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Joseph Chapman: My Molly Life
Joseph Chapman is a young denizen of late 18th century London, who must contend not only with being orphaned and consigned to an execrable charity school, but also with the sense he is different in important ways from other boys.
At the Little Eastcheap Free School for Unfortunate Boys, Joe encounters the predatory headmaster, Mr. Peevers, and a boy, Chowder, who becomes the one person he can trust. When they are separated for their apprenticeships, Joe does well. He becomes apprenticed to a prominent progressive bookseller, but Chowder must contend with the drunken greengrocer Tobias Cudworth and his wife, Dulcibella.
With some help from his bookseller, Joe reconnects with Chowder, intending to resume their relationship. Chowder is eager to do the same, but due to treachery, Joe and Chowder soon find themselves in Newgate Prison, facing trial for the capital offense of sodomy.
370 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2019
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253 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
November 19, 2020
I came to this book after I saw it won the Lammy for Gay Romance. This isn't typically my genre, but I was looking for a lighter read and I'm always interested in reading queer stories. This is also the first self-published book I've ever read, and perhaps wrongly so I assumed a lower prose/story quality because of this. I was gladly surprised that the book exceeded all of my expectations. I do love historical novels and have a particular fondness for 18th/19th century England, so this hit right in my sweet spot. This book translates a world that is vastly different from ours into something digestible and tangible. I appreciated the thorough research that went into describing the setting - though it was at times somewhat ham-fisted, a tad 'look how much I know' - and took it as an opportunity to learn a bit more about ordinary life in that time period. I also appreciated the look into the lives of gay men of every social status, painting a nice picture of 18th century queer lives, so that a reluctant nonfiction reader like myself can learn more.
The few "romance" novels I've read typically include a good deal of explicit sex, so if you're looking for that, you're not going to get much. The book handles intimacy with a discretion and playfulness fitting of book's tone, neither putting in too much or leaving out too little. Joe's penchant for "impertinent questions" allows the reader to get information on the sensitive topics Joe must learn about, and allow a glimpse into the character's naivete and personal candor that define his overall self in any number of tricky situations (of which there are many). Joe is a sweet, wily, heroic character that anyone would root for, and his relationship with Chowder is charming throughout. Perhaps it verges on saccharine, but hey, I've got a sweet tooth.
I wouldn't call this book heavy-hitting by any means, but the very real stakes at hand make for some sobering moments. There are plenty lead-weight-in-the-pit-of-your-stomach moments for all poor Joe and anyone like him has to go through. Social inequity, abuse of power, toxicity of the patriarchy and more are on full display in this story, and at times it makes you sad to realize how little has changed outside of decriminalization. The book ends on a much appreciated hopeful note, swerving away from a tradition I've seen time and again where gay people are paraded through a story to show the insurmountable suffering they experience on their path to the grave. This isn't that kind of book.
It's also a quick read - so that's always nice!
The few "romance" novels I've read typically include a good deal of explicit sex, so if you're looking for that, you're not going to get much. The book handles intimacy with a discretion and playfulness fitting of book's tone, neither putting in too much or leaving out too little. Joe's penchant for "impertinent questions" allows the reader to get information on the sensitive topics Joe must learn about, and allow a glimpse into the character's naivete and personal candor that define his overall self in any number of tricky situations (of which there are many). Joe is a sweet, wily, heroic character that anyone would root for, and his relationship with Chowder is charming throughout. Perhaps it verges on saccharine, but hey, I've got a sweet tooth.
I wouldn't call this book heavy-hitting by any means, but the very real stakes at hand make for some sobering moments. There are plenty lead-weight-in-the-pit-of-your-stomach moments for all poor Joe and anyone like him has to go through. Social inequity, abuse of power, toxicity of the patriarchy and more are on full display in this story, and at times it makes you sad to realize how little has changed outside of decriminalization. The book ends on a much appreciated hopeful note, swerving away from a tradition I've seen time and again where gay people are paraded through a story to show the insurmountable suffering they experience on their path to the grave. This isn't that kind of book.
It's also a quick read - so that's always nice!
