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Hellalyle and Hildebrand
Explore a world of chivalry, courage, the unexplained, and the struggle between light and darkness.
In a land near the Baltic and Kievan Rus dwelled an innocent young noblewoman, a gifted lady like no other, whose presence, a legend in her lifetime, set the standard of womanhood against which all others are judged.
Her father the king, urgently required at the extreme edge of the kingdom, must leave behind his beloved daughter in a now inadequately defended castle. He decides to enlist twelve knights from across Europe to be her bodyguard, to protect her until his return.
The leader of these knights wins her heart – an attraction engineered by the spirits of Arcadia. However, their love contradicts the chivalric order and displeases the king, setting in motion a tragedy for the soldier and the princess.
The heroic actions of a Teutonic knight carrying a terrible war wound, and the brave efforts of a diminutive, disabled servant girl, her affliction wrought at conception, strive to bring positive closure to this ancient saga.
In a land near the Baltic and Kievan Rus dwelled an innocent young noblewoman, a gifted lady like no other, whose presence, a legend in her lifetime, set the standard of womanhood against which all others are judged.
Her father the king, urgently required at the extreme edge of the kingdom, must leave behind his beloved daughter in a now inadequately defended castle. He decides to enlist twelve knights from across Europe to be her bodyguard, to protect her until his return.
The leader of these knights wins her heart – an attraction engineered by the spirits of Arcadia. However, their love contradicts the chivalric order and displeases the king, setting in motion a tragedy for the soldier and the princess.
The heroic actions of a Teutonic knight carrying a terrible war wound, and the brave efforts of a diminutive, disabled servant girl, her affliction wrought at conception, strive to bring positive closure to this ancient saga.
- GenresMedieval
276 pages, Paperback
First published September 19, 2020
About the author
Tagai Tarutin
2 books4 followers'Hellalyle and Hildebrand' is Tagai Tarutin's first completed novel. There are two others of a completely different genre, that lie unfinished, awaiting inspiration.
He has worked most of his life in sales but has always had an interest in Arts and Humanities. Things that are beautiful and appealing play an essential part in his imagination.
Besides travelling in West Europe, he has journeyed to the far South Atlantic, and European Russia, anxious to see parts of the world that are for many mystical destinations on a historical map.
He has worked most of his life in sales but has always had an interest in Arts and Humanities. Things that are beautiful and appealing play an essential part in his imagination.
Besides travelling in West Europe, he has journeyed to the far South Atlantic, and European Russia, anxious to see parts of the world that are for many mystical destinations on a historical map.
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October 19, 2021PDF Introduction to the 2020 Revision of the Book:
Hellalyle and Hildebrand
by
Tagai Tarutin
Published by SilverWood
The 2020 revised edition has two extra chapters with additional text to other episodes.
Concept Art: Hildebrand assisting Hellalyle to dismount by the shores of Lake Eydis
A drama recounted in chapter 20
------------------------
Available Now as a Printed Book or Ebook from all Amazon sites
Printed book £10.99
Ebook £3.99
Also available from the following sellers:
Waterstones, Foyles, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble, Gardners (wholesaler)
Amazon Reviews
J. Catalano
5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't Put It Down!
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2020
This is is an epic of amazing scope. The reader is taken from 13th Century England to the shores of the Baltic and Kievan Rus. There is an English prince who is a knight of old, a demure princess with seven brothers, eleven other knights of high honor and a glimpse of satanic evil all wrapped up in one amazing story.
The king of an Eastern European realm must go to protect his subjects from marauders from the "east" and summons twelve gallant knights to protect his amazing daughter, his castle and its surrounding inhabitants while he is gone. Of course, since this is a love story, the English prince, as leader of the knight guardians, has more contact with the princess and falls deeply in love with her. They are not aware that all of nature is pushing them together including the fallow deer, a burly bear, a pair of royal swans and two amazingly huge eagles. Add in that the princess is protected by faithful black wolves and you have a combination that will enthrall and amaze you.
Of course, there are evil spirits and an evil prince, the princess's step-brother, who is lured to the dark side by a malevolent wannabe lady of the lake. He creates chaos leading to much horror and misunderstanding. He is eventually vanquished but not before he has changed the lives and fate of all involved.
Between the English prince leaving his homeland to join the eleven other knights and the tear-splashed last pages which speak of a reunion of the lovers are amazing adventures, moments of chivalric action, and amazingly well drawn characters. If you're not well read on the ancient sagas and myths then you'll need to be near Google searches to bring you the full impact of this amazingly well written book. The ancient names of tribes and places in Eastern Europe make this a tour de force.
Pick up a copy and start reading... you won't want to put it down!
Jenny
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 29, 2020
Verified Purchase
Hellalyle and Hildebrand by Tagai Tarutin.
I had mixed feelings about this book, as it is not my normal type of book reading, but the more that I read, the more intrigued I was by it. So I kept on reading and found that I could not put it down. Different, worth reading.
Elizabeth.
Stoke On Trent.
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars A gripping medieval epic
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 7, 2019
Verified Purchase A very interesting book to read - not just a love story but a chain of extraordinary and tragic events.
Meet the Author, Click on Picture:
Tagai Tarutin
Russian Reviews
"A beautiful love story of a medieval knight and a noble princess written by Tagai Tarutin. The book allows us to go back in history and hear more about the exploits of the legendary Hildebrand and his beloved Hellalyle. The book is full of picturesque scenes of the events in Medieval Europe and it gives us the opportunity to immerse in the spirit of those times. It will be a good read for those interested in history, literature and romance…” Alexandra Suyazova, Teaching Fellow of English, Saint Petersburg, Russia
-------------------------------------
"A fabulous story that could be easily transformed into a screen version, about a truly
romantic relationship beyond any prejudice, driven by pure intentions at the times when the
chivalry and nobleness made the difference in survival of a human life.” – Anatoly
Leonidovich Rasputin, graduate in English from the University of Linguistics,
Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.
Two scenes from chapters within the book
Online Reviews
Official Review: Hellalyle and
Hildebrand by Tagai Tarutin
• Report
Post by topdan30 » 05 Apr 2021, 06:42
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Hellalyle and Hildebrand" by Tagai Tarutin.]
