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Devoncroix Dynasty #1
The Passion
In finely crafted prose and lush detail, Donna Boyd weaves a spell-binding tapestry of romance and suspense set against richly imagined landscapes of sensuousness. An intense saga of love and betrayal, The Passion is a story of those who walk the fine line between man beast. On the eve of a brutal murder in contemporary Manhattan, Alexander Devoncroix finally reveals to his son and heir a tightly guarded chapter in the family history, which is know to no outsiders. In a world in which a superior race of werewolved holds the positions of power, human and werewolf segregation had become the norm. But for the first time, the leaders of the pack have accepted a human. In dazzling nineteenth century Paris, we meet three pivotal the young human Tessa LeGuerre, who falls under the spell of a very powerful, very sensual werewolf; Alexander Devoncroix, the charismatic werewolf who adores humans too well, but whose ultimate loyalty is to the pack; and Elise, the imperial pack leader who lays claim to Alexander. Beloved "pet" of select members of the pack, Tessa naively embraces all things werewolf--an ambition that results in unspeakable tragedy.
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 1998
About the author
Donna Boyd
9 books46 followersaka Donna Ball, Rebecca Flanders, Donna Carlisle
With Shannon Harper as Leigh Bristol, Taylor Brady
Donna A. Ball born in 1951 in Georgia, USA. Her ancestors were one of the first pioneer families of North Georgia, and her family still lives on the land they purchased from the Cherokee in 1782.
Her first book was published in 1982 as Donna Ball, since them she has written over a dozen works of commercial fiction under her name and under diferent pseudonyms: Rebecca Flanders, Donna Carlisle and Donna Boyd. She also signed novels with Shannon Harper as Leigh Bristol and Taylor Brady. And a novel with Linda Dano as Felicia Gallant. She is known for her work in women’s fiction and suspense, as well as supernatural fantasy and adventure. Her novels have been translated into well over a dozen languages and have been published in virtually every country in the world. She has appeared on Entertainment Tonight and Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, and has been featured in such publications as the Detroit Free Press, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Ladies Home Journal, Good Housekeeping, and even T.V. Guide. She is the holder of the Storytelling World award, 2001, the Georgia Author of the Year Award, 2000, Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Awards for consecutive years 1991-1996, the Georgia Romance Writer’s Maggie Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times, among others.
Donna lives in a restored turn-of-the-century barn in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the northeast Georgia with her dogs, they have won numerous awards for agility, obedience, and canine musical freestyle. Her hobbies include oil painting, hiking and dog obedience training.
With Shannon Harper as Leigh Bristol, Taylor Brady
Donna A. Ball born in 1951 in Georgia, USA. Her ancestors were one of the first pioneer families of North Georgia, and her family still lives on the land they purchased from the Cherokee in 1782.
Her first book was published in 1982 as Donna Ball, since them she has written over a dozen works of commercial fiction under her name and under diferent pseudonyms: Rebecca Flanders, Donna Carlisle and Donna Boyd. She also signed novels with Shannon Harper as Leigh Bristol and Taylor Brady. And a novel with Linda Dano as Felicia Gallant. She is known for her work in women’s fiction and suspense, as well as supernatural fantasy and adventure. Her novels have been translated into well over a dozen languages and have been published in virtually every country in the world. She has appeared on Entertainment Tonight and Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, and has been featured in such publications as the Detroit Free Press, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Ladies Home Journal, Good Housekeeping, and even T.V. Guide. She is the holder of the Storytelling World award, 2001, the Georgia Author of the Year Award, 2000, Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Awards for consecutive years 1991-1996, the Georgia Romance Writer’s Maggie Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times, among others.
Donna lives in a restored turn-of-the-century barn in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the northeast Georgia with her dogs, they have won numerous awards for agility, obedience, and canine musical freestyle. Her hobbies include oil painting, hiking and dog obedience training.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
August 26, 2016
The book has a great ending, but the first 200 pages are dead boring. Seriously, nothing happens, and the main narrator is a long-winded, purply prose, pompous ass. Alexander can’t say anything without going on and on about it for pages. I wanted to reach through the book and smack him. I grew to dread the chapters in his point of view. He over-exaggerates everything.
Example:
Murmurs and whispers and inarticulate half-formed moans of pleasure and impatience filled my ears, a soothing background sea that rose and ebbed like the tide of my pulse. I took a glass of wine to the terrace outside my room and watched the sunset, listened to the tide of murmured voices, felt the swell of the rising moon in my blood. Only when I detected the whisper of her scent on the air did the simmering broth of sensation in which I indulged myself reach it’s boiling point. It became an exercise of will to restrain myself as I walked through the garden, following the lure of moon and the woman who, by doing nothing more than breathing the air I breathed, drew me helplessly, rapturously into the circle of her flame.
Why can’t he just say, drawn by her scent, he heard whispers through the moonlit garden and followed her? Good grief, no wonder I kept nodding off.
Alexander thinks every werewolf is brilliant, beautiful and a genius, and he babbles about it like a fangirl. For instance, he says this about his brother, Denis.
His plan was so outrageous, so daring and fraught with risk, and so unparalleled in it’s brilliance.
I hate to tell you this, Alexander, but your brother’s plan isn’t that amazing. All he asked you to do was introduce you to the queen so he could woo her. That’s it! He didn’t build a time machine or discover how to travel the speed of light.
Then Alexander adds, My brother, powerful, charismatic, commanding…could any female, once he had determined to woo her, resist his fatal charm?
Are you serious?
I got tired of hearing about how talented, brilliant, gifted and superior werewolves are. Yes I know it's an important part of the story and yes all werewolves think this, but the author seems to think it too, even with the ironic end, and that kind of ruins it. And Alexander talks about it continually.
