Changeling (Order of Darkness Book 1)

I just downloaded and started this book today, so this review only covers the first few chapters. I am trying to get into the book, but the glaring mistakes in editing are really taking me out of the story. The very first sentence is a prime example:"The hammering on the door shot him into wakefulness like a handgun going off in his face." Really? A handgun? In a book set in 1453???? How does the protagonist know what a handgun is? Hello there, first of many anachronisms.
Later the author describes food being laid out: "two types of bread: white manchet and dark rye." In the very next sentence the protagonist spreads plums on wheat bread. Did he bring that along with him in his pocket?
Am I nitpicking? I don't think so, not when similar discrepancies show up again and again.
I would like to like this book, as I have enjoyed books by this author in the past, but I may have to return this purchase if the editing errors do not improve soon!

I was very surprised at this. I didn't think I would like it as much as I did. I like the description of life in a nunnery and the customs of the day. The back of the book, however, made me think this would be a fantasy novel--the description of a fallen angel. I thought the main character would end up in some ethereal spiritual war between angels and demons. Also, the main character, Luca, has the rumor following him that he's a changeling. This was barely mentioned and had absolutely nothing to do with the plot. I'm going to chalk that up to bad marketing on the publishing company's part.

Here are some things I liked.

1. The unexplained phenomena in the book have explanations; it's not some weird Satanic force moving through the book.
2. The author doesn't write in a voice that makes fun of God and religion, which is important to me. I don't like books that are disrespectful in these areas.
3. The contrast between Luca, the investigator of these odd phenomena, and the superstitious people of the middle ages shows exactly how much they didn't understand back then.

I'm curious to read more just to learn about more superstitions from back in the middle ages. It has always fascinated me and made me wonder what the real story behind some of them were. And, yes, I'm very glad the actual book wasn't like the blurb on the back cover. It was much better without the "fallen angel."

Luca was to be a priest. Then he was suspected of something or other and sent to an inquisitor for questioning. To Luca's surprise, he was to become a member of a secret order that investigates reports of 'dark' occurrences. His first task is to look into an abbey and the abbess, Isolde.

Isolde is the daughter of a rich and well respected Lord. The Lord planned to split his properties and monies between Isolde and her older brother. According to her brother who forbid Isolde to be present at her father's deathbed, the Lord changed his mind and ordered Isolde to marry or become the abess. Isolde chose the latter, where she would come face to face with the young new inquisitor, Luca.

It is rare that I dislike a book so much I do not even finish it. Unfortunately, after 93 pages, I did not have the will to go on. I have a policy that I read 100 pages before passing this kind of judgment, but I just could not do it. Changeling was that bad. I think Philippa Gregory should fire her copy editor; he is obviously lazy. Gregory's copy editor must have assumed that since Gregory's previous books were so successful, this one would be no different. He was sadly mistaken.

The writing is atrocious; it is boring, repetitive and sometimes just plain dumb:

"Course I do! Course you are! Course you will!"

Really? Gregory was incapable of anything better than that, possibly, "Course I do! You are and you will." Gregory's version sounds and looks like a presidential campaign slogan.

And then the dumb just continues:

He found he was smiling at her, though he could not see if she was smiling back. "Lady Abbess, you are not an easy woman to interrogate"
"Brother Luca, you are not an easy man to refuse," she replied, and she rose from the table without permission and left the room.

This was after the Lady Abbess had refused to pull back her hood, told him if he ordered her to get rid of her companion she would disobey his orders and refused to immediately send another nun for questioning. In any other book I would say she was mocking Luca, but it actually sounds like Gregory is setting the scene for a love story and this is actually flirting! The horror!

I could over look these portions if they were not representative of the writing as a whole, but depressingly, they are. I do not know what happened here, but Changeling, through page 93 at least, was just awful and I wish I had the time back.

1 out of 5 stars.

Philippa Gregory is one of my favorite historical fiction authors. She simply knows how to take important personalities in history and weave their stories into something easy and enjoyable. With her novels, it feels like we get the story behind the story and that's what I've always found fascinating about her work. Changeling is completely different from anything I've ever read from her... and I'm unsure whether that's a good thing.

While there are certainly still historical facts sprinkled into this book (especially about the time period and the crusades), the focus of this book is what's entertaining. The reader gets to see supernatural encounters, and the darkness of the paranormal that Luca takes on for his mission. The paranormal aspects are really what make this story pop, and make it stand out from other historical fiction.

Honestly, if I hadn't read a lot of other supernatural/paranormal YA, I probably would have enjoyed this one more. While I thought the basic set-up and plot was really interesting, it merely ended up being good. I was entertained as I read it, but I certainly wouldn't call this one a favorite. Plus, the fact that there were apparently two separate story lines (one at the nunnery and one with the werewolf in the village) was slightly confusing.

Luca didn't really strike me as a character I loved, but I do find Lady Isolde slightly more fascinating. I liked learning more about her origins as a rich man's daughter, and what happened to put her in her circumstances. Apart from these two, I enjoyed some of the secondary characters - particularly Ishraq and Freize, who were definitely different from everyone else included in this book.

While Changeling was certainly fun to read, and I honestly enjoyed it, I still prefer Gregory's adult historical fiction novels to her YA series. I admire her for writing for a completely different audience, but I'm unsure as to whether or not I will be continuing on with this series.

As soon as I saw that Philippa Gregory started a YA series, I bought the first book. I didn't even read the summary---I just knew I had to read Changeling. By the way, that kind of impulse buying is exactly the kind of behavior that gets me in trouble with my husband.

I have read two Philippa Gregory books in the past, The White Queen, and The Red Queen, but I haven't picked up any of her other books in a while. At the time I read her first two books, I told myself I was going to read everything by her that I could get my hands on, but life happened and I started going for fast, easy reads. Can you blame me: I got pregnant and had pregnancy-brain, and then the baby came and I had (and still have) mommy-brain!

Anyway, I was really excited about Changeling, excited that I could enjoy Philippa Gregory's writing in a faster, easier read. Overall, I really enjoyed Changeling. I loved getting to know both Luca and Isolde. The character development was great, especially the minor characters. They really added a lot to the story. I loved the plot and how Luca figures things out at the end. And my favorite part of the story was Isolde and Ishraq's friendship. They are more like sisters, and Ishraq is completely devoted to Isolde (in a platonic way). I loved that!

My complaint about Changeling is that the story seemed to jump around. I felt like Gregory didn't have enough material to make the convent-based part of the story into a full-length novel, so she added the part about the wolf in the next town just as filler. It didn't seem to flow with the rest of the story to me. I enjoyed both parts of the book, but thought there should have been more transition from one part to the next. The ending was choppy as well, which left me feeling pretty unsatisfied.

Overall, I would definitely still recommend Changeling. The story was engrossing, the characters were well-developed, and the romance was forbidden. I look forward to the next book in the series, and will be buying it as soon as it's released!

Love is a powerful force. It can destroy lives, change the fates of many and, depending on your religious beliefs, even lead to personal salvation. Iv this fine young adult work of fiction, blind love and devotion, in the case of a still-grieving Princess Isolde, leads to her being blindsided by a power hungry and manipulative brother, who yearns for his own wealth and fame above the interests of his own family.

Phillipa Gregory is known worldwide for her story-telling abilities, and when it comes to historical fiction, she has few equals. Given the book's target audience, the plot is not overly complicated but that is fine as the book becomes a beautiful, and relaxing quiet read instead of a super complex fantasy mega epic that are popular these days.

