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The Laurentine Spy
The Corhonase citadel is a place of virtue and debauchery — and deadly secrets. For the Laurentine spies embedded there, every day brings danger. Nothing is as it seems, whether in the ballrooms and salons of the nobles' court or the catacombs beneath the citadel.
Saliel has many secrets; her spying is one, her past as a pickpocket in Laurent's slums is another, but her most deeply guarded secret is the magic she possesses. She walks a narrow path between discovery as a spy and being burned as a witch.
With a sadistic Spycatcher closing in, Saliel and her fellow spies are tested to the limits of heir endurance. In the fight to stay alive they must trust each other — or die. Magic may be their only hope of survival...
Saliel has many secrets; her spying is one, her past as a pickpocket in Laurent's slums is another, but her most deeply guarded secret is the magic she possesses. She walks a narrow path between discovery as a spy and being burned as a witch.
With a sadistic Spycatcher closing in, Saliel and her fellow spies are tested to the limits of heir endurance. In the fight to stay alive they must trust each other — or die. Magic may be their only hope of survival...
410 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
14 people are currently reading
814 people want to read
About the author
Emily Gee
5 books167 followersEmily also writes historical romance novels as Emily Larkin.
Emily grew up in a house full of words and books – her mother was a librarian and her father a novelist – so perhaps it’s not surprising she became a writer.
She loves to travel and has lived in Sweden, backpacked in Europe, and journeyed overland in the Middle East, China, North Africa, and North America. She enjoys climbing hills, yoga workouts, and watching reruns of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly.
Emily writes fantasy novels as Emily Gee, and historical romance novels as Emily Larkin.
Emily grew up in a house full of words and books – her mother was a librarian and her father a novelist – so perhaps it’s not surprising she became a writer.
She loves to travel and has lived in Sweden, backpacked in Europe, and journeyed overland in the Middle East, China, North Africa, and North America. She enjoys climbing hills, yoga workouts, and watching reruns of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly.
Emily writes fantasy novels as Emily Gee, and historical romance novels as Emily Larkin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
May 19, 2013
This was... sort of okay. A pretty compulsive read, with short chapters and some tension. But I started it last night and picking it up again this morning, it just seemed thin: this society is evil because rape. Character conflict because rape. Rapey rapey rape.
Ahem. Basically, there was very little depth to the world: there was no explanation of why the two kingdoms/empires (whichever they were meant to be which was, surprise! not clear) were at odds, no explanation of exactly what they were fighting over, very little explanation of why the two main spies were even there in the first place, little understanding of the stakes... It's very black and white, except that the bits that seemed meant to be "white" were still rather murky -- Really?! Just -- really?!
Ahem. Basically, there was very little depth to the world: there was no explanation of why the two kingdoms/empires (whichever they were meant to be which was, surprise! not clear) were at odds, no explanation of exactly what they were fighting over, very little explanation of why the two main spies were even there in the first place, little understanding of the stakes... It's very black and white, except that the bits that seemed meant to be "white" were still rather murky -- Really?! Just -- really?!
September 30, 2017
ACTUAL RATINGS 1.5/5
(1 star for the cover, half a star because it was over rather quickly)
Not gonna lie: when I finished this book I felt like letting off fireworks and popping champagne would be an appropriate reaction.
I know this may sound rude, but this book was supposed to bring me out of a forced 3-month long book slump, while it had quite the opposite effect, instead.
I must admit the first 20 pages kinda got me hooked. The writing was fluid and the author gave the right amount of info, at the right time. Unfortunately, I discovered pretty soon that it was not just a way to slowly unravel the plot, but the actual pace of the story.
The fast-paced chapters that I found enticing at the very beginning, became way too fast at times, insomuch that they prevented a proper development of the events. Sometimes, the story went from point A to point Z ignoring the rest of the alphabet completely, leaving me confused and frustrated. The facts, even the most salient ones, were told without emphasis. Character X bought bread and ate an apple and Character X cut a man’s throat and bathed in his blood were presented with the same flat tone and the same lack of emotion. And here I was, expecting some thrill. Sigh.
The dialogues sounded trite and dull; the writing was repetitive, I found myself bored by pages after pages of the same lines and dialogues. There were at least 38 various Are you allright/all right?, and I’m not even sure I counted them all.
The spy-centered storyline dragged itself through the whole book, and the fantasy/magical element was almost too inexistent and plain for this book to be even included in this category. I wish the author would have focused more on these two aspects and less on the unbelievably tedious (and kinda immature) love square.
About the plot… I don’t think there actually was one. Well, of course there was one, but let’s say its edges are a little too blurry and undefined for me to understand them completely. So…yeah, this is either about me being too dumb to fully acknowledge the full plot or it was indeed a mess of facts put together for the sake of calling it a story. I rest my case. Main dish: Point A and Point Z, with a side of no in-between.
This book is told from two point of views. I usually tend to get even more picky when it comes to this kind of stories, and I tend to notice whether the characters’ inner monologues define and appose to their personality, and one of the things that disappointed me the most about this book, is how how the two MCs’ voices both looked and sounded the same. There also was a very little (if not actually none, in some cases) continuity within their thoughts, zero coherence between what they thought and how they acted.
I have very little to say about the side characters except that they came and went unnoticed, they didn’t leave a sign or a memory. The Spycatcher was an insult of a villain, but I guess it says a lot if I admit I still liked him more than the two main characters.
I think it’s been a while since I last felt about fictional characters the way I feel about Athan and Saliel.
They experienced no character arc at all. All Athan’s progress seemed more like a painfuland totally failed attempt at convincing himself he was not a bad person who did stupid things, rather than an actual way for him to finally grow and man up. Most of the time he literally came off as a confused, spoiled and coward little brat that only made up reasons to excuse his bad behaviors.
(I swear to Batman, there were times I really felt the physical need to punch a wall when he spoke.)
Saliel was more tolerable, but she was whiny and easily unlikeable, just the same. I don’t know if she was supposed to be some kind of badass/feminist heroine, but, the vibes she gave me were the farthest there is from that kind of woman. She was always too self-deprecating and ready to give herself away as a weak, poor, useless creature, when all the suffering and obstacles she’d endured in her life should have made her way more strong and conscious.
I don’t even consider them a good pairing, to be honest. Their so-called love felt too rushed, the way it was described felt more like the author wanted to convince me they were in love more than show me proof of it. Not to mention how all the silent I love yous sounded fake and totally random.
I probably will try to read something else by Emily Gee in the future, but for now, I think I'll just try to forget and move on.
Don't tell James Bond, but I'm afraid spy stories ain't the way they used to be, anymore.
(1 star for the cover, half a star because it was over rather quickly)
Not gonna lie: when I finished this book I felt like letting off fireworks and popping champagne would be an appropriate reaction.
I know this may sound rude, but this book was supposed to bring me out of a forced 3-month long book slump, while it had quite the opposite effect, instead.
I must admit the first 20 pages kinda got me hooked. The writing was fluid and the author gave the right amount of info, at the right time. Unfortunately, I discovered pretty soon that it was not just a way to slowly unravel the plot, but the actual pace of the story.
The fast-paced chapters that I found enticing at the very beginning, became way too fast at times, insomuch that they prevented a proper development of the events. Sometimes, the story went from point A to point Z ignoring the rest of the alphabet completely, leaving me confused and frustrated. The facts, even the most salient ones, were told without emphasis. Character X bought bread and ate an apple and Character X cut a man’s throat and bathed in his blood were presented with the same flat tone and the same lack of emotion. And here I was, expecting some thrill. Sigh.
The dialogues sounded trite and dull; the writing was repetitive, I found myself bored by pages after pages of the same lines and dialogues. There were at least 38 various Are you allright/all right?, and I’m not even sure I counted them all.
The spy-centered storyline dragged itself through the whole book, and the fantasy/magical element was almost too inexistent and plain for this book to be even included in this category. I wish the author would have focused more on these two aspects and less on the unbelievably tedious (and kinda immature) love square.
About the plot… I don’t think there actually was one. Well, of course there was one, but let’s say its edges are a little too blurry and undefined for me to understand them completely. So…yeah, this is either about me being too dumb to fully acknowledge the full plot or it was indeed a mess of facts put together for the sake of calling it a story. I rest my case. Main dish: Point A and Point Z, with a side of no in-between.
This book is told from two point of views. I usually tend to get even more picky when it comes to this kind of stories, and I tend to notice whether the characters’ inner monologues define and appose to their personality, and one of the things that disappointed me the most about this book, is how how the two MCs’ voices both looked and sounded the same. There also was a very little (if not actually none, in some cases) continuity within their thoughts, zero coherence between what they thought and how they acted.
I have very little to say about the side characters except that they came and went unnoticed, they didn’t leave a sign or a memory. The Spycatcher was an insult of a villain, but I guess it says a lot if I admit I still liked him more than the two main characters.
I think it’s been a while since I last felt about fictional characters the way I feel about Athan and Saliel.
They experienced no character arc at all. All Athan’s progress seemed more like a painful
(I swear to Batman, there were times I really felt the physical need to punch a wall when he spoke.)
