'Tightly plotted and hugely readable' Jane Rogers, author of PROMISED LANDS'Marvellous . . . fans of immersive historical fiction, the 18th century, all things French and a dash of peril, this one's for you' Emily Brand, author of THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF BYRON'Glasfurd deftly, elegantly captures this volatile world of impoverished attic rooms and gilded literary salons' DAILY MAILThe King knows the true power and privilege of books. When every book is cause for suspicion, you risk execution for possessing the wrong ones.1766, PARIS. Ten years have passed since Delphine Vimond last saw her father. After his violent arrest, his library of books is burned. Young Delphine, bereft and fatherless, is forced to seek refuge in the city.Now working as a housekeeper for the radical Monsieur Diderot, her settled life is suddenly disrupted by the arrival of Chancery Smith. A printer's apprentice, he has been sent from London to hunt down the mysterious author of revolutionary papers marked only with the initial D - the possession of which could prove fatal.Pursued by the brutal French censor, Henri Gilbert, Delphine and Chancery set off on a frantic and deadly search that will take them across the country.But can they catch up with D before Gilbert catches up with them? 'Among historical novelists, Glasfurd rides high' FINANCIAL TIMES
Mixed feelings summarise this one! Set in pre-revolutionary France, Privilege has a lot to like - a strong female character fighting for her rights in a world dominated by men; books and printing presses, a quest to find a mysterious author who signed their work only as ‘D’ - yet for much of the tale I felt like things weren’t quite sitting right - character motivations seemed flimsy and it often seemed there was an obvious way for things to be solved which for some reason the characters weren’t considering or doing. The title, Privilege, refers to the fact that the King must grant permission for all new books to be published - otherwise they fall foul of the King’s Censor. The author here explores the line between freedom and censorship, with us following an author’s struggle to be free to write and publish the words of their story. This is something that I think deserves to be thought about more, so lots of interesting elements in this, and while it didn’t feel like it came together fully for me, I did enjoy reading it.
My thanks to #NetGalley and Two Roads, John Murray Press for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately this was not the book for me. I must admit I was a bit dubious before I started it but the concept of books being banned intrigued me so I was determined to give it my all and stick to it. I read it bit by bit as I was not going to be able to read it in one sitting but after pushing myself to read several chapters at a time I just had to admit defeat. I got to to page 144 but had to give up then as I was constantly reminded there are too many good books to waste your time struggling with ones you aren't enjoying. Although the story itself was interesting I just found that the author made it too confusing, included unnecessary details and that it just dragged on to long. By the time I had got to page 144 not much had even happened apart from Chancery arriving in Paris confronting Diderot, losing his precious papers to him and meeting up with Delphine. There had previously been Delphine's story which I preferred to Chancery's but i still wasn't enough to spark my interest.
Privilege is set in 18th century France and is based around the book publishing industry at that time and censorship. Before a book was allowed to be printed and distributed it had to be given permission by the King to be published. Books that were deemed to be illegal were sold in a kind of black market, and were published outside of France then smuggled back in. If you were caught doing this you would be tortured or even sentenced to death.
To begin with, I found the pacing quite slow and the plot slightly confusing until it finally took off and it began to make more sense and I learnt more about the main characters. I really took to Delphine and I admired her intelligence and strength. I particularly enjoyed the scenes where the villainous French censor featured and was chasing after her and Chancery. I would have loved him to have been more involved in the story to build up the tension and unease.
I did find the mystery aspect of the story was a bit weak for me. I don’t know if it was perhaps because I had worked out who the secret author was pretty much from the start. It ended up not being a big shock for me at the reveal.
I found the most fascinating parts were centred around the freedom of speech, illegal book trade and censorship. Especially since I didn’t know much about it until I read this!
I did enjoy Privilege, it’s well written, immersive and it made me think about how and why books are published during the present day. How come people from marginalised backgrounds don’t get their voices heard as much as people with a more privileged background? A highly thought provoking read.
