Book review/ Ogled knjige (Suzana Mussiow, Kraljica Moraye)

Unfinished. Today I'm sharing with you two things: an unfinished watercolour and an unfinished story. This watercolour is a reproduction or at least that is what it was supposed to be but I never got around to finishing it. So, what we have here is a painting I'm not sure I will finish and a book whose sequel I won't read. The reason why I won't read the sequel is not because I dislike the novel, but simply because the sequel hasn't been written yet. Who knows will there be a sequel at all? 

Kraljica Moraye literally translated means Queen of Moraya. I suppose this novel could be described as a historical romance. It is set in the eighteen century. The protagonist is a young lady who travels to meet her future husband. She is a headstrong but kind person who was raised by a strict aunt. As one could assume (taking the genre into consideration), she doesn't arrive safety to her destination but gets kidnapped instead. What follows is an adventurous story featuring some known historical figures such as Marie Antoinette.

I had mixed feelings about this novel, but I don't regret reading it. I think all the flaws were due to the inexperience of the writer.  The plot was at times predictable. All in all, it was a odd mix of deep thoughts and superficial 'new age' phrases. This novel failed to really impress me but it wasn't so bad. If a sequel existed, I would probably give it a try. I don't like unfinished stories. Or unfinished paintings for that matter.

 Speaking of which, I should finish this watercolour I'm just waiting for inspiration to strike me. I think I'll change it up a little, no need for it to remain a reproduction ( I didn't remember to take a photo of the reproduction anyway).  I've been working on so many new paintings and illustrations lately. If you're following my Instagram, you might have seen some already. If you're not following me there, don't worry. Sooner or later, I'll post all of those paintings here as well. 

Nedovršeno. Danas sa vama dijelim dvije stvari: nedovršenu sliku i nedovršenu priču. Ovaj akvarel je reprodukcija ili je barem to ono što je treba biti, ali ga nikad nisam dovršila. Tako da ovdje imamo sliku za koju nisam sigurna da ću ju završiti i knjigu čiji nastavak neću pročitati. Razlog zašto neću pročitati nastavak nije jer mi se roman ne sviđa, jer jednostavno jer nastavak još nije bio napisan. Tko zna hoće li ga i biti?

Kraljica Moraye je roman koji bi se žanrovski mogao opisati kao povijesna romansa. Smješten je u osamnaesto stoljeće. Protagonist je mlada dama koja putuje upoznati svoga budućega muža. Ona je tvrdoglava, ali dobra osoba koju je odgojila stroga teta. Kao što se može i pretpostaviti (uzevši u obzir žanr) ona ne stiže sigurno na svoje odredište već je umjesto toga otimaju. Što slijedi je priča puna avantura u kojoj se pojavljuju neke poznate osobe kao Marija Antonetta.

Malo su mi osjećaji bili pomješani kada je ovaj roman u pitanju, ali mi nije žao što sam ga pročitala. Mislim da su sve mane tu zbog neiskustva spisateljice. Zaplet je bio na trenutke predvidljiv.  Sve u svemu, bila je to čudna mješavina dubokih misli i površnih new age fraza. Ovaj roman nije me se doista dojmio, ali nije bio ni posve loš. Da ima nastavak, vjerojatno bi ga pročitala. Ne volim nedovršene priče. Ni nedovršeno slike kada smo već kod toga. 

Trebala bi dovršiti i ovaj akvarel. Samo čekam nadahnuće. Možda ga malo i izmijenim, nema potrebe da ostane reprodukcija.  Zapravo nisam se ni sjetila na tečaju uslikati sliku čiju sam reprodukciju radila. Radila sam na puno slika i ilustracija u zadnje vrijeme. Pratite li me na Instagramu, možda ste već vidjeli neke. Ako me ne pratite tamo, ne brinite se. Prije ili kasnije, sve ću te slike objaviti i ovdje. 



#akvarel #bookworm



#modaodaradosti



knjigoljubac modaodaradosti

moda modaradosti


modaodaradosti

modaodaradosti

bookreview

novel




modaodaradosti




  INSTAGRAM

TWITTER

GOODREADS

LOOKBOOK

YOUTUBE

Comments

  1. Unknown21 May 2017 at 12:26

    Thanks for the interesting post) Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Paola Lauretano21 May 2017 at 14:25

    Sempre interessanti le letture che ci proponi Ivana!
    Kisses, Paola.
    Expressyourself

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beauty Unearthly21 May 2017 at 15:20

    Interesting post my dear, thank you for sharing :-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Letne Dni Look Younger21 May 2017 at 15:48

    Well, honest review, I like that. I hope you will finish your watercolor.
    Have a wonderful day, hugs!
    Dusana :-)

    www.letnedni.com

    https://www.instagram.com/dusana_b/

    ReplyDelete
  5. Rowena @ rolala loves21 May 2017 at 20:31

    The premise of the book sounds like it could've been quite promising and compelling if not for the predictability and the superficiality. It seems like you still managed to get some enjoyment from reading it even though it left you unimpressed. I don't really like leaving things unfinished either for the feeling of uncertainty that it gives me. I'm so glad to hear that your hand has completely healed and that you're back to painting whenever you like now. Being limited due to an injury can be such a helpless feeling but knowing you, your time was well spent :) Have an inspired new week my friend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ivana Split24 May 2017 at 08:14

      I tried to spend my time well, but I'm certainly happy I can paint again.

