Der Gentleman

by Forrest Leo

London, Pocklington Place, um 1850: Lionel Savage, ein fauler Aristokrat, 22 Jahre alt, Dichter, kann keine Zeile mehr zu Papier bringen, seitdem er geheiratet hat. Fest entschlossen, seiner untragbaren Lage durch Selbstmord zu entkommen, will Savage sich erschießen. Doch dann fällt ihm ein, dass er das seinem treuen Butler Simmons nicht zumuten kann. Man bedenke nur all die Körperflüssigkeiten, die es aufzuwischen gälte. Kaum hat er also den Selbstmordgedanken verworfen, spaziert ein freundlicher Gentleman in sein Arbeitszimmer: der Teufel höchstpersönlich.

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Humor, Historical, Romance, Adult

296 pages, Hardcover

First published August 16, 2016

About the author

Forrest Leo was born in a log cabin in 1990. He grew up in Alaska, and holds a BFA in drama from NYU/Tisch. While living in New York, he worked as a carpenter, a photographer, and in a cubicle. He now lives in LA, where he worked at Walgreens for one day. He writes plays and novels and things.

Reviews

[Heidi Wiechert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine, for a moment, that you're unhappily married and you meet the Devil, who isn't a hoofed, fiery horror but a "gentleman". You strike up a conversation with him in which you mention that you're absolutely depressed and unable to continue on because of your martial situation. The Devil sympathizes with you for a time, then when he's gone, you discover that your wife has disappeared as well. Time to freak out... or celebrate? This happens to Lionel at the beginning of this tale and it just gets better from there.

The Gentleman is written in Victorian England but with a slightly steampunk twist. The style is very silly- as if Terry Pratchett had written a historical fiction in our world instead of Discworld. The author utilizes footnotes, just like Pratchett, to add layers to the tale and an outside narrative. I enjoyed it a lot.

First of all, Lionel spent a great deal of his fortune on books. Who could fault a hero for that? "I don't buy anything except books. You cannot possibly tell me I've squandered my fortune upon books." "Squander is not the word I would have used, sir. But it was the books that did it, I believe." Well, there it was. We were paupers." pg 2. So, like any self-respecting Victorian gentleman, Lionel sets about to find a rich wife.

Though successful, then he finds that he can't write a word worth reading. "...I'm a poet, and poets aren't meant to marry! Poets are meant to dream and dance in the moonlight and love hopelessly!" pg 57.

Simmons, the long suffering butler, is my favorite character. Throughout the madness and hijinks of the main characters, he is a voice of reason and calm. Take this moment, after Lionel's initial meeting with the Gentleman: "Do you consider me morally reprehensible for inadvertently selling my wife to the devil?" 'I do, sir,' (Simmons) says. I had feared as much. I was feeling morally deficient, but wondered if that was only because of my weariness." pg 91.

The dialogue is snappy, the characters are great, and the whole thing is just silly fun. The Gentleman would be a great book to read if you've been into a bunch of serious novels lately or just need an escape from daily woes.

If you enjoyed this book, you may also like Terry Pratchett's hugely popular series of books or Triumff: Her Majesty's Hero.

[Hannah Greendale (Hello, Bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amusing tale of hilarious hijinks. 🤣

Watch my BookTube video featuring books with Satan & demons .😈



"I am a poet, I am a married man, and I am resolved upon my own immediate suicide—for I married for money instead of love, and when I did I discovered that I could no longer write."

The Gentleman is set in the Victorian era and follows a poet named Lionel Savage who falls on hard times financially and subsequently marries Vivian Lancaster for her money. He’s disenchanted with married life and soon blames his marriage to Vivian for his inability to write. He then inadvertently makes a deal with the Devil, trading his wife for the ability to write again.

Before long, Lionel realizes that that trade was a terrible mistake, and he embarks on a journey to Hell to get Vivian back. A few delightfully quirky characters join him, including his progressive kid sister, Lizzie, and hijinks ensue.

The story is told by Lionel, who’s an amusing narcissist, but it’s edited by Vivian’s cousin, Hubert Lancaster, who does not like Lionel. So throughout the book we’re privy to snarky footnotes from the editor that add an extra layer of humor to this story of madcap adventurers and their over-the-top encounters.

