The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Blurb (on back of book):
Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.
But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.
Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.
MY OPINION: *****
I absolutely adore this book with all my heart. I started it once a while back but never got around to finishing it though I cannot remember why. It is a beautifully-written book with quirky, lovable characters and a wonderful plot entwined into the picturesque setting of Europe.
The book was over 500 pages and it wasn't long enough. I was never bored throughout the book and found myself reading 200+ pages in one sitting when I had meant to read a couple of chapters. I loved everything about it and am very excited for the sequel!
I loved the way that Monty told the story. It was humorous, real, and heartbreaking all at the same time. He can never seem to do anything right and is always stuck in bad situations that the can't control. He can never please his abusive and overbearing father and he is hopelessly in love with his best friend.
Monty and his best friend, Percy, head out on their Grand Tour of Europe for one last hurrah. However, their plans are ruined when they are given a chaperone and are forced to go to boring, educational, bland seminars with Monty's sister Felicity, rather than going on the fun tour they had dreamed of. Monty being Monty steals a box from a Duke's chambers, setting into place the entire premise of the story as they run from the Duke and learn of the secrets of the box that Monty had managed to get his hands on.
Thus begins the wild adventure across Europe as Monty and his friends attempt to escape the Duke and find the secrets of the box.
Monty. I adored his character and wanted to cry for him every time more of his backstory was revealed. He was so broken and damaged that he even contemplated ending his own life as he deemed himself that worthless. In the beginning, he comes off as a reckless, arrogant, spoiled boy who loved to party and do unspeakable deeds with men and women alike but we soon realize that's his way of coping with the hurt and pain he's dealt with for his entire life. I loved that poor boy and I'm glad that he had Percy by his side throughout the book despite their rocky ups and downs. Monty also despises himself for being bisexual and liking other lads, and even says he wishes he could just get rid of that part of himself or let his father beat it out of him. Poor, poor Monty. I want to give this boy a hug more than anything.
I loved Monty's feelings for Percy and the way that the viewed him as better than anyone. I loved how he noticed the little things about him, letting us know that he truly was in love.
Percy. Poor Percy! He's had to deal with a lot in his life that he had never told Monty and I felt bad for the way that he had to go through all of that alone. I learned a lot about how people at that time viewed others with sicknesses and was disgusted by how people treated others back then. Percy also has African heritage and his skin color becomes an issue quite a lot throughout the book as he is treated as lesser than Monty and Felicity. I hated how he had grown resigned to it and didn't even bother fighting back against it; Monty's defense of Percy made him all the more admirable.
Felicity. I actually loved her character. She had her own set of problems that she was dealing with. Her biggest dream was to study medicine and become a doctor or surgeon but being a girl, that was impossible. Instead, she was being forced to go off to finishing school rather than school like the boys and couldn't pursue her dreams. She was unbelievably fierce and way stronger than Monty and I loved that about her character.
I loved this book and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a cute historical fiction with a lot of representation, adventure, and romance!
Main Character: Monty
Sidekick(s): Percy, Felicity, etc
Villain(s): Father, abuse, sickness, prejudice, etc
Historical Fiction Elements: This book was set in the past and was based on historical facts with a fictional setting and plot.
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