Saliel was more tolerable, but she was whiny and easily unlikeable, just the same. I don’t know if she was supposed to be some kind of badass/feminist heroine, but, the vibes she gave me were the farthest there is from that kind of woman. She was always too self-deprecating and ready to give herself away as a weak, poor, useless creature, when all the suffering and obstacles she’d endured in her life should have made her way more strong and conscious.
I don’t even consider them a good pairing, to be honest. Their so-called love felt too rushed, the way it was described felt more like the author wanted to convince me they were in love more than show me proof of it. Not to mention how all the silent I love yous sounded fake and totally random.
I probably will try to read something else by Emily Gee in the future, but for now, I think I'll just try to forget and move on.
Don't tell James Bond, but I'm afraid spy stories ain't the way they used to be, anymore.
July 16, 2009
Thanks go to Ana of The Book Smugglers for recommending this lovely little book. It was her review that first brought it to my attention a couple months back and sparked my interest. I picked it up at the bookstore shortly after, brought it home, and then promptly set it on the nightstand stack to marinate for awhile. I looked at it speculatively from time to time but other books kept nosing in and getting in the way. Then when I suddenly needed something incredibly engrossing about characters who elicited my sympathy to pull me out of my post-The Actor and the Housewife funk, there it was. On top of the stack with its pretty cover and its hinting at a sort of irresistable blend of fantasy, intrigue, romance oh my!
Deep in the bowels of the Corhonase citadel, among catecombs and crypts and crumbling columns, three cloaked and hooded personages meet in secret. They utter their passwords to the mysterious Guardian and enter. Known to each other only as One, Two, and Three, by day these three spies masquerade as nobles and servant in an enemy court, while by night they plot to steal top-secret code books on behalf of their homeland of Laurent. Different spies rotate through Corhona and there have always been a One and a Two. A noble and a servant. But now, for the first time, there is a Three. A woman. Saliel is Three and it is her job to stay close to the women of court, to the Prince's Consort, and feed her fellow spies and their Guardian any information she can glean about military movements, plots, and maneuvers. It is Saliel's dream to earn enough money to quit espionage and settle down in a solitary cottage by the sea and never have nightmares of her dark past or her danger-fraught present. Though they have no idea just who the other masquerades as during the day, One and Three develop a tenuous bond forged of mutual respect, curiosity, and a desire to protect the other from harm. But when the prince brings in a professional Spycatcher, that bond is stretched to the breaking point as Athan and Saliel are unwittingly pitted against one another, forced to tiptoe through their days, terrified of being caught, and uncertain as to whether or not they will ever escape Corhona alive.
I devoured THE LAURENTINE SPY. It was precisely what I needed--a really emotionally involving, heart-thumpingly exciting yarn. Within three pages, Emily Gee had me completely committed to these two characters and their secret-shrouded mission. The entire premise is a recipe for success: two spies who have never seen each other's faces, who interact with each other daily without knowing it, and who spend whatever available mental energy they have worrying about the other. Worrying and wondering. The suspense is palpable throughout the novel and I found myself glued to the page, aching to find out what turn they would take next, which corridor they would follow, and who would be lying in wait around the corner. And, of course, I was on pins and needles waiting to see if they would ever meet in person, face to face, and utter aloud the thoughts they've had circling in their heads for months on end. My heart was in my throat for the majority of the story and I rooted very hard for Saliel and Athan as they played out their assigned roles, despite living in a near constant state of numb terror, despite having no one to whisper their fears to, and despite the knot of secrets threatening their lives. A cracking good read recommended for fans of Sharon Shinn, Susan Dexter, and Moira J. Moore. I will definitely be picking up Emily Gee's first novel--Thief With No Shadow.
Deep in the bowels of the Corhonase citadel, among catecombs and crypts and crumbling columns, three cloaked and hooded personages meet in secret. They utter their passwords to the mysterious Guardian and enter. Known to each other only as One, Two, and Three, by day these three spies masquerade as nobles and servant in an enemy court, while by night they plot to steal top-secret code books on behalf of their homeland of Laurent. Different spies rotate through Corhona and there have always been a One and a Two. A noble and a servant. But now, for the first time, there is a Three. A woman. Saliel is Three and it is her job to stay close to the women of court, to the Prince's Consort, and feed her fellow spies and their Guardian any information she can glean about military movements, plots, and maneuvers. It is Saliel's dream to earn enough money to quit espionage and settle down in a solitary cottage by the sea and never have nightmares of her dark past or her danger-fraught present. Though they have no idea just who the other masquerades as during the day, One and Three develop a tenuous bond forged of mutual respect, curiosity, and a desire to protect the other from harm. But when the prince brings in a professional Spycatcher, that bond is stretched to the breaking point as Athan and Saliel are unwittingly pitted against one another, forced to tiptoe through their days, terrified of being caught, and uncertain as to whether or not they will ever escape Corhona alive.
I devoured THE LAURENTINE SPY. It was precisely what I needed--a really emotionally involving, heart-thumpingly exciting yarn. Within three pages, Emily Gee had me completely committed to these two characters and their secret-shrouded mission. The entire premise is a recipe for success: two spies who have never seen each other's faces, who interact with each other daily without knowing it, and who spend whatever available mental energy they have worrying about the other. Worrying and wondering. The suspense is palpable throughout the novel and I found myself glued to the page, aching to find out what turn they would take next, which corridor they would follow, and who would be lying in wait around the corner. And, of course, I was on pins and needles waiting to see if they would ever meet in person, face to face, and utter aloud the thoughts they've had circling in their heads for months on end. My heart was in my throat for the majority of the story and I rooted very hard for Saliel and Athan as they played out their assigned roles, despite living in a near constant state of numb terror, despite having no one to whisper their fears to, and despite the knot of secrets threatening their lives. A cracking good read recommended for fans of Sharon Shinn, Susan Dexter, and Moira J. Moore. I will definitely be picking up Emily Gee's first novel--Thief With No Shadow.
June 17, 2010
I really don't know how I feel about this book. I liked it - adventure and romance! - and I didn't - vague and boring!
Truthfully it was two books in one.
The first was an espionage book which got on my nerves because while there was a vague backstory, I couldn't really connect with the spies because while I believed they were the 'good' side, I didn't necessarily know if they were the 'right' side (their leader seemed to be a bit of a douc*e, so I couldn't go by him). Also, as spies, they meet in secret with hoods on their heads and yet no one disguises their voices. So when our main characters meet their 'roles' they can't tell who the other is. Which is a little ridiculous. Add to that, you have a Spycatcher who really amped up the tension but it was really because of this character did I notice the lack of good detective skills on the parts of both our characters.
Saliel and Athan are colleagues but as Lady Petra and Lord Ivo they can't really stand each other. Ok, let me amend that. Petra can't stand him but every time that Ivo gets head from a whore he thinks of Petra. Does that make sense? It's the beginning of true love on his part, because while he thinks about Petra in order to get through the tiresome and boring act of being pleasured, he's also secretly in love with "Three" i.e Saliel.
So, when Petra and Ivo are forced to marry you get a clearer picture that their lives are not their own. Saliel and Athan and Petra and Ivo are really just puppets in two games without any satisfaction for either one of them except for certain death and a possible good payout if they survive. So through a semi-rape (of both characters I would argue because both didn't want to do it), a murdered colleague and a near-capture the espionage game ends.
What I would consider book two is Saliel and Athan making their way back home and coming to terms with what has been asked of them and taken from them. Athan feels extremely guilty about what he was forced to do to Saliel, Saliel can't stand the sight of him but also begins to feel bad for him because she sees that he was just as forced as she was. Not to mention Saliel's got some secrets of her own and Athan is really starting to fall for each other. However, they still need to make it home, debrief and avoid the spycatcher who is now hot on their heels.
As they journey home with another set of fake names, they grow further apart yet have to depend on each other in order to survive. Three quarters of the way in, when they learn each others name, the trust begins to grow. There is some sweetness wrapped in with the bitterness and there are a few things that they need to work on. Namely prejudices and secret keeping.
By the end of the book, they both learn that they must make their own destiny and cannot be anything but themselves. Who they are is who ever they want to be.
Good message, interesting set-up but not necessarily the best execution. At times vague and repetitive and at others meandering, this book really earns a 2.75 from me. I really wanted to like this book more, it had so much promise and potential and the idea of these characters could've been explored so much better. This book tried to cram two different books together without the proper cohesion and exposition. Perhaps if it had been longer and better drawn out and the characters made to be more vivid and alive, this book could've been better.
As it stands, if this book was a color it would be grey with veins of brown running through it.
Truthfully it was two books in one.
The first was an espionage book which got on my nerves because while there was a vague backstory, I couldn't really connect with the spies because while I believed they were the 'good' side, I didn't necessarily know if they were the 'right' side (their leader seemed to be a bit of a douc*e, so I couldn't go by him). Also, as spies, they meet in secret with hoods on their heads and yet no one disguises their voices. So when our main characters meet their 'roles' they can't tell who the other is. Which is a little ridiculous. Add to that, you have a Spycatcher who really amped up the tension but it was really because of this character did I notice the lack of good detective skills on the parts of both our characters.
