"A Net for Small Fishes" by Lucy Jago is a captivating historical fiction that checks all the boxes: rich descriptions, meticulous period details, a gripping plot, and unforgettable characters.

At its core is the profound friendship between Anne and Frankie, which adds depth to the narrative and drives the story forward with its complexity. Jago's vivid imagery immerses readers in the sights, sounds, and smells of Jacobean England, creating a truly sensory experience.

With its blend of historical detail and gripping storytelling, "A Net for Small Fishes" is a testament to Jago's skill as a writer. This emotionally charged novel keeps readers invested in the characters' fates until the very end, leaving them eager for more from this talented author.

I did not get around to reading this book prior to it’s publication date and it has since been archived therefore I cannot leave a review at this time.

I’m sorting through my Netgalley and just found I never submitted my review for this book. I listened to it a while ago and found it to be a really solid historical fiction with a very interesting and unique focus. I also found the narrator was very easy to listen to and really bought the book to life.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to listen to this book, apologies I won’t review is so late.

A wonderful exploration of female friendship during the incredible difficult period of 1600's England when most women little more than decorations for their husbands and had no individual worth. Learning that the vast majority of characters are real, from letters etc made me love them even more. Yes it is overly dramatic at times but that is how people of court were. I felt a strong affection for Anne and Frankie and rooted for their beautiful friendship the whole way.

A powerful novel about female friendship and what happens to women subject to a society which values them at best as wives and objects of desire, and at worst, vehicles for men’s pleasure and their rage.

Jago takes the true story of a seventeeth century scandal which saw Frances Howard, wife of King James’s favourite courtier, and her companion Anne Turner accused of the murder of Thomas Overbury and branded as witches. What she does with this is incredible – weaving a rich and vibrant tale of the lives and friendship of the two women, and how they navigate a society with a complex relationship to women. Fashion in King James’s court sees blurred gender roles, but socially the King’s dogged pursuit of witches saw widespread persecution, primarily of women and especially those who did not conform to strict social norms.

Anne is in a precarious position, attempting to transcend the social boundaries of class. However, for all her wealth and privilege Frankie is similarly endangered as she fights not only to escape an abusive marriage, but to secure her position beyond this, and somewhat idealistically, find love. In a world where they have very little agency, the women find their own power – clothes become a form of armour, their friendship a fortification, and Anne’s skill as a doctor’s widow becomes a weapon against the injustices faced by women.

This exquisitely written story is a fable for women which will resonate with women even 400 years later – behaving beyond the established norms of womanhood is dangerous and seen as a threat to society. Yet Jago doesn’t leave us with a bitter taste, as she shows us the strength and freedom that can be found in female friendships.

This was a fascinating trip into a historical period and evens that I didn’t know much about. I’m not a huge fan of historical fiction, but I love a good audiobook and I enjoyed listening to this novel. The narrators voice worked well to bring the book to life.

I loved the narration. Thought it was brilliantly read and brought the story and characters to life.

At first I found the story slow, and if I’m honest I struggled to get interested. However this soon changed and I became hooked, so I would say this has a slow start.

Strong female characters, historical, and clearly very well researched!!

I will be recommending this to all historical fiction, historical fans I know.

Description
Bloomsbury presents A Net for Small Fishes by Lucy Jago, read by Sarah Durham.
Based on the true scandal that rocked the court of James I, A Net for Small Fishes is the most gripping novel you'll read this year: an exhilarating dive into the pitch-dark waters of the Jacobean court
Frances Howard has beauty and a powerful family – and is the most unhappy creature in the world.
Anne Turner has wit and talent – but no stage on which to display them. Little stands between her and the abyss of destitution.
When these two very different women meet in the strangest of circumstances, a powerful friendship is sparked. Frankie sweeps Anne into a world of splendour that exceeds all she imagined: a Court whose foreign king is a stranger to his own subjects; where ancient families fight for power, and where the sovereign’s favourite may rise and rise – so long as he remains in favour.
With the marriage of their talents, Anne and Frankie enter this extravagant, savage hunting ground, seeking a little happiness for themselves. But as they gain notice, they also gain enemies; what began as a search for love and safety leads to desperate acts that could cost them everything.

