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The Bitter Trade
The Bitter Trade is a historical adventure set during the Glorious Revolution:
Rebellious silk trader Calumny Spinks must become a coffee racketeer and join the conspiracy against the King to save his father’s life.
In 1688, torn by rebellions, England lives under the threat of a Dutch invasion. Redheaded Calumny Spinks is the lowliest man in an Essex backwater: half-French and still unapprenticed at seventeen, yet he dreams of wealth and title.
When his father’s violent past resurfaces, Cal’s desperation leads him to become a coffee racketeer. He has just three months to pay off a blackmailer and save his father’s life - but his ambition and talent for mimicry pull him into a conspiracy against the King himself.
Cal’s journey takes him from the tough life of Huguenot silk weavers to the vicious intrigues at Court. As the illicit trader Benjamin de Corvis and his controlling daughter Emilia pull him into their plots, and his lover Violet Fintry is threatened by impending war, Cal is forced to choose between his conscience and his dream of becoming Mister Calumny Spinks.
Rebellious silk trader Calumny Spinks must become a coffee racketeer and join the conspiracy against the King to save his father’s life.
In 1688, torn by rebellions, England lives under the threat of a Dutch invasion. Redheaded Calumny Spinks is the lowliest man in an Essex backwater: half-French and still unapprenticed at seventeen, yet he dreams of wealth and title.
When his father’s violent past resurfaces, Cal’s desperation leads him to become a coffee racketeer. He has just three months to pay off a blackmailer and save his father’s life - but his ambition and talent for mimicry pull him into a conspiracy against the King himself.
Cal’s journey takes him from the tough life of Huguenot silk weavers to the vicious intrigues at Court. As the illicit trader Benjamin de Corvis and his controlling daughter Emilia pull him into their plots, and his lover Violet Fintry is threatened by impending war, Cal is forced to choose between his conscience and his dream of becoming Mister Calumny Spinks.
561 pages, Paperback
First published April 3, 2014
11 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
About the author
Piers Alexander
3 books27 followersPiers is the author of "The Bitter Trade" and "Scatterwood". Also a serial media entrepreneur, he is married to the singer-songwriter Rebecca Promitzer, author of The Pickle King".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
October 20, 2014
Find this and other reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....
Ask Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tour coordinator Amy Bruno, acclaimed author Anna Belfrage or B.R.A.G. host Stephanie Moore Hopkins and they'll tell you my name is synonymous with one thing: coffee. I wont waste time denying it, the ambrosial beverage is my life blood, the fuel that keeps me writing reviews at all hours of the night. It's no exaggeration, I can rarely be found without a steaming hot cup at my side so when I heard author Piers Alexander had incorporated the robust bean and the coffeehouses of seventeenth century London into the plot of The Bitter Trade, let's just say I sat up and took notice. I've picked up novels on less, but few have impressed me as much as Alexander's debut. Richly atmospheric, the narrative plunges readers into the cutthroat world of England's capital, immersing them in a deliciously dark climate of suspicion and intrigue.
Calumny Spinks, the unfortunately named son of an ill-favored union, proves a captivating and charismatic protagonist. Young though he is, the resourceful seventeen year old develops a bold, ambitious and passionate persona over the course of the narrative. A cheeky, foul-mouthed rogue with a propensity for trouble, the boy is memorable for all the right reasons and he isn't the only one. Across the board, Alexander composes a host of engaging and thought-provoking characters, individuals who illustrate what it meant to be outsiders, subject to English law but beyond its protection.
The explicitness of Alexander's language might offend more sensitive readers, but personally, I liked his wickedly sharp and biting prose. Fast-paced and quick-witted, one can't help being swept into Cal's world and the conspiratorial schemes of which he finds himself a part. There were several instances where I felt Alexander might have done more with the story, but by and large I've no significant complaints over the time I spent with his work.
Food for thought, The Bitter Trade is set against the Glorious Revolution, a period that is not well-known this side of the Atlantic and I while I certainly appreciated the historic scope of the novel, I'm not above suggesting readers familiarize themselves with the Huguenots before delving into this debut. It is not a requirement by any means, but a basic understanding of events might prove beneficial, especially to those who've never studied the overthrow of James II.
Ask Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tour coordinator Amy Bruno, acclaimed author Anna Belfrage or B.R.A.G. host Stephanie Moore Hopkins and they'll tell you my name is synonymous with one thing: coffee. I wont waste time denying it, the ambrosial beverage is my life blood, the fuel that keeps me writing reviews at all hours of the night. It's no exaggeration, I can rarely be found without a steaming hot cup at my side so when I heard author Piers Alexander had incorporated the robust bean and the coffeehouses of seventeenth century London into the plot of The Bitter Trade, let's just say I sat up and took notice. I've picked up novels on less, but few have impressed me as much as Alexander's debut. Richly atmospheric, the narrative plunges readers into the cutthroat world of England's capital, immersing them in a deliciously dark climate of suspicion and intrigue.
Calumny Spinks, the unfortunately named son of an ill-favored union, proves a captivating and charismatic protagonist. Young though he is, the resourceful seventeen year old develops a bold, ambitious and passionate persona over the course of the narrative. A cheeky, foul-mouthed rogue with a propensity for trouble, the boy is memorable for all the right reasons and he isn't the only one. Across the board, Alexander composes a host of engaging and thought-provoking characters, individuals who illustrate what it meant to be outsiders, subject to English law but beyond its protection.
The explicitness of Alexander's language might offend more sensitive readers, but personally, I liked his wickedly sharp and biting prose. Fast-paced and quick-witted, one can't help being swept into Cal's world and the conspiratorial schemes of which he finds himself a part. There were several instances where I felt Alexander might have done more with the story, but by and large I've no significant complaints over the time I spent with his work.
