From the cover I wouldn't have picked this book but as I won a copy I gave it a shot. I wasn't really expecting to get into it. It did take a while to figure out what was going on/who all the characters were although I think this is probably because it's a sequel and I haven't read the 1st one. Once I got about a 1/3rd of the way in it got really gripping. The story hinges around the conflict between catholic and protestant faiths in Elizabethan times, which is fascinating in itself, then we have a lot of details about the history of medicine. Some bits were quite gruesome but not overly so to make it unenjoyable to read. I really loved the character of Bianca, a really good female lead and I also enjoyed the love story unfolding. Lots of interesting aspects and the ending was perfect.