She Walks in Beauty

March 8, 2010
Mitchell (Love’s Pursuit
) sets her newest historical in Gilded Age New York, an opulent time and place when marrow spoons and exceedingly tight corsets were in vogue among the moneyed. The motherless Clara Carter is making her debut in society, and her aunt and her physician father expect her to win the hand of Franklin DeVries, the wealthiest catch of the season. Clara’s best friend Lizzie is also aiming for DeVries, and Clara is caught between duty, friendship, and her own desires, which tend more toward Byron’s poetry than bombazine hats. Mitchell’s story is well researched, with fascinating details, and Clara is a complex character. The plot machinery creaks loudly at points: three overheard conversations is at least one too many. A social consciousness plot thread dealing with New York’s slums is weak. But those who love historicals can have their fill as well as any debutante supping on oysters and clutching her filled dance card; Mitchell delivers the historical goods.

April 1, 2010
As far as Clara Carter is concerned, her aunt had just ruined everything. Instead of having another year to seriously study with her governess, Miss Miller, Clara must now prepare for her society debut simply because Franklin De Vries has returned home early from his grand tour of Europe. What is even worse is that Clara will be competing with her best friend, Lizzie Barnes, for the chance to marry New York Citys most eligible bachelor. Clara knows how important securing Franklins offer of marriage is to her aunt and family, but as New Yorks social season continues on its merry way, Clara finds herself hoping that if she receives an offer of marriage from a De Vries, it will be from Franklins brother Harry. Mitchells superbly written inspirational historical romance brilliantly evokes both the fabled glitter and the realistic grime of New Yorks Gilded Age with skill and subtlety inspired by Edith Wharton.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)