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luzulaI am in no way objective when it comes to this book, because it is written by a fannish friend of mine and I have beta-read it: Sixpenny Octavo, by Annick Trent.
But that said, I really like this book, which is historical f/f set in 1790's England. Things I enjoy about it:
- engaging writing that flows well and is not obtrusively modern (while not trying to be pastiche, either),
- a focus on working-class women,
- the romantic couple is embedded in a community of people,
- a vivid setting which is rooted in details of material culture.
The author previously wrote Beck and Call, which is historical m/m about two valets. The characters in Sixpenny Octavo are not servants--or rather, one of them is to begin with, but she moves away from that into making a living which is more precarious but also more independent. The other works as a clockmender. Also, one of them learns to read during the course of the book and becomes a member of a reading club, and I really like this element--which also supplies the non-relationship tension in the story, because it's a time where it's easy to get in trouble for simply being in a reading club even without being involved with radical politics.
But that said, I really like this book, which is historical f/f set in 1790's England. Things I enjoy about it:
- engaging writing that flows well and is not obtrusively modern (while not trying to be pastiche, either),
- a focus on working-class women,
- the romantic couple is embedded in a community of people,
- a vivid setting which is rooted in details of material culture.
The author previously wrote Beck and Call, which is historical m/m about two valets. The characters in Sixpenny Octavo are not servants--or rather, one of them is to begin with, but she moves away from that into making a living which is more precarious but also more independent. The other works as a clockmender. Also, one of them learns to read during the course of the book and becomes a member of a reading club, and I really like this element--which also supplies the non-relationship tension in the story, because it's a time where it's easy to get in trouble for simply being in a reading club even without being involved with radical politics.