Saliel and Athan are colleagues but as Lady Petra and Lord Ivo they can't really stand each other. Ok, let me amend that. Petra can't stand him but every time that Ivo gets head from a whore he thinks of Petra. Does that make sense? It's the beginning of true love on his part, because while he thinks about Petra in order to get through the tiresome and boring act of being pleasured, he's also secretly in love with "Three" i.e Saliel.
So, when Petra and Ivo are forced to marry you get a clearer picture that their lives are not their own. Saliel and Athan and Petra and Ivo are really just puppets in two games without any satisfaction for either one of them except for certain death and a possible good payout if they survive. So through a semi-rape (of both characters I would argue because both didn't want to do it), a murdered colleague and a near-capture the espionage game ends.
What I would consider book two is Saliel and Athan making their way back home and coming to terms with what has been asked of them and taken from them. Athan feels extremely guilty about what he was forced to do to Saliel, Saliel can't stand the sight of him but also begins to feel bad for him because she sees that he was just as forced as she was. Not to mention Saliel's got some secrets of her own and Athan is really starting to fall for each other. However, they still need to make it home, debrief and avoid the spycatcher who is now hot on their heels.
As they journey home with another set of fake names, they grow further apart yet have to depend on each other in order to survive. Three quarters of the way in, when they learn each others name, the trust begins to grow. There is some sweetness wrapped in with the bitterness and there are a few things that they need to work on. Namely prejudices and secret keeping.
By the end of the book, they both learn that they must make their own destiny and cannot be anything but themselves. Who they are is who ever they want to be.
Good message, interesting set-up but not necessarily the best execution. At times vague and repetitive and at others meandering, this book really earns a 2.75 from me. I really wanted to like this book more, it had so much promise and potential and the idea of these characters could've been explored so much better. This book tried to cram two different books together without the proper cohesion and exposition. Perhaps if it had been longer and better drawn out and the characters made to be more vivid and alive, this book could've been better.
As it stands, if this book was a color it would be grey with veins of brown running through it.
November 15, 2009
I really really liked this book. It was very "Three Musketeers-ish". Very interesting romance and world, and VERY tense. Evocative of the real danger and fear a spy might feel, unusual angle on the genre as spying is always portrayed as more glam. I liked the characters, the world building was a bit vague but none-the-less I enjoyed and would read another book by this author!
June 28, 2009
http://janicu.livejournal.com/74226.html
I got Emily Gee's two books for my birthday after both
@angiebookgirl and @booksmugglers pimped the books to me on twitter. I'd already been eying this author because of recommendations at the Paperbackswap forums, but those two tweeters tipped the scales. When I was in high school my favorite genre was fantasy, and in college I began to get more into authors who wrote fantasy with romantic elements like Sharon Shinn, Robin McKinley, Patricia McKillip, and Anne Bishop. Emily Gee seemed to fall under this category, so I've been looking forward to trying out her books.
P.S. I love how atmospheric this cover is. Very nice.
The Premise: The Laurentine Protectorate (aka Laurent) and the Coronese Empire (aka Corona) are neighboring countries who are in a constant state of unease with each other. Corona has a taste for acquiring more land and is constantly trying to add to it's holdings. It is a place where men love war and debauchery, and will fall on their swords for failure, and women are demure and do all that their husbands say. Laurentine is less restrictive and believe in more artistic pursuits than Corona, but they also have their own issues, like a very frivolous upper class.
There are three Laurentine spies in Corona. They meet in the catacombs under the Coronese citadel, know each other as One, Two, and Three, and follow the orders of their guardian. One pretends that he is a Coronese lord (and well-known fool), called Lord Ivo, Two is a servant, and Three is a lady of the court named Lady Petra.
Athan is One and Saliel is Three. As spies they have an interest in one another, but they don't know who the other really is. Saliel/Lady Petra dislikes Lord Ivo, and Athan/Lord Ivo thinks Lady Petra is the epitome of a Coronese lady: virtuous and subservient, and therefore not his type, but is drawn to her red hair.
Meanwhile Saliel has a couple of secrets -her birth in the slums and the ability to "hold" someone with her eyes. She knows that if her birth was known, she would be shunned by any respectable member of society, and for her ability, she could be burned as a witch. Saliel and her fellow spies' problems are further compounded when a Spycatcher known for getting results is brought in.
My Thoughts: There are a lot of suspenseful moments in this book. First there's the problem of being spies and trying to find out secret military information without getting caught. The ways Saliel, Petra and Two found out things and then added them together to discover Corona's plans was fascinating. Then when the Spycatcher is brought in because they did a good job and Corona is sure spies had to have discovered the plans, their interaction with the Spycatcher were intense.
Saliel's fears of discovery are two-fold. Being a spy and her magic. Both Corona *and* Laurent have a fear of witches, who get burned in giant bonfires whenever one is caught. The whole town is involved and loves to see a witch burn, because these creatures have the ability to make people do things against their will, and there is a lot of fear attached to such a power. Saliel's ability is not that great, but it's still enough for her to die if anyone found out about it.
So there are intense moments when the hero and heroine are close to getting caught, but sometimes the pacing still felt a little slow as they went through their daily lives at the citadel. These seemed to show what the world was like however so I kept reading. What really kept me going was wanting to see what happens when Athan and Saliel realize who the other is! I wanted to see what this would mean for their hidden feelings. It felt like they'd never find out, while their guardian knew about it kept it from each other when I thought it would have been better for them to know. He seemed to not see them as people but rather tools (an attitude he had throughout the book which made me dislike him greatly). Saliel and Athan's complex relationship was my favorite aspect of the book.
So dislikes: I had a couple of problems with the book, but they were (in my mind) minor ones. One was believing that a Spycatcher with the ability to make people tell him the truth didn't just go up to everyone and ask if they were an enemy spy. Ok, yes, the story would be much shorter and just wouldn't have worked, but it irked me, and I decided to believe he liked to toy with people and wasn't the type of person to just ask - it would have been too easy for him. The other problem I had was how at every discovery Athan made about who Saliel really was, he balked, and a convenient event would happen that made him realize how silly his concerns were. I would have preferred him to come to the realizations through some soul searching without something dire happening as if to smack the point into his head.
Overall: Liked the story a lot, especially the romantic part of it - it was the slow, subtle romantic build-up I like reading, which went well with the fantasy parts of it. I do think this belongs in the fantasy section, not in romance however. There were a couple of minor issues I had with the plot that I described in my thoughts above, and at times the pacing was a bit slower than I'd have liked, but nothing that would keep me from reading this author's books in the future. I think I'm going to keep getting her books, and I love that these are standalones! Yes! I recommend this author for those who like Sharon Shinn and Anne Bishop.
I got Emily Gee's two books for my birthday after both
@angiebookgirl and @booksmugglers pimped the books to me on twitter. I'd already been eying this author because of recommendations at the Paperbackswap forums, but those two tweeters tipped the scales. When I was in high school my favorite genre was fantasy, and in college I began to get more into authors who wrote fantasy with romantic elements like Sharon Shinn, Robin McKinley, Patricia McKillip, and Anne Bishop. Emily Gee seemed to fall under this category, so I've been looking forward to trying out her books.
P.S. I love how atmospheric this cover is. Very nice.
The Premise: The Laurentine Protectorate (aka Laurent) and the Coronese Empire (aka Corona) are neighboring countries who are in a constant state of unease with each other. Corona has a taste for acquiring more land and is constantly trying to add to it's holdings. It is a place where men love war and debauchery, and will fall on their swords for failure, and women are demure and do all that their husbands say. Laurentine is less restrictive and believe in more artistic pursuits than Corona, but they also have their own issues, like a very frivolous upper class.
There are three Laurentine spies in Corona. They meet in the catacombs under the Coronese citadel, know each other as One, Two, and Three, and follow the orders of their guardian. One pretends that he is a Coronese lord (and well-known fool), called Lord Ivo, Two is a servant, and Three is a lady of the court named Lady Petra.
Athan is One and Saliel is Three. As spies they have an interest in one another, but they don't know who the other really is. Saliel/Lady Petra dislikes Lord Ivo, and Athan/Lord Ivo thinks Lady Petra is the epitome of a Coronese lady: virtuous and subservient, and therefore not his type, but is drawn to her red hair.
Meanwhile Saliel has a couple of secrets -her birth in the slums and the ability to "hold" someone with her eyes. She knows that if her birth was known, she would be shunned by any respectable member of society, and for her ability, she could be burned as a witch. Saliel and her fellow spies' problems are further compounded when a Spycatcher known for getting results is brought in.
My Thoughts: There are a lot of suspenseful moments in this book. First there's the problem of being spies and trying to find out secret military information without getting caught. The ways Saliel, Petra and Two found out things and then added them together to discover Corona's plans was fascinating. Then when the Spycatcher is brought in because they did a good job and Corona is sure spies had to have discovered the plans, their interaction with the Spycatcher were intense.
Saliel's fears of discovery are two-fold. Being a spy and her magic. Both Corona *and* Laurent have a fear of witches, who get burned in giant bonfires whenever one is caught. The whole town is involved and loves to see a witch burn, because these creatures have the ability to make people do things against their will, and there is a lot of fear attached to such a power. Saliel's ability is not that great, but it's still enough for her to die if anyone found out about it.
