by Laura Shepherd-Robinson
Standalone
GENRE : #Historical-mystery #Gothic-vibes
My rating: ★★★★★
5 FULL STARS !! :-D
Well, hello there, fellow bookworm!
If you're looking for a historical mystery that will completely sweep you off your feet and keep you guessing until the very last page, then you have to pick up Laura Shepherd-Robinson's "The Square of Sevens."
I'm usually someone who gravitates towards shorter reads, but this magnificent, lengthy novel captivated me from start to finish. It’s a rich blend of historical mystery fiction, set in the 1730s and 1740s, with just the right touch of magical realism and a delightful gothic flair that truly made it shine.
While the Goodreads introduction suggests a Dickensian style, I actually found myself thinking more of Wilkie Collins. He’s often regarded as the father of the mystery genre and, fun fact, was a great friend of Charles Dickens himself!
Collins' knack for intricate plots and psychological depth feels very much alive in this book.
I wholeheartedly gave "The Square of Sevens" a full 5 out of 5 stars, and it truly earned every single one.
Yes, it’s a long book, but let me assure you, it’s never boring!
It's packed with so many unexpected twists and turns that you’ll constantly be on the edge of your seat.
And speaking of the ending – wow! It was completely different from what I’d imagined, and 100% unpredictable for me as a reader ( and I guess to every other reader too ).
The end was, I must admit, a bit disconcerting at first, but in the best possible way.
The characters and the story have genuinely stayed with me, lingering in my thoughts days after I turned the final page. That, for me, is the mark of a truly great book!
But let's dive into THE PLOT:
The journey begins in Cornwall, England, in 1730.
We meet a young girl known only as Red, the daughter of a Cornish fortune-teller. Together, they eke out a living predicting fortunes using the ancient system of the Square of Sevens.
But their life takes a dramatic turn when her father suddenly dies. Red, now an orphan, becomes the ward of a kind-hearted gentleman scholar.
Fast forward a bit, and Red is being raised as a lady amidst the Georgian splendor of Bath. Her fortune-telling skills, once a means of survival, are now a charming amusement for high society.
Yet, beneath this polished facade, burning questions gnaw at her: Who was her mother? How did she die? And who are the mysterious enemies her father was always so terrified would find him?
Her relentless pursuit of these family secrets takes her on an incredible odyssey. From the rugged beauty of Cornwall and the refined elegance of Bath, she travels to the bustling streets of London and the picturesque landscapes of Devon.
Her quest leads her through the rough and tumble bawdiness of Bartholomew Fair and into the grand, imposing houses of two of England’s most powerful families. While Red’s journey offers the tantalizing possibility of great reward, it also plunges her into grave danger…
___________ *************** ___________
THE TROPES: A Familiar Path, Expertly Retread
Now, you might think the tale of an orphan who loses her father, searches for her mother, and faces countless misfortunes, including serpentine relatives who wish her ill, sounds a bit familiar. But let me tell you, this story is anything but unoriginal!
It's so brimming with surprises, both good and bad, that constantly shift and evolve without pause, keeping you utterly gripped.
You'll never be bored, not even during the descriptive passages that beautifully set the mood and scene, allowing you to gather your thoughts and immerse yourself fully.
TWISTS, TURNS, and TAROT CARDS:
The author has brilliantly structured the novel into four main parts, each containing 21 chapters.
And here’s a fantastic touch: every single chapter begins with a card and a prediction!
This not only crafts a wonderfully surreal atmosphere, where life is seemingly read through the cards, but it also cleverly foreshadows what's about to unfold within the chapter.
Each chapter feels like a discovery, revealing a new "truth" that then gets completely overturned by the events of the next.
It’s a dizzying dance between reality and appearance, truth and lies, dark secrets and equally dark threats.
You'll find yourself clinging to faint glimmers of hope for the future, while witnessing a desperate struggle to solve the overarching mystery.
I deliberately chose this as my Halloween read, and I absolutely adored the gothic vibes and how seamlessly cartomancy was woven into the fabric of the story.
The continuous transformation of truth into lies, lies into truth, good characters into villains, and suspected villains into heroes (and back again!) creates a continuous whirlwind of emotions that kept me glued to the pages, devouring them with eager anticipation.
I truly believe Laura Shepherd-Robinson has done a superb job crafting such an intricate mystery.
The events intertwine and overlap with incredible precision, and we discover that many characters, seemingly disparate, are all connected by an invisible thread, which will become truly clear only towards the end of the story.
The author also excelled at making the read captivating, which is no easy feat, especially in such a long novel, and remarkably comprehensible despite the complexities and the many names of characters, both past and present in the narration. (At first, you might feel a little overwhelmed trying to keep track of everyone and their connections, but trust me, after a while, thanks in part to the author's helpful diagrams, everything falls into place and becomes wonderfully clear!)
