(4 / 5)
I have a lot of good things to say about this series-so get comfortable. It’s a hidden gem that I stumbled upon last week and couldn’t rest until I had completed the trilogy.
Before there was Romeo and Juliet there was Tristan and Isolde. Star crossed lovers who gambled everything on their love. If you saw that horribly awful movie from 2006 then forget everything you know about Tristan and Isolde. The Twilight of Avalon series is the story the legendary couple deserve.
Isolde is the granddaughter of King Arthur (of Knights of the Roundtable fame) and Morgan (Arthur’s step sister). Because she possesses “the sight” this book must be relegated to fantasy but it’s so subtle I would more comfortably shelve it under “magical realism”. Elliot has created a wonderful story for Tristan and Isolde that doesn’t take any short cuts and makes for a very satisfying read. The first book can not in any sense be considered a romance, if you read this solely for the romantic storyline you must be patient and watch as Elliot plays the long game with these two. I promise you’ll be satisfied by the end, their love is a journey and well worth the wait.
Elliot doesn’t expect you to wade through 500 pages in each book without giving you something to enjoy while you wait for the romance to blossom. I am always a sucker for female healers and midwives and Isolde is both. Also, there is plenty of political scheming, secrets, and personal demons to keep the reader satisfied while Tristan and Isolde work their way toward one another.
I have a couple of complaints, mostly about the writing style not being to my taste, but I’m more than willing to over look those things considering how much I enjoyed this series. It also may be good to note that at it’s heart this series is a ultimately a love story but most of it’s content is about Britain trying to hold off the Saxon’s from an inevitable invasion. There is a lot of fighting, alliances, oath swearing, oath breaking, and many casualties. But even amongst all this Elliot was so tender with our main characters and bringing forth a story and relationship that felt genuine even in the face of war and psychological trama. Truly I have rarely seen a better character progression than both Tristan and Isolde.
A wonderful series for those who appreciate Arthurian legend, historical fiction, historical romance, etc.
Violence: High Language: Medium Adult Content: Medium/High (nothing graphic, but rape plays a role)