Review: The Tuscan Child

The Tuscan Child by Rhys Bowen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Having read and enjoyed Rhys Bowen’s In Farleigh Field, I was more than happy to pick up The Tuscan Child. The synopsis intrigued me, and I was excited to see how the story came together.

From the very start, The Tuscan Child sucks you into the story. It pulls you into the past, leaving you turning page after page as two interconnected storylines play out. You know they are linked, you have ideas of how, but it is not until you’ve worked your way deep into the story that everything becomes apparent. If you’re a fan of historical mysteries, this is certainly a book to pick up. It may not be the dark and twisted thriller you find in other books set in this time, but this one will keep you gripped throughout.

While there was a lot about this book I enjoyed, I think my favourite aspect was how atmospheric the book was. Rhys Bowen really brings the locations to life, providing so many details that the world comes alive around you. Each and every element is vivid, the detail enough to transfer you to someplace new. Honestly, I was surprised. I tend to find the level of imagery I had with this book usually comes from the author being too detailed – yet, somehow, Rhys Bowen managed it without burying me under endless pages of description.

Another thing I really enjoyed, something I also enjoyed about In Farleigh Field, was the attention given to the dynamics of the characters. There was a lot of fun to be had with the mystery, the world came alive around us, but what I constantly found myself wanting more of was the details pertaining to the individual characters. There were many layers to uncover, and I found myself desperate to know all there was to know about the characters, to see more of the way they played off each other.

The one thing I wasn’t crazy about, though, was the ending. I felt as though it didn’t have the high impact I had been anticipating. I enjoyed it, yes; I was glad to see how everything came together, sure; but I had expected something a bit more. The ending didn’t quite feel up to the same standard as the rest of the book.

Overall, though, I had a lot of fun with this one. I’m certainly interested in reading more Rhys Bowen in the future.

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