Bridget Collins writes another superb novel. Much like The Binding, her latest story, The Betrayals, has motifs around exploring painful past relationships, coping with the trauma they cause and trying to find a way to live in a future where the scars aren't so afflictive.

The characters here are compelling. They aren't necessarily likeable or make logical decisions, but you can't help but care for them. Léo, especially, is a contemptible bounder who happily works for a dictatorial regime. Only a political misstep sees him exiled to Montverre, an academy that teaches the national game called The Grand Jeu. What The Grand Jeu actually is, is never explained but seems to involve dance, music, maths and philosophy.

One of the other main protagonists is Claire, the first female Magister Ludi. Much like in previous Collins' writing, through her lens, we see how oppressive societal norms can prevent people from achieving their potential and being happy.

There are some stunningly beautiful passages in this book. The characters do make some head-scratchingly poor decisions. It never quite reached the heights of The Binding for me. In part, that is because I preferred the world The Binding was set in. The Betrayals world was a less enjoyable place. Collins writes unsubtle commentary at the ease that countries can slip into despotism and how fascism is insidious in infecting all parts of society. Given the world, we live it hit rather too close to home. That said, the central conflict around the relationship between Claire, her brother Carafax and Leo kept me on edge.

This is a wonderful novel.

Montverre is an exclusive educational institution where young men perfect the 'grand jeu' a game which has elements of music, maths. philosophy and theatre in it but which is never really explained fully. Leo Martin, a politician who has fallen from favour in a government strongly reminiscent of Hitler's Germany in the nineteen thirties is sent back there to reflect on his ways (he has protested against some of the government's proposals). He is unwilling to go back because the place has unhappy memories for him and indeed when he gets there he finds that the sister of his erstwhile friend/enemy/rival de Courcy is the new Magister Ludi and this brings back uncomfortable memories of how he betrayed de Courcy. Through the narratives of Leo past and present and Claire, the Magister Ludi as well as the mysterious Rat we learn what exactly happened ten years before and how this affects the present.

It's taken me three months to read this book. When I started it i was bemused but intrigued although this quickly turned to boredom and I set it aside coming back to it one sleepless night a few days ago. This time I was more successful and the writing drew me in until I was captivated by the world that Collins has created. Although it's many, many years since I read it, I was reminded of Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast and the pictures that keep coming into my mind are those of the Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher especially his Ascending and Descending. which depicts a building which is not all it seems. I'm so glad I went back to this. It's not an easy read but it is well worth persevering with. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Set in twenties middle europe in a country run by an autocratic party, Leo was a junior minister but is sacked for failing to toe the line with the increasingly hard line government. He is banished to study the Grande Jeu ( a national obsession ) in his old alma mater. His time there was marked by a rivalry with Carfax, the son of a brilliant but flawed family. The head of teaching the Grand Jeu, the Magister Ludi seems to have a strange obsession with Leo and Carfax. - where will it lead? The book has a large (fully acknowledged) helping of The Glass bead Game, with a side serving of Gormenghast. Its totally absorbing with an excellent denouement that keeps you transfixed to the very last page.

I was lost in this wonderful book for a whole day. It’s not my usual read but it was captivating and the characters leapt off the page.

I don’t even know where to start. Other than with the fact that I am incredibly disappointed by this book.

God I WISH I adored this. I want to, so bad. Maybe if I hadn’t figured out exactly what was going on about 20% in? Maybe the reveal would have jumped it up a star? I can see that…

Either way, that does not stop Leo being… well. Who he is. Which is uninteresting and unlikeable and average and encountering exactly 3% growth over 400, long, long pages.

And it’s not like I don’t love villains! But this sexist, selfish man who never develops is presented as the main character, the protagonist. I am so confused.

And even the bits that are interesting suddenly become boring under his narration.

I can't tell if my boredom with Leo was just because I preferred Sarah Oven’s narration or if it's because Grace's and The Rat's chapters (both narrated by Sarah) were just... better, and handled with more care.

