By Boisserie, Guillaume & Maffre
Publisher: Cinebook
ISBN: 9781800441675
Desperation, rivalry, and ruthlessness ooze from each page in this second volume. Former aristocrat Charlotte de Saint-Hubert, forced back to selling herself for the satisfaction of wealthy clients, is offered a glimmer of hope when France aims to compensate those that lost land and wealth at the hands of the French Revolution. Her hopes are soon dashed when she learns that someone has already made a claim on behalf of the family’s name. As she is the only surviving heir she naturally suspects foul play. Unfortunately for her, her brother Christian did not end up swinging at the end of the rope back in Britain and has returned to France. With a partially restored fortune he wants revenge on his sister and to secure power at all costs – and for that he needs to wield money like the deadliest weapon of all.
It is the power of money, and all that it can achieve, that drives this story forward. You might be wealthy, and already be so many steps above the average person with all the advantages it brings, but all that means nothing when a greater source of wealth has other plans. Charlotte’s tragedy is that she keeps getting outplayed, despite her sacrifices and intelligence.
The brutality, both physical and emotional, is a sharp reminder of how powerless we all are in the face of privilege. It’s what makes The Bank such a page turner.
And if you liked that: The story moves to 1857 with the next volume, as the baton of rivalry is passed to the next generation.
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