4 out of 4 stars
Hellalyle and Hildebrand by Tagai Tarutin is a romance novel filled with numerous adventures. The book has 39 chapters and 274 pages. This book was written in the third-person narrative. Quotation marks were used for direct words of various characters and the author also expresses the thoughts of these characters.
Thorstein is the king of Eydis and Orn. He gave birth to seven sons and his only daughter is Hellalyle. Hellalyle is the princess of Eydis and Orn, and she was an unusual child who as she grew up, became a legendary figurehead of exceptional beauty, wisdom and gentleness.
The king is out to settle pressing political matters after his army had a victory in his territory bordering Kievan, Russia. The fortress would be inadequately protected as it was a time of increased instability as a result of the war in the East. The king had to enlist the service of 12 extraordinary knights to help keep his princess safe in the castle. These knights were to be led by Hildebrand.
Hildebrand is a prince turned hired knights. He is renowned for his bravery, strength and ruthlessness. His journey to protect the princess started bringing to reality the prophecy he was told 16 years ago. What is the fate of the princess? Which prophecy is coming to reality?
This novel was carefully written in a way that readers would find it interesting and easy to read. I love the authors writing style as he didn’t bore me with unnecessary details. He was straight forward with his details. The author also included some pictures which helped build up my imaginative thinking of the author & #39;s description of people, places and events. Some of the pictures provided were of King Thorstein, Hildebrand, Hellalyle’s ballet act, the unheralded appearance of the Comet and much more. All these made me love the book, most especially when he described and provided a picture of Von Altenburg.
The characters provided in this novel were lovable and well-developed.
I love the character of Hellalyle as she is a princess with a humble attitude and filled with human compassion. She does things gracefully and with a strong will. This book had no dull moment as it is a page-turner. I hate nothing in the book as the book is well-written with an interesting storyline. Therefore, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. The book is professionally edited with only a few errors noticed. I will recommend this book to lovers of an adventurous romance novel with a good storyline.
******
Hellalyle and Hildebrand
View: on Bookshelves
-----------------------------
Reviewed by Jacquie C
Hellalyle and Hildebrand by Tagai Tarutin is an epic of amazing scope. The reader is taken from 13th Century England to the shores of the Baltic and Kievan Rus. There is an English prince who is a knight of old, a demure princess with seven brothers, eleven other knights of high honor and a glimpse of satanic evil all wrapped up in one amazing story.
The king of an Eastern European realm must go to protect his subjects from marauders from the "east" and summons twelve gallant knights to protect his amazing daughter, his castle and its surrounding inhabitants while he is gone. Of course, since this is a love story, the English prince, as leader of the knight guardians, has more contact with the princess and falls deeply in love with her. They are not aware that all of nature is pushing them together including the fallow deer, a burly bear, a pair of royal swans and two amazingly huge eagles. Add in that the princess is protected by faithful black wolves and you have a combination that will enthrall and amaze you.
Of course, there are evil spirits and an evil prince, the princess's step-brother, who is lured to the dark side by a malevolent wannabe lady of the lake. He creates chaos leading to much horror and misunderstanding. He is eventually vanquished but not before he has changed the lives and fate of all involved.
Between the English prince leaving his homeland to join the eleven other knights and the tear-splashed last pages which speak of a reunion of the lovers are amazing adventures, moments of chivalric action, and amazingly well drawn characters. If you're not well read on the ancient sagas and myths then you'll need to be near Google searches to bring you the full impact of this amazingly well written book. The ancient names of tribes and places in Eastern Europe make this a tour de force.
Pick up a copy and start reading... you won't want to put it down!
Jacquie C
View: on Mystic Living Today
Hellalyle and Hildebrand
by
Tagai Tarutin
Published by SilverWood
The 2020 revised edition has two extra chapters with additional text to other episodes.
Concept Art: Hildebrand assisting Hellalyle to dismount by the shores of Lake Eydis
A drama recounted in chapter 20
------------------------
Available Now as a Printed Book or Ebook from all Amazon sites
Printed book £10.99
Ebook £3.99
Also available from the following sellers:
Waterstones, Foyles, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble, Gardners (wholesaler)
Amazon Reviews
J. Catalano
5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't Put It Down!
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2020
This is is an epic of amazing scope. The reader is taken from 13th Century England to the shores of the Baltic and Kievan Rus. There is an English prince who is a knight of old, a demure princess with seven brothers, eleven other knights of high honor and a glimpse of satanic evil all wrapped up in one amazing story.
The king of an Eastern European realm must go to protect his subjects from marauders from the "east" and summons twelve gallant knights to protect his amazing daughter, his castle and its surrounding inhabitants while he is gone. Of course, since this is a love story, the English prince, as leader of the knight guardians, has more contact with the princess and falls deeply in love with her. They are not aware that all of nature is pushing them together including the fallow deer, a burly bear, a pair of royal swans and two amazingly huge eagles. Add in that the princess is protected by faithful black wolves and you have a combination that will enthrall and amaze you.
Of course, there are evil spirits and an evil prince, the princess's step-brother, who is lured to the dark side by a malevolent wannabe lady of the lake. He creates chaos leading to much horror and misunderstanding. He is eventually vanquished but not before he has changed the lives and fate of all involved.
Between the English prince leaving his homeland to join the eleven other knights and the tear-splashed last pages which speak of a reunion of the lovers are amazing adventures, moments of chivalric action, and amazingly well drawn characters. If you're not well read on the ancient sagas and myths then you'll need to be near Google searches to bring you the full impact of this amazingly well written book. The ancient names of tribes and places in Eastern Europe make this a tour de force.
Pick up a copy and start reading... you won't want to put it down!
Jenny
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 29, 2020
Verified Purchase
Hellalyle and Hildebrand by Tagai Tarutin.
I had mixed feelings about this book, as it is not my normal type of book reading, but the more that I read, the more intrigued I was by it. So I kept on reading and found that I could not put it down. Different, worth reading.
Elizabeth.
Stoke On Trent.
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars A gripping medieval epic
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 7, 2019
Verified Purchase A very interesting book to read - not just a love story but a chain of extraordinary and tragic events.
