Lisa T. Bergren
David C. Cook
June 1st 2011
Young Adult | Fantasy | Historical (1342)
Time Travel
David C. Cook
June 1st 2011
Young Adult | Fantasy | Historical (1342)
Time Travel
Official Blurb -
Mom touched my underdress—a gown made six hundred years before—and her eyes widened as she rubbed the raw silk between thumb and forefinger. She turned and touched Lia’s gown. “Where did you get these clothes?”
Gabi knows she’s left her heart in the fourteenth century and she persuades Lia to help her to return, even though they know doing so will risk their very lives. When they arrive, weeks have passed and all of Siena longs to celebrate the heroines who turned the tide in the battle against Florence—while the Florentines will go to great lengths to see them dead.
But Marcello patiently awaits, and Gabi must decide if she’s willing to leave her family behind for good in order to give her heart to him forever.
This installment in the River of Times series leaves me with several questions. None of which are terribly pertinent to the story but nag my mind nonetheless. How can you willingly face the Plague and submit loved ones to its grasp? Can you really bounce back from severe dehydration and starvation in mere moments with a few sips of water? If not, was adrenaline more to blame for the surge of energy? Do we all have more capability than we let ourselves believe? Lastly, the ever present time travel debate, how would that work and what would be the effects?
Gabriella does a bit too much unintentional trampling of other peoples emotions, namely Marcello. To make matters worse, he seems to just sit there and take it. Why, he wasn't raised in a time where women could do as they chose? He isn't even some peasant, but a Lord used to commanding obedience. He seems like a pushover which made him a bit boring. I like to see a man smitten by love, but it shouldn't shrivel up his ability to assert himself. My favorite part of the entire book is when he finally makes a stand and gets angry. I hope he holds on to that anger and demands better treatment.
Luca is a funny dude who has no ability to consider himself above others. He can bounce back from the most dire situation. Should you really be up and moving when infected with a deadly disease? He must have a will of iron!
Gabriella does a bit too much unintentional trampling of other peoples emotions, namely Marcello. To make matters worse, he seems to just sit there and take it. Why, he wasn't raised in a time where women could do as they chose? He isn't even some peasant, but a Lord used to commanding obedience. He seems like a pushover which made him a bit boring. I like to see a man smitten by love, but it shouldn't shrivel up his ability to assert himself. My favorite part of the entire book is when he finally makes a stand and gets angry. I hope he holds on to that anger and demands better treatment.
Luca is a funny dude who has no ability to consider himself above others. He can bounce back from the most dire situation. Should you really be up and moving when infected with a deadly disease? He must have a will of iron!
There is such an air of hopelessness in this book. Gabi wants to have something that is completely impossible, or at the very least, comes with a high cost. If she traps her family in the past she will gain her love, but condemn them to a drastically shorter life span and danger at every turn. On the other hand, if she goes home with them, she will lose her love and be committed to some half life.
All the lies start to bring heaps of trouble to the Ladies Betarrini's door. Didn't they ever learn that lies beget more lies and eventually you get caught? If Gabriella heard that, she sure isn't paying much mind. True, she had little choice, but some people just can't let a lie slip by unchallenged. She faces some tough customers in search of the truth and is determined to get it at any cost.
I am very excited to read the third installment and have great hopes of it being as fabulous as its predecessors. I recommend jumping into this particular river as the journey is one you won't easily forget.
Content:
Sexual: mild
Violence: moderateMain Character Age: 17
Moment Divine:
"Without pause he took hold of my shoulders and shoved me down to the base of the trunk and pointed a finger in my face. "Truly," he growled. "Do not try me further.""
