Susy's Reviews > For My Lady's Heart

Rate this book 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars For My Lady's Heart (Medieval Hearts, #1) by Laura Kinsale (Goodreads Author)

Susy's review Mar 11, 13 5 of 5 stars bookshelves: literature, medieval-setting, desert-isle, memorable-hero, memorable-heroine, romance, sponge-worthy, timeless, stayed-up-all-night, catholic, favorites, classic-romance, memorable-villain, road-trip, theology, gut-wrenching, rom-reading-proj-2013, haunting-story-that-stayed-with-me, whosaysromancewriterscannotwrite Read from March 01 to 03, 2013 I adored (nearly all of) this book. It is a romance masterpiece. I wish it would have gone on more as I enjoyed the language and prose so very much. I also adored the hero and the heroine too, though Melanthe was a bit off putting once they reached Wolfscar. The set-up and plot for the "romance" was really unique and well-done. And the humor! Kinsale has an ability to deftly add character-driven humor that does not seem forced nor contrived. I also want to thank Ms. Kinsale for allowing the reader the opportunity to interpret these characters for ourselves. Unlike a goodly number of romance-genre writers, she doesn't feel the need to hit her readers over the head, nor does she over-describe-- some authors write out their descriptions as if they were filling out a witness statement for a police report on a perp. I almost hate to lump Ms. Kinsale in the romance category, as her work here qualifies more modern literature. Not that there aren't many, many fine writers in Romance--on the contrary, there are. But of the Kinsale novels I have read, she is writing a character study as much as a romance. Here, the characters of Melanthe and Ruck, and several of the secondary characters were as fully realized as many considered masters: Robert Penn Warren or George RR Martin or Edith Wharton come to mind. True, Ruck comes off as a bit one dimensional but that is surface reading. I found it amazing how much depth Ms. Kinsale could reveal in a character who lived his entire life by a code of conduct as restrictive as the Christian chivalric code. And Melanthe!...Melanthe is a deeply complex heroine. I

enjoyed the relationship development between 2 people of opposite personalities--especially when Kinsale found humor in these differences, or by turning the tables on them ("There be peahens with greater wits than yours.") I think my favorite Kinsale is still The Dream Hunter, which I have not yet reviewed-- I suspect because I am still in awe of the author's beautiful prose and deft, almost restrained characterdevelopment. I might be a sucker for bittersweet stories, and The Dream Hunter reminded me of Gone With the Wind. ("Reminded" may be too weak a word.) I openly sobbed throughout The Dream Hunter. For My Lady's Heart was different sort of novel, and I enjoyed the high adventure, the chivalric touches, and the religious overtones. (I may have to re-read Sir Thomas Malory soon, as I grew up reading Arthurian legends and took a senior seminar class on Arthurian works.) Some quibbles: 1.the ministrels were an outlier which I had hoped (expected?) would be roped back into the resolution of the story, but alas, they were not. I would have loved, loved, loved if the minstrels had showed up at the wedding festivities to support Ruck and thereby prove to Melanthe that they wanted her around. 2. Cara was really too stupid and never did I understand why anyone would fancy her, let alone two people. And why would A. risk his life for her? I know it was supposed to do with her innocence but really, must she be innocent, annoying AND stupid? 3. I was so relieved to see we had an Epilogue because the H & H seemed to have many challenges to work through in the future. So I was furious when the Epilogue was another Cara POV, and we hardly learned anything about Ruck and Melanthe at all. In fact, I wondered if the Epilogue was added to later additions as a prelude to Shadowheart, because that is how it reads. Speaking of Shadowheart, I am breaking my rule to space out Kinsale novels as little treats for myself and moving right into the "sequel"- I cannot wait to read Allegreto's story. He was a very forceful presence in this novel, even when I hated him, he compelled me to pay attention to him. Iwysse, I ne would put off his story, though in troth I foreswore to ne'er dispoil myself with gluttonous enjoyment of all her (Kinsale's) lickerous writings, for I descrived Allegreto to be a most comelych knave, and full worth mine luf-loving. God grant me merci. ETA 3/4/13 I just re-read substantial parts of the book and the entire last 150 pages and I am even more in awe of the author. I appreciated the resolution much more on second reading. What a delicious story! /sigh 3 likes like flag Sign into Goodreads to see if any of your friends have read For My Lady's Heart. sign in

Graph Reading Progress

page "A more wonderful novel I have yet to read this year. Kinsale is a master 42.0% 206 craftsman and fantastic storyteller." page ""As for myseluen--if be so much as high treason that I haf married thee, then I 03/02 52.0% 250 will die for it, but ne'er will I forswear it."" ""But no monk am I in my head, God grant me pardon," he whispered. his body page drew closer, velvet and taut elegance. "My confessor has chastised me oft, and 03/02 59.0% 286 bade me study on my sins at length. And so, lady"--he kissed her, the hunger in it sinking down through her like a comet falling--"I have studied."" page "The last 50 or so pages have been difficult as I don't like the direction in which 03/02 72.0% 348 the story is going, but I trust all will work out. At this point, I am hoping that 03/02

Allegretto kills Gian and then he and Cara catch the plague and die, that Sir Thomas is drawn and quartered for handing over Bowland, I hope that Melanthe gets her head straight and that Ruck becomes the man of the house." "Starting Ch 26. I got through the section that was frustrating me, but now here I am stuck in another chapter with the TSTL Cara. If her POV does not include page 03/03 86.0% one thought where she admits she's Too Stupid To Live, I might throw the book. 416 I do in all seriousness hope she catches the plague and dies. Or Allegeto, who has redeemed himself, stabs her in the heart. Either scenario works for me." "I just finished. I will need to wait on rating this. The first 2/3rds were about my page 03/03 100.0% favorite book ever. I did not hate the last third, But am not sure. I resent that the 480 epilogue was about my least character. I felt somehow cheated."

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