Review: The Ruins of Lace

Title: The Ruins of Lace
Author: Iris Anthony
Series: n/a

Summary: The mad passion for forbidden lace has infiltrated France, pulling soldier and courtier alike into its web. For those who want the best, Flemish lace is the only choice, an exquisite perfection of thread and air. For those who want something they don’t have, Flemish lace can buy almost anything––or anyone.

For Lisette, lace begins her downfall, and the only way to atone for her sins is to outwit the noble who now demands the impossible. To fail means certain destruction. But for Katharina, lace is her salvation. It is who she is; it is what she does. If she cannot make this stunning tempest of threads, a dreaded fate awaits.

The most lucrative contraband in Europe, with its intricate patterns and ephemeral hope, threatens to cost them everything. Lace may be the deliverance for which they all pray…or it may bring the ruin and imprisonment they all fear.

My Thoughts: Prior to coming across The Ruins of Lace by Iris Anthony, I never had any idea that lace was once contraband anywhere – let alone in France! I still find myself wondering exactly why a king would care about something so frivolous. But, I digress.

The story is told in first-person by several different characters. The reader always knows who’s talking. Each chapter is titled after the name of the speaker, and each speaker has a distinct voice. Plus, circumstances are different enough through most of the story lines that it’s just that much easier to keep them straight. The hardest one for me to read was the dog’s perspective. Yes, the dog. Apparently, dogs were commonly used by lace smugglers, and their treatment was just atrocious! And, yes, the reader is made fully aware of just how atrocious it was for those poor animals!

There are many threads that make up this story, and each has its own significance. They are all related, even if the speaker doesn’t meet some of the others featured in this book. The threads are expertly woven together, much like the lace for which so much is lost.

Source: Sent by publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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FTC Disclosure: All items reviewed were either obtained by me for my own enjoyment or sent (from the author, publisher, publicist, via tour sites, etc.) in exchange for an honest review. I receive no monetary compensation for my posts. All opinions expressed are my own. Any exceptions to this are clearly noted in the appropriate posts.

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