Play Book Tag discussion

Oh Henry! I found you irritating beyond belief! Yes, the adventures recited were fun, but I found myself very impatient most of the time, and it was with you, Henry!

Meet Henry, at 18 yrs old the scion of British aristocracy in the early part of the 18th Century, and a major disappointment to his family, especially his stern (and abusive) father. Henry, who prefers drinking, gambling, and debauchery over learning to manage his estates and toe the line drawn by his father, has been evicted from Eton. What's so unusual in this? Seems Henry likes boys and girls, especially boys, most especially, his best friend from childhood, Percy. Percy has his own crosses to bear, including being bi-racial in an aristocratic, if untitled, family. Henry and Percy negotiate a year together taking the Grand Tour before Henry buckles down to learn estate management with his father and Percy heads to law school in Holland. Conditions include a bear-leader, not getting into any trouble with boys, and Henry's younger sister Felicity (younger in years, not maturity) is to be escorted to finishing school in Marseilles. The only good thing about all these conditions is that the Grand Tour takes them away from Henry's father.

And that is the setting. But of course, it's not nearly that tame! There are alchemists, pirates, royal conspiracies, puzzle boxes and mysteries to be solved, family secrets to be divulged, and even sinking islands in Venice. Along the way, Henry, Percy & Felicity grow stronger and surer of who they are and where they want to be. It's a romp, it's funny, it's even exciting. So why am I just kind of 'meh' about it?

Not really sure why I did not love it. Didn't hate it, at no point considered DNF, and absolutely will read the sequel which revolves around Felicity (which I suspect will be better as Felicity always seemed a better drawn character than either Henry or Percy). Perhaps it's that the whole romance between Henry and Percy is rather boring. Other authors have done a far better job at same sex romance IMHO, but outside the YA genre.

And perhaps at its heart that is why I found it 'meh' -- it's just too young for me.

This may be one in most fun and wonderful reviews I’ve read in quite some time!

Love your review, which I am sure is far better than the book, which I plan to avoid.

I truly think all the ballyhoo on this book is because it is a YA with a bisexual main character.

Wonderful review! Theresa, you have made my morning with your disappointment of Henry.:)

Yes Theresa, its truly "in." Maybe true equality will be able to separate it from the fad as truly normal, and therefore subject to critique rather than novelty.