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Reviewed by Saifunnissa Hassam for Readers' Favorite
Deborah Cohen’s Boleyn Time: The Boleyn Bloodline Book 2 is a well-crafted, character-driven, and immensely enjoyable fantasy interwoven with historical fiction, time travel, witchcraft, and romance. The story is told across two time lines, in 1519 and in the present day. Much of the story is set at the Château Clos Luce in France. In 1519, Anne Boleyn was an apprentice to Leonardo da Vinci, the genius scholar, artist, and inventor, who lived at the Chateau as the chief advisor to King Francis. Da Vinci recognized Anne’s sharp intellect and talents in mathematics and engineering, and he became her teacher, guide, and mentor. Anne also has witchcraft gifts and has been cursed by a goddess, with a terrible fate that will also befall Anne’s great-great-great-granddaughter 500 years into the future. Leonardo knows of the curse and invents a clock, with Anne’s help, that can bend time, allowing travel into the past or the future. In the present day, Ellie Bowlan is a young historian living in Kingston, Canada. Ellie and the women in her family, including her great-grandmother, have witchcraft gifts. She and her family are invited to her best friend's wedding at the Chateau Clos Luce in France. The story’s mysteries deepen, twisting and turning, when Ellie arrives at the chateau.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Boleyn Time for its remarkable characters and intricate worldbuilding. The story gained great depth through the different character development and life journeys of Anne Boleyn and Ellie Bowlan. I liked Anne’s character as a maturing scholar, and the father-daughter relationship between Anne and Leonardo. I loved the way Leonardo’s genius showed itself throughout the novel. I liked Anne’s commitment, even in life-threatening situations, to keep the promise she had made to him. The story’s most poignant moments were when Anne grieved as Leonardo passed away. The story pivoted into the present time skilfully through Ellie Bowlan. I liked the character of Ellie’s great-grandmother, her insight into Ellie’s personal dilemmas, and the role she plays in Ellie’s inner transformative journey. The closing chapters were spectacular and skillfully crafted, filled with unexpected twists and turns for both Anne and Ellie. I highly recommend Deborah Cohen’s Boleyn Time to readers who enjoy multilayered and complex fantasy stories, with great characters and historical figures.
