Book Review :: The Betrayals by Bridget Collins

The Betrayals by Bridget Collins
ISBN: 0008427011
Published by HarperCollins, The Borough Press
on 2020-11-12
Genres: Fiction
Pages: 423
Source: HarperCollins NZ
Find at Harper Collins NZ
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If everything in your life was based on a lie. Would you risk it all to tell the truth?
At Montverre, an exclusive academy tucked away in the mountains, the best and brightest are trained for excellence in the grand jeu: an arcane and mysterious contest. Léo Martin was once a student there, but lost his passion for the grand jeu following a violent tragedy. Now he returns in disgrace, exiled to his old place of learning with his political career in tatters.

Montverre has changed since he studied there, even allowing a woman, Claire Dryden, to serve in the grand jeu’s highest office of Magister Ludi. When Léo first sees Claire he senses an odd connection with her, though he’s sure they have never met before.

Both Léo and Claire have built their lives on lies. And as the legendary Midsummer Game, the climax of the year, draws closer, secrets are whispering in the walls…

Last updated on 10 November 2021

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The Betrayals by Bridget Collins

Bridget Collins’ first adult book, The Binding, was one of my favourite books of 2019. I loved the creativity, the uniqueness of the plot and the overarching themes. I loved the characters and the concept of the entire book, how she wove everything together into a beautiful book-themed book. The Betrayals, therefore, was a book I was really looking forward to, so I dove in with as much enthusiasm as I was enjoying when I reached the end of The Binding.

While on the whole, I did enjoy The Betrayals. But in comparison (something I probably shouldn’t do, I realise), I didn’t like it as much as The Binding. And here’s why.

I think I was confused.

“Sometimes I wonder whether any of us tells the truth about anything.”

The main concept of The Betrayals revolves around Montverre, an academy in the mountains (as all great academies are), and the grand jeu contest. It’s a mysterious game, elite and secretive. Not many know about it, including the reader, and we follow Leo Martin as he goes back to Montverre, having been disgraced in his political career.

We meet Claire Dryden, the Magister Ludi, who is like the grandmaster of the grand jeu and Montverre. We meet an array of other characters and the story jumps between Leo in the present, a disgraced ex-politician resigned to walking the halls of Montverre once again, and the time when he was a student there many years ago.

As the students take part in the grand jeu in Leo’s past, present Leo has troubles of his own, and an odd connection with Claire.

There are twists and turns throughout the story, as Collins’ is already becoming known for, and as the story goes on we learn more and more and seem to understand less and less.

And perhaps that’s what was the struggle for me.

“These are the times that scare her the most, the beginnings and endings: this is when the world is most unpredictable.”

My thoughts on The Betrayals

I like the idea of a school, a character coming back to it after leaving years before. I like the idea of secrets and uncovering the past to understand the future. For the most part, I liked the characters and their troubles and triumphs.

I even liked the concept of a game, a contest, something to work towards and gain grand prizes and acclamation.

What I didn’t like was not really knowing what the grand jeu (based on Hermann Hesse’s The Glass Bead Game) was. Perhaps I missed something, or perhaps that’s part of the point. But I found myself less into the book because I didn’t quite know what was going on at any time.

However, as a whole, and as a concept, and as brilliantly executed as Collins’ story was, it was an enjoyable book. If you like a little mystery, secrets, schools, lies and intrigue, and you don’t mind not really knowing what’s going on, then I do recommend taking a gander at this book. The Betrayals was confusing but somehow still an excellent read.

Have you read The Betrayals? What did you think?

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I received this book for free from HarperCollins NZ in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.