Descrizione
1672: Jeanne’s life at Woodham Hall is happy. Admittedly her brother-in-law – the lord of the manor – is unfaithful to her sister, causing terrible discord in the house. But Jeanne adores her sister, and her niece, Helene, and even though her growing feelings for another member of the household are illicit, they are bringing her great joy. That is, until Sir Robert chooses to move his mistress in.
Jeanne and her sister are to be banished to a French abbey to live out their days but all the sisters can think is how to get back to Helene, and the woman who Jeanne might just love. From the glittering court of the Sun King to the dark depths of French society and those who perform alchemy, they will do whatever they must. Even if it means murder…
Their stories are linked across history, with an unforgettable love story, and mystery that must be solved.
Dettagli del libro
Recensioni
Visualizza tutto
I hadn't picked up a Clare Marchant book before, but I recently got the chance to read The Alchemist’s Secret - and now? Well, I’ll be picking up her books wherever I can because this book was phenomenal. Everything about this book was so well done that once I started, I couldn’t stop reading because the dual storylines were so immersive, with one in the present day and one focusing on the ancestors in 1672. The world-building in both timelines was perfect, with elements creeping in that catch the reader's attention and help add to the mystery of the story and to draw the members of the family; past and present together. In 2026, after being betrayed by her partner, Paige returns to her ancestral home, Woodfall Hall, to begin anew. As she helps her father, she not only uncovers her family’s history but also learns the value of self-love and putting herself first. I loved her journey, and how determined she became to make sense of her ancestral legacy, from a painting that doesn’t belong in the setting of a wedding to the full understanding of a story that had been passed down through the years. The story that truly held my attention and was filled with so much vivid detail that I wanted more chapters from that era, where we have two sisters Jeanne and Marie who have spent their lives in the English countryside after coming across the channel from the bustling and chaotic city of Paris. Theirs is a story of betrayal, and the lengths you will go to protect those you love with a need for justice or revenge because the two are definitely on a fine line. You as the reader are drawn into their world easily due to not only the world-building but Marchant’s attention to detail over the time period with their costumes, and interactions with others. I adored Jeanne whose growth is incredible and her love for others so strong that I was rooting for her from the first moment we met, because she was both a woman of her time but also not with her love of learning, and her love for a maid called Charlotte. Prepare for an addictive read, filled with twists and turns that are beautifully done. Faces that will be familiar and those who will feel as though they are by the end. Clare Marchant has an incredible skill, and it’s shown in The Alchemist’s Secret and as I said? I think I’ll love reading more of her work after discovering her work.