LitPick Review
Gemma by Patrick L. Wimsatt is a romance book about a young lady and man who worked together to defeat a wicked man and rebuild their kingdom. James is a young man also known as Prince James Edmond before he was stripped of his title by a wicked man named Alazaar, who treated people badly and made them slaves. One particular day, James was walking when he came across a man with a young girl bound in chains. It was obvious she was a slave, but he felt connected to her in some way and decided to pay some money to “buy” her. At first, the young girl, later known as Gemma, was annoyed, thinking she had been bought by another slave master, but little did she know that James' act was a kind one. He took her to his house where he fed and gave her a place to sleep. He asked about her family, and she related the tragedy that had befallen them and the people in her village. Sensing Alazaar's wicked act, James was determined to help Gemma locate her family as well as the people living in the village. He aimed at defeating Alazaar and restoring his kingdom. Upon hearing this, the young lady was delighted and wanted to help him. James was glad that Gemma was happy, but he knew Alazaar was a ruthless man and defeating him would not be easy. Do you think James and Gemma would accomplish their mission? Would James end up defeating Alazaar?
Opinion:
The book's title, Gemma, is focused on an ambitious young lady. Throughout the book, Gemma was considered a vibrant, courageous, daring, and sensible character. She was also seen as caring, as she put the villagers' need above hers when she helped James rescue the captured villagers from Alazaar's den. Most of the characters were likeable due to their outstanding qualities, while some, like Alazaar and Morena, were despised for their heartless actions. The characters were all well-integrated into the story, and I loved the romantic gestures such as kissing displayed between James and Gemma. It made the book more captivating.
While reading, I noticed the pacing of the book was fast, the actions were quick, and the author's use of emotions were rushed. For example, when James' father, King Phillip, was beheaded by Alazaar using a guillotine, James and the villagers were sad at first, but it was not for long. After some time, there was happiness when James was pronounced the new king by Gemma, and he even proposed to her just after witnessing his father's death! As a reader, I felt he did not mourn his father well, seeing the horrible way he was killed, but nevertheless, I still enjoyed the book.
The twists used in the book were great, even though I could guess most of them from the chapter's title. An example was one of the chapters which was titled “Alazaar's Revenge,” which depicted the forthcoming action, so when I got to the part where Alazaar got his revenge, I was not surprised since I already saw it coming. But still there were other parts where the twists were intense like how James' father was killed. Those parts kept me on the edge of my seat.
The settings used in the book were exceptional as I could picture a vividly detailed environment which evoked a specific atmosphere that matched the story's tone. The main setting used was the large cave where the uncaptured villagers hid themselves. The place served as their second home after most of the people were abducted by Alazaar. The Timbervale Village was another place that was used. It was the village where Gemma was brought up. Just as the name sounds, their main product is timber and from the story, I was able to envision a deserted place after Alazaar had captured most of the men and women and had burned the place.
Overall, I would say the pacing was fast, but I understood the story and especially loved the main characters, who were kindhearted and caring. I would like to recommend this to fans of fantasy and romantic books.
