The Spoils of Time

The Spoils of Time

• Jun 11, 2012

RECOMMEND A...

{trilogy}

Be sure to check out Shanyn's blog Chick Loves Lit to learn about Recommend A. There are topics for every Monday, as well as a cute button you can grab (I just created my own version to fit my blog but incuded Shanyn's blog info). I love this new feature and am excited to participate!

I considered several options for this week's topic because I have read some really good trilogies. I ultimately decided to go with this one because I don't think I've ever read anyone else say anything about them. I stumbled upon them by chance one day. While in college, I would often go to the nearby Borders when I just needed some time to myself. I could spend hours in there, wandering around, just flipping through books.

Scanning the shelves one afternoon, the spines for these three books caught my eye. I hadn't read anything by Penny Vincenzi, or even heard of her, but I was drawn in by the covers and descriptions. Marketed as a "sweeping saga of power, family politics, and passion," these books had me intrigued. The only problem was their size. Each book is over 600 pages. While I had a feeling they'd be worth the effort, I wasn't sure I wanted to commit. I didn't buy one that day, but I came back the next evening because I couldn't stop thinking about it.

I started the first book, No Angel, and I was hooked. Set in London and New York during WWI, I fell in love with the Lytton family. Each book focuses on a different generation of the family. In No Angel, you meet the core members of the family. Something Dangerous is mostly concerned with the trials and tribulations of their children. Finally, Into Temptation focuses on the third generation of Lyttons. In some ways, these books read like soap operas. There is no end to some of the drama this family goes through. But I ate it up. These would be perfect summer beach reads. Yes, they're set during the first and second World War, but they aren't depressing reads. I was completely swept away. I was reading them every moment between class, and I read each one in a few days. Even though they're epically long.

It's called the Spoils of Time trilogy, and I was addicted. They won't be right for everyone, and they definitely have some cheesy moments. But if you like historical fiction with a good helping of drama, these books would be great for you. They aren't necessarily the best books I've ever read, and I'd probably notice some flaws if I reread them with a more critical eye, but I loved them my first time through. If you read them, let me know what you think!