A Matter of Class

I know that a some readers did not like this book but I thought this was a tremendous effort from a well-loved and much-admired author. Rather than see this work as a short novel that did not last long enough or was not romantic enough or, indeed, was not like previous work, it seemed to me an allegorical work that got across a two level message effortlessly. We learn about social change and how it affects the changes in a very personal relationship. I am a student of the 18th and early 19th centuries and read widely about this period, focusing particularly on social and political history. The Regency period in particular is of interest because it is the very cusp of our modern world. So many things coalesced during that short period of time that sometimes I feel we think we know it so well through regency-set fiction that we make some really silly judgements about it and do not fully understand it at all. The English Civil War, the bloodless Revolution, the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution, the American Revolution and, finally, the rise of Napoleon through huge social dislocation in France finally began to settle down into the modern world in the early 19th century. To my mind, the British prime minister, William Pitt was the first truly modern government leader in the UK and he was in power in the late 18th and very earliest years of the 19th centuries. Social evolution was flying forward, old money was giving way to new, literacy was becoming wide spread, class differences still existed but lines were blurring and many old customary practices giving way to new. Romantic love, for example was a new concept and marrying for it not quite so unusual. In this short novel, we see a clash of classes, the traditional upper class view of marriage versus a newer form of marriage for love, north versus south (in the UK this has its own meaning), old money versus new, revenue from the land versus income from industrialisation. How this is worked out is clever and pointed. This is not a comic novel though there is much humour. For example, I noted where Balogh used the italic: this often was a point of emphasis that was clever and was a spotlight on a matter of principle. I read this with relish and it was a mark of passage, I think, for Mary Balogh, perhaps from romantic novelist to novelist. She has often made use of the social mores of her milieu but never, IMO, as well as in this book. Recommended for a serious and seriously entertaining allegorical study of social structures and social strictures on the change.

Reginald Mason is, by all accounts, a gentleman - he is well-educated, courteous, handsome and very wealthy. However, the ton doesn't see it that way, much to his and his father's dismay. For Reginald Senior was not born a gentleman. He worked hard for this station even if it is said that their money is tarnished by coal. When the opportunity for social advancement arises, namely, Lady Annabelle Ashton, daughter of the Earl of Havercroft, a neighbor and enemy of the Mason family, he finds the opportunity too hard to resist. Lady Annabelle is in quite the predicament. She tried to elope with her father's footman and now finds herself disgraced by scandal, even thought of as damaged goods. Her father, the Earl, is none too happy with her and will gladly marry her off to anyone willing to have her. Reginald Senior sees this as the moment he's been waiting for to move his family up the social ladder. But young Reggie does not see it as ideal, for he enjoys single life too much. When his father gives him an ultimatum: marry Annabelle or be cut-off from the family funds - he has no choice but to consent to the marriage. But no one said either one of them had to be happy about their new predicament. This was such a sweet story. It was rather short, but nonetheless, it was delightful. I am a fan of Regency England, but even more than that, the way the story is written was brilliant. For starters it is very tame. There aren't any blush worthy moments - which gave it a timeless feel. The romance was light but as the relationship between Annabelle and Reggie grew, it steadily became more and more... sigh worthy. I really must give kudos to Ms. Balogh for keeping me in the dark for most of the story as to the "twist" (everyone keeps mentioning). I didn't peak and I tried not to think too much of it and I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. It was very witty of her and by far what made this short story so pleasurable. I highly recommend to anyone looking for a feel-good love story.

Balogh must have been in a puckish mood when she got the idea for this short novel. If there's a theme running through, it's the comedian's classic, "Wait for it," theme. Layer by layer, she peels away the developments that led to where the narrative began, interspersing them with the developments that take the plot from the beginning to the end. The h/h are likable and clever. Far from being angsty, the book practically defines the concepts of "light-hearted" and "fun" as it proceeds. Taken on its own terms, it's a tour de force.

As usual, Mary Balogh delivers in this short novel with a perfectly paced and perfectly crafted story. The characterization is flawless, the plot and delivery is original and non-formulaic (hard to accomplish in the sometimes overworked Regency market). Since the book is short, any synopsis or hint almost gives the book away and I don't want to do that--I want you to enjoy the development of the characters and the story as much as I did. However, I do want to comment on the unusual length of the story. It is too long to be a contribution to an anthology and too short to be a full-length book. Before purchasing it, I wondered why she hadn't gone in one direction or the other. Now that I've read it, I know the answer and I also know that this is the perfect length. Had it been any shorter or any longer, the story would have suffered. As it is, this compact little book is just perfect and leaves you smiling and content, like the perfect serving of a luscious dessert. It is definitely a keeper and I look forward to reading it again sometime.

I liked this story very much. I got right into the characters and was not at all disappointed with the shortness of the text. It reminded me of the regency categories she used to write. I've always preferred them over her longer novels (though everything she does is pretty exceptional). As for the pathos, yuk, I don't miss it. For me this story was short and sweet and well worth the money I spent on it.