THE STOCKHOLM OCTAVO
Author's Name: Karen Engelmann
Publisher: Two Roads (Hodder & Stoughton)
Year: 2012
Price in Sterling: £10.44 HB / £9.99 Kindle
# Pages: 412
ISBN: 9781444742695
Emil Larsson is a Secretary
of Sweden's Customs & Excise who is hanging onto his position by his
fingertips. He lives the life of a
professional gambler, using his evenings at the card table to bring him an
income. His superior is not impressed by
Emil's lifestyle and pressures him into securing a betrothal, even going so far
as to giving him a deadline in which to secure a wife or face losing his
position.
It is at the exclusive gaming
house run by the enigmatic Mrs Sparrow that Emil's life changes forever. Mrs Sparrow is susceptible to visions and
uses a deck of cards to create an Octavo, a visual representation of eight
people who will each play a role in the outcome of the vision. The beneficiary of her vision needs to
identify and interact with each of the eight people in order to bring about
success or avert disaster. The spectre
of revolution looms over Sweden's ally, France and Gustav is not only pushing
reforms through at home, he is working hard to rescue the French Monarchy.
A mysterious noblewoman,
known as The Uzanne, believes Gustav to be weak and begins to manipulate those
in high office to precipitate a coup and seize the crown for Gustav's brother
Duke Karl. Using her social skills and
persuasive womanly ways, she grooms the young women of local well-to-do
families in seductive arts and the language of the fan in order to bring about
the outcome she desires. Emil's Octavo
is combined with one that Mrs Sparrow drew for herself and together they realise
their fates are entwined with that of the Swedish monarchy itself.
REVIEW
Karen Englemann has created a
work of art with this wonderfully written story. The author is extremely good at describing
the minute detail of the costumes worn by her characters and the places they
inhabit. An integral element of the plot
is how women wield power over their rivals and the men whose ambitions they
wish to help or hinder, by using the ultimate fashion accessory of 18th Century
Europe - the fan. After reading this
book, you will never see it as a simple device to cool you on a hot day but as
a weapon as deadly as any sword.
I would, however, like to
give any buyer a warning - do not purchase an electronic version. No matter where you live, I urge you to pay
the extra delivery charge and I guarantee you will not be disappointed. From the moment you pick it up, you will
fondly remember the pleasure that a beautifully crafted book can give. The cover is cream with vivid detail engraved
in silver blue and the pages are heavy and vellum-like. The exquisite prose is complimented by
beautiful illustrations of the cards used in the Octavo and the first line of
each chapter is lightly written in script behind the type.
I award "The Stockholm
Octavo" 5 Crosses and bestow Karen Englemann with the Golden Hammer and
Anvil Shield for producing a perfect book and for reminding me, once again, why
real books can never be replaced.
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