I am delighted to share another glowing 5-star review from Readers’ Favorite, this time from reviewer Lucinda E Clarke, who praised Cavalier for its sweeping narrative, rich historical detail, and unforgettable characters.
Here is the full review:
~ Reviewed by Lucinda E Clarke for Readers’ Favorite
Christopher Hepworth takes the reader from the execution of Sir Henry Slingsby in the Tower of London in 1658 up until 2024. Cavalier covers three periods of time, all centered around the Red House near York, from the days of the English Civil War when the family’s fortunes were under threat after siding with King Charles I; then later as a school; and lastly as a military base. The familiar descendants appear through time, each generation with a different battle to overcome. The parallels provide much food for thought, yet despite the author asserting that this is fiction, Red House does exist, and he has cleverly interwoven fact with fiction. There are alliances, secret passages, burning at the stake, forced marriages, heroes, villains, and politicians. The reader is swept along through time in a whirlwind of nail-biting scenes spanning over three hundred years.
I love historical novels, but Cavalier by Christopher Hepworth offers so much more. His characters, all of whom are relatable, both good and bad, come to life. I was glued to every page, and could not put the book down, even for meals or sleep. The same or very similar names appear, but they are generations apart. The Red House is at the centre of the action, and I recommend clicking on the link at the end of the book to read about the actual history and see how the author cleverly includes a few fictional rogues with true ancestors. Each generational character is true to his and her time through speech, clothing, and everyday living. The latter part of the book, set in modern times, was shocking yet realistic, and even possible. This is a book I will read again, and I highly recommend it to fans of a great story brilliantly told. I shall search for other books by this author.
If you would like to experience Cavalier for yourself, you can find it here:
