The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics is a luscious historical f/f romance. I adored this book, which includes science, art, and feminism. It may be too slow for some people’s taste – this is a book in which people spend a lot of time either thinking about their feelings or talking about their feelings. It’s very much a drawing room romance as opposed to an adventure romance. However, if you have the patience for this kind of slow paced story, you will love this one.
Our story begins at a wedding. Lucy’s lover, Pris, is getting married and Lucy is heartbroken. Her father was an astronomer and Lucy did the mathematical calculations that proved his theories. Once Lucy’s father dies, her artistic brother, Stephen, points out that no one will employ a woman as an astronomer. This leaves Lucy at loose ends.
Meanwhile, Catherine, the Countess of Moth, is also at loose ends. She had married George, a naturalist, and accompanied him on expeditions around the world. Now that George is dead, Catherine is both relieved (George was abusive) and without purpose (her life revolved around trying to keep George happy). On behalf of the Polite Science Society, she sends a letter to Lucy’s father asking if he can translate an astronomical text by M. Oleron (Catherine doesn’t know yet that Lucy’s father is dead). Lucy wants to do the translation but she knows that it will be difficult to convince the Society to hire her so she shows up at Catherine’s house in person to plead her case.
Lucy and Catherine end up forming a professional collaboration and a romantic relationship that includes romance, sex, emotional healing, fighting the patriarchy, and appreciating the art of needlework. Catherine loves embroidery but has always dismissed her work, which is made from her own original patterns, as “not really art.” The conversation that runs throughout the book about what true art is and is not parallels other conversations about who actually does science, and all the hidden ways that women use to express themselves in a repressive society.
I adored these characters and drooled over the descriptions of the night sky and of Catherine’s needlework. The slow pace allows the characters to progress from mutual shyness to friendship to love. Near the end there is a stupid fight based on mutual misunderstanding but thankfully that does not last long. For the most part, the conflicts are not between Catherine and Lucy, but rather between the two united women and the society that won’t recognize their romantic relationship nor their contributions to the sciences and the arts. The book becomes a meditation on all the ways that women try to support (and, alas, in some cases undermine) each other in a world that barely acknowledges their existence.
The biggest flaw in the book is Pris, who is one dimensionally shallow, selfish, and manipulative. It’s a glaring flaw in a book otherwise full of layered characters. Otherwise, the book is evocative, interesting, and full of competence porn, fashion, art, and intelligent people saying intelligent things. Anyone who doesn’t mind a slow pace will love this.
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Thanks!
Even though cartoonishly villainous exes are one of my least favorite things – on the strength of everything else, *bought*
Thanks!!
“Stephen, points out that no one will employ a woman as an astrologer”
Wait, I thought she was an astronomer? Was she trying to use math for astrology too? (Which sounds hilarious, tbh–higher maths to sell bullshit.)
I grabbed this one from Overdrive yesterday as soon as it went live since it looked so interesting, and now it’s getting bumped up the TBR to “READ NEXT DAMMIT”. Thanks for the great review, Carrie!
She is NOT an astrologer! Not even a little bit!
I hit pre-order on this one the moment it was available. Can’t wait to clear my reading calendar and dive in!
Super looking forward to this one! I just need to find the time to read it.
I totally missed that – all fixed. My apologies.
I bloody LOVED this book
FYI, this is the selection for the 2019 Great Big Romance Read by The Ripped Bodice in September. My book club has elected to join in the fun, and now I can’t wait to start reading it!
I’ve been so excited for this one to come out and I can’t wait to read it!
I just finished this book today and it’s my new favorite thing!! The romance is so tender and sweet, and the descriptions of the art and science really drew me in. I loved every bit of it (and it’s apparently the first of a forthcoming series!!).
I one-clicked this just based on the cover alone but I have to say the entire story was absolutely lovely.
Too often wlw romances not well edited or produced and the stories are skewed toward sex and no plot. This book had the absolutely right mix of everything – compelling plot with enough conflict to be interesting but NOT horribly depressing or sad, excellent sexy-times scenes, and lovely human characters. The main conflict at the end, as with a lot of romances, is one of those “just talk you idiots” moments but hey what are you gonna do?
I enjoyed this book so much I finished it in about a day and then re-read all my favorite parts at least twice in the week after that. Loved it.
Q: Any recs on other science-oriented romances like this? Historical or otherwise?
Loved this one enough to re-read it for my book club…..