Bridget Collins returns with an enchanting, original and multilayered story, which is even more enticing and alluring than The Binding. At Montverre, an ancient and elite academy hidden high in the mountains, society's best and brightest are trained for excellence in the grand jeu--the great game--an arcane and mysterious competition that combines music, art, math, poetry, and philosophy. Léo Martin once excelled at Monteverre, but lost his passion for scholarly pursuits after a violent tragedy. He turned to politics instead, and became a rising star in the ruling party, until a small act of conscience cost him his career. Now, he has been exiled back to Monteverre, his fate uncertain. But this rarified world of learning he once loved is not the same place Léo remembers. Once the exclusive bastion of men, Montverre is now run by a woman: Claire Dryden, also known as Magister Ludi, the head of the grand game. At first, Léo feels an odd attraction to the Magister--a mysterious, eerily familiar connection--though he's sure they've never met before. As the legendary Midsummer Game approaches--the climax of the academy's year--long-buried secrets rise to the surface and centuries-old traditions are shockingly overturned.

Collins is one hell of a writer. Her prose is beautiful and captivating. She paints this wonderfully stark world of an alter I’ve 1930s so well. The characters are interesting, and the way the story meanders back and forth through the years is brilliantly done. The worldbuilding is nothing short of exquisite and this is a book full of wonderful magic and deadly politics. A special hybrid of fantasy and historical fiction, it is a sumptuous and darkly atmospheric; a story substantial in its sincerity and stunning in its writing. Collins's world is lush, richly-imagined and one I really didn't want to leave. This is a breathtakingly spectacular novel and rates as one of my favourites of 2020. The plot is a slow burn for the first half, which I enjoyed, and from then on it gathered pace a little. The perfect pacing is matched by the equally perfect storytelling ability of the author; it's rare you come across a more exceptional portrayal of time and place. An utterly charming and nuanced story with all the makings of a bestseller that captivated me from first page to last. This is a book you experience rather than merely read. Unforgettable. Highly recommended. Many thanks to The Borough Press for an ARC.

The world renowned Montverre academy has for centuries been a place where promising youngsters are trained in the discipline known simply as the 'grand jeu', a mix of music and mystical moves, but behind its prestige and fame lie secrets and tragedies. Léo Martin was once a student there, a winner of awards, but he gave it up and turned to politics. Now, after a rash comment in the wrong place, he's back at Montverre, in exile, with his promising career in tatters. His old college has changed though; one of their highest teaching posts is held by a woman, Claire Dryden, towards whom Léo is drawn, despite her seeming disdain for him.


As with Collins' previous novel The Binding, this is a multi-layered, multi-faceted story, of love, deception, and betrayals of several kinds, set against a backdrop of a world that isn't quite ours. Montverre in its mountainous setting sounds French but feels like it belongs further east. The government that Léo offends has many of the hallmarks of the early stages of the Nazis rise to power - a leader demanding absolute loyalty, persecution of a religious minority, the shutting down of educational and artistic academies who aren't prepared to support the Party fully. Against this menacing backdrop, the stories of Léo, Claire and others within Montverre play out, moving between 'present day' and Léo's student days which ended in tragedy.

It's captivating and escapist, while at the same time warning of the dangers of allowing arts and education to become twisted for political ends. Since reading The Betrayals, I've watched The Queen's Gambit on Netflix, and I think if you've been gripped by that then this is a book for you.
4.5 stars

I have absolutely zero idea how to review this one. CW: suicide

I wanna preface by saying although I didn't enjoy this one, a lot of people definitely are enjoying it! If you think this is your kinda thing I'd urge you to check out more positive reviews cause I think me and this book just didn't vibe well together.

Ultimately, I've barely any idea what this book was about. Go read the description. There's a school, yes. And a love, or loves, sort of? There's a game that is never explained but is entirely central to the book. There's a totalitarian government coming into power, but is never explored.