Food for thought, The Bitter Trade is set against the Glorious Revolution, a period that is not well-known this side of the Atlantic and I while I certainly appreciated the historic scope of the novel, I'm not above suggesting readers familiarize themselves with the Huguenots before delving into this debut. It is not a requirement by any means, but a basic understanding of events might prove beneficial, especially to those who've never studied the overthrow of James II.
December 1, 2014
It's not easy to be Calumny Spinks. His mother is a "Frenchy slugabed" - which effectively translates as a terminally ill woman of Huguenot descent - his father seems to have made it his mission in life to thwart his son's ambitions to better himself, having so far refused to apprentice Calumny to a trade. Time is running out for Calumny, because come his 17th birthday he will be too old to be apprenticed, and so he will be destined to live out his life at the bottom of the social pecking order.
Already three pages in, I am intrigued: why would a father be so cruel to his son? Why hasn't Master Peter Spinks taught his son to read and write? And what are the secrets in his past that are so dark this capable man lives very much under the radar in an Essex village?
A few chapters in, the explosiveness of Peter's secrets are hinted at. Apparently, they are dire enough to have his wife humiliate herself in an attempt to save him. Her actions lead to violence and death, and Calumny and Peter flee for their lives - to London, the city Calumny has always dreamt of living in.
Set in the time of the Glorious Revolution - i.e. 1688/89 - The Bitter Trade is a novel that heaves with life, transporting me as the reader to a London of old, to a life very different from my own. Excellent historical detail blends with a twisting plot into quite the page-turner, further enhanced by the colourful characters, all the way from red-haired Calumny to his sickly friend Ty, his dour father and the enigmatic Garric Pettit, the forceful de Corvis and his more than a handful daughter Emilia. A special plus to Mr Alexander for his colourful female portraits: from the successful coffee-house owner (and her daughter), to the tough seamstress (and her lovely daughter) to the cross-dresser - all of them wonderful and believable ladies of their time.
As to Peter's secrets, let's just say that they are such that the biblical saying regarding how the sins of the father revolve on the son is more than apt. Poor Calumny.
Political context is presented elegantly, as are a minutiae of historical details, inserted throughout the text. Calumny's talents take him from one environment to the other - one moment he is his normal ragged self, the other he is an elegant molly-boy, spying on the rich and powerful. And as to the bitter trade, well let's just say the coffee-houses are awash with intrigue and political speculation - a ripe environment in which to plan a revolution...
All in all, this was a great read!
Already three pages in, I am intrigued: why would a father be so cruel to his son? Why hasn't Master Peter Spinks taught his son to read and write? And what are the secrets in his past that are so dark this capable man lives very much under the radar in an Essex village?
A few chapters in, the explosiveness of Peter's secrets are hinted at. Apparently, they are dire enough to have his wife humiliate herself in an attempt to save him. Her actions lead to violence and death, and Calumny and Peter flee for their lives - to London, the city Calumny has always dreamt of living in.
Set in the time of the Glorious Revolution - i.e. 1688/89 - The Bitter Trade is a novel that heaves with life, transporting me as the reader to a London of old, to a life very different from my own. Excellent historical detail blends with a twisting plot into quite the page-turner, further enhanced by the colourful characters, all the way from red-haired Calumny to his sickly friend Ty, his dour father and the enigmatic Garric Pettit, the forceful de Corvis and his more than a handful daughter Emilia. A special plus to Mr Alexander for his colourful female portraits: from the successful coffee-house owner (and her daughter), to the tough seamstress (and her lovely daughter) to the cross-dresser - all of them wonderful and believable ladies of their time.
As to Peter's secrets, let's just say that they are such that the biblical saying regarding how the sins of the father revolve on the son is more than apt. Poor Calumny.
Political context is presented elegantly, as are a minutiae of historical details, inserted throughout the text. Calumny's talents take him from one environment to the other - one moment he is his normal ragged self, the other he is an elegant molly-boy, spying on the rich and powerful. And as to the bitter trade, well let's just say the coffee-houses are awash with intrigue and political speculation - a ripe environment in which to plan a revolution...
All in all, this was a great read!
July 6, 2015
I enjoy historical fiction a great deal, but early modern history much like its predecessor middle ages, just doesn't really interest me. Yet here it is, in all its unhygienic glory. 1688, turbulent time for England certainly, as seem through they eyes of a 17 year old fiery in hair color and temperament young man. There is plenty of political intrigue, romance, sex, adventure, murder and all sort of exciting things to make the pages speed by and yet the book reads as long as it is and then some. The plot twists and convolutes exhaustingly until a fairly lackluster resolution. The writing itself was fine, quite good actually in parts, the characters were interesting and engaging. There was just something about the sheer volume and the subject matter that wouldn't maintain my interest (coffee despite being permanently features on cover art only plays a small part considering) and so it made for a something of a plodding, or at least tiresome read. Anyone particularly interest in that specific historical time would probably enjoy this one and with some editing and trimming down, this might have been a much stronger, much more dynamic read. Thanks to netgalley it was at least a free one.
