Misfortune
Misfortune
By Wesley Stace
I enjoyed this book. It is set in the early 1800s and has an intriguing premise: the eccentric Lord of Love Hall finds a baby boy and, mistaking it for a replacement for the beloved baby sister he lost as a child, is convinced the boy is a girl. He pretends Rose is his own offspring and marries a friend who, for her own equally eccentric reasons, conceals the boy’s sex with the help of two devoted servants. The first person narration, which I usually hate, worked here and Stace’s prose (and Rose’s) is erudite, engaging and convincing. Minor characters are interestingly portrayed and the cast very memorable.
The premise leads to an interesting exploration of sex and gender, but one that feels to me very modern. So, if what you really want is a convincing historical novel which represents the real 1800s, look elsewhere. If, however, you are willing to accept some historical “off-ness” in the interest of an engaging conceit, this may be for you.
The first 2/3s of the novel I enjoyed immensely and the last 1/3, though pleasant, was not what I had expected or hoped for. (To say anything more would give away the ending.)
My final verdict is that it’s a very enjoyable book and I recommend it to anyone with a particular interest in gender issues and sexual identity. If that’s not your cup of tea, I can think of other things I’d recommend more strongly.
By Wesley Stace
I enjoyed this book. It is set in the early 1800s and has an intriguing premise: the eccentric Lord of Love Hall finds a baby boy and, mistaking it for a replacement for the beloved baby sister he lost as a child, is convinced the boy is a girl. He pretends Rose is his own offspring and marries a friend who, for her own equally eccentric reasons, conceals the boy’s sex with the help of two devoted servants. The first person narration, which I usually hate, worked here and Stace’s prose (and Rose’s) is erudite, engaging and convincing. Minor characters are interestingly portrayed and the cast very memorable.
The premise leads to an interesting exploration of sex and gender, but one that feels to me very modern. So, if what you really want is a convincing historical novel which represents the real 1800s, look elsewhere. If, however, you are willing to accept some historical “off-ness” in the interest of an engaging conceit, this may be for you.
The first 2/3s of the novel I enjoyed immensely and the last 1/3, though pleasant, was not what I had expected or hoped for. (To say anything more would give away the ending.)
My final verdict is that it’s a very enjoyable book and I recommend it to anyone with a particular interest in gender issues and sexual identity. If that’s not your cup of tea, I can think of other things I’d recommend more strongly.