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6th out of 115 books
—
586 voters
Exit the Actress
by
Priya Parmar (Goodreads Author)
While selling oranges in the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, sweet and sprightly Ellen "Nell" Gwyn impresses the theater’s proprietors with a wit and sparkle that belie her youth and poverty. She quickly earns a place in the company, narrowly avoiding the life of prostitution to which her sister has already succumbed. As her roles evolve from supporting to starring, the scop...more
Paperback, 444 pages
Published
February 1st 2011
by Touchstone
(first published 2011)
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Exit the Actress: A Novel by Priya Parmar is quite simply one of the most original, engaging and well written novel I have come across in many a year. Written through diary entires, Letters, Official Announcements, invitations ect- the reader is immersed into 17th Century London, through the eyes of Nell, a poor "Oyster Girl" who grows up to be a stage star and Mistress of Royalty. That Ms. Parmer can create such a real and human character is nothing short of breathtaking. This book is, without...more
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This book is a fabulous read, and a perfect example of absolutely EVERYTHING that historical fiction should be! Wonderfully engaging real people as delighful characters, a true peek into the daily life of the period, and a highly unique and cleverly entertaining way to tell the story.
The book tells the slightly fictionalized - although most people and events are accurate - story of the life of Ellen "Nell" Gwyn, the long-term mistress of King Charles II of England. Nell began life as the illegit...more
The book tells the slightly fictionalized - although most people and events are accurate - story of the life of Ellen "Nell" Gwyn, the long-term mistress of King Charles II of England. Nell began life as the illegit...more
I waffled back and forth on rating this read, and I truly did like it, but there were certain aspects to it that made me give it 3 out of 5 stars. I felt that at times, Ellen's writing seemed way too modern and would have fit more into a current day setting since it had a certain artistic style that I felt was not appropriate—not in the 17th century, anyway. I wasn't sure about the different letters being used to help tell the story, but it actually worked better than I thought at first (if not...more
I actually started this book sometime in mid-to-late October, but was trying to juggle it with some other books and I was just getting confused trying to read multiple books at one time.
This book grabbed me right from the beginning, which is probably the reason I put it down in order to finish the other books. I think I would never have finished the other books I was reading while reading Exit the Actress because I was enjoying this the most. SO, I picked it up again in November, and I absolutel...more
This book grabbed me right from the beginning, which is probably the reason I put it down in order to finish the other books. I think I would never have finished the other books I was reading while reading Exit the Actress because I was enjoying this the most. SO, I picked it up again in November, and I absolutel...more
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Really interesting historical fiction, would highly recommend.
This is a delicious, little confection of a novel that chronicles the life and times of Ellen "Nell" Qwynn who history remembers as perhaps the most beloved of Kind Charles II mistresses (and the dude had A LOT of mistresses).
With a light comic hand that still manages to convey a great deal of emotion and a wonderful voice that perfectly fits this decadent, volatile time in English history Priya Parmar presents Nell as good hearted but ambitious woman with a clear headed understanding of what sh...more
With a light comic hand that still manages to convey a great deal of emotion and a wonderful voice that perfectly fits this decadent, volatile time in English history Priya Parmar presents Nell as good hearted but ambitious woman with a clear headed understanding of what sh...more
Being a historical fiction fan, I am always on the look out for new books or new authors in this genre. When I first came across Exit the Actress, it was the blurb on the cover by Philippa Gregory that attracted me to the book. I had never heard of Nell Gwyn since I had not read books from that time period of British history. I immediately read up on Nell Gwyn and my interest in this book was piqued even more. When I became a regular reader of the author's wonderful blog - The Plum Bean Project...more
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This is an imaginative and well written book on the life of Nell Gwynn, orange seller turned actress turned mistress of Charles II. The book is written primarily in first person, in journal entry form. The story started off a little confusingly for me, due to the format, but the author's illustration of Nell's bubbly personality, energy and passion soon comes through. The first person format also allows the author to flesh out Nell's character in subtle ways, and it works very well, despite the...more
This started out with a lot of promise. The very young Ellen (Nell) Gwynn moves up from selling smelly oysters on the street to hawking oranges at the theater. Nell becomes aware that her mother is a madam who has pressed Nell's teenage sister into service. Somewhere in her grooming to be an actress (and affair with the famed actor Charles Hart), it bogs down, has a few good moments and then ends abruptly.
I liked the diary style, but Nell, with her limited education, would never write like this....more
I liked the diary style, but Nell, with her limited education, would never write like this....more
If you want to be blown away, read this book.
Slowly. Make sure you savor it, and that you know who everyone is - there's a useful cast list in the front of the book so if you're confused by the vast array of people, you can normally clear up your confusion easily. Absorb the full skill of the writer.
Ellen is a fantastic main character - funny, strong, flawed. There's never a big deal made about her beauty; it's just there. She tells her story vividly, in a slightly anachronistic voice, sure, but...more
Slowly. Make sure you savor it, and that you know who everyone is - there's a useful cast list in the front of the book so if you're confused by the vast array of people, you can normally clear up your confusion easily. Absorb the full skill of the writer.
