This is a beautiful, breathtaking and utterly compelling book. The historical characters and descriptions scream from the page and burst in your head. I loved all the characters and had a few laugh out loud moments and a few gasps too. This is a fantastic tour de force of a novel. Just makes you want to keep on reading to find out what happens next. I loved the character of Jack and what happens to him throughout this story. How it switches from character to character and breathes life back into a troubling and chaotic time, where if you were unlucky you could be swept away through disease, famine, wars and of course murder, but if you had the guts and the will to fight back you may be able to hold on to fortunes wheel that little bit longer. The writing beautifully paints an atmosphere of darkness, chaos, death stalking around every corner and yet glimmers of light, frivolity and humour and intrigue. I cannot wait for the next instalment.