I found some of this story really uncomfortable to get through but it was worth pursuing with. The author writes historical detail convincingly, it made me wnat to visit Norwich where much of the actin was set. I liked the way the chapters start with the mandrake's herbal and the mystical side of the story but some of the characters were really difficult to get on with. An excellent book for cold winter nights if you can bear the nasty bits... Once I realized this was a juicy medieval soap opera, as opposed to a serious historical novel, I quite enjoyed it. It's fast-paced, entertaining fun. Just don't expect great writing or characterization. The words and characters are there to move the plot along, nothing more. Evil noblemen, witches, wenches and whores all scheme and plot each others deaths according to their superstition of choice. Elena, the teenage protagonist, is as dense as a London fog. Her biggest fan, Raffe, is a castrated semi-decent nobleman who is not half as complex as he thinks he is. I was much more interested in the narrator, a bitchy mandrake whom we sadly don't get to know very well. I'd read a sequel about her adventures any day.
Do You like book Gallows Curse (2011)?
Not really good enough. Plenty of action but characters are not well enough drawn. Give it a miss.
—Thuy
I'm giving this a 2.5. It was interesting in the beginning but just dragged on and on.
—Luke
Set in England in 1210. Maitland is a wonderful story teller.
—Nix
the girl in this book is SO ANNOYING. bit disappointing.
—tanisha
