I have never been more
confused by the first 15 pages of a book
as I was by the latest novel from the author of the Dairy Queen series. Of
course, if I had read the back cover of the book more carefully, I would have realized the brilliance of the
narrative from the first page. What
makes this book truly unique is the way Murdock seamlessly links diary
entries, letters, encyclopedia excerpts,
a self-published family history, and a play to give this fantastic fairytale a
unique sense of realism. Once I figured
out how to piece the story together from
the different sources, I was able
to fully enjoy the magic, adventure, and romance that fill the pages.
The story follows the
adventures of Princess Wisdom, from the female-led kingdom of Montagne; Trudy,
an orphaned kitchen maid; and Tips, a soldier and the object of Trudy’s
affections. Duchess Wilhelmina of Farina
wants to absorb the smaller kingdom of Montagne and has set her master plan in
motion to do just that. Now the three
heroes of this tale must save their empire from ruin – that is, if they can
tolerate each other long enough to form a plan!
They are assisted, as well as hindered, by a thoroughly entertaining
cast of characters including Sir Felis el Gato (a master swordsman with an ego
longer than his sword), the Queen Mother Benevolence (an attentive and caring
chaperone of Princess Wisdom), and her cat, Escoffier.
As I’ve already mentioned, the unique narrative is what keeps the storyline fresh and exciting for the reader. Although it does take some getting used to, stringing the story together from the several sources of narration becomes a fun sort of game that propels the reader forward until the end of the book. If you’re looking for an entertaining read, Wisdom’s Kiss will not disappoint.
Grace gives this book four and a half out of five carrots!
Click here to purchase
your copy of Wisdom’s Kiss from The
Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop!
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