Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Graces:
It’s all fun and games until someone loses their head.
Quick synopsis:
A look at the lives of women at the English Restoration Court.
Fact for Non-History People:
After the Restoration, women were allowed to act in public theaters for the first time.
Fact for History Nerds:
Charles II had 14 illegitimate children but legitimate heir.
My Take on The Graces:
How do you solve the problems like Maria’s? (Ok, not my best opening, but honestly not my worst, either.) Breeze Barrington looks at the life and patronage of Maria d’Este (later Mary of Modena) in her book The Graces. For the uninitiated, Mary was princess and queen after the English Restoration which followed a slight beheading and then years of no fun. But do you know who was lots of fun? Charles II! You know what they say, you always go for the exact opposite of your ex.
Barrington has a tall order with this book because there is so much going on. The author is mostly focused on resurrecting Maria and highlighting her own talents and how she raised up other women around her. However, you can’t tell this story without explaining all the drama around it. There is enough backstabbing at this court to make our most terrible reality shows blush. I don’t know how, but Barrington walks the tightrope of staying on message and educating about the time period without losing the reader. Specifically, though, this book is at its best when Barrington takes the time to dig into specific artworks or plays (it is clear Anne Killigrew is her favorite at least in my opinion). I love it when I can tell how passionate the author is about something and that shows through in these sections. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in the period.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Bloomsbury Books.)
Verdict:
An enlightening read. Buy it here!
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