Review: Take Me To The Castle by F.C. Malby

Summary
What would you do to secure your own freedom?

February 1993. Walls between East and West have dissolved, following the Velvet Revolution of 1989. It is a harsh winter in the newly formed Czech Republic, but the nation celebrates. Arriving in Letovice, Jana is trying to escape a personal loss and come to terms with the changes in her country and in her own life. She stays with the Martineks and meets their son, Miloš. When he leaves Letovice and she travels back to Prague, she encounters a deep and shocking betrayal. Jana meets Lukas, a conservator working on the restoration of a mosaic at the Cathedral of St Vitus. But who is he and what is he hiding?

An evocative portrayal of life during the fall of communism: It is a sometimes heartbreaking tale of deception, distrust and the need for redemption in the aftermath of a regime in which no one can be trusted, not even someone you thought you knew.

Review
Not only does this book draw you in but there is this magnetic, addictive appeal that lures you in a little and then pulls you back. From the first chapter, it grabs your attention and makes you want to just keep flipping the page to read more. You're not overly burden with too much detail, it has the right pace and is easy to follow. What was fascinating was how she incorporated the culture and history around the time of the fall of communism within her story. If you aren't familiar with the history of the Czech Republic, it's a fascinating exploration. 

What was really nice about the story was how you get so swept up in it. Everything from the love triangle between the main character, the connection with the secret government, and the relationships between the characters gives you so much to be interested in. As with any author who has a gift of storytelling, she developed her characters that allowed you to see the story unravel through their eyes which gave it more appeal. You get to know them and experience the story with them as they tell it. You felt more connected to the story because it was written so well through their eyes. Each chapter revealed something else of the story that answered questions that you may of had before which made it fit like a puzzle. 

Overall, I think the book was very enjoyable to read. It give a you a little bit of everything to keep you interested: love, mystery and suspense. I would definitely recommend.

Reviewed by Michelle Bowles

Book Information
Publisher: Amazon
Release Date: 12/17/12
Pages: 266