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Regency Tales #3
Uncertain Magic
Roderica Delamore has a "gift." Cursed with the unwanted ability to hear the thoughts of others, she is dedicated to raising her family's prize thoroughbreds and resigned to living without love. But one man's mind is inexplicably closed to her: a mysterious Irish rogue who may be the lover she has been dreaming of her entire life.
They call Faelan Savigar "the Devil Earl"—a handsome, impoverished lord damned by dark rumor and whispered innuendo. But the secrets Faelan hides within are what stir Roderica's desire—and her need to experience the intoxicating ecstasy of his kiss. But be he liar, swindler, or worse, Roderica knows she can have no other—and she will trust this enigmatic stranger with her life...and her heart.
They call Faelan Savigar "the Devil Earl"—a handsome, impoverished lord damned by dark rumor and whispered innuendo. But the secrets Faelan hides within are what stir Roderica's desire—and her need to experience the intoxicating ecstasy of his kiss. But be he liar, swindler, or worse, Roderica knows she can have no other—and she will trust this enigmatic stranger with her life...and her heart.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
152 people are currently reading
1325 people want to read
About the author
Laura Kinsale
27books1,453followersLaura Kinsale is a New York Times bestselling author and both winner and multiple nominee for the Best Book of the Year award given by the Romance Writers of America.
She become a romance writer after six years as a geologist--a career which consisted of getting out of bed in the middle of the night and driving hundreds of miles alone across west Texas to sit drilling rigs, wear a hard hat, and attempt to boss around oil-covered males considerably larger than herself. This, she decided, was pushing her luck. So she gave all that up to sit in a chair and stare into space for long periods of time, attempting to figure out What-Happens-Next. She and her husband David currently divide their time between Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Texas.
She become a romance writer after six years as a geologist--a career which consisted of getting out of bed in the middle of the night and driving hundreds of miles alone across west Texas to sit drilling rigs, wear a hard hat, and attempt to boss around oil-covered males considerably larger than herself. This, she decided, was pushing her luck. So she gave all that up to sit in a chair and stare into space for long periods of time, attempting to figure out What-Happens-Next. She and her husband David currently divide their time between Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Texas.
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May 18, 2022
2.5 stars
*This is a TBRChallenge review, there will be spoilers, I don't spoil everything but enough, because I treat these reviews as a bookclub discussion.
"You think I'm mad. I think you're mad. We're meant for each other, my love."
This month's TBRChallenge was Tales of Old, so I went with this bodice ripper that has probably been on my tbr for around 20yrs.
It's 1797 and Roderica (Roddy) is dressed as a stable boy watching a horse race. The reader learns that she has a “gift� that allows her to hear the thoughts and feelings of humans and animals. The horse winning the race is in severe pain and even though he wins, Roddy knows if he runs again, he will die. As any good romance heroine does, she pushes and shoves her way to get to the horse and jockey and tries to tear the reins out of his hands and starts stating that the horse can never run again. The jockey hits her and the owner of the horse shows up,
For the first time in her life, Roddy felt herself reaching out instead of turning away, probing for emotion or thought instead of rejecting it.
Iveragh. The Devil Earl of Ireland. Aka Faelan Savigar. He's a man known and reviled for his dastardly deeds, duels, and seducing innocent maidens. But, when Roddy tells him about the danger the horse is in, he agrees to never run the horse again, even though it will cost him a huge amount of money, money that he direly needs. Roddy is immediately drawn to his trust in her and most importantly, the fact that he is a blank slate to her, she can't read his thoughts or feelings. This is a huge relief to her, her family knows about her gift/curse because it effects the females from her dad's side. With her mother, father, and four older brothers, she tries to live in solitude in the Yorkshire countryside because of the toll it takes on her to try and keep her walls up so that she isn't constantly hit with others emotions and thoughts. Since she is an heiress, she decides to throw out that she and Faelan should get married. Even though she fears Faelan's reputation she wants a family and doesn't want to fall into the pit of despair one of her aunts did, who ended up killing herself because of her ability.
"Good God, man," he exclaimed. "Are you in love with her?"
Roddy bit her lip in the long pause that followed, afraid that Iveragh would miss another golden opportunity.
But this time the earl took his cue. In a strangely subdued voice, he said, "It's quite possible that I am."
They've only had a handful of conversations by this time but Kinsale, even in this obviously earlier work of hers, is great at showing those emotions under the rubble of damaged characters. The strangely subdued voice is a big clue that Faelan does have feelings. This story is all told from Roddy's point-of-view, it partly gets away with it because through Roddy's gift, we the reader can read other characters' thoughts and feelings, but Faelan is the exception. This is obviously done to keep him a mystery, is he really as evil as everyone says? But, like I said about Kinsale's skills, the reader can glean his true feelings in the subtleties.
She sat up and looked at him. "You're not a rake," she cried. "I believe you're a bloody farmer!"
By 12% we have the start of our marriage of convenience and by 20% they are married. I was excited because they were married so quickly, part of liking marriage of convenience trope is getting the part where they are forced together and have to learn one another. I think it was around 17% Faelan knows that Roddy has a gift, more in regards to her knowing emotions of animals, he's not afraid of it because he grew-up in Ireland and believes in the fae, which he considers Roddy a link to. This first half I liked how Faelan was considerate of Roddy, she's 19 to his 35, and his double speak goes above her head sometimes but it came off gentle teasing and I liked it. You can also tell he is hungry for love and when Roddy isn't afraid of him, he naturally leans toward her like a flower towards the sun (oof, reading purple prose is infecting my writing, lol).
His hand touched hers, covering the pale shape with another, larger one, entwining their fingers in a gesture that was no less intimate for being muffled by two layers of kidskin. He remained silent. He did not even look at her. Though he pressed his palm to hers steadily, she sat still, afraid to misinterpret. It was so strange, to have that touch and not be certain of the thought behind it.
More hand holding scenes in romance! These two are sweet together but, of course, we have a whole second half to fill and, unfortunately, it gets filled with misunderstanding after misunderstanding that a quick conversation and stating of intents could have solved. The big one is Roddy's childhood friend Geoffrey, who is also Faelan's childhood friend as he once saved Geoffrey's life. Faelan is sweet and caring towards Roddy but his character also flips and has seething jealously, he constantly thinks Roddy wants to or is sleeping with Geoffrey. When he then is cold towards her, Roddy instantly thinks Faelan doesn't love her and she's all alone in her feelings. This gets repeated/rehashed over and over.
Because if he was human and not marble; if his heart and his mind were flesh and blood� then he said hurtful things because he was hurting. And he hurt now because she had the power to wound him.
Roddy thinks this at 32% and I was excited because I thought she had Faelan's number but nope, this thought happens but then goes back to repeating lack of communication misunderstandings. The second half moves to Ireland because that is where Faelan's estate is and building that back up is what he wanted Roddy's money for and since this is 1797, the Irish Rebellion comes into play. Geoffrey has guns he wants Faelan to smuggle on his property for the United Irishmen and this leads to danger from British soldiers. Faelan doesn't want anything to do with either side and just wants to farm his estate land but outside players keep disrupting that. I enjoyed the history incorporating of this rebellion but with the whole fae and magic threads coming in and, honestly, kind of confusing matters, it made this second half feel more manic. The paranormal/fantasy really comes into play with fae stealing characters away for days at a time and playing with characters lives.
Fionn smiled, her sly smile, bright and somehow terrible to look upon. "Ah. You think to bargain. Your wife. Do you care for her so much?"
From around 65% on, the story gets really manic with trying to weave and tie-in the fae, rebellion, and Faelan's mother and uncle plots. I haven't talked about the rumor that Faelan killed his father and his relationship with his mother and how it seems her and his uncle scammed him out of Faelan's money for the estates because I'm not quite sure I understand it myself. It gets quickly dumped and wrapped up at the end with a reveal but again, I'd probably only get a C on a test about it. Just know, it also ties-in to why Roddy can't read Faelan's thoughts and emotions and all this doesn't get answered until 10mins left in the book.
MacLassar made short work of a loaf of hard bread. She lifted his foot and inspected the bandage, made of a ripped cravat and tied with careful skill. Faelan did this, she thought, and suddenly her eyes went blurry and her throat closed.
MacLassar was Roddy's pet pig and again, a sweet moment that happened after a miscommunication that had Faelan thinking Roddy cheated on him with Geoffrey and leading to Roddy thinking Faelan turned in Geoffrey and her brother to the British. So much repetitive misunderstandings, that made a mess of the second half! I did think modern romance could learn a thing or two from this couple's first long sex scene, slowed down and emotion that brought the heat rather than rushed slide part A into part B but the mixture of paranormal/fantasy elements, historical rebellion, and marriage of convenience needed to be edited down from misunderstanding after misunderstanding. The ending was a little surprising and abrupt from the paranormal/fantasy angle and I think my head is still trying to work out Faelan's family reveals from the last 10mins. Unless you're craving some old school-ness, I'd skip this one and read Prince of Midnight instead.
*This is a TBRChallenge review, there will be spoilers, I don't spoil everything but enough, because I treat these reviews as a bookclub discussion.
"You think I'm mad. I think you're mad. We're meant for each other, my love."
This month's TBRChallenge was Tales of Old, so I went with this bodice ripper that has probably been on my tbr for around 20yrs.
It's 1797 and Roderica (Roddy) is dressed as a stable boy watching a horse race. The reader learns that she has a “gift� that allows her to hear the thoughts and feelings of humans and animals. The horse winning the race is in severe pain and even though he wins, Roddy knows if he runs again, he will die. As any good romance heroine does, she pushes and shoves her way to get to the horse and jockey and tries to tear the reins out of his hands and starts stating that the horse can never run again. The jockey hits her and the owner of the horse shows up,
For the first time in her life, Roddy felt herself reaching out instead of turning away, probing for emotion or thought instead of rejecting it.
Iveragh. The Devil Earl of Ireland. Aka Faelan Savigar. He's a man known and reviled for his dastardly deeds, duels, and seducing innocent maidens. But, when Roddy tells him about the danger the horse is in, he agrees to never run the horse again, even though it will cost him a huge amount of money, money that he direly needs. Roddy is immediately drawn to his trust in her and most importantly, the fact that he is a blank slate to her, she can't read his thoughts or feelings. This is a huge relief to her, her family knows about her gift/curse because it effects the females from her dad's side. With her mother, father, and four older brothers, she tries to live in solitude in the Yorkshire countryside because of the toll it takes on her to try and keep her walls up so that she isn't constantly hit with others emotions and thoughts. Since she is an heiress, she decides to throw out that she and Faelan should get married. Even though she fears Faelan's reputation she wants a family and doesn't want to fall into the pit of despair one of her aunts did, who ended up killing herself because of her ability.
"Good God, man," he exclaimed. "Are you in love with her?"
Roddy bit her lip in the long pause that followed, afraid that Iveragh would miss another golden opportunity.
But this time the earl took his cue. In a strangely subdued voice, he said, "It's quite possible that I am."
They've only had a handful of conversations by this time but Kinsale, even in this obviously earlier work of hers, is great at showing those emotions under the rubble of damaged characters. The strangely subdued voice is a big clue that Faelan does have feelings. This story is all told from Roddy's point-of-view, it partly gets away with it because through Roddy's gift, we the reader can read other characters' thoughts and feelings, but Faelan is the exception. This is obviously done to keep him a mystery, is he really as evil as everyone says? But, like I said about Kinsale's skills, the reader can glean his true feelings in the subtleties.
