A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller

A Mad, Wicked Folly
by Sharon Biggs Waller
Read: September 20 - 21, 2013
Published: January 23, 2014 by Viking Juvenile **TODAY!**
Source: Copy from author in exchange for an honest review 
Category: Historical, YA
Find: Goodreads | Amazon

Welcome to the world of the fabulously wealthy in London, 1909, where dresses and houses are overwhelmingly opulent, social class means everything, and women are taught to be nothing more than wives and mothers. Into this world comes seventeen-year-old Victoria Darling, who wants only to be an artist—a nearly impossible dream for a girl.
            
After Vicky poses nude for her illicit art class, she is expelled from her French finishing school. Shamed and scandalized, her parents try to marry her off to the wealthy Edmund Carrick-Humphrey. But Vicky has other things on her mind: her clandestine application to the Royal College of Art; her participation in the suffragette movement; and her growing attraction to a working-class boy who may be her muse—or may be the love of her life. As the world of debutante balls, corsets, and high society obligations closes in around her, Vicky must figure out: just how much is she willing to sacrifice to pursue her dreams?
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It's 1909 and Vicky Darling is attending a posh finishing school in France, except she's more interested in art than the social rolls she's supposed to be learning. When it's discovered that Vicky posed nude for an illicit art class, she gets expelled from school and sent back to London. Her parents are angry and embarrassed, and do their best to set her on the "right" path. But Vicky has dreams of her own, and a struggle begins between what Vicky wants and what is expected of her as a female in the early twentieth century. 

What I liked: 

1) Setting. A Mad, Wicked Folly takes place in London in the early twentieth century during the Edwardian era, when society is on the cusp of major social and technological changes. The modern era is coming with automobiles and phones, but also women’s rights issues are being challenged, especially suffrage and the role of women in and out of the home. Vicky comes from the newer wealth of merchants that is on the rise, instead of the old aristocracy, and that further sets her amidst the changing culture. It was a vibrant, chaotic time, and this book completely immerses the reader in it all. 

2) Art themes also abound in this story, focusing especially on the pre-Raphaelite movement. Through Vicky’s connection to art, broader social themes of the time are further explored. I found the history of the art movement at this time to be fascinating. 

2) Identity. Vicky is struggling to find her place between the wishes of her wealthy, traditional parents and her own desires and ideas for her life. I loved this tension in the novel and how it played out throughout the story. It certainly causes Vicky to get herself in some sticky situations. I also enjoyed the romance in the story that came out of this. I really liked Will a lot. Though this book introduces a mild love triangle, it's more one of convenience and circumstance than feelings. It also works well in this story and further illustrates Vicky's inner struggle for identity. I never felt truly threatened by it, although I don't think Vicky always handled everything as well as she should have. That leads me to 

What I didn't like as much:

When I read historical fiction, I automatically think a lot about whether real people at that time period would think and act this way, and usually that is where my biggest struggle with a book happens. I will admit to sometimes over think about this question, but it does affect my reading.

1) Character complexity. I had a bit of trouble with the characterization of Vicky, especially her strange mix of being a very progressive thinker and extremely clueless about any sort of societal norms. Did she learn nothing at that finishing school? As much as she's a modern girl and the daughter of new money, she still was raised in a classed society. I could not believe that she'd have zero clue about what marriage contracts meant at that time, how her relationship with Will would have looked to the outside world, or even how he'd be perceiving their relationship. I also couldn't believe that he didn't foresee some of the obstacles that came between them. I thought Vicky was consistent in her behavior, but I had a hard time believing that a real girl in her time period and class would make some of the mistakes that she does. 

2) Believable reactions. I also thought the reactions to Vicky's nude modeling were too black and white. All of the older, traditional people were completely against it, which made sense, of course. However, Vicky could not understand why her parents would be upset at her for it. My parents would have struggled if they'd found out I'd been doing nude modeling as a teenager. The fact that she didn't consider that, made no sense to me. Alternatively, every progressive thinker (i.e. people sympathetic to suffrage) automatically accepted it, even if they'd had no prior experience with the art form.  I was especially surprised that Will didn't have any hesitations at all. It seems like something he would have at least had to warm up to, seeing as he didn't have any previous experience in the art culture. I'm likely way over thinking this, but it is something that pulled me away from the authenticity of the characters. 

A Mad, Wicked Folly is a great story over all, set in an exciting time period. I especially loved all of the well researched history, and references to the suffrage movement and art culture at the time. I wasn't sure all of Vicky's behavior matched a girl of her time period, but overall I enjoyed her journey throughout this book, and I think this is an excellent debut novel.

Love Triangle Factor: Mild

Cliffhanger Scale: Standalone