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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was nothing said in a lot of words. This book is like the people that TRY to mysterious and cool, but the whole time your like “wtf”. The big twist was interesting, but not enough to redeem the book. I did finish the book, but I wish I didn’t. It just didn’t do it for me unfortunately.
The Betrayals is a difficult book to like. Its glacially slow pace, and overwhelming narrative minutiae, particularly in the first 100 pages or so, as well as Collins' reluctance to provide the readers with much context and background that would fully realise the universe she is creating, and help them relate to what they are reading, form fence as difficult to overcome as that of the remote boarding school where the book is set.
As if set in a parallel universe, the plot, which appears to take place in a version of the interwar, in a country reminiscent of France and Germany, is divided along two distinct timeframes ten years apart from each other. In the intervening years something resembling the rise of the Nazi party has occurred, with Christians (rather than Jews) becoming the chief scapegoats and persecuted minority. But none of this is ever really explained or made in any way particularly crucial to the plot.
The book presents three points of vue to the reader (the Rat's, the Magister Ludi's (game master/teacher), Léo Martin's, and Martin's younger self through his diary). Even though the Rat turns out to be of major importance for the advancement of the plot, the character is very minor, with a storyline that often feel superfluous. Perhaps because of Collins' past as a YA author, it is the sections purporting to be Léo's diary that are the most engaging and come the most alive.
The central gimmick of the book, which lents it a possibly unnecessary supernatural vibe, is something called the grand jeu (great/big game). As far as can be established, it is a nebulous form of semi-religious worship, that sounds like a cross between a dance and a magical rite, and is somehow imbued with music, literature, maths and science. It is however is never really explained enough for the reader to get a proper grasp of what it is and how it works.
What passes for betrayals in the book are not really such things, lacking the necessary calculation to qualify. Yes, the characters feel betrayed by others but it is usually as a result of mistakes or misunderstandings. The pace and structure of the book, as well as the to and fro of miscommunications between the characters, seem, in fact, much more reminiscent of Collins' elusive central creation: the grand jeu. Which is why, in my view, it should have given its name to the book.
Despite all this, and once the hurdle of those first 100 or so pages is passed, Collins somehow manages to create a fairly compelling narrative that sustains the reader's interest to the end. Just like the looming but incohate grand jeu itself, however, there seems to be a central void at the heart of this book, which Collins describes as "a book for adults", and it is not totally clear why Collins decided to write it and what she wanted to say through it. It's a bit of a mess, basically.
As if set in a parallel universe, the plot, which appears to take place in a version of the interwar, in a country reminiscent of France and Germany, is divided along two distinct timeframes ten years apart from each other. In the intervening years something resembling the rise of the Nazi party has occurred, with Christians (rather than Jews) becoming the chief scapegoats and persecuted minority. But none of this is ever really explained or made in any way particularly crucial to the plot.
The book presents three points of vue to the reader (the Rat's, the Magister Ludi's (game master/teacher), Léo Martin's, and Martin's younger self through his diary). Even though the Rat turns out to be of major importance for the advancement of the plot, the character is very minor, with a storyline that often feel superfluous. Perhaps because of Collins' past as a YA author, it is the sections purporting to be Léo's diary that are the most engaging and come the most alive.
The central gimmick of the book, which lents it a possibly unnecessary supernatural vibe, is something called the grand jeu (great/big game). As far as can be established, it is a nebulous form of semi-religious worship, that sounds like a cross between a dance and a magical rite, and is somehow imbued with music, literature, maths and science. It is however is never really explained enough for the reader to get a proper grasp of what it is and how it works.
What passes for betrayals in the book are not really such things, lacking the necessary calculation to qualify. Yes, the characters feel betrayed by others but it is usually as a result of mistakes or misunderstandings. The pace and structure of the book, as well as the to and fro of miscommunications between the characters, seem, in fact, much more reminiscent of Collins' elusive central creation: the grand jeu. Which is why, in my view, it should have given its name to the book.
