The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson

Laura Shepherd-Robinson’s The Square of Sevens is an epic and sweeping novel set in Georgian high society, a dazzling story offering up mystery, intrigue, heartbreak, and audacious twists.

‘My father had spelt it out to me. Choice was a luxury I couldn’t afford. This is your story, Red. You must tell it well…’

A girl known only as Red, the daughter of a Cornish fortune-teller, travels with her father making a living predicting fortunes using the ancient method: the Square of Sevens. When her father suddenly dies, Red becomes the ward of a gentleman scholar.

Now raised as a lady amidst the Georgian splendour of Bath, her fortune-telling is a delight to high society. But she cannot ignore the questions that gnaw at her soul: who was her mother? How did she die? And who are the mysterious enemies her father was always terrified would find him?

The pursuit of these mysteries takes her from Cornwall and Bath to London and Devon, from the rough ribaldry of the Bartholomew Fair to the grand houses of two of the most powerful families in England. And while Red’s quest brings her the possibility of great reward, it also leads into her grave danger…

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I absolutely adored Laura Shepherd-Robinson’s first two novels, Blood & Sugar and Daughters of Night, and couldn’t resist the independent bookshop edition of her latest novel, The Square of Sevens.  Despite my best intentions to focus on my backlist, I just had to sneak this one in, and I’m so glad I did.  I loved every page and I think that this might be her best novel yet – she is now firmly on my list of auto-buy authors. 

The Square of Sevens is an elaborate and brilliantly plotted novel which follows Red after the death of her father as she is taken in by a scholar and raised as a lady in Bath – circumstances very different to the nomadic lifestyle she has when we first meet her.  Despite wanting for very little, Red has questions about her parents, and particularly her mother who died when she was young.  As she comes of age and begins to enter society, she slowly starts to piece together her background as clues and hints are gradually revealed.  This is an incredibly clever and complex novel.  It’s quite chunky at some 560ish pages, but I lapped it up – it’s a novel to get completely lost in as, with Red, you start to understand her background and what it might mean for her future.

Red is a fantastic character, and one who straddles two worlds – she is raised as a lady by the scholar, Antrobus, but had a less salubrious start in life. No stranger to lock picking or spinning a yarn when needed, she is a morally grey character and I loved her for it.  She is feisty and determined and something of a breath of fresh air, particularly as she begins to make a name for herself.  She isn’t afraid to bend (or break) the rules, and I saw her as someone who would rather ask for forgiveness than permission.  I found her story to be incredibly sympathetic – after a hard start in life, things seem to be on the up, although there’s always a sense that there’s more hardship to come even when things are going in her favour.  Her story is fantastic, and I was gripped throughout – I couldn’t wait to see how things would turn out for her.

The title of the novel comes from a method of cartomancy from the time, and it’s a method that Red is skilled in – taught to her by her father, and known only to a few.  It provides a fitting way for Red to ingratiate herself with those from whom she can learn more, forming connections and allowing her to ask questions of those that she wouldn’t otherwise have access to.  Shepherd-Robinson takes it a step further, however, and makes it more than a plot device.  Each chapter begins with a card and details that card’s meaning which is then reflected in the events of the chapter.  I adored this structure – it’s the kind of detail that really appeals to me, although I can appreciate that it caused a few problems for the author based upon her note in the novel!  To have plotted this novel so precisely around that structure is a real testament to the author’s skill as a writer, and to her own perseverance.

As with her previous novels, Shepherd-Robinson successfully evokes the time and place for the reader without simply regurgitating her undoubtedly extensive research.  Everything comes to life for the reader, and I particularly loved seeing Bath included here.  It’s one of my favourite cities in the UK, and it’s always fascinating to see a place through a different lens.  I think it’s also refreshing to leave London and see other places at the time, as well as how travel between different locations was undertaken.  The secondary characters add to this, coming from all walks of life with their dress and speech reflecting their individual circumstances.

As you’ve no doubt guessed from my review, I adored The Square of Sevens, and feel sure that will appear on my books of the year list come December.  It’s a brilliantly plotted and intricate novel, and I adored the mystery at its heart as Red seeks answers about her parentage.  Absolutely superb, and highly recommended if you enjoy historical fiction.