Status
Available
Call number
Series
Publication
New York : Jove, 2021.
Description
Fiction. Romance. Historical Fiction. Humor (Fiction.) HTML:A New York Times Notable Book of 2021 �??The kind of book for which the word �??rollicking�?� was invented.�?��??New York Times Book Review A prim and proper lady thief must save her aunt from a crazed pirate and his dangerously charming henchman in this fantastical historical romance. Cecilia Bassingwaite is the ideal Victorian lady. She's also a thief. Like the other members of the Wisteria Society crime sorority, she flies around England drinking tea, blackmailing friends, and acquiring treasure by interesting means. Sure, she has a dark and traumatic past and an overbearing aunt, but all things considered, it's a pleasant existence. Until the men show up. Ned Lightbourne is a sometimes assassin who is smitten with Cecilia from the moment they meet. Unfortunately, that happens to be while he's under direct orders to kill her. His employer, Captain Morvath, who possesses a gothic abbey bristling with cannons and an unbridled hate for the world, intends to rid England of all its presumptuous women, starting with the Wisteria Society. Ned has plans of his own. But both men have made one grave mistake. Never underestimate a woman. When Morvath imperils the Wisteria Society, Cecilia is forced to team up with her handsome would-be assassin to save the women who raised her�??hopefully proving, once and for all, that she's as much of a scoundrel as… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member BarbaraRogers
** 2.5 Stars **
The GoodReads blurb for this book made it sound like a fun, entertaining, lighthearted, witty, and exciting read. I could hardly wait to get my hands on either the purchased copy or an ARC – whichever came first. To say I was sorely disappointed would be putting it mildly. Please
If you get rid of the chaff, you have a nice love story. I couldn’t bring myself to like the heroine, Cecilia, but I did like the hero Nate. He was actually the only person in the story I did like.
In this alternate/fantasy universe, the members of the Wisteria Society fly their houses from place to place, dislike and disrespect men, love nobody, hire assassins to murder their friends, poison their husbands (or stab them, or …), steal the possessions of others, well, you name it – I sort of thought they were worse than the mafia. Queen Victoria even flies Windsor Castle into battle.
I really, really wanted to love this book as much as I loved the book blurb, but I just couldn’t get there. The writing is well done, I loved the author’s way of turning a phrase and the way she handled the internal dialogue, etc. I just couldn’t get into the story or the characters. I am sorry to say that I won’t be looking for further books by this author.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The GoodReads blurb for this book made it sound like a fun, entertaining, lighthearted, witty, and exciting read. I could hardly wait to get my hands on either the purchased copy or an ARC – whichever came first. To say I was sorely disappointed would be putting it mildly. Please
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take this as just one person’s opinion because we all like different things and we all find different things humorous. I’m sure some of you will read the book and love it – I just did not. After reading it, I am of the belief that they need to invent a whole new genre just for this book. I think it was just too much – too much of everything – too busy – it reminded me of some of the descriptions I’ve read from people having LSD trips.If you get rid of the chaff, you have a nice love story. I couldn’t bring myself to like the heroine, Cecilia, but I did like the hero Nate. He was actually the only person in the story I did like.
In this alternate/fantasy universe, the members of the Wisteria Society fly their houses from place to place, dislike and disrespect men, love nobody, hire assassins to murder their friends, poison their husbands (or stab them, or …), steal the possessions of others, well, you name it – I sort of thought they were worse than the mafia. Queen Victoria even flies Windsor Castle into battle.
I really, really wanted to love this book as much as I loved the book blurb, but I just couldn’t get there. The writing is well done, I loved the author’s way of turning a phrase and the way she handled the internal dialogue, etc. I just couldn’t get into the story or the characters. I am sorry to say that I won’t be looking for further books by this author.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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LibraryThing member parlerodermime
This book was delightful. I saw Kate Storhoff describe it as "if Terry Pratchett wrote a romance novel," and I think that description holds up. It also seems an effective mix of satire + societal commentary as in William Goldman's editorial notes of S. Morgenstern's The Princess Bride,
I wanted to inhale the book as soon as my library delivered it to my digital holds on its release date, but made myself savor it as much as I could (and immediately procured myself my own print copy as soon as I finished it). I believe the writing style, story, and characters will stand up well to re-readings. I intend to reread works by the Bronte sisters and see if I find more easter egg references than were already obviously alluded to in the text, and then I shall reread it.
