My thanks to Severn House for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘A Shadowed Fate’ by Marty Ambrose in exchange for an honest review.

From Publisher: “1873, Florence. Claire Clairmont, the last survivor of the 'haunted summer of 1816' Byron/Shelley circle, is reeling from the series of events triggered by the arrival of Michael Rosetti two weeks before, which culminated in a brutal murder and a shocking revelation from her old friend, Edward Trewlany.”

I have previously encountered Claire Clairmont in various works of fiction and non fiction so had some knowledge of her life before reading this novel.

When I requested this I hadn’t noticed that it was the second in a trilogy and although a brief summary of the events of ‘Claire’s Last Secret’ was provided at the beginning, I really felt as though I should have read them in order.

Still, I carried on reading and found it a beautifully written work of historical fiction. Clearly Ambrose had undertaken considerable research into the life of Claire Clairmont and her circle. I felt that she brought both her characters and the period setting vividly to life.

Clair serves as the narrator and now in her mid-70s is not only reflecting upon her youth with the perspective of maturity but is having new adventures, some quite harrowing. She emerges as a strong woman, a survivor, who has created a life for herself and her family against the odds.

She is philosophical about her time with Byron and the Shelleys: “history always sided with those whose fame extended beyond their lives like a drama with no end … never with the bit players in the wings. That had been my role, and so be it.”

I have now purchased the first novel and after reading it, will likely reread this one and be on the lookout for the conclusion to this fascinating literary historical mystery.

Claire's quest continues at Ravenna!

I must admit to being more and more taken with Ambrose's tribute to the seemingly infamous Claire Clairmont, stepsister to Mary Shelley, and the propositional mystery surrounding Allegra Byron, Claire and Lord Byron's daughter, said to have died from typhus in the convent Byron had placed her in. The question becomes for Claire, did Allegra die or was this all a ruse to protect her from Byron's enemies?
Ambrose gives a genuine voice to Claire's life, presenting Claire in a more gracious light than others have.
The story is loaded with unknown threats for Claire and her traveling companions as she searches for the truth about Allegra. Made more so by the restrained yet menacing undercurrents.
I was much struck by the thoughtful reflections from the eighty year old Claire, particularly after having visited the convent at Ravenna.
"There are so many unknowns when it comes to how fate might have changed our lives –one small turn around a different corner, one altered decision –I cannot say how it would have turned out."
The scene where Claire hears the imaginary voice of the younger Allegra in her room at the convent is beautifully rendered. Here the story skips between Claire and Allegra as Claire reads Byron's confession. In that reading we come to know Byron through the memories of Claire, the mother of his daughter, and his own words.
Once again we end waiting for more to be revealed. I am in two minds as to whether I am enjoying the serialization approach to Claire's story' and yet it does give me space to reflect.
Whether Claire Clairmont has deserved the bad press she's had or not, I have little knowledge about. I am however thoroughly enjoying this look at these famous literary characters through the lens of a much kinder vision of an older Claire. I find the mature reflections Ambrose imbues Claire with in keeping with her age and experience.
A fascinating read.

A Severn House ARC via NetGalley

Not having read the first one, I'll admit to being a bit at sea when I started this- sorting out the characters etc.- but it sucked me in. Claire is on her way to her daughter Allegra (her daughter by Byron) at a convent but there are bad people following her. Do they want the letters she's carrying or something else? I was not familiar with Claire's story so this short novel sent me to googling for more information about several of the characters. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a good read.

I didn't read the previous instalment in this series and this one can't be read as a standalone.
In any case it's an entertaining read, the historical background is well researched and vivid, the characters interesting.
i think I will get the previous book and surely will appreciated this one.
Recommended if you read the previous instalment.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I've been waiting for A Shadowed Fate for a long time and here it is at last. Marty Ambrose managed to pull me in with her first book in her Claire series so much, that in the past 1.5 years I've been checking and rechecking if there were any news about the second instalment. It hits the shelves shortly, and I received a copy on NetGalley, so here is what I think.

I flew through this novel as well as the first one. They are quite short which is a shame. In ASF Claire is going on a road trip with her friend Trelawny and her small family in order to find out what happened to her daughter, Allegra, when she lived in the convent of Bagnacavallo. While on the road a dangerous stranger seems to be on their heels, and with Byron and Shelley's valuable letters in her pocket Claire has to look over her shoulder continuously if she wants to keep her loved ones safe.

Like in Claire's Last Secret, here we got glimpses into the past too, this time of Byron's years in Ravenna, when he supported the Carbonari's revolution for a united Italy. Through journal entries the reader gets caught up in a shoot-out at the fringe of a forest, where Byron is the target, and an equally heated situation on the streets of Ravenna, where once again, bullets fly low. It was an interesting addition to the book, because I've never really read much of this part of Byron's life before.

I also enjoyed the child Allegra's journal entries and was glad the author gave her a voice. I'm looking forward to read more of her story later.

Claire and Trelawny's relationship develops quite a lot in this novel and we hear more of the one night they spent together in the past. We are also given reasons why it never really worked out between the two and we are left with a big question mark regarding their future relationship. Another reason for me to want to read the third book.

Diving into Marty Ambrose's prose was easy, as if I had just finished the first book and picked up the second right after. She's got a very clear style and she makes you care and root for her characters. It still surprises me, but with some magic she makes me like Claire, while I've never really cared much for her before.

Sign me up for the last book in the trilogy, I'm still in!

I don’t think I could love the premise of Marty Ambrose’s A Shadowed Fate more if I tried, but I genuinely wish I’d tackled it after Claire’s Last Secret.

There is nothing inherently wrong with this piece, the characters and tone of the novel are wonderfully engaging, but A Shadowed Fate is not written as a standalone. The novel builds heavily on characterizations and concepts established and detailed in its predecessor and while I deeply appreciated the story, I admit to feeling handicapped for having bypassed book one of the series.

As a character, Claire is typically tacked on as the stepsister of Mary Shelley and/or the mistress of Lord Byron. Ambrose’s work is not truly biographical, but I love how it acknowledges the accepted understanding of Claire and attempts to reverse the stereotypical portrait. Ambrose gifts her heroine courage and emotional depth, something I found historically appealing despite the imagined embellishments of the mystery in which it appears.

Compulsively readable and fun, I’d have no problem recommending A Shadowed Fate for both the quality of Ambrose’s writing and style of storytelling. That said, I feel very strongly that the books need to be read in order and could not in good conscious push A Shadowed Fate before Claire’s Last Secret.