Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Restoration Rags to Riches, March 10, 2007
This is a quick, fun, easy to read romance to appeal to your Cinderella side.
Nell Gwynne grew up in a brothel and is scarred by watching her intoxicated mother, and later her older sister, succumb to the perils of prostitution and promises herself something better. As a teen she sells oranges to the crowds at the King's Theatre and eventually makes her way to the stage. From there she catches the roving eye of the Rogue King (King Charles II of England) and captures the heart of the London crowd. The well documented `rags to riches' romance they embarked upon lasted until the King's death nearly 20 years later.
History has portrayed Nell Gwynne as the original "whore with a heart of gold" (though she is undeserving of being called a whore). Despite Charles' insatiable appetite for other women, she maintained her cheekiness, clever wit and showed him only compassion. He loved her for her unedited honesty, quick and bawdy humor, and simple non-aristocratic self. Though Haeger does not tell the reader which elements of this novel are established facts and which are purely fictional, her presentation of the King is consistent with that of observers of the time (Sam Pepys, etc.). He had a knack for living through nostalgia rather than the present, an inability to separate familial and political needs, a dread of conflict, and an unquenchable thirst for all things hedonistic. To Nell Gwynne he was a mortal flawed man, not just the King, and Nell loved him for himself.
One drawback - Haeger attempted to write Nell's dialogue phonetically by merely dropping the "H" sound from words which begin with the same letter. There is more to the accent than that! While it made the point that Nell never forgot who she was or where she came from, I found this to be distracting. It is a small flaw to an otherwise enjoyable love story.
|
|
|
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"The fire had opened up a doorway between two worlds.", March 15, 2007
In Restoration England, Nell Gwynne lives in poverty-riddled London, an orange girl at the King's Theater who has so far avoided the taint of prostitution that has claimed her mother and sister. With fresh beauty and quick wit, Nell is determined to forge a better life, but her lack of breeding and an empty purse leave little doubt as to what awaits such a woman. London is still reeling from the devastation of the plague and the Great Fire that has all but leveled the city. However, Nell's fortunes are radically altered in a chance meeting with King Charles II outside the theatre as she sifts through the rubble. This fortuitous meeting will change the girl's life, the king enchanted by her spunk, long copper tresses and sweet face. Given an opportunity to act in a bawdy comedy on stage at the theater, the die is cast as London society falls in love with this daughter of the streets. At the theater with his latest mistress, Lady Castlemaine, Charles takes immediate notice of the saucy actress, intrigued by thoughts of a future liaison.
Thinking to better herself by an association with the nobility that now pay nightly homage, Nell falls for the charms of a roué, unaware of his reputation as a womanizer. After protecting her virtue for so long, Nell decides that perhaps this lesser noble will be her ticket out of poverty, only to find that he is a drunk with no intentions of marrying. Yet her dalliance has brought Nell to Charles' court, where the king takes immediate notice, with amorous intentions of his own. Judiciously planning to succumb to the charms of the king, Nell begins an affair that will last for over a decade, becoming not only a favored mistress but a trusted confidant of the monarch. From the start, the philandering king makes clear his inability to remain faithful to one woman; it is Nell's pragmatic acceptance of this fact that insures her longevity at the king's side. Through a considerable act of will and an unerring instinct for survival, Nell ignores the king's other dalliances, threatening and painful though they may be, bearing him two sons, at the heart of all her love for the man who raised her from poverty to a life of luxury.
Haeger captures the essence of Reformation society, the constant gossip that seeks to intimidate the outsider, the sycophants who buzz about the throne like flies. In contrast, Nell is a creature of the streets who finds her voice on the stage; even though Charles draws his mistress into court society, to the shock of the nobility, she is able, for the most part, to interact without embarrassing her benefactor. No fool, Nell has made her own alliances at court, influential men who support the woman they have come to trust as a faithful friend. It is this honesty and lack of artifice that so intrigue Charles as well as Nell's complete acceptance of the restrictions of their relationship. While the business of state frequently keeps the king from Nell and he seeks solace in the arms of others, notably of women of high birth, Nell remains a constant, a trusted confidant who is virtually irreplaceable. Perhaps only a footnote in the history of Reformation England, Nell Gwynne has survived the years, memorable not only for her acting skills but for her unconditional love of Charles II. Luan Gaines/2007.
|
|
|
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Just shy of a romance novel, November 13, 2007
I'm having a difficult time trying to describe this book. yes, it was interesting enough to keep me reading, but certainly not one to be added to my list of favorites. A little slow going at first, but picked up steam as it went on. I found the characters rather flat and lacking dimension and could never get a good handle on their true intentions. For instance, a subplot centering on intrigue and deception amongst some of the characters vying for power in the king's court could have been a more pivotal part of the story, but went nowhere. I could never understand how Nell Gwynn fell so head-over-heels in love with the king after barely meeting him and then despite this great love, actually tolerated his open relationships with other women. It seemed like a major character flaw in a woman portrayed as strong and independent is so many other ways (and the story did not convince me that she simply stayed involved for the money or prestige). I couldn't help but think of the king as a philandering two-timer (although kings always get what they want)who was simply using her for his pleasure (despite historical evidence indicating his deep feelings for her). Although a true story, it just felt too contrived and nauseatingly romantic to me.
All in all, it was a pleasant and enjoyable read. It would be worth your time to give it a try.
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
by Diane Haeger
by Diane Haeger
by Alison Weir
by Anya Seton
See all Editorial Reviews
