Having read the premise of this book in the library, I was expecting some kind of historical crime mystery. What I got was part crime mystery, part fantasy, part erotic novel and part family saga. It seemed as if the author wasn't entirely sure which genre to follow, and so it became a bit of a muddle. The different genres never really blended together, it was either one thing or another, so while we were trying to work out her past the crime got forgotten, while we were 'entertaining' her past got forgotten, and so on. While I don't mind magical realism in the right place, it brought nothing to the party except to provide a diversion from what the actual gist of the story was (which became more and more muddy as the story went on). The ending was strange and I put the book down feeling completely indifferent about it.

The characters never really developed either, and they all had the same personality so it was hard to differentiate between them. I didn't find the main character very likeable, she bounced form one situation to another without really learning anything in between, and the bit with the rats was very odd. In the beginning I thought Mr Crease was the most interesting person in the book, but by the end his personality had all but faded away.

For the most part I quite enjoyed the writing style, it was easy to read and scenes were set very well, but some of the prose was a little too flowery and the euphemisms went from amusing to annoying quite quickly. There were also quite a few typos and errors that made it into the book.

I don't like giving books one star but there was little I liked about this one. ( )

It’s 1756, in the very bosom of the Georgian age, and Tully Truegood is in Newgate, awaiting trial for murder, her life briefly secured by the child growing under her heart. She has been many things – a daughter, a whore, a sprite, and a magician – and, as she waits, she feels a compulsion rising in her to tell her story to the one man, now long absent, that she’s ever loved. A racy fable full of rogues and ladies of the night, and touched with odd, piquant flashes of magic.

For the full review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2018/08/24/an-almond-for-a-parrot-wray-delaney/ ( )

‘’Alas, we players are unaware that the curtain goes up the minute we take our first gulps of air; the screams of rage our only hopeless comments on being born onto such a barren stage.’

This novel was a severe case of ‘I fell in love with the cover and I regret nothing.’ Instant love. When I read the blurb, I thought this was a great opportunity to renew my relationship with Historical Fiction works set in the 18th century, an era when seduction, decadence, and the joie-de-vivre- way of life were at their height, an era where reforms and political unrest shaped the future of the world. Before I say anything more, I must tell you that I found this novel to an extremely interesting, memorable read. Those who consider this an ‘’erotica’’ novel really need to check their facts, I’m sorry. Yes, there are graphic sexual scenes but first and foremost there is a plot and an intriguing story to be told. I admit that I wouldn’t be caught dead with a book of the aforementioned ‘’genre’’ (?) but what I can tell you is that even those passages are written in a distinctive quality of language that reminded me of the 18th century memoir Fanny Hill by John Cleland. This is Historical Fiction, plain and simple. Nothing vulgar or dirty.

‘’So let me start, sir, before the clock runs out of hours.’’

Tully’s story begins like any good old memoir. In a prison where she is awaiting the day of judgement. And not just any prison. She’s in Newgate. It is from a cell that Tully begins our journey from her childhood under the control of a despicable man to the refuge of a ‘’fairy house’’. A story of a transformation from rugs to riches but whose ‘’riches’’ really? Can a prostitute actually have any claim on property and wealth? And what of her feelings or a change to an honest way of living? These are the questions that Tully often asks herself.

‘’Is it breeding that makes us who we are, or the muck we are born into, be that of a stable or a palace?’’

The way Gardner presents her story is very vivid, straightforward and the language is a faithful example of the 18th century English collocations. The descriptions are lavish, detailed, from the clothes to the furniture to the daily life of the upper and low classes. Most importantly, the depiction of the prejudices and the stereotypes imposed on women by their fathers and their husbands is brutally honest. This is a world where a woman has to use her body as a merchandise in order to retain or to gain some form of dignity and self-respect, to acquire the necessary means to live her life in some form of freedom, however controversial. The magical realism element is successfully woven into the story, adding an aura of mystery to Tully’s character. The only problem is that I felt it was overused in certain parts and there were moments when I just couldn't take it seriously. Still, it created a feeling of anticipation and dread. And as for the racy scenes? Well, this is the 18th century and our main character is a night butterfly, so that’s that. In any case, you can easily skip them if they bother you.

Tully is an engaging main character. Naive, sincere, brave and unafraid of her sexuality. She tries to make her life better, using the means that are accessible at the given moment and I don’t think that the readers should judge her. We all struggle to live our lives as best as we can given the era, the circumstances and all the unpredictable factors. I refuse to judge her choices but I can definitely say that I followed Tully’s adventures with interest and curiosity.

