1/2/2023 0 Comments Cinders and sapphires![]() ![]() Naturally, almost all of these hinge on some kind of “inappropriate” relationship. Every single character, no matter how small, had some kind of secret in the story that would spell disaster for them if it was revealed to the general public. ![]() Scandal is a word that is roughly uttered 19,000 times within this novel. ![]() Unfortunately, Secrets and Sapphires was purely about the scandal. As these themes include such complex and interesting topics as the British occupation of India, the suffrage movement and the taboo of homosexuality, they really could have added some depth and flavour to the story. The novel touches upon some of the pressing political and ethical issues of the time but never really discusses what these mean beyond Lord Westlake’s concerns regarding “political unrest”. It roughly follows the time between Lord Westlake’s return from India and Lady Ada’s coming out, however there’s no real sense of the passage of time so I could not really tell you if this was a period of weeks or months.īeyond the setting of Somerton and the general hierarchy of a wealthy household, I did feel that Rasheed underused the time period somewhat. These people came from a number of different social strata, ranging from Lord Westlake himself down to the girls who worked in the kitchens. The book was structured more like a soap opera as it flitted between the many people who lived and worked on the Somerton Estate. Naturally, this is quite a big problem to get around. The biggest issue that I had with Secrets and Sapphires was its complete lack of on ongoing plot. Personally, I found it a bit of a slog to get through as my issues far outnumbered the positives. Perhaps if you’re a big fan of the likes of Downton Abbey it will hold more of an appeal. Unfortunately, it still just did not work for me so please take my review with a pinch of salt. However, I was willing to give Secrets and Sapphires the benefit of the doubt and tried my best to approach it with an open mind. However, there are always those who are desperate to profit from a good scandal…Īlthough I’m generally willing to give any genre of literature a try, I must admit that Edwardian Britain is not a period of history that really appeals to me. Ambition, forbidden love and dangerous secrets are rampant and, if they were to be discovered, would spell destruction a dozen times over for the name of Westlake. Beneath the glamour and civility of Somerton, almost everyone is hiding something. However, Ada is not the only person with a secret. Ravi is a penniless Indian scholar and her reputation would be ruined if anyone found out. As the heir to Somerton she is expected to marry someone wealthy and maintain the family name. She has two ambitions in life – to study at Oxford University and to marry her true love, Ravi, yet neither can be. Life on the estate seems simple and glamorous for the young ladies who live there however, as Ada prepares for her coming out, she increasingly realises that life is more complex than she first imagined. The Lord is to be wed to the affluent Fiona Templeton, and Lord Westlake’s two daughters – Ada and Georgiana – now must grow accustomed to sharing their father with Fiona’s three children. However, he has brought with him a surprise. Cinders and sapphires series#The novel forms the first part of the At Somerton series and is followed by Diamonds and Deceit (2014) and Emeralds and Ashes (2015).įor the first time in years, Lord Westlake and his family have returned from India to their ancestral home of Somerton. It is a historical romance set in 1912 that focuses on the lives of the people who live on a wealthy English estate. Secrets and Sapphires (also known as Cinders and Sapphires in America) was written by Leila Rasheed and first published in 2013. ![]()
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