Despite all this, and once the hurdle of those first 100 or so pages is passed, Collins somehow manages to create a fairly compelling narrative that sustains the reader's interest to the end. Just like the looming but incohate grand jeu itself, however, there seems to be a central void at the heart of this book, which Collins describes as "a book for adults", and it is not totally clear why Collins decided to write it and what she wanted to say through it. It's a bit of a mess, basically.
Dit bleek echt heel erg niet mijn ding, eindeloze te gedetailleerde beschrijvingen.
Just awful. Unlikeable characters. Rambling storytelling. Really disappointing.
I adored the authors previous adult book The Binding which was a 5 star read for me and I was therefore delighted to see a new book from her . The lived up to all my expectations and I really loved it
the author invents a richly described alternate universe filled with a a cast of belivable but quirky characters , it uses a fictional complex game involving maths music movement and history as a complex way to look at the game of relationships and life . The book is set in a sinister world rather archaic in nature where the rolling party The Party is cracking down hard on religion and passing draconian discriminatory laws , people are disappearing and the main male character , having previously held a post in government is becoming slowly aware`of the issues .
I loved the complex relationship between the 2 main characters which was at times erotically tense
I think this may be the first book I have read in a while that was so open about female menstruation , I found this liberating and didn't fully appreciate the significance early in the book
I loved the way that the book was set in a world before electricity and computers , the students queuing up to look at exam results on a notice board reminded me so much of the many times I had to do this myself at university heart in mouth .
I suppose there are comparisons that could be drawn between this book and the worlds of Harry Potter. Having said this however I found this book far more intelligent and adult than the Potter series ,
The author has a fabulously inventive , imaginative brain and I look forward eagerly to seeing what comes next as she is now amongst my favourite authors
I will be strongly recommending this book
the author invents a richly described alternate universe filled with a a cast of belivable but quirky characters , it uses a fictional complex game involving maths music movement and history as a complex way to look at the game of relationships and life . The book is set in a sinister world rather archaic in nature where the rolling party The Party is cracking down hard on religion and passing draconian discriminatory laws , people are disappearing and the main male character , having previously held a post in government is becoming slowly aware`of the issues .
I loved the complex relationship between the 2 main characters which was at times erotically tense
I think this may be the first book I have read in a while that was so open about female menstruation , I found this liberating and didn't fully appreciate the significance early in the book
I loved the way that the book was set in a world before electricity and computers , the students queuing up to look at exam results on a notice board reminded me so much of the many times I had to do this myself at university heart in mouth .
I suppose there are comparisons that could be drawn between this book and the worlds of Harry Potter. Having said this however I found this book far more intelligent and adult than the Potter series ,
The author has a fabulously inventive , imaginative brain and I look forward eagerly to seeing what comes next as she is now amongst my favourite authors
I will be strongly recommending this book
This book grows on you, slowly building in stakes for the characters as well as reveals about their pasts. It ends in kind of a draw for our characters against an increasingly authoritarian government. They don’t outwit the tyrants so much as elude them, at least for now. But there’s hope- relationships can be built or re-built based on truth instead of lies, trust instead of fear.
Bridget Collins’ books are very intriguing. The synopses never give much away, leaving the reader to go in blind and find their way through the plot as if it’s a twisty maze. This, her second adult book, is just as mysterious, plot wise, as her first, and just as compelling. There is that same feeling of needing to know what happens right now as there is in The Binding, and there is that same feeling of being gripped by the story. I really enjoyed The Binding, but I think The Betrayals might be even better.
The novel revolves around Léo Martin, a disgraced politician, and Claire Dryden, the first Magister Ludi, or Master of the Game, at the elite school Léo once attended. The Game itself - the Grand Jeu - is a vague entity, never fully explained (Collins has said she was inspired by Hermann Hesse’s The Glass Bead Game, so familiarity with that story might help this make more sense). The Grand Jeu is multifaceted, involving art, music, maths, literature, dance, all understood through academic study. Students write games for marks and performance. To me, it seemed like a complicated dance, which invoked magic to impart sensation and meaning to the viewer. That Collins never fully explains what the Grand Jeu is or means never really bothered me. I think she leaves it vague because it’s supposed to be akin to the divine, which is largely unknowable.
