Sunday, April 19, 2015

Review: The Perfect Fool by Bethany Zohner Herbert


 

The Perfect Fool by Bethany Zohner Herbert
Paperback, 288 pages
Published April 14th 2015 by Cedar Fort Publishing & Media 
Source: I received a copy in exchange for an honest review 

Description: Plucked from the streets to become a court jester, Farrago’s life couldn’t be better, especially now that he’s flirting with scullery maid Thea. But when Thea turns out to be a queen in disguise, Farrago may become as much a fool in love as in his occupation. This medieval tale is filled with romance, humor, and twists that will keep you guessing to the last page.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23597380-the-perfect-fool 

My Review:  I absolutely loved the messages found within this story. Farrago is known as "little thief" steals on the streets. When he steals from the court's fool, he is taken under Fendral's wing and trained to be a fool as well. A person's upbringing doesn't determine what they become in life, especially when someone believes in you. Farrago absolutely adored Fendral, as does everyone else. He's a very kind man and when he falls in love and leaves, Farrago is heartbroken. 

Farrago has a great personality. For instance, he has a beak nose and isn't afraid to poke fun of himself. When he leaves to tries and win over the new queen of a neighboring kingdom, he masquerades as a noble and his personality really shines through. A person is the same on the inside, even when the outside changes. The way you treat people, especially your competition or enemies (such as Arabian prince, Kazim, and the other kingdom's fool, Oaf) in tense situations, is a true testament to a person's character. Farrago is funny, witty, and kind, but has a great weakness, which others try and use against him. I think he says what he thinks because he's a fool and can get away with being completely himself.

Thea, the scullery maid turned queen, is also a great character. Thrown into a life she's never know, she manages to deal with situations in a dignified way. Ana, the little sweetheart whom Farrago stumbles upon stole a piece of my heart. There are many great characters and I loved some and hated others. People aren't always like the masks they wear.

The twists were fabulous and I'm definitely looking forward to more by this author!

Content: no language or violence; very mild romance; mild-moderate violence (non-graphic beheading, torture, fighting, deaths, killing, etc--nothing is overly graphic)

 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1462116205?ie=UTF8&keywords=the%20perfect%20fool&qid=1429326359&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

About the Author:
Bethany Zohner Herbert was born in Salt Lake City, and aside from a short amount of time living in England and the South, she is back in her native Idaho where she grew up. She has been a fan of books since before she could write. She earned her Bachelor’s in creative writing from BYU-Idaho and her Master’s in literature and writing from Utah State University. When not coming up with weird stories, she likes participating in and teaching Zumba, making crafts (silly ones like puppets) reading, and dating her husband.

2 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for the review! So glad you enjoyed it! - Bethany Z. Herbert

    ReplyDelete