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Wizard's Daughter
by
Catherine Coulter
It is part of the Brides #10 series and is a historical fiction, paranormal romance in a paperback edition that was published by Berkley on December 18, 2007 and has 359 pages.
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Tenth in the Sherbrooke historical fantasy series, a.k.a. Brides, set in 19th century London, England.
My Take
The true start of this story is the promenade of Rosalind and Nicholas with Grayson Sherbrooke as chaperon in Hyde Park to explore an artists’ fair where Grayson comes across a book by Sarimund, The Rules of the Pale.
It’s an overly elaborate series of unfortunate events that are poorly connected with very little tension and much unfelt, mostly intellectual passion. Oh, Coulter uses the words but she doesn’t create the sense. Once Rosalind finds out why Nicholas has actually married her, the emotion Rosalind “expresses” is rote. There is no sense of how hurt she is nor does Nicholas make a convincing argument for loving her. It’s more as though Coulter would have to write more pages to portray the passion and emotion of Nicholas’ realization of his love so Coulter skipped right over to the reunion. Which, true to form, was also passionless.
Coulter gives no reason for Nicholas leaving England at age 12. What impels him to leave the country? Why didn’t his grandfather make provisions for this unloved grandson? There was a mention, once, of the grandfather giving Nicholas a sum of money. What happened to it?
Coulter’s math is off as well. She writes that Nicholas and Rosalind leave their wedding reception at 1pm for a 6-hour ride to Wyverly Chase in Sussex and has them arriving before 6pm.
Why does Coulter call The Rules of the Pale a book? Yeah, yeah, I’m being picky, but The Rules are more of a pamphlet or booklet. At least, that’s my opinion as the time spent reading the book aloud and transcribing it into a readable English takes very little time. And even less time for another of Sarimund’s books found at Wyverly Chase.
Then there’s Nicholas’ half-brothers and stepmother. Coulter portrays Matilda, Lady Mountjoy, with such a vicious pen which certainly establishes the woman’s character but she paints her so shrewishly and stupid that it’s more of a horrid caricature. Her constant implication of Lancelot as being gay to emphasize how evil Lance is comes across as more homophobic than anything else. And Richard’s sudden concern for Nicholas’ safety just does not ring true. I wonder, too, why step-mom and Lance come along??
Could someone explain what a “nanny finger” is???
My last peeve is Coulter’s unevenness in applying the culture, mores, and language of the period. Admittedly, the way she has her characters address each other is minor, but once I reach a certain level of irritation, I get picky. I mean, she has Lady Mountjoy screaming at Rosalind in Rosalind’s own house calling her “missy”. WTF??!
Coulter has no clue as to the different types of language/slang used by the various classes in society. Or even which terms are used exclusively by men or women. No man, let alone one in an earl’s family, would ever say “lawks”. Nor would they use such terms as “gullet”, “tip over arse”, or “nailed him but good” in polite company. Mayhap not even in the early 19th century.
Then there’s Coulter’s actual writing. Parochial and abrupt.
“Haven’t things happened in your life you can’t explain? You may begin with your dreams of me.”
The following is true, but how did Rosalind figure it out?? Unless she had some giant leap of intuition to which we are not privy . . .
“I’m quite real. I was out of time for captain Jared, but not for you.”
Oh, yeah, I’m feelin’ the passion here . . .
“He looked at those long narrow feet of hers, the nice arches. He wanted to lick her toes.”
The Story
Almost dying in a massive storm at sea, Captain Jared Vail is rescued by a magical being at the time of Queen Elizabeth’s reign and promises to pay his debt. By the time Vail dies, he has served his queen well, been rewarded with an earldom, and built a fine house in the middle of Sussex but not paid his debt.
Some 300 years later, the debt is still not paid when his descendant, Nicholas Vail, returns to England when he inherits the earldom.
Now Vail is back and searching for the woman of his dreams — literally. Almost all his life, Nicholas has had the same dream. A girl telling him she was his debt.
The Characters
Nicholas Vail, Earl of Mountjoy, was tossed out of his father’s home at age 5 upon the birth of his half-brother, Richard. At age 12, his refuge disappeared when his grandfather died and his father inherited. Nicholas made his way to Portugal and then, eventually, Macau where he built his fortune.
Rosalind de La Fontaine was born 10 years ago when Ryder Sherbrooke found her dying in an alley. She had no memory of her earlier life nor why she had been beaten. Ryder and Sophie Sherbrooke have made it a part of their life to rescue disadvantaged children going so far as to take Rosalind in as their ward and raise her alongside their son, Grayson. The adult Grayson is known for his ghost stories and is fascinated by books on the occult.
Lady Mountjoy and two of her sons, Richard and Lancelot, hate Nicholas enough to attempt assassination and kidnapping. Both parents did their best in encouraging their sons to hate Nicholas. Aubrey Vail is the youngest son and is a scholar ensconced at Oxford, the only brother who appears to like Nicholas.
Sarimund is a wizard with a plan to save the Pale. A plan he set in motion with his rescue of Captain Jared Vail and his promise to “pay his debt”. Part of this plan included his writing the The Rules of the Pale.
Lorelei is the woman for whom Grayson is falling
The Cover and Title
Gorgeous cover — goes to show “don’t judge a book by its cover”. A handsome young man looking over his shoulder at us wearing a white linen shirt with sleeves rolled up, black trousers, and a hooded black cloak with a stream winding its way to a plantation-style house in the background on the right. On the left, in the background, is a castle atop oa steep peak with two bloodred moons segueing to a normal sliver of a moon on the right.
The odd bit is that the plantation-style house, obviously set in Nicholas and Rosalind’s world, is not described in the book as being on the flat and it would be more appropriate if there were three bloodred moons.
The title is suggestive, but more subtle than I expected.
