Review by KelseyWoodhouse -- First Lessons
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Kelsey Woodhouse
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Review by KelseyWoodhouse -- First Lessons
[Following is a volunteer review of "First Lessons" by Lina J. Potter.]
4 out of 4 stars
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I have rated First Lessons by Lina J. Potter a 4 out of 4. This book is the first in a series of five books called A Medieval Tale. The story begins with Aliya, a medical school student, who is on her way to visit her parents. As the family is on their way home from picking Aliya up from the station, they are in a tragic car accident. When Aliya wakes, she is shocked to find herself in a particularly unusual environment. Aliya has been reborn into the Middles Ages as Countess Lilian Earton. The conditions of her new home, and the surrounding neighbourhoods are worse for wear. Aliya/Lilian uses the knowledge, memories and experiences of both ladies to turn her life, and her estate around.
I gave this a 4 because First Lessons is the most engaging book I’ve read in a while. I was hooked and didn’t want to put it down. I was disappointed when the book was over and I couldn’t wait to get a copy of the second book in the series: The Clearing. I would recommend this historical fantasy to most readers. I think the storyline is suitable for the upper young adults age range (14+). Women would enjoy this story more than men because of the nature of the female protagonist. However, I can’t think of any specific audience that should be discouraged from reading First Lessons.
What I liked most, is how empowered this book made me feel. The determination and perseverance of Aliya, despite her circumstances, made me feel guilty for being so lazy, but also inspired me to grab my life by the horns, and be the change I want to see. This book has energised me and I’m so eager to read the whole series. It is interesting to read about the challenges a woman was faced with in the Middle Ages, and how Aliya overcomes any obstacles thrown her way.
Although I really loved this book, what I disliked most is how abruptly the book finished. In the last few chapters, new side stories were being introduced, so I definitely didn’t see the end coming. I understand that it is part of a series, and the author would like to end the novel with a cliffhanger. However, it was less of a cliffhanger, and felt more like it finished mid-chapter. It’s almost like the whole series had been written as one huge book, and was broken into 5 smaller books as an afterthought. If I weren’t planning on continuing to read the series, the ending for this book would have been very disappointing. The new side stories meant more loose ends were created rather than tying a few together.
The series has been translated from Russian, although, you wouldn’t know it, because the editing is professionally done. There are a handful of minor errors here and there but they don’t detract from the overall reading experience. First Lessons by Lina J. Potter was an easy and enjoyable read. The storyline is captivating and is the perfect balance of history, drama and fantasy. I have continued to read the series and would read it again.
******
First Lessons
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4 out of 4 stars
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I have rated First Lessons by Lina J. Potter a 4 out of 4. This book is the first in a series of five books called A Medieval Tale. The story begins with Aliya, a medical school student, who is on her way to visit her parents. As the family is on their way home from picking Aliya up from the station, they are in a tragic car accident. When Aliya wakes, she is shocked to find herself in a particularly unusual environment. Aliya has been reborn into the Middles Ages as Countess Lilian Earton. The conditions of her new home, and the surrounding neighbourhoods are worse for wear. Aliya/Lilian uses the knowledge, memories and experiences of both ladies to turn her life, and her estate around.
I gave this a 4 because First Lessons is the most engaging book I’ve read in a while. I was hooked and didn’t want to put it down. I was disappointed when the book was over and I couldn’t wait to get a copy of the second book in the series: The Clearing. I would recommend this historical fantasy to most readers. I think the storyline is suitable for the upper young adults age range (14+). Women would enjoy this story more than men because of the nature of the female protagonist. However, I can’t think of any specific audience that should be discouraged from reading First Lessons.
What I liked most, is how empowered this book made me feel. The determination and perseverance of Aliya, despite her circumstances, made me feel guilty for being so lazy, but also inspired me to grab my life by the horns, and be the change I want to see. This book has energised me and I’m so eager to read the whole series. It is interesting to read about the challenges a woman was faced with in the Middle Ages, and how Aliya overcomes any obstacles thrown her way.
Although I really loved this book, what I disliked most is how abruptly the book finished. In the last few chapters, new side stories were being introduced, so I definitely didn’t see the end coming. I understand that it is part of a series, and the author would like to end the novel with a cliffhanger. However, it was less of a cliffhanger, and felt more like it finished mid-chapter. It’s almost like the whole series had been written as one huge book, and was broken into 5 smaller books as an afterthought. If I weren’t planning on continuing to read the series, the ending for this book would have been very disappointing. The new side stories meant more loose ends were created rather than tying a few together.
The series has been translated from Russian, although, you wouldn’t know it, because the editing is professionally done. There are a handful of minor errors here and there but they don’t detract from the overall reading experience. First Lessons by Lina J. Potter was an easy and enjoyable read. The storyline is captivating and is the perfect balance of history, drama and fantasy. I have continued to read the series and would read it again.
******
First Lessons
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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Latest Review: The Freedom of Will by Ken Clatterbaugh
