Reviews

I first read "The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue" when I was 18 and it hit all the right spots back then. Just the perfect queer adventure story with the right amount of serious undertones and important discussions. So, I already loved this book for nostalgic purposes and for the dynamics of the Montague Siblings, who I all adore in their own way. Plot-wise I think it was the weakest out of the series, but I loved the discussion of mental health, which really was the focus of this book more than in the other ones. Adrian and his anxiety struggles really spoke to me, as well as the message of not needing fixing and just trying to get through life as best as you can with the cards you've been dealt. And of course seeing Monty and Percy again and how much in love they still were absolutely warmed my heart. There just is something about seeing queer characters in a historical setting, who are striving and happy nonetheless.

littlewhiterabbitreads's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

lunaballz's review against another edition

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4.0

I'm not sure how I feel about the plot itself, but Mackenzi Lee is very talented with character development. I didn't need the plot when I got to read about Adrian and his newly discovered siblings bonding together. I also adore how she writes about chronic illness and injuries, with characters discovering that there isn't a magic cure and everything might not be easy every day but that's life and they'll live with their new reality.

Anyways, read this if you want great anxiety rep and sibling love and don't mind some fantastical elements in your historical fiction

readingsitaaras's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I came into this expecting a nice fluffy and fun adventurous read much like the first two books. And there was adventure and sarcasm and witty humor and crazy antics, but this book also deeply features the main character's anxiety and OCD, which made this surprisingly hard to read - especially if you deal with similar thoughts and difficulties.

We're reading the book from Adrian's perspective and Mackenzie Lee does such a good job at putting his character into the narration and really putting you into his mind, to the point that you feel everything he does. His anxious narration drives up your own anxiety, and I found myself needing to put down the book every now and then to take a break from his thinking. I was really glad to see him get the development and arc that he did - after so much anxiety and obsession, we get a hopeful ending that really represents that idea of 'there is life after survival'.

This was also a fun adventurous read of course, I just focused on the mental health aspects of it because that's what was most personal to me. We do get a fun plot that perhaps lacks a little in complexity but is made up for with the well-developed characters. Overall, the book made for a satisfying and sweet end to the series.

bassoonerfortip's review against another edition

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adventurous funny fast-paced

4.0

Fun fast paced read, I really identified with the MC anxiety sorta made me feel not alone. I don't have the same racing thoughts but it happens to me too.

roolookingatstars's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

netflix_and_lil's review against another edition

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2.0

Did she... plagiarise the last sentences of this book from Rainer Maria Rilke? I'm genuinely asking.

'Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final.' - Rilke

'I will let it all happen to me, beauty and terror... I know that no feeling is final.' - Lee

It was the end card for JoJo Rabbit for Christ's sake. It's also one of my favourite quotes. I have a mug with it printed on it I'm drinking from right now. What is happening??

Other than that, The Nobleman's Guide was. I thought it was a bit long and a bit rambly, and what could have been a fun reunion for favourite characters quickly turned into me being sad because my favourite characters had backslid into the teenage versions of themselves and a book with 'shipwreck' in the title failed to produce ANY actual shipwrecks. And also very little scandal. Unbelievable. It teases many things - a ghost ship, a pirate queen villain with a grudge, a marooning island... and complete brushes aside each of these morsels for more A to B historically accurate long-ass travel time. And in a series that never shied away from the fantastical, suddenly everyone is a sceptic!

This book is very much a character study. I'd recommend anyone interested in the story read a hundred or so pages and if you don't click with Adrian Montague as a protagonist, you don't need to bother with the rest. Things don't really get better as you go. If you do click with him, you may very well get something out of this trilogy closer - but I just feel a little robbed.

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