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The Dark Queen Saga #6
A Senhora dos Segredos
A rainha Catarina de Médicis está morta e para Meg Wolfe - sucessora de uma linhagem de curandeiras lendárias conhecidas como as Filhas da Terra - é o começo de uma nova era. Ela esforça-se para levar uma existência comum e invisível nas brumas da Ilha Encantada, mas em breve a atuação do Rei James vai reacender um pesadelo antigo - e acordar um mistério envolto em magia que determinará o destino do qual ela não poderá escapar.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published December 11, 2012
28 people are currently reading
1929 people want to read
About the author
Susan Carroll
65 books379 followersBorn Susan Carol Cute in 1952, Susan Coppula obtained a Degree in English with complementary studies in History in the University of Indiana. Since 1986, Susan has published books under three different pseudonyms: Susan Carroll, Susan Coppula, and Serena Richards
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
February 23, 2015
This was a Netgalley book for review; review of 2012 reposted.
You know the saying about only having one shot at a first impression? That’s the first thing that keeps coming to mind about this book, in a couple of ways.
First, the genre baffled me. As always, Kindle book + no memory of what the synopsis said + no cover to judge by (not that the cover, deceptively pretty as it is, is so helpful) = mild befuddlement. Oh, okay, I thought, it’s a fantasy, with witches in sixteenth century Scotland. Wait. Historical fiction. Wait. Fantastic hist-fic – no, hist-rom? What it is, I guess, is a mélange of romance (with its full portion of romance tropes), historical fiction (on shaky ground), and a smattering of fantasy (witchcraft = real). As so often happens with a book like this, I just kind of wish it had stuck to one thing or another, and not tried to do everything.
This was my first book by the author, and considering this is the sixth book in a series that’s a little awkward. I will say the author does a pretty nice job of bringing a newcomer up to speed, with only occasional moments of (before I finally checked to see whether there was indeed a series) “that incident alluded to there has to have had a whole ‘nother book of its own.” That happened quite often. Still, there isn’t too much reliance on a reader’s previous knowledge. Whether that would be enjoyable for someone who has followed the series, I don’t know – I picture frequent pauses to say “I know. I was here” – but it worked pretty well for a newbie.
The other part of the book’s strange first impression was that the prologue was one of those intensely irritating ones in which something tumultuous happens – and then chapter one opens years later and miles and miles away with an entirely different cast of characters. (I understand the temptation to write such a prologue, and am in fact guilty myself in the book I’m trying to write. That doesn’t mean I hate them less in my reading. It just means that now, with this example, I’m going to try very hard to find a better way to do it myself.) One main factor in the irritation is that I spent the next several chapters wondering which of the two men introduced as main characters had been the teenager in the prologue.
And it’s to those two men the “first impressions” thing applies as well. They are introduced in a threatening atmosphere: a village girl is giving every appearance of being possessed, and Meg, the Lady of Faire Isle, has been called in to try to help her – and at great personal risk, she has come. Any given moment could see the village ignite into superstitious/religious fervor against the girl, against Meg as a witch, against the eccentric old lady the girl is accusing of having cursed her … And the two strangers who are staying in the village are not helping. One is obviously a gentleman, his companion a physician who would have had to work hard to impress Meg more negatively. The description of him is chilling.
First: “… with enough light, the devil could be kept at bay. ... It hadn’t worked, Meg thought with a small shiver. He hovered over the bed, in the guise of a tall dark man.”
Then: “Margaret stared deep into his eyes and it felt like falling into the depths of a well. She had never encountered an expression so dark, so cold, and so empty. Not since the last time she had looked into her mother’s eyes.”
(Her mother, by the way, for those who like me haven’t read the other books, was blind. Considering the amount of confusion the withholding of that bit of information caused me in the first 25% of the book, you’re welcome. Also? This just makes the description more unnerving.)
And then, a few pages later, he is being self-deprecating and kind of charming and making Meg – and, I admit, me – laugh.
And all the while I kept thinking “But … evil.”
Having already been expected by the book to switch tacks rapidly, maybe the author expected it to be easier this time. It wasn’t. I was just showing signs of whiplash by this point.
The whole second phase of the book felt to me like a car that needs a tune-up, clunking a little every time the gas pedal is pressed. Here’s this woman whose vocation could also be the death of her, only venturing off her island to help those who need it. And here is this complete stranger asking her to go with him to England to try to help King James I get out from under a curse. After some initial scrambling to keep up with the setting (wait – we’re not in England? Or at least Scotland?) I sat there reading in disbelief as Meg protested and refused and refused and protested and capitulated and went off and got on a boat with two complete strangers. For someone introduced as a Wise Woman, this seemed remarkably unwise. And even worse – when they get to London they’re staying in the home of one of the two men who has all-but-abducted them. Okay. In the 21st century this would be more than a little crazy. In this setting it's tantamount to suicide.
The other aspect to this that failed was one of wardrobe. Meg and her friend/bodyguard/duenna Seraphine (whose story as it appears in this book is ridiculous; it must have a book of its own. *checks* Wait – it doesn’t??? Oh good grief – hello book seven) left their island to go to a tavern in a mainland port village to see to a girl who seems to be possessed. It was not a long trip; they didn’t plan to stay long; I reiterate: it was a village; they were trying to keep a fairly low profile. Which to my mind means they didn’t bring much baggage – in fact, as far as I recall there was no mention of baggage. Five minutes later they’re on a boat to London to see the king. They do not stop off home to pick up so much as a change of undies. Right. They get to London, and Seraphine disappears and comes back with the medieval equivalent of a bunch of shopping bags from designer boutiques. Meg: “Oh, ‘Phine, what have you done? I thought we agreed any finery was unnecessary.” Wait a minute. Margaret is about to have an audience – a private audience – with James I, and she was planning on going in the dress she wore to the village at the beginning of the book? In what way in that world is finery unnecessary when going to call on the king? Wouldn’t that be highly inappropriate, and seen as disrespect, and – given James’s touchiness – possibly end in imprisonment? It’s nonsense.
So there’s a curse on the king, maybe; he thinks there is, and that’s what matters, and Meg is the only one who can help him – although there’s every possibility that helping him might get her killed, since any help she can give will look like witchcraft and James is notoriously anti-witch. Meanwhile, Meg actually has another motive for going to England; she wants to find out more about her mother and the incredibly evil coven she was head of, and whether any of the members have survived and still practice. Meg had been raised to be her mother’s witchy successor, and more, and made a horrified and frantic break from that life when she was young. And as it turns out there are still women out and about in England who believe in her as the chosen one or what-have-you, and want her to take up her rightful place. Oh, and then – possibly related to the king’s curse – there’s the plot featuring Guido (Guy) Fawkes… which Our Heroine refers to as “the gunpowder plot”, which just irritated me as a piece of pseudo-prescience.
All of these scattered threads wind together into a weak climax that involves Meg at the mercy of the sort-of-reborn coven, being coerced to perform an evil ritual, while meanwhile the two heroes (neither of whom is particularly heroic) are variously involved with Fawkes (helping? Trying to stop? Both?). Despite her (rather weak) efforts to be Glinda the Good Witch, Meg/Margaret/Megaera (isn’t that one of Godzilla’s enemies?) is helpless to resist the evil coven. I kept thinking of how I would have my (strong, angry, intelligent) heroine react if I were writing the scene … and instead I kept getting Meg’s reactions. Which ran along these lines: “No! Please! I – all right, I’ll go with you. No! I won’t! Wait, you’re threatening me and my friend a lot, all right, I’ll play along and hope the cavalry comes. No! I won’t! I don’t know how! Well, okay, I’ll fake it, and oh golly look a ghost, I think I’ll pass out now and hope a big strong man comes.” Which he does.
The ghost I mention above is just about the most literal deus ex machina I’ve ever seen. Meg’s mother, we are assured throughout something like four hundred pages, was an infamous Bad Witch, killing babies and kittens and plotting against the throne and leading astray assorted young women and brewing poisons and oh, just all sorts of nasty things. She was not a nice person. She wasn’t a very good mother. She died (maybe) when Meg was six. I covered the fact that she was evil, right? With Meg terrified of her and of being forced to follow in Mum’s (sorry – Maman’s) footsteps and be Evil-The Next Generation? So here Meg is being forced to try her hand at necromancy to reach the Evil Sisters’ evil grandmother, and who does she get instead? Mum. Is Mum still evil? Of course not. She’s tender and motherly like she never was in life, starts to apologize for all her evildoings, is interrupted by Evil Sister #2, and retaliates by – apparently – reaching through Meg to kill Evil Sister #2. Moral: don’t interrupt the ghost of an evil witch. Or something.
There is, I realize now, the vaguest possibility that this post-mortem personality transplant makes sense in light of the other books in the series; this is, after all, the sixth book. However, I haven’t read the other five, and without coercion won’t ever read the other five, and it made so little sense in light of this book that I started wondering if perhaps manuscripts had gotten mixed up at some point.