Collins doesn’t focus heavily on world building either (same in The Binding), and I think I've come to understand that that’s just her style. She’s far more focused on the characters in her stories than the worlds she creates for them. Her world here is analogous to Nazi-era Germany, with a rising authoritarian Party worming its way into cultural and social life. We are never told where, precisely, the story is set, though Léo’s name is French, while Claire has spent time in England. Ireland is also mentioned as a possible place of refuge. Collins doesn’t go into great depth on all the ramifications of the rise and effects of the Party, but enough is mentioned that gives the characters and the reader a sense of danger and foreboding.
Collins’ focus - her characters - is also where she shines. Léo is an ambitious man, angry about being exiled to Montverre, but also having, or perhaps rediscovering, a moral compass that has lain dormant for years. He gives the impression of not caring about anyone or anything, but the story reveals an insecure man who has trouble being vulnerable. Claire has ambitions of her own in a world where women aren’t seen as capable players of the Grand Jeu. She also keeps secrets about her past, and her position at Montverre is placed on shaky ground when Léo enters her life. What ties them together is Léo’s past with another student at Montverre, and the revelations surrounding that had me gripped early on.
There are two other more minor characters in the story, the Rat and Simon, both of whom represent themes of oppression in the story. They were there to help round out the world building, and break up the intense focus on Léo and Claire, and while I think breaking that intense focus was needed, and their presence is important for the book’s themes, their stories weren’t as compelling for me as Léo and Claire’s.
Their love story is my favourite aspect of this story. They are both flawed, their ambition leading them to make mistakes that haunt them. But what Collins explores really well is how them being drawn to each other is completely right for their personalities, and how fulfilment for them is greater together. She also, beautifully, explores how loving someone is loving their soul and not their appearance.
There is an excellent twist in this novel, which I guessed about halfway through, but waited with bated breath to discover if I was right. There were just things about the plot that weren’t making sense to me until I had a thought about what was going on. I’m not, of course, going to spoil the surprise, but it was so good, and fit the theme of oppression so well.
This was a fantastic start to the year, reading wise. I’m still thinking about Léo and Claire. Collins’ endings sort of leave you wanting more, and as with The Binding, I wouldn’t at all be averse to returning to this world and these characters, even Simon and the Rat, again in the future.
Rating: 9/10 (I'm no longer using Goodreads' rating system because it isn't nuanced enough) - a 9/10 in my system represents an excellent book, and one I will reread, but not quite all-time-favourite status (though there’s always the possibility that that can change in time!).
Blog: awonderfulbook.com | Instagram: katiemotenbooks | Twitter: katiemotenbooks
The novel revolves around Léo Martin, a disgraced politician, and Claire Dryden, the first Magister Ludi, or Master of the Game, at the elite school Léo once attended. The Game itself - the Grand Jeu - is a vague entity, never fully explained (Collins has said she was inspired by Hermann Hesse’s The Glass Bead Game, so familiarity with that story might help this make more sense). The Grand Jeu is multifaceted, involving art, music, maths, literature, dance, all understood through academic study. Students write games for marks and performance. To me, it seemed like a complicated dance, which invoked magic to impart sensation and meaning to the viewer. That Collins never fully explains what the Grand Jeu is or means never really bothered me. I think she leaves it vague because it’s supposed to be akin to the divine, which is largely unknowable.
Collins doesn’t focus heavily on world building either (same in The Binding), and I think I've come to understand that that’s just her style. She’s far more focused on the characters in her stories than the worlds she creates for them. Her world here is analogous to Nazi-era Germany, with a rising authoritarian Party worming its way into cultural and social life. We are never told where, precisely, the story is set, though Léo’s name is French, while Claire has spent time in England. Ireland is also mentioned as a possible place of refuge. Collins doesn’t go into great depth on all the ramifications of the rise and effects of the Party, but enough is mentioned that gives the characters and the reader a sense of danger and foreboding.
