Sixteen Scandals by Sophie Jordan was a short and simple read. Not too much happened and the actual pacing of the story made the read a slow one as perhaps the simplicity of the story made it suffer. Characters weren’t really fleshed out, allowing the plot to only show the surface of their personalities which made them not very unique or likable, but rather generic and stereotypical. This story had a cinderella-esque vibe which I did like, especially when it came to her own mother who really seemed to nail the evil stepmother role from the original tale. The addition of the Lady Druther’s Guide to Perfect Deportment and Etiquette passages at the chapter breaks were also enjoyable because it provided a clever way to incorporate how the ‘ton’ functioned within the society. There were aspects of the story that I thoroughly enjoyed, but the overall readability didn’t work out as well as reader would hope. It read too slowly and the plot was overall too predictable to keep my attention in check.
This book would be perfect for fans of the Bridgerton novels by Julia Quinn as they also heavily feature society’s formal rules of the ‘ton’. I also respect and enjoy Jordan’s writing as a whole and although Sixteen Scandals wasn’t a hit for me, I loved her Reign of Shadows duology that features a Rapunzel without sight. This series is amazing and perfect for people who love unique fairytale retellings!
Our main character Primrose started off really likeable. She was stubborn when it came to her mother and her rules, she was an avid reader, and she was hilarious as hell to read! But I didn’t like how much she would lose her confidence and sneak back into her shy shell because it really set her character back and it made it harder for me to respect her and the growth that her character would achieve by the end of the story. There’s being shy and then there’s being too cautious and self-conscious. And I think that way of thinking stunted her growth too much.
“Her temper prickled at his clear insinuation. Prim let go of his arm, disliking his tone. He was no longer the only one annoyed now. He did not think her concerned with propriety? Well, on this night, she was not. True enough. But while she may have temporarily cast aside the trappings of decorum, she did not appreciate his judgment of her. He did not know anything about her. Excluding the facts that it was her birthday and she was acquainted with Mrs. Zaher, and that her hair was a rather unfortunate shade of red.”
I liked her temper here, especially when it came to her first initial meetings with the “man-boy” Jacob. This gave her some cred because she shared her opinions and I like how she was bothered by the assumptions that he was making. It created the perfect amount of tension to start the romance off. You could sense the chemistry and the attraction that was going to come from this and I was excited for more!
“My hair is too…brazen.’ Mama had told her that plenty of times.
‘Your hair is beautiful.’ The rejoinder came quickly. Forcefully.”
The only part that I hated which she constantly brought up as an insecurity was the colour and vibrancy of her red hair. This is even after both her friend and love interest recognise it as a beautiful thing that she shouldn’t be ashamed of. It was interesting for the author to include this trait as a negative in the main character’s eyes because they don’t usually have this insecurity, it’s usually a distinctive feature that makes them extraordinary or a stand out to all the other characters.
“See there.’ Olympia nodded to the stage as they wove through the room, locating a vacant table. ‘You bemoan your hair while there are those desperate to replicate it.”
I get why she did it because Prim didn’t want all this attention and the red hair created a sort of beacon for it, which her mother obviously hated, but she should have embraced it from the beginning and that would have shown her character to be stronger. Building up her confidence just a bit more at the start would have helped her character shine and this could have been done through her bright hair.
“Why wear it, of course. I’ll look quite the lady, don’t you think?’
Simon jerked a thumb in Prim’s direction. ‘This one’s got more meat on ‘er than ye. It won’t even fit. The thing will hang off ye.’
Nell slapped his arm. ‘Watch yer tongue. I’ll not ‘ave ye insulting another female for the shape the good Lord saw fit to bless ‘er with.’
Simon sputtered, gesturing at Primrose. ‘I merely pointed out that ye and she do not–’
‘Enough.’ Nell waved a finger to silence him. ‘Next thing you’ll be insulting me.”
One thing I did really appreciate was the inclusion of this scene because although it was an altercation between a female thief and Prim, the message she gives to the main character and her male companion was beautiful! It was a body positive comment in an era that didn’t recognise it as so and it was great the direction and concept that Jordan wanted to give to readers. It didn’t matter that it didn’t fit with the society the story takes place in because this is an important message to all women and the body shaming that happened during this time was not okay. This woman calls it out straightaway and that made me like the story more.
The way Jordan depicted her female characters was great! She gave them scenes where they didn’t care if they had a healthy appetite and would eat their fill. No one should be ashamed for their diet and I know a woman’s diet is highly judged, especially when this takes place and despite it being that way she gave Aster and Primrose the confidence and defiance to strike back from that status quo. Having a healthy love of food with none of the shame made this reader happy!
“She suffered a quick stab of guilt at the memory of all the times she had joined Aster in poking fun at Violet when she returned from Bond Street with some ridiculous confection that she insisted was the height of fashion. Prim shoved the memory aside. Violet was a sister. Insults were their love language.”
‘Insults were their love language’ struck a chord with me. Being a middle child of four, I got this right away and it is 100% accurate. The bonds she has with her sisters were real and genuine, you will not get along with your siblings all the time and there are definitely personality clashes and this book represents them perfectly with Primrose and her sisters. It was a masterclass in sibling relationships.
“Matches were made for practicality, not because of things like flutters. Mama had lectured on that point too many times to count. Along with the warning not to expect emotion or sentimentality from a future husband. According to her mother, it was not in a man’s disposition, as they were far too concerned with masculine pursuits. And why was she thinking of matches anyway? She was not in one of the gothic romances she purchased from the local bookshop and then hid from Mama. Mama blamed such books for filling Prim’s head with rubbish. And it was not as though Jacob was a viable marital prospect.”
Once again I loved how much Prim loved to read. It made me relate to her easily. The use of the word ‘flutters’ stood out to me as ingenious, It’s a new take on butterflies that’s very similar and yet unused to convey the same emotions one has when attracted to another, it was brilliant! It was a refreshing take on an exhaustive cliché and I loved its use here! It’s just so clever and simple and yet reads so much better than it’s cliched other half.
Sixteen Scandals is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
In this irreverent regency romp by New York Times best-selling author Sophie Jordan, newly minted sixteen-year-old Primrose Ainsworth finds herself on a wayward birthday adventure through London with a mysterious hero—perfect for fans of My Lady Jane.
The youngest of four daughters, Primrose Ainsworth is used to getting lost in the shuffle. But when her parents decide to delay her debut into English society, Prim hatches a plan to go rogue on the night of her sixteenth birthday.
Donning a mask, Prim escapes to the infamous Vauxhall Gardens for one wild night. When her cover is nearly blown, a mysterious stranger intercedes, and Prim finds an unexpected partner in mischief . . . and romance. But when it’s revealed her new ally isn’t who he says he is, her one night of fun may last past dawn.
In this frothy regency romp perfect for fans of Austen-esque flirtation and Shakespearean hijinks, sometimes a little scandal can be a good thing.
