In 18th century Stockholm, as the winds of revolution rage through the great capitals of Europe, the key to a nation's fate rests in the hands of an unlikely hero.
Emil Larsson is a drinker, card player and contented bachelor until he is told that his position at the Office of Excise and Customs depends on his settling down and finding a wife. Mrs Sparrow, proprietor of an exclusive gaming house, fortune teller (and confidante of King Gustav III) offers to lay an Octavo for him - a form of cartomancy which can divine his future if he can find the eight individuals who can help him realise his vision.
When Mrs Sparrow wins a mysterious fan in her card game, the Octavo's deeper powers are revealed. No longer just a game of the heart, collecting his Eight is now crucial to pulling his country back from the brink of rebellion and chaos.
A debut novel full of opulent period detail, brilliantly interweaving history, romance and intrigue, in which one man's fortune holds the key to a nation's precarious fate.
'A delicious page-turner that brings 18th century Stockholm to vivid life, complete with scandal, conspiracy, mystery, and a hint of magic.' - Eleanor Brown, New York Times bestselling author of The Weird Sisters
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'The Stockholm Octavo is a masterful book, where a win for one character is a loss for another and where any kind of loss sparks a new round of plotting and intrigue. Read it, you'll be glad you did. If you like novels that work on many levels at once, read this stunning tessellation of a book, where fortune is the flip side of intrigue and where history is the flip side of chance. The Stockholm Octavo is a brilliant construction as much as an intriguing read. More than once I caught myself wondering: Who is Karen Engelmann and how did she do it?' (Charlotte Rogan, bestselling author of The Lifeboat )
'A delicious page-turner that brings 18th century Stockholm to vivid life, complete with scandal, conspiracy, mystery, and a hint of magic. Karen Engelmann's spectacular debut drew me in with its fascinating characters, who share their secrets of cartomancy, apothecaries, and the power of a well-fluttered fan. A captivating tale, beautifully told.' (Eleanor Brown, New York Times bestselling author of The Weird Sisters )
'As delicious as dark chocolate, The Stockholm Octavo is the essence of witty intelligence. Readers will delight in staying up half the night enchanted by every element in this Swedish weave, from the brutal winter weather to the unfurling of a lady's fan. The plot is an urgent one, and the characters mysterious, appealing, and memorable. Not only a romp, the wisdom of The Stockholm Octavo engages the reader's attention and inspires the desire for personal growth and connection with our fellow travelers. I felt a real kinship with author Karen Engelmann.' (Sena Jeter Naslund, New York Times bestselling author of Ahab's Wife and Abundance, A Novel of Marie Antoinette )
'Engelmann has crafted a magnificent, suspenseful story set against the vibrant society of Sweden's zenith, with a cast of colorful characters balanced at the crux of history.' (Publishers Weekly (starred review) )
'This rollicking adventure story reads at times like a fairy tale, with Good Guys and Bad Guys and obstacles to be recognized and overcome. It's all quite fun. As either historical novel or adventure story, this clever first novel should appeal to a broad range of readers.' (Library Journal (starred review) )
'Karen Englemann has created a work of art with this wonderfully written story. . . a perfect book' (SirReadALot )
'I was totally entranced by such an original revelation and became a fan bore for a few days afterwards.' (Bookbag )
'a wonderfully entertaining foray into a magical underworld lying beneath the grand facade of 18th century Sweden. Engelmann's enchanting writing brings it to life.' (We Love This Book )
'This is a swirling, swooping fanfare of a tale, with an immense cast and an exhilaratingly sustained finale.' (Guardian )
'a fanciful puzzle of a plot, while Engelmann's intellectually playful take on the mathematics of love and power proves irresistible.' (O Magazine )
'Seasoned with lush descriptions of fine houses, dresses and the eloquently decorated fans . . . The Stockholm Octavo is great fun to read.' (Salon )
'With flawless instinct, Engelmann conflates mystery and romance . . . Is this historical, or is it fiction? The answer - the ace up Karen Engelmann's sleeve - is yes.' (BookPage )
'I found myself completely drawn in by the plot, which built to the fevered pitch of a thriller by the end. If you enjoy historical thrillers, The Stockholm Octavo should be added to your to-be-read pile.' (Strangely Literary )
