Customer Reviews

Illusion

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This novel, a fictionalization of the French Revolution set in the invented kingdom of "Vonahr" and laced with a little bit of magic, is a gem of historical fantasy and ought to be a classic. The author combines epic ideals, all-too-human characters, and lovely prose to create a book I couldn't put down and will never forget.

The events of these turbulent times are seen through the eyes of a high-born young woman, Eliste vo Derrivalle. Eliste is at first a product of her society and upbringing--a spoiled brat who doesn't think to question her class's superiority over the serfs and working class. She is only willing to respect one serf--the brilliant Dref Zeenoson, whose talents belie everything Eliste has been taught about the inferiority of his kind. When Eliste's father shows himself as a cruel master, and Dref defies him, only Eliste can save Dref from a terrible fate. She frees him--and then tries to put this subversive incident out of her mind.

For Eliste has been appointed as a maid of honor to the Queen herself. She travels to the capital and is trained in courtly ways. But the fairy-tale court is not long for this world; a revolution is beginning. When Eliste loses everything she had taken for granted, she will have to learn to survive just like everyone else. But she will not always be without help--for there is one person who has never forgotten Eliste's first act of heroism. This is an enthralling, heartbreaking, and suspenseful story, made all the better by its wonderfully drawn characters: the ingenious Dref, the stubbornly dignified grand dame Zeralenn, the incorrigibly shallow Aurelie, the so-sweet Kairthe, and even the terrifying Whiss v'Aleur, who lays waste to a nation to assuage his childhood feelings of inadequacy. But most of all, Eliste, who matures into a very different sort of woman than she had planned to become.

This is not just a good fantasy; it also holds its own with the best sort of straight-up historical fiction, illuminating a place and time from its hovels to its palaces, as seen through the eyes of memorable characters. If you like fantasy, read this book. If you don't normally go for fantasy, but like a good romantic historical epic, suspend your disbelief about the magic and read it anyway. And if you're like me, and like both genres--don't hesitate another moment.

The adventures of the Exalted Eliste are very entertaining indeed. Our heroine is appropriately fesity, the settings well drawn, and the other characters who populate her world are interesting and believable. But what makes this story so different, and really quite entertaining, is that it is really a tale of suffering and redemption following the French Revolution, but in a different world and time. Following this, everything that Eliste knows and holds to be true is swept away in fear and violence, and her struggle to survive in this changing world is the centrepiece of the book.

Eliste's world is not France of course, and the King and Queen are not Louis and Marie Antoinette, but they may as well be (though they have no children). The strict formalities that surrounded the French Court are faithfully related here, and you come to believe in this society where the Exalted lived just as the aristocracy did in France. Anyone who is familiar with the French Revolution will find this very clever - the reader can indulge in a game of "find the characters" - Marat for instance, who spent most of his time in a bath due to an unpleasant skin condition, is transformed into the beggar leader Fungus (who as the name suggests has an equally unpleasant skin condition). Even the guillotine is transformed into something far more nasty - a machine called Kokette with enormous spikes and needs of its own!

Interspersed with all this is some magic, some terrible hardship (the author does not shirk from some rather graphic descriptions of hardship and deprivation), and of course love. Eliste travels a rocky road from a spoilt young lady to a woman with rather formiddable skills and fortitude.

This is a different, clever and entertaining book. It is quite long, but thankfully keeps your attention for the whole time. I recommend it highly for people who enjoy a great story, fabulous writing and a complex plot.

This is a book about metamorphasis and the change of a petty, spoiled "exaulted" (noble) girl named Eliste.

Illusion is obviously a fantasy take on the French revolution, so it's fairly clear what is going to happen...but so what--that doesn't reduce the suspense any. A reader interested in history will easily be able to pick out the parallels of in characters, the guillotine, and the palace at Versailles.

I couldn't put this book down. You will want to read Illusion in one sitting, partially because it's so gripping, partially because you can't bear to leave the character until the situation gets, at least, slightly better. The middle of the book reminded me of nothing so much as a nightmare, the kind where you are always afraid, always running, where all your family and the people around you are caught or killed. Thankfully, three-fourths of the way through, the books lightens a little, and the ending is somewhat optimistic.

Volsky's world is richly textured and totally immersive. Illusion perfectly captures the terror of a revolution, the anger of the masses, the rioting, and the revolution's metamorphasis from idealistic to dictatorial. It is an engrossing fantasy take on the French revolution and well worth your time.

