4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"Please to remember the Fifth of November, the Gunpowder Treason and Plot...", December 2, 2008
This review is from: The Firemaster's Mistress: A Novel (Paperback)
The Firemaster's Mistress is set against the rich backdrop of 1605 England. In the spring of that year, an explosion took place in London that was a harbinger of a far larger plot: the Gunpowder Plot, in which a number of Catholics planned to blow up Parliament and King James I, and put a Catholic on the throne of England.
Francis Quoynt is a firemaster (someone who creates explosions), who is enlisted by William Cecil, Secretary of State, to spy for him. Quickly, Quoynt ingratiates himself among a number of men (including one who calls himself "Guido") who are deeply involved in the plan to kill the king. Francis's father, Boomer Quoynt, is a former firemaster who lives in what is now Brighton, at the family home, Powder Mote.
Kate Peach is a glovemaker and secret Catholic, whose family perished during an outbreak of the plague in the summer of 1604. Her lover, Hugh Traylor, uses her for his own nefarious deeds, including hiding Catholic priests in Kate's home at a time when to do so is synonymous with treason. One of her other tasks is to find Francis Quoynt, who used to be her lover before her left her. Very soon, the pair finds themselves on opposite sides of the law: one to assist in the Gunpower Plot, the other to stop it from going forward. Despite their past, however, Kate and Francis find themselves being drawn inexorably towards one another once again.
Historical fact and fiction are seamlessly integrated in this lively, fast-paced novel (I finished this 500-plus page book in three days). The first twenty or so pages are a little bit difficult to get through, but very soon, the reader finds themselves immersed in a world where treason and treachery are commonplace, and where each of the characters would do well to worry about who to trust. Even the reader has a hard time figuring out where to place their loyalty. As a result, I got emotionally involved with Kate and Francis's story, such as it exists in the first half of this novel.
The story abruptly (maybe too abruptly?) turns from romance to thriller a third of the way through; and the ending of Kate's story came from left field and felt a little bit tacked-on to me. However, this is a well-researched, well-thought-out novel, reminiscent of Philippa Gregory's novels, especially
Earthly Joys: A Novel (Earthly Joys). Also, I thought that the author's interpretation (and in some cases, fictionalization) of events was highly believable. Christie Dickason relied heavily on Antonia Fraser's
Faith and Treason: The Story of the Gunpowder Plot to write The Firemaster's Mistress, reminding me that I should probably take my copy of that book down from my bookshelves and actually read it sometime.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Really not worth reading!, April 17, 2009
This review is from: The Firemaster's Mistress: A Novel (Paperback)
This book was very disappointing. I enjoy historical fiction novels, but I had such a hard time keeping up with the plots and characters in this book. I was so detached from the main character, Kate, that I had to constantly reread sections in order to understand what had just happened and her thought process behind it... Without giving away details, the ending was extremely disappointing!! I read the last 15 pages in disbelief, waiting for the ending that the entire book lead up to, only to be disappointed (and disgusted) at how it ended. If you are still interested in reading this book, however, I would recommend getting it from the library and not buying because you will come to realize it isnt worth your money. I do wish to give the author credit for writing a novel that was obviously well researched, but I personally did not like the story.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
exciting historical intrigue, September 30, 2008
This review is from: The Firemaster's Mistress: A Novel (Paperback)
In 1605 in London with plenty of circumstantial evidence abounding, the Earl of Salisbury worries about an insidious plot against King James I. He needs someone to get inside the traitors' inner circle to learn what they are plotting so they can be stopped; that volunteer must have a special skill the conspirators would need to succeed in their plot or he would never be accepted.
Explosives expert Francis Quoynt accepts the dangerous undercover mission in which he will act as if he is against the King. Francis understands the risk. If he caught by the Royalists too soon he will hang as the counter attempt must be kept secret; if the plotters uncover his loyalties they will torture and kill him.
Francis's former lover Kate Peach happens to be in the capital; she is a Catholic at a time when the religion is not visibly practiced in London and she is alone having lost her family to the plague. Her current lover merchant Hugh Taylor is abusive so she earns money by pretending her dad still lives so she can make gloves to illegally sell to his customers; money she saves to leave London soonest while she remains alive and not incarcerated. When she and Francis meet, their desire for one another is as strong as ever; but their trust is as weak as ever.
This is an exciting historical intrigue that retells the events of the Gunpowder Treason plot. The lead couple is a terrific pairing as their emotions seem real while the support cast is strong whether they were real like Guy Fawkes or fiction. Although at times it seems half of early seventeenth century London appears (the scorer's sheet of characters helps) they add depth to a complex thriller that will leave grateful fans demanding more historicals from Christie Dickason.
Harriet Klausner
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