Jo Walton's Reviews > Belgravia

This is that rarest thing, a book about a grandmother. It's really focused on the two grandmothers of what in most books would be the romantic hero but is here a bit part prize. As you'd expect from Fellowes, it's also about finely observed gradations of class, the agency of servants, social climbing, and loyalty. There are lovers. There's a villain, and a near villain who reforms at the last minute. There's a secret marriage and a hidden heir. There are shenanigans. There's the Duchess of Richmond's ball, logistics, and the invention of afternoon tea. But many books have these things, if not quite so beautifully written. Read this for the rare and valuable focus on the older women.