Let's Talk Books

I am an incredibly busy person. I work full-time. I’m completing a postgrad in my free time. I still have all the social obligations of an adult person in the ‘weddings and babies and houses’ stage of my life. Which is to say, a book has to be really, truly excellent for me to sacrifice any of my exceptionally scant ‘do nothing’ time to read it, and boy was I willing to give up all the time for The Gentleman and His Vowsmith.

In an alternative England, where the aristocracy are kept in power by the magic they all too often squander, Nicholas Monterris is quietly getting on with a life that is smaller, and colder, than his title would suggest. When his hard-hearted father informs Nic his marriage has been arranged, well, it was only a matter of time, and Lady Leaf Serral is far better than he expected. The small inconvenience of his homosexuality has already been factored into the paperwork, all of which is being prepared under the careful eye of the Serral’s Master Vowsmith, Dashiell sa Vare… Nic’s… well, ex would imply they were ever more than two boys infatuated with each other. So the lock-in begins, and Nic thinks the most he will have to contend with is mean-spirited in-laws and a man who sets him alight with heartbreak, as much as lust… then someone dies.

Part romance, part murder mystery, part regency drama, The Gentleman and His Vowsmith is an engaging, emotional, suspenseful and intriguing novel, which nevertheless retains a certain cosily Gothic charm in its setting, and vibrant humour in its dialogue. Unputdownable, this is a book which, although perhaps a tad longed out in the middle-section, captures one’s attention from the off. Although character-driven, the world of this novel does not escape the author’s attention, and small details are peppered throughout, building a sprawling, well-conceived alternative England.

I throughout enjoyed this from start to finish, it losses .5 of a star for two reasons: 1) I think it does get a little repetitive and drawn out as the mystery spirals on, I was really invested, and wanted to get through that passage, but it was harder than I would have liked, and 2) there are some language mistakes here (using ‘hung’ instead of ‘hanged’ repeatedly jumps to mind.) That being said, there is far far farrrrrrrr more good than bad to be said about this novel, and it has sent me straight into a reading slump!

4.5 well deserved stars.