August 7, 2020
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.75 stars
Joseph Chapman, My Molly Life is a story told from first-person perspective and, as we later find out, is something of an autobiography of (the fictional) Joseph Chapman. I think this choice in narrative style allows for the realities of life in 1770s London to be made amply clear without resorting to long descriptive paragraphs. Through Joseph, readers enjoy first-hand accounts of how life is lived. This helps establish the system of employment-by-apprenticeship, medical aid consisting of bleeding the bad “humours,” the supposed evils of bathing, and the villification of the poor by sending people to workhouses. Because this is Joseph’s autobiography, we get to follow him from as young an age as the character can remember to his present day, which is 1778 or so, when he is about sixteen. Most of the events, however, are concentrated around what happens in the time between his mother dying and his being imprisoned and the resolution of that event.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
4.75 stars
Joseph Chapman, My Molly Life is a story told from first-person perspective and, as we later find out, is something of an autobiography of (the fictional) Joseph Chapman. I think this choice in narrative style allows for the realities of life in 1770s London to be made amply clear without resorting to long descriptive paragraphs. Through Joseph, readers enjoy first-hand accounts of how life is lived. This helps establish the system of employment-by-apprenticeship, medical aid consisting of bleeding the bad “humours,” the supposed evils of bathing, and the villification of the poor by sending people to workhouses. Because this is Joseph’s autobiography, we get to follow him from as young an age as the character can remember to his present day, which is 1778 or so, when he is about sixteen. Most of the events, however, are concentrated around what happens in the time between his mother dying and his being imprisoned and the resolution of that event.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
Read
February 4, 2019James Lovejoy’s début novel is an impressively researched, charming story about a young man coming of age in 18th century London. As a portrait of lower-class strife, the story has the feel of a Dickensian tale with added subject matter on how gay men might have lived centuries before homosexuality was decriminalized.
Read the rest of my review at Out in Print.
Read the rest of my review at Out in Print.
June 13, 2020
Very satisfying -- among other things because of the narrative voice, which does a wonderful job of conjuring up the times in which the story is set, without compromising readability. A couple of anachronistic details: the offence of "gross indecency" was not introduced until about 100 years after the events in the book; and no red roses (let alone ones that flowered in November!) existed in Europe at the time. But who cares, really? The characterisation is as strong as it needs to be: given the first person account, and the purposes of the narrative as it transpires at the end of the book, it makes sense that some of the characters (such as Rowland) would only be depicted in relatively broad strokes. Very highly recommended.
September 20, 2021
** 4.5 Stars **
What a wonderful surprise!
Joseph Chapman : My Molly Life is a well-written and well-researched story with an impressive attention to detail. The writing style and language captures the feel of the time period wonderfully. Each and every characters are minutely crafted and the first-person narrative works very well ; we experience Joseph's 18th century life perfectly. You can't help but root for Joseph and Chowder tragic lives. Mr. Lovejoy handles the subject of homosexuality with finesse and credibility.
Highly recommended!
What a wonderful surprise!
Joseph Chapman : My Molly Life is a well-written and well-researched story with an impressive attention to detail. The writing style and language captures the feel of the time period wonderfully. Each and every characters are minutely crafted and the first-person narrative works very well ; we experience Joseph's 18th century life perfectly. You can't help but root for Joseph and Chowder tragic lives. Mr. Lovejoy handles the subject of homosexuality with finesse and credibility.
Highly recommended!
September 6, 2022
My new favourite genre is queer picaresque pastiche.
September 4, 2020
“As long as we can see the same sky, breathe the same air, step on the same planet, then you and I are not impossible.” ~ Nitya Prakash
Although he was born sickly, Joseph Chapman, of ‘My Molly Life’ by James Lovejoy, starts out fairly well. His father is a waterman and his mother sells oysters having given up her job as a champion female wrestler when she and his father married. When his father died, the quality of his and his mother and little sister’s life began to decline. After his mother dies, he and his sister are orphans, with nowhere to go. He and his sister are separated.
