The Double Life of Mistress Kit Kavanagh by Marina Fiorato

The Double Life of Mistress Kit Kavanagh Reviews

• 
  Cora Tea Party Princess

  5 Words: Love, war, family, deception, strength.
  
  BOOK HANGOVER ALERT
  
  This book was absolutely amazing. I loved it in every way and at the end I was heartbroken and speechless.
  
  Inspired by
  Mother Ross, this is a whirlwind of an adventure. Kit has so many identities, and she almost became a different character as her life turned from publican to soldier to spy and her name changed from Kit to Christian to Christiane. But right there, at the very heart of the narrative, she was still the same astounding young woman.
  
  My favourite parts of the story were those set with the Dragoons. I loved Captain Ross and his relationship with his men. He was fair and just and an all round wonderful character.
  
  I loved the exploration of forbidden relationships, and how thin the line between friendship-love and romance-love can be. I also loved how extenuating circumstances can change so much in such a very short time, and how thoughts are clouded by what someone wants to see.
  
  I received a copy of this for free via the publisher for review purposes.
  
  Before reading
  I am just starting this, but when I heard about it I jumped at the chance to read it. It sounds so exciting. And the cover is beautiful (and I'm a magpie who likes pretty things)
  
  From the blurb, it sounds like it's going to be a bit of an Irish Mulan-type story that escalates into espionage, with a dash of forbidden love and lots and lots of danger. It sounds so exciting!
• 
  [ J o ]

  Dublin 1702. Irish beauty Kit Kavanagh has everything she could want in life. Newly married, she runs a successful alehouse with her beloved husband Richard. The wars that rage in Europe over the Spanish throne seem a world away.
  
  But everything changes on the night that Richard simply disappears. Finding the Queen's shilling at the bottom of Richard's tankard, Kit realises that her husband has been taken for a soldier.
  
  [I reviewed another of Fiorato's books, Beatrice & Benedick, earlier in the year. I was almost impressed by it and it had the distinction of being the first romance book that I almost enjoyed, too, so I thought I would give Marina Fiorato another chance as an author and see how she faired with a non-fan-fiction kind of book.]
  
  My first problem is the term "Irish beauty". I know, I know, it's impossible for anyone to be interesting if they're not beautiful, right guys? The plot is basic: Kit dresses as a man and joins the army to find her husband Richard. I have no quarrel with this, I've read many books like it before and as it was based on a real-life story I was very intrigued. But those two words really hit me. I find it unnecessary to describe her as such and even a little far-fetched. I know men can look attractively like women, and vice versa, but the idea of an Irish "beauty" being able to disguise herself as a man successfully is ridiculous.
  
  However, I pushed this to one side because I imagine it was more a marketing ploy than anything else and set to work. I read the back of the book first and learnt that Kit Kavanagh was a real person, which intrigued me. It's difficult to find out about women in history, mostly because I don't read a lot of history, and because most historians tend to be men who write about men, but they intrigue me no end. The plot follows her life in the general sense and, as I've said before, it really interested me. Having said that, the book itself was abysmal.
  
  The writing was very dull. I will admit that I skimmed the last 200 pages or so of this book: it did not hold my attention and I felt that most of the words were add-ons: unnecessarily just there to up the word count. I also found that the dialogue was very flat are rarely added to the action at all. It didn't feel like a historical novel or indeed one set in any particular time as, even though they spoke about dates and wars and kings and so on, there was little else to give it any kind of world beyond Kit's own.
  
  Now, the characters. Kit was fairly well-rounded, though she seemed to be that kind of feminist historical character who has been romanticised. I am in no doubt that our history is marked with extraordinary women who were fantastic whilst under the oppression of society, but in these books they always seem to be imbued with super-powers beyond which any human could obtain. There was also that odious hatred towards men: again, I'm sure some men in history were villainous, misogynist and narrow-minded, but we also know that they were not all like this. I am reminder of The Silvered Heart, where all the men who were not romantically linked to the main character were dastards, evil people who cared not for women at all. I am, to be frank, sick of man bashing.
  
  Perhaps I am being harsh. I enjoyed the story for what it was and I'm glad I learnt about a spectacular woman in history who was not as taken by the oppressive society as most of them were. And I like the cover and the illustrations within. But I did not like the writing as I found it dull and slow, and I did not like the flat characters who were only there to support Kit on her journey. I am forever grateful to Marina for both introducing me to Christian Davies and for helping me to believe that I can enjoy romance, but sadly this is where we part. I will not be reading any more of her books, though you cannot say I did not try.
  
  
  
  
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• 
  Jane

  The War of the Spanish Succession?
  
  I must confess that, for al the historical novels I’ve read over the years, I knew nothing of that particular conflict but the name. I know now; I learned a lot in the course of a wonderful adventure with a remarkable heroine.
  
  In 1700 Charles II, king of Spain, died without an heir. He willed his throne to Philip of Anjou, and Philip’s grandfather, Louis XIV of France, was quick to declare him king of Spain, and to declare that France and Spain would be united.
  
  Neighbouring countries were unhappy at the prospect of France wielding so much power, and so a Grand Alliance of England, Holland, Prussia, and Austria was formed; their objective to put the Archduke Charles of Austria on the Spanish throne instead of Philip.
  
  Kit Kavanagh knew nothing of that. She was happy; she was young, pretty and vivacious; she loved working in her aunt’s Dublin inn; and she loved her handsome new husband.
  
  She was devastated when he disappeared without warning; leaving without a word, leaving behind his ‘Queen’s shilling’; his reward for enlisting in the British army. Her father had been killed in battle and she knew that she had to do something to make sure that she didn’t lose her husband too.
  
  With her aunt’s tacit encouragement, Kit disguised herself as boy and enlisted too.
  
  Now, this may sound improbable, but I must tell you that Kit Kavanagh lived and breathed, and that Marina Fiorato has dressed the bones of a true story with some plausible, if unlikely, fiction.
  
  The first half of the novel follows Kit’s life with her regiment. She worked hard to keep up with the men, taking a great deal of trouble and fervently hoping that she would be able to catch up with her husband.
  
  There were complications:
  
  Kit could not bear to see injustices, and she would speak out and take action first and worry about the consequences later.
  
  And she found herself falling in love with her captain, Captain Ross; and she knew that he cared about her too, but as a promising young man, not as the woman she really was.
  
