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  • The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue

  • Written by: Mackenzi Lee
  • Narrated by: Christian Coulson
  • Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (232 ratings)

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The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue

Written by: Mackenzi Lee
Narrated by: Christian Coulson
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Publisher's Summary

A Kirkus Prize nominee with five starred reviews! A New York Times best seller!

2018 Audie Award® nominee for Best Male Narrator!

Named one of the best books of 2017 by NPR and the New York Public Library!

"The queer teen historical you didn’t know was missing from your life.” (Teen Vogue)

"A stunning powerhouse of a story." (School Library Journal)

"A gleeful romp through history." (ALA Booklist)

A young bisexual British lord embarks on an unforgettable Grand Tour of Europe with his best friend/secret crush. An 18th-century romantic adventure for the modern age written by This Monstrous Thing author Mackenzi Lee - Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda meets the 1700s.

Henry “Monty” Montague doesn’t care that his roguish passions are far from suitable for the gentleman he was born to be. But as Monty embarks on his grand tour of Europe, his quests for pleasure and vice are in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.

So Monty vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

Witty, dazzling, and intriguing at every turn, The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue is an irresistible romp that explores the undeniably fine lines between friendship and love.

Don't miss Felicity's adventures in The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy, the highly anticipated sequel!

©2017 Mackenzie Van Engelenhoven (P)2017 HarperCollins Publishers

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What listeners say about The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue

Average Customer Ratings
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    5 out of 5 stars

Disastrous socialite bisexual meets love

This is the excellent story of a disastrous young man who finally gets punched back in the face by life and has to live and learn to be slightly less disastrous.

The story is like an amazing slice of cheap pizza on a night out. It is fast-paced, very light on plot, hits expected beats yet is full of sharp twists, gives hearty feelings and is absolutely delicious. It is romantic, hilarious, touching and campy.

Good to know going in: this was also really pushing my limits on second-hand embarrassment. At one point I crumbled in my public transport seat and hit my face in my knees. At another, I hid under my umbrella, whispering "Oh no, he wouldn't!" (spoilers: HE DOES), and I missed at least one traffic light cycle. This character is a complete mess, has both good and awful reasons for his no-holds-barrel ways, and I love him terribly.

The narrator is excellent with Monty's first-person point-of-view. The voice mixes posh, self-righteous, oblivious and yet utterly selfless amongst characters that, in comparison, sound like wholesome and reasonable human beings (news flash: they ain't. Monty's just the biggest disaster and makes everyone look better).

Listening to this is a brake-free train that quickly becomes a heady cocktail. And best of all: it has a happy-for-now, better-for-having-gone-through-this, the couple you want gets together, happy ending.

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3 people found this helpful

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Historical BigBang Fanfiction...but with OCs

I can’t begin to explain how DELIGHTFUL this is. I felt at once familiar with the characters despite only just encountering them for the first time. Monty & Percy’s friendship and fondness for one another is incredibly sweet, and Monty’s hopeless crush on him throughout was the stuff of dreams. It’s a fantastic adventure and the twists and turns will keep you listening late into the night. Well performed, well written. I’ll be recommending this to every slash-loving fangirl who has spend countless hours over the years waiting for the next good fic. Perfect for lovers of Rainbow Rowell’s Carry On, or Maggie Stiefvater’s Raven Cycle.

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1 person found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Alchemically Sound

A very interesting read. Its rare for a novel to have actual bi characters. It's been awhile since I read a period piece that actually talked negatively about lgbt+, which I appreciated for its authenticity but it was a little uncomfortable for a queer like me to stomach. That's not always a bad thing. I'm very excited to read the next book which hopefully features our runaway gays.

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excellent

A roller coaster of emotions, wonderfully written, and extremely enjoyable, oh and also very gay

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adventure

A well written story on learning thyself through an adventure with friend and sister

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So fun!

Such a fun romp from start to finish. I fell in love with Monty almost immediately, and by the end even the prickly Felicity had a place in my heart. Romance with a plot, I can't say enough good things about this book.

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Excellent Story And Acting!

Basically this story is about the increasingly dangerous swashbuckling misadventures of a European tour gone completely sideways. Our titular character is a very charming wreck of a human being, his father is a hypocritical disciplinarian who gaslights and abuses him. The other characters especially Percy are truly well fleshed out and it’s an enjoyable easy listen. Plenty of increasingly dark revelations and absurd encounters and acts of stupidity you would expect from a Rake ensue. And in the end they’re all better off for it.

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    1 out of 5 stars
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Nope

I couldn’t finish
It’s not much of a story. I got halfway with effort but it was repetitive and circuitous.

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first time listener but second time reading

This this story is one of my favourites. I first came across it in the library years ago and it was an amazing read and when I saw it here on Audible I had to listen! the narrator does a fantastic job with Monty and his funny quirks and sarcasm. the story is fast-paced, fun and the ending is so good that It had me crying happy tears. I'm so happy I stumbled upon it again as I never knew there was a second book and third book to come out this week. I've already bought the second book and look forward to starting it!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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interesting story, bisexual main character

I found the vernacular and grammar used was more modern than the setting, and that added to my being less engrossed in the book as I might have been had it been written with that in mind. otherwise, wonderful :)

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  • SarahBelle
  • 2017-07-27

My absolute FAVORITE audio book ever

Christian Coulson does such a fantastic job performing this book that I cannot express how glad I am that I decided to listen to it rather than read my physical copy. Not only is it an amazingly well written story, full of excitement and heartache and love, but Coulson brings Monty and all the other characters to life in a way that my own mental adaptation could not. It's an absolute must listen and a definite read.

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43 people found this helpful

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  • 5ismyfavoritenumber
  • 2017-07-22

Even better than I expected...

