An Earthly Knight By: Janet McNaughton Book Review -Pauline Artienda An Earthly Knight is a novel about Lady Jeanette Avenel (Jenny), a sixteen-year-old girl who is faced with an event that will change her life. She is a willful girl who has so much freedom being the second daughter of a Norman nobleman. Suddenly, everything changes when her older sister, Isabel had brought disgrace to their family. Now, Jenny has to take the duties of her sister.

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Considering all those responsibilities, she is then asked to marry Earl William de Warenne, an heir to the King of Scotland. With all the changes happening in her life, she then meets a mysterious boy, Tam Lin, who old folks say was captured by the fairies. After meeting Tam, she learns what it is like toe be in love. However, what she discovers about Tam Lin puts everyone close to him, including her to danger. Jenny, the main character is a willful and free young lady. She is a fine yet an adventurous lady who enjoys her freedom as much as she want.

She is full of wisdom that at her age, she makes right decisions and seems to know what is for the better. In the story, she proves to her family, to the Prince and King of Scotland and to everyone else that marriage is for two people who love each other and are willing to do everything just to be together. She opened their eyes and showed that titles, social class and wealth are nothing compared to true love. Through Jenny’s journey Galiene is always at her side. She is an old nurse who had been with Jenny’s family even before she was born.

Galiene takes an important role in the novel, she teaches Jenny how to be a strong lady and to fight for what she believes in. Galiene also helps Jenny fight for her true happiness. In the novel, the author described the gardens of Carter Hall to be overgrown and overwhelming. “… the hardiest flowers still bloomed in their seasons. Bluebells carpeted the ground in spring and there were roses all summer. ” I like how the author describes the place, how he makes me feel as if everything was real. It makes me imagine walking through a forest filled ith roses and trees and sunlight falling in golden shafts. It makes me feel as if I’m in an enchanted place, a beautiful, and peaceful place where nothing can go wrong. This part of shows how this novel is really magical and extraordinary. It makes every reader feel as if they transported in another world a peaceful and magical world. The novel ends with a rather familiar and expected ending for such romance novels for teens. Like most of the novels, the happiness of the main character is fulfilled.

Jenny and Tam lives a life they wanted. Tam Lin may be freed from the fairies’ curse because of Jenny’s love and courage, but his past will always be part of him; a past he could never escape from. Although the ending is appropriate, it is a bit unsatisfying for the reason that most novels with this genre usually end this way. If I could change the ending, I will make it more exciting and magical. People, especially teens that are interested in romance, fantasy and historical fiction would enjoy reading this book.

People who would want to escape from reality and transport into another world. This book proves to be a fine romance and historical fiction novel. A twist of what we know about fairies is shown in this novel. Usually fairies are to be helpful, magical and all good, but in this novel a different kind of fairies exist. Although the novel is great, reading it once is enough. It is not like the other exciting novels that reading it once is not enough that you would want to read it again.

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