This was the slowest book I've ever read. I would have DNF'd it if it wasn't an ARC, and if people hadn't spoken so highly of The Binding before this. It was painfully boring often, the pretentiously vague tone throughout was stifling, and with no great payoff at the end to cushion the blow. I guessed the big ~twist. Miscommunication was a heavily-used trope. Mental illness is used as a central, yet somehow very dismissed, plot point. I will say that occasionally it grabbed my attention, just enough to keep me going, but there were about three different points where I strongly felt as though the story should be wrapping up - the first of these being before the halfway mark.

I'm sorry I didn't love this one, I really wanted to. There just wasn't enough substance to make this a story worth reading for me. I feel like you can have a long book OR a slow-burn book, but having both with consistently little payoff is just overwhelmingly dull and unsatisfying. I wish I could at least write more about what the book was about but honestly, I feel as though I was never told myself.

Thanks to the author, NetGalley, and Harper Collins for the ARC.

The bidding is a well known and hyped book and The Betrayals will be the same because many readers, including me, enjoyed the debut novel of the author.

I was so happy when I received an arc for this book and I Am very grateful to the publisher for it.

I haven’t read many fantasies/dystopian books so i didn’t exactly knew what to expect from this one, but I’m happy that i’ve chosen it because it’s a book that stays with me for sure.

The world building here is so well done that at times i felt like being there with the characters and the author has the power through her words to keep me engaged from the first page to the last.

Even if not everything made sense for me and was confused or had to reread certain passages just to make sure that I’ve read that correctly, even if i have an aversion of rats, even if there are so many unanswered question, this book is a must read.

Told in now and then, so many lies and secrets, so many what ifs and why and how, the mystery of this story is so engaging that i hope we will have more in the future because it deserves more.

The romance is a side story but a great one in my opinion because the author has fleshed two beautiful souls with all the ugly truth and what not in between and i loved the thoughts and so many feelings and emotions, in a world full of lies and decisiveness

‘The Betrayals’ is gorgeous, atmospheric, character-driven historical fantasy at its finest. It’s slow-paced, but there’s a constant underlying sense of danger that keeps it engaging throughout.

Unlike the majority of readers, I wasn’t the biggest fan of Collins’ adult debut, ‘The Binding’ – it started far too slowly, without the atmosphere to back it up. However, it grew into itself as it went on, and I had high hopes that Collins’ sophomore effort might have fixed the teething issues. These wishes have been fulfilled. The characters are far more engaging and likeable, the atmosphere more effective, the pacing perfectly balanced. There are minor quibbles, but this is a much more enjoyable read.

‘The Betrayals’ is set at an exclusive college, Montverre, dedicated to studying the national game – the grand jeu. This mysterious game is part mathematics, part music, and – it could be claimed – part magic. Léo Martin won the Gold Medal for his grand jeu as a second year – an almost unprecedented achievement – but subsequently left academia for politics. Now, disgraced from the ruling political party, he finds himself exiled back to Montverre. But things have changed in the last ten years, and there are many parts of Léo’s past – parts he hasn’t thought about in years – he doesn’t want coming back to haunt him.

There are three POV characters – Léo, the disgraced politician; Claire, the first female Magister Ludi in history; and the Rat, a mysterious figure who hides in the passageways of Montverre. There are also regular interludes – written in first person, unlike the rest which are in third – from Léo’s diary as a student at Montverre. I’m not always a fan of the first person, but these were some of my favourite parts – Léo now is a politician for a fascist party and a resounding misogynist, whereas Léo then was a bully, but had many more redeeming features. The complexity of those entries turns him into a character you can understand and empathise with.

Claire is an intriguing character. Montverre is an all-male institution, and as the first female Magister Ludi she has a point to prove. She’s strong and clever, but can be abrasive. Her interactions with Léo are intricately written, and I suspect I’ll appreciate them even more on a reread.

The Rat is my one major quibble with the book. She’s not a bad character, but she doesn’t fit well with the rest of the story – I feel like she could be removed and the tale told just as effectively, and possibly more tautly. At its heart, this is Léo and Claire’s story – the other characters are almost superfluous distractions.