      Delete
  6. Miguel Gouveia22 May 2017 at 00:00

    Thanks a lot :D

    This book sound super interesting as I love!!! Nive book review dear!

    NEW DIY POST | DIY: Cinema Light Box (Easy Version)
    Instagram ∫ Facebook Official Page ∫ Miguel Gouveia / Blog Pieces Of Me :D

    ReplyDelete
  7. sonia // daring coco22 May 2017 at 01:42

    Shame that the book wasn't as great as you'd hope. The overall story does sound promising. Maybe if a sequel comes into the works the author may have developed and advanced their prose to create something more memorable.

    Sxx
    www.daringcoco.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. Rosanna22 May 2017 at 02:14

    What a beautiful watercolour!
    Have a lovely day :)
    Rosanna x
    Rose's Rooftop

    ReplyDelete
  9. Unknown23 May 2017 at 05:02

    Znam taj osećaj kad je nešto nedovršeno, ali mislim da nekim stvarima to prosto jeste sudbina. Da nisi rekla da je akvarel nedovršen, ne bih nikada to pomislila. Eto, ako ti je za utehu, možda nije baš u potpunosti nedovršen ;) Što se knjige tiče, iako je nisam čitala, znam tačno šta hoćeš da kažeš pa stoga ne verujem da bih joj dala šansu, mada nikad ne reci nikad :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ivana Split24 May 2017 at 06:16

      zapravo imaš pravo, ima previše sjajnih knjiga da bi pratili nastavke onih što su neki prosjek, tako da i nije neka šteta što nastavak nije napisan. Ja sam nekad spremna dati šansu nastavku jer je prva knjiga uvijek najteža, a kasnije pisac stekne malo iskustva pa često nastavak bude bolji...za razliku of filmova, gdje su nastavci rijetko vrijedni pažnje.:)

      Delete
  10. Lenya23 May 2017 at 16:07

    I don't love an unfinished story either. But I would have loved to have a proper look at that watercolor, from what I can see it looks finished to me. Where is the unfinished part, Ivana? Why do you think it is unfinished? You might try to darken the shadow underneath the boat that helps to giving it a bit more depth. Remember how the washes goes from dark and then starting to fade slightly away.
    xox
    Lenya
    New update: Hallway Makeover WIP

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ivana Split24 May 2017 at 06:14

      I have to finish the leaves, I'm not nearly done with shadows there, but I keep delaying it because it's a lot of work.

      I don't think the boat turned out well either, the arch is all unnatural but it's to late to change it now. However, I might add more layers and make the water and the area underneath the boat darker. Thanks for the tip.

      Delete
    2. Lenya26 May 2017 at 16:33

      Remember that shadows are always cool, I would recommend a very diluted wash of payne's blue-gray (PB60, PBk6) as this is a very cool shade and perfect for shadows. You could use also use neutral tint (PBk6, PV19, PB15) as it's a compliment to every color although I personally don't think so as it too dark for my liking and too muddy with its three pigments, but it's up to you of course. As for the leaves, remember that form your viewpoint (the painting) the foliage gets more blurred the farther away the eyes travels, it means, the foliage becomes a variation of green shades, you don't see single leaves. You said you are not too happy with the boat, why not give it another try, start again and keep this one as a good exercise, Ivana. Hope that helps.

      Delete
    3. Ivana Split28 May 2017 at 08:34

      I'm going to leave it for now, because I'm out of art supplies. Maybe next year (if I start art school again), I'll take some watercolour lessons and give it another go.

      Delete
  11. Ivana Split24 May 2017 at 08:11

    thanks

    ReplyDelete
  12. iameverywoman.eu26 May 2017 at 11:37

    Thanks for the inetersting review :) I'm waiting for your finished painting :))))))) Kisses - Margot

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

All your comments mean a lot to me, even the criticism. Naravno da mi puno znači što ste uzeli vrijeme da nešto napišete, pa makar to bila i kritika. Per me le vostre parole sono sempre preziose anche quando si tratta di critiche.

