I really enjoyed Bridget Collins’ previous novel, The Binding, but this one didn’t draw me in. The writing style is beautiful but it took too long to get into the story and the characters didn’t appeal to me. The book didn’t live up to the blurb, for me.

This was really good. Of course, it does leave the reader longing to see an actual game, so that we can understand exactly what is meant by the Grand Jeu, but so far as the rest of the book goes, it was great.
The twist was excellent, well done author, and as I approached the end I was desperate to find out what happened to the stowaways.
I heartily recommend this book to any reader.

Where to begin? This story, initially failed to engage with me, however, I persevered and found the story intriguing. The main characters Leo & Carfax were interesting students at the school for the Grand Jeu. The idea was alien to me, but as the story unravels the politics and dynamics of the time shine through. It became scary and frightening the way leaders gain control and become dictators of policy and the extremes others go to collude with them or to deny them. Some of the characters are unpleasant and others very likeable.
As the story unfolded the momentum grew, I begun to guess that their maybe a twist in the tale, which indeed there is! At the conclusion I was left feeling I wanted to know more. I am not sure that I truly understood it all, but by the end I am glad that I read to the end.

I really enjoyed the binding- had never read anything like it before and I’m pleased to say the Betrayals has the same effect on me. I was gripped from start to finish, just couldn’t put this book down. Bridget Collins has a beautiful writing voice, you can step inside her books and be whisked away to another time and place. Detailed descriptions and complex plots all make for happy reading.
Don’t miss out- this is a great book!

I'm sorry to say that this book did not enchant me like I hoped it would.
I had many questions about the Grand Jeu that were left unanswered, was confused about how the fictional world worked, and finally I just couldn’t vibe with the characters. All in all the writing was lovely, but I had issues with the story and couldn't follow it well.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this arc, but having read the many reviews I can see this is a marmite of a read. Unfortunately I fell into the I’m-confused-category. I just wasn’t sure what how the world worked, found it confusing and just couldn’t connect with the characters.

The Betrayals begins and ends at Montverre, an exclusive college where scholars study the Grand Jeu, the national game based on maths, music and life itself.

Ms Collins has used Hermann Hesse’ the Glass Bead Game as inspiration intending for the descriptions of the Grand Jeu to be ‘enticing and elusive’. Unfortunately for me, Mrs Joe Bloggs, uneducated in literature, reads for enjoyment and loves a good story, I found it a bit inaccessible and vague. Basically, it was too clever for me.

The writing as expected was completely spot on, the characters, a bit hit or miss and the story highlighted my own inadequacies, which, quite frankly no one wants in a book. Whereas The Binding was enthralling and unique, The Betrayals felt unfinished and a bit disappointing. Sorry, not really my cup of tea.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another very different book. I read and loved The Binding. This story is similar in the writing style and in the mysterious working of the grand jeu. I felt that the way the relationship developed was also reminiscent of the previous book.
I found this book difficult to get into and I was in the second half before I was gripped, possibly due to the anticipation. Reading the second part of the story, I was reluctant to put it down keen to see how the story played out. I felt the ending was sad and even cruel, I felt a certain disappointment. Was this inevitable given my enthusiasm for the first book?

This is another dark, gothic book by the author. I absolutely loved The Binding and this doesn't disappoint although I did find it quite hard to get into. The game is still a bit of a mystery to me but the focus on relationships within the school and the influence of the government kept me reading to the end. I didn't guess the end which I enjoyed as I love a book which comes together in the final chapter.

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

Thankyou for giving me the chance to read this. However after seeing he description I thought it would have kept me occupied but sadly not and I was unable To finish it. Each to their own genre wise and this unfortunately wasn’t for me in the end

I got The Betrayals by Bridget Collins from NetGalley for a fair and honest review.

Montevrre, is an exclusive institution for the study of the complex game grand jeu, which the government want to control, so that it can use it for its own ends.
Into this world we have a disgraced minister of culture a former winner of the gold medal, in his second year. Who is still morning the death of his friend and fellow student who died, just as he wins the medal.
Along with the sister of the deceased student who is the first female Magister Ludi, in an organisation where there is only male students.

