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A review by rebl
The King's Witch: Frances Gorges Historical Trilogy, Book I by Tracy Borman
3.0
This novel has quite an interesting premise. I'm personally a big fan of historical fiction that examines well-known time periods or figures through the eyes of women, whether they are women who are also well-known, or those who represent people likely to have existed on the periphery of a situation.
The writing itself was very competent, but something about it failed to draw me in. At times, I found the narration too flowery ("purple prose', as it is often called). I quite enjoy literary fiction and lingering descriptions, but this book felt a little trapped in between popular history and literary fiction -- not quite mastering either form. There were plenty of opportunities for drama and conflict that seemed to have been overlooked. That said, it's a good novel and some passages are outstanding, with others less engaging due to their somewhat meandering nature.
I appreciated the spiritual and political themes through the exploration of so-called witchcraft. A huge amount of research would have been undertaken by the author and editors - something we absolutely should respect.
The writing itself was very competent, but something about it failed to draw me in. At times, I found the narration too flowery ("purple prose', as it is often called). I quite enjoy literary fiction and lingering descriptions, but this book felt a little trapped in between popular history and literary fiction -- not quite mastering either form. There were plenty of opportunities for drama and conflict that seemed to have been overlooked. That said, it's a good novel and some passages are outstanding, with others less engaging due to their somewhat meandering nature.
I appreciated the spiritual and political themes through the exploration of so-called witchcraft. A huge amount of research would have been undertaken by the author and editors - something we absolutely should respect.