The Gentleman is all about the journey not the destination. It’s an entertaining, witty book with a unique take on the Devil that I highly recommend, especially if you could use a laugh.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Do you mean to tell me, Simmons, that we haven't any money left?'

'I'm afraid not, sir.'

'Where on earth has it gone?'

'I don't mean to be critical, sir, but you tend toward profilgacy.'

'Nonsense, Simmons. I don't buy anything except books. You cannot possibly tell me I've squandered my fortune upon books.'

'Squander is not the word I would have used, sir. But it was the books that did it, I believe.'

Well, at least Lionel Savage has his priorities straight. I certainly can't think of a better thing to "squander" one's fortune upon.

Poor, Lionel. The meager (as in nonexistent) earnings from his poetry are no longer keeping him in food and clothing books. His newly destitute status leaves him with no choice but to find a wealthy wife. That accomplished, he is solvent but artistically impotent - he can't write a word. He is miserable. Then, one night, at yet another dreadful society party thrown by his new bride, Lionel meets a Mysterious Stranger.

'Yes,' he says. 'I've tarried too long already. Your kindness tonight will not be forgotten, Mr. Savage. I wish you a very pleasant night.'

'You forget that I am married,' I reply, gloomy once more.

The Gentleman looks at me queerly, with a sort of half-smile playing across his face. 'Chin up, old boy,' he says. 'These things have a way of working themselves out.'



Suddenly, Lionel's wife has vanished - POOF! No one can find her! And Lionel . . . he's left with that old familiar did-I-just-accidentally-sell-my-wife-to-the-Dev'l? feeling.

This is just a fun, FUN book with a sweet, old-fashioned feel to it. I was not surprised to learn this novel began its life as a play; there is very much the air of a drawing room comedy to it. True, the cast of characters are clichéd - the nerdy poet, the brawny outdoorsman, the befuddled inventor, the sassy, irreverent kid sister, and the wise butler who solves everyone's problems - but this really only adds to the charm. We've all met these people before and this time, it's okay not to take them seriously.

Besides . . . I could never hate characters who believe the answers to all life's problems may be found within the confines of a bookshop.


*Normally I don't comment on an author's looks, but . . .


Forrest Leo

AH-OOOGA!!!

My face just did this Tex Avery thing,



and I'm having trouble putting my tongue back in my mouth.

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is witty as fish and hilarious as shrimp. Forrest Leo, I think I maybe perhaps possibly be in nefarious lurve with you a little.

Oh, and by the way, P.G. Wodehouse is quite enchanted with this story. Yes he is. How do I know? Why he just came back from the dead to tell me so and stuff. Obviously.

And now I think it's time for a Celebratory Broccoli Dance (CBD™).

[RG · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is exactly what I needed. Something light, doesnt take itself seriously and very very funny. In a nutshell, a poet who doesnt like his wife, accidentally sells her to the devil, then the fun continues. The writing is great, the authors wit is amazing, the characters superb ( especially Simmons), the dialogue snappy/funny and the use of footnotes works in this case. I sometimes find footnotes a little distracting, but in this comedy fantasy Victorian steampunk setting it works well. The pace wasnt overly quick and I think thats my only negative. Otherwise cant wait to read more from this author.

[PattyMacDotComma · Rating 5 out of 5]

5★

Would that one might combine the fantastical flights of fancy of Monty Python's The Meaning of Life, P.G. Wodehouse, Terry Pratchett, Flann O'Brien – never mind. Forrest Leo has it all under (loose) control. It is far-fetched and funny. In a word (or two) A HOOT! Love it!

The introduction explains that this is

“Set Down by Mr Lionel Lupus Savage & Edited with Objections by Mr Hubert Lancaster, Esq, Containing Nothing Either Allegorical or Metaphorical in Nature & Never Deviating from the Truth.”

This “editor” (H.L.) is a cousin of Lionel’s wife. He adds a running commentary in footnotes to show us what a dill the author really is.

Lionel is a published poet who seems to have hit his prime in his teens and it’s been downhill ever since. He blames his writer’s block on his recent marital status.

Lionel married for money—not to some old harridan, no. He picked a beautiful, rich young woman and decided to marry her. He also decided he didn’t love her. Well, how could he? He married her for money, so it stands to reason he doesn’t love her, doesn’t it?

