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A review by obscurepages
The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
5.0
*There are some quotations from the book. Not exactly spoilers, but be warned.*
This has been an amazing read! I've heard so many good things about this book, and boy, halfway through it and it already surpassed my expectations!
I originally thought it was just going to be this simple historical, sort of coming-of-age story, but NO. It was more than that. So much more!
It tackled issues like sexism, racism and slavery, misconception towards medical illnesses, homophobia or simply the lack of knowledge and awareness regarding the attraction to same sex. There were also themes like family, friendship, adventure (this one was really unexpected for me but it has been absolutely amazing nonetheless!), and European history, and politics.
Despite the seriousness that these heavy topics/issues contribute to the story, it was balanced out by the humor and comedy that surround it. Reading the book through Monty's perspective was such a wild and fun ride. His thoughts and emotions conveyed in the book were so real and honest that I could almost grasp it with my own hands.
"Got to shut up that voice in my head telling me that I've just lost the only good thing I had because I couldn't get out of my own self. All this while I'd spent thinking we could never be together because we're both lads, but it's not—it's because of me."
Another thing I loved about this book is Felicity. FELICITY. She is brilliant; I'm convinced her character is a gift from the heavens. For the first few chapters, I thought she was just going to be that annoying little sister, but she became a character of her own—a fierce, intelligent, and independent woman who will fight against sexism in the most unexpected yet devious way:
"I've been stripping the covers off amatory novels and swapping them with medical textbooks for years so Father wouldn't find out. He'd rather I read those trampy Eliza Haywoods than study almanacs on surgery and anatomy."
I also loved the fact that kintsugi or kintsukuroi was mentioned here in this book, and was even the main topic that surrounds the last paragraph of the last chapter prior to Monty's letter to his dad.
"We are not broken things, neither of us. We are cracked pottery mended with lacquer and flakes of gold, whole as we are, complete unto each other. Complete and worthy and so very loved."
Also, let's protect Percy, and all of his adorableness at all cost! Oh and, Monty and Percy are my new OTP now.
All in all, this was such a great book! An amazing first read for the year 2018. Five stars and moooore! (Also, I just found out that this is going to have a sequel and will be released in Fall 2018, and well, there goes my money.)
This has been an amazing read! I've heard so many good things about this book, and boy, halfway through it and it already surpassed my expectations!
I originally thought it was just going to be this simple historical, sort of coming-of-age story, but NO. It was more than that. So much more!
It tackled issues like sexism, racism and slavery, misconception towards medical illnesses, homophobia or simply the lack of knowledge and awareness regarding the attraction to same sex. There were also themes like family, friendship, adventure (this one was really unexpected for me but it has been absolutely amazing nonetheless!), and European history, and politics.
Despite the seriousness that these heavy topics/issues contribute to the story, it was balanced out by the humor and comedy that surround it. Reading the book through Monty's perspective was such a wild and fun ride. His thoughts and emotions conveyed in the book were so real and honest that I could almost grasp it with my own hands.
"Got to shut up that voice in my head telling me that I've just lost the only good thing I had because I couldn't get out of my own self. All this while I'd spent thinking we could never be together because we're both lads, but it's not—it's because of me."
Another thing I loved about this book is Felicity. FELICITY. She is brilliant; I'm convinced her character is a gift from the heavens. For the first few chapters, I thought she was just going to be that annoying little sister, but she became a character of her own—a fierce, intelligent, and independent woman who will fight against sexism in the most unexpected yet devious way:
"I've been stripping the covers off amatory novels and swapping them with medical textbooks for years so Father wouldn't find out. He'd rather I read those trampy Eliza Haywoods than study almanacs on surgery and anatomy."
I also loved the fact that kintsugi or kintsukuroi was mentioned here in this book, and was even the main topic that surrounds the last paragraph of the last chapter prior to Monty's letter to his dad.
"We are not broken things, neither of us. We are cracked pottery mended with lacquer and flakes of gold, whole as we are, complete unto each other. Complete and worthy and so very loved."
Also, let's protect Percy, and all of his adorableness at all cost! Oh and, Monty and Percy are my new OTP now.
All in all, this was such a great book! An amazing first read for the year 2018. Five stars and moooore! (Also, I just found out that this is going to have a sequel and will be released in Fall 2018, and well, there goes my money.)