  I loved all of the twists and turns, all of the characters and relationships, in this part of the story. I loved Kit, but I worried about her. She had the best of hearts and the best of intentions, she had her wits about her; but it seemed unlikely that she would find her husband and very probable that her secret would be discovered. And what then?
  
  Well, luckily, when this chapter of Kit’s life had to come to an end she tumbled into another story.
  
  She fell into the hands of the Duke of Ormonde, and he was quick to see her potential. He made Kit his pupil, so that she could be sent into a very different kind of battle, as a spy.
  
  I was less taken with this part of the story; it seemed a little too improbable, a little too unsubtle, but I still had a lovely time following Kit.
  
  The various threads of the story came together to make a wonderfully exciting final act.
  
  (I’d had an idea of how things would end up quite early on, but no idea quite how the story would get there.)
  
  I was impressed with how well Marina Fioranto constructed her plot, how well she must have understood – and loved – the history, and how very well she told her story. She brought all of her characters and all of the different places they passed through so vividly to life.
  
  Her prose is very easy to read – light rather than literary – and I found it very easy to keep turning pages.
  
  An epilogue tied up all of the loose ends – it maybe tied them up a little too tightly, but it was nice to know what happened, and it was good to have the real history that underpinned the story acknowledged.
  
  The fiction became a little too fanciful; but its heart was in the right place, it was never less that entertaining, and I am delighted to have been introduced to a wonderful woman from history.
  
• 
  Vicki

  Easiest five stars I've ever given! My love affair with Kit began the second I first saw the cover, it's just stunning! Then I read the blurb - it sounded like some kind of Irish Mulan and I was immediately intrigued. It's been a while since I've had time to read a book that I can fully immerse myself in, and this fitted the bill nicely. I don't know what it is about the book that grabbed me so - the plot, the settings and the characters all just had me hooked. The attention to detail is perfect, and you can easily picture the changing landscapes and characters of Kit's journey without being overwhelmed with information.
  
  Kit is everything I wish I could be. She is brave with an unquenchable thirst for adventure (not to mention that fact that I'm jealous of her hair!) She drew me completely into her story, and while I didn't want it to end I was also anxious about whether she would get a happy ending, so much so that it was a real struggle not to read ahead! The novel is split into two parts, 'The Sword' and 'The Fan', each detailing one of Kit's identities - the soldier and the lady respectively. Despite all of the acting that each role requires, the costumes, the accents and the mannerisms, we as the reader never lose sight of the real Kit, the girl beneath it all.
  
  As for Ross.. I knew from the minute that we first meet him that I was going to love him. I loved the moments between him and Kit at the fireside, how he drew maps on the ground to help bring the reader up to speed as much as Kit. I loved how he loved his men, how he was their comrade as much as their Captain. I just loved him. Sigh.
  
  Action and dialogue are balanced just right, and thankfully for me the battle scenes, while realistic, aren't too graphic- I'm incredibly squeamish and gore can put me right off a book. The plot is full of twists and is unpredictable to the last - I couldn't put it down!
  
  The ending was just perfect, and I have to admit that the epilogue almost had me in tears - which is a big admission for someone who has never cried at a book, ever! It was also a wonderful surprise to find the historical note at the end telling me that Kit was a real person. Granted, a little artistic license was taken with her story, but there were more similarities than I would have expected, and to know that she, and Ross, actually existed just made the whole thing even more real to me. Fiorato also named the rest of the Dragoons after the men on her local war memorial which I just thought was such a lovely thing to do!
  
  If you were to take everything that I love from historical romance and historical fiction and put it all in one book it would resemble something very much like this. Kit is the best book that I have read in a very long time, and is easily one of my all time favourite historical novels!
  
  5/5 stars - and I'd give it more if I could!
  
  *Thanks to bookbridgr for bringing this book into my life in exchange for a review!*
  
  
  http://lilmissvixreads.blogspot.com/2...
• 
  Антоанета

  Една книга, която ми беше силно препоръчана, с много положителни и високи оценки и която предизвика моето любопитство най-вече с това, че разказва действителна история - на жена подвизаваща се преоблечена като мъж в английската армия в края на 17, началото на 18 чек. И все пак се оказа, че това не е мо��та книга - беше ми досадна, на доста места скучна, от книгите които като спреш да четеш изобщо не се сещаш за нея, не си любопитен да продължиш, за да видиш какво следва. Просто книга, която трябваше да прочета час по-скоро, за да ми се махне от главата. Иначе си имаше и своите достойнства. Самата Кит Кавана съвсем импулсивно се записва в армията, за да намери своя съпруг - тя няма и представа от бойни действия, но младостта и силният й дух й помагат в битките и тя успява да изкара цяла година към Шотладските сиви драгуни без да я разкрият. Там тя се влюбва в своя капитан, но няма как да разкрие чувствата си защото той я счита за мъж. Стига до там да признае бащинството си над чуждо дете само и само да не се разкрие пола й. След това се забърква в дворцови интриги, пробва се и във висшият шпионаж, но за мен и това бяха страници пропити с досада. Единственото интересно нещо ми беше съдебното дело накрая, но и то не успя да ми промени мнението за книгата. Съвсем чистосърдечно й давам 3*.
• 
  Деница Райкова

  Преди няколко дни, докато се чудех кое да е следващото ми четиво, изведнъж си спомних, че още не съм прочела последната книга на Марина Фиорато. Имам я от година, и оттогава тя си стоеше на рафта и ме чакаше. Ирландска история, червенокоса героиня, любов, войни, битки... а освен това главната героиня се оказа действителна историческа личност. Така че май нямаше какво да ме спре. Харесвам книгите на Марина Фиорато, така че нямаше какво да ме спре да се "потопя" в историята на Кит Кавана.
  И не се разочаровах. Признавам, че очаквах доста многобройни романтично-сантиментални моменти, очаквах друго развитие на някои определени събития. Но се радвам, че се излъгах. Смятам, че Фиорато не е прекалила в нито едно отношение, не ми дойдоха в повече нито "любовните" моменти, нито драматичните /с едно изключение, но това вероятно е достоверен исторически епизод./
  Имаше, разбира се, моменти, в които ми беше чудно, че Кит успява да се опази; отдавам го обаче на факта, че въпреки историческата основа това е роман, а не документален труд. Историята е увлекателна, приятна за четене, аз лично почти до края не очаквах финал в стил "цветя и рози". А той не е и точно такъв - поне предпоследните страници говорят по-скоро за заслужено спокойствие, отколкото за сладникаво-романтичен финал. В епилога имаше нещо тъжно, призрачно, но и някак напомнящо за легендите - онези, легендите за любовта, която някак продължава дори и в смъртта.
• 
  Jessica O'Toole

