Customer Reviews

The Diamond Slipper

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

 

 

Upon reading the other reviews for The Diamond Slipper, I had a hard time believing that we all had read the same book. I absolutey ADORED this book. The moment I read about Cordelia innocently showering a tall, handsome young man in the courtyard with roses, I was touched and knew I would definitely love this story.

There was the perfect amount of romance, suspense, and adventure in this book. Not every moment was filled with typical lovey-dovey, mushy scenes (not that there's anything wrong with that.) But the squeamish should beware. There several scenes in the book that are dark, disturbing, and somewhat frightening. Cordelia's husband is sadistic and cruel, and does things to her that are hard to read about, but she is a strong-willed young woman who won't let her husband destroy her and who will also do anything to spend the rest of her life with her soul mate, Leo.

Readers who ONLY like books where the heroine is a virgin and marries her loved one would probably not like this book. Readers who are open to other possibilities probably would like this book. Honestly, this type of romance would greatly be enjoyed by those who are not afraid to confront the dark sides of the human experience, knowing that ultimately love is force that cannot be reckoned with.

I have been a fan of Jane Feathers for a while and although this is not one of my favorites I enjoyed the darkness of it. Cordelia is married by proxy to Prince Michael. Vicount Leo Kierston, brother-in-law of the Prince, escorts her from the Austrian courts to France in order to meet her husband and also attend her friend Marie Antoinette's own wedding. Cordelia falls in love with Leo at first sight and tells him so. He tries to avoid her advancements and remain honorable even though he can't get her out of his mind and is falling for her too. He tries to answer her questions about her unknown husband as honestly as possible without revealing his unease and dislike of the man. He has suspisions of his twin sister's sudden death 4 years earlier but has no proof. After Cordelia meets Michael she realizes he rules his home and servants with an iron hand and expects her to yield to him and obey his every command. When she shows defiance, Michael punishes her in the bedroom by raping her repeatedly. He's a control freak and she his prisoner. He keeps a journal describing all his evil thinking and Cordelia discovers these jounals and learns that he is a sick monster that poisoned his first wife when he suspected she was cheating on him. I know most women find rape offensive but Jane doesn't go into the gross details and leaves most of it up to your own imaginations. It was very suspensefull knowing that there was evil lurking in her husband Prince Michael and wondering when and how he was going to strike. I would have liked it if Cordelia was the one to deal the final blow instead of her lover Leo.

I am not really a fan of Jane Feather's, but this is the one book of hers that I halfway endured. So what if the heroine had to suffer through her vicious husband's weird sexual habits? It makes the story of the two main characters all the more poignant. I recommmed this book above all other Jane Feather books.

This book annoyed the crap out of me. I read probably one romance title a week and this I acutally put aside until I finished another that I hoped would be more interesting. It starrted off OK but Cordelia was really immature and far too young for Leo. I understand women and young girls were married at an early age and expected to consumate these marriages - I guess it irritated me more that she 'fell in love' so quickly and Leo encouraged it. The spousal abuse was tastefully done - if that is possible due to subject matter, but I still didn't enjoy it and didn't particulary enjoy the 'happy ending' epilogue. I've tried a few of Jane Feather's book's and I think something is missing in most of them. The 'Bride' series was Ok but I have read alot better by other authors.

Granted we read to escape, but you can't fault Feather for adding a little reality to a novel. This reality adds flavor and gives a well rounded view of a historical setting. I appreciated that Leo did not simply spirit the lady away from danger, but was emotionally supportive and used his brain as well as muscle to set them both free from "evil. Finally, an auther who admits that the arranged marriage had a "dark" side.

i found Cordelia absolutely charming. How can you not love a character that can look great, even while cheating. The scene while they're playing dice in the carriage was great!
And plus, how could you not want to have a dashing, hunky hero like Leo come to your rescue? Man, he can rescue me anytime! LOL.

I enjoyed the detail that Jane did to describe the palaces and the real characters. I'm sure she gave some twists to the personalities of Marie-Antoinette and the King; but they were definitely helpful in the describing the scene of palace life and how they were supposed to act.

To the reader who disliked Marie Antoinette, look her up on the internet. She was not a bad person and this book showed a good grasp of history. While I do not enjoy "watching" people suffer, I thought this was a good book and have given it to friends to read. While I don't read D. Steele because of the constant suffering, I also don't think every book should have the same formula. (They meet, want each other, hate each other, sleep with each other, accept each other and then book over.) I enjoyed not knowing what was going to happen and came to care for both Leo and Cordelia.

I loved this book! Cordelia was absolutely adorable. My heart went out to her for all the hardships she had to endure from her husband. But I thought that it made it that more enjoyable when she discovers love in Leo Kierston's arms. This story was full of humor, adventure, hardships and love. To me, that's what makes a beautiful, well-written love story. I recommend this story to everyone and I can't wait to read the other two in the series.

At least Jane Feather does not sugar-coat all her characters. In a violent age where women were the property of their husbands and subject to their discipline, this is not a story for the squeamish. But wives did get abused (The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, by Anne Bronte is witness to this) and it is to Jane Feather's credit she tackles the subject of spousal abuse in this genre. That the heroine survives and finds happiness gives a message of hope with which many readers may identify. Not a romance for the faint of heart, but deserving of credit for tackling a difficult subject.

i thought this book was great, and very well-written.