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alanaleigh's review against another edition
5.0
Huzzah! I'm pleased to say that I think The Betrayal of the Blood Lily is Lauren Willig's finest yet! Perhaps my enthusiasm overtakes me, as The Secret History of the Pink Carnation might still claim the number one spot as the origin of all, but I was so delighted with Willig's latest novel that I devoured it in a single sitting, knowing with every turn of the page that Willig was in top form.
This is the sixth in the Pink Carnation series and to describe it, I steal a description from the modern narrator, Louise: "It's got dash. It's got swash. It's got buckle." For those unfamiliar, the books always have two storylines going. The first is modern, dealing with grad student Eloise and her research into aristocratic and independent spies post-French Revolution. The second takes place during the time Eloise studies, following those wrapped up in the plots and intrigues of those spies and focusing on a single couple who will inevitably have a happy ending. In Blood Lily, things remain fairly tame in the modern day, where Eloise is still dating Colin, a descendant of the spies in her dissertation. Eloise harbors some faint suspicions that the "spy novel" Colin is working on is just a cover for his real job as an actual spy, but she frequently dismisses this as fancy. The more pressing issue this time around is Colin's sister, Serena, who's very sweet but has always been a bit of a mess (a beautiful mess, yet, but a mess just the same). With Colin taking such good care of Serena, it means that Eloise rarely gets him all to herself, and so Eloise has been determined to set Serena up with someone. Anyone. She and Colin clash over whether Eloise is pushing too hard and Eloise learns a bit more about Colin's complicated family, but otherwise, things are fine in modern day England.
As for the past? Well, our heroine this time is Miss Penelope Deveraux, a fiery redhead with a hatred for being told what to do and a fancy for dark alcoves. She had been repeatedly warned that her somewhat risque behavior would get her in trouble... and indeed, it did in The Temptation of the Night Jasmine. She committed a bit of an indiscretion with Lord Frederick Staines, a second son who was quite a cad anyway... and now they've both been bullied into making a match of it to save Pen's reputation. Even this isn't enough to get the scandal to totally die down, really, so they've been sent off to India, where Freddy will be a special envoy to the Nizam of Hyderabad (aka glorified messengerboy that people currently in India will see as more of a hindrance than a help). Freddy and Pen (who are definitely not "in love" but certainly might be called "in lust" at the beginning of this novel) are somewhat unprepared for the truth of the situation in Hyderabad, which is a great deal more unsettled than expected. English Empire is not as secure as everyone might believe; a number of insurrections and problems with the locals and the French have led to some complications in the region which make everyone suspicious of everyone... with good reason. Merry old England is rife with flowery spies and it turns out that India is no different -- here, we'll find the Marigold has been at work in the region, potentially connected to a missing weapons delivery. Unsurprisingly, Penelope is far more adept at picking up on this information than her husband, who is more interested in women and card games. They make the acquaintance of Captain Alex Reid, a dashing young man with close ties to India that has been sent to escort them from Calcutta to Hyderabad. While Alex has little time to play chaperone to these newcomers, he's also fairly interested in making sure that Freddy does not make a muck of current plans to smooth things over in the region. Freddy is exactly what Alex expected but Penelope... well, Penelope turns out to be quite different from the usual pampered lady. She swims, shoots, and rides better than most everyone, and that's just the beginning of her many talents. In turn, Pen finds that Alex is full of mysteries, too, as questions arise concerning his family and complicated Indian politics.
