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Passion Play by Beth Bernobich
Jul. 24th, 2010 01:12 pmThe Blurb On The Back:
Ilse Zhalina is the daughter of one of Melnek’s more prominent merchants. She has lived most of her life surrounded by the trappings of wealth and privilege. Many would consider hers a happy lot; but there are dark secrets, especially in the best of families. Ilse has learned that the way for a young woman of her beauty and social station to survive is to be passive and silent.
When Ilse finally meets the older man she is to marry, she realises that he is far crueller and more deadly than her father could ever be. Ilse chooses to run. This choice will change her life forever.
And it will lead her to Raul Kosenmark, master of one of the land’s most notorious pleasure houses ... who is, as Ilse learns, a puppet master of a different sort altogether. Ilse discovers a world where every pleasure has a price and where there are levels of magic and intrigue she once thought unimaginable. She also finds the other half of her heart.
Lush fantasy. Wild magic. Intrigue, seduction and treachery, with a kingdom at stake, Passion Play is the journey of a woman who must master her passions in order to win all that she desires.
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
An absorbing, thoughtfully paced fantasy that offers strong character development and the slow incorporation of wider political intrigue, I found this an interesting read with a main character who interested me and who I want to read more about in the sequel. It is a fantasy novel that’s about character though, so while I think there’s a lot to appeal to fantasy fans looking for some action and wider political intrigue, it does form more of the background her to Therez’s/Ilse’s story.
PASSION PLAY by Beth Bernobich is released on 12th October – I won this ARC in a contest run by the author.
Ilse Zhalina is the daughter of one of Melnek’s more prominent merchants. She has lived most of her life surrounded by the trappings of wealth and privilege. Many would consider hers a happy lot; but there are dark secrets, especially in the best of families. Ilse has learned that the way for a young woman of her beauty and social station to survive is to be passive and silent.
When Ilse finally meets the older man she is to marry, she realises that he is far crueller and more deadly than her father could ever be. Ilse chooses to run. This choice will change her life forever.
And it will lead her to Raul Kosenmark, master of one of the land’s most notorious pleasure houses ... who is, as Ilse learns, a puppet master of a different sort altogether. Ilse discovers a world where every pleasure has a price and where there are levels of magic and intrigue she once thought unimaginable. She also finds the other half of her heart.
Lush fantasy. Wild magic. Intrigue, seduction and treachery, with a kingdom at stake, Passion Play is the journey of a woman who must master her passions in order to win all that she desires.
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
An absorbing, thoughtfully paced fantasy that offers strong character development and the slow incorporation of wider political intrigue, I found this an interesting read with a main character who interested me and who I want to read more about in the sequel. It is a fantasy novel that’s about character though, so while I think there’s a lot to appeal to fantasy fans looking for some action and wider political intrigue, it does form more of the background her to Therez’s/Ilse’s story.
PASSION PLAY by Beth Bernobich is released on 12th October – I won this ARC in a contest run by the author.
