Rating: 
Summary: I shouldn't have read all the reviews
Review: After all that's been written and printed about this book, I thought it would be the greatest effort in years. It wasn't.It's terribly smart and fairly stylish, but for it to truly succeed, the four vantage points from which this story is told need to be rather clearly delineated, which for me they weren't. They all sounded too suspiciously alike on obvious levels. Often they plod, sometimes forcing the cultural detail upon the reader. The result is an oft-contrived narrative, reading almost as if the author has a checklist of points he must put in his discourse. I enjoyed the mystery, but I think his reach has exceeded his grasp. Don't get me wrong, it does deserve a great deal of praise, most of all for its ambition.
Rating: 
Summary: a lovely book which purports to be a mystery
Review: AIOTF is a very fun historical novel, which is not a mystery, but has many mysterious elements. Although the central action is the death of one of the characters, the novel is only slightly interested in misleading you in the standard mystery fashion. Rather, the author is interested in misleading you by distorting reality in a large number of ways, by giving the perspectives of four narrators who all have axes to grind, who all are deceptive and who are all confused on one level or another. I have read it for the first time, and plan on reading it again soon, to understand the viewpoints of the characters when all are known. Although it is not a mystery, it is a very fulfilling, extremely interesting book about a fascinating period of time. I recommend it without reservations.
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Summary: a suprising view of England in the 1600's
Review: When I bought the book i thought that it was a interesting crime novell with history aspects. Then you start reading, The crimestory itself is not so special , but the way the four characters tell their history is very original. When you have read the first story , you think : well these are the first 200 pages, what about the next 500 ? And than the story goes on and on , gives you details about England in the 17 th century and terrific characters . Pears , please give us more of this !!!
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books in years
Review: A wonderfully compelling novel, where nothing truly is what it seems. It starts off giving you one impression, then gives you a totally different view point, and by the end, everything you thought was true is turned upside down. Not many authors today can weave such a strong, solid, believeable story in four different versions, all completely different, and yet still plausible. Its only virtue is length, which probably would frighten most readers, but it's well worth it.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful read! Interesting, complex and thorough.
Review: Pears pulls this off wonderfully. The four narratives are well written and provide the character depth I wasn't expecting. Due to life's constraints it did take me a while to read it, (couple of months) but I found it more and more enjoyable every time I picked it up. Without a doubt one of the best books I have read in years. A must read.
Rating: 
Summary: A fascinating and gripping historical mystery
Review: This book captured me from it's opening pages, and I literally could not put it down (I read till 4 a.m.). The intertwining tales of the four narrators create a rich and vivid tapestry set in one of the most volatile periods of European history. My only complaint might be that the ending was a little too neat, but that did not stop me from reading the book a second time to savor this beautifully written story.
Rating:
Summary: The best historical novel I have read in sometime.
Review: This novel succeeds on all levels. The historical figures, as well as the fictitious ones, are so real they walk off the page. The plot line is inventive and posseses enough surprises for at least three novels. Unlike much historical fiction of today, the behavior of the main characters is well anchored in the historical period and does not seem like that of characters ripped from the present and placed in an unrealistic past. As a bonus, there are clear, lively, and detailed discussions of 16th century religion, philosophy, science, medicine, morality, and politics that do not interrupt the flow of the novel. In my mind one question is left after reading this historical/mystery novel, that is: whether his previous novels, which I haven't read, and whether his next one, which I plan to read, will be nearly as good.
Rating:
Summary: Intellectual, captivating, but doesn't fully satisfy
Review: As other reviewers have stated, the book is much more satisfying for it's historical depictions than its mystery. Still, I recommend it. However, I need some one to explain the purpose of including the prophetess aspect of Sarah Blundy. Is this book a metaphor of the times and event of the crucifixion of Christ?
Rating:
Summary: great.. but better if I'd know less about the period...
Review: It's hard reading a book like this, when my doctoral thesis is on the medical literature of the 1660s. I've read so much about the characters in this novel -- and the true stories upon which it is based -- that it's almost like reading a novel where my friends are the main characters.... My gripes about the research: Thomas Willis doesn't get a mention. He supervised the dissection of Anne Greene, led the research into brain anatomy that Lower and Wren assisted with -- Willis's book, "Cerebri anatome" was published in 1663 -- and taught anatomy to John Locke. Any study of Oxford in the 1660s ought to mention him. That said, it's a cracking read. And it's good to know that I'm not the only one obsessed with the late seventeenth century's impact. With hope, it will guide more people towards the real stories of the period, which are just as fascinating as this fine modern novel.
Rating:
Summary: This is destined to rank among the true classics
Review: I can't remember the last time I was so captivated by a novel. The narrative is brilliantly researched and presented in a manner which not only tells a great story but provided an in depth look into the values of 17th century English society at a critical point in history. Pears did an extraordinary job of assuming four different characters with four different but overlapping stories which builds to a wonderful close. I've gone out of my way to recommend this book.
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