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    Revenge of the Rose
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    Revenge of the Rose
    Unavailable
    Revenge of the Rose
    Ebook582 pages8 hours

    Revenge of the Rose

    By Nicole Galland

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Welcome to a world of intrigue of the most intriguing kind, where emperors and popes desperately vie for power, even as their subjects and servants engage in behind-the-scenes machinations of their own.

    The Holy Roman Empire circa 1200 A.D.

    Impoverished young knight Willem of Dole believed he would spend his life in rural Burgundy, struggling to provide for his widowed mother and younger sister, Lienor. And so it's with surprise—and apprehension—that he obeys a summons to the magnificent court of Konrad, Holy Roman Emperor, whose realm spans half of Europe. Willem's mischievous friend Jouglet, Konrad's favorite minstrel, is no doubt behind it somehow . . . but what's in it for Jouglet?

    Court life is overwhelming to the idealistic young Willem, who is shocked by the behavior of his fellow knights, for whom chivalry is a mere game. Yet under Jouglet's witty, relentless tutelage, the naïve knight quickly rises in Emperor Konrad's esteem—until suddenly his sister, Lienor, becomes a prospect for the role of Empress. This unexpected elevation of the sibling "nobodies" delights Jouglet, but threatens three powerful—and dangerous—men at the court: the Emperor's brother, Cardinal Paul, who has in mind a different bride for Konrad; the Emperor's uncle, Alphonse, Count of Burgundy, who would keep secret certain things that only Willem can reveal; and most especially the Emperor's own steward Marcus, who is hopelessly in love with Konrad's cousin Imogen. For if Willem's star keeps rising, Imogen will be betrothed to the knight by royal decree—and Willem's star will surely continue to rise, unless Marcus figures out a way to stop it. But that would entail outscheming clever Jouglet, ablest of schemers.

    Gossip, secrets, and lies are the fuel of daily life in Konrad's court. As Konrad edges closer to proclaiming Lienor his bride, those around Willem play a perilous game of cat-and-mouse as they attempt to secure their own fortunes, knowing that even the slightest move can shift the playing field entirely. And through it all, Jouglet remains Willem's most maddening yet staunchest ally. But what, really, does Jouglet stand to gain . . . or lose?

    Transporting the reader to the brilliant, conniving heart of the largest empire of medieval Europe, Revenge of the Rose is a novel rich in irony and tongue-in-cheek wit, and reveals all the grit and color, politics and passion, of court life in the Holy Roman Empire.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateOct 13, 2009
    ISBN9780061753183
    Unavailable
    Revenge of the Rose
    Author

    Nicole Galland

    Nicole Galland is the author of the historical novels Godiva; I, Iago; Crossed, Revenge of the Rose; and The Fool’s Tale; as well as the contemporary romantic comedies On the Same Page and Stepdog, and the New York Times bestselling near-future thriller The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. (with Neal Stephenson).

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    Reviews for Revenge of the Rose

    4/5

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    • 3/5
      I quite enjoyed this!
      It reminded me a bit of a more adult version of Jane Yolen's 'Queen's Own Fool,' which I read recently. It's likely less historically accurate, but I found the characters to be wonderfully vivid (if not quite 'believable.') This is historical fiction for readers who want a well-crafted, entertaining story. It won't hold up if you're nitpicky about "did that really happen," but it's got internal consistency.

      Set in 13th-century Burgundy, the story involves a naive knight from a small town - and his friend, a traveling minstrel who happens to have the king's ear, and a privileged position at court. The minstrel, Jouglet, schemes to bring the knight, Willem of Dole, to the king's attention, and even aims to convince the king to marry Willem's sister. But what are Jouglet's real motivations?

      Galland does a nice job of contrasting the ideals of 'courtly love' with the not-so-idealistic behaviors of the people of the court, all while crafting an absorbing story with plenty of romance and mystery.

      I picked this up because of the Neal Stephenson cover blurb. The writing bears zero resemblance to anything Neal Stephenson has ever published, but I'm not sorry I read it!
    • 5/5
      Nicole Galland's Revenge of the Rose is an interesting twist on the medieval 'Romance of the Rose.' Its strengths are the delightful characters, the interesting presentation of historical detail for an entirely fictional background, and, my favorite, a strong heroine. Its major weakness is Galland's tendency to visualize the entire novel with little attention to interior states [this is more screenplay than novel]; her novels are very visual, but she needs to work at moving from screenplays to novels. That said, the conclusion is among the most satisfying I have ever read. It's a winner!
    • 5/5
      This is a knight with honor book. You will find damsels in distress and even minstrels who do not know which side they play for. It is comedy and yet shockingly sad in places. It is a fun romp through the late twelveth century as seen through a bright pair of glasses. If you want to experience medieval times but want it light, this is your book. Definitely kept me hanging on till all the melted butter was licked off my fingers. I even found myself rooting for one of the bad guys despite myself. It would make great beach reading and a good escape book. If you buy it and take it with you, you won't be sorry. How can you fault a book that makes fun of itself? Hype, Hype, Hype get this medieval experience book and please tell your friends. It is too delightful not to recommend.
    • 3/5
      Revenge of the Rose is a satirical view of courtly love in the thirteenth century. The book takes place in the court of the fictional Konrad, Holy Roman Emperor. At the behest of Konrad's troubadour, Jouglet, a young knight named Willem comes to court, where he shines on the jousting field. His success is detrimental to three major men at court: Marcus, Konrad's best friend, who is engaged to marry the love of his life and is afraid that she'll be taken away from him; Alphonse, Konrad's sneaky uncle; and the emperor's brother, a clergyman, none of whom are impressed with or thrilled by the sudden elevation to prominence of a "nobody" provincial knight and his sister, Lienor, whom Konrad wishes to marry. The novel is witty and lively, and peppered with characters with secrets. Although those same characters seem one-dimensional and wooden at times, Nicole Galland has a sense of humor that shines through in this, her second novel, which was based on Jean Renart's Roman of the Rose (Konrad is based on Otto IV). It's a highly enjoyable novel (though not completely historically accurate by any stretch of the imagination) and I look forward to reading Galland's next book, Crossed, about the fourth crusade.
    • 5/5
      So intriguing. At first I thought it would be a replica of Galland's first book, The Fool's Tale, and while they are similar, this book has its own twists and turns. And a happy ending, yey!