Customer Reviews

Isolde, Queen of the Western Isle (Tristan and Isolde Novels, Book 1)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I love Rosalind Miles' historical fiction because she manages to write romantic stories that aren't sugary and history that really comes to life on the page. The Guenevere trilogy was outstanding in that way, and Isolde is actually even better. This novel takes a fresh look at a story that's always been part of the Arthurian cycle, but has been pushed aside in favor of characters like Morgan le Fay and Guenevere. Long consigned to opera and melodrama, the Tristan and Isolde legend is worthy of its own re-telling, and this book (which is the first of three), gives the reader a stunning historical recreation and a new life to an old legend.

Isolde and her mother, the Queen of Ireland, are incredibly compelling portraits of powerful, intelligent women (although the Queen is not without her flaws--she has the same weakness for the opposite sex that seems to afflict some of our male politicians). A lot of historical fiction writers strive for this but never quite manage it. Rosalind Miles' female characters jump off the pages, and her portrayals of men are just as sympathetic and enlightening.

Unlike many versions of the Arthurian legend, this book avoids New Age-y imagery as well as romance novel cliches. I highly recommend it to any fan of historical fiction or fiction in general. A very entertaining and enlightening read from a writer who is a natural storyteller.

I'm a great lover of historical fiction. I'm an even greater lover of romance in historical fiction, but I really thought this poorly done.

It's my first Rosalind Miles book and already I know that her writing style and my reading preferences do not match. I do understand that Ms. Miles has a thorough understanding of women in history and the Arthurian legends. The material is classic, but the retelling was terrible. The overdone sap (Redundant? I thought so too, but sap could indeed be overdone) squeezed every sap-sympathetic hormone in my body. Lots of cheese as well. Too many "Oh my love, my love!" and "... she didn't know she was the most beautiful woman in the room..." (Or *he* didn't know he was the most handsome... gag! ::eyes roll:: Puh-leeze!) and what's with the "Yessssss....."? Who talks (or even thinks) like that? Ssssssssnakes, maybe. And those horrible perception changes! Going from one person to another in the same scene. Have mercy. I'm not stupid. I knew who was talking or thinking about what, but it would have been better to stick to one perception in one scene. I know it was an omniscient POV, but even an omniscient POV needs discipline. I simply didn't care what the commoner was thinking on the side, or what his wife had to say about it. In fact, I didn't care about what the surrounding knights, kings, lords, queens, etc. were thinking when one (and only one) character had more business to the scene above everyone else. I remember indulging myself to such a thing when I wrote as a twelve year old...

The material was fabulous. The story could've been fabulous. I just couldn't stand the writing. The writer is brilliant when it comes to history. I'm not crazy about her fiction, though.

I purchased this book because I previously enjoyed Rosalind Miles Guenevere novels. This book, however, is miles above those books. My one issue with the Guenevere books was that the title character could be a bit whiny and prone to fits and tantrums, which got on my nerves after a bit (still good books, but it did get old in sections). Isolde in contrast is strong and independent, but also has doubts and uncertainty without resorting to practically tearing her hair out. (And when Guenevere appears in this novel, I actually like her better than I did in her own books).

The characters are well developed and interesting and you really believe in their emotions, thoughts an actions. The history is interesting and I really see that Rosalind Miles has developed as a writer and storyteller.

I look forward to the next book in this series!

ISOLDE: QUEEN OF THE WESTERN ISLE is the first installment in Rosalind Miles' new trilogy retelling the legend of Tristan and Isolde (or Iseult.) It is a well-done story, though focusing almost entirely on Isolde's side of things, and I am anxious to read the next book.

Miles' writing is clear and often beautiful, and she does (or seems to be doing, so far,) justice to a lovely, tragic old legend. Some of her supporting characters (the Christian priest, Dominian, and Tristan's rival Andred, for example) fall a little flat, with only one side of what must be quite complex natures shown to the reader. Tristan and Isolde themselves are well-drawn, and the love between them shines incandescent from the pages. The faithful maid Braingwain is also wonderful. It seems Miles writes her protagonists thoroughly and well, and her villians with less enthusiasm. Characters like Isolde's mother and King Mark are sketched somewhere in between: not done as well as the main pair but still clearly presented and easy for the reader to love or hate or pity as their changing natures dictate rash actions of varying intent.

The contrast between good and evil is also a bit too marked in the book, amplified by the two-dimensionality of the main antagonists. Some chapters end with lines about demons of evil cackling ecstatically and setting to their devious work -- all meant to be dramatic, I suppose, but it comes off silly. Still, a few moments of annoyance to do not a terrible story make. ISOLDE is thoroughly engrossing and difficult to put down; I was kept quite busy cheering Isolde on, and disappointed when I turned the last page.

