What I’m Reading: The Lady Helen Trilogy By Alison Goodman
This was one of those series I devoured like it was a bowl of my grandmother’s gnocchi. I haven’t been this immersed in a series for a while, and I love the feeling. I’ll literally take any opportunity to read it – in waiting rooms, in my car, over breakfast and lunch, waiting for my hair to dry a bit before blow drying it. You get the picture.
It’s my two favourite kinds of books combined – like Jane Austen expertly blended with dark fantasy romance and served in a fine china teacup (I do recommend a large mug of tea while reading this, as it will be a while before you want to get up). I vouch that whether you’re a fan of the classics like Austen or more of a dark urban fantasy fan, you’ll enjoy these books; and if you’re both like me, they’ll knock your bonnet off! (…I couldn’t help myself.)
Set in Regency England, the protagonist, Lady Helen, is an upper-class girl living with her aunt and uncle, and has just come out in society, and is now eligible for marriage. Her parents died at sea while fleeing England, and her mother is widely known to have been charged with treason, although Helen doesn’t know what for. With the arrival of a mysterious Lord Carlston who has returned to London after time abroad (it was rumoured he had murdered his wife), Helen soon discovers there is more to upper class society than meets the eye. Society is infiltrated by Deceivers – creatures who take on the body of a human and use other humans’ energy to live – and she is a Reclaimer, one of few with enhanced abilities to fight the Deceivers. The group of Reclaimers and ordinary humans responsible for defending society against the Deceivers is known as the Dark Days Club. She inherited the Reclaimer abilities from her mother, and it is prophesised that the arrival of a Reclaimer inheritor signals the arrival of a Grand Deceiver, whom only she can defeat. This is the premise of the three novels and I won’t go much further as I really don’t want to spoil this series if you haven’t read it!
At times the historical aspect of these novels is so convincing and realistic that you almost forget about the fantasy part. Goodman weaves the supernatural through high society house calls, sewing and dress shopping; I love how in the midst of supernatural turmoil, everyone can still get excited over a ball (myself included). At the back of each book Goodman explains what parts of the novel were based on historical research; for example certain characters, events and businesses were based on real life and to the exact date/time period that the novel is set (each chapter is dated, so it is very precise). I’m in awe of the amount of research time that must have taken, but I really think it pays off in creating such a rich world. The little details such as the clothes and fashions of the time, which are paid quite a lot of attention to, really help bring it to life in a reader’s mind.
As you can see there are several editions/size variations of this series, I bought each book separately and managed to get a different one each time… oops!
The character of Lady Helen is immediately likeable. Her Reclaimer abilities steer her towards a more modern woman’s outlook, as she is forced to break away from society’s expectations of women at the time. Her inner conflict plays a great part of all three books, as her Reclaimer abilities fight with what she feels is expected of her.
…and what would a regency fantasy romance be without a love triangle? Her two love interests are Lord Carlston, also a Reclaimer, with the question hanging over him of whether he killed his wife; and the Duke of Selburn, her brother’s friend and the appropriate choice of a suitor, unaware of the Dark Days Club. I don’t think I’m spoiling anything when I say we’re all rooting for Lord Carlston. Tall, dark, handsome, dangerous… it’s an archetype for a reason people! The two men bring a lot of tension to the scenes they’re in – it’s definitely a have-the-popcorn-ready-and-sit-back kind of vibe.
What I really admired in this series, apart from the world building, was its narrative traction. There is so much juicy intrigue in these books, and there are always several unanswered questions keeping the reader guessing and reading on. What did her mum do that was treasonous? Did Lord Carlston really kill his wife? Who is the Grand Deceiver? Are her friends not what they seem?
This fact of the Deceivers having the ability to be anyone really makes you start paying attention to every character in the book, particularly in the second half. You start playing detective, trying to work out who is a Deceiver and who definitely isn’t, and it starts to feel like a little like a mystery novel as well.
All in all, reading the Lady Helen series felt like an indulgent pleasure, like a rich, layered chocolate cake to be savoured and enjoyed. I’ll definitely be back for a second helping* of it down the track.
*reading
