Friday, October 19, 2012

TAINTED INNOCENCE by Joss Alexander



Publisher: Carina Press
Date published: 9/17/2012
ISBN: 978-14268-9437-4
Mystery /Historical
E-book
Reviewed by Helen
Obtained via publisher




Bryony is illiterate, and works as a laundress at the College of the Young Princes. The work is hard, the hours long, and various people are determined to make her life even more difficult than it already is.

Luke Hobson is a local tradesman who also works extremely hard trying to rebuild his father’s business that his stepmother and half brother have drained of money.
As outsiders, these two are tagged as suspects when a murder occurs. The only way they can save themselves is to join together to uncover the real culprit.

Set in a fictional college at Cambridge, England, in 1524, this is a true epic novel, covering the lives and activities of several groups of people in the town at the time. The cast is huge but many of the characters, even quite minor ones, are extremely well drawn with clearly defined personalities. The long word count, 93,000 words, gives the author the space needed to include so many characters and plenty of description as well as the historical background to the story. There are plots, sub-plots, and sub-sub plots that twist and turn and interweave with each other. In some ways this is a demanding read if you want to get the most from it. But it’s also a rewarding read as it has depth and power and the ending is one the reader might be able to work out, without being a foregone conclusion. An excellent choice when you want something to really sink your teeth into rather than a quick fix.



This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.


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