Meanwhile, artistic genius Shamira has fallen for a Florentine artist with bloody and disasterous consequences. Lincoln, considered an incompetent back home in the 24th-century, has blossomed – at least until he’s shot in the head with an arrow. And Hansum, after secretly marrying his new master’s beautiful daughter, Guilietta, is offered the hand in marriage of lady Beatrice, daughter of the ruler of Verona. To refuse could mean calamity for all the teens.Amazingly, none of this is their biggest challenge. Because a rash illness is spreading across Verona – and it is threatening to consume everyone.Do they have a future in this past?
Where to buy the books:
My Ratings:
The Lens and the Looker: 3.5
The Bronze and the Brimstone: 3.5
The Loved and the Lost: 3
My Review:
The Verona Trilogy is a wonderful YA series that will impress and entertain from start to finish. The concept was more intriguing than I expected. The novels combine a post-dystopian society with 14th century Verona. It really is
the best of both worlds - and both are built well.
The post-dystopian world is incredibly interesting to read about. It is similar enough to our own lives that we can still easily connect to the situation of the characters, despite all of the technological advancements that still exist. The whole idea of the "History Camps" was great to read about. (And I know it didn't always seem like the greatest, but I don't think that idea is all too bad. I mean, living in historical situations really seemed to get the right idea across.) All of the new twenty-fourth century technology was fantastic to read about. My favorite was probably the genie intelligence - as not only was Pan an example of the advanced technology, but a fantastic personality.
The characters, including Pan, are all incredibly strong and easy to relate to. It's hard to imagine how one would react to being taken from their home and being put in an entirely new world. But Hansum, Shamira and Lincoln seem to have fairly understandable reactions. They really grew throughout the series, being constantly shaped by their experiences, and that was fun to read.
In contrast, I loved the historical setting of 14th century Verona. Having visited Verona twice, the city holds a very special place in my heart. Although I have never been therein the 1300's, Kaufman manages to capture the magic of the city within the pages of the novel. The lenscrafting (or disc-of-the-eyes-crafting) really added to the setting. I didn't really think of eyeglasses being made in that time period, and it was cool to learn about the process.
Another thing I really loved was the parallels to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (with their names true to their Italian lineage). The connection was clearly intended, which made an interesting addition to the plot. It makes sense too. I mean, when in Verona... Even without the romance between Romero (Hansum) and Guilietta, the plot would still be completely enjoyable. There were twists, although some portions could be a little long. The addition of the historical inventions earlier in the world's timeline made an interesting twist in regular historical fiction (as well as time travel as a whole).
The Lens and the Looker was a wonderful start to a series. It really grabbed my attention and kept it through the final page. The Bronze and the Brimstone continued the intrigue, even if the plot moved a bit slower, to fantastically conclude with The Loved and the Lost. All in all, a very exciting series that both fans of science fiction/dystopia and historical fiction fans alike will devour.
The post-dystopian world is incredibly interesting to read about. It is similar enough to our own lives that we can still easily connect to the situation of the characters, despite all of the technological advancements that still exist. The whole idea of the "History Camps" was great to read about. (And I know it didn't always seem like the greatest, but I don't think that idea is all too bad. I mean, living in historical situations really seemed to get the right idea across.) All of the new twenty-fourth century technology was fantastic to read about. My favorite was probably the genie intelligence - as not only was Pan an example of the advanced technology, but a fantastic personality.
The characters, including Pan, are all incredibly strong and easy to relate to. It's hard to imagine how one would react to being taken from their home and being put in an entirely new world. But Hansum, Shamira and Lincoln seem to have fairly understandable reactions. They really grew throughout the series, being constantly shaped by their experiences, and that was fun to read.
In contrast, I loved the historical setting of 14th century Verona. Having visited Verona twice, the city holds a very special place in my heart. Although I have never been therein the 1300's, Kaufman manages to capture the magic of the city within the pages of the novel. The lenscrafting (or disc-of-the-eyes-crafting) really added to the setting. I didn't really think of eyeglasses being made in that time period, and it was cool to learn about the process.
Another thing I really loved was the parallels to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (with their names true to their Italian lineage). The connection was clearly intended, which made an interesting addition to the plot. It makes sense too. I mean, when in Verona... Even without the romance between Romero (Hansum) and Guilietta, the plot would still be completely enjoyable. There were twists, although some portions could be a little long. The addition of the historical inventions earlier in the world's timeline made an interesting twist in regular historical fiction (as well as time travel as a whole).
The Lens and the Looker was a wonderful start to a series. It really grabbed my attention and kept it through the final page. The Bronze and the Brimstone continued the intrigue, even if the plot moved a bit slower, to fantastically conclude with The Loved and the Lost. All in all, a very exciting series that both fans of science fiction/dystopia and historical fiction fans alike will devour.