  Hm. Not quite the overwhelming tale of awesome I expected. It had its moments, but the pace and tone were pretty bland and hardly ever changed. No urgency, no deep, passionate fire, no raging exclamations - drama, damn it! It's about 150 pages too long and to be honest, from what I understand from a very short search on Google, and having now started the biography of her life, Kit Kavanagh was a damn sight more brutal than the rather sappy and dim girl of this piece (I found no great intellect or supreme resourcefulness) - she has stuck a metal bar through a sergeant's leg already as a girl. Not to mention she was almost a decade older and rather well educated at the time she joined the army.
  
  Attempting to rate a fiction book whilst keeping the historical side out of it would be easier if the author hadn't put an historical note in the back detailing bits of Kit's life, which is an invite to go and confirm for yourselves just how much of Kit wasn't in this book. And of course, the author only detailed the bits of Kit's life that tied in with her version of Kit's life as far as I can tell. It was stated that she had read the biography.
  
  However, keeping the historical side out of it, I'm not quite as disappointed as I was with Song of the Sea Maid, but where Dawnay was strong in the first half and a sop in the next, Kit was kind of placid the whole way through.
  
  Missing pieces that are way more interesting:
  
  -Kit was almost 30 years old when she joined the troops, not this 19-year-old of this version. I feel the author may have used her fictional youth to create more emphasis on Ross teaching her and being a mentor (so she'd fall for him) and to induce a feeling of innocence rather than a sexualised woman, who Kit seems to have been comfortable as. To be honest, it's a disservice to Kit, and there's no reason why a nigh-on-30-year-old woman dressed as a man cannot be a alluded to as the 'pretty dragoon', which actually happened. Maybe an adult with a strong grasp of herself was beyond the author's interest or skill, but I've no basis for comparison for this author's work, so maybe it's just a one-off.
  
  - Upon finding her husband during the war with another woman, she bit the woman's nose off. In this version she gets all weepy and woe is me. She remarried him in the army before her comrades after being outed.
  
  - She already had two children with Richard and was pregnant with the third when Richard disappeared. In this version she has no children, and actually loses the ability because of a musket wound. She really did suffer a musket wound (which eventually led to her exposure) which may have rendered her no longer able to bear children, but she was already a mother, thrice over. I feel the author probably didn't want to represent her as some kind of child deserter (she left her children with her mother and a nurse), but it actually takes away a hell of a lot of drama that could have been had. Instead the old cliche of 'woman loses ability to have children she didn't know she wanted' rears its ugly head on the great road of 'you cannot write about women without alluding to reproduction and the heartbreak of losing it'. Especially irritating when this was not the case, besides the fact that a woman addicted to warfare might actually not have wanted any children anyway.
  
  -The woman who declared Kit was the father of her child seemed to have been a slighted woman (a woman whose advances did't work on Kit) rather than some heiress and, though Kit did accept the paternity to conceal her sex (though she was friggin' unhappy about the lies), the child in question died within a month of birth. Again, the whole 'I really wanted a child' thing was tediously drawn out with this story. Though to be fair, Kit does die just after Bianca's child comes to visit her, because dead Captain Ross is calling - eventually she abandons her child. Priorities, love.
  
  -She was actually a damn good looter and probably a pretty good brawler considering her taste for war and the respect of her comrades. In this version she's a bit flouncy with the more 'immoral' sides of the battle and always trying to do her best to be seen as generous and kind. Meh.
  
  Not missing bits:
  
  -She did in fact have a metal dick created. It's kind of odd as this character doesn't seem the type... The real Kit? Probably would have asked for a ten-incher.
  
  I think it's a very tepid rendition of the life of this woman who sounds so marvellously more interesting in the biography, even though I'm only on page 17 or so, but who has had her most interesting and startling details, ones that would give us a fuller idea of her morals and ideals, removed and restricted, so she can ride into the distance with Captain Ross, because after Richard and Ross she went through two husbands (she died Christian Davies). Then again, I've not read the whole biography yet, maybe she gets mega boring.
  
  I think the rule is if you're going to write about a character in history then use the history. There's no reason why all the points above could not have been included for a better story and no need to change what's actually recorded, because it hasn't made it more dramatic or inspiring. Otherwise, make that shit up and create a fictional heroine - Kit could have been the inspiration here rather than the subject. I'd be really feckin' irritated if someone took Michael Faraday's history, changed it so he had kids (because he and his wife couldn't) to show what a great father he'd have made. Don't use a name to sell a book unless you're true to who they were, it doesn't mean you have to copy every single detail, but when details are there... You can't 'perfect' a woman who was by no means perfect, but you can give us an extraordinary story of a courageous and persistent woman whose character wasn't faultless without us disliking her because of those faults. I believe those 'faults' are probably what the men in her life loved most. It's the toxic fairytale dream that removes a woman's 'questionable' character for the sake of a soppy happy ending and a 'love me because I'm so sweet and kind and lovely' vibe. I'm not saying she wasn't, but it wasn't all she was. It seems to me Kit's ending was happy enough already without the dilution.
  
