A review by annebrooke
The Words in My Hand by Guinevere Glasfurd

3.0

This book starts very well indeed, but sadly loses momentum from about one third of the way through. Helena's life as a maid and her encounters with Descartes at the beginning are excellent, but once she gets pregnant, the pace really slows down and the plot loses traction. In the last two thirds of the novel, there is therefore a lot of repetition and the story gets very dull, no matter how well written.

I would have preferred less focus on the end of the affair and more focus on the interesting issues, such as Helena's eventual marriage and the compromises she has to make, which is very much glossed over here. Descartes also comes over as very dull and manipulative, so I have no idea what she saw in him!

So, all in all, a lot of initial promise which remains unfulfilled.