Book Review: "A Restless Truth"

Freya Marske's new book is a triumphant blend of sapphic romance, whodunit, and period fantasy drama.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I am absolutely loving the fact that fantasy is flush with queer stories right now. I remember being blown away by Freya Marske’s A Marvellous Light, which managed to have some truly spectacular (and hot) sex scenes, as well as a textured narrative that kept you guessing from the first page to the last. Now, she returns us to this meticulously crafted world with A Restless Truth, which continues the story of the Last Contract, though now we get to spend more time with Maud, who was a secondary character in the first book. 

When the novel begins, Maud has just discovered the murder of her employer, one of those who was responsible for keeping the items associated with the Last Contract in safe custody. Her path and life soon intersects with that of one Violet who is, herself, a young magician hiding a number of secrets. Soon enough, the two are not only being pursued by those seeking the Last Contract but are also drawn closer together, with consequences that neither of them are fully able to predict or control. 

Indeed, from the moment that they first encounter one another, it’s clear that there is a connection between Maud and Violet, and it’s equally clear that they each bring something unique to their relationship. For Maud, Violet represents a life lived on its own terms, in marked contrast to her own existence, which has for too long been circumscribed, not only by the restrictive culture in which she lives (which sees little value in educating women, let alone letting them attend university) but also by her parents, her mother in particular. For Violet, on the other hand, Maud is the epitome of the good and the pure, and she offers Violet a much-needed escape from the cynicism and deception of her own world. 

As with A Marvellous Light, A Restless Truth has some very steamy sex scenes between the two characters. Marske is one of those authors who knows how to keep us hot and sweaty with the characters, while also making it clear that sex isn’t there just to titillate either the characters or the reader. Instead, it’s meant to serve a larger purpose, in this case showing how Violet and Maud each find in sexual release an escape from their troubles and a remarkable union with each other. Marske’s competence at conveying lesbian sex in a way that doesn’t appeal to the male gaze is all the more extraordinary, given the extent to which this seems to be the default any time that a work of fiction decides to shine any light on the love between women. 

Marske has a keen eye for character detail, and she allows us to understand and feel for these individuals in all of their complexity. They each have things about them that are frustrating for themselves and for the reader, but this is precisely what makes them so gloriously human. Yes, Maud can be hopelessly naive sometimes, and she tends to confuse what she wants with what other people want and yes, Violet can be very secretive and reluctant to reveal the truth about herself. But, as they each find, this is what makes them ideal for one another and, while their future is uncertain right up to the end, it’s clear that they have established a bond that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. 

And, as with the first book in the series, there are multiple narrative strands going on at once. There are powerful magicians who are trying to get their hands on the various items associated with the Last Contract, and they aren’t going to let a little thing like murder get in their way. It’s to Marske’s credit that she manages to keep both the murder mystery plot and the larger political and magical questions working in tandem rather than in opposition. Thus, rather than seeing Violet’s and Maud’s efforts to discover the murderer separate, their search gradually leads them both deeper and deeper into a sinister conspiracy. This ties in quite nicely with the events of the first novel, and there is even a little cameo for Robin and Edwin at the very end. 

A Restless Truth is also similar to its predecessor in another way. Both books are, in their own way, concerned with the impact of the past on the present, at both an intimate and society-wide level. The enduring importance of the Last Contract looms large over the lives (and deaths) of the characters and, as with other series like this one (I’m thinking of Fantastic Beasts, for example), there is the sense that a conflict is brewing between magicians and non-magicians (even if the latter doesn’t necessarily realize it yet). Magicians in this world have a long and deep history, and it’s clear that some of them have begun to chafe at the limitations that have been imposed upon them. As we see repeatedly, they aren’t going to let a little thing like morals get in the way of their own ambitions for the magical world. 

All in all, I found myself devouring A Restless Truth. It’s that perfect kind of fantasy novel, one that manages to be both epic and yet comfy and cozy at the same time. Marske never allows us to get bored or bogged down, and the narrative moves along at such a fast clip that sometimes it feels as if you need to stop and take a breath along with the characters. All of which isn’t to say that the novel doesn’t have its fair share of emotionally intimate moments as well, because it does, and it’s here that the dual perspective that she employs is most effective. We get to feel as if we know both Violet and Maud in detail, so we also appreciate the way that their relationship plays out against the larger story of which they are but a part. 

I know one thing’s for sure. I can’t wait for the concluding volume in this trilogy!