Rating: 3.25🌈

The Black Robe of Flanders by Sara Ellis, part of the Carnival of Mysteries collection, has so much potential in its themes and characters but ultimately just doesn’t fulfill what it sets out to accomplish.

Set in 1936, the world is filled with pre WW2 political figures and elements. Hitler and his party is on the rise, the dangers he represents is being ignored by many of the world’s biggest corporations, while Jewish communities abroad as well as other marginalized groups are being targeted by the German government.

What makes this story different is the inclusion of a paranormal aspect. There’s individuals, on both sides, who are gifted with different abilities or Talents as they are called here. The US has the Council for the Promotion of Unusual Talents for example.

The UK has folded their operatives into side branches of their respective organizations. But this is an alternative universe in that respect.

But we get no idea where or how it happened. No historical record for this. That lack of foundation follows the same pattern throughout the entire story. It just all is. So why can’t we talk WWI? Anyway.

The two individuals that form the main couple are UK agent Alexander Skavadale, the most believable character here. And American author, Valentine Ford, who’s also a foreign correspondent. This character isn’t realistic in either role. There’s literally no groundwork laid down for him to make him feel or look like a foreign correspondent or even an author. Except to have someone say they have a book of his. He’s not credible.

The time period is 1936. But it should feel like 1936 in every aspect of the story. And except for the fact that they are running about trying to find “holy relics “ and prevent some Gestapo from doing some mystical things while mentioning Hitler, it really doesn’t feel like 1936. Not even close, including that dialogue.

Historical writing , especially including events, if you’re a writer locating everything in a certain country and context, is tricky to get right. Want to put everything in Germany or Belgium? Ok then make the assumption that everyone is speaking that language or sneak it into the narrative that your characters speak the language.

What not to do? Throw in the word “Danke” or “mein gott “ out of nowhere when literally there’s been no word of German spoken anywhere in the book. That will startle you and not in a good way. “Mein gott”. Then never see another foreign word again. SMH.

The Carnival shows up to deliver a play that should deliver a message but doesn’t make any sense. The first time they appeared was more on target. The second? Not so much. Actually they didn’t even need to be in the book at all.

The elements of the story that were nicely written are the ones that were focused on families. Val’s estrangement with his mother and subsequent reconciliation was heartwarming and believable. So were the scenes from the family home. All the felt emotionally satisfying and real.

Less so were the undercover agents and espionage elements. Indiana Jones comes across as more realistic and hardcore than most of this stuff does.

So what do we have? A good premise that wasn’t well executed imo. One good character, no real world building, but some lovely smaller elements. A bit of a mixed bag of a narrative. And a central collection theme that might as well have been not even mentioned.

I think Ellis set the bar high for herself and that’s wonderful. I look forward to seeing what she might do with her next story.

Fabulous covers, this one included.

Carnival of Mysteries series:

✓ Crow’s Fate by Kim Fielding❤️

✓ Step Right Up by L.A. Witt

✓ Magic Burning by Kaje Harper ❤️

✓ Night-blooming Hearts by Megan Derr

✓ Go For The Company by Ander C. Lark❤️

✓ Roustabout by Morgan Brice❤️

✓ Assassin by Accident by E.J. Russell❤️

✓ Dryad on Fire by Nicole Dennis ❤️

✓ The Extraordinary Locket of Elijah Gray by Kayleigh Sky

✓ Smoke and Mirrors by Elizabeth Silver

✓ You Can Do Magic by R.L. Merrill♥️

✓ Sting in the Tail by TA Moore ♥️♥️

✓ The Black Robe of Flanders by Sara Ellis

◦ Gods and Monsters by Rachel Langella – October 25

Buy Link:

The Black Robe of Flanders: Carnival of Mysteries

Blurb:

It’s the summer of 1936. Europe is at peace. Prosperity is beginning to return after the long, hungry years of the Great Depression, and new leaders have brought fresh ideas and what might actually be hope to country after country. People have enough money to spend at the shops, the cafes, even the shabby little kermesse that goes from town to town.

Life is good again, or will be soon….

Valentine Ford is a foreign correspondent who’s been on the Continent for almost a decade. He sees the warning signs of trouble to come, the cracks beginning to form in the happy facade, but no one will listen….

Alexander Skavadale is a covert agent who’s been on the job since the Great War. He’s heard rumors of trouble brewing, of rare artifacts disappearing to further a diabolical plan that no one can quite explain….

Two men from different worlds.

Two men with a common goal.

Two men facing an enemy they cannot imagine, forced to work together to stop a plot that could seal the fate of Europe, and the world, for generations to come.

And might just seal their fate as well.