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convenientaliasFor some reason I read four queer historical fiction books this month. I can't say I planned it; a lot of it was basically serendipity. But, seeing the coincidence, I thought I might make a post of recs and not-so-much-recs and ramble about it a little.
In the order I read them:
1. The Lunatic, the Lover, and the Poet by Myrlin Hermes
I bought a physical copy of this book on Ebay a while back, bc I heard it was a queer Hamlet prequel. Which it is. It's Horatio's point of view on his relationship with Hamlet before the beginning of the play and it's... kind of weird tbh, it sort of makes Horatio into a pseudo-Shakespeare who in this universe wrote Shakespeare's sonnet cycle about Hamlet and a mysterious woman? So it's as much to do with Shakespeare's sonnets as with Hamlet. Odd choice.
Some good things:
-It's basically a Horatio/Hamlet fanfic.
-I liked the characterization of Horatio, Hamlet, and the mysterious woman a lot! Also, rampant bisexuality! (Being a bi this is always a point in favor for me.)
-Can't tell if it's historically accurate bc I know nothing about Renaissance Italy but at least it's trying!
Some bad things:
-Sometimes entire pages are in italics which makes them hard to read.
-...I suffered a lot of secondhand embarrassment from some of the situations Horatio ended up in.
Recommended to ppl who ship Horatio/Hamlet or just generally want queer Shakespeare.
2. The Lady and Her Secret Lover by Jenn LeBlanc
Maybe you could tell this from the title but this is a book about regency ladies in love. I heard about it on a list of LGBTQ historical reads coming out this year and discovered it was up on Netgalley, so I requested the ARC, got it, and tried it out. What I did not realize bc I did not really look into it enough was that it was the seventh book in a series of regency romances (some of which apparently involve time travel, but since this one doesn't, it's neither here nor there). As a result, a good portion of the book was spent on characters/plotlines that were unfamiliar and confusing to me.
But even if I had known it was the seventh book and been familiar with all the characters, I still don't think I would have liked this one. Largely bc the plot hinges greatly on homophobia (...realistic for the time period possibly but very depressing) and because at one point there is a scene of graphic sexual assault which ultimately barely affects the plot and seems to be there just because... idk, historical queer fiction needs to be as grim as possible? I did not like it.
Some good things:
-The romance does start out very cute. Kind of insta-lovey, but cute. I was shipping it.
-A couple good background friendships too.
Some bad things:
-...see the description. I basically did not like this book.
Recommended to ppl who really want to read regency f/f and can brave the storm of trauma and confusion.
3. Miranda in Milan by Katharine Duckett
Another Shakespeare retelling! This one is as much fantasy as historical but oh well, I don't really care, I'm counting it. It just came out this month and I was shocked to find my library had it--of course I borrowed it immediately. It's a sequel to The Tempest, where Miranda is... well, in Milan, as the title says... and not having a very great time. Lots of secrets around her! Prospero might actually be villainous! Ferdinand is off in Naples and inaccessible! And Miranda's maidservant Dorothea is her only friend (who she might be falling in love with)!
Some good things:
-Postcolonial rethinking of Prospero ruling the island, and Caliban.
-Myyyysteries
-Miranda's a complicated character instead of the perfect person she is in The Tempest.
Some bad things:
-I know it was necessary for the f/f romance but I was sad to lose the Ferdinand/Miranda ship from canon. Ferdinand's my babe :(
-I'm not sure I bought the Dorothea/Miranda romance bc it develops very fast.
Recommended, again, to ppl who want queer Shakespeare.
4. The Second Footman by Jasper Barry
I got this as an ebook like... a year ago, almost? And then did not read it bc I own way too many ebooks and also it's 489 pages long (190,000 words). But the Tome Topple Readathon was this month so I thought it was a good time to give it a shot. It's a novel set in 1880s France, about a young man who becomes a footman in an attempt to scheme his way into high society. He also starts a relationship with an older nobleman as part of this attempt. Does he succeed? Well, it's the first book in a trilogy which hasn't been completed, and I haven't even read the second book, so that remains to be seen. I'm rooting for him!
Some good things:
-I love scheming schemers.
-Even tho our schemer is a schemer he sometimes vastly miscalculates which is kind of hilarious. And he sometimes has a conscience. Poor dude.
-Really complicated relationships.
-Sort of literary tone? Strong historicity at least.
Some bad things:
-Sometimes it does get a little prosey. Moves a bit slow.
-....but idk, I still loved it.
Recommended to everyone. Okay, not to everyone. Actually I saw some reviews on Goodreads saying it would be good for Tolstoy fans and while I think that's an exaggeration (Barry's def not Tolstoy), it's not a bad comparison? So recommended for ppl who like their novels moving slow and their relationships v complicated.
