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The Grand Tour
by Patricia C. Wrede & Caroline Stevermer
Cecy and Kate's joint honeymoon trip becomes a race to prevent an imposter from being mystically crowned Emporer of Europe.
Cecy and Kate are back again in, The Grand Tour or The Purloined Coronation Regalia being a revelation of matters of High Confidentiality and Greatest Importance, including extracts from the intimate diary of a Noblewoman and the sworn testimony of a Lady of Quality, the second installment of this magical trilogy. This time, they’re taking on the continent as a joint wedding trip with their new husbands, James and Thomas. Lady Sylvia (Thomas’s mother) is also along for part of the ride, helping Kate adjust to her rise in the aristocracy (Thomas is a Marquis, after all).
When a network of spies called the League of the Pimpernel discovers a plot to steal coronation regalia and crown an impostor as a mystical Emporer of Europe, Lady Sylvia calls the foursome into action once again. She remains in Paris while the newlyweds trek mountains, cross countries, and fall into canals while sleuthing.
Fans of Sorcery and Cecelia may be disappointed by The Grand Tour. It’s an interesting book on its own, but doesn’t measure up to the others in the trilogy. Instead of exchanging letters, the story is told as Cecy’s deposition to the Royal College of Wizards, and excerpts from Kate’s journal. It makes sense to order things this way because the cousins would not need to write, being on the same journey together. It just doesn’t have the same immediacy because the reader is looking back at remembered events.
Another problem is that Kate simply isn't as interesting as Cecy. This may be because Patricia C. Wrede (who writes as Cecy) is a better writer than Caroline Stevermer (who pens Kate). The first book was equally interesting on both sides, but Cecy’s was the more interesting storyline. Cecy attacks live with verve while Kate just lets things happen to her. Kate is not a commanding or proactive character, which makes her more of a yawn. Also, this book is nearly 150 pages longer than the first. It is a bit of a struggle to stay interested the first time through, but improves upon a second reading.
Title: The Grand Tour
Author: Patricia C. Wrede & Caroline Stevermer
Publisher: Harcourt Books
ISBN: 015204616X
Review written by: Tracy Elledge
Reviewer's Rating:7.5
Reader's Rating: 0
Reader's Votes: 0
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