Joe is sent to an orphanage where he and the other boys are mistreated and neglected. The best thing any of them can do is to not bring awareness to themselves in any way or they are met with swift and severe punishment. The one bright spot is his friend Chowder, the only one in the place who shows Joe any kindness and comfort. Soon it becomes obvious that he and Chowder have something between them that Joe can’t even name. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond their control, he and Chowder are separated. Joe vows to find Chowder and renew, perhaps take their relationship to a higher place.
Fortunately, Joe is apprenticed by a kind, open-minded man where he prospers. Through books that his employer lends him, Joe reads about other men in relationships with each other. This amazes and intrigues Joe who has long suspected that he favors men and that he may be in love with Chowder. With his employer’s encouragement, he finds his beloved Chowder again. He is distressed to find that life hasn’t been easy for Chowder who is apprenticed to a brute of a man whose wife is even more despicable. This hurts Joe’s heart, but there isn’t much he can do about it. At least he has found Chowder again. They soon realize that they share the idea that they are to be more than friends and tentatively begin to pursue a physical relationship. They know that they must be careful since the act of sodomy is punishable by death, but even that can’t keep them from professing their love for each other and acting on their feelings. As careful as they are, they become caught in a compromising situation by Chowder’s master’s wife and are thrown in prison. Even though the circumstances are grim, Joe never loses faith that he and Chowder will somehow be together again.
Although quite a long story, I found everything about it fascinating. For one, it’s a historical romance, which is my favorite genre, but what impressed me even more was that it was written in incredibly descriptive prose, in what the dictionary (which I used frequently) called ‘archaic’ word meanings. The history and culture of the period is described in brilliant details that were often unbelievably sad, especially when portraying the abject poverty and cruelty that prevailed at the time. Most of all, I loved that Chowder and Joe never gave up on each other. Their love was the light that shines in what was otherwise a very dark time. It’s not an easy read by far, but, at least for me, it was a very satisfying one. Thank you, James Lovejoy, for a challenging, but fulfilling book.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Although he was born sickly, Joseph Chapman, of ‘My Molly Life’ by James Lovejoy, starts out fairly well. His father is a waterman and his mother sells oysters having given up her job as a champion female wrestler when she and his father married. When his father died, the quality of his and his mother and little sister’s life began to decline. After his mother dies, he and his sister are orphans, with nowhere to go. He and his sister are separated.
Joe is sent to an orphanage where he and the other boys are mistreated and neglected. The best thing any of them can do is to not bring awareness to themselves in any way or they are met with swift and severe punishment. The one bright spot is his friend Chowder, the only one in the place who shows Joe any kindness and comfort. Soon it becomes obvious that he and Chowder have something between them that Joe can’t even name. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond their control, he and Chowder are separated. Joe vows to find Chowder and renew, perhaps take their relationship to a higher place.
Fortunately, Joe is apprenticed by a kind, open-minded man where he prospers. Through books that his employer lends him, Joe reads about other men in relationships with each other. This amazes and intrigues Joe who has long suspected that he favors men and that he may be in love with Chowder. With his employer’s encouragement, he finds his beloved Chowder again. He is distressed to find that life hasn’t been easy for Chowder who is apprenticed to a brute of a man whose wife is even more despicable. This hurts Joe’s heart, but there isn’t much he can do about it. At least he has found Chowder again. They soon realize that they share the idea that they are to be more than friends and tentatively begin to pursue a physical relationship. They know that they must be careful since the act of sodomy is punishable by death, but even that can’t keep them from professing their love for each other and acting on their feelings. As careful as they are, they become caught in a compromising situation by Chowder’s master’s wife and are thrown in prison. Even though the circumstances are grim, Joe never loses faith that he and Chowder will somehow be together again.
