Felicity Pulman

See the complete review posted on Book Frivolity. Check out other Fantasy and Historical Fiction ruminations there as well! Medieval Britain is one of my favourite times and places in history to read about. Not the nobles or the royalty, but the villages and their inhabitants. I have a deep fondness for the wortwyf, who used herblore as a basis for healing the sick and tending to the people when modern medicine was in it's infancy; still snake oils and guess work. And this book is like a show more gold mine! I almost went and frolicked in my medicinal garden from the sheer pleasure all of the references to herb lore this book has. There is actually a warning at the front of the book not to try these at home, which amused me!

Blood Oath was an extraordinarily quick read for me. Start to end in one sitting and it went by as quick as a flash. There is such a blinding sense of urgency, one cacophony after the other; sorrow, fear, death, rabble mob of townspeople. It was impossible to put down. I was constantly reminded of how cosy my life is, I felt a bit guilty for being warm, safe.. and bathed! You can almost smell this novel from afar due to descriptiveness of the malodorous town and it's inhabitants.

Janna is the quintessential headstrong heroine. Extremely strong willed and fiery, her obstinate ways get her into trouble as her quickness to judge alienates the people trying to help her. Yet, the passion she feels toward her mysterious past and the romantic notions of what her future might hold, gives her the extra dimension needed to make her relatable. The regret she feels for her misdirected accusations, and that real sense of weariness over the events also makes her feel wholly human.

This was also a good little murder mystery. As Janna searches for her mother's killer, she examines the evidence, questions of the witnesses and the systematically discounts (and recounts!) suspects. Almost a medieval police procedural (without police)! I enjoyed her skewed deductions and frustrated conclusions.

I think my main gripe, was that the secondary characters were pretty paper thin. There were glimpses here and there of insight, but due to the frantic rate of events, there wasn't enough time for them to be fleshed out enough for them to come to life. Slowing down slightly might have allowed for fuller development, and not really taken away anything from that feeling of urgency used to it drive the plot.

The small romantic sideline was hindered by that lack of characterisation. I kept asking why? He wasn't given enough real flesh to make the titbit feel realistic. I hope it is explored with more depth in future novels and he is given more groundwork if it is.

In all Blood Oath was an enjoyable, faced paced medieval mystery that hit a majority of the right spots for me. I am looking forward to the rest of the series (I have Stolen Child in my hot little fingers right here! )! Janna's future looks like it's going to be one hell of an adventure!

(was this released once before in Australia quite a few years ago under a different name? I wanted to read it, but couldn't afford it at the time, so I read the first chapters huddled in between bookshelves in bookstore.. something to do with rosemary? It certainly rings a bell at any rate..) show less

See the complete review posted on Book Frivolity. Check out other Fantasy and Historical Fiction ruminations there as well! POV's: Singular
Narrative: First Person, Past Tense.

Out of the Abbey and onto the road, Janna meets up with a group of pilgrims heading toward the next clue in the quest to find her father!

Which sounds really exciting, except Pilgrim Of Death is actually a bit of a weak link in The Janna Chronicles. Which makes me pout slightly!

I have been such a great fan of previous show more books in the series, but this instalment just fell on the flat side. I think there are two main reasons it wasn't as engaging as the previous three novels; the first was casting Janna adrift from all of the established characters. Although her journey has always moved Janna into new situations, and has her meeting new people, there has always been a connection back to the original cast. It's kept her thoughts and feelings in context, whilst the new characters have always been really nicely considered and helped add depth to Janna's development. Pilgrim of Death has her wander about with a whole tribe of new, but really under developed surface characters. It lost the the emotional connection it's taken three books to establish, with every step she takes.

The second is that the mystery was really badly played. It's given away right at the beginning, and the only thing I could think the whole way through was that Janna was being a dolt. The fiery and proud Janna became blind and silly in her most obvious mystery yet, because of a pretty face. It was a fairly disappointing way to achieve a plot point. I had a fairly grim look on my face throughout most of the book, which is the complete opposite to my usual facial expression whilst reading Janna's tales.

On a positive note, Pulman's writing is still superb! Fluid and in control the whole way through!

I wonder if this instalment was really needed in the grand context of things, because apart from a few clues garnered in fleetingly quick scenes, it didn't add much to Janna or her journey.



