Guy Gavriel Kay never disappoints me. I love his alternate history almost as much as his beautiful writing. He has a gift for creating characters that I care passionately about, plus he that unicorn among male authors who can write female characters with depth, emotions and motivations that I recognize. They are certainly not inferior beings, they are powerful in their own ways and realms. They matter and they make their presence felt.
Kay is a poet, so maybe it is natural that the central character, Thierry Villar, is a tavern poet with a quick wit and a sharp tongue. In fact, there are a plethora of poets, some more talented than others. It would be difficult to dislike Thierry, who sometimes speaks when he should be silent, but is generally a humble guy, who doesn't expect to be drawn into the politics of royalty. He is surprised to find that he rather likes several of the city watch, whom he has previously avoided (with good reason).
It becomes obvious why Kay writes alternate history rather than straight historical fiction. He steeps himself in historical research, then changes and bends events in his version of medieval Europe to suit his own purposes. This is a far different version of the Battle of Agincourt—you will barely recognize that event or King Henry V. However, there is a young woman with a sword and a mission that you will identify immediately.
So, why 4.5 instead of 5 stars? Although I was glued to the pages until I reached the conclusion, it didn't quite charm me like previous novels. That is most likely my own mindset right now. A reread in the future may change my mind. The ending, I felt, was a little too neat and tidy, a little too sweet for me. But this novel still ranks in the upper echelon of my regard.
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