Honestly, it's a good book. I haven't read it since it was new, probably 10 years ago, but I can't forget it, and came looking for it again. Don't listen to any reviewer who says the characters are "1 dimensional". At the end of this book you will know Eliste vo Derrivalle, and if you're a guy you'll probably be in love with her, though you'll hate her at first. A decade later the phrases "coquettes of the kokotte" and "nits of nu-nu" will still bring pictures into your mind. This is good stuff.

I first read this book a few years ago, mostly because the cover art drew my attention. I'm not too well versed with fantasy; I didn't know what to expect. What I got was a thrilling story with genuine characters, so good that it's been in my memory since, and I'm now going to buy it. While there are certainly parallels with the french revolution, it's a story that only lightly touches on it... Instead of a bleak history lesson, this is a fresh, beautiful work. There are times when you can just about smell the food, feel the emotion, and become overtaken with despair.

This is a *definite* must read!

This book is definetly one of my all time favorites. I have always been fascinated by the workings of a revolution and it is even more fascinating when enhanced with magical twists and fantastical flavour. But I keep coming back to this book (I have read it at least five times) for the characters. There is no shortage of fascinating personalities in this book. There are some evil, some mysterious, some noble and some comic and I will always love Eliste and Dref. If you can get a hold of this book, do so, it is well worth it.

This book introduced itself to me in a second hand store by way of its unusual cover. What I discovered therein was a gripping story with a tight plot, well-realized characters, fantastic world-building, and suspense at every corner. Perhaps most surprising is, in a genre where "magic" is abused, often substituted for craft, Ms. Volsky rather keeps the "magical" to a limit and adding in technology to keep the otherwise commonplace conventions interesting. Those who revel in words will especially enjoy the exquisite vocabulary and witty repartee which Ms. Volsky deftly employs; and fans of unabridged French and Russian novels will appreciate the "revolutionary" plot.--Emily C. A. Snyder

One of the strongest points in this story is, frankly, how the attitudes and viewpoints of the Exalted (and thus the nobility of the real world) are brought to life. You read about it in history texts, but while the idea sinks in, it's never really explained or made comprehensible, and the modern American reader, secure in the knowledge that all men are created equal, is simply left to wonder why these people were such jerks!

Volsky doesn't do that, and she doesn't patronize her readers about it, either. She makes the whole thing understandable through her characterizations, which are easily some of the best I've ever seen in any printed work of fiction. Eliste vo Derrivalle is a delightfully plucky spoiled Exalted brat at the beginning of the story, arguing with her clever (and forbidden) friend Dref Zeenoson (fortunately for the reader's enjoyment, she is not devoid of redeeming characteristics), and how she changes throughout the story helps to keep the book engaging and strong even among contemporary works. Dref Zeenoson himself is another of the book's strong characters, and though his changes aren't seen, they are most certainly felt through the eyes of his former childhood playmate. The relations between the characters tend to get complicated, as in real life, and foils for the two main characters are occasionally seen (one character manages to be a foil for both hero and heroine!).

The strongly realized political angle of the book separated it from much of the fantasy writing of the time; no magic swords or One True Kings here. Simply the age-old principle of Exalted superiority through magic, so embedded in the culture that no one would question it much were it not for a past resurgence of Reason, and the ideas that it has begun to stir in the minds of those who thanklessly support the ruling class above them. Nothing new, historically speaking, but in fantasy literature it's very rarely touched on, and almost never with this level of skill.

The world is also well-realized. This may be prerevolutionary France with a few twists, but it is brought to life as flawlessly as the characters that inhabit it. It's easy to lose yourself in its details. I found myself ducking at least once when a fly buzzed too close while I was reading, and expecting to see a flash of gold as it winged away. And while magic is real here, it's thankfully not the overpowering force that rules all. But illusions, the hallmark magical power of Vonahr, are not to be underestimated when used cleverly, a fact that Quinze vo Derrivalle demonstrates admirably. There is good reason, it seems, for the common man's fear of fully-developed Exalted magical potential, even as rare as it is!

All in all, Illusion remains Paula Volsky's best work to date. If you like well-rendered, fluidly written prose, you'll find it here. If you like magic, you'll find it here, too. If you like well-realized characters... well, you can see where I'm going with this! Buy it, borrow it... just read it. It's well worth your time.