I blame a lot of it on the point of view. Alexander is written in first person, while all the other characters are not. Consequently, he rambles, and probably two thirds of the book are told in his point of view. When Alexander speaks, the action comes to screeching halt.
For the most part, I pretty much liked the other characters. Maybe without Alexander, I might have loved this book. There are so many excellent things about it. One character goes through an amazing character arc. Another character goes through a horrible ordeal. I found the ending to be gritty and exciting. The characters discover this cool, secret place. There are no easy answers and unpleasant things do happen. The story was compelling.
A part of me wants to read book two. After all, Boyd has an intriguing set up. If I have to read another tedious character like Alexander though, I will scream. So I am in a quandary. I will have to think about what I want to do. I definitely have mixed feelings about this series.
Example:
Murmurs and whispers and inarticulate half-formed moans of pleasure and impatience filled my ears, a soothing background sea that rose and ebbed like the tide of my pulse. I took a glass of wine to the terrace outside my room and watched the sunset, listened to the tide of murmured voices, felt the swell of the rising moon in my blood. Only when I detected the whisper of her scent on the air did the simmering broth of sensation in which I indulged myself reach it’s boiling point. It became an exercise of will to restrain myself as I walked through the garden, following the lure of moon and the woman who, by doing nothing more than breathing the air I breathed, drew me helplessly, rapturously into the circle of her flame.
Why can’t he just say, drawn by her scent, he heard whispers through the moonlit garden and followed her? Good grief, no wonder I kept nodding off.
Alexander thinks every werewolf is brilliant, beautiful and a genius, and he babbles about it like a fangirl. For instance, he says this about his brother, Denis.
His plan was so outrageous, so daring and fraught with risk, and so unparalleled in it’s brilliance.
I hate to tell you this, Alexander, but your brother’s plan isn’t that amazing. All he asked you to do was introduce you to the queen so he could woo her. That’s it! He didn’t build a time machine or discover how to travel the speed of light.
Then Alexander adds, My brother, powerful, charismatic, commanding…could any female, once he had determined to woo her, resist his fatal charm?
Are you serious?
I got tired of hearing about how talented, brilliant, gifted and superior werewolves are. Yes I know it's an important part of the story and yes all werewolves think this, but the author seems to think it too, even with the ironic end, and that kind of ruins it. And Alexander talks about it continually.
I blame a lot of it on the point of view. Alexander is written in first person, while all the other characters are not. Consequently, he rambles, and probably two thirds of the book are told in his point of view. When Alexander speaks, the action comes to screeching halt.
For the most part, I pretty much liked the other characters. Maybe without Alexander, I might have loved this book. There are so many excellent things about it. One character goes through an amazing character arc. Another character goes through a horrible ordeal. I found the ending to be gritty and exciting. The characters discover this cool, secret place. There are no easy answers and unpleasant things do happen. The story was compelling.
A part of me wants to read book two. After all, Boyd has an intriguing set up. If I have to read another tedious character like Alexander though, I will scream. So I am in a quandary. I will have to think about what I want to do. I definitely have mixed feelings about this series.
February 11, 2011
Romance? Horror? I don't know, it's a little of both but fits snugly into neither genre.
Werewolves are one of my favorite subjects to read about and I've come to despise books where they are solely portrayed as the "bad guys". "The Passion" paints them as extraordinary creatures and I loved the author for that. They have faults, tempers, and an unbelievably arrogant attitude but are also capable of great compassion and undying love.
The story opens upon a grisly scene. Three werewolves have been brutally slain and werewolf Nicholas Devoncroix intends to destroy the human responsible. This forces his father Alexander to share with Nicholas a painful secret from his past. The story than jumps back in time to Paris 1897 and the story of Alexander and Tessa begins.
The first half of the "The Passion" reads a lot like a light-hearted regency romance between an innocent but "feisty" heroine and an arrogant hero. Human Tessa LeGuerre carries out her plans to murder Alexander Devoncroix while he sleeps. But her plans are foiled when the gorgeous man's wounds begin to heal right before her eyes. Alexander is a bit peeved but mostly amused by her failed attempt at murder and begins to interrogate her. When he learns the source of her pain the two form an emotional bond that brought me to tears. Alexander then introduces Tessa into the mysterious world of the werewolf and it causes all sorts of messy consequences and power struggles within the werewolf community. This portion of the book is often humorous and witty but then it takes a drastic turn and becomes a compelling and painful adventure/horror story filled with heartbreak, survival, and strength. The world the author creates is vivid and carefully drawn and her characters are people you come to love despite their faults.
This isn't a book that ties up everything in a nifty little bow because it is the first in a series. I also can't stress strongly enough that "The Passion" is an extremely emotionally draining book and is at times terribly bleak. However, it is hands down the best werewolf book that I've read and I can't recommend highly enough. If you are a werewolf fan who can deal with the bittersweet-ness of the writing you absolutely do not want to miss this reading experience.
Werewolves are one of my favorite subjects to read about and I've come to despise books where they are solely portrayed as the "bad guys". "The Passion" paints them as extraordinary creatures and I loved the author for that. They have faults, tempers, and an unbelievably arrogant attitude but are also capable of great compassion and undying love.
The story opens upon a grisly scene. Three werewolves have been brutally slain and werewolf Nicholas Devoncroix intends to destroy the human responsible. This forces his father Alexander to share with Nicholas a painful secret from his past. The story than jumps back in time to Paris 1897 and the story of Alexander and Tessa begins.
