This book is great and a real page-turner! I enjoyed it immensely. It would be right up the alley of any fan of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice". The relationships of the debutantes are all innocent, proper and lovely. The main 3 characters (all extremely likeable) come from completely different backgrounds, but find themselves negotiating the same hazardous obstacle course of "coming out" in 19th century English Society. There is a linking subplot involving a nasty and vindictive character that comes to a "rarver" satisfying conclusion...


Description:
A century ago marriage, and marriage alone, offered a nicely brought-up girl escape from the domination of her parents. Indeed it was the only path to freedom. That path led her to a Season in London and, the ultimate goal, Coming Out as a debutante. But along the way she had to survive a terrifying few months, a make-or-break time in which her family's hopes for her could only be fulfilled through a proposal of marriage.
For Lady Emily Persse, Coming Out means leaving her beloved Ireland, and its informalities, for England and its stricter codes. For Portia Tradescant, released from the boredom of life in the English countryside, it means trying to get through the Season despite the best efforts of her eccentric Aunt Tattie. For beautiful May Danby the Season is an entree to a whole other life, worlds away from her strict convent upbringing in Yorkshire.

Debutantes, Charlotte Bingham's delightful and stylish new saga, centres around a single London Season in the eighteen-nineties. But it is not just about the debutantes themselves. It is as much about the women who launch them, and the Society which supports their way of life. It is also about the battle for power, privilege and money, fought, not in the male tradition upon the battlefield, but in the female tradition...in the ballroom.

Munkeys dropped this in for me last night. Am currently reading another book on loan from a non-bookcrosser so will get to it shortly. First impressions are that I'm not sure it will be my kind of read but I'm taking a deep breath and willing to take the plunge.

This is the first chance I have had to journal due to hard drive failure, but I finished this books a few weeks ago. I took notes after I finished it:

I expected to dislike this one when Munkeys compared it to Pride and Prejudice. I was made to study Jane Austen in high school and was too young to appreciate a decent novel back then. However, I promised Munkeys that I would approach with an open mind. I'm glad I did because I was happy to find I wa hooked from the opening chapter. The characters were likable and real and I was transported to a different world. Romantic and lovely without being soppy. EE BAH GOOM!

(was released back to Munkeys upon completion)

Planning to release this book at SADBC (Sara's Annual Dodgy Bookcrossing Convention) on Saturday 12 November 2005.

RELEASE NOTES:

On the hand rail of the first flight of stairs leading up from Argyle Street in the Argyle Cut