London, 1735. Covent Garden offers a world of pleasures and diversions, even for a blind man. Tom Finch, composer of broadsides and assistant conductor in the nearby opera houses, considers himself the luckiest of men. Blindness is to him merely an inconvenience, and no impediment to his favored pastimes: playing music and lushing it in a public house in the company of Jem Castleton, his crony … and amanuensis. And of course chasing after women…
Tess Turnbridge, a soprano with a burning ambition to become an opera star, finds her first leading role in a second-rate theater with an unusual conductor, so handsome despite his blindness. Tom Finch has no place in her career plans, yet she finds she can’t stop thinking about him…
Sally Salisbury, a tough, flash talking whore and part-time thief. Tom is hopelessly in love with her, despite all warnings that she will be the cause of his ruination…
Join Tom for a picaresque romp through high and low Georgian society among rakes, rovers, thieving whores and demireps, highway robbers, bigamists, and duelists, bisexual opera divas, castrati, mollies, and cross-dressers, lecherous aristocrats, and prim ladies in this meticulously researched, witty and lively tale in the tradition of Tom Jones and Vanity Fair.
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This is the first book by Lucy May Lennox that I’ve read and since I had no idea of her writing style, her world-building, or her character portrayal, I felt a little like Tom Finch …. Going in blind. What an absolutely delightful book this has turned out to me. Was I pleased with finding this author? You betcha!! If you’ve read the complete blurb before going on to the reviews, then you know she had portrayed a vast cast of flawed characters, including all their vices, in such a way they are immediately relatable. There seems to have been a great deal of research done for the amount of detail that was shared and I even learned a thing or two about the operatic world. I highly recommend this book. It was absolutely wonderful!
The Adventures of Tom Finch, Gentleman is an entertaining tale that should satisfy historical fiction buffs. Unlike most adventure tales of the 18th century, this book provides a glimpse of life on the edge of London society, both madcap and mundane. While operas and musicales are enjoyed by the upper classes, those who provide the entertainment often find themselves subject to disdain and poverty as well as acclaim. This is where Tom Finch–a gifted musician, charmer of women, and the blind illegitimate son of nobility–finagles his way (and that of his friends) into jobs at various homes and theaters. Lucy May Lennox has a gift for writing historical detail and especially engaging characters, taking special care to relate the challenges, both physical and societal, of a blind man in a sighted world.
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Fabulously written historical piece.
Tom is blind, and the son of a nobleman out of wedlock. He was provided the best education money could buy, and was spared the fate of military service due to his disability. Having the freedom to live hi life, he chose to indulge in the arts.
Tom’s thirst for life radiated off the pages. His inability to see was a mere inconvenience and did not hinder him from any and all things he wished to indulge in.
This book did not fail to cover many bases of status during that moment of history. Status often equates success. Tom’s journey put a halt to all of that. Nothing stood in his way.
**I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.**
Colorful and a grand story.
I found that this book was a hoot and so much fun to read. Our hero is blind but that does not stop him one bit. Great writing in the book the details were splendid and the secondary characters were grand. I am happy to recommend this book. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
I found the excerpt intriguing and did not regret choosing to read this. It’s on the long side, but there was never a dull moment. For me this was a different pace of what I usually read, centered around a male character. Tom, the bastard son of an earl, is a survival artist, with a genius for music and a fantastic memory. Set mostly around the musical theaters of Georgian London, it’s an engaging trip into the past. There’s carousing and a few sex scenes. There is some humor and some moving scenes. Overall excellent storytelling.
I read a free review copy; the thoughts expressed are my own.