But even then, some parts really did make me feel a little... icky. The topic of the reveal sometimes isn't handled in the nuanced way it should have been (heavy handed foreshadowing).

also. The Grand Jeu... ???? I get that it's meant to be abstract, which I wanted to love, but instead it just meant that I didn't care enough about it? Aside from to be frustrated that I wasn't feeling what the characters were feeling when they discuss it. I wanted to be swept up in all of these emotions, but I wasn't and it fell flat.

But I am giving it 3 stars. Because I liked Claire. Because I liked Carfax and The Rat. Because the storyline at its core is good. Because I will be thinking about this book for a long time, because there’s so much good stuff here—it’s just completely unmined. And that’s so frustrating, and honestly quite sad.

It doesn't go far enough. Doesn't explore what I felt like it should. Some scenes were expanded on even though it was completely unnecessary. Others were skipped over when they definitely should not have been.

There’s a whole Christian persecution storyline that is mentioned constantly in passing and is barely given any relevance?
“The Party” …who are they exactly? What do they even want with the school and the game??

Nonetheless, the writing itself is absolutely gorgeous in parts, especially with making the school itself come alive with imagery, looking at The Rat’s chapters especially—another reason why I’m giving it 3 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC… even though they’re probably regretting it right now 😂

As the second book for adults by Bridget Collins, I was excited to read The Betrayals having heard great things about The Binding (but not yet having had the opportunity to pick up a copy).

Set at Montverre, an exclusive academy in the mountains where young men are sent to study the Grand Jeu , the novel is told from three key perspectives: The Rat a young girl living in secret within the walls of the school, Leo Martin a failed politician who is sent back to his former school in exile and the new female Magister Ludi.

The story has touches of 1984 and Gilead, with a corrupt Government, misogynistic views, religious restrictions and political intrigue, from which the author has built a fascinating, rich and immersive dystopian world.

All of the characters were interesting (particularly Carfax who I adored) and I was keen to learn more about The Rat and how she ended up at Montverre. The excerpts from young Leo’s diary also helped to build him into a more rounded and likeable person, who tries to do the right thing but often misses the mark due to his lack of forethought and perhaps too much self-interest.

The Betrayals is atmospheric and mysterious (what actually is the Grand Jeu?) and I really didn’t want it to end. I could have stayed at the school for many chapters more, feeling the tensions build and learning more about these wonderful characters and their lives.

This isn’t an easy read – it’s complicated and intellectual but very beautiful and well worth falling into.

I find this a difficult book to review, I started it, stopped then resumed reading. Monterrey is an institution in France where the ‘grand jeu’ is studied and mastered. It reminded me a little of Hogwarts, with class names in Latinesque, and also set in a somewhat distopian world. Leo, a former pupil and disgraced politician, is sent back to Monterrey and the story of his time as a student and now enfolds to reveal betrayal on many levels. I couldn’t quite get my head round the grand jeu but did enjoy the twists, eventually.

I adored Bridget Collin's previous book so looked forward to this. Whilst it was an enjoyable read it wasn't as engrossing. She writes beautifully but the story did not work for me as well

This is definitely the difficult second novel. I really enjoyed the Binding, the concept was memorable and innovative and I found it a real page turner. By contrast I found Collins’ second adult novel a bit of a slog with its constantly changing view points and depiction of an mysterious school called Montverre where male students learn ‘the grand jeu’.

The novel is set in an alternative 1930s France where the government has been taken over by fascists. This is a world where Christians are persecuted and sexism is rife - a female teacher and leader wonders ‘which [students] will resent being taught by a woman’. I’d have liked a bit more creativity and escapism especially in a book whose theme is magical realism.

I agree with other reviewers who’ve found the Grand Jeu a poorly explained concept - we’re told it’s not like the theatre, music, maths, science, poetry, art, fiction or even a game. So what is it then? Without understanding its importance it’s hard to feel a sense of jeopardy as Montverre comes under increasing government pressure.