What delighted me about this book is that I find Willig has returned to her two great strengths. Number one: by setting this book in India, the reader is reminded of Willig's fantastic ability to describe location and time period with exquisite depth and detail. After five books in England, Willig had somewhat exhausted her resources in describing the ton, court politics, and country homes. It wasn't her fault, she was still doing a great job, it's just that one forgot to notice. Here, it's like a breath of fresh air to find ourselves in India, where she has all kinds of new material to draw upon. She clearly revels in historical detail and the reader catches this enthusiasm. In addition, the political situation in India has the potential to be overwhelming, but Willig holds firmly to our hand to lead us through. Number two: this is a truly playful romp, complete with romance and sex. You might not think this is a big deal, but it's been a while that we've gotten more than just some steamy kisses and smoldering looks in a Willig novel. I've been worried that she was getting more conservative with her sex scenes... which aren't the sole reason for reading these books, clearly, but one of the first things I appreciated about Willig was her ability to let go and have fun, no matter how ridiculous things might be. For goodness sake, in Pink Carnation, a gentleman's fingers do some fancy work on a lady in a boat on the Thames! After that, she seemed to back away from the crazy scenes and it really did feel like she was reigning herself in. When I was reading Night Jasmine with the incredibly virtuous main couple, I somehow knew that the scandalous, redheaded Penelope would be our next heroine and she would not disappoint!
I can't say that any details of the story much surprised me, but I don't need to be surprised when the story is being told well and I enjoy the characters. Pen and Alex have their predictable misunderstandings and miscommunications. Penelope is quite easily jaded considering her limited experience, even if she was quite familiar with dark alcoves. Alex is a bit too perfect, but Willig men tend to have this "flaw." It's fiction, after all, and when we're 95% sure of a happy ending at the end of each book, we all must make some sacrifices. There was one particular phrase that Willig used which I didn't like the first time around and liked even less when it was used again, but otherwise I thought that Willig is certainly benefiting from being a full-time writer. She clearly had the time to do her research and develop strong characters.
If you've visited laurenwillig.com, you might notice that she touches upon the issue that despite the title, there is no Blood Lily in this book. A Marigold, a Moonflower, and some frangipani, but no Blood Lily. She attributes this to the fact that originally, the title was supposed to be The Something Something of the Something Marigold, but since Marigolds aren't quite sexy, she made a last minute plea to readers on her site to help her brainstorm... and the Blood Lily was settled upon as being somewhat indicative of redheaded Penelope.
Now, I must sit and wait another year for the next installment in this fresh series. Thank goodness Willig is fairly reliable in turning out a book every year! I haven't heard who might be the focus of the next novel... perhaps one of Alex's sisters? No matter what, I'll impatiently wait, trusting that Willig will turn out another delightful novel full of dash, swash, and buckle.
Check out laurenwillig.com for more information on the series and visit http://www.laurenwillig.com/books/bloodlily.html for the whole first chapter of The Betrayal of the Blood Lily.
This is the sixth in the Pink Carnation series and to describe it, I steal a description from the modern narrator, Louise: "It's got dash. It's got swash. It's got buckle." For those unfamiliar, the books always have two storylines going. The first is modern, dealing with grad student Eloise and her research into aristocratic and independent spies post-French Revolution. The second takes place during the time Eloise studies, following those wrapped up in the plots and intrigues of those spies and focusing on a single couple who will inevitably have a happy ending. In Blood Lily, things remain fairly tame in the modern day, where Eloise is still dating Colin, a descendant of the spies in her dissertation. Eloise harbors some faint suspicions that the "spy novel" Colin is working on is just a cover for his real job as an actual spy, but she frequently dismisses this as fancy. The more pressing issue this time around is Colin's sister, Serena, who's very sweet but has always been a bit of a mess (a beautiful mess, yet, but a mess just the same). With Colin taking such good care of Serena, it means that Eloise rarely gets him all to herself, and so Eloise has been determined to set Serena up with someone. Anyone. She and Colin clash over whether Eloise is pushing too hard and Eloise learns a bit more about Colin's complicated family, but otherwise, things are fine in modern day England.
