Review of Fallen Kings

[sayjil gordhan]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Fallen Kings" by June Gillam.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Fallen Kings: Unholy Secrets follows Professor Hillary Broome, who takes her family on holiday to Italy in an attempt to connect with her estranged mother. Unbeknownst to Hillary, there is a group led by Father Tomasso rising against women’s rights. Hillary’s daughter is kidnapped on this family vacation, and one of her worst fears has come to life. Claire is especially in danger due to her sexuality and the danger Father Tomasso poses as he becomes more erratic in carrying out his mission to reverse women’s rights. Hillary has to find Claire before it is too late, whilst fighting her own inner battles.

I think Father Tomasso is brilliantly written as an antagonist. At the very beginning of the book, the reader can see that Tomasso is a complex and multi-dimensional character. He is powerfully written and invokes many emotions. Hilary, on the other hand, does not feel as complex. The descriptive nature, the way Hillary acts and her dialogue feel too perfect at times, and as a reader, this makes it difficult to imagine Hillary as real. This could be because the author wanted the reader to focus on the antagonist more. This book is written in the third person, and honestly, it’s a quick read. Because it is a quick read, it feels as though the author was rushing the plot line, and the ending felt cliche. The prose and characters are amazing, which makes you wonder how good this book could be if the plot were more developed.

I did enjoy this book. A major theme in this book is the exploitation within religious settings and the progression of rights compared to religious and cultural progress. The book beautifully outlines issues in Italian society and issues that tend to affect most cultural societies. I do caution readers, as some might find this a sensitive topic. That said, I do think the author has taken appropriate care and sensitivity and has not offended me in any way.
I rate this book a four out of five stars.

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Fallen Kings
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[Gerry Steen]

I read House of Eire written by the same author, June Gillam. Most of the story took place in Ireland and I got a good taste of Irish culture. I suspect the same might be said for this story, Fallen Kings, which takes place in Italy. Your review has piqued my interest. I am adding this book to my bookshelves.