Talking of plot, the first betrayal comes in chapter two. One wonders what role the characters we met in chapter one will play but anyone with an inkling of experience in life should be able to make an educated guess. Characterisation is very good. The victims and baddies are both obvious, and the further you progress into the tale, the more complex and supercilious they become. Early on, humour has no role to play but that is fine by me, as it would be totally out of place. The writing of Ms Gregory is perfectly adequate and her world building skills are excellent. Historical accuracy is hard for me to judge (personally) as I have never been to Italy but i will leave this part of the book to others to judge.

So in summary i give the book four stars. It is a good start to a rumoured quartet but i cant give part one full marks. One has to leave room for improvement.

BFN Greggorio!

As not only an avid reader of historical fiction but also an aficionado of Philippa Gregory, I was thrilled when this new book came out recently in bookshops. Met with high praise by adoring fans this epic historical tale is targeted towards the younger reader, hence it reaches out to a wider-readership than ever before! Philippa Gregory can now be enjoyed by those who read Young Adult fiction and so this markedly brilliant, bold step is another praiseworthy attribute of this author - her work appeals to ALL! Exciting, interesting and full of non-stop, fast-paced drama this thrilling read grabs you and doesn't let go. With a teenage protagonist, the author `gets under the skin' of the younger adult and projects her creative vision through the eyes of someone whom age-wise her readers can relate to easily. I am SO impressed by this delightful book that had me glued to the pages for hours, and so I would highly recommend this to all that love historical YA fiction!

It is the year is 1453 and all signs point to it being the end of the world. Accused of heresy and expelled from his monastery, handsome seventeen-year-old, Luca Vero, is recruited by a mysterious stranger to record the end of times across Europe. Commanded by sealed orders, Luca is sent to map the fears of Christendom, and travel to the very frontier of good and evil. Seventeen-year-old Isolde, a Lady Abbess, is trapped in a nunnery to prevent her claiming her rich inheritance. As the nuns in her care are driven mad by strange visions, walking in their sleep, and showing bleeding wounds, Luca is sent to investigate and all the evidence points to Isolde's criminal guilt. Outside in the yard they are building a pyre to burn her for witchcraft...

Luca Vero and Isolde are such attractive, distinctive characters who drive this story forwards at tremendous speed with their individualistic flair and singular traits. Both seventeen years-old, I found myself lost within their story being transported back in time to a world of bitter conflict, danger and Witchcraft. Atmospheric, authentic and totally realistic the author really does bring the age to `life' with such beautiful detailed descriptions and exquisite imagery. Just as Luca and Isolde are meant to be together their fate is entwined within a cleverly complex, interwoven narrative that is truly breathtaking and keeps you guessing right until the very end.

So many questions form in your mind as you travel on the most exciting journey, from the vast limitless oceans of Europe to the nun's monastery. Rumors and heresy, fact and fable, deception, lies and intrigue...this fascinating tale of unraveling the truth that is buried deep within reads like a mystery and keeps you thinking. Order of Darkness, book 1 is just spectacular and so I am really looking forward to the next in this eagerly anticipated trilogy by bestselling, renowned author who has set the standards very high for this genre!

When I read the synopsis of Changeling, I was intrigued because I haven't read many paranormal-historical fictions (come to think of it perhaps never). The synopsis hints at supernatural occurrences/or sightings around Europe in the mid-1400s, but I must say the synopsis misinformed readers on what to expect in the novel. Changeling is not a paranormal-historical fiction but just historical-fiction. The year is 1453, and many people believe that the End-of-Days are upon them, and with it comes reports of evil/strange phenomenon spreading across Europe. Luca Vero, a young priest is recruited into the Order of Darkness by the Bishop/Pope to document these strange phenomenons and to get to the bottom of the problem plaguing the people.

Changeling is centered on four main characters; Luca, Freize, Isolde, and Ishraq. Luca was inducted into the church at a very young age, and now a priest at 17-years old. Luca was chosen to be part of the order because of his curious mind and his thirst for knowledge. Freize is Luca's servant who accompanies Luca on his various missions. Isolde is a 17-year-old daughter of a crusader. Isolde comes from a very wealthy family but when her father dies; her scheming brother takes her part of the inheritance for himself and sends her off to become a Lady Abbess at an Abbey nearby. And finally we have Ishraq, who is Isolde childhood friend/protector. Isode's father brought Ishraq home from the Middle East and the two girls grew up with one another. The characters were a bit flat, but I still found each to have a distinctive personality and outlook of life...I hope in future books they'll become more fleshed out/realistic.

I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of the novel. Luca investigates two strange phenomenons in this first book (of a four book series). The first case is a nun who is accused of witchcraft. The second case involves a werewolf terrorizing a village nearby. The first case took about two-third of the book, and in which I thought was the end of the book but in the last third of the book Luca investigates another case. I would have preferred that each book focused on one primary mission, and I thought it was unusual that the author decided to cram another case in the last few pages.

Overall Changeling is a great start to the Order of Darkness series. I usually read books with a magical/paranormal element to the story, but I found Changeling quite gratifying and engrossing. I look forward to reading more about Luca and the gang and the missions they will encounter in future books. I highly recommend this series to those who love reading about history specifically the middle ages. I actually think paranormal readers will also enjoy this series. Back in the 15th century, people would automatically think things that were unfamiliar/unknown to be evil or supernatural related therefore it was interesting to see how Luca solved each of the problems with a logical-scientific answer. So while it didn't have real witches or werewolves like I hope, it was fascinating to have a glimpse of what people back then thought of the supernatural/superstition.

*Disclosure: I received a review copy from the publicist in exchange for a honest review.

This was a very fast paced story. Once Philippa Gregory had the scenery set, she turned her characters loose to entertain the reader. Even though this novel is not particularly in depth with historical facts, I still found myself looking forward to the story every night. I had an instant, if not close, connection to the characters. We could easily see Luca's anticipation as he sets off into the world to uncover evil or bring to the light holy occurrences. I could easily imagine Isolde's frustration given her two choices upon her father's death: marriage to a much older man or entering a nunnery. The side characters were entertaining and added depth to tale. I have to say that Freize was my favorite character, often having the best lines. I also had the overall impression that he was a bit more mature than the other three, given his role in life of actually working for a living. Ishraq was by turns fascinating and occasionally unbelievable. She comes from a different culture and yet has lived all her life in this Italian culture as a servant. The few unbelievable parts were when someone in the story had to be the keeper of some vast knowledge - like medicine - so the 17 year-old Ishraq was the trained doctor. But I was able to easily overlook these few smidgens where I had difficulty suspending my disbelief because I was enjoying the larger story arc.

While the over all plot was a little predictable, I enjoyed the little twists to how Luca figured out what was going on, and then averted disaster. Of course, there is the growing interest between Luca and Isolde for a side romance to add to the overall tension of the tale. Can't say the same for Freize and Ishraq, but their interactions are even more amusing.

Changeling is Philippa Gregory's first venture into the world of young adult literature, and it's a bit of a departure in other ways as well. Set in Italy in 1453, the completely fictional story follows Luca, a young man raised in the Church, whose intellect and curiosity bring him to the notice of his superiors; he is tapped (rather unrealistically) to conduct inquiries for problems within the Church. This job leads Luca, his loyal servant Frieze, and clerk Brother Peter to investigate the strange behavioral occurrences at a convent. There Luca discovers the unhappy Lady Abbess, a young girl named Isolde, whose brother altered their father's will in order to take her lands and force her into religious life. Luca must decide if the stigmata and wild delusions of the nuns are a sign of the Satanic behavior of the Lady Abbess or if some other evil is at work.