As for the past? Well, our heroine this time is Miss Penelope Deveraux, a fiery redhead with a hatred for being told what to do and a fancy for dark alcoves. She had been repeatedly warned that her somewhat risque behavior would get her in trouble... and indeed, it did in The Temptation of the Night Jasmine. She committed a bit of an indiscretion with Lord Frederick Staines, a second son who was quite a cad anyway... and now they've both been bullied into making a match of it to save Pen's reputation. Even this isn't enough to get the scandal to totally die down, really, so they've been sent off to India, where Freddy will be a special envoy to the Nizam of Hyderabad (aka glorified messengerboy that people currently in India will see as more of a hindrance than a help). Freddy and Pen (who are definitely not "in love" but certainly might be called "in lust" at the beginning of this novel) are somewhat unprepared for the truth of the situation in Hyderabad, which is a great deal more unsettled than expected. English Empire is not as secure as everyone might believe; a number of insurrections and problems with the locals and the French have led to some complications in the region which make everyone suspicious of everyone... with good reason. Merry old England is rife with flowery spies and it turns out that India is no different -- here, we'll find the Marigold has been at work in the region, potentially connected to a missing weapons delivery. Unsurprisingly, Penelope is far more adept at picking up on this information than her husband, who is more interested in women and card games. They make the acquaintance of Captain Alex Reid, a dashing young man with close ties to India that has been sent to escort them from Calcutta to Hyderabad. While Alex has little time to play chaperone to these newcomers, he's also fairly interested in making sure that Freddy does not make a muck of current plans to smooth things over in the region. Freddy is exactly what Alex expected but Penelope... well, Penelope turns out to be quite different from the usual pampered lady. She swims, shoots, and rides better than most everyone, and that's just the beginning of her many talents. In turn, Pen finds that Alex is full of mysteries, too, as questions arise concerning his family and complicated Indian politics.
What delighted me about this book is that I find Willig has returned to her two great strengths. Number one: by setting this book in India, the reader is reminded of Willig's fantastic ability to describe location and time period with exquisite depth and detail. After five books in England, Willig had somewhat exhausted her resources in describing the ton, court politics, and country homes. It wasn't her fault, she was still doing a great job, it's just that one forgot to notice. Here, it's like a breath of fresh air to find ourselves in India, where she has all kinds of new material to draw upon. She clearly revels in historical detail and the reader catches this enthusiasm. In addition, the political situation in India has the potential to be overwhelming, but Willig holds firmly to our hand to lead us through. Number two: this is a truly playful romp, complete with romance and sex. You might not think this is a big deal, but it's been a while that we've gotten more than just some steamy kisses and smoldering looks in a Willig novel. I've been worried that she was getting more conservative with her sex scenes... which aren't the sole reason for reading these books, clearly, but one of the first things I appreciated about Willig was her ability to let go and have fun, no matter how ridiculous things might be. For goodness sake, in Pink Carnation, a gentleman's fingers do some fancy work on a lady in a boat on the Thames! After that, she seemed to back away from the crazy scenes and it really did feel like she was reigning herself in. When I was reading Night Jasmine with the incredibly virtuous main couple, I somehow knew that the scandalous, redheaded Penelope would be our next heroine and she would not disappoint!
I can't say that any details of the story much surprised me, but I don't need to be surprised when the story is being told well and I enjoy the characters. Pen and Alex have their predictable misunderstandings and miscommunications. Penelope is quite easily jaded considering her limited experience, even if she was quite familiar with dark alcoves. Alex is a bit too perfect, but Willig men tend to have this "flaw." It's fiction, after all, and when we're 95% sure of a happy ending at the end of each book, we all must make some sacrifices. There was one particular phrase that Willig used which I didn't like the first time around and liked even less when it was used again, but otherwise I thought that Willig is certainly benefiting from being a full-time writer. She clearly had the time to do her research and develop strong characters.
If you've visited laurenwillig.com, you might notice that she touches upon the issue that despite the title, there is no Blood Lily in this book. A Marigold, a Moonflower, and some frangipani, but no Blood Lily. She attributes this to the fact that originally, the title was supposed to be The Something Something of the Something Marigold, but since Marigolds aren't quite sexy, she made a last minute plea to readers on her site to help her brainstorm... and the Blood Lily was settled upon as being somewhat indicative of redheaded Penelope.
Now, I must sit and wait another year for the next installment in this fresh series. Thank goodness Willig is fairly reliable in turning out a book every year! I haven't heard who might be the focus of the next novel... perhaps one of Alex's sisters? No matter what, I'll impatiently wait, trusting that Willig will turn out another delightful novel full of dash, swash, and buckle.