It's a fascinating historical fiction featuring a strong heroine. The historical background is vivid, the characters are fleshed out, the storytelling kept me hooked. Recommended. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I enjoyed both of Guinevere Glasfurd’s previous novels, The Words in My Hand and The Year Without Summer, so I hoped for good things from her latest novel which sounded just as intriguing as the other two. The title Privilege could refer to all sorts of things, but in this case it’s a reference to the system in pre-revolutionary France where publishers had to obtain a ‘royal privilege’ before a book could be published.
The novel begins in Rouen in 1749, where Delphine Vimond is being raised by her father, having lost her mother at an early age. Delphine’s father runs a pottery, but he is also a collector of books and Delphine inherits from him a love of literature and a desire for learning. Finding the key to his library, she discovers a whole new world of adventure and knowledge in the pages of his books. However, when a volume by Milton on the killing of kings is found in his possession, Delphine understands for the first time that not all books are seen as appropriate and that some are even forbidden.
Meanwhile, in London, we meet Chancery Smith, an apprentice printer. A box of papers from Paris signed only with the letter ‘D’ has been received at the print shop and Chancery is given the job of visiting France to try to identify this mysterious author. It’s not going to be an easy task – as the papers contain potentially dangerous writings, Chancery must avoid letting them fall into the hands of the censors who would see the papers destroyed and the courier punished. On arriving in Paris, his path crosses with Delphine Vimond’s and together they set off in search of ‘D’, while trying to stay one step ahead of the royal censor, Henri Gilbert, and his spies.
Privilege is a thought-provoking read, exploring issues such as censorship, the power of the monarch, and the freedom – or lack of it – to write and think about topics that matter to us. Before reading this novel I didn’t really know how the ‘royal privilege’ system worked and how it lead to books written in France having to be published in other countries and smuggled back in, so I found that aspect of the story fascinating. I also picked up lots of other snippets of information on the early publishing industry along the way – I had never heard of France’s ‘blue library’, for example.
I found the mystery/thriller aspect of the novel slightly less successful, maybe because the identity of the unknown author seemed too obvious. Still, with two engaging protagonists in Delphine and Chancery, as well as a strong cast of secondary characters, and with such an interesting subject at the heart of the story, it’s a book that I enjoyed reading.
I was impressed by this as historical fiction: the author evokes her era vividly, and most importantly does so through the eyes of the characters so that the setting feels natural to them rather than being 'costume porn' for the benefit of an audience, or an opportunity for the author to show off her research. She manages to write a Strong Female Character without turning her into an action heroine (a younger and more romantic Delphine tries passing herself off as a man, but it isn't a great success), and writes an adventure in which a male and female character have a bickering but ultimately mutually supportive relationship without falling in love with one another -- or being obliged to marry in order to save her reputation, or any of the other favourite tropes of historical romance. In fact the heroine doesn't marry anybody, which I suspect was a conscious parallel on the author's part with the action of her much-lauded favourite novel.
The trouble is that the plot felt oddly unsatisfactory. What is the point of Chancery Smith's real name being O'Connell, for example, and where did the 'Chancery' come from? It would make sense if it were a nickname relating to his orphan status or some such, but apparently it isn't. His French mother died when he was too young to remember her, so the fluent French that acquired him the job wasn't thanks to her. The entire plot strand about Tibias and the fountains is beautifully written, but with hindsight pretty much extraneous to the rest of the novel; it is not exactly a prerequisite to Delphine's getting a job with Diderot, and then there is that very weird suggestion at the end of the story that maybe , which doesn't go anywhere and seems to serve no purpose at all.
Gilbert as adversary ends up very one-dimensional, and the book would have been more interesting if he had been humanised a bit, as is hinted at early on, when he is the one person to show Chancery any sympathy but then turns out to be an ideological opponent. In fact it might have been more interesting if we had been given some perspective on why people might see a lack of censorship as a serious threat, just as we get some sympathy for Delphine's father's intended second wife.
