elementarymydear's Reviews (967)

25% - triggers

 Dearest reader,
When one finds oneself in yet another national lockdown, there is no sweeter diversion than the goings on of the ton. With many a romance and many a scandal to be expected, this author has been closely following the romantic endeavours of one Lord Bridgerton. With all the buzz around the Duke and Duchess of Hastings, we are all delighted to have a new couple to marvel at, and we can only hope Lord Bridgerton’s romantic entanglements bring us just as much entertainment – and hopefully rather less cause for concern...

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When I read The Duke and I last month, I had mixed feelings about it. Daphne and Simon were my least favourite part of book 1 so I decided to continue with the series, and I am extremely glad I did!

The Viscount Who Loved Me follows the oldest Bridgerton sibling, Lord Anthony Bridgerton, on his mission to find a wife. He has three conditions: she must be beautiful, she must be intelligent, and he must never find himself falling in love with her. On the other end of the social spectrum, Kate and Edwina Sheffield have just arrived in town, spending the last of their money from their late father to try and get Edwina, the younger and (generally thought) prettier of the two, a good husband. When Anthony sets his sights on her, Kate is none too impressed with his rakish reputation and tells him so, starting a rivalry that – of course – evolves into something more.

Let me start by saying I LOVED Kate. She was such a fantastic character, more than a match for Anthony with her strong will and competitive spirit, but with a vulnerability that added a lovely depth to her character. More than that, she helps us to see and appreciate the vulnerable side of Anthony, and the way their relationship developed had me absolutely glued to the page. (I read this in two sittings; would have been one if I hadn’t needed sleep). I really hope we see more of Kate across the coming books, as she is a fantastic addition to the Bridgerton clan.

It would be remiss of me not to mention the plot. When you’re reading romance – and especially historical romance – you expect the plot to be secondary to the relationship, and for things to conveniently happen so the character get their happy ever after. Even with that in mind, the plot – particularly the [redacted for spoilers] that leads to their engagement – was one of the most contrived things I’ve ever read. Did I mind? No, not really. Did I laugh out loud at what was clearly a traumatic moment for Anthony? Yes. (I promise this is less cruel than it sounds, but I don’t want to spoil it).

I’ll admit I didn’t read the second epilogue for this one. Maybe once I’ve read the series I’ll go back and read all the second epilogues, but the end was so satisfying that to carry on felt like it was only going to disappoint me (as with The Duke and I). However, I am definitely bumping the rest of the series further up my TBR, and frantically counting down the days until season 2 comes out on Netflix. 

 Tom Finch is a conductor and composer living in London in the early 18th Century. His position as the illegitimate son of an earl leaves him at a cross-section between high society and the Georgian underworld, while his blindness leads to many of his family and colleagues underestimating him. Assumed by many – including, it seems, himself – to be a bit of a rake, it becomes clear to us over the course of the novel that he craves stability, be it financial or romantic.

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The story begins as Tess Turnbridge, a gifted soprano escaping scandal on the continent, joins the same theatre as Tom. Their enemies-to-friends-to-lovers story is the driving force behind the book, and is brilliantly realised. The story was a little slow to get started, but once the action got underway I could not put this book down, desperate to find out what happens at the end.

I couldn’t resist this book when I read the description: an action-filled opera-based Georgian adventure romp? Sign me up! And Lucy May Lennox did not disappoint. The cast of characters was fantastic, especially Tom, Tess and Tom’s friend/assistant Jem. As the story unfolds we meet more of Tom’s family and friends, and see the rich tapestry of Georgian life among them. Lennox does not shy away from the realities of life, be it a secret same-sex wedding in a molly house or the tragic treatment of women in prisons. We experience all the highs and lows of life along with Tom and his easy-going outlook on life.

Lennox has done a fantastic job at representation of LGBTQ+ people and disabled people in this book. Tom’s blindness is never a hindrance to him as we learn through Tess’ eyes the methods he uses to go about his daily life. We have gay and bisexual characters in Tom’s brother Philip, Tess, and others, and while the challenges they face are not diminished, there is not the tragedy we so often associate with queer storylines in historical fiction.

If you’re looking for some fun, light-hearted escapism, with just enough weight to pull at your heartstrings, I would highly recommend giving this a read. Thank you to the author for giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review. 

 We are all familiar with Vandemeer’s famous Girl with a Pearl Earring painting. For me it will always be the centre of the greatest teen heist movie ever written (St Trinian’s, fight me on this one) but I like to think I have come to appreciate it for itself since then.

Tracy Chevalier’s novel follows Griet, a maid hired to clean Vandemeer’s studio. She gets drawn into his world, begins to see things the way he does – the way an artist does – and finds herself sitting for a portrait, in secret from the rest of the household.

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Griet is a sublime character to read from. She is quiet, understated, and observant, with a strength to her that makes her incredibly interesting and gives her a glorious room for development and growth. The story is completely character-driven but it feels like we are on a roller-coaster of a plot, desperate to find out what Griet sees or feels next. The relationship she has with Vandemeer – usually referred to as her master, rarely by his name – is incredibly complex and delicate while being filled with tension. The few reservations I had at the very start soon disappeared as I was completely entranced by the story.

In her introduction, Chevalier writes that she hopes this book not only makes the reader look at Girl with a Pearl Earring differently, but to look at all art differently. I feel like she has achieved that. I finished the book and was instantly itching to go to an art gallery, to stand and look on in wonderment as I imagine what stories might have led to each piece. It’s incredible that no only has she managed to create a story from a single, deceptively simple painting, but she has managed to capture the atmosphere of that painting so perfectly in her writing. I’m incredibly glad I read this book, and I look forward to revisiting it time and time again.