So there are intense moments when the hero and heroine are close to getting caught, but sometimes the pacing still felt a little slow as they went through their daily lives at the citadel. These seemed to show what the world was like however so I kept reading. What really kept me going was wanting to see what happens when Athan and Saliel realize who the other is! I wanted to see what this would mean for their hidden feelings. It felt like they'd never find out, while their guardian knew about it kept it from each other when I thought it would have been better for them to know. He seemed to not see them as people but rather tools (an attitude he had throughout the book which made me dislike him greatly). Saliel and Athan's complex relationship was my favorite aspect of the book.
So dislikes: I had a couple of problems with the book, but they were (in my mind) minor ones. One was believing that a Spycatcher with the ability to make people tell him the truth didn't just go up to everyone and ask if they were an enemy spy. Ok, yes, the story would be much shorter and just wouldn't have worked, but it irked me, and I decided to believe he liked to toy with people and wasn't the type of person to just ask - it would have been too easy for him. The other problem I had was how at every discovery Athan made about who Saliel really was, he balked, and a convenient event would happen that made him realize how silly his concerns were. I would have preferred him to come to the realizations through some soul searching without something dire happening as if to smack the point into his head.
Overall: Liked the story a lot, especially the romantic part of it - it was the slow, subtle romantic build-up I like reading, which went well with the fantasy parts of it. I do think this belongs in the fantasy section, not in romance however. There were a couple of minor issues I had with the plot that I described in my thoughts above, and at times the pacing was a bit slower than I'd have liked, but nothing that would keep me from reading this author's books in the future. I think I'm going to keep getting her books, and I love that these are standalones! Yes! I recommend this author for those who like Sharon Shinn and Anne Bishop.
March 21, 2010
This review was originally written for The David Gemmell Legend Awards website (http://gemmellaward.com/), and it **contains spoilers and nonsense**
Emily Gee’s The Laurentine Spy set in a British Regency/Victorian era type-of period and space, tells the story of Saliel and Athan who, without knowing each other’s identity, work together as spies at the Corhonase court for Laurent, their homeland. While Saliel spies the ladies, Athan does the same with the lords, since in this patriarchal niche males and females do everything separately. Even the married couples seem to interact only at the ballroom and/or in bed (scarcely, in both situations). So, the protagonists have been infiltrated in court for two years gathering all the useful information they came upon, but now they need to get their hands in a code book, make a copy, and take it on their journey back to Laurent. But a spycatcher arrives at court, and he watches everyone’s moves. Measures. Questions. Intimidates. This shouldn’t be an easy task, nevertheless, for Saliel and Athan it kind of is, which doesn’t mean everything goes well all the time for them.
I liked Saliel, she’s an okay heroine: brave, proud in a modest way, hates pretence, and even though she comes from the so called “Laurent’s cesspit”, she refuses to hide it or pretend otherwise; her goal in life is to be over with the spying and with its reward get her own house, and be self-sufficient. Athan… Athan has his moments. During a significant number of pages I only liked him as One, his spy persona; as for Lord Ivo, the nobleman he pretends to be, he’s… bearable, I guess. His character does improve slightly; after all he gets into a fist-fight with grown men to rescue a kitten from being stoned to dead in the street, still the improvement fails later on when he finally shows his snobby (asshole) side.
Let me just pause here for a second just to make clear that I enjoyed this book. Very much.
Continuing.
Although I find it, at times, in some way, repetitive, Gee’s writing style in this is just what it needs to be. Straightforward, fast-paced, with non-boring descriptions or dialogues and given that the main characters, which are the narrators, are always pretending their actions and sayings even when they interact with someone they actually like, the reader gets to be aware of their true feelings because the author gives that away most of the time.
Finally, and I have to say this, even though this is (supposed to be) a book about spies, secrets, life saving magic (it’s just hypnosis, really), a hero and a heroine who go through all this danger in court, in the catacombs, while fleeing, I felt like I was always reading about sex. Forced sex. Don’t get me wrong, there’s no violence involved, or graphic scenes, it’s just that the theme is always there, somehow. From Athan’s frequent visits to the courtesans’ salons so he can inconspicuously extract informations out of the nobles while they “relax”, to Saliel’s perpetual numbness and grave disgust just of the thought her husband, who she can’t stand, bedding her. And there’s always the remorse, the guilt, the shame, the abhorrent memory of their quite disturbing wedding night. Even though he can be a total ass sometimes, Athan can’t really get all the blame for this, in fact, from my point of view, both he and Saliel are figuratively raped by their master in that fatidic oh-my-god-what-just-happened scene. Which, by-the-way, brought me to mind (bear with me on this) Mr.Darcy, yes, Mr.Darcy insightfully telling Bingley how Lizzie was tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt him, with Lizzie at an audible range. I couldn’t read fast enough to know what the hell he was going to do to make things right, because I was 100% sure there was no way she would ever forgive him. So I found myself in that same situation again as Athan neatly undressed and climbed onto the nuptial bed while Saliel looked as if she wished someone could just please kill her right there.
Believe it or not, in a nutshell this is a love story. Think “Pride and Prejudice” meets “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”, and since I’m a sitting duck for love stories I have to recommend and say I’ll certainly read Emily Gee’s previous and further novels.
(A big thank you to the DGLA for this review book!)
Review also at Cuidado com o Dálmata - The Laurentine Spy
Emily Gee’s The Laurentine Spy set in a British Regency/Victorian era type-of period and space, tells the story of Saliel and Athan who, without knowing each other’s identity, work together as spies at the Corhonase court for Laurent, their homeland. While Saliel spies the ladies, Athan does the same with the lords, since in this patriarchal niche males and females do everything separately. Even the married couples seem to interact only at the ballroom and/or in bed (scarcely, in both situations). So, the protagonists have been infiltrated in court for two years gathering all the useful information they came upon, but now they need to get their hands in a code book, make a copy, and take it on their journey back to Laurent. But a spycatcher arrives at court, and he watches everyone’s moves. Measures. Questions. Intimidates. This shouldn’t be an easy task, nevertheless, for Saliel and Athan it kind of is, which doesn’t mean everything goes well all the time for them.
I liked Saliel, she’s an okay heroine: brave, proud in a modest way, hates pretence, and even though she comes from the so called “Laurent’s cesspit”, she refuses to hide it or pretend otherwise; her goal in life is to be over with the spying and with its reward get her own house, and be self-sufficient. Athan… Athan has his moments. During a significant number of pages I only liked him as One, his spy persona; as for Lord Ivo, the nobleman he pretends to be, he’s… bearable, I guess. His character does improve slightly; after all he gets into a fist-fight with grown men to rescue a kitten from being stoned to dead in the street, still the improvement fails later on when he finally shows his snobby (asshole) side.
Let me just pause here for a second just to make clear that I enjoyed this book. Very much.
Continuing.
Although I find it, at times, in some way, repetitive, Gee’s writing style in this is just what it needs to be. Straightforward, fast-paced, with non-boring descriptions or dialogues and given that the main characters, which are the narrators, are always pretending their actions and sayings even when they interact with someone they actually like, the reader gets to be aware of their true feelings because the author gives that away most of the time.
Finally, and I have to say this, even though this is (supposed to be) a book about spies, secrets, life saving magic (it’s just hypnosis, really), a hero and a heroine who go through all this danger in court, in the catacombs, while fleeing, I felt like I was always reading about sex. Forced sex. Don’t get me wrong, there’s no violence involved, or graphic scenes, it’s just that the theme is always there, somehow. From Athan’s frequent visits to the courtesans’ salons so he can inconspicuously extract informations out of the nobles while they “relax”, to Saliel’s perpetual numbness and grave disgust just of the thought her husband, who she can’t stand, bedding her. And there’s always the remorse, the guilt, the shame, the abhorrent memory of their quite disturbing wedding night. Even though he can be a total ass sometimes, Athan can’t really get all the blame for this, in fact, from my point of view, both he and Saliel are figuratively raped by their master in that fatidic oh-my-god-what-just-happened scene. Which, by-the-way, brought me to mind (bear with me on this) Mr.Darcy, yes, Mr.Darcy insightfully telling Bingley how Lizzie was tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt him, with Lizzie at an audible range. I couldn’t read fast enough to know what the hell he was going to do to make things right, because I was 100% sure there was no way she would ever forgive him. So I found myself in that same situation again as Athan neatly undressed and climbed onto the nuptial bed while Saliel looked as if she wished someone could just please kill her right there.
Believe it or not, in a nutshell this is a love story. Think “Pride and Prejudice” meets “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”, and since I’m a sitting duck for love stories I have to recommend and say I’ll certainly read Emily Gee’s previous and further novels.
(A big thank you to the DGLA for this review book!)
Review also at Cuidado com o Dálmata - The Laurentine Spy
March 12, 2012
The Laurentine Spy is Emily Gee's second novel, published in 2009. I really enjoyed her first novel, Thief with No Shadow, so I was looking forward to this one. The book didn't disappoint, even though I did have some problems with it. It was an engaging story, focused mainly on court intrigue, the politics involved with it and the trouble the spies within the court have of staying undercover. There is also a big romance angle in the book, which was very enjoyable, though at times very frustrating.
