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rebeccazh's review
Reread it in 2015. Absolutely loved it. Imo one of Sherwood Smith's best.
swissmunicipal's review
4.0
This is a fun read - fairly light, a little cheesy, and still with a decently interesting plot.
siria's review
1.0
Coronets and Steel has a great hook—a 21st century genderswapped remix of The Prisoner of Zenda, with Kim Murray as the young American student who, while spending the summer in Europe, discovers that she bears an eerie resemblance to an aristocrat from a small eastern European country. A new, feminist spin on a Ruritanian fantasy is something that I'm primed to enjoy, but I found this book very disappointing. I'm not sure that Smith knew what genre she was writing in—romance, fantasy, action-adventure, what—and so the pacing and the focus wobble all over the place. The prose is in need of a ruthless editor, as it's full of exposition dumps in lieu of plot progress, implausible dialogue and phrases such as "liminal border", surely commissioned by the Department of Redundancy Department.
The main character, Kim, is also the victim of a lot of telling-not-showing. We're told a lot about how amazing she is—she's a ballet dancer and a fencer who was good enough to make the Olympics with thigh length blonde hair; she can not only switch back and forth between English, idiomatic German and French with a perfect Parisian accent, but she can pick up an obscure Balkan language in a matter of days because her grandmother 'must have' spoken it to her when she was an infant and it's all coming back to her now. Her inner monologue often reads like a Wikipedia entry, full of knowledgeable asides and quotes about architecture, literature and history which were implausible for me and I'm a grad student in history—I didn't know whether to roll my eyes or snicker when, involved in a duel with a thug who's trying to at least seriously maim her, Kim pauses to quote from Cyrano de Bergerac. Despite all these supposed gifts, Kim is phenomenally stupid when the plot demands it—so for instance, part of the plot centres on whether or not a secret royal marriage took place several decades before, and Kim spends a lot of time trying to get into the national archives to verify if that happened. Yes. Because if I were a member of a royal family trying to hide the evidence of a marriage which would disrupt the succession, I know where I'd put it.
Despite the story being set in the present day, most of the people in this fictional Balkans country don't have electricity, many of them barely even have running water, and most still go around dressed in their traditional costume and are highly religious (either Christian or Jewish). The 'good' people we meet are mostly deferential monarchists, and none of this is ever problematised or explained beyond a vague 'well, there are ghosts and vampires and protective ecumenical saints and such, oh and also you have the Second Sight, something something, liminal.' I couldn't figure out any reason for much of the novel's insistence on electricity, phones and so on not working beyond it accommodating some of the plot—why not just email someone, or call them, in order to figure out several things? Can't, magic! But when the royal family throws a costume ball, then the electricity seems to work just fine. I honestly didn't get why Smith didn't just set the whole book in the 50s or 60s—pushing all the action back a couple of decades would have removed some of the plot holes.
All this without mentioning either the super weird and problematic "romance" subplots, or the fact that Kim also—apparently in a completely non-ironic manner—makes the finger-gun gesture at people when talking to them? I didn't think she was a used car salesman from Topeka.
Disappointing and frustrating.
The main character, Kim, is also the victim of a lot of telling-not-showing. We're told a lot about how amazing she is—she's a ballet dancer and a fencer who was good enough to make the Olympics with thigh length blonde hair; she can not only switch back and forth between English, idiomatic German and French with a perfect Parisian accent, but she can pick up an obscure Balkan language in a matter of days because her grandmother 'must have' spoken it to her when she was an infant and it's all coming back to her now. Her inner monologue often reads like a Wikipedia entry, full of knowledgeable asides and quotes about architecture, literature and history which were implausible for me and I'm a grad student in history—I didn't know whether to roll my eyes or snicker when, involved in a duel with a thug who's trying to at least seriously maim her, Kim pauses to quote from Cyrano de Bergerac. Despite all these supposed gifts, Kim is phenomenally stupid when the plot demands it—so for instance, part of the plot centres on whether or not a secret royal marriage took place several decades before, and Kim spends a lot of time trying to get into the national archives to verify if that happened. Yes. Because if I were a member of a royal family trying to hide the evidence of a marriage which would disrupt the succession, I know where I'd put it.
