Review: Polished
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 8, 2014
It’s an interesting thing that there’s often more to say about the bad than the good. Thus, this review will be short! This is the first Duval book I’ve read, although I read another of McGrath’s books. I had no problem following it or learning the characters. Like the previous book, I found that this one flowed smoothly, with no hitches and no flaws. It was easy to read, but far from juvenile. There were no obvious anachronisms. I read it quickly, as the pace never flagged. I appreciated that the author does not go into unnecessary detail; when there is no more interesting to be said about the situation at hand, she moves on. This is similar to the skill of a sculptor, I think: you create by removing what should not be there. In McGrath’s case, she has produced a work that is free of blemishes, smooth, polished, and well-formed.  Rather than rehash the story itself here, I’ll simply add my accolades and recommend this book to those who appreciate historical fiction, but also to anyone who enjoys literary fiction of any type. You don’t have to be acquainted with European history to enjoy this story of friendship, family, and loyalty.