  It seems this book irritated me more than I realised.
• 
  Kremena Koleva

  Светът се променя, когато се чете чудесна книга!
  А когато книгата има нещо общо с Ирландия , за мен е двойно удоволствие! Заради слабостта ми към всичко , свързано с изумрудения остров, нямах търпение да се срещна с " Дамата с червения мундир " . Корицата също ме впечатли... Изобщо, беше си любов от пръв поглед. И до последна страница!
  Това е роман за силата, която се спотайва у една жена. И се проявява в най - неочаквания или в най - точния момент. В центъра на сюжета е драматичния живот на действително съществуваща личност - Кит Кавана, известна още и като Мама Рос.
  Родена през 1667 година в Дъблин, Кит отрязва разкошните си дълги къдрици, за да се превърне във войника Крисчън Уолш. Така тръгва да издирва изчезналия в армията свой съпруг. Онова , което авторката Марина Фиорато научава по време на проучванията си в три страни - Италия, Ирландия и Англия - изумява с необикновеността си. Дори да изглежда като плод на богато писателско въображение , житейските перипетии на Кит Кавана са се случили съвсем реално. Под червения мундир тя се откроява с твърдия си дух и желанието да оцелее. А когато отново го заменя с рокля, животът й е поставен в по - голяма опасност в балните зали, отколкото на фронта .
  Тази книга държи в напрежение с всяка своя страница. На показ са изложени честта, достойнството, любовта и куража на една невероятна ирландка !
  5 / 5 ⭐
• 
  Matt

  A stunning fictional retelling of the life of "Kit" (Christian Walsh) otherwise known as Mother Ross, who sought her soldier husband by dressing as a male soldier herself, and even wore a false prick made out of silver so not to expose herself as a woman. A quite remarkable story of her life 👏
  This is the second book I've read by Marina Fiorato, and both have been hits.
  More to follow one thinks
  
  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• 
  Veronica Barbara

  Fantastic book! I loved everything about it. The story is amazing and the way it is narrated really engaging. The descriptions are perfect, it's as if the reader is truly embarking on all Kit's adventures. To top it all the story revolves around a woman who kicks ass - one might think that her adventures are impossible but she is actually a historical figure and hers is a true story. Would give it 10 stars if I could! :D I read almost all of Marina Fiorato's books and I have to admit that this is her best ever.
• 
  Jo

  This was a novelised version of the life of an Irish woman who disguised herself as a man in order to join the army and follow her husband to war. I'd read bits about 'Mother Ross' in several non-fiction books so was quite excited to come across this novel in the library. It's a fantastic tale and Fiorato is a wonderful storyteller. Kit and her life came right off the page to absorb me in her adventures. Even without the fictional parts, this was one remarkable woman.
• 
  Helen White

  Thoroughly enjoyed this gender bending solder and spy caper. Kit disguises herself and enlists in the English army in order to find her husband who's gone off to war. Instead she finds comraderie and adventure.
  Based loosely on historical truth this is a fascinating travel through battle history. Kit is a resourceful heroine and extremely likeable, it's easy to follow her around Europe on her campaign. Well worth a read.
• 
  Beth

  The Double Life of Mistress Kit Kavanagh was an interesting read for me. I can see why the story appeals to many people who have read this. Intrigued by the premise, I thought it was going to be a tale about an Irish Mulan figure. I had no idea that Kit Kavanagh was a real woman and just as badass as she was described as in the story. It was clear to me that Marina Fiorato had done her research and I found the history of the wars and the ways that Kit disguised herself as a man (including having a silver penis) absolutely fascinating and I have certainly learnt something new. I also enjoyed the "training montages" in both parts because I really enjoy the character developments these scenes create. Admittedly, it did take me a little while to read the book as I got into the second part of the book more than the first.
  
  However, the book did cause some issues for me. I wouldn't particularly recommend it to anyone squeamish with gore. It is a book that doesn't glorify war and shows it as it is which is definitely important. There were some pretty grim moments where Marina Fiorato described the sounds created during the gory scenes which churned my stomach (admittedly I'm really squeamish when it comes to gore).
  
  I also had an issue with a majority of the LGBT representation. I was surprised that there was representation in the book and at first, I was excited to see how Marina Fiorato would explore the theme especially within the army. Unfortunately, a majority of the representation fell into at least one of the categories creepy, manipulative or addicted to drugs. I understand that this was the 17th-18th century and that being LGBT+ was taboo but it did sadden me to see such a negative portrayal. I felt it impacted the characters in the story. For example, Dr Atticus Lambe was such a creepy character and I liked the idea he was a jealous lover of one of the male characters because usually this part is played by a female character. However, because most of the other portrayed gay men were described in such a negative light, it seemed almost the reason why he was "evil" was that he was gay. This was a notion I didn't particularly feel comfortable with.
• 
  Claudia Soylu

  Kit Kavanagh die 1702 in Dublin lebte, war eine schöne rothaarige Frau, die jeden Mann haben konnte. Sie entschied sich zum Leidwesen ihrer Tante für Richard, einem Schenker. Aber sie waren glücklich, bis Richard von einem Soldatentrupp zwangsrekrutiert wurde. Kits Tante konnte nicht sehen, wie sie litt und bot an die Schenke alleine zu führen. So begab Kit sich auf die Suche nach Richard. Sie verkleidete sich als Mann und ließ sich rekrutieren. Mit der neuen Soldatentruppe gelang sie auf den Seeweg nach Genua. Die Überfahrt stellte sich mit so vielen Männern als schwierig heraus. Kit fürchtete ständig, entdeckt zu werden. Auf dem Schiff gab es wenigstens einen abschließbaren Abtritt, aber auf dem Fußmarsch, über den Landweg blieb nur die Wiese.
  Unter dem Regiment Captain Ross zogen sie in den Krieg. Obwohl Kit eine treue Ehefrau war, konnte sie es nicht verhindern sich in den Captain zu verlieben. Als Mann verkleidet, war es unmöglich ihm ihre Gefühle zu offenbaren.
  
  
  Meine Meinung: Ich finde es fantastisch, wie Kit ihre wahre Identität als Frau geheim hielt. Alleine der Fußmarsch über Land, wie sie ihre Notdurft verrichtet hat, war brillant. Ständig habe ich mit Kit mitgefiebert und gefürchtet, dass sie entdeckt wird. Am liebsten würde ich so viel schreiben und mich darüber auslassen, was Kit auf dem Weg zu ihrem Richard erlebt hat, aber ohne zu Spoilern unmöglich. Ich finde jede Einzelheit sollte der Leser selbst entdecken.
  Auch den zweiten Abschnitt, wie Kit zu einem späteren Zeitpunk Ross als Frau begegnet war, fand ich gut gelungen und spannend. Obwohl das Buch 576 Seiten hat, war die Geschichte viel zu schnell zu Ende.
  Das Buch ist mir nur durch das tolle Cover aufgefallen. Die roten Haare und das halbe Gesicht sahen geheimnisvoll aus. Zuerst dachte ich, es wäre eine Fantasy-Geschichte, da ich nur Fantasy lese. Nach dem Durchlesen des Klappentext wurde mir schnell klar, dass es sich um einen Historischen Roman handelte. Aber da hatte mich die Geschichte schon gepackt und ich musste unbedingt das Buch lesen und habe es nicht bereut.
  
