Customer Reviews

The Ninefold Key

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4 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(4)

 

 

Unlike the other reviewers, I do not think this book is totally awful. Perhaps the reason they are upset is that this is not a typical historical romance. Instead, it is an old-fashioned Victorian adventure, with multi-layered family secrets, chases through foggy London streets, a delightful dash of the supernatural, and some very memorable charters. Among my favorite ones were Mr. Quimby, Mr. Boniface and Mr. Cavendish, who seemed to come straight out of a Dickens novel. (As for the romantic couple being first cousins, it was common for first cousins to marry in Victorian times. Don't apply 21st century morals to another era.)

Unfortunately, Ms. Brandwyne, who is definitely no Dickens, ruins this promising material in several ways:

1. The use of long, muddled sentences and equally confusing words such as "incogniscible" and "brume". I think she is trying to imitate English novelists like Dickens, but she fails miserably.

2. Long rambling discourses on the streets, layout, and history of London. Rather than adding to the story, these passages distract from it.

3. A tendency to insult the reader by repeating names of places ad nauseum and by describing characters' inner feelings when it is not necessary. Ex. When Malcolm falls into the Thames, we do not need to be told that he is afraid of drowning!

4. Lengthy passages of poorly written dialogue in which the charaters state what has already happened.

5. A series of coincidences and connections between the characters that are outrageously farfetched.

5. An ending that is too quick and poorly conceived. Without revealing too much, let's just say that I wondered why Malcolm and the others had not resorted to such heroic actions earlier in the book.

Ah, Ms. Brandewyne, what could have been!

This book had so many problems, I don't know where to start. I was looking for something a little different from the Regency novels that seem so popular now, but I didn't enjoy this. It just wasn't any good. The writing was very repetitive, and dialogue was stiff. Ms. Brandewyne would explain something, and on the next page, she would have her character explain the same thing. As stated in another review, the couple don't actually meet for many chapters. Once they do meet, the romance feels tepid, and I don't like the fact that they are first cousins. There are alot of characters; in fact, she has quite a detailed list at the beginning of the book, but it strange how every one of them have some knowledge of the mystery. The way the story unfolds is unbelievable. The main character, Malcom, doesn't learn about this dangerous family secret untill he is almost 30, but then instantly tells 3 people, two of whom are complete strangers to him! With all the explaining going on in this story, we still never get a clear picture of why the enemies of the Ramsey family are doing what they have done...was it simple greed? How did they get one of the "keys"?. Ms. Brandewyne seems to have done alot of research for this book, and would insert the history of many of the locations whether they had any bearing on the story or not. The ending feels very thrown together, as if the author herself got tired of writing it. I like to finish a book once I start it, but this was a struggle.

I'm a voracious reader. However, it took me three weeks to finish this book - because everytime I started reading it, it put me to sleep. Deathly slow plot, constant, annoying repetitions of the same events ... this was unquestionably one of the most disappointing books I've ever read. The characters were not at all engaging, and when something DID happen with the storyline, it was so silly it was impossible to even WANT to believe it. This is the first - and last - book by Ms. Brandewyne for me.

I'm usually a very fast reader and have been known to devour books in a single day, even long ones, if they really hold my interest. Historical romance is my preferred genre, so at first glance "The Ninefold Key" appeared to be just the sort of book I would enjoy. Unfortunately, my first taste of Rebecca Brandewyne's writing has turned out to be a rather large disappointment. I started reading it almost two weeks ago and have just now reached the end. I tried very hard to like it--both the story and the characters in it--which, I think, really says a lot. Getting through a book that you're reading for pleasure shouldn't require so much effort.

I was annoyed by Ms. Brandewyne's constant repetition of names and information (I caught on very early to the fact that Lord Iain Ramsay was once Earl of Dundragon, and didn't really need to be reminded every time someone in the story spoke his name. Ditto for Quimby & Company...tacking on the "Cartographers and Map Sellers" part only once would have been sufficient.) and was bored by the overly detailed history lessons she inserted here and there throughout the book. (Does anyone really need to know so much about the origin of London's streets, or how much profit was made by the owners of its coffee stalls?) Above all, I was highly disappointed in the so-called romance aspect of the story. If she'd forgotten to write it in at all, it probably wouldn't have made much of a difference.

For a further explanation of what I didn't like about "The Ninefold Key", just read the other reviewers' comments. They're almost identical to what mine would have been.

All in all, I'd advise prospective buyers to avoid this book. It just wasn't worth it.

This is a fictional thriller with a tiny little romance filtered into the story line. The characters don't actually meet till several long chapters into the book. Unimpressed.

In 1835 Malcolm Ramsey watches a stranger kill his father and uncle. Malcolm, his mom, his aunt and his two cousins escape. The family splits up to keep the children safe with his mom and aunt each taking a special crucifix with them. Elizabeth and Marcus travel to London where they change their name to Blackfriers.

In 1848 junior journeyman mapmaker Marcus sells three maps of the Castle Dundragon area. He mentions to his mom what he sold and she says that the current owner killed his father and uncle thirteen years ago over a lost scarab stolen from Egypt by a late seventeenth century ancestor. She gives him her crucifix as a key to finding the lost scarab.

In London, Marcus saves Ariana Levesque from a runaway coach. They like each other, but he has no title except the dangerous Ramsey link and that seems futile. Still Ariana and Marcus begin meeting in a nearby park. As they fall in love, their pasts, which intersected until 1835 surfaces. Both know something must be done to unravel the secrets behind the NINEFOLD KEY and its scarab that has destroyed Marcus' ancestors since Viscount Ramsey took the scarab in 1669 Egypt.

Fans of historical romantic suspense with a touch of Egyptology will appreciate THE NINEFOLD KEY, a fascinating work that keeps reader interest starting from page one because the audience wants to know more about the scarab and the "nine keys". The ensemble cast contains numerous interrelated but unique players. Though the lead couple appears to be first cousins and the final battle seems weak, readers will treasure this action packed thriller that has a fantastic romance as a major sub-plot.

Harriet Klausner

I LOVE historical romance novels, reading 1-2 a week. Frankly, I'm pretty easy to please. I can overlook poor proof reading (once, a main character's name was wrong for 3 whole pages!) or glitches in the plot, but this book is plain BORING! There is very little romance and by the time I got to it, I just didn't care anymore. I've read dozens of books by this author and find it hard to believe she wrote this. At 450 pages, save your time and pass on this one!