Ellen is a fantastic main character - funny, strong, flawed. There's never a big deal made about her beauty; it's just there. She tells her story vividly, in a slightly anachronistic voice, sure, but...more
This book was a breath of fresh air in many ways. First, the title character Nell Gwyn was so engaging that a reader would feel compelled to follow her anywhere. Parmar presented a very life-like, vulnerable and enchanting woman that I wanted to see succeed in both her professional and personal life.
Recently I've read a series of rather cynical novels and this historical confection was just what I needed to entertain and engage me. I tend to use historical novels to fill in the voids in my histo...more
Recently I've read a series of rather cynical novels and this historical confection was just what I needed to entertain and engage me. I tend to use historical novels to fill in the voids in my histo...more
I did like the book, although it wasn't so engrossing that I couldn't put it down. It is based on a true story, and the author has worked very hard to put as many true facts into the story and has been able to put in a lot of extensive descriptions of the scenes, clothing, etc. to keep things as close to the truth as possible. That is what made the story the most interesting. I won this book but the print was such a light font and so small that I gave the book to the Library that my Mother donat...more
Books sweep you away into their world, but historical fiction makes you live in it.
Exit the Actress by Priya Parmar takes place in the mid-1600s and tells the story of Ellen Gwynn, also known as Nell. Starting out as an orange seller to the audience during theater productions, and with a mother who is an alcoholic and a sister who is a prostitute, Nell rises into the world of stage acting and catches the eye of King Charles. Simultaneously becoming a friend to his queen, Nelly also becomes mistr...more
Exit the Actress by Priya Parmar takes place in the mid-1600s and tells the story of Ellen Gwynn, also known as Nell. Starting out as an orange seller to the audience during theater productions, and with a mother who is an alcoholic and a sister who is a prostitute, Nell rises into the world of stage acting and catches the eye of King Charles. Simultaneously becoming a friend to his queen, Nelly also becomes mistr...more
I first read about little Nell Gwyn from Diane Haeger’s A Perfect Royal Mistress, and loved it! So when asked to read another novel about Nell Gwyn and her love affair with King Charles II I was so excited and couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. I was excited when I finally was able to squeeze it into my hectic reviewing schedule and the cover is just to die for! This book has been endorsed by many of my favorite HF authors such as Philippa Gregory, Sharon Kay Penman, and Sandra Gulland; which...more
When I first started this book, I was completely befuddled. The majority is written as diary entries, but the entries are split up with newspaper gossip columns, letters between King Charles II and his mother and sister, playbill intros, and random recipes from a 17th century Emily Post-esque manual. It was entirely overwhelming and inconsistent and really affected the flow of the book.
Somehow, though, the story was still compelling enough that I would say I really enjoyed the book and was sad t...more
Somehow, though, the story was still compelling enough that I would say I really enjoyed the book and was sad t...more
i really enjoyed learning about ellen gwyn and her life. she seemed to be an unusual woman of her time, and really of any time - fiercely independent, seeking after her own heart, not only in love but in her passion for her work. i find that unusual in most women (and men!) and i was overjoyed to read her story. she was inspiring. i also had to keep remembering how young she was! i realize her age was normal for the time, but it still continued to baffle me throughout the read. i thought the cha...more
Parmar employs a format more frequently seen in modern chick lit for her tale - a retelling of Nell Gwyn's life as it would have been in the 17th century. As such, historical facts of the time were presented in an interesting, matter of fact ways - in playbills, letters, reports, newspapers, conversations and Nell's diary- without stuffing the reader with dry paragraphs of history that most historical fiction suffer from. I must admit I wasn't used to it at first but it grew on me, as did Nell....more
I HAD to read this book. Why? Because of the awesome cover and because of the quote from Philippa Gregory on the front. When I was in high school, my school library didn't have much YA literature. In fact, I mainly read my YA lit from my mom's school library, the public library, or I bought books at my local bookstore, Waldenbooks, at the mall. So without easy access to YA and a mean-ass school librarian, I had to find some type of fiction to read. For some reason, my school library had a huge c...more
I am loving this book. In my heart of hearts, I believe we are seeing the start of the next Phillipa Gregory, one of my favorite writers. I am having a bit of difficulties with the diary style of writing, but the authentic language makes up for it. So often, authors take such disgusting liberties with historical fiction that it is either hit or miss with me. This book is definitely a hit. I can't wait to see more by Priya and will be looking out for future works.
4 likes · like · see review
Oct 03, 2011
Maree ♫ Light's Shadow ♪
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Maree ♫ Light's Shadow ♪ by:
The Book Nook Cafe
Okay, I remember what my problem with historical fiction is. It's when authors take not only just the time and place, but the characters of the past as well and put them into their writing. When I say this, please imagine me being a general as possible, because I'm not directly talking about this book (which I enjoyed) specifically. But for me, when authors take really famous people from the past and put them into their own story, it's usually too much like fanfiction for me. I don't like that a...more
This is an entertaining book about the life of Nell Gwyn, favorite mistress of Charles II of England. It moves briskly, covering 8 years of her life and introducing a large number of characters from the royal court.
