blurb_AHoB

Blurb The historical “A Handful of Blossoms�, by Lara Biyuts, is written in the form of a diary, which genre -- epistolary, confessional -- used to be so popular in the 18th century and which sounds so comprehensible in our time of blogging, web-diaries and webjournals.

Set in Europe, the story is about a young bride and her weird marriage.

Time: 1764, a year after the Seven Years War. In the novella, the author studies the interesting case when a gay man is enforced to get married to a female (dynastic marriage) and what comes of the unnatural act.

First of all, the novella is a story of a young thing, who learns the world. Also, the novella may be defined as paranormal adventures, because the mysterious undead, who appears in the winter tale written by the main character in the previous novel “Silver Thread Spinner”, by Lara Biyuts, as well as in her latest novel “Through the Baltic Looking-Glass”, appears in this story as well. As a love story, the novella is most original, because the heroine knows true love after marriage and not before it, unlike it’s in other romances. The narration has several tales heard by the heroine and written down by her, and the tales show the pagan culture of Central Europe being a piece of information for those who want to know more of the folklore. The ending is pendent, which is the next peculiarity of the novelese.

Author’s Note The storytelling at the party, in my novella, is not like that in “The Decameron”, by Boccaccio, since it’s not a time of the Black Death outside, around the Castle, and nothing frivolous or playful is in the tales told by the table-mates.

The story tellers are two: Prince Constantine and his guest Mr Winckelmann. It’s like a contest, but whose heart the contestant would like to win? My heroine Constance-Otilia knows that not hers. Rather Sylvian’s. Sylvian is Constantine’s nephew and one of two listeners. She is the first to leave the party, and it remains unknown to her how the party ends, and even I, the Author, don’t know. I merely can say that it could end anyhow, from the storytelling getting more and more sublime to an orgy.

Constance-Otilia is going on 17; her relatives call her “Tilia” which is one of names of the lime-tree. The lime-tree I regard as my weird tree because it is abloom at the time of summer when my birthday approaches; thus, giving her the name of Wilde’s wife, I never forget of myself, though. Tilia is not my second-self, and yet I give her my features, which is perfectly natural too, in my view. And so, the young thing learns the world. While living at her Consort’s (if the life of the two could be called “family”) she makes her choice, meanwhile, at leisure, falling in love with her husband, first. Not for long. There are a lot of handsome gentlemen her husband’s precinct. After the disappointment in her husband, which happens at the supper party, mentioned above, she dreams of men, as usual. But the love story is not over. One mysterious and dangerous stranger comes in the life of the Castle.

The mental work going on; at leisure, between the events and adventures, she can’t come to a decision about the only man whom her heart loves more and truly -- but what more interesting is that all the 3 handsome men, among who she seeks to choose, are equally indifferent to her which circumstance cannot stop her young imagination, and in the end of the book, she makes her choice.

The manuscript of her Diary ends with the man’s name, and the reader cannot know whether the choice is fatal to her or not, but I, as the Author, can say that it’s fatal.

After one dangerous adventure, she begins feeling dubious about her own virginity, and she remains uncertain about it till the books’ end, but I can say that her doubt is unfounded and she is virgin till the book’s end. No wonder, for the men are indifferent to her.

It must be said, by the way, that as a reader, I always hated reading fiction in the form of a diary, unless it’s non-fiction or the diary is a part of a novel like the tremendous narration of “The Moonstone” (1868) by Wilkie Collins. As an author, I find the genre is nice.

Review “Feeling thankful to my friends who recommended this ebook.

Told through the eyes of the young damsel, A Handful of Blossoms

by Lara Biyuts is a whimsical and fascinating proof that dynastic marriages were not the goods and a marriage with a gay man could be fatal. The novella includes a small and lovely locomotive of tales, which bring more emotional details, humor and mystic. The author is a talented story-teller whose portfolio is full of gems like this novella.” (Dmira Agancy, linkedin.com)

Reviews at Amazon: 5.0 out of 5 stars “Good read!�

By Mariuca Asavoaieon September 9, 2015 Format: Kindle Edition Most of all, I love diary-type books. They seem so personal and you get really close to the author and the novel, so you will actually feel like you really know all the characters and you also will feel like you are in the middle of everything.

It may be interpreted as a love story from a far away time, about a girl who tries to get the best out of what she gets. A prearranged marriage may make a girl feel trapped, but, in fact, Constance tries to think positive and in accordance with what she gets.

The writing seemed a bit difficult, but I managed to read it and to enjoy all the ideas and the story itself. It is a delightful story, with an interesting idea which will make the readers enter the life of Constance, her fears, her thoughts and everything.

4.0 out of 5 stars “Worth the read.”

By Hugh Kinnetton August 7, 2015 Format: Kindle Edition This was a good book. Lara Biyuts did a good job being that it a story written in the form of a diary. I didn't know if I would actually enjoy this book after reading the description, but I decided to give it a try. I am glad I did read the book. It has a good plot and flow. It is an easy read. The book took place in 1764.

Constance married a man. It was an arranged marriage in which is something that I have heard of but never read about it in a book.

The book caught my attention in the beginning and held my attention to the end. The author continued making me want to know what happened next, so that kept me turning the pages. This is an interesting story if you are into this type of book I would recommend that you give it a read.

5.0 out of 5 stars “Wonderful work of literary fiction”

By MJon April 30, 2013 Format: Paperback Verified Purchase Lushly-descriptive story told in diary form of a sixteen-year-old orphaned princess of the 18th century European aristocracy who is married off to a man twice her age as was often the custom. Their dynastic alliance is a loveless marriage. Undaunted by her circumstances, she finds solace from bitter disappointment in the beauty of nature, in the little pleasures of daily life, and in her own inner strength and vivid imagination. Told in the eloquent style and manner of the great authors of past centuries, it is a rich tale to be savored one layer at a time.

Available at Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, iBook, Lulu, Barnes&Noble https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/168036 http://www.amazon.com/Handful-Blossoms-LaraBiyuts/dp/1471727963/ref=la_B0072ETW74