castranosis's review against another edition
2.0
1.5 stars, rounded up.
This book was such a struggle for me to get through. The writing style made this didn't really feel like you were being told a story. I had gotten this book on my Kindle because the title interested me. I didn't realize until after I had finished this book that it was historical fiction, which is maybe why the writing felt off to me. The pacing didn't feel right and I felt like I was just waiting around to care about the characters. By the last third of the book, I was basically just skimming the story, not really caring about what happened.
This book was such a struggle for me to get through. The writing style made this didn't really feel like you were being told a story. I had gotten this book on my Kindle because the title interested me. I didn't realize until after I had finished this book that it was historical fiction, which is maybe why the writing felt off to me. The pacing didn't feel right and I felt like I was just waiting around to care about the characters. By the last third of the book, I was basically just skimming the story, not really caring about what happened.
margreads's review
3.0
It is no great secret that I love to read about the court of the Merry Monarch, Charles II. I wouldn't have wanted to be married to him, or to even have been one of his inner circle, but I love reading about his court, about him bringing back colour and joy and merriness to the court after the much more restrained rule of Cromwell. I find the idea that as a man he was full of passion and energy and life completely fascinating, especially when you contrast it with the trials he faced as a young man, and even during his reign, particularly in relation to the religious turmoil that played a large part in the issues around who his heir would be.
When I was offered this book to read as part of a blog tour, I must confess that the main reason why I said yes was because it was about Charles' oldest, albeit illegitimate, son James Scott, Duke of Monmouth. Monmouth has often been mentioned in the books I have read as a secondary character, so the chance to get to know him a little better was welcome.
The Monmouth that we initially meet is a spoiled young man, favoured by his father, rich, handsome, celebrated soldier but he is also very much his father's son. He was married at a young age to a suitable woman, but he has no issue with whoring or taking mistresses. He drinks too much, has been known to get into violent arguments, at least one of which lead to a fatality and generally is a pretty unsavoury character.
To read more of my thoughts on this book head to
http://www.theintrepidreader.com/2013/09/his-last-mistress-by-andrea-zuvich.html
When I was offered this book to read as part of a blog tour, I must confess that the main reason why I said yes was because it was about Charles' oldest, albeit illegitimate, son James Scott, Duke of Monmouth. Monmouth has often been mentioned in the books I have read as a secondary character, so the chance to get to know him a little better was welcome.
The Monmouth that we initially meet is a spoiled young man, favoured by his father, rich, handsome, celebrated soldier but he is also very much his father's son. He was married at a young age to a suitable woman, but he has no issue with whoring or taking mistresses. He drinks too much, has been known to get into violent arguments, at least one of which lead to a fatality and generally is a pretty unsavoury character.
To read more of my thoughts on this book head to
http://www.theintrepidreader.com/2013/09/his-last-mistress-by-andrea-zuvich.html
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