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it as a good light read, with the added bonus of learning some British history; however, nothing about it really stood out. The epistolary format works well in some ways: by including a variety of diary entries, letters, gossip columns, officia...more
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it as a good light read, with the added bonus of learning some British history; however, nothing about it really stood out. The epistolary format works well in some ways: by including a variety of diary entries, letters, gossip columns, officia...more
Exit the Actress is a historical novel that follows the life of Ellen Gwyn, a young woman that starts out as a oyster seller and becomes a principal actor in 16th century London. The book is written as a diary, with letters, announcements and playbills thrown in. At first, it took some getting used to, but it really is the best way to read this story.
Ellen is an amazing character. She's smart, observant, and witty. She has no qualms about telling people how the world is as she sees it, even thou...more
Ellen is an amazing character. She's smart, observant, and witty. She has no qualms about telling people how the world is as she sees it, even thou...more
I was loaned an arc of this marvelous book and simply couldn't put it down. ( I actually felt dismay at the dwindling number of pages still to be read as i got near the end!) Priya Parmar"s fresh approach to historical fiction is utterly engaging. The style is a collage of diary entries, newspaper articles, court circulars, household remedies and other documents, cleverly invented by the author. Nell is not a cockney stereotype, but more factually based, as are all the other wonderfully drawn ch...more
Exit the Actress is the first book in a long time where I have sacrificed much-needed sleep in order to read. Historical fiction is my favorite genre. When you combine that genre with an epistolary writing style, as Exit the Actress does primarily through journal entries and letters, it makes me swoon. This format offers a unique insight into the writer's emotions and personality. There is also an familiarity that I enjoy - possibly a slight voyeuristic look into the character's head.
I now unde...more
I now unde...more
This novel is set in seventeenth-century England when the famous Theatre Royal was putting on plays by the poet laureate John Dryden and the playwright Aphra Behn. Charles II has been restored to the throne, but his queen Catherine of Braganza remains childless so he sees a number of mistresses. Lady Castlemaine gives him many children in fact before he meets Nell, 'still remembered today as the orange girl who captured the heart of the king'. Her real name was Ellen Gwyn and she sold oranges at...more
The reader is introduced to twelve year old Ellen Gywn through a diary originally intended for her fourteen year old sister, Rose. Ellen and Rose, along with their mother Nora, are living in reduced circumstances in London after the death of their father. We follow the ups and downs of the Gywn family as they try to better their circumstances, often by any means possible. When Ellen is offered a position as an "orange girl" - selling oranges at the theater - she takes this fairly respectable job...more
I enjoyed this book and Nell as heroine for much of the book. However, I found myself growing more and more annoyed at the contradictions in her character as the book progressed. On the one hand, she is supposed to be independent and guileless but she lets Buckingham buy her a new wardrobe and take her to court so she can seduce the King and manipulate him on Buckingham's behalf. Also, about half way through the book, Nell starts pining about how loving her family was - although earlier in the b...more
The effort at experimental narrative sometimes worked very well and sometimes did not. Some of the typefaces and font sizes are illegible making it easier to skim through this book than to carefully read it. Which is OK since it is interesting but not riveting.
The author made a number of odd choices in this book. She stops the narrative half-way though Nell's life when pregnant with the King's child she retires from the stage. She leaves out many of Nell Gwyn's most famous remarks, but interjec...more
The author made a number of odd choices in this book. She stops the narrative half-way though Nell's life when pregnant with the King's child she retires from the stage. She leaves out many of Nell Gwyn's most famous remarks, but interjec...more
Nell Gwyn started off by selling oranges at the Theatre Royal. Soon after she gets cast in plays. Not only is she known for being a star at the theatre, she's also known as King Charles II's mistress. Through Nell's diary entries, letters, announcements and other documents, the story is told.
Exit the Actress is so amazingly written that you feel as if you're right there in London along with the characters. Nell is a lovable character...even for a mistress! What's even more interesting is that Ne...more
Exit the Actress is so amazingly written that you feel as if you're right there in London along with the characters. Nell is a lovable character...even for a mistress! What's even more interesting is that Ne...more
Ellen ("Nell") Gwynn has always fascinated me, and this book immersed me in Nell's world. Told through her journals, letters, snippets from gossip columns, and other sources, Ms. Parmar paints a brilliant picture of life in London between 1662 and 1670. The sights and smells, the food and drink, the life of the rich and the poor are brought to vivid life. The inside look at theater life, the royal court, and the events of those times -- the plague, the Great Fire, international politics -- are a...more
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Priya Parmar is a former dramaturg and freelance editor and hold degrees in literature and theatre. She is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Edinburgh.
Her first historical fiction novel, EXIT THE ACTRESS is being published on February 1, 2011 by Touchstone/Simon and Schuster and she is currently living in London and working on her second, set in WWI.
When not researching in the...more
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Her first historical fiction novel, EXIT THE ACTRESS is being published on February 1, 2011 by Touchstone/Simon and Schuster and she is currently living in London and working on her second, set in WWI.
When not researching in the...more
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“A family is a messy unwieldy thing bounded only by blood andbeneath all the embarrassmentaffection.”
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