By Carly Smith
Content warning: murder, abuse, rape, violence, and neglect
Lady Augusta Colebrook is a force to be reckoned with. Repeatedly breaking sexist barriers, she and her sister, Lady Julia, live an adventurous life. With her strong will, wit, and a penchant for facing danger head-on, Lady Augusta, sometimes called Gus, leads a life that appears to be calm and uneventful to her acquaintances and social circle. But behind closed doors, the sisters carry out risky yet charitable missions to bring other women to safety — women who have been abused, mistreated, disrespected, and neglected. Together, with the help of an unconventional accomplice, Gus and Julia dismantle the common idea of what a lady is as they go into disguise, use weapons, and outwit men time after time to bring others out of harm’s way.
Set around 1800 in England, Goodman takes readers on whirlwind after whirlwind in The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies. Writing in language commonly used in the Regency era, the book offers a revival of long-forgotten social decorum. In a breath of fresh air, readers follow along as Gus, Julia, and their mysterious assistant devise careful plans — albeit sometimes requiring luck and spontaneity — without the help of new technology. Goodman sets the time and place beautifully, with descriptive language that allows the reader to feel fully immersed in the ladies’ adventures. Details of this time period’s clothing, means of travel, housing, social gatherings, and societal expectations are implemented accurately and abundantly.
Lady Augusta and Lady Julia complement each other beautifully. Gus is bold, blunt, and unwavering. Happily unmarried, she enjoys her life without a husband and does not allow others’ perceptions of her to wear her down. Throughout the book, readers follow Gus’s internal tug-of-war about God’s existence. Julia is more softly spoken, guarded, and tactful. She helps iron out the finer details of Gus’s plans and keeps a cooler head when Gus cannot. They make the perfect pair for their benevolent escapades.
This novel offers something for everyone: adventure, history, feminism, romance, and mystery. It does not fall short on descriptive language, and carefully introduces secondary characters in a way that ties together perfectly later on. It must be noted that Goodman covers topics related to murder, abuse, rape, violence, and neglect. Clever and well planned, The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies will have you laughing, gasping, frowning, and perhaps crying. It was an honour to follow the Colebrook sisters on their norm-defying adventures of selflessness.
Thank you to Penguin Random House for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.