The first half of the "The Passion" reads a lot like a light-hearted regency romance between an innocent but "feisty" heroine and an arrogant hero. Human Tessa LeGuerre carries out her plans to murder Alexander Devoncroix while he sleeps. But her plans are foiled when the gorgeous man's wounds begin to heal right before her eyes. Alexander is a bit peeved but mostly amused by her failed attempt at murder and begins to interrogate her. When he learns the source of her pain the two form an emotional bond that brought me to tears. Alexander then introduces Tessa into the mysterious world of the werewolf and it causes all sorts of messy consequences and power struggles within the werewolf community. This portion of the book is often humorous and witty but then it takes a drastic turn and becomes a compelling and painful adventure/horror story filled with heartbreak, survival, and strength. The world the author creates is vivid and carefully drawn and her characters are people you come to love despite their faults.
This isn't a book that ties up everything in a nifty little bow because it is the first in a series. I also can't stress strongly enough that "The Passion" is an extremely emotionally draining book and is at times terribly bleak. However, it is hands down the best werewolf book that I've read and I can't recommend highly enough. If you are a werewolf fan who can deal with the bittersweet-ness of the writing you absolutely do not want to miss this reading experience.
July 27, 2012
When I finished this book I honestly didn't know where to shelve it.
It didn't feel much like a romance, but underneath this was all about love. I didn't really think it was PNR or UF, but where else do you put a tale about werewolves? It starts in the present, with a murder and a family secret, but quickly flashes back in time to France in 1897. A thwarted assassination attempt sets up the whole story.
The world building (is that what you call it when you make up the history of a new race?) is richly worked, painstakingly detailed and, um, bit boring after a while. Thank God I'm a skim-reader.
The first two thirds of the book plays like a light Regency/Victorian, with our heroine as ward of Alexander Devoncroix - werewolf extraordinaire. I was soldiering through, minding my own business (getting a bit frustrated and vaguely wondering if there was going to be any depth to the writing whatsoever) when
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It got serious, it got dark, it got compelling and suspenseful and tragic and beautiful and dammit I got a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes.
I don't get affected like THIS very often, I must say.
And now having said that, I don't know how to rate it. The first 2/3? A 3.5 or thereabouts - I was skimming a fair bit, to be fair. The last 1/3, though - that part gets 5 stars simply for emotional punch Ms. Boyd smacked me with.
It didn't feel much like a romance, but underneath this was all about love. I didn't really think it was PNR or UF, but where else do you put a tale about werewolves? It starts in the present, with a murder and a family secret, but quickly flashes back in time to France in 1897. A thwarted assassination attempt sets up the whole story.
The world building (is that what you call it when you make up the history of a new race?) is richly worked, painstakingly detailed and, um, bit boring after a while. Thank God I'm a skim-reader.
The first two thirds of the book plays like a light Regency/Victorian, with our heroine as ward of Alexander Devoncroix - werewolf extraordinaire. I was soldiering through, minding my own business (getting a bit frustrated and vaguely wondering if there was going to be any depth to the writing whatsoever) when
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It got serious, it got dark, it got compelling and suspenseful and tragic and beautiful and dammit I got a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes.
I don't get affected like THIS very often, I must say.
And now having said that, I don't know how to rate it. The first 2/3? A 3.5 or thereabouts - I was skimming a fair bit, to be fair. The last 1/3, though - that part gets 5 stars simply for emotional punch Ms. Boyd smacked me with.
February 14, 2015
Reasons why I should hate this book:
1. The writing is overblown (nicely done, but a little over the top).
2. It's repetitive.
3. Werewolves are so AMAAAAAZINGGGG. And boring. Tedious as hell. Just because you're rich and accomplished and know about philosophy and art doesn't mean you're interesting.
4. Humans are stupid and werewolves rule the world.
5. It's repetitive.
6. Alexander is a selfish, pompous ass. Nothing ever happens directly to him, but he makes every. single. tragedy about himself.
7. It's repetitive.
Reasons why I love this book:
"You took my breath away."
"I thought I frightened you."
"You did." Her voice was but a whisper, and her eyes moved over his face. "And . . . enraptured me."
1. The writing is overblown (nicely done, but a little over the top).
2. It's repetitive.
3. Werewolves are so AMAAAAAZINGGGG. And boring. Tedious as hell. Just because you're rich and accomplished and know about philosophy and art doesn't mean you're interesting.
4. Humans are stupid and werewolves rule the world.
5. It's repetitive.
6. Alexander is a selfish, pompous ass. Nothing ever happens directly to him, but he makes every. single. tragedy about himself.
7. It's repetitive.
Reasons why I love this book:
"You took my breath away."
"I thought I frightened you."
"You did." Her voice was but a whisper, and her eyes moved over his face. "And . . . enraptured me."
January 9, 2011
This was before the werewolf crazy. Ms. Boyd writes a complex novel with how werewolves hide themselves from humans. This werewolf story is of a different caliber than what is currently being published. I loved this book because of the richness and depth of the world. The characters pulled me in. Ms. Boyd spent a lot of effort to create this world. This book is eating at a gourmet restaurant.
June 13, 2019
One of my thift shoppe finds of last year (or was it the year before?) Donna Boyd's The Passion and The Promise were a steal of a deal at $1.00 each. $2.00 for hours of entertainment? Yes please!
The tag line on the Avon copy of The Passion claimed that Boyd does for werewolves what Anne Rice did for vampires. I have to agree!