She sat up and looked at him. "You're not a rake," she cried. "I believe you're a bloody farmer!"
By 12% we have the start of our marriage of convenience and by 20% they are married. I was excited because they were married so quickly, part of liking marriage of convenience trope is getting the part where they are forced together and have to learn one another. I think it was around 17% Faelan knows that Roddy has a gift, more in regards to her knowing emotions of animals, he's not afraid of it because he grew-up in Ireland and believes in the fae, which he considers Roddy a link to. This first half I liked how Faelan was considerate of Roddy, she's 19 to his 35, and his double speak goes above her head sometimes but it came off gentle teasing and I liked it. You can also tell he is hungry for love and when Roddy isn't afraid of him, he naturally leans toward her like a flower towards the sun (oof, reading purple prose is infecting my writing, lol).
His hand touched hers, covering the pale shape with another, larger one, entwining their fingers in a gesture that was no less intimate for being muffled by two layers of kidskin. He remained silent. He did not even look at her. Though he pressed his palm to hers steadily, she sat still, afraid to misinterpret. It was so strange, to have that touch and not be certain of the thought behind it.
More hand holding scenes in romance! These two are sweet together but, of course, we have a whole second half to fill and, unfortunately, it gets filled with misunderstanding after misunderstanding that a quick conversation and stating of intents could have solved. The big one is Roddy's childhood friend Geoffrey, who is also Faelan's childhood friend as he once saved Geoffrey's life. Faelan is sweet and caring towards Roddy but his character also flips and has seething jealously, he constantly thinks Roddy wants to or is sleeping with Geoffrey. When he then is cold towards her, Roddy instantly thinks Faelan doesn't love her and she's all alone in her feelings. This gets repeated/rehashed over and over.
Because if he was human and not marble; if his heart and his mind were flesh and blood� then he said hurtful things because he was hurting. And he hurt now because she had the power to wound him.
Roddy thinks this at 32% and I was excited because I thought she had Faelan's number but nope, this thought happens but then goes back to repeating lack of communication misunderstandings. The second half moves to Ireland because that is where Faelan's estate is and building that back up is what he wanted Roddy's money for and since this is 1797, the Irish Rebellion comes into play. Geoffrey has guns he wants Faelan to smuggle on his property for the United Irishmen and this leads to danger from British soldiers. Faelan doesn't want anything to do with either side and just wants to farm his estate land but outside players keep disrupting that. I enjoyed the history incorporating of this rebellion but with the whole fae and magic threads coming in and, honestly, kind of confusing matters, it made this second half feel more manic. The paranormal/fantasy really comes into play with fae stealing characters away for days at a time and playing with characters lives.
Fionn smiled, her sly smile, bright and somehow terrible to look upon. "Ah. You think to bargain. Your wife. Do you care for her so much?"
From around 65% on, the story gets really manic with trying to weave and tie-in the fae, rebellion, and Faelan's mother and uncle plots. I haven't talked about the rumor that Faelan killed his father and his relationship with his mother and how it seems her and his uncle scammed him out of Faelan's money for the estates because I'm not quite sure I understand it myself. It gets quickly dumped and wrapped up at the end with a reveal but again, I'd probably only get a C on a test about it. Just know, it also ties-in to why Roddy can't read Faelan's thoughts and emotions and all this doesn't get answered until 10mins left in the book.
MacLassar made short work of a loaf of hard bread. She lifted his foot and inspected the bandage, made of a ripped cravat and tied with careful skill. Faelan did this, she thought, and suddenly her eyes went blurry and her throat closed.
MacLassar was Roddy's pet pig and again, a sweet moment that happened after a miscommunication that had Faelan thinking Roddy cheated on him with Geoffrey and leading to Roddy thinking Faelan turned in Geoffrey and her brother to the British. So much repetitive misunderstandings, that made a mess of the second half! I did think modern romance could learn a thing or two from this couple's first long sex scene, slowed down and emotion that brought the heat rather than rushed slide part A into part B but the mixture of paranormal/fantasy elements, historical rebellion, and marriage of convenience needed to be edited down from misunderstanding after misunderstanding. The ending was a little surprising and abrupt from the paranormal/fantasy angle and I think my head is still trying to work out Faelan's family reveals from the last 10mins. Unless you're craving some old school-ness, I'd skip this one and read Prince of Midnight instead.
January 7, 2015
A+ for narration and B+ for content
Originally published in 1987, Uncertain Magic was Laura Kinsale’s début novel, something which is perhaps difficult to credit given the incredible beauty of the prose and the complexity of the storyline. It’s also easy to forget, in these days of plentiful Paranormal Romances, that the inclusion of supernatural elements into a romance was an unusual thing to do back then.
One of the (many) things I have come to admire very much about Ms Kinsale as a writer is her willingness to take risks in her books. Some work, some don’t � but one thing is for sure. Her books are never dull, and I would take a duff Kinsale (if there is such a thing) over many of the sub-standard historical romances being published at the moment. Her characters are sometimes difficult to get to grips with and/or like � Leigh in treats the hero like shit for most of the book; Maddy in allows her guilty conscience to come between her and the love of her life; Allegro Navona is an dark-hearted assassin who believes himself beyond redemption � and yet all are compelling; whether one likes them or not, it’s impossible to put the books down.
Uncertain Magic brings together a number of familiar tropes � a marriage of convenience, a tortured hero with a dark, mysterious past � sets them against the backdrop of the 1797 Irish rebellion and tops it all off with a touch of the supernatural in the form of the heroine’s unusual “gift� and the inclusion of the Sidhe, creatures of Gaelic myth.
Roderica � Roddy -Delamore was born with the ability to hear people’s thoughts and feelings, something she views as more a curse than a gift. As she has grown older, she has become used to the way that family and friends withdraw from her, afraid of her ability to know their innermost thoughts. She has resigned herself to becoming an old maid; surely no man will want to spend his life with a woman who can read his thoughts, and in any case, she has witnessed the marriages of those of her female relatives similarly “gifted� disintegrate because of it.
When Roddy meets a man whose mind is closed to her, she realises this is her once chance to marry and have the family she craves. Faelan Savegar, Earl of Iveragh has a diabolical reputation, yet Roddy doesn’t care. He’s young, handsome, and he needs money; she’s an heiress and in her desperation to make a life of her own, she all but proposes to him � and Faelan, both impressed and intrigued by this young woman who seems to care nothing for his terrible reputation, recognises the advantages of the arrangement she proposes. But “The Devil Earl� is not completely without honour; before the wedding, he warns Roddy off, telling her of the truly dreadful deeds for which he is believed responsible � the ruin of innocents, blackmail, and even murder. To his amazement, Roddy refuses to be deterred.
The pair are married, to the dismay of many of Roddy’s family and friends, and Faelan plans for them to return to Ireland as soon as possible. But before they do so, Roddy makes some uncomfortable discoveries about her husband. She encounters his mistress, and from the woman’s thoughts knows her to believe her relationship with Faelan will continue even though he is now married. Then Roddy discovers something even worse � that he has seduced and ruined a young woman with promises of marriage. Even his own mother doesn’t try to refute the rumours that dog him, and because Faelen will not confirm or deny anything, Roddy finds herself in the unusual position � for her � of not being able to find out the truth by reading his thoughts.
The couple’s troubles continue when they reach Ireland and become unwillingly swept up in the Irish Rebellion of 1797. Faelan wants only to restore his home and lands to profitability, and introduces many measures to improve the lot of his tenants. But his dearest and oldest friend, Geoffrey (who has known Roddy since she was younger, and with whom she had been youthfully infatuated) has become involved in smuggling arms to the rebels, and while Faelan has made his position clear � he wants nothing to do with it - Geoffrey nonetheless manages to drag him into the thick of things, which leads to an explosive and tragic series of events.
The plot is satisfyingly complex and the historical background is very well researched indeed. I’m not normally one for Paranormal stories, but the inclusion of the mythical elements works really well here, and was something I didn’t find distracting or too far-fetched.
What drew me in however, was the central relationship the two strongly written protagonists. Roddy has been used to being able to discover what people are really thinking because she can read minds � but it isn’t until she meets Faelan that she realises that even with her “gift� (and I have to say, the frequency with which that word, or the word “talent� is used to describe Roddy’s ability is a bit annoying), she doesn’t really know anyone at all. She’s never had to learn to read people’s faces or vocal inflections, so she often finds herself at a bit of a loss with him. And if you like a tortured hero, then Faelan is one of the most tortured I’ve come across. He's believed to have killed his father, and because he has gaps in his memory, he has no idea whether he is responsible for that, or any of the other dark deeds laid at his door. When Roddy confronts him, he never denies anything � because he can’t, and when the truth finally comes out about his memory lapses, and we discover the reason Roddy can’t read his mind� my heart broke for him.
This really is an extraordinary book, and one I’ll certainly return to. The relationship between Roddy and Faelan is really well developed. They marry early on in the book, and their marriage is a very passionate one � but it’s clear that Faelan often uses sex as a method of diverting Roddy’s attention from difficult subjects he doesn’t want to discuss. They have a lot to contend with, both as a result of their personal issues and of the unstable political situation � but Roddy’s faith in Faelan touches him deeply, and their love for each other enables them to weather the storms life throws at them.
It’s difficult to find something to say about Nicholas Boulton’s narration other than that it’s absolutely fantastic. When it comes to audiobook narrators, he is, quite simply, in a class of his own. On a basic level, his characterisations are well differentiated, the narrative is well-paced and very subtly nunanced and he is an absolute joy to listen to. In this audiobook in particular, he gets to show off his ability to perform a wide variety of regional Irish accents, ranging from Faelan, whose accent is barely noticeable, to the thicker accents of the estate workers. But Mr Boulton is far more than a technically accomplished vocal actor. He also manages to find the emotional heart of the characters, bringing them vividly to life in the listener’s mind in such a way that they stay with one, long after the book has finished.
Uncertain Magic is a wonderful addition to the list of audiobooks already available from this incredibly talented author/narrator team, and one I can’t recommend highly enough.
Originally published in 1987, Uncertain Magic was Laura Kinsale’s début novel, something which is perhaps difficult to credit given the incredible beauty of the prose and the complexity of the storyline. It’s also easy to forget, in these days of plentiful Paranormal Romances, that the inclusion of supernatural elements into a romance was an unusual thing to do back then.
One of the (many) things I have come to admire very much about Ms Kinsale as a writer is her willingness to take risks in her books. Some work, some don’t � but one thing is for sure. Her books are never dull, and I would take a duff Kinsale (if there is such a thing) over many of the sub-standard historical romances being published at the moment. Her characters are sometimes difficult to get to grips with and/or like � Leigh in treats the hero like shit for most of the book; Maddy in allows her guilty conscience to come between her and the love of her life; Allegro Navona is an dark-hearted assassin who believes himself beyond redemption � and yet all are compelling; whether one likes them or not, it’s impossible to put the books down.
Uncertain Magic brings together a number of familiar tropes � a marriage of convenience, a tortured hero with a dark, mysterious past � sets them against the backdrop of the 1797 Irish rebellion and tops it all off with a touch of the supernatural in the form of the heroine’s unusual “gift� and the inclusion of the Sidhe, creatures of Gaelic myth.