Meet the Author, Click on Picture:
Tagai Tarutin
Russian Reviews
"A beautiful love story of a medieval knight and a noble princess written by Tagai Tarutin. The book allows us to go back in history and hear more about the exploits of the legendary Hildebrand and his beloved Hellalyle. The book is full of picturesque scenes of the events in Medieval Europe and it gives us the opportunity to immerse in the spirit of those times. It will be a good read for those interested in history, literature and romance…” Alexandra Suyazova, Teaching Fellow of English, Saint Petersburg, Russia
-------------------------------------
"A fabulous story that could be easily transformed into a screen version, about a truly
romantic relationship beyond any prejudice, driven by pure intentions at the times when the
chivalry and nobleness made the difference in survival of a human life.” – Anatoly
Leonidovich Rasputin, graduate in English from the University of Linguistics,
Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.
Two scenes from chapters within the book
Online Reviews
Official Review: Hellalyle and
Hildebrand by Tagai Tarutin
• Report
Post by topdan30 » 05 Apr 2021, 06:42
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Hellalyle and Hildebrand" by Tagai Tarutin.]
4 out of 4 stars
Hellalyle and Hildebrand by Tagai Tarutin is a romance novel filled with numerous adventures. The book has 39 chapters and 274 pages. This book was written in the third-person narrative. Quotation marks were used for direct words of various characters and the author also expresses the thoughts of these characters.
Thorstein is the king of Eydis and Orn. He gave birth to seven sons and his only daughter is Hellalyle. Hellalyle is the princess of Eydis and Orn, and she was an unusual child who as she grew up, became a legendary figurehead of exceptional beauty, wisdom and gentleness.
The king is out to settle pressing political matters after his army had a victory in his territory bordering Kievan, Russia. The fortress would be inadequately protected as it was a time of increased instability as a result of the war in the East. The king had to enlist the service of 12 extraordinary knights to help keep his princess safe in the castle. These knights were to be led by Hildebrand.
Hildebrand is a prince turned hired knights. He is renowned for his bravery, strength and ruthlessness. His journey to protect the princess started bringing to reality the prophecy he was told 16 years ago. What is the fate of the princess? Which prophecy is coming to reality?
This novel was carefully written in a way that readers would find it interesting and easy to read. I love the authors writing style as he didn’t bore me with unnecessary details. He was straight forward with his details. The author also included some pictures which helped build up my imaginative thinking of the author & #39;s description of people, places and events. Some of the pictures provided were of King Thorstein, Hildebrand, Hellalyle’s ballet act, the unheralded appearance of the Comet and much more. All these made me love the book, most especially when he described and provided a picture of Von Altenburg.
The characters provided in this novel were lovable and well-developed.
I love the character of Hellalyle as she is a princess with a humble attitude and filled with human compassion. She does things gracefully and with a strong will. This book had no dull moment as it is a page-turner. I hate nothing in the book as the book is well-written with an interesting storyline. Therefore, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. The book is professionally edited with only a few errors noticed. I will recommend this book to lovers of an adventurous romance novel with a good storyline.
******
Hellalyle and Hildebrand
View: on Bookshelves
-----------------------------
Reviewed by Jacquie C
Hellalyle and Hildebrand by Tagai Tarutin is an epic of amazing scope. The reader is taken from 13th Century England to the shores of the Baltic and Kievan Rus. There is an English prince who is a knight of old, a demure princess with seven brothers, eleven other knights of high honor and a glimpse of satanic evil all wrapped up in one amazing story.
The king of an Eastern European realm must go to protect his subjects from marauders from the "east" and summons twelve gallant knights to protect his amazing daughter, his castle and its surrounding inhabitants while he is gone. Of course, since this is a love story, the English prince, as leader of the knight guardians, has more contact with the princess and falls deeply in love with her. They are not aware that all of nature is pushing them together including the fallow deer, a burly bear, a pair of royal swans and two amazingly huge eagles. Add in that the princess is protected by faithful black wolves and you have a combination that will enthrall and amaze you.
Of course, there are evil spirits and an evil prince, the princess's step-brother, who is lured to the dark side by a malevolent wannabe lady of the lake. He creates chaos leading to much horror and misunderstanding. He is eventually vanquished but not before he has changed the lives and fate of all involved.
Between the English prince leaving his homeland to join the eleven other knights and the tear-splashed last pages which speak of a reunion of the lovers are amazing adventures, moments of chivalric action, and amazingly well drawn characters. If you're not well read on the ancient sagas and myths then you'll need to be near Google searches to bring you the full impact of this amazingly well written book. The ancient names of tribes and places in Eastern Europe make this a tour de force.
Pick up a copy and start reading... you won't want to put it down!
Jacquie C
View: on Mystic Living Today
June 10, 2024
This is a medieval love story filled with chivalry, bravery, magic, and tragedy. The author transports us to a time of wondrous stories of kings, queens, fair princesses, knights, and evil usurpers. Our female protagonist, Hellalyle, isn’t just a dainty maiden. She is as kind as she is independent-fighting for those are discarded as worthless while refusing to allow herself to be held back by the men around her. She also has abilities that go beyond our reality-as she is able to gain the trust and protection of the animals of the forest. Our male protagonist, Hildebrand, matches her heart, by allowing her to be who she is, while appreciating all the ways she loves and blesses those around her.
This story would not be complete without a villain set on destroying the goodness that is Hellalyle and Hildebrand. And the villain in this story is brutal, vicious and cunning. Hellalyle stepbrother, Paulus, becomes a vessel for evil and causes chaos and mass murder-destroying the lives of so many. He is as evil as Hellalyle is good, and can be nothing else. Tarutin crafted him brilliantly; I despised him-even if his action were not solely his own doing. It hints to the power of succumbing to our negative desires and allowing them to control us-setting a fire that will ravage out of control.
Overall, this story has tons of heart and complexities. It is a love story but it encompasses more than that. Compassion, mystery, courage, enchantment, malevolence…it’s all wrapped up in poetic prose and a well constructed plot. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and stories of good versus evil. 4.25 stars
This story would not be complete without a villain set on destroying the goodness that is Hellalyle and Hildebrand. And the villain in this story is brutal, vicious and cunning. Hellalyle stepbrother, Paulus, becomes a vessel for evil and causes chaos and mass murder-destroying the lives of so many. He is as evil as Hellalyle is good, and can be nothing else. Tarutin crafted him brilliantly; I despised him-even if his action were not solely his own doing. It hints to the power of succumbing to our negative desires and allowing them to control us-setting a fire that will ravage out of control.