Simmons has been the family butler forever, and he’s the only sane, cool head. He has managed the family’s affairs since Lionel and his younger sister Lizzie were little, so when Lionel announces he’d like to buy a boat to sail the seven seas, Simmons is the one who has to tell him there is no money left. Why?

“ ‘ I don’t mean to be critical sir, but you tend toward profligacy.’

‘Nonsense, Simmons. I don’t buy anything except books. You cannot possibly tell me I’ve squandered my fortune upon books.’

‘Squander is not the word I would have used, sir. But it was the books that did it, I believe.’"

Hence, the need to find a wealthy bride, Vivian. Vivian holds parties galore, while Lionel closets himself away to avoid her, until who should appear at his study door, but the Devil! He has come to thank Lionel for sticking up for him in a conversation with a priest (only to say don’t blame the Devil for everything).

Unsurprisingly the Devil has no friends, nor does Lionel, hence, a friendship is established to their mutual surprise. (Lionel keeps planning to kill himself, and this new friendship has interrupted him. Something always interrupts him. Life’s full of problems.)

Lionel thinks if his wife were out of the picture, he’d find his muse again, so perhaps the Devil could help. But the Devil is a kindly fellow who says he doesn’t need more souls, and in fact, to make where he lives sound more pleasant than “Hell”, he calls it Essex Grove. He’s not a bad chap, really. Just a gentleman from Essex Grove.

“‘There are times when I feel as though humanity misunderstands me.’

‘Sir,’ I tell him wryly, ‘you suffer the plight of a poet.’

‘You’re too kind,’ he says.

‘No, but truly.’

‘Do you know,’ he muses, ‘Alighieri once told me the same thing.’

I must have misheard. It is too extraordinary. ‘Excuse me?’

‘Oh,’ he says off-handedly, ‘the fellow who takes care of my flowers. Something Alighieri. Don, Donald, something. He once told me I understand poets better than most poets understand themselves.’

‘Dante?’ I say in shock. I was only just thinking of the man. ‘Dante Alighieri?’

‘Yes, that’s it,’ says he.

‘Dante the poet?’

‘Yes. Wonderful with the roses. Less so with the rhododendron.’

I can only repeat the name like an idiot. ‘Dante Alighieri—is your gardener?’"

After dropping some more names, the Devil takes his leave, and once the party is over, it seems Vivian has disappeared as well. Vanished. Nary a trace!

Lionel thinks he’s sold her to the Devil to regain his poetic muse and he’s now overcome with guilt. Enter his wild 16-year-old sister Lizzie, who’s just been thrown out of school for dallying with a boy. Lizzie is the mistress of all she surveys. Nobody dares cross her – and she’s cute, funny, impetuous and fun. A dare-devil to Lionel’s cowardly (poetically suicidal) nature.

There’s also an explorer, a magic bookshop, an inventor, a flying machine . . . enough.

I think you can tell I thoroughly enjoyed the writing, the style, the humour . . . what else? Oh, I forgot – illustrations. They were fun, too. An old-fashioned, new-fashioned ridiculous romp.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Penguin Group for a copy for review.

[K.J. Charles]

Spoof Victorian pastiche. Heavily blurbed as hilarious but I can't say I found it the laugh-out-loud extravaganza as promised by the marketing. Possibly I am just a hard sell when it comes to rolling around on the floor.

It's an entertaining absurdist take on the Victorian novel of Art and Sensation, with a dash of Jules Verne adventuring. Amusing, definitely, and I liked the old style engraving type drawings, but ultimately felt a bit of a squib.

I did not like quite how much of the humour was contained in the footnotes' dialogue with the main text--not because it didn't work (it did) but because flipping back and forth with footnotes really stinks on an ereader. I probably would have found the whole thing a lot funnier if I'd been able to read it more easily. This is not the author's fault, but it is unquestionably a thing that publishers are going to need to bear in mind: layout-dependent books and ereaders do not, as yet, mix well.

[Cian O hAnnrachainn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some books are read for the plot. THE GENTLEMAN is a book you read to enjoy the voice.

There is a plot, of course. It centers on young Lionel Savage, a proper gentleman who runs out of money and so must marry it. While hiding from one of his wife's society parties (he does not love his wife, as he makes plain. He is the narrator, by the way) his solitude is broken by a visit from THE GENTLEMAN, none other than the devil himself.

