Skip to main content

The Betrayals - Bridget Collins


The Betrayals has been sat on my bookshelf for a little while now. I read The Binding by Bridget Collins a couple of years ago and loved it. But it was one of those books that really got under my skin. The storytelling was fantastic but it gave me such an almighty book-hangover that I didn't want to willingly set myself up again. 

Leo has resigned from his job as Minister of Culture and sent back to the monastery where he spent his time learning, mastering and perfecting the grand jeu. Being back at Montverre brings about the memories of his time there, including his reluctant friendship with his rival. 

I will admit that I had to look up a few things whilst I was reading it - especially in the first 100 or so pages because I just couldn't get my head around what a "grand jeu" was, where the book was set, or what time period the book was based in. And by the time I finished there were still so many unanswered questions.

A few speculations: 
  • I like think that the book is set in the early-mid 30's and in France. Of course the language supports this but it could have even be Switzerland perhaps?
  • If the writer went further into this "Party" that was left unnamed, then the story would have become too political. Hints of the Purity Act lead me to think it may have even been linked to the Nazi regime.
  • If the character of The Rat was further explained, then is could have become too psychological. The character did tie in ultimately but I think they may have been included purely as a vessel for some of the later chapters. 
One thing I both love and hate is that the game is never explained. However, in the Afterward, the writer does explain that she drew inspiration from The Glass Bead Game (or Magister Ludi) by Hermann Hesse.

I adored the way this book played out. There were elements that were completely unexpected, and I was completely immersed in the entire thing from start to finish. I can see why some people believe The Binding is the better book, but for me, The Betrayals was more creative and clever in its plot. 




 

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Merry Little Meet Cute - Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone

What a bloody lovely Christmas beaut this was! If you're venturing into spicy romance books and have been on Instagram or TikTok recently, it's likely that you would have seen this little gem doing the rounds.  Bee is a content creator for ClosedDoor (think.. OnlyFans) and Nolan is an ex-boyband bad boy that are both cast in a Hope Channel (think... Hallmark) Christmas movie, Duke The Halls. Nolan is reinventing his career and trying to rid himself of the bad boy image whereas Bee is brought in last minute because the Lead Actress has been taken ill.  The best part? Bee was a massive fan of Nolan in her teenage years and Nolan has been following Bee on social media for a while. And they're getting paid to get to know each other.  I adored this book. It was everything I wanted it to be and is perfect for those of us who love a Hallmark Christmas movie but wished there was a bit heat in the romances. the positive message around Bee's work is brilliantly handled, not to me...
Post a Comment
Read more

Orphans of The Storm - Celia Imrie

  Started: Thursday 7th July 2022 Finished: Saturday 9th July 2022 Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Given my obsession with the story of the Titanic in my younger years, this is the first book I've ever read which is based around the tragic disaster.  I bought Orphans of the Storm on a whim on one of my Waterstone's sprees - and I vowed to make it my next read. What I didn't realise is that it is based on the true story of the last surviving passenger from the disaster. And it was incredible.  So incredible that the minute I got home, I gave it to my mum to read and I've just bought a copy for one of my ex-colleagues because the history was common ground for us.  I didn't know what to expect - I knew it would pull at the heart strings but I didn't appreciate quite how much.  The way it's written, Imrie really allows the suspense and bewilderment to build. Of course, it's no spoiler to say - The Ship Sinks At The End - but the way it is written from two separate perspe...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Colorado Kid - Stephen King

  After the masterpiece that was Fairy Tale, I knew The Colorado Kid wasn't going to match up. But it pains me to say that I think I went from one end of the spectrum to the other within days.  I will be clear - I am very aware that the reason I didn't enjoy The Colorado Kid is the exact premise of the book - no one likes an unfinished story. Which is exactly what this is and is intended to me.  Two old-school local reporters are sat discussing unsolved mysteries of their local town with their new colleague and the case of The Colorado Kid is recounted - creating more questions than there are answers.  I've read King's other two Hard Case Crime books (Joyland and Later) and I thoroughly enjoyed them so I was gutted this didn't hit the mark. I'd love to see this developed into a full-length thriller at some point because I think the story would be absolutely crazy but for now, I'll have to sit with this as my lowest rated Stephen King book to date. 
Post a Comment
Read more