The Three
The Three is a dual-timeline novel set in the 18th century. One storyline focuses on London in 1770. Stay-maker, Matthew Rooke, meets a wealthy gentleman, Henry Ashby, at the theatre, and there is an instant connection between the two men. We then follow the development of their relationship at a time when it was illegal and the consequences of being discovered were potentially fatal. The other storyline follows events in 1791. At this point, Matthew is living in Henry’s house, Stonehurst Manor in Surrey, as dress-maker to Henry’s wife, Lady Elina. As friendship develops between Matthew and Lady Elina, who bond over an interest in the radical ideas of the day, Matthew faces the dilemma of divided loyalty: does he support his friend or his lover?
This is a well-researched novel, which illuminates various different sides of Georgian London: that of fashionable and genteel women (and the work which went into making their underclothing); the debating societies of the 1790s in which radical ideas were discussed and shared; and the secretive world of homosexual men and the molly houses they frequented. However, the structure of the novel means that it lacks tension and onward momentum for the reader. The prologue makes clear the dilemma Matthew will face by the end of the 1791 timeline, and by weaving the two timelines together in alternate chapters the reader knows from the beginning how the 1770 timeline will end. The novel is written from Matthew’s point of view, and I found him an engaging narrator for the story.
Overall, The Three will appeal to readers interested in the Georgian period.