November 28, 2014
I've just finished reading Piers Alexander's 'The Bitter Trade', set in the year of the 'Glorious Revolution', 1688. Very well researched, it's set in London, and follows Calumny Spinks, a silk-weaver's son who becomes embroiled in coffee-trading with menaces, and in the plot to overthrow the Catholic King James and replace him with the Protestant Mary, and her husband William of Orange. It's always interesting, it builds and builds in tension - the last 100 pages or so are properly nail biting - and there are some great twists and revelations along the way. Calumny is an excellent, and always entertaining central character, beset by obstacles, trying to escape history, escape blackmail, and make his way in the world with honour and dignity. There are many other memorable characters, too, my favourites being the old soldier, Peter, Calumny's father, and the coffee trader de Corvis. The female characters are rounded, and colourful, and drive the plot in an organic and convincing way. I've never written a review before, and it's difficult to convey how much I enjoyed this book, but if I could give it 6 stars out of 5, I would. Very, very recommended. Bravo, Piers Alexander!
November 2, 2014
While this is quite interesting from the historical point of view (although with many inaccuracies!) it is for the most part quite a dull story. The author writes in a very disjointed way perhaps trying to be representative of what it's like to be in a 17 year old's head, but I found it frustrating trying to follow one paragraph to the next. The story itself is alright and puts an interesting perspective on life of the poor and different social classes of the 17th C, but when I reached the end all I could think of is "so what happened??". The story simply ends. The epilogue was by far the most interesting part of the book, and the best written section too. Overall disappointing.
August 14, 2020
This tale is a dark one, of people who are saddled with great burdens, shameful secrets, plagued by past cruelties and ruinous debts. People who hope and dream, who plot, who steal. It is a mirthless tale, but one that is nevertheless gripping, written with an energy and uniqueness of voice which I found compelling.
Read my full review at: http://www.andreazuvich.com/book-revi...
Read my full review at: http://www.andreazuvich.com/book-revi...
December 25, 2018
Full review to come!
April 24, 2022
A gripping tale written in an excellent English. I enjoyed it very much!
Thank you Pigeonhole for letting me read this novel for free.
Thank you Pigeonhole for letting me read this novel for free.
February 10, 2015
The time just before and during The Glorious Revolution in England was a period that I haven't studied and read maybe one other book on so I was keen to read this one by a new to me author. The book had an interesting blend of flavors and I'm not referring to the coffee though that is there too.
It was a coming of age story for a young man desperate to seek his fortune and secure his place in the future. It was also a grander story of the times because the hero, Calumny Spinks, was right in the middle of it all. This wasn't a romantic story and by that I mean something broader than boy meets girl and finds happily ever after. Calumny grows up hard, his mistakes cost dearly, and not only is life not fair, but its frequently not just. But that being said, it was not all doom and gloom. Cal has a bit of the rogue in him. He has wit, cunning and an amusing way with words and thought. He made an engaging protagonist and narrator.
The story begins with Calumny, red-haired son of a French woman and a silk-weaver, living in a small suspicious, narrow-minded village while chafing at his father's refusal to put him forward at the guild for an apprenticeship. Without this, Calumny can never advance to being a master or mister. He is even more incensed when he realizes that the older man has deep, dark secrets. Life in the form of his mother's violent death and the escape to London bring him opportunities if he is willing to take them.
Calumny's world opens up as he pursues his own goals and encounters many including men plotting treason, men making plans for future wealth, men just trying to protect what they feel is right and always the women. He holds big secrets just as others hold big secrets over him. Calumny goes from mourning his boring dead-end life to being in the center of danger and excitement. It is not the adventure he imagined and his ventures into love prove disillusioned. He has big choices to make that affect more than himself even as war comes ever near.
I enjoyed pretty much everything I read from cover to cover. I liked the pace and tone and really enjoyed the attention to historical detail without it bogging down the story. Like many a well-written historical this one provides the ideologies, passions, and culture of the time. It can be a bit blunt, violent and racy, but no more or less than was true of the times. I really only had one niggle and it was a small one. I found the ending abrupt. The events in the final big scene came fast and hard. I felt dizzy and on one point I'm still a tad confused. I didn't get a feeling of finality when I turned the last page so much as the impression that only an act was over in a play and there was more to come. But that being said, I felt the story ended in a good place and tied up all the threads. An epilogue to see where Calumny was in his life several years down the road would be ideal.
All in all, this was a fantastic reading experience that I would recommend to Historical Fiction fans particularly of the period and who prefer a charismatic protagonist to keep things interesting.
My thanks to the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
It was a coming of age story for a young man desperate to seek his fortune and secure his place in the future. It was also a grander story of the times because the hero, Calumny Spinks, was right in the middle of it all. This wasn't a romantic story and by that I mean something broader than boy meets girl and finds happily ever after. Calumny grows up hard, his mistakes cost dearly, and not only is life not fair, but its frequently not just. But that being said, it was not all doom and gloom. Cal has a bit of the rogue in him. He has wit, cunning and an amusing way with words and thought. He made an engaging protagonist and narrator.
The story begins with Calumny, red-haired son of a French woman and a silk-weaver, living in a small suspicious, narrow-minded village while chafing at his father's refusal to put him forward at the guild for an apprenticeship. Without this, Calumny can never advance to being a master or mister. He is even more incensed when he realizes that the older man has deep, dark secrets. Life in the form of his mother's violent death and the escape to London bring him opportunities if he is willing to take them.
Calumny's world opens up as he pursues his own goals and encounters many including men plotting treason, men making plans for future wealth, men just trying to protect what they feel is right and always the women. He holds big secrets just as others hold big secrets over him. Calumny goes from mourning his boring dead-end life to being in the center of danger and excitement. It is not the adventure he imagined and his ventures into love prove disillusioned. He has big choices to make that affect more than himself even as war comes ever near.
