Introduction

Lace is a thing like hope.
It is beauty; it is grace.
It was never meant to destroy so many lives.

The mad passion for forbidden lace has infiltrated France, pulling soldier and courtier into its web. For those who want the best, Flemish lace is the only choice, an exquisite perfection of thread and air. For those who want something they don't have, Flemish lace can buy almost anything-or anyone.

For Lisette, lace begins her downfall, and the only way to atone for her sins is to outwit the noble who know demands an impossible length of it. To fail means certain destruction. But for Katharina, lace is her salvation. It is who she is; it is what she does. If she cannot make this stunning tempest of threads, a dreaded fate awaits.

A taut, mesmerizing story, The Ruins of Lace explores the intricate tangle of fleeting beauty, mad obsession, and ephemeral hope.

"Stunning...this story is sure to impress."—Publishers Weekly

"A gorgeous wrought tale of two women bound to the cruelty and beauty of a forbidden perfection...Iris Anthony has delivered a stunning achievement."—C.W. Gortner, author of The Queen's Vow

"Exquisite...this is definitely a keeper to be savored. Whoever Iris Anthony is, she's a gifted writer with what is to be hoped is only the first of many wonderful stories to tell."—Sara Poole, author of Poison and The Borgias Mistress

For more information visit www.ruinsoflace.com

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Excerpt

Chapter 1
Katharina Martens
Lendelmolen, Flanders
It had been two months now. Two months since my eyes had betrayed me. The darkness had come upon me so gradually that there had been no fear, no panic. Even now I could still discern shapes and colors. Though the details and textures of my lace were lost to me, my fingers told me what my eyes refused to convey. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1. Do you agree with Heilwich’s opinion that she was a murderess? She certainly intended to murder Herry Stuer. Do you think she ought to have gone through with it? How would the story have changed if she had? How would she have changed? What other outcomes did her choice affect?

2. A Flemish woman berates Alexandre in Chapter 14: “Are you too good for God? Is that it? You’re only harming yourself. And besides, you can only be as clean as you are.” What did she mean?

3. In some ways, Lisette and the Comte are mirrors of each other. What similarities did they have? What differences? Both face ruin but they respond to the prospect in different ways. Why?

4. When has corruption knocked on your door? What was your response? Is there an antidote to corruption?

5. Each character was offered a chance to either corrupt others or to aid in furthering corruption. What choice did each character make?

Weblinks

»	Publisher's Book Info
»	Author Iris Anthony's web site

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