• 
  Victoria

  There are some interesting things going on in this novel. I found the exploration of gender and sex interesting, especially with the juxtaposition Fiorato creates within Kit and the people Kit comes across. However, I wished that this would have been addressed more throughout the story. Fiorato did not explore the emotional consequences of being "gender-less" or switching genders, especially in a 18th century society.
  
  I liked the inclusion of Arthur McBride was a clever touch and I liked how the plot reflected the old song.
  
  Overall, though, I found the story to lack much intrigue. I never cared very much for any of the characters. Their morals were all over the place and I had trouble understanding the character's motives.
  
  The writing style did nothing for me. I didn't connect with her story because I was so distracted by the writing. It isn't bad, just not for me.
  
  My major issue with this novel was the unbelievability of the story. The characters actions, beliefs, and values as well as some plot points did not seem like something that would occur in the late 1600s or early 1700s. Also some plot points were not believable even today. How could Kit pass easily as a male yet have a full bosom when she conveniently needed it?
  
  My favorite part was the epilogue. If the whole story had been as whimsical and as magical as the ending, I would have loved this novel. The epilogue was beautiful.
• 
  Prestoni

  Now that is more like the other a Marina Fiorato books I have enjoyed. What a great story, gripping to the very end. One of those characters you would rather not leave behind.
• 
  Babs

  I received a copy of this book from
  Hodder via
  BookBridgr in return for an honest review.
  
  I have to say I loved this book. It follows the story of Kit Kavanagh, an Irish woman, who dresses up as a man to try and find her husband who has been "press ganged" into being a soldier. She embarks on a tremendous journey across Europe, fighting on the battlefields during the Spanish War of Succession. When she unearths the truth about what's happened to her husband, she is placed in even more danger by being brought into the circle of the scheming Duke of Ormonde, who recruits her as a spy.
  
  The book is split into two halves. The first covering Kit's adventures on the battlefield, and the second covering her time with the Duke of Ormonde. I have to say the transition between the end of the first half and the start of the second wasn't exactly smooth, and I felt that the pace that had built up through the first half just disappeared at the start of the second. It took a little while for the pace to pick back up again. But this didn't remove from the overall enjoyment of the book.
  
  It's even more astonishing when you realise this is based on a true story. It just goes to show that feminism was alive and well in the 1700's!!
  
  As usual with historical fiction my main niggle is when historical facts get incorrectly reported. I've been known to have a wobbly over Philippa Gregory's premature introduction of the potato into Britain!! This book isn't perfect on that front (Kensington Palace, not Buckingham Palace, was the main seat of royalty in the 1700's!). But again, it didn't distract from the utterly fantastic storyline.
  
  I'm not the biggest fan of historical fiction. It's a genre I like and enjoy to read now and again. But this was an absolutely brilliant book! I have to say it's the first book by Fiorato that I have read, but I'm sure it won't be the last!
  
  Huge thanks to Hodder and BookBridgr for this fantastic book.
  
  
  
  This review was originally posted on Babs' Bookshelf
• 
  Lesia Joukova

  Ladies and gentlemen! We have a newcomer for my "favorites" shelf! This book definitely needs more reviews so I fervently recommend to all historical fiction fans to bookmark this one.
  
  I loved this book <3 I haven't heard of Marina Fiorato at all until I saw this book tucked away on a bookstore shelf and the cover and the title drew me to it. It didn't disappoint in the least, it even over-delivered, I believe!
  
  The story follows Kit, an Irish newly-married barmaid in the 1700's who jumps on a ship to follow her husband who was taken away to the army. This piece of historical fiction is full of vivid details, descriptions of life that ring with truth and even the revolting and mundane details of army life are making the book so much more fun to read.
  
  For me the book really picked up after the 40th page, as soon as Kit enlists in the army that's where the interesting part starts, and then it just never stops. Kit has to lie her way through the army, foreign lands, take on so many responsibilities and face such awful hardships only to encounter difficulties she hadn't anticipated at all.
  
  
  
  And theeen, like the army wasn't enough of a challenge she has to become a spy and gather the one piece of information that will turn the battle around. While learning how to speak, dance, curtsy and fan herself properly. Well damn.
  
  
  
  Aside from the adventurous story what I truly loved about the book is the powerful message that we feel love towards a particular person, not towards women/men in general. That's also my way to say that the love story in this book felt so satisfying to me. It does not take away from the main plot but adds something powerful and important to it. And damn, Captain Ross is just such a cool character! We need more characters like him!
  
  And finally, this book made me scream at the pages which is a sure sign of a 5-star read. YES.
• 
  Tasha Williams

  
  [I was very kindly sent this book by Hodder & Stoughton in return for an honest review, thank you!]
  
  Historial fiction is not a genre that I read often. I usually mix my history with the element of fantasy so that the everyday world can become extraordinary. So when I was offered Marina Fiorato's newest novel, Kit, for review, I was slightly unsure. What was historical fiction exactly? Was it like a non-fiction book at the Library with a hint of elaboration? The premise seemed interesting enough - a young woman, Kit Kavanagh - joins the army and pretends to be a man, all so she can find her husband Richard, who was whisked away to enlist at a moment's notice.
  
  So I started it. Kit's feelings as Richard was ripped away from her, and the general shock that all women must have felt during times of war was really powerful. Fiorato wrote the emotions of all the characters especially well, even those of the hard to understand so called 'evil' characters. A motive and a meaning lay behind every character, it was almost as if watching a playthrough of several life stories, though through the eyes of a distraught wife.
  
  Kit is an outstanding protagonist. Throughout the novel, she grows in strength, wisdom and courage, and what you believe to be a simple love story becomes a tale of incredible character growth, sacrifice and more importantly, a tale of a journey.
  
  Kit's journey is incredible, and with elements of real history wound into it, Fiorato has created a story that is not only compelling but also is a prime source of raw emotion, engaging plot twists and a fierce heroine. I can't wait to read more of Fiorato's work.
  
  5 Stars!
• 
  Rachel (Confessions of a Book Geek)

  Check out my full review here:
  
  https://confessionsofabookgeek.com/20...
  