Overall, this story has tons of heart and complexities. It is a love story but it encompasses more than that. Compassion, mystery, courage, enchantment, malevolence…it’s all wrapped up in poetic prose and a well constructed plot. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and stories of good versus evil. 4.25 stars
August 20, 2024
*I’d like to thank NetGalley, Silverwood Books and Tagai Tarutin for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“Hellalyle and Hildebrand” is Tagai Tarutin’s first full-length published work, and is a re-telling of the danish ballad “Hellalyle and Hildebrand”, a story about the forbidden love between Princess Hellalyle and her bodyguard Hildebrand, Prince of Engelland. The story was popularised in the Victorian era when the ballad was translated by Whitley Stokes and painted by Frederic William Burton in watercolours which is depicted on the book cover.
I was quite excited to read this novel as I am for one a huge fan of retellings of old tales and stories, and secondly, Hellalyle and Hildebrand had been a story that had fascinated me for a while. Especially since the painting by Burton has captivated me since forever. So my expectations were high as I have read a good amount of amazing retellings that provided a new angle on an old story.
However, Tarutin’s novel could not captivate me. Firstly, I don’t think his retelling added anything to these characters and their story. The characters of Hellalyle and Hildebrand were barely explored, neither was their forbidden love story. There was very little emotional built-up to their relationship, which had much to do in the writing style of the author. Tarutin has the tendency to tell rather than show which takes much of the emotional connection that a reader might develop with the story. There is a huge difference between being told that someone is in love than being shown through action and dialogue. This novel lacked the latter.
I did enjoy how the author gave the other knights some showtime during the story, telling some of their unique stories. However, even here there was a focus only on a chosen few side characters, but never connecting them to the main story in a meaningful way.
Hellalye was barely developed outside her beauty and kind hearted nature. I’d love to see a personality like her show in a different nuance. Why would a well raised, graceful Hellalye fall for a brutish knight? I wished to have seen more than a male gaze version of who she might have been. I wanted a female character with personality, an inner struggle, and constraints of the time she lived in. When she entered the star crossed relationship with Hildebrand she must have known that there was no happy ending for the both, so why did she give in? Why did she sleep with him? What emotional turmoil was she in when she knew that their love had caused his death? Did she feel responsible? Unfortunately, Tarutin did not explore this at all. Nor did he with Hildebrand. For a knight who was revealed his fate to him as a teenager who was still willing to follow his destiny, there was a huge lack of emotional depth and character development. He was a good man with such a holy calling. How did he stumble, how did he fail? What did that do to him? Again nothing.
One can use a more fairytale type storytelling and still manage to create emotional depth and interesting characters. But again Tarutin did fail to find the balance of these. His writing was too fixated to crafted description of environment and setting, but got lost when it came to his characters. Also, his writing was slightly out of harmony, changing his style from a very matter of fact telling to an attempt of oldish storytelling. Not to mention the grammatical errors when the characters used the German language.
Another thing that struck me as odd was the mixture of religious and spiritual beliefs. The story begins with a divine revelation to Hildebrand about his future by a Christian nun on her deathbed. The Holy Ghost is marking him as an important figure. But then Greek mythology, Roman mythology and other pagan beliefs get added to the already religious charged story. The story is constantly walking on a line between a fantastical tale or an historical retelling. I fear it did not convey to me as a reader.
Overall, an idea and concept with great potential that failed in his execution. Retellings are such a great way to explore old tales and stories through a new or even modern lens, exploring characters who were historically seen only one way. Unfortunately, Tarutin did not offer us anything new or life changing. Instead, his story keeps the male gaze of historical figures alive, and seems stuck in his desire to appear literary talented but failing to write compelling characters.
“Hellalyle and Hildebrand” is Tagai Tarutin’s first full-length published work, and is a re-telling of the danish ballad “Hellalyle and Hildebrand”, a story about the forbidden love between Princess Hellalyle and her bodyguard Hildebrand, Prince of Engelland. The story was popularised in the Victorian era when the ballad was translated by Whitley Stokes and painted by Frederic William Burton in watercolours which is depicted on the book cover.
I was quite excited to read this novel as I am for one a huge fan of retellings of old tales and stories, and secondly, Hellalyle and Hildebrand had been a story that had fascinated me for a while. Especially since the painting by Burton has captivated me since forever. So my expectations were high as I have read a good amount of amazing retellings that provided a new angle on an old story.
However, Tarutin’s novel could not captivate me. Firstly, I don’t think his retelling added anything to these characters and their story. The characters of Hellalyle and Hildebrand were barely explored, neither was their forbidden love story. There was very little emotional built-up to their relationship, which had much to do in the writing style of the author. Tarutin has the tendency to tell rather than show which takes much of the emotional connection that a reader might develop with the story. There is a huge difference between being told that someone is in love than being shown through action and dialogue. This novel lacked the latter.
I did enjoy how the author gave the other knights some showtime during the story, telling some of their unique stories. However, even here there was a focus only on a chosen few side characters, but never connecting them to the main story in a meaningful way.
Hellalye was barely developed outside her beauty and kind hearted nature. I’d love to see a personality like her show in a different nuance. Why would a well raised, graceful Hellalye fall for a brutish knight? I wished to have seen more than a male gaze version of who she might have been. I wanted a female character with personality, an inner struggle, and constraints of the time she lived in. When she entered the star crossed relationship with Hildebrand she must have known that there was no happy ending for the both, so why did she give in? Why did she sleep with him? What emotional turmoil was she in when she knew that their love had caused his death? Did she feel responsible? Unfortunately, Tarutin did not explore this at all. Nor did he with Hildebrand. For a knight who was revealed his fate to him as a teenager who was still willing to follow his destiny, there was a huge lack of emotional depth and character development. He was a good man with such a holy calling. How did he stumble, how did he fail? What did that do to him? Again nothing.
One can use a more fairytale type storytelling and still manage to create emotional depth and interesting characters. But again Tarutin did fail to find the balance of these. His writing was too fixated to crafted description of environment and setting, but got lost when it came to his characters. Also, his writing was slightly out of harmony, changing his style from a very matter of fact telling to an attempt of oldish storytelling. Not to mention the grammatical errors when the characters used the German language.