Roderica � Roddy -Delamore was born with the ability to hear people’s thoughts and feelings, something she views as more a curse than a gift. As she has grown older, she has become used to the way that family and friends withdraw from her, afraid of her ability to know their innermost thoughts. She has resigned herself to becoming an old maid; surely no man will want to spend his life with a woman who can read his thoughts, and in any case, she has witnessed the marriages of those of her female relatives similarly “gifted� disintegrate because of it.
When Roddy meets a man whose mind is closed to her, she realises this is her once chance to marry and have the family she craves. Faelan Savegar, Earl of Iveragh has a diabolical reputation, yet Roddy doesn’t care. He’s young, handsome, and he needs money; she’s an heiress and in her desperation to make a life of her own, she all but proposes to him � and Faelan, both impressed and intrigued by this young woman who seems to care nothing for his terrible reputation, recognises the advantages of the arrangement she proposes. But “The Devil Earl� is not completely without honour; before the wedding, he warns Roddy off, telling her of the truly dreadful deeds for which he is believed responsible � the ruin of innocents, blackmail, and even murder. To his amazement, Roddy refuses to be deterred.
The pair are married, to the dismay of many of Roddy’s family and friends, and Faelan plans for them to return to Ireland as soon as possible. But before they do so, Roddy makes some uncomfortable discoveries about her husband. She encounters his mistress, and from the woman’s thoughts knows her to believe her relationship with Faelan will continue even though he is now married. Then Roddy discovers something even worse � that he has seduced and ruined a young woman with promises of marriage. Even his own mother doesn’t try to refute the rumours that dog him, and because Faelen will not confirm or deny anything, Roddy finds herself in the unusual position � for her � of not being able to find out the truth by reading his thoughts.
The couple’s troubles continue when they reach Ireland and become unwillingly swept up in the Irish Rebellion of 1797. Faelan wants only to restore his home and lands to profitability, and introduces many measures to improve the lot of his tenants. But his dearest and oldest friend, Geoffrey (who has known Roddy since she was younger, and with whom she had been youthfully infatuated) has become involved in smuggling arms to the rebels, and while Faelan has made his position clear � he wants nothing to do with it - Geoffrey nonetheless manages to drag him into the thick of things, which leads to an explosive and tragic series of events.
The plot is satisfyingly complex and the historical background is very well researched indeed. I’m not normally one for Paranormal stories, but the inclusion of the mythical elements works really well here, and was something I didn’t find distracting or too far-fetched.
What drew me in however, was the central relationship the two strongly written protagonists. Roddy has been used to being able to discover what people are really thinking because she can read minds � but it isn’t until she meets Faelan that she realises that even with her “gift� (and I have to say, the frequency with which that word, or the word “talent� is used to describe Roddy’s ability is a bit annoying), she doesn’t really know anyone at all. She’s never had to learn to read people’s faces or vocal inflections, so she often finds herself at a bit of a loss with him. And if you like a tortured hero, then Faelan is one of the most tortured I’ve come across. He's believed to have killed his father, and because he has gaps in his memory, he has no idea whether he is responsible for that, or any of the other dark deeds laid at his door. When Roddy confronts him, he never denies anything � because he can’t, and when the truth finally comes out about his memory lapses, and we discover the reason Roddy can’t read his mind� my heart broke for him.
This really is an extraordinary book, and one I’ll certainly return to. The relationship between Roddy and Faelan is really well developed. They marry early on in the book, and their marriage is a very passionate one � but it’s clear that Faelan often uses sex as a method of diverting Roddy’s attention from difficult subjects he doesn’t want to discuss. They have a lot to contend with, both as a result of their personal issues and of the unstable political situation � but Roddy’s faith in Faelan touches him deeply, and their love for each other enables them to weather the storms life throws at them.
It’s difficult to find something to say about Nicholas Boulton’s narration other than that it’s absolutely fantastic. When it comes to audiobook narrators, he is, quite simply, in a class of his own. On a basic level, his characterisations are well differentiated, the narrative is well-paced and very subtly nunanced and he is an absolute joy to listen to. In this audiobook in particular, he gets to show off his ability to perform a wide variety of regional Irish accents, ranging from Faelan, whose accent is barely noticeable, to the thicker accents of the estate workers. But Mr Boulton is far more than a technically accomplished vocal actor. He also manages to find the emotional heart of the characters, bringing them vividly to life in the listener’s mind in such a way that they stay with one, long after the book has finished.
Uncertain Magic is a wonderful addition to the list of audiobooks already available from this incredibly talented author/narrator team, and one I can’t recommend highly enough.
June 9, 2018
I listened to Uncertain Magic via Audible Audio and loved it! Absolutely loved it. Nicholas Boulton is the voice behind all of Ms. Kinsale's stories and is brilliant as he brings those stories to life. His rich, deep voice and emotive reading has made him my favorite audiobook narrator, hands down. Combined with Laura Kinsale's unique, exciting plots and compelling characters... it really doesn't get much better than this!
Blurb:
Blurb:
Roderica Delamore is an heiress and should be a prize catch—except for an embarrassing and magical secret. She has the ability to hear the thoughts of those around her and has never been able to trust anyone as a result. So she dedicates herself to raising her family’s prize thoroughbreds and resigns herself to a life without romance—until she meets Faelan Savigar, the Earl of Iveragh, a mysterious, roguish Irishman whose thoughts are entirely closed to her unusual perceptions and she discovers that she has finally met the man she has been waiting her whole life to discover.Truly, if you just want to close your eyes and be swept away to another time and place, a place so amazing you'll never want to leave, you must try any one of the Kinsale/Boulton collaborations. They truly are brilliant works. My favorite is , a deeply poignant and moving story I've listened to again and again.
He is called “the Devil Earl,� and is as enigmatic to everyone else as he turns out to be to Roderica. He is also impoverished, damned in society by dark rumor and innuendo, and, for all she knows he could be a liar, a swindler or worse but his secrets stir her and Roderica is prepared to entrust her life—and her heart—to an enchanting stranger.
October 9, 2023
Ok I must fess up: I already tried this book years ago and I abandoned it in frustration very early! I know, I know, if this wasn't Kinsale, I wouldn't have been back, let's be honest. But these days while feeling down about the world falling apart, I had this idea that becoming Kinsale completionist � which means to finish three books I abandoned previously and maybe read the one I was never interested in, her first one � will cheer me up for some reason. And I had a few chuckles already.
This book, I think, is her second ever written. Oh boy, she is talented and extremely creative writer indeed, and this book had some mesmerizing scenes. Unfortunately, Kinsale didn't manage to keep this very complex machine of hers on track and it went off it quite spectacularly. Basically the last 30-40% had me scratching my head, rolling my eyes and wishing for a great editor who would bring some sanity into it. But you see, even not very good Kinsale is still better than 80% of historical romances out there (my opinion) and I am ever in awe of her lively imagination.
This book, I think, is her second ever written. Oh boy, she is talented and extremely creative writer indeed, and this book had some mesmerizing scenes. Unfortunately, Kinsale didn't manage to keep this very complex machine of hers on track and it went off it quite spectacularly. Basically the last 30-40% had me scratching my head, rolling my eyes and wishing for a great editor who would bring some sanity into it. But you see, even not very good Kinsale is still better than 80% of historical romances out there (my opinion) and I am ever in awe of her lively imagination.
June 1, 2010
I am having a really hard time verbalizing my response to this book. My first instinct is just to say that the word "What???" can sum it up easily, but that really won't help anyone who hasn't read it and can't empathize with my bewildered rage (yes, there is such a thing).
I bought this book because it was a . I've read her , , , etc. I liked all those! Some I even loved. I was expecting something along those lines, not this. Now all of her books don't have to be the same, of course, but what was going on with this? It was a mess. I put it down midway through and the only thing that made me pick it back up was the fact that I bought it and felt I should finish it.
We spent the whole book in Roderica's head (or Roddy as she is called) and never once got a glimpse into Faelan's head. Maybe that was to keep the mystery from being spoiled, but I don't know how that could be because the resolution came out of nowhere in the last chapter or so and was quite unbelievable.
Roddy can read minds/intentions/emotions/whatever. But when she meets a man whose mind she can't read she's all about hooking up with him for life. I can see why she would want to. It would be really awkward to know every thought that runs through a man's head in regards to you. Unfortunately, because of her gift/curse she's never had to learn how to read a person's face or voice. She's constantly unsure of Faelan.
One thing that bothered me through the whole book was Faelan's incessant use of the term "little girl" as an endearment. It was really creepy for me. No matter what mood (angry/sad/mad) he used it. A few examples:
There were many more examples, but those were the first I flipped to. I don't think it would have been so bad if it was just once or twice (even though I still think it's a creepy term of affection) but it was all the time.
I found Faelan to be very reticent and not into sharing about his thoughts. I know he had issues, but come on! So many things in this book could have been avoided if Faelan and Roddy would have just talked together. I hate when a story hinges on big misunderstandings between characters. If a book could fall apart if characters talked it really doesn't have that great of a plot.
The first 3/4ths of the book are slow and nothing really happens. It has a dark, gothic feel to it because of the mystery of her husband. At times I found it soap opera-ish and over the top, but everyone might not feel that way.
After a really slow beginning everything happens at once at the end. I'd say in the last 50 pages or so. It makes for a really jarring transition. ***SPOILERS*** All of a sudden faeries and magic appear. The reasons given for Faelan's blackouts make no sense to me. So, his mom really stalked him all his life and snuck into his home and drugged him and then moved him to a new location so he'd wake up and think he had a blackout? She did all this through his whole life without anyone ever having seen her? Even when he was at school? Right... There were a lot of other things that bothered me but I'll just stop there.
I bought this book because it was a . I've read her , , , etc. I liked all those! Some I even loved. I was expecting something along those lines, not this. Now all of her books don't have to be the same, of course, but what was going on with this? It was a mess. I put it down midway through and the only thing that made me pick it back up was the fact that I bought it and felt I should finish it.
We spent the whole book in Roderica's head (or Roddy as she is called) and never once got a glimpse into Faelan's head. Maybe that was to keep the mystery from being spoiled, but I don't know how that could be because the resolution came out of nowhere in the last chapter or so and was quite unbelievable.
Roddy can read minds/intentions/emotions/whatever. But when she meets a man whose mind she can't read she's all about hooking up with him for life. I can see why she would want to. It would be really awkward to know every thought that runs through a man's head in regards to you. Unfortunately, because of her gift/curse she's never had to learn how to read a person's face or voice. She's constantly unsure of Faelan.
One thing that bothered me through the whole book was Faelan's incessant use of the term "little girl" as an endearment. It was really creepy for me. No matter what mood (angry/sad/mad) he used it. A few examples:
pg. 310: She turned on him. "Injured party!" Her mouth curved in vicious humor. "Oh, God, I wish you were injured. I wish you were dead! I'd kill you this moment if I knew a way."
He had been sitting and looking a little aside, out the window at the budding branch that whipped and scraped the glass behind her in the rising wind. At that he lifted his eyes. "Little girl," he said, "I think you know the way all too well."
pg. 335: She was shouting by then. A rough hand caught her shoulder and came across her mouth, stopping the sound. Faelan pulled her back against his chest. "Little girl," he said in her ear. "Must you broadcast our quarrels to the whole country?"
