A single deck of cards changed the fate of generations of women. The tarot cards, created in 16th-century Italy, will connect two women separated by centuries. One was a woman in 17th-century London, originally from Milan, who used the cards to rescue women from abusive relationships. The other is a woman from modern-day London starting her life anew when she comes across an old tarot card deck with a missing card. What began as a hunt for a missing card will connect the two women and change lives forever. The cards hold secrets to the past, but will they bring hope or disaster? This is the premise for Clare Marchant’s latest dual-timeline novel, “Daughter of the Tarot.”
I would like to thank Boldwood Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. I recently read her novel, “The Shadow on the Bridge,” which I enjoyed, so when I saw this novel, it had such an intriguing description that I wanted to read it. I am not familiar with the history of tarot cards, and I have not read many novels set in the 17th century, so I was excited for a new adventure.
As this is a dual-timeline novel, there are two protagonists from two different periods: Portia from 17th-century England and Beatrice from 21st-century England. We begin in Milan in 1629, which has just been hit by the plague, where we are introduced to Portia and her baby daughter, Vittoria, who are struggling to survive. The next time we see Portia and Vittoria, iits 1644 and they are living in London. Vittoria is 15 years old, and Portia is using her talent with tarot cards to help those in need. What Vittoria does not know is that Portia uses her readings to help women escape abusive relationships by using the Devil’s Card as a message for the boatsman Jack, who is in love with Portia. Secrets and truths slowly begin to reveal themselves as someone from Portia’s past has come to London and may destroy her relationship with Vittoria.
In the modern storyline, we meet Beatrice, or Bea, who is starting a new life in London and is opening her own antiques shop. Bea has been avoiding her father and his new love interest since her mother died. She has the gift of reading tarot cards, and one day, she comes across an old deck of cards. The only problem is that it is missing a key card, the Devil’s Card. Bea and her landlord, Jack, search high and low for the missing card and find exactly what they are searching for, and some surprises.
It took me a while to get into this book as it was a slower pace than the previous novel that I read by Marchant. While I enjoyed the modern storyline, the 17th-century portion felt a bit slower, and it didn’t feel like the 17th century to me, but more like the 16th century. Overall, I think it was a decent novel with an interesting pair of protagonists. If you want a story about the 17th century with a unique premise, I recommend you read “Daughter of the Tarot” by Clare Marchant.
A love that can get through any obstacle even when the couple is married to other people is considered very rare. However, star-crossed lovers at court were practically unheard of, especially multiple couples from the same family. Anne Brandon knows how rare these matches are as her father Charles Brandon married the sister of King Henry VIII. Now she must figure out her feelings about romance while navigating court life. In the modern day, Caroline Harvey has relationship problems while she navigates the loss of her famous writer, grandfather Dexter Blake. How are these two women from different centuries connected and can they fight for who they love or are they destined to be alone? Alexandra Walsh tells both women’s stories in her novel, “The House of Echoes.”
For centuries, the brave knights of Camelot and the Crusaders have searched for the Holy Grail. The cup that Jesus of Nazareth used during his Last Supper is rumored to be a vessel that can grant eternal life or miraculous healing powers. It can be a cup, plate, or stone, but in all stories, the Grail guardians and those searching for it are predominately male. But what if the guardians were male and female and the ones searching for it were predominately female? Alais from 11th-century France and Alice Tanner visiting France in 2007 share a connection that is centuries deep and it all started with a ring, a book, and an image of a labyrinth. How are these two connected to the labyrinth and the Grail and can they protect it from those who want to use it for their dark purposes? Kate Mosse weaves the tale of the Grail and the two women connected by fate in her novel, “Labyrinth.”
Two independent women separated by time but united over two compelling portraits and the secrets hidden behind the paint. Mira (Miramonde) is a nun from a Renaissance convent in the Pyrenees who believes she is an orphan who wants to escape her small community and explore the world. Five hundred years later, Zari, an art scholar, begins the journey to discover who Mira is by using the clues she left behind in her works of art that will take her on a journey that will change her life forever. These two tales are woven together in the first book of the Miramonde series, “The Girl From Oto” by Amy Maroney.
The year is 1560, and a young woman hatches a way to escape her loveless marriage. Her name is Amy Robsart, and she is the wife of Robert Dudley, one of Queen Elizabeth I’s favorites at court. Unfortunately, things do not go as planned, and the consequences reverberate throughout the centuries. Lizzie Kingdom, a television star, struggles to find her way in life. When tragedy strikes when her friend Dudley’s wife is found dead at the bottom of a staircase, the scandal breaks, threatening to ruin Lizzie’s life and reputation. A deadly secret from the past and an encounter with a mysterious young man will forever transform the lives of these two women from different centuries. Will Lizzie Kingdom discover the truth before it is too late? This mystery is masterfully told in Nicola Cornick’s Tudor novel, “The Forgotten Sister.”
Today, I am pleased to welcome Clare Marchant to my blog to discuss her latest novel, “The Queen’s Spy,” and her use of dual timelines. I would like to thank The Coffee Pot Book Club and Clare Marchant for stopping by on this tour. 
(Blurb)
Author Bio:
Adventures of a Tudor Nerd 