Review

A Net For Small Fishes is my first read by Lucy Jago, and the Jacobean era was bought to life in this interpretation of a true scandal. Having finished the book, i am left with a strong sense of history of the era, am overwhelmed at the misogyny, the brutality and the manipulation of women by men. The sense of distrust, the women were charged with witchcraft if they fail to conform to court rules. The court scenes were distressing, and the pain Anne feels is well communicated.

It is a book that leaves me with a strong sense of history, the conditions of the time, and the mistreatment of women. You are left with a strong sense of the strength of the bond between Anne Turner and Frances Howard.

#ANetforSmallFishes #NetGalley
3/5

What a fantastic story! Historical fiction lovers have got to read this superb piece.

A wonderful tale of courage and determination, of 2 strong women bound by the most intense friendship and love.

The words are wonderful, the research is very thorough and you get transported to the Jacobean court of King James I, with the book broaching the subject of women condition in those times. The politics, the manipulation, the scandals, the way women were treated: “The King’s Justice is a Net for Small Fishes”.

It was pitched as Thelma and Louise of the 17th century and it hasn’t failed this selling point!

Absolutely brilliant.

So far in 2021 this is my favourite audio book without a doubt.
I loved it to the point of delaying anything I had to do instead of listening to it.
I had no knowledge of the history of the characters and since finishing the book looked up the facts.
Clearly this was a very sympathetic view of Ann Turner and Frances Howard but it was captivating for all that.
At a time when women had virtually no say in their lives, no choice of husband this story focuses on a young bride married to an impotent cruel young husband who becomes friends with Ann Turner. Married to an older, respected doctor there is mutual love and respect and children between them. That does not stop Ann having a long term affair and three more children who live with the family and don't know that they aren't children of the marriage.
Frances is abused by her husband and there begins a complicated tale of love and court life.

The court of King James I is not one that I am that familiar with, so this foray into it through the lives of Frances Howard and Anne Turner was a welcome eye opener. Pitched as a Thelma and Louise for the 17th century, this book focuses firmly on the friendship between the two women and the tragic lengths they would go to for each other. I thought that the narrative was really compelling, although I did find the pacing a little strange and found myself losing a bit of momentum in the latter third. I loved the characters and thought that Lucy Jago did a great job of filling these historical figures with life, warts and all. There was a lot to be said here about the role of women in society and at court, and I thought that this was explored very well, as was the notion of poverty, both in terms of the bread line and the scandalous levels of debt required to be a courtier. Overall, this was a thoroughly engrossing novel and I will be interested to see what the author comes up with next.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The court of James I of Scotland & England (Great Britain) is brought to life in this vivid historical fiction drama, with a story that had far-reaching consequences as it was mired in scandal. A Net for Small Fishes is a compelling weave of imaginative fiction with meaningful disclosures of history. The royal courts at the time were places of deadly political machinations where winners held power and wealth, while the losers lost land, position and quite often their lives. Lucy Jago created a perilous and edgy atmosphere that encircles the story of two unlikely female friends who sought to change their lives from the abusive and restrained existence they endured.

Frances (Frankie) Howard, a member of the powerful catholic, Howard family, was betrothed to the Earl of Essex in a political union. A marriage that was claimed never to have been consummated but which brought much ridicule to the Earl of Essex. As the Countess of Essex, Frankie, suffered physical and mental abuse from her husband in a marriage that is fraught with family loathing, religious hatred, and partisan suspicion. Frankie’s only friend comes from an unlikely source, Mistress Anne Turner, wife of the physician, Dr George Turner, and a talented fashion stylist. Anne ensures Frankie is dressed magnificently for court and they become closer and closer friends, which is unique in an environment where deceit and corruption are common practice. The genuine connection across the class divide was also quite surprising and endearing, especially for that era.

