Book Description

It is the year 1814, and life for a young lady of good breeding has many difficulties. There are balls to attend, fashions to follow, marriages to consider, and, of course, the tiny complication of existing in a world swarming with fairy spirits, interfering deities, and actual straight-up sorcerers.

Miss Maelys Mitchelmore finds her entry into high society hindered by an irritating curse. It begins innocuously enough with her dress slowly unmaking itself over the course of an evening at a high-profile ball, a scandal she narrowly manages to escape.

However, as the curse progresses to more fatal proportions, Miss Mitchelmore must seek out aid, even if that means mixing with undesirable company. And there are few less desirable than Lady Georgiana Landrake—a brooding, alluring young woman sardonically nicknamed “the Duke of Annadale”—who may or may not have murdered her own father and brothers to inherit their fortune. If one is to believe the gossip, she might be some kind of malign enchantress. Then again, a malign enchantress might be exactly what Miss Mitchelmore needs.

With the Duke’s help, Miss Mitchelmore delves into a world of angry gods and vindictive magic, keen to unmask the perpetrator of these otherworldly attacks. But Miss Mitchelmore’s reputation is not the only thing at risk in spending time with her new ally. For the reputed witch has her own secrets that may prove dangerous to Miss Mitchelmore’s heart—not to mention her life.

My Review

I have been a fan of Hall’s books for several years, and I have especially enjoyed his forays into the world of Regency era historical romance. If you don’t want to read any further, I will assure you that Mortal Follies is the best of several excellent books. If you do want to continue reading, I will elucidate.

First of all, this book has a rather clever and original conceit: a narrator.

But almost all books have narrators, you might say.

And then I will agree with you, but point out that very few books are narrated by Puck. No, not the outlandish cast member from The Real World: San Francisco, but rather the hobgoblin from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Robin Goodfellow. Yes, that’s the guy. The conceit is that he has been exiled from the faerie court and must suffer numerous indignities of the modern world like paying for rent. So, he has agreed to tell the tale of when he intervened into a most intriguing set of events in 1814.

As the book description suggests, our protagonist Miss Mitchelmore realizes that she has been cursed, and must figure out both the identity of the person who has cursed her and how to stop the curse. Enter love interest “The Duke of Annadale” who might be the only person who can stop the curse OR the person who set the curse in the first place. Or why not both? To quote the conclusion of an elementary school book report, “you’re going to have to read for yourself to find out what happens!”

Many of Hall’s books, both historical and contemporary, have a single narrator rather than the more common dual points of view. This works well because only knowing as much as the point of view character heightens the tension and makes big reveal much more impactful.

Having an omnipresent and (almost) omniscient narrator takes things to a delightful new level. Our gentle guide has the potential to be unreliable, but he remains steadfast in his recounting of the tale. There is plenty of snide commentary and witty observations along the way, which adds to the overall enjoyment of the narrative.

The plot itself is satisfying, with likeable characters, and a storyline that, aided by an appropriate amount of plot twists and big reveals, moves along at a steady pace.

I would absolutely recommend Mortal Follies. I want my all my books narrated by Puck. I mentioned earlier that this my favorite of Hall’s historical romances, but I would take a step further and say that this is one of my overall favorite Hall books. His books keep getting better and better, and I can’t wait to see what he is going to do next.

I received a digital ARC of this book from Random House/NetGalley.