There were many more examples, but those were the first I flipped to. I don't think it would have been so bad if it was just once or twice (even though I still think it's a creepy term of affection) but it was all the time.
I found Faelan to be very reticent and not into sharing about his thoughts. I know he had issues, but come on! So many things in this book could have been avoided if Faelan and Roddy would have just talked together. I hate when a story hinges on big misunderstandings between characters. If a book could fall apart if characters talked it really doesn't have that great of a plot.
The first 3/4ths of the book are slow and nothing really happens. It has a dark, gothic feel to it because of the mystery of her husband. At times I found it soap opera-ish and over the top, but everyone might not feel that way.
After a really slow beginning everything happens at once at the end. I'd say in the last 50 pages or so. It makes for a really jarring transition. ***SPOILERS*** All of a sudden faeries and magic appear. The reasons given for Faelan's blackouts make no sense to me. So, his mom really stalked him all his life and snuck into his home and drugged him and then moved him to a new location so he'd wake up and think he had a blackout? She did all this through his whole life without anyone ever having seen her? Even when he was at school? Right... There were a lot of other things that bothered me but I'll just stop there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2013
The Good Again, Kinsale writes a hero with enough complexity and enough mystery that one keeps reading to find out more about him and keeps one rooting for him. I liked Faelen--even if that is quite possibly the stupidest name ever. I was enough intrigued to find out how dark he was, how much, if anything, Roddy the heroine would have to forgive.
Kinsale also uses animals to stunning effect. Just like The Prince of Midnight, when ST Maitland spends his time healing horses and taming wolves, the animals in this novel reveal the kinder sides of characters. And I won't lie, the entire time the Redcoats were burning and plundering the estate, the only thing I cared about is whether or not the piglet MacLasser was safe. I couldn't have cared less about Roddy, Geoffrey, Earnest or even Faelen at that point. I just wanted to know that the piglet was safe. There were bayonets involved.
The Awful Roddy's talent. First of all, I'd have appreciated a showing not telling example of the "talent." Secondly, I would have liked her not to always call it her "talent." Given that Roddy had these psychic abilities, it would have been great had the supernatural elements been expanded. Ireland is rife with legends of the sidhe and it would have helped with the other glaring problem...
The ending. What a big, convoluted, magical, sidhe soup that made no sense whatsoever and which was pasted together in the last ten pages. The last lines are really about seeing the green landscape? Really? Boo. That's what I says. If this was going to be supernatural, it should have gone further in connecting the characters to the sidhe. Otherwise, make the mortal characters even more calculating and evil. That's all I'm saying.
Kinsale also uses animals to stunning effect. Just like The Prince of Midnight, when ST Maitland spends his time healing horses and taming wolves, the animals in this novel reveal the kinder sides of characters. And I won't lie, the entire time the Redcoats were burning and plundering the estate, the only thing I cared about is whether or not the piglet MacLasser was safe. I couldn't have cared less about Roddy, Geoffrey, Earnest or even Faelen at that point. I just wanted to know that the piglet was safe. There were bayonets involved.
The Awful Roddy's talent. First of all, I'd have appreciated a showing not telling example of the "talent." Secondly, I would have liked her not to always call it her "talent." Given that Roddy had these psychic abilities, it would have been great had the supernatural elements been expanded. Ireland is rife with legends of the sidhe and it would have helped with the other glaring problem...
The ending. What a big, convoluted, magical, sidhe soup that made no sense whatsoever and which was pasted together in the last ten pages. The last lines are really about seeing the green landscape? Really? Boo. That's what I says. If this was going to be supernatural, it should have gone further in connecting the characters to the sidhe. Otherwise, make the mortal characters even more calculating and evil. That's all I'm saying.
July 21, 2018
Kinsale could transcribe the dictionary and I’d give it five stars. Even when I don’t find the characters particularly appealing, I find myself swept away by her mad writing skill.
January 21, 2022
La primera vez que leí esta novela me gustó lo suficiente para ponerle 6/10. Al releerla me pareció aburridilla y la leí de través. Es paranormal al estilo Kinsale, dentro de lo que es una ambientación histórica. Roderica Delamore tiene la capacidad para leer mentes ajenas� excepto la de Faelan Savigar. Le basta esto para decidir que él es su hombre. Y salen caballos. Bastante. Releyendo a Kinsale, me doy cuenta de que esta autora tiene cierta inclinación por lo equino.
October 24, 2021
Ms.Kinsale writes what I term as quirky romance. Her books contain implausible situation but she somehow makes it work and most importantly, she makes me believe. This is a testament to her prowess as a writer.
More in depth review to come.
More in depth review to come.
May 16, 2010
A classic tale from Laura Kinsale. I remember reading this years ago when it was first released. I'm so happy that Sourcebooks will be releasing Ms. Kinsale's backlist so that new readers can enjoy her unique characters and settings.
I immediately liked Roderica or Roddy as she's called. She's extremely wealthy but is kept fairly secluded by her family. It's because of her gift or curse, depending on who you are and how you view it. Roddy can read minds by hearing people's thoughts. So being in a crowded environment can become overwhelming for her. She does feel a special affinity for animals which is what brings her into contact with The Devil Earl.
When Roddy meets Faelen Savigar she is stunned, not by the fact that he is exceedingly handsome in a devilish way, but because she can not hear his thoughts. Nothing. It's an amazing treat for Roddy to be near someone and not be bombarded by their thoughts. She does have ways of toning down the volume but in crowds it can be too much. Or with people she is close to, hearing their most intimate thoughts can be embarrassing. With Faelen, she has none of that. Of course, there are times when Roddy wishes she could hear his thoughts. LOL She is fascinated by him and thinks he is her chance to have a normal life. A life with a husband and children. It's something that she thought was out of her reach because of her curse. Now, there's a chance she can have that.
It seems The Devil Earl is low on funds and needs money to repair his estate in Ireland. When Roddy encourages his attention, letting him know that she wants marriage, he thinks this is the answer to his problems. He proceeds to court her, quickly, since he is also short on time. They marry with some speculation from the gossip mill.
The Devil Earl isn't an innocent and his more recent mistress makes an appearance, putting Roddy on the defense. The woman makes it clear to Roddy what her relationship with Roddy's husband is and there is also Roddy's ability to hear the woman's thoughts. I felt sorry for Roddy when she finds herself doubting her place in Faelan's life. She worried that he would go back to his mistress even after he showed Roddy how much he wanted her. Thankfully, Faelan doesn't prove to be an ass and he really is coming to care very much for Roddy. They spend some time in London but Faelan must get back to Ireland and see to his estate.
Before they head to Ireland, Faelan's mother, Lady Iveragh descends on the newlyweds. She is a real piece of work. You know she's up to trouble and seeing her interactions with Faelan helped me get to know his past better and perhaps why he is so standoffish. Lady Iveragh is adminant that Faelan and Roddy not go to Ireland. She hates it there and is certain that it's no place for Roddy. Another unexpected guest pays a visit. He is Geoffrey, Lord Cashel. He is friends with Faelan but also neighbor to Roddy. She has known him forever and also has a secret crush on him. But he is married to a perfect lady, not one that can hear his every thought. Roddy knew if Geoffrey had ever found out what she could do it would ruin their relationship.
There is a bit of a love triangle going on with Roddy, Faelan and Geoffrey. It's because Faelan suspects his wife is secretly in love with his friend Geoffrey so it creates some tension when the two men are together. The things that Faelan is accused of and whispered about also creates great tension. Geoffrey may consider Faelan his friend but that doesn't mean he thinks Faelan is good enough for Roddy. Or that Roddy is safe with Faelan. Everyone, except Roddy, thinks Faelan is dangerous. The problem is that Faelan suffers memory loss so he can't be sure he didn't commit the things he's accused of.
The magic in the story comes from Ireland and it's history. There are a number of things happening when Roddy and Faelan arrive in Ireland. There is a revolution brewing and while Faelan is trying to stay out of the crossfire, it becomes very difficult to do that. He would rather spend his time getting his estate repaired and building a home for his new wife. During this time strange things start happening to Roddy. She begins to lose time. I found myself fascinated by what might be causing her loss of time. It was very dramatic and Faelan goes into a tailspin when he can't find her. He is falling in love with her and she with him. I found liked them as a couple even with the drama that they couldn't seem to escape.
There is a point where the plot became a bit heavy with the political drama. The danger that Roddy was exposed to because of Faelan's involvement and the subsequent terror they go through, for me went on a bit too long. It does have it's dark moments and I wouldn't consider it a light read. I did enjoy it for it's different setting (Ireland) and the mystical feel of Roddy's ability and the overall magical feel of Ireland. If you're looking for a well written story of love, magic and romance then Uncertain Magic could be the story for you.
I immediately liked Roderica or Roddy as she's called. She's extremely wealthy but is kept fairly secluded by her family. It's because of her gift or curse, depending on who you are and how you view it. Roddy can read minds by hearing people's thoughts. So being in a crowded environment can become overwhelming for her. She does feel a special affinity for animals which is what brings her into contact with The Devil Earl.
When Roddy meets Faelen Savigar she is stunned, not by the fact that he is exceedingly handsome in a devilish way, but because she can not hear his thoughts. Nothing. It's an amazing treat for Roddy to be near someone and not be bombarded by their thoughts. She does have ways of toning down the volume but in crowds it can be too much. Or with people she is close to, hearing their most intimate thoughts can be embarrassing. With Faelen, she has none of that. Of course, there are times when Roddy wishes she could hear his thoughts. LOL She is fascinated by him and thinks he is her chance to have a normal life. A life with a husband and children. It's something that she thought was out of her reach because of her curse. Now, there's a chance she can have that.
It seems The Devil Earl is low on funds and needs money to repair his estate in Ireland. When Roddy encourages his attention, letting him know that she wants marriage, he thinks this is the answer to his problems. He proceeds to court her, quickly, since he is also short on time. They marry with some speculation from the gossip mill.
The Devil Earl isn't an innocent and his more recent mistress makes an appearance, putting Roddy on the defense. The woman makes it clear to Roddy what her relationship with Roddy's husband is and there is also Roddy's ability to hear the woman's thoughts. I felt sorry for Roddy when she finds herself doubting her place in Faelan's life. She worried that he would go back to his mistress even after he showed Roddy how much he wanted her. Thankfully, Faelan doesn't prove to be an ass and he really is coming to care very much for Roddy. They spend some time in London but Faelan must get back to Ireland and see to his estate.
Before they head to Ireland, Faelan's mother, Lady Iveragh descends on the newlyweds. She is a real piece of work. You know she's up to trouble and seeing her interactions with Faelan helped me get to know his past better and perhaps why he is so standoffish. Lady Iveragh is adminant that Faelan and Roddy not go to Ireland. She hates it there and is certain that it's no place for Roddy. Another unexpected guest pays a visit. He is Geoffrey, Lord Cashel. He is friends with Faelan but also neighbor to Roddy. She has known him forever and also has a secret crush on him. But he is married to a perfect lady, not one that can hear his every thought. Roddy knew if Geoffrey had ever found out what she could do it would ruin their relationship.
There is a bit of a love triangle going on with Roddy, Faelan and Geoffrey. It's because Faelan suspects his wife is secretly in love with his friend Geoffrey so it creates some tension when the two men are together. The things that Faelan is accused of and whispered about also creates great tension. Geoffrey may consider Faelan his friend but that doesn't mean he thinks Faelan is good enough for Roddy. Or that Roddy is safe with Faelan. Everyone, except Roddy, thinks Faelan is dangerous. The problem is that Faelan suffers memory loss so he can't be sure he didn't commit the things he's accused of.
