#jeangill

[readingonrepeat-blog]

I could not gather the will power to put this book down. I already had high expectations because I loved Song at Dawn so much, but Bladesong exceeded my expectations in the best ways possible. 5 stars without question!  http://bit.ly/1LkG8QY

[readingonrepeat-blog]

Bladesong

Author: Jean Gill  5 of 5 stars Jean Gill has truly outdone herself withBladesong (sequel to the equally magnificentSong at Dawn). Bladesong is book 2 in The Troubadours series and picks up about a year after where its predecessor left off. The sheer complexity of the plot has been taken to another level in this novel. Not only did Gill maintain impeccable consistency between books, but she mastered the task of crafting an entirely new adventure; interweaving historical detail and imagination as if they were two sides of the same coin. I fell even more in love with Estela and Dragonetz and deeply enjoyed experiencing their evolution, both individually and as a couple.

The story opens with our brave knight, Dragonetz, imprisoned in Damascus; an independent city wedged in the middle of a political tug-of-war. Dragonetz has no choice but to face the demons of his past if he has any hope of carrying out his mission with both his life and honor intact. Dragonetz must fight with everything he has to fulfill his oath to Raavad, overcome the fatal drug coursing through his veins, and return home to the only woman he’s ever truly loved.

Estela certainly has her own trials to overcome. Welcoming Dragonetz’ son, Txamusca, into the world was no easy task (especially alone), but she embraced motherhood with every ounce of her being. Also receiving a threat from her past, Estela must make the most difficult decision of her life: to send away her precious child as the only means of keeping him alive. Living in sadness for months after placing Musca in hiding, Estela receives an unexpected message from Dragonetz, asking her to join him Oltra mar and she embarks on an unfathomable journey to be reunited with her knight. 

Bladesong is not just a novel you read, it’s a novel that you feel. You can’t help but develop an emotional connection to these characters. Every chapter elicits a genuine reaction from the reader. There were moments when I was angry with Dragonetz and Estela, moments when I worried for them and felt sadness for them. Jean Gill’s writing is so descriptive that I could almost hear the couple as they sang and I could see each scene in my mind’s eye as if I were an actual observer in the room. I challenge you to read this series, take in the detail, appreciate the incredible imagination and historical research that went into creating it, and feel anything other than admiration. PS. Be still my beating heart! Book 3, Plaint for Provence, is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Review coming ASAP!