Deliciously sly... An irresistible and atmospheric tale of politics and romance set in the cold, cruel north. (The New York Times Book Review )
'A delicious page-turner that brings 18th century Stockholm to vivid life, complete with scandal, conspiracy, mystery, and a hint of magic. Karen Engelmann's spectacular debut drew me in with its fascinating characters, who share their secrets of cartomancy, apothecaries, and the power of a well-fluttered fan. A captivating tale, beautifully told.' (Eleanor Brown, New York Times bestselling author of The Weird Sisters )
'As delicious as dark chocolate, The Stockholm Octavo is the essence of witty intelligence. Readers will delight in staying up half the night enchanted by every element in this Swedish weave, from the brutal winter weather to the unfurling of a lady's fan. The plot is an urgent one, and the characters mysterious, appealing, and memorable. Not only a romp, the wisdom of The Stockholm Octavo engages the reader's attention and inspires the desire for personal growth and connection with our fellow travelers. I felt a real kinship with author Karen Engelmann.' (Sena Jeter Naslund, New York Times bestselling author of Ahab's Wife and Abundance, A Novel of Marie Antoinette )
'Engelmann has crafted a magnificent, suspenseful story set against the vibrant society of Sweden's zenith, with a cast of colorful characters balanced at the crux of history.' (Publishers Weekly (starred review) )
'This rollicking adventure story reads at times like a fairy tale, with Good Guys and Bad Guys and obstacles to be recognized and overcome. It's all quite fun. As either historical novel or adventure story, this clever first novel should appeal to a broad range of readers.' (Library Journal (starred review) )
'Karen Englemann has created a work of art with this wonderfully written story. . . a perfect book' (SirReadALot )
'I was totally entranced by such an original revelation and became a fan bore for a few days afterwards.' (Bookbag )
'a wonderfully entertaining foray into a magical underworld lying beneath the grand facade of 18th century Sweden. Engelmann's enchanting writing brings it to life.' (We Love This Book )
'This is a swirling, swooping fanfare of a tale, with an immense cast and an exhilaratingly sustained finale.' (Guardian )
'a fanciful puzzle of a plot, while Engelmann's intellectually playful take on the mathematics of love and power proves irresistible.' (O Magazine )
'Seasoned with lush descriptions of fine houses, dresses and the eloquently decorated fans . . . The Stockholm Octavo is great fun to read.' (Salon )
'With flawless instinct, Engelmann conflates mystery and romance . . . Is this historical, or is it fiction? The answer - the ace up Karen Engelmann's sleeve - is yes.' (BookPage )
'I found myself completely drawn in by the plot, which built to the fevered pitch of a thriller by the end. If you enjoy historical thrillers, The Stockholm Octavo should be added to your to-be-read pile.' (Strangely Literary )
Deliciously sly... An irresistible and atmospheric tale of politics and romance set in the cold, cruel north. (The New York Times Book Review )
About the Author
Karen Engelmann lived and worked in Sweden for nine years. She has an MFA from Goddard College in Vermont and is the 2011 winner of the American Scandinavian Society Cultural Award Grant. She lives in Dobbs Ferry, New York. The Stockhom Octavo is her first book. Find out more about Karen on her website, http://www.karenengelmann.com/
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Parm
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Hardcover
Im still not sure how and why i managed to read this book. Its nothing like any of the books i normally read, and i think i have a fairly eclectic taste in reading. This seems to be part historical fiction, part love story, part crime part mystery book. There are chapters in this book that just talk about fans, how they are made how they are used etc..The plot is quite slow at times, and makes the book very much a slow burn read.
But all of that said, you start with a very attractive book, no dust jacket, but a beautiful design embossed on the book boards. That's draws you in, then there is the Octavo, part maths part mysticism. Then the characters who are surprisingly real, the descriptions of Stockholm are impressive enough that i could feel the cold, at one point one character is slowly freezing at the road side, and i could feel my toes getting cold and a shiver of chill.
The story is one of those involved intricate things that leaves you thinking about it hours after you put the book down.
