Review of The Wicked Earl

[Obinna Chima Agoms]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Wicked Earl" by Martin Joseph Coyne.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The Wicked Earl tells the story of Earl Robert Rockford in 18th-century Irish Republic in the town of Mullingar, and is based on a true story. Martin Joseph Coyne goes into detail about the transgression and scheming of a man who lovingly embraces his dark side.

Robert Rochfort has been a deviant from a young age with a sadistic tendency. Growing up and going to London for schooling, his thirst for the vile things of life grew, and he learned how to harness his dark side to achieve his ultimate goal, which led to him spreading misery like a plague. Where would this path eventually lead him?

I liked the old English words and Irish manner of speech the author used in some conversations to help highlight the interaction of medieval times. The book's introductory part, with its brief historical lecture and detailed description of the buildings, served as a good foundation for knowing the characters.

A common fad of the time captured in this book was the issue of arranged marriages. It was pretty prevalent, especially in aristocratic families. These marriages of "convenience" usually brought a lot of concealed misery, as seen in the case of Robert's first wife. I couldn't help but consider its effect in the present day. Though people have more free rein in their choice of spouses, many are still stuck in the conundrum of toxic, arranged unions.

I loved the way the lead character was adequately developed. During his stay at King's College and the formation of the "Trinity," I could see how Robert's misogynistic attributes were added to his growing list of depravities. His blatant raping and well-thought-out murders on his ascent to power showed a picturesque image of the state of his mind. A double standard could be seen in the alleged adultery of his second wife that became a basis for his numerous indulgences of different sexual misbehaviors with no repercussions. Readers will relate to his character because it is ubiquitous in our current society, where a man is labeled a champion for his sexual conquests and a woman tagged with vulgar names for exploring her sexual fantasies.

One silver lining in this dark tale was the relationship between two of the characters, Ned and Mrs. Doolin. I admired their beautiful friendship even through the personal grief and test of belief. Mrs. Doolin has a knack for gossip, which Ned gladly offers at a humorous price.

Everything about this book is perfect. However, some errors were enough to affect the rating negatively. Therefore, I rate The Wicked Earl 3 out of 4 stars. I recommend it to lovers of historical fiction and fantasy readers. The book has scenes of rape, albeit it is not explicitly described. People who are triggered by this violent act should tread with caution.

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The Wicked Earl
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[Edit_or]

Sounds interesting. Thank you for the awesome review.

[Precious Amarachi Nzeakor]

Most books teach lessons about getting reprimanded for doing wrong. This book highlights the sadistic tendencies of the main? Interesting indeed.

[Aisha Yakub]

I'd like to find out where his dark sides took him. Interesting review.

[Ikechukwu+12345]

Wow, thanks for a nice review. I look forward to reading this book. Weldone.

[nwankwo chibuchi]

Beautiful storyline. Fantasy lovers should jump on this one. They'll have the best time reading it. Great review.

[Kingsleyefebest]

So people today are being giving different kinds of power's for a reason best known to their creator, but for the sake of greed and quest for power, these gifts are being abused, it's a wonderful storyline tho, looking forward to the end of this fabulous story will be at last

[Itz Savaga]

This sounds interesting, we all have our dark sides but how we control and use it is what really matters, if we let it get a better side of us then we are in trouble. Great review.