Scan barcode
carriekellenberger's review
2.0
This was not one of my favorite Pauline Gedge novels. I loved Thu's story, but I didn't like how it was told from so many different perspectives. I found parts of the story a bit hard to follow because of this. The conclusion really ticked me off when they brought Thu and Hui back together. I didn't feel that it meshed with the rest of the story.
I'd be interested in learning more about Kamen and his betrothed, however. I think that could make for an interesting continuation to this series.
I'd be interested in learning more about Kamen and his betrothed, however. I think that could make for an interesting continuation to this series.
lisa_setepenre's review
3.0
I love reading Pauline Gedge. Her novels are always so easy to read, but they're never simplistic, with complex characterisations and plots.
Yet there's something about House of Illusions that just doesn't sit well with me, and it's that the ending feels very idealised. The two main figures of the conspiracy – the master puppeteer, Hui, and the assassin, Thu – are left to live their lives as they like with no recriminations. Thu, at least, was punished and I was rooting for her throughout [b:House of Dreams|296576|Lady of the Reeds (Lady of the Reeds, #1)|Pauline Gedge|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1312048184s/296576.jpg|287770] and House of Illusions, but she knowingly attempted to murder the king and killed an entirely innocent person! She knew exactly what she was doing, the only thing she didn't know not to trust her co-conspirators.
But Hui's fate, ugh. I just kept thinking about how he manipulated and betrayed Thu in House of Dreams, and going "really? REALLY? You're going to trust him now?!"
I still don't know a lot about Ramses III ([a:Susan Redford|45051|Susan Redford|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg]'s book about the conspiracy is on my wishlist), but I know enough to recognise that there's a few things that stand out as inaccurate. However, I'll forgive these because most of what I know comes from very, very recent discoveries.
I liked that some people were able to be redeemed, and that, in the court case, the early testimonies go unheard, while Thu's testimony is not (albeit as a summary of [b:House of Dreams|296576|Lady of the Reeds (Lady of the Reeds, #1)|Pauline Gedge|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1312048184s/296576.jpg|287770]), a direct reversal of the historical record (the papyrus cuts off just before where Thu's testimony was recorded).
But what I like doesn't outweigh the ending, which is what drags my rating down from four stars to three. It's still a very good read, just disappointing in the end.
Yet there's something about House of Illusions that just doesn't sit well with me, and it's that the ending feels very idealised. The two main figures of the conspiracy – the master puppeteer, Hui, and the assassin, Thu – are left to live their lives as they like with no recriminations. Thu, at least, was punished and I was rooting for her throughout [b:House of Dreams|296576|Lady of the Reeds (Lady of the Reeds, #1)|Pauline Gedge|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1312048184s/296576.jpg|287770] and House of Illusions, but she knowingly attempted to murder the king and killed an entirely innocent person! She knew exactly what she was doing, the only thing she didn't know not to trust her co-conspirators.
But Hui's fate, ugh. I just kept thinking about how he manipulated and betrayed Thu in House of Dreams, and going "really? REALLY? You're going to trust him now?!"
I still don't know a lot about Ramses III ([a:Susan Redford|45051|Susan Redford|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg]'s book about the conspiracy is on my wishlist), but I know enough to recognise that there's a few things that stand out as inaccurate. However, I'll forgive these because most of what I know comes from very, very recent discoveries.
I liked that some people were able to be redeemed, and that, in the court case, the early testimonies go unheard, while Thu's testimony is not (albeit as a summary of [b:House of Dreams|296576|Lady of the Reeds (Lady of the Reeds, #1)|Pauline Gedge|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1312048184s/296576.jpg|287770]), a direct reversal of the historical record (the papyrus cuts off just before where Thu's testimony was recorded).
But what I like doesn't outweigh the ending, which is what drags my rating down from four stars to three. It's still a very good read, just disappointing in the end.
More...