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tongue-in-cheek clinging to notions of prim and proper decorum as in the spunky heroines of L.M. Montgomery (sidenote: I am fairly sure Cecilia's aunt must have been inspired by Oscar Wilde's Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest), coming-of-age and coming-into-one's own, and a lovely romance of two utterly complementary persons.I wanted to inhale the book as soon as my library delivered it to my digital holds on its release date, but made myself savor it as much as I could (and immediately procured myself my own print copy as soon as I finished it). I believe the writing style, story, and characters will stand up well to re-readings. I intend to reread works by the Bronte sisters and see if I find more easter egg references than were already obviously alluded to in the text, and then I shall reread it.
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LibraryThing member eyes.2c
Historical romance? Really?!!
So I’m ok with Steampunk Victorian novels but I realize I’m not fully relating to this quasi-quirky Pirate Victorian romance more in the mode of a Lemony Snicket title, or maybe of Road Dahl gone rogue and let loose in Victorian England, with Quentin Blake
Is this a Victorian fantasy or something else? We have lady pirates trying to kill each other off, a would be assassin who’d rather write poetry, and escapades involving flying houses.
Have I strayed into a Baba Yaga alternate world, or is this simply a humorous alternative Victorian fantasy romance?
Celia Bassingwaite belongs to the Wisteria Society crime sorority. A thief who takes delight in seeking out treasures and obtaining them in less than approved ways.
Ned Lightbourne is an assassin working for the deranged Captain Morvath who’s decided to rid the land of forward thinking women, starting with the Wisteria ladies.
Not what I’d envisaged when I settled down to read a historical romance. No, this is somewhat more of a satirical /paradoxical romp—maybe!
I’m just going to have to do a re-read of this to really come to grips with it’s unorthodox departure from my expectations. At the moment I’m sitting just below the fence.
A Berkley Group ARC via NetGalley
So I’m ok with Steampunk Victorian novels but I realize I’m not fully relating to this quasi-quirky Pirate Victorian romance more in the mode of a Lemony Snicket title, or maybe of Road Dahl gone rogue and let loose in Victorian England, with Quentin Blake
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illustrations naturally.Is this a Victorian fantasy or something else? We have lady pirates trying to kill each other off, a would be assassin who’d rather write poetry, and escapades involving flying houses.
Have I strayed into a Baba Yaga alternate world, or is this simply a humorous alternative Victorian fantasy romance?
Celia Bassingwaite belongs to the Wisteria Society crime sorority. A thief who takes delight in seeking out treasures and obtaining them in less than approved ways.
Ned Lightbourne is an assassin working for the deranged Captain Morvath who’s decided to rid the land of forward thinking women, starting with the Wisteria ladies.
Not what I’d envisaged when I settled down to read a historical romance. No, this is somewhat more of a satirical /paradoxical romp—maybe!
I’m just going to have to do a re-read of this to really come to grips with it’s unorthodox departure from my expectations. At the moment I’m sitting just below the fence.
A Berkley Group ARC via NetGalley
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LibraryThing member quondame
This had the potential to be a 3/5 nonsense romp of the steampunk sort with Lady pirates in flying houses and mansions, who hold nothing higher than complete lack of scruples and utter good address. But it's mucked up with sappy coy lust for more than the forgivable amount of pages. And there were
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already more pages than the character/plot/nonsense could support. Show Less
LibraryThing member VashonJim
Silly but fun!
LibraryThing member AmyM3317
Cecilia Bassingthwaite is the very definition of proper. And she's also a thief with a dark past. Being raised by her aunt, Cecelia longs for the day she'll be accepted into The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels. She thinks she has a good chance at getting in now that an assassin has been sent to
Besides being hired to kill Cecilia, Ned Lightbourne is immediately captivated by her. But he won't let that stand in the way of his job as hired by the dread Captain Morvath who plans to rid England of the Wisteria Society one bad poem at a time.
But Cecilia and the other women of the Society will not go quietly. If they go out it'll be with guns a-blazing.
Honestly, I cannot even begin to formulate how surprised I was by this book. I went in obviously knowing I was interested in reading the story, but I was not prepared for how much fun this book was! From the very first page when Cecilia first thwarts Ned's assassination plans, I was hooked. The banter and back-and-forth between all that characters was whip-smart and on point. It's one of those books that you have to get into the flow of the dialogue in order to really appreciate the subtleties and nuances of all that's taking place. Plus, the image in my mind of these Victorian houses flying around with their canon's firing is not something I'll soon forget.
