Philippa Gregory has done it again! I admit that the only other book of hers I've read is The Other Boleyn Girl, but I've always meant to read more and I still do. Changeling was awesome, action-packed, full of romance, betrayal, and intrigue. That sounds ridiculously cliché, but it's true. My main complaint is that the hardcover is awkwardly big, even larger than the Nightshade and Across the Universe hardcovers, so it doesn't really fit properly anywhere, which is incredibly annoying.
THE HERO
LUCA
Actually, I didn't necessarily find Luca particularly hot. I was definitely attracted to him, though. He has an awesome sense of independence and even though he's wrong more than once, I got the sense that he really was doing what he believed was right. He wanted to succeed in his task but lose who he was along the way. He also has a really awesome air of mystery, and his background is questioned more than once. I really loved him, and can't wait to hear more about him.
THE HEROINE
ISOLDE
Isolde was pretty amazing. To begin with, she had an actual personality! She has a strong sense of loyalty and wants to do right by her deceased father, even though it's not what she was supposed to have or what she wants. She isn't very good at standing up for herself, though, which is a shame. Still, she was admirable and I loved how unafraid she became as the novel went on, growing and changing.
THE COMPANIONS
FRIEZE
My God, I loved him. I really, really loved him. I could scarcely believe how much I loved him. He has an incredible sense of humor and makes the best of every situation. He's very brave and fiercely loyal to Luca. He also has a lot of compassion. His exterior is sardonic, but by peeling away the layer and looking inside one can see that he is try deep inside, which is surprising but not altogether unexpected, if you know what I mean. He was really interesting, and am extremely eager to learn more about him.
ISHTAQ
She was a unique character, and my liking of her fluctuated throughout the book. I loved how she treated Isolde, but she really didn't rest anyone else well at all. She did sometimes, but only very rarely, and I didn't care for that at all. Still, I did like her in the end, even if she was somewhat pretentious and a bit self-absorbed. And she did have a surprising side.
THE PLOT
Changeling starts off a little slowly, and it isn't for a while that stuff starts to happen. Still, when stuff does start to happen, the pace picks up quickly. There was rarely a good time to put it down because so much stuff (yes, stuff) was happening nearly every moment.
There was a good amount of darkness and a generous helping of mystery, of never knowing what was going to happen next. The mystery of everything really kept me guessing and I would never have seen it coming in the beginning, although I did guess near the end.
Some things were a bit too coincidental for my taste, but hey, that's the way things are sometimes! Everything fit together artfully, and one event usually led to another clearly.
One thing that happened near the end was so achingly beautiful that it actually brought tears to my eyes. It is really sweet and full of love, and, yeah, definitely predictable, but it goes to show that sometimes amazing things can happen.
Aside from a few things, the plot of Changeling was awesome and exciting and impossible not to love!
THE ROMANCE
There's not a lot to say here, because I imagine that most of the romance will take place in future books. It does, however, begin to develop. I like how Luca recognizes feeling desire for Isolde as opposed to love, which keeps the romance from being too instalovey. The development is nice and slow, but definitely there, and I'm looking forward to seeing it develop even further. There's almost hints of some sort of Frieze-Ishtaq fling, and I really want to to see where that goes, because it will definitely be interesting. Plus, I love their banter.
THE WRITING
Philippa's writing is every bit as beautiful as I remember it to be. She has a unique descriptive hand which is absolutely gorgeous. She gives such vivid imagery! I can see everything unfold in minute detail. It really made me feel connected to the story and the characters.
THE ENDING
Changeling ends on a huge "what will happen next?" note. It is by no means a huge cliffhanger, but it is a cliffhanger nonetheless, and it left me desperate for more. I need to know what happens next! It was tied up wonderfully, but I still need more now! I really liked the ending.
WRAPUP
I have long been a Philippa Gregory fan, and I will continue to be! I love her books, and I will read them all one day. I simply cannot wait for more Order of Darkness books! The wait will be downright painful, but absolutely worth it!
FINE.
*****FINAL RATING: 4.15 STARS*****
