I read somewhere that Joanna Bourne wrote feministish historical romances. I grew up on Georgette Heyer, on the Grand Sophy and Devil’s Cub, so I do have high standards for my strong women and men who let them be.
I took a break of a day between those first lines: what has changed? I think my boyfriend may be breaking up with me. So this review may be a bit disjointed, bear with me.
I had planned to talk about the problem areas in the book and the instances where I felt a little triggered. Like, sadly enough (and triggerring for me), there are a couple of “you- know-you-want-it” conversations between the guy and the girl that I though were awful. The heroine, for all that she is strong and powerful and skilled, still needs to be rescued by her man. There is only one other woman in the book, and they never have a conversation with each other. It would definitely fail the Bechdel test, if it were a movie.
Things like these are part of the norm for most romance novels, but that I found them in a book that was supposed to reflect a certain feminist ethos shook me.
There are parts of it I enjoyed. The man recognizes her skill; even celebrates it. The women in the book have agency, and it shows. At no point did I wonder if she would even survive the plot twists if the man hadn’t been there. There is a certain wry humor to everything that appealed to me. And yet, the woman has splendorous magical virgin sex on her first go, and that screwed up the good.
The book is about a brilliant French Spy with an eidetic memory who runs to England when she realizes her superior officers are out for her blood. She wants to get to her old spymaster who serves as some version of today’s “cultural attache” in England, but ends up being taken in by British spies, who just want her to betray her country. They promise to keep her safe in return. Romance and daggers later, she finds her way to liberty and true love.
If not for the problem areas, I would have liked this book a lot. Because of the problem areas, my opinion is coloured with a faint tinge of disappointment. A solid 3 stars for effort, but seriously Ms Bourne, you can do better.
See, I love the first half to two thirds of The Spymaster’s Lady. The point where it completely loses me is about the point when Annique goes to England and suddenly has a total personality transplant, going from a clever, resourceful woman who outsmarts everyone around her to a complete idiot. The last third makes me so angry. The Forbidden Rose, which is Doyle and Maggie’s story and The Black Hawk, which is Hawker and Justine’s story are a lot more consistently excellent and I think the feminist themes carry through better. Haven’t re-read them in long enough to remember if they pass the Bechdel test, but neitherMaggie nor Justine never suddenly go from kick-ass to insipid, just because they’ve had their wits muddled by a man.
I agree with this entirely! I felt like this was a different story in the final third. Forbidden Rose is consistently excellent. I am waiting for a time when I have an entire day to devote to The Black Hawk (but I have small children, so maybe in like 5 years? I hope?) because I find once I start a Bourne I can’t do anything until I finish it.
I’m halfway through this one right now and have been quite enjoying it so far. I guess I’ll have to see how it wraps up.
I have tried to read this one TWICE and never been able to get into it.