⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 7/10
For an author of historical fiction sitting in front of a blank page looking for a new character, there are two main options. Choose a real historical figure and write their story, or create a fictional character and insert them into a real time or real events. The latter allows considerably more flexibility, whereas choosing the former means that you are tied by the known facts.
This is the second book in S J Parris’s fictional series about the life of Giordano Bruno. Bruno was very much a real person; perhaps not well known today, but much of his life is well chronicled. Crucially though, he was a controversial figure. His teachings and beliefs led to him being accused of heresy for much of his life, and consequently he travelled widely throughout Europe. This allows an author to create a whole series of events which he could have been involved in.
This volume finds him still in London; attached to the French embassy to the court of Elizabeth. His loyalties are split; he has to balance his views and beliefs between the French – many of whom see him as a heretic – and the English – who have an innate distrust of anyone they see as vaguely ‘popish’.
In the previous book he helped Elizabeth’s spymaster, Walsingham, uncover a conspiracy at an Oxford college. Now he is called in when one of the Queen’s ladies is murdered. Although England is now ostensibly Protestant, there are still powerful Catholic forces who want to overthrow Elizabeth and bring the country back into the Catholic fold. The murder leads to yet more conspiracies, this time loosely centred around Mary, Queen of Scots.
Most of the characters in the book are real historical people, and their plotting is generally historical fact. The author does remarkably well to flesh out the known details with a gripping story of intrigue and suspense. The uncertainty of the period is well realised, with everyone carefully treading a path which they hope will keep them alive.
Although most of the conspirators were well known to the authorities, Elizabeth was a stickler for law and justice. Her ministers knew that without hard evidence, she wouldn’t move against them. The author brings this ‘game’ to life; following the two sides (sometimes more) as they dance around one another, almost publicly goading each other. It’s a dangerous game though; one slip, and death awaits. Either public execution, or a nastier death in a back alley.
Bruno himself is an interesting character. Sympathetic to our eyes for his search for fact and reason, he is distrusted by almost all his contemporaries. He himself is uncertain of his loyalties; he needs to live and therefore accepts work and payment from both sides. But he knows this puts him in almost constant danger. The author keeps him on this knife edge well, meaning that we are often unsure what his next move might be.
The one criticism I might venture is in the treatment of Bruno’s works and beliefs. Here is the problem of using a real historical figure. His works could be fairly esoteric, and difficult to understand. When they are brought up, it is difficult to make them a part of the story. What the author seems to be doing is having separate story arcs. The basic plot of each book is one. The second is the story of Bruno’s ideas and writings, which will spread over the whole series. The problem for me, is that there is little connection between the two. She tries to tie them together – here partly in the person of John Dee – but it isn’t wholly convincing.
Apart from this reservation though, this is a really good read. A great sense of place and time; an interesting mix of characters. Well written, and well plotted. On to book three …
This is a review of the Harper Collins 2011 Kindle edition.
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