Of course I loved every interaction between Cecilia and Ned. They are the perfect definition of enemies to well...maybe enemies who love each other? I love the fact that they are on such opposite sides from one another and don't stray from those sides, but still fall for one another. It's interesting and dare I say very piratical. Very full of delightful contradictions much like everything in the book including the ladies of the Wisteria Society themselves.
It's almost difficult to form a coherent review of this book because it was just so much fun, but at times it was bonkers as well - in a good way mind you. If you are looking for something on the lighter side, that's fast paced, and quick witted you will be extremely satisfied with this book.
I'm now waiting with bated breath for the next installment!
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kill her (a mark of a true pirate). Besides being hired to kill Cecilia, Ned Lightbourne is immediately captivated by her. But he won't let that stand in the way of his job as hired by the dread Captain Morvath who plans to rid England of the Wisteria Society one bad poem at a time.
But Cecilia and the other women of the Society will not go quietly. If they go out it'll be with guns a-blazing.
Honestly, I cannot even begin to formulate how surprised I was by this book. I went in obviously knowing I was interested in reading the story, but I was not prepared for how much fun this book was! From the very first page when Cecilia first thwarts Ned's assassination plans, I was hooked. The banter and back-and-forth between all that characters was whip-smart and on point. It's one of those books that you have to get into the flow of the dialogue in order to really appreciate the subtleties and nuances of all that's taking place. Plus, the image in my mind of these Victorian houses flying around with their canon's firing is not something I'll soon forget.
Of course I loved every interaction between Cecilia and Ned. They are the perfect definition of enemies to well...maybe enemies who love each other? I love the fact that they are on such opposite sides from one another and don't stray from those sides, but still fall for one another. It's interesting and dare I say very piratical. Very full of delightful contradictions much like everything in the book including the ladies of the Wisteria Society themselves.
It's almost difficult to form a coherent review of this book because it was just so much fun, but at times it was bonkers as well - in a good way mind you. If you are looking for something on the lighter side, that's fast paced, and quick witted you will be extremely satisfied with this book.
I'm now waiting with bated breath for the next installment!
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LibraryThing member yonitdm
Clever premise and some parts had me chucking.
LibraryThing member beserene
I cannot call this novel well-written; nor well edited, given the frequency of the word "bemused" on a single page; nor even well characterized, since many of the characters do things for apparently no reason much of the time. But, despite all of that, it has a certain whackadoo charm, for those
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who like goofball fantasy romances, so why the heck not? If you're into that sort of thing already, you might like this very much. If inconsistencies of both the developmental and the proofreading kind drive you crazy, though, best read a better one. Show Less
LibraryThing member bangerlm
This is a fun, light, clever read. The narrator for the audio version is delightful.
LibraryThing member lisahistory
A fun steampunk-y romp through a world of pirates who fly houses, ladies and otherwise. Laugh out loud funny as the women conduct underhanded backstabbing (sometimes literally) while engaging in polite Victorian conversation and conventions. Plus a sexy romance to keep things moving. Brilliant
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tongue-in-cheek writing. Show Less
LibraryThing member LisaMLane
A fun steampunk-y romp through a world of pirates who fly houses, ladies and otherwise. Laugh out loud funny as the women conduct underhanded backstabbing (sometimes literally) while engaging in polite Victorian conversation and conventions. Plus a sexy romance to keep things moving. Brilliant
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tongue-in-cheek writing. Show Less
LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
Flying houses are the main sign of magic in this curious mix of Victorian primness and absurd society conventions (lady thieves and male pirates). There is a romeo and juliet romance going on between the two groups and some thrilling house battles. But I've seen it done better.
LibraryThing member amberwitch
Light Victorian paranormal romance. I did not find it as funny as it thought it was.
LibraryThing member michelleannlib
Just not my jam, but I see the appeal.
LibraryThing member catseyegreen
Steampunk-style romance. In a Victorian England, Cecilia Bassingthwaite lives as a proper lady with her aunt but longs to become a pirate and member of the Wisteria Society.
library book read 8/24/2023
library book read 8/24/2023
Awards
The New York Times Notable Books of the Year (Fiction — 2021)
Language
Original publication date
2021-06-15
Physical description
324 p.; 21 cm
ISBN
0593200160 / 9780593200162