Check out laurenwillig.com for more information on the series and visit http://www.laurenwillig.com/books/bloodlily.html for the whole first chapter of The Betrayal of the Blood Lily.
katietopp's review against another edition
4.0
I think Penelope is the first of these girls that I’ve seen myself in. She’s sarcastic and brash and does what she wants. I always love these reads. Easy and enjoyable. This one was a bit sexier than the rest though. Not that I minded.
mamap's review
2.0
i was disappointed. a victorian era novel written modernly and not really that well and it had sex in it! she actually used the word shaft .. eew. if not for the sex it would have been ok, but not great.
courtknee_bee's review
4.0
4.5 stars
I'm shocked. I'm remembering Blood Lily as my second-to-least favorite the first read through, but this time it's skyrocketed all the way up to #3 in terms of rankings. Not sure what's different now, but I absolutely loved the setting, Anglo-Indian politicking, and main character. Couldn't put it down.
2022 Pink Carnation Re-Read Rankings
1. [b:The Mischief of the Mistletoe|7720480|The Mischief of the Mistletoe (Pink Carnation, #7)|Lauren Willig|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1290575915l/7720480._SY75_.jpg|10468223] (#7)
2. [b:The Secret History of the Pink Carnation|84351|The Secret History of the Pink Carnation (Pink Carnation, #1)|Lauren Willig|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442617435l/84351._SY75_.jpg|2950861] (#1)
3. [b:The Betrayal of the Blood Lily|6580569|The Betrayal of the Blood Lily (Pink Carnation, #6)|Lauren Willig|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442867052l/6580569._SX50_.jpg|6644882] (#6)
4. [b:The Masque of the Black Tulip|397844|The Masque of the Black Tulip (Pink Carnation, #2)|Lauren Willig|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442518160l/397844._SY75_.jpg|2584] (#2)
5.[b:The Temptation of the Night Jasmine|3701590|The Temptation of the Night Jasmine (Pink Carnation, #5)|Lauren Willig|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442867052l/3701590._SY75_.jpg|3752586] (#5)
6. [b:The Seduction of the Crimson Rose|1363577|The Seduction of the Crimson Rose (Pink Carnation, #4)|Lauren Willig|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1389293004l/1363577._SY75_.jpg|1353384] (#4)
7. [b:The Deception of the Emerald Ring|25802|The Deception of the Emerald Ring (Pink Carnation, #3)|Lauren Willig|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1427729363l/25802._SY75_.jpg|26522] (#3)
I'm shocked. I'm remembering Blood Lily as my second-to-least favorite the first read through, but this time it's skyrocketed all the way up to #3 in terms of rankings. Not sure what's different now, but I absolutely loved the setting, Anglo-Indian politicking, and main character. Couldn't put it down.
2022 Pink Carnation Re-Read Rankings
1. [b:The Mischief of the Mistletoe|7720480|The Mischief of the Mistletoe (Pink Carnation, #7)|Lauren Willig|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1290575915l/7720480._SY75_.jpg|10468223] (#7)
2. [b:The Secret History of the Pink Carnation|84351|The Secret History of the Pink Carnation (Pink Carnation, #1)|Lauren Willig|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442617435l/84351._SY75_.jpg|2950861] (#1)
3. [b:The Betrayal of the Blood Lily|6580569|The Betrayal of the Blood Lily (Pink Carnation, #6)|Lauren Willig|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442867052l/6580569._SX50_.jpg|6644882] (#6)
4. [b:The Masque of the Black Tulip|397844|The Masque of the Black Tulip (Pink Carnation, #2)|Lauren Willig|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442518160l/397844._SY75_.jpg|2584] (#2)
5.[b:The Temptation of the Night Jasmine|3701590|The Temptation of the Night Jasmine (Pink Carnation, #5)|Lauren Willig|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442867052l/3701590._SY75_.jpg|3752586] (#5)
6. [b:The Seduction of the Crimson Rose|1363577|The Seduction of the Crimson Rose (Pink Carnation, #4)|Lauren Willig|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1389293004l/1363577._SY75_.jpg|1353384] (#4)
7. [b:The Deception of the Emerald Ring|25802|The Deception of the Emerald Ring (Pink Carnation, #3)|Lauren Willig|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1427729363l/25802._SY75_.jpg|26522] (#3)
nicki_in_nz's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Would be better without the modern-day bits to be honest.
