Ever since she can remember, 18-year-old Gisela Winry has wanted to dance. Her strict father sees dancing as the path to immorality, licentiousness and debauchery. Devastated at his wrath after she secretly auditions and wins the title Harvest Queen of Ylvaton, Gisela turns to her best friend, Hilarion, who proposes a path she cannot take. With their friendship broken, Hilarion retreats to the … retreats to the solace of the forest where he lets his hatred and jealousy fester. Meanwhile, Gisela meets Vincent, a young nobleman seeking to escape his dead brother’s shadow.
Will Gisela be able to uphold her family honour and get to do the one thing she’s always been passionate about?
Will Vincent’s chance encounter with the lovely harvest queen from a tiny village become more meaningful than earning his father’s approval?
And will Hilarion fight for the love of his life or give in to the darkness within him?
Immerse yourself in the life of the common people of Vendale in this prequel to The Siblings’ Tale. Gisela’s Passion is the retelling of a lesser-known Slavic folk tale, which is better known in its incarnation as a French ballet.
The e-book of Gisela’s Passion also includes exclusive access to “Vincent’s Dream OR The Power of Decisiveness”. This alternative ending to Gisela’s Passion, which explores the possibility of a different path for the three protagonists of this story, is not intended for wider publication. The link to Vincent’s Dream is embedded in a hidden place. This is a treasure hunt. Good luck!
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Gisela’s Passion by Astrid V.J. Is the story of a girl’s desire to dance based on an old fable. Beautifully written, it is the tale of love and jealousy, of rash decisions and wasted lives. Stunning descriptions bring this book to life. Although it is an easy read, it is also a stop-and-think book because of its deep subject matter. It was a very enjoyable read.
Gisela’s story is a charming fable written with a serious edge. The light, lyrical quality of the prose belies the darkness beneath. Each of the characters are flawed, searching for something in themselves that will prove their value to the world.
I found myself occasionally frustrated with the characters, wanting them to reveal more layers to explain their extreme despair and jealousies, which for the most part were revealed in the end. Ultimately, we are left with a tale of unfulfilled lives and wasted talents, and finding hope when we have to face the consequences of our choices and lack of faith. An important message, especially when presented within the framework of lost love, Gisela’s tale is one that will ask you to dig deep and examine life in such a way to decide whether the choices you make are based on truth or ego.
I wonderful story about following your dreams. Be aware it is based on the ballet so does not have a HEA. Wonderfully tragic about what happens when you don’t truly fight for your dreams and care for one another.
Inside she is and also will be a dancer but her father forbids her to dance. She enters a competition which she wins but hiding who she is. She wants more and a friendship will be broken. Will the friendship be broken? Will her father find out? What will he do if he does? See how she gets on
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A Beautiful Ballet Fairy Tale Retell
I’ll start by saying that I am I love with the classic story ballet, Giselle. I was very excited to find a retelling of it in written form. The author’s description of setting was absolutely beautiful and probably my favorite part of the book. Seriously, I want to find this story book world so rich in the landscapes and culture I’ve always imagined when thinking of regional Eastern European folkdances and set up camp. Gisela’s village was vibrant and her vineyard home quaint. All the characters from the original story make an appearance in V.J’s retelling and I like what she did with the male MC’s character especially.
It is no secret that Gisela’s passion is her dancing and the dance scenes were very nicely described, I thought. The connection and romance between the leading pair was somewhat brief. What we learn about the characters mostly revolves around each one’s personal internal struggles. I do wish there had been a little more ‘Gisella and Vincent’ before the book’s dramatic end. But we have it from the author herself that this book is a precursor to other stories set in the same world with more magic to come. All in all, a beautifully written interpretation of an old tale. Would recommend to readers who love old world romance with a touch of magic woven in.
*Small spoiler and WARNING to romance readers with a penchant for HEAs. This retelling stays true to the classic folktale and ballet that it is derived from which is, in essence, a tragedy. As such, it was written sans a romantic HEA, but is still a lovely rendition of the story that remains one of the most well known and beloved ballets of the Romantic Era.
This story is based off another. Of how Gisela, is trying to find her place in the world. It is a beautiful ballet story. Of having to make hard choices to have your dreams come true.
Wonderfully Original Tale!
I am inspired by this charmingly original tale. Sometimes we need to follow our fate, what we love and are passionate about. We need to fully commit and believe for others to believe in us, despite what others think. Love, passion, and choices we make can determine our fate.
I loved this read and the characters that were created. This is the kind of story that draws you in and makes you feel fully invested in the outcome. This is a new author for me and I will be following her from here on out.
I received a free copy of this book. This review was posted voluntarily
Brilliant. Poignant. Tragic. Beautiful. These are but a few of the words to describe Gisela’s Passion, a tale of a young woman who risks it all to follow her dream. I’m a huge fan of Astrid’s other books and was couldn’t wait to get my hands on this story. It did not disappoint. I felt all myriad of emotion as I followed the tale that wove together the discovery of true love and the ache of love when it isn’t reciprocated.
I’ve always stated that Astrid’s world building skills are second to none, but it is her character arcs that truly flourish in this novel. Each character is flawed so as to make them approachable, understandable and so very, very real.
A work of art, in every sense of the word.
This is a beautiful re-telling of Giselle, wonderfully woven prequel for the world of the siblings soon to come.
As in the ballet, Gisela is a woman trying to find her place in a world of patriarchy that sees them as nothing but an artifact, however much they may love them.
It is expressed in how all men in her life treat her – her father, Vincent, Hilarion.
Her final act is one of reclaiming control over herself, and it simply had to be that way.
I do wish she was less subdued in the aftermath, that she would have allowed the well-deserved anger to manifest rather than kept making excuses for all the men around her.
This was an original and interesting read.