Paula Volsky's Illusion is a quasi-historical fantasy that is part coming-of-age story and part political drama.
The protagonist, seventeen year old Eliste Vo Derivalle, is a spoilt, pampered member of the Exalted (magical aristocrats) class. She travels from her home in county Fabeque to be presented at the colorful, vice-ridden royal court as handmaiden to the queen.
Her world is soon turned upside down as violent revolution rocks the country of Vonahr.
For Eliste and the rest of her former Exalteds, life grows steadily darker and more dangerous. Escape is all but impossible and it becomes more and more difficult to hide from a long-suffering people eager for vengeance and "reparation". Eliste struggles for survival in a world gone mad.

Overall, Illusion is an engrossing read. Eliste's personal story and that of the nation of Vonahr are woven together seamlessly. A brisk pace keeps both storylines from flagging and there is rarely a dull moment.
The characters are vibrant, memorable and nuanced (perhaps excepting Eliste's one-dimensional cousin. Aurelie).
Eliste herself is a plucky identifiable heroine, whose adventures and subsequent character growth are both moving and entertaining.
Magic plays an important though refreshingly subtle role. Spells are limited, and the fantastical elements tend towards the steam-punk variety.

This is not a novel for anyone looking for some light-weight, easy-to-read fantasy fluff. Volsky wasn't afraid to crack open her thesaurus, and the vocabulary is elevated. That combined with her complex sentence structure makes for a fairly dense read.
This book is also not recommended for the squeamish. While not overly gory, the story does not shy away from violence, sometimes grotesque magical technology, and one macabre torture scene.
However, if you enjoy historical fiction and are new to the fantasy genre, this book would be an excellent place to start. Longtime fantasy fans will enjoy the unusual setting and use of magic.


Unfortunately, Illusion is currently out of print. If you are lucky enough to get your hands on a copy, it is definitely worth a read.

Illusion is a very unexpected book. What started off as something which felt a little like a Regency court story (young Eliste vo Derrivale, noble country-bred daughter travels to the city of Sherreen to be a lady in waiting on the Queen) ends up as a study in how a fascist/communist group could take over a country and whose rule can descend into tyrrany and chaos. Sounds rather political and non-interesting but in fact it was a fascinating book.

Eliste is a typical upper-class miss - or so we think. She's part of the Exalted who are the nobility of the country of Vornahr and have been taught that non-Exalted people are definitely of a lower order. The Exalted used to have magical skills but these have largely died out (Eliste's Uncle is the only person she knows with these skills). She grows up with a Serf, Dref Zeenoson, as her playmate but she has been taught from the cradle that, despite the fact Dref is intelligent and articulate, that he is a lesser being than her. Dref tries to reason with her but she can't see beyond her Exalted and his serf status. After an altercation between the serfs and her father, Dref flees and from that point Eliste's world starts to change.

The first third of the book is about Eliste's time at court. She makes a splash as a beautiful young girl and has many suitors. She's having fun, but throughout this fun time there is an undercurrent of looming danger - there are a number of people publishing pamphlets and other literature which suggest that the Exalted should not, by right, have all the privileges that they enjoy. Some of this literature appears moderate, some wildly wacky, but Eliste can shrug it all off - until the wacky side begins to have some successes.

The depiction of the descent into tyranny, the changing of the government and the ways in which this is effected are excellent. You feel, with Eliste, her confusion as her settled world changes. Unlikely people become heroes, unlikely people are baddies, weak people are used as tools and the creation of a communist-type government with all its failings is brilliantly portrayed. All the things that Eliste counted on as true are being challenged and changed.

The magic side of the book is not as significant as it might have been and I liked this. Yes, there are magical machines and some people have the ability to create complex illusions to change people's expectations, but what could be a rather lazy author's trick to move things along never feels like that. Magic takes place when necessary and it seems as if the story could almost have taken place without it. No doubt this is a subtle lesson to us - never to assume that we are `safe' in our nice safe communities.

There's a gentle love story in this book, along with the dramatic tale of a country turning in on itself and stories of heroism and despair - it reads sometimes like a history of 20th century Europe, of Russia, of other places, and yet it is still a really enticing read. Politics and human nature wrapped up in a fascinating story - well worth reading!