Author: Bridget Collins
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Australia
Year of release: 2020
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, LGBT, Magical Realism
Release date: 12th November 2020
Rating 🌟🌟🌟
Trigger warning Suicide, descriptions of death Â
Synopsis
If everything in your life was based on a lie
Would you risk it all to tell the truth?
At Montverre, an exclusive academy tucked away in the mountains, the best and brightest are trained for excellence in the grand jeu: an arcane and mysterious contest. Léo Martin was once a student there, but lost his passion for the grand jeu following a violent tragedy. Now he returns in disgrace, exiled to his old place of learning with his political career in tatters.
Montverre has changed since he studied there, even allowing a woman, Claire Dryden, to serve in the grand jeu’s highest office of Magister Ludi. When Léo first sees Claire he senses an odd connection with her, though he’s sure they have never met before.
Both Léo and Claire have built their lives on lies. And as the legendary Midsummer Game, the climax of the year, draws closer, secrets are whispering in the walls…
Review
The best and brightest of men attend Montverre Academy they are trained for excellence in the Grand Jeu also known as the Great Game a mysterious contest. Ten years have passed since former pupil turned politician Léo Martin has set foot on the schools grounds; he returns now in disgrace his political career in ruins.
Upon his return Léo soon discovers that Montverre has undergone some changes, the biggest being the Academy has a women in the Great Game highest office Magister Ludi, also known as a master or teacher Claire Dryden. Upon his first meeting with Claire; Léo feels there is a connection with this women if only he could piece together what links them together.
As end of year Midsummer Game fast approaches, secrets are becoming unravelled.
I loved Bridget Collins debut novel The Binding (read the review here The Binding) so I was eager to get my hands on The Betrayals as soon as I heard of it’s pending arrival.
Author Bridget Collins is fast becoming one of my must-have authors, her skilled writing and absorbing original plotlines make for one of those books you can’t put down, the first couple of chapters of The Betrayals had me remembering how sluggish the Binding was in the beginning; I was willing to forgive this as Collins is a master world and character builder.
I enjoyed all the dual perspectives used to bring The Betrayals to life, I also enjoyed all the bread-crumbs dropped for me to find, I just didn’t feel as if any of it lead anywhere leaving large portions of this story underdeveloped even unfinished; this left this reader feeling disappointed, that being said I’m still an avid reader of Bridget Collins and look forward to her future offerings.
Coming to the end of this read I’m left wondering why there wasn’t a glossy of terms located in the book for the readers convenience? I loved the plot twist and loved how deep it was buried within this story you don’t see it coming.
Claire’s relationship with Léo was the standout portion of this novel, for this reader I also enjoyed their friendship.
If someone were to ask me what the Grand Jeu actually is I couldn’t. Every time I read that word and there was a lot of opportunities perhaps to many, I kept having images of Quidditch or something a lot like it came to my mind, yes I’m aware that in no way is The Betrayals like Harry Potter.
I highly recommend this book to mature fans of Historical Fictions, Magical Realism
with continued thanks to HarperCollins for sending a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.