Dawnlands (The Fairmile #3) by Philippa Gregory

‘I never give up.’

Spring, 1685. England is on the brink of another civil war. King Charles II has died without a legitimate heir and his brother James is to take the throne. But the English people are bitterly divided, and neither James nor his second wife, Mary of Modena, are universally welcomed.

Ned Ferryman in Boston, New England, hears of the prospect of a rebellion against James II and returns from America with his Pokanoket servant to join the uprising. Ned swears loyalty to Charles II’s illegitimate son, James Scott, the Duke of Monmouth who leads a rebellion against the monarchy.

Livia Avery, who is surely one of the most manipulative, opportunistic, and dislikeable characters in fiction, joins the court as a lady-in-waiting to the new queen. Her actions put the Reekie family at risk. After inveigling Matteo into helping save the queen from Monmouth’s invasion, Livia secures the manor of Foulmire for him. Foulmire is where Ned, Alinor and Alys once lived, and the family can return ‘home’ to the TiIdelands. But Livia has not yet finished meddling.

While I enjoyed the setting and much of the story, I kept wishing that Livia would meet her comeuppance. And I wondered whether King James II and his wife were really so vapid. Possibly. But the main characters for me were members of the Reekie family together with Ned Ferryman and his Pokanoket servant. The story shifts between England and Barbados, where sugar is king, and slavery makes Britain’s fortunes as a superpower.

Now that I have finished, I want a fourth book to find out what will happen next. The Fairmile series is an expansive family saga set during a tumultuous period of history.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith