Waterfall by Lisa Tawn Bergren
Feb 1, 2011 by David C. Cook
Paperback, 352 Pages
Review Copy
In Waterfall, American teenager Gabi Betarrini accidently finds herself in Fourteenth-Century Italy . . . Knights. Swords. Horses. Armor. And Italian hotties. Most American teens want an Italian vacation, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives there with their archaeologist parents. Stuck on yet another hot, dusty dig, they are bored out of their minds... until they place their hands atop handprints in an ancient tomb and find themselves catapulted into the Fourteenth Century and in the middle of a fierce battle between knights bent on killing one another.
Review
Waterfall surrounds the Betarrini family, sisters Gabi and Lia and their mother. Over a year ago the girls suffered the loss of their father and life has moved on with all three of them living in silent grief. Gabi’s life isn’t normal for an American teenager, her parents being archaeologists have traveled the world steeped into their work and have shared much Italian and medieval history with their daughters, not many teens can say they have been worldwide by the age of sixteen and skilled in weapons and foreign languages. In the opening of the story Gabi’s mom is excavating ancient tombs and Gabi is ticked to spend yet another summer of her life at a dig sight. Feeling a bit rebellious her and Lia sneak into one of the tombs to do some exploring and come across an ancient drawing on the wall with handprints. When the girls innocently touch the artifact it heats up and before events can even be processed the girls are flung across time into 1332.
When Gabi wakes, she is still in the tomb, only 700 years ago and without her sister. Freaked out by what happened she makes her way out and stumbles right into the middle of a sword fight. Marcello, the leader of the Forelli family is the one who discovers Gabi, immediately he protects her and gets her to his home for safety. The castle is in an uproar over Gabi’s arrival as they try to figure out where she came from, Gabi quickly makes up a story and tells them she was traveling in from Normandy and got separated from her family. With little hesitation, Marcello and the others accept this to be truth and treat her as royalty. Gabi picks up the medieval garb pretty quickly and begins to blend in, despite her sword skills and scaling walls, which the men are fascinated with. The way she looks and the special “man” skills she possess leave most of the people speechless, but make some very suspicious, especially Marcello‘s betrothed Romana, who has noticed him stealing glances at Gabi. Gabi’s main mission is to find her sister Lia and get them back home, not romance Marcello, despite what his Romana thinks, however a tingly mass of emotion rises up whenever Marcello is near and the castle and a feeling of finally being home begin to change Gabi’s heart, where soon she begins to question leaving.
When Gabi wakes, she is still in the tomb, only 700 years ago and without her sister. Freaked out by what happened she makes her way out and stumbles right into the middle of a sword fight. Marcello, the leader of the Forelli family is the one who discovers Gabi, immediately he protects her and gets her to his home for safety. The castle is in an uproar over Gabi’s arrival as they try to figure out where she came from, Gabi quickly makes up a story and tells them she was traveling in from Normandy and got separated from her family. With little hesitation, Marcello and the others accept this to be truth and treat her as royalty. Gabi picks up the medieval garb pretty quickly and begins to blend in, despite her sword skills and scaling walls, which the men are fascinated with. The way she looks and the special “man” skills she possess leave most of the people speechless, but make some very suspicious, especially Marcello‘s betrothed Romana, who has noticed him stealing glances at Gabi. Gabi’s main mission is to find her sister Lia and get them back home, not romance Marcello, despite what his Romana thinks, however a tingly mass of emotion rises up whenever Marcello is near and the castle and a feeling of finally being home begin to change Gabi’s heart, where soon she begins to question leaving.
Waterfall was the best YA I’ve read this year, its writing flawless and non-stop action highly entertaining. Bergren was able to mix modern day girls with a medieval society, something rather hard to pull off, but due to the fact that Gabi’s parents were who the were, helped the girls remember certain things about that era. They knew the layout of the land, they knew how to speak the language and also were accustomed (no matter how drastic) to the culture. Gabi by far is my favorite heroine in a ya novel to date, she emits strength and bravery and was an awesome role model for teen girls, being that she was an everyday teenager dealing with real life struggles in grief, sex and her thoughts on religion without coming across cookie-cutter goody girl who no one could live up to.
