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!
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Top reviews from other countries
Rob
A heady brew! And a very smooth read.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 9, 2014Marc
I really enjoyed reading The Bitter Trade
Reviewed in Germany on June 10, 2014Chapscat
Engaging, dramatic and enjoyable
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 16, 2014Rose Axtell
I bet he grinds his own beans.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 7, 2014MR SYMON LAWRANCE HAMER
The best read for years
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 13, 2014