The next thing Mr. Savage knows, his wife is gone and he's quite sure that he inadvertently sold her to the Devil (of Dev'l as he prefers to say it. He is a poet and only needs the one syllable). He wants to get her back, and in league with his brother-in-law he attempts to organize an adventure to Hell to rescue his wife, whom he suddenly realizes he loves.

Silly? Silly indeed, but told with such over-the-top dialogue and absurb humour that you will thoroughly enjoy this madness. The creativity is striking, as Mr. Savage and his coterie try to figure out how one gets to Hell. Some have compared this novel to the work of P.G. Wodehouse, and that is perhaps the best way to put it.

I highly recommend this book to all who need a break from a world too filled with harsh reality. Take a small vacation and get lost in some witty prose.

With thanks to Penguin Random House for the early review copy.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE LOVE LOVE! What a weird, hilarious, wonderful novel. A frustrated poet inadvertently sells his wife's soul to the devil, and mayhem ensues.

A little P. G. Wodehouse, a little Oscar Wilde, entirely madcap. I highly recommend reading in paper rather than ebook form, because the design is so charming, with bizarre illustrations and quarrelsome footnote from the (fictional) editor.

I'll be pushing this book on everyone I know this year, including you! Go read it!

[Algernon · Rating 4 out of 5]

[7/10]

‘Inventors upset the order of things,’ says Simmons.
‘Like explorers,’ I say.
‘And poets,’ adds Lancaster.

An inventor, a poet and an explorer walk into a bar ... or not.
They are actually planning to walk into Hell and confront the Devil [the uppercase Gentleman from the title] over the kidnapping of the poet’s wife.
There are some issues with this concise resume.
First of all, Vivien Savage may not have been kidnapped by the Gentleman. Her newly wedded husband, Lionel Savage, may have accidentally sold her to the Gentleman in a classic case of a Faustian deal in exchange for regaining the attention of his poetic muse, gone AWOL in the aftermath of the marriage.

‘I suppose I may have exaggerated the situation for dramatic effect. And there was a possibility, I thought, that he would restore to me my poetic gift – which would have been a sort of transaction!’

Lionel Savage may in fact have misconstrued an offer of friendship from a very polite gentleman at one of his wife’s house parties. After all, Lionel had always had a very active and very turbulent imagination. [ I am after all not an adventurer of the body: I am a wayfarer of the imagination. ]

‘I’ve always wanted a friend,’ he blunders on. ‘I’ve heard all about them, and I think they sound splendid. But I’ve never had one. And I don’t know how to go about obtaining one. One reads stories and they are made out to be very easy to come by – in fact people seem to take them for granted – but I’ve never had one. And I’d like one. And so at the risk of sounding provincial, I would like to ask you to be my friend.’

A friend of the devil sounds to me a lot like a fun Grateful Dead tune that I always include on my car playlist, but Lionel Savage soon has buyer’s remorse and plans to go to Hell and recover Vivien.
The rescue party is a little larger than I initially hinted, because this novel is set during the reign of Queen Victoria, and any self-respecting household of the period must include a gentleman’s gentleman to pull his master or mistress out of their troubles. This all-knowing and all-resourceful butler must of course be modelled after the immortal creation of P G Wodehouse, and is an obligatory part of any rescue effort:

Simmons is the best butler in Britain and perhaps the world.

Since Lionel is the sort of inept library mouse who only feels at home inside the protective shell of the book-filled shelves of his study, the novel needs a more adventurous soul or two for the gate-crashing project. They come in the form of Lionel’s kid sister, a pesky and emancipated teenager who has just been expelled form her posh school for a ‘dalliance’ with the master’s son. How else is a girl supposed to learn about sex in that straight-laced Victorian milieu? As far as I am concerned, Lizzie Savage was responsible for the lion’s share of the funny lines in the story.
Next recruit is Lionel’s handsome brother-in-law, the dashing Ashley Lancaster, just returned from his latest globe spawning adventure.

‘I’ve been to El-Dorado and I’ve stumbled across Shangri-La and I’m damn near to finding Atlantis, so if you’re looking for a chap with whom to storm the gates of Hell then don’t worry, old boy, you’ve found your man!’

