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bibliomich 's review for:
The Pretender
by Jo Harkin
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
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
May I present to you the book that kicked off my summer obsession with historical fiction?
I know. This is not a sentence I thought I would ever type. Yet here we are.
I'll be the first to admit that I have typically stayed away from historical fiction. I found a lot of it to be dry, and I lacked a lot of the historical context for it to make sense. My loss, as it turns out. Jo Harkin roped me in with her authorial voice. This book feels like an authentic period piece while also not being written in Middle English (and thus not alienating the audience). Harkin has chosen a protagonist who is thrust into the cutthroat world of Plantagenet politics, but he is just a farm boy. He knows nothing. I, too, knew nothing going into the book. So this was perfect. We learned together. As he figured out the ins and outs of the feud between cousins and brothers, I found myself captivated by all the intrigue, deception, and backstabbing. The character development was also incredibly strong, and so while I didn't always like John/Lambert, I did care very much about what happened to him.
If you are intrigued by the War of the Roses, or if you have even the slightest interest in a real life Game of Thrones story, I suggest picking up The Pretender.
I know. This is not a sentence I thought I would ever type. Yet here we are.
I'll be the first to admit that I have typically stayed away from historical fiction. I found a lot of it to be dry, and I lacked a lot of the historical context for it to make sense. My loss, as it turns out. Jo Harkin roped me in with her authorial voice. This book feels like an authentic period piece while also not being written in Middle English (and thus not alienating the audience). Harkin has chosen a protagonist who is thrust into the cutthroat world of Plantagenet politics, but he is just a farm boy. He knows nothing. I, too, knew nothing going into the book. So this was perfect. We learned together. As he figured out the ins and outs of the feud between cousins and brothers, I found myself captivated by all the intrigue, deception, and backstabbing. The character development was also incredibly strong, and so while I didn't always like John/Lambert, I did care very much about what happened to him.
If you are intrigued by the War of the Roses, or if you have even the slightest interest in a real life Game of Thrones story, I suggest picking up The Pretender.