  5* Read, and definitely one of my favourites of 2016!
  
  The Double Life of Mistress Kit Kavanagh is a fascinating story about a kick-ass woman in the 1700’s, who had amazing strength of character. Fiorato has written a fast-paced, and action-packed novel, that kept me hooked until the very last page. There are themes of friendship, romance, betrayal, LGBT, and what could be considered to be early-feminism within these pages. The icing on the cake, for me, was when I found out that this novel is based on the true story of Mother Ross. While Fiorato has obviously used some creative license with the story, the majority of it is very much based in truth.
  
  This book is the epitome of a page-turner, with everything I love in a novel: there were suspenseful moments, moments of glory, romance, and times I almost shed a few tears. This book gave me a HUGE book hangover. As soon as I finished it, I wanted to flick back to the start and read it all over again. Highly recommended, and a new favourite. I can’t wait to read more by Fiorato.
  
  I was provided with a copy of this book from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book.
• 
  Sarah

  I have to admit, I was a bit dubious about reading this book to start with. The idea of a woman dressing as a man is a trope that I don't usually gravitate towards. I always find it hard to believe that anyone could get away with it. Then I found out that Kit was actually based on a real woman who did in fact dress as a man in search of her husband for a whopping 13 years, wow!
  
  I enjoyed part one of the book, titled Sword, in which Kit Kavanagh a bar owner joins the Grey Dragoons as a way to find her husband who unexpectedly disappeared from the pub one night, joining the war effort in France. Part two of the book, titled Fan was my favourite part. I'm not usually one for political intrigue but I really enjoyed Kits transformation into a French comtesse in order to infiltrate the French court and find where they were going to attack her allied troops.
  
  It took me a while to read the book. my fault entirely and I was originally going to give it 3 stars but I sped up my reading pace, read a good chunk of pages and finished the last quarter of the book in one sitting. I decided after finishing that the book deserved an extra star.
• 
  Iv Atanasova

  5 феминистки звезди.
  Историята е по действителен случай и се оповава на една смела жена, която е повече мъж от много мъже. Има и художествени украски, но въпреки това историята на Кит Каварна е... забележителна.
  Беше ми приятно да я прочета и да открия изводи, до които съм стигнала и в моя живот, затова колко малки можем да сме хората. И да, всеки на този свят може всичко, зависи от смелостта и ценностите, които има.
  Една мъжка книга за жени, проятно четиво и една любовна история, разбира се.
• 
  Tanja

  "Denn eine Klinge, die dich einmal geschnitten hat, kann dich nie wieder verletzen." (S. 28)
  
  
  
  Meine Meinung:
  
  Katherine, Kit, Kavanagh ist zu Anfang der Geschichte eine glückliche und trotzdem unabhängige Frau. Sie ist selbst eine Tochter eines Soldaten, verheiratet und verdient ihr eigenes Einkommen in einer Schänke. Doch durch ein einziges Ereignis scheint sich ihr Leben komplett umzukremplen. Doch sie wäre nicht Kit, wenn sie ihr altes Leben zurückholen wollen würde, ihr Glück zurück holen, denn sie fängt an, langsam zu sterben ohne ihren Mann. Und doch hat sie auf ihrer Reise nicht mit Captain Ross gerechnet, der nicht nur sehr charmant und gutaussehend ist, er fasziniert Kit in allem, was er tut. Er zeigt ihr Dinge auf, die sie in ihrem Leben weit bringen und ihr den Sinn des Lebens geben, ohne dass Ross überhaupt genau weiß, wer sie wirklich ist. Und wenn jemand tatsächlich Kit's Identität herausfindet, könnte sie so gut wie alles verlieren. Aber wie sagt man einem Mann, dass man ihn liebt, wenn dieser denkt, man sei ein Mann?
  
  Die Beziehung zwischen den Beiden ist unglaublich beeindruckend für mich. Ich habe selten ein Buch gelesen, in dessen die Beziehung der Protagonisten so viel an Tiefgang und Intensität bereit hält wie in dem Roman von Marina Fiorato. Ich habe die gemeinsamen Erlebnisse von Kit und Captain Ross unglaublich genossen und hatte das Gefühl, ich wäre tatsächlich ein Teil von ihnen. Ich war in jedem Kapitel unglaublich neugierig darauf, wie sich ihre Beziehung entwickelt und habe mit vielem gerechnet, jedoch selten mit dem, was tatsächlich im Buch vorkam. Dies ist eine Entwicklung eines Paares, das ich mir in vielen Büchern wirklich wünsche.
  
  Ich muss sagen, in die Geschichte kam ich zu Anfang jedoch schwer. Was mehr daran lag, dass ich die Zeitepoche nicht wirklich kannte und viele Wörter zu Anfang recherchieren musste, ich war nie ein großer Fan von Geschichte und habe vieles aus der Schulzeit verdrängt. Sobald ich jedoch die Einzelheiten intensiviert habe, konnte ich gar nicht aufhören zu lesen. Viele unglaublich spannende Dinge geschehen, ich habe Kit's Erlebnisse aufgesaugt, als wäre ich selbst dabei gewesen, was auch an dem Schreibstil liegt. Ich habe mitgetrauert und mitgefiebert, war erschüttert und glücklich. Es war tatsächlich eine Achterbahn der Gefühle.
  
  Trotz, dass dies ein historischer Roman ist, muss ich sagen, dass der Schreibstil sehr einfach gehalten war, auch wenn viele Fremdwörter vorkamen. Viele Wörter und deren Übersetzung ist aus dem Kontext heraus zu entnehmen, dennoch ist es lesbar und angenehm. Ich hatte mich zu Anfang wirklich gefürchtet, jedoch ist es in einer sehr modernen Sprache gehalten und doch sehr souverän und anspruchsvoll. Es wird aus der Sicht von Kit berichtet in der Erzähler-Perspektive, was jedoch überhaupt kein Problem ist, da die Autorin ein Talent dafür hat, selbst in dieser Perspektive den Leser mitzunehmen und alles verständlich zu machen. Die Kapitel sind wie für einen historischen Roman sehr lang, jedoch total in Ordnung, da ich sehr vertieft in der Geschichte war und kaum mitbekommen habe, wie viele Seiten ich gelesen habe. Wirklich schöner Schreibstil!
  