I enjoyed pretty much everything I read from cover to cover. I liked the pace and tone and really enjoyed the attention to historical detail without it bogging down the story. Like many a well-written historical this one provides the ideologies, passions, and culture of the time. It can be a bit blunt, violent and racy, but no more or less than was true of the times. I really only had one niggle and it was a small one. I found the ending abrupt. The events in the final big scene came fast and hard. I felt dizzy and on one point I'm still a tad confused. I didn't get a feeling of finality when I turned the last page so much as the impression that only an act was over in a play and there was more to come. But that being said, I felt the story ended in a good place and tied up all the threads. An epilogue to see where Calumny was in his life several years down the road would be ideal.
All in all, this was a fantastic reading experience that I would recommend to Historical Fiction fans particularly of the period and who prefer a charismatic protagonist to keep things interesting.
My thanks to the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 18, 2014
A Swashbuckling Adventure During the Glorious Revolution
Seventeen-year-old Calumny Spinks is unhappy with his lot in life. He lives in an Essex village, but dreams of going to London to make his fortune. This dream seems beyond his reach since his father, Peter, a silk weaver, has refused to sign him up as an apprentice. His father hasn't even taught him to read and write.
His life changes when his father returns from a visit to London in the company of Garric Pettit, a silk merchant. Garric wonders why Calumny isn't apprenticed, and it feeds his anger with his father. Calumny hears his parents arguing, follows his father to a shed on the edge of their property, and realizes that his father is not what he appears to be.
When another wealthy man rides into the village, disaster strikes. Calumny's mother is killed, and he and Peter barely escape with their lives. They travel to London and Calumny becomes embroiled in his father's past and in trying to secure a future for himself.
If you enjoy historical novels, this is a good choice. Calumny is an engaging character. He begins the novel as a disappointed adolescent, but he has a deep seated loyalty to his father and the people he loves that tests his mettle and forces him to make choices between what he knows is right and his dreams of wealth.
The plot takes places during the Glorious Revolution when Britain is bracing for a Dutch invasion and coffee houses are all the rage in London. Calumny becomes embroiled in both. Although it makes for entertaining reading, don't take the history too seriously. An appendix at the end of the book catalogs all the historical inaccuracies.
I reviewed this book for Net Galley.
Seventeen-year-old Calumny Spinks is unhappy with his lot in life. He lives in an Essex village, but dreams of going to London to make his fortune. This dream seems beyond his reach since his father, Peter, a silk weaver, has refused to sign him up as an apprentice. His father hasn't even taught him to read and write.
His life changes when his father returns from a visit to London in the company of Garric Pettit, a silk merchant. Garric wonders why Calumny isn't apprenticed, and it feeds his anger with his father. Calumny hears his parents arguing, follows his father to a shed on the edge of their property, and realizes that his father is not what he appears to be.
When another wealthy man rides into the village, disaster strikes. Calumny's mother is killed, and he and Peter barely escape with their lives. They travel to London and Calumny becomes embroiled in his father's past and in trying to secure a future for himself.
If you enjoy historical novels, this is a good choice. Calumny is an engaging character. He begins the novel as a disappointed adolescent, but he has a deep seated loyalty to his father and the people he loves that tests his mettle and forces him to make choices between what he knows is right and his dreams of wealth.
The plot takes places during the Glorious Revolution when Britain is bracing for a Dutch invasion and coffee houses are all the rage in London. Calumny becomes embroiled in both. Although it makes for entertaining reading, don't take the history too seriously. An appendix at the end of the book catalogs all the historical inaccuracies.
I reviewed this book for Net Galley.
April 24, 2015
Calumny Spinks, a 'long-limbed red-haired Frenchy gawk' is the narrator of this novel and we follow his journey, after a tragic incident, from a small town in Essex to the big city of London where he becomes involved in conspiracies, coffeehouses and silk weavers.
He has a gift for mimicry, is bright and quick-witted and the young ladies seem to love him! In trying to repay his father's debt he uses his wits and his smooth tongue but this all leads him into dangerous situations and dangerous men.
The sights and sounds of 17th century London are brought to life with vivid descriptions of the workshops, hawkers, tradesmen, chandlers at their craft and silk weaving. This is an England where people meted out their own kind of justice, without fear of retribution, where a man could kill another man with his sword and be thought a hero but to kill another man with a pistol he would be thought a murderer. "If thou fight with pistols and win, law will call thee murderer. But to kill a man in a swordfight is no crime in English law".
There is so much packed into this clever novel, with twists and turns, romance, double dealings, murders, fears of an impending war and friendships, but it also has a soft side, especially the relationship between Calumny and his father which changed throughout the story.
The author has obviously done his research into silk weaving, boats on the Thames and 17th century pistols. My only criticism would be that some of these descriptions were so long that I found my mind wandering reading them.
Overall, a really enjoyable fast-paced novel with memorable characters and a memorable storyline. Looking forward to the next chapter in the life of mister Calumny Spinks.
He has a gift for mimicry, is bright and quick-witted and the young ladies seem to love him! In trying to repay his father's debt he uses his wits and his smooth tongue but this all leads him into dangerous situations and dangerous men.
The sights and sounds of 17th century London are brought to life with vivid descriptions of the workshops, hawkers, tradesmen, chandlers at their craft and silk weaving. This is an England where people meted out their own kind of justice, without fear of retribution, where a man could kill another man with his sword and be thought a hero but to kill another man with a pistol he would be thought a murderer. "If thou fight with pistols and win, law will call thee murderer. But to kill a man in a swordfight is no crime in English law".
There is so much packed into this clever novel, with twists and turns, romance, double dealings, murders, fears of an impending war and friendships, but it also has a soft side, especially the relationship between Calumny and his father which changed throughout the story.
The author has obviously done his research into silk weaving, boats on the Thames and 17th century pistols. My only criticism would be that some of these descriptions were so long that I found my mind wandering reading them.
