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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
This series definitely has potential, but I'm not going to lie I was skimming the pages near the climax of the story. I just thought it was very unevenly paced and that the reasoning for all the intrigue was either too complicated for me to understand (highly doubt that) or not explained very well within the book. I'm hoping that this is cleaned up in the second box, as I did enjoy the character of Peggy and the interactions she had with her cousin, Olivia as short as those scenes were.
Originally posted here .
***
I had a really great time reading Palace of Spies.
It has a lot going for it: period drama, royalty, possible murder, crazy politics, coup plots, and a fearless teenage spy who infiltrates a palace and pretends to be someone else.
Okay, I’ll admit that that last part takes a fairly large amount of suspended belief, because, seriously, who actually looks and acts enough like a person to truly pass for them? (Except maybe Katy Perry and Zooey Deschanel. But even they don’t necessarily act alike. Though. Zooey is an actress so I’m sure being Katy Perry wouldn’t be that big of a stretch for her. Okay, I’m stopping this now.) But once you accept that, sure, perhaps in a palace where everyone is self-centered and more concerned about whether or not they’re going to be invaded by a perhaps legitimate heir to the throne than about whether or not the new queen’s handmaiden is actually who she says she is?
Nevermind. You get my point.
Once you’re past the whole idea of Peggy “being” someone without ever having met her, this book is a lot of fun. There’s tons of intrigue, on the romantical, character background, and political levels, a rising feeling of paranoia, suspense, and, finally, a whole lot of action throughout this book.
While reading this you take quite the journey with Peggy, an unapologetically smart, politically engaged young woman who, depending on how she plays her (literal) cards, could be the undoing of an entire royal family. She’s not necessarily the most elegant detective/spy around, but everyone has to start somewhere, right?
Overall, Palace of Spies is a delightful read full of the mannered, subtle unrest and upheaval that many royal families and entire countries were grappling with in 17th and 18th centuries.
***
I had a really great time reading Palace of Spies.
It has a lot going for it: period drama, royalty, possible murder, crazy politics, coup plots, and a fearless teenage spy who infiltrates a palace and pretends to be someone else.
Okay, I’ll admit that that last part takes a fairly large amount of suspended belief, because, seriously, who actually looks and acts enough like a person to truly pass for them? (Except maybe Katy Perry and Zooey Deschanel. But even they don’t necessarily act alike. Though. Zooey is an actress so I’m sure being Katy Perry wouldn’t be that big of a stretch for her. Okay, I’m stopping this now.) But once you accept that, sure, perhaps in a palace where everyone is self-centered and more concerned about whether or not they’re going to be invaded by a perhaps legitimate heir to the throne than about whether or not the new queen’s handmaiden is actually who she says she is?
Nevermind. You get my point.
Once you’re past the whole idea of Peggy “being” someone without ever having met her, this book is a lot of fun. There’s tons of intrigue, on the romantical, character background, and political levels, a rising feeling of paranoia, suspense, and, finally, a whole lot of action throughout this book.
While reading this you take quite the journey with Peggy, an unapologetically smart, politically engaged young woman who, depending on how she plays her (literal) cards, could be the undoing of an entire royal family. She’s not necessarily the most elegant detective/spy around, but everyone has to start somewhere, right?
Overall, Palace of Spies is a delightful read full of the mannered, subtle unrest and upheaval that many royal families and entire countries were grappling with in 17th and 18th centuries.
Peggy Fitzroy, an orphan with a wealthy extended family finds herself in a most unusual position when she encounters the rotund Mr. Tinderflint, who offers her a top secret offer of employment. Through a series of unfortunate mishaps, Peggy finds herself in no position to refuse. It turns out that Mr. Tinderflint is something of a spymaster. His previous charge, Lady Francesca, has recently died. The plan is to send Peggy in her place to the court of King George I. There, she will play the role intended for Lady Francesca; she will be a maid to Princess Caroline. It's a difficult charge. Tinderflint and his accomplices refrain from telling Peggy what they hope to get from her while she's at the palace. They also fail to tell her about the interpersonal intricacies that would make her ruse more believable. Peggy, to her credit, excels being a quick wit and assumes the position with minimal obvious difficulty. The longer Peggy stays at court, the more convinced she is that Lady Francesca's death may not have been a natural one. Peggy will need to maneuver quickly in order to avoid a similar fate.
Palace of Spies is an intricate tale of intrigue. The reader has no more idea of what Francesca was up to than Peggy does. Peggy is tons of fun as a main character. She's witty and savvy when it comes to dealing with the elite. The language is rich and suits the time period well. The court of King George is brought to vivid life here. The denizens of the court are simultaneously frivolous, conniving and, on occasion, deadly. Readers will sympathize with Peggy, who just wants to survive the ordeal and live life on her own terms.