Besides the sheer idiocy of the deus ex machina, there was Meg’s behavior in this situation. If this was just some high-born female who never knew anything but embroidery and flowers who was stuck in this situation, that would be one thing. Going along with it all almost without protest and then fainting to be rescued – that would be fine for such a “heroine”. But this woman is supposed to be the strong, independent Lady of Fair Isle. She’s a leader. She’s a mature woman – 31, which was practically old in 1605. And she has worked her entire life to overcome the shadow of her mother’s evildoings, and to do good and only good. For her to recoil in utter horror at how of all her mother’s Evil deeds this is one of the Mostest Evilest, and then to capitulate with barely a squawk and actually sit down and try to perform this So-Evil deed of necromancy … and then for Evil Mum to turn up and not be evil at all … The manuscript had to have fallen in a bin (not, unfortunately, the correct bin) and gotten mixed up with another.
There was so much else. The setting, as I mentioned somewhere up there, was indeterminate. It hopped between prologue and Chapter 1 from Scotland to France without as far as I recall or noticed at the time making that clear, and left me floundering. Characters’ nationalities made no difference to the text – French, Scottish, English, peasant, noble, it didn’t much matter; there was little to indicate any of it. Not that I would enjoy lashings of pidgin scattered through dialogue – but I don’t remember any mention of anyone switching languages to accommodate someone else, or having trouble understanding or keeping up, or … anything at all that would indicate there were different tongues in the mix. Maybe everyone was multilingual. At some point late in the book I believe Meg is referred to as being French, which threw me for a loop; it seemed so unlikely. For one thing, since when is “Meg” (or Margaret, or Megaera) a French name? Or “Faire Isle”? London and King James and the Gunpowder Plot? It could just as easily have been a completely invented world and monarchy and history. That might have helped, quite a bit.
One of my biggest pet peeves, which I probably share with a lot of people who love historical fiction, is the anachronistic outbreak. There are few things worse than being completely taken out of a book’s historical setting by a carelessly used word or phrase (though most of those few things were also present in this book). “The fuse will be lit and then wham!” Yes, I’m quite certain comic book sound effects would have been part of common speech in 1605. And “criminally insane”, used by one character, made little sense in the context. Insanity wasn’t really accepted as a defense in 1605, was it? A criminal was a criminal.
Those “few things” I mentioned? Here’s another: “Climb into bed and w-warm me.” My reaction was “Is there no cliche this book won’t stoop to?” It worked in quite a few, right down to the old switcheroo, the character-so-seasick-she-wants-to-die, and the dangerous-royal-boar-hunt (I think it was boar – doesn’t matter). I am so weary I could cry of boat voyages in which someone's seasickness is the only feature, and even more weary of the dreaded boar hunt. I can't be the only person who has noticed that in books with medieval or medieval-esque settings, every single damn boar hunt = extreme danger, can I? And please - refrain from telling me how violently your character is vomiting. I. Don't. Care.
If there are any cliches that were missed, they’ve probably already been addressed in the other books in the series… I gave this two stars out of my one solitary burst of holiday spirit. It will keep the second star because it made me chuckle, on purpose, once or twice. But it was a near thing.
You know the saying about only having one shot at a first impression? That’s the first thing that keeps coming to mind about this book, in a couple of ways.
First, the genre baffled me. As always, Kindle book + no memory of what the synopsis said + no cover to judge by (not that the cover, deceptively pretty as it is, is so helpful) = mild befuddlement. Oh, okay, I thought, it’s a fantasy, with witches in sixteenth century Scotland. Wait. Historical fiction. Wait. Fantastic hist-fic – no, hist-rom? What it is, I guess, is a mélange of romance (with its full portion of romance tropes), historical fiction (on shaky ground), and a smattering of fantasy (witchcraft = real). As so often happens with a book like this, I just kind of wish it had stuck to one thing or another, and not tried to do everything.
This was my first book by the author, and considering this is the sixth book in a series that’s a little awkward. I will say the author does a pretty nice job of bringing a newcomer up to speed, with only occasional moments of (before I finally checked to see whether there was indeed a series) “that incident alluded to there has to have had a whole ‘nother book of its own.” That happened quite often. Still, there isn’t too much reliance on a reader’s previous knowledge. Whether that would be enjoyable for someone who has followed the series, I don’t know – I picture frequent pauses to say “I know. I was here” – but it worked pretty well for a newbie.
The other part of the book’s strange first impression was that the prologue was one of those intensely irritating ones in which something tumultuous happens – and then chapter one opens years later and miles and miles away with an entirely different cast of characters. (I understand the temptation to write such a prologue, and am in fact guilty myself in the book I’m trying to write. That doesn’t mean I hate them less in my reading. It just means that now, with this example, I’m going to try very hard to find a better way to do it myself.) One main factor in the irritation is that I spent the next several chapters wondering which of the two men introduced as main characters had been the teenager in the prologue.
And it’s to those two men the “first impressions” thing applies as well. They are introduced in a threatening atmosphere: a village girl is giving every appearance of being possessed, and Meg, the Lady of Faire Isle, has been called in to try to help her – and at great personal risk, she has come. Any given moment could see the village ignite into superstitious/religious fervor against the girl, against Meg as a witch, against the eccentric old lady the girl is accusing of having cursed her … And the two strangers who are staying in the village are not helping. One is obviously a gentleman, his companion a physician who would have had to work hard to impress Meg more negatively. The description of him is chilling.
First: “… with enough light, the devil could be kept at bay. ... It hadn’t worked, Meg thought with a small shiver. He hovered over the bed, in the guise of a tall dark man.”
Then: “Margaret stared deep into his eyes and it felt like falling into the depths of a well. She had never encountered an expression so dark, so cold, and so empty. Not since the last time she had looked into her mother’s eyes.”
(Her mother, by the way, for those who like me haven’t read the other books, was blind. Considering the amount of confusion the withholding of that bit of information caused me in the first 25% of the book, you’re welcome. Also? This just makes the description more unnerving.)
And then, a few pages later, he is being self-deprecating and kind of charming and making Meg – and, I admit, me – laugh.
And all the while I kept thinking “But … evil.”
Having already been expected by the book to switch tacks rapidly, maybe the author expected it to be easier this time. It wasn’t. I was just showing signs of whiplash by this point.
The whole second phase of the book felt to me like a car that needs a tune-up, clunking a little every time the gas pedal is pressed. Here’s this woman whose vocation could also be the death of her, only venturing off her island to help those who need it. And here is this complete stranger asking her to go with him to England to try to help King James I get out from under a curse. After some initial scrambling to keep up with the setting (wait – we’re not in England? Or at least Scotland?) I sat there reading in disbelief as Meg protested and refused and refused and protested and capitulated and went off and got on a boat with two complete strangers. For someone introduced as a Wise Woman, this seemed remarkably unwise. And even worse – when they get to London they’re staying in the home of one of the two men who has all-but-abducted them. Okay. In the 21st century this would be more than a little crazy. In this setting it's tantamount to suicide.
The other aspect to this that failed was one of wardrobe. Meg and her friend/bodyguard/duenna Seraphine (whose story as it appears in this book is ridiculous; it must have a book of its own. *checks* Wait – it doesn’t??? Oh good grief – hello book seven) left their island to go to a tavern in a mainland port village to see to a girl who seems to be possessed. It was not a long trip; they didn’t plan to stay long; I reiterate: it was a village; they were trying to keep a fairly low profile. Which to my mind means they didn’t bring much baggage – in fact, as far as I recall there was no mention of baggage. Five minutes later they’re on a boat to London to see the king. They do not stop off home to pick up so much as a change of undies. Right. They get to London, and Seraphine disappears and comes back with the medieval equivalent of a bunch of shopping bags from designer boutiques. Meg: “Oh, ‘Phine, what have you done? I thought we agreed any finery was unnecessary.” Wait a minute. Margaret is about to have an audience – a private audience – with James I, and she was planning on going in the dress she wore to the village at the beginning of the book? In what way in that world is finery unnecessary when going to call on the king? Wouldn’t that be highly inappropriate, and seen as disrespect, and – given James’s touchiness – possibly end in imprisonment? It’s nonsense.
So there’s a curse on the king, maybe; he thinks there is, and that’s what matters, and Meg is the only one who can help him – although there’s every possibility that helping him might get her killed, since any help she can give will look like witchcraft and James is notoriously anti-witch. Meanwhile, Meg actually has another motive for going to England; she wants to find out more about her mother and the incredibly evil coven she was head of, and whether any of the members have survived and still practice. Meg had been raised to be her mother’s witchy successor, and more, and made a horrified and frantic break from that life when she was young. And as it turns out there are still women out and about in England who believe in her as the chosen one or what-have-you, and want her to take up her rightful place. Oh, and then – possibly related to the king’s curse – there’s the plot featuring Guido (Guy) Fawkes… which Our Heroine refers to as “the gunpowder plot”, which just irritated me as a piece of pseudo-prescience.