To start off with something I really loved about the book: the world building, even if it was mainly limited to the Corhonase court. Still, the attention to detail within the Corhonase court is very minute. While the subordinate position of women in this country's society might have made me grit my teeth, I did like how this influenced so many other aspects of Corhonase life. It pervades the women's court where the ladies lord any modicum of power they have over those lower in the pecking order. It makes them look askance at neighbouring countries that let their women have a relatively free life. There is also the hypocrisy of the girls and married women who lead an almost cloistered life, not being allowed to be alone with any man other than their husband or father or brother, while the men congregate in the courtesans' salon almost nightly, where ladies of the night are ready to pleasure them at the crook of a finger and which seem to be financed by the king, as far as I could gather from the book. This attitude to women is also a factor that makes fitting in so difficult for our spies, as they come from the far more liberated Laurent, where women are free to do as they please and interact with whomever they want. In Laurent, however, the place/class you come from is far more limiting, for example our main female character, Saliel, is from The Ninth Ward, which means she's the lowest of the low, not even allowed to breathe the same air as our male protagonist, Athan, who is of noble blood. It was the juxtaposition of these completely different cultures and the effect this has on our protagonists that I found really well done.
The romance between Saliel and Athan was interesting as well, not just because of the complications of their respective backgrounds which only become relevant in the last part of the book, but because of the circumstances surrounding its conception. Saliel and Athan don't know who they are and how they look, they know each other as One and Three, hooded and cloaked, meeting in the cellars beneath the Corhonase court with their handler. Still they manage to develop feelings for each other that go beyond those of co-conspirators. When both Lady Petra, Saliel's alias, and Lord Ivo, Athan's cover, are forced to marry by the Consort, things become even more complicated. Told through alternating viewpoints, the story draws you in and manages to let the reader fully understand both Saliel and Athan, a method I found very effective. However, it is also very frustrating for the reader, as we know far more than the characters and at times you just want to yell at them to open their eyes and see what's in front of them, especially as it pertains to the romance part of the book. In the end, the romance is resolved in a happy manner, though this was a rare case where it might have been just as satisfying – or even more satisfying – with an unhappy ending.
The major problem of this book was its uneven pacing. I found this very unfortunate, as it tended to make it harder to get back into the book after putting it down. In places it drags a little, as we sometimes get events from both Saliel's and Athan's perspective and then not just through their own perception, but that of their alter ego's as well. However, when the story takes off, it's enthralling. Another complaint was that the characters beyond Saliel and Athan are rather flat, which isn't surprising seeing how much page time has to go to Saliel's and Athan's development, but at times it does make motivations hard to guess at.
Overall, despite some reservations, The Laurentine Spy is a satisfying tale by a relatively low-profile author who deserves more readers. If you like interesting fantasy with a romantic slant at times and you've never picked up an Emily Gee novel, please do so, as the two I've read so far are fine works and very diverting reads.
To start off with something I really loved about the book: the world building, even if it was mainly limited to the Corhonase court. Still, the attention to detail within the Corhonase court is very minute. While the subordinate position of women in this country's society might have made me grit my teeth, I did like how this influenced so many other aspects of Corhonase life. It pervades the women's court where the ladies lord any modicum of power they have over those lower in the pecking order. It makes them look askance at neighbouring countries that let their women have a relatively free life. There is also the hypocrisy of the girls and married women who lead an almost cloistered life, not being allowed to be alone with any man other than their husband or father or brother, while the men congregate in the courtesans' salon almost nightly, where ladies of the night are ready to pleasure them at the crook of a finger and which seem to be financed by the king, as far as I could gather from the book. This attitude to women is also a factor that makes fitting in so difficult for our spies, as they come from the far more liberated Laurent, where women are free to do as they please and interact with whomever they want. In Laurent, however, the place/class you come from is far more limiting, for example our main female character, Saliel, is from The Ninth Ward, which means she's the lowest of the low, not even allowed to breathe the same air as our male protagonist, Athan, who is of noble blood. It was the juxtaposition of these completely different cultures and the effect this has on our protagonists that I found really well done.
The romance between Saliel and Athan was interesting as well, not just because of the complications of their respective backgrounds which only become relevant in the last part of the book, but because of the circumstances surrounding its conception. Saliel and Athan don't know who they are and how they look, they know each other as One and Three, hooded and cloaked, meeting in the cellars beneath the Corhonase court with their handler. Still they manage to develop feelings for each other that go beyond those of co-conspirators. When both Lady Petra, Saliel's alias, and Lord Ivo, Athan's cover, are forced to marry by the Consort, things become even more complicated. Told through alternating viewpoints, the story draws you in and manages to let the reader fully understand both Saliel and Athan, a method I found very effective. However, it is also very frustrating for the reader, as we know far more than the characters and at times you just want to yell at them to open their eyes and see what's in front of them, especially as it pertains to the romance part of the book. In the end, the romance is resolved in a happy manner, though this was a rare case where it might have been just as satisfying – or even more satisfying – with an unhappy ending.
The major problem of this book was its uneven pacing. I found this very unfortunate, as it tended to make it harder to get back into the book after putting it down. In places it drags a little, as we sometimes get events from both Saliel's and Athan's perspective and then not just through their own perception, but that of their alter ego's as well. However, when the story takes off, it's enthralling. Another complaint was that the characters beyond Saliel and Athan are rather flat, which isn't surprising seeing how much page time has to go to Saliel's and Athan's development, but at times it does make motivations hard to guess at.
Overall, despite some reservations, The Laurentine Spy is a satisfying tale by a relatively low-profile author who deserves more readers. If you like interesting fantasy with a romantic slant at times and you've never picked up an Emily Gee novel, please do so, as the two I've read so far are fine works and very diverting reads.
September 16, 2009
I really liked Gee's first book, Thief With No Shadow, and read an excellent review of this over at http://fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com, so when I saw it at the bookstore I eagerly picked it up. To my delight, The Laurentine Spy turned out to be a great escapist read, an imaginary world fantasy with somewhat of a Scarlet Pimpernel feel. It's the story of two spies for the Laurentine Protectorate who are stationed at the Corhonase court: Saliel, a former pickpocket with a secret magical power, and Athan, a Laurentine nobleman. The two meet with their guardian and a third spy in the Corhonase catacombs, but their identities are obscured; they arrive cloaked, refer to themselves only by number, and speak only in Laurentine, Thus Athan and Saliel don't know each other's names or court identities, though as spies they have a certain bond. But when a dangerous spycatcher comes to court, will all their secrets be revealed?
The Laurentine Spy has all the ingredients for a terrific read: adventure, romance, magic, and a bit of humor. I really liked Saliel, who was both a survivor and a competent spy, and Athan, the nobleman with almost too much conscience at times. I'll admit, Gee has a tendency to write characters who seem reserved and a bit closed-mouthed at times; this makes sense for spies, but at times it seems like things would go much more smoothly if they actually said what they felt. Because events get quite emotional at times, and you know the characters are just stewing in inner turmoil, but they seem to have no outlet.
This is one of those books which makes me long for a sequel, because I have questions about the characters but even more about the world itself. In the first half of the book, we learn quite a bit about the Corhonase court, which seems to be a repressive yet decadent place, but not much about the nature of the country itself. How did the Corhonase Empire and Laurentine Protectorate come to be in conflict? How did the witch hunts begin? I would also have liked to have the characters' back story revealed at a more leisurely pace, maybe even dramatized or revealed through flashbacks (there is one, but could be more). In general, the last 150 pages or so felt a bit rushed, though still enjoyable to read.
The Laurentine Spy has all the ingredients for a terrific read: adventure, romance, magic, and a bit of humor. I really liked Saliel, who was both a survivor and a competent spy, and Athan, the nobleman with almost too much conscience at times. I'll admit, Gee has a tendency to write characters who seem reserved and a bit closed-mouthed at times; this makes sense for spies, but at times it seems like things would go much more smoothly if they actually said what they felt. Because events get quite emotional at times, and you know the characters are just stewing in inner turmoil, but they seem to have no outlet.
This is one of those books which makes me long for a sequel, because I have questions about the characters but even more about the world itself. In the first half of the book, we learn quite a bit about the Corhonase court, which seems to be a repressive yet decadent place, but not much about the nature of the country itself. How did the Corhonase Empire and Laurentine Protectorate come to be in conflict? How did the witch hunts begin? I would also have liked to have the characters' back story revealed at a more leisurely pace, maybe even dramatized or revealed through flashbacks (there is one, but could be more). In general, the last 150 pages or so felt a bit rushed, though still enjoyable to read.
June 14, 2013
Saliel is in over her head. Masquerading as a noble lady in the fortress of Laureant’s greatest enemy, she sneaks into the old disused catacombs every other night to meet One, Two, and the Guardian, other Laurentine spies whose true identities she doesn't know.