The Passion is a well written story of Alexander Devoncroix (werewolf extraordinaire!) and his human-play thing Tessa LeGuerre. They meet through a botched murder attempt and quickly become friends. (How? You'll have to read and find out.) The story follows Alexander and Tessa while readers are introduced to the luminous Elise and the roguish Denis, the other major players in the novel. I can't tell too much more without spoiling the whole plot, but what I can say is that the world building for this novel is WONDERFUL and comprehensive and FUN. A bit ridiculous at times, but that is because the story is told from the perspective of a kind of ridiculous personality (cough Alexander cough). My only qualm with the text is that it leaves off on a kind of cliff hanger that I don't know will be resolved in the second novel. Additionally, the ending is a bit weak and really left me saying: What?! That's it?!
I am definitely going to read the next in the series very soon. I really enjoyed this story. I wish Boyd made it to the level of Anne Rice, but alas...
The tag line on the Avon copy of The Passion claimed that Boyd does for werewolves what Anne Rice did for vampires. I have to agree!
The Passion is a well written story of Alexander Devoncroix (werewolf extraordinaire!) and his human-play thing Tessa LeGuerre. They meet through a botched murder attempt and quickly become friends. (How? You'll have to read and find out.) The story follows Alexander and Tessa while readers are introduced to the luminous Elise and the roguish Denis, the other major players in the novel. I can't tell too much more without spoiling the whole plot, but what I can say is that the world building for this novel is WONDERFUL and comprehensive and FUN. A bit ridiculous at times, but that is because the story is told from the perspective of a kind of ridiculous personality (cough Alexander cough). My only qualm with the text is that it leaves off on a kind of cliff hanger that I don't know will be resolved in the second novel. Additionally, the ending is a bit weak and really left me saying: What?! That's it?!
I am definitely going to read the next in the series very soon. I really enjoyed this story. I wish Boyd made it to the level of Anne Rice, but alas...
March 28, 2021
This is one of my all-time favorite books. The writing is so finely crafted, it flows beautifully. I can't say enough about it. I read this book when it first came out and loved it then. I've kept it all these years and finally read it again, and still love it. The ending gives me the chills and I can't wait to read "The Promise" over again. I will keep these books on my forever shelf.
February 4, 2009
This book made believe beautiful, inteligent werewolves walk among us.
March 15, 2024
One of my favorite books.
December 8, 2010
I was torn between three and four stars on this one, probably because I'd rate the first two thirds of the book a three and the last third a five. In Donna Boyd's world, werewolves are the secret pillars of civilization, the upper echelon of philosophical thinkers, scientists, artists, and craftsmen.
It's an interesting premise, but I found the many passages in which Boyd presents evidence of the werewolves' accomplishments and superiority to humans--well, annoying. (They wrote everything worth reading! They built the Pyramids! They make all the decent wine, and they're in your stock market, controlling your economy! On the side, just for their amusement, they periodically win Wimbledon or the Grand Prix.) For the sake of the plot, it's important that Boyd establish the werewolves' essential arrogance, but I wish she had done so in a way that didn't come across as hopelessly over-the-top.
Nevertheless, the fact that the werewolves are so convinced of their own status as a breed apart--and better--drives most of the major developments in this book's plot, and that's where things start to get interesting. Alexander's treatment of the human Tessa, daughter of his boyhood friend Stephen, is at once benevolent and callous. He fails to take her emotions seriously, and that's the first in a series of mistakes as events start to go from bad to worse. Alexander's brother Denis, unlike Alexander, believes the human race should be eradicated, and his condescending confidence in his knowledge of human nature proves to be his own Achilles' heel.
The last hundred pages or so of The Passion are tragic, brutal, moving, and utterly compelling. Even the stoics among readers who make it this far might find themselves tearing up more than once.
If you need a happily-ever-after to be satisfied with a book, you won't find it here, but it's worth the read. I'll definitely be picking up The Promise, the next book in the series.
It's an interesting premise, but I found the many passages in which Boyd presents evidence of the werewolves' accomplishments and superiority to humans--well, annoying. (They wrote everything worth reading! They built the Pyramids! They make all the decent wine, and they're in your stock market, controlling your economy! On the side, just for their amusement, they periodically win Wimbledon or the Grand Prix.) For the sake of the plot, it's important that Boyd establish the werewolves' essential arrogance, but I wish she had done so in a way that didn't come across as hopelessly over-the-top.
Nevertheless, the fact that the werewolves are so convinced of their own status as a breed apart--and better--drives most of the major developments in this book's plot, and that's where things start to get interesting. Alexander's treatment of the human Tessa, daughter of his boyhood friend Stephen, is at once benevolent and callous. He fails to take her emotions seriously, and that's the first in a series of mistakes as events start to go from bad to worse. Alexander's brother Denis, unlike Alexander, believes the human race should be eradicated, and his condescending confidence in his knowledge of human nature proves to be his own Achilles' heel.
The last hundred pages or so of The Passion are tragic, brutal, moving, and utterly compelling. Even the stoics among readers who make it this far might find themselves tearing up more than once.
If you need a happily-ever-after to be satisfied with a book, you won't find it here, but it's worth the read. I'll definitely be picking up The Promise, the next book in the series.
August 31, 2012
I wish I could rate different sections of this book differently. The first 3/4 of the book was kind of slow and painful. I hated the main character Alexander! Pompous ass! A lot of the characters bothered me. The author did do an interesting job in describing the world of these supernatural beings that were far superior to humans; almost depressingly so. The book really didn't get good until the last quarter! Two particular characters get exiled on an island. That's when it starts to get really good!! It's the last quarter of the book that really left an impression on me; I'd give the last quarter 4 stars. But you have to read the first part of the book to understand the characters and whats going on in the last part of the book. This book was kind of depressing, but the last quarter made it work the read. The next book in the series, "The Promise" is MUCH better! Read this book to get to that one.