Despite the story being set in the present day, most of the people in this fictional Balkans country don't have electricity, many of them barely even have running water, and most still go around dressed in their traditional costume and are highly religious (either Christian or Jewish). The 'good' people we meet are mostly deferential monarchists, and none of this is ever problematised or explained beyond a vague 'well, there are ghosts and vampires and protective ecumenical saints and such, oh and also you have the Second Sight, something something, liminal.' I couldn't figure out any reason for much of the novel's insistence on electricity, phones and so on not working beyond it accommodating some of the plot—why not just email someone, or call them, in order to figure out several things? Can't, magic! But when the royal family throws a costume ball, then the electricity seems to work just fine. I honestly didn't get why Smith didn't just set the whole book in the 50s or 60s—pushing all the action back a couple of decades would have removed some of the plot holes.
All this without mentioning either the super weird and problematic "romance" subplots, or the fact that Kim also—apparently in a completely non-ironic manner—makes the finger-gun gesture at people when talking to them? I didn't think she was a used car salesman from Topeka.
Disappointing and frustrating.
mrs_george's review
4.0
A great read by a great author ;)
I really came to love Dobrenica and all the people (well most of them!). I felt a little out of it on some parts. For example, I had to ask Grum about the Prisoner of Zenda but as I read, it sorted itself out.
The end of the book really leaves you wanting more! I think this would be a good read for paranormal fans to crossover into fantasy.
First line: “Too much imagination was tantamount to lying, that’s what my grandmother taught me.”
Favorite line: “But if it worked, surely it would be a regular part of life, like bookstores selling Computer-Ghost Interface for Dummies, or a college class on the Etiquette of Post-Existence Family Relations 101.”
I really came to love Dobrenica and all the people (well most of them!). I felt a little out of it on some parts. For example, I had to ask Grum about the Prisoner of Zenda but as I read, it sorted itself out.
The end of the book really leaves you wanting more! I think this would be a good read for paranormal fans to crossover into fantasy.
First line: “Too much imagination was tantamount to lying, that’s what my grandmother taught me.”
Favorite line: “But if it worked, surely it would be a regular part of life, like bookstores selling Computer-Ghost Interface for Dummies, or a college class on the Etiquette of Post-Existence Family Relations 101.”
ria_mhrj's review
4.0
Sometimes I wonder if Sherwood Smith has just peered into my brain and plucked out all the great stories I would love to be told - this is third of her books I have read and she continues to delight me as a reader who loves fantasy, romance, humour and a feisty heroine who needs to learn a lesson along the way.
The history and the background in place for Dobrenica is masterfully handled and though I found a few of the traditions and customs a little confusing (primarily relating to the fantastical elements, which are mostly hinted at without having a huge bearing on the plot), the depth of world building was still impressive.
Kim definitely continues the fine tradition set by Meliara in Crown Duel as the feisty heroine who's smart but can sometimes miss what's standing right before her. And Alec certainly has a dash of Vdranic, which is always welcome :)
So why not five stars? I suppose the ending, whilst suitably gripping and gut-wrenching, did feel a little too suddenly resolved. I wonder if the book was planned as a duology from the outset, or if the decision came later.
That aside, I thoroughly enjoyed Coronets and Steel and am already planning on visiting the one bookshop in London that I know will stock the sequel Blood Spirits. Great stuff!
The history and the background in place for Dobrenica is masterfully handled and though I found a few of the traditions and customs a little confusing (primarily relating to the fantastical elements, which are mostly hinted at without having a huge bearing on the plot), the depth of world building was still impressive.
Kim definitely continues the fine tradition set by Meliara in Crown Duel as the feisty heroine who's smart but can sometimes miss what's standing right before her. And Alec certainly has a dash of Vdranic, which is always welcome :)
So why not five stars? I suppose the ending, whilst suitably gripping and gut-wrenching, did feel a little too suddenly resolved. I wonder if the book was planned as a duology from the outset, or if the decision came later.