I found the first half of the novel hard going, the second half was definitely better as it became clear how the narrators were connected. There was a twist in the novel, but I found it quite predictable. This book would have benefitted from tighter editing and rethinking the Christian persecution theme which I found uncomfortable in its early 20th century European setting.

Enjoyed this book after reading The Binding which i really enjoyed. Characters were great, little bit slow paced at times, but gave me time to work things out. Enjoyable and didnt take too long to read

Having read and loved The Binding I was really looking forward to Bridget Collins’ second adult novel. However, unfortunately, I struggled with The Betrayals from the very beginning but was determined to finish it. I haven’t read Herman Hesse’s The Glass Bead Game which inspired this book (and never will) but found the concept rather odd and somewhat boring if honest. I began to cringe every time ‘grand jeu’ was mentioned. I’m really sorry as I admire anyone who can write a novel but this book was not for me and I didn’t warm to any of the characters and didn’t see any point at all having ‘the rat’ chapters interspersed throughout…yes, I realised who ‘the rat’ was but, for me, it didn’t add to the story. No happy ending, no profound ending….I can’t recommend this but am interested as to what other readers think about it.

I confess to finding the story really confusing and with very little intriguing action in about the first half of the book. I had to put it down and come back to it multiple times.

I questioned the point of the story as it seemed to take so long to get going. Then it became a bit mystery, a bit love story.

I can only suggest you keep going but its not as good as The Binding.

After reading The Binding last year, I immediately put The Betrayals on my wishlist and was so happy to be granted an eARC for this book by NetGalley. I was hoping to immerse myself into another adult historical fantasy with great writing style and a powerful love story.

Sadly, after forcing myself through this book, I feel rather…betrayed, for lack of a better word (and the pun is kinda intended, too, obviously). There were just so things that were wrong with this book.

Firstly, why is it that when looking for an impactful historical setting, writers resort to a totalitarian N*zi-like regime 9 times out of 10? What Jews were then are Christians here and one of them is saved by the main character, but it doesn’t have one bit of an impact on the plot at all. The story has little to do with the political situation, so why choose it in the first place?

Secondly, why have a female character that comes off as asexual (feeling sick at the thought of intimate touch), and then make her have meaningless sex your other main character? I would have loved an ace character! I’m actually really glad that they didn’t get a “happy ending”, but that doesn’t mean I understand the need for that second love story at all.

Thirdly, I absolutely hated how pretentious and stuck up and arrogant Léo was. Who in the world would think it’s okay to think so lowly of women (and only make exceptions for individuals) and to even think about hitting them? What??? And the whole grand jeu made absolutely zero sense at all. It was pretentious and there were big, difficult words being thrown around with no explanation which frankly made the whole thing seem like the ridiculous day-dream fantasy of a toddler. Of course the grand jeu wasn’t explained, because there isn’t anything to explain. There were allusions to perfection and harmony, but that’s all.

Furthermore, I did not understand the need for four POVs. In my opinion, it would have been more than enough to switch between Léo’s and Claire’s POV with Claire reading Léo’s diary from time to time. But then again, I think that the whole book is rather unnecessary and the story is pointless, so take that opinion with a grain of salt maybe. But seriously, what benefit did the reader have from reading the Rat’s POV?

And why did his book perpetuate the stigma around mental illnesses? Ugh! I could have thrown it at the wall for that reason alone.

Lastly, although the writing style was immersive and I liked the academia setting, I wanted to DNF this book over and over again because of how little was happening. The ending was so anticlimatic that I wished I had, but I don’t make a habit of DNFing ARCs, so there’s that. All in all, I feel like having been presented with Carfax’s Red game - some people apparently love it (although I strongly disagree that this could be brilliant in any way) and I’m one of the Magisters who hates it.

1.5/5 stars.