February 1, 2015
I found myself going through a roller coaster of emotions while reading this book. At first, the narrative seemed slow and laborious, which is my main difficulty with this book, hence the 4 stars. As I read on, I got caught in the experience of Alexander as he relates his story, his secret, his greatest regret. Donna Boyd writes from the gut, and I felt it, most specially with the story of Denis and Tessa...oh the tragedy between these two... but also the triumph of love that they discovered. I am still too caught up in this story...will probably move to an easier read in order to gain stability for the next book in the series.
October 25, 2007
Generally speaking, I'm not one for romance novels, but this hybrid of supernatural fiction and romance is really, really good...a lush and addictive novel about a werewolf society. Recommended for those who like fantasy and supernatural tales with a bit of a love story thrown in for good measure.
May 2, 2008
The Passion is an excellent werewolf tale that reminded me a little bit of Anne Rice without the pages and pages of back story. The story moves along quickly and is very interesting.
I would highly recommend this book and the sequel to anyone who likes supernatural books with a story and not just all about sex.
I would highly recommend this book and the sequel to anyone who likes supernatural books with a story and not just all about sex.
November 16, 2021
This book is a prime example of why we have the expression "don't judge a book by its cover." I half-expected this book to be nothing more than a cheap romance, but instead got a sweeping tale full of complicated relationships, political intrigues, magic... I really have nothing but praise for the book; it's definitely an underrated gem.
June 20, 2020
This was a great, complex, and fantastic novel. Is it a werewolf love story or a horror? Very well written and I can see why Boyd is compared to Anne Rice, very similar story telling pattern. I definitely want to read the second novel in the series.
August 17, 2009
One of the few books I have re-read. AMAZING!
March 15, 2014
One of the best books I've read. A supernatural book that is about wolves living with humans. You won't be able to put the book down.
March 4, 2019
What a fantastic book!!! It is not your usual werewolf book, it is much much more! First of all, the writing style is splendid, it is complex and intelligent and holistic. It is like you are reading "War and Peace" by Tolstoy!! Her writing is for those who love complex dialogues and far from simplistic plots. I think Donna Boyd is very talented writer and tremendously underestimated! THANK YOU, DONNA BOYD for your work and talent!!!
August 4, 2018
I'm not sure what to think of this book. It's a story within a story and that second story takes up a bulk of the book. The last 100 pages finally felt like I was getting somewhere, might get an answer to why this story is being told. It takes a really long time to get into, but eventually it gets better.
September 23, 2021
I named my daughter after the main character of this series, so that should say something right there. I really enjoyed the story and all the characters. If you like wolves, you'll like this book. I also enjoyed the settings of the story. It's a unique story, so well worth the read.
May 27, 2021
read this book I think though with a different cover
October 29, 2021
This book offers a fantastic view into the secret world of Lycanthropes and how they conspire to rule the world. It is easy to get swept up into their world.
June 22, 2023
Loved this book! A combination of Bridgerton meets Vampire Diaries (except it’s werewolves). Scandal, intrigue, fantasy, love, lust, deception. Couldn’t put it down!
May 8, 2008
Werewolves, with brilliant intelligence and devastating beauty, live at peace amongst and above normal humans, running a business conglomeration that rules the Western world. But after the violent death of three werewolves leaves the scent of human on the scene, Alexander, the leader of the werewolf pack, must reveal secrets he has long kept hidden, secrets which will redefine human and werewolf relations: he tells his son and heir a love story about werewolves and a human woman. Boyd's werewolves are unique--artisans, philosophers, and businessmen, they do not live on the fringes of society but instead rule over it. However, Boyd's werewolves also stretch hyperbole to the limit, and they are so stunning, so perfect, so aloof that her novel reads like bad fanfiction. The plot and writing style are unremarkable and the characterization is ludicrous, and so this book is mediocre at best. Although it is an interesting deviation from usual werewolf stereotypes, I don't recommend it.
"In the bright light of day [...] these two could not have passed unnoticed. Eyebrows would be raised, sentences would be left unfinished, small backward steps would be taken to clear a path as they walked by. Head would turn, gazes would follow, and for the space of a second, maybe more, thoughts would stutter and be forgotten. Later, someone might remark upon how tall and striking they looked, or how powerful they seemed. That was all.
"In this dark dead hour of the morning no one was about to notice them. Yet the night seemed to hold its breath until they passed (9)."
So begins The Passion, and here first impressions are reliable: so the book continues for the next 400 pages. Were werewolves are usually categorized as dark and dangerous strangers who live around the fringes of society, hidden from humanity and tied to their bestial nature, Boyd's werewolves break from the norm: perhaps still dark and dangerous, they are also beautiful, intelligent, and cultured--not only more cultured than humans, they created what humans recognize as "culture." They also have unconventional breeding practices, and humans cannot become werewolves. They still turn into wolves in a magical transformation they call the Passion, but on the whole this is a different sort of werewolf.
However, in her attempt to make a new sort of werewolf and to characterize these werewolves, Boyd relies on exaggeration. The quote illustrates it, and so it continues through the rest of the book. These werewolves are so beautiful as to strike humans dumb, their wit and intelligence defies description, their characterization stretches hyperbole to its breaking point. Worse, the narrator is often a werewolf, and his aloof pride only exacerbates the point. The werewolves are simply too perfect, so perfect that they seem like the "Gary Stu"s of bad fanfiction: idealized, exaggerated, and wholly unbelievable.