All of these scattered threads wind together into a weak climax that involves Meg at the mercy of the sort-of-reborn coven, being coerced to perform an evil ritual, while meanwhile the two heroes (neither of whom is particularly heroic) are variously involved with Fawkes (helping? Trying to stop? Both?). Despite her (rather weak) efforts to be Glinda the Good Witch, Meg/Margaret/Megaera (isn’t that one of Godzilla’s enemies?) is helpless to resist the evil coven. I kept thinking of how I would have my (strong, angry, intelligent) heroine react if I were writing the scene … and instead I kept getting Meg’s reactions. Which ran along these lines: “No! Please! I – all right, I’ll go with you. No! I won’t! Wait, you’re threatening me and my friend a lot, all right, I’ll play along and hope the cavalry comes. No! I won’t! I don’t know how! Well, okay, I’ll fake it, and oh golly look a ghost, I think I’ll pass out now and hope a big strong man comes.” Which he does.
The ghost I mention above is just about the most literal deus ex machina I’ve ever seen. Meg’s mother, we are assured throughout something like four hundred pages, was an infamous Bad Witch, killing babies and kittens and plotting against the throne and leading astray assorted young women and brewing poisons and oh, just all sorts of nasty things. She was not a nice person. She wasn’t a very good mother. She died (maybe) when Meg was six. I covered the fact that she was evil, right? With Meg terrified of her and of being forced to follow in Mum’s (sorry – Maman’s) footsteps and be Evil-The Next Generation? So here Meg is being forced to try her hand at necromancy to reach the Evil Sisters’ evil grandmother, and who does she get instead? Mum. Is Mum still evil? Of course not. She’s tender and motherly like she never was in life, starts to apologize for all her evildoings, is interrupted by Evil Sister #2, and retaliates by – apparently – reaching through Meg to kill Evil Sister #2. Moral: don’t interrupt the ghost of an evil witch. Or something.
There is, I realize now, the vaguest possibility that this post-mortem personality transplant makes sense in light of the other books in the series; this is, after all, the sixth book. However, I haven’t read the other five, and without coercion won’t ever read the other five, and it made so little sense in light of this book that I started wondering if perhaps manuscripts had gotten mixed up at some point.
Besides the sheer idiocy of the deus ex machina, there was Meg’s behavior in this situation. If this was just some high-born female who never knew anything but embroidery and flowers who was stuck in this situation, that would be one thing. Going along with it all almost without protest and then fainting to be rescued – that would be fine for such a “heroine”. But this woman is supposed to be the strong, independent Lady of Fair Isle. She’s a leader. She’s a mature woman – 31, which was practically old in 1605. And she has worked her entire life to overcome the shadow of her mother’s evildoings, and to do good and only good. For her to recoil in utter horror at how of all her mother’s Evil deeds this is one of the Mostest Evilest, and then to capitulate with barely a squawk and actually sit down and try to perform this So-Evil deed of necromancy … and then for Evil Mum to turn up and not be evil at all … The manuscript had to have fallen in a bin (not, unfortunately, the correct bin) and gotten mixed up with another.
There was so much else. The setting, as I mentioned somewhere up there, was indeterminate. It hopped between prologue and Chapter 1 from Scotland to France without as far as I recall or noticed at the time making that clear, and left me floundering. Characters’ nationalities made no difference to the text – French, Scottish, English, peasant, noble, it didn’t much matter; there was little to indicate any of it. Not that I would enjoy lashings of pidgin scattered through dialogue – but I don’t remember any mention of anyone switching languages to accommodate someone else, or having trouble understanding or keeping up, or … anything at all that would indicate there were different tongues in the mix. Maybe everyone was multilingual. At some point late in the book I believe Meg is referred to as being French, which threw me for a loop; it seemed so unlikely. For one thing, since when is “Meg” (or Margaret, or Megaera) a French name? Or “Faire Isle”? London and King James and the Gunpowder Plot? It could just as easily have been a completely invented world and monarchy and history. That might have helped, quite a bit.
One of my biggest pet peeves, which I probably share with a lot of people who love historical fiction, is the anachronistic outbreak. There are few things worse than being completely taken out of a book’s historical setting by a carelessly used word or phrase (though most of those few things were also present in this book). “The fuse will be lit and then wham!” Yes, I’m quite certain comic book sound effects would have been part of common speech in 1605. And “criminally insane”, used by one character, made little sense in the context. Insanity wasn’t really accepted as a defense in 1605, was it? A criminal was a criminal.
Those “few things” I mentioned? Here’s another: “Climb into bed and w-warm me.” My reaction was “Is there no cliche this book won’t stoop to?” It worked in quite a few, right down to the old switcheroo, the character-so-seasick-she-wants-to-die, and the dangerous-royal-boar-hunt (I think it was boar – doesn’t matter). I am so weary I could cry of boat voyages in which someone's seasickness is the only feature, and even more weary of the dreaded boar hunt. I can't be the only person who has noticed that in books with medieval or medieval-esque settings, every single damn boar hunt = extreme danger, can I? And please - refrain from telling me how violently your character is vomiting. I. Don't. Care.
If there are any cliches that were missed, they’ve probably already been addressed in the other books in the series… I gave this two stars out of my one solitary burst of holiday spirit. It will keep the second star because it made me chuckle, on purpose, once or twice. But it was a near thing.
November 6, 2012
I didn't realise when I requested this title for review that it was the sixth book in Carroll's Dark Queen series. Fortunately however, the story is self-contained so it didn't matter that I hadn't read the earlier books.
In this story, set in late 1605, Susan Carroll has very skilfully blended together her fiction with real historical events. I don’t want to give away too much about the plot, other than to say that although it becomes apparent quite early on in the novel exactly which conspiracy the principal characters become involved with, there are still many twists and turns to come as the reader begins to put all the pieces together, including one shock near the end that I really didn’t see coming.
Margaret Wolfe is a wise or “cunning” woman, known as The Lady of Faire Isle, who lives more or less as a recluse. She is a skilled healer and reputed to have other, more supernatural gifts, gifts that could easily result in her being accused of witchcraft. She is haunted by her past, specifically by the thoughts of her mother who was skilled in the dark arts and who thought to use her daughter to lead a great and terrible coven of witches who would destroy order and rule by fear. Fortunately for Meg, she was rescued from her mother’s clutches by her father and did not return to the Faire Isle until years later after her mother’s death. But she still fears an inner darkness, even as she fights against it. She has a quiet strength but will fight tooth and nail for those she loves and the things she believes in.
Armagil Blackwood is, by contrast, a mess, a n’er-do-well who drinks too much, loathes himself and cares for nothing; and Meg dislikes him intensely. But there is much more to the man beneath the rough exterior, and Meg finds herself intrigued and attracted to him as she begins to learn more about him. They make an unusual couple – the ‘white witch’ and the Oxford-educated doctor – but after a bumpy start, they fall hard for each other and the romance between them is charmingly done.
There is also a well-drawn supporting cast - religious fanatics, mad would-be witches, and Meg's breeches-wearing, sword-bearing friend and protector, Seraphine, who is not as tough as she seems.
The historical detail in the book is very informative without overwhelming the story, and the author has done a very good job on the picture she has painted of early seventeenth century London, with its dim and dank alleyways and less-than-salubrious lodging houses; and on the glimpse she gives us of life at the court of James I.
Overall, I found this to be an extremely engaging, hard-to—put-down book. Its mix of historical accuracy, fiction, romance and mystery was very well blended, and the ending was sweet and satisfying. I enjoyed it so much that I am now planning to read the other books in the series when I can.
With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.
In this story, set in late 1605, Susan Carroll has very skilfully blended together her fiction with real historical events. I don’t want to give away too much about the plot, other than to say that although it becomes apparent quite early on in the novel exactly which conspiracy the principal characters become involved with, there are still many twists and turns to come as the reader begins to put all the pieces together, including one shock near the end that I really didn’t see coming.
Margaret Wolfe is a wise or “cunning” woman, known as The Lady of Faire Isle, who lives more or less as a recluse. She is a skilled healer and reputed to have other, more supernatural gifts, gifts that could easily result in her being accused of witchcraft. She is haunted by her past, specifically by the thoughts of her mother who was skilled in the dark arts and who thought to use her daughter to lead a great and terrible coven of witches who would destroy order and rule by fear. Fortunately for Meg, she was rescued from her mother’s clutches by her father and did not return to the Faire Isle until years later after her mother’s death. But she still fears an inner darkness, even as she fights against it. She has a quiet strength but will fight tooth and nail for those she loves and the things she believes in.
Armagil Blackwood is, by contrast, a mess, a n’er-do-well who drinks too much, loathes himself and cares for nothing; and Meg dislikes him intensely. But there is much more to the man beneath the rough exterior, and Meg finds herself intrigued and attracted to him as she begins to learn more about him. They make an unusual couple – the ‘white witch’ and the Oxford-educated doctor – but after a bumpy start, they fall hard for each other and the romance between them is charmingly done.
There is also a well-drawn supporting cast - religious fanatics, mad would-be witches, and Meg's breeches-wearing, sword-bearing friend and protector, Seraphine, who is not as tough as she seems.