Changeling weaves magic and drama through its pages, and yet I was never captured by the story. None of the characters are empathetic, and the inclusion of Ishraq, loyal friend/servant to Isolde, stretched even fantasy parameters. The dialogue felt stilted and the finished product has several continuity and grammatical errors. This is the first book in the Order of Darkness series, but by the time the book reached its wholly laughable climax, I'd already decided I won't be searching out the next volumes. Changeling left me deflated and exasperated; I expect more from such a normally engaging author.

It took me a long time to make it through Changeling by Philippa Gregory. Not because it was a bad book or a poor story or anything like that. It wasn't. It just didn't hold my interest as much as I'd hoped it would.

The beginning of the story made me angry. Isolde's father died and though she KNEW that he'd loved her and cared for her during his life, she did not fight when her brother told her (told, did not show her the "new" will) that her lot in life was reduced to either marrying someone she did not love and who did not love her or being sentenced to life in the nunnery. I understand though, after reading the rest of the book, that females in those particular times were nothing more than property. They did what they were told and were not allowed to question decisions made by those "in charge".

I wasn't sure what to make of Luca. He seemed like he wanted to do the right thing, and generally tried to do so... but it also seemed at times that he was more influenced by those around him. Those who were also in authority positions of different sorts.

Frieze and Ishraq were my favorite characters. Frieze for his unwavering faith and devotion to Luca, and eventually to their extra passengers. And Ishraq for her strength, loyalty, compassion, and brains. Because of her upbringing (thanks to Isolde's father) and her heritage she's not bound by the same "morality" and teachings that the rest of them are and is able to see things more clearly and in better perspective.

There were two wonderful parts to this story. The first came more than halfway through the book. The second came right at the end. That was what bothered me the most. The first half of the book was kind of slow and dragged on and then all of the sudden there was this flurry of excitement and action in a scene that would be fit for a horror story put to film.

The last 50 or so pages of the book were my favorite part. Luca & Co. travel through a village with a werewolf problem and he's taken it upon himself to judge and decide the fate of said werewolf. I wish that particular section had been given more time in the story, but what can you do. It ALSO would have been wonderful on screen, too, but in a different way. It was suspenseful and heartwarming. It redeemed the book for me honestly.

Like I said, the book was slow. The title doesn't suit the story at all and unfortunately the story itself failed to hold my interest save for the two parts I spoke about. This is the first Philippa Gregory novel that I've read. It's also the first book in the Order of Darkness series. Based on the last bit of the book I probably will at least read book two. I hope with all my heart that it's more interesting than the first book. At least more interesting more often.

I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a quick read (it took me a long time because I wasn't really interested, but it would have been a quick read had I felt more entertained). And anyone interested in somewhat historical religious fiction.

Changeling is my first book on historical fantasy and also my first book from Philippa Gregory. Although I have seen one of her movies, The Other Bolen Girl" - which I loved, Changeling didn't really capture me like that story. Changeling, was a little predictable and slow at times, but it did have enough mystery to capture my attention and continue reading. Philippa takes us back to Italy during the 1400's. A time where kings and queens ruled the world. Also a time when people didn't know what was real and what wasn't and people believed in witches, vampires and werewolves.

Luca, has been recruited by the Pope to investigate paranormal occurrences. For his first quest, he is, a priest and his servant, Frieze are sent to a nunnery to investigate why some of the nuns there are all showing signs of being possessed. Some of the nuns have been seen running out in the middle of the night and screaming and later not remembering any of it. I have to admit that there were times when I was a little spooked. Don't get me wrong, the story isn't scary at all, but there were parts where I was like "oh creepy!" I am not going to say more because I don't want to spoil it.

Isolde was forced into that position by her brother. Her father raised her to be strong but still a lady and was under the impression that he would leave everything to her after his passing, but that wasn't the case. Well, at least that was what her brother told her. Her brother is now the king and ruler of Lucretili and has left his sister, Isolde, penniless. I don't understand why she believed him when she was clearly their father's favorite. The characters were well developed and of course I had my favorite, Frieze. He was hilarious! I love characters with a little spunk and a smart mouth. LOL The love story to me fell short. I could tell that there was something between Isolde and Luca, but nothing that was heartfelt or amazing. I would have liked to have seen more between them. The one thing that confused me a little is that Philippa didn't get into changelings much. She mentions who might be one, but that was it. Maybe Philippa will develop that character more in her next book. I just wish she would have elaborated more on it. It was brought up once and never picked up again. Even though Changeling left me a little empty, I would still like to know where Philippa takes the story. - Ana

My thoughts on the audio:
Charlie Cox has appeared on series such as, Downton Abbey and Boardwalk Empire. His acting credits are numerous to say the least. Cox takes on Phillipa Gregory's Changeling with little fault. His voice is very pleasant to listen to. He reads the dialog with expression and great feeling. The only problem I encountered was with the narration. When the characters weren't speaking Cox's voice was very low, and at times almost mumbling. I had to listen very carefully so that I didn't miss anything. If he continues narrating this series, I hope that is something that he will work on. Other than that, this is an enjoyable listen.

My thoughts on the story:
Changeling is the first book in a new young adult series, Order of Darkness by Phillipa Gregory. Gregory is well known for her historical novels about the Tudors. She once again dives into the past for her latest novel.
The story follows Luca Vero who is accused of heresy for questioning the Church. He doesn't take things at face value. However, his questioning gets him recruited by the Pope to join The Order of the Dragon. He is sent out on missions to investigate strange and unusual things as well as to root out evil. You could call him a paranormal investigator of sorts. Luca is sent to investigate a nunnery that has had occurrences of strange events. There his meets Isolde, a lady abbess, who was sent there by her brother after her father passed away. Isolde is being accused of witchcraft, a series charge. Both Luca and Isolde are out to discover the truth.
The story line was interesting. Luca is sent out on missions to discover the truth behind the superstitions and fears of medieval times. Luca is very observant and level headed. He doesn't give into histrionics easily, but has an eye for detail. He is thrown off by Isolde. Isolde is not like the women of this time period. She is very strong and intelligent. Luca admires her from the beginning. Isolde's characters is a bit of a mystery. Together with her long time friend and companion, Ishraq, they risk everything to find out the truth and live life on their own terms.
Changeling is a good first book to this series. The story kept my attention throughout. Gregory did a fantastic job at exploring how fast superstition and rumors can cause hysterics in medieval times. How one whisper of dark magic could turn a whole town into a raging mass. It was a little predictable at times, but it's definitely worth checking out. I think fans of Phillipa Gregory will enjoy this series. Gregory will reach a younger generation with this new series. I will definitely want to keep up with this series to see what the author has in store for Luca and Isolde.

So, I am a huge Philippa Gregory fan! I have read almost all of her adult books. I read the entire The Other Boleyn Girl in a bookstore. And that my friends, is an accomplishment; the book is massive. I actually was not really impressed with the movie, despite my love for both starring ladies. But that's beside the point. When I venture out of my kingdom of YA awesomeness, it's usually on a quest for a good adult fantasy or historical fiction novel. And Gregory so knows how to write historical fiction! (My favorite is The Queen's Fool).

This is her first YA book. I picked it up right after it came out. It's different from her adult books because her adult books tend to be about actual people in history. And these characters are all fictional. That, and this was way less steamy...

