Steph’s Reviews > The Black Madonna > Status Update

This book just fills my heart up with every emotion possible 🥲

Now that I've read the entire R&C series and am more familiar with both the time period and the characters that show up throughout the series, I can appreciate more fully now how cleverly the characters in these first two books are interwoven. Characters that only get a passing introduction here are gently referred to here within context of their current roles, and they are expertly expanded on in the next book.

I'll never get over how good the characterization is in this book. every character, no matter how minor, feels like a real, multifaceted, complex person.

Stella Riley writes history so well, I'm convinced I'm getting smarter while reading her books.