This is a character-driven story, and whilst the plot is clever, it’s less important than the intersecting relationships and character dynamics. It’s almost like crossing Collins’ debut with ‘The Secret History’ – a mashup of historical fantasy-lite with dark academia and a generous helping of male egotism. The atmosphere and writing style should appeal to fans of both.

Overall, this is an excellent historical fantasy and a chance to see Collins’ writing and imagination at their best. Those who weren’t so fond of her ‘The Binding’ may want to give her a second chance, and those that loved her debut should find plenty to enjoy here. Recommended.

Was this book intriguing? Yes. Did I know what was going on? No, not really. There were many interesting strands to this book but somehow they didn’t make a whole story. I finished the book feeling dissatisfied as a reader and disappointed as a fan of this author’s previous book. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

This is quite simply one of my books of 2020. It is an elegantly written vision of an unnamed European country governed by a repressive and far right regime in the 1930s. It is set in the very exclusive Montverre school high up in the Alps where scholars study the art of the ‘grand jeu’ (the great game) which is an enigma the reader never really gets to understand. It is a mix of music, mathematics, religion, abstract ideas and otherness. It is highly competitive and there is great kudos in becoming the champion of the game.

The Betrayals is the story of Leo Martin, a previous scholar who has been sent back to Montverre in disgrace after he was relieved of his job with the government, Carfax de Courcy, a contemporary of Leo’s when he was a student, The Rat, a secretive character who lives on the fringes of the school and Claire Dryden, the current Magister Ludi or Master of the Game. The narrative moves between Leo’s time as a student and his current situation. Prowling behind all of them lies the ‘grand jeu’ and its impact on their lives. I realise that this sounds like a very peculiar premise for a novel and it takes a little while to embrace it but it is truly worth it.

The superb prose draws you in to this richly portrayed alternative world and I became immersed in the story and the development of the characters and their relationships. The atmosphere is heavy with spoken and unspoken events and the tension of the competition as Leo begins to compete against Claire. This was a uniquely different read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received The Betrayals by Bridget Collins for free on NetGalley by Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much to Bridget Collins, Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction and NetGalley for this early copy! This review is also available on my blog: Book, Blog & Candle!

I've been so excited for The Betrayals, I couldn't believe it when my request was approved on NetGalley! I absolutely adored The Binding by Bridget Collins and when I saw she had a new book coming out I preordered it straight away! Being able to read it early has been so lovely and I can't wait to reread it when my copy comes.

A quick note before I dive in - The Betrayals was inspired by another book called The Glass Bead Game by Hermann Hesse which I haven't had the opportunity to read yet. I didn't realise this when I started reading but it didn't affect my enjoyment or understanding of the book at all! You don't need to know about the other book at all to be able to read this amazing story but it does offer an opportunity for further research into a very interesting concept and you all know how much I love that! Thank you to Bridget Collins for the book recommendation, after reading your incredible story I am very excited to add it to my TBR!

In The Betrayals we follow four view points throughout the story - The Rat, Magister Ludi, Leo Martin and Leo's diary from when he was a student at the Montverre. The change in POV's was really well done throughout the book, I'm usually a little bit wary of books with multiple POV's but these were seamless and easy to follow!

The Rat is a fly on the wall character, she observes what is going on but is always on the outside and hidden. I really enjoyed this character and I thought it was such an interesting choice especially as she is one of our main POV's. She was shrouded in so much of her own mystery and I liked seeing how her life tied in with the plot and with the other characters.

Leo is an ex-politician dreaming of his old life. After disagreeing with the Prime Minister over a new bill and ultimately losing his government job he is forced to retire back to his old school - Montverre. Whilst there he is going to be confronted with memories that he'd rather forget and is going to have to come to terms with the kind of person he is.

Magister Claire Dryden is the first female Magister Ludi at Montverre, a school which typically only let men and boys enter the hallowed halls. She's determined to prove herself and show that women are smarter than they are given credit for but she quickly learns that she has to work ten times harder to even be acknowledged by the men at the school. She's not keen on Leo being admitted back into the school and there is a sense that she has some of her own secrets that she wants to keep hidden.

