Reviews with content warning for Fire/Fire injury - Dark Fire

The second installment in the Shardlake series starts with us seeing some of the fallout of the first, followed by a tense and exciting persual of two very time sensitive cases. When compared to the first book, the pace and tension are both higher, with a little less considered investigation and more action-oriented scenes - perhaps reflecting the higher stakes involved in the cases. Regardless, it is a book which is difficult to put down as one always wants to know what revelation is next.

Again, the book represents a fascinating and well researched delve into life and politics in Tudor period London, with the connections with historical events even stronger than in the first book. The author does not shy away from the darker aspects of life at that time, but the thoughts and progress of the main characters, both of whom I thoroughly warmed to in this book, give one hope.

Overall, a great read and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

Content Warnings

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

“Once I did believe the world could be perfected. I don't think that any more. But I believe I've defended the bad side against the worst."
Three years has passed since Scarnsea and a lot has changed. Matthew Shardlake has returned to London and resumed his work as a lawyer. I remember Shardlake having more self-pity, even this has changed!
The dissolved monasteries are being bought up and converted into cheap tenements, mainly focusing on profit. Following Cromwell’s advice, the king has married Anne of Cleves. This marriage didn’t make the king happy and as a result he fixed his attention on Catherine Howard. This gave the catholic cause more momentum and put his position and therefore the reformation in danger.

“Once before he had sent me to investigate a killing, pitching me into horrors beyond imagining. Not again, I thought. Not again.”
The anxious Cromwell commissions Shardlake to investigate dark fire AKA Greek fire which turned out to be a dangerous investigation, just like the Scarnsea investigation. In between this and his other cases, there was no time to rest! Jack Barak is ordered to assist Shardlake and he was such an interesting character! Hidden beneath his rudeness, he has a kind and loyal heart. We also meet brother Guy again who was introduced in the first book. Brother Guy is now an apothecary and is of immense help to Shardlake throughout the story.

Sansom has again succeeded in portraying the situation of England in 1540. It shows the motives of Henry VIII for breaking with Rome and the building tension between the Catholics and the Protestants. But as a boatman says in this book: "It's hard for common folk to keep track of it all." Sansom also managed to incorporate many unpleasantries of that time period, such as the plagues, the practice of teeth blackening, the dangers of drinking unboiled water, the cruelty of the punishments, the state of the prisons, and how people procured their false teeth. And I also never realised bear baiting was a sport…
And one thing I did find peculiar is that at Lady Honor’s sweet banquet, bananas are being introduced. But bananas came to England almost a century later, right?

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