laurenjpegler's review against another edition
5.0
ate that up in 2 days ! one of my favourite series, borman is a wonderful storyteller
jmatkinson1's review
4.0
With her lover dead Frances Gorges is pregnant reliant on her family for protection. She has escaped the taint of witchcraft and her part in the Power Treason is not public. Despite the scandal Frances marries Thomas Tyringham and gives birth to her son George but she is called back to court to serve the Princess Elizabeth and finds herself blackmailed into working for the Catholic opposition. Threatened by those around her, even her own family, Frances is forced to make a decision that may damn her forever.
I enjoyed the first book in this series and enjoyed this one even more so. Borman is an accomplished historian and her brings the intrigues and paranoia of the early Jacobean court to life. The plot is complex and full of politics but the setting, time and place, is brilliantly detailed. I look forward to the conclusion of the story!
I enjoyed the first book in this series and enjoyed this one even more so. Borman is an accomplished historian and her brings the intrigues and paranoia of the early Jacobean court to life. The plot is complex and full of politics but the setting, time and place, is brilliantly detailed. I look forward to the conclusion of the story!
marvelpotter's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
bbwolf59's review
2.0
Too much angst, too much 'drahma,' not enough interest and certainly not enough plot.
cassie_ellie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
yourfavavery's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
zwodderybookdragon's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
herbalmoon's review against another edition
1.0
If you were considering this book in hopes that things got better since the first, you'll be sorry.
The doom and gloom is even more pervasive than before (if that's even possible) and things often come up that are ultimately left unresolved or end up making no sense. I'd been considering giving this book up for a while, but the following scene (wildly paraphrased, mind you) finally forced me to give up.
=====
Sir Walter Raleigh: Princess Elizabeth, I would love to have you visit again in the future, before you leave the country to get married. Would you mind leaving your servant behind (*points to the protagonist*) to help me prepare a surprise that's sure to bring you back?
Elizabeth Stuart: Absolutely!
(*goodbye stuff; Princess Elizabeth, her elder brother and their entourage leave Frances alone with Sir Walter*)
Walter: (*says stuff that indicates he's on the side of the Catholics and how he wants to help Frances steer the princess toward a Catholic husband*)
---She's such a fluffhead, it wouldn't be too hard to change her mind from Protestantism.
Lady Frances Tyringham: Her Highness has more of a brain than you think, but whatever.
Walter: (*leans in and whispers hotly in Frances's ear*) By the way, once you're sworn to Satan, you're always sworn. In fact, you're the devil's slave!
=====
And then, rather than explaining what the hell he meant, the story flashes to Frances discovering that her husband is having an affair.
What the actual fuck?!
Are we supposed to think that Walter believes that because Frances was brought up on charges of being a witch, that she is a witch, despite being exonerated? If that's the case, why is he even working with her?
The doom and gloom is even more pervasive than before (if that's even possible) and things often come up that are ultimately left unresolved or end up making no sense. I'd been considering giving this book up for a while, but the following scene (wildly paraphrased, mind you) finally forced me to give up.
=====
Sir Walter Raleigh: Princess Elizabeth, I would love to have you visit again in the future, before you leave the country to get married. Would you mind leaving your servant behind (*points to the protagonist*) to help me prepare a surprise that's sure to bring you back?
Elizabeth Stuart: Absolutely!
(*goodbye stuff; Princess Elizabeth, her elder brother and their entourage leave Frances alone with Sir Walter*)
Walter: (*says stuff that indicates he's on the side of the Catholics and how he wants to help Frances steer the princess toward a Catholic husband*)
---She's such a fluffhead, it wouldn't be too hard to change her mind from Protestantism.
Lady Frances Tyringham: Her Highness has more of a brain than you think, but whatever.
Walter: (*leans in and whispers hotly in Frances's ear*) By the way, once you're sworn to Satan, you're always sworn. In fact, you're the devil's slave!
=====
And then, rather than explaining what the hell he meant, the story flashes to Frances discovering that her husband is having an affair.
What the actual fuck?!
Are we supposed to think that Walter believes that because Frances was brought up on charges of being a witch, that she is a witch, despite being exonerated? If that's the case, why is he even working with her?
u311082's review against another edition
2.0
Thanks to Grove Atlantic and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I quite enjoyed the first book in this series so I was looking forward to the second installment of the trilogy. Unfortunately, I was really disappointed by this book and won't be continuing the series.
Frances Gorges is presented as an intelligent individual but consistently puts those she supposedly cares about in danger with no apparent remorse. Tying the character into important moments in history may be the reason why she seems to make such poor decisions but it doesn't build empathy for the character.
Some characters seemed more like two-dimensional plot devices, especially characters such as the Princess Elizabeth, William Cecil, Arbella Stuart and Sir Walter Raleigh where the author missed the opportunity to really make them come to life.
If the main character were more likeable, I think I would have ignored the fact that the supporting characters were a bit colourless, but she didn't seem to mature or learn from any previous mistakes and her motivations were very difficult to understand.
Although obviously well-researched, this series is not for me.
I quite enjoyed the first book in this series so I was looking forward to the second installment of the trilogy. Unfortunately, I was really disappointed by this book and won't be continuing the series.
Frances Gorges is presented as an intelligent individual but consistently puts those she supposedly cares about in danger with no apparent remorse. Tying the character into important moments in history may be the reason why she seems to make such poor decisions but it doesn't build empathy for the character.
Some characters seemed more like two-dimensional plot devices, especially characters such as the Princess Elizabeth, William Cecil, Arbella Stuart and Sir Walter Raleigh where the author missed the opportunity to really make them come to life.
If the main character were more likeable, I think I would have ignored the fact that the supporting characters were a bit colourless, but she didn't seem to mature or learn from any previous mistakes and her motivations were very difficult to understand.
Although obviously well-researched, this series is not for me.