This is the first Rosalind Miles book I have read, and I am not moved to read another. The language was so very hokey that it was painful to read at times. The book was filled with dull characters, cliche descriptions, and overly dramatic scenes like a B movie script. I was very disappointed.

Rosalind Miles is a gifted writer. Her retelling of this famous story of Tristan and Isolde is full of magic, lyrical language, poetic descriptions of nature, places and events, but at times, too sweet. Too much magic, I think, can disorient even the most skilled writers.

This book is the first of a series, and in my experience, I find that often times a writer has enough material to write just one book, and somehow they stretch it into two or three more books. I think that accounts for much of the excessive use of exuberant and effusive language, and the lack of substance.

I agree with some other readers about her uncharacteristic superficial characters, but I think the focus here in the story, not the characters, which are described in full detail. They don't do much, other than support the story's plot.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed this book just as I enjoyed "I, Elizabeth," a novel/biography that is still one of my all time favorites.

This was my first Rosalind Miles book, and I'm not sure there will be a second. I have wanted to read her trilogy on Gwinevere, but I came across this book in a second hand shop, and not being familiar with the story of Tristan and Isolde, I thought this would be a good place to start. I usually do a quick overall browse of a book before I start reading it, and was encouraged by the family tree, cast of character descriptions in the back, back cover summary of the story, and the reading group questions. The cover art was attractive and intriguing, promising a story of strong women. I thought the book would provide a meaty story with a lot of character development and complex character motivations, in short, I expected something more on the level of The Mists of Avalon, a sophisticated, well-told story. Instead, I unfortunately got a "bodice ripper". The story began promisingly enough introducing the characters of Merlin, Isolde, Tristan, and the Queen of Ireland (who for some reason remains nameless), but spiraled down into sophomoric storytelling. The characters of Mark, Andred, Elva, and Dominian were completely two dimentional. They were unconvincingly all bad, unattractive, sneaky, etc. with not one redeeming quality. I don't know too many people who are all good or all evil. They were caricatures and sterotypes. Ironically, oftentimes "evil" characters make for fascinating foils and more realistic interactions with the "good" characters. The side story of Arthur, Lienore etc. I found distracting and irrelevant. Maybe it ties in with the story later. I hope so. Although I understand that Ms. Miles is working within the confines of legend, the story comes off as the typical "they laughed, they cried, they lived happily ever after" motif. I know that legends are not always clear cut, so although I'm not familiar with the story of Tristan and Isolde, I know there must be more to it than the simple beautiful/good people vs. ugly/bad people depicted in the book. I don't want to give up on this writer because I find her material interesting. I only hope that I just happened to hit on one particularly weak book, and that the complexity and compelling storyline I believe must exist in the Tristan and Isolde story will reveal itself in the remainder of the trilogy.

I'm usually fairly skeptical of Arthurian retellings--so many have been done that it's hard to believe there's anything left to say. But "Isolde" is really a terrific work of literary storytelling that happens to have a historical/legendary setting. My reader's group chose it and although it wasn't my top pick, I have to say, I was completely won over.

The Tristan and Isolde myth is one that I had heard a little bit about and wasnt' all that interested in, but Isolde's story is really the story of many women and she comes across as a brilliant as well as beautiful heroine (she's a princess but she's also a doctor!). But the author avoids a lot of cliches about princesses and queens and knights. For example, Isolde's mother is a queen like no other you've probably read about, and Tristan is more than just the usual romance-hero warrior. I would definitely recommend this to all reader's groups as well as individuals. It can provoke a great deal of lively discussion and is a very entertaining read.

I am very fond of the Tristan and Isolde story, so I was excited to read this book after doing a search a few weeks ago. I actually got it from my local library and man, am I glad I did. This book is horrible. It is so incredibly predictable and unromantic, I had to force myself to finish it. I kept thinking, maybe it'll get better, maybe it'll get better. Nope, didn't get better. I was very disappointed in its two-dimensional characters and the narrative in general. Its written in a very amateur-ish way, giving little insight and even less story.
The entire book is about sex, which isn't necessary a bad thing, its just done in a very cliche way. I think the words "full bosom" were on every single page. This wasn't a medieval legend, it was a very, very bad romance novel.

Please steer clear.

This book, while heavily researched & rich with characters, just didn't live up to my expectations. I do appreciate the fact that Miles obviously researched this topic, & I loved the fact that she gave me a picture of pagan Ireland, but the characters of Tristan & Isolde seem to get lost in the mix. Instead of keeping the focus on these two, the chapters dance back & forth between many characters that should be marginal. Judging by the number of pages that Merlin, Arthur, Gawain, & several others warrant, I'm not sure that this book should be titled "Isolde. . . . "

Personally, I would have enjoyed a first person narration (by Isolde) in this instance. I think that I would have felt more connected with her & her story. I would only recommend this book to someone already interested in & familiar with the Tristan & Isolde tale.