The historical detail in the book is very informative without overwhelming the story, and the author has done a very good job on the picture she has painted of early seventeenth century London, with its dim and dank alleyways and less-than-salubrious lodging houses; and on the glimpse she gives us of life at the court of James I.
Overall, I found this to be an extremely engaging, hard-to—put-down book. Its mix of historical accuracy, fiction, romance and mystery was very well blended, and the ending was sweet and satisfying. I enjoyed it so much that I am now planning to read the other books in the series when I can.
With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.
December 7, 2012
Originally Posted on Confessions of an Opinionated Book Geek
3 Stars
I enjoyed Meg Wolfe immensely as a character. Here is a woman who lives under the cloud of her mother’s insanity and still she perseveres. Meg ‘s mother was the kind of woman that witch hunters search for. She was skilled in the dark arts, duped young women into joining her cause and killed male babies, because she had no use for men. Even with her haunted past, Meg steps up and becomes the Lady of Faire Isle. She is a “cunning” woman; a healer, a spiritual woman and feared for what the locals consider to be witchcraft and ungodly.
The story is well written and I absolutely loved the opening, but this book was just not my cup of tea. I always seem to forget that I do not enjoy reading books about life before Regency England. I love films about the middle ages, but there is just something about reading it that does not entertain me. Still the story has enough romance, magic and danger to keep the reader interested. Doctor Blackwood is a drunk who cares for nothing, but has enough under the surface to attract Meg, but I can’t say that I was blown away or intrigued. I’m a romantic at heart, so I wished they would have spiked up the tension, but I guess a steamy love story wouldn’t have fit well into the story.
It is very political and deals a lot with the society at large. There’s also a sense of history into the book. Caroll has written fictional characters with a fictional religion, but does not ignore the superstition that runs rampant during the 1600s England. The ideas of witchcraft and how easily a woman lost her life because she was duped or falsely accused was probably the most intriguing aspect of this story for me. A woman who was too smart, too peculiar or alone was immediately under suspicion. Someone would get sick and all of a sudden everyone is yelling kill the witch down the street and all will be well.
I also find myself really wanting to do research on King James and discover weather or not he was this superstitious and constantly worried about the threat of witchcraft. In the story, I’d say he definitely had reason to be worried. Especially after being publically cursed by a woman burning on the stake. Imagine someone’s last words are to curse you that would strike fear into my heart as well.
Also, it never seems to amaze me the way that people would gather for public executions. Wow, we have changed a lot as humans, because I can never imagine cheering while someone burned alive before my eyes.
This is book six the Dark Queen Saga, which I did not realize, but I never felt lost or confused about what was happening.
October 3, 2017
Perfection... a bow around the 6 books.
July 5, 2018
Sadly this is the last book in this wonderful magical historical fiction series with Catherine de Medici, the Dark Queen, as the sorceress out to destroy the Lady of Faire Isle.
dnf
October 21, 2023I skimmed my way through the first 100 pages. I read this series a decade ago, loved the second book, enjoyed the first and third, but the fourth and fifth were just ok. And I never realized there was a sixth until I stumbled across it a few years ago in a used book sale. So I decided, I should really finish the series, and got it, and it sat on my shelf for a couple years. It filled a reading prompt for me this year and I was excited to finally finish the series. Btu I just could not get into this. I pretty much remembered what I needed to about the world, but I don't really read historical fiction set this far back. I couldn't connect with the characters and I was just bored quickly. But now at least, with this attempt, I feel like I made an effort to finish the series and I can donate all of these books.
All that is to say, it's probably not the books fault. I don't read these kind of stories as much anymore and if you were really into the rest of the series, you'd probably like this one too.
All that is to say, it's probably not the books fault. I don't read these kind of stories as much anymore and if you were really into the rest of the series, you'd probably like this one too.
June 29, 2022
Just as the 2-star review label suggests, "it was ok." There was nothing about this book that stood out, either for the better or for the worse. Plot, characters, writing style, world-building, etc., etc., all of it was ok. Nothing about this book piqued my interest, but also nothing made me want to stop reading. It moved along well enough and wasn't boring, but it's also not at all memorable.
September 14, 2017
If I'd known this was part of a series or a romance novel, I may not have picked it up. Oddly enough, I'm not sure why it's listed as a romance novel because there's not much romance to it. The description of the book is a little misleading.
June 28, 2018
Very different than what I thought based on the blurb but a good read and entertaining
August 24, 2019
I honestly did not even finish this book I was so disappointed with how it was progressing :(
December 28, 2012
Also posted at TBR Mountain Range.
If you love historical fiction that focuses on the witch hunts and anti-Catholic sentiments of the seventeenth century, then this novel will make you feel as if you're right there amongst the subterfuge and plotting against King James I. Mixing in a bit of fantasy is perfect!
In the prologue we're introduced to a fifteen-year-old girl on the day of her execution for witchcraft. Her twin brother bribes his way into a visit with her beforehand, hoping that she'll deny the charges against her. But she cannot, for she is guilty. His pleas for the king's leniency go unanswered, leaving him to make a horrifying choice that will haunt him forever.
Years later in 1605, the appointed Lady of Faire Isle, Margaret "Meg" Wolfe, has responsibilities to those who seek shelter on Faire Isle. Due to her nature, she cannot refuse the request for healing when it is needed, even if she must leave the safety of Faire Isle. It is on one of these healing missions that she's faced with a request that will revive her past and invade her dreams.
Her best friend, Seraphine, cannot let Meg wander far without her protection. Known for her fighting skills, the beautiful Seraphine is an enigma. Well-armed, she intends to protect Meg against whatever happens. Unable to predict what they'll uncover, will Seraphine's bravado decline in the face of true evil?
The benefactors seeking Meg's healing ability for James Charles Stuart, the king of England, seem to have Meg and Seraphine's safety in mind, but the ever watchful Seraphine urges Meg to be cautious. What if these two men desire more from Meg than her healing gifts? Can Meg safeguard her heart as well as her life? Can anyone with healing abilities be safe when the king is so easily provoked into burning witches?
Dr. Armagil Blackwood has no respect for a wise woman claiming to know the art of healing. After all, he is trained as a doctor, even though he's inebriated quite often. His friend, Sir Patrick Graham, a professed Catholic in dangerous times, has need of Meg's healing abilities and he won't tolerate Dr. Blackwood's rude behavior when it threatens his life's ambition. Meg proves her skills to Blackwood and Graham but will they prove valuable to the king?
Blackwood is the exact opposite of Graham so they make a very unlikely pairing as best friends, but they are entertaining when they clash, especially since Blackwood enjoys taunting Graham beyond his patience. Each man seems to appeal to Meg so it's difficult at first to figure out which man she's attracted to most. We know she'll choose someone but will safety and nobility, or someone notorious, prevail?
Meg's healer's spirit is steady throughout the novel. Her spiritual light easily conflicts with the darkness of the times, making her journey all the more ominous for a woman with her past.
I really enjoyed this book and I think the subtle humor, as well as the fantasy elements, are what delighted me most. Even in the direst of situations when you know the characters must be terrified or angry, dry humor offsets the darkness. And some of the malevolent secondary characters offer a subtle humor in-between their most evil moments that makes their madness so much more realistic and caustic. None of the characters are cookie-cutter and some are so unique that you don't expect to root for them in the end. The historical time is well depicted but in the end it's the characters who drive the story.
In an era when every woman and many men fear being accused of witchcraft, or tried for treason for practicing their Catholic faith, you can't ever be sure who can be trusted. That mistrust kept me guessing and surprised me when I least expected it.
You do not need to read the entire DAUGHTERS OF THE EARTH series to understand THE LADY OF SECRETS, the sixth book. But, you might wish you had because who can read just one? Author Susan Carroll weaves such a good yarn that you're beyond stunned when she's woven swiftly through your blind spot. I did not see that coming—excellent twists! For pure adventure through history, THE LADY OF SECRETS spins a tale worth re-reading.
Review and book courtesy of Romance Junkies.
If you love historical fiction that focuses on the witch hunts and anti-Catholic sentiments of the seventeenth century, then this novel will make you feel as if you're right there amongst the subterfuge and plotting against King James I. Mixing in a bit of fantasy is perfect!
In the prologue we're introduced to a fifteen-year-old girl on the day of her execution for witchcraft. Her twin brother bribes his way into a visit with her beforehand, hoping that she'll deny the charges against her. But she cannot, for she is guilty. His pleas for the king's leniency go unanswered, leaving him to make a horrifying choice that will haunt him forever.
Years later in 1605, the appointed Lady of Faire Isle, Margaret "Meg" Wolfe, has responsibilities to those who seek shelter on Faire Isle. Due to her nature, she cannot refuse the request for healing when it is needed, even if she must leave the safety of Faire Isle. It is on one of these healing missions that she's faced with a request that will revive her past and invade her dreams.
