The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
“We are not broken things, neither of us. We are cracked pottery mended with laquer and flakes of gold, whole as we are, complete unto each other. Complete and worthy and so very loved.”
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue is a funny story with amazing characters
I thoroughly enjoyed The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. I was hoping for a funny story full of adventure with a beautiful romance and great characters and that’s exactly what I got. This story reads so easily and quickly, and I finished it in no time. Definitely recommended if you want to read something light and fast-paced.
Synopsis
Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.
But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.
Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.
I liked the storyline of The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue. I really enjoyed the adventure that Henry, Percy and Felicity are on. Something happened in every chapter. There isn’t a single dull moment in The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue. Henry’s grand tour is actually a 17th century road trip full of fun, adventure, hilarious and unhappy moments.
The only thing that I perhaps disliked was the particle about the panacea (= an imaginary medicine that would help with everything). This was exactly a fantasy element added to a historical novel, but no idea for what reason. I’m not going to go into too much detail here because I don’t want to spoil anything, but if you read the book you will understand what I’m talking about.
These characters! Awesome. What beautiful characters. Percy was my favorite (who would have thought), but I want to talk about Henry’s character development. Because Henry Montague on page 1 is not the same as on page 513. The character development in this book is phenomenal. Each character is very, very deep and they each feel genuine. There are several “enemies” in this book, and they are all evil in their own way. It was fun seeing multiple bad guys.
The world-building was also well put together. I could imagine everything perfectly and at times it really seemed like I was on a pirate ship with Percy, Henry and Felicity. This is a cute book!
Would I recommend it?
If I’m only reviewing the book, I would recommend it. However, I’m not planning on reading the other books in this series. I also want to say I’ve heard some things about this author that are not okay (such as autographing books that aren’t hers), and quickly wanted to say I do not support her actions.
Trigger warnings
Abuse (parental), adoption, alcoholism, breakups (friendship), death (mentioned), epilepsy, homophobia, prison, racism, robbery, seizures
Representation
Bisexual main character, gay side character
Genre
Historical fiction, romance
Pages
513
Publication
June 27th, 2017
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