Scan barcode
A review by erboe501
Viper Wine by Hermione Eyre
5.0
What an inventive novel! It's historical fiction, biography, almost fantasy, with nods to the present sprinkled in. At first, I didn't think Eyre could pull it off, but I soon adjusted to the narrative mode. A catch of computer code, the ghost of Emily Dickinson, an excerpt from a 2012 exotic beauty routine somehow fit so well. They work to remind the reader of how relevant the themes the Digbys face are today. Our culture is obsessed with every new regiment that promises perfect skin, perfect hair.
Following Lord and Lady Digby in the 1630s (right before the English Civil War), VIPER WINE uses historical documents within the novel to make the piece feel real. You believe in the Digby's love for each other, and you believe their obsessions with alchemy (Lord) and beauty (Lady). I learned a lot about 17th century beauty lessons and the falsely calm decade of peace in England before the civil war. Informative, but also immensely fun. You root for this oddball couple, even as you recognize their flaws, which are really rather egregious.
A meaty read.
Following Lord and Lady Digby in the 1630s (right before the English Civil War), VIPER WINE uses historical documents within the novel to make the piece feel real. You believe in the Digby's love for each other, and you believe their obsessions with alchemy (Lord) and beauty (Lady). I learned a lot about 17th century beauty lessons and the falsely calm decade of peace in England before the civil war. Informative, but also immensely fun. You root for this oddball couple, even as you recognize their flaws, which are really rather egregious.
A meaty read.