  
  Fazit:
  
  Das Buch konnte mich total vom Hocker reißen, ich bin sehr begeistert. Die Geschichte von der echten Kit Kavanagh ist unglaublich interessant, sie ist für mich wirklich zu einem großen Idol geworden, dank der Autorin!
  
  Es bekommt dementsprechend 5 von 5 Krönchen!
• 
  Sonja Gieren

  ❤️❤️Rezensionsexemplar❤️❤️
  -Bloggerportal Randomhouse-
  
  ❤️❤️❤️Das Herz der Kriegerin❤️❤️❤️
  
  Autorin: Marina Fiorato
  Verlag: Blanvalet
  Preis: 9,99€,Taschenbuch, Broschur
  Seiten: 576 Seiten
  ISBN: 978-3-7341-0418-3
  Erscheinungsdatum: 19.02.2018
  
  2 Von 5 Sternen ⭐⭐
  
  ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
  Inhaltsangabe:
  Entnommen von:
  www.randomhouse.de
  Nach einer wahren Geschichte – romantisch, genau recherchiert und mitreißend erzählt!
  Dublin 1702. Die schöne Kit Kavanagh mit den feuerroten Haaren ist frisch verheiratet und glücklich. Doch dann wird ihr Mann Richard von Soldaten verschleppt, und Kit ist entschlossen, ihn zurückzuholen – koste es, was es wolle. So zieht sie ihm nach und schließt sich, als Soldat verkleidet, dem Regiment des charismatischen Captain Ross an. Kit spürt, dass sie mehr für Captain Ross empfindet als nur Gehorsam und Freundschaft. Doch sie muss nicht nur ihre wahre Identität, sondern auch die gefährliche Anziehungskraft um jeden Preis geheim halten. Als sie fast enttarnt wird und sich zu ihrer Sicherheit der gegnerischen Seite anschließen muss, begegnet sie Captain Ross erneut – diesmal in ihrer wahren Gestalt …
  ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
  Weitere Informationen:
  
  https://www.randomhouse.de/Taschenbuc...
  (plus Leseprobe)
  
  https://www.randomhouse.de/Autor/Mari...
  
  https://www.randomhouse.de/Autor/Mari...
  
  http://www.histo-couch.de/marina-fior...
  
  https://www.lovelybooks.de/autor/Mari...
  
  https://www.instagram.com/marinafiorato/
  
  https://www.facebook.com/marina.fiora...
  ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
  Hey ihr Süßen💕
  Ich habe gerade dieses Buch von Marina Fiorato beendet und ich würde leider kläglich enttäuscht. So leid es mir auch tut, aber das Buch ist so unglaublich langweilig und langatmig. Die Story an sich gefällt mir unheimlich gut, besonders da sie nach einer wahren Begebenheit erzählt wurde. Auch die Protagonistin "Kit", fand ich sehr sympathisch und unheimlich mutig. Ich meine sie ist eine unheimlich tolle Frau, sie liebt ihren Mann Richard und als dieser Zwangsrekrutiert wird, schneidet sie sich die Haare ab und lebt fortan als Mann. Sie schließt sich Freiwillig der Armee an und kämpft in Dienste der Königin. Der Klappentext verspricht vieles, doch leider kann das Buch nicht viel davon halten, denn es geht fast bis Ende hin, nur darum das "Kit" ihren Mann sucht. Und dann gibt es da noch diese "Beziehung" oder wie man das auch nennen möchte, mit Käpt'n Ross. Leider war mir das Buch viel zu lang, zu lange dafür das ich eher einen Road Tripp Roman gelesen habe, als einen Historischen Roman. Sehr sehr schade. Und wenn man dann noch das Nachwort ließt, denkt man sich nur, okay danke das hätte auch alles auf locker 200 Seiten erzählt werden können. Ich hatte viel erwartet und wenig bekommen, schade aber dennoch danke ich dem Blanvalet Verlag für dieses Buch, wenigstens hat es ein unheimlich schönes Cover und eine besondere Protagonistin. Das war auch der einzige Grund, warum ich es zu Ende gelesen, beziehungsweise zum Teil, überflogen habe. Und auch der Schreibstil von Marina hat mir wirklich gut gefallen, wären es nicht so unheimlich viele langweilig Momente, die in die Länge gezogen wurden.
  Ganz lieben Gruß
  Sonja/Shaaniel
• 
  mylittlebookpalace

  Handlung:Dublin 1702. Die schöne Kit Kavanagh mit den feuerroten Haaren ist frisch verheiratet und glücklich. Doch dann wird ihr Mann Richard von Soldaten verschleppt, und Kit ist entschlossen, ihn zurückzuholen – koste es, was es wolle. So zieht sie ihm nach und schließt sich, als Soldat verkleidet, dem Regiment des charismatischen Captain Ross an. Kit spürt, dass sie mehr für Captain Ross empfindet als nur Gehorsam und Freundschaft. Doch sie muss nicht nur ihre wahre Identität, sondern auch die gefährliche Anziehungskraft um jeden Preis geheim halten. Als sie fast enttarnt wird und sich zu ihrer Sicherheit der gegnerischen Seite anschließen muss, begegnet sie Captain Ross erneut – diesmal in ihrer wahren Gestalt …
  
  Orte: Das Buch spielt an den verschiedensten und unterschiedlichsten Orten überhaupt, mal ein dreckiger Pub irgendwo in England, mal an einer Veranstaltung der Eliteschicht von Frankreich. Mich haben die Orte definitiv überzeugt und ich fand es toll, dass Kit eigentlich immer am Rumreisen war und mit mir an all diesen Orten war. Die Orte waren gut beschrieben, ließen aber auch Platz selber ein bisschen seine Fantasie spielen zu lassen.
  
  Personen: Mich hat Kit definitiv überzeugt, sie ist eine starke und unabhängige Frau, die sich nicht so leicht runterbringen lässt und nichts auf die Meinungen Anderer gibt. Ich mochte ihren Charakter sehr gerne und ich hoffe das ich ihr ein bisschen ähnel, weil sie mich definitiv überzeugt hat und ich sie nicht so schnell vergessen werde. Auch die anderen Personen mochte ich meistens sehr gerne und sie haben alle gut zur Geschichte und zur Weiterführung der Geschichte beigetragen.
  
