This is not my favourite Bridget Collins book however, that said, it is a complex novel and well worth getting lost in on a dreary weekend.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy.

I was expecting to be hooked as thoroughly as I was by The Binding but this was a very disappointing follow up. The premise sounds great - a mysterious game, old secrets and hidden desires, a secret society - but somehow it was always too vague and not well enough drawn leaving me with a sense of confusion and disappointment.

This was such a beautifully written book. Some of the characters were so unlikeable but I loved reading about their journeys through the story and how much betrayal some of them faced. Would recommend.

An alluring blend of magical realism and dark academia.

The Betrayals tells the story of Leo a disgraced politician who is exiled to his former school and Claire the only female teacher there. It is a slow burning tale of love deception and secrets set in fascinating world of political control, persecuted Christians and spiritually focussed academia.

I found the structure and the prose in this story to be sublime, the school/monastery was wonderfully claustrophobic and the use of several povs and a dual timeline created a delicious feeling of tension and intrigue. The characters were well defined but I found it difficult to identify with either Leo or Claire. Overall it was a really interesting read and the world building was sublime.

This is the second book in the series that follows best seller the Binding that focuses very much on relationships.
Leonard Martin, the disgraced minister of culture is sacked, but in order to save him embarrassment, he is offered retirement from politics by returning to Montverre University for as long as is deemed necessary. He attended there as a young man in his quest to accomplish the Gran Jeu. This is a subtle game bringing together elements of music, mathematics and meditation, in order to allow “communion with the divine”
Whilst at Montverre he thinks he will work on his biography. Leo is unhappy about the arrangement but has no choice. He is pompous and arrogant, so being placed in a room, next to the hourly chiming clock that is depriving him of sleep is a great insult to him. He is misogynistic and not a very likeable character.
He recounts his experiences there, including his love-hate relationship with the strongest student Carfax. Winning was everything to both of them, yet Carfax ended up killing himself.
The book takes back and for between past times with Carfax and the Events that lead to his death, with current times where he meets Magister Ludi, the only female Magister ever to be at the establishment, and further the only person working there who never attended Montverre.
Leo soon learns that she is Carfax’s sister and what it means to be a woman in such a time male establishment. The book features their initial suspicion and distrust but how as they get to learn more about each other things change.
It is a fascinating read. The Gran Jeu is an opaque and ill-defined concept that you just need to run with. The relationships are complex and writing compelling. It has a gentle pace which meanders, but information is revealed at good key points. The chapter re the rat are curious and bring some light relief to the intensity of the relationships. There are some well thought out twists.

Having read and loved The Binding I went into The Betrayals with high expectations and I wasn't disappointed. The characters and descriptions of Montverre were spellbinding and I was gripped as the story unfolded. Bridget Collins hasn't disappointed and I eagerly await anything that she writes.

I stupidly ordered a second of these to review because I had forgotten the title and thought this was a new Bridget Collins. Am now double commenting to say how much I loved this story!

(Previous review sent in error related to wrong book! Many apologies! I will complete reading and re-review as soon as possible)

An excellent book and well written. It had me gripped and is vaguely reminiscent of 'If we were villains' by M. L. Rio though set in an alternative world.

I couldn't finish this book. I found it really hard to understand what was going on, particularly with different time periods in the book. It's really disappointing as I enjoyed all her other books so much. I kind of still want to know what happens but just can't carry on with the book.

This was a very unusual and complex novel with an original storyline that was hard to appreciate at times. It is certainly very cleverly put together but wasn’t really one I connected with or really enjoyed fully.

I adored the authors previous adult book The Binding which was a 5 star read for me and I was therefore delighted to see a new book from her . The lived up to all my expectations and I really loved it
the author invents a richly described alternate universe filled with a a cast of belivable but quirky characters , it uses a fictional complex game involving maths music movement and history as a complex way to look at the game of relationships and life . The book is set in a sinister world rather archaic in nature where the rolling party The Party is cracking down hard on religion and passing draconian discriminatory laws , people are disappearing and the main male character , having previously held a post in government is becoming slowly aware`of the issues .
I loved the complex relationship between the 2 main characters which was at times erotically tense
I think this may be the first book I have read in a while that was so open about female menstruation , I found this liberating and didn't fully appreciate the significance early in the book
I loved the way that the book was set in a world before electricity and computers , the students queuing up to look at exam results on a notice board reminded me so much of the many times I had to do this myself at university heart in mouth .
I suppose there are comparisons that could be drawn between this book and the worlds of Harry Potter. Having said this however I found this book far more intelligent and adult than the Potter series ,
The author has a fabulously inventive , imaginative brain and I look forward eagerly to seeing what comes next as she is now amongst my favourite authors
I will be strongly recommending this book

I was looking forward to reading this book after very much enjoying ‘The Binding’ Bridget Collins’s first novel for adults, and it didn’t disappoint. The overall feeling one gains from the novel is similar to that which is provided by ‘The Binding’, they are obviously both written by the same author. The atmosphere is very haunting and the story moves along at a good pace keeping the reader interested. This is no mean feat considering the somewhat fantastical setting.

The story is set at Montverre which is the only place one can study the ‘Grand Jeu’ a kind of game/art form. Here we meet the main protagonists, Leo and Carfax in the past and Leo and Magister Ludi/ Clair in the present. The narrative weaves neatly between past and present and kept me engaged throughout.

I was interested to read the authors comments at the end where she gave a nod to Hermann Hesse’s ‘The Glass Bead Game’ a book I haven’t yet read after many recommendations. After reading this I think I will dig out a copy and give it a try.

I really gave this book a good go, but it just wasnt for me, i found the writing style quite dry, and it just didnt grab me at all, im not even sure I was 100% what was going on

A disgraced politician with a backstory that came across too slowly, a school with oddly strict rules about visitors and mirrors and women. There was no sense of time period which I found a bit off putting; I was imagining a “The Northern Lights” vibe. For me this was such a struggle and I didn’t get “it” at all.

Set in an unnamed European country, this is a mystical and fascinating novel. Following the players of a mysterious game called grand jeu, this is a gripping and totally original read.

Waited with great anticipation after thoroughly enjoying The Binding. So disappointed with The Betrayals. Lacked the magic of the Bindings. Thought it was ponderous, slow and uninspiring. Sorry!!

At the beginning wasn't sure I was going to get through the book however I persevered and became hooked. To me the characters weren't likeable but that didn't take away the excellent storyline.

The Betrayals is an interesting, but complex story to read. It’s difficult to describe the plot - there’s the Grand Jeu, which is similar to chess, but with music and movement; the Party, who rule the country, with elements of the Nazis (persecution of religions); and a tragedy in the past that slowly reveals itself through diary entries.

The main character, Leo, is not likeable at times, and some of his interactions with Claire in the present and Carfax in the past are awkward and uncomfortable to read.

If you can make it through all the complexities of the Grand Jeu and the rules and regulations, the Betrayals is a fascinating story. Worth persevering with.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I think this is very much a marmite book, you either love it or hate it. I was a little in the middle. Dark, but very well-written. Recommended.