Popular posts from this blog

THE ISLAND OF THE MISSING TREES BY ELIF SHAFAK (BOOK REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION)

Image
Today I shall review The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak. I was actually gifted this book. What a wonderful present it proved to be! Published in 2021, this postmodern  novel  follows two  story lines and uses framed narration.  The Island of Missing Trees  tells the life story of a Greek Turkish couple and their adolescent daughter.  This novel examines and explores a number of topics such as identity, migration, immigrant life, war trauma, memory, love and family. It's an ambitious novel that examines serious topics with due respect and sensitivity . I read it months ago, but I remember it vividly. Honestly, I cried a lot while reading this novel. It really moved me greatly. In fact, that is probably why it took me this long to finish this book review. I needed to emotionally process the story.   The Island of Missing Trees is   set in London and Cyprus. The narration isn't chronological .  The story jumps back and forth, following two main timelines, one set in moder
Read more

SUPPORTING LOCAL DESIGNERS IN MOSTAR: TRANSITIONAL AUTUMN STYLING WITH OZZ BRAND

Image
Hello readers and fellow bloggers! In this post, I'll share two transitional outfits featuring a lilac skirt from fashion designer Stanka Zovko. If you're a regular reader of this blog, you've probably seen this skirt before. Afterall, I'm really good at shopping my closet. I've been wearing this lilac skirt a lot in the past few months. It's also a great piece for transitional weather because it can be easily layered, or dressed up and down.  Supporting local designers and artisans is certainly something that pays off in the long run. If you want to own unique pieces and at the same time, support your local community, you should really explore shopping local, or commissioning local artisans and designers.  Sustainability in fashion is a big topic nowadays! However, sometimes I feel like people make it more complicated than it really is. We should go back to our origins. Explore vintage, second hand and local shopping. Learn how to stay away from the big shoppin
Read more

FORGIVENESS DAY BY URSULA K. LE GUIN (BOOK REVIEW AND AN AUTUMN STYLING)

Image
Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! How are you today? I'm back with another Ursula K. Le Guin book review. In this post, I'll review " Forgiveness Day" , a science fiction novella that is a part of the Hainish Circle. Published in 1995, "Forgiveness Day " won multiple awards. This novella is often published together with her other novellas from the Hainish Circle, and it can be find in various editions of Four Ways to Forgiveness and Five Ways to Forgiveness.   Thematically, this novella is a part of five stories featuring two Hainish planets, but it can definitely be read on its own. I think it functions well as a stand alone novella. I listened to it in audio form, and I didn't have any problems following the story.  The world building is simple and effective. The author fills us in about the history of the two planets as the story enfolds. For such a short work of prose, this novella is really impressive in that it manages to explore the theme o
Read more

MALTA HIKING TALES (PART FIVE) GHAJN TUFFIEFA AND QUARABBA BAY

Image
Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! I'm back with another Malta themed post. Recently I posted a painting inspired by Malta. As some of you might remember, I visited Malta a few years ago, but I only blogged about it last April, when I published a series of post on Malta. My series about Malta isn't finished, though. In fact, today we're going to continue it. Considering my stay on Malta was two weeks long, it deserves more than a couple of posts. There is a lot to see and do on Malta. It's a small island, but one that's filled with so much life and beauty. Although Malta faces some problems caused by fast tourism, it remains an unique and magical island.  In this post, I'll take you to the bays I visited while hiking on Malta. One of them (Ghajn Tuffieha Bay) is the one I painted. You can visit that post by clicking on the link below: TRAVEL WITH MY ART #43, GHAJN TUFFIEHA BAY, MALTA LET'S START WITH THE GOLDEN BAY We actually didn't go all the way
Read more

THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER, A SHORT STORY BY W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM

Image
Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! Welcome November! We'll welcome this new month with a blog review. In this post, I'll share my review for Maugham's short story titled T he Ant and the Grasshopper . This post will also be  a reading recommendation because I enjoyed this story a great deal. I've been reading Maugham's The Complete Short Stories for some time now. I've been taking my time with this collection, but I enjoyed it a lot. When I finish this book in its entirely, I'll share a review for all of his stories. Until then, I'll keep posting individual reviews of stories I liked the most. If you want to read Maugham yourself, you can find his collected works online (among other places  on project Gutenberg ) and read them for free.  W. Somerset Maugham is a writer whose subtle use of humour is delightful, but sometimes it's easy to miss it just because it's so subtle. He's wonderful at mixing the harsh realities of life with clever
Read more

FASHION ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY WATERCOLOUR: LONG DRESSES AND DE PROFUNDIS QUOTES!

Image
 Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! It's almost ten. I've had a long week and I'm quite tired and sleepy. However, I'll try to wrap this post up for you tonight. What kind of post? Well, a post about art. Fashion art to be more precise.  I've been on a roll lately with my art posts. After a period of not posting my art at all, due to a variety of reasons, I started posting my art in every post. I got back to my destination art series, and now it's time for another post in my fashion art series. Friday Fashion Illustration  is somewhat of a regular feature on my blog. Today I'll share two watercolour pencil fashion illustrations of mine. I sketched both of them this Summer in my A3 mixed media sketchbook. I sketched the long yellow dress first, and then the blue and read one. The medium for both of them is watercolour pencils on paper, the same brand I always use. I find watercolour pencils to be quite practical, especially for sketching. I often use the
Read more