To say that this book is flawless would be remiss, however. It's difficult not to take issue with the idea of a stranger being able to literally take over the life a well-known court personality. Francesca had friends, enemies and lovers at court. While it's not totally unbelievable that she and Peggy could look alike enough to be mistaken for one another (particularly with the amount of makeup and accessorizing that accompanies the era's fashions), it's hard to believe that even those close to Francesca fail to notice the difference in both appearance and personality. If the reader is able to suspend their disbelief enough to make this work, there's still the issue of following the dizzying plot. It takes forever for the reader to figure out what's exactly going on. There are almost too many mysteries going on at the same time, enough to make the otherwise delightful narrative lag in places. Still, it's important to note that this is the beginning of a series, so many answers will likely come in upcoming installments. Hand this one to fans of feisty and clever female protagonists. There's a lot to like here.
Palace of Spies is an intricate tale of intrigue. The reader has no more idea of what Francesca was up to than Peggy does. Peggy is tons of fun as a main character. She's witty and savvy when it comes to dealing with the elite. The language is rich and suits the time period well. The court of King George is brought to vivid life here. The denizens of the court are simultaneously frivolous, conniving and, on occasion, deadly. Readers will sympathize with Peggy, who just wants to survive the ordeal and live life on her own terms.
To say that this book is flawless would be remiss, however. It's difficult not to take issue with the idea of a stranger being able to literally take over the life a well-known court personality. Francesca had friends, enemies and lovers at court. While it's not totally unbelievable that she and Peggy could look alike enough to be mistaken for one another (particularly with the amount of makeup and accessorizing that accompanies the era's fashions), it's hard to believe that even those close to Francesca fail to notice the difference in both appearance and personality. If the reader is able to suspend their disbelief enough to make this work, there's still the issue of following the dizzying plot. It takes forever for the reader to figure out what's exactly going on. There are almost too many mysteries going on at the same time, enough to make the otherwise delightful narrative lag in places. Still, it's important to note that this is the beginning of a series, so many answers will likely come in upcoming installments. Hand this one to fans of feisty and clever female protagonists. There's a lot to like here.
First and foremost I have to say I hate the cover. The brightass pink and the stupid floating magnifying glass which looks like an absurdly large monocle... blech. But the title intrigued me, so I was able to look past the hideous cover and give it a go.
It reminded me a bit of The Agency, but only a little bit - and one thing I liked was that it takes place during the time of King George I. Most books of this sort I come across either seem to be 1) Elizabeth 2) Victoria 3) Made-up, so I was glad to have something which introduced a bit more variety. (Though, lord, I can't imagine having to wear all that make-up and those wigs. Yeesh.)
Anyway - this story sort of mixes the fish out of water story with both personal and political intrigue within the walls of the palace, but, being a YA story, focuses on the intrigue as it relates to our heroine, Peggy, which I liked because it didn't get overwhelming. We were introduced to people and situations and she was, and had to try to figure things out as they came.
My main gripe was the spector of a love triangle - but this was actually sort of explained within the context of the story, and didn't become the main focus of the story, which was nice. It was decently handled by the end, too.
Overall, I liked Peggy and the story, though it didn't quite wow me. It was a decent read and entertaining, and I'll continue with the series. I just hope the next cover isn't quite as horrid. ;)
It reminded me a bit of The Agency, but only a little bit - and one thing I liked was that it takes place during the time of King George I. Most books of this sort I come across either seem to be 1) Elizabeth 2) Victoria 3) Made-up, so I was glad to have something which introduced a bit more variety. (Though, lord, I can't imagine having to wear all that make-up and those wigs. Yeesh.)
Anyway - this story sort of mixes the fish out of water story with both personal and political intrigue within the walls of the palace, but, being a YA story, focuses on the intrigue as it relates to our heroine, Peggy, which I liked because it didn't get overwhelming. We were introduced to people and situations and she was, and had to try to figure things out as they came.
My main gripe was the spector of a love triangle - but this was actually sort of explained within the context of the story, and didn't become the main focus of the story, which was nice. It was decently handled by the end, too.
Overall, I liked Peggy and the story, though it didn't quite wow me. It was a decent read and entertaining, and I'll continue with the series. I just hope the next cover isn't quite as horrid. ;)
this review will go live on the blog 11/01
After the death of her mother, Margaret - Peggy - Fitzroy was taken in by her uncle and was raised in his estate. Despite their difference in status, Peggy and her cousin Olivia are more like sisters and Peggy knows that when the day comes where Olivia will be married, she'll be right there by her cousin's side. Much to her surprise, it's Peggy who receives a marriage proposal - and after a disaster of a first meeting she's swiftly forced out of her uncle's house.
All alone with nothing to her name, Peggy is taken in by Mr. Tinderflint and his associates Mr. Peele and Mrs. Abbott. Under their careful instruction Peggy is transformed into Lady Fran, maid of honor to Princess Caroline. Disguised as Lady Francesca, Peggy will enter the court of King George I at a time when tensions ran thick - loyalties were split between George and James the Pretender. The more time she spends around the other maids the more Peggy begins to have her suspicions about what really caused Francesca's death.
Palace of Spies was fantastic! I was intrigued when I first heard about the book, so when it was available to Read Now it was a total no-brainer. Peggy's narration is fun and clever - and more than once I laughed out loud. She thinks for herself during a period when women were ruled by their husbands and fathers. She isn't afraid to speak her mind (though that tends to come with grave consequences) and she's an expert cards player.
