Thursday, 3 January 2013

The Stockholm Octavo

by Karen Engelmann

This is a book that caught my eye while I was browsing at Chapters.

It takes place in the 1790's in Stockholm.  It is the story of a young Customs Agent who frequents a gambling parlour hosted by a woman who also reads cards.  He is worried because his boss insists he get married, or lose his job.  His boss is convinced that he must be married to be "responsible" and mature.  He confides in the host of the card parties and she says she has had a vision for him and offers to read his cards.  Each night for eight nights he comes to her place and they work to find the eight cards of the Octavo that will describe his future.

As the young man tries to figure out who the people identified in the cards are in his life, he becomes involved in a spat between the card reader and another woman over a beautiful, possibly powerful fan.  Fans are considered not only a fashion item but a sign of status and also a way for women to overpower men.  At this time there are forces working to defeat the current king, the two women are on opposite sides of this issue, one is working for the king, the other actively against him.  One of the women will stop at nothing, including murder, to achieve her goals.  As the story progresses a couple of other young women enter the story as do two french brothers, master fanmakers, who have escaped from France because of the turmoil their.

Through all the political intrigue and quest for the powerful fan, the young man works to identify his future.

It was an interesting story, for the unique setting and time period.  The author did a great job of developing the story and keeping it interesting until the end.  I enjoyed it.

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