The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (Montague Siblings, #1) in CLCSC Pasadena Area Book Group

Nov 20, 2018 Nick rated it it was ok

Shelves: historical-fiction

If I had been part of the intended audience for this book, I'd have given it at least another star, I think, but my main problems with the book still would have existed: I really didn't like either Henry or Percy, for most of the book.
The book is 500 pages long, and Henry has no real redeeming characteristics for most of those. In fact, almost every plot point occurs because he's such a self-centered thoughtless nincompoop, and those are his good points. He's nominally bisexual, but that only ma If I had been part of the intended audience for this book, I'd have given it at least another star, I think, but my main problems with the book still would have existed: I really didn't like either Henry or Percy, for most of the book.
The book is 500 pages long, and Henry has no real redeeming characteristics for most of those. In fact, almost every plot point occurs because he's such a self-centered thoughtless nincompoop, and those are his good points. He's nominally bisexual, but that only manifests because he'll climb all over anything vaguely humanoid, if he finds him/her/it attractive. He doesn't actually think or plan, he's dishonest to the point of randomly stealing things for petty revenge, and idiotic enough to think that having sex with a total stranger in a dangerous setting is a good idea. The problem is that those are his GOOD points. It goes downhill from there.
Percy should be a better character, but in fact we know only:
1) He has dark skin, making him probably the love-child of the person who dropped him off with apparent relatives and vanished;
2) He's a talented musician;
3) He's probably gay, but has terrible taste in men, because he puts up with Henry.
The reason for this last is never once made clear. I mean, Henry is supposed to be handsome, but how does that make up for the rest of what he is? The implications in the story suggest that he has NEVER been a good person, in any way. He vaguely fawns over Percy in his mind, but in reality treats him very poorly. Even when he's being nice to Percy, it's sort of for selfish reasons.
The author was a history major, and so the history may have made sense to her, but the reader has to get to the Author's Note to get any idea of some of the history involved in the story. I came away from the book with the idea that it took place during the childhood of Louis XV of France, and probably after 1714, but the weird "Letters of Marque" sequence baffled me, since I thought those wouldn't be issued when the countries were at peace. Also, an odd reference suggesting that slavery was illegal in Spain, which didn't happen for more than a century after the events in this book. Also, manning and fighting with a ship of that size with a crew of only 13 men...well, if you didn't bother maneuvering or changing the sails, you could use two or three cannons, briefly. A xebec isn't a small ship...it's got three masts and is big enough to be a fighting freighter.
Sorry, but it's difficult for me to read historical fiction and ignore the history bits...
While reading the book, it occurred to me that this was written like a Japanese yaoi manga, in that the book is about a possibly gay male possible couple, but written for a mostly female reading audience. Both are eventually shown to be both vulnerable and damaged in some way, which may be to bring out the caring feelings of the reader. The two main ones aren't the only male characters who come across poorly. The others feel like cardboard cutouts compared to the female characters who are in the story. Frankly, I'd be more interested in reading a book about Henry's sister, who at least seems to have mostly positive traits. ...more

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Oct 16, 2018 Jen marked it as to-read

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Jun 04, 2017 David marked it as to-read

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Jan 06, 2019 Amanda rated it it was amazing

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