I’ve had this on my TBR for a while, and when it was recommended by The Rest Is History podcast I decided it was time.

What to Expect

A Rashomon-style story in 17th century England. A Venetian dilettante physician arrives in England nominally to address his father’s collapsing business concerns, but spends very little time on that. He goes on a trip to Oxford, where he gets involved with the local men of science, and treats an old lady whose daughter is then hanged for murder. 20 years later he publishes memoirs about this, which causes others involved to publish successive rebuttals. With each retelling, we get a different and conflicting views about what really happened, both with the girl and the murder as well as the Italian traveller’s agenda.

What I liked

An absolutely amazing historical novel which perfectly captures the essence of the period. Not only are most of the people real historical figures (and the handful which aren’t are closely based on real ones), Pears perfectly captures the mindset and events of the period. The novel is set in 1663, right after the restoration of Charles II, and the scars from the civil wars and shaky position of the monarch are very much on mind. At the same time we see the beginning of the enlightenment, with the rise of scientific thinking clashing with traditional views, and the struggle to reconcile everything with the deeply religious mindset.

Not only the story itself, but the language Pears employs is absolutely beautiful, and the way he draws the reader into the period and people is unmatched. It’s a complex story, with multiple unreliable narrators with their own presumptions and biases, observing but not always understanding the big events of their times.

What to be aware of

Though nominally an historical mystery, it’s a hefty tome that circles around the events of the murder and how they expose and relate to much bigger events and national traumas. By necessity this is a very broad canvas, and it’s not a thriller pace. The memoir style and language that so fit the period make for a longer tale.

Also note that in doing such an amazing job of recreating the mindset and worldviews of 17th century men, the modern reader is confronted with chauvinistic and intolerant attitudes. If you can’t face the ugly side of human history, this may be a harsh encounter.

Felix’s and Jack’s Reviews

Both Felix and Jack enjoyed the novel tremendously for its literary merits. Felix wished the mystery aspects could have been more prominent, and he always finds the fascination with kings and religious schisms somewhat weird to his Roman Republican eyes.

Jack loves history and is more intimately knowledgeable with the period (being a man of more modern times), and finds the attitudes and casual violence a good explanation of why Britain is so rife with ghosts — some of whom he has to deal with.

Summary

The perfect historical novel. Whether you are deeply interested in the period or have just a passing knowledge, it’s absolutely recommended reading for the sheer skill in building and telling a period-appropriate story.

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Enjoying the reviews, but wondering who the heck are those Felix and Jack fellows? Glad you asked! Felix is the protagonist of the Togas, Daggers, and Magic series, an historical-fantasy blend of a paranormal detective on the background of ancient Rome, and Jack is the police detective running the Unusual Crimes Squad, dealing in occult crimes in modern-day Australia.

Come meet Felix and Jack on the free short stories and novels!