Overall I'm proud of myself for having read, out of four historical fiction novels, only one set in England! For some reason a ton of historical fiction is set in England.
I had fun this month!
In the order I read them:
1. The Lunatic, the Lover, and the Poet by Myrlin Hermes
I bought a physical copy of this book on Ebay a while back, bc I heard it was a queer Hamlet prequel. Which it is. It's Horatio's point of view on his relationship with Hamlet before the beginning of the play and it's... kind of weird tbh, it sort of makes Horatio into a pseudo-Shakespeare who in this universe wrote Shakespeare's sonnet cycle about Hamlet and a mysterious woman? So it's as much to do with Shakespeare's sonnets as with Hamlet. Odd choice.
Some good things:
-It's basically a Horatio/Hamlet fanfic.
-I liked the characterization of Horatio, Hamlet, and the mysterious woman a lot! Also, rampant bisexuality! (Being a bi this is always a point in favor for me.)
-Can't tell if it's historically accurate bc I know nothing about Renaissance Italy but at least it's trying!
Some bad things:
-Sometimes entire pages are in italics which makes them hard to read.
-...I suffered a lot of secondhand embarrassment from some of the situations Horatio ended up in.
Recommended to ppl who ship Horatio/Hamlet or just generally want queer Shakespeare.
2. The Lady and Her Secret Lover by Jenn LeBlanc
Maybe you could tell this from the title but this is a book about regency ladies in love. I heard about it on a list of LGBTQ historical reads coming out this year and discovered it was up on Netgalley, so I requested the ARC, got it, and tried it out. What I did not realize bc I did not really look into it enough was that it was the seventh book in a series of regency romances (some of which apparently involve time travel, but since this one doesn't, it's neither here nor there). As a result, a good portion of the book was spent on characters/plotlines that were unfamiliar and confusing to me.
But even if I had known it was the seventh book and been familiar with all the characters, I still don't think I would have liked this one. Largely bc the plot hinges greatly on homophobia (...realistic for the time period possibly but very depressing) and because at one point there is a scene of graphic sexual assault which ultimately barely affects the plot and seems to be there just because... idk, historical queer fiction needs to be as grim as possible? I did not like it.
Some good things:
-The romance does start out very cute. Kind of insta-lovey, but cute. I was shipping it.
-A couple good background friendships too.
Some bad things:
-...see the description. I basically did not like this book.
Recommended to ppl who really want to read regency f/f and can brave the storm of trauma and confusion.
3. Miranda in Milan by Katharine Duckett
Another Shakespeare retelling! This one is as much fantasy as historical but oh well, I don't really care, I'm counting it. It just came out this month and I was shocked to find my library had it--of course I borrowed it immediately. It's a sequel to The Tempest, where Miranda is... well, in Milan, as the title says... and not having a very great time. Lots of secrets around her! Prospero might actually be villainous! Ferdinand is off in Naples and inaccessible! And Miranda's maidservant Dorothea is her only friend (who she might be falling in love with)!
Some good things:
-Postcolonial rethinking of Prospero ruling the island, and Caliban.
-Myyyysteries
-Miranda's a complicated character instead of the perfect person she is in The Tempest.
Some bad things:
-I know it was necessary for the f/f romance but I was sad to lose the Ferdinand/Miranda ship from canon. Ferdinand's my babe :(
-I'm not sure I bought the Dorothea/Miranda romance bc it develops very fast.
Recommended, again, to ppl who want queer Shakespeare.
4. The Second Footman by Jasper Barry
I got this as an ebook like... a year ago, almost? And then did not read it bc I own way too many ebooks and also it's 489 pages long (190,000 words). But the Tome Topple Readathon was this month so I thought it was a good time to give it a shot. It's a novel set in 1880s France, about a young man who becomes a footman in an attempt to scheme his way into high society. He also starts a relationship with an older nobleman as part of this attempt. Does he succeed? Well, it's the first book in a trilogy which hasn't been completed, and I haven't even read the second book, so that remains to be seen. I'm rooting for him!
Some good things:
-I love scheming schemers.
-Even tho our schemer is a schemer he sometimes vastly miscalculates which is kind of hilarious. And he sometimes has a conscience. Poor dude.
-Really complicated relationships.
-Sort of literary tone? Strong historicity at least.
Some bad things:
-Sometimes it does get a little prosey. Moves a bit slow.
-....but idk, I still loved it.
Recommended to everyone. Okay, not to everyone. Actually I saw some reviews on Goodreads saying it would be good for Tolstoy fans and while I think that's an exaggeration (Barry's def not Tolstoy), it's not a bad comparison? So recommended for ppl who like their novels moving slow and their relationships v complicated.
Overall I'm proud of myself for having read, out of four historical fiction novels, only one set in England! For some reason a ton of historical fiction is set in England.
I had fun this month!