The book is about two people: Luca and Isolde. Luca has been recruited by a special order (run by the Pope). He stood out to people as being overly curious and thoughtful, not necessarily great characteristics to have in a monastery in 1453. But instead of being burned to death or tortured, Luca is pulled aside to go on specials missions for the order, which believes the end of the world is approaching. He's hired to seek truths and to lead inquiries. Inquiries in this case mean a formal way of asking a lot of questions to all people involved and figuring out who is guilty of what. He also needs to make sure that those guilty receive justice or punishment, all in the name of the Pope and God.

Isolde is a girl who just lost her father. She was brought up with a lot of money, land, and power. Her father planned on her maintaining the lands in Italy, and her brother taking over the lands in France. But, according to her brother, their father, on his deathbed changed his will. Isolde has to choose between marrying a close friend of her brother's or joining the local nunnery. She is given no time to grieve, and the night she is to make her decision, her brother's friend comes into her room and tries to take advantage of her. Isolde fights back with fire (literally), and knocks him unconscious. The next day, it is decided for her that she go to the nunnery.

How do these two characters meet up? Well, the first place Luca is mysteriously assigned to go is the nunnery Isolde is sent to. Apparently, since Isolde's arrival there have been many strange occurrences. Girls have been sleep-walking, going mad, waking up with holes in their hands (as if they've been crucified), and the whole house seems to be in utter chaos. The first night Luca stays there, he witnesses a girl a sleep-walking who has the marks on her hands.

A series of interviews take place. And the longer Luca is there, the more it seems as though Isolde is the cause for all the problems. And while most of the book takes place at the nunnery, around the mystery of the nuns, a nice chunk of it takes place outside it, once it's been decided that Isolde's brother and the Lady Almoner were the guilty party. Yet, even though Isolde's brother seriously schemed to get the land and the gold he learned that was part of it, there's nothing really he can be accused of.

Technically women at the time period were not entitled to inheritance. This doesn't stop Isolde from coming up with a good plan any way, to get it back! There's crazy nuns, gold, underground prisons, religion presented in a very scary light, kidnappings, horse riding, adventures, mysteries, a lot of truth finding, and a lot of beautiful historical background for this one. After the nunnery, the group of character set off to right more wrongs, and are immediately involved with a supposed werewolf! There's hints of supernatural elements, though for the most part these are dismissed with logical reasoning.

I loved the side characters. Both Isolde and Luca had best friends that seriously made this novel work so well. Israq was by far one of my all time favorite characters! I loved how good she was at defending herself and her friend. I also loved how pretty the book was. It has a beautiful map inside and little drawings/illustrations scattered throughout.

I'm just not really sure as to why this particular topic was deemed YA. I found this period of history really interesting. It's not a period I know a lot about, so I liked getting some new historical perspective. It's just not necessarily the period I would choose to branch out into YA. A lot of it actually reminded me of the Canterbury Tales. I was an English major in college, and well, I love that book, but I don't see a lot of young adults searching for read-a-likes of it.

I also felt like the layout was kind of weird. Like 85% took place in the nunnery, and I liked the stuff that happened outside of it; it's really important. I just feel like that part could have extended more. The werewolf story was so much shorter than the nun story, and I really loved the werewolf story...Though, from reading the Author's Note at the end, I learned that there will be more books in this series, so I guess more adventures are to come! I will certainly continue reading them I give this one a 8/10.

Seventeen year old Luca Vero has been expelled by his monestary and sent by a secret order to investigate instances of both heresy and miracles throughout 1453 Christendom. His first task is to go to an abbey where the nuns have been experiencing strange occurrences that began when the new Lady Abbess, seventeen year old Isolde entered their service, forced to do so by her brother. It is up to Luca to determine her innocence or guilt, and he finds himself strangely drawn to this mysterious, beautiful girl and her Moorish companion, Ishraq. What follows is an adventure through medieval times including encounters with brigands on the road, suspected werewolves, and evil as Luca seeks to gain knowledge about what is troubling Christians at the moment and whether the end of times is truly at hand.

While I enjoyed this book, it is not quite on par with Philippa's other historicals (which are easily in my top ten favourite reads, especially the Wideacre trilogy). There was less character development and it seemed a bit rushed to me. I'm thinking that she tried to make it shorter as it is a teen novel, but teens will remain engrossed even if it's longer and more detailed, as there are not many series out there like this for them. I loved the author's note encouraging resources for readers to read more about the time period!

As an aside, the first sentence of this book is odd and makes reference to a handgun. I couldn't stop wondering if they existed in 1453, and they did (being used at the battle of Castillon in France in that year), but it was an odd enough statement to have me put down the book and research it and makes for a bit of a weird start. This is a neat concept for a series (Luca's travels and the oddities he encounters), and I will definitely be continuing with it; would just like a bit more meat to the story.

Starts out with an anachronistic simile that bugged the heck out of me. Kept me from being able to just dive into the book. It's fairly clear, reading this, that it is the start of a series. Lots of loose ends, hints, and information that didn't necessarily move THIS book forward. I do like this author's historical novels and may try the next in this series. I reserve 5 stars for the really exceptional books so I consider 3 stars a pretty good book and 4 stars a good book.

3.5 stars.

I've never read any of Philippa Gregory's books before, so I had no idea what to expect from Changeling. But I was pleasantly surprised. It was a fast-paced, highly enjoyable novel.

Philippa Gregory is a skilled writer. She flawlessly combines historical facts with paranormal aspects in Changeling. Historical fantasy is quickly becoming one of my favorite genres! Her writing style is simple and informative, and I liked that.

And the characters...I loved them all. Each of them were unique in their own way. I especially loved Ishraq! She's mysterious but loyal, and her character is full of surprises. She took awesome to a whole new level. :) Luca was a great character too. Despite his inexperience working for the Order of the Dragon, he was clever and smart. Isolde too was very fun to read about - she's bold and doesn't give up. Lastly, Freize really brought the humor to the book. He had some funny lines and was a very endearing character.

The plot was unique as well. I thought the storyline was very interesting, and though the beginning is rather slow, things pick up once the characters start on their quest.

All in all, Changeling was an entertaining read and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, short read. Looking forward to the next one in the series!

Philippa Gregory's popular historical fiction proves she has a gifted hand for mixing historical details with a good yarn, whether romping through Henry the VIII's court or country estates on the cusp of the Age of Enlightenment. YA readers are likely to find her adult series engrossing, intelligent, and challenging, so I found her foray into the genre a surprise.

A writer of Ms. Gregory's talents is wasted on Changeling. This book feels like the product of a few weekend writing sessions and in sore need of editorial review. YA historical fiction includes some considerable heavyweights, like the delightful Libba Bray, and Alison Weir is a leading historian whose works are beautifully conceived. Changeling feels like a hack job beside these authors; it lacks the polish, surprises, and crafted dialogue I expect from a writer of Ms. Gregory's caliber.

The story starts with a glaring error: knocking going off like a handgun. Really? In historical fiction, I liberally edit out all references to modern technology, familiar cliches, and everyday slang. Plenty of resources identify 15th and 16th century phrases in common use, and I hardly expect to see a handgun in the 1460s unless we're in alternate history, which Changeling most certainly is not. Leaving a sour taste in my mouth, the reference made me acutely aware of other small, jarring follies.