For research purposes, the team engages the services of Tompkins, owner of the best second-hand bookstore in London and of an encyclopaedic mind as far as fiction is concerned. Lionel and Tompkins are horrified by Ashley Lancaster’s claims that he prefers action to words.

It occurs to me with a shock that he may not like books. I dismiss the thought as soon as it enters my head as too preposterous to be borne. Not like books! I cannot believe it of a fellow man.

Lastly, but critical to the expedition, is a young Scottish scientist named Will Kensington, who can add his own steampunk airship to the rescue plan.

I’m focusing here on the main actors because I don’t want to spoil the whole plot of this fun romp through a Victorian comedy of manners. I may have some reservations about the execution, but this is after all a debut novel and I did laugh at some of the scenes and the dialogues.

‘Where is she?’ he asks.
‘Exactly!’ I say.
‘What?’ says the Gentleman.
‘Where?’ I say.
‘Who?’ says the Gentleman.
‘What have you done with her?’
‘What have I done with your wife?’

Most of my issues arise from the fact that this is clearly the script for a play that was rather forcefully turned into a novel: this book began life as a play admits Forrest Leo in the acknowledgements section, which explains why most of the scenes take place in one room at Pocklington Place, aka Lionel’s study, and why most of the text comes in the form of dialogue.
The author does take the reader to a few outside locations, like Tompkins bookshop, the Hephaestum Club on Pall Mall, and a hill on Hampstead Heath, but these feel more like excursions away from the main event.
My other complaint is that the story sometimes tries too hard to emulate P G Wodehouse and Oscar Wilde when it doesn’t need to. Forrest Leo can be funny on his own terms and, while his plot doesn’t reach the sophistication of a weekend in the country with Bertie Wooster and Jeeves and his numerous footnotes are a mixed blessing, the company of Lionel, Lizzie, Ashley and the Gentleman was engaging and entertaining.


On the plus side, Lionel’s passion for books, the very same one that made him blind for a while to his wife’s charms, will hopefully help the reader ignore his weakness as a lead character, what I consider his gormlessness and predictability. I particularly liked Lionel’s interest in Victorian verse: ... it’s a lovely thing called The Idylls of the King. It’s by a great bear of a poet named Tennyson ...
His sister Lizzie develops her own artistic interests in painting, with an ambitious start at the unclothed male form , and with a casual name drop that sent me to wikipedia for further research on Dulle Griet and Bruegel.
I hope Forrest Leo will continue to write for fun and fortune and that we will have more laughs in the company of his actors, either the Savage / Lancaster team or new ones.

‘I’ve been thinking it over – and I’m very near to hitting upon a plan for you! It will likely be rather dangerous, though.’
‘Will it involve piracy?’ he asks, perking up.
‘It will.’
‘And derring-do?’
‘And rapscallionism.’
‘And rakishness?’
‘Rakishness, disguise, and swashbuckling.’

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was a completely fun read and had me chuckling throughout to the end. The banter back and forth between the characters, along with the humorous footnotes which inserted bits of wit from the "editor" of the story, were what made me love this book. I was on track to give this a 4 star, and even possibly 5 star, rating halfway through the book. However, the characters and banter are what held up the story, but besides that, everything else was a little flat and cliche. Also, the direction the story ended up not going where I expected There actually was no deal with the devil and their adventures never actually took them to hell to rectify the situation. Vivien's disappearance was all a setup, even though the Devil did actually make an appearance? It seemed if one was a setup, then the Devil should not have been real either..

All in all, I had fun with this book as a light popcorn read.

[Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious! You know Murphy's Law (Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong)? That's exactly what happens to poor Lionel Savage after an encounter with the Devil occurs at the same time his wife goes missing. At the same time, his younger sister gets kicked out of school for performing indecent activities.
The story takes off from there with an introduction to a quirky cast of characters that join Lionel on his adventure to save his wife from the Devil he thinks he sold her to by accident. You'll be laughing the whole way through from the quick-fire banter to the ridiculous imagination that "plagues" our un-lovable protagonist.
Filled with anything but Gentlemen (except for the Devil of course), this is a fun romp through Victorian England that you will want to take again and again.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This book had me laughing out loud from the start.
Lionel Savage is a ridiculous character, and the combination of his narrative and the footnotes added by his "editor" is delightful.
I guess this was a play originally. I would love to see it performed. I wonder if the footnote gag was added once he decided to adapt it into a novel. The footnotes, and Savage's obsession with following iambic pentameter, were my favorite things about the book.
Great fun. I hope to see more by this author.

