Book Review: Emma and the Vampires by Wayne Josephson

 Publish Date: August 2010

Format: Paperback 304pp

Synopsis (From the Publisher):

"In this hilarious retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma, screenwriter Wayne Josephson casts Mr. Knightley as one of the most handsome and noble of the gentlemen village vampires. Blithely unaware of their presence, Emma, who imagines she has a special gift for matchmaking, attempts to arrange the affairs of her social circle with delightfully disastrous results. But when her dear friend Harriet Smith declares her love for Mr. Knightley, Emma realizes she’s the one who wants to stay up all night with him. Fortunately, Mr. Knightley has been hiding a secret deep within his unbeating heart—his (literal) undying love for her… A brilliant mash-up of Jane Austen and the undead."

My Review: 

This was my first venture into the supernatural world of Austen retelling. Unfortunately, I found my first experience to be lacking. When first starting the book, I was a bit confused whether or not the towns people actually knew they lived among vampires. It soon became clear that they had no clue their dearest friends were vampires; which then lead the reader to wonder how could they not figure it out since they were easily able recognize "wild" vampires that scoured the countryside. Another issue with the book was how well the original story and the vampire attacks flowed together. These transitions seemed a bit choppy and forced at times and were often too short for real intensity. What saved this book from only receiving one crown from me was the character of Emma. Her delightful and witty personality was a perfect match for the vampire situation. Her easy dismissal of dire circumstances was quite amusing and I found myself laughing often at her random remarks on the situation. Overall it was an easy and comical read but one that did not live up to its potential. 

FTC: I received this book from the publisher. As always, these are my own honest opinions.

Book Review: The Boleyn Wife by Brandy Purdy

 

Synopsis: (From the Publisher)

Shy, plain Lady Jane Parker feels out of place in Henry VIII's courtly world of glamour and intrigue—until she meets the handsome George Boleyn. Overjoyed when their fathers arrange a match, her dreams of a loving union are waylaid when she meets George's sister, Anne. For George is completely devoted to his sister, and cold and indifferent to his bride. As Anne acquires a wide circle of admirers, including King Henry, Jane's resentment grows. But if becoming Henry's queen makes Anne the most powerful woman in England, it also makes her highly vulnerable. And as Henry, desperate for a male heir, begins to tire of his mercurial wife, the stage is set for the ultimate betrayal. . .
Encompassing the reigns of four of Henry's wives, from the doomed Anne to the reckless Katherine Howard, The Boleyn Wife is an unforgettable story of ambition, lust, and jealousy, of the power of love to change the course of history, and of the terrible price of revenge.


My Review:

Jane Parker is a naive young girl that gets her hearts desire, ignoring all signs of foreboding, she weds George Boleyn. Completely and blindly in love, Jane sets herself up for a tragic heartbreak. One that will lead to not only her downfall but also to the downfall of those she loves and hates.

She quickly realizes her husband has no desire for her and blames everything wrong in her life on his sister, Anne Boleyn, whom he practically worships. Jane's obsessiveness with her husband is at first shown to be that of a lonely wife, hungry for love, but it soon turns into that of a madwoman. She vows that she will one day have vengeance, and will stop at nothing to see that it is carried out. Jane understands that in order to have revenge, one must know secrets to wiled against your pray. She definitely knows how to obtain these secrets and is constantly in the right place at the right time...all the time.

Through Jane's eyes we see all the intrigue and scandal of Henry VIII's court. Spanning the reign of five of Henry's queens there is never a dull moment; and Jane has a part in everything. She has little care whom she uses or what she does when seeking her revenge. So consumed with hate, Jane is completely unaware of the destruction she is setting in motion until it is to late. As Jane's fate closes in on her, she is tormented by her actions, but does she truly regret her them or is she still so consumed with revenge that she would do it all again...


This was a fast paced, and very detailed read. The main part of the book was following the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn, and it was nice to read a story from a different perspective then that of Anne. Since Jane had to be able to tell us everything that was going on, she was often hiding in cupboards, behind tapestries and looking through keyholes. This at times was rather unbelievable but it also made you think that maybe she is just really crazy, which coincided with her other intense actions. My main fault with this book is the amount of graphic sexual content. I don't mind sexual content in books; especially when it adds to the storyline or when you feel so connected with the characters that you are crying because they are finally together. Unfortunately, this was not the case for this book. The extreme graphic detail was throughout the whole story; the jar of honey scene is probably what finally did me in. I had great expectations for this book, unfortunately the book did not meet them. It was not a horrible book, but unfortunately the graphic content overpowered this books potential.


A Little Extra:
  If you would like a chance to read this novel, please follow the link to enter my giveaway here (do not enter in the comment section below). The author has graciously offered to give away one signed copy of The Boleyn Wife.