A Mad, Wicked Folly

“I am most anxious to enlist everyone who can speak or write to join in checking this mad, wicked folly of "Women's Rights," with all its attendent horrors, on which her poor feeble sex is bent, forgetting every sense of womanly feelings and propriety."

Queen Victoria, 1870

Victoria Darling dreams of becoming an artist.  She spent her childhood drawing and fantasizing of the day she could attend art school.  She hopes to be one of the best artists in the world, with her paintings hanging in galleries, and lauded for her work.  However, in 1909 England, upper class women were expected to paint flowers, or fruit.  Things that would hang on their walls and home, and not to spend too much time away from their household duties.  Vicky wants more that that.   While at finishing school in France, she begins taking an art class focusing on the techniques of drawing the undraped figure- the nude.  When the model doesn't show up, Vicky makes the decision to model for the class.  Many of the other students had done it, and she felt she needed to do it to fit in.    She is discovered by another student, and sent home in disgrace.

Her parents quickly arrange a marriage for her, to cover up the scandal, and deny her art school.  Vicky is determined to continue with her art.  She begins preparing for the entrance exam once she realizes her fiancee won't mind if she paints once she is married.  He even agrees to pay the tuition.  As she begins to search for subject matter, she befriends a suffragette from America.  Lucy moved to England and supports the rights of women.  She introduces Vicky to the Pankhurst sisters and Vicky begins to paint for them.  During one of the protests, Vicky meets a young police constable, Will.  Will wants to become a writer, and Vicky begins to paint him in exchange for illustrating his stories.  Things get complicated quickly when Vicky realizes she is falling in love with Will.  If she doesn't marry, she will be sent to live a life of solitude with her great-aunt.  She must figure out what is important to her- her place in society, or her art.

This was such a good book.  I love historical fiction, and the turn of the century is a fascinating time.  England had been ruled for so long by the very proper Queen Victoria.  Once she died and her son, King Edward VII became king, he was much more relaxed when it came to tradition.  Women began to demand equal rights, and some of the social standards began to change.  Vicky is an amazing protagonist.; very headstrong and not afraid to speak her mind.  The details of her passion for art very intriguing, information I had not known previously.

I highly recommend this book.  I truly loved it.