Dominion Tour Schedule
Title: The Frost of Springtime
Author: C.J. Sansom
Publisher: Mulholland Books (Hachette)
Acquired Via: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours
Release Date: January 28, 2014
To rescue her was to rescue his own soul.
On a cold Parisian night, Vicomte Aleksender de Lefèvre forges an everlasting bond with a broken girl during her darkest hour, rescuing her from a life of abuse and misery. Tormented by his own demons, he finds his first bit of solace in sheltering little Sofia Rose.
But when Aleksender is drawn away by the Franco-Prussian war, the seasons pass. And in that long year, Sofia matures into a stunning young woman—a dancer with an understanding of devotion and redemption far surpassing her age.
Alongside his closest friend, Aleksender returns home to find that “home” is gone, replaced by revolution, bloodshed, betrayal—and a love always out of reach. Scarred inside and out, he’s thrust into a world of sensuality and violence—a world in which all his hours have now grown dark, and where only Sofia might bring an end to the winter in his heart.
Inspired by the 1871 Paris Commune, The Frost of Springtime is a poignant tale of revolution, redemption, and the healing power of love.
Book Trailer
My Review
Dominion by C.J. Sansom is one monster of book (over 600 pages), yet its promise of an alternate history following World War II drew me in regardless. (I used to love large books before I had a child and blog.) Stephen King also says to "check it out", so how could I not read it? Despite Dominion seeming to be a book that has "Kayla" written all over it, I didn't love it.
I adore research, and Dominion is definitely proof of extensive research done by C.J. Sansom. I loved being immersed in a world that I didn't know well while being led by someone (Sansom) who seemed very knowledgable about what could have been. Unfortunately, I soon lost a lot of interest in the alternate history of Dominion because I'm not overly familiar with WWII history and the following time period. (Yes, I was a history major, but anything after 1900 wasn't my favorite.) Part of the appeal for me of reading this genre is recognizing where history is different and reveling in the cleverness of the writing. I wasn't able to do that.
The writing of Dominion itself was fascinating. The story was complex, and the characters all had rather extensive stories. There are a few parts where things lag, but I think that's because I don't care much for secrets. There's a fairly large one that the plot depends on, but I saw it coming miles away.
While it was not the best alternate history novel that I've read, I did enjoy Dominion quite a bit. It's perfect for fans of alternate history twists and thrillers. While researching Sansom, I've seen a lot of critical acclaim for his other work, and I'll definitely be checking them out.
Buy Links
Alibris | Amazon (Hardcover) | Amazon (Kindle eBook)
Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Bookish.com
About the Author
C.J. Sansom is the bestselling author of the critically-acclaimed Matthew Sharlake series, as well as the runaway international bestseller Winter in Madrid. He lives in Sussex, England.
You can find more information on C.J. Sansom and his novels at www.cjsansom.com or on Facebook.
Giveaway
US/Canada Addresses ONLY
Ends on March 15th
a Rafflecopter giveaway
To satisfy FTC guidelines, I am disclosing that I received a copy of the book for reviewing purposes through Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. The book was likely provided to the tour by the publisher or author, which has in no way affected the outcome of my review. All opinions expressed are rambling, honest, and completely my own.
I think you pasted the wrong description here (not Dominion).
ReplyDelete