bellatap's review
It was so boring. I didn’t care about the main characters, the plot, there was too much explain not show. I dreaded reading it. And was avoiding reading due to this book
erinarkin20's review
5.0
As soon as I read the synopsis of An Assassin’s Guide to Love & Treason by Virginia Boecker, I knew I had to read it. This book is a standalone and it has a fast pace to keep the story moving and if you like historical books focused on a plot for murder, I think you should pick this one up.
The story focuses on two main characters, Lady Katherine and Toby Ellis. Everything really kicks off when Katherine’s father is executed for being a practicing Catholic, a dangerous thing in those times. Katherine makes a run for it and heads to London so she can avenge his death. I loved Katherine. She could have easily given herself up when her father was killed. Instead, she decides to do whatever she can to get back at the one person she knows is responsible for his death, the Queen.
As part of the plan, Katherine changes who she is and becomes Kit, a boy playing the part of a girl in one of Shakespeare’s plays that will be put on specifically for the Queen. Not only does this change give her the access she will need to get her revenge, it also gives her an opportunity to experience London as she never would have been able to as Lady Katherine.
The other major player is Toby, a spy who is working to set a trap for those that are attempting to assassinate the Queen. I found his background to be especially interesting and he is in a precarious position throughout the story. As he is cast, purposefully, as one of the play’s leads alongside Katherine, he attempts to pin down who his main suspects are, and Kit is someone who caches his attention and not only because of his role in the play.
The secondary characters in this story are just as important as the leads. I loved that Boecker made Shakespeare a little crazy…ok maybe more than a little. We have the group of men who are behind Katherine’s revenge, Jory, Sir George Carey, Queen Elizabeth, and several other characters who helped add color to the story and kept things flowing.
I don’t want to say too much about the details here because that is where Boecker’s storytelling really shines. She brought these characters to life for me and pulled me into 17th century England with her descriptions. Having recently read this book and then gone to London shortly after, it was great to see the places referenced in the story and helped me imagine the characters in these places even more.
I really enjoyed this book and as I mentioned, it is a standalone, so you won’t have to worry about any cliffhangers. This book has a great mix of interesting characters, an original story, and of course, you know I love my books with some romance. If you are looking for something historical that will keep you turning the pages to find out what will happen next for everyone, you should definitely check this book out. Not only that, Boecker’s first series was pretty great too! I’m looking forward to whatever Boecker decides to write next as she has me hooked.
Thank you to the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
The story focuses on two main characters, Lady Katherine and Toby Ellis. Everything really kicks off when Katherine’s father is executed for being a practicing Catholic, a dangerous thing in those times. Katherine makes a run for it and heads to London so she can avenge his death. I loved Katherine. She could have easily given herself up when her father was killed. Instead, she decides to do whatever she can to get back at the one person she knows is responsible for his death, the Queen.
As part of the plan, Katherine changes who she is and becomes Kit, a boy playing the part of a girl in one of Shakespeare’s plays that will be put on specifically for the Queen. Not only does this change give her the access she will need to get her revenge, it also gives her an opportunity to experience London as she never would have been able to as Lady Katherine.
The other major player is Toby, a spy who is working to set a trap for those that are attempting to assassinate the Queen. I found his background to be especially interesting and he is in a precarious position throughout the story. As he is cast, purposefully, as one of the play’s leads alongside Katherine, he attempts to pin down who his main suspects are, and Kit is someone who caches his attention and not only because of his role in the play.
The secondary characters in this story are just as important as the leads. I loved that Boecker made Shakespeare a little crazy…ok maybe more than a little. We have the group of men who are behind Katherine’s revenge, Jory, Sir George Carey, Queen Elizabeth, and several other characters who helped add color to the story and kept things flowing.
I don’t want to say too much about the details here because that is where Boecker’s storytelling really shines. She brought these characters to life for me and pulled me into 17th century England with her descriptions. Having recently read this book and then gone to London shortly after, it was great to see the places referenced in the story and helped me imagine the characters in these places even more.
I really enjoyed this book and as I mentioned, it is a standalone, so you won’t have to worry about any cliffhangers. This book has a great mix of interesting characters, an original story, and of course, you know I love my books with some romance. If you are looking for something historical that will keep you turning the pages to find out what will happen next for everyone, you should definitely check this book out. Not only that, Boecker’s first series was pretty great too! I’m looking forward to whatever Boecker decides to write next as she has me hooked.
Thank you to the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
kphmitten's review
2.0
I wanted to like this book but it was incredibly slow moving. It doesn't pick up until about 70% of the way through. Then everything is rushed. The ending could have gone through Kit's journey or exactly how Toby escapes with the key his given. Instead they're all of a sudden in France and everything it just honky dory. Very disappointing.
elusivity's review
3.0
This one took forever to finish. What to say....
