Monty is bisexual, but his father is determined to purge him of his sexual desire towards men by any means necessary. I love that the author does not shy away from characters you like not understanding homosexuality, considering they would have been told it was a sin since birth (speaking specifically of a scene between Felicity and Monty). It was nice to see that everyone does not just accept Monty as he is, often times he must deal with others explaining why he is "wrong" and asking why he does not just stop what he is doing and be "normal". He is often reminded that his being bisexual is a choice he makes, instead of being part of who he is and there being no way for him to rid himself of his natural inclinations. This is the reality of that time, when homosexuality was not a recognized word and being homosexual was illegal. Monty is a character that at first comes off as selfish, insipid, conniving, and unbearable. However, as the novel progresses, and you are introduced to his past, you understand his drinking, flippancy, and total disregard for decorum and being a Gentleman. He is trying to escape the restrictions his father is placing on him, trying to break free from the harsh reality of the life he must lead. He is continuously hiding his true self and is ashamed of who he is because society tells him he should be. The friendship between Monty and Percy is Monty's real saving grace. Percy is his stability, he calms Monty, makes sure he is safe and continues to tell Monty that he has worth. Percy has his own struggles, being the biracial son of a wealthy man (who passed away and left him with his white relations). He must continuously prove himself, must correct assumptions that society makes of him, and is often mistaken for Monty's manservant. This causes friction between the two, because Monty has no clue and cannot understand the trials that Percy must face. Percy is also keeping two secrets from Monty that could forever alter their friendship, for better or worse. Felicity is another fantastic character. Her life is based around science and she feels anger at being forced into the role that society would have her play. She would rather go to school for medicine, instead of a finishing school. She is also the brains behind most of the decisions that Monty and Percy make, helping them when their Grand Tour turns from a fun journey to a deadly adventure. The story line was interesting, but there were several long moments that could maybe have been shortened. I liked how they made it from one area to the other, and there were several memorable characters. The real story was between Monty and Percy, so the adventure sort of takes a back seat and sometimes seems rather forced. Don't get me wrong, I loved the interactions between Monty and Percy and often wanted more. This was a great romp of a read that ends so satisfactorily you will smile from ear to ear... (wink, wink)
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