THE MAIN CHARACTERS :
__ Red (or Rachel Antrobus): Our protagonist, who partly narrates her story in the first person.
We meet Red as a child and watch her grow up, witnessing her make impulsive, sometimes poor, choices, and then courageously face the consequences.
There might be moments where you feel a bit frustrated with her, she’s a passionate, headstrong teenager, after all! But it's only towards the very end that you truly uncover Red's authentic nature and understand how life's adversities shaped her fight for survival.
__ Lazarus Darke: The other intriguing protagonist, a man who believes himself to be a servant of truth.
His story is told sometimes in the third person, and sometimes in his own first-person voice.
It takes many chapters and a multitude of events to truly understand who Lazarus is.
This very "not knowing much about him" and his relentless "search for the truth" makes his chapters utterly fascinating.
Not knowing if he was good or evil, I tried to keep my thoughts neutral, yet I couldn't help but constantly speculate and place bets on his true character as I read!
THE SUPPORTING CAST:
You'll encounter completely positive characters who, surprisingly, harbor dangerous secrets ( but you'll find out only in the very end ).
And then there are those whose sheer malevolence will genuinely shock you; when their true nature is revealed, it will disappoint and even hurt you.
I can't say too much about characters without risking spoiling all the wonderful surprises!
What I can say, however, is that every single character, no matter how minor they seem, plays a very specific and fundamental role in the story.
Each personality is incredibly well-drawn, bringing them vividly to life and making you root for one, then another, only to be suddenly surprised and find your feelings changing toward them.
In any case, the author has made them unforgettable.
Much like a classic novel by Charles Dickens or Wilkie Collins, I loved this book so much that it has stayed with me even now, more than a week later, after I've already moved on to two other books! In fact, as soon as I finished it, I bought an Italian copy for my mother, who is now halfway through and equally thrilled!
FASCINATING CONNECTIONS TO TRUE HISTORY:
The historical setting of "The Square of Sevens" doesn't necessarily feature famous historical figures or major celebrated events, but it weaves in some incredibly interesting links to real past history that truly enriched the narrative:
__ Witchcraft and Fortune-Telling Laws: While death sentences were a thing of the past, the laws on witchcraft and fortune-telling (like card reading) meant prison and the pillory for those accused of fraud.
__ Superstitions and Societal Brutality: The story vividly portrays the prevalent superstitions and the raw brutality of society at the time towards those condemned to the pillory, including the slanders invented to fuel that cruelty.
__ Popular Electrical Experiments: The fascination with early experiments in electricity (which didn't truly become widespread until the late 19th century) and the public demonstration shows that became a genuine craze of the era.
__ The Clockwork Universe: This concept, which posits that the universe operates with predictable, mechanical regularity, an idea born from the scientific works of figures like Isaac Newton, plays a subtle but significant role.
__ Ingenious Mechanical Objects: The era's passion for intricate mechanical objects whose ingenious mechanisms made them move and operate as if by magic.
__ Real Historical Places: Descriptions of buildings and squares are directly inspired by real historical locations, meticulously researched and detailed in the author's invaluable historical notes at the end of the book. (And here’s a crucial tip: DO NOT READ THESE NOTES before finishing the book—you'll spoil all the surprise and emotional tension of the story!)
__ The well known Bartholomew Fair: a historically significant London event that began in 1133 and lasted until 1855, initially as a cloth market and later evolving into a massive, multi-week festival known for its rowdy entertainment and crowds.
__ Corruption and Inspiration: The corruption of a real political figure, and an architect inspired by a real historical figure: Nicholas Owen, renowned for creating "priests' holes" and other hiding places for Catholic gentry.
__ Hired Hermits: Something that seems absolutely absurd but is completely true: did you know that in the 18th century, "hermits" were actually hired and paid as attractions? Of course, the condition was that they had to live on noblemen's lands, never speak to anyone, and truly live as hermits. Absolutely wild!
__ A Historical Court Case: a case debated in court in the early 18th century, is cited during the trial in the book and it is a case still cited in courtrooms in modern times!
__ In the historical notes there is also something that I cannot reveal without spoiling all the fun, because it is the secret of the whole story itself.
IN CONCLUSION:
Is This Book Worth Reading?
My answer, as a reader who adores mystery and intrigue, but who in recent years has only chosen short books and dared to read a very long one simply because the plot thoroughly intrigued her: YES, ABSOLUTELY, YES! You will not regret picking this one up. And as for me, I honestly can't wait to read more books by this fantastic author!
A LITTLE NOTE ON CONTENT:
The language is clean, and there are no explicit sex scenes or gruesome depictions, making it suitable for all ages.
Thanks for stopping by and reading my opinion ! :-)
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