Her best friend, Seraphine, cannot let Meg wander far without her protection. Known for her fighting skills, the beautiful Seraphine is an enigma. Well-armed, she intends to protect Meg against whatever happens. Unable to predict what they'll uncover, will Seraphine's bravado decline in the face of true evil?
The benefactors seeking Meg's healing ability for James Charles Stuart, the king of England, seem to have Meg and Seraphine's safety in mind, but the ever watchful Seraphine urges Meg to be cautious. What if these two men desire more from Meg than her healing gifts? Can Meg safeguard her heart as well as her life? Can anyone with healing abilities be safe when the king is so easily provoked into burning witches?
Dr. Armagil Blackwood has no respect for a wise woman claiming to know the art of healing. After all, he is trained as a doctor, even though he's inebriated quite often. His friend, Sir Patrick Graham, a professed Catholic in dangerous times, has need of Meg's healing abilities and he won't tolerate Dr. Blackwood's rude behavior when it threatens his life's ambition. Meg proves her skills to Blackwood and Graham but will they prove valuable to the king?
Blackwood is the exact opposite of Graham so they make a very unlikely pairing as best friends, but they are entertaining when they clash, especially since Blackwood enjoys taunting Graham beyond his patience. Each man seems to appeal to Meg so it's difficult at first to figure out which man she's attracted to most. We know she'll choose someone but will safety and nobility, or someone notorious, prevail?
Meg's healer's spirit is steady throughout the novel. Her spiritual light easily conflicts with the darkness of the times, making her journey all the more ominous for a woman with her past.
I really enjoyed this book and I think the subtle humor, as well as the fantasy elements, are what delighted me most. Even in the direst of situations when you know the characters must be terrified or angry, dry humor offsets the darkness. And some of the malevolent secondary characters offer a subtle humor in-between their most evil moments that makes their madness so much more realistic and caustic. None of the characters are cookie-cutter and some are so unique that you don't expect to root for them in the end. The historical time is well depicted but in the end it's the characters who drive the story.
In an era when every woman and many men fear being accused of witchcraft, or tried for treason for practicing their Catholic faith, you can't ever be sure who can be trusted. That mistrust kept me guessing and surprised me when I least expected it.
You do not need to read the entire DAUGHTERS OF THE EARTH series to understand THE LADY OF SECRETS, the sixth book. But, you might wish you had because who can read just one? Author Susan Carroll weaves such a good yarn that you're beyond stunned when she's woven swiftly through your blind spot. I did not see that coming—excellent twists! For pure adventure through history, THE LADY OF SECRETS spins a tale worth re-reading.
Review and book courtesy of Romance Junkies.
March 7, 2013
The Lady of Secrets was a well written historical thriller with romance thrown in at the end. I must admit that Ms. Carroll had me fooled until the very end of the book on the identity of one of the main characters - which is unusual. I usually know everyone's secrets at least half way through the book, so that was a surprise. The book takes place in France, Scotland and England during the reign of King James - directly after Queen Elizabeth dies - and James goes witch hunting. The plot centers around Meg, whose mother was an insane leader of a black magic coven, but who has since passed away leaving her daughter who she called Silver Rose and wanted to take over the world in the custody of her sane father. Meg turns out normal, but has powers which she uses for good and after training becomes the Lady of Fairer Isle. All this and more happens in book 1 - Silver Rose- which I did not read. You don't really have to because there are enough reminders in book 2 that you can keep up with the story without any trouble. Meg is asked to come to England to remove a curse from King James that one of the withes that he burned put on him and all his family. There is much more to it than that, and there are signs her mother may be alive and still operating the evil coven in England to kill King James, so Meg goes with her friend and protector Seraphine, even though witchcraft is still a crime in England.
The characters in this novel were all well drawn and quite three dimensional. The use of vivid description and internal dialogue helped to round out many character's qualities and flaws. Even some of the secondary characters got this detailed treatment, which made the story that much richer for the reader. The imagery was also well done- vivid, detailed on the important things and evocative of the period. The pacing was steady throughout the story all the way through the end.
The only real negatives that I have to say about it are these:
1. After Seraphine gets scarred, it is so disappointing to see her reaction. Here is a strong woman who will defy convention enough to wear breaches and a sword, much less know how to use it, and she falls apart due to vanity? Same thing with the episode in the church - where was the amazon warrior woman described before? Why build her up as this warrior if a small scratch to her face is all it takes to make her come undone? It does make it more convenient when her husband arrives, but that is just poor plotting IMHO. As long as she was royal and charming, she could have been anyone - so why an amazon in that age?
2. Armagil conveniently does many things at the end of the book - outwitting some of the best minds of the time with little to no trouble, and yet Seraphine's husband has no problem finding his wife. What does that say about their hiding place? All of it seems much to convenient for my liking. While I really like Armagil's character, I find it hard to believe he can walk on water. It is one of the reasons the book gets 4 stars.
Overall, the book was quite exciting and the characters drove you to read more of their story. Equal parts witchcraft, mystery, history, political thriller, this book is well worth the time spent reading it. I would recommend it to people who like mysteries, historical fiction, as well as historical romance.
The characters in this novel were all well drawn and quite three dimensional. The use of vivid description and internal dialogue helped to round out many character's qualities and flaws. Even some of the secondary characters got this detailed treatment, which made the story that much richer for the reader. The imagery was also well done- vivid, detailed on the important things and evocative of the period. The pacing was steady throughout the story all the way through the end.
The only real negatives that I have to say about it are these:
1. After Seraphine gets scarred, it is so disappointing to see her reaction. Here is a strong woman who will defy convention enough to wear breaches and a sword, much less know how to use it, and she falls apart due to vanity? Same thing with the episode in the church - where was the amazon warrior woman described before? Why build her up as this warrior if a small scratch to her face is all it takes to make her come undone? It does make it more convenient when her husband arrives, but that is just poor plotting IMHO. As long as she was royal and charming, she could have been anyone - so why an amazon in that age?
2. Armagil conveniently does many things at the end of the book - outwitting some of the best minds of the time with little to no trouble, and yet Seraphine's husband has no problem finding his wife. What does that say about their hiding place? All of it seems much to convenient for my liking. While I really like Armagil's character, I find it hard to believe he can walk on water. It is one of the reasons the book gets 4 stars.
Overall, the book was quite exciting and the characters drove you to read more of their story. Equal parts witchcraft, mystery, history, political thriller, this book is well worth the time spent reading it. I would recommend it to people who like mysteries, historical fiction, as well as historical romance.
December 20, 2012
I enjoyed this story so much because of the main character, Meg Wolfe. Meg lives under the scrutiny of her mother’s reputation before death. Her mother was known as insane, at least to locals, and a woman always sought after by witch hunters. She is even referred to as evil at one point in this story, but yet Meg perseveres and becomes the Lady of Faire Isle. Meg is gifted in all types of magic and particularly at what is known as healing. Although she is feared by many for possessing the same traits as her mother did, she still continues to prove that she intends to use her powers for the betterment of mankind and the locals that surround her. Meg was a wonderful heroine to follow.
The Middle Ages is always a time that I enjoy reading about. It is so dark and mysterious and I always picture rats running along grey and foggy cobblestone streets. I guess I am a little stereotypical, but that is just how I picture things. This book definitely fit that scenario and I was enraptured by the small details of the king’s court and all the royalty of England during this time period. The historical detail was on target and Susan Carroll does not miss a beat. I love when I read a wonderful story like this one and feel as if I have had a history lesson all in one setting. But then again, I am a nerd!
I love reading about witchcraft and superstitions as they are depicted in this novel. I have always been so fascinated with events like the Salem Witch Trials and witchcraft as far back as the Middle Ages. People took it so seriously and just like King James in this novel, some took their superstitions too far. The stigmatism surrounding witches in this book was just as I imagined it really would have been in the Middle Ages. Meg’s gift of healing and her connection to dark magic were explored really well throughout the novel as well. Readers will get an inside look at her abilities and talents and also into King James’ court.
Fans of rich historical fiction will enjoy this novel. There were points in my reading when I felt that passages were too wordy and could have been shortened, but this is usually the case with most historical fiction that I have read and I believe it says a lot for the author’s eye for detail and wanting to connect with their readers.
***A copy of this book was generously provided to me by the publishers at Ballantine Books in exchange for my honest review***
The Middle Ages is always a time that I enjoy reading about. It is so dark and mysterious and I always picture rats running along grey and foggy cobblestone streets. I guess I am a little stereotypical, but that is just how I picture things. This book definitely fit that scenario and I was enraptured by the small details of the king’s court and all the royalty of England during this time period. The historical detail was on target and Susan Carroll does not miss a beat. I love when I read a wonderful story like this one and feel as if I have had a history lesson all in one setting. But then again, I am a nerd!
I love reading about witchcraft and superstitions as they are depicted in this novel. I have always been so fascinated with events like the Salem Witch Trials and witchcraft as far back as the Middle Ages. People took it so seriously and just like King James in this novel, some took their superstitions too far. The stigmatism surrounding witches in this book was just as I imagined it really would have been in the Middle Ages. Meg’s gift of healing and her connection to dark magic were explored really well throughout the novel as well. Readers will get an inside look at her abilities and talents and also into King James’ court.
