Helpful Score: 7
The title "Royal Harlot" should have tipped me off.
I picked up Susan Holloway Scott's novel about Barbara Villiers Palmer, notorious mistress of England's Charles II, expecting a certain amount of titillation, but also hoping for an enlightening glimpse into merry Restoration London.
I got smut.
A third of the way into "Royal Harlot," I already felt bludgeoned by the sex scenes. Reading this novel was a bit like watching "Showgirls."
I finished the book totally unenlightened about Charles' Dutch wars or his divisive religious policies. Scott spent just a few pages on the Great Plague and Great Fire of London. (I learned more by quickly skimming Wikipedia entries than I did from this book.)
But I did discover Charles II and Barbara Villiers liked sex. A lot.
I picked up Susan Holloway Scott's novel about Barbara Villiers Palmer, notorious mistress of England's Charles II, expecting a certain amount of titillation, but also hoping for an enlightening glimpse into merry Restoration London.
I got smut.
A third of the way into "Royal Harlot," I already felt bludgeoned by the sex scenes. Reading this novel was a bit like watching "Showgirls."
I finished the book totally unenlightened about Charles' Dutch wars or his divisive religious policies. Scott spent just a few pages on the Great Plague and Great Fire of London. (I learned more by quickly skimming Wikipedia entries than I did from this book.)
But I did discover Charles II and Barbara Villiers liked sex. A lot.
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