REVIEW - Cecilia - you're breaking my heart

Date read: 27th June 2019

My rating: 5*

Genre I reckon: Classics 

Buy link: not included






Oh my very goodness!! 😨
How does one even begin the attempt of reviewing such a novel.

It was published in 1782, and the language is very much of its time. But one does get accustomed to such flowerings of words so that, in time, it is not at all a trial to read. Indeed, it is most intriguing.

I read Cecilia as I loved Evelina before (review of that here).
And as I'm writing my own Regency romance (currently with beta readers so I was free from too much influence of this fine lady), I took the opportunity of perusing this tome.

As one has come to expect of this author, I was treated to some incredibly well illustrated characters.
They take their time to come to fruition, so you will need patience.

Fanny was, in real life, a courtier. She became "Keeper of the Robes" to Queen Charlotte (wife of George III). She had therefore some insight then into the different factions of Regency life, and was not shy of holding back in her satirisation of them. Having come from relatively humble beginnings, I wonder if she too encountered such prejudice as described in this novel when she married a French exile.

Talking of pride and prejudice, there is a section where Dr Lyster mentions this several times over:

Knowing Jane Austen was a fan, the title of arguably her most famous book seems to have been influenced from this. There's even a Miss Bennet in this story, although of a very different nature. And Miss Larolles, a tiresome chatterbox, is cited in Emma.

Anyway, back to THIS story...
Cecilia is an heiress. Sorry, HEIRESS. Little acquainted with London life, she is situated with a dissipated guardian. But then her other two potential guardians are worse; one is a miser who could rival (the later) Scrooge himself. The other is so extremely proud as to be irksome.

Thus Evelina is set upon a tragic course. Deeper and deeper she sinks into strife the harder she tries to maintain her precious innocence, as instructed in youth.

There's a particularly good masquerade scene, which is thrown with shade as well as humour.

Shock after shock befalls our heroine.

But then she makes a few friends, largely with thanks to her inherent goodness.
A wonderfully odd character enters the scene too. He seems to be a prophet of some sort.

Why, when she is all goodness will nobody hear her when she speaks only truth? Oh, fair Society, so little used to such merits is forever in doubt of anything which it hears which is against its wishes.

Twists and turns abound. And just as you think she is coming clear, another ill-timed entrance throws her back into turmoil. Oh, such hardships!

Her strength of character is exceptional under such duress. Burney shows in her own way, just how incredible Cecilia is. How she frets over indiscretions or possible wrong actions is a reflection of her purity. And how sorely it is tried.

I would not give the ending away for all the world, but fair reader, I urge you to have an entire box of tissues at the ready if you enter this lengthy read. Believe me; it is entirely worth your endeavours. I can't recall the last time I sobbed so hard at a book. Actually sobbed!! 😭 Oh monstrous perfidy!!!

Like its predecessor, Evelina, I thoroughly recommend this book.

It is funny, Fanny is quoted as being fearful of writing this novel, not certain of succeeding the success of her first. She needn't have worried; it exceeds even her own excellence.

All that is left is for me is to fear publishing my own Regency romance. Oh, how it pales in comparison to this mighty work. Even my beloved Jane Austen does not succeed her in my estimation (*gasp*). I know; sacrilege! But trust me, it really is THAT good.

(I'm making my very slow way through her entire collection, but will review on Zon once all books are completed.)

Oh, fellow writers, this section is rather marvellous....

"The assailants of the quill have their honour as much at heart as the assailants of the sword"

OK, so that's all I have to say about this amazing, and I mean AMAZING novel.

Always in love and light,
TL