Title: A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue
Author: Mackenzi Lee
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pages: 501
Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.
But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.
Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores. Goodreads
I first picked this book up because it is so popular on BookTube and Bookstagram, but I didn’t know if I was really going to like it that much. I was surprised at how face paced it was and how much fun and wit was scattered throughout the novel.
This book was a pretty quick read, even being 500 pages. I really enjoyed the characters and especially liked the change the main character went through in the course of the story. I could relate to Monty’s insecurity and awkwardness a lot of the time. This book isn’t super deep, but it demonstrates the point that you never know what someone is going through.
I think the author did a good job with balancing Monty’s humor against the serious issues going on in the story. It touches on women’s education, sexuality, physical abuse, chronic illness, scientific consequence, and death, all without getting so intense that it turned into a dark read. A lot of lighter moments were thrown in, which I like in books because for me it’s a bit more relatable; even on days when I think everything sucks, my boyfriend can still make me laugh.
I wasn’t in love with the ending. I felt like the entire book built up to a big climax with the manhunt and mysteries, but once I actually got to the scene where everything came together I could pretty much guess what was going to happen before it happened. The emotional states of the characters were well done, but the scene itself seemed to happen quickly and predictably. I did really like other aspects of the ending that related to Monty’s development as a character, but I don’t want to say much more and give anything away.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. I think it’s a great book to pick up this summer for just a fun, mysterious read. It’s not everyday love story light, which made me enjoy it that much more. It’s a fun adventure with some thrill and romance along the way.
What did you think about A Gentleman’s Guide? Do you read books based on synopsis only or also consider popular opinion?
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