That Inevitable Victorian Thing
Author: E.K. Johnston
Publication Date: October 3rd 2017
Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
That Inevitable Victorian Thing takes place in the near future and is set in an alternative world created when Victoria I appoints her eldest daughter heir, instead of her son. Rather than arranging marriages for her children within Europe, she looked further to other continents and encouraged her daughter, Victoria II, to do so as well. This ultimately resulted in a diverse royal family and a strong multiracial, multicultural British Empire.
Margaret, Crown Princess of the Empire and direct descendant of Victoria I, travels to Canada with her parents, the Queen of England and the Prince Consort. Masquerading as a commoner, she embarks on an adventure reminiscent of Roman Holiday. She wants the freedom to enjoy her visit before taking up her royal responsibilities as an adult, including a political marriage. While there she meets August, son of a prominent family and Helena, his potential fiancée, who has been invited to debut at the ball in Toronto attended by the royals. The story revolves around the three as they forge a bond against a background of parties, dances and intrigue.
The book was an absolute joy to read. The characters live in a world where racism and bigotry is not tolerated. Diversity in gender, sexuality and religion is encouraged and different ethnicities and cultures are celebrated, not scorned. I was fascinated by so many aspects of this novel, especially the world building and use of computer genetic matchmaking, with it's combination of tradition and technology. Using the alluring scenery of Ontario as a backdrop to the story was refreshing. The pacing was steady, which gave me an opportunity to relish in the nuances and developing relationships, particularly the strong female friendships.
Johnston has a unique writing style that kept me captivated. Once I started reading, I really didn't want to stop. That Inevitable Victorian Thing is a charming, compelling story of a future that although not perfect, inspires hope and understanding, amidst the unhappiness and division in today's chaotic world. Highly recommended.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for the ARC provided for review.
From the publisher:
Speculative fiction from the acclaimed bestselling author of Exit, Pursued by a Bear and Star Wars: Ahsoka.
Victoria-Margaret is the crown princess of the empire, a direct descendant of Victoria I, the queen who changed the course of history. The imperial tradition of genetically arranged matchmaking will soon guide Margaret into a politically advantageous marriage. But before she does her duty, she'll have one summer of freedom and privacy in a far corner of empire. Posing as a commoner in Toronto, she meets Helena Marcus, daughter of one of the empire's greatest placement geneticists, and August Callaghan, the heir to a powerful shipping firm currently besieged by American pirates. In a summer of high-society debutante balls, politically charged tea parties, and romantic country dances, Margaret, Helena, and August discover they share an extraordinary bond and maybe a one-in-a-million chance to have what they want and to change the world in the process.
Set in a near-future world where the British Empire was preserved not by the cost of blood and theft but by the effort of repatriation and promises kept, That Inevitable Victorian Thing is a surprising, romantic, and thought-provoking story of love, duty, and the small moments that can change people and the world.
You can read my original Isabella's Reading Corner post on That Inevitable Victorian Thing here.
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