deadsearisen's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
jrenee's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
penwiper's review
1.0
My sister was sending this off to the library donation pile years and years and years ago and I swiped it to read. Never got around to it. . . and when I finally did I realized she had it right. No reason to finish this, at least for me. There’s a lot of casual misogyny and gay-bashing here and I found myself intrigued not at all by the mystery plotline by about halfway into the book.
There’s a also a lot of telling. We hear how awesome the MC is at playing the fool. What we get is a drunkard flirt who misses juggling balls because he’s out of practice... and then he disguises himself as a merchant in short order. No Foolery there. That’s what I call a spy.
There’s a also a lot of telling. We hear how awesome the MC is at playing the fool. What we get is a drunkard flirt who misses juggling balls because he’s out of practice... and then he disguises himself as a merchant in short order. No Foolery there. That’s what I call a spy.
elusivity's review
4.0
A medieval mystery in modern vernacular, and an imaginative sequel to Shakespeare's TWELFTH NIGHT, with the Fool's Guild full of multi-talented jester-spys/assassins, maneuvering power behind the thrones.
An excellent, generally lighthearted tale -- despite deaths and depiction of what happens AFTER the happily-ever-afters. Highly recommended.
Spoiler
I find it difficult to imagine Malvolio to be such an evil character, since in the play his energy were spent in such unprofitable direction, and all ending in failure. Nevertheless, I guessed the culprit about 2/3 way through the novel.An excellent, generally lighthearted tale -- despite deaths and depiction of what happens AFTER the happily-ever-afters. Highly recommended.
iceangel9's review
5.0
The first book in A Fools' Guild Mystery series. This tale picks up where Shakespeare's Twelfth Night leaves off. The Duke of Orsino has been murdered and the fool Theophilus, disguised as Feste, returns to solve the mystery surrounding the Duke's death and prevent anyone else in the family from being killed. A wonderful tale of misdirection, political intrigue and double crosses. This series brings 11th century Europe to life. A Reader's Corner highly recommended series.
julieputty's review
3.0
I can't quite figure out why this book didn't sit right, though I did find it entertaining and will seek out further books in the series. The mystery was one that I could only guess at, since the author withheld certain information, but I did guess right, so I'm going to claim to be super clever and no one can stop me!
caidyn's review
4.0
Again, another brilliant and hilarious book in the Fools' Guild series. Of course, this is technically the first book. Not as much humor to it since it was laying the ground, and more fiction than history in this historical fiction. I really enjoyed it, just as I have the others. Theo is a brilliant character, and I honestly can't wait until I get to the point where Helga and Claudia come into the story, since I think that they really make it in the later books.
This one took a basis, as I said, more on fiction than history. It had characters from Shakespeare's [b:Twelfth Night|1625|Twelfth Night|William Shakespeare|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1416628008s/1625.jpg|3267921] in it, and since I always think of it as one of the comedies, not a history. So, if there is any historical basis to the play, I would love to know more about it. (History buff and I love Shakespeare, so you can obviously guess that I have a special place in my heart for his historical plays.) There was deception throughout this mystery, and some of the much loved Shakespeare tropes of people not being who they say they are.
A really good start to the series, one that kicks it off very well. I might have liked to see a bit more humor and some actual historical facts in this, but it's still a very good start that I'd recommend to anyone looking for a cozy mystery.
This one took a basis, as I said, more on fiction than history. It had characters from Shakespeare's [b:Twelfth Night|1625|Twelfth Night|William Shakespeare|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1416628008s/1625.jpg|3267921] in it, and since I always think of it as one of the comedies, not a history. So, if there is any historical basis to the play, I would love to know more about it. (History buff and I love Shakespeare, so you can obviously guess that I have a special place in my heart for his historical plays.) There was deception throughout this mystery, and some of the much loved Shakespeare tropes of people not being who they say they are.
A really good start to the series, one that kicks it off very well. I might have liked to see a bit more humor and some actual historical facts in this, but it's still a very good start that I'd recommend to anyone looking for a cozy mystery.
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