Fans of rich historical fiction will enjoy this novel. There were points in my reading when I felt that passages were too wordy and could have been shortened, but this is usually the case with most historical fiction that I have read and I believe it says a lot for the author’s eye for detail and wanting to connect with their readers.
***A copy of this book was generously provided to me by the publishers at Ballantine Books in exchange for my honest review***
January 5, 2013
I won a free copy of “The Lady of Secrets (The Dark Queen Saga #6)” as a first-reads giveaway.
Un-be-livable! I thought this story was absolutely spectacular! The novel is set in 1605 during the reign of King James I of England. It was a time when it was dangerous for a woman to be intellectual; wise or cunning women (who were often healers or midwives) could easily be condemned as witches and sentenced to death by burning. It was also a time of great political and religious turmoil as the English Catholics must remain in hiding for fear of being persecuted as they were under James’ predecessor, Queen Elizabeth I.
Margaret (Meg) Wolfe, the Lady of Faire Isle, a gifted healer whose talents of perception, remedies, and white magic are called upon to aid King James who believes himself to be the victim of a terrible curse. Meg travels to England with her friend and protector, Seraphine, la Comtesse de Castlenau, the king’s clerk, Sir Patrick Graham, and Dr. Armagil Blackwood, Sir Patrick’s friend and physician. But all is not as it seems as each person has their own reasons for this journey. Meg seeks to confront her past by investigating rumors of a resurgence of her late mothers witch coven, called the Silver Rose, and see what part it plays in a conspiracy against the king. Meanwhile, she must also contend with the duplicity of certain of her travelling companions and uncover the secret identities and hidden agendas that threaten her very life.
This novel is a wonderful blend of historical fiction, romance, and mystery. It weaves together an intricate and exciting story that includes the resurrection of a fictional witch coven alongside the infamous Gunpowder Plot. The time period was very well captured so the reader really got the sense of the atmosphere of early 17th century England. It was a fast-paced, enjoyable read and I would highly recommend this book to anyone.
Un-be-livable! I thought this story was absolutely spectacular! The novel is set in 1605 during the reign of King James I of England. It was a time when it was dangerous for a woman to be intellectual; wise or cunning women (who were often healers or midwives) could easily be condemned as witches and sentenced to death by burning. It was also a time of great political and religious turmoil as the English Catholics must remain in hiding for fear of being persecuted as they were under James’ predecessor, Queen Elizabeth I.
Margaret (Meg) Wolfe, the Lady of Faire Isle, a gifted healer whose talents of perception, remedies, and white magic are called upon to aid King James who believes himself to be the victim of a terrible curse. Meg travels to England with her friend and protector, Seraphine, la Comtesse de Castlenau, the king’s clerk, Sir Patrick Graham, and Dr. Armagil Blackwood, Sir Patrick’s friend and physician. But all is not as it seems as each person has their own reasons for this journey. Meg seeks to confront her past by investigating rumors of a resurgence of her late mothers witch coven, called the Silver Rose, and see what part it plays in a conspiracy against the king. Meanwhile, she must also contend with the duplicity of certain of her travelling companions and uncover the secret identities and hidden agendas that threaten her very life.
This novel is a wonderful blend of historical fiction, romance, and mystery. It weaves together an intricate and exciting story that includes the resurrection of a fictional witch coven alongside the infamous Gunpowder Plot. The time period was very well captured so the reader really got the sense of the atmosphere of early 17th century England. It was a fast-paced, enjoyable read and I would highly recommend this book to anyone.
February 16, 2016
In 16th century Edinburgh, Maidred Brody and Tamsin Rivers are found guilty of being a witches and are scheduled to be burned at the stake. A crowd of people, including King James I, have gathered to witness the executions. Maidred 19s brother, Robert, begs the king to save his sister 19s life, but the monarch refuses. Robert swears vengeance against the king for the injustice. As flames consume Tamsin Rivers, she curses the king and his family, which both horrifies and terrifies King James.
Many years later, in Brittany, an anti-evil healer named Meg Wolfe is called to break the curse placed upon a young girl by a village witch. In the presence of a sceptical doctor, Meg is successful in freeing the young girl from the evil curse. As news of the cure spreads, Meg is called to London to aid the king who is suffering from ill luck, haunting visions, and the powers of a dark witch he is certain has befallen him because of the witch he had ordered burned at the stake. The men sent to escort Meg believe the spell has been cast by witches who belong to the Silver Rose Coven.
The front cover is this novel is beautiful and drew my attention immediately. The Lady of Secrets is one of a series of novels. Although you do not have to read earlier books in the series to enjoy this one, there were some references made to earlier subplots which made me regret not having read them. There is much to find interesting in this story 13 murder, vengeance, and dark secrets. A romance blooms between Meg and Blackwood which was charming due to her feisty nature and his tendency to be a bit of a scoundrel at times. And of course, because of Meg 19s talents as a healer with a talent towards healing supernatural or paranormal problems, added quite a bit of interest. There was a fabulous plot twist at the end which made the ending more than satisfying!
Many years later, in Brittany, an anti-evil healer named Meg Wolfe is called to break the curse placed upon a young girl by a village witch. In the presence of a sceptical doctor, Meg is successful in freeing the young girl from the evil curse. As news of the cure spreads, Meg is called to London to aid the king who is suffering from ill luck, haunting visions, and the powers of a dark witch he is certain has befallen him because of the witch he had ordered burned at the stake. The men sent to escort Meg believe the spell has been cast by witches who belong to the Silver Rose Coven.
The front cover is this novel is beautiful and drew my attention immediately. The Lady of Secrets is one of a series of novels. Although you do not have to read earlier books in the series to enjoy this one, there were some references made to earlier subplots which made me regret not having read them. There is much to find interesting in this story 13 murder, vengeance, and dark secrets. A romance blooms between Meg and Blackwood which was charming due to her feisty nature and his tendency to be a bit of a scoundrel at times. And of course, because of Meg 19s talents as a healer with a talent towards healing supernatural or paranormal problems, added quite a bit of interest. There was a fabulous plot twist at the end which made the ending more than satisfying!
May 6, 2013
The Lady of Secrets is the sixth installment of The Dark Queen Saga and the first I have read of the series. I found the story line to be fairly fast paced and the action moved along quite well and held my interest. I did not feel lost because I have not read the previous books in the series and felt like this book stood well on its own.
Meg is the Lady of Faerie Isle and attends to mostly women as a wise woman or healer. She has a dark past and constantly strives to dispel the myth that wise women are witches. She seeks the best way to heal those who seek her help by employing common sense, herbal cures, and maybe a little bit of white magic. Meg is sought out by a couple of gentlemen from England who ask her to accompany them back to England to meet with the King, James Stuart. Stuart had been cursed by a witch 20 years earlier and Meg was sought out to put his mind at ease. Along with her trusted friend, Seraphine, she works to uncover the true nature of her summons to England and expose a sect of dark witches who have ties to her past.
This novel seems to be a mixed bag of genres. It has romance, action, murder, intrigue, fantasy, humor, and a bit of wittiness. The story line moves from Scotland, to France, to England. The greatest weakness of the novel is simply the grammar. In some paragraphs, words were overused to the extreme. On page 311 "...Minton and everyone else in that tavern had supposed Armagil had had too much to drink. But the real problem was that he had not had enough. He had been far too sober to weather a shock like that. those few moments when he had feared that Meg might be the murdered woman they were talking about ..." I found instances of had had and that that to be distracting.
Meg is the Lady of Faerie Isle and attends to mostly women as a wise woman or healer. She has a dark past and constantly strives to dispel the myth that wise women are witches. She seeks the best way to heal those who seek her help by employing common sense, herbal cures, and maybe a little bit of white magic. Meg is sought out by a couple of gentlemen from England who ask her to accompany them back to England to meet with the King, James Stuart. Stuart had been cursed by a witch 20 years earlier and Meg was sought out to put his mind at ease. Along with her trusted friend, Seraphine, she works to uncover the true nature of her summons to England and expose a sect of dark witches who have ties to her past.
This novel seems to be a mixed bag of genres. It has romance, action, murder, intrigue, fantasy, humor, and a bit of wittiness. The story line moves from Scotland, to France, to England. The greatest weakness of the novel is simply the grammar. In some paragraphs, words were overused to the extreme. On page 311 "...Minton and everyone else in that tavern had supposed Armagil had had too much to drink. But the real problem was that he had not had enough. He had been far too sober to weather a shock like that. those few moments when he had feared that Meg might be the murdered woman they were talking about ..." I found instances of had had and that that to be distracting.
January 2, 2013
The Lady of Fair Isle just wants to be helpful and keep her island and her people safe. Unfortunately, life is just not that simple. Because her mother was a well-known witch and sorceress, Margaret (Meg) is constantly barraged by those who either were her mothers' followers, or those who wished to destroy the coven of witches. She's tried so hard to leave that behind and forget about her past; she hopes that no one will figure out who she really is so she can finally live in peace.