TW: major (?) character death, minor character death, suicide, violence

A pleasure to read and review The Betrayals. A beautifully written book, that offers a captivating story. It's a slow building story with excellent character building and full insight into the mind of Bridget Collins again.
A sensational book for any reader who enjoy getting to know characters fully and is captivated by a story that's not real life. Escapism is Collins best tool as a writer.
Fully recommend reading this book to anyone who enjoys dark academia and books that build slowly to offer enjoyment and a thrilling ride.
#The Betrayals #BridgetCollins #NetGalley

The story is centred around a University called Montverre. It is never clear where the story is set, the names sound French but France is referred to as another country. It is also not clear what time period it is. It is strongly resonant with the 1930s, but I think these are deliberate, to set it as a story you can imagine as somewhere in Europe in the twentieth century, but to not place it actually anywhere or at any time.

The story is really the relationship between Leo Martin and the only female Magister at the University, Claire Dryden. It slips between present day and flashback to when Leo was at University studying the Grand Jeu. Again, we never really see what the grand jeu is. I imagine it as a blend of chess, ballet and music but it is imaginary. Again, you don’t need to know exactly what it is, just feel the emotions, the closeness of those who are studying it.

There is a political backdrop of repression and limiting of arts. Christians are being rounded up, and most cultural activities are strictly controlled (which is why it seems to echo the 1930s). Leo has been expelled from Government and sent to Montverre, effectively in exile.

Secrets are revealed about what happened ten years previously, as tension and emotions are heightened.
The book is beautifully written, with very emotive passages and twists that you don’t see coming. It is a bit of a slow burner, but persevering with it is worthwhile.

Despite finishing the Betrayals, which centres around the Grand Jeu, I would still struggle to describe what the ancient game actually is – a combination of music, maths, philosophy and religion however how it is actually played and what happens, well I truly have no idea. Whilst this may frustrate some readers, I loved that I was able use my imagination and the descriptions provided by Collins to decide in my own mind what I would like the Grand Jeu to be. I think every reader would have a different, unique theory as to what the Grand Jeu is, and to me it is definitely a game of illusions.
The Betrayals wasn’t a book I devoured in a few hours or even a few days, it was definitely a slow burner however I found the story intriguing and the plot twist towards the end of the book certainly took me by surprise! It is set in both the past, told in the form of Leo’s old school diaries and his ‘friendship’ with Carfax, and the present day told from the perspectives of Leo, Magister Luidi/Claire Dryden and the “Rat”.
The portrayal of the “Rat” was an interesting but strange concept. Sneaking in the shadows it was difficult to decipher if the “Rat” was human or animal however as the story develops the role and significance of the “Rat” is discovered.
The Betrayals is cleverly crafted to allow the reader their own interpretation, to engage their imagination and become lost in the world of the Grand Jeu and Monteverre.

A rather odd story set in a male school for posh boys. The plot was rather confusing and characters difficult to engage with me. It offered lots but for me it failed to deliver.

Thanks to Net Galley & Harper Collins UK for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
A strange book, intriguing in places, very frustrating in others often I had no idea what was going on but plodded on to the end. Did the book come together at the end, not entirely for me, but other readers may have a different perspective.

Eventually, I gave up on this book. Set in a school for young men that considers itself to be posh, it is hard to understand the culture or the obsession with weird games they play. Then there is rat which offers its observations. All in all, I considered this to be pointless.

I absolutely loved this original and complex book set in a school where privileged male students learn the "grand jeu" - a complicated game/art form which involves music, maths, art and other disciplines. The fact that we never quite understand what the grand jeu is or how it is performed seems to have alienated a lot of readers, judging by other reviews I've read, but personally I didn't mind it - once I'd accepted that I was never really going to understand how it worked, but that it was just a whole part of the backdrop of the story, a world of academics who have devoted everything to the pursuit of something that a lot of people don't even understand.

That aside I loved the complicated relationship between Carfax and Leo, and how it changed and developed, and the political rumblings outside of Montverre which seem somehow remote and yet also affect everything that happens within the school. I thought it was a beautifully written book, original and thought provoking, and I really enjoyed reading it.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.