Guy Gavriel Kay, Ysabel

Ysabel

Guy Gavriel Kay

Roc, Feb 2007, $24.95

ISBN 0451461290

Renowned Canadian photographer Edward Marriner takes his teenage son Ned with him as he shoots the medieval constructed Saint-Sauveur Cathedral in Aix-en-Provence. Though enjoying their Southern France locale, the male Marinners worry about the females in the family, Ned's mom and Edward's wife Meghan, a Doctors Without Borders volunteer, currently serving in the dangerous Sudan.

While exploring a centuries-old cathedral without a guide, Ned meets American exchange student, Kate Wenger, a "Wikepedia" of local historical information. The self-proclaimed female geek takes Ned on a tour of the cathedral, but whereas she sees mystery and beauty he sees a mess of old rocks. However, at the baptistry, circa 500 AD, a man holding a knife who does not belong there warns them to leave, as this is not a safe place for children to play. However, unable to depart, Ned and Kate become entangled in an ancient love triangle that could prove deadly to the two teenage twenty-first century intruders.

YSABEL is a terrific, contemporary fantasy with a historical base that grips the audience once the teen explorers meet the man with the knife and never slows down through a series of clever twists until the final event involving two sisters directly related to Ned. The storyline is fast-paced and filled with historical depth, especially involving the Cathedral and the love triangle, but also contains a strong cast whether they lived in ancient times or today. The final spin will stun the audience as Guy Gavriel Kay ties everything brilliantly together in an enthralling, enlightening epic.

Harriet Klausner