Bloodthirsty, shape-shifting creatures of the night, or Vampires as they are infamously known. They relish the reckless exuberance of youth and eternal life. A life that is cursed, a blessing in disguise. Nevertheless their ill repute, we have always loved them, in books and movies of course. They have fascinated us for centuries. Many authors have made them their wings for imagination. One such piece of creativity, that is worth reading comes from Lynne Hill Clark.
“Of Lords and Commoners” is a paranormal romantic tale of a seventeen -year-old girl Vallachia from the medieval era. She hails from Ludus, an isolated village surrounded by Carpathian mountains in Romania. She is her father’s beloved daughter, spring flower, just as he would sometimes call her. Her dreams are no different than any other common young girl. Being a deacon’s daughter she was imbued with kindness and selflessness at an early age, yet she is firm and determined in her convictions. Suddenly her humble life turns upside down and she is confronted with an imperceptible truth that is foreign to the realm of human imagination. She gains heightened senses, extraordinary strength and an unquenchable thirst for blood. She fights hard to override the vampire instincts to slay. She does not let the monster inside her shatter her love for her family and friends, and her feelings for her childhood friend. Her loyalty for her love traps her into an eternal love triangle conundrum. Her will to conquer the monster inside set her on a journey to different places. Her delusional belief in normal human life eventually subsides. She learns to live the new order of life and the rules of the strange new world she is thrown into. Soon, a coven in Constantinople turns rebellious and an unwelcome turn of events take precedence. As her father says there is always an option, an opportunity to choose good over evil. She selflessly fights to save the world from her own kind.
Vallachia’s friends Mari and Prince Elijah play a predominant role in the plot of the story. Teller seems to be an apparition who is omnipresent in her thoughts and always scrutinizing her actions. Ramdasha plays an antagonist, a malevolent personality, whereas it is Riddick who has a very peculiar and distinct character. Each one of the characters has a meticulously carved personality that is relatable and will keep a reader hooked to the story till the end.
Lynne Hill Clark has done a stupendous job in helping visualize a bygone era by painting vivid images of life in the Middle ages and mainly the status of women in mid-Europe. This is my first vampire read and I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It has a very appealing storyline with lots of twists. A must-read indeed. Lastly, I am thankful that the book does not sensualize vampire bites. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Of Princes & Dragons.
The Meandering Path of Life 