Normally when I review a book I can work the one major theme of the book, along with a couple of others that form the backbone of the story, these may be different than what the writer intended.
Though, if I see somewhere what the writer intended as the themes then I can usually see where they are coming from.
Although in the case of this book, The Betrayals by Bridget Collins, after completing the novel, I am still not sure if I can see what the writer was driving at.
This is because the novel felt like it was written in the style of all-in-one method for backing a cake.
The all-in-one method is where the baker, puts all the basic ingredients for the cake and mixes it in one go. Which works fine. However, in this case Bridget Collins seemed to continually add random ingredients and then got bored, while mixing it so nothing is entirely combined.
This is because the novel can be said to cover several different issues, from female liberation with the institution not allowing female students in.
As well as a form of culture wars by having using the reason that the culture minister was forced to resign and be exiled to Montevrre, was because he was against the taxing of foreign books. As the government tires to bring the culture to one traditional to the nation.
Which brings in the issues of loyalty to one leader and culture wars, in how the government wants to portray the nation.
This is particularly true when you look at the game Grand Jeu, although you never really get a clear explanation to how the game is played although you get a hint that it is a mixture of music, maths science, dance Christianity.
Even though the Government is trying to wipe out Christianity from the country.
While the novel itself does not sate a time and place for the setting of the book, a lot of people imply that is based on Germany of the 1930’s, this could because the persecution of the Christians in the book as well as the mathematics puzzle the Bridges of Konigsberg, a German city.
However, novel could also be set under a communist government thus is practically true as the town of Konigsberg, is now not in Germany but in Russia and called Kaliningrad.
Or maybe I am reading to much into the novel.
Having said that I do feel that while the book did have several themes and plot lines, which may not have been attempted to be answered, or those which were could have been ended better.
I do feel that while the book has its weakness as an individual read, I feel the book as left me with a few open-ended questions, which would make a very good book choice for a book club.

Interesting fantasy novel with twists and originality.

This book takes place in an alternative Britain in which a Party leads government in a bit of a totalitarian way (see Soviet Russia, Communist China etc..). The action takes place mainly in a school where le grand jeu is taught: we never really find out what this is but music, maths, movement are involved. Our “hero”, Léo, arrives there from London and reminisces about his time there as a scholar and the friends he mingled with. Therefore plenty of flashbacks. There are quite a few interesting characters and some revelations that are genuine and unexpected surprises. There’s a bit too much “will they, won’t they” in the central part but otherwise it is an engaging and original book with plenty to enjoy. Recommended to those who might enjoy something a little different. I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, Bridget Collins and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

After loving The Binding so much, I was so looking forward to reading this novel. However, I have managed to read approximately 15% and had to give up. I struggled to read it and didn't enjoy the story so far. I imagine so people will love this book, but it's just not for me.

I hope her next novel is more to my taste as The Binding was one of my favourites.

I'm incredibly, dreadfully sad that I've found it so difficult to read this book. It was truly a struggle. It's a shame because I absolutely adored Bridget Collins' debut. In fact, it's one of my favourite novels ever. So I was super excited to read this. Collins' writing is superb, atmospheric and beautiful. I cannot fault her for that. But this book is incredibly difficult to get into and the author does not allow the reader any insight into what any of it actually means. It feels like reading some philosophical text at times.

I think I expected Dark Academia, based on the premise and the description, and I think therein lies the problem. It's being sold as something that it very much is not. While yes, the plot takes place (mainly) at Montverre, an exclusive all-boys academy where students are trained at something called the Grand Jeu. Unfortunately, it never becomes very clear what exactly this Grand Jeu is. I definitely thought we were talking chess in the beginning, which I would have been on board for actually. Instead, this elusive Grand Jeu is neither poetry, nor a game, nor a sport, nor maths, nor music, nor anything. It's very hard to understand and I believe this is something a lot of other readers are also struggling with.

The world itself is interesting, not too dissimilar to our own. It's quite a politically heavy book, without it being made entirely clear what it is the politicians actually want.

I almost gave up, about 25% of the way through, but forced myself to the end. But unfortunately it wasn't entirely enjoyable to read. I'd still give Collins another chance with a further novel, as I adored the Binding and do think that her writing is otherwise very impressive.