After foiling an enemy plan to take over another fought-over land, Saliel learns that the Prince and his consort know there are spies in the fortress and have hired a notorious and feared spycatcher. Saliel and the other spies still have work to do however, and must stay one step ahead of him in order to accomplish their goal. All the time Saliel must play a part — a part she know she has no business playing — and longs to be back home in Laureant, independent and finally free from playing roles. And free from her past.
I could not put down The Laurentine Spy. From the ... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
After foiling an enemy plan to take over another fought-over land, Saliel learns that the Prince and his consort know there are spies in the fortress and have hired a notorious and feared spycatcher. Saliel and the other spies still have work to do however, and must stay one step ahead of him in order to accomplish their goal. All the time Saliel must play a part — a part she know she has no business playing — and longs to be back home in Laureant, independent and finally free from playing roles. And free from her past.
I could not put down The Laurentine Spy. From the ... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
August 19, 2014
Rating: 4.5 Stars
I love that feeling of smug satisfaction that settles in, wrapping around you when you finish a book; a really good book. The Laurentine Spy falters a bit in the finer points of its world-building, but this novel was full of intrigue, suspense, and strong-willed characters whose stories enamored me from the first chapter itself. Not to mention a wonderful, worthy, and hard-won romance too. Very highly recommended.
I love that feeling of smug satisfaction that settles in, wrapping around you when you finish a book; a really good book. The Laurentine Spy falters a bit in the finer points of its world-building, but this novel was full of intrigue, suspense, and strong-willed characters whose stories enamored me from the first chapter itself. Not to mention a wonderful, worthy, and hard-won romance too. Very highly recommended.
December 31, 2020
At least there wasn't any salamander scat play in this one. /shrug
December 28, 2010
The Laurentine Spy was not spying with a hint of romance, but rather romance with a hint of spying. A proper title should be The Laurentine Romance instead, to warn off the unwary reader like me. I expected a convincing villain who would not so easily fooled by the spies. I had expected the false identities and complex schemes on par with those of The Gentlemen Bastards (mistake). I expected the Consort to be a brilliant but layered like the First Lord in the Codex Alera series (mistake again). Where was the political trickery and court intrigues? And how did ‘witchcraft’ become akin to hypnosis? Even though none of these elements were present, at least the romance would be convincing and engaging, right? (mistake again) If not, the characters won’t be Good and Evil, but shades of grey right? (wrong)
The romance fell flat for me: Athan loves Saliel as the anonymous Three for her mind, and Lady Petra for her physical characteristics. Saliel is his destined soul mate because her mind and her body complement his tastes perfectly. He spends most of the novel anguishing over her, consumed by a need to protect this woman (oh, the damsel-in-distress and her knight, how charming). Athan’s love is so profound, yet it lacks context and proper development. Do these individuals bond? They don’t even laugh with each other (I think they did feel slightly happier when Athan saved a kitten). They suffer silently and are always alone in their thoughts. Their conversations are minimal and only occur if something important (like their lives) is on the line. Saliel’s reasons for favouring One over Two are not shown to us.
Their entire relationship is based upon melodrama. I was wondering when the spies would stop blindly obeying the guardian and think for themselves, or try to avoid ‘unavoidable’ situations instead of resigning to them. For example, if Athan does not want to bed ‘Lady Petra’ and he knows she is unwilling, how come he does not think of a plan? Can he feign illness? Drunkenness? Pretend to be unattracted to her? Something more creative and befitting of a spy? If Saliel is a competent spy, then why is she resigned to her (dramatic sigh) unfortunate fate? The spying lasts for half the book and then the characters feel self pity for the remainder. The man feels guilt for something he could have tried to avoid, the woman is resigned that she could never have children and live. They both strive for a happy-ever-after, a life away from spying, despite the obvious war brewing between their beloved nations. This at least was consistent with their selfishness from beginning to end. Saliel started spying because she was poor, Athan because he was bored/wanted fame. Their irresponsibility sometimes irked me. Both spies would rather escape rather than finish their mission (and consequently maybe even save lives), Athan would rape Lady Petra even though he knew it was wrong, Saliel would shun Athan even though he saved her life. Acting in such self interest would not have irritated me so much if there was less angst spewing out of every page.
I’ve always disliked stories where the characters are purely Good and Evil. Although I said that both of the protagonists display some degree of self interest, it isn’t enough to render them as ‘gray’ characters. The villain was laughable. I found him quite humorous (excuse my weird sense of humour) because he was so Evil. We know he is Evil because he has abnormally light irises! He tortures people and enjoys it! He plays with people’s minds (apparently). We know the protagonists are Good because they are attractive people! Although this isn’t entirely true – Marta revealed she is cruel even though she is beautiful (she enjoys witches being burned, and she moves quickly when her husband dies). Laurent is a Good nation. Corhana, with its hedonistic nobility, is an Evil and land hungry nation. I can go on, but you get the point.
Overall, this novel was a disappointment to me. It’s all a matter of personal taste, though. What doesn’t appeal to me doesn’t mean it’s bad, it just doesn’t resonate with what I like.
The romance fell flat for me: Athan loves Saliel as the anonymous Three for her mind, and Lady Petra for her physical characteristics. Saliel is his destined soul mate because her mind and her body complement his tastes perfectly. He spends most of the novel anguishing over her, consumed by a need to protect this woman (oh, the damsel-in-distress and her knight, how charming). Athan’s love is so profound, yet it lacks context and proper development. Do these individuals bond? They don’t even laugh with each other (I think they did feel slightly happier when Athan saved a kitten). They suffer silently and are always alone in their thoughts. Their conversations are minimal and only occur if something important (like their lives) is on the line. Saliel’s reasons for favouring One over Two are not shown to us.
Their entire relationship is based upon melodrama. I was wondering when the spies would stop blindly obeying the guardian and think for themselves, or try to avoid ‘unavoidable’ situations instead of resigning to them. For example, if Athan does not want to bed ‘Lady Petra’ and he knows she is unwilling, how come he does not think of a plan? Can he feign illness? Drunkenness? Pretend to be unattracted to her? Something more creative and befitting of a spy? If Saliel is a competent spy, then why is she resigned to her (dramatic sigh) unfortunate fate? The spying lasts for half the book and then the characters feel self pity for the remainder. The man feels guilt for something he could have tried to avoid, the woman is resigned that she could never have children and live. They both strive for a happy-ever-after, a life away from spying, despite the obvious war brewing between their beloved nations. This at least was consistent with their selfishness from beginning to end. Saliel started spying because she was poor, Athan because he was bored/wanted fame. Their irresponsibility sometimes irked me. Both spies would rather escape rather than finish their mission (and consequently maybe even save lives), Athan would rape Lady Petra even though he knew it was wrong, Saliel would shun Athan even though he saved her life. Acting in such self interest would not have irritated me so much if there was less angst spewing out of every page.
I’ve always disliked stories where the characters are purely Good and Evil. Although I said that both of the protagonists display some degree of self interest, it isn’t enough to render them as ‘gray’ characters. The villain was laughable. I found him quite humorous (excuse my weird sense of humour) because he was so Evil. We know he is Evil because he has abnormally light irises! He tortures people and enjoys it! He plays with people’s minds (apparently). We know the protagonists are Good because they are attractive people! Although this isn’t entirely true – Marta revealed she is cruel even though she is beautiful (she enjoys witches being burned, and she moves quickly when her husband dies). Laurent is a Good nation. Corhana, with its hedonistic nobility, is an Evil and land hungry nation. I can go on, but you get the point.
Overall, this novel was a disappointment to me. It’s all a matter of personal taste, though. What doesn’t appeal to me doesn’t mean it’s bad, it just doesn’t resonate with what I like.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2009
Hmmm, not sure where to start with this one, so I guess I’ll start by saying that before reading this all I could find was good reviews. The plot sounded very exciting, packed with mistaken identities, secret missions, magic and romance. What could be better? Saliel (Lady Petra, Three) is our heroine, she has decided to become a spy to escape her troubled past and earn enough money to start a new life. Athan (Lord Ivo, One) comes from a privileged past and has decided to become a spy mainly out of boredom. As spies they only know each other by their numbers. As their “covers” they are actually betrothed and can’t stand each other. The main plot idea I really liked, the book was well written and I liked Saliel & Athan okay. Lord Ivo actually reminded me a lot of Sir Percy Blakeney (The Scarlet Pimpernel) so I had a hard time not comparing the two. I think Percy ended up winning that contest. I guess this is where the “conflicting” comes in for me. In the city of Corhonase it is VERY common for the noble men to visit the courtesan salon (fancy name for whore house). I guess I wasn’t expecting so much sex in this story and for the first half (and a little throughout the rest) of the book that is a main part of the story. Lord Ivo would have to visit the courtesans to try and gather information about the Corhonaseans. I thought that was kind of silly really, but what bothered me the most was how he would think of Lady Petra while he was with a prostitute, that’s just gross. Another annoyance was the fact that the husbands could visit the prostitutes and enjoy themselves, but the wives were made to hate sex. It was something to be “endured” and not enjoyed. A pretty big double standard if you ask me. Needless to say, I was relieved when they finally left the citadel and were on the run.
