Using Her Monolos to Kick it Ol' Skool

A Connecticut Fashionista in King Arthur's Court
by Marianne Mancusi

Genre; Fiction/Romance/Comedy

Publisher; Random House/New York/2005
Pages; 340

Plot; Kat Jones is a 29-year-old Fashion Editor from New York City whose life entails work, cocktails, Gucci and Prada. While covering a story at a medieval fair Kat is cursed by a Gypsy, sending her back to the chivalric times of King Arthur and his Knights. While having to deal with scratchy fabrics, a lack of hair conditioner and no cell reception it falls on Kat to save Camelot from political ruin, while delving into magic and romance with a certain famous Knight along the way.

My Thoughts; I enjoyed this book for what it is, light entertainment. It is the type of book I could curl up with by the heater in winter or on the beach on a hot summers day. It doesn't require too much thought to be entertained.

I would like to imagine that if I was to be cursed by a Gypsy and sent back to the time of Camelot that I would act just as Kat does; totally clueless to the concept of non-flushing toilets while being a sassy woman the likes of which they have never seen, fighting knights by day and teaching the ladies-in-waiting "saucy secrets" while opening their eyes to the idea of baring leg by night.

However, it must be said that there is a clever plot to this story. Mancusi has taken the old tale and put a modern twist on it, questioning the old ideals of the feelings shared between Guenevere and Lancelot, opening doors into the mysteries of Avalon and time travel while at the same time giving new and exciting personalities to old characters. Mancusi has successfully taken a tale which has been told over and over again and made it fresh and new.

Mancusi uses simple, conversational writing to convey this romantic comedy so I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an easy, yet entertaining, read over a long weekend or on a relaxing afternoon.