Starred review from November 17, 2003
The true story of lowborn but beautiful Elizabeth Gunning (1733–1790), who took Georgian England by storm and became a duchess twice, is vividly fictionalized in this unconventional romance from Henley (Ravished
, etc.). Born into an impoverished family, Elizabeth and her older sister Maria, both aspiring actresses, apply their talents offstage when their ambitious mother decides they should pose as members of the minor nobility. In London, their bold maneuvering, good fortune and the girls' own magnificence catapults them into society, where they draw the attention of noblemen and even the heir to the throne. The one man who knows Elizabeth's secret is John Campbell, the future Duke of Argyll, whose love for her isn't enough—at least initially—to overcome the difference in their status. She's also coveted, for much darker reasons, by John's enemy, the powerful Duke of Hamilton. The details of the Gunnings' rise will delight; at one point, the fearless Mrs. Gunning hires actors to mob her daughters whenever they appear in public and an actress to play their ladies' maid. Possessing all the sensuality and glitter of a more traditional romance but enriched by the plot's complexity and the heroine's genuine growth, this captivating tale will leave readers amply satisfied.
December 15, 2003
The Gunnings are a family of gifted Irish actors, albeit quite poor. Mrs. Gunning decides that they should go to London disguised as aristocrats so that her two daughters can marry wealthy noblemen. Elizabeth and Maria are remarkably beautiful, and these "granddaughters" of Viscount Mayo soon make a splash in British society. With their mother's guidance, the sisters resort to theatrical tricks to pull off the illusion of wealth, including hiring a fellow actress to play their maid and adding ruffles and bows to their one good gown to make it look like several. John Campbell, the Duke of Argyll, becomes smitten with Elizabeth, whose guilt over the deception grows stronger each day. Maria, on the other hand, is delighted with the charade. Henley's gently suspenseful tale of two poseurs in eighteenth-century British society, a realm so artificial it can't recognize fakery, is filled with satisfying historical detail and actual characters from this intriguing period.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)