At its core, Changeling is a love story between two young protagonists from very different worlds and their faithful servants. Isolde is a noblewoman disinherited by a sudden deathbed will change and forced into serving as the lady abbess of an abbey on her familial lands. While her appalling, unlikable brother replaces their legendary crusader father, she gets caught in the middle of weird, possibly supernatural events with only her loyal friend/servant, the Moorish girl Ishraq, for company. Ishraq proves to be extremely versatile, a polyglot trained in archery, medicine, surgery, martial arts, and half a dozen other things. Apparently Isolde's permissive father allowed this adoptive daughter and helpmeet learn skills absolutely forbidden to women of the period, all the more amazing for a non-Christian.

On the other hand, Luca is an orphaned boy pulled from his monastery by papal authorities working for the mysterious Order of Darkness (was this the best that Philippa could come up with? Really?) to serve as an enquirer for odd events. His headstrong curiosity, mind for numbers, and developed intellect single him out for service getting to the bottom of things, and he prefigures the great English thinkers of the Age of Reason by about 200 years. His third-person talking, rather bumbling "spit boy" friend Freize acts like a 42-year-old man and takes the teen under wing as they set out with a clerk, Peter, across Europe to investigate events which signal the end of days. Following the collapse of Constantinople to the Ottomans, Europe was thrown into a terror that Rome might go and the rest of Christendom would crumple like a house of cards. Pity those western European nations didn't help out Constantinople, but those are questions for another book and definitely not this simplistic storyline.

As expected, Luca shows up to investigate Isolde's abbey where women are supposedly suffering from visions, sleepwalking, and the stigmata. The lady abbess falls under suspicion due in no small part to her mysterious Moorish servant and peculiar ways. Luca and company fall for the story of the supercilious and ambitious Lady Almoner, Sister Anna, who puts them up, seeds some doubt, and watches the ball get rolling when Luca observes a sleepwalking sister fleeing for the door. The abbey is portrayed as a serene place beset by madness, and the finger gets pointed at Ishraq and Isolde when they are caught red-handed up to no good. Cue the witch-trials where they are imprisoned on trumped up charges and her brother trots in to finish off stray threads.

Somehow the girls escape, leaving arrest documents signed by her brother in surely the fastest bureaucratic decision in 15th century Europe. The Lady Almoner and Isolde's brother get what they want, Luca and company trot off to the next event, and Ishraq and Isolde end up the captives of bandits after traveling on the road alone. All the fanciest Middle Eastern martial arts won't stop a cudgel to the side of the head, alas. After discovering an ambush, Luca's party and the feminine duo are conveniently thrown together in a bit of slap-dash deus ex machina with very little in the way of believability. Hasty plans and explanations lead to a budding romance as Luca's hormones get the better of him with Isolde, not a few days after being ripe for the Lady Almoner, and the group goes back to Isolde's abbey to deal with an imposter.

The conclusion there is heavy handed and unbelievable, although I recognized the cause of the furor chapters before. Once everything is pleasantly wrapped up, with an unbelievable method of panning for gold that smacks of ridiculousness, they go off on their next mission together as a party of five. The Order of Darkness envoys stop to handle a werewolf and once again, Ishraq saves the day. The next books await to see the further adventures of Isolde and Luca.

In a nutshell, the overly simplistic plot doesn't reward with good characterisation or exciting events, rich dialogue or unexpected twists. A bland A to Z adventure ticks off all the expected stops without adding much spice or excitement. Even if I know from the get go it's going to be a romance and Boy and Girl live happily ever after (for now), I'd much prefer there be twists in the road. Changeling's far too modern references seem a higher priority than actually making either of these perfect main characters' lives realistic or difficult. Isolde is the stereotypical headstrong, beautiful, wronged young woman with a plethora of experience. Luca is a questioning, brilliant orphan afflicted by inconvenient honour.

The real attention goes to the two sidekicks, who are book ended by the sniveling and disapproving actions of the only adult in the group, Peter the "spy" for the order. Ishraq proves to be versatile, multi-talented, and as a result, utterly unbelievable. Freize shows the typical 'dumb gift' for animals, breaking into larders, and saying offensive or obvious comments so the protagonists don't have to. In some places, I was left shaking my head and flipping the page because surely the society of the day wasn't going to have much leeway for a person insulting their social betters. Gregory seems driven to make Ishraq into a Moorish ninja/scholar capable of making incredible and unlikely insights so as to leave Isolde pristine, and Freize becomes the bumbling comedic sidekick.

Smaller quibbles that set my teeth on edge: for a place presumably in spitting distance of Rome, settlers had conspicuous English names (Sara Fairley, for example); the very modern sensibilities and contemporary behaviours that were totally out of sorts with the period; the simplistic approach to the villagers and the patently absurd, pompous bishop of Pescara. Grammatically solid and reasonably well constructed, the story isn't exactly bad (which accounts for two stars), but nor is it satisfactory, well-researched, or even cohesive. Disbelief cropped up on numerous occasions as I went "No way" in my head and struggled to keep reading.

As a start to a series, it's a poor entry to convince me to read further. Ms. Gregory can do much better, and the Order of Darkness series isn't even up to snuff for a lazy summer afternoon read. Try Libba Bray or her adult books instead.

Gregory's story is about a boy sent to a monastery by his parents, about a girl sent to a convent by her brother, and about strange happenings after they meet. It's partly a mystery, partly a romance, and partly an adventure story. The book doesn't fully define 'changeling,' but a dictionary describes it as a child secretly put in the place of another by fairies, apparently thought possible six centuries ago. The story is set in Italy, could never happen today, but is believable as Gregory presents it, even though the ending seems strange (and with loose ends) by modern standards.

The changeling is the boy, and the story and the writing are excellent. The story's told as consistent with Christian beliefs at the time, mixed as they were with superstition and myth, and I give it five stars. David Carlyle, "Another Land."

I've been a fan of Phillipa Gregory for a long time. I love some of her earlier works like The Other Boleyn Girl and The Queen's Fool. So I was extremely excited to read her first young adult novel, Changeling. But I found Changeling to be...odd. Gregory isn't sure which direction to go in - mystery? romance? I don't know. Changeling began really promising. But then it hits a few snags.

I couldn't connect with the characters at all. The characters are wooden and aren't given a lot to do. Then there is the strange decision to cleave the book in half with two separate mysteries: one at the nunnery and then one involving a werewolf. It is strange to have a climax halfway through the book and then a second one at the end. I know Changeling is meant to be a first in a series, hence all the QR code madness in the back of the book, but I'm not sure I will continue on. To be honest, it just isn't as exciting as I hoped. I was left pretty disappointed.

1.5 stars.

I had picked this book up from the library because I was curious to see what Philippa Gregory had to add to the YA genre. The cover was gorgeous, and the plot summary intriguing, even if I'm not really a fan of historical fiction taking place during this particular time period. However, what should have been a light, breezy read became a battle of wills as I desperately tried to finish this book. There were several points where I was so bored that I was tempted to put it down for good... but I powered through that feeling until the very end. Would that I could take back those moments and read something else.

Frankly, this book was all over the place. It was as if the author couldn't decide what story she wanted to tell! There is a distinct shift in storytelling about halfway through the book, and I found myself wondering if I was even reading the same story. It was a very disjointed style of storytelling, and I couldn't figure out for the life of me if this choppy narration could even be considered a plot. Plus, the plot itself? Yawn. I struggled to keep myself engaged, and the twists and turns did not unfurl with nearly enough mystery for my liking.

I'll admit that the author does know her history. There wasn't any point in the book where I felt like anything was anachronistic or out of place... except for the terrible first sentence: "The hammering on the door shot him into wakefulness like a handgun going off in his face ." They may have had explosives and gunpowder at the time, even some primitive rifles and cannons, but a handgun? Nope, not buying it. That line bothered me long after I had read it.