When Meg and her friend Seraphine go to the mainland to help a young girl who is 'possessed', they meet with Sir Patrick and his friend, Armagil. What follows is an adventure for everyone full of fear, treason, witchcraft and romance.
The story is fast-paced and rarely lags and the author keeps your attention the entire time. I will freely admit that even I wasn't prepared for that little twist at the end! The characters are fairly real even if they feel more plot-driven than character-driven.
The story itself is very dark and heavy on witchcraft and revenge. Those whom have been wronged by the witch hunters not only want to see justice done, but want to see the almost extinct coven of the Silver Rose reincarnated so they can take over the world. They will go to any lengths to see it through and aren't squeamish about a little bloodshed and kidnapping now and then.
The Lady of Secrets is definitely full of secrets--and not one that you'll want to read in the dark!
To view the full content review, visit Compass Book Ratings!
When Meg and her friend Seraphine go to the mainland to help a young girl who is 'possessed', they meet with Sir Patrick and his friend, Armagil. What follows is an adventure for everyone full of fear, treason, witchcraft and romance.
The story is fast-paced and rarely lags and the author keeps your attention the entire time. I will freely admit that even I wasn't prepared for that little twist at the end! The characters are fairly real even if they feel more plot-driven than character-driven.
The story itself is very dark and heavy on witchcraft and revenge. Those whom have been wronged by the witch hunters not only want to see justice done, but want to see the almost extinct coven of the Silver Rose reincarnated so they can take over the world. They will go to any lengths to see it through and aren't squeamish about a little bloodshed and kidnapping now and then.
The Lady of Secrets is definitely full of secrets--and not one that you'll want to read in the dark!
To view the full content review, visit Compass Book Ratings!
April 16, 2019
This was first posted on The Purple Booker (previously Fire & Ice)
I have long loved reading the stories in the Dark Queen Saga that Susan Carroll has created. The story that delves deeper into the story of Meg the new Lady of the isle is no different. For me the book started out a little bit slow but once it picked up I could not set it down. I am slightly baffled and slightly annoyed by some reviews I have come across on the internet when folks have said this was the first book by this author they have read and rated it down because they did not understand some of the past references, well it clearly states it is part of a series if you haven't read the rest don't judge the book because of that (end rant sorry about that!)
Once again we are treated to sweeping landscapes and we get a treat this time for much of the time is spend in England. I love this era and England, and Meg has a lot of things to overcome. Danger meets her at almost every turn and of course where she least expects to find it she finds some love. If you want a solid series with danger, love and a touch of magic this is one that you will enjoy. I am so happy that Meg got her happy ending, she deserved it after the tough childhood she had and then the loss of her Father. Some characters will always touch close to your heart for me Meg is one of them and the fierce Seraphine as well how could I forget her. She is loyal and brash and she finds her happiness again too after a lot of bitter loss. I hope we get another book in this series because I want to spend more time with my old friends.
I have long loved reading the stories in the Dark Queen Saga that Susan Carroll has created. The story that delves deeper into the story of Meg the new Lady of the isle is no different. For me the book started out a little bit slow but once it picked up I could not set it down. I am slightly baffled and slightly annoyed by some reviews I have come across on the internet when folks have said this was the first book by this author they have read and rated it down because they did not understand some of the past references, well it clearly states it is part of a series if you haven't read the rest don't judge the book because of that (end rant sorry about that!)
Once again we are treated to sweeping landscapes and we get a treat this time for much of the time is spend in England. I love this era and England, and Meg has a lot of things to overcome. Danger meets her at almost every turn and of course where she least expects to find it she finds some love. If you want a solid series with danger, love and a touch of magic this is one that you will enjoy. I am so happy that Meg got her happy ending, she deserved it after the tough childhood she had and then the loss of her Father. Some characters will always touch close to your heart for me Meg is one of them and the fierce Seraphine as well how could I forget her. She is loyal and brash and she finds her happiness again too after a lot of bitter loss. I hope we get another book in this series because I want to spend more time with my old friends.
October 14, 2012
(Thank you to netgalley.com for an early copy!)
In her latest book, Susan Carroll continues the story of Meg Wolfe, the Lady of the Fair Isle. The book opens with 2 women preparing to be burned for witchcraft - one old, and one very yough. Some years later, Meg encounters two men, one a nobleman, and the other a medical doctor who seems to be haunted by his own set of demons. With both her mother and Catherine de Medici dead, Meg is now the Lady of the Fair Isle, responsible for the "daughters of the earth without the fear and turbulence that had been a part of her life. As the Lady of the Fair Isle, Meg is all too aware of the risks of being perceived as a witch, and focuses on practicing her healing art and avoiding trouble. Unfortunately, the two men bring trouble to her when the nobleman asks her to help the king by removing a curse placed by one of the women burned in his name. Although this is very risky for Meg, she agrees to help the king, even though it was a "daughter of the earth" who placed the curse on the king.
The Lady of Secrets follows Meg, the nobleman and the doctor as they navigate their way through the political and superstitious pitfalls of the time. As time goes on, it is clear that no one is who they seem to be; not the king, not the nobleman, not even Meg. And understanding their motives becomes a matter of life and death for Meg. There is plenty of magic, visions, romance and danger to keep you engaged til the very end.
In her latest book, Susan Carroll continues the story of Meg Wolfe, the Lady of the Fair Isle. The book opens with 2 women preparing to be burned for witchcraft - one old, and one very yough. Some years later, Meg encounters two men, one a nobleman, and the other a medical doctor who seems to be haunted by his own set of demons. With both her mother and Catherine de Medici dead, Meg is now the Lady of the Fair Isle, responsible for the "daughters of the earth without the fear and turbulence that had been a part of her life. As the Lady of the Fair Isle, Meg is all too aware of the risks of being perceived as a witch, and focuses on practicing her healing art and avoiding trouble. Unfortunately, the two men bring trouble to her when the nobleman asks her to help the king by removing a curse placed by one of the women burned in his name. Although this is very risky for Meg, she agrees to help the king, even though it was a "daughter of the earth" who placed the curse on the king.
The Lady of Secrets follows Meg, the nobleman and the doctor as they navigate their way through the political and superstitious pitfalls of the time. As time goes on, it is clear that no one is who they seem to be; not the king, not the nobleman, not even Meg. And understanding their motives becomes a matter of life and death for Meg. There is plenty of magic, visions, romance and danger to keep you engaged til the very end.
January 7, 2013
The Lady of Secrets is set during the reign of James I, when England in the 1600s fostered an almost unwarranted belief in witchcraft and the dark arts. Meg Wolfe has the gift of healing but the lasting legacy from her mother, the mad witch Cassandra Claire, makes sure that Meg will always be held accountable for her mother’s notorious reputation. When someone hell bent on revenge enlists Meg’s help, there are choices to be made which will have severe repercussions on the destiny of “The Lady of the Faire Isle”.
I think to appreciate this novel fully it would have been more helpful for me to have read the previous books in The Dark Queen Saga, of which, The Lady of Secrets is book number 6. However, the author does go some way into involving in a new reader with several references to events which have passed in previous stories.
Initially, I was drawn to the book by its cover which I think is very pretty and as the premise of the story evokes a time when superstition and mistrust formed the basis of everyday life, what follows is a part historical, part fantasy balance between good and evil, and right and wrong. If I am honest, the book could have done with a tighter edit, there are some modernisms in the text which would have found no place in Stuart England, however, putting that to one side , I am sure than fans of Susan Carroll will find much to enjoy in this latest offering.
My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for a review copy of this book.
I think to appreciate this novel fully it would have been more helpful for me to have read the previous books in The Dark Queen Saga, of which, The Lady of Secrets is book number 6. However, the author does go some way into involving in a new reader with several references to events which have passed in previous stories.
Initially, I was drawn to the book by its cover which I think is very pretty and as the premise of the story evokes a time when superstition and mistrust formed the basis of everyday life, what follows is a part historical, part fantasy balance between good and evil, and right and wrong. If I am honest, the book could have done with a tighter edit, there are some modernisms in the text which would have found no place in Stuart England, however, putting that to one side , I am sure than fans of Susan Carroll will find much to enjoy in this latest offering.
My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for a review copy of this book.
December 12, 2012
The Lady of Secrets is the sixth installment of the Dark Queen Saga, a series I had no idea was ongoing. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this pop up.
The heroine of this was is Margaret Wolfe, who readers of this series will be familiar with. Now The Lady of Faire Isle, she is sought out by people who need her expertise in healing. She's sought out by one man in particular, who needs her to help lift a curse from the King of England. Once in England, she soon realizes that no one is telling the truth, and everyone is hiding something.
While I don't think this book was up to par with the rest of the series, I still liked it. I think what fell flat for me was I didn't care much for the hero, or the romance. And Meg, while a good heroine, fell short of the previous heroines. She was still a great heroine in her own right.
