A reimagining of Baroness Emmuska Orczy's A Scarlet Pimpernel. The Wraith and the Rose main characters, Theodore Overton and Lilybeth Rose Hathaway are in London for the season, so of course there is romance in the air. This isn't your everyday Regency romance, this has Fae, magic, and an unlikely hero in disguise!
I have never read A Scarlet Pimpernel. I think if I had I would have understood the character of Theo Overton much better. The unlikely hero is seen simply as a wealthy Englishman during the season. Kind, generous, and thoughtful Theo seems too gentle really to be all the things the Wraith is. The Wraith is bold, daring, amazing with disguises, a great swordsman, and has magical abilities above the normal amount humans have. While a great character Theo was too too perfect. He didn't seem to have a flaw in him, maybe that was his flaw. Sure there is miscommunication on both his and Lily's sides. So there was a misunderstanding, he was still too perfect.
The way CJ Brightley draws us into this world of Fantasy Regency is lovely. The descriptions of both the human world and the Fae world are done beautifully. Both are lush, vibrant, and alive. The explanation of how magic works in these worlds is imaginative and unique. The characters played their parts well and the ending was very unpredictable.
I have read both books in this duology. This isn't my favorite book of the two. I couldn't wait to read and get to know more about the lands and how they fare, will peace be kept? There were characters that were well-developed and I wanted to know how they turn out in the next installment.
All in all, this is a fun take on a classic that I just may pick up to read next.
Description:
The Fair Folk are stealing children.
One man is stealing them back.
When Miss Lilybeth Rose Hathaway and her family arrive in Ardmond for the season, Lily can’t help but be charmed by wealthy, popular Theo Overton’s lovely manners and genuine affection. The Hathaways are soon elevated far beyond what they might have imagined, and like everyone else, they are captivated by rumors of the national hero known as the Wraith, who is saving human children from the terrors of the Fair Court.
The arrival of the Special Envoy of the Fair Court tasked with capturing the Wraith frightens everyone. But the Wraith is far too clever to be captured… until the stakes become personal.
The Wraith and the Rose is a delightful reimagining of The Scarlet Pimpernel in a Regency-inspired setting with dangerous Fair Folk and a love worth dying for.
Language : English
Paperback : 406 pages
ISBN-10 : 195476801X
ISBN-13 : 978-1954768017
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I appreciate the clarity and conciseness of your writing style. It's refreshing.
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