Although quite a long story, I found everything about it fascinating. For one, it’s a historical romance, which is my favorite genre, but what impressed me even more was that it was written in incredibly descriptive prose, in what the dictionary (which I used frequently) called ‘archaic’ word meanings. The history and culture of the period is described in brilliant details that were often unbelievably sad, especially when portraying the abject poverty and cruelty that prevailed at the time. Most of all, I loved that Chowder and Joe never gave up on each other. Their love was the light that shines in what was otherwise a very dark time. It’s not an easy read by far, but, at least for me, it was a very satisfying one. Thank you, James Lovejoy, for a challenging, but fulfilling book.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
October 19, 2021
This book was amazing. I love Dickens and I'm impressed by the likeness. (To a point that I totally forgot many times that this was the 18th century). The prose is magnificent. The amount of research this book must have required is impressive and I wouldn't be surprised if it were Lovejoy's lifework. The only book I had read about mollies was Diane Gabaldon's lord John and I had been so disappointed. Gabaldon totally fails at creating queer characters (it is a straight romance writer's perspective). But Lovejoy makes them so believable that you can't stay cold to the fate of Joseph and Chowder. Yes, characters and situations can be "sirupy" but it's the Oliver Twist "sirupy" kind with very very nice people and horrendous villains. And just like in Dickens, it's so over the top that it's fun and hilarious! There was suspense all along and the social critic is still there in the background, a necessary reminder of how dangerous life was for us, queer people. (And, unfortunately, still is). I enjoyed that book from the first to the last page and will keep on recommending it. Please Mr. Lovejoy, don't stop writing!
June 12, 2020
CW: basically everything (death of family members, physical/sexual assault, incarceration, public execution/pillorying)
Where did James Lovejoy come from, and how did a debut author win the Lambda literary award for Best Gay Romance against such well-known finalists as Garrett Leigh, Rick R. Reed and Marshall Thornton? I had to check it out, and fortunately the book was available through Kindle Unlimited.
What I found is basically a gay Dickens novel - long and dense, with SAT-level vocabulary and matter-of-fact descriptions of the cruelty of life in 18th century London. Our hero Joe goes from a poor but happy childhood to being orphaned as a teenager, dumped in a charity school run by a sexually and physically abusive man, whose "darting piggy eyes were pasted incongruously into a broad, fleshy visage of pale and oleaginous complexion" (that gives you an idea of the writing style). He meets his true love there, a fellow orphan called Chowder, but the road to their happily ever after is long and full of even more danger and tribulations.
In an era when all it took was testimony from two individuals that they had witnessed the accused committing sodomy to result in a death sentence, the stakes are very high indeed for Joe and Chowder. Yet Joe feels very much like a character of his time; he is smart, honorable and quick-witted but not given to much introspection or anxiety. I admired him but didn't really feel him, if that makes sense. Similarly, his true love Chowder is just about perfect and without much depth, and their relationship is one of instant friendship turned love without any drama (other than the fact that they are facing constant poverty, scandal and imprisonment). I found myself more invested in the plot than in the characters.
Joe and Chowder are helped out by a few sympathetic men who step in to save the day in a way that would seem misplaced in a more modern setting but seems perfectly in keeping with a Dickens-like adventure.
The book is long but with brief chapters and I kept turning the pages to see what horrible thing would happen next to our hero before he could finally claim his happy ending. I'm not sure I would consider this book worthy of a national writing award, but it definitely had a unique tone and voice. It probably isn't for everybody but it more or less worked for me.
Where did James Lovejoy come from, and how did a debut author win the Lambda literary award for Best Gay Romance against such well-known finalists as Garrett Leigh, Rick R. Reed and Marshall Thornton? I had to check it out, and fortunately the book was available through Kindle Unlimited.
What I found is basically a gay Dickens novel - long and dense, with SAT-level vocabulary and matter-of-fact descriptions of the cruelty of life in 18th century London. Our hero Joe goes from a poor but happy childhood to being orphaned as a teenager, dumped in a charity school run by a sexually and physically abusive man, whose "darting piggy eyes were pasted incongruously into a broad, fleshy visage of pale and oleaginous complexion" (that gives you an idea of the writing style). He meets his true love there, a fellow orphan called Chowder, but the road to their happily ever after is long and full of even more danger and tribulations.