A combination of socio-political drama and love story, the plot has its fair number of interesting twists and logical conclusions, but it's nothing special and the resolutions are sometimes too convenient. The framed narration is abrupt and addresses the reader, which breaks the fourth wall and makes it impossible to suspend disbelief as the book requires. The narrative voice tries for lush and distinctive but manages only repetitive descriptions and constant exaggeration. Yes, the book remains readable, but it certainly isn't good, and the exaggeration can be inadvertently humorous. I heard of this book through a list of recommended werewolf novels, and I am glad to see a new take on werewolf clichés, but I was disappointed by The Passion. It is mediocre at best, and a thorough waste of time. I do not recommend it.
"In the bright light of day [...] these two could not have passed unnoticed. Eyebrows would be raised, sentences would be left unfinished, small backward steps would be taken to clear a path as they walked by. Head would turn, gazes would follow, and for the space of a second, maybe more, thoughts would stutter and be forgotten. Later, someone might remark upon how tall and striking they looked, or how powerful they seemed. That was all.
"In this dark dead hour of the morning no one was about to notice them. Yet the night seemed to hold its breath until they passed (9)."
So begins The Passion, and here first impressions are reliable: so the book continues for the next 400 pages. Were werewolves are usually categorized as dark and dangerous strangers who live around the fringes of society, hidden from humanity and tied to their bestial nature, Boyd's werewolves break from the norm: perhaps still dark and dangerous, they are also beautiful, intelligent, and cultured--not only more cultured than humans, they created what humans recognize as "culture." They also have unconventional breeding practices, and humans cannot become werewolves. They still turn into wolves in a magical transformation they call the Passion, but on the whole this is a different sort of werewolf.
However, in her attempt to make a new sort of werewolf and to characterize these werewolves, Boyd relies on exaggeration. The quote illustrates it, and so it continues through the rest of the book. These werewolves are so beautiful as to strike humans dumb, their wit and intelligence defies description, their characterization stretches hyperbole to its breaking point. Worse, the narrator is often a werewolf, and his aloof pride only exacerbates the point. The werewolves are simply too perfect, so perfect that they seem like the "Gary Stu"s of bad fanfiction: idealized, exaggerated, and wholly unbelievable.
A combination of socio-political drama and love story, the plot has its fair number of interesting twists and logical conclusions, but it's nothing special and the resolutions are sometimes too convenient. The framed narration is abrupt and addresses the reader, which breaks the fourth wall and makes it impossible to suspend disbelief as the book requires. The narrative voice tries for lush and distinctive but manages only repetitive descriptions and constant exaggeration. Yes, the book remains readable, but it certainly isn't good, and the exaggeration can be inadvertently humorous. I heard of this book through a list of recommended werewolf novels, and I am glad to see a new take on werewolf clichés, but I was disappointed by The Passion. It is mediocre at best, and a thorough waste of time. I do not recommend it.
September 5, 2016
"Donna Boyd does for werewolves what Anne Rice did for vampires", it says on the cover of the 2006 Harper Torch edition. High praise indeed, especially when talking about a book that - for the most part - never lives up to this promise.
The frame story - the murder of three werewolves by a human-werewolf hybrid - is dealt with in only two chapters, the first and the last, which is a shame. Donna Boyd could have written less about werewolf supremacy and spent more time expounding on the tragedy that kick-starts the lengthy story time between father and son. As it is, half of the book is glorification of the superior species of werewolves - their intellect, creativity, pioneering spirit, inventiveness, capacity for emotion, philosophy, languages and art - all of which by far surpass what humans can only hope to achieve:
"[Elise] could recite any poem or scrap of musing by whichever human or werewolf you might care to name at any given time. She could sing an aria in a voice so exquisite even humans had been known to fall to their knees weeping. She could play an étude or paint a landscape that could easily rival anything hanging in the Louvre, all while working a logarithm in her head or analyzing a complicated chemical formula as casually as someone else might read a newspaper. She could ourun any werewolf in the pack, and outhunt them, too" (p. 153).
The main character, Alexander Devoncroix never tires of expressing his amused contempt when it comes to his human companion, and indeed, humanity as such, which gets rather repetitive and tireing after a couple hundred of pages. The werewolf queen (who loses her status soon enough to the mate she has taken, Alexander) only becomes interesting when she talks about her political visions but remains rather boringly perfect throughout the rest of the book. Indeed, the only werewolf that I enjoyed reading about is Alexander's radical brother Dennis Antonov, fierce hater of humanity and leader of an underground movement that wants to annihilate ideally nine-tenths of the human population in order to herald a global werewolf rule.
Tessa LaGuerre, Alexander's human companion, develops from unsuccessful assassin (such a promising start) to wide-eyed werewolf groupie to favorite human pet of Queen Elise to almost-assassin and outcast. As female lead of the story, her character is disappointingly cliched most of the time.
However, once you have managed to make it through the first almost 300 pages, then the story becomes an almost gripping read, detailing Dennis and Tessa's exile in which they soon become grudging allies and later on mates which ends in eventual tragedy and finally evokes an emotional reaction in the reader.
The frame story - the murder of three werewolves by a human-werewolf hybrid - is dealt with in only two chapters, the first and the last, which is a shame. Donna Boyd could have written less about werewolf supremacy and spent more time expounding on the tragedy that kick-starts the lengthy story time between father and son. As it is, half of the book is glorification of the superior species of werewolves - their intellect, creativity, pioneering spirit, inventiveness, capacity for emotion, philosophy, languages and art - all of which by far surpass what humans can only hope to achieve:
"[Elise] could recite any poem or scrap of musing by whichever human or werewolf you might care to name at any given time. She could sing an aria in a voice so exquisite even humans had been known to fall to their knees weeping. She could play an étude or paint a landscape that could easily rival anything hanging in the Louvre, all while working a logarithm in her head or analyzing a complicated chemical formula as casually as someone else might read a newspaper. She could ourun any werewolf in the pack, and outhunt them, too" (p. 153).