Collins’ focus - her characters - is also where she shines. Léo is an ambitious man, angry about being exiled to Montverre, but also having, or perhaps rediscovering, a moral compass that has lain dormant for years. He gives the impression of not caring about anyone or anything, but the story reveals an insecure man who has trouble being vulnerable. Claire has ambitions of her own in a world where women aren’t seen as capable players of the Grand Jeu. She also keeps secrets about her past, and her position at Montverre is placed on shaky ground when Léo enters her life. What ties them together is Léo’s past with another student at Montverre, and the revelations surrounding that had me gripped early on.
There are two other more minor characters in the story, the Rat and Simon, both of whom represent themes of oppression in the story. They were there to help round out the world building, and break up the intense focus on Léo and Claire, and while I think breaking that intense focus was needed, and their presence is important for the book’s themes, their stories weren’t as compelling for me as Léo and Claire’s.
Their love story is my favourite aspect of this story. They are both flawed, their ambition leading them to make mistakes that haunt them. But what Collins explores really well is how them being drawn to each other is completely right for their personalities, and how fulfilment for them is greater together. She also, beautifully, explores how loving someone is loving their soul and not their appearance.
There is an excellent twist in this novel, which I guessed about halfway through, but waited with bated breath to discover if I was right. There were just things about the plot that weren’t making sense to me until I had a thought about what was going on. I’m not, of course, going to spoil the surprise, but it was so good, and fit the theme of oppression so well.
This was a fantastic start to the year, reading wise. I’m still thinking about Léo and Claire. Collins’ endings sort of leave you wanting more, and as with The Binding, I wouldn’t at all be averse to returning to this world and these characters, even Simon and the Rat, again in the future.
Rating: 9/10 (I'm no longer using Goodreads' rating system because it isn't nuanced enough) - a 9/10 in my system represents an excellent book, and one I will reread, but not quite all-time-favourite status (though there’s always the possibility that that can change in time!).
Blog: awonderfulbook.com | Instagram: katiemotenbooks | Twitter: katiemotenbooks
This story had a lot of unique takes and ideas within it and the dynamic of the world was one that people I’m sure will say oh I’ve heard this before but it does travel a path that I personally haven’t heard before.
There were so many twists and turns and puzzle pieces that were so unclear until they clicked into place. It was beautifully done
There were so many twists and turns and puzzle pieces that were so unclear until they clicked into place. It was beautifully done
Felt a bit muddled. I think one of the narrative voices was more compelling than the others— I found myself scanning ahead for that one, and less interested in the other threads.
#1 Bookclub 2021,
I wish I had enjoyed the Betrayals more than I did, I feel the great potential there that’s written, but somehow it came up short. It could be that I didn’t feel a connection between the characters to get myself attached and inside the book. Or rather the topic of ‘grande jeu’ I found too vague and complicated to understand myself. Overall I am disappointed that only the last few chapters really caught my attention, and that the books lack of LGBTQ+ was both used as a selling point but was hardly included, it was also the only portion I was eager to continuing to read. I might read the book that inspired Bridget Collins to write this one, (The Glass Bead Game) but I doubt I will find myself reading another book of hers.
I wish I had enjoyed the Betrayals more than I did, I feel the great potential there that’s written, but somehow it came up short. It could be that I didn’t feel a connection between the characters to get myself attached and inside the book. Or rather the topic of ‘grande jeu’ I found too vague and complicated to understand myself. Overall I am disappointed that only the last few chapters really caught my attention, and that the books lack of LGBTQ+ was both used as a selling point but was hardly included, it was also the only portion I was eager to continuing to read. I might read the book that inspired Bridget Collins to write this one, (The Glass Bead Game) but I doubt I will find myself reading another book of hers.