I've read my share of Historical Fiction and while I enjoy the genre, I have to admit I've never read anything set during this particular time period! Palace of Spies provided enough background that I wasn't completely bewildered, but as a history buff, I would never argue with more. Tell me more about King George I! Tell me more about James the Pretender and his claim to the throne! The events at the end of the novel lead me to believe more will come out of this in the next book and quite frankly, I can't wait.
Guys, the romance in Palace of Spies is definitely worth reading! Yes there's a love triangle, but don't forget that the entire court believes Peggy to be Lady Fran. Just because she looks like the girl it doesn't mean she has the same taste in men. Also, I'm very excited to see how the relationship will play out - there's a bit of handholding in this novel and that's only due to sneaking around pitch-black manors. This definitely seems to be a slow burn romance and I absolutely love it.
Unfortunately there's one sense in particular that could be triggering. It was graphic enough that I certainly raised my eyebrows at the young age group this novel is targeted toward and it didn't seem to serve much purpose other than showing Peggy's betrothed is a terrible person (and that could have been accomplished in a number of other ways). Despite this, however, I had such a wonderful time with Palace of Spies and am eagerly awaiting the next!
After the death of her mother, Margaret - Peggy - Fitzroy was taken in by her uncle and was raised in his estate. Despite their difference in status, Peggy and her cousin Olivia are more like sisters and Peggy knows that when the day comes where Olivia will be married, she'll be right there by her cousin's side. Much to her surprise, it's Peggy who receives a marriage proposal - and after a disaster of a first meeting she's swiftly forced out of her uncle's house.
All alone with nothing to her name, Peggy is taken in by Mr. Tinderflint and his associates Mr. Peele and Mrs. Abbott. Under their careful instruction Peggy is transformed into Lady Fran, maid of honor to Princess Caroline. Disguised as Lady Francesca, Peggy will enter the court of King George I at a time when tensions ran thick - loyalties were split between George and James the Pretender. The more time she spends around the other maids the more Peggy begins to have her suspicions about what really caused Francesca's death.
Palace of Spies was fantastic! I was intrigued when I first heard about the book, so when it was available to Read Now it was a total no-brainer. Peggy's narration is fun and clever - and more than once I laughed out loud. She thinks for herself during a period when women were ruled by their husbands and fathers. She isn't afraid to speak her mind (though that tends to come with grave consequences) and she's an expert cards player.
I've read my share of Historical Fiction and while I enjoy the genre, I have to admit I've never read anything set during this particular time period! Palace of Spies provided enough background that I wasn't completely bewildered, but as a history buff, I would never argue with more. Tell me more about King George I! Tell me more about James the Pretender and his claim to the throne! The events at the end of the novel lead me to believe more will come out of this in the next book and quite frankly, I can't wait.
Guys, the romance in Palace of Spies is definitely worth reading! Yes there's a love triangle, but don't forget that the entire court believes Peggy to be Lady Fran. Just because she looks like the girl it doesn't mean she has the same taste in men. Also, I'm very excited to see how the relationship will play out - there's a bit of handholding in this novel and that's only due to sneaking around pitch-black manors. This definitely seems to be a slow burn romance and I absolutely love it.
Unfortunately there's one sense in particular that could be triggering. It was graphic enough that I certainly raised my eyebrows at the young age group this novel is targeted toward and it didn't seem to serve much purpose other than showing Peggy's betrothed is a terrible person (and that could have been accomplished in a number of other ways). Despite this, however, I had such a wonderful time with Palace of Spies and am eagerly awaiting the next!
A fun, zesty novel with a witty heroine. I have no idea how historically accurate it was but I like that it handles an era in British history other than Tudor or Regency England.
I got a little annoyed with Peggy falling for every guy around. She normally stands her ground quite well but guys improbably set her aflutter. The story occasionally dragged and I got a little confused in the middle but overall it came out well.
I'm looking forward to the sequel, and more of Peggy's cousin!
I got a little annoyed with Peggy falling for every guy around. She normally stands her ground quite well but guys improbably set her aflutter. The story occasionally dragged and I got a little confused in the middle but overall it came out well.
I'm looking forward to the sequel, and more of Peggy's cousin!
sometimes i want a book to be frivolous, and this one did not want to be the book i wanted to read. there were some interesting bits and details and plot points. i just felt a little dry instead of wanting to bathe in it.
I'm a bit disappointed in this book. It started out so fun but quickly became boring. The only thing that saved it was the accurate descriptions of the clothing of the time.
This was a really fun historical mystery, that I thoroughly enjoyed. Peggy Fitzroy finds herself cast out on the street, after refusing to marry the man her uncle had deemed her future husband. Peggy is then approached by a mysterious man, who claims to know her deceased mother,and offers to place her as a lady in waiting in the Court of King George the first. Life at court brings new mysteries, including plots to restore James the Pretender, and the nagging question of what happened to the real Lady Francesca, that Peggy is impersonating?