The main character, Alexander Devoncroix never tires of expressing his amused contempt when it comes to his human companion, and indeed, humanity as such, which gets rather repetitive and tireing after a couple hundred of pages. The werewolf queen (who loses her status soon enough to the mate she has taken, Alexander) only becomes interesting when she talks about her political visions but remains rather boringly perfect throughout the rest of the book. Indeed, the only werewolf that I enjoyed reading about is Alexander's radical brother Dennis Antonov, fierce hater of humanity and leader of an underground movement that wants to annihilate ideally nine-tenths of the human population in order to herald a global werewolf rule.
Tessa LaGuerre, Alexander's human companion, develops from unsuccessful assassin (such a promising start) to wide-eyed werewolf groupie to favorite human pet of Queen Elise to almost-assassin and outcast. As female lead of the story, her character is disappointingly cliched most of the time.
However, once you have managed to make it through the first almost 300 pages, then the story becomes an almost gripping read, detailing Dennis and Tessa's exile in which they soon become grudging allies and later on mates which ends in eventual tragedy and finally evokes an emotional reaction in the reader.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2011
Wonderful, gorgeous and...I don't know I was pretty much kinda enraptured in the haze of the overall story. I finally finished & I absolutely loved it.
I highly recommend to anyone who loves a good yarn (b'c that's completely what this is ...a good ole' yarn) and it's about Werewolves in a way I have never imagined before. It pretty much had me from the prologue & it didn't disappoint as it went on. The funny thing is, I put it aside b'c I found it so compelling I wanted the time to savor the story & writing, so I waited until I had a few days where I could immerse myself in this beautifully told story.
And that's the thing, I have been reading series for so long, this was like a GULP, not even a breath but a big fat gulp of fresh air.
Instead of the usual world building which reveals itself in practically the same exact formulaic way for every genre series I've read, this was a STORY that continued to bloom from start to finish.
It undulated while it unfolded & revealed itself. Every passage was something new & pertinent but it was Boyd's succinct & subtle prose which pretty much hypnotized me from the start.
The adjective 'lush' came to mind time & again while reading it. For me, it was completely full bodied.
I just loved the journey & while the end might not be much of a surprise to the audience, I felt it was well, well worth what we already knew was going on. Although at the same time, the story is most definitely a mixture of fable & parable & that is pretty much known from the get go so does it matter you figure it out? For once in a books case, Not for me b'c I felt the story was masterfully told & was genuinely set up from the get go to let the reader know that there was a moral to this story.
With that said, there is so much to take on board as the moral of the story but the large analogy running through is about the dangers of believing in being superior to anyone else, the blinkered vision of arrogance & the irony of both.
While reading I would find myself completely immersed & all of a sudden realize I had blown through 60 pages in about an hour. I missed a stop on the tube twice...I can't tell you how long it's been since I lost myself with such immediately pure concentration. As soon as I picked it up again, I was a goner. And I'm sure I've over-hyped it now but I have to give a book props just for the refreshing change of pace & stellar narrative which completely won me over.
The Passion is firmly on my favorites list IMO, definitely worth the title it's named after.
I highly recommend to anyone who loves a good yarn (b'c that's completely what this is ...a good ole' yarn) and it's about Werewolves in a way I have never imagined before. It pretty much had me from the prologue & it didn't disappoint as it went on. The funny thing is, I put it aside b'c I found it so compelling I wanted the time to savor the story & writing, so I waited until I had a few days where I could immerse myself in this beautifully told story.
And that's the thing, I have been reading series for so long, this was like a GULP, not even a breath but a big fat gulp of fresh air.
Instead of the usual world building which reveals itself in practically the same exact formulaic way for every genre series I've read, this was a STORY that continued to bloom from start to finish.
It undulated while it unfolded & revealed itself. Every passage was something new & pertinent but it was Boyd's succinct & subtle prose which pretty much hypnotized me from the start.
The adjective 'lush' came to mind time & again while reading it. For me, it was completely full bodied.
I just loved the journey & while the end might not be much of a surprise to the audience, I felt it was well, well worth what we already knew was going on. Although at the same time, the story is most definitely a mixture of fable & parable & that is pretty much known from the get go so does it matter you figure it out? For once in a books case, Not for me b'c I felt the story was masterfully told & was genuinely set up from the get go to let the reader know that there was a moral to this story.
With that said, there is so much to take on board as the moral of the story but the large analogy running through is about the dangers of believing in being superior to anyone else, the blinkered vision of arrogance & the irony of both.
While reading I would find myself completely immersed & all of a sudden realize I had blown through 60 pages in about an hour. I missed a stop on the tube twice...I can't tell you how long it's been since I lost myself with such immediately pure concentration. As soon as I picked it up again, I was a goner. And I'm sure I've over-hyped it now but I have to give a book props just for the refreshing change of pace & stellar narrative which completely won me over.
The Passion is firmly on my favorites list IMO, definitely worth the title it's named after.
November 25, 2011
Amazing.... extremely gifted writer who has created a story with the perfect blend of tragedy, romance, and horror.... strange but I don't know whether I liked or hated the characters as most of the loup garous detested humans but Boyd wrote her characters in such a way that it makes the reader want to be like and accepted by such creatures. The love story completely didn't go were I initially thought it would go but the unexpected turn was perfect and delivered a sharper impact. (Nothings better than poetic justice)Boyd writes this story with dexterity and finesse that is not usually seen in paranormal romances but its written so well I can hardly put this novel in the same category in those gaudy over sexualized novels.
