Felicity Montague is through with pretending she prefers society parties to books about bone setting—or that she’s not smarter than most people she knows, or that she cares about anything more than her dream of becoming a doctor.
A year after an accidentally whirlwind tour of Europe, which she spent evading highwaymen and pirates with her brother Monty, Felicity has returned to England with two goals in mind—avoid the marriage proposal of Callum Doyle, a lovestruck suitor from Edinburgh; and enroll in medical school. However, her intellect and passion will never be enough in the eyes of the administrators, who see men as the sole guardians of science.
But then a small window of hope opens. Doctor Alexander Platt, an eccentric physician that Felicity idolizes, is looking for research assistants, and Felicity is sure that someone as forward thinking as her hero would be willing to take her on. However, Platt is in Germany, preparing to wed Felicity’s estranged childhood friend Johanna. Not only is Felicity reluctant to opening old wounds, she also has no money to make the trip.
Luckily, a mysterious young woman is willing to pay Felicity’s way, so long as she’s allowed to travel with Felicity disguised as her maid. In spite of her suspicions, Felicity agrees, but once the girl’s true motives are revealed, Felicity becomes part of a perilous quest that will lead her from the German countryside to the promenades of Zurich to secrets lurking beneath the Atlantic.
Source: advance e-galley provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
All right. The boys had more than their fair share of adventure in The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue, so now it's the girls' turn. Sorry, Monty and Percy can't have all the fun. We already knew Felicity (Monty's younger sister) was a firecracker. She's smart, fearless and unafraid to share her opinions. Thank goodness for her because she held things together for the boys when things looked bleak. Lady's Guide starts out as far away as possible from excitement. Felicity is working in a bakery in Scotland feeling slightly defeated because she hasn't been able to pursue her dream of studying medicine yet. She has the brains but it's the misfortune in being born a girl that thwarts her at every turn. When the bakery owner proposes to her, offering her a comfortable, stable life with the understanding that she gives up her ambition, she hightails it out of there so fast for one last ditch effort to get into med school.
So much happens that sadly resonates with what's been happening in our world lately. The struggles Felicity goes through to be taken seriously and prove her worth and abilities are so freaking frustrating. (I couldn't help wondering how she would react to our current social and political backsliding.) Anyway, with Monty and Percy hopelessly and sickeningly in love (yes, they're back as well), Felicity has to rely on herself for all the pep talks and becomes resourceful when obstacles pop up. I love how that brain of hers works. Thanks to her previous dalliance with pirates, she has connections to take her to Germany to meet up with an old friend. And that's using the term very loosely. Joanna, is marrying a scientist Felicity would love to have mentor her. She just has to be discreet especially since she's travelling with the pirate, Sim. Sim who has her own secret agenda is masquerading as Felicity's servant girl. Things go amuck at the wedding and soon all three ladies are on the run, desperately racing against time when they realize what's at stake.
If ever I have the urge to run away and form a pirate gang of badass women I'd want Felicity, Joanna and Sim to be there. Each of them represents a different face of feminism. Felicity is studious, firm and intelligent. A natural leader who keeps a calm head during a crisis. Joanna embraces her femininity, and unlike Felicity who openly rails against expectations, Joanna subvertly fights that by working her femininity to her advantage. She's diligent, curious, observant and cunning when the need arises. Sim, having grown up amongst pirates has a more rough and tumble streak, is disciplined, strong and unconstrained by etiquette or society's standards. Their bond only strengthens as their journey becomes perilous.
The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy is another action-packed fare set to a fascinating historical background that highlights friendship and sisterhood. I hope reading this encourages all the Felicitys, Joannas and Sims of the world to rise up because if anything, we see that women are more than capable and get things done when they band together.
~ Bel