lizaroo71's review against another edition
3.0
this is the sixth in the series and an interesting change of scenery.
we are taken to india with lady frederick when her husband, frederick, is appointed a post.
penelope staines has been duped into her marriage and doesn't really love frederick thus one can anticipate what will happen when we are introduced to the dashing captain reid.
the contemporary story of historian eloise plods along too slowly for me. i want to know more of what is happening with her.
it seems the more books that become part of the series, the less of eloise's story we get.
and i'd like to see more of the hijinx that took place in the previous novels. this one really seems to kind of ebb into the climax without much really happening.
we are taken to india with lady frederick when her husband, frederick, is appointed a post.
penelope staines has been duped into her marriage and doesn't really love frederick thus one can anticipate what will happen when we are introduced to the dashing captain reid.
the contemporary story of historian eloise plods along too slowly for me. i want to know more of what is happening with her.
it seems the more books that become part of the series, the less of eloise's story we get.
and i'd like to see more of the hijinx that took place in the previous novels. this one really seems to kind of ebb into the climax without much really happening.
balletbookworm's review against another edition
4.0
A really fun addition to the Pink series. I've always liked Pen as a character so it was nice to see her get a book of her own. Great plot development with a good twist at the end. Eloise learns a little more about Colin's family which is nice; I do enjoy the balance Willig has established between the Regency romance/spy central narrative and the framing story of Eloise. They mirror each other quite well in this book with concepts of family and loyalty.
Haven't quite figured out why this one's titled Betrayal of the Blood Lily when the spy in question is the Marigold - the last title that made complete sense was The Seduction of the Crimson Rose.
Haven't quite figured out why this one's titled Betrayal of the Blood Lily when the spy in question is the Marigold - the last title that made complete sense was The Seduction of the Crimson Rose.
kim_chelf's review against another edition
4.0
Not my favorite of this series. I liked the characters, but for some reason I found it really hard to get into the story. I found myself not really caring what happened until very near the end of the book.
gaderianne's review
4.0
After the last book in the Pink Carnation series - this one restored my faith. The story between Eloise and Colin progresses as slowly as normal (I'm to the point where I wish they would just resolve that part of it and stick with the historical fiction). The historical fiction part of the story took place in India and followed Penelope through her forced marriage. I won't say much about what happened beyond - happily ever after of course. :-) I'm looking forward to reading the next one in the series.
cammmiam's review against another edition
4.0
The India locale makes this such a breath of fresh air for the series, whisking readers away from England to an exotic land that allows Penelope to come into her own. She has such a distinct voice, loud and colorful to make her every action, expression, and thought ease to imagine. This is a character who is well known by her author.
In the end, I've chosen to give this book 4 stars rather than 5 because it came off as more of a romance book. While I have nothing wrong with romance (I love them) and will be one of the first to admit that I adore the strength of Pen and Alex's connection, this is still supposed to be a series about spies. The "spyness" was very minimal; however, when the secrets do come to light, they bring a character who I knew in an instant would be one day meant for Jane.
All in all, this was an enjoyable reread that I want to thank for pulling me out of my reading rut.
In the end, I've chosen to give this book 4 stars rather than 5 because it came off as more of a romance book. While I have nothing wrong with romance (I love them) and will be one of the first to admit that I adore the strength of Pen and Alex's connection, this is still supposed to be a series about spies. The "spyness" was very minimal; however, when the secrets do come to light, they bring a character who I knew in an instant would be one day meant for Jane.
All in all, this was an enjoyable reread that I want to thank for pulling me out of my reading rut.