Confounding Oaths

I found this a delightful book, but I acknowledge the narrative style isn’t for everyone. Robin has a very distinct voice (and I suspect he would have started to wear on me had he not had his own part to play in this drama).

The minor characters— Anne, the Caesar parents, the Irregulars, poor Nancy who puts up with so much and of course Miss Bickle — are fantastic and a huge part of the story’s charm.

It really is Mary Ceasar’s story as much as John’s, and I really enjoyed the old-school fairytale with updated players aspect. Hall handles a few heavier subjects with a fairly light touch, and brings both of our protagonists to the point of change — Mary realizing what she wants and John who he wants to be. (And if John is changing as much for a handsome captain as his sisters … that’s not a bad catalyst). Family — what you make of it in the Irregulars at the Folly as well as the Caesars — feels like the heart of the tale and that’s something I really loved.