[Coleen (The Book Ramblings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gentleman is Forrest Leo’s debut novel, about a husband who conjures the Devil, and accidentally sells his wife, which results in planning a rescue mission to Hell. A variety of personas come along for the quest, and a whole lot of over-the-top encounters happen along the way that will have you laughing out loud. I have been talking about this novel to anyone willing to listen, and I think I will for a while even now that I finished reading it.

There was so much about this novel that I enjoyed, especially the writing style–it was one of those stories that captured me from the first page and brought me along on the ridiculous adventure that took place. The novel itself is beautiful with the dust-jacket’s vivid colors, the hardcover is red with a gold spine, and the author’s initials are engraved into the cover. Throughout the book, there are illustrations and footnotes that I really enjoyed while reading because it brought another experience to the reader. While it is a short read, I took my time to cherish how exquisite the novel is as a whole. It was hysterical and delightful.

I would not mind seeing this as a play, or possibly a movie, as long as it sticks to the story-line because there wasn’t an aspect in this that I didn’t find entertaining. It is a charming, enjoyable story that is full of madness and humor that is crafted so brilliantly. Between the story and the characters, it was a memorable read that I will continue to come back to, and recommend to anyone looking for a fun and lighthearted novel. It is an absurd, action-packed, and witty read, and I cannot wait to read more of Leo’s novels in the future.

I received a copy in exchange for an unbiased review from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Karen R · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a decent debut and quick read about a young poet named Lionel Savage who unwittingly sells his wife to the Devil, soon has feelings of regret and so he puts together a rescue mission to Hell that includes a quirky cast of characters. The author does a good job with the characters, some of whom I loved, some I hated. Madcap and farcical, I enjoyed the book but found myself skimming a few times when the story got repetitious. In the version of the book I had (kindle), it was not easy to coordinate the numerous footnotes to the associated story references so I recommend in hard copy if you want to spend the time reading the footnotes. I bypassed most of them and I felt that it did not take away from the story.

[Liam Mulvaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is it too late to ask for a sequel?

To date, The Gentleman by Forrest Leo is still considered one of the best books ever. I've no complaints. All the characters are likeable, especially Simmons. Lizzie is wonderful. So is the adventurous Lancaster. But the spotlight has to go to Lionel Savage (our protagonist) and the Gentleman—the Dev'l in disguise.

Oh, and the footnotes are amusing. Hubert Lancaster, a solicitor, a relative of the Lancasters, and a confidante of Viviane (Vivs), Lionel's wife, is an exciting character who writes uproarious footnotes, sometimes mocking Lionel Savage's perspective.

This novel deserves more attention. So please do yourselves a favour and read it. I've had laugh-out-loud moments the second time as well. And look at that gorgeous book cover.

[Julie Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gentleman was everything I'd hoped it would be and so much more! I haven't read many comic novels but I definitely will be reading more after this one! I enjoyed every last page of The Gentleman. I have never laughed so much, so loud, or so hard while reading a book! It really is a hard thing for an author to make the reader laugh just using written words on a page- there is so much to it- they have to set the scene, bring the characters to life, and work humor into the story in a way that feels natural and not at all contrived or forced. And for it to work the author has to be able to make everything come to life and play out in the reader's mind. Forrest Leo did all of that and so much more with The Gentleman! Everything came together in this book to make it so much more than just an enjoyable read for me- it's a lifetime favorite with characters that I love and cherish. The kind of characters I find myself eager to follow on any adventure and I'm eagerly awaiting more from Mr. Leo! I would recommend this to everyone!
*I received an advance copy of this book from Penguin Press*+

[Choko · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** 4.55 ***

I truly enjoyed this witty and entertaining Victorian era set story! The writing was delightful and I wish the author would consider writing more about those characters! Actually, I think I would be glad to know he is writing anything... I have no idea why this seems to be his only book, at least as registered on this site... Shame. I would have loved to read more of this!!!