I also loved how this story was able to be daring in its circumstances about war, rape, torture and politics but able to remain graphic free in sexuality and language. Bergren did not shy away from the details of war and what women faced in that century, Gabi herself faced exposure, which in that day due to her appearance in jeans and a camisole could have landed her straight in a dungeon. Most of the society would have of course mistaken her for a witch, so it was lucky that Marcello found her first, intrigued by her bizarre clothes and ways, he is more captivated than suspicious. I thought about that whole idea of medieval culture and how people in that day would react to our culture today….it would be overwhelming for them, I think even as a Christian I would be considered a witch by their standards, my clothes and my whole women’s-rights views, would be enough to send me to the gallows. Gabi also faced men in a society long before women’s-lib, so women frankly had no rights, men decided their futures and even their marriages were arranged for financial and political reasons and women certainly did not fight in wars or wield swords. When Gabi and Marcello discover they have the hots for each other its not just hey lets go see a movie and hang out. Its Marcello breaking a lifelong union with another family of a country, its political warfare with unbelievable consequences, to have a man in that time make a move like that- pretty much suicide, in Marcello’s case he was willing to risk it for true love.
I also loved how this story was able to be daring in its circumstances about war, rape, torture and politics but able to remain graphic free in sexuality and language. Bergren did not shy away from the details of war and what women faced in that century, Gabi herself faced exposure, which in that day due to her appearance in jeans and a camisole could have landed her straight in a dungeon. Most of the society would have of course mistaken her for a witch, so it was lucky that Marcello found her first, intrigued by her bizarre clothes and ways, he is more captivated than suspicious. I thought about that whole idea of medieval culture and how people in that day would react to our culture today….it would be overwhelming for them, I think even as a Christian I would be considered a witch by their standards, my clothes and my whole women’s-rights views, would be enough to send me to the gallows. Gabi also faced men in a society long before women’s-lib, so women frankly had no rights, men decided their futures and even their marriages were arranged for financial and political reasons and women certainly did not fight in wars or wield swords. When Gabi and Marcello discover they have the hots for each other its not just hey lets go see a movie and hang out. Its Marcello breaking a lifelong union with another family of a country, its political warfare with unbelievable consequences, to have a man in that time make a move like that- pretty much suicide, in Marcello’s case he was willing to risk it for true love.
An absolute adventure to read, I loved every minute, every detail and cant wait to finish the series!!
Rating
Waterfall is recommended to mature teens and adults. While marketed towards the YA audience, this book will be loved by many adults as well. Contains: Medieval drama, violence, war, romance, attempted rape, attempted murder, time travel and death.
5/5- YA-Historical Fiction
Huge thanks to Lisa Bergren and David C. Cook for review copy.
Giveaway
I have 3 signed bookmarks of Waterfall to give away to my readers. These are perfect to put in your Waterfall novel. Open to Everyone, just leave a comment and I will draw winners on May 31, 2011.
Sounds great..GFC follower
ReplyDeletethanks for the giveaway!!!
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Who doesn't love a good giveaway?! Plus the books are signed! Yay!
ReplyDeleteJessica @ [email protected]
Thanks for the giveaway!
This sounds great! Always in the market for a new Time Travel story! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteannettesspot AT gmail DOT com
This book sounds really cool. And I heart bookmarks.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! rivkarno1(at)hotmail(dot)com
This book looks good :) I have it on my TBR pile, so I hope I will win bookmark :D
ReplyDeleteSyki
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I’m intrigued and I love the cover!
ReplyDeleteWell if it's the best YA book you have read all year, I'm in!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteGFC follower
meredithfl at gmail dot com
YAY for loving this book. I read it too on my kindle and thought it was incredible and I don't usually like time travel/historical books.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for Cascade. Less than a week to go!
Yes! We need more awesome role models for teens! Fantastic review. I'm interested in seeing how the story was graphic without being graphic.
ReplyDeleteTina, thanks for such a lovely review. I'm honored! People really seem to be "getting" this series, and that makes me so, SO happy! Thanks for helping me spread the word.
ReplyDeleteI would love to have one! my daughter has a collection and most of mine end up there lol! (she's 5 by the way)
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Margaret
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I have had this ion my TBR list forever! I really want to read this one. Great review!!!
ReplyDeletePelicanJL[at]hotmail[dot]com
Ooooh...this one definitely sounds interesting! Thanks for the great review Tina! :)
ReplyDeleteI just finished this and LOVED it. Seriously. I'm so with you. Best YA of the year for me so far too.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Where can I learn more about the Waterfall Wednesdays Read Along you gals are doing?
PS Can you email me that answer? suitejuju(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDelete