The Heiress Effect by
Courtney Milan
My rating:
5 of 5 stars
This work is my fourth that I’ve read by this author, though only second full length novel. It is also the fourth in the same series – Brothers Sinister.
For those who like the concept of reading ‘commoners’ with commoners in historical fiction . . . well, I’d need to know your specific definition of commoner. Otherwise – the lead male character is the son of a farmer and a governess; while the lead female character . . . it is not clear where her parents fell in society as both were dead before the start of this story – though I believe neither were of the titled set. 1) there were/are titled people in this book, though the ones with the most scenes are more ‘enemies’ than friends or ally’s (the lead male character, Oliver Marshall, is related to a Duke, but he’s barely in this book – seen once or twice in passing; and, well that’s two); 2) while the son of commoners, the kind without the right to vote, Oliver also is a ‘Duke’s bastard’ – his biological father was a Duke, though he never thought of that guy as his father, instead thinking of Hugo Marshal, the man who raised him, as his father.
The story takes place in 1867, and Oliver’s chief mission in this book, or at least his stated mission, is to expand the voting franchise. While Jane’s stated mission (Jane being the, as yet unnamed, lead female character) in the book is to be as annoying as possible so that people would be less desirous of asking for her hand in marriage – as her uncle wishes (awkwardly stated – he wishes for her to marry)). Jane’s managed to keep getting invited to parties, fewer than might otherwise be the case, because she’s the ‘heiress’ of 100,000 pounds. (Pounds of what? That’s what they call the currency).
Just like in the first full length work I read by this author – the main and secondary characters were quite well created and interesting to be around. The story mostly takes place in Cambridge, but does feature a few scenes in London and Nottingham.
Oh, and there’s a ‘neat’ little side story involving Jane’s sister and her, Emily’s, own romance. With a man not normally encountered in Historical Fiction set in England in the late 1860s. I mention both to make note of it, and because I’d failed to mention that Emily is the reason that Jane’s trying to ‘ruin’ her chances at marriage. For, you see, Emily has a guardian who allows Jane to be around, with the understanding that she’s to find a husband and presumably then move off with the husband. Jane needs to be near Emily because she has a condition that inspires ‘quacks’ to do horrible things to her like burn her or send electric charges through her body – and Jane wishes to be near to bribe them to leave Emily alone (the guardian, Uncle Titus, is ‘all for’ anything to get Emily better – including burning and the like).
Um. Hmms. Romance, humor, politics . . . hmms. Stuff occurs, it’s entertaining to watch the ‘stuff’ occur.
Rating: 4.75
February 9 2018
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