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful, silly, hilarious story. The perfect combination of wit, humor and heart and it felt like reading a Shakespeare play. An unexpected new favorite

[Sandra Deaconu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pentru început, descrierea cărții e o minciună. Protagonistul nu își vinde soția diavolului. Pur și simplu se întâlnește cu el, se plânge că nu poate să scrie din cauza ei, apoi aceasta dispare, iar el trage concluzia că a fost luată de diavol. Nu am înțeles, acum trebuia să râd?

Diavolul apare doar de două ori în poveste și stă doar vreme de câteva replici, așa că din start nu am avut parte de dialogurile inteligente și acide pe care le așteptam. Am primit doar conversații anoste între personaje penibile. Singurul care mi-a atras atenția a fost majordomul. Umorul, însă, chiar mi-a plăcut (sec, adică englezesc). Îmi și imaginez mutra serioasă a personajelor, când spuneau acele lucruri care pe mine m-au amuzat. Am râs și cu voce tare de multe ori. Dacă ar fi ecranizat romanul și s-ar pune accent pe glume, nu pe ce s-a dovedit a fi o poveste ieftină și aberantă de dragoste, ar ieși o comedie de calitate.

,,[...] deși mă revolt împotriva societății, nu mă pot rupe de ea complet, de dragul celor apropiați. Voi deschide ușa, unica barieră între mine și ororile lumii moderne, și voi fi prins în marea de trupuri asudate care se prefac că se distrează mai bine decât o fac de fapt."

,,- Ți-aș strânge mâna dacă n-ai fi plin de noroi.
- Și eu aș strânge-o pe a ta, dacă ai fi oricine altcineva pe lumea asta."

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

OVERALL AVERAGE RATING: 3.9

Characters: 4/5
This book has such an interesting, lively cast of characters, who are each unique and quirky in their own way. The protagonist, Lionel, is hard to love but his arrogant nature seems essential to the story. Lionel's inner monologue and the dialogues between characters were some of the highlights for me.

Plot: 3.5/5
The plot was actually quite simple. With the exception of an ironic little plot twist at the end, everything that happens in the story is already laid out for the reader in the summary. The plot isn't driven by thrilling action sequences, but rather by the dramatic dialogue between the characters. It's different than what I'm used to but for this story it works.

Writing style: 4/5
This book definitely reads like a play. Funny enough, after finishing it, I discovered that the story was indeed inspired by a play. The book is written from protagonist's point of view, but is combined with comical footnotes from a fictional editor, which made the story more immersive and engaging. Overall, I really enjoyed the writing style.

Entertainment: 4/5
This is probably hands-down the funniest book I've read this year. I've tried describing the plot to friends and I always get the same reaction: "That's so messed up!" It's just one of those stories that you have to read to understand its charm. Definitely a fun book to add to any personal library.

[Sid Nuncius · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't like writing wholly critical reviews, but I'm afraid I hated The Gentleman. I had expected to enjoy it as a clever comic romp, but – very unusually for me – I abandoned it in sheer annoyance after a few chapters.

The premise is good: it purports to be a first person account (edited by a friend) of the unwilling adventures of a Victorian Gentleman who is idle, profligate and vain, but entirely self-deluded as to his own prowess as a writer (and most other things). I was hoping for wit and a clever parody of Victorian style and mores. I'm afraid what I got was a lazy, careless pastiche of Victorian style by yet another US author who thinks that Victorian gentlemen said things like "which boggled the mind" or "has gotten worse" or "I can't figure out…" (all this in just the first few pages), or that an aristocratic Victorian young lady of sixteen would respond to unexpected news with "Oh my God. Oh my *God*." It was at this point that I really began to lose patience, and I bailed out a little while later – not just because she continually spoke like a present-day Californian teenager but because the whole thing is sloppy, unconvincing and nothing like as funny as it thinks it is.

I'm sorry to be so harsh, and it's unusual for me to dislike a book so vehemently, but I really don’t think this should be foisted on a British audience. In order to work, even as a comic novel, it needs to have some degree of accuracy and verisimilitude. It's as though I had written an action thriller about a daring US Marine sortie into present-day Syria, say, where the commander says things like, "I say, you chaps – buck up!"

Enough. Personally I'd recommend giving this one a wide berth.

(I received an ARC via Netgalley.)

