By Jessica Dionne for Curtains Up
Twitter: @maccajess
Let me start off by saying that it was next to impossible to put this book down. If I’m being perfectly honest, it has been next to impossible to put this entire series down. Whip Smart: Lola Montez Starts a Revolution, the third novel by Montreal author and award-winning playwright Kit Brennan, is perhaps the best of the Whip Smart series so far, and the most ambitious journey that Brennan has embarked on to date with the feisty Lola Montez.
Beginning in 1846, we follow Lola over a two-year period – also known as her most notorious period – through one of the darkest times in Europe. Having accepted an outrageous dare, Lola takes us to Bavaria where she successfully seduces King Ludwig I, gains power and wealth (much to the dismay of the people of Bavaria), and finds herself as the driving force behind an impending revolution all the while trying to stay alive.
Having faced devastation in book two –I won’t say more on the subject at risk of divulging too much information – Revolution sees Lola attempting to change her tactics and reinvent herself in a new place. The wonderful thing about Lola Montez is that she has the ‘ability to pick herself up, dust herself off, pack up and go. It takes a lot of bravery’ says Brennan. ‘She’s constantly searching for power, independence and a new start’.
During my sit-down with Brennan, we spoke of the struggles that come with writing about a darker period in history, and the dangers of losing reader sympathy for the character if she becomes too selfish or strays too far off the beaten path. As opposed to the first two books where Lola could be forgiven for acting first and thinking later, her newfound power and wealth (and ultimate misuse of it) in Revolution could make even the most forgiving of Lola fans question their sympathy towards her. Luckily, Brennan has a knack for knocking Lola down off her high horse and making the reader breathe a sigh of relief that their favourite girl is back to her (seemingly) normal self again.
Much praise must go to Brennan’s undeniable gift for storytelling – her ability to combine elements of reality and heighten them to an almost fabulist level is something to be admired. It is an absolute thrill to follow Lola around as she narrowly manages to escape the most dangerous of situations; and just when you think you’ve got it all figured out – out of nowhere comes the twist of the century.
With books four and five on the way, there are a quite a few stories left to tell, and many fans of the Whip Smart series are patiently – or rather impatiently – awaiting the return of Lola. I know I am one of those people.
If you have not had a chance to read Lola Montez Conquers the Spaniards or Lola Montez and the Poisoned Nom de Plume, I urge you to do so. They are must-reads for any historical fiction or adventure lovers. For more information on the Whip Smart series head to www.kitbrennan.com
