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4.05.2010

The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker by Leanna Renee Hieber

The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker
The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker by Leanna Renee Hieber
Review copy provided by Leanna Renee Hieber

PJVs QUICKIE POV: Never has a title so conveyed the essence of a book, like The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker. Long and to the point, the title is exact in it's representation of the novel, because it is a strangely beautiful tale. The novel is a Victorian era paranormal, with all the tid-bits that keeps us para junkies begging for more. A must-read for paranormal and/or historical fans, Strangely Beautiful is a perfect blend of Victorian style writing, hauntingly, dark paranormal aspects and sugary romance. 

REVIEW:  Victorian London is haunted, protected only by The Guard, six friends that were thrown together in youth with a great mission. Their leader is Alexi, a man that has found no peace since he was in-trusted with his cause. The Guard search for a Prophecy, told to them by a goddess that has never reappeared since that first night they discovered their powers. The Prophecy is a woman, to bring their ranks to seven, and Alexi believes to fall in love with.

Enter Percy Parker, albino beauty and raised strictly in a Catholic convent.  She has been sent to the Athens School, where The Guard preside over, to further her education in a very progressive way.  Co-ed institutions are rare in the Victorian age, and educated women are not regarded well, so Percy has resigned herself to being alone, but with her passion of learning, satisfied in that regards. All Percy's thoughts of being alone go out the window, when she first spots her professor, Alexi Rychman.

As questions are asked and hell (not really hell, but something to the side) itself is being split open and released, Percy is being thrown into a world of spirits, gods, goddesses and past lives that will flip her world upside down.  All she wants is to be loved and not stared and whispered about, what she gets is a terrifying glimpse into what could be apocalyptic.

This book is a lot to digest in so very short of pages.  If it wouldn't have been such a pretty day, I would have read it in one sitting, but pretty days call for Zoo visits and snow-balls, so I had to interrupt my literary devouring and split it in two.  I stayed up into the wee hours to finish. It was that good. Surprisingly also, since I'm usually not a big fan of Victorian historicals...which I might have to revise, since the last one I read, Souless, also knocked my socks off.  Maybe this genre is my new thing. Maybe I shall by a corset. At least the women's timidity is called for in these antiquated settings.

I highly recommend this book, one of the better adult paranormals I have read in awhile. I will be moving on to The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker which releases this month on the 27th. Can't wait.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Adult topics, but nothing overtly sexual (passionate kisses) or violent that a mature teen couldn't handle. Fans of The Parasol Protectorate, will enjoy, though it does not possess the wittiness of Carriger's writing.





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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I read this and was surprised how much i enjoyed it. I definitely recommend this also.

Patti (@TheLoveJunkee) said...

This is another book in my TBR that I really need to read. I have the feeling it will be one of those books I'll wonder what took me so long?!

Lola said...

This is definitely going on the tbr list!!! Wonderful review Rach! :)

Unknown said...

Hi Rach!

I loved it, loved it! I haven't read Carriger's books yet, but I'll give them a peek!

Dottie :)

vvb32 reads said...

this is on my must-read list. love the dreamy foggy cover.

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