Summary: Travel back in time with us to one of history’s most prolific literary periods (and, if Holly says so herself, peak fashion as well). Today our hosts discuss books set between the 1830s and 1900, a period known commonly as the Victorian period after Queen Victoria of Britain. With a strong emphasis on social morality, industrialization and elaborate ornamentation, both romance and thriller stories set in this era are vivid, chaotic, and gothically influenced. 

Topics Discussed:

• The Dagger (3:58 ): Holly discussed Things in Jars by Jess Kidd, a mystery with fantastical elements following Bridie Devine, a female detective who investigates the kidnapping of Christabel Berwick. Cristabel is the secret daughter of Sir Edmund Athelstan Berwick; he is a wealthy collector of oddities and this daughter of his is rumored to have supernatural abilities–which have captured the unwanted attention of collectors trading curiosities in this age of discovery. Holly’s key takeaways were:

• The characters are the stars of this book and bring wonderful quirky and eccentric energy. A few favorites include a charming tattooed boxer who happens to be a ghost, a newt-eating girl-maybe-mermaid, and a formidable seven-foot tall maid. 

• The novel’s setting in Victorian London adds to its gothic tone, with vivid descriptions of the city’s foggy streets, eerie riverbanks, and strange, shadowy characters who dwell in its hidden corners. It is a perfect time period for this story, given the age of discovery and fascination with the strange and macabre while still hanging onto a lot of superstition. 

• The writing (especially the first quarter) felt like it was trying too hard to fit every descriptive long word in, which can trip up a reader and prevent them from feeling super invested. That being said, over time that experience does improve and the end made even the unflappable Holly emotional. 

• The Heart (15:35 ): Devin discussed The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes by Cat Sebastian, a Victorian-era romance following Marian Hayes, the Duchess of Clare, after she shoots and kills her husband. Due to a spot of blackmail, she connects with highwayman and con artist Rob Brooks and after some misunderstandings, some light bondage, and a mutual agreement the duo flee across the country to build, hopefully, a new future for them both. Devin’s key takeaways were: 

• Marian and Rob (as well as everyone else) are constrained throughout the story by the strict societal and cultural pressures mandated by the Patriarchy and the Aristocracy. Rob strives at all times to reject the privilege of his aristocratic history, and Marian seeks freedom from her abusive marriage (nailed it, killed him) and the fallout a woman can suffer when seeking liberation in the Victorian era. 

• Eschewing dresses and feeling most comfortable in breeches, Marian is a heroine to root for. While each character has their own journey and there’s a uniting plot similar to Robin Hood, everyone is empowered in their own way and the interplay of Rob’s sunshine charisma and Marian’s standoffish efficiency is a blast to read. 

• While the tension and connection between Rob and Marian is strong from the start as the reader experiences the letters they write to each other (blackmail to banter, a new favorite trope), this is not a traditionally steamy book. Marian’s trauma from her pregnancy and abusive marriage has reframed how she wants to experience intimacy, and Rob’s acceptance of her situation makes modern men look pathetic compared to this Victorian king. 

• Hot On the Shelf (34:02 ):

• Holly: The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden

• Devin: Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner

• What’s Making Our Hearts Race (37:10 ):

• Holly: The Great British Baking Show

• Devin: Trousdale

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