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trin's review against another edition
5.0
Five hundred pages of pure delight. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue is a historical gay romance/adventure novel that could best be described as a romp, although that doesn't quite convey how smartly conceived and smartly written it is. I loved the characters: Monty, our lovable mess of a narrator; Percy, his long-suffering biracial best friend who stands up for himself when it most counts; and Felicity, Monty's badass little sister. I also loved the excellent use of prime 18th-century shenanigans, including highwaymen, pirates, improper behavior at the French court, Venetian tomb-raiding, and alchemy.
Having read so many (ugh, so many) mediocre to bad YA books over the years that all felt like they were set in a black box theater, it's also worth mentioning how wonderfully visual this novel is. Our heroes' travels take them around Europe and each setting feels unique and vibrant -- it's unbelievably refreshing. As is this book.
Having read so many (ugh, so many) mediocre to bad YA books over the years that all felt like they were set in a black box theater, it's also worth mentioning how wonderfully visual this novel is. Our heroes' travels take them around Europe and each setting feels unique and vibrant -- it's unbelievably refreshing. As is this book.
swaye's review
3.0
Phew! The (not so) little book that could.
It starts off and ends great, but from around the 300 page mark it all goes seriously pear-shaped. I feel like the author tried to cover way too many themes. In fact, its summed up pretty perfectly in this quote, "Oh, I think we're well off track now. We've had an adventure novel instead of a Tour."
All in all though, very sweet.
It starts off and ends great, but from around the 300 page mark it all goes seriously pear-shaped. I feel like the author tried to cover way too many themes. In fact, its summed up pretty perfectly in this quote, "Oh, I think we're well off track now. We've had an adventure novel instead of a Tour."
All in all though, very sweet.
oscarreads's review against another edition
4.0
I liked that this book tackled several difficult topics, such as sexism, racism and abusive parents. The relationship between Henry and his sister was well written and I loved that they finally got to know each other during this trip. Percy and Henry's love for each other felt real and I loved watching them realize that both had feelings for each other.
In the beginning Henry had kind of underlying racist and sexist tendencies but the character development made him a much more likable character toward the end of the book.
My one complaint is that the antagonist felt underdeveloped as we barely know anything about him, just that he's after a box that was stolen from him.
In the beginning Henry had kind of underlying racist and sexist tendencies but the character development made him a much more likable character toward the end of the book.
My one complaint is that the antagonist felt underdeveloped as we barely know anything about him, just that he's after a box that was stolen from him.
booksofjj's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Quite enjoy this one but it could have done with being a little shorter as there is a lot of filler plot at times
dvnielletreads's review against another edition
4.0
Actual rating: 4.5 Stars!
After acentury year, I finally was able to go back and finish this.
The first time I tried to read this, it was smack dab in the middle of the semester and I just wasn't able to attach myself to Monty when I tried reading the book itself. I gave up over halfway through, which is something I rarely do.
So this year I decided that I wanted to give it another shot by using the audiobook, and let me tell you: Christian Coulson reading Monty was everything. Obviously me attempting to give Monty the proper voice could not be done in my head but Coulson's reading of him felt exactly as Monty should have. With that being said, the book itself is hilarious, wonderful and an all-around good time. Percy is truly adorable and must be protected at all costs. Felicity is a legend ("ladies haven't the luxury of being squeamish about blood") and I'm thrilled that she's got her own sequel which I will definitely be checking out.
If you're just looking for a surpisingly quick and funny adventure, please check it out!
After a
The first time I tried to read this, it was smack dab in the middle of the semester and I just wasn't able to attach myself to Monty when I tried reading the book itself. I gave up over halfway through, which is something I rarely do.
So this year I decided that I wanted to give it another shot by using the audiobook, and let me tell you: Christian Coulson reading Monty was everything. Obviously me attempting to give Monty the proper voice could not be done in my head but Coulson's reading of him felt exactly as Monty should have. With that being said, the book itself is hilarious, wonderful and an all-around good time. Percy is truly adorable and must be protected at all costs. Felicity is a legend ("ladies haven't the luxury of being squeamish about blood") and I'm thrilled that she's got her own sequel which I will definitely be checking out.
If you're just looking for a surpisingly quick and funny adventure, please check it out!