What a great read. It just seemed such a different kind of book and I found it challenging my thinking with its depth and ideas. I wasn’t certain when it was set but in the end, that really didn’t matter. It could have been any time or dimension, it just caught me up and took me along with it. I particularly liked the twist to the story. I had not considered that possibility. The ending seemed both abrupt, sharp and yet just right. Loved it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this review voluntarily.
I have not read any other books by this author, but thought the plot sounded interesting. I enjoy fantasy books and was intrigued as the book started with the chapter about the Rat. The book continues with thoughts and discussions about the 'grand jeu' which don't explain what it is, only that it is not poetry, art, maths, science or a game, it has links to religion and culture and it is possible to play it, and plot the course of a 'jeu'. I read 15% of this book but could not get into it despite the beautiful prose used in descriptions. I believe a book is to be enjoyed, and think this is a case of 'The Emperor's New Clothes' where one might not want to admit to failing to understand it for fear of being thought not clever enough. I found it hard work, it didn't engage me.

I beg your pardon but I already read and reviewed this story, it was also posted on Amazon
This was my review:
I loved this story and couldn't put it down.
it's enthralling, great characters and plot, excellent world building and character development.
It's strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Loved this!
And I found it far more satisfying than The Binding, which I really enjoyed the beginning of but found fizzled out two thirds of the way through. The Betrayals kept my interest right until the end with several final twist and a couple of things resolved.
Leo falls from grace in his political career and is sent into a sort of exile at the school he attended as a boy - Montverre, an exclusive academy set in the mountains, where he studied the Grand Jeu. For while he had been happy and successful there but then tragedy struck and he lost his enthusiasm for it. On his return he meet the new master, Magister Ludi, and secrets from the past are revealed.
Of the four characters who between them narrate the novel I found the rat's tale to be the most compelling. Right from the first chapter I wanted to know what she was and what she had to do with the story. Even as it became obvious, I found her story compelling reading. Leo is a kind of anti hero, really not a particularly nice character and yet Collins manages to make the reader feel sympathy for him. Carfax has a sort of desperation to him, which to some extent is mirrored in Magister Ludi.
Overarching the characters is the setting, austere and bleak, something between a castle and cathedral is how I imagined it, and the impending political changes wrought by a dictatorial regime, all making the atmosphere quite bleak.
Whilst in The Binding I enjoyed the writing and the descriptions, with The Betrayals I loved the story.
Many thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say after having finshed reading this book, I am finding it hard to summarise what it is about. It focuses around three main characters all of whom are connected together in a complex and surprisiung way.

The book is part political, focussing on the moral compasses of a society in a place that could be anywhere at a time of change and part allegorical, staged around a code, game or idea called the Grand Jeu, you are never told what it is exactly, just glimpses of what it could be in terms of shadow and light, color and shade and decision and indecision - however you interpret it, will depend on your view of some of the themes in the book like rules, gender, laws and morality. This is also the beauty of this book, you’re not spoon-fed a linear comprehensible plot but are given the time and depth to explore the narrative across its length, depth and breadth and make of it what you will. And it is a slow burn, deliberate measured pace and comprehensive descriptions (arguably to the detriments in some parts) Really builds this world where you can’t just be a spectator but a player in the Grand Jeu - this is definitely not a book to rush through.

The plot follows Léo a disgraced politician who finds himself sent to Montverre to take a back seat and stay out of the limelight. Montverre is an academic establishement where the Grand Jeu is studied and entrants are enlisted to learn, practice and deliver the interpretation of this.

There are reflective periods from Leo’s point of view of when he was a student and his personal journey of self discovery through sexuality, platonic and non-platonic relationships and core theme of finding your truth and the reflection of unexpected betrayal.

Overall I enjoyed reading the book somewhat, but it was frustratingly slow and superfluous in parts and perhaps a bit muddled. The littering of chapters about ‘The Rat’ is one such example. It’s definitely not your standard fare and one of those books, I feel that may appeal to a niche of readers who enjoy the alternative take on characters, places or stories or those who may have read the authors other titles.

I really enjoyed this book. This book has everything I dislike - jumping time periods, unconnected characters, confusing plot and little action. I only started reading it because of the rave reviews of The Binding but once I started reading I couldn't put it down. I don't know why I enjoyed it so much but it is obviously down to the skill of the author. A rare treat.
This is an honest review of a complementary ARC.