The magic in the story comes from Ireland and it's history. There are a number of things happening when Roddy and Faelan arrive in Ireland. There is a revolution brewing and while Faelan is trying to stay out of the crossfire, it becomes very difficult to do that. He would rather spend his time getting his estate repaired and building a home for his new wife. During this time strange things start happening to Roddy. She begins to lose time. I found myself fascinated by what might be causing her loss of time. It was very dramatic and Faelan goes into a tailspin when he can't find her. He is falling in love with her and she with him. I found liked them as a couple even with the drama that they couldn't seem to escape.
There is a point where the plot became a bit heavy with the political drama. The danger that Roddy was exposed to because of Faelan's involvement and the subsequent terror they go through, for me went on a bit too long. It does have it's dark moments and I wouldn't consider it a light read. I did enjoy it for it's different setting (Ireland) and the mystical feel of Roddy's ability and the overall magical feel of Ireland. If you're looking for a well written story of love, magic and romance then Uncertain Magic could be the story for you.
November 29, 2009
I never would've believed it....I've actually just read a Laura Kinsale novel that I didn't like AT ALL!
I wouldn't have known Kinsale wrote this novel if I didn't clearly see her named spelled out on the cover. It just has none of the elegance or MAGIC (despite its title) of her other novels.
When I discovered Kinsale at the beginning of this year, I thought I had stumbled upon the holy grail of romance authors. But I find this one novel wholly disappointing. Of course, I still think that Kinsale has written some of the best romance novels in existence...but this novel, I'd rather (and will) just forget.
This is the story of a lass, with the "talent" of mind-reading. She meets her dream man--a man who's mind she can't read. From there, she sets out to secure her happily ever after with this man. Unfortunately, he happens to be the Irish lord with the worst reputation--EVA! He is known as the "Devil Earl" for rumors that include murderering his own father, and ravishing innocent young maids.
This historical romance features every last element of this type of novel that makes me CRAZY. Angsty, stupid misunderstandings that arise from impossible circumstances and miscommunication. An alpha hero that treats the heroine like a stupid twit and calls her "little girl" as an endearment (gag me with a spoon!). A heroine that displays none of the canniness and savvy that she should, that stumbles around like a lamb to slaughter and lets things occur while she is taught the "way of the world" by her alpha hero. Double ugh.
The novel ends predictably and ploddingly.
I wouldn't have known Kinsale wrote this novel if I didn't clearly see her named spelled out on the cover. It just has none of the elegance or MAGIC (despite its title) of her other novels.
When I discovered Kinsale at the beginning of this year, I thought I had stumbled upon the holy grail of romance authors. But I find this one novel wholly disappointing. Of course, I still think that Kinsale has written some of the best romance novels in existence...but this novel, I'd rather (and will) just forget.
This is the story of a lass, with the "talent" of mind-reading. She meets her dream man--a man who's mind she can't read. From there, she sets out to secure her happily ever after with this man. Unfortunately, he happens to be the Irish lord with the worst reputation--EVA! He is known as the "Devil Earl" for rumors that include murderering his own father, and ravishing innocent young maids.
This historical romance features every last element of this type of novel that makes me CRAZY. Angsty, stupid misunderstandings that arise from impossible circumstances and miscommunication. An alpha hero that treats the heroine like a stupid twit and calls her "little girl" as an endearment (gag me with a spoon!). A heroine that displays none of the canniness and savvy that she should, that stumbles around like a lamb to slaughter and lets things occur while she is taught the "way of the world" by her alpha hero. Double ugh.
The novel ends predictably and ploddingly.
March 4, 2020
A Dark Irish Lord with a Jaded Past and a Brave Young Woman who Reads Minds…a Keeper!
Set in the last 18th century, this is the story of Roderica (“Roddy�) Delamore, an English heiress from a family that raises and races horses. At one such race, she meets Faelan Savigar, the impoverished Earl of Iveragh, who thinks to earn the money to take care of his estate in Ireland through prize money. Roddy interferes with that plan to save the horse’s life and a partnership is formed when she presents herself as a candidate for marriage to him. For his is the only mind she cannot read and he needs her money.
Brilliantly written with mystery and intrigue, it kept me turning pages. I love Faelan who, despite his ugly reputation, does the right thing for Roddy and his tenants in Ireland. He has a dream to rebuild his estate and his life and Roddy is key in that. And she is a wonderful heroine, full of spunk and courage. But the fairies want Roddy. After all, she is one of them with her gift. And Faelan knows it, too.
Images of war in Ireland are brilliantly told as rebels rise against the oppressive English rule. And Faelan and Roddy get caught up in it as their passion for each other grows and each harbors deep love for the other. The only negative in the telling is a rushed ending. Other than that, it’s a keeper that lover of Irish romances will not want to miss!!
Set in the last 18th century, this is the story of Roderica (“Roddy�) Delamore, an English heiress from a family that raises and races horses. At one such race, she meets Faelan Savigar, the impoverished Earl of Iveragh, who thinks to earn the money to take care of his estate in Ireland through prize money. Roddy interferes with that plan to save the horse’s life and a partnership is formed when she presents herself as a candidate for marriage to him. For his is the only mind she cannot read and he needs her money.
Brilliantly written with mystery and intrigue, it kept me turning pages. I love Faelan who, despite his ugly reputation, does the right thing for Roddy and his tenants in Ireland. He has a dream to rebuild his estate and his life and Roddy is key in that. And she is a wonderful heroine, full of spunk and courage. But the fairies want Roddy. After all, she is one of them with her gift. And Faelan knows it, too.
Images of war in Ireland are brilliantly told as rebels rise against the oppressive English rule. And Faelan and Roddy get caught up in it as their passion for each other grows and each harbors deep love for the other. The only negative in the telling is a rushed ending. Other than that, it’s a keeper that lover of Irish romances will not want to miss!!
January 4, 2014
Quizás no pase a ser mi preferia de esta autora, una de mis favoritas, pero me ha recordado a las que de ella publicaban antaño. Menos ligera que sus últimas publicaciones.
Mucha aventura, mucho misterio que te atrapa, algo de magia, una historia de amor bonita y unos personajes bien definidos y muy carismáticos. Una historia compleja.
Me encantan los protagonistas masculinos de esta mujer, con ese halo de misterio que los rodea y esa pasión tan contenida.
Mucha aventura, mucho misterio que te atrapa, algo de magia, una historia de amor bonita y unos personajes bien definidos y muy carismáticos. Una historia compleja.
Me encantan los protagonistas masculinos de esta mujer, con ese halo de misterio que los rodea y esa pasión tan contenida.
October 11, 2020
Different and well written.
December 19, 2020
Uncertain Magic
: one of the great horse girl romances? Yes, and there’s a lot of miserable Irish stuff. And fairies. God, this book is weird. But it’s also a year older than I am so I feel inclined to give it a break. There’s also something oddly endearing about reading an early Laura Kinsale book from the 80s, which is written exceedingly well, but isn’t written as brilliantly as her books will be later, when she’s at the top of her game in the 90s. All of her themes and quirkiness and lyrical prose are there on the page, it’s just raw and messier and by the third act, she gets bored with writing a romance and decides to do something else, which seems entirely unrelated to the novel she’s written up until that point.
In 1987’s Uncertain Magic , 19-year-old Roderica “Roddy� Delamore is attending a horse race in drag (she’s dressed as a stable boy) when she learns, through her gift of animal/human telepathy, that one of the racehorses has a heart condition and is about to die from exertion. That horse wins the race, but Roddy makes a huge public spectacle, fighting with the groom and insisting the horse be immediately retired from the competition. The horse’s notorious owner, 35-year-old Faelan Savigar, Lord Iveragh, appears to sort it out and Roddy is immediately in awe � he’s the only person she’s ever encountered whose mind she can’t read. He also quickly trusts her judgment and withdraws his horse from the next event.
Later that day, when Roddy learns that Faelan is facing financial ruin and had hoped that the horse’s success at the races would partially reverse his fortunes, she suggests they enter a marriage-of-convenience. The first bit of the book is entirely taken up with Roddy’s maneuvers to carry off this scheme, which horrifies her parents and rural community and even surprises Faelan himself. No one can understand why sweet, innocent, rich yet slightly strange Roddy would want to marry an infamous rake and rumored murderer who doesn’t have any money. But Roddy is intent on her plan and desperately wants to avoid becoming like her father’s female relatives, who were prevented from leading happy, fulfilling lives because of their telepathic ability. She sees Faelan’s unreadable consciousness as a refuge.
I loved this part of the book! Roddy boldly takes charge of her own destiny, but she’s also vulnerable and unsure of herself, in a way that mirrors what it feels like to try something both exciting and frighteningly unfamiliar. And while the story is told in the 3rd person, it never includes Faelan’s internality, which leaves us � the readers � as blind to him as Roddy herself is. However, when we get Faelan’s second-hand reactions through Roddy, they’re just as compelling: he’s drawn to her and flattered by her singular focus on him, but similarly unsure and then, distrustful of her motives for entering their arrangement.
Once they’re married, the couple stops in London, which is empty because it’s that time of year. They have a lot of sex, eat a ton of sweets and go shopping for music boxes. Roddy is also falling in love with Faelan, which complicates matters when his mistress, whose mind Roddy can read, accosts them while they’re shopping. I liked this bit too; the entire reason Roddy was attracted to Faelan in the first place � his mental impenetrability � has now become an emotional liability for her and source of conflict in their marriage. That strikes me as remarkably true-to-life, where what we imagine will bring us contentment and happiness often has unforeseen discomforts.
At this point, Faelan’s mother shows up, she’s an insufferable narcissist (Kinsale is fervently pro-Dad and anti-Mom), but they’re crashing at her gigantic mansion so they have to put up with her. Faelan starts disappearing mysteriously and in an effort to contact him about an illegal gun-smuggling operation he’s participated in, she investigates his infidelity. He returns and she confronts him about, I don’t know, being a bad person. He admits that maybe he’s a bad person, but he has fugue states in which he “loses time� and can’t remember if he was doing all the shitty things he’s accused of. They depart for Ireland, to deal with his cash-strapped estate and the French guns hidden in the burnt husk of his family home.
Okay, I’ll tell you right now, everything that happens from this point on, I’m not a fan of. It’s tedious, then it’s miserable, and there’s this whole subplot about fairies I wasn’t into.
Roddy and Fealan get to Ireland and rid themselves of the smuggled guns by distracting the authorities with a faux “fairy ball�. It’s very whimsical, but also…not? I mean, in the world of this book, fairies are 100% real and interact semi-regularly with the main couple, for extremely muddled reasons.
Roddy learns how Faelan’s Irish lands have been mismanaged and neglected for the last twenty-five years, but with her wealth, Faelan oversees a number of improvements: evicting the evil English Protestants who take advantage of their starving Irish tenants, rebuilding the severely damaged family home, and offering generous terms to the open-minded farmers who are willing to adjust to his vision for land management and butter production. These acts of renewal take up a surprising amount of the novel’s total page count and it’s pretty boring because none of it really connects to the romance that had come before it. Roddy and Faelan are working hard, towards a common goal, and their connection, for the most part, has stabilized. The romance part of their story seems…over?
