“Death is a song. I’ve known its rhythm since birth, but still I flinch from it.”
Stacey Thomas’s engrossing and deeply absorbing historical fiction book, The Revels, whisks readers back to the volatile 17th-century England of rampant religious strife, civil war, and witch hunts. The protagonist of the book is Nicholas Pearce, a young man with the unusual ability to hear ghostly voices. He starts working as an apprentice for Judge William Percival, a former witch hunter who is coerced by the king’s operatives to return to his former career. Witnessing the persecution of innocent people, Nicholas is faced with a moral conundrum. He must choose between using his talent to save lives and keeping quiet to protect himself.
“I am no witch. I have not sold my soul to the devil for powers. What I am has never openly been whispered of, yet it is enough that people would hang for it.”
The novel’s stunning and evocative prose effectively conveys both the historical context and the characters’ feelings. The historical details have been expertly researched by the author and incorporated into the fictitious story.
“The dead sing of their endings, but they do not always tell the truth.”
The book asks the reader to consider their own views and decisions as it examines issues of justice, loyalty, faith, love, and destiny. Each of the genuine and multifaceted individuals has flaws and motivations of their own. Nicholas, the protagonist, is a likeable and realistic figure who battles with his identity and gift. Judge Percival has a troubled past and a secret motive, making him an intriguing and complicated figure.
“We are all bound by something, Nicholas. Duty, love, fear, fate. The question is, what are you willing to do to break free?”
Other historical characters from literature, enhance the story’s realism and fascination.
“Sometimes the only way to save someone is to sacrifice yourself.”
I really didn’t dislike anything about this book, but if I had to choose, I would say that it was a little too long and occasionally moved slowly. I thought that portions of the book’s details of the court cases and the characters’ trips could have been omitted or cut. Additionally, I thought that some of the supporting characters were underdeveloped and had little bearing on the main story. I believe that more editing would have improved the book.
The way the author captured the historical environment and the characters in vivid and realistic detail was what I found most enjoyable. I experienced the story’s events and feelings as though I had been transported to England in the 17th century.
“The truth is a dangerous thing. It can set you free, or it can condemn you.”
The novel’s supernatural element gave a hint of mystery and suspense, which I found appealing as well. I believe the author did a fantastic job of fusing history with fiction to produce an engaging and educational book.
“There is a power in words, in stories. They can shape the world, or destroy it.”
Read a sample here
With thanks to Jonathan Ball Publishers for the opportunity to read this book.
About the book
https://www.jonathanball.co.za/component/virtuemart/the-revels
Category: Fiction
ISBN: 9780008566661
Publisher: HarperCollins
On sale: August 2023
Format: Trade Paperback
About the author
“Stacey Thomas is a contributor to Bad Form Review. She is an alumna of the Curtis Brown Creative novel writing course where she was awarded the Clare Mackintosh Scholarship for Black Writers. In 2021, she was announced as one of the three winners of HarperCollins’s inaugural Killing It Competition for Undiscovered Writers. The Revels is her debut novel.” (from JBP website)