[PopiTonja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bila je ovo sjajna zabava i predobra avantura. Velika preporuka za opustanje ❤

[Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5
I didn't expect much from this little novel at the start. I was on vacation, wherein I of course found myself wandering the aisles of a book store. I was dead-set on getting a different book, a well-known/popular one I had wanted for some time, but this one caught my eye instead. And so I purchased The Gentleman completely on a whim.

This was such a wonderfully charming book, and altogether just FUN! I truly can't recall a time a book made me chuckle and grin so much as this. I was in dire need of a good laugh, and this one offered plenty. It's lighthearted, endearing, and poetical, with a cast of characters that are remarkably delightful (albeit a bit cliché). Their stereotypical renderings didn't bother me, though, because I was so taken with them each.

This book made me smile, and for that, I am glad I chose whim over popularity.

[Kelly_Hunsaker_reads ... · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is quite funny and clever but a bit too slapstick for my taste. However I can see why many reviewers would rate it much higher. There are some wonderful moments or hilarity, and some of the dialogue is wonderful.

My favorite passage is this one:

'I don't mean to be critical, sir, but you tend toward profilgacy.'

'Nonsense, Simmons. I don't buy anything except books. You cannot possibly tell me I've squandered my fortune upon books.'

'Squander is not the word I would have used, sir. But it was the books that did it, I believe.'


I have no money to lose, but if I did I am quite sure it would go in the same way.

[Dorene McLaughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun is an odd word for this book, but amid mystery, hijinx, the devil as a gentleman, and a bumbling adventure, I found myself chuckling a great deal at a self-involved poet who discovers love in the most unusual way, while trying to find hell with his outrageous sister, her bigger than life brother, and their unassuming butler. It puts me in the middle of that old Stallone movie "Oscar" or the Julianne Moore movie "An Ideal Husband" in its style.

Truly classic in the most unexpected way.

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this as an ARC. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and found myself giggling in quite a few places. Much of the book is spent by Lionel Savage trying to get his wife (Vivien) back after unwittingly selling/giving her to the Devil (aka: the gentleman). Actually a pretty charming and very enjoyable read.

[mina · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF@ 41%

This was not my type of humor. There were some things I found funny, but other times I would find things trying too much and being too extra.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hate to call this simply historical fiction... it's so amusing and fresh and funny. Personal context: I was reading this long involved terrible novel (okay, it was Outlander and I hated it) and I returned it unfinished to the library because I just couldn't take it anymore. I really wanted to cleanse my mental palate with something totally different so I pulled this one off my shelf. And I am so glad I did. This author has an aptitude for turn of phrase to rival P.G. Wodehouse, and I don't say that lightly. It's written in first person by Lionel Savage, who introduces himself in one of those memorable first-sentences-of-a-novel: "My name is Lionel Savage, I am twenty-two-years old, I am a poet, and I do not love my wife." And that really encapsulates what you need to know about this protagonist. This is set in the Victorian/Edwardian era, which kind of matters in that new inventions and progress are part of the plot, but it isn't the kind of historical fiction that's all about the clothes and the food. This is really a clever, well-written book that transcends the label of mere historical fiction. It's peopled by poets and booksellers and inventors and oh, yes, the Gentleman is the Devil himself. I really want to read more from this author. His lightness of touch and development of character are extraordinary.

[Hale · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNFed at 38%

Rating: 3.6

Plot:
Lionel Savage, a renowned poet of his time is faced with an ultimatum. At twenty two he has gone bankrupt and has come to the conclusion that he needs to marry into a wealthy family lest he end up in the streets. So he marries the beautiful Vivian Lancaster only to realize early on that he does not love her. Thus his marriage leads to the downfall of his poetic career. Until one night during a masquerade ball hosted by his wife, he has a rather odd encounter with an enigmatic stranger that allows him to come to a shocking realization.

Thoughts:
This was right up my alley and I desperately wanted to fall in love with this book. Now don't get me wrong, the writing is excellent and funny. The characters are alright and the plot interesting it's just that the book was too slow. There isn't a lot of action mostly talk and internal monologue. I know some people love this but I need to see the characters doing something half the time I just imagined them standing around a lot and doing nothing. Personally I need some action so I'm not really well suited for this kind of read but I'm sure other readers enjoyed it immensely.