I was delighted to find The Twelfth Enchantment, by one of my favorite historical fiction writers, David Liss - don't know how I missed this one for so long. As with other historical mystery-thrillers by Liss, the creation of very plausible fictional alternative explanations for "known" historical facts is really well done and compelling. Supernatural subjects are a departure from previous Liss novels, but handled in such a way that they don't compromise historical accuracy. Highly recommended!
The Twelfth Enchantment takes place in 1812 England, mostly in Nottinghamshire, where the unsatisfactory but settled life of main fictional protagonist Lucy Derrick experiences a remarkable series of upheavals. She gradually learns that she has natural gifts of a metaphysical and supernatural nature, and that because of those gifts she has become the target of several nefarious schemes. Such things as alchemy, magic, and spirits were commonly accepted as factual in those days, and the story creates a series of events and characters based on those beliefs. At the novel's beginning, the reader is as ignorant of Lucy's imminent life changes as Lucy herself, so I won't spoil any of the surprise reveals here.
A number of historical events and persons are accurately woven into the fictional narrative. Central to the story is the Luddite movement and its destructive campaign against mechanization of textile factories. Another 1812 event woven into the novel is the assassination of Prime Minister Spencer Percival, who appears briefly as a character, with a fictional involvement in the supernatural struggle that has overtaken Lucy and her family. And always in the background is the war against Napoleon.
Lord Byron, remembered now mainly as a poet and libertine, plays a prominent role, which Liss extrapolated from his defense of the Luddites in the House of Lords. The secretive Rosicrucian movement is also involved in the supernatural plot.
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