Review: A gothic parody with a heart
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 25, 2014
Having read Lucinda Elliot’s previous novel, "That Scoundrel Emile DuBois", I had a fairly good idea of what to expect from "Ravensdale": a witty spoof of the gothic romance genre that nevertheless allows you to feel for and care about the characters.The story follows disgraced nobleman Reynaud Ravensdale who, having endured a scandal and been deprived of his birthright as a result, now lives as a highwayman – a highwayman, that is, of the kind that Barbara Cartland might have written about. He justifies his criminal activities by reference to the corruption and greed of his society, targets the wealthy, and takes care never to endanger or insult women.This is all well and good until Ravensdale and his followers encounter the heroine, Isabella Murray. Her response to her coach being held up is to punch one of Ravensdale’s followers, and then to give the others a lecture on the virtues of generosity and social responsibility. Isabella is about as far from the simpering weaklings that were presented as the ideals of femininity in the day, and is irresistible: you genuinely want her to find love with Ravensdale, though she herself is by no means so enthusiastic at first.However, before Isabella can do anything at all she has to first escape from her overbearing parents, who want her to make a respectable marriage, and who have high hopes that she’ll form an alliance with Reynaud’s conniving cousin. If you’ve read any historical romance, all of this may sound familiar, but the familiarity of the plot is actually not a weakness here. Elliot’s arch, knowing style, and the many winks she exchanges with her readers, actually breathe life into these tired old tropes, and make them seem fresh and vital.If you enjoy Georgette Heyer-style period romances, you’ll probably enjoy "Ravensdale". However – and this is what is so clever about this novel – if you don’t, then there’s a good chance that you’ll enjoy "Ravensdale" anyway. It provides you with both characters that you can genuinely like and care about, an interesting story, and a parody that is at times hilarious. So whether you’re usually a fan of gothic, historical romance or not, you might well find something to entertain you here.