Review - The Darling Strumpet by Gillian Bagwell

Published by Harper Collins/Avon 4th August 2011 (UK)

ISBN 978 108475602500

The Blurb

She had to world at her feet...but everything comes at a price.

Growing up in the bawdy atmosphere of 17th Century Covent Garden, Nell Gwynn is little more than a girl when she enters the world of the courtesan.  Here she learns the hard way that to be at the mercy of unscrupulous men is no life at all.

With London's theatres flourishing, Nell seizes an opportunity to change her luck and takes a job selling oranges at The King's Playhouse on Drury Lane.

It isn't long before Nell takes centre-stage, and her saucy wit and ambitious temperament soon catch the eye of King Charles II.  But can she keep him enthralled when the country's finest ladies are vying for his attentions at court?

I had been eagerly waiting for this novel to come to the UK and I was not disappointed.

The story begins with young Nell, a vulnerable young girl who wants to escape her drunken and violent mother and be like her sister Rose.  

She is taken in by Madam Ross  and soon becomes aware that she can change her own luck entertaining the men of London.  Nell admires the actors on stage at The King's Playhouse and takes a job as an orange seller, and quickly rising to star of the stage.  She captures the attention of King Charles II.  She becomes Charles's favourite mistress. 

The author captures the closeness of Nell and King Charles II and their love story, which resulted in the birth of 2 sons, and Nell's lifetime devotion to Charles, with such passion. When Nell was trying to keep the attention of Charles, for he was surrounded by fine ladies,  it is hard to remember that she was just a courtesan. 

Well researched historical events feature in the novel  such as The Great Fire of London, The Plague and the rise of the theatres are brought to life in glorious detail through the eyes of Nell.   

There are some wonderful cameo roles for Samuel Pepys, Thomas Killgrew, Moll Davis, Catherine of Braganza and others who were at court at the time.

Of course, by the very nature of Nell's occupation, this novel has some very racy scenes but I knew there would be and these scenes give the reader an idea of how life was in brothels in Victorian London. Interesting reading.

I knew a little about Nell from the time she became mistress to the King but it was not until I read this novel that I became aware of what an important part of King Charles II life she really was and what a darling character she was. 

Gillian Bagwell, herself a trained actress,  has a fondness for Nell and her story and once you read this novel,  you will too.  I loved it!

5 out of 5 for me!  

I am now eagerly awaiting Gillian Bagwell's next novel The September Queen. 

Thank you to HarperCollins/Avon for sending me an ARC for my honest review.

This did not influence my review in any way.