I’ve had good luck with books lately. First Neil Gaiman’s American Gods; then Vera Nazarian’s Lords of Rainbow; and now Christine Pope’s “Heart of Gold.” It’s put me in such a good mood, that it makes me think my lucky run probably won’t last much longer.
Anyway, I first became acquainted with Christine Pope’s writing back in her fanfiction-writing days, when she wrote fun, very well-written stories set in the Star Wars and Lord of the Rings universes. After a brief spell where we worked together on the late, great Dark Valentine magazine, I became more of a fan, and I was happy to see her writing career start to take off. Unlike her previous novels, her latest work is a historical romance; but it doesn’t have a stereotypical Regency setting and plotline. “Heart of Gold” is quite a different beast– in fact, I can’t think of any other story quite like it on the market today. It’s a splendid, exciting gaslight romantic adventure, with just a hint of steampunk.
The story follows the adventures of Miss Lavinia Greene, a well brought up but inquisitive young lady who is called by her eccentric inventor uncle to visit him at his castle in Romania. But there are no vampires here, but a mysterious and handsome young assistant, a sparkling metal-clad airship, and danger lurking around every corner. After her uncle is murdered by a pair of nefarious Russians who are out to steal his latest invention, the assistant, Joshua Jones, helps spirit her to safety– but then he disappears off the face of the earth. Convinced of his demise, she finds solace in the arms of the roguish Earl of Langdon– but she soon discovers he is not who he seems. There’s gloomy castles, daring escapes, and more excitement than you’d find in a penny dreadful. I found it almost impossible to put down.
Ms. Pope has a habit of hopping between genres, and “Heart of Gold” is no exception. The best way I could describe it is that it is somewhere between the old-fashioned period gothic suspense of Mary Stewart and Dorothy Eden, and the romantic gaslight adventures of Leanna Renee Heiber (sans ghosts). The setting is exceptionally well done. This is a Victorian England only slightly different from our own, with airships, “zooming” binoculars, automated fairy lights and various other technological wonders. But the emphasis here is squarely on Lavinia, her desire for freedom warring with her proper upbringing, and her growing feelings for Joshua. She’s a memorable heroine with a great character arc, who faces off against a slick and formidable antagonist who at times is so hateful I could imagine a crowd in a Victorian theatre hissing at him.
“Heart” is also distinguished by its beautiful, polished prose, and a solid sense of place. The opulent society of the late Victorian period, but its balls, races and masquerades, is rendered convincingly and with with gorgeous detail, with even a guest appearance by the famous couturier Mr. Worth. The manners and costumes are described with care and verve, and the stifling etiquette makes a great contrast to the increasing danger Lavinia finds herself in. Here’s a short excerpt from a masque at Kew Gardens that Lavinia attends later on in the story:
Although they had missed the opening festivities by a full hour, there was still a crush of carriages and hansom cabs outside the Gardens. More than a quarter of an hour passed before they were able to alight, but the scene which greeted Lavinia was so breathtaking she knew she would have waited twice that time without complaint.
Fancy-dress balls were a part of the normal round of the Season, but Lavinia’s Grandmamma had never allowed her to attend one, saying the atmosphere at such events was too licentious for a young woman of proper breeding. Now, finally freed from her grandmother’s constraints, Lavinia found her gaze skipping from one costume to another, each more marvelous than the next. There was a harlequin, and next to him a medieval queen, and beyond that pair some kind of a wizard and a woman in flowing Grecian robes.
Above and beyond the costumes, however, were the marvelous lights in the trees, like fairy dust in the dark. More lights guided them down a tree-lined alley to an open space near a lake, where a series of enormous white tents had been set up. In the distance, the fantastic wrought-iron form of the Palm House seemed to glow from within. It was hard to believe this was the same Kew Gardens where she had dutifully trod the pathways and listened to lectures about the thousands of plant species cultivated there. The heat of the day lingered in the warm night air, which felt soft against her skin as a lover’s kiss. (Christine Pope, “Heart of Gold,” Kindle Edition, Loc. 2807.)
As for Joshua, the hero, I found him adorable; intelligent, shy and not particularly used to the attention of ladies, he’s a really endearing Paul Bettany-esque beta hero. My only wish is that he would have had a bit more screen time. I didn’t doubt for a second why Lavinia was in love with him, but I just wanted to see more of this character, so I could have gotten a better sense of the depth of their connection. “Heart” is definitely a romantic story, but the emphasis is more on the adventure than on the romance. As it is, there is more time spent with the villain than with the hero, which is a pity. Also, the ending felt a touch abrupt: the pacing during the rest of the book was so good, I actually wanted to see a ending stretched out a beat longer.
But, these are fairly minor quibbles. “Heart of Gold” is in fact– in my opinion– better than many novels published by mainstream publishing houses. This book, a fast-paced, delightful little confection of a story, a loving tribute to Victorian melodrama, is highly diverting and a pleasure to read. It’s also living proof that an independently published novel does not have to suck.
“Heart of Gold” is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and All Romance Ebooks. A review copy was sent to me by the author.
I’m happy to announce that Christine Pope will be interviewed here on Friday for February’s Author of the Month– and there will be a giveaway too. One lucky commenter will win his or her very own copy of “Heart of Gold.” Check back in on Friday for a chance to win!