464 pages, Random
House, ISBN-13: 978-0812970791
I
once read a review of Sofia Coppola’s 2006 movie Marie Antoinette that said it was “a frivolous movie about a
frivolous person” – and by-and-large that is how I feel about Paula Byrne’s Perdita: The Literary, Theatrical,
Scandalous Life of Mary Robinson. Oh, it isn’t a bad book by any stretch:
it is, in fact, well-written, informative and knowledgeable about its subject
matter and the era in which she lived. And for anyone who enjoys the lusty Regency
Era in England and the life of George IV, this is a perfect book to introduce
you to the period…but by the time I reached the end I couldn’t help but ask
myself: Yeah? So?
Mary Robinson was, for a time, an excellent actress who was an ornament of the Regency stage, until she gave up what could have been a lucrative career in order to become the mistress of the future George IV, who then dumped her and reneged on his promise to support her…HOWEVER, she was no acting innovator, left no lasting impression as to her skills and wasn’t missed when she was gone.
Okay, but in later life she also became a poetess and author of several gothic novels, each of which sold well and solidified her popularity during the era, although the fluctuations in the publishing market meant she made little, if any, money…HOWEVER, none of her works are known today and, indeed, are a rather embarrassing product of her age, well-mocked by Jane Austen and others for their overwrought verbiage and sentimental plots.
Well, at least she was a great beauty, having been painted by the likes of Thomas Gainsborough, Joshua Reynolds (twice) and John Hoppner, amongst several others…and, yeah, I guess she was hot, but none of the portraits agree with one another, so who knows? Not a bad book, and really rather entertaining, but only if gossip concerning a long-dead actress and the English court of 200+ years ago is your forte.
Mary Robinson was, for a time, an excellent actress who was an ornament of the Regency stage, until she gave up what could have been a lucrative career in order to become the mistress of the future George IV, who then dumped her and reneged on his promise to support her…HOWEVER, she was no acting innovator, left no lasting impression as to her skills and wasn’t missed when she was gone.
Okay, but in later life she also became a poetess and author of several gothic novels, each of which sold well and solidified her popularity during the era, although the fluctuations in the publishing market meant she made little, if any, money…HOWEVER, none of her works are known today and, indeed, are a rather embarrassing product of her age, well-mocked by Jane Austen and others for their overwrought verbiage and sentimental plots.
Well, at least she was a great beauty, having been painted by the likes of Thomas Gainsborough, Joshua Reynolds (twice) and John Hoppner, amongst several others…and, yeah, I guess she was hot, but none of the portraits agree with one another, so who knows? Not a bad book, and really rather entertaining, but only if gossip concerning a long-dead actress and the English court of 200+ years ago is your forte.
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