One disadvantage of having a Strong Female Lead is that Chancery very much gets the thin end where the plot is concerned; Delphine takes him on a wild goose chase around France for her own purposes, using his money (a necessary element as otherwise she really has no need to keep him around at all!), and basically destroys his future while giving him nothing in return. And when we do finally see what are presumably snippets from this supposedly wildly revolutionary text assumed to be written by Diderot -- whom I was fascinated to encounter in person here immediately after having read one of his actual books, La Religieuse -- it turns out to be just an assertion of feminine independence that might well be unpalatable at that era, but seems unlikely to have aroused either a burning curiosity and desire to publish in a English bookseller, or determination to die or commit murder in order to suppress it.
I was not at all surprised to learn that this was a 'lockdown novel' inspired by the author's prior interest in eighteenth-century literature. What did surprise me was the discovery that this is apparently not her first book, because it feels very much like the starter work of a talented writer who launched into it without a clear overview of where the story was going and never did any editing to pull the structure together afterwards.
Delphine cross-dresses without any ultimate result because the author wanted to experiment with the concept and maybe subvert a trope or two, but it has no bearing whatsoever on the thriller plot. There is a thrilling cross-country chase, but mainly because the author wanted there to be one -- ultimately the only justification for all this is to get Delphine in person to Neuchâtel. There is the concept of the Blue Library, but it turns out she is only looking for it in order to get directions. And Delphine's father, whom she is so determined to rescue at the start of the book (I assumed this was her motivation for dragging Chancery around France), is revealed almost in a casual aside to have died four years earlier. And then the entire Tibias episode. Some of this material needs to be referenced back or otherwise tied together, because it feels that so much of it is just arbitrarily happening because the author wanted to include it, rather than being in the service of an overall story - I'm left wondering whether the finished book ever saw an editor.
One section that I did think worked well, from the thriller point of view, was the section where Diderot ; the switch from being terrified of discovery by Diderot, who is going to be merely outraged and very annoyed, to the sudden realisation that they are in very much greater danger elsewhere is very effective. And Delphine's assumption that they have been betrayed by their grumpy guide in the finale, when ; it's nicely set up in advance and as a payoff from earlier events, even if only in the relative short term. The relationship between the somewhat naive young man and the strong-willed young woman a few years older is well drawn, too, without imposing modern (as opposed to contemporary) feminist ideas upon it.
There is some rather extraneous French (apparently full of typoes, but I didn't pick up on those), presumably designed to indicate that we are indeed in France, but at least we don't get a full glossary provided at the end, as with Gita Trelease's "Liberté". The author also admirably refrains from dropping in gratuitous foreshadowing about the French Revolution: the characters live in an oppressive society, but so far as they are concerned that's just a normal and ongoing part of existence.
Overall this book clearly shows talent, but in the end the experience felt oddly unsatisfactory,
I really enjoyed the start of this but think it fell down hill a little towards the end. I don't quite understand some of the motives the path followed nor the sudden question of Tibius' death at the end being left up in the air after such certainty throughout the book. Overall interesting reading about the censorship in France. Just a little more fleshed out in the middle and ending and it would have been marvelous.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Privilege by Guinevere Glasfurd The title of this book refers to the fact that before the Revolution a writer had to obtain a Royal Privilege in order to have a book published. The story begins in Rouen in 1749 where Delphine Vimond is being raised by her father who works as a potter. He is also a collector of books and has instilled in Delphine this love of literature. However he lived at a time when just owning the wrong book was against the law. When he is found with a copy of a banned book Delphine is left on her own to manage in the world. Then we meet Chancery Smith, apprentice printer whose mother was French but who has been brought up in Scotland and has now arrived In London. He is given the task of visiting France to identify the mysterious papers which have come into the possession of his master. But these papers are forbidden and being found in possession of them in France could prove deadly. Shortly after his arrival in France he witnesses the savage murder of a young man found in possession of banned writings. This is a thought-provoking book which explores issues of censorship and the freedom – or lack of it – to write and think about matters of importance to us. I didn’t really know anything about how ‘royal privilege’ worked and how it lead to books written in France being published in other countries and then smuggled back into the country (much as happened in Russia during the Cold War). The characters of Chancery and Delphine were very interesting and I found the historical detail fascinating. I will be recommending this to various book groups. Many thanks to Net Galley and Two Roads, John Murray Press for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Books can be dangerous or they can bring danger to their authors.