The author takes her time explaining various 1400s features, like the clothing style, the architecture, and the politics and social implications of the time. However, at some point, this unnecessary detail becomes a bit dull and repetitive. I honestly don't care what kind of fabric Isolde's dress was made out of. Sorry! And Ms. Gregory was approaching George R.R. Martin status as she described what seemed to be every food dish that they ever served at the time. Again, unnecessary detail. It read like she was trying to fill up empty spaces with all these words to make her book longer.

The characters were so one-dimensional that they could have been cut out of cardboard. I felt no sympathy whatsoever for Isolde or her companion (whose name escapes me. Pretty sure I forgot her name while I was reading the book too), nor for Luca. Isolde's behavior was annoying, and Luca should actually be called Lukewarm, because that was how I felt about him. He had very little personality, and this sudden attraction between Isolde and Luca felt really out of place, given what they were going through.

I had to force myself to finish this book. The plot was choppy and incongruous, and the characters were bland and forgettable. I couldn't tell what the whole point of the story was, and it was frustrating to try and decipher. I think that, had the author decided to take a bit more time to flesh out the characters and make us care about them, or at the very least come up with a cohesive plot, I would have enjoyed this book much more.

Nothing in this book holds my interest or is believable. I don't care for the characters, I don't care for the pseudo-plot, the slow development, and the unbelievable dialog, nor the very unvelievable way a non-Christian girl was brought up by a returning Crusader. And on top of that, to have a boy be a lead inquisitioner....

This will go on my small could-not-force-myself-to-finish pile. So glad I got this book from my library and didn't spend money on it.

4.5 stars

Changeling is a must read for YA fans who love a well crafted historical read, with a rich setting, in-depth characters, and a romance that leaves you wanting more. Philippa's YA debut is fabulous! She not only brought her 1400's Italian setting to life within the pages of her book, but she creates the perfect character chemistry, adds in the perfect amount of mystery and betrayal as well as creates a surprising paranormal twist that was worked in to the story perfectly, and fit in well during this time period. I finally understand all the buzz that surrounds her adult books. Philippa is a master story teller and being the historical fan I am, I want to go pick up more of her books!

Told from alternating points of views, readers get to meet characters Luca Vero and Isolde. I liked the way in which they're both drawn together in this story. Luca is the irresistible, intelligent, charming, good lucking character who against his will is thrown into a secret order, called The Order of the Dragon. His mission to go out and not only investigate, but also document the dangers and evils happening around his country and Europe. This leads him to the nunnery that Isolde has been forced into by her brother after her father, Lord Lucretili died. Unlike Luca, it took me awhile to warm up to Isolde. I liked being able to get to know her as the story went on. There's a reason why she herself is shrouded in mystery for the first part of the book. She is a character who stands up for what she believes in. She's intelligent, beautiful, grounded and will do whatever it takes to gain back the inheritance she rightful has claim to.

It's during Luca's interrogation of the nuns at the nunnery that the story's mystery starts to unravel. There's murder, betrayal, secrets and a surprising twist in this story that made it hard to put it down. The twists that are loaded in this book are unpredictable and make for an exciting story line. I loved how authentic this story felt. From the mannerism of the characters, to the way they talked, dressed, the roles men and women had during this time period and the social statuses of men, women, those of the church, slaves and so forth. The theme of God and the religious elements stayed true to this time period and didn't weigh the story down. I thought Philippa did a suberb job with how she intertwined everything together to create a story that felt like it leaped out of the history books.

This story also has some great supporting characters who play significant roles in the lives of both Isolde and Luca. The romance/character chemistry is so well drawn out. I loved it! There's this undeniable draw between the Luca and Isolde, but being forced into making vows to the church forbids them for having a relationship. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what happens between these two as the series continues. Being that this book is the first in the series, I felt Changeling does a great job at setting up what's to come with the rest of the series. There were times I felt a little confused with the beginning of the book about what was happening, but I quickly caught on and couldn't put this book down. I think both YA fans and fans of Philippa are going to enjoy this book. It's a book I highly recommend picking up on May 29th!

If you're anything like me, you think of the Crusades as a period when life was rough, opportunities for women were rare, religious and wealthy men were the powerful ones in society, and people believed in things like werewolves and witches. That might be somewhat true, but Philippa Gregory's new series, Order of Darkness, seeks to make the medieval age more accessible and complex than our history books might have us believe.

The first book in the series, CHANGELING, begins with the story of Luca Vero, a 17-year-old aspiring monk who has been accused of heresy. But Luca's "heresy" is his curiosity and talent for calculations, research and original thought. He is recruited to travel through Europe, along with an older monk, Brother Peter, as overseer, and Luca's childhood friend, a servant, in order to document "crimes" and unknown phenomena in small villages and estates.

As Luca sets out on his journey --- his only orders being to obey Brother Peter, who himself has just been given sealed letters with instructions on when to open them --- we move to the world of Lady Isolde, a teenage girl who recently has been orphaned, along with her brother. When her father's will is read, Isolde is shocked to find that she has inherited nothing, and must choose to marry or join a nearby nunnery as its Lady Abbess. When her brother's leery friend makes a pass at her, Isolde begrudgingly chooses what she understands to be at least a safer fate --- taking the vows of a nun. She and her childhood friend and maid, Ishraq, move to the nunnery, and it isn't long before unusual circumstances there prompt the arrival of Luca and his companions to find the root of the alleged "madness" from which the nuns begin suffering.

When Luca arrives, he finds his ally at the abbey to be the Lady Almoner, who distrusts Isolde and suspects Ishraq, who is a Moor, to be a witch working with Isolde to bring about the ruin of the abbey. The more Luca looks into the madness, and the more secret doings he finds in the nunnery, the more it looks like Isolde is guilty.

Contrary to what the above would make you think, CHANGELING is not a plot-driven book. In fact, it is less than compelling as the beginning of an already-established series, as the end of the book comes too quickly and easily and feels unfairly won. What is compelling, though, is the rich world the author paints. Known for her historical fiction based in heavy research into the Tudor period of England, Philippa Gregory says that this book is a departure from those earlier novels published for adults because it "is based on four purely fictional young people, and the world they live in reflects the historical reality of their times, but of course nobody but a fictional heroine has such an exciting day-to-day life!" While "exciting" may be up for debate, Gregory certainly does make you want to take a second look at everything you thought the time of the Crusades to be.

While we might think of Isolde's fate in the nunnery as the end of her life, Gregory shows how abbeys were also one of the few places where women could be educated, put in charge of their day-to-day life, run a business to sustain their way of life, and live largely outside the influence of the male-dominated world. Ishraq is another unique character, and I hope Gregory can dig deeper into her position of a Moor in western Europe, as an educated woman in medieval times, and as the very close friend of a woman of noble birth, later on in the series.

While CHANGELING is not the most exciting of Gregory's books, it should appeal to fans of historical fiction, whether you are familiar with her other works or not. Where the main characters sometimes feel flat, the supporting cast is full of life. I look forward to seeing the pace pick up in future installments.

Reviewed by Sarah Hannah Gomez

This was my book club read for November. For the last couple of months my book club has taken a different approach. Instead of everyone reading the same book, we simply pick an author and everyone reads the book of their choice by that author. October was James Patterson. November was Philippa Gregory. I've read a few of her historical fiction books and really enjoyed them. When I heard she was starting a teen series, I was intrigued.