The worldbuilding is spectacular and I loved the Orwellian themes throughout the book with 'The Party' who have lots of power and are trying their best to grab even more control over individuals all over the country. Montverre was a really intriguing setting and the descriptions were so tangible the reader could almost be walking along the halls with the students or in the alcoves alongside The Rat. I love that feeling of being so immersed into a story that you could be there yourself, it definitely adds something even more special to the experience.

I love Bridget Collins' writing, especially the way that she draws the reader in and makes them not want to leave until they find out what happens next. Just like in The Binding, the lyrical prose is easy to get swept up in and offers itself in the form of a puzzle waiting for the reader to unravel. It is an amazing journey and when everything ties together it is magical and so satisfying. Plus the concepts that she creates are so unique and mind-bending, it's impossible not to fall in love with her books. I would love to be able to write a story like Bridget Collins one day!

The Betrayals is a fantastic, brilliant and mesmerising story that you won't want to put down! Thank you so much to Bridget Collins, Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this early copy, I loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC of this book.
I have updated my review and my rating from 3 to 4 stars having had time to reflect.

I Desperately wanted to read this book as I loved The Binding.
The story begins with ‘The Rat’, setting the scene, describing Montverre, a male only establishment attended by young men with the sole purpose of studying ‘the grand jeu’.

Léo Martin, ex-Minister for Culture, returns to Montverre, having studied there himself 10 years ago. Now he is tasked with keeping a watchful eye over Clair, the new Magister Ludi. It is the first time a woman has been given this prominent position and there is the feeling it may not have been obtained properly.

The story is written along a duel timeline as excerpts from Léo’s diary written when he is studying at Montverre and also the present day as we head towards the very important Midsummer Game, which is performed by the Magister Ludi.

It is a story of friends, enemies, enemies turned friends and secrets.

We also have intermittent chapters from ‘The Rat’.

I found the beginning of the book a bit of a struggle but I carried on as I had a feeling it would improve and then I enjoyed the secrets being uncovered towards the end.

This is not by any means an easy read which can be skimmed through. It is very deep and extremely well written. I personally struggled with the concept of the Grand Jeu and would have preferred a full explanation of what it was as it is the main feature of the story. It took a fair while before an ambiguous definition was forthcoming as a mixture of math, music, philosophy and religion. I like things to be black and white although I’m sure having to come to your own conclusion of what it is will appeal to some with more of an imagination than I have!

I really struggled to review this one, I certainly enjoyed it but it took a little longer to unravel in my mind.

It’s a bit hard to explain what this book is about, it’s set in an alternative reality where people will study the grand jue, what exactly is involved in the grand jue is never fully stipulated but it seems to be a mixture of song, dance, philosophy, literature...you name it! Despite this lack of clarity on a key plot point, the book is very engaging. I realised early on that we weren’t going to learn the exact details of the grand jue and focused my attention on the characters and their relationship with each other instead, these are the real driving force behind the narrative.

The story of the main characters is told from both of their points of view and we get glimpses into past events from the diary of one character. I really enjoyed both the ‘present’ and past threads of the books, both working well individually and when they came together.

The whole book had an air of mystery and the way things unravelled to the big reveal was very well written. It didn’t let up after that either, and the story remained just as interesting as before. When I think about it now, I realise it’s quite a classic tale but the build up and world that has been created really work to make it feel different and unique, I certainly began to second guess myself!