Overall, a really enjoyable fast-paced novel with memorable characters and a memorable storyline. Looking forward to the next chapter in the life of mister Calumny Spinks.
May 26, 2014
Loved it, loved it, LOVED IT!
The Bitter Trade by Piers Alexander in a historical adventure/thriller set in the 1600's. It follows the story of 17 year old Calumny Spinks as he strives to become and apprentice and gain the title of 'Mister'. However not all goes well for Calumny as he is forced to leave Essex and move to London where he becomes entangled in an epic adventure filled with blackmail, mystery and treason!
I really enjoyed reading The Bitter Trade. This isn't normally the sort of book I would read, but I was drawn in by the synopsis and I'm very glad I did read it. I found Calumny to be a likeable enough character and found his story very engrossing. I loved the little dictionary at the end of the book explaining some of Calumny's language, and the chapter at the end full of facts about the history of the time period was a very nice touch.
The text is so beautifully written. Piers Alexander has a wonderful writing style, and I really felt like I was in the 1600's when reading it. It's hard to believe that this is his debut novel! I look forward to reading more of his novels in the future :)
The Bitter Trade by Piers Alexander in a historical adventure/thriller set in the 1600's. It follows the story of 17 year old Calumny Spinks as he strives to become and apprentice and gain the title of 'Mister'. However not all goes well for Calumny as he is forced to leave Essex and move to London where he becomes entangled in an epic adventure filled with blackmail, mystery and treason!
I really enjoyed reading The Bitter Trade. This isn't normally the sort of book I would read, but I was drawn in by the synopsis and I'm very glad I did read it. I found Calumny to be a likeable enough character and found his story very engrossing. I loved the little dictionary at the end of the book explaining some of Calumny's language, and the chapter at the end full of facts about the history of the time period was a very nice touch.
The text is so beautifully written. Piers Alexander has a wonderful writing style, and I really felt like I was in the 1600's when reading it. It's hard to believe that this is his debut novel! I look forward to reading more of his novels in the future :)
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March 10, 2016I'm not sure what I was expecting from this novel after reading the synopsis, but my expectations were well and truly surpassed by a debut novel which feels as if it has been confidently penned by a master of the craft.
Opening in 1688, we are introduced to Calumny Spinks, our central character, whom, despite his impoverished beginnings seems destined to lead a life of intrigue and adventure. Lanky-limbed and redheaded, Calumny comes alive to the reader, who are soon grinning at his clever wit, his talent at mimicry and his thirst for rule-breaking. He's a wonderful character, and I found great pleasure in taking Calumny's hand and allowing him to take me on a journey of sounds, smells, tastes, that brought alive the city of London during that period.
Each character we encounter leaps off the page, each road we tread feels authentic, and the language, style and pace are all polished to perfection. So, what can I say. If I had boxes to tick it would be tick, tick, tick, tick and tick. Any negatives? Only one ... we have to wait for the follow up. Highly recommended!
Opening in 1688, we are introduced to Calumny Spinks, our central character, whom, despite his impoverished beginnings seems destined to lead a life of intrigue and adventure. Lanky-limbed and redheaded, Calumny comes alive to the reader, who are soon grinning at his clever wit, his talent at mimicry and his thirst for rule-breaking. He's a wonderful character, and I found great pleasure in taking Calumny's hand and allowing him to take me on a journey of sounds, smells, tastes, that brought alive the city of London during that period.
Each character we encounter leaps off the page, each road we tread feels authentic, and the language, style and pace are all polished to perfection. So, what can I say. If I had boxes to tick it would be tick, tick, tick, tick and tick. Any negatives? Only one ... we have to wait for the follow up. Highly recommended!
August 24, 2014
THE BITTER TRADE
Piers Alexander
Read 20th August 2014
“ I was born to a raging Frenchy slugabed mother, sired by a sulking silk-weaver with a battered box of secrets under his floorboards. From her I got my flaming hair, so red that the scabfaced villagers of Salstead spoke of the evil’s seed, spitting in the dust for salvation when I walked past.”
A historical novel set in the late 17th century London at a time of great religious conflict. This book is a swashbuckling romp through those uncertain times. The author uses language of the period but it is easily read and flows at a good pace. It is an extraordinarily good and absorbing novel. I loved the writing. Maybe the plot could have been stronger? I award this book 4 stars.
Piers Alexander
Read 20th August 2014
“ I was born to a raging Frenchy slugabed mother, sired by a sulking silk-weaver with a battered box of secrets under his floorboards. From her I got my flaming hair, so red that the scabfaced villagers of Salstead spoke of the evil’s seed, spitting in the dust for salvation when I walked past.”
A historical novel set in the late 17th century London at a time of great religious conflict. This book is a swashbuckling romp through those uncertain times. The author uses language of the period but it is easily read and flows at a good pace. It is an extraordinarily good and absorbing novel. I loved the writing. Maybe the plot could have been stronger? I award this book 4 stars.
July 8, 2014
Piers very kindly gave me a review copy of this lovely novel with the expectation that I would review it sometime in June. But circumstances have conspired against me on all fronts, and I haven't been able to finish it. I didn't want to let Piers down, so I decided to mark this 'to be finished' and let you all know that what I've read so far is fabulous. It deserves more attention than I can give it right now, but I definitely recommend it. It has that effortless style that I love as a reader and hate as a writer. ;p I promise to update with a proper review as soon as I can.
December 31, 2016
I love coffee - I love the story of coffee - I could not love this story - the main character irritated me the moment he stepped on the page - the style of writing I could not get into the flow of - I gave it six chapters when I should have given up at one.
