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gidgetdraws's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Holy grail of plot twists and a wonderful marriage between the genres historical fiction and mystery suspense.
Fortune telling, family secrets, unreliable narrators, romance, danger, and expertly plotted prose, I loved everything about this novel. I typically pride myself on being fairly good at discerning where a plot is leading and how a book is going to end but I was wonderfully surprised all the way to the finish!
Red, our main character, is reminiscent of an Enola Holmes archetype with her quick wit and schemes that land her in more than one precarious situation. Even in her moments of lapsed judgment, you can’t help but root for her.
This is definitely going on the shelf as “books I could read for the first time again.” And I’ll definitely be reading again to catch any details and hints I may have missed the first time around!
Fortune telling, family secrets, unreliable narrators, romance, danger, and expertly plotted prose, I loved everything about this novel. I typically pride myself on being fairly good at discerning where a plot is leading and how a book is going to end but I was wonderfully surprised all the way to the finish!
Red, our main character, is reminiscent of an Enola Holmes archetype with her quick wit and schemes that land her in more than one precarious situation. Even in her moments of lapsed judgment, you can’t help but root for her.
This is definitely going on the shelf as “books I could read for the first time again.” And I’ll definitely be reading again to catch any details and hints I may have missed the first time around!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Incest
elmewhy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
~~5 Stars~~ 22nd June 2023
“If you wanted a saint, then you should have read a different book.”
Happy Publication Day!
Lies, Secrets, Deception, an intense family feud and twists and turns to make you gasp aloud - this novel is a gorgeously crafted tale guaranteed to be one of your favourite reads this year.
I love an unreliable narrator, and this book delivers. You jump right into a mystery that follows Red, a daughter of a fortune teller, who embarks on her quest to find her family. Red, an expert in the famous cartography of the Square of Sevens, uses her charm and wits to find the truth.
This novel is masterly plotted into four sections, with each chapter corresponding to a particular card that follows the Square of Sevens method - a second read would see the prominence of this.
Red is such an engaging narrator, and you can’t help but root for her, a seemingly unfortunate girl who faces injustices and poor luck at every turn. Lazarus Darke is another engaging narrator featured, and his pov is entirely different from Reds. Darke is more duty-bound; towards the end, he closely resembles us, the reader. A whole other host of characters help weave this web of complex tales, and the author does a great job of introducing them and giving them enough time within the story to feel their impact.
Laura Shepherd-Robinson is a genius in historical fiction, and the level of detail is evident in her writing. The historical notes at the end of the book show how much research and care she put into the novel. Comparatively, I’ve never felt more empathy for women in the 18th century. Actions and mentions of sexism are not a central plot point but are subtly laced throughout the novel. These actions wouldn’t be uncommon for that time, but they created much injustice in the story that readers can’t help but feel for the women in the novel.
This novel was a rollercoaster ride of emotions. The layers of secrets and mysteries were abundant. I read this novel so fast and loved every moment - I highly recommend any historical fiction or mystery fans read this novel!
Extra Details
-TW/CW: Mentions of death, murder, poisoning, r*pe, inc*st
-Ending Happy/Sad/Unfinished: This depends on how you feel upon reading the ending (which I will not fully spoil here). Truly a remarkable read.
-Favourite Quotes:
“When a man is powerful and evil, other people surround themselves with lies, until they’re not sure if they’re protecting him or protecting themselves.”
“People like to say they seek the truth. Sometimes they even mean it. The truth is they crave the warm embrace of a lie.”
“My father had spelt it out to me. Choice was a luxury I couldn't afford. This is your story, Red. You must tell it well.”
<I>Thank you to NetGalley, Pan Macmillan and Laura Shepherd-Robinson for this e-ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.</I>
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Incest, Suicide, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, and Pregnancy