidson and Katie MacAlister. And it is just as fun and great as the books by the aforementioned authors. A Connecticut Fashionista in King Arthur's Court is like Legally Blonde and a more fantastical version of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table rolled into one. Katherine "Kat" Jones is a fast-mouthed fashion magazine editor and lover of designer shoes. She enjoys all of the perks the twenty-first century has to offer. Imagine her surprise when a strange gypsy gives her a curse during a Mediaeval times fair and is sent to the Middle Ages -- to King Arthur's court, to be exact. Kat is confused at first. How did she end up there? Were the men dressed in tights hanging out at a castle talking with strange accents and taking their Medieval roleplaying too seriously part of some soft of weird reality show? Kat has no choice but to accept that she has been sent back to the Middle Ages. But will she care after she meets the gorgeous, chivalrous knight Sir Lancelot? She is somewhat familiar with the legend of King Arthur, but soon realizes that things are not the way they had been written. There are some fun twists throughout the novel.

This novel kept me awake until the late hours of the night. It is very light and not to be taken seriously, but it is also fun, riveting and entertaining. Kat sounds like the typical fashion-conscious, flighty, albeit fiercely independent twenty-first century woman and she gives the very old-fashioned men in King Arthur's court a piece of her mind. She is instantly attracted to Lancelot despite knowing the legend that he will have an affair with Queen Guenevere and therefore be responsible for the destruction of Camelot, but she soon gets to know the brave, loyal and passionate knight in more ways than one. I loved the version of Lancelot in this novel because he is a mixture of alpha male and a sweet, chivalrous, romantic man. I thought the love story between the leading characters was very sweet. Kat could be quite irritating at times though. She is too outspoken and a spoiled, immature brat most of the time, but I loved her narrative voice and her constant pop culture references. The aforementioned things give the novel a romance/fantasy/chick-lit feel not unlike MaryJanice Davidson's Undead series. In fact, Kat sounds an awful lot like Betsy Taylor at times, including their mutual love for shoes. I liked the whole time-travel thing. I haven't read much time-travel romances, but after having read this one and Outlander I am definitely giving the genre a whirl again. I love the unique fantasy aspect of the aforementioned genre. And I am glad the author decided to set the novel during the Mediaeval times because said time frame is very romantic. And I loved the whole different spin on King Arthur's story. Of course, there are loose ends -- like the fact that, although she was unable to get used to the new lifestyle at first, Kat adjusts to the very different time frame too easily. Though I must say that the transition is far more realistic than the one I read in the novel Outlander. I suppose it depends on how much you are willing to suspend disbelief, which is the whole point to these sorts of books anyway. As for the reviewers who complained that this novel had no substance, you cannot buy a book with a cover and a title like this one and expect something thought provoking and literary. All in all, A Connecticut Fashionista in King Arthur's Court is the book to read on a warm day at the beach. This is entertainment at its best. Enjoy!

There is little to be said about this book that other reviews havent touched on, but this is a fun little read. Although I have always been skeptical about romance novels, I have to admit, I could not put this one down. Granted, the character Kat, is positively annoying...but there is an endearing quality to me that allowed me to move past that. I look forward to reading some of Ms. Mancusi's work.

Twenty-nine years old La Style associate fashion editor Katherine "Kat" Jones detests ruining her shoes traipsing in a field in Upstate New York rather than attending a Village event or relaxing in her Connecticut home. However, her boss has sent her to attend King Arthur's Faire in order to write a five hundred word article on the medieval clothing fad in today's fashion world. Her photographer Chrissie Haywood forces Kat to have her palm read by a fortune teller. Kat is obnoxious to the woman, who curses her.

Suddenly Cat finds Chrissie is gone and so is the faire. Instead she is in Camelot dressed in high twenty-first century fashion with no hospital or latte in sight. Lancelot du Lac defends her, but though she wants to seduce him, she assumes he belongs to Queen Guenevere. Then there is the evil prince who wants to use her to destroy the kingdom; and finally Merlin informs her not to change history or is that the future even if she only wants to introduce the cashmere sweater to the ladies.

This is an amusing chick lit goes Camelot tale in which the Knights of the Round Table except Lancelot agree that Kat needs to be shipped back to her birth time and place, 2005 Brooklyn. The story line is fun although initially readers will find Kat's whining at the faire and in Camelot irritating. However, when she tries to save the kingdom without gourmet coffee, not change history, and ruins her shoes in the process, fans will root for Kat to have at least one life with Lancelot. Mark Twain would enjoy this distaff version of his classic.

Harriet Klausner

This book brillantly explored the legend of King Arthur with "Sex and the City" flair. I applaud the author, Marianne Mancusi, who's writing style is completely creative, hip and edgy. I laughed out loud many times while I read the book. Actually, I couldn't put it down. I stayed up so late one night reading it, I over slept the next day and was late to work. I couldn't resist finding out what situation the heroine in the book, Kat, was going to get herself into next.

I'd say this is a must read for anyone's upcoming spring and summer reading list.

Great debut novel! Mancusi is really on to something with this different writing style. Her refreshing references to a collaboration of celebrated works from the entertainment world, that we all know and love, make this one a worthy read. The unique way she footnotes all of her not so original thoughts during the writing, giving credit where it was due, is nothing less than spectacular! (This Author was SO obviously raised in front of a TV receiving the typical American educational upbringing courtesy of modern day television programing) Laugh out loud funny, and a great escape from the mundane! Great job Marianne, I will be anxiously awaiting the sequel.