Where to even start with this book?! It was absolutely wild from start to finish, made even better by the fact it’s based on real people and events, and I couldn’t put it down.

In the Jacobean court, power is a slippery thing to hold on to. Keeping the king on your side is an immensely difficult task, especially when the only person he listens to is his ‘favourite’ – that is, his lover. So the solution? Plant your own favourite.

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The rein of James I (VI in Scotland) is discussed far less than his charismatic Tudor predecessors, but his court was one just as filled with spies, corruption, and power plays. Francis Bacon, the main character and (often unreliable) narrator of this book, is a name we all know but his political manoeuvrings are less well known.

You can’t help but warm to Bacon as a narrator. He’s witty, droll, and self-deprecating enough to hint at his real vulnerabilities. What’s remarkable though, is how not only is Bacon convinced he is always in the right but he convinces us too. It’s not until the last few chapters (I won’t spoil the details but what an ending!) that we witness not only his fall from his position, but the carefully constructed lies he believes about himself collapse around him. George Villiers, famously a long-time favourite and believed lover of James I, had dealings with Bacon and, in this telling of events, was groomed for the position by Bacon. The steady reveal of his true feelings kept both us and Bacon guessing and doubting what we knew. Neil Blackmore is clearly an expert in creating an unreliable narrator.

The open secret of Bacon’s sexuality added an extra layer of danger to his dealings at court. As the story unfolded we got to see quite how much he had come to believe himself unworthy of love, having lived in that environment his entire life. His own inner conflict runs alongside the court dealings, and made this an unputdownable read.

Blackmore has vividly recreated a violent, bawdy and outrageous court life which it is impossible not to get drawn into. This book accomplished a lot of things: it made me want to learn more about Francis Bacon, and it made me want to read more of Blackmore’s books. But most importantly, it completely absorbed me from the start to the end.

I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.