Why Is She Reviewing That Book? Oh I Have My Reasons

The Mourning Bride by William Congreve

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Technically this is a play, not a book, but why split hairs? It is actually better known for the quotes "Music has charms to sooth the savage beast" and "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" than the play itself. Although the exact quotes are "Musick has Charms to sooth a savage Breast," and "Heav'n has no Rage, like Love to Hatred turn'd, Nor Hell a Fury, like a Woman scorn'd."
Fair warning you will have a few few hurtles to overcome. First, as you can see from the quotes, this is High English folks, so be prepared. Next is the story, which has more twists and turns than a freeway cloverleaf. You've got to pay attention or you will get lost real easy and wonder how the heck you ended up going in the wrong direction. Now normally I try to avoid recaps in my reviews, but in this case I think I'd better or you will have a difficult time figuring out what is going on. (I had to read it twice to figure it out)
Okay to the plot, and it has it has a lot of it. What do I mean? Okay, deep breath.
The title character is a princess, the heroine, whose father, the story’s bad guy, went to war with another kingdom who had taken her hostage, but they were the good guys. So rather than disliking the captivity the princess ended up falling in love with the rival king’s son and marrying him. In time, her father "rescues" her, during which she believes her husband has died, hence "The Mourning Bride". Now her father is trying to marry her off to his friend's son, because the friend wants his son to be king someday. The princess is less than thrilled by this idea, and she's trying to find a way out of it. To complicate matters further, as if they were not already complicated enough, the father has just gotten back from a different war where he has taken a beautiful queen hostage. The bad guy king has designs on her virtue, but she is in love with a "kinsman" who is not related to her at all, but is in fact the bridegroom (the hero) of the "The Mourning Bride" who isn't dead at all but thinks that his bride is and is trying to avoid the advances of the queen because he's still in love with his wife, and we're not even half way through the book yet
Anyway at least you have an idea so you know what you're getting into. I liked it, and if consider Shakespeare light reading this is the book for you. Also the ending is unexpected, so in case you think you have it figured out, you don't.
As to why I am reviewing a book that was written in 1697 well let's just say it plays a prominent role in my soon to be released next book in the Reboot Files, The Wrong Ghost.
So what is it?
Now, now. I know you love surprises.