1666. London is burning.
That’s how the book starts. Soon we start investigating a murder. The novel is a slow-paced thriller with lots of twists. I liked it, to be honest. Even if it wasn’t as exciting as I thought. But the way the stories of the characters intertwine makes the book worthwhile.
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We journey across London and beyond. The ashes and ruin left by the fire haunt the whole action. It’s a story of a young man looking for a murderer. It’s a story of a young woman looking for her father. A story of a young man looking for both daughter and father. It’s a story of betrayal and religion. Two stories of characters being closer than they think.
The Ashes of London
”She was adrift in London.” A woman looking to be herself and running from her family. With good reason, we soon learn. She leaps at the new chance of redesigning herself. Cat Lovett is not the girl of her time, but the independent free spirit that we might expect in today’s London.
City of ashes
As we understand the damage the Fire inflicted on London, we also get the flavour of the immortality of it’s locals. Remembering, tormented, but with a desire to rise from the ashes like a phoenix.
As London will rise again so has Cat. The young woman is on the run, searching for her father, who’s not what she expected. Religion and politics have a grip on people and their lives.
”Every now and then she passed a window that gave glimpses of London glowing like a bed of coals in the night. […] Occasionally there were muffled explosions. […] For an instant, a vision of a new London rose in her mind, growing from this bed of coals…”
We meet those in power, and those behind them. As James Marwood finds out, it’s sometimes dangerous to know too much. Behind the scenes so much is happening, and he gets into something he can’t escape. But then again, why would he?
Two stories. One City
An interesting book that has great insight into the lives of those affected by The Great Fire. Also, we learn how they go about their lives, surviving, changing, adapting.
We go back and forth from Cat and James and their perspective. We learn how coincidence is never what we think. The way the stories almost meet at times is exciting.
I believe the book is very much worth a read.
Hope you enjoy it!
Bis bald!
IcD
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