This was a wonderful book that took me by surprise with its humor, well-paced plot, and memorable characters. I took a chance on it, and I am so glad I did. The fact that characters felt flawed and real, yet didn't irritate me, was a refreshing change from other books I have picked up recently. I recommend it to anyone who wants a quick, fun read.

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42 people found this helpful

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  • Lili
  • 2018-08-30

Good story, masterful narration!

Maybe you’re not into YA titles. I wasn’t. Maybe you’re not into historical fiction, the 1700s, pirates, or some other thing that may cause you to pass this book over. Do yourself a favor and let all of it go and get this book. If you like fiction, good storytelling, adventure, humor, and really, truly, outstanding, narration, you will like this book.

The writing is good, the characters are intriguing, but the narration is superb. Different character voices, different genders, different accents, check. But the narrator goes so far beyond that, he gives us nuance, mood, atmosphere, as well as the very marrow of the main character.

Listening to this narrator is like sitting in a tent in the woods, it’s raining, and your best friend is telling you a story so good, and so well, you hope it lasts until dawn.

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  • Angelica Russell
  • 2018-07-05

a little bit frustrating

I loved everyone except the main character really. He was at times charming and at other times insufferable. I liked the style of narration and the tone, it was fun. It had a ton of character. But MONTY!!! Monty......I don't blame him for how he is. but as someone who is not a man or white... it was frustrating to watch him to be completely blind to the struggles of anyone but himself. He was constantly insensitive to his sister and friend..... the well intentioned white knighting was difficult to sit through sometimes.... and wanted to be thanked for being a good and decent person.. its a bit much and a bit too real and not in an enjoyable way....

He's set up for character growth... and he did grow, but it didn't quite feel real or monumental... it was like everyone around him existed for him to learn more about the world but they didn't seem to get much besides a wild adventure and. thats not a bad thing but. It just wasn't for me.

I do like how its written so I'm curious about how the next book will be because I adore Felicity and I feel like a journey with her would be enjoyable... but she also has some learning to do about the world... her 'of the time' feelings about love and who people love felt strange, considering how ahead of the times she was about learning....

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37 people found this helpful

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  • DARCY in Madison
  • 2019-01-17

How could you like Monty?

What a whining, entitled brat. Sarcasm is fine but he was way too over-the-top to be funny. I only kept reading in the hopes that Percy would recover and Felicity would be able to escape her fate at the finishing school.

I understand that the point was that Monty “grew” though his journey and became more empathetic and less self-centered. He did. Barely.

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  • David
  • 2017-08-29

A blend of humor, adventure, and romance

Where does The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

While not the best audiobook I've listened to, it is one of the more enjoyable. The scenarios were humorous, the characters were well realized, and the plot blended enough elements well that I will come back to this story sometime.

Which character – as performed by Christian Coulson – was your favorite?

Felicity was a real stand out. You got a very good sense of her wit, the way she was reacting to the world, and her complicated relationship with her brother.

Any additional comments?

One of the things that is wonderful about this book is its diverse cast, showing that history was as complicated (with many of the same issues) as today. Our main character is bi and lecherous and actually suffers the consequences of his action. His best-friend/love-interest is biracial and suffers from epilepsy. Felicity is wickedly intelligent at a time when intelligence in women was not necessarily prized, and is struggling with society's expectations of her. The three play off each other well, and all grow in their own way. I recommend this book.

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28 people found this helpful

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  • Melissa
  • 2019-10-14

I couldn’t do it

I tried so hard but I just couldn’t finish. I had heard nothing but great things about this book and it sounded like it was right up my alley. I found myself just unable to finish it. It didn’t capture my attention.

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18 people found this helpful

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  • KJG
  • 2017-09-11

Fun story BRILLIANT Narration

I enjoyed this YA story, it was a fun story, witty and cute. I am glad I finally got to it, but I am so happy I listened to the audio the narrator was brilliant he just nailed it, sometimes a bad narrator can ruin a book this is actually the first time for me the narrator improved the story. I don't think I would have enjoyed the humor as much if I was reading it.

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14 people found this helpful

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  • NC Amazoner
  • 2018-08-30

great characters, weak story

characters were well described, interesting and fun. the plot is a weak contrivance. some characters were just cliches and cartoonish. strong start, weak finish, but worth it as a fun romp

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13 people found this helpful

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  • Clephiro
  • 2017-06-28

Must Read

Loved it so much. Witty, fun and romantic. Plus the performance was amazing. I couldn't put it down.

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  • Pierre Gauthier
  • 2020-09-04

Entertaining!

This novel clearly is geared towards a young public, born in the 21st century.

In some ways, it is reminiscent of Enid Blyton’s stories with the main characters being aged 15 and 18. As in Blyton’s books, adult characters are flat and secondary. Indeed, here, many such as Mr. Lockwood just disappear, and the reader is left in the dark as to what happens to them. The implausible plot is also worthy of a Blyton work with highway robbers, pirates, an alchemist and a sinking island.

In sharp contrast with Blyton’s novels, however, characters here drink (a lot of) alcohol and have romantic and sexual pursuits.

One does wish that the author had been a bit more rigorous with her fact-checking. Among countless missteps:
• the Rhône does not flow through Marseille;
• Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde was built in the 19th century and did not exist in the 18th when this novel is set;
• the Louvre Museum did not open to the public before the 19th century;
• English was not in the 1800’s the lingua franca that it has become today.

Worse, the three characters have attitudes and values typical of our own times that did not exist when they are supposed to be evolving, notably with respect to racial issues.

Still, this light work is enjoyable if not taken too seriously.

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  • Anonymous User
  • 2020-01-03

belle histoire d'amour

Très belle histoire d'amour, même si le reste des aventures est un peu invraisemblable et le personnage principal agaçant. Très bon narrateur !

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