In an era when all it took was testimony from two individuals that they had witnessed the accused committing sodomy to result in a death sentence, the stakes are very high indeed for Joe and Chowder. Yet Joe feels very much like a character of his time; he is smart, honorable and quick-witted but not given to much introspection or anxiety. I admired him but didn't really feel him, if that makes sense. Similarly, his true love Chowder is just about perfect and without much depth, and their relationship is one of instant friendship turned love without any drama (other than the fact that they are facing constant poverty, scandal and imprisonment). I found myself more invested in the plot than in the characters.
Joe and Chowder are helped out by a few sympathetic men who step in to save the day in a way that would seem misplaced in a more modern setting but seems perfectly in keeping with a Dickens-like adventure.
The book is long but with brief chapters and I kept turning the pages to see what horrible thing would happen next to our hero before he could finally claim his happy ending. I'm not sure I would consider this book worthy of a national writing award, but it definitely had a unique tone and voice. It probably isn't for everybody but it more or less worked for me.
September 10, 2020
This is a gay Tom Jones/Oliver Twist novel, if "gay" had been used in the 1780s the way it is today. A first person narrative, the story follows young Joe from the death of his pugilist mother (yes, mother!) to internment in a horribly Dickensian home/school for boys where the gov'ner takes liberties with his charges, to a series of advances and reverses worthy of any four volume novel of that period, but mercifully told in a much briefer manner. While it is subtitled "My Molly Life," it really only covers the beginning of that life and I very much hope Lovejoy plans on following up on this young man's and his friends' lives into the 19th century. I thoroughly enjoyed the style and plot and would welcome The Further Adventures of Joseph Chapman.
February 7, 2022
James Lovejoy’s novel is a satisfying coming of age story about a young man who falls for his friend in 18th century London, where homosexuality is criminalized. The characters’ romance is genuine, and the setting is well researched. The book feels vastly underrated and should be on more mlm favorites lists going forward.
February 5, 2021
Where the hell did this thing come from? That's all I can say.
Just kidding, I can say more:
Okay listen, I enjoy a 'historical' romance novel as much as the next gay that walks through, but this is on a whole other level entirely. Escapism's nice! I like to think that there were oodles of happy LGBT people in the world during all time periods and I love to read those stories. This is not one of those stories. This is so far and above any historical gay romance I've ever encountered and ever will in regards to accuracy and STYLE. This is written so well and so damn tenderly that I don't have proper words. This book is not for everyone, let me say that. There are very sensitive topics and I'm sure you can do your own looking into content warnings and whatnot. This isn't a feelgood mushy romance, but it was lovley and true in all the right ways. I could go into a lot more depth and I might later, but this is a keeper.
Just kidding, I can say more:
Okay listen, I enjoy a 'historical' romance novel as much as the next gay that walks through, but this is on a whole other level entirely. Escapism's nice! I like to think that there were oodles of happy LGBT people in the world during all time periods and I love to read those stories. This is not one of those stories. This is so far and above any historical gay romance I've ever encountered and ever will in regards to accuracy and STYLE. This is written so well and so damn tenderly that I don't have proper words. This book is not for everyone, let me say that. There are very sensitive topics and I'm sure you can do your own looking into content warnings and whatnot. This isn't a feelgood mushy romance, but it was lovley and true in all the right ways. I could go into a lot more depth and I might later, but this is a keeper.
August 17, 2020
I enjoyed the immersion in a setting in the past, and the characters are engaging and lovely. The events and pace are keeping with the period.
If you are a historian, there are anachronistic values and emotions and events. If you aren't a historians, you can ignore my comment here because it will not detract from a good story. But otherwise those moments of twenty-first century feelings and values set in the 1700s will be annoying and yank you out of the setting.
The book is long - and there is nothing wrong with a lengthy book unless it "feels" long. This one felt a bit long to me and could have used some editing down.
Still, there is creative, energetic, and original.
If you are a historian, there are anachronistic values and emotions and events. If you aren't a historians, you can ignore my comment here because it will not detract from a good story. But otherwise those moments of twenty-first century feelings and values set in the 1700s will be annoying and yank you out of the setting.
The book is long - and there is nothing wrong with a lengthy book unless it "feels" long. This one felt a bit long to me and could have used some editing down.
