Mortal Follies
Mortal Follies is set in Regency-era Bath, with fleeting visits to London and the Yorkshire countryside. It follows the fortunes (or misfortunes) of Maelys Mitchelmore, a young debutante who is determined to rid herself of a curse that has inexplicably descended upon her. She is aided – or perhaps hindered – by her friend Lysistrata Bickle, whose head is full of romantic notions of love, magic, and improbable adventures. And by the ‘Duke of Annadale’ who, despite the name, is an ostracised female aristocrat. The result is a romp through a world populated by spirits and eccentric characters as Maelys discovers magic, mischief and murder, and starts to fall in love with the enigmatic ‘Duke’.
This is the 19th century, but not as you know it. The supernatural world is taken for granted, sexual ambiguity is mostly tolerated, and there are lots of bizarre and free-thinking characters. All the ingredients are in place for an amusing read with deep themes, but somehow the novel fails to deliver its full potential. The characters are not fully rounded and not always particularly likeable. And the story is not grounded in any kind of recognisable world (some physical description of the locations might have helped here). As a result, I found it hard to empathise with the characters or even to believe that Maelys was ever in any real danger. I also found the constant interjections by the narrator, a hobgoblin named Robin, slightly irksome.
However, others may disagree. If you are looking for a light read with an entertaining situation and an alternative reality, you will enjoy Mortal Follies.