Calling this a fantasy novel is a bit of a stretch. Saliel has a little magic in her, and I mean a very little. Her “power” was kind of lame in my opinion and it wasn’t something she could really do for more than a minute at a time. The only other person with “magical abilities” was the Spycatcher, granted his power was a little more impressive but overall the element of magic was really underdeveloped. I think if all the sex had been left out of the book I would have liked the story a lot more. It was just too crass and distracted from the story. So, overall it had the potential to be really good but ended up just okay for me.
Calling this a fantasy novel is a bit of a stretch. Saliel has a little magic in her, and I mean a very little. Her “power” was kind of lame in my opinion and it wasn’t something she could really do for more than a minute at a time. The only other person with “magical abilities” was the Spycatcher, granted his power was a little more impressive but overall the element of magic was really underdeveloped. I think if all the sex had been left out of the book I would have liked the story a lot more. It was just too crass and distracted from the story. So, overall it had the potential to be really good but ended up just okay for me.
September 27, 2013
Some fun and easy fantasy The premise of the book is that there are Three Laurentine spies embedded in their rival country's, called Corhonase, Citadel. There have been there some at least two years, and meet regularly to pass the secrets they learned to their guardian so he can pass it to their homeland. The three spies do not know each other identities, just each other's code names so as to protect each other if they are caught.Saliel is pretending to be a noblewoman. The person she knows as One is a nobleman and Two is a servant. Saliel is soon to to be pulled from the field and is more than happy to leave and collect her money to begin her life anew. She is from the slums in her home world, a fact thatwould lead to her immediate shunning in society, and this is her ticket to a better life. But her plans are derailed when she is told by the Citadel's consort who arranges all the noble marriages that she is to Marry Lord Ivo..a dimwitted lord she hates. Also during that period..she and her fellow spies foil a plot by Corhonase that would have left Laurent in a bad place, and now everyone suspects there is a spy in the Citadel. They calls in a notorious spycatcher and he begins to interview the Court.This is when things start to really unravel and makes Saliel question the path she choose. What follows is lots of suspense, adventure, lots of action and a good bit of romance. The book was an nice easy read...with enough of everything to keep the pages turning and me entertained. In between the action, there was nice slower moments that gave you more views into the characters ...which I always enjoy. And most of all..it had a nice happy ending, because you started to root for them.
July 10, 2013
When you hover over the stars on goodread, it informs you that one star is for "did not like it" and two is for "it was okay".
I didn't like this book. But it wasn't the worst book I ever read. It didn't make me angry or upset. I just didn't enjoy it, so I feel awkward lumping it in the one star range where most of those books made me angry and annoyed. This book just made me bored. So it gets a two star rating from me because it wasn't bad enough to recieve a one star but that doesn't mean I enjoyed the book itself.
Starting off, I was excited. Spies and witches and magic, oh my! But... meh. The focus was on the romance and even then the romance was nothing to write home about. I didn't care about the characters or the story line. There is little to no world building which is usually pretty damn important in a fantasy. Over all I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
I didn't like this book. But it wasn't the worst book I ever read. It didn't make me angry or upset. I just didn't enjoy it, so I feel awkward lumping it in the one star range where most of those books made me angry and annoyed. This book just made me bored. So it gets a two star rating from me because it wasn't bad enough to recieve a one star but that doesn't mean I enjoyed the book itself.
Starting off, I was excited. Spies and witches and magic, oh my! But... meh. The focus was on the romance and even then the romance was nothing to write home about. I didn't care about the characters or the story line. There is little to no world building which is usually pretty damn important in a fantasy. Over all I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
March 24, 2013
This is basically a romance novel masquerading as a fantasy novel, but it's still a decent book. The story occasionally suffers when the romance in emphasized over the fantasy plot line, but the author has a well developed world with several distinct cultures that are easy to understand and yet foreign enough to feel like we're being invited into another world. The characters are largely likeable (although they are scared so much of the time you have to wonder how they ever got up the courage to be spies in the first place). The ending was a little weak--again focusing on the romance aspect more than the fantasy story. All in all, though, a good book and one that I read straight through in an evening.
January 26, 2011
I really wanted to like this book. I mean really, fantasy with romance and espionage? It all sounded like win + win to me. However, maybe it's just me, but it throws me off a book when within the first few pages the main male character is having descriptive sex fantasies about the main female character. In fact, in this book the hero and heroine have met but do not actually know what either look like. As they are spies in hiding. And such.
I don't know, but to me it was a little too much and I decided to give up on it.
I don't know, but to me it was a little too much and I decided to give up on it.
October 20, 2021
I happily give this book five out of five stars for the tight suspenseful plot making the read extremely difficult for me to put down and had me thinking about it until I could pick it back up again. I feel the author did a beautiful job researching and depicting old world spy craft, but it was the trials and realism of the lifestyle portrayed that made me a fan of this book. The cast of characters is well done. The world building covers everything from locations, cultures, food, and clothing to more advanced aspects of geology, watercrafts, art, and architecture. The bonus was the romance plot being just as strong as the main espionage one.
What I loved:
1. Plot-the main arc is very compelling, and the way the romantic arc is tangled into it is wonderful. I loved the triple layering of antagonists (The Spycatcher, the Consort, and the Guardian) along with difficult circumstances and ordinary problems that become much more significant for a person under cover.
2. Characters:
a. Athan/Lord Ivo/One, I have long held the belief that one of the best espionage covers is the village idiot. Athan is the fourth son of the wealthiest Count in Laurentine who decided to enter the military because he was bored. He becomes One, who’s cover is Lord Ivo, an idiot nobleman who no one suspects of any clever or devious spy craft. He’s so good at his role as Lord Ivo that his fellow spy Three (Saliel) doesn’t even consider him as One’s cover. Watching his character navigate cover and his true self, along with what motivated him in the past verses what he wants in the future was a marvelous character arc.
b. Saliel/Noble Petra/Three, a street urchin turned spy with a secret talent that most consider witchcraft. Military asset or not, Saliel could seriously be burned alive for witchcraft during a festival if she is found out for having “The Eye”, the ability to compel another to do something against their wishes. I love her goals to earn her way into a new life of freedom where she buys a farm and lives a quiet life. Saliel has tenacity and the strength of perseverance. Despite her harrowing occupation, she still has fear, experiences nightmares, and isn’t the best at defending herself in a scuffle. Saliel is smart, has mastered several languages, and her quick wit helps her to hold cover every day in a patriarchal society and culture where the women are property. I enjoyed rooting for her.
c. The spycatcher/Lord Grigor if you love a solid antagonist the spycatcher is your guy. I loved hating and fearing this guy. I thought it was a fantastic for his character to clearly have “The Eye” but be allowed to live and be exploited by his masters. Smart, capable, with scary eyes-he really creeped me out, which was great and kept the stakes high.
3. The pacing is impressive. The reader needed to follow multiple things happening at once, or several series of very short chapters. There were also several transitions in time and between characters, but all of it flowed smoothly. It took me less than three chapters to really become immersed in the book and once I was into it, I didn’t want to put it down.
I found this book in 2019 as a recommendation from a friend who enjoys fantasy. I don’t think the kindle version was available at that time, and since it was published in 2009 it was out of print. I ended up ordering a used copy online from overseas and it took a long time to land on my doorstep. Fortunately, now I will be able to share my paperback with friends since the book is now available for Kindle and print on demand. I highly recommend it, especially if you like historical romance or fantasy romance. I have already added the authors other books to my to-read list and look forward to finding her other works under the pen name: Emily Larkin.
What I loved:
1. Plot-the main arc is very compelling, and the way the romantic arc is tangled into it is wonderful. I loved the triple layering of antagonists (The Spycatcher, the Consort, and the Guardian) along with difficult circumstances and ordinary problems that become much more significant for a person under cover.
2. Characters:
a. Athan/Lord Ivo/One, I have long held the belief that one of the best espionage covers is the village idiot. Athan is the fourth son of the wealthiest Count in Laurentine who decided to enter the military because he was bored. He becomes One, who’s cover is Lord Ivo, an idiot nobleman who no one suspects of any clever or devious spy craft. He’s so good at his role as Lord Ivo that his fellow spy Three (Saliel) doesn’t even consider him as One’s cover. Watching his character navigate cover and his true self, along with what motivated him in the past verses what he wants in the future was a marvelous character arc.
b. Saliel/Noble Petra/Three, a street urchin turned spy with a secret talent that most consider witchcraft. Military asset or not, Saliel could seriously be burned alive for witchcraft during a festival if she is found out for having “The Eye”, the ability to compel another to do something against their wishes. I love her goals to earn her way into a new life of freedom where she buys a farm and lives a quiet life. Saliel has tenacity and the strength of perseverance. Despite her harrowing occupation, she still has fear, experiences nightmares, and isn’t the best at defending herself in a scuffle. Saliel is smart, has mastered several languages, and her quick wit helps her to hold cover every day in a patriarchal society and culture where the women are property. I enjoyed rooting for her.
c. The spycatcher/Lord Grigor if you love a solid antagonist the spycatcher is your guy. I loved hating and fearing this guy. I thought it was a fantastic for his character to clearly have “The Eye” but be allowed to live and be exploited by his masters. Smart, capable, with scary eyes-he really creeped me out, which was great and kept the stakes high.
