"Tale where true love really will win out"
A young woman meets a handsome knight on the evening of
becoming Queen of Canticle, with the task of the next day
naming her husband-to-be. Is Sir Barrett Llewellyn her
true love, the man she should name? Generally considered
plain, and uncertain in the art of love, Perion, known to
her intimates as "Nonni" finds herself drawn to this new
man, his cajoling touch and inflaming kiss. Before she can
learn more about him, a magical spell thrusts him away to
a far-away kingdom where a wicked sorcerer holds court. Bereft, Perion gets her godmother's magical help in
disguising herself and sets off alone on a quest to find
Sir Barrett and learn for herself if he is her true love.
It is a long journey and on it she learns that more than
one man has the ability to make her feel what Sir Barrett
stirred. She also discovers that she is capable of hard
work, and earning true friendship from others, rather than
putting up with the falseness of those back at court and
in the long run she learns to depend on her own judgment
to the benefit of those around her. AN EXALTATION OF LARKS is a fairy tale of magic, of a
quest where it is the heroine who seeks true love... and
finds it, although not quite as she'd planned. One common
theme in this book was the need to look deeper to find the
truth. Another is that of redemption and that even the
worst souls can become deserving of second chances and
that true love really will win out.
Reviewed by Janet Miller
Posted June 6, 2003
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