  Gestaltung: Das Cover hat mich jetzt nicht wirklich angesprochen, doch ich finde, dass es doch sehr gut zu dem Buch und dem Inhalt des Buches passt. Auch die Kapitelgestaltung war sehr schlicht und schön.
  
  Schreibstil: Mit dem Schreibstil hatte ich am Anfang ein paar kleine Problemchen, doch nach einer Weile bin ich auch da reingekommen und habe mich daran gewöhnt. Es gab gute Beschreibungen und auch ein paar tolle Dialoge, die die Geschichte lebendiger gemacht haben.
  
  Geschichte: Ich mochte die Geschichte sehr gerne. Sowohl Anfang, als auch Ende haben sehr gut zu der Geschichte gepasst. Ich fand es toll und es hat mich auch überrascht, dass viele der Ereignisse auf einer wahren Geschichte basieren und es wurde für mich so gut wie nie langweilig, weil die ganze Zeit irgendetwas passiert ist, was man überhaupt nicht erwartet.
  
  Fazit: Ich mochte das Buch sehr sehr gerne und mir haben so gut wie alle Aspekte sehr gut gefallen. Ich kann das Buch definitiv weiterempfehlen und werde dies auch tun. Ich gebe 5 von 5 Sternen und bedanke mich hier auch beim Verlag für die Bereitstellung des Rezensionsexemplars.
• 
  Eva Hechenberger

  Das ist mein erstes Buch der Autorin und ich fand es wirklich gut. Die Autorin entführt den Leser nach Dublin und zwar ins Jahr 1702. Hier treffen wir auf Kit, die ihren Mann zurückholen will und hierfür so einiges in Kauf nimmt. Sie verkleidet sich und schließt sich einem Regiment an. Allerdings trifft sie hier auf einen Captain und man merkt, dass zwischen den beiden mehr ist.
  
  Persönlich hat mir die Geschichte gut gefallen, denn diese war von Beginn an wirklich spannend und auch interessant. Ich hatte so ein paar kleine Startschwierigkeiten, aber je weiter ich gelesen habe, desto besser wurde es. Der Spannungsbogen wurde aus meiner Sicht durchwegs gehalten, was mich begeistert hat. Die Handlung war aber schön abwechslungsreich, denn es gab auch so einiges an Emotionen und Humor, denn welche Frau würde sich bitte zur damaligen Zeit verkleiden.
  
  Die Handlungsorte wirkten auf mich sehr realistisch und detailiiert beschrieben, was ich so richtig toll fand, denn ich habe so ein gutes Gefühl bekommen und mich in der Geschichte richtig gut gefühlt. Man bekommt generell einen guten Überblick und darf so einige Orte kennenlernen, denn die Hauptprotagonistin reist sehr viel.
  
  Die Charaktere haben mir gut gefallen. Besonders hervorgestochen ist aus meiner Sicht Kit, denn diese war mir sehr sympathisch und ich fand es echt toll, wie stark sie wirkte. Sie hat sich nicht unterkriegen lassen und ich fand es toll, wie sie für ihr Ziel gekämpft hat. Auch würde ich sie als echt mutig bezeichnen.
  
  Der Schreibstil war sehr flüssig und locker, sodass das Buch toll zu lesen war. Ich fand es toll, wie dieser historische Roman geschrieben wurde, denn dieser war nicht fad oder zäh. Der Handlung konnte man sehr gut folgen, denn alles war gut verständlich. Richtig klasse.
  
  Das Cover gefällt mir, obwohl es mir jetzt nicht direkt ins Auge springen würde.
  
  
  
  Fazit:
  Spannender Roman. Abenteuerlich und interessant. Hat mir gut gefallen und kann ich weiterempfehlen.
  
  4 von 5 Sterne.
• 
  Paige Turner

  In finishing this page-turner, I was fascinated to read in the author's historical note that she took her inspiration from a real life Kit Kavanagh who really did disguise herself as a man in order to enlist as a soldier in the 18th century.
  
  With such a vivid historical vein to mine, it is no wonder that 'The Double Life of Mistress Kit Kavanagh' makes for such a fascinating read. It was compelling from start to finish: Kit is a hugely likeable and courageous powerhouse of a heroine, and Fiorato's plot largely manages to set the perfect balance between historical detail and artistic licence. It is evident that much of the plot is based on the real Kit Kavanagh's life, yet the artistic licence sings in the raft of evocative characters she meets and, of course, the great detail in which Kit's thoughts and inner turmoils are outlined.
  
  I raced through this: the prose is beautiful yet also smooth, carrying the reader seemingly effortlessly from Kit's humble beginnings in Dublin to her escapades on the continent. Fiorato is adept at compelling storytelling, and I was with Kit all the way.
  
  However, I did have a couple of misgivings with the plot. The first is that the love story element, while taking the bulk of the novel to develop, in its 'climax' ends up reading as quite anticlimactic. The second is the epilogue: it came across as unnecessary and, quite frankly, morose after the completion of the main story; I sense that in her desire to keep true to the elements of the real Kit's story, the author sacrificed too much the artistic licence, making the final pages unusually and jarringly bittersweet against the previous chapter.
  
  Yet, all in all, a worthwhile read and a fantastic introduction to a fascinating real life tale.
• 
  Bronwyn Mcloughlin

  As I was thinking about what I would write in my review, before I had finished the book, it occurred to me that the story really was a bit improbable and stretched the limits of credulity. And then I finished it, and read the notes, and found that the story in its essentials is based on the amazing life of Mrs Ross, who fought with Marlborough in Italy and lots of other places and was the first female pensioner in Chelsea Old Soldiers home. It's a great rollocking read - adventurous historical fiction with a woman at its centre. Of necessity there is much supposition in some of the intrigues in which she became involved, but the general structure is based on the real life adventures of a woman from Dublin in the British Army on the continent. When her initial and illegal service comes to an end, she finds herself as the wife of a Captain playing society hostess in London - but it's all too much, and she breaks out of the mold, to attack miscreants with some scientific blows with whatever implement comes to hand, before shamefacedly scuttling back into propriety. I loved that early in her career as a soldier, her Captain takes the time to explain why they are in Italy fighting the French and Spanish. There was a diplomatic reason for it, but it does defy logic that it was deemed crucial for British sovereignty to defend the Holy Roman Empire against the Spanish and French. Thoroughly enjoyable.