The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson

Book Blurb
A girl known only as Red, the daughter of a Cornish fortune-teller, travels with her father making a living predicting fortunes using the ancient method: the Square of Sevens. When her father suddenly dies, Red becomes the ward of a gentleman scholar.

Now raised as a lady amidst the Georgian splendour of Bath, her fortune-telling is a delight to high society. But she cannot ignore the questions that gnaw at her soul: who was her mother? How did she die? And who are the mysterious enemies her father was always terrified would find him?

The pursuit of these mysteries takes her from Cornwall and Bath to London and Devon, from the rough ribaldry of the Bartholomew Fair to the grand houses of two of the most powerful families in England. And while Red’s quest brings her the possibility of great reward, it also leads into her grave danger.

My Review
The Square of Sevens is the third historical novel from Laura Shepherd-Robinson, and I think her best so far. Set in eighteenth century Bath and London, this is the story of Red, also known as Rachel, the young daughter of a Cornish fortune teller who becomes the ward of scholar Robert Antrobus after her father’s death. Red finds herself moving from living on the road, sleeping outdoors to being brought up as a Lady in Bath, and entering Society. As her fortunes ebb and flow Red is determined to find out about her mother, and by using her fortune telling she finds herself moving in high society and into the houses of the rich and powerful in London in search of the truth.

I adored Laura Shepherd-Robinson previous two books so was so excited to be sent a proof to read and review. The Square of Sevens has a Dickensian feel about it; a long law suit between two branches of the same family, a young ward, a rags to riches tale and a cast of memorable characters. Laura Sheperd-Robinson is a masterful storyteller, slowly drawing the reader in to the lives of her characters and taking you on the journey of the plot with them as if you are actually there. The historical research shines through in the details of this book, the political standings, the social, cultural and scientific ideas of the period. Through Red’s story, in which she finds herself as a Lady and as a young runaway, Laura is able to show the disparity of the rich and poor, those with power, to those who have no rights and are poor, and the dangers faced by a young woman on her own. I felt she really captured the atmopshere and essence of the different places and environments Red found herself in, the beautiful clothes and decor of the rich houses but the plainer, patched clothes of those working in the Bartholomew Fair where Red told fortunes, the beautiful country homes in the Italian style and the shared rooms in the Inns, that were in most cases dirty.

Red is a fabulous central character and she narrates her own story. She is a confident and intelligent young woman who adapts to her new life in Bath quite easily. I loved that she could adjust to almost any situation she found herself in, and make the best of what she had at that time. She never waivered from her need to to know more about her mother who she believed was a Lady, but at the same time she still thought about others, wanting to help those she cared about. As well as Red there is a huge cast of supporting characters, good and bad, all given the same attention to detail as the central character. Some of my favourites were Tamson, also a fortune teller at the fair but using horoscopes, the charming Archie Montfort, who I could never work out as a friend or foe and Lazarus Dark, a wonderful Dickensian name whom at heart is not as dark as his name suggests.

The Square of Sevens is a fasinating and fabulous read. At it’s heart is the wonderful Red, the perfect heroine whom you can’t help but love, and want to fulfill her destiny. There is adventure, love, loss, power, money, murder, secrets, and. family feuds that make this such a compelling read culminating in a brilliant conclusion to the story. Beautifully written, atmospheric and packed with historical detail, this is an absolutely amazing read, and a must for historical fiction fans. A breathtaking read!!

I would like to thank Rosie Friis from Mantle Books for my copy of this book in return for my honest review.