Taking Liberties (Makepeace Hedley) [Paperback]

"Taking Liberties" is set in the English maritime city of Plymouth, regional capital of Cornwall, during the American War for Independence. As the book's title suggests, the novel is about liberty - and not just America's.

The plot centers around two women whose backgrounds and lives could not be more dissimilar. Makepeace Hedley is a Yank, a former Boston tavern keeper whom fate chose to turn into an Englishwoman, or as much so as humanly possible. Forced to leave her native land, she married an Englishman, and upon his early demise, married another, Andra Hedley, whom she adores. She is an extremely intelligent, independent, brash, blunt-spoken woman, who in today's world would be called a staunch feminist. She also has the kindest of hearts. Makepeace has always been, first and foremost, a businesswoman. In Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, she successfully runs the family shipping company, while Andra is a mining engineer concerned with preventing underground gas explosions. He is presently on a visit to France, investigating the properties of air with chemist Antoine Lavoisier. As the novel opens, the French have just entered the war on the side of the colonials, stranding Andra Hedley across the English Channel, which sends Makepeace in to a frenzy of worry. To make matters worse, she receives a long-delayed letter, informing her that her eleven year-old daughter, who has been visiting friends in America, is on a ship returning to England with her guardian, a dear family friend. The ship, with daughter and companion, should have docked in London months ago and yet no word has been sent to the Hedleys of its arrival. Makepeace and her stepson, upon hearing that the child was taken prisoner by the British after her ship was sunk in a sea battle, set off for London to rescue the girl.

Diana, Countess of Stacpoole, has just become the Dowager Countess. She is only thirty-nine and still quite beautiful. Married at fourteen to a sadistic brute of a man, she learned quite soon to hide her emotions behind a veneer of boredom, lest her husband use her feelings against her. She is a woman of honor, a stoic, and strong supporter of the British class system and her place in it as a woman of noble birth. She recognizes that under this system, she is not a free person and has no rights under the law. She is a "prisoner of propriety." Diana's son and his wife have now taken over their hereditary positions, have parsimoniously awarded her a small allowance and asked her to move into the estate's Dowager House. Like Makepeace Hedley, Diana, receives a letter. Her girlhood friend, who has married a colonialist, writes to tell her that her son, a navel officer, has been taken prisoner by the British, and is being held in abominable conditions in Plymouth. The Dowager Countess, determined not to continue to live as a prisoner herself, decides to pay a visit to her friends Lord Admiral and Lady Edgecumbe, who live just outside the port city. Once there, she will investigate the whereabouts and condition of her friend's son.

The Dowager Countess and the businesswoman meet and unite forces in friendship and common goals. Together they confront the serious problems of unacceptable prison conditions, slavery, segregation, smuggling, prostitution, along with public scandal, and discover, in the process, how precious their own freedom is.

"Taking Liberties" is an exceptionally good historical novel which, among other things, illustrates the differences between the new world and the old empire. Although there are romantic elements here, this is much more than a romance. Author Diana Norman has done considerable research on the period and times and her narrative reflects this. Her characters are extremely well developed, and continue to grow due to the situations which confront them. The two women, especially, become much more political as a result of events which touch their lives personally. I found parts of the book to be delightfully humorous. Ms. Norman is a teller of yarns if there ever was one! "Taking Liberties" is a sequel to the novel "A Catch of Consequence" about the early life of Makepeace Hedley, nee Burke. However, this book totally stands on its own. Highly recommended!

JANA

This wonderful novel deals with the issue of freedom in three fronts: the American war of independence from Britain (which is constantly discussed, and which creates the conflict that sparks the plot); the total loss of freedom and rights -and appalling conditions- that prisoners of war suffer (which further complicates the plot); and most especially, the personal independence of the main character, Lady Diana Stacpole, who finds herself free of her abusive and very "noble" husband after 20 years of nighmarish marriage.

In the end, it is made clear that freedom, even when imperfect (e.g. at some point it becomes apparent to the characters that the American declaration of rights is not going to respect those of women, black people or other minorities'), is better than the lack of it.

You may think the theme sounds very solemn and, certainly, the ethical aspects of freedom, as well as the problems of the British class system and the responsibilities towards our fellow human beings (even war enemies), are unblinkingly discussed. However, the result is not sermonizing thanks to Diana Norman's wonderful sense of humour and her ability to create the most eccentric, yet believable and endearing characters. And there are plenty of those! To be frank, you won't be able to stop chuckling even in the middle of the most heart-wrenching moments.

Did I mention that this novel is also a wonderful adventure complete with a escape from prison, a daring rescue, an outragious kidnapping, a whole lot of smugglers, a dangerous chase....? Also, bear in mind that, although this novel can be perfectly read on its own, it can be read as a sequel of "A Perfect Catch", too. Here we meet again the tempestuous Makepeace Burke and other characters from the previous novel.

Diana Norman is such a good historian (her main occupation. She has more history essays published than novels), but also such a good novelist that she manages to give us the atmosphere of the times, and describe the subject of American independence as seen from the metropolis side of the conflict -although, granted, from the point of view of characters who don't fit all that well in conventional British society. In spite of a light touch of the "poiltically correct" in the subject of the abused aristocratic wife (and the politically correct always spoils good literature, in my opinion, turning it into good pamphlets), the author manages to capture the exciting atmosphere of a time when, it seemed, everything was about to change for ever (and so it does for most characters) and anything was possible.

I confess I am currently trying to buy ANY other novel by this same author, but can't find any still in print. So, don't miss this!

While I like reading about times past, I've never been thoroughly sold on the way most historical genre fiction is written. Books by authors like Anya Seaton or Philippa Gregory that other people swoon over generally leave me cold. I prefer classics, like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, or I Claudius, where the writing and the story are a level above the usual.

So I read this expecting to sigh over improbable melodrama and stilted dialog. Instead, the first page made it clear that the book was very well-written, so I kept going with interest. The story had me hooked. In some ways, and I'm not sure why, the action scenes and story twists kind of reminded me a little of Outlander. The characters are sympathetic and generally well-developed, the action scenes are exciting, and the story never flags. There were times when plot twists were a little improbable, but I was totally along for the ride and never sighed once.

My only gripe - and this is a personal one (I've complained about this before with other books) - was her use of French without translations. (If the author is reading this: I would have liked very much to know what the French characters were saying to one another.)

But like I said, that's a very personal gripe. I don't like to be kept out of things. It didn't really detract from the story much (though of course I can't be certain). And it didn't occur so often that I felt as though huge chunks of the book were missing.

As other reviewers have said, this is a ripping good yarn. That's the best way to describe it! It's about two women from vastly different backgrounds who team up and become fast friends because they share a common goal: freeing two young men from a terrible English prison during the Revolutionary War. If you're able to put it down, it will constantly bug you to pick it up again and get on with it!

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 14 reviews  4.1 out of 5 stars