Delphine’s father has become well-off by creating beautiful pottery, and he uses some of that wealth to collect books. Delphine learns to read, but her age and gender set boundaries on what is allowed, even if her intelligence could take her further. As her father’s pottery falls out of fashion he continues to search out rare books, and sometimes those books are rare because they are banned. And when he is arrested for this crime, Delphine ends up on the streets, but her old friend Tibius takes her to Paris where she finds a new world. Chancery Smith is apprentice to a printer who prints those books which cannot be printed in France, and when the chance comes to further his career by tracking down the author of some papers from that country, he takes the opportunity. But his journey leads him into the clutches of the censors who are not only concerned with destroying books. This book was about an era that I didn’t know that well, so it led me to do a lot of reading around the book, which sounds a bit iterative since it’s a book about reading and where it can lead you. I found myself more involved in the ideas of the book rather than the characters, but still an interesting read.
This was an interesting and thrilling read!!! The focus of this novel is put on the freedom of writing a reflection of one's thoughts. Nothing more difficult in Diderot's times when books were censured, banned and burnt! This novel tells the journey of one such book : not only about its author (who has written it?), but also how dangerous the contents are when submitted to the King's censure; it also raises the question of where if ever could this book be published in Europe? I enjoyed the characters' personal life journey which led them to the love of books. What disturbed me though is the amount of spelling mistakes in the French terms and expressions used in the book. (I am French.)
I am grateful to NetGalley for letting me read this novel for free in exchange for a honest review. Thank you!
A compelling read tackling subjects as diverse as censorship and freedom, women’s rights and royal privilege, all taking place in 18th century France. The title refers to the fact that books could not be published at the time without royal consent, also known as privilege. Delphine Vimond, the heroine of the story is a passionate lover of books and after her father is imprisoned and his library destroyed she embarks upon a life of risk and adventure in order to find a publisher outside France for a contentious book written by a mysterious author known only as D. The cast of characters here is exceptionally well described and all the settings are vividly painted. The book takes a little while to get going at the start, but once really underway it is both gripping and thought provoking, leaving the reader bereft when it is finished.
Privilege is an illuminating historical novel which uses fiction to reflect on a key period in history. Through rich, attentive prose and deeply believable characters, we are taken on an adventure into a world that is so different from our own, and yet is irrevocably intertwined. The eighteenth century, a time of gender inequality, economic hardship, oppressive monarchies and censorship, contrasting with supposed enlightenment. Importantly, she tells of the power of the written word, of books, and who has control of that power. It is real celebration of literary culture, past and present
A really excellent read; good fun historical fiction. The characters are engaging and it is refreshing to have a strong female lead. Given the style of the book, I would recommend this to anyone looking for a more adventurous historical fiction, but some of the themes are quite violent/shocking so only for a more mature audience.
This was such an interesting and thought provoking read. It was well written with a compelling storyline and well dveeloped characters all enveloped in an era I didnt know much about so I loved that, and it was a fantastic setting. I was gripped I couldn't put it down. I loved it.
Good reading if you enjoy exploring the emotional side of the characters. Well thought out but failed to pass the test of worth to the reader apart from the history of books in Europe. I noted there is no explanation of the author's name, being decidedly French but her being English.
Story didn't grab me and I was already thinking of abandoning it when the author decided I'd like to read about the hero masturbating. She was mistaken. I wouldn't.
The death of her farther, left her with nothing, thankfully a friend helped her get work to help her survive in a time when ladys had no power without man.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.