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heather_freshparchment 's review for:
The King's Messenger
by Susanna Kearsley
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
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
I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was thrilled to receive this ARC of yet another Scottish-set Susanna Kearsley novel. It had all the usual elements that I like (the Scottish setting, exploring 17th-century history, a sweet romance), with one unexpected element: a sweet child-hero relationship. The romance was lovely, though it burned a bit too slowly for my taste. I also enjoyed getting multiple perspectives, though the multiple POVs plus the flashback elements made it difficult at times to keep track of who was narrating. Admittedly, the Stuart kings of Great Britain are not my strongest historical period, but I found Kearsley's perspectives of what might have happened between James I, his wife, and their oldest son very interesting, especially after reading her afterword. I almost wish I had read the afterword first, to be honest. Overall, I still think The Winter Sea is my favorite of her novels, but I am glad to have read this latest addition to her oeuvre.
I was thrilled to receive this ARC of yet another Scottish-set Susanna Kearsley novel. It had all the usual elements that I like (the Scottish setting, exploring 17th-century history, a sweet romance), with one unexpected element: a sweet child-hero relationship. The romance was lovely, though it burned a bit too slowly for my taste. I also enjoyed getting multiple perspectives, though the multiple POVs plus the flashback elements made it difficult at times to keep track of who was narrating. Admittedly, the Stuart kings of Great Britain are not my strongest historical period, but I found Kearsley's perspectives of what might have happened between James I, his wife, and their oldest son very interesting, especially after reading her afterword. I almost wish I had read the afterword first, to be honest. Overall, I still think The Winter Sea is my favorite of her novels, but I am glad to have read this latest addition to her oeuvre.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment
Minor: Animal death, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic