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The King’s Agent is based loosely on the life of Battista della Palla-a patriotic plunderer, a religious rogue-of the 16th century, a lifelong friend to the great Michelangelo.
As the cloistered ward of the Marquess of Mantua, Lady Aurelia is a woman with a profound duty, and a longing for adventure. In search of a relic intended for the King of France, Battista and Aurelia cross the breathtaking landscape of Renaissance Italy. Clues hide in great works of art, political forces collide, secret societies and enemies abound, and danger lurks in every challenge, those that mirror the passages of Dante's Divine Comedy. It is an adventurous quest with undercurrents of the supernatural, powers that could change the balance of supremacy throughout Europe.
My thoughts:
What went wrong? Well in a way that is easy to explain; frankly I was bored. I wanted to skim, I wanted to get it over with. I just could not connect. I did like one part of the book though..after page 300 it grew interested and there was a new mystery that caught my attention. But even if that was good in the end I just did not get one thing, which I can't tell you about.
The book was a bit heavy and it's not straight up historical fiction. It has a bit of "paranormal" in it that shows up later. Not much but there is something,and truth be told since I was bored in the beginning I did not get the whole thing in the end. There is an adventure, a mystery, a hidden painting, war between France and Spain, worries in the city states of Italy, a woman that wants more from life and an art thief that is real pretty. That sums it up.
Sure it's well written but this time it was not the book for me. I wanted to like it, it had promise, but the beginning was so heavy and I just never connected (well ok at page 300 but if I did not have to review this one I would have given up before that).
Conclusion:
It was a good story, but for me, it was a boring story.
Genre: Historical fiction
Pages: 411
Published: 2012 by Kensington
Source Goodreads First Reads
Aww..i loved all the quest and the countryside..and Michelangelo. Sorry it bored you :(
ReplyDeleteYeah :/ I just could not get into it and the quest, yawn. Still for others it will work great
DeleteOh, bummer! The synopsis sounds intriguing, but sometimes it just doesn't work out.
ReplyDeleteAnd this was the time for me
DeleteSo sorry you didn't connect. I hate that I need to skim this book feeling.
ReplyDeleteIt's the worst feeling
DeleteThere's nothing worse than being bored while reading! I'd much rather have a book piss me off to no end than bore me, at least it will have inspired a reaction in me rather than left me completely indifferent:)
ReplyDeleteI did get pissed of today while reading and yes it is better than wanting to skim and being bored
DeleteI enjoyed this one more than you did, but I really liked reading about Battista. He really made the book interesting for me. Sorry you did not enjoy it more!
ReplyDeleteFor me it just did not work, but I have sure seen others enjoying it :)
DeleteThanks for your honest review, sorry you didn't enjoy this one!
ReplyDeleteIt happens :/
DeleteIt's tough to embrace a book that doesn't gather steam until page 300. I give you credit for hanging in there!
ReplyDeleteTell me about it. Dunno how I did it
DeleteI wanted to skim too and there was too many things that went way over my head. I'd love to try her earlier books though.
ReplyDeleteSame thing here. I read an excerpt from the her other book and it sounded so good
DeleteIt was tiny though, really tiny. The rest was just weird
ReplyDeleteGah. I'm sorry. That's how I feel (so far) with the book I'm reading.
ReplyDeleteBeen unlucky lately as the book I read after this one made me mad
DeleteI bow... uh curtsy? to you for going to 300 to find the good parts! Still, if it takes that long, I do think I'll pass. Sorry to hear about that. The premise sounds like something I would have enjoyed. :(
ReplyDeleteI am crazy and if it had been any other book than a Goodreads first reads I would have given up
DeleteBut the cover seems nice...
ReplyDeleteIt is nice...and I never comment these days, I must remember
DeleteI was bored too!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad I was not alone
DeleteMe too! I just didn't 'get' all the Dante stuff. I found this one bloody hard work but I did pick up another of her books thinking it sounded more me lol
ReplyDeleteIt was a book about Genevieve that caught my attention and I really want that one. But this one, it was just everything
DeleteNoo! Boring stories are not good.
ReplyDeleteI wore a dress very similar to the one of the cover for a costume party. It was beautiful but freaking HOT! lol
I envy you...
DeleteMe too
DeleteI would skim it mercilessly and laugh like a mad. I know I am weird.
ReplyDeleteHaha yes you are very weird
DeleteBeen there, done that! I don't like it when a book is boring :(
ReplyDeleteSo sad, cos it was well written but it just did not catch my attention
Deletewell when you're bored you're bored... Sorry it wasn't for you darling!
ReplyDeleteTrue that
DeleteI felt the same way!!! I really wanted to like it, and it was well written. But I kept finding myself nearly falling asleep..and I NEVER fall asleep when I read.
ReplyDeleteSo sad, cos yes I felt that too. I went in with such high hopes and then it was not for me
DeleteI don't think I would be picking this book up then...
ReplyDeleteNot the book for everone
DeleteOh no, sorry this one wasn't a good fit for you. I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteIt just did not work
DeleteThe paranormal aspects really surprised me. I never really expect them in heavy historical fiction reads.
ReplyDeleteIt was..strange, I did not mind them, but I guess I would have liked it better if it had been gone
DeleteI wonder if it would have been better if some things had been cut to make it shorter?
ReplyDelete..no, I do not think so. It was just heavy and did not appeal to me
Delete