Still, there is creative, energetic, and original.
April 13, 2022
This was a very fun read. It's essentially a gay Oliver Twist story. Joe Chapman is a teenager in 1778 when he is orphaned. To add to his strife, he discovers that he is gay (or a "molly" in Georgian era terms.). The story is very episodic which gives the Dickensian quality. and it's filled with great characters some of whom are based on actual people in history. A very different piece of historic fiction that illustrates the troubles of what it was like to be gay in the 18th century. It wasn't easy.
August 11, 2024
4.5 stars
It seems odd to call this 'enjoyable' given the often cruel, dreary and desperately impoverished life narrator/memoirist Joseph Chapman lives in 18th century London, but author James Lovejoy provides enough character, vivid sense of place and humour to lighten the whole thing despite all the darkness.
Joseph Chapman is a survivor and simply for that, given his circumstances, he becomes heroic.
There is a hint that Lovejoy might next give one of the other characters (who appears near the end of the novel) a similar 'memoir' treatment. That would be great, but so too would be the further adventures of Joseph Chapman.
Recommended.
It seems odd to call this 'enjoyable' given the often cruel, dreary and desperately impoverished life narrator/memoirist Joseph Chapman lives in 18th century London, but author James Lovejoy provides enough character, vivid sense of place and humour to lighten the whole thing despite all the darkness.
Joseph Chapman is a survivor and simply for that, given his circumstances, he becomes heroic.
There is a hint that Lovejoy might next give one of the other characters (who appears near the end of the novel) a similar 'memoir' treatment. That would be great, but so too would be the further adventures of Joseph Chapman.
Recommended.
September 27, 2025
3.5 stars
A pseudo-memoir that imagined what it might have been like to grow up queer and working class in 18th-century London. I loved the concept, but the writing didn’t always land for me. The sombre, detached, matter-of-fact and overly detailed style was refreshing at first, yet after two hundred pages it became more of a slog. Still, I appreciated the effort Mr. Lovejoy put into researching and writing this book. The account of the trial and sentencing for sodomy was both informative and heart-breaking to read.
A pseudo-memoir that imagined what it might have been like to grow up queer and working class in 18th-century London. I loved the concept, but the writing didn’t always land for me. The sombre, detached, matter-of-fact and overly detailed style was refreshing at first, yet after two hundred pages it became more of a slog. Still, I appreciated the effort Mr. Lovejoy put into researching and writing this book. The account of the trial and sentencing for sodomy was both informative and heart-breaking to read.
June 26, 2021
Good book. Very different story. I agree with one reviewer's comment that it is like a gay Oliver Twist. While many may not be able to relate to the setting (1700s London), they may relate to a young male trying to figure out the feelings he has for another male. He knows nothing about homosexuality but has this desire to kiss and hold his friend.
October 13, 2020
It took a bit to get into this book. For the first few chapters or so I struggled to get into the story. But then at some point when I got to around the 20% of the book read I was engulfed in the story and it wouldn't let me go and I was enraptured.
Very well done.
Highly recommended!
Very well done.
Highly recommended!
June 25, 2023
It took me a while to get into this book, but I ended up liking it a lot. My main issue with this book though was that Joseph felt a bit too naive. I kept having to remind myself that he was supposed to be 17 for the majority of the narrative.
November 28, 2023
This story is set in the 1770's London, England. The style of writing is reminiscent of the Charles Dickenson era, which slowed down the pace of the book, and challenged my vocabulary. I became fully engaged in this story of molly life in London.
March 12, 2020
The story pulls you in and moves quickly. I enjoyed this story very much; it's nice to get invested in characters, but also sad when you must leave them. Perhaps another is in the works? I hope so!
July 3, 2020
Officially DNF
July 11, 2020
Great characters and plot. Historical fiction. Gay characters were compelling and nuanced and complex. Could not put it down.
September 6, 2020
Beautifully written and haunting. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
June 3, 2024
Very enjoyable read. Great storytelling and character development. Did not want to put this book down. I really felt for the main character and so wanted them to succeed.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews