Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Length: 513 pages
Plot: In this YA historical fiction taking place in 18th century Europe, Henry 'Monty' Montague is a wealthy young man in love with his best friend Percy. The two, along with Monty's little sister Felicity, are taking a Grand Tour of the Continent, but their fun turns to a life on the run when Monty steals a mysterious box from a duke.
Characters:
Monty: He was a very charismatic character who loved drinking, sleeping around, and generally breaking the rules, and he is hopelessly in love with Percy. He had a lot of character development throughout the novel. I appreciate that he's not ashamed to be bisexual even though many of those around him do not approve.
Felicity: She was probably my favorite of the main trio. She is very intelligent and clever and has an interest in medicine. While her family and society try to tell her everything she CAN'T do, she finds ways around it to learn.
Percy: He was the sensible, reserved one of the trio who kept Monty in check. He loved to play instruments and, due to his mixed heritage, had to be far warier of how he was perceived than Monty.
Pacing:
Despite being a sizable novel at just over 500 pages, it felt like the pages flew by. The story progressed steadily and the chase the characters experienced kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to read more. Don't be intimidated by its size!
Setting:
The story takes place in the early 18th century and follows characters who come from a wealthy family of peerage. Throughout the novel they travel through France, Spain, and Italy among other places. You can tell the author did her research on the time period and the political landscape of that time.
Final Rating: 5 stars
#thegentleman'sguidetoviceandvirtue #mackenzilee #LGBTreads #yabooks #bookreviews #historicalfiction