I had the same problem with Kinsale’s earlier book, 1986’s . Remarkably early on, the main relationship becomes sort of fixed and the rest of the story is about something totally different that is only tangentially tied to the central romance. The last act of is an extended murder scene and a tour of death row conditions and the emotional realities of a last minute reprieve in Victorian Britain. The second half of Uncertain Magic is an exploration of systemic inequality in rural Ireland during the late eighteenth century and a folkloric fantasy about fairies. In these sections, which are unrelentingly bleak, the sexual tension deflates, the conflict dissolves, and the romantic relationship stops evolving in any significant way. Inevitably, the couple is emotionally and physically driven apart by Big Misunderstanding issues, which I don’t really have a complaint with per se, but when they’re re-introduced after a couple had already successfully come together, become frustrating and redundant quickly. It seems nonsensical when two people who had previously communicated well suddenly can’t communicate at all, over a misconception they’d worked out before.
Back to the plot of Uncertain Magic � out of nowhere, everything becomes The Worst. The local regiment of British troops, riled up by the evil evicted villains and embarrassed by the “fairy ball� debacle, ransack and destroy all the work Faelan has overseen for the past 100+ pages. After escaping a riot of soldiers intent on killing her pet pig and raping her, Roddy ends up sleeping naked next to her husband’s best friend and her childhood crush, Geoffrey. Faelan finds them the next morning. This tableau of infidelity leads to a series of Big Understandings, resolved eventually by a project to jail-break Geoffrey and Roddy’s older brother, who’ve both been arrested for seditious acts. When the couple eventually gets home, after navigating a country ripped apart by secessionist violence, the fairies appear and confront them about a lot of stuff this book allowed me to forget about. But fine, they fairy-splain (like mansplaining, but with all-knowing fairies) Faelan’s father’s brutal murder, his childhood fugue states, his adult fugue states, his feelings for Roddy, and finally, her telepathic gift.
Some final thoughts:
The age gap factor in this book is unsurprisingly icky. Faelan refers to Roddy as “little girl� and “child� as an endearment because, apparently, sexualizing children was an okay thing to do in the 80s. I think this is all really interesting because it kind of reveals how we reckon and imagine history in our more modern era. Judging from the historical events mentioned in the book, Uncertain Magic takes place during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. If Faelan is a late eighteenth century man, it’s unlikely that he’d see his 19-year-old bride as a “little girl� or a “child�. He’s much more likely to have understood her as a grown woman, since our conception of adolescence and childhood as distinct life phases in which individuals are not psychologically ready to become spouse or parents, is a more recent development. The question then becomes, if the “historical Faelan� wouldn’t have seen her as a “little girl�, who does? Well, the book, obviously. The text is reflecting back to us our own discomfort/taboo pleasure in Roddy’s teen sexuality.
As I go through Kinsale's oeuvre, it struck me how keenly interested she is in social outsiders. Her protagonists are always people who secretly don’t belong or who have been intentionally ostracized. Yes, her heroes are tortured, but they’re also adrift and alone in ways the heroines recognize and can relate to. Her heroines are wonderfully proactive in their drive to substantively reach the hero and transform that existential loneliness into soul-transforming connection. And yet, there’s a lot of danger inherent in this emotional journey � this love demands an almost-violent confrontation with the “truth� of the other person. Meanwhile, sex serves as a kind of wild heathenish enchantment; something the hero uses to beguile the heroine, or vice versa.
I’m going to go with 3 stars for this book because I loved the first act and hated the rest. I didn’t enjoy it all the way, but it’s not bad either, which is what I understand 3 stars represent. There’s something unbearably reductive and overdone about the magical Ireland/miserable Ireland dichotomy that puts this novel firmly in the category of “very much not my thing� yet Kinsale is, as always, a goddamn Queen at putting real, messy feeling on the page.
In 1987’s Uncertain Magic , 19-year-old Roderica “Roddy� Delamore is attending a horse race in drag (she’s dressed as a stable boy) when she learns, through her gift of animal/human telepathy, that one of the racehorses has a heart condition and is about to die from exertion. That horse wins the race, but Roddy makes a huge public spectacle, fighting with the groom and insisting the horse be immediately retired from the competition. The horse’s notorious owner, 35-year-old Faelan Savigar, Lord Iveragh, appears to sort it out and Roddy is immediately in awe � he’s the only person she’s ever encountered whose mind she can’t read. He also quickly trusts her judgment and withdraws his horse from the next event.
Later that day, when Roddy learns that Faelan is facing financial ruin and had hoped that the horse’s success at the races would partially reverse his fortunes, she suggests they enter a marriage-of-convenience. The first bit of the book is entirely taken up with Roddy’s maneuvers to carry off this scheme, which horrifies her parents and rural community and even surprises Faelan himself. No one can understand why sweet, innocent, rich yet slightly strange Roddy would want to marry an infamous rake and rumored murderer who doesn’t have any money. But Roddy is intent on her plan and desperately wants to avoid becoming like her father’s female relatives, who were prevented from leading happy, fulfilling lives because of their telepathic ability. She sees Faelan’s unreadable consciousness as a refuge.
I loved this part of the book! Roddy boldly takes charge of her own destiny, but she’s also vulnerable and unsure of herself, in a way that mirrors what it feels like to try something both exciting and frighteningly unfamiliar. And while the story is told in the 3rd person, it never includes Faelan’s internality, which leaves us � the readers � as blind to him as Roddy herself is. However, when we get Faelan’s second-hand reactions through Roddy, they’re just as compelling: he’s drawn to her and flattered by her singular focus on him, but similarly unsure and then, distrustful of her motives for entering their arrangement.
Once they’re married, the couple stops in London, which is empty because it’s that time of year. They have a lot of sex, eat a ton of sweets and go shopping for music boxes. Roddy is also falling in love with Faelan, which complicates matters when his mistress, whose mind Roddy can read, accosts them while they’re shopping. I liked this bit too; the entire reason Roddy was attracted to Faelan in the first place � his mental impenetrability � has now become an emotional liability for her and source of conflict in their marriage. That strikes me as remarkably true-to-life, where what we imagine will bring us contentment and happiness often has unforeseen discomforts.
At this point, Faelan’s mother shows up, she’s an insufferable narcissist (Kinsale is fervently pro-Dad and anti-Mom), but they’re crashing at her gigantic mansion so they have to put up with her. Faelan starts disappearing mysteriously and in an effort to contact him about an illegal gun-smuggling operation he’s participated in, she investigates his infidelity. He returns and she confronts him about, I don’t know, being a bad person. He admits that maybe he’s a bad person, but he has fugue states in which he “loses time� and can’t remember if he was doing all the shitty things he’s accused of. They depart for Ireland, to deal with his cash-strapped estate and the French guns hidden in the burnt husk of his family home.
Okay, I’ll tell you right now, everything that happens from this point on, I’m not a fan of. It’s tedious, then it’s miserable, and there’s this whole subplot about fairies I wasn’t into.
Roddy and Fealan get to Ireland and rid themselves of the smuggled guns by distracting the authorities with a faux “fairy ball�. It’s very whimsical, but also…not? I mean, in the world of this book, fairies are 100% real and interact semi-regularly with the main couple, for extremely muddled reasons.
Roddy learns how Faelan’s Irish lands have been mismanaged and neglected for the last twenty-five years, but with her wealth, Faelan oversees a number of improvements: evicting the evil English Protestants who take advantage of their starving Irish tenants, rebuilding the severely damaged family home, and offering generous terms to the open-minded farmers who are willing to adjust to his vision for land management and butter production. These acts of renewal take up a surprising amount of the novel’s total page count and it’s pretty boring because none of it really connects to the romance that had come before it. Roddy and Faelan are working hard, towards a common goal, and their connection, for the most part, has stabilized. The romance part of their story seems…over?
I had the same problem with Kinsale’s earlier book, 1986’s . Remarkably early on, the main relationship becomes sort of fixed and the rest of the story is about something totally different that is only tangentially tied to the central romance. The last act of is an extended murder scene and a tour of death row conditions and the emotional realities of a last minute reprieve in Victorian Britain. The second half of Uncertain Magic is an exploration of systemic inequality in rural Ireland during the late eighteenth century and a folkloric fantasy about fairies. In these sections, which are unrelentingly bleak, the sexual tension deflates, the conflict dissolves, and the romantic relationship stops evolving in any significant way. Inevitably, the couple is emotionally and physically driven apart by Big Misunderstanding issues, which I don’t really have a complaint with per se, but when they’re re-introduced after a couple had already successfully come together, become frustrating and redundant quickly. It seems nonsensical when two people who had previously communicated well suddenly can’t communicate at all, over a misconception they’d worked out before.
Back to the plot of Uncertain Magic � out of nowhere, everything becomes The Worst. The local regiment of British troops, riled up by the evil evicted villains and embarrassed by the “fairy ball� debacle, ransack and destroy all the work Faelan has overseen for the past 100+ pages. After escaping a riot of soldiers intent on killing her pet pig and raping her, Roddy ends up sleeping naked next to her husband’s best friend and her childhood crush, Geoffrey. Faelan finds them the next morning. This tableau of infidelity leads to a series of Big Understandings, resolved eventually by a project to jail-break Geoffrey and Roddy’s older brother, who’ve both been arrested for seditious acts. When the couple eventually gets home, after navigating a country ripped apart by secessionist violence, the fairies appear and confront them about a lot of stuff this book allowed me to forget about. But fine, they fairy-splain (like mansplaining, but with all-knowing fairies) Faelan’s father’s brutal murder, his childhood fugue states, his adult fugue states, his feelings for Roddy, and finally, her telepathic gift.
Some final thoughts:
The age gap factor in this book is unsurprisingly icky. Faelan refers to Roddy as “little girl� and “child� as an endearment because, apparently, sexualizing children was an okay thing to do in the 80s. I think this is all really interesting because it kind of reveals how we reckon and imagine history in our more modern era. Judging from the historical events mentioned in the book, Uncertain Magic takes place during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. If Faelan is a late eighteenth century man, it’s unlikely that he’d see his 19-year-old bride as a “little girl� or a “child�. He’s much more likely to have understood her as a grown woman, since our conception of adolescence and childhood as distinct life phases in which individuals are not psychologically ready to become spouse or parents, is a more recent development. The question then becomes, if the “historical Faelan� wouldn’t have seen her as a “little girl�, who does? Well, the book, obviously. The text is reflecting back to us our own discomfort/taboo pleasure in Roddy’s teen sexuality.
As I go through Kinsale's oeuvre, it struck me how keenly interested she is in social outsiders. Her protagonists are always people who secretly don’t belong or who have been intentionally ostracized. Yes, her heroes are tortured, but they’re also adrift and alone in ways the heroines recognize and can relate to. Her heroines are wonderfully proactive in their drive to substantively reach the hero and transform that existential loneliness into soul-transforming connection. And yet, there’s a lot of danger inherent in this emotional journey � this love demands an almost-violent confrontation with the “truth� of the other person. Meanwhile, sex serves as a kind of wild heathenish enchantment; something the hero uses to beguile the heroine, or vice versa.