To really enjoy this book I think you have to let go a bit and allow yourself to be emerged in the story. There is no use getting hung up on the details, thankfully it’s written well enough that it’s quite easy to do so.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Bridget Collins follows her successful debut, The Binding, with a similar second novel. Although there is a fantasy element, as before, the story focuses on the relationship between two students who have a love / hate relationship. Without giving too much away, Collins borrows from Shakespeare as well as Hesse (in the author note at the back it acknowledges inspiration from The Glass Bead Game, an elusive game that combines maths, music and ideas).
Whereas in The Binding the focus on the love story overshadowed the fantasy and worked, I found the hedging around the fantasy element slightly inhibiting this time around..
I was imagining that the college they were in was a sort of Hogwarts but at no time in the whole book is magic mentioned. The Grand Jeu, the game that is studied at Montverre college, is deliberately but frustratingly nebulous. The gradual build up of a ruling state that begins to round up Christians and take them away to disappear is in the background but could have been developed into a major part of the story.
There were also so many unintentional wrongs and slights committed by the two main characters to put barriers in the way of their developing feelings I began to feel that they were completely inept. How did Leo ever became the Minister of Culture with his talent for miscommunication and misdirection?
Enjoyable but would have loved a wider canvas.

I absolutely loved the Binding and I wasn't sure what to expect next, but it wasn't this! Based on Herman Hesse's Glass Bead Game, this is a bewitching story of a traditional university-style school for talented boys to learn the Grand Jeu: an unfathomable mix of philosophy, music and devotion. The story starts and ends with politics interfering in the lives of the occupants of the school and the repercussions of the shocking appointment of a woman to the most senior role within the school at the same time as a disgraced young politician rejoins the school.
The world is so evocative and uncanny but it's hard to define this book: it's not a fantasy or a romance, but it is magical and warm and feels a little like if 1984 was written as a fairytale. I was quickly enraptured in this world, as I was with The Binding - a wonderful does of magical realism with an interesting take on the world of men and politics.

A grand jeu is a kind of web made of abstractions. It glitters, it seduces; but its beauty is essentially functional ... and its aim is to draw down the divine into a human trap. [loc. 2302]
The Binding, Bridget Collins' first novel for adults, was one of my reading highlights of 2019, so I was eager to read her new novel (thanks to NetGalley for the advance reading copy, of which this is an honest review).

The setting, again, is a world which is not quite our own: it's the 1930s, and in a nameless European country the Party is on the rise. Léo Martin, formerly Minister for Culture, falls out of favour for attempting to soften a particularly oppressive Bill. The Party arranges for his exile to Montverre, a remote institute of learning devoted to the grand jeu -- the 'national game', which combines maths, music, literature and meditation into a performative ritual.

Montverre has changed since Léo's student days. Oh, it still doesn't admit women; there are still rumours of a ghost; it's still a crumbling edifice housing a vast library of material relating to the grand jeu. But now the Magister Ludi is a woman, Claire Dryden, who seems familiar to Léo though he's sure they have never met before.

And being back at Montverre, bitterly resentful and self-deluding about his fall from grace, brings back memories of his student days and his love-hate relationship with Aimé Carfax de Courcey, who was top of the class when Léo was second, and with whom he discovered the joys of collaborative creation.

The Betrayals has four narrative threads: the Rat, who lives secretly at Montverre; Léo himself; Claire; and student Léo's diary from ten years ago. (I'm still not wholly convinced that the Rat's narrative deserves as much weight as the others.) There's a well-signalled twist which felt vaguely disappointing: and I am uncomfortable with the denouement, and with the sense that Léo's story, his growth over the course of the novel, is unsatisfactory.

There was a lot to like here, though. Collins' writing is as rich and strange as it was in The Binding, and the beats of Léo's prickly relationships -- with Carfax, and with Claire -- are meticulously observed. I loved the descriptions of Léo and Carfax working together on their grand jeu: 'those moments when something uncanny happens, something else steps into the space between us, and we're both left marvelling at a move neither of us would ever play'. [loc 1572] There was a solid underpinning of class issues: Léo is the son of a scrap merchant, Carfax the scion of an ancient noble house plagued by madness. And the depiction of Claire's career as the first female Magister Ludi in a misogynistic society, and an especially misogynist institution, had the sour ring of verisimilitude. (In a way she's brought low, not once but twice, by the simple unpleasantness of menstruation.)

