3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Courtly love is not what you may think!, January 29, 2012
This review is from: The Troubadour (Kindle Edition)
Courtly love, as sung by troubadours, is often a refuge for medieval wives. Yet its basis is fantasy, a far cry from the harsh realities of everyday life. Will a reluctant bride find courtly love, or her one true love, and satisfy the longings of her romantic heart?
This is the premise of the novella by Darby York which is set in the England of the first Edwards.
Juliana sits in the great hall at Barbrooke castle with her intended, a man she loathes. Older, homely and with putrid breath, she cannot imagine the hell her life will become married to him. Then, when her father calls for the troubadour, and she listens to his enticing Norman French words as he sings and plucks his gittern, a plan forms in her mind. She will persuade this handsome young man to help her escape her fate. After all, she, too, plays the gittern. She also has a stash of boys clothes, castoffs from her brother, now serving in Gascony.
The troubadour called Patton at first refuses. Finally he agrees when she promises him a sum of money. Patton will deliver her to her true love, a baron of insufficient wealth. But, Juliana reasons, it is far better than the loveless union her parents have planned.
This is a delightful story by Ms. York, told in first person. While deep character development is not possible in a novella, the author has done a superb job of making the reader care about her protagonists. I don't want to give the plot away, but the ending is both surprising and delightful. Wonderful, too, are the words of the medieval songs Patton and Juliana sing; songs authentic to the time. I loved The Troubadour and look forward to reading the gifted Ms. York's other medieval short stories, The Bridegroom and The Betrothed, both based on Medieval life and arranged marriages.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Can't go wrong with this one!, February 12, 2012
This review is from: The Troubadour (Kindle Edition)
I love this story! Told in first person, The Troubadour describes a young woman's decision to determine her own destiny, not one decided for her by men who only seek to advance their own interests. Filled with intrigue, danger, and heart wrenching disappointment, our heroine's quest of her own "happily ever after" is a wonderful foray into Medieval times. Ms. Darby's warm, seductive voice pulls you in from the first sentence. The Troubadour has my highest recommendation. It is a five-star must read.
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