The setting-up is interesting: Teenaged spy/main dude concocts a plan to draw out Catholics wanting to assassinate Queen Elizabeth. Shakespeare and his company are drafted to enact a new play to be played in private audience with the Queen, in hopes some assassins would try to mix in among the players to do the deed. Lo, main chick is precisely that assassin, having disguised herself as a young man who is a decent player besides.
The plot was going swimmingly, until for no reason the chick suddenly falls super in love with main dude. And main dude, harboring a long-gone-but-never-forgotten gay love in his breast, reciprocates interest with what he thought was another boy. When her real gender came to the fore, he throws her out in a devastating way... And then, some short chapters later, having thought it over in the space of a paragraph--while revealing in passing that hey, he'd always been attracted to girls despite all his true loves always having been men--and decided he can be all up into her after all. Nothing wrong with being bi, but I can't help feeling this switched arise from no origin other than the plot calls for a happy ending.
And of course, all's well in the end.. And the play is renamed TWELFTH NIGHT, ta-dah!
I want to rate this 2.5 STARS for the cringy insta-love, but really, it is well-written, and the setting is unusual. So 3 STARS it shall be.
The setting-up is interesting: Teenaged spy/main dude concocts a plan to draw out Catholics wanting to assassinate Queen Elizabeth. Shakespeare and his company are drafted to enact a new play to be played in private audience with the Queen, in hopes some assassins would try to mix in among the players to do the deed. Lo, main chick is precisely that assassin, having disguised herself as a young man who is a decent player besides.
The plot was going swimmingly, until for no reason the chick suddenly falls super in love with main dude. And main dude, harboring a long-gone-but-never-forgotten gay love in his breast, reciprocates interest with what he thought was another boy. When her real gender came to the fore, he throws her out in a devastating way... And then, some short chapters later, having thought it over in the space of a paragraph--while revealing in passing that hey, he'd always been attracted to girls despite all his true loves always having been men--and decided he can be all up into her after all. Nothing wrong with being bi, but I can't help feeling this switched arise from no origin other than the plot calls for a happy ending.
And of course, all's well in the end.
Spoiler
When it comes to the point of assassination, she feels conflicted and also knows it is a trap. Instead, her religious-zealot groom comes rushing out, having been trained secretly because the plotters wanted to hedge their bet. Main character prevents him from completing that goal, and dude gets accidentally killed on top of it all. Poor dude, what a purposeless life. Main dude warns the one guy he set-up to be the spy so that he runs away to France, and same for main chick. He himself gets nabbed, thrown into jail, but is amazingly rescued by his handler. He meets up with main chick in France, with some huge amount of money, and the world is their oyster.I want to rate this 2.5 STARS for the cringy insta-love, but really, it is well-written, and the setting is unusual. So 3 STARS it shall be.
dee_farbz's review
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. I absolutely hate historic fiction but this was a period I have a little bit of knowledge around and the story is fun and exciting. I felt like it was well written and fitting for the time. It was a fun take at a fictional what-if scenario. I really suggest this book to anyone who likes historical fiction or was an English major who enjoyed learning about Shakespeare. I think this book is a great introduction to Elizabethan England for future English majors as well.
swarmofbooks's review
3.0
Kocham Tudorów i spiski. Jeśli jakaś książka łączy oba te elementy ma u mnie na start ogromnego plusa.
Co do książki... bohaterowie byli naprawdę dobrze napisani, jednak o ile motywy Katherine rozumiałam doskonale, o tyle z Toby'm miałam już pewne problemy. Cały wątek miłosny (to nie spoiler, w końcu wynika to z tytułu!) był według mnie niepotrzebny i trochę psuł fabułę. Fabuła jako całość była jednak bardzo ciekawa i spójna, bardzo podobało mi się wykorzystanie postaci historycznych (najbardziej Szekspira). Ogólnie polecam, bo język był na dobrym poziomie (sprawdziłam chyba jedno, góra dwa słowa przez całą lekturę), a akcja dość wartka.
Co do książki... bohaterowie byli naprawdę dobrze napisani, jednak o ile motywy Katherine rozumiałam doskonale, o tyle z Toby'm miałam już pewne problemy. Cały wątek miłosny (to nie spoiler, w końcu wynika to z tytułu!) był według mnie niepotrzebny i trochę psuł fabułę. Fabuła jako całość była jednak bardzo ciekawa i spójna, bardzo podobało mi się wykorzystanie postaci historycznych (najbardziej Szekspira). Ogólnie polecam, bo język był na dobrym poziomie (sprawdziłam chyba jedno, góra dwa słowa przez całą lekturę), a akcja dość wartka.
emilylovesgoodbooks's review
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Death of parent
elizzabeth96's review
4.0
I would probably actually give this book a 3.5 star rating. There was nothing really wrong with it in my opinion. I liked the slow burn romance, especially considering one of the main characters is a member of the LGBTQ community. The story was cute and had just enough historical accuracy to make it fun. It was a good book, but maybe not one I’ll pick up again.