27 November 2014

Review #91: An Appetite for Violets by Martine Bailey



My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Michael Foley, an English author, has quoted about "servants" as:

“The perfect servant is the one who attends to all the master's whims - anyone can do that - but the one who anticipates the whims.”

Martine Bailey, another English author, has penned her debut novel named, An Appetite For Violets about the miserable lives of servants and how sometimes, by a simple stroke of luck, they are born with a new identity.

Synopsis:
“That's how it is for us servants. No one pays you much heed; mostly you're invisible as furniture. Yet you overhear a conversation here, and add a little gossip there. Then you find something, something you should not have found.”

Irrepressible Biddy Leigh, under-cook at the foreboding Mawton Hall, only wants to marry her childhood sweetheart and set up her own tavern. But when her elderly master marries the young Lady Carinna, Biddy is unwittingly swept up in a world of scheming, secrets, and lies. Forced to accompany her new mistress to Italy, she documents her adventures and culinary discoveries in an old household book of recipes, The Cook's Jewel. Biddy grows intrigued by her fellow travelers, but her secretive and unconventional mistress is the most intriguing of all.
In London Biddy finds herself attracted to her mistress's younger brother. In France she discovers her mistress's dark secret. At last in Italy, Biddy becomes embroiled in a murderous conspiracy, knowing the secrets she holds could be a key to a better life, or her downfall.
Inspired by eighteenth-century household books of recipes and set at the time of the invention of the first restaurants, An Appetite for Violets is a literary feast for lovers of historical fiction. Like Jo Baker’s Longbourn, it opens a window into the fascinating lives of servants, while also delivering a suspenseful tale of obsession and betrayal.


Bailey's debut novel is brilliant which involves not only pain, but also involves an unraveling mystery, and lots of delicious 18th century recipes. Bailey has made her readers see through the miserable lives of servants in the 18th century, when servants were treated like a filthy dog on the street. Biddy Leigh, a.k.a, 'Obedience' Leigh is a under-cook in the Mawton Hall, serving her old master Sir Geoffrey. Biddy had a passion for cooking ingenious dishes for the household. But when her old master gets married to a young mistress named Lady Carinna, Biddy's life changes forever. Since Lady Carinna, a very delightful, yet sad character, took a liking for Biddy's creative cooking skills, the young mistress suddenly requested biddy to travel with her to France for her good health away from the cold, bitterly, English winter. And in the whole journey, the author makes us realize that being a human; we can still be so cruel and inhumane towards our servants.

But rather than her striking characters, I think Martine Bailey is the one who won my heart right away. Let me tell you how she represented her compelling historical story!
From the very first page, the author has introduced us with the 18th century recipes, antidotes, quick-tips for health, skin, antiseptic, health drinks and many, many more. Along with Biddy and Carinna's journey to the south, the author has guided her readers along with a food guide book all through the last chapter.

The plot is not only intriguing, but also very scintillating and with lots of mystery here and there, it makes the plot simply enchanting. The author has not only taken her readers back into time, but has also taken us into a whole new world and she has laid out those details very intricately. It's not only that I could smell the delicious food prepared inside the Mawton hall, but also I can almost see the whole story unfolding right in front of my eyes. And it was a thoroughly enlightening read for me! I got to see the then sociopolitical scenario of Europe, cultural aspect, and also learned the language and behavior of that period.

The characters felt like the author has taken them out right from the pages of some history books. From their demeanor to their insecurities to their livelihood, everything about those brilliant characters only makes the book more interesting and delightful.

There also a budding love-story, but that’s the spoiler part, I can't divulge anything about Biddy's love-life. You must read it, since it's so enchanting, just like a fairytale, yet very dangerous.

Verdict: A must read historical saga about servants and their masters filled with guilt, intrigue, passion, food and love.

Courtesy: I'd like to thank Laura Macdougall from Hodder & Stoughton publishing house, for sending me over a review copy of this book. 
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Author's Info:
Inspired by eighteenth-century household books of recipes, An Appetite for Violets allowed Martine to indulge in her obsessions with food, history and travel. As an amateur cook, Martine won the Merchant Gourmet Recipe Challenge and was a former UK Dessert Champion, cooking at Le Meurice in Paris. In pursuit of authenticity she has studied with food historian Ivan Day and experienced Georgian food and fashion at firsthand with an historic re-enactment society. Martine lives in Cheshire, England after recently returning from a 20-month stay in New Zealand. She is married with one son and is currently writing a second historical novel for Hodder & Stoughton.
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2 comments:

  1. Hi Aditi,
    I'm so glad the book arrived and you like it. It also took me on an amazing journey to write the book, both in research libraries and travelling along the route across Europe.
    Thanks again, it is lovely to meet you online,
    Martine

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was my pleasure and thank you for gifting us with such an incredible journey!! :-)

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