Summary from the publisher:
Palace intrigue, romance, and illicit affairs—Rebecca Dean has written a glorious novel that will sweep Philippa Gregory fans off their feet.
Delia Chandler, an eighteen-year-old Southern girl, marries Viscount Ivor Conisborough just before World War II, becoming part of the Windsor court. It’s every girl’s dream come true. But Delia is jolted from her pleasant life when she realizes, after the birth of her two daughters, that Ivor chose her only to bear an heir to his estate. Shortly thereafter, she begins an affair with her husband’s handsome, titled, and frequently scandalous best friend.
When Conisborough is appointed as an adviser to King Fuad of Egypt, Delia exchanges one palace circle for another, far different one. While she sees Egypt as a place of exile, her two daughters regard Egypt as their home. Only when war comes to Cairo—and Delia finally reveals the secret she has kept for so long—can she begin to heal the divisions separating her from those she loves.
Rebecca Dean’s irresistible combination of real events and masterful storytelling will keep readers fascinated until the very last page.
This book didn’t capture me, I’ll start by saying that. The category of “historical fiction lite” applies perfectly here. There are historical characters, but only on the sidelines. The actual main characters fell flat for me, particularly Delia, who frustrated me with her frivolity and total inability to relate or talk to her daughters. The novel’s viewpoint rotates from Delia to Petronella to Davina, but I had the distinct feeling that the girl who was narrating seemed different from the girl who had been described before or after. Character changes over time, but it wasn’t convincing. Neither were the love stories, even though in retrospect it’s as though the entire novel is a rotating battle through romance. Obviously, I read romance, and shouldn’t have a problem with such a focus, but the book felt too shallow for me. This is the lead-up to World War II, after all! Maybe the high society didn’t feel it but everyone else did. The only concession to the times is one of the sisters’ charity work. Even the move to Egypt isn’t explored the way it might have been and feels very much like the British court all over again rather than a different culture. We are thrown a few bones in the way of revolution, but not many details or actions take place.
In the end, reading this book was little like watching a soap opera. The characters are caricatures, the situations are ridiculous, and none of it seems to reflect on real life events in anything but a shallow way. Moreover, literally everyone is having an affair, which may have been the case but was still repugnant to me. The book is enjoyable in a light, frothy way that doesn’t appeal to me. Had I approached it as a light read, in the vein of one of my romances, I may have been able to get more into it, but I tend to think of historical fiction as deeper, even when it focuses on a royal court. This was not, and it disappointed me.
Check out Palace Circle on Amazon.
I guess I’ll have to approach it as a light read then!
lenore’s last blog post..Waiting On Wednesday (29) Lips Touch by Laini Taylor
Thanks for the review – I won’t go looking for this book.
Kathy’s last blog post..Wondrous Words Wednesday
Thanks!! I’ll likely not be reading this one.
Beth F’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday (April 22)
I just got this from LTER. At least I’ll know to approach it as a light read, I guess. I’m not really looking forward to it with the reviews I have seen since I won it…
Jen – Devourer of Books’s last blog post..The Cradle – Book Review
I have this one in my hands for an upcoming review, so I am sorry to hear that it wasn’t any good. I have read a couple of other reviews that have pretty much had the same flavor as yours, so I am not really hoping for much with this book. It’s really too bad because I could see where the setting and events could have led this to be a really interesting story.
Zibilee’s last blog post..Bedlam South Giveaway!
Boo! I’m with Jen. I got this through LT’s Early Reviewers just last week. The only hope for me is you comparison with soap operas. I do like that form of escapism from time to time. If I hold this until I’m in that place, maybe it won’t be so bad.
Literate Housewife’s last blog post..A Great Promotion from Minotaur Books
Ah, I’m sorry to hear that you didn’t care for it… especially since I too got it from LTER this week. Hopefully if I go into it expecting nothing more than fluff, it’ll be better…
Fyrefly’s last blog post..E. Lockhart – The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
Hmm…this review isn’t encouraging, considering I have the book on my shelf to review. I think I’m going to put it off for awhile longer. Thanks for the review!
S. Krishna’s last blog post..Pushing Up Daisies – Rosemary Harris
What a pity! I love the cover and I often do choose books by their covers. It usually does work!
Viola’s last blog post..Books Read in April
I thought it read a lot like a soap opera, too. And that wouldn’t have bothered me too much, except that WWI was so very devastating and it seemed terribly glossed over.
Linked to you here.
Lana’s last blog post..Palace Circle – Rebecca Dean
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