The details of this secondary world are intriguing: distracting, too, because this is (I think) a world in which the 'scriptural' religions have been supplanted by the grand jeu; Christians -- including, possibly, Léo's former mistress -- are persecuted. I'd like to have had more sense of what was happening in other countries, especially countries outside Europe: and I spent far too much time trying to envisage how the grand jeu was actually played or performed. (The author's afterword indicates that it was inspired by Hesse's The Glass Bead Game, a novel I have never managed to finish.)

I found the novel enthralling, especially on a second read when I could appreciate the construction of plot and counter-plot: but I think my main problem was the character of Léo, a man so suited to political life that he can't be honest even with himself. He is petulant, petty and arrogant, and even when the truth is revealed to him he's incapable of learning from it. I did not like him: I would rather have read this story from Claire's viewpoint. Perhaps the greatest betrayal in the novel is Léo's betrayal of himself, of his heart and his soul.

Readers of Bridget Collins' previous novel The Binding shouldn't expect The Betrayals to be in a similar vein, Set in an alternate France, the story centres around Leo Martin and Claire and Aime de Courcy and their intense, emotional and intellectual relationship to each other that leads to betrayal after betrayal. Leo and Aime are students and rivals, sometimes friends, sometimes enemies and almost lovers at the mysterious Montverre school that teaches a national game that has overtones of religious worship but comprises maths, music, art and literature. It is never clear what the game actually is and adds to the other-worldliness of the setting. This is a world where only men are allowed to be taught the game at Mntverre and Christianity a dangerous heresy. The story follows Leo's fall from grace as the Minister of Culture and his exile back to Montverre where every secret and every betrayal and the reasons why Aime killed himself come to light through his old diary and the person who found, the enigmatic Magister Ludi. The presence of "the rat", an orphan girl hiding in the walls of the school and stealing food to survive add to the strangeness of the story. Leo relives those last awful days as his student and comes to a new understanding about what happened and about his own feelings for Aime. It's a slower burn than The Binding, an odd and unsettling world to enter with a dreamlike sense of unreality but intensely felt and with a satisfying ending.

I was so excited to receive an arc of this I think I squealed, I love Bridget Collins work and this was no exception. An engrossing read, beautifully written, the writing is so completely amazing I just fall into her words. Magical and spellbinding, the characters and story will draw you in and leave you wantIng more and turning pages late into the night. Absolutely amazing and one of my favourites this year.


Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

The Binding is my favourite book i've read so far this year so was so excited to be given an ARC of The Betrayals by Bridget Collins by @NetGalley and @harpercollinsuk thank you so so much!!

Review:
Our main protagonist is Leo Martin, a disgraced politician who is forced back to Montverre - an elite acadamy/ university, by a corrupt government to continue studying the grand jue (grand game). There he meets the Magister Ludi who seems to recognise him from somewhere. Leo discovers the previous games he designed with his deceased rival Carfax are missing. Who has taken them and what secrets are the acadamy hiding within its walls?

The novel is told through the perspective of Leo, Magister Ludi, Leos diary entries from his school days and a character called the rat. This really brings out the sense of mystery throughout the novel by reading different through different viewpoints and experiences.

The majority of this book is so compelling and the whole novel is written so beautifully! It was tempting though to put it down for a while as the middle lulled and went on about the game so much I started to overthink it as it's never fully explained - it's part music, philosophy, religion. Im a literal thinker so it took me a while to get over the fact i'm not going to find out so be prepared for that!

The relationships within the book are built up incredibly well and the middle slog is worth getting through for the end! My only major gripe with this book is the rat character. We vaguely find out who it is and their background but not enough to have a significant impact which is a shame because the rat could have been so much more involved!

Overall I would recommend The Betrayals to everyone with no hesitation! There really is something in Bridget Collins writing that is so special! 4/5 stars - published on 12th November 2020! Who can resist such a beautiful cover!

Firstly I would like to admire the intricate and sumptuously designed cover, it definitely gives a clue to what the pages of this spellbinding book contain.

