Angela H. (brideofspoon) reviewed on 12/11/2012 + 23 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

This is really a fun, fluffy book. I have read so many annotated 19th century British novels that I noticed little accuracy problems that kept bugging me. For example, the second son of a marquess is never called "Lord" anything, and if someone is called "Lord" something, it is not accompanied by his first name. Sir Richard - yes. Lord Richard - no. The language is definitely pretty modern, too, although there are some things dropped into the dialogue that are appropriate for the time. Also, some of the situations and conduct and ideas of propriety are totally wrong for the time.

All that said, this did not ruin the book for me. I know what this book is meant to be, and it lived up to that expectation. It's like watching "Pirates of the Caribbean." A real pirate's life was dangerous and dirty and grimy and not as swashbuckling as the movies show it. Also, how about Elizabeth Swann suddenly giving orders to the pirate crew about steering their ship? The governor's daughter, cossetted and pampered, somehow knows something more about rigging than a bunch of pirates? But it's fun and these things do not ruin my enjoyment of the entertainment. The same thing applies to "The Secret History of the Pink Carnation." It takes place in a world that resembles the actual 19th century, but that has some differences. I'm ok with that, and I really enjoyed reading this, so it gets a high rating from me.

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