Another thing that struck me as odd was the mixture of religious and spiritual beliefs. The story begins with a divine revelation to Hildebrand about his future by a Christian nun on her deathbed. The Holy Ghost is marking him as an important figure. But then Greek mythology, Roman mythology and other pagan beliefs get added to the already religious charged story. The story is constantly walking on a line between a fantastical tale or an historical retelling. I fear it did not convey to me as a reader.
Overall, an idea and concept with great potential that failed in his execution. Retellings are such a great way to explore old tales and stories through a new or even modern lens, exploring characters who were historically seen only one way. Unfortunately, Tarutin did not offer us anything new or life changing. Instead, his story keeps the male gaze of historical figures alive, and seems stuck in his desire to appear literary talented but failing to write compelling characters.
May 27, 2024
Hellalyle and Hildebrand
Written by Tagai Tarutin
The first thing I noticed was the cover, and how it already started to tell the story. I already had an idea what the book was going to be about and this made me want to read this book even more.
I was hooked by the end of the first chapter and I found the book in my hand at every available moment.
Explore a world of chivalry, courage, the unexplained, and the struggle between light and darkness.
In a land near the Baltic and Kievan Rus dwelled an innocent young noblewoman, a gifted lady like no other, whose presence, a legend in her lifetime, set the standard of womanhood against which all others are judged.
Her father, the king, urgently required at the extreme edge of the kingdom, must leave behind his beloved daughter in a now inadequately defended castle. He decides to enlist twelve knights from across Europe to be her bodyguard, to protect her until his return.
The leader of these knights wins her heart – an attraction engineered by the spirits of Arcadia. However, their love contradicts the chivalric order and displeases the king, setting in motion a tragedy for the soldier and the princess.
The heroic actions of a Teutonic knight carrying a terrible war wound, and the brave efforts of a diminutive, disabled servant girl, her affliction wrought at conception, strive to bring positive closure to this ancient saga.
This is an amazing epic adventure that takes you from 13th century England to the Baltic and Kievan Rus.
The story centres on a king of an Eastern European realm who must go to protect his subjects from marauders from the "east". He decides to summon twelve gallant/brave knights to protect his amazing daughter,
his castle and its surrounding inhabitants while he is gone.
The English prince, as leader of the knight guardians, has more contact with the princess and falls deeply in love with her.
And of course they fall madly in love with each other all the while being pushed together.
But things never go smoothly, the princess’s step brother is lured to the evil side and he causes so much trouble/chaos for everyone and ends up changing everyone's lives. The character of Hellayle was a great one.
She came across as extremely humble with great compassion.
So I’m not up to date with ancient sagas and myths so there was a bit of googling needed, as there were some aspects that needed more explaining, the characters were well thought out with a lot of details included. This was an amazing tour around Eastern Europe.
This book is ideal for those who adore history. This was an excellent read and I look forward to reading more from this author.
Written by Tagai Tarutin
The first thing I noticed was the cover, and how it already started to tell the story. I already had an idea what the book was going to be about and this made me want to read this book even more.
I was hooked by the end of the first chapter and I found the book in my hand at every available moment.
Explore a world of chivalry, courage, the unexplained, and the struggle between light and darkness.
In a land near the Baltic and Kievan Rus dwelled an innocent young noblewoman, a gifted lady like no other, whose presence, a legend in her lifetime, set the standard of womanhood against which all others are judged.
Her father, the king, urgently required at the extreme edge of the kingdom, must leave behind his beloved daughter in a now inadequately defended castle. He decides to enlist twelve knights from across Europe to be her bodyguard, to protect her until his return.
The leader of these knights wins her heart – an attraction engineered by the spirits of Arcadia. However, their love contradicts the chivalric order and displeases the king, setting in motion a tragedy for the soldier and the princess.
The heroic actions of a Teutonic knight carrying a terrible war wound, and the brave efforts of a diminutive, disabled servant girl, her affliction wrought at conception, strive to bring positive closure to this ancient saga.
This is an amazing epic adventure that takes you from 13th century England to the Baltic and Kievan Rus.
The story centres on a king of an Eastern European realm who must go to protect his subjects from marauders from the "east". He decides to summon twelve gallant/brave knights to protect his amazing daughter,
his castle and its surrounding inhabitants while he is gone.
The English prince, as leader of the knight guardians, has more contact with the princess and falls deeply in love with her.
And of course they fall madly in love with each other all the while being pushed together.
But things never go smoothly, the princess’s step brother is lured to the evil side and he causes so much trouble/chaos for everyone and ends up changing everyone's lives. The character of Hellayle was a great one.
She came across as extremely humble with great compassion.
So I’m not up to date with ancient sagas and myths so there was a bit of googling needed, as there were some aspects that needed more explaining, the characters were well thought out with a lot of details included. This was an amazing tour around Eastern Europe.
This book is ideal for those who adore history. This was an excellent read and I look forward to reading more from this author.
May 26, 2024
"Hellelil sitteth in bower there,
None knows my grief but God alone,
And seweth at the seam so fair,
I never wail my sorrow to any other one..."
About two weeks before I got the ARC for this title (Thank you to NetGalley and Tagai Tarutin!), I kept seeing the panting on the cover of the book, "The Meeting on the Turret Stairs" by Frederic William Burton EVERYWHERE (especially TikTok, of all places). I think part of the recurring popularity of this work (according to Wikipedia, "it was voted by the Irish public as Ireland's favorite painting in 2012 from among 10 works shortlisted by critics") is in its inevitable sorrow. Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love with girl. Girl's father orders her seven brothers to kill boy because medieval tragedy. Tale as old as time.
I love the creative effort that went into trying to give this painting a more resolute ending - I'll leave the interpretation of whether it's a happy ending or nor to the reader, since I think it's worth investigating for yourself. Rather than just taking the painting as a writing prompt and running with it, I really appreciate that the author fully ran with the theme in constructing the narrative - the perspective and language reads as if this was a book on the shelves with tales of King Arthur, merlin, and Morgana Le Fay. The text is thick with iconic imagery, references to Christianity and the spiritual world, and even contains supernatural/magical elements. The characters are, figuratively and literally, larger-than-life, and definitely have been doused in the medieval dramatic characterization you can see in both Shakespearian works and in classic Walt Disney films where the goal of storytelling is to make sure you know who is the good guy and who is the bad (this is not meant to be derogatory, I think the way the narrative writes by its nature falls into this kind of characterization). I definitely felt that the author wanted to evoke the kinds of feelings you get when you look at 15th/16th century paintings of medieval times when writing (and in fact there are some paintings included between chapters that give more of this flavor to the reading).
