Author: Mackenzi Lee
Genre: Historical Fiction; Young Adult
Rating: 9/10
Monty is used to living moment by moment. But, his days of drinking, gambling halls and midnight passions are numbered. With only a year of touring left before he is forced to become the gentleman he was born to be, Monty is determined to make the most of it, including but not limited to flirting shamelessly with his best friend, whom he had a crush on since forever. However, one reckless decision turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt across Europe.
This is my second read of the book, and this time, I had decided to give the audiobook a try. And I highly, HIGHLY recommend you do too. Not only did the narrator’s voice perfectly suit the main character, he is also very talented at switching between voices for a whole cast of characters. This, paired with the cadence and tone he decides to use as he read, really elevated my reading experience.
The writing style of this book has to be one of my favourites ever. I found it original and unique, which is not something you can normally say about writing. I absolutely love how witty and clever and humorous it is. There were many times throughout the book where I laughed out loud, many times where I was sobered by heartfelt scenes, and just so many lines and scenes that I resonated with or appreciated and loved immensely. Most importantly, the writing felt very natural and gave the book a genuine feel.
“We're not courting trouble," I say. "Flirting with it, at most.”
Furthermore, the writing contributed greatly to how much I adore our characters. Not only did it embody our main character, Monty, very well, but the author is also very talented at writing banter, dialogues, inner monologues etc. All of this did such a great job of fleshing out our characters as individuals.
I really enjoyed the dynamic between our characters. They are so vastly different from one another. On one hand, we have Monty, who can be oblivious and reckless at times. He does not fully recognise all his privileges, especially those he holds over the others. And so, it is very endearing to see the others put him in his place, yet also sympathise with how he has serious problems of his own, which he deserves to complain about.
All of our characters are so distinctively flawed, Monty especially. Yet, they are actively trying to better themselves, which leads us to fall in love and root for them. The growth of each character is evident, and it is only because of this growth, that they were able to forge stronger, better relationships with one another.
Personally, the characters made the story for me. Their dilemmas and troubles, their personalities, their relationships, their growth were all very well developed and executed.
I liked that medicine and medical science played such a big part in the story. Firstly, it made the book much more interesting and unique (the first time I read it, I was afraid that the book was leaning towards the overdone precious/magical object trope). Secondly, it meant that the story was more grounded in reality, and I’m a sucker for books which include scientific or any other kind of technical knowledge. Lastly, I also love how this element of the story was part of the motivation for our characters to embark on this journey (I have a pet peeve of characters doing things just because). Their purpose was more personal, which gave more room for growth and of course, heartbreak.
The setting of this book is the 1700s. Personally, while I do enjoy the genre of historical fiction, I have always felt that it had a quality of detachment due to the time period and the heavy story they usually tell. This book however, was relatable, light-hearted, and fun. Some might argue that it is not an accurate portrayal, or that the time period did not play a crucial role and I agree; but personally, it didn’t matter to me.
The atmosphere of the book was one of my favourite things about it. Like I’ve mentioned before, it was light and fun but it never compromised the seriousness of the discussions brought on by the troubles our characters faced.
Overall, the writing was phenomenal in my opinion, the characters made the story for me and the plot was compelling.
Reviewed by: N.G. Rainwater (2nd Reading)
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