A review by ladyfives
Gentleman Jack: The Real Anne Lister by Anne Choma

4.0

"This girl, without really having my esteem or affection, somehow or other, unhinges me whenever I see her."

what can i say but iconic

Just when I thought I got Anne's notoriety & unbelievable charm, something else shocking would crop up. I mean, she just casually gets to meet the Russian queen and attend her birthday party???? just hangs out with the princess??

What I most loved was what made her unconventional even beyond the fact that she married another woman: there was no inner turmoil and tragedy regarding her sexuality & society or her sexuality & her religion. She really was just so confident and assured - this was the way she was supposed to be, and she would be happy, damn what anyone else said. She was searching for a wife not only for love but for status, property, and money, just like the standard for other women and men in society... and her family was so supportive?? Also appreciated that the book didn't shy away from the, uh, less iconic things - she was a total classist snob, calculating and a little icy.

Very much a tight companion to the show however, as it's mainly about Ann Walker & Vere - just a couple years out of the decades of diary-writing she did.