This was definitely out of the realm of things I usually read, but I'm glad I did! I think that this may fall into the category of "this isn't for everyone" in some respects because the text can get pretty dense, but I feel like anyone who was inspired by the painting in some shape or form may enjoy the journey.
None knows my grief but God alone,
And seweth at the seam so fair,
I never wail my sorrow to any other one..."
About two weeks before I got the ARC for this title (Thank you to NetGalley and Tagai Tarutin!), I kept seeing the panting on the cover of the book, "The Meeting on the Turret Stairs" by Frederic William Burton EVERYWHERE (especially TikTok, of all places). I think part of the recurring popularity of this work (according to Wikipedia, "it was voted by the Irish public as Ireland's favorite painting in 2012 from among 10 works shortlisted by critics") is in its inevitable sorrow. Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love with girl. Girl's father orders her seven brothers to kill boy because medieval tragedy. Tale as old as time.
I love the creative effort that went into trying to give this painting a more resolute ending - I'll leave the interpretation of whether it's a happy ending or nor to the reader, since I think it's worth investigating for yourself. Rather than just taking the painting as a writing prompt and running with it, I really appreciate that the author fully ran with the theme in constructing the narrative - the perspective and language reads as if this was a book on the shelves with tales of King Arthur, merlin, and Morgana Le Fay. The text is thick with iconic imagery, references to Christianity and the spiritual world, and even contains supernatural/magical elements. The characters are, figuratively and literally, larger-than-life, and definitely have been doused in the medieval dramatic characterization you can see in both Shakespearian works and in classic Walt Disney films where the goal of storytelling is to make sure you know who is the good guy and who is the bad (this is not meant to be derogatory, I think the way the narrative writes by its nature falls into this kind of characterization). I definitely felt that the author wanted to evoke the kinds of feelings you get when you look at 15th/16th century paintings of medieval times when writing (and in fact there are some paintings included between chapters that give more of this flavor to the reading).
This was definitely out of the realm of things I usually read, but I'm glad I did! I think that this may fall into the category of "this isn't for everyone" in some respects because the text can get pretty dense, but I feel like anyone who was inspired by the painting in some shape or form may enjoy the journey.
June 1, 2024
Frederick Burton's painting, "The Meeting on the Turret Stair" 1864, hanging in the National Gallery of Ireland is a stunning artwork capturing a simple and yet divinely beautiful romantic moment in time.
The work was inspired from a translation of the Danish ballad Hellalyle and Hildebrand, translated by Whitely Stokes in 1855, a writer who was a close friend of the artist Fredrick Burton.
The Ballad held great appeal for Tagai Tarutin, who, over a five-year period has crafted the it into one of the most magical, beautiful stories of romance, bravery, tragedy and wonderment in Hellalyle and Hildebrand.
Set around 1288 Hellalyle is a young woman, beloved of all who know and meet her. She is of great beauty, a pure heart and is watched over by the Divinity, her every step in life carefully taken, as she is not only a woman of blessed purity, but the Kings only daughter.
The King, having to leave his castle of Preben, gathers together a bodyguard of twelve Knights of the finest reputation, to be led by Hildebrand, a Prince of England, to guard Hellalyle in his absence.
Over the coming weeks, and as already foretold in a vision sent to Hildebrand some years before he journeyed to Preben, he begins to fall deeply in love with Hellalyle and she with him. This blossoming romance is noted by the Queen Gudrun who sends a message to her husband; this displeases the King mightily which sets in motion a train of events both bloody and tragic.
Tarutin has written the tale into modern literature with a careful and elegant mastery of words which adds a considerable sense of time, history and emotion, to what possibly began life as a chivalric romance, but could just as easily have been a tale of folkloric, passed down by word of mouth, as it is also considered as a tale in Swedish folkloric.
Hellalyle and Hildebrand, regardless of what or where it came from, is a most captivating, deeply emotional story wrapped in the mists of time and magic, but still has relevance in the world of today.
The work was inspired from a translation of the Danish ballad Hellalyle and Hildebrand, translated by Whitely Stokes in 1855, a writer who was a close friend of the artist Fredrick Burton.
The Ballad held great appeal for Tagai Tarutin, who, over a five-year period has crafted the it into one of the most magical, beautiful stories of romance, bravery, tragedy and wonderment in Hellalyle and Hildebrand.
Set around 1288 Hellalyle is a young woman, beloved of all who know and meet her. She is of great beauty, a pure heart and is watched over by the Divinity, her every step in life carefully taken, as she is not only a woman of blessed purity, but the Kings only daughter.
The King, having to leave his castle of Preben, gathers together a bodyguard of twelve Knights of the finest reputation, to be led by Hildebrand, a Prince of England, to guard Hellalyle in his absence.
Over the coming weeks, and as already foretold in a vision sent to Hildebrand some years before he journeyed to Preben, he begins to fall deeply in love with Hellalyle and she with him. This blossoming romance is noted by the Queen Gudrun who sends a message to her husband; this displeases the King mightily which sets in motion a train of events both bloody and tragic.
Tarutin has written the tale into modern literature with a careful and elegant mastery of words which adds a considerable sense of time, history and emotion, to what possibly began life as a chivalric romance, but could just as easily have been a tale of folkloric, passed down by word of mouth, as it is also considered as a tale in Swedish folkloric.
Hellalyle and Hildebrand, regardless of what or where it came from, is a most captivating, deeply emotional story wrapped in the mists of time and magic, but still has relevance in the world of today.
May 16, 2024
Hellalyle and Hildebrand is a captivating tale set in a land near the Baltic and Kievan Rus, where an innocent young noblewoman named Hellalyle resides. Known for her unmatched beauty and grace, Hellalyle becomes the standard by which all other women are judged in her lifetime.
When Hellalyle's father, the king, is called away to the edge of the kingdom, he enlists twelve knights from across Europe to protect his beloved daughter in his absence. Among these knights is the charismatic leader, Hildebrand, whose connection with Hellalyle is orchestrated by the spirits of Arcadia.