With Frankie’s marriage falling apart, the drama intensifies when she pursues an affair with the King’s favourite, Viscount Robert Carr. An affair that risked devastating repercussions, illustrates the attitude of Frances Howard and the loyalty of Anne Turner. Anne becomes widowed, and she courageously works to provide an independent life and position for her and her family.

When the poisoning of the poet Sir Thomas Overbury occurs and the following trial is prosecuted, the loyalty of the women is paramount. The trial is steeped in accusations, coercion, talk of witchcraft, magic, and the plotting of powerful families to destroy each other. In a Net for Small Fishes, Lucy Jago paints a credible account of the actual events that surrounded the death and trial over Sir Thomas Overbury but places the two women at the centre of the story and addresses the unique perspective they faced. It is a wonderful opportunity to appreciate how difficult it was for women to navigate the royal court scene and obtain equality and independence.

The scenes that are painted in historical London are authentically portrayed and along with the engaging dialogue deliver an enthralling read with voices that are intelligent and distinctive. The depth of the characters is developed, from what is known, to create personalities full of light and shade.

This is an audiobook review and the narrator, Sarah Durham, totally beguiled me with her beautiful shifting tones and inflexions, which provided greater scope than I expected. I would highly recommend this book and I would like to thank Bloomsbury UK Audio and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in return for an honest review.

This was a well-written story, and I liked the audio narrator very much, but ultimately it fell flat for me.

The characters didn't quite come off the page, the period details were good but the voice didn't captivate enough.

I found it boring if I'm honest. It felt like I did learn about the period but it felt that it was sometimes at the expense of pacing and dramatic scenes. The plot didn't feel like it rose to a crescendo, it just plodded along and then ended.

My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This audiobook takes us back to the court of James I. It is fascinating, as it loosely covers actual events, with fictional padding.

I loved the historical aspects, it was like looking through a window into the period. It was written from the female point of view, and shows how women suffered in that time, they were possessions, firstly of their parents and then their husbands, who they were married off to without any consultation. It was all about political manoeuvring, and the marries were used to advance status and gain power.

In the midst of this background we meet two women of differing circumstance, who become devoted to each other, and dare to try and change their fate.

I loved the narration, it handled everything really well, and kept me involved in the plot throughout

It is a wonderful book, and I really recommend it.

A net for small fishes is based on the true story of the scandal that rocked the court of James I in the 17th century. We follow Frances through her marriage and her affair and the eventual poisoning of a poet and the trial. Frances becomes friends with Mistress Anne Turner who helps her, through the means of fashion, during her trial. We follow these strong independent women during a male dominated era and learn of their fate.

This is an excellently written novel that is clearly extensively researched, whilst still reading as a captivating story. The characters and plot are engaging, I felt connected too both Francis and Anne and became invested in their journey. The descriptions of Francis's horrific treatment was at times difficult to read, but only made her story more heartfelt. The storytelling also felt authentic, a language was used that was appropriate of the time and detailed the very real misogony and lack of Womens rights. The gentle exploration of magic and superstition also demonstrated the uneasiness of the unknown and how intelligent women were misunderstood.

The novel is however a little slow to start and it took me a while to immerse myself. The historical writing can also read contrived at times and again makes the story more difficult to engage in. The incessant use of metaphors was tiring and distracted from the plot. It also would have been great to have some varying viewpoints, I felt like the main focus was of the higher class and a forbidden relationship, yet the narrative came from outside those two narratives. This distanced me from fully understanding and immersing myself.

Overall, a fantastic debut, some superb writing and an excellent story. Some criticism could be improved on, but an enjoyable read.

I listened to the audiobook of this.

I didn't know much about the history or the story on which this book is inspired and based on. The scandal of two women during James 1 reign.

The story is so gripping and is well written, easy to imagen that i was gripped and taken to the era.

Seeing the different between status yet doesn't stop a friendship grow and blossom. Its also well written that it explains the challenges women had but also expectations, the fear of witchcraft, injustices but also fear of betrayal.

Its so well written and well researched that you can easierly see the scandals within court, the plot, backstabbing, and all the webs of lies getting tangled due to others greed to raise and gain favour with the king.

