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schnaucl's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was a very well written novel based on the premise that Christopher "Kit" Marlowe was a spy, something the author's note at the end says there's actually some evidence in the historical record to support.
Epstein does a good job showing the toll espionage takes on Kit. He can want the plots to fail but still feel sympathy for the people involved in the plots and still feel the weight of the consequences he helped bring about.
I've never read his plays but now i want to read Doctor Faustus.
It was well told tell with interesting characters.Sadly, it does follow history at the end, but that's hardly Allison Epstein's fault.
Epstein does a good job showing the toll espionage takes on Kit. He can want the plots to fail but still feel sympathy for the people involved in the plots and still feel the weight of the consequences he helped bring about.
I've never read his plays but now i want to read Doctor Faustus.
It was well told tell with interesting characters.
Moderate: Death, Violence, Religious bigotry, Classism, and Cursing
Minor: Alcohol, Torture, Drug use, Grief, and Homophobia
diadoodle's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Homophobia
jhbandcats's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I knew little to nothing about Christopher Marlowe before reading this; my schooling was more focused on Shakespeare than anyone else writing at the same time. I found the whole story fascinating, and I found the author’s interpretation believable. If Kit Marlowe *was* a spy (and it looks like he was), this book shows how his life might’ve played out.
Marlowe and his lover Tom are fleshed out and they’re both clever, likable characters. I wish we could have spent more time with them and their warm, if occasionally fraught, relationship. Others around them, from Walsingham to Mary Queen of Scots, are sketched in enough so we understand their priorities and compulsions.
I stayed up too late reading and as a result this isn’t a very articulate review, but I just want to reiterate how much I loved this book. I loved Kit and Tom and was fascinated by Walsingham, and I loved learning about them and the history of Elizabethan spycraft.
Marlowe and his lover Tom are fleshed out and they’re both clever, likable characters. I wish we could have spent more time with them and their warm, if occasionally fraught, relationship. Others around them, from Walsingham to Mary Queen of Scots, are sketched in enough so we understand their priorities and compulsions.
I stayed up too late reading and as a result this isn’t a very articulate review, but I just want to reiterate how much I loved this book. I loved Kit and Tom and was fascinated by Walsingham, and I loved learning about them and the history of Elizabethan spycraft.
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Gore, Murder, Violence, Confinement, Torture, Classism, Death, and Religious bigotry
sammyfitz's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Violence and Homophobia
metchap's review against another edition
dark
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Torture
jamesflint's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Violence and Death
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Domestic abuse
notsowellread's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Silently sobbing is a great way to start your weekend, right?
Moderate: Violence
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