Hope (United Kingdom) (2007/06/10): Apparently this is a gothic romance...although I'm no clearer, having read this, what this genre is. This book struck me as being an adventure story, with the "romantic" elements being supplied by the partying and wide-eyed "gosh! I'm in Europe for the first time" outlook of our heroine (Laurel), and her treacherous companion. No-one is who they say they are, but they all turn up at the right moments to help or hinder Laurel as appropriate. I found the industrial rivalry and espionage a little more interesting than the political intrigues and sabotage, but then the more bizarre the intrigues became, the more I felt I had landed in the world of Biggles. This book has some comic moments, or it did for me, but I'm not sure how many of them were intentional. I completely missed the astrological angle (apart from where it was specifically stated), and found the epilogue a bit of a head-scratcher. No doubt those who are more interested in this area will make something more of this. On reflection, there is a distinct rose tinted spectacles feel to the whole thing. For me this book was something of a curiosity and rainy afternoon read, and is not really my usual reading ground. I think if I find myself reading one of these kinds of books again I will have to work harder as suspending my disbelief. I can't really say any more about the things I found myself sceptical about without giving away major spoilers.
