I've really enjoyed Mortimer's previous guides to medieval and Elizabethan times, but struggled rather more with this volume in the series. It has taken me months to finish it.I'm not quite sure why as Mortimer's dry wit is still much in evidence. Perhaps it's because there's still plenty that's recognisable from those earlier books (the plague together with poor sanitation and cruel and unusual punishments still feature heavily) as well as the faintest glimmers of what is modern life.
For example, you can see the essential elements, namely a small shift from the supernatural to a science based way of looking at the world, improvements in transport and greater availability of knowledge, of what will become the industrial revolution slowly slotting into place. But blimey, progress feels glacial. At the time, it must have felt dizzyingly fast though - at least in the larger cities, like London.
Verdict: Same, but different.
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