344 reviews for:

The Pretender

Jo Harkin

4.15 AVERAGE

juliales's review

4.0

slow-paced

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

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Great dialogue and interesting history, very well researched too. I think I did find it hard to keep track of the plot points and felt slow at times 

scramhellkin's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous dark funny informative medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

kathrynmck93's review against another edition

4.0

emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

yelsel13's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

alisham's review against another edition

3.0

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The book was fine but the description on here compares it to Hilary Mantel which it is not comparable to. Felt a little too modern and sensitive, but I didn't hate reading it. 

heatherlls's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous funny medium-paced

itsokfromspace's review against another edition

4.0

lighthearted reflective medium-paced

brinecrypt's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective

cressida's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging emotional funny medium-paced

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This was such a solid book - even if you already know a lot about the time period. I was so worried I wouldn’t like it because I know a lot about this time period and was worried that the fiction levels would bother me. The other reason I was concerned was that I was told it was a comedy of sorts, and I didn’t want to see his story butchered for humour. I can tell you it isn’t. The comedy is sprinkled moments of levity more than a mockery of the events. 
The only negative thing is about the modern swearing in the historical novel. More a pet peeve than anything else, just be aware it’s there in case you also are bothered by it. 

melisbooked's review

3.5

funny hopeful informative medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated