Title: Lady of Passion Author: Freda Lightfoot
Published: October 1, 2013
Genre(s): Historical Fiction
Page Count: 256
Rating:
Summary from Goodreads:Beautiful and talented actress, poet and fashion icon, Mary Robinson was one of the most famous women of her time – yet she died virtually penniless, her reputation in ruins. For Mary was destined always to be betrayed by the men she loved, whether it be her father, a prosperous Bristol merchant who abandoned his family for a life of adventure - and another woman; her husband, the weak and foolish Tom Robinson, who bankrupted the family with his inveterate gambling and humiliated his young wife with his numerous affairs; or the Prince of Wales, later George IV, who fell in love with Mary when he saw her playing Perdita in A Winter’s Tale. Mary gave up everything for her prince – her career, her husband and her independence – only to be cruelly abandoned when his affections turned elsewhere.
In Lady of Passion, Freda Lightfoot chronicles the life of Mary Darby Robinson (“The English Sappho”), a Georgian-era poet, actress, feminist, and courtesan. The novel is written as an autobiography in Mary’s own hand, looking back on her life, full of mistakes, triumphs, etc. Though I thought the novel dense and a bit inaccessible, Lightfoot’s subject-matter was new and interesting, making Lady of Passion an enjoyable read overall.
Though prior to reading this novel, I had never heard of Mary Robinson, I soon found that she had a niche among other names I associated with the Georgian and Regency eras. Mary was friends with Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, and Mary Wollstonecraft. She met Marie Antoinette and was the mistress of George IV, future Prince Regent and King. Politically, she supported abolitionist William Wilberforce and statesman Charles James Fox. I was quite delighted to learn about this woman and her actions—she is certainly admirable and worthy of attention. I think Lightfoot was able to highlight Mary’s successes and accolades while still drawing the portrait of a realistic, flawed human.
As I said, Lady of Passion is positively brimming with historical detail, and Mary’s narration is fully immersed in the times. This helped to create a believable glimpse of England during the period (1770-1800, approximately). I definitely believed in this novel’s accuracy, which is so important to me when reading historical fiction. And after some research into Mary Darby Robinson, I was even more impressed with this book.
At the same time, Lady of Passion wasn’t knock-out for me. I didn’t love it. Mostly, I think, because I found Freda Lightfoot’s prose to be fairly remote. The author’s narration is informative and detailed, but in some cases it lacked emotion. For instance, Mary Robinson carried on a long-term love affair with a soldier for much of the book, but I never believed in their love. Because of the style and purpose of the book, I don’t believe that to be a huge set-back, but I would have liked to see more feeling in the truly emotional phases of Mary’s life.
Altogether, I am very pleased with this novel. I loved the story and the woman that was Mary Robinson. The author didn’t take unnecessary liberties with historical fact to make the story “better”, and I think that was wonderful, as Lady of Passion did very well on its own. For fans of the genre, and for fans of strong, independent female characters, this is a book worth checking out.
