Shanna

Rating:
Summary: Great in some aspects
Review: This is my first Woodwiss novel - i actually picked three of them up but since Shanna had the best reviews I started with it. I all around liked it besides a few niggling points - it was sometimes long & draggy and her writing tends to get long-winded in her descriptions. I found myself skipping more than a few paragraphs - describing the landscape takes 2 pages sometimes and their musings were laughable. For instance there will be a LONG description of Ruark noticing Shanna's clothes or her and its either preceeded or ended with 'if he were one to notice it'. That annoyed me to no end!

I also didn't like the fact that Ruark only seemed to love Shanna for her astounding beauty - there was nothing else to her, no strength or anything else that Ruark could truly love besides the superficiality. Perhaps eventually towards the end of the book she evolved into a better person, but I did not see that and it did not seem that Ruark saw anything past that beauty. Plus she seemed so wishy-washy, knowing that she wanted Ruark and succumbed to the temptation but then instantly sprang back and disliked him an instant later - and making him pay dearly. This made the book drag on even more.

Certain plotlines were also a little unbelievable. Why did Ruark risk his neck just to bring Shanna to her knees? I presumed he did that to put her in her place but could he not have done that when he was in a much safer position? I guess if he did there would not be a story but I found that a little too unreal. The story does not leave you guessing at all, its all pretty easy to figure out.

The plus points are that besides these few bad aspects of the book, the story is very refreshing. There's lots of action in the book, taking you from England to the Carribean and to America. The main character of Ruark, is just absolute perfection. He's totally smart and strong but i find him a little daft for only loving Shanna for her beauty! The story is very original and I basically enjoyed it, especially towards the end.

Rating:
Summary: Laughing out loud
Review: Shanna was wonderful! From Orlan's muttering to the names Shanna calls Ruark, the book had my giggling along with Ruark at many many points. This book isn't only humorous,it's beautifully written. You only need to close your eyes to be on the sandy beaches of Los Camellos. Ruark's infuriating made me smolder and grin at the same time. Both he and Shanna are breave enough (and stubborn enough)to get what they want, and fight all they can for it. This is a great read for those who love the dashing and arrogent men, the beautiful and stubborn women.

Rating:
Summary: Give me the whole version of Shanna!
Review: I read „Shanna" in two languages: Slovak and Czech. And I was very surprised, because the translation was different! Sentences mentioned in Slovak were missing in Czech and I found many pages in Czech missing in my own language. Is it possible there are two versions of this interesting book? I had this problem in „The flame and the flower" and „A rose in winter" too. I see I'll have to buy the book in English to find out the truth and read real „Shanna". Even though I recommend „Shanna" to all readers of romantic novels - this book is surely one of the best Woodiwiss's pieces.

Rating:
Summary: My favorite book of all time
Review: I read this book about 25 years ago and became a dedicated woodiwiss fan . I loved the characters and couldn't wait to read another book by this fabulous author. She rarely disappoints me and I am anticipating her next book 25 years later. I read and loved them all

Rating:
Summary: my 1st woodiwess novel
Review: this was the first book i ever read from kathleen woodiwiss i fell in love with ruark, he was everything. when 5 years later i read it again. i was fascinated with the bravery of shanna. since than i tried to read it every five to seven years. i still love this book. it's truly my favorite. from the carriage ride to the rescue from the pirates and of the fall of the dishonest nobleman. it has made me cry, laugh and changed many a mood swing. ty

Rating:
Summary: My Favorite Love Story
Review: Shanna is the most beautiful love/romance novel that I have ever read. Kathleen's writing in this novel is superb. The two main characters are strong, dynamic people. You really feel for the characters and their situations. Shanna is what all of us secretly want to be, beautiful and rich. Ruark is every female's dream and my champion. The book isn't mushy. Lots of exciting things happen to these two. It's a book that I couldn't put down and that I read at least once a year. If you've never read Kathleen, read this book first.

Rating:
Summary: Unforgettable! This is a once a year fix!!!
Review: The first time I read Shanna I was 14 years old and instantly became mesmarized by the intense attraction and the undeniable love of Shanna and Ruark! Since my first reading I have to have an annual fix. I read my extremely well taken care of novel at least once a year. Year after year the romance and adventure draw me in like a magnet and from first page to last I can hardly put it down. Kathleen Woodwiss knows her eras and with extreme detail she soars us into the late 1700's with pirates and plantations, from the Carribean to the Americas, and gives us Ruark! Ruark is a man we can only dream of; whom only Shanna may possess. I'm now in my mid thirties and Shanna has never left my bedside table. There has never been another romance novel that has fullfilled all of my emotions like Shanna.

Rating:
Summary: The best romance novel of all times
Review: I re-read this wonderful book every summer. Pls, Ms. Woodiwiss, do a sequel. Shanna and Ruark are just the best romantic characters every written. Pls. Pls. do a sequel....I cant stop thinking about these two. Who can get in touch with the author to encourage her to do a sequel? Well written and just fascinating. My favorite all time historical romance.

Rating:
Summary: review of "Shanna"
Review: I loved this book! I have read it several times and never tire of it. Woodiwiss is a very talented writer. One of the things I like best about her books is the detail. The way she discribes in detail the clothing, the settings and surroundings, the land and sea. I feel as if I have really gone back in time! Some of my other favorites are The Flame and The Flower, The Wolf and The Dove, and A Rose in Winter.

Rating:
Summary: Love will find a way........
Review: This was my first romance novel by Woodiwiss. From the beginning, you truly hope that Shanna & Ruark end up together, but the circumstances seem insurmountable. As the book goes on, we watch Shanna grow up along the way and finally become a woman, no longer a spoiled, little rich girl. This book contains love & hate, rape & pillage, sex & violence, and a happy ending. Ruark, is the man of my dreams. I've been looking for him all of my life. For a true romantic, this is a book you can pick up and read again every few years and still enjoy it.

Woodidiss re-introduces Ruark in 'Petals on the River' (another one of her novels that I thoroughly enjoyed). If you are a romantic at heart, I strongly recommend them both.