I'd never heard of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu prior to reading this novel, based on her letters and published works, and it is a shame—she is fascinating. From her feminist ideals to her advocacy for inoculation against smallpox and anti-war sentiments, there is much to be admired for a woman of her time. Lusk brought her to life with his own prose like poetry, complementary to hers. However, this doesn't read like a traditional historical fiction novel but more like a fictionalized biography.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing my ARC in exchange for an honest review.