December 19, 2014
An interesting romp during the Glorious Revolution through the eyes of one Calumny Spinks as he encounters his father's past, lots of women and coffee.
September 1, 2024
I almost DNF'd this one at 80 pages, but I'd picked it up for the "food on the cover/in the title" prompt for MiddleEarthAThon 2024 (coffee was as close as I could get to that on my tbr) and I'm too stubborn to give up on that so the book was completed!
The book did improve as the pages went on. My issue with it at the start had been the depiction of women, with our main character Calumny treating them as merely objects and their depiction by Alexander being in a supportive role of the men they lived with. This did improve as the story went on and the women got to have some impact on the plotline, and interestingly the author's note at the end of the book talks about Calumny's sexism which I hadn't expected after the Ken Follett vibes at the start of the book.
"If anything, Cal's story underplays the challenges of being a woman. Wife sales were commonplace, and scolding was a regular hazard for any woman with an opinion, a vocation or a sexual appetite. Many women tried to join the army, and were turned away laughingly by recruiting sergeants who saw through their poor attempts at disguise. A few were successful, most notably Hannah Snell, who kept her sex a secret from her army comrades for three years in the mid-eighteenth century. There seems to be no legal basis for Violet's unborn child belonging to the regiment, but it is consistent with the idea of a woman being a man's property."
But overall, I did find the plotline intriguing as our main character Cal gets himself embroiled in crime and treason in an attempt to earn the money to pay of a blackmailer who knows his father's secret. There were some interesting reveals and I've not read a book set in the time period of the Glorious Revolution so it was very interesting to learn a little more about the overthrow of James II.
The writing style was engaging in section, with interesting characters, but at points the book was a little tiresome to read and there were sections with little plot progression. I also was surprised at just how little coffee did feature, it technically is a core part of the plot... but it also isn't. It's hard to explain this without spoiling the book, but to explain what I can: it's important to the plot but it barely features for maybe just over one chapter. Silk and general fabric selling is a lot more prevalent in the plot.
As I'm sure you can tell from my, fairly messy, review I had some really mixed feelings about this book. I'm popping my star rating at a 2.5* which may drop down to a 2* once I've been able to sit with the book for a bit. This quite simply was not the book for me, despite some positives.
The book did improve as the pages went on. My issue with it at the start had been the depiction of women, with our main character Calumny treating them as merely objects and their depiction by Alexander being in a supportive role of the men they lived with. This did improve as the story went on and the women got to have some impact on the plotline, and interestingly the author's note at the end of the book talks about Calumny's sexism which I hadn't expected after the Ken Follett vibes at the start of the book.
"If anything, Cal's story underplays the challenges of being a woman. Wife sales were commonplace, and scolding was a regular hazard for any woman with an opinion, a vocation or a sexual appetite. Many women tried to join the army, and were turned away laughingly by recruiting sergeants who saw through their poor attempts at disguise. A few were successful, most notably Hannah Snell, who kept her sex a secret from her army comrades for three years in the mid-eighteenth century. There seems to be no legal basis for Violet's unborn child belonging to the regiment, but it is consistent with the idea of a woman being a man's property."
But overall, I did find the plotline intriguing as our main character Cal gets himself embroiled in crime and treason in an attempt to earn the money to pay of a blackmailer who knows his father's secret. There were some interesting reveals and I've not read a book set in the time period of the Glorious Revolution so it was very interesting to learn a little more about the overthrow of James II.
The writing style was engaging in section, with interesting characters, but at points the book was a little tiresome to read and there were sections with little plot progression. I also was surprised at just how little coffee did feature, it technically is a core part of the plot... but it also isn't. It's hard to explain this without spoiling the book, but to explain what I can: it's important to the plot but it barely features for maybe just over one chapter. Silk and general fabric selling is a lot more prevalent in the plot.
As I'm sure you can tell from my, fairly messy, review I had some really mixed feelings about this book. I'm popping my star rating at a 2.5* which may drop down to a 2* once I've been able to sit with the book for a bit. This quite simply was not the book for me, despite some positives.
April 27, 2022
Set during the reign of James II and the Glorious Revolution, Calumny Spinks wants to be apprenticed to a trade but his father refuses to grant his wish. It appears Peter Spinks has a secret, one which sees them both travelling to London after the unwarranted death of Calumny’s mother. Calumny becomes a coffee racketeer and when Peter’s past catches up with him in the form of a blackmailer, they find themselves in a race against time to gather the money together to make payment.
I mostly enjoyed this book. I did find it confusing at times as there were so many characters and I found the writing style a little disjointed. It’s quite the romp through a tumultuous period in history. It reminded me somewhat of Game of Thrones on occasion. I enjoyed the historical side to it and thought there was a good sense of time and place. It was all well described. All in all, I found The Bitter Trade a fast paced and exciting adventure story with a fascinating cast of characters. I understand it’s the first in a trilogy so am interested in reading the next book in the series, Scatterwood.
I mostly enjoyed this book. I did find it confusing at times as there were so many characters and I found the writing style a little disjointed. It’s quite the romp through a tumultuous period in history. It reminded me somewhat of Game of Thrones on occasion. I enjoyed the historical side to it and thought there was a good sense of time and place. It was all well described. All in all, I found The Bitter Trade a fast paced and exciting adventure story with a fascinating cast of characters. I understand it’s the first in a trilogy so am interested in reading the next book in the series, Scatterwood.
April 24, 2022
This is historical fiction set in the late 1600s intermingled with some actual facts but not many are accurate of the time as revealed at the end of the book.
