Gervais Hagerty

I read In Polite Company for the Friends and Fiction reading challenge; it was my January selection for a debut book. The author Gervais Hagerty appeared on Friends and Fiction, and many readers recommended her debut novel. It seemed like the perfect time to read it!

What I enjoyed most about In Polite Company was the setting. I haven't been to Charleston, South Carolina, in years, and this book transported me there like a documentary film (and it made me want to visit). Charleston was a central character in this book: where "old" Charleston meets the new, for better or worse. I'm glad the main character Simons realized the privilege of her rich Charleston upbringing. Through her eyes, we saw many outdated norms of Charleston society, such as men's clubs where women could not be a member and "happy slave" pictures in the women's restroom.

This book is recommended for readers who like Southern fiction, stories about family relationships, or stories where the main character learns more about herself. The storytelling was vivid! I look forward to reading more of Gervais Hagerty's books in the future.… (plus d'informations)

First of all I was really intrigued to read this book since it takes place in Charleston and I live not far away in the Lowcountry. I loved the descriptions of the town, its historic homes and the sneak peek into the lifestyle of the aristocratic Charleston natives.
Simone is the main character and she wants more than the life that is already laid out for her just because of her family name. She is unhappy with her fiancé, unmotivated by her uninspiring job at the local tv station and looking for "more."
It was a pretty good read. I sometimes felt like the author was pushing a racial, environmental and gender issue that almost was too much for me, but otherwise it was a good read that I would recommend to a few friends.
I received a complimentary copy as part of the Goodreads Giveaway program.… (plus d'informations)