Welcome to my reading journal! So many of us love the Sebastian St Cyr series by CS Harris that it seemed silly to review each of the books. Instead, I humbly offer you excerpts from my reading journal: things that stood out, shocked, cheered, etc.
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.
When Gods Die– Book 2
The cover copy:
Brighton, England— 1811.
The young wife of an aging marquis is found murdered in the arms of the Prince Regent. Around her neck lies a necklace said to have been worn by Druid priestesses-that is, until it was lost at sea with its last owner, Sebastian St. Cyr’s mother. Now Sebastian is lured into a dangerous investigation of the marchioness’s death-and his mother’s uncertain fate.
As he edges closer to the truth-and one murder follows another-he confronts a conspiracy that imperils those nearest him and threatens to bring down the monarchy.
Here are my many and varied thoughts while reading this one:
- Witch burning … I know one shouldn’t rely on historical fiction but the statistic given in the book on the number of women burnt as witches in ‘Christendom’ shocked me (5 million!). Can it be real? Does anyone have book recommendations for digging a little deeper on this?
- Did anyone else struggle to keep all the family connections clear in this one? Everyone seemed to be related by blood or marriage. I really wanted a diagram of the connections. Through sheer repetition I eventually had somewhat of a grasp on it.
- The author really doesn’t like fat people. Her favourite word to describe the villains of the piece is ‘fleshy’. Possibly my least favourite word to describe fatness.
- So many people died! It’s so unflinching and because her writing is so vivid, it’s deeply affecting. I was so sad that Guinevere was killed. Sometimes I find in books that I don’t really get sad about the first person killed in the story, but Guinevere really came to life for me.
- Is it weird that I’m developing a crush on Paul Gibson, the surgeon?
Final thoughts
I really enjoyed this one. I appreciated that the primary victim was seen as fully human and properly mourned. I coped with the pretty relentless violence. I am DEEPLY intrigued by the little that was revealed about Sebastian’s mother’s ‘disappearance’ and I’m really looking forward to learning what secret his dad is keeping – the one that prompts him to keep sending funds to Venice.
If I were to give this one a grade, I would say a B+ which might not be fair because the drawback (keeping the characters straight in my mind) could well be a personal failing and not a failing of the book!
Why Mermaids Sing -Book 3
The cover copy:
When the grisly remains of Alfred, Lord Stanton’s eldest son are discovered in the Old Palace Yard beside the House of Lords, the local magistrate turns to Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, for help.
Ranging from the gritty world of Thames-side docks to the luxurious drawing rooms of Mayfair, Sebastian finds himself confronting his most puzzling–and disturbing–case yet. With the help of his trusted allies–young servant Tom, Irish doctor Paul Gibson, and his lover Kat Boleyn–Sebastian struggles to decipher a cryptic set of clues that link the scion of a banking family to the son of a humble Kentish vicar.
For as one killing follows another, Sebastian discovers he is confronting a murderer with both a method and a purpose to his ritualized killings, and that the key to it all may lie in the enigmatic stanzas of a haunting poem…and in a secret so dangerous that men are willing to sacrifice their own children to keep the truth from becoming known.
The thoughts I thunk:
- I was delighted when Sir Henry Lovejoy made his appearance so early in the story. He’s a firm favourite of mine. This quote delighted me:
“He was a funny little man with a shiny bald head, pinched, unsmiling features, and an almost comically high voice. Painstakingly moral, upright, and fastidious, he was also one of the most sincere and dedicated men Sebastian had ever met.” - For someone who usually abhors characters in historicals who believe that aristocrats are better than working folk, I have a lot of time for Sebastian’s dad, Hendon. I enjoy that he says ridiculous things like, “What sort of vile beast would perpetrate such a barbarity upon men of wealth and breeding?” while still clearly loving his son in his gruff way. Although that secret hinted at the end is a big one. I must learn more!
- This author is forever telling us what scents from the outdoors come in with the character entering the room. Some from this book:
“Bringing with him the cold damp of the morning”
“Tom came hurtling into the dressing room, bringing with him the scent of the rain that had been threatening all morning.”
“… brought with him the crisp scent of the September morning.”
“… bringing with him the scent of well-bred horses and a cool morning rain.” - Kat Boleyn’s reveal took my breath away! AAAAH!
- My crush on Paul Gibson continues unabated. Just FYI.
- I am very hopeful for this new valet and can’t wait to meet him in the next book.
Final thoughts
I did a better job than usual of keeping track of the various clues in this one although the killer’s identity shocked me! Which I love. I don’t want to KNOW who the killer is. It MUST be a surprise. But also it must be a surprise that makes sense with the rest of the story.
I thought it was a really creative premise. I’m breathless with excitement at the secrets that have been revealed and those that have just been hinted at. I want to learn more about Hero and Jarvis himself. Will that secret of Hendon’s ever be revealed? This book left me with a burning hunger for more of this series.
Lara will be working her way through the Sebastian St. Cyr series and sharing here. Have you read – or re-read – this series?
