By Heather A.
Synopsis:
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.
The Ruins of Lace by Iris Anthony
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
The number one reason I did not like this is because I could not care less about lace. The whole book revolved around 16th century France and King Louis ban on lace, a commodity more highly regarded than gold. It wasn’t believable–even if it is based in truth–the way it was presented made me angry. The language was very flowery and I could tell that it was supposed to be “lace-like” but it wasn’t fulfilling. I could tell that the purpose of the flowery language was to go along with the theme of lace in the book, but it wasn’t giving me the intricacy that I wanted/ that lace is supposed to have.
The second big problem I had was that I did not care about any of the characters we saw–6 characters, the lace maker, her sister, a dog, a boarder guard, a young woman who has to pay for her life in lace, a man who is in love with the young woman, and the count–so many people, none of them really stood out or made an impression on me. They were under developed. I had high hopes for this and I’m sorry they fell through.