So even writing this review i cannot tell you why to read it... except that, a couple of weeks later, its still making me think, i still remember the characters and the plot, so its stays with you, long after you finish.
(Parm)
Book Description
In 18th century Stockholm, as the winds of revolution rage through the great capitals of Europe, the key to a nation's fate rests in the hands of an unlikely hero.
Emil Larsson is a drinker, card player and contented bachelor until he is told that his position at the Office of Excise and Customs depends on his settling down and finding a wife. Mrs Sparrow, proprietor of an exclusive gaming house, fortune teller (and confidante of King Gustav III) offers to lay an Octavo for him - a form of cartomancy which can divine his future if he can find the eight individuals who can help him realise his vision.
When Mrs Sparrow wins a mysterious fan in her card game, the Octavo's deeper powers are revealed. No longer just a game of the heart, collecting his Eight is now crucial to pulling his country back from the brink of rebellion and chaos.
A debut novel full of opulent period detail, brilliantly interweaving history, romance and intrigue, in which one man's fortune holds the key to a nation's precarious fate.
But all of that said, you start with a very attractive book, no dust jacket, but a beautiful design embossed on the book boards. That's draws you in, then there is the Octavo, part maths part mysticism. Then the characters who are surprisingly real, the descriptions of Stockholm are impressive enough that i could feel the cold, at one point one character is slowly freezing at the road side, and i could feel my toes getting cold and a shiver of chill.
The story is one of those involved intricate things that leaves you thinking about it hours after you put the book down.
So even writing this review i cannot tell you why to read it... except that, a couple of weeks later, its still making me think, i still remember the characters and the plot, so its stays with you, long after you finish.
(Parm)
Book Description
In 18th century Stockholm, as the winds of revolution rage through the great capitals of Europe, the key to a nation's fate rests in the hands of an unlikely hero.
Emil Larsson is a drinker, card player and contented bachelor until he is told that his position at the Office of Excise and Customs depends on his settling down and finding a wife. Mrs Sparrow, proprietor of an exclusive gaming house, fortune teller (and confidante of King Gustav III) offers to lay an Octavo for him - a form of cartomancy which can divine his future if he can find the eight individuals who can help him realise his vision.
When Mrs Sparrow wins a mysterious fan in her card game, the Octavo's deeper powers are revealed. No longer just a game of the heart, collecting his Eight is now crucial to pulling his country back from the brink of rebellion and chaos.
A debut novel full of opulent period detail, brilliantly interweaving history, romance and intrigue, in which one man's fortune holds the key to a nation's precarious fate.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
This intriguing and delightful novel is set in Stockholm during the time of the French Revolution, in an unsettled and tense Europe. King Gustav had taken a provincial outpost and transformed it into a beacon of culture and refinement, but his brother Duke Karl is the leader of a group of Patriots who are trying to force change. They resent the King's attempts to reconstruct the government and grant the commons the majority, turning the nobility against their monarch. Meanwhile, Emil Larsson is a contented man, working for the Office of Customs and Excist, a fervent royalist and a frequent gambler at the tables of Mrs Sparrow. When he is informed that he must find a wife or lose his position, Mrs Sparrow suggests she read his cards to guide him. This leads us to the Octavo of the title - a form of divination unique to her, involving eight cards from an old and mysterious deck, revealing eight people who would bring about the events that Mrs Sparrow sees in visions.
However, all is not as simple as it seems. What begins as the quest for a wife brings together the people from Emil Larsson's Octavo - including the Baroness Uzanne, a fan maker and a calligrapher amongst others. This is a delicious novel, where women wield weapons in the forms of fans, which convey messages and give signals across drawing rooms and salons. Where poisons, intrigue and treason abound and Mr Larsson finds that he must look beyond personal gain to the world outside the comfortable one he had made himself. This is not a novel of action, but rather a skillfully written and entrancing debut which I recommend highly.