I’m going to go with 3 stars for this book because I loved the first act and hated the rest. I didn’t enjoy it all the way, but it’s not bad either, which is what I understand 3 stars represent. There’s something unbearably reductive and overdone about the magical Ireland/miserable Ireland dichotomy that puts this novel firmly in the category of “very much not my thing� yet Kinsale is, as always, a goddamn Queen at putting real, messy feeling on the page.
Read
February 5, 2022I did not know this word before I read reviews of Laura Kinsale books, but she is so obviously a panster and once I got the word in my head, I couldn't shake it, especially with this book.
Something about my reading life right now is that I really want to be challenged by books. Why?? It is almost the exact opposite of why I started reading romance novels. I loved how I could read Tessa Dare after Tessa Dare get nearly the exact same beats. When I started reading romance novels last year, I did it partially because for YEARS, I could not follow the plots of novels. I could only read non-fiction that allowed for a more skim-and-digest model.
Maybe I've gotten over that and now I want convoluted, off the cuff of the author's mind plots.
This is also the first romance novel that I've read with any paranormal elements, I think? (Maybe the "ghost" in the Leo story from the Hathaways?)
The thing about Kinsale is that I basically trust her with all the stuff I don't like. Single-perspective? Hero who insists on calling the heroine diminutives based on their age gap? Unresolved plot about another woman? (was Faelen with Ellen or not? did he kill her? did I just miss that part at the end?) I basically don't care when Kinsale is writing the relationship.
All three of her books that I've read have done with the genre that I didn't know when conventions I wanted broken. Flowers from the Storm spits in the face of miscommunication plots based solely on repression. My Sweet Folly demands that you buy into the alacrity that the affection happens over letters with such distance. And now Uncertain Magic asks if we can forgive a Devil if we never know his mind!
As a reader, I find myself really relying on the hero's perspective to "explain away" his bad behavior toward the heroine. He might not have words to realize that he's been in love with her the whole time, but *I* know that and I know that his callousness is based in some sort of carriage accident/generational trauma/fear of early death by bee sting. Just like Roddy can't read Faelen's mind, the reader doesn't get to jump into his mind either. It's an odd experience as a historical romance reader, but it's a challenge I relished.
Something about my reading life right now is that I really want to be challenged by books. Why?? It is almost the exact opposite of why I started reading romance novels. I loved how I could read Tessa Dare after Tessa Dare get nearly the exact same beats. When I started reading romance novels last year, I did it partially because for YEARS, I could not follow the plots of novels. I could only read non-fiction that allowed for a more skim-and-digest model.
Maybe I've gotten over that and now I want convoluted, off the cuff of the author's mind plots.
This is also the first romance novel that I've read with any paranormal elements, I think? (Maybe the "ghost" in the Leo story from the Hathaways?)
The thing about Kinsale is that I basically trust her with all the stuff I don't like. Single-perspective? Hero who insists on calling the heroine diminutives based on their age gap? Unresolved plot about another woman? (was Faelen with Ellen or not? did he kill her? did I just miss that part at the end?) I basically don't care when Kinsale is writing the relationship.
All three of her books that I've read have done with the genre that I didn't know when conventions I wanted broken. Flowers from the Storm spits in the face of miscommunication plots based solely on repression. My Sweet Folly demands that you buy into the alacrity that the affection happens over letters with such distance. And now Uncertain Magic asks if we can forgive a Devil if we never know his mind!
As a reader, I find myself really relying on the hero's perspective to "explain away" his bad behavior toward the heroine. He might not have words to realize that he's been in love with her the whole time, but *I* know that and I know that his callousness is based in some sort of carriage accident/generational trauma/fear of early death by bee sting. Just like Roddy can't read Faelen's mind, the reader doesn't get to jump into his mind either. It's an odd experience as a historical romance reader, but it's a challenge I relished.
April 24, 2021
#RitaKinsale #RetoRita5
A contramano de muchas opiniones diré que esta novela me encantó. Gracias Pepa por tu review.
Me hizo sufrir, emocionar, y dejar con una sonrisa en la boca. De esos libros que no quieres dejar de leer, que deseas saber cómo sigue aunque tengas cosas que hacer. Y eso que no soy fanáticas de las paranormales.
Me hizo buscar y leer la historia de Irlanda y sus leyendas, los seres del “Otro mundo�, la gente de los túmulos, el universo alternativo donde el tiempo no corre de la misma forma. Pero no son invento de la autora, son historias milenarias.
Los protagonistas son Roddy (Roderica), joven inglesa que posee el don de saber lo que piensan los demás, y Fealan Savigar, el conde diabólico. ¿Es un lunático? ¿Es un asesino?
¿Qué los une?
Fealan es la única persona en el mundo a la que Roddy no puede leer la mente. Porque, si para muchos puede ser un don, para Roddy es una maldición dado que le hace ver la hipocresía de la gente al instante y es un tormento. Prefiere no saber.
Y Roddy también es una heredera, y Fealan necesita dinero para reconstruir su propiedad en el condado irlandés de Iveragh. Y Roddy se arriesgará porque cree que será la única posibilidad que tendrá de formar una familia.
Más allá de lo paranormal lo cierto es que los conflictos principales de la historia son reales: el pasado trágico de Faelan y el presente sangriento de la revolución irlandesa.
Un final paranormal, considerando los dones de Roddy (“…su don era eco de otro mundo…�), no me pareció desacertado.
Es cierto que pueden haber quedado cosas sin cerrar.
Y la diferencia de edad me pareció demasiada y pienso que ella, considerando la historia con su poder y sus frustraciones, podría haber sido más grande.
Pero es de esas novelas que merecen una relectura porque a lo largo de la historia va largando pistas de lo que será el desenlace.
Fue un placer leerla. Y eso que tampoco soy fanática de la autora.
A contramano de muchas opiniones diré que esta novela me encantó. Gracias Pepa por tu review.
Me hizo sufrir, emocionar, y dejar con una sonrisa en la boca. De esos libros que no quieres dejar de leer, que deseas saber cómo sigue aunque tengas cosas que hacer. Y eso que no soy fanáticas de las paranormales.
Me hizo buscar y leer la historia de Irlanda y sus leyendas, los seres del “Otro mundo�, la gente de los túmulos, el universo alternativo donde el tiempo no corre de la misma forma. Pero no son invento de la autora, son historias milenarias.
Los protagonistas son Roddy (Roderica), joven inglesa que posee el don de saber lo que piensan los demás, y Fealan Savigar, el conde diabólico. ¿Es un lunático? ¿Es un asesino?
¿Qué los une?
Fealan es la única persona en el mundo a la que Roddy no puede leer la mente. Porque, si para muchos puede ser un don, para Roddy es una maldición dado que le hace ver la hipocresía de la gente al instante y es un tormento. Prefiere no saber.
Y Roddy también es una heredera, y Fealan necesita dinero para reconstruir su propiedad en el condado irlandés de Iveragh. Y Roddy se arriesgará porque cree que será la única posibilidad que tendrá de formar una familia.
Más allá de lo paranormal lo cierto es que los conflictos principales de la historia son reales: el pasado trágico de Faelan y el presente sangriento de la revolución irlandesa.
Un final paranormal, considerando los dones de Roddy (“…su don era eco de otro mundo…�), no me pareció desacertado.
Es cierto que pueden haber quedado cosas sin cerrar.
Y la diferencia de edad me pareció demasiada y pienso que ella, considerando la historia con su poder y sus frustraciones, podría haber sido más grande.
Pero es de esas novelas que merecen una relectura porque a lo largo de la historia va largando pistas de lo que será el desenlace.
Fue un placer leerla. Y eso que tampoco soy fanática de la autora.
December 7, 2018
4.5 stars
What happened next? What happened next?!!! This book suffers from a serious case of epilogue deficiency. Other than that, it was great.
I've come to realize that the only thing I can predict about a book written by Laura Kinsale is that I'll love it, and no matter how long it is, I'll wish it was longer. In this case, I wished it was longer even before I started reading it. After Shadowheart and For My Lady's Heart that had close to 500 pages, 388 pages just made Uncertain Magic seem so short. It's almost as if I sensed I'd be left screaming at the book: What happened next?!
Anyways, up until I started lamenting the lack of an epilogue, I thoroughly enjoyed myself reading about Roderica and Faelan's budding romance. On her website, Ms. Kinsale said plotting had never been her strong point, and I might agree on a certain level here. However, I find myself not giving a damn about it. I loved this story of marriage of convenience that turned into a love match. If it had hundreds of pages of the characters doing mundane tasks, I doubt I'd have been any less engrossed in the story than I was.
I adored both main characters, with all their flaws and virtues, though I was more intrigued by Faelan. Roderica had a gift or a curse depending on the situation, to hear the thoughts of those around her, but not Fealan's. Till the very end, we only got to know him through Roderica, and the unsavory stories told about him that didn't seem to fit with the man he was with Roderica, and the man he considered his best friend.
I haven't read many... No, scratch that. I've hardly read any romance novels with marriage of convenience, so it was unusual to read about a couple marrying not long after the beginning of the book, and then falling in love and overcoming obstacles. And, boy, did they have obstacles to overcome. That is why I wanted an epilogue so badly: to make sure Roddy and Fealan were happy in their home.
It aged well, this story did. Another LK romance novel to go on my books-I-loved shelf.
Flowers from the Storm �
The Prince of Midnight �
Lessons in French �
The Shadow and the Star �
For My Lady's Heart �
Shadowheart �
Uncertain Magic �
I'm not sure whether to be happy that of the seven books by Laura Kinsale, I've loved every single one of them, or to be sad that now I only have five more to read. Both. I feel both.
May 13, 2024
Uncertain Magic by Laura Kinsale (1987) is one of her earliest books, and clearly shows her gift for writing powerful stories with beautiful prose. Another unique Kinsale that was an engrossing read.
Setting: England and Ireland, 1797.
☘️ The 19 year old heroine, Roderica Delamere has a gift� the unwanted ability to hear the thoughts of others� she’s intense and not thought to be even pretty. She lives a sheltered life on her family’s Yorkshire estate where they raise Thoroughbred horses.
☘️ While at a race she meets Faelan Savigar “the Devil Earl� � an impoverished Irish earl. He’s 35 years old with “hell-black hair and burning blue eyes.� Lord Iveragh is known for seducing girls, blackmail, and he makes himself out to be a monster. But his mind is closed to her� she has not idea what he’s thinking, thus his secrets stir her passions. He may be the one chance she has for love so she makes him an offer.
☘️ A story like no other with shades of paranormal� in Ireland “fairies fill the air”…other magical folk appear, as Roddy and Iveragh get caught up in the rebellion between the Irish people and the British. He wonders if he is insane as he has memory losses� she struggles to channel the thoughts of others to aid the cause. At times I had no clue what was happening� which was perfectly fine.
☘️ The sex scenes are searingly sensual� as is the entire story! Amazing that a HR like this with the paranormal threads and the delectable passionate scenes was written in the 1980s.
☘️ The last part which was focused on the Irish rebellion was a tad overly long for me �. I wanted to rush thru it to find out how Roddy and Faelan got their HEA. Kinsale’s books are never boring� this is a gem!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Setting: England and Ireland, 1797.
☘️ The 19 year old heroine, Roderica Delamere has a gift� the unwanted ability to hear the thoughts of others� she’s intense and not thought to be even pretty. She lives a sheltered life on her family’s Yorkshire estate where they raise Thoroughbred horses.