Thank you to the publisher and netgallery allowing me a copy to give a honest review.

I love historical fiction, particularly when it concerns the history of the kings and queens of England. When this one popped up on NetGalley Audio I decided to give it a try. I’d like to thank Bloomsbury UK and NetGalley for approving me for an ARC of this book.

Knowing this was based on true events made it more shocking and whilst there were some elements of fiction in there Lucy Jago had done a brilliant job at researching. So much so that I couldn’t tell the fact from the fiction, everything about the story was believable and plausible. The writing was sublime and the characters were beautifully developed, Sarah Durham also did an excellent job with the narration.

The story is told entirely from the POV of Anne Turner and what a protagonist she was! Anne was a fighter, a mother and above all a loyal friend. She fought tooth and nail to keep her family going which made me admire her even more. She knew the role she played in society and what the correct etiquette was but the didn’t stop her from seeking a better life for herself and Frankie.

Frances (Frankie), unhappily married, wants nothing more than to be happy and escape the abusive arranged marriage she finds herself in. I felt she brought Anne out of her shell and made her less timid whilst Anne did her best rein Frankie in at times. Together they form an unlikely friendship that made them cunning, determined and brave in their decisions. As the story progressed their friendship flourished and remained resilient until the end. Their friendship was timeless and I thought the epilogue was a beautiful addition to Anne and Frankie’s story, that brought tears to my eyes.

This is a story of our history told with a twist of magic, desire and misogyny. It shows the true power of womanhood, friendship and devotion.

A perfect historical fiction novel of true friendship, survival, life in the 17th Century and survival.
I loved both Anne and Frankie, how they met, how their friendship unfolded and the sheer strength of it is amazing.
This isn’t an event I knew anything about prior to A Net For Small Fishes so the ending is incredibly sad.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Audiobook version. The narrator is fantastic. Her voice keeps you captivated throughout and I loved the different voices for different characters.

A detailed dive into Jacobean England and the lives of two women embroiled in a true scandal from the court of James I. This books drips with atmosphere and is clearly very well researched. I knew very little about this time in history and Jago paints a vivid picture of Jacobian England. I especially liked the look into the ‘magic’ of the time. Anne Turner and Frances Howard turn too various magical means to get their desired outcomes. They rarely turn to the kind of witchcraft as we might picture at this time of increased fears of witches and devil worship. Anne does her best to stay clear of demons and instead call upon Angels and use potions made by a sorcerer friend.

It’s biggest strength though is the deep friendship between Anne and Frankie. Two women from different classes who are devoted to each other as they navigate the treacherous court. Frankie is an aristocratic woman trapped in an abusive marriage to a deeply misogynist and violent husband. Anne is the wife of the court's doctor who often lives in debt to finance the lifestyle expected of anyone at court. She is inventive and resourceful and earns money by inventing new fashions and dressing court ladies. When her husband dies, she faces the poverty of widowhood. Their friendship grows as they both help each other in their struggles. At times you may think Frankie the more selfish of the two who seems to focus more on her attempts of separating her husband to marry the man she loves (an exceedingly difficult task not only due to the stick divorce laws but because she comes from a noble Catholic family) than Anne’s fall into poverty but by the end, you are left in no doubt as to the women’s equal devotion to each other. Their friendship is a profoundly loving one as they both help each other in their courageous attempts to achieve happiness and security which was all too often not an easy feat for women at the time.

I received an audiobook proof from Bloomsbury UK, and I loved Sarah Durham’s performance. Her voice was a great fit for the setting and her narration brought a lot of great atmosphere to the book. Her accents were great, and I especially liked the Kings Scottish accent. The book was slow going at first, but the narration drew me in and made me want to keep listening.

A Net for Small Fishes by Lucy Jago tells the story of Anne and Frankie's unlikely friendship.

Written and narrated from Anne's point of view, we see the rise and fall throughout her life from widowhood to the end. Anne is a strong character who's love for her children and her friend never falters.

If you enjoy tudor court drama you will love this.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the ARC.