Their forbidden love defies the chivalric order and angers the king, resulting in a tragic turn of events for both the soldier and the princess. As the story unfolds, the heroic actions of a Teutonic knight with a war injury and the bravery of a disabled servant girl born with a defect, offer a glimmer of hope in the face of adversity.
Tagai Tarutin's storytelling weaves together elements of romance, tragedy, and heroism, creating a rich and compelling narrative that transports readers to a distant time and place. Hellalyle and Hildebrand is a tale of love and sacrifice, of courage and redemption, that will leave a lasting impression on all who read it.
When Hellalyle's father, the king, is called away to the edge of the kingdom, he enlists twelve knights from across Europe to protect his beloved daughter in his absence. Among these knights is the charismatic leader, Hildebrand, whose connection with Hellalyle is orchestrated by the spirits of Arcadia.
Their forbidden love defies the chivalric order and angers the king, resulting in a tragic turn of events for both the soldier and the princess. As the story unfolds, the heroic actions of a Teutonic knight with a war injury and the bravery of a disabled servant girl born with a defect, offer a glimmer of hope in the face of adversity.
Tagai Tarutin's storytelling weaves together elements of romance, tragedy, and heroism, creating a rich and compelling narrative that transports readers to a distant time and place. Hellalyle and Hildebrand is a tale of love and sacrifice, of courage and redemption, that will leave a lasting impression on all who read it.
June 17, 2024
3.75/5 ⭐
🏰 When her father, the king, was urgently required at the extreme edge of the kingdom, his beloved daughter, Hellalyle is left to inadequately defend the castle. To protect his daughter, the king chooses to enlist twelve knights from across Europe to be her bodyguard. The leader of these knights, the Prince of England called Hildebrand captures her heart; inevitable, as the attraction was devised by the spirits of Arcadia. However, their blossoming love angers the king and tragedy befalls Hellalyle and Hildebrand.
🏰 This was my first medieval romance read and I am so impressed by Tagai Tarutin's writing! Each word brought the story to life and the characters were developed so well. The magical elements and forbidden love aspects gave the plot more depth. There is romance, heroism, and tragedy which transports you to another world! Hellalyle is such a beautiful character and the banter between her and Hildebrand is so adorable! This was a short read and there were a couple of storylines within the overall plot that I wasn't keen on — I wish either the focus was more on the main characters or the book was longer. Overall, enchanting story with down-to-earth characters!
🏰 When her father, the king, was urgently required at the extreme edge of the kingdom, his beloved daughter, Hellalyle is left to inadequately defend the castle. To protect his daughter, the king chooses to enlist twelve knights from across Europe to be her bodyguard. The leader of these knights, the Prince of England called Hildebrand captures her heart; inevitable, as the attraction was devised by the spirits of Arcadia. However, their blossoming love angers the king and tragedy befalls Hellalyle and Hildebrand.
🏰 This was my first medieval romance read and I am so impressed by Tagai Tarutin's writing! Each word brought the story to life and the characters were developed so well. The magical elements and forbidden love aspects gave the plot more depth. There is romance, heroism, and tragedy which transports you to another world! Hellalyle is such a beautiful character and the banter between her and Hildebrand is so adorable! This was a short read and there were a couple of storylines within the overall plot that I wasn't keen on — I wish either the focus was more on the main characters or the book was longer. Overall, enchanting story with down-to-earth characters!
May 20, 2024
4/5 ⭐️
While I really enjoyed this, I am going to preface this review by saying this book may not be for everyone. This is written in the classic fairytale sense of a 3rd person omnipotent narrator that zooms the camera lens in and out and switches who to follow. In general, as I read it, it reminded me obviously of classic Arthurian tales. But it also reminded me of Tristan & Isolde and the Princess Bride (in the sense of style of writing) and even George RR Martin’s Fire & Blood or his novellas about Duncan & Egg. If you are a fan of classic fairytales, then I think you’ll really like this. Yes there were times I’ve skimmed. But there were other times I was swooning or laughing. This a was delightful change in pace for me. And again, if you like that style of writing like me, I think you’ll enjoy this.
Thank you to NetGalley and Silverwood Books for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.
While I really enjoyed this, I am going to preface this review by saying this book may not be for everyone. This is written in the classic fairytale sense of a 3rd person omnipotent narrator that zooms the camera lens in and out and switches who to follow. In general, as I read it, it reminded me obviously of classic Arthurian tales. But it also reminded me of Tristan & Isolde and the Princess Bride (in the sense of style of writing) and even George RR Martin’s Fire & Blood or his novellas about Duncan & Egg. If you are a fan of classic fairytales, then I think you’ll really like this. Yes there were times I’ve skimmed. But there were other times I was swooning or laughing. This a was delightful change in pace for me. And again, if you like that style of writing like me, I think you’ll enjoy this.
Thank you to NetGalley and Silverwood Books for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.
July 3, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley for access to a copy for review.
I requested this book from NetGalley because I love the painting used on the cover. Love it. So I have some familiarity with the story on which the story is based. Hellalyle and Hildebrand is a re-telling of an old story. I'm pretty sure this was filed under romance on NetGalley - it is not genre romance. It is something like a medieval fairytale centered on a love story.
Hildebrand is a prince of England and Hellalyle is the princess of a realm to the East (Baltic region). Her father and brothers must lave the kingdom due to external threats. The king summons several knights from other kingdoms to guard princess Hellalyle. Hildebrand is their leader.
This is story of chivalry, knights, princesses, love, visions, and tragedy.
The writing style is what keeps me from giving more stars. I find the style really old-fashioned and distant. With occasionl word choices that pull me out.
I requested this book from NetGalley because I love the painting used on the cover. Love it. So I have some familiarity with the story on which the story is based. Hellalyle and Hildebrand is a re-telling of an old story. I'm pretty sure this was filed under romance on NetGalley - it is not genre romance. It is something like a medieval fairytale centered on a love story.
Hildebrand is a prince of England and Hellalyle is the princess of a realm to the East (Baltic region). Her father and brothers must lave the kingdom due to external threats. The king summons several knights from other kingdoms to guard princess Hellalyle. Hildebrand is their leader.
This is story of chivalry, knights, princesses, love, visions, and tragedy.
The writing style is what keeps me from giving more stars. I find the style really old-fashioned and distant. With occasionl word choices that pull me out.
June 1, 2024
‘Hellalyle and Hildebrand’ by Tagai Tarution is a mythical telling of a magical story.
