Ysabel

A Novel

By: Guy Gavriel Kay

Narrated by: Kate Reading

The internationally best-selling fantasy novels of Guy Gavriel Kay have won the author numerous awards and immense critical acclaim. Ysabel is a contemporary fantasy that centers on the Saint-Sauveur Cathedral of Aix-en-Provence, where a 15-year-old boy accompanies his father on a photo shoot. Befriending a whip-smart American girl and confronting a knife-wielding maniac, the boy finds that the ancient site shimmers with mysteries of fantastical design.

©2007 Guy Gavriel Kay (P)2008 Penguin Audio

Okay

It isn’t super hard to put down but it doesn’t take too much effort to keep reading either.

Beautiful story!

I so enjoyed this. The writing brings you in close, and the narration (as always by Kate Reading) was extremely well done.

GGK never fails to deliver an incredible story!

GGK leaves me speechless every time I listen to one of his books. When it's finished I am left wanting more. The endings are so poignant and most of the time I never want them to end. Kate Reading is definitely one of my favourite narrators so this was a win-win audiobook . Loved it, I'm hoping I can find something new by GGK, I think I must have listened to all his books by now.

Contemporary fantasy set in France

Guy Gavriel Kay’s Ysabel is a fantasy set-in modern-day France. A teenage boy accompanies his father for a photoshoot of a picturesque French countryside with a medieval cathedral and lots of ancient history. The boy stumbles onto a centuries old courtship ritual that he and his father’s assistant get caught up in. To save the woman, he must solve the mystery with the help of his mother’s estranged sister before the two recurring suitors.

Kay crafts an entertaining tale with a fantasy element that is old but embedded in modern France complete with iPhones and earbuds. The characters are intriguing and quirky.

The narration is well executed with smooth pacing.

Good but creepy?

The story and writing is great. The narration is great. It was spoiled in the end by having an adult and child flirting. It felt very out of place and made me say, “what?!” out loud several times while I scanned my memory for any indication that this could be coming. It’s also potentially a bit incestuous. I won’t touch that one.

Beautiful YA

One of the best YA books I have read, refreshing and beautiful in its prose and characters, Kay blew me away with this book.

It was solid

It took a little time to get into it, but it was well worth it. I’m so glad I did it, even though I was skeptical at first because it was set in our world.

Well written, but a few flaws

I liked the story, interesting and engaging. Unique premise and interesting magic system(if not fully fleshed out and explained). The only real complaints I have about it, aside from feeling awkward about 15 year olds going through puberty(albeit accurate), is the unnecessary part at the end. Like, it really, really did not need that. would have been 5 stars from me if it wasn't for that. It's YA so I can overlook the cringe of a teenager which reminds me of similar thoughts at that age which was hard to relive as an adult, but SPOILER WARNING



There's no reason to have a 25 year old trying to jump the bones of a 15 year old. It was jarring and so awkward. Could have done the kiss I guess? Blame on the lingering effects of Ysabel? Which is still weird as hell considering the relationship there. But after she comes back to herself and is still trying to get it on afterwards? And the only reason not is because she works for his dad? And because he can't keep a straight face? And still practically set a date to do it when HE TURNS 16? Like that's still pedophilia? Grooming at the very least. I'm not sure the rules in Canada, but it's definitely still wrong in my eyes. A real shame to end on that note for an otherwise good book.

Review

Kay doesn’t disappoint. Picked this up because I had read The Onion Girl. Thought it was a great “read”.

Good Urban Fantasy

First of all Kate Reading is the best in the business. The story was good too. It kept me guessing. The ending was a little predictable and there was not a lot of character development. Overall I enjoyed it.