Boyd puts a new spins on the werewolf regime (which is a breath of fresh air) instead of loup garous being this uncontrollable beast that emerges every full moon, the loup garous are intelligent, loyal, exotically mystifying, and beautiful beings who revel in the willful transformation of changing from human to wolf. but however beautiful they are, they are just as disgustingly arrogant and very much unattainable.
My only complaint was Tessa (Human protagonist) I wish she was more. I found that I was annoyed that she was the representation of what a human was seen as and was the one to be bought into that world. I wanted her to be something.... smart, witty, strong willed, charming, or even seductive but instead she came off as a stupid awe struck child pinning for love and respect she would never receive. Had she possessed any of those qualities it would have made her character more interesting and hopefully in a way that made the loup garous admire and somewhat respect her instead of just laugh and look down on her....never the less this story is nothing less than amazing and if I could forget it and reread all over again I would repeatedly.
Boyd puts a new spins on the werewolf regime (which is a breath of fresh air) instead of loup garous being this uncontrollable beast that emerges every full moon, the loup garous are intelligent, loyal, exotically mystifying, and beautiful beings who revel in the willful transformation of changing from human to wolf. but however beautiful they are, they are just as disgustingly arrogant and very much unattainable.
My only complaint was Tessa (Human protagonist) I wish she was more. I found that I was annoyed that she was the representation of what a human was seen as and was the one to be bought into that world. I wanted her to be something.... smart, witty, strong willed, charming, or even seductive but instead she came off as a stupid awe struck child pinning for love and respect she would never receive. Had she possessed any of those qualities it would have made her character more interesting and hopefully in a way that made the loup garous admire and somewhat respect her instead of just laugh and look down on her....never the less this story is nothing less than amazing and if I could forget it and reread all over again I would repeatedly.
September 18, 2011
Wow, Really Wow. I really enjoyed this book. It is the first werewolf based book that I have read that gives one a complete look into a werewolf pack culture, or the best a Human can understand (you'll understand that line once you read the book).
The book is told as one retells events that have happened to them in the past. It is a book where true historical facts, are interwoven with the fantasy world that Boyd has created (book is based in the late 1800s). The historical events and view is told from the main character Alexander Devoncroix, werewolf, for he has all the "facts" of what occurred at the time. The other main characters are Tessa, human, who has become part of the werewolf world who is struggling to find her place within it and to understand the werewolf culture; and Elisa Devoncroix, werewolf, who is the leader of the pack, but knows that all may not accept her views for the pack’s future.
This novel is about the power of love, good and bad forms, betrayal, redemption, and finding what one is truly looking for.
This book was very engrossing and you really feel like you are living in the world of the werewolf. Yes there are times when the book is slow, more so at the beginning, but that is because the book is recounting history and to understand the story all the facts are needed. I found I went through every emotion while reading this book and I think that is a trait of a true story teller. The world that Boyd has created is amazing, her great writing skills and use of description make the story that much better.
This book is a MUST READ for anyone who likes paranormal books.
Enjoy!!!!
Note: the paperback version of this book is hard to find. The book was written in 1998, so you might be able to find it at the used book store (I was unable to though), I have found a few new and used copies available on the main website, such as Amazon, Chapters and Barns and Noble but you might want to check some used book sites like Biblo.com
The book is told as one retells events that have happened to them in the past. It is a book where true historical facts, are interwoven with the fantasy world that Boyd has created (book is based in the late 1800s). The historical events and view is told from the main character Alexander Devoncroix, werewolf, for he has all the "facts" of what occurred at the time. The other main characters are Tessa, human, who has become part of the werewolf world who is struggling to find her place within it and to understand the werewolf culture; and Elisa Devoncroix, werewolf, who is the leader of the pack, but knows that all may not accept her views for the pack’s future.
This novel is about the power of love, good and bad forms, betrayal, redemption, and finding what one is truly looking for.
This book was very engrossing and you really feel like you are living in the world of the werewolf. Yes there are times when the book is slow, more so at the beginning, but that is because the book is recounting history and to understand the story all the facts are needed. I found I went through every emotion while reading this book and I think that is a trait of a true story teller. The world that Boyd has created is amazing, her great writing skills and use of description make the story that much better.
This book is a MUST READ for anyone who likes paranormal books.
Enjoy!!!!
Note: the paperback version of this book is hard to find. The book was written in 1998, so you might be able to find it at the used book store (I was unable to though), I have found a few new and used copies available on the main website, such as Amazon, Chapters and Barns and Noble but you might want to check some used book sites like Biblo.com
September 20, 2012
What starts out as a tale set in the present and grabs your interest, is quickly taken away by the author, as she proceeds to tell you the history behind the murders you just read about. Even though the story is very well written and intriguing, she never gets to the great tale she opened with. I am assuming this is done intentionally, so that her next book The Promise will be read, hell you have just delved in the past for a few hundred pages to get back to the present, what's another book, right? The problem I had with the tale, is that Donna attempts to build this superior race of Werewolves, who are the main reason humankind even exists, even though some among them would like to exterminate us off the planet. They are fully aware of their charm over humans and are supposedly, at least as she writes it, more thoughtful and more in touch with...well basically everything. Then thkind of misses the mark on what i think she was trying to establish, it is bery well written and the tale, though misleading is intriguing.e story goes on about how Alexander, our main character, takes a human in as a ward, even though she has just attempted to plunge a knife through him. Through the pages we learn how he teaches her the Werewolf ways, charms and allows us to watch her hang on his every word. The only one that does not seem to realize this and what it means, is Alex, who ends up betraying her, all the while crying in his own ego that she had betrayed him. I ended up not having a very high opinion of Alexander by the time I turned the last page and if you want to know why, this is where I tell you to read it yourself. For it
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