57. The Grand Tour or The Purloined Coronation Regalia by Patricia C. Wrede & Caroline Stevermer (Young adult historical fantasy) 469 p.

The sequel to Sorcery and Cecelia, this takes up only a few weeks after that book leaves off. For their honeymoon trip, Kate, Cecy, and their new husbands have decided to go on the Grand Tour, with Kate’s mother-in-law, Lady Silvia, accompanying them across the Channel to Paris. In Calais, however, a package left for Lady Silvia proves to contain an important and valuable artifact. All five know that it must not fall into the wrong hands, but this knowledge does them little good when the artifact is stolen by highwaymen on the road to Paris. The two couples continue their journey, but now in an attempt to foil a sinister plot.

I liked this almost as much as Sorcery and Cecelia, but not quite. It was a good deal longer, partly because the plot was more complex, but partly because the story was slower-paced. I’m also not that fond of watching couples fawn over each other, in real life or in books, because I find it boring and kind of annoying. There wasn’t a lot of it in The Grand Tour, but still too much for me.

The story was marvellously entertaining, though. I’m a little surprised by how much I liked both books, because if there’s one thing I don’t like, it’s a story told entirely through letters or diary entries. Kate and Cecy have such vivid personalities, though, and it comes through in their writing, so instead of being a little dull and removed from the action, their accounts are full of life.

I definitely recommend both books, and I hope I come across a copy of the third book sometime soon!

Pages read: 15,925

Tags: 50 Book Challenge 2008, Caroline Stevermer, Chunkster Challenge 2008, Kate and Cecelia, Patricia C. Wrede