Calumny Spinks is unhappy and hoping to improve his miserable lot in life by acquiring a title. His father's history however holds him back when he decides to cash in on the coffee trade.
Calumny gets pulled into several debacles and I must confess I found the storyline confusing but completed the book as I wanted to know how the tale ended. There were some likeable characters in particular Lottie and Ty but I struggled in parts to understand the language. An index of terms at the end of the book would have been more helpful at the start as reading through an online book club as I did, there was no access to this until the end. 4 stars
Calumny Spinks is unhappy and hoping to improve his miserable lot in life by acquiring a title. His father's history however holds him back when he decides to cash in on the coffee trade.
Calumny gets pulled into several debacles and I must confess I found the storyline confusing but completed the book as I wanted to know how the tale ended. There were some likeable characters in particular Lottie and Ty but I struggled in parts to understand the language. An index of terms at the end of the book would have been more helpful at the start as reading through an online book club as I did, there was no access to this until the end. 4 stars
October 30, 2020
OK I may be biased, I'll be honest, Piers is my brother. But wow, with this and Scatterwood, he has not only evoked a period in history but created an ambience, characters and a narrative of such intrigue, that I honestly believe sits somewhere between John Le Carre and Jonathan Swift. How he has managed to paint such a rich tableau both of locations and individuals that is actually spine tingling. The Bitter Trade lays out the landscape in rich historical detail which has rarely been committed to paper, then (sort of a spoiler)... Scatterwood kicks up the gears to full manic page turning (Forget Sharpe!) action movie. This is sincerely a wonderful book (Also available in enhanced Binaural audio) and it needs more readers!!
December 29, 2018
I found the subject interesting, the tale of a young man brought up in the silk trade who moves to London and becomes a 'coffee racketeer' to help his father. At first I found it well written, evocative of its era, but then came the grammatical errors ... These (very) common errors should have been edited out, and while they are bad enough in a modern story I found them particularly jarring in a historical one. I tried to overlook them but there were really too many, and I'm afraid I gave up about a third of the way through.
Thank you to the publisher for a review copy.
Thank you to the publisher for a review copy.
May 1, 2022
The characters were superbly drawn and I liked them, however I found the flowery writing tiresome (sorry!). Whilst I enjoyed descriptions of the loom, I was hoping to read more about the 17th century coffee trade and London’s coffee houses. However I loved the Tower of London setting.
Overall, I sadly found it a drag to read, but really didn’t want it to be as the characters and time period were interesting. I know it was a violent era, but I felt some of the scenes involving violence/sex were a little gratuitous.
Thanks to Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read this novel.
Overall, I sadly found it a drag to read, but really didn’t want it to be as the characters and time period were interesting. I know it was a violent era, but I felt some of the scenes involving violence/sex were a little gratuitous.
Thanks to Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read this novel.
June 19, 2022
This was set at the end of James II reign in the run up to the Glorious revolution, following Calumny Spinks and his quest to make himself a gentleman whilst also removing the threat of death from himself and his father as it was his father who hanged Charles I.
This was an often interesting read, although I did expect more about the coffee houses and trade than was in the book. It is also most definitely fiction as some time sequences/events were false, as detailed in the author's notes at the end.
With thanks to the author and the Pigeonhole for the opportunity.
This was an often interesting read, although I did expect more about the coffee houses and trade than was in the book. It is also most definitely fiction as some time sequences/events were false, as detailed in the author's notes at the end.
With thanks to the author and the Pigeonhole for the opportunity.
July 19, 2017
This book could have been so good...I mean, I think most people thought it was, as the writing style was engaging and it was about an interesting period of history that I haven't seen much written about, and I admit the obnoxious and fiery Calumny Spinks cracked me up a few times. However, I would really have appreciated ONE female character who wasn't either The Mum™ or just there for the protagonist to sleep with. I couldn't really get into it for that reason.
May 27, 2017
I wanted to love this. The historical research and the way the atmosphere of time and place is portrayed is outstanding, but the storytelling itself didn't grab me. I just didn't find it compelling; I wasn't itching to get back to it all the time. After a bit of humming and hah-ing, I finally abandoned it about half way through, though I may go back to it.
April 25, 2018
Very well researched and an interesting/unusual viewpoint on the events of that era.
April 25, 2022
Too long, too many characters that I didn’t care about and Olde English that mushed my brain. Even though I finished it I couldn’t tell you what, exactly, it was about.
May 24, 2022
** 3 stars **
August 18, 2017
I decided to wait a few days after finishing this book to rate it because I was torn between three and four stars. I did enjoy it more than most books I give three stars, but there were some things that make me hesitant to be too enthusiastic about it.
When you hang around enough coffee industry types, you pick up some of the lore and history about coffee. Often the myth is so intermingled with the history that it’s hard to tell which is what. Mythic claims of dancing goats, napping monks, and fair trade practices aside, there’s certainly seed for plenty of books: espionage, seductions, smuggling (lots of smuggling), bribery, murder, kidnapping…and that’s just the stuff that can be documented as actually happening. Then there are the coffee houses that were hotbeds of politics and business. Lloyd’s of London, for example, started as a coffee house. It’s an intrigue-rich product, so given what I knew from my (figurative) past life, I was thinking a historical novel about the trade might be a real adventure.
OK, so let’s get to my qualms first, the reasons I hesitated so long on that fourth star.
