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Saturday, January 23, 2016

My review of Chivalrous by Dina L. Sleiman



About the book:

Strong and adventurous Gwendolyn Barnes longs to be a knight like her chivalrous brothers. However, that is not an option for her, not even in the Arthurian-inspired Eden where she dwells. Her parents view her only as a marriage pawn, and her domineering father is determined to see her wed to a brutish man who will break her spirit. When handsome, good-hearted Allen of Ellsworth arrives in Edendale searching for his place in the world, Gwendolyn spies in him the sort of fellow she could imagine marrying. Yet fate seems determined to keep them apart. Tournaments, intrigue, and battles--along with twists and turns aplenty--await these two as they struggle to find love, identity, and their true destinies.

My review:

I enjoyed this book. It made me think of a warm and fuzzy Robin Hood themed story (the one made by Disney with the Fox and Hare, etc,) but  with a Christian twist. There is a strong faith element to the novel that makes it clear how our relationship to God must be personal to be effective. I could not agree more. There is also a bit of A Knight's Tale blended in with the knights fighting in tournaments and jousting. It put me in the mood to want to go to a Renaissance Festival, lol!

It was clear the story was tailored by the publisher to fit their typical readership. I'd say this book was rated G overall. There were a few realistic elements that shaped the main female character, like the physical abuse she and her mother suffered at the hands of her father, but it was a very small part of the story. It did fit the mentality of the times -- that women were supposed to be ruled by the men in the family.

I can see how Gwen's childhood and seeing what her mother endured would make her want to train to fight if needed to protect her family from the brutality of her father. I can see her hanging out in trees to get away from it all. I do feel a bit disadvantaged by not having read the first book in the series, which sounds like it had an even stronger Robin Hood theme, including a heroine named Merry. I do believe the story that comes next will be about Rosalind, and if so, it will no doubt tug on heart strings. Overall, this was an enjoyable read.

Chivalrous was published by Bethany House and released in September 2015,

1 comment:

BK Bergman said...

Would love for you to read and review my book, "Life in Harmony" by BK Bergman. I could not find a place to contact you directly so I am sending you this. Check out my website, www.bkbergman.com, for a little about me and my book.

Happy reading!

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