I was disappointed, but I really hope the next book (which I will still definitely read!), picks back up and gives Janna back her dignity!

Harcopy Worthy? Well, the series has been up to this point at any rate! show less

See the complete review posted on Book Frivolity. Check out other Fantasy and Historical Fiction ruminations there as well! POV's: Singular
Narrative: Third person, subjective.

The Janna Chronicles truly get better with each installment! As Janna's outlook matures, her stories become more detailed and refined. Unholy Murder proves that character progression and development can be the difference between a good series and a great series!

It takes the same form as the previous two novels, in which show more Janna finds herself in a predicament that requires her sleuthing and healing skills to save the day. This time however, her antics are less frenetic as she is more careful in her considerations. She is still a bull in a China shop occasionally, but she wouldn't be Janna if she wasn't!

The book is set in an abbey, which usually makes me wary. For some reason, I get really tense when a book is set in a medieval religious setting, some weird affectation I've developed I suppose! However, this was less about priests banging on about evil and more about the daily lives and relationships of the nuns, rather than the religion that surrounds it. I ending up enjoying that aspect after I got over my strange little phobia!

There is a sweet little side romance that explores the anxieties that come with being considered unsightly by the outside world, but lovely in the eyes of an individual. Heartbreaking to see the struggle of a character trying to accept that her physical disfigurement does not define how other see her as a person!

It's actually a bit of a theme in Unholy Murder, that the individual fears about oneself, do not have to overshadow the whole of the person; that each has redeeming qualities that can transcend those doubts, if they can only see it! Janna is instrumental in making sure the characters see it, and that made me warm to her more than any other feat she has accomplished thus far.

Of course, Janna is still struggling with her own romantic life! I have a suspicion this arc is going to reach right up to the last novel in the series! I am starting to hope for her, whereas before, I simply wasn't invested in this part of the story. Fingers crossed she finds her way!

So,



I have Pilgrim of Death (book #4) now, thanks to Momentum, so let's see where Janna ends up next!

Harcopy Worthy? Indeed! show less

See the complete review posted on Book Frivolity. Check out other Fantasy and Historical Fiction ruminations there as well! POV's: Singular
Narrative: Third person, subjective, limited.

This series really is delightful so far! The word 'flurry' comes to mind. Or, torrential downpour on occasions. Pulman stacks quite a lot in 268 pages, but it works nicely in this sort of limited third person narrative mystery. There isn't a lot of of peripheral noise to get backlogged in, so every thing you do show more get to be privy to seems to garner greater importance and can be told without unnecessary wordage. It looks like each instalment is going to be set in a different locale visited by Janna, which seems to figure in quite nicely with the short mystery format.

Generally, my feelings for Stolen Child don't differ much from Blood Oath. The storyline is different as Janna has to struggle through as a 'youth', in a homestead she's never been to before. With a companion she doesn't trust (Not that she trusts anybody really!) and surrounded by people she doesn't know, she is forced to pull her fiery ways in. That is until the past she's running from is brought into full focus and with it the mystery of the Stolen Child..

Janna had matured her sleuthing ways in this instalment. She doesn't fire at every suspect caught in her cross-hairs, and she takes the time to consider how each action will reflect on her and the people around her. Even if she still does land in hot water quite a bit! It's great to see that development take place, and I think that it will continue throughout the series. Well I hope it does!

The herblore is still there, that urgent inner dialogue of continuous questions still runs rampant and the history of Britain (the Norman invasion especially) still plays a large part in the whys and wherefores. The heavy foreboding of religious issues was tucked away mostly, which made it slightly less weighty, but it doesn't hamper the over all feel.

The romance is still a bit of a sticking point, but at this stage, I am not even sure if either of the 'interests' have that big a role to play in the upcoming plot line. Time shall tell! I do have Unholy Murder in my reading list, so we shall see!

It really was the perfect rainy autumn Sunday read; not to heavy, not to light, it was just right.. (yes, I did just quote a breakfast cereal ad!).

Hard copy worthy? Well, there isn't one. But! I did discover that this series was published before! I plugged around and found that Blood Oath was Rosemary for Remembrance and Stolen Child was Rue for Repentance! I actually like the old titles better, but such is life! Anyway, if I can still get them, I'll add it them my basket! show less