The gorgeous cover art makes one think that the reader will be plunged into the middle of all that intrigue I mentioned above, the actual coffee trade. The book synopsis does nothing to contradict that assumption. So, when I found myself at the 65% mark and the only mention of coffee had been a couple of vague references, a conversation or two in a a coffee house, and a guy sniffing a bag the contents of which we are not specifically told, It was pretty obvious that coffee is only peripheral to this story. It’s secondary, even tertiary, to the plot. You will learn far more about silk weavers and the cloth trades than about coffee. The primary events in the book are about the overthrow of James II and the collusion of English guilds and Parliamentarians with the Dutch to bring William and Mary to power. No less interesting, but I felt the pitch was misleading.
One of the first few times the coffee trade is directly discussed is in a scene where a character is giving his backstory. The events he describes involve a smuggler and growing coffee in Jamaica. The Glorious Revolution, which is where this book ends, took place in 1688. Coffee wasn’t grown in Jamaica until 1728-ish. While the author addresses this time disparity in the author’s notes, those are at the back of the book where it won’t get read until last, if ever. I spent a quarter of the book trying to figure out why on earth there was this forty year anachronism when it really didn’t add anything to the plot. It felt contrived just to work in the coffee angle. Why not just move the back story to a more historically accurate location (Java?) or use sugar as the tie-in instead of coffee. (Maybe sugar cane wouldn’t make as compelling cover art. No one waxes poetic over sugar cane.)
Then we have the matter of female characters. They are all whores, you see. Lusty, crusty, bossy, and moody. Except age and hair color, the female characters are interchangeable, and for reasons I could never fathom, they all—except the leper, although she jokes about it, and the lesbian--want to bang the main character. And, of course, he wants to bang them back because that’s what 17 year old boys think about when they aren’t thinking about food. I don’t expect more from 17 year old boys, but I do expect more from half a dozen female characters. Considering how well most of the male characters are individualized, it was a disappointment.
On the plus side, the descriptions of place and people are vibrant. You get a feel for how smelly, vermin-infested, scruffy, and uncomfortable the 17th century could be. The politics, both governmental and guild, are about as treacherous as it gets. While the novel gets off to a slow start – maybe because I kept wondering how coffee fit into all of this – the author makes it pay off later when you reach the climax and realize how much groundwork is laid for understanding how the rivalries and (pretty tentative) partnerships work and flux. Had the author rushed into the action, the ending would not have worked nearly as well.
So, I enjoyed it overall and thought it a good read once I got past the pitch not exactly matching the content and my annoyance at how female characters were portrayed. I understand there is supposed to be a sequel will likely read it when it comes out.
When you hang around enough coffee industry types, you pick up some of the lore and history about coffee. Often the myth is so intermingled with the history that it’s hard to tell which is what. Mythic claims of dancing goats, napping monks, and fair trade practices aside, there’s certainly seed for plenty of books: espionage, seductions, smuggling (lots of smuggling), bribery, murder, kidnapping…and that’s just the stuff that can be documented as actually happening. Then there are the coffee houses that were hotbeds of politics and business. Lloyd’s of London, for example, started as a coffee house. It’s an intrigue-rich product, so given what I knew from my (figurative) past life, I was thinking a historical novel about the trade might be a real adventure.
OK, so let’s get to my qualms first, the reasons I hesitated so long on that fourth star.
The gorgeous cover art makes one think that the reader will be plunged into the middle of all that intrigue I mentioned above, the actual coffee trade. The book synopsis does nothing to contradict that assumption. So, when I found myself at the 65% mark and the only mention of coffee had been a couple of vague references, a conversation or two in a a coffee house, and a guy sniffing a bag the contents of which we are not specifically told, It was pretty obvious that coffee is only peripheral to this story. It’s secondary, even tertiary, to the plot. You will learn far more about silk weavers and the cloth trades than about coffee. The primary events in the book are about the overthrow of James II and the collusion of English guilds and Parliamentarians with the Dutch to bring William and Mary to power. No less interesting, but I felt the pitch was misleading.
One of the first few times the coffee trade is directly discussed is in a scene where a character is giving his backstory. The events he describes involve a smuggler and growing coffee in Jamaica. The Glorious Revolution, which is where this book ends, took place in 1688. Coffee wasn’t grown in Jamaica until 1728-ish. While the author addresses this time disparity in the author’s notes, those are at the back of the book where it won’t get read until last, if ever. I spent a quarter of the book trying to figure out why on earth there was this forty year anachronism when it really didn’t add anything to the plot. It felt contrived just to work in the coffee angle. Why not just move the back story to a more historically accurate location (Java?) or use sugar as the tie-in instead of coffee. (Maybe sugar cane wouldn’t make as compelling cover art. No one waxes poetic over sugar cane.)
Then we have the matter of female characters. They are all whores, you see. Lusty, crusty, bossy, and moody. Except age and hair color, the female characters are interchangeable, and for reasons I could never fathom, they all—except the leper, although she jokes about it, and the lesbian--want to bang the main character. And, of course, he wants to bang them back because that’s what 17 year old boys think about when they aren’t thinking about food. I don’t expect more from 17 year old boys, but I do expect more from half a dozen female characters. Considering how well most of the male characters are individualized, it was a disappointment.
On the plus side, the descriptions of place and people are vibrant. You get a feel for how smelly, vermin-infested, scruffy, and uncomfortable the 17th century could be. The politics, both governmental and guild, are about as treacherous as it gets. While the novel gets off to a slow start – maybe because I kept wondering how coffee fit into all of this – the author makes it pay off later when you reach the climax and realize how much groundwork is laid for understanding how the rivalries and (pretty tentative) partnerships work and flux. Had the author rushed into the action, the ending would not have worked nearly as well.
So, I enjoyed it overall and thought it a good read once I got past the pitch not exactly matching the content and my annoyance at how female characters were portrayed. I understand there is supposed to be a sequel will likely read it when it comes out.
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