A puzzle

At first I thought I’d hate this book. It is foggy and obscure and way too clever for me at the start. But I persisted and am so glad I did. Bridget Collins is a brilliant writer and I love to be carried away by her imagery and use of language. Read this and be charmed!

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Such a great book!

I was quite reluctant to listen to this book at first as I loved “The Binding” so much. Some reviews were also luck warm, which made me hesitate slightly. However, I’m glad I did. It is true that it is not quite as good as “The Binding”; hence the 4 ⭐️ (which should really be a 4.5) but it’s nevertheless a brilliantly written, very interesting and intelligent book. Bridget Collins’ characters have a way of you hitting a chord, which makes them hard to forget. I loved the setting and time period. Overall a great book.

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An interesting and enjoyable book

I absolutely loved The Binding which is what led me to The Betrayals. it was another rich story with dynamic characters and interesting ideas and I did enjoy listening to it. Did I love it as much? Not quite. The ending was a little abrupt and I felt there was a lot left unsaid. Having said that, it is still worth a listen and has a lot to offer.

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Fantastic I fell in love with this book

Absolutely love this author. Her characters are flawed but oh so perfect. Lots of angst, questions and a very entertaining and original love story.
I thought her debut book was amazing, this is more of the same. She really digs under the skin and looks at those dark areas we try to ignore, she shines a light into the shadows we hide in. There’s something like gender fluidity in her characters and she is not scared to push boundaries. Bravo 👏

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Slow burn but worth it

I did find this took a while to get get going, not least because I couldn’t get a clear idea of what the game at the center of the book was, and how it was played, which meant it was hard for me to get with the main characters desire to be part of it and why it mattered to them. However, the characters are otherwise compelling and the book more quickly reveals itself as a satire on the rise of National socialism, with Christians made the focus of atrocities. I found it slipped under my skin and I was hooked, though I did feel there were one two many occasion where characters got the wrong end of the stick and didn’t give someone the chance to explain. Leaving all those minor frustrations aside this is an absorbing read in a world I inhabited more and more, and I wish I did know how to play the Grand Joue!

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Very disappointing

I was so looking forward to this book after the excellent The Binding but it was very disappointing. Nothing seemed to happen for ages and I persevered to the end. The story does have a surprising twist but I still cannot see the purpose of the time spent on the rat.
The book could have been half the length and more precise. It felt like it repeated itself many times.

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Wonderful

Not quite as wonderful as The Binding but only by a smidge. Judging by other reviews, the parts of this book that aren't spelt out aren't for everyone, but if you are happy with a bit of mystery then don't be out off. For me it's that etherial oddness that make Bridget Collins' books so good. Take a deep breath, relax and enjoy!

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Brilliant and unusual

Bridget Collins is my new favourite author. her books are so unusual and gripping till the end.

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Most enjoyable

Interesting storyline and fabulous narration.
Only way it could have been improved would be a more detailed ending.

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Mmm. Still not sure what it was about!

I did stick with this to the end as I’d really enjoyed ‘The Binding’ which I’d listened to first, so I was expecting a similarly well executed book. This one was probably far too complicated for my little brain to cope with, I struggled to empathise with two of the three main characters, who I couldn’t find in myself to like. If you have a choice, listen to this authors other book which I found much better!

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1 person found this helpful