By Shannon McKenna
Round Table editor
“Let me be clear. Last I was aware you were neither my husband nor my father nor my King. Therefore, any control you may imagine you hold over me is just that- imaginary.”
The book The Season by Sarah MacLean is a recipe comprised of things that, when it comes to teenage romance, usually don’t mix well together. Start out with some historical fiction and romance, and then add mystery and intriguing suspense to the mix and it creates a tasty dish called The Season.
The story tells of the sweeping romance between Lady Alexandra Stafford and one of her childhood friends Gavin, the new Earl of Blackmoor, as she prepares for her debut into London’s higher class society as a young, eligible woman.
Alexandra (Alex), however, is more about taking action rather than getting swept into the romance and soon finds herself caught up in a murder-mystery scandal.
Breaking the rules of most generic female romance characters, Alexandra is strong-willed, sharp-tongued, fiercely independent and intelligent and can certainly hold her own in a society where only men’s opinions matter.
Reputation plays a big factor during this period in society and Alex knows pretty well how to break all of the rules that are expected of her.
Rather then settle down like most of the girls her age and follow the same pattern of finding a man and living “happily ever after” like a good daughter, Alex would rather stay unmarried and be seen as an intellectual. For her, she finds most men to be dull and believes they all want idiots for wives. With that, a feministic character is born.
One thing that really makes this book special is the quick and witty dialogue that goes on between all the characters. The teasing, tension-filled banter that Gavin and Alex exchange and the easy going chit-chat between Alex and her friends makes for an amusing story.
Also, many books set in this time period feature rivalries and manipulations between friends as women fight to get to the position they want in society.
But instead of taking the book down that path MacLean strives to connect the three best friends Alex, Vivi and Ella, with their dissatisfaction in their expected roles in society, and their overbearing yearn for something more. The friendship between the three is well established and shows the true meaning of what it’s like to have good friends.
I highly recommend The Season to female readers; Maclean manages to captivate a reader’s attention with her acute consideration for specific details and ability to create lovable characters and a fulfilling story.
