The writing is superb – this might just be the book to convert you to historical fiction

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Thoroughly. I think the writing is superb and the descriptions transport you to London 1688, with its busyness, its stinkiness, its bawdiness and its lawlessness. The story is written in the first person from the point of view of Calumny, with some humour and clever observation. There is enough period language and syntax to make me feel I was reading about another era, but not so much that the text didn’t flow for a modern-day reader. It is as much, if not more, about the silk trade as the coffee trade – all fascinating. The characters are all really well drawn and there are some strong females in the story, which you might not expect from a novel set in this time. I would highly recommend this book, particularly to people who enjoy historical novels, but also to those who think they don’t – try it; this just might be the book to convert you.