I am a fan of historical fiction and although not one of my favorites, this was far from the worst I've read.

The pros: the story was an interesting one, not something I have encountered often; the descriptions were colorful, although tended to be a bit longwinded and exhaustive

the cons: while it started quickly and the ending was a whirlwind, the middle of the story dragged unendingly, with one miserable event piled upon another