The Valcourt Heiress by Catherine Coulter is about a man named Garron of Kersey. When Garron of Kersey returns home from the kings service to claim his tittle as Baron Wareham, he's shocked to find Wareham Castle very nearly destroyed by a man called the Black Demon.
According to the last surving servants inside the castle walls, the Black Demon was looking for silver belonging to Garron's brother Arthur. Among his remaining servants is the enigmatic Merry, the child of the castle's priest. Garron quickly suspects that she is much more than a servant: She reads and writes and makes lists, just as he does. They work together to bring Wareham back to its former splendor.
But this is only the beggining. Did Arthur have a cache of silver? Who is the Black Demon? And the biggest question of all: who is Merry?
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This book is set in medieval Europe, which I find entertaining due to our recent history classes. The characters speak mostly in the olden tong, which can get a little confusing if you do not stay properly engaged. This book does not seem like any thing I have read before. Garron seems to be a noble, brave man with a complicated past that is very easy to bond to. His heroics so far make him admirable, and make the story a page-turner.
ReplyDeleteMatilda, I've heard of Coulter but have never read any of her novels. Would you read another of them? I like historical/medieval fiction, but not if it borders on fantasy; do you think I'd like this one?
ReplyDeleteIt depends. I know you were a fan of Harry Potter, so if you has not mentioned that you do not like your historical novels to border on fantasy then I would say you probably wold like it. I am a few chapters into it, and so far nothing really seems like fantasy. It seems perfectly plausible, and the only things being out of the ordinary are the names, such as "The Black Demon". So, considering it doesn't seems to be boiling over with fantasy. you probably would enjoy it. I think you would also enjoy their speech and the characters as well. They are honorable and yet funny, and even though they are unique, they are very easy to relate to.
ReplyDeleteSounds like its filled with suspense. Does Catherine Coulter write much like the style that was used in those times? Does she use many phrases that may have been used in the time period?
ReplyDeleteAs a matter of fact, she does! she uses many different phrases and vocabulary to express that characters speech and emotions. I cannot think of a specific example, toward phrases. However some older words such as "mewled" and "aye" and "clout" are used.
DeleteThanks for your thoughtful response, Matilda! I'll add it to my ever-growing "to-read" pile :). Have you gotten further in the book?
ReplyDeleteI have gotten a bit further. At the moment, the main character Garron is trying to uncover what could be called a mystery in his kingdom that the Black Demon has caused.
DeleteAnother character, Mary, has also just escaped an almost fatal encounter.
Almost all of lord Garrons people have been slain; except a handful of elderly who look like death. Currently, the book is speaking of Garrons childhood and his past relations with the elderly.
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