A disgraced government official, Leo, is dispatched to the university where he excelled at studying the 'grand jeu'. (The 'grand jeu' is never fully explained. I understand it to be a philosophical game based on a mathematical, musical and meditative process that can be taught and encouraged but mastered only by a few.) It is intended as a punishment to bring him to heel after voicing dissent at the government's bill to control media and the arts, and he is to feed back information to the government who are seeking to control the culture in the country.

Returning to the university Leo remembers back to his time studying there. His love of the game, his competitive desire to be the best and his complicated relationship with the ostracised genius Carfax. This is woven into the present day where his ego bumps up against the only female Magister Ludi, Claire, and the development of their fraught relationship is set against the shadowy designs of a fascist government. What follows is a thoroughly bewitching story of secrets, betrayal, mistrust, desire and love. Both Claire and Leo develop wonderfully as characters as they face their own biases and uncomfortable truths about themselves. I had guessed at the twist in the book, but the skill of the author and my enjoyment of the rich detail in the book meant that the revelation was by no means an anti-climax.

This is the perfect book to get lost in, and I would like to thank the publishers and Net Galley for the advance copy in return for an honest review.

I loved Bridget Collins’ debut adult novel, The Binding, so was delighted and grateful to @netgalley for giving me a free eARC of The Betrayals in exchange for an honest review. I was not disappointed!

From the first chapter Collins’ unmistakable style of elegantly mysterious, sinister and dark lyrical prose captivates you.

Despite not having a clue what exactly it is that is happening, Collins’ writing is almost entrancing, as you try to piece together the different parts she reveals as the novel progresses. It is truly magical.

The novel is written from three perspectives, one from two time zones effectively creating a fourth. Collins writes believable characters, endearing through their human flaws, vulnerability and suffering.

I wasn’t sure of the chapters from the perspective of the character named ‘Rat’...but bear with them, I did change my mind after finishing the novel, which I felt would have been for the worse without them.

The strong themes running through the novel are of love, identity, betrayal, prejudice and courage. I will add trigger warnings surrounding suicide.

I loved this novel, it got better and better as it progressed, and I wish I was still reading it!!

I requested this book from NetGalley knowing nothing about it aside from the fact that the author wrote one of my favourite books of the last couple of years.  That book was The Binding.  To truly enjoy this new book I personally think it is best to go in blind and not try to find out too much about it because it is so difficult to describe the story sufficiently. So all I will say is that The Betrayals is a story about Leo, a 32 year old disgraced politician who is forced to return to his former school (called Montverre) in a beautiful mountain region somewhere in Europe where he studied the grand jeu, which is a mysterious game of sorts, but it is also so much more.
A highly original and imaginative novel with the same beautiful writing the author is so well known for.  The story is perhaps a little difficult to follow at times but a reader's patience is well rewarded in the end.

The Betrayals by Bridget Collins
Having loved The Binding I was eagerly awaiting this new novel and I was not disappointed. It is hard to encapsulate what the book is about and I suppose it would be categorised as fantasy. The author has managed to create a believable alternative reality where the “Grand Jeu” is played. We never really understand what the Grand Jeu is only that it is an ancient game that is of enormous importance studied by students at Montverre. It appears to be a combination of theatrical gestures, maths, music, religion and philosophy. It is apparently based upon The Glass Bead Game in the Herman Hesse novel but I have to admit I have never read this book.
The main protagonist is Leo Martin; at the opening of the story he is in disgrace and leaving the government due to his disagreement about the increasing tyranny within the Party. He is sent off to Montverre where he was once a celebrated student and winner of the Gold Medal. The story of his time as a student is told alongside his current time at the school.
I must admit to feeling a little lost as I strove to immerse myself in the book but as the two storylines, past and present merged I found myself desperate to read on. This is definitely a story of betrayal but also a story of love and the desire to win.
The opening pages about Rat were initially confusing but later it enough clues were carefully given to see where this character would lead us. I will be recommending this book to some of the people in my book groups but I think some people might struggle to involve themselves in the story. Many thanks to the author, the publishers and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.