To be honest, it was slow going at first, but then about one third of the way into the book, the story began to pick up and was quite an enjoyable read. And like some other readers, I thought the editing could have been better. However, I found the story itself to be an entertaining read.

Unlike Gregory's other books which are based on real historical events and people, the characters in Changeling are totally fictional. With her other books, I often get sidetracked by having to look up facts about the real people in the books. It was nice to be able to read this book without that distraction.

The main characters, Luca, Isolde, Ishraq, Frieze and even Brother Peter are all likable creating a strong ensemble cast. Isolde and Ishrag are strong female characters. They are more like sisters than mistress and servant. The relationships between the characters is interesting as well. I look forward to reading more about them.

Though I wouldn't classify this series as a mystery it does have a mysterious element. As an inquirer, Luca is tasked with sorting through layers of intrigue and/or fantasy to get to the truth of things. Gregory's plot development is very entertaining.

I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 because of the slow start. I do recommend it for fans of medieval literature. It's a good teen read as well. However, if you like your books to get off to a fast start or if you or someone who can't see past editing errors to the story underneath - then this might not be the best read for you.

First Sentence: The hammering on the door shot him into wakefulness like a handgun going off in his face.

How I Acquired the Book: I got this book from my library, who had 4 copies of it. WHY, library, DO YOU ALWAYS PURCHASE THE MOST COPIES OF HORRIBLE BOOKS.

The Review: Okay. First off, full disclosure: Changeling is not what I expected it to be. That's not the reason why I gave it two stars, though; it's quite idiotic, in my opinion, to give something a low rating just because the author didn't do what you wanted them to do. The reason I gave it only two stars is simple: Changeling is just a horrible book.

Let me break it down. First off, some minor complaints. The title has barely anything to do with the novel. Yes, I know, it's not that big of a deal, but for some reason, it really annoyed me. It makes the book misleading in a way, I suppose. Another problem I had with it is that the entire book is only divided into 4 chapters. Yes, you read that correctly. One chapter is 150 pages long! Now, this wouldn't be so bad if the plot were good, but it isn't, and that brings me to my next point.

The pacing was really, really awkward and awful. It was made even worse by the aforementioned weirdly distributed 4 chapters, and the plot was just boring. I realize that the author has next-to-zero control over the description they put on her book...but seriously, it gave away 90% percent of the plot. By the way, that 90% wasn't even interesting. It was all leading up to the 10% climax, which was not 'climaxy' enough and just fizzled out.

And the characters. Hands down, they were the worst part of the book. All four main characters were flat, and they barely differ from people today. Their dialogue is terrible, and they sound way too 21st century. None of the four were likeable. Wait, I correct my earlier statement, ALL of the dialogue in the book is terrible. It feels forced and is boring.

No matter how hard I tried, I just could not get into Changeling. When I put the book down, I put it down of my own free will and had to force myself to keep reading. When I was away from it, I did not care about the characters at all. In fact, even though the book ends on a mini-cliffhanger, I don't find myself excited or delighted for the next installment in the series. I find myself not wanting to spend any more time with the characters. There was not one thing I could find that I liked about this book. The only reason why I gave it two stars is because I reserve my one-star rating for Twilight-caliber books.

I have no doubt that Ms. Gregory can write a good historical novel, even though I have not read her books. But the way Changeling is written, it just feels like a half-hearted side project Ms. Gregory worked on while focusing all her attention on her latest historical novel.

-reviewed by a teenager. (I apologize for any teenagery and/or snarky comments in this review, if they have offended you. I understand they can be very annoying, just like teenagers themselves. In any case, thanks for dealing with them and thanks for reading this review.)

(Source: I borrowed a copy of this book.)
It is 1453. Isolde's father has just died. She understood that he had left his castle and possessions to her, but now that he has died her brother claims all was left to him. He tells Isolde that she must marry this prince (suposedly selected by her father) and recieve a very small dowery, or become a nun. Isolde thinks on her options, but when the prince comes to her room that night and tries to rape her, she realises her only option is to become a nun.

Luca is a changeling who from the age of 11 was brought up by monks. He has a gift for numbers, and has been sent on some kind of quest to investigate the number zero, and negative numberS.

I don't mind historical fiction when the story interests me, but this just didn't. I was just bored right from the start. I wasn't really sure where Luca's quest was taking him, and I immediately hated Isolde's brother and the way he was treating her.

I have to admit that I only picked this book up because I liked the cover. Don't think I'm going to be able to finish this one though. I know a book is boring when I consider doing the dusting instead of reading.
Glad other people enjoyed it, but definitely not for me.
4 out of 10.

I am seriously disappointed, and a bit angry that I even bought this book. Although I've read and thoroughly enjoyed her other historical novels, I thought this book was just too...simple. There's no there, there. It's very elementary.
It occurred to me it could be a YA book, so I re-examined the cover and endpages carefully, and cannot find a single thing that would indicate that to a buyer.
I just saw that classification when I checked reviews here, and that explains a lot. I was hoping for something a little richer, more complex, less predicable. If I'd known it was YA, I would not have purchased it.
This time she, or they, got me. I count it as a lesson for the future.

I read a lot. I buy a lot of books. I have read most of Philippa Gregory's work, and I like a lot of young adult fiction. This looked like a sure thing. I am deep into a couple of really good books at the moment, so instead of buying this, I checked it out of the library. Thank goodness! It is going back tomorrow. I cannot be bothered. I read about half, skimmed head to see if anything was going to happen, and it was clear that Gregory is no JK Rowling. Or Holly Black. Or K Cashore. Or Suzanne Collins. Or Cassandra Clare. Or any of a dozen other YA authors I could name. The handgun reference on page one is your first clue. Pass.

I like the book. I think the actions and emotions of the characters are very believable and I respect the author's interpretation of conditions at the time. I think the issue of wanting the best for your children and raising them to feel empowered, then failing to truly protect them, is absolutely timeless and relevant. Not a flawless read, but written well enough to have some great fun. Plus, a quick google search will let you know that handguns were known during the time ([...] , [...]). Even in scholarly databases I have not been able to find evidence to the contrary. So just calm down and read this book for the fun of it.

If you like GAME OF THRONES, this is a definite read for you! It moves quickly in plot. The characters are likable, even Freize who likes to talk everyone to death.

The plot was easy to figure out after enough information was given, but Luca's revelations are easy to follow for the reader and realistic. However, the investigation at the abbey only takes up about half of the novel's plot, which is nice because it allows for the reader to be caught up in more of the storyline for the series. The fact that Gregory adds to plots (one large, one smaller) shows the ability to engage readers and connect them to the characters.

One of my favorite things about this book was the strong feminist overtones. Isolde and her companion, Ishraq (a Moor) are strong, independent woman - extremely strange for the time. Isolde's father raised her to take over the lands - which doesn't happen. The fact that he raised his daughter as such, and had her companion so thoroughly trained, shows the obvious fault in her brother's decree of his final wishes. This book is great for young women, even though it's historical. It gives women a strong voice and shows them to stand out, even when all the men around them think they should be subservient.

As posted on AFTER THE LAST PAGE blog.

I have read many of Philippa Gregory's books and this is far different. I like to compare it to Stephen King's "Eyes of the Dragon". Both just light and easy, a real departure from their normal writing. The other reviewers have pointed out errors like the handgun and different breads being served but I find these flaws did not detract from the story. I thought it was entertaining and I will look forward to other books in this series. We all need a break from heavy books..........like "Fall of Giants" or "The Passage"...... Enjoy!