3. The pacing is impressive. The reader needed to follow multiple things happening at once, or several series of very short chapters. There were also several transitions in time and between characters, but all of it flowed smoothly. It took me less than three chapters to really become immersed in the book and once I was into it, I didn’t want to put it down.
I found this book in 2019 as a recommendation from a friend who enjoys fantasy. I don’t think the kindle version was available at that time, and since it was published in 2009 it was out of print. I ended up ordering a used copy online from overseas and it took a long time to land on my doorstep. Fortunately, now I will be able to share my paperback with friends since the book is now available for Kindle and print on demand. I highly recommend it, especially if you like historical romance or fantasy romance. I have already added the authors other books to my to-read list and look forward to finding her other works under the pen name: Emily Larkin.
July 23, 2018
Pretty good. I enjoyed the cat-and-mouse of the spy-related plotline, and felt that the three layers of secrets that the heroine had built up regarding her background (and the way they unspooled to cause complications to her eventual romance) had some nice oomph to them. Other reviews complain about "vagueness" in the worldbuilding, but I felt that the author is one of those that does a really nice job letting you know the "important bits" when you need to know them and giving you the the necessary feel of the world without needing to fill in every little detail.
I didn't have too much problem with the rape element (which, make no mistake, is a key plot point, so if you don't like rape as a driving plot device, this won't work for you). The book is clearly written from a place of that event being a direct consequence of the two characters not knowing each others' identities and is such a major stepping stone to how the characters interact the rest of the book that it wouldn't have been the same book at all without that event. On the other hand, I did find the repetition of scenes in the brothel-like establishment, where our male spy does much of his spying, somewhat distasteful. Once we'd gotten the point about our hero daydreaming about "Lady Petra" to be able to uphold his charade as debauched lordling, I'm not sure I needed multiple repetitions of the same. Not a showstopper for a book that's not being shy about sexual content, and I've certainly read worse, but it's the one thing that squicked me a bit.
I didn't have too much problem with the rape element (which, make no mistake, is a key plot point, so if you don't like rape as a driving plot device, this won't work for you). The book is clearly written from a place of that event being a direct consequence of the two characters not knowing each others' identities and is such a major stepping stone to how the characters interact the rest of the book that it wouldn't have been the same book at all without that event. On the other hand, I did find the repetition of scenes in the brothel-like establishment, where our male spy does much of his spying, somewhat distasteful. Once we'd gotten the point about our hero daydreaming about "Lady Petra" to be able to uphold his charade as debauched lordling, I'm not sure I needed multiple repetitions of the same. Not a showstopper for a book that's not being shy about sexual content, and I've certainly read worse, but it's the one thing that squicked me a bit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2018
This is only the second time I have read this book, as I remember being unimpressed with it in comparison to "Thief With No Shadow" when I first read the books ~9 years ago. Reading this again now, I actually think this is the better story of the two.
As with the earlier book, this ones blurb is rather misleading but not quite as much as with Thief. It certainly sticks a bit more closely to the plot of the book and actually helps to build the world of Corhonase. You know going in that it is a mix of strict prudish-ness and extreme wantoness, and yes the divide is along the 'typical' genders.
I found the contrast between Corhonase and Laurent interesting - considering the spies kept thinking how they missed their homeland, the colours and the greater freedom they'd enjoy, in actuality the severe class structure was in its own way as confining as the rigidity of Corhonase.
As characters the spies felt well-rounded, and the decisions they made felt like they were being made by the characters - mistakes and all - as opposed to being there for the plot. I will say this author seems to use non-consensual sex as a plot point a lot which may put some people off. I'd say it is handled a lot better here than in Thief as the effects last a lot longer and the effect on the characters feels more realistic.
I think this book has a high re-read potential but I would argue that you need to leave some time between the the readings so as to forget the various plot twists.
As with the earlier book, this ones blurb is rather misleading but not quite as much as with Thief. It certainly sticks a bit more closely to the plot of the book and actually helps to build the world of Corhonase. You know going in that it is a mix of strict prudish-ness and extreme wantoness, and yes the divide is along the 'typical' genders.
I found the contrast between Corhonase and Laurent interesting - considering the spies kept thinking how they missed their homeland, the colours and the greater freedom they'd enjoy, in actuality the severe class structure was in its own way as confining as the rigidity of Corhonase.
As characters the spies felt well-rounded, and the decisions they made felt like they were being made by the characters - mistakes and all - as opposed to being there for the plot. I will say this author seems to use non-consensual sex as a plot point a lot which may put some people off. I'd say it is handled a lot better here than in Thief as the effects last a lot longer and the effect on the characters feels more realistic.
I think this book has a high re-read potential but I would argue that you need to leave some time between the the readings so as to forget the various plot twists.
October 27, 2019
This started out good but went downhill to annoying.
Male spy is hot headed and not as competent as his female colleague. And that combination means he does foolish things that cause problems. On top of the last 2/3 of the book is her saying ‘no I’m not marrying you’ and him being possessive, insistent, and causing trouble. And then there is the ‘you had sex once so you are pregnant’ bit.
But it all works out because she gets shooed off for a rest while he tells the people in charge about everything that happened, disinherits himself, and she finally agrees to marry him.
Irritating.
Not to mention all the crap with rape. Because there is a bunch of crap with rape. Also some generally problematic sex.
Male spy is hot headed and not as competent as his female colleague. And that combination means he does foolish things that cause problems. On top of the last 2/3 of the book is her saying ‘no I’m not marrying you’ and him being possessive, insistent, and causing trouble. And then there is the ‘you had sex once so you are pregnant’ bit.
But it all works out because she gets shooed off for a rest while he tells the people in charge about everything that happened, disinherits himself, and she finally agrees to marry him.
Irritating.
Not to mention all the crap with rape. Because there is a bunch of crap with rape. Also some generally problematic sex.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2020
I found myself liking this book less and less for every page I read. Even if you ignore all the rape (and the book's... problematic way of dealing with it), I found the worldbuilding underdeveloped and superficial, likewise the characters, and I just kept feeling like the author kept building up the tension and anticipation of certain events, only to skip the actual event completely. The dialog was repetitive and there were more and more little things that did not make sense. Had intended to give this two stars but there was too much eye rolling at the final parts to justify it. Not at all the thrilling spy story the first few chapters promised.
June 22, 2025
This is a wonderful book. The world building in this book is fascinating, and the main characters are so complex and interesting. Yes, it's a bit dark and some scenes can be disturbing but all of it fits within the storyline and is appropriate to the times. The romance is very much a slow burn, and really grabs you as things start to develop. I love this author, she writes historical fantasy romances with a bit less intrigue under a different name but this one is just wonderful, I would love to see more books from her in this genre.
May 4, 2017
Loved Emily Gee's Sentinel Mage 3-book series and was hoping for similar here. The first 3/4 of the book was a 4-star spy thriller, which suddenly changed into a bad romance for the last quarter. Instead of a self-sufficient, courageous, intelligent heroine, she is suddenly passive and forgettable, incapable of protecting herself and spends her time in stilted dialogue passages with the hero. Had to start reading Lian Hearn to recover.
July 28, 2018
This is a lovely little book that zips along nicely. There are lots of imaginative little details, including why two characters don’t recognise each other’s voices, and the magic element gives a little bit of fantasy to what is otherwise a nice spy thriller. The chapters are short, which makes it a great bedtime book - although I was gripped enough that I got through it in 18 hours. Worthwhile.
December 14, 2018
It started out pretty exciting and became a fun story, but I can't help feeling a little bit deflated toward the end. There seemed a promise of real adventure and it didn't quite hit that note. I think the story might have been a little bit rote and the villain, while truly terrifying, was too short-lived and too easy to vanquish and frankly a little too predictable. Still a fun few hours.
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February 25, 2022Mindboggling/heartstopping
Took a chapter to sort the different identity s.great plot and full of mystery &suspense.To see their relationship while through trail and error,revolusion,shame act both suffered because of a cause,betrayal,traegery and extreme hardships.A book u can"t put down. I have read the other books.Great Auther.
Took a chapter to sort the different identity s.great plot and full of mystery &suspense.To see their relationship while through trail and error,revolusion,shame act both suffered because of a cause,betrayal,traegery and extreme hardships.A book u can"t put down. I have read the other books.Great Auther.
May 7, 2022
love this author
This book started a bit slow and I almost put it aside. I am so glad I didn’t. As with the other novels that I have read by Emily Gee, the characters have depth, are complicated and interesting. By the halfway point of the book, I was in love with the two main characters, Saliel and Athan. Can’t wait to read her next novel.
This book started a bit slow and I almost put it aside. I am so glad I didn’t. As with the other novels that I have read by Emily Gee, the characters have depth, are complicated and interesting. By the halfway point of the book, I was in love with the two main characters, Saliel and Athan. Can’t wait to read her next novel.
July 16, 2017
Had some good bits, some bad ones as well. It was... meh. Entertaining enough, but not an overall good book. I love good standalones, but this one felt rushed and not well-developed alone.
A pity, it had pretty good foundations.
A pity, it had pretty good foundations.
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