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HALL WAYS AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Between
the title, cover, and the audiobook sample I listened to, there was no way I
wasn’t going to dive into A Poetic Pox as soon as possible and stay there until the last word
had been uttered. Sometimes, you just *know* when a book is a perfect fit, and
I’m happy to report that my gut didn’t do me dirty in choosing A Poetic Pox for
my next listen. Reminiscent of one of my favorite characters, Lady Sherlock of
Sherry Thomas’s series of the same name, main character Mrs. Tiffany Lathrop is sharp as a
tack, witty, and defies societal expectations and behaviors. What fun!
A Poetic Pox includes a plethora of characters to keep up with and few relationships are straightforward. In this respect, it might be easier to read with the eyes as opposed to the ears. My solution was to just jot down names and details - then mark them out and update them; the author definitely keeps readers on their toes with surprising reveals, one after another. Possibly, the new eBook version will have a cast of characters.
“I would not paint all women as sinners or saint. Life is far too complicated for such simplistic morality.”
Set
in eighteenth-century England during the days leading up to The Twelfth Night, A
Poetic Pox gives readers a peek into societal norms and class and gender
differences of the time. One interesting aspect of the book is how the
characters are breaking those boundaries. Another interesting aspect is the factual
history of the smallpox epidemic, and author Samantha Larsen doesn’t shy away from depicting
the horrors of it and the medical treatments of the time. *shiver* It’s clear she’s done
her research. (Side note: we’re currently watching Ken Burns’s American
Revolution series on PBS, so seeing the parallel impact of the disease on this
side of the pond at the same time.) Add in a hint of the paranormal, secret
passages, a decaying abbey, and dodgy characters-a-plenty, A Poetic Pox is
practically unputdownable with its worldbuilding.
“Why did Tiffany yearn for more than what her Lord had so generously given her?”
While the novel is historical fiction, Larsen also reminds readers of women’s issues and themes that are timeless: the guilt of a mom who wants more than just motherhood; the difficulty of finding balance; the ruminations about life and purpose. There are regular – and likely quite intentional – interruptions in the story while Tiffany has to nurse or change the nappy of a demanding baby. These parts often offered some comic relief and tenderness against the horrors of death and disease.
Going
in, I didn’t realize that A Poetic Pox is the third book in the A Lady
Librarian Mystery series because I didn’t have any trouble
following the story as a stand-alone. However, I am very interested in knowing
the backstory of how Tiffany became a private librarian at all, given the period,
how she first met Samir Lathrop, a bookseller who is now her husband, and of
course, Lady Catharine’s full, sure-to-be-juicy story. (I’ve already downloaded
the audiobook of the first book in the series, A Novel Disguise, and
can’t wait to get started and get all the tea.)
ABOUT THE AUDIOBOOK: The
narrator, Marni Penning, is outstanding and truly performs the parts with
delightful voicing of young and old, male and female, nefarious and innocent. Her
pacing and delivery are perfect, and the audio is glitch-free. (I listened at
1.1x on the Audiobooks.com app.)
Hang
on to your petticoats! A Poetic Pox provides a wild, twisty plot with surprising
reveals that come one after another, like aftershocks to an earthquake. But
fear not: the author brings it back around to give readers a happy, hopeful
ending – and plenty of anticipation for a next installment.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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