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siria's review against another edition
2.75
Readable but, as the kids say, "mid." I did like that the main character, Ursula, is a bit reckless and cavalier about what she does without suffering too much of a case of the stupids. But while this is marketed as a mystery, there's not really much of a mystery here—if I had to come up with a category for it, I'd say Queen's Ransom belongs to something like "cosy thriller." It was fine, but the constant undercurrent of "rational English Protestants who understand that God is love" versus "the swarthy French Catholic zealots who want to burn all heretics at the stake" got old quick.
elinoah's review against another edition
4.0
I am actually really enjoying these Ursula Blanchard books. I am listening to them on audio and I like the narrators voice. Sometimes I wish we could hurry it along a little and wonder if I would enjoy them as much were I to read them. But the stories are good so far.
halfcentreader's review
4.0
France during Elizabethan times... and a civil war between the protestants and the catholics.
Ursula is growing as a strong character... taking on the tasks alloted her by Queen Elizabeth... and becoming a formidable woman to cross.
Ursula is growing as a strong character... taking on the tasks alloted her by Queen Elizabeth... and becoming a formidable woman to cross.
laurena's review against another edition
2.0
The plot was a bit far fetched and the pace somewhat tedious. I enjoyed it less than Ms. Buckley's previous offerings in this series.
archytas's review against another edition
3.0
This has the least plausible plot of any Elizabethan mystery I have yet read, and yes, that includes the Lady Grace mystery where she ran away and became a pirate with Drake dressed as a boy, and singlehandedly saved the battle from the crows nest. Still more plausible than this.
I'm not sure at this point what I am getting out of these novels. They are scant on historical detail, the invocation of the terror of this period is well done, but undermined at all turns by the ridiculous plot's need to have characters care deeply about it one moment and not at all the next. Ditto the characterisation, which seems good enough, until a character (and they all do this at some point in the book) makes an inexplicably out-of-character decision, usually to help the main character who is just furious with everyone at all times.
And yet, somehow, they seem to remain readable.
I'm not sure at this point what I am getting out of these novels. They are scant on historical detail, the invocation of the terror of this period is well done, but undermined at all turns by the ridiculous plot's need to have characters care deeply about it one moment and not at all the next. Ditto the characterisation, which seems good enough, until a character (and they all do this at some point in the book) makes an inexplicably out-of-character decision, usually to help the main character who is just furious with everyone at all times.
And yet, somehow, they seem to remain readable.
julieputty's review against another edition
4.0
This third installment in this series doesn't end up really being a mystery novel, but it's interesting with enough suspense and character to be enjoyable.
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