The first half of the book was great. Even though not a whole lot happened, I was still engrossed due to the writing. The characters were fantastic, I thought: the good, the bad, and the ones that hovered in the middle. Although, in the second half of the story, it lost something, and I'm not sure what. The climax of the story, while interesting, was disappointing in its effectiveness as the 'big event'.
Still, a good story. It was nice to see what happened to Meg.
The heroine of this was is Margaret Wolfe, who readers of this series will be familiar with. Now The Lady of Faire Isle, she is sought out by people who need her expertise in healing. She's sought out by one man in particular, who needs her to help lift a curse from the King of England. Once in England, she soon realizes that no one is telling the truth, and everyone is hiding something.
While I don't think this book was up to par with the rest of the series, I still liked it. I think what fell flat for me was I didn't care much for the hero, or the romance. And Meg, while a good heroine, fell short of the previous heroines. She was still a great heroine in her own right.
The first half of the book was great. Even though not a whole lot happened, I was still engrossed due to the writing. The characters were fantastic, I thought: the good, the bad, and the ones that hovered in the middle. Although, in the second half of the story, it lost something, and I'm not sure what. The climax of the story, while interesting, was disappointing in its effectiveness as the 'big event'.
Still, a good story. It was nice to see what happened to Meg.
October 18, 2015
See full review for The Lady of Secrets at: https://toomanybooksnotenoughshelves....
Lady Margaret Wolfe has finally become the Lady of Faire Isle. Due to her declining health, Arianne decided to give up her post and spend whatever time she had left with her husband. Meg has blossomed into a woman and has flourished under the new title. But her old demons still haunt her and they really press on her when a man named Lord Patrick Graham asks for her assistance with a matter that has to deal with the king of England. Despite Seraphine’s protests and Lord Graham’s traveling companion – Doctor Blackwood – warning, Meg agrees to go to the king’s side and see if she can break the curse.
If you’ve paid attention to any of my other reviews of Carroll’s work in this series, you’ll know that the heroine of our tale falls in love with the male who gives her the most problems while also overcoming some marvelous and tragic feat. And if you haven’t then…surprise! So, as much as I love Carroll’s work, I have to admit this book sort of bored me to tears.
Lady Margaret Wolfe has finally become the Lady of Faire Isle. Due to her declining health, Arianne decided to give up her post and spend whatever time she had left with her husband. Meg has blossomed into a woman and has flourished under the new title. But her old demons still haunt her and they really press on her when a man named Lord Patrick Graham asks for her assistance with a matter that has to deal with the king of England. Despite Seraphine’s protests and Lord Graham’s traveling companion – Doctor Blackwood – warning, Meg agrees to go to the king’s side and see if she can break the curse.
If you’ve paid attention to any of my other reviews of Carroll’s work in this series, you’ll know that the heroine of our tale falls in love with the male who gives her the most problems while also overcoming some marvelous and tragic feat. And if you haven’t then…surprise! So, as much as I love Carroll’s work, I have to admit this book sort of bored me to tears.
September 16, 2013
Meg Wolfe, Lady of the Faire Isle, always help those in need. When her help is solicited by two dark men seeking to help free James I from a witches curse, she is hesitant. When Meg arrives with her friend Seraphine, she is fearful. Her mother's coven is lurking in the shadows. The men she came with aren't what they seem. London is teeming with people wanting to use Meg, some with good intentions and some with bad. With help from her friend, Meg must use her wits to make it out alive.
I enjoyed this book. It is #6 in the Dark Queen Series. There were some places that I felt I was missing some previous information, but it works well as a stand alone novel. The novel starts darkly, with an execution, and really doesn't let up. The character development was murky, and that added to the mystery. It was a great novel, and I hope to go back and read books 1-5. They seem really good and twisty.
I enjoyed this book. It is #6 in the Dark Queen Series. There were some places that I felt I was missing some previous information, but it works well as a stand alone novel. The novel starts darkly, with an execution, and really doesn't let up. The character development was murky, and that added to the mystery. It was a great novel, and I hope to go back and read books 1-5. They seem really good and twisty.
August 21, 2013
THE LADY OF SECRETS is the final book in Carroll’s Dark Queen series. Having only read (and loved) the first book in the series, THE DARK QUEEN, I’m happy to report that the last book is just as awesome as the first.
From the first pages, THE LADY OF SECRETS is a captivating tale that I spent my entire weekend reading. At 400+ pages I wanted this to be longer as I devoured Meg’s story, and it didn’t matter that I didn’t know any of the backstory that had been developed in the preceding books. Carroll is skilled at crafting a novel that keeps you turning the pages as you wonder what can possibly happen next.
THE LADY OF SECRETS is a strong finish to what I believe is a strong series, and I’m pretty excited about the fact that I can go back and read the four middle books that I missed.
From the first pages, THE LADY OF SECRETS is a captivating tale that I spent my entire weekend reading. At 400+ pages I wanted this to be longer as I devoured Meg’s story, and it didn’t matter that I didn’t know any of the backstory that had been developed in the preceding books. Carroll is skilled at crafting a novel that keeps you turning the pages as you wonder what can possibly happen next.
THE LADY OF SECRETS is a strong finish to what I believe is a strong series, and I’m pretty excited about the fact that I can go back and read the four middle books that I missed.
November 30, 2013
First I would like to say, I very much regret not reading this book sooner! Sadly (well, you can't really be sad for getting so many great books) I gained many books since I acquired this one, and it got lost in the countless piles of books in my room.
After uncovering it and finally getting to read it, it instantly drew me in. The story was so unique and interesting, the characters were very well-written, and not once do you ever so much as suspect the twist at the end. Total shocker!
I hope to read more books from this author (as soon as I can cut down these piles a little more to make room! lol), and anyone whom is interested in historical fiction books, especially of this time period should definitely read this!
I recieved this book through the GoodReads First Reads Giveaway. This has not affected my review in any way.
After uncovering it and finally getting to read it, it instantly drew me in. The story was so unique and interesting, the characters were very well-written, and not once do you ever so much as suspect the twist at the end. Total shocker!
I hope to read more books from this author (as soon as I can cut down these piles a little more to make room! lol), and anyone whom is interested in historical fiction books, especially of this time period should definitely read this!
I recieved this book through the GoodReads First Reads Giveaway. This has not affected my review in any way.
June 12, 2013
I have finished reading the last book of the Dark Queen series and I am so glad!
This one concerns Meg Wolfe whom mad mother had predicted she would conquer the world and take the throne of England with the darkest sorcery ever. Meggie though is practicing white magic on Fair Isle
when she is asked to save an old woman in Scotland from accusations of witchcraft. Once there she meets Sir Patrick Graham and Armagil Blackwood either of whom are what they seem.
Both Queens Catherine and Elizabeth have passed but now King James desires an audience with Meg to cure the curse a witch placed on him and house.
Meg and her friend Seraphine journey to London where the Guy Falkes plot is brewing and two women are looking for the Silver Rose to begin a new coven. Blissfully unaware of this, Meg soothes King James's fears, falls in love with Armagil and soon finds herself in deep trouble.
This one concerns Meg Wolfe whom mad mother had predicted she would conquer the world and take the throne of England with the darkest sorcery ever. Meggie though is practicing white magic on Fair Isle
when she is asked to save an old woman in Scotland from accusations of witchcraft. Once there she meets Sir Patrick Graham and Armagil Blackwood either of whom are what they seem.
Both Queens Catherine and Elizabeth have passed but now King James desires an audience with Meg to cure the curse a witch placed on him and house.
Meg and her friend Seraphine journey to London where the Guy Falkes plot is brewing and two women are looking for the Silver Rose to begin a new coven. Blissfully unaware of this, Meg soothes King James's fears, falls in love with Armagil and soon finds herself in deep trouble.
December 30, 2012
I love when my purchases prove why I should be allowed to impulse buy in a bookstore. Susan Carroll's The Lady of Secrets was just that, a book I stayed in bed until three in the afternoon to finish because I couldn't not know what happened. The reader follows Meg, 'Phine, Armagil, and Sir Patrick as they travel from France to England for vastly different reasons. Meg, to discover if her mother is really dead and to see if she can save King James; 'Phine, becuase she is the self-declared protector of Meg; Armagil, for his own secrets that the reader will discover; and Sir Patrick, to either save or destroy the king, depending on who you believe. The book is full of witchcraft, healing, betrayals, mystery, and vengence. One of the greatest impulse buys I've ever had!
January 25, 2013
I was very disappointed in this book. Four years is just too long to write a book in a series, it took me a while to remember exactly what happened in the previous books. This book is set almost 20 after the last one. First I didn't like that Meg only mentioned Ariana and Seraphine mentioned her dad but not her mom, I want to know what is happening with all the Chenny sisters and other characters in the past books. I am also not happy with how Meg turned out, she's too haunted by her past, some what naive and instead of embrassing her powers as the Chenny sisters did she let them dwindle. This book felt like the author was tired of the series but felt that she was obliged to write Meg's book and tie up the story.
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