Confounding Oaths

Starred review from June 24, 2024
The utterly enchanting second installment of Hall’s Mortal Follies series (after Mortal Follies) brings back all the magic, both literal and figurative, that readers expect even as the focus pivots to John Caesar, a nobleman in 1815 London who is distracted from assisting his younger sisters in finding suitable husbands by his own desire for the dashing Capt. Orestes James. When one of the Caesar sisters makes an ill-conceived bargain with a fairy, Caesar and James work together to untangle the web of magic ensnaring her. The resulting quest takes readers across London, from high-society balls to working-class taverns to the fairy realm itself. Hall admirably expands his examination of Regency England’s strictures to include a discussion of race: both protagonists are mixed-race and their frequent, frank conversations about the limitations and cruelty of British society feel authentic and integral to the plot rather than a stilted checking of boxes. Cameos from the heroines of book one will delight returning fans, but this can easily be read as a standalone. It’s another rousing success from Hall. Agent: Courtney Miller-Callihan, Handspun Literary.

Starred review from September 15, 2024
Fairy mischief descends on Regency England once again. The Caesar family occupies a delicate position in 1815 London. They are welcome at most society functions because Lady Mary is the daughter of an earl, but they're kept at arm's length because her husband is a Senegalese freeman, leaving the family's three children at odds as they enter adulthood. The eldest son, Mr. Caesar, knows he ought to find a career and settle down, but he has no interest in doing so--he's a dandy, plus he's only attracted to men. For the most part, he keeps to the sidelines, until he punches a major in the teeth for insulting the older of his two sisters, Miss Caesar. Not long after, Miss Caesar makes a deal with a fairy that turns her into "the Beauty Incomparable," making the Caesars the center of conversation across London. All this sudden excitement brings Mr. Caesar into repeated contact with Captain Orestes James, a Black man who lives his life much more authentically alongside a steadfast group of soldiers called the Irregulars--which causes Mr. Caesar to imagine other possibilities for his life. And who recounts this complex and quirky story for our mortal enjoyment? Just as in Hall'sMortal Follies (2023), it's none other than Robin Goodfellow, still in exile from the court of Oberon and grumpy as ever at having to write up yet another story of foolish mortal behavior in order to make ends meet. (And while this volume stands alone fairly well, it will be best enjoyed after having read the first). His deliciously cruel and flippant voice once again provides a clever framework for the story's balance of levity and gravity. As "the vagaries of mortal physicality mean little" to Robin, the story is fairly closed-door by Hall's standards, but there are sparks of chemistry between Mr. Caesar and Captain James. And though the romance often takes a back seat to the grander plot, thanks to piles of rich detail, mythological references, and interactions with the Other Court, readers may not even notice. A queer and fantastical romance that enchants in more ways than one.

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