The More I See You
Grade : C

Perhaps I wasn't in the mood to read another time travel where an ultra-feisty, ultra-American, ultra-attitudinal chick goes back in time and tries to bring a dark, brooding, unsmiling, tormented hero from the 13th century into the 21st - or at the very least, the 14th. However, in spite of my own personal reservations, I'm certain that fans of Ms. Kurland's will enjoy The More I See You.

The story begins when composer/musician Jessica Blakely casually walks into an English garden in the year 1999, makes a wish upon a star, and with the next step she takes, enters the 13th century. Conveniently dressed in medieval garb for a costume party, Jessica is immediately set upon by a hoard of men and dogs. One gallant knight sweeps her into his arms to protect her, while the other men want to kill her, fearing she is a witch or faery because of the way she simply materialized before their eyes.

But Richard de Galtres doesn't believe in faeries - Richard doesn't really believe in anything except his ultimate power as lord of Burwyck-on-the-Sea. A truly tortured hero (in Richard's case, this is not a euphemism), the lord of Burwyck finds Jessica a constant source of irritation: she never stops talking, constantly criticizes his way of life, insists she's a better carpenter than the man he's hired to build his keep, and is always running away in an attempt to get back home, forcing him to go after her since she always steals his horse. Eventually, Jessica confesses she is from the future, and Richard rejects the idea out of hand (and who wouldn't?).

While Richard resists the idea Jessica is from the future, he keeps her close to him and allows her to see a side of him long hidden from others. When he becomes ill after an injury in sword practice, Jessica saves his life. When Jessica is wounded during an attack by someone who believes she is an evil faery, Richard saves her life in return. To distract Jessica while her wounds are being tended, a young priest reads the betrothal ceremony to her and Richard. Through all the screaming and pain, they inadvertently provide the proper responses and end up as man and wife. Each feels (wrongly) that the other wants out of the marriage and hurt feelings due to this Little Misunderstanding creates more tension between them (and add pages to the book that I felt were unnecessary).

The More I See You is a long book and most of it deals with fish-out-of-water Jessica trying to cope with a sudden shift in sensibilities - seven hundred years before mini-marts, chocolate, and hot showers. Throughout most of the story, Richard and Jessica have a strained relationship - there is no sexual tension at all in the first half of the book, they're so busy arguing with each other. However, many of the thoughts and feelings these characters have do ring true, keeping this story a cut above the rest. Richard is doing his best; Jessica is truly loving and supportive.

There are two elements that kept this story together for me, and without them, this book wouldn't have held itself up: the abundant humor, and the genuine love that grows between Richard and Jessica. The author has infused nearly every page with humor, and it works. And, when Jessica and Richard fall in love, it's believable and I could see why these two people would be drawn to each other.

Richard comes to accept Jessica's time travel a bit too quickly, and her feistiness and manner of speaking are sometimes not rational under the circumstances. Medieval attitudes toward women, superstitions, the harshness of everyday life are all well drawn and credible. Richard is the best part of the book - a tormented man who has good cause to think he is not worthy of love and who views every unexperienced emotion as a betrayal to his personal defenses.

Parts of The More I See You worked for me and parts didn't work as well. This is one of those books you're just going to have to read and decide for yourself.

Reviewed by Marianne Stillings
Grade : C

Sensuality: Kisses

Review Date : January 13, 2000

Publication Date: 1999

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Marianne Stillings

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