That aside, I thoroughly enjoyed Coronets and Steel and am already planning on visiting the one bookshop in London that I know will stock the sequel Blood Spirits. Great stuff!
rainbow_grace's review
5.0
Magical. Incredible. I loved every word, every sentence. The concept of doubles and mistaken identity may have been a little cliched, but I don't care. The characters are so real I wept and laughed along with them.
Kim is an engaging narrator/POV character/protagonist. I love a strong female lead, and she is definitely that. A ballerina/fencer who loves old movies and Beatles music, she appeals to me in so many ways. She never allows anyone to rule her, even the handsome Prince she meets in her travels. :)
Alec is a fascinating mystery; Tony is a handsome dangerous contradiction; Ruli is more than she seems; and Sisi... well, I don't want to say too much.
Is it fantasy? Sort of. Not really. But it will appeal to fans of fantasy. Highly recommended.
Kim is an engaging narrator/POV character/protagonist. I love a strong female lead, and she is definitely that. A ballerina/fencer who loves old movies and Beatles music, she appeals to me in so many ways. She never allows anyone to rule her, even the handsome Prince she meets in her travels. :)
Alec is a fascinating mystery; Tony is a handsome dangerous contradiction; Ruli is more than she seems; and Sisi... well, I don't want to say too much.
Is it fantasy? Sort of. Not really. But it will appeal to fans of fantasy. Highly recommended.
hanakorc's review
4.0
If you can get over the whole semi-falling in love with your captor thing, it isn't bad.
rachelreadwhat's review
3.0
More like 3.5 stars.
Two main issues with this book: The character development was a bit off. Kim was just... not believable (I almost said she wasn't likable, but I don't think that was it.) She was incredibly confident, smart, fluent in 4 languages, an expert at fencing, young, beautiful, a secret princess, blessed with the second sight, etc., etc. - which is all well and fine (it IS fiction, after all) but she didn't have any flaws I could empathize with, and wasn't exactly humble about everything she had going for her. And she was really slow on the uptake for supposedly being such a smart person. If the reader has guessed multiple big reveals and taken them for granted a hundred pages ago, it might be time to clue in your main character. The second issue is the ending. As the first in a series, it's a cliffhanger, but I also wasn't very happy with Kim's decision-making after finally learning the truth about everything. I don't want to ruin it if you haven't read it, but it seemed to come out of left field for me.
So, that being said, Sherwood Smith is awesome at complex political intrigue - not on a Melanie Rawn scale, but definitely better and more realistic than most fantasy authors. I might read the sequel just for a continuation of that plot.
Two main issues with this book: The character development was a bit off. Kim was just... not believable (I almost said she wasn't likable, but I don't think that was it.) She was incredibly confident, smart, fluent in 4 languages, an expert at fencing, young, beautiful, a secret princess, blessed with the second sight, etc., etc. - which is all well and fine (it IS fiction, after all) but she didn't have any flaws I could empathize with, and wasn't exactly humble about everything she had going for her. And she was really slow on the uptake for supposedly being such a smart person. If the reader has guessed multiple big reveals and taken them for granted a hundred pages ago, it might be time to clue in your main character. The second issue is the ending. As the first in a series, it's a cliffhanger, but I also wasn't very happy with Kim's decision-making after finally learning the truth about everything. I don't want to ruin it if you haven't read it, but it seemed to come out of left field for me.
So, that being said, Sherwood Smith is awesome at complex political intrigue - not on a Melanie Rawn scale, but definitely better and more realistic than most fantasy authors. I might read the sequel just for a continuation of that plot.
alexiachantel's review
4.0
Fun, not dark or too serious and just enough romance to keep you wondering. Smith writes in detail and even though some areas slow down the need to uncover truths pulls you along. That, and I never say a book is too long. Now I only need to find the next books in the series and hope there will be a fourth!