‘’Our days are measured too often in woes and too seldom in humour, which is a pity, for what is this world if not a farce, a comedy of follies performed without rehearsal, a stage waiting for a strumpet to tell her tale?’’

My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com ( )

I began this with a certain amount of uncertainty because I had the sense that it was a Moll Flanders knock-off. And certainly there are echoes of Moll's story in this piqaresque novel/romance of Tully Truegood, but the tale here is warmer and much more appealing to the contemporary reader than Defoe's novel. Tully is warmer, certainly than the eponymous Moll, and while she loses her innocence and becomes a worldly woman in the course of the novel, she never becomes hardened to life.

Briefly, An Almond for a Parrot is the story of Tully Truegood, a girl with a peculiar gift. If there is a weakness to the story, it centers on her magical powers which seem to be that if she believes she can do something, she can do it. No boundaries to this are ever explained, leaving the reader with a sense that her magic is both convenient and chaotic, and we are never really certain how she came by them. I came to the end of the story wondering why she didn't do this thing or that thing and avoid all the problems? And of course the answer is that there would have been no story then. (It doesn't do to ask too many questions about magic because you'll end up wondering why Gandalf didn't just have the eagles drop the ring into Mt. Doom instead of sending the fellowship into so much danger.)

But the book is well written and engaging, moving quickly through Tully's girlhood, her changes in situation, the ups and downs of her life as a courtesan, and finally to the resolution of the love story (which is a little too contrived, in my opinion, but I can overlook that.) It's appealing that the strongest characters in the book are all women. Men propel the plot line to a great degree, but its the women who live it, who cope with the weakness, folly, and malice of those men, and rise above it.

On the whole I think it's one of the better and more engaging historical romances I've read in the last few years, with memorable characters. If the plot has bumps along the way, they're not so large or troubling that they take away from the enjoyment of the book. ( )

Originally posted on Tales to Tide You Over

This is an odd book falling somewhere between historical fiction and romance. It is erotic in detail, and the main character, Tully, works out of a brothel for much of her life. At the same time, there’s a kind of innocence to her that suffers her state, and yet Tully finds beauty and joy where she can.

It’s a historically accurate presentation of the mid-18th century with all the light and dark of England in those times. There is no allowance for modern sensibility in how it shows the state of women of that time, and as such, there is nearly every horror and abuse possible either in passing reference or on the page. This is not a read for the weak-hearted.

The presentation itself is fascinating as the tale begins with Tully in prison awaiting trial for murder. A medical examination reveals her to be pregnant so her trial is delayed until the birth of her child, called “pleading the belly.” This gives her ample time to reflect on her circumstances and how she came to be here. The reflection, in the form of her writing a memoir, becomes the over-story with occasional reminders of from where the narrator is speaking. Most of the time, the story, starting in Tully’s childhood, is told in a straightforward manner.

Though the narrative voice sometimes feels a little too modern, the contents are pure seventeen hundreds. As an example, there is not just the belief but also the actuality of mystic abilities, while mistresses are simultaneously treated with both acceptance and scorn. The social structure is presented in lovingly accurate detail with all its contradictions. This is neither a modernized nor an idealized portrayal.

The story is the tale of a young girl used for others’ purposes who tries to survive when she has nothing to call her own. She’s a caring, likeable girl who forms strong attachments that are returned if not in full measure then very close to it. She brings joy and strength to those who most need it, holds her head up high, and fights for herself and those she cares for.

This duty is complicated by her ability to see “ghosts” of the troubles haunting the people around her, the quotes only because some are events or fears more than the actual soul of someone long gone. These ghosts help her navigate a situation where some are trying to cheat their way to success at the cost of others, involving Tully in their twisted schemes.

The book is full of open sexuality, something Tully enjoys quite a lot, but only when she feels affection for her partner or partners, something she discovers when contracted to entertain a man who wants only a status symbol and nothing more. There are many lovely lines in the book, and so much emotion of the complicated kind that you really feel a part of Tully’s journey to selfhood. Little is spared in the portrayal, as might be guessed from how the book begins. This was not a good time for women of little means, or even of good standing, and yet there were ways to make a life at it.

This is not a pretty tale for all it has moments of loveliness. It’s not an easy read nor a particularly happy one, but it is intense and full of meaning. There is one tiny linchpin upon which the overall story stands that I found a bit unlikely, but still plausible enough to make this book well worth the read. A truly fascinating account that spares none of the horror while showing light even so.

P.S. I received this title from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review. ( )