I feel obligated to write this review, which I normally do not do, because of the vast number of bad reviews for the novel posted. I am normally a Philippa Gregory fan, she is one of only a few historical fiction authors I read (most botching facts and history so badly it makes me wince, or allowing a fascinating topic to be dreadfully boring, in my opinion). But this book reads in an entirely different manner from any of Gregory's other books. Gregory's historical fiction novels tend to be slow reading, deep and extremely detailed, despite being fascinating it takes a while to really absorb all the book has to offer. Changeling I finished in an hour and a half. The book was fast paced and constantly throwing the reader for a loop in the best way. There were some slightly awkward plot twists, and in some places the reader came to the character's conclusion too far before the character themselves, but these are minor concerns in a book that is a constant and epic surprise. The characters comport themselves in a way reasonable to the period but are also developed in a way to which a modern reader can relate. Contrary to several reviews which called the book boring, I found it fascinating and fast-paced. The long chapters didn't bother me because I finished each so quickly. It was different in so many ways from most of the Philippa Gregory books I have read, but was at least equally delicious, if not more so. I would recommend reading the book with an open mind and be willing to deal with stylistic differences from her usual novel, and I think you will enjoy the book immensely.

I just put the book down and I really enjoyed it. I'm not going to go into too much detail here because I mostly just want to stick up for the author on a book that I liked. The cover was a little hookey, but the story was fun. It wasn't terribly serious, but I loved the characters. I especially LOVE Freize and Ishraq! I really can't wait to see how the author develops these characters throughout the series. I do hope that some of the nit picky reviews don't prevent the author from bringing the second book in this series to print.

I often check out the reviews of books I'm considering reading here before starting them. Sure glad I didn't this time or I probably wouldn't have given this one a chance. I didn't actually read it - I listened to the audiobook edition of it. Perhaps that helped in that I felt the narrator did an outstanding job with the different characters and accents. It made for a quite enjoyable story, and probably made many of the editing issues other reviewers commented on less of an issue.

It does seem like the start of a series and I hope the author and publisher will keep the series going. I'll sure give the next one a chance, especially if there's an audiobook edition with the same narrator.

I love Philippa Gregory and her work (Wideacre being one of my favorite series) so when I found this book on the shelves in the YA section I was thrilled! I read the back and it seemed interesting enough and all you have to do is mention werewolf and I'm in.
but I was very disappointed with the book, all the characters were flat and boring. the storyline was ok at best, it just kind of shuffled along if that makes any sense.
I think she tried to simplify this book since it's for Young Adult's but she OVER simplified, there was no real climax in the book, and it was over before I felt like anything had really happened. She could have spent more time detailing the book, and probably just spent the entirety of the book at the Abbey, expounding on everything a little bit more.
In all honesty this book reminded me of something that I would have read in middle school. if not elementary.

It is 1453 and novice priest Luca Vero has been expelled from the monastery he has called home since the disappearance of his parents several years earlier. In medieval Italy charges of heresy are a serious matter and when Luca is summoned for further questioning hes' sure he is about to face the dreaded Inquisition.

Instead, he is recruited to help uncover the fears of Christendom as it faces what many are certain will be the end of the world.

Accompanied by Freize - a former kitchen hand from the monastery and who has made it his mission to look after the young novice - and Brother Peter,an older monk, Luca sets out for a nunnery believed to be in the grip of evil. The arrival of the new Lady Abbess, Isolde, has brought a reign of dread and terror with the normally peaceful nuns suffering from night terrors and showing signs of stigmata.

With Freize and Brother Peter's help, Luca must ascertain whether the mysterious and alluring Lady Abbess is indeed to blame for the disruption at the nunnery or if she is innocent before she is burned at the stake as a witch.

Philippa Gregory is no stranger to the best seller list - or for that matter historical Europe. She already has more than 20 novels to her name, not the least being The Other Boleyn Girl.

While Changeling is not quite as deep as some of Gregory's adult fiction, it is in no way a 'dumbed down read for kids'. Changeling is in fact an entertaining, well paced story with great characters who are easy to relate to (monastery and nunnery vows not withstanding).

Similar in many ways to the popular Ellis Peters novels of the '80s and '90s, with Luca holding Brother Cadfael's role, Changeling is a great introduction to the Order of Darkness series and to an era often forgotten by the YA readers.

It was a refreshing change to see paranormal issues explored in a somewhat pragmatic manner and then explained. Not that I have anything against the paranormal (or even sparkly vampires for that fact) but variety is the spice of life after all....

Changeling is a great read for any age. Older readers will get a lot of enjoyment from this novel and I'm sure the series, but if you are specifically looking for a 'transition' novel for a teenage girl, you won't go far wrong here.

I'm looking forward to hearing more from Luca and learning more about his own past.
(review originally written for On a Far Away Bookshelf)

Very disappointing book with flimsy, cookie-cutter characters, banal dialogue, and unimaginative prose. Full of jarring historical and cultural inaccuracies. A waste of time. The best part of this book is the cover.

I really enjoyed this book, I think it is a great setup for a new series. Granted, it is short and I was disappointed by the length of the story but very intrigued to see where it goes from here. Basically Isolde is the heroine and Lucan is the hero. They both have intriguing backgrounds that are only slightly delved into. There is an aura of mystery, supernatural, romance, it is all here. Don't pick up this book expecting it to be like Ms. Gregory's other work it isn't like any of her other books but it was just as interesting and well written. I will pick up the next one in the series as soon as it hits the book stores!

Let me begin by saying that I adore Philippa Gregory's novels. I finished reading the Other Boleyn Girl in a matter of six hours, and shortly after that completed the Red Queen, the White Queen, the Queen's Fool, and the Virgin's Lover at a blistering pace. I also annoyed every single member of my family by shouting out what was going to happen when we watched the series "Tudors" together on TV, and correcting every historically inaccurate aspect of it. Her magnificent works caused me to become obsessed with the Tudors and the Cousins' War; when we covered those units in history class, my hand was in the air before the question could complete its exit from my teacher's mouth. It even got to the point where he would simply sit down at his desk and ask me to explain it to the class, instead of bouncing in my desk with anticipation to be called on; this was all because of my beloved Gregory.
Gregory's praises having been sung, this book was a tragic letdown that left me staring sadly at my Kindle with naught but shattered hopes. I was extremely excited when I saw that Gregory was writing a novel for teens, and purchased it without a second thought. There is hardly any character development; the only plot that is visible is perhaps a crumbling and flimsy foundation for a romance novel. The characters are rather hard to like or follow, and the brevity of the book left no resolution or room for decent continuation. In Luca's squire, Gregory has obviously attempted to produce a "Mercutio" figure that makes witty comments and provides comic relief, but has tragically fallen short.
I put this book down to continue reading "Fifty Shades of Gray," which is really saying something. But that is a snarky review for another day...

- A Teenager Let Down by Her Favorite Author

I bought this book at my daughters middle school book fair. I thought it was a good book. It was mysterious and adventurous. An easy read for children in middle school. I hope she continues the story. The characters were great. The kids will enjoy this book

Dawn

This is not up to Phillippa Gregory's standards. I have read many of her books and they are well researched and display a knowledge of the times. The Order of Darkness is trite, the characters are from the 21st century as are their thoughts and actions. Maybe fifth grade school level. Please don't continue this series.

I have read most of the novels by this author. Mostly I enjoyed her Tudor series for their lush description and action. This may be that I miss the historical content, but I had a hard time caring about the characters of the outcome. The premise for the novel, that a woman could be forced into a convent and women be "ruled" by men, though historically correct, rankled.