Quick Synopsis

From the prize-winning and beloved author Valerie Martin (Mary Reilly, Property, Italian Fever) comes a surprisingly inventive tale of female subversion and agency in a patriarchal world, with two brilliantly crafted protagonists to root for.

Publisher’s Synopsis

It’s 1954 on far-flung Verona Island, a tropical paradise with a fragile economy and a rising crime rate. Prostitution is legal and Lila Gulliver is proud of her business, a high-end brothel where her clients are guaranteed privacy and discretion. When Carità Bercy, a young, destitute, and beautiful blind woman arrives at her door seeking employment, Lila decides to give her a chance.

Carità proves a valuable asset to the house, as well as a psychological puzzle to her employer. One hot night, Ian Drohan, a handsome youth and the scion of the wealthiest family on the island, visits Lila’s house and falls madly in love with Carità. Lila doubts his sincerity and fears for Carità ‘s future.

Carità has no such fears. In fact, Carità is a reckless force of nature, determined to succeed in ways Lila hasn’t even contemplated.

Spirits of the star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet, as well as the devilish denizens of the magical island in The Tempest, haunt this steamy tale of passionate love, found and lost, and found again.

Book Review

Mrs. Lila Gulliver grew up in poverty & spent her younger years at a ramshackle brothel. Now, she runs her own discrete bordello that serves a high class clientele. Mrs. Gulliver treats her girls with respect & ensures sure they are well taken care of. When a beautiful & mysterious blind girl, Carità who has come upon misfortune, arrives on her doorstep, Mrs. Gulliver takes her in and gives her a job. Carità’s elegance & determination bring unforeseen events upon the house, including for Mrs. Gulliver.
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Unfortunately, Mrs. Gulliver never came together for me. ⁣The novel stars off strong with an alluring premise and gorgeous prose. The characters Martin builds are unusual and intriguing. However, by the halfway mark, I was questioning if the story was interesting enough to finish. At that point, the plot was lost and seemingly going nowhere. ⁣

It is hard to understand what exactly Martin was intending with Mrs. Gulliver. There is not enough history for it to really be historical fiction. (This is not aided by the fact it takes place on a fictitious island.) But it is also too pedestrian and unrealized to be literary fiction. Yet, the book is too prosaic to be considered romance. This lack of commitment to one storyline or genre leaves readers without a real focus. I became hopeful when I started reading paragraphs that indicated a strong feminist tone; however, they are only scattered here or there – never enough to make any kind of overarching statement or conclusion. I only wish the plot was as strong as Martin’s descriptions and prose.
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I think it is worth noting that Martin lost her partner while writing Mrs. Gulliver. If you told me that she decided to change directions with the narrative after this event, I would not be surprised. ⁣
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While Mrs. Gulliver has a strong foundation, it suffered from a muddy plot and an unclear direction. If you asked me who this book is truly about – Mrs. Gulliver or Carità – I would not be able to give you an answer. Ultimately, it felt like Mrs. Gulliver was only a partially fleshed out tale brimming with unbridled potential.⁣

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