However, all is not as simple as it seems. What begins as the quest for a wife brings together the people from Emil Larsson's Octavo - including the Baroness Uzanne, a fan maker and a calligrapher amongst others. This is a delicious novel, where women wield weapons in the forms of fans, which convey messages and give signals across drawing rooms and salons. Where poisons, intrigue and treason abound and Mr Larsson finds that he must look beyond personal gain to the world outside the comfortable one he had made himself. This is not a novel of action, but rather a skillfully written and entrancing debut which I recommend highly.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Champollion
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
The resurgence in the popularity of historical fiction will gain further impetus from this expertly structured and delightfully written novel, "The Stockholm Octavo" by Karen Engelmann. It is a richly decorated tapestry of a story with a colourful cast of characters, consisting of a beautiful apothecary, master calligrapher, an obsessive fan-maker, not to mention principal player, Emil Larsson, all set in late eighteenth century Sweden under King Gustav.
The Octavo is a theory of the centuries old art of cartomancy in which eight cards signify the eight people essential to the outcome of every important event in a person's life. Emil Larsson, a civil servant, who is only interested in drinking, card player and bachelor has his fortune told, by gambling club owner Sofia Sparrow and informed that his cherished position at the Office of Excise and Customs depends on him finding a wife.
His career is neatly woven into the future of the Swedish court. What will happen?
I enjoyed this book immensely. It is cleverly written, amusing,appealing and makes a fascinating read. There is never a dull moment. The intrigue, gossip,menace, and compelling plot kept me engaged until the last page. Recommended.
The Octavo is a theory of the centuries old art of cartomancy in which eight cards signify the eight people essential to the outcome of every important event in a person's life. Emil Larsson, a civil servant, who is only interested in drinking, card player and bachelor has his fortune told, by gambling club owner Sofia Sparrow and informed that his cherished position at the Office of Excise and Customs depends on him finding a wife.
His career is neatly woven into the future of the Swedish court. What will happen?
I enjoyed this book immensely. It is cleverly written, amusing,appealing and makes a fascinating read. There is never a dull moment. The intrigue, gossip,menace, and compelling plot kept me engaged until the last page. Recommended.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Bogged down by detail.
Much as I enjoyed some of the detailed descriptions given in the story, I found them a bit too heavy at times, making it a chore to read. Read more
Published 9 days ago by Flickering Ember
5.0 out of 5 stars
THE COUNTRY'S DESTINY IN THEIR HANDS?
With France in turmoil since 1789, can it be Sweden's turn for revolution - Gustav III to follow the fate of Louis XVI? Read more
Published 10 days ago by Mr. D. L. Rees
4.0 out of 5 stars
Concoction of Cards
The setting of `The Stockholm Octavo' is Sweden towards the end of the 18th century at the beginning of the end of the Royal Family immediately before the House of Bernadotte as... Read more
Published 2 months ago by D. Elliott
3.0 out of 5 stars
Intrigue at the Swedish Court
This is a strange book. I thoroughly enjoyed the intrigues of the court of Sweden and its response to the political turbulence in France at the time of the revolution. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mrs. K. A. Wheatley
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fortune telling and political intrigue
Emil Larsson is a young man working for the Office of Customs and Excise in Stockholm at the end of the 18th century. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Petra Bryce
5.0 out of 5 stars
Political intrigue and soothsaying in 18th Century Sweden
This story of revolutionary-period Sweden (late 1700s) was quite a revelation. A finely crafted historic mystery by a very talented new author, Karen Engelmann. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Blue in Washington
4.0 out of 5 stars
A captivating read
"The Stockholm Octavo" is a great book -- full of intrigue, deception and magic with dark forces added to the mix to make a thrilling read. Read more
Published 5 months ago by C. Moorby
4.0 out of 5 stars
Richly detailed, not quite as engrossing as I`d hoped.
The Stockholm Octavo is set, predictably enough, in Stockholm during one of the most fascinating periods of European history - 1789 - 1792. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Max
3.0 out of 5 stars
The powers of fans and cards
This is a clever novel, well written, well researched, well constructed but it lacked that `something' that made me love it. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Elizabeth Taylor
4.0 out of 5 stars
Intriguing and original but terribly slow
Fans and cards, prophecy and history mingle in the tale of Emil Larsson and his pursuit of a future predicted for him by the enigmatic Mrs Sparrow. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Book Critic
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