Waterfall by Lisa Tawn Bergren
Historical Fantasy. 4 Stars. 369 pages.
Synopsis:
What do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in a different world?
Most American teenagers want a vacation in Italy, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives among the romantic hills with their archaelogist parents. Stuck among the rubble of the medieval castles in rural Tuscany, on yet another hot, dusty archaeological site, Gabi and Lia are bored out of their minds…until Gabi places her hand atop a handprint in an ancient tomb and finds herself in fourteenth-century Italy. And worse yet, in the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing forces.
Suddenly Gabi’s summer in Italy is much, much more interesting.
My Review:
I keep going back and forth between four and five stars. I think the only reason I’ve not settled for five is for purely shallow reasons, but I feel the four, so I’m going with it.
This is book one in the River of Time series. First, my few issues with the book. One, why is it titled Waterfall? I never made the connection. None. Whatsoever. Gorgeous title. Gorgeous cover. The first two things that drew me in until I read the intriguing synopsis, but I still, even after having finished it, cannot make the connection. Perhaps it’ll click later on in the series?
Additionally, I know the MC was a twenty-first century seventeen year old American girl, but Lord have mercy the number of times I saw the phrase “hot” associated with men. Kay, I’m in my early twenties and my younger sister is mid teens, and neither of us speak that way. I know there are masses of girls out there that do, so it wasn’t wholly unrealistic, just too much. Yeah, I’m an old soul. And, yeah, I’ve thought guys were great looking, but I have not gone on and on about how “hot” they were. This, however, did seem to ease up as the book went along.
The MC, Gabriella, was stinking awesome. 😀 I loved her! I loved her sister and I really hope we get to see more of her in the future. I loved the way she narrated the story and her personality. I could relate to her. I liked her daring nature, which came mostly from her twenty-first century upbringing and ignorance of the current period. I liked how her skills translated to the fourteenth century and I liked how she adapted to the world around her. She wasn’t all head strong, know it all, I can do this! She had moments of doubt and fear. She had questions and something that gave her caution. She was also pretty stubborn, but not in a cliche way.
I also very much enjoyed the rich historical world that Mrs. Bergren built. I’m finding more and more that I like historical fiction and nonfiction, which I never would have imagined as a child. The world was intricate and it drew me in.
The relationships between the characters were dynamic, round, and complex. I loved the moments when Gabi thought back to her father and when Rossi shone through to be more than she first appeared. I loved, and I do mean loved Luca and Marcello! I cannot wait to see more of those two! Oh, and Fortino. God love Fortino. I am definitely coming back for more of him.
So, as you can see, I am entirely enamored of the cast and the setting. The plot was intriguing. It drew me in, and though at times some of the names took a second to process, I soon got the hang of it and felt right at home in the little Italian world. The language was beautiful and I almost wish there had been more of it. I was very much invested in the story by the end of it and would heartily recommend it to others who enjoy a story alive with intrigue and just a hint of forbidden romance!
As for my three strikes: no language, clean romance, and mild violence. It’s a plus on all sides!
More:
Book 2 in the River of Time series is Cascade (4 Stars)
Book 3 is Torrent (3 Stars)
Novella 3.1 is Bourne
Novella 3.2 is Tributary
Book 4 is Deluge
I have read and rated the original trilogy on Goodreads. Click on the links for more information and keep a lookout for updates.
These books should be read in order.
On GraceBought
Check out my thoughts on the next book in the series below!