Official Review: The Elegant Mind by Gerry Wycherley

Post by **Lorraine De Vos** » 21 Jun 2020, 02:50

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Elegant Mind" by Gerry Wycherley.]

3 out of 4 stars

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The Elegant Mind by Gerry Wycherley is the sequel to The Man Under the Elm about the fascinating life of William Wycherley, the seventeenth-century dramatist.

Wycherley has done a magnificent job of giving a full-bodied account of the life of his ancestor, adding flair and drama in the form of a story.

William lived the life of an artist.

After being blamed for his cousin’s pregnancy and having a treacherous affair with Emma Corbett, William was banished to France where he lived the life of a French aristocrat. Upon his return to England, he comes across a damsel in distress. A young girl is chased down by a mob and accused of being a witch. William is horrified at the outrageous attempt to drown this young orphan girl and saves her life. He returns her to the safekeeping of her aunt. When he finally reaches his home, he finds out that his favourite horse has died and the love of his life is married to another man. His father has growing concerns for the wellbeing of their land and decides to send him off to London to study law, but William, dreading the idea and wanting to live the life of a rich aristocrat, resists. Eventually, his father’s wishes prevail and he is sent to London, but William quickly falls in with an artistic crowd and abandons his studies.

In a time when family affairs took president over personal preference, William decided to defy his father’s wishes and follow his dream of becoming a famed writer.

I liked the portrayal of William’s character; he was a good person, ready and willing to help the downtrodden whenever he could. He made friends wherever he went and it seemed that the ladies did not mind his appearance at all. His faults lay in how he chose to spend his money and relying on others to provide for him. When times were good, he did not think to save for a rainy day and when times were bad, he racked up debts that he thought he would be able to pay back.

Written in Elizabethan English, the theatrical aspect of this book is amazing. The author clearly did a lot of research and accurately depicts the look and feel of the time. What I disliked was Daniel’s treatment of his daughter Elizabeth. I understood that in keeping with the times of this novel, it was accurate, but it still angered me that he was so brutally dismissive of her feelings.

If you do not enjoy Elizabethan English novels or feel offended by topics such as suicide, alcohol abuse, violence, and prostitution, I would recommend you avoid this novel. The aforementioned topics are plentiful, yet tastefully written, so it would be safe for young adults to enjoy this story. I would recommend this book to hopeless romantics, artists, and anyone who enjoys reading books set in the seventeenth century.

Wycherley’s history as a teacher is easy to imagine, as there are minimal spelling and grammar errors to be found. There were a few chapters that focused purely on other characters that William was acquainted with and how their lives turned out, which I found unnecessary and sometimes confusing, but otherwise, I am very happy to award this book 3 out 4 stars.

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The Elegant Mind
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