☘️ While at a race she meets Faelan Savigar “the Devil Earl� � an impoverished Irish earl. He’s 35 years old with “hell-black hair and burning blue eyes.� Lord Iveragh is known for seducing girls, blackmail, and he makes himself out to be a monster. But his mind is closed to her� she has not idea what he’s thinking, thus his secrets stir her passions. He may be the one chance she has for love so she makes him an offer.
☘️ A story like no other with shades of paranormal� in Ireland “fairies fill the air”…other magical folk appear, as Roddy and Iveragh get caught up in the rebellion between the Irish people and the British. He wonders if he is insane as he has memory losses� she struggles to channel the thoughts of others to aid the cause. At times I had no clue what was happening� which was perfectly fine.
☘️ The sex scenes are searingly sensual� as is the entire story! Amazing that a HR like this with the paranormal threads and the delectable passionate scenes was written in the 1980s.
☘️ The last part which was focused on the Irish rebellion was a tad overly long for me �. I wanted to rush thru it to find out how Roddy and Faelan got their HEA. Kinsale’s books are never boring� this is a gem!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 18, 2010
Overall, I really liked it.
The ending seemed a bit abrupt to me. Well, maybe not abrupt but more like an I-really-wish-there'd-been-an-epilogue type ending.
I was saddened that Faelan (and yeah, how appropriate is that name, eh?) never learned of Roddy's gift/curse/power/whatever. I would have loved to have seen him learn of it and accept it, rather than having it stripped from her at the end with no acknowledgement of it between them.
Other than that, though, it was a really good book. I actually didn't realize it was a reprint of an older novel (from the late 80's) until I was reading other reviews. It really did feel like a more recent writing. The historical facts of the Irish Rebellion were beautifully executed, and it was very refreshing to see the couple married so soon in the novel, rather than dancing back and forth, or being forced to marry due to scandal and blah blah blah.
I admit, I giggled when Faelan asked if she rode horses astride *sigh* I wonder if he ever accepted that she was a virgin when they married, since the reader is led to believe by that question that her.. erm.. maidenhead wasn't intact on her wedding night.
The love scenes were plentiful but not explicit, but not the "fade to black" scenes you often get with some of the older romances...
Overall, I have to rate this book FOUR STARS. I would have gladly given it five, had there been a tidy little epilogue, or at the very least, had Faelan discover Roddy's gift before it was taken away.
The ending seemed a bit abrupt to me. Well, maybe not abrupt but more like an I-really-wish-there'd-been-an-epilogue type ending.
I was saddened that Faelan (and yeah, how appropriate is that name, eh?) never learned of Roddy's gift/curse/power/whatever. I would have loved to have seen him learn of it and accept it, rather than having it stripped from her at the end with no acknowledgement of it between them.
Other than that, though, it was a really good book. I actually didn't realize it was a reprint of an older novel (from the late 80's) until I was reading other reviews. It really did feel like a more recent writing. The historical facts of the Irish Rebellion were beautifully executed, and it was very refreshing to see the couple married so soon in the novel, rather than dancing back and forth, or being forced to marry due to scandal and blah blah blah.
I admit, I giggled when Faelan asked if she rode horses astride *sigh* I wonder if he ever accepted that she was a virgin when they married, since the reader is led to believe by that question that her.. erm.. maidenhead wasn't intact on her wedding night.
The love scenes were plentiful but not explicit, but not the "fade to black" scenes you often get with some of the older romances...
Overall, I have to rate this book FOUR STARS. I would have gladly given it five, had there been a tidy little epilogue, or at the very least, had Faelan discover Roddy's gift before it was taken away.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2018
Whelp... I really enjoyed this book. Was it Kinsale's best? No, but any effort by Kinsale is better than even the best by many other authors. I thought there were some bits toward the end that dragged, but my interest in Roddy and Faelan kept me flipping pages.
I found it hard to believe Roddy wouldn't have known what an idiot Gordon or Charles, (or whatever her p-hound of a neighbor was named) was a doofus. I mean, if she could read minds, and most of what he had on his mind was debauching servant girls, I'm guessing she would have been disillusioned with him sooner. Still, I think that Roddy would have known a lot of stuff sooner if the mind-reading thing was consistently effective. But I think Kinsale did a good job of juggling such a difficult "device" as a character who can read peoples' (and animals') minds.
An enjoyable read that has convinced me to give more paranormal romances a chance.
I found it hard to believe Roddy wouldn't have known what an idiot Gordon or Charles, (or whatever her p-hound of a neighbor was named) was a doofus. I mean, if she could read minds, and most of what he had on his mind was debauching servant girls, I'm guessing she would have been disillusioned with him sooner. Still, I think that Roddy would have known a lot of stuff sooner if the mind-reading thing was consistently effective. But I think Kinsale did a good job of juggling such a difficult "device" as a character who can read peoples' (and animals') minds.
An enjoyable read that has convinced me to give more paranormal romances a chance.
February 3, 2015
Reading Kinsale is like taking a roller coaster ride through the mind of a crazy genius. Her characters and plot are rarely cliche. We are not presented with the build up of a gradual romance here. The love interests are united early on. Rather the story revolves around the newlywed heroine's struggles to understand her husband's "madness" and troubled history while dealing with the complications of her own unusual abilities to read the thoughts of others. This is all set upon the backdrop of rural seaside Ireland and the Irish Rebellion of 1798. To top it off, Kinsale throws in some faerie inspired events and characters that create an eerie and mystical tone. I did not quite enjoy this as much as Flowers From the Storm, perhaps because it felt a little disjointed at times. Yet I am still amazed at the creativity and complexity of her work and plan to read it all.
December 12, 2014
60% through my listen of Laura Kinsale's Uncertain Magic. Loving it - one of my faves in print and even better with Nick Boulton's telling.
Finished! Review to come at Speaking of Audiobooks. 4 1/2 to 5 star range overall.
Finished! Review to come at Speaking of Audiobooks. 4 1/2 to 5 star range overall.
June 29, 2020
I thought this was another run of the mill historical romance. I was wrong. It is so much more. I loved it, all the twists and turns, all the hidden secrets. It is unique and I thoroughly enjoyed it. 5/5 stars!
July 16, 2012
Irish Catholic-Anglican Protestant Unrest + Faeries + an annoying husband and wife equals-
Dafuq Did I Just Read?
Dafuq Did I Just Read?
deals
November 30, 201530 November 2015:
August 7, 2021
3.5 stars
Overall a good story. I enjoyed the inclusion of the Irish rebellion of 1797.
Overall a good story. I enjoyed the inclusion of the Irish rebellion of 1797.
May 16, 2010
If you've never read a Laura Kinsale novel, read one. Now. I'd heard how wonderful her historical romances were, but, somehow, I never got around to reading one.
What a mistake.
Uncertain Magic is a vivid, atmospheric tale of deceptive appearances, high stakes, and wrenching emotion. Set in late Georgian England and Ireland, the novel adds Irish magic and mystery to a can't-put-down, sweeping drama of two misfits who find their fit with each other.
Roderica can read minds. The constant intrusion of others' thoughts is so painful, she fears she will never wed--until she encounters Faelan, "The Devil Earl", the only man whose mind is opaque to her power. Faelan needs money to resurrect his impoverished estate. Roderica has a large dowry. Without telling him of her unusual ability, she encourages him to seek her hand in marriage. Faelan harbors his own secrets. Is he really the devil, as his nickname implies?
Against the terror and tumult of the doomed 1798 Irish rebellion, Roderica and Faelan, afraid to trust each other, risk their love, their sanity, and their very lives.
Uncertain Magic was first published in 1987 and time hasn't diminished the power and appeal of this early paranormal. I especially like that Ms. Kinsale has written two of my favorite characters, the strong heroine and the wronged, decent hero.
Uncertain Magic is a keeper. I look forward to my next Laura Kinsale novel.
ARC provided by Sourcebooks
What a mistake.
Uncertain Magic is a vivid, atmospheric tale of deceptive appearances, high stakes, and wrenching emotion. Set in late Georgian England and Ireland, the novel adds Irish magic and mystery to a can't-put-down, sweeping drama of two misfits who find their fit with each other.
Roderica can read minds. The constant intrusion of others' thoughts is so painful, she fears she will never wed--until she encounters Faelan, "The Devil Earl", the only man whose mind is opaque to her power. Faelan needs money to resurrect his impoverished estate. Roderica has a large dowry. Without telling him of her unusual ability, she encourages him to seek her hand in marriage. Faelan harbors his own secrets. Is he really the devil, as his nickname implies?
Against the terror and tumult of the doomed 1798 Irish rebellion, Roderica and Faelan, afraid to trust each other, risk their love, their sanity, and their very lives.
Uncertain Magic was first published in 1987 and time hasn't diminished the power and appeal of this early paranormal. I especially like that Ms. Kinsale has written two of my favorite characters, the strong heroine and the wronged, decent hero.
Uncertain Magic is a keeper. I look forward to my next Laura Kinsale novel.
ARC provided by Sourcebooks
October 10, 2009
There were great parts of this book: Roddy and Faelan's second encounter, the foal birthing, anytime Roddy showed some spine and spoke her mind, most times when the couple was actually together not fighting.
Actually, the beginning of the book had great promise. But it got lost in a lengthy but boring plot involving Ireland's rebellion/downtroddeness.
I enjoy fairy/supernatural elements, but they were not used well here at all. Roddy's gift is never explored in a unique or interesting way, and all kinds of random crap/rules are made up for convenience of plot. Also, she feels animal pain as her own, yet she hunts? The whole business was very sloppy. Not to mention the huge deus ex machina.
And what was with Senach? His character was so awfully foreboding/preachy.
Most annoying: Calling your lover "little girl" all the time isn't cute or romantic, it's REALLY DAMN CREEPY.
Ugh. It was just so exhausting reading about stupid conflict. The ending wasn't even worth it for me.
Actually, the beginning of the book had great promise. But it got lost in a lengthy but boring plot involving Ireland's rebellion/downtroddeness.
I enjoy fairy/supernatural elements, but they were not used well here at all. Roddy's gift is never explored in a unique or interesting way, and all kinds of random crap/rules are made up for convenience of plot. Also, she feels animal pain as her own, yet she hunts? The whole business was very sloppy. Not to mention the huge deus ex machina.
And what was with Senach? His character was so awfully foreboding/preachy.
Most annoying: Calling your lover "little girl" all the time isn't cute or romantic, it's REALLY DAMN CREEPY.
Ugh. It was just so exhausting reading about stupid conflict. The ending wasn't even worth it for me.
October 7, 2017
Estoy entre 3 y 3,5 porque realmente, objetivamente, la historia no es correcta, ha mezclado tantas cosas que al final el libro no va de nada.... PERO, a mí me ha gustado y me ha tenido enganchada cosa mala la primera mitad del libro. La segunda mitad, ya en Irlanda, es la que ha flaqueado, ya que para mí gusto no ha sabido decantarse por un tema y desarrollarlo correctamente. Quien mucho abarca poco aprieta, y aunque hay magia, hadas, y conflictos políticos y religiosos, todo parece mal hilado y sin aportar gran cosa a la trama de la pareja protagonista, que por otro lado es la que me ha mantenido enganchada. La verdad es que ni yo misma entiendo porque me ha gustado pero sería falso decir otra cosa. Kinsale me gustas mucho y pienso seguir leyéndote.
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