“In a land near the Baltic and Kievan Rus dwelled an innocent young noblewoman, a gifted lady like no other, whose presence, a legend in her lifetime, set the standard of womanhood against which all others are judged.
Her father the king, urgently required at the extreme edge of the kingdom, must leave behind his beloved daughter in a now inadequately defended castle. He decides to enlist twelve knights from across Europe to be her bodyguard, to protect her until his return.
The leader of these knights wins her heart – an attraction engineered by the spirits of Arcadia.”
The telling of this story is beautifully written and immensely gripping from the beginning.
It is well researched and does this well known story justice.
The book is also beautifully illustrated throughout and this includes the amazing cover.
A book that you will want to continue to read and one that will stay with you a long time afterwards.
Highly recommended.
“In a land near the Baltic and Kievan Rus dwelled an innocent young noblewoman, a gifted lady like no other, whose presence, a legend in her lifetime, set the standard of womanhood against which all others are judged.
Her father the king, urgently required at the extreme edge of the kingdom, must leave behind his beloved daughter in a now inadequately defended castle. He decides to enlist twelve knights from across Europe to be her bodyguard, to protect her until his return.
The leader of these knights wins her heart – an attraction engineered by the spirits of Arcadia.”
The telling of this story is beautifully written and immensely gripping from the beginning.
It is well researched and does this well known story justice.
The book is also beautifully illustrated throughout and this includes the amazing cover.
A book that you will want to continue to read and one that will stay with you a long time afterwards.
Highly recommended.
May 13, 2024
3.5 stars for this magical story.
I looooved this story!
When a King is urgently requested he leaves his castle and daughter unprotected and enlists 12 knights to protect and defend both. The leader of the knights, Prince Hildebrand then falls in love with Princess Hellalyle and wins her heart much to the disgust of the King.
This is a story of forbidden love and heartbreak, tragedy and loss, magic and whimsy. The written suites the story so well, the characters were written and developed so beautifully and the story really came to life for me. It was like a medieval forbidden romantacy and I was there for it!
I looooved this story!
When a King is urgently requested he leaves his castle and daughter unprotected and enlists 12 knights to protect and defend both. The leader of the knights, Prince Hildebrand then falls in love with Princess Hellalyle and wins her heart much to the disgust of the King.
This is a story of forbidden love and heartbreak, tragedy and loss, magic and whimsy. The written suites the story so well, the characters were written and developed so beautifully and the story really came to life for me. It was like a medieval forbidden romantacy and I was there for it!
June 14, 2024
The synopsis of this story had my name written all over it. However, I have mixed feelings after completing the book. I am struggling to find the right words as to where or what it failed to deliver on for me because I love medieval stories, fantasy, strong female characters - seemingly everything this book has - but it was just OK for me. It's not a bad story but as other reviewers said it's just not for everyone. It is a bit heavy on the narrative for me but it does have its moments. It also has some great pictures to accompany it. Overall I would rate it 3.5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
June 13, 2024
Hellalyle and Hildebrand by Tagai Tarutin.
I did enjoy this book. It was different. I liked Hellalyle and how she was with Ethla. I did like the illustrations in the book. I did like the cover and blurb. It's not my normal read, but I'm glad I took a chance on it. It did take me a while to get used to the writing style. I did like the illustrations in the book. 4*.
I did enjoy this book. It was different. I liked Hellalyle and how she was with Ethla. I did like the illustrations in the book. I did like the cover and blurb. It's not my normal read, but I'm glad I took a chance on it. It did take me a while to get used to the writing style. I did like the illustrations in the book. 4*.
April 25, 2024
This book was a bit of a change in writing style for me to read. It started a bit slow for me as I had to get used to the style, but I enjoyed the story.
June 8, 2024
Hellalyle and Hildebrand is a historical novel by Tagai Tarutin.
❤️ Blurb -Explore a world of chivalry, courage, the unexplained, and the struggle between light and darkness.
In a land near the Baltic and Kievan Rus dwelled an innocent young noblewoman, a gifted lady like no other, whose presence, a legend in her lifetime, set the standard of womanhood against which all others are judged.
Her father the king, urgently required at the extreme edge of the kingdom, must leave behind his beloved daughter in a now inadequately defended castle. He decides to enlist twelve knights from across Europe to be her bodyguard, to protect her until his return.
The leader of these knights wins her heart – an attraction engineered by the spirits of Arcadia. However, their love contradicts the chivalric order and displeases the king, setting in motion a tragedy for the soldier and the princess.
The heroic actions of a Teutonic knight carrying a terrible war wound, and the brave efforts of a diminutive, disabled servant girl, her affliction wrought at conception, strive to bring positive closure to this ancient saga.
🩷 Review -
This novel was very different to my usual genre but I still enjoyed it. The author's writing is brilliant and the characters were likeable and believable. Sometimes I felt that the story was a little slow in a few places but it didn't stop me enjoying the book. Overall, a brilliant novel that I recommend to other historical fiction readers.
💓 Thank you to @literallypr and the author, Tagai Tarutin for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
❤️ Blurb -Explore a world of chivalry, courage, the unexplained, and the struggle between light and darkness.
In a land near the Baltic and Kievan Rus dwelled an innocent young noblewoman, a gifted lady like no other, whose presence, a legend in her lifetime, set the standard of womanhood against which all others are judged.
Her father the king, urgently required at the extreme edge of the kingdom, must leave behind his beloved daughter in a now inadequately defended castle. He decides to enlist twelve knights from across Europe to be her bodyguard, to protect her until his return.
The leader of these knights wins her heart – an attraction engineered by the spirits of Arcadia. However, their love contradicts the chivalric order and displeases the king, setting in motion a tragedy for the soldier and the princess.
The heroic actions of a Teutonic knight carrying a terrible war wound, and the brave efforts of a diminutive, disabled servant girl, her affliction wrought at conception, strive to bring positive closure to this ancient saga.
🩷 Review -
This novel was very different to my usual genre but I still enjoyed it. The author's writing is brilliant and the characters were likeable and believable. Sometimes I felt that the story was a little slow in a few places but it didn't stop me enjoying the book. Overall, a brilliant novel that I recommend to other historical fiction readers.
💓 Thank you to @literallypr and the author, Tagai Tarutin for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
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