By Louise Sapphira.
Take a journey with two women who lend a helping hand in creative ways, highlighting the light and darkness in people’s stories.
The themes explored in Alison Goodman’s feminist historical fiction novel, The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies, resonate with an audience by connecting with people’s experiences. The novel starts with the readership being introduced to the two protagonists’ Augusta and Julia, who are twin sisters, fortunate enough to be able to help the women around them who are in need, while also shining a light on finding romance at any age. The story also highlights women can be vulnerable at any age. Even in the darkest moments, connections are made with those around Augusta and Julia. The action scenes where Augusta finds herself in some precarious situations, which involve her, thinking outside of the box also bring out the light in the narrative.
I met with Alison to discuss how she draws these aspects together. Alison said The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies is, ‘A regency historical adventure with some romantic elements in it.’ The discussion with Alison went from light to dark when we spoke about the themes woven within the narrative. With the darkness beneath the surface, the novel explores women of all ages overcoming challenges.
Alison discussed the connection she has made with the Regency era from 1811-1920 and the 1960s, with both having a ‘sense of energy and possibility.’ Alison explained, ‘A novel for me is an emotional journey, and I particularly like the emotional journey of one protagonist [Augusta].’ Alison said it was organic ‘under the direction of the main protagonist, who is making those decisions’ within the circumstances of the time, which was ‘very turbulent.’ To explore this further, we discussed the attitudes that come with a certain period in history. Alison said in 1812 a woman in her forties who was not married was perceived as a spinster. Alison said for a ‘vigorous woman like Augusta, this is something that she can’t tolerate because she has a lot to offer.’ This goes the same for her twin sister Julia because ‘they are both intelligent women who are very active within their society’. Augusta and Julia see other options available to them. This is explored with a conversation between Augusta and her brother Duffy about his engagement to be married, Duffy says to his sister:
‘Love? Really, Augusta, this is an important decision. If you think love is essential to a good match it is no wonder you are still unmarried.’
However, Alison was aware this needed to be accessible to the current audience. She spoke about looking ‘for seeds of modern thought within the time.’ Alison discussed abolitionism, the beginning of atheism, also Mary Wollstonecraft’s thoughts on Women’s emancipation through education. She explained that’s how the protagonist Augusta started to evolve, a woman who reflects her time but also modern society. Furthermore, Augusta and Julia were ‘created because of their unmarried status…to give them that sense of the outsider, so they could move through society, claiming that invisibility of the older woman…so she can question her society.’ Alison writes feminist novels, but said ‘I also set out to write a feminist historical novel from an older point of view…who are aware of their own privilege and are using it to help other women in peril’. She added, ‘This older woman’s voice…was one of the driving forces.’
Woven within the narrative of The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies is the exploration of women’s experiences with the treatment of mental health. The audience will be captured by how the themes are relevant today, continually turning the pages to arrive at these stories in the novel. Alison said, ‘The correlation is still very strong between what was happening in 1812, and what happens in mental health today.’ She added, that ‘1812 was an interesting year for so many reasons. One of them was a more enlightened view of treating those with mental illness that was coming to the fore through the Quakers.’ Alison explained how this was actually, ‘A real list of what was putting women in mental asylums in the nineteenth century. One of them was reading novels…or drinking too much tea.’ This resonates with today’s audience, ‘Where women are being abused within these very vulnerable situations’. She added, ‘There’s a lot of grim connections to the current world’ in this historical fiction book.
Another theme discussed is trafficking and how this relates to the audience. Alison discussed sexual trafficking going back to the Renaissance from ‘when it started to be documented.’ She added, ‘There were a lot of underage people in brothels…there were some kind of laws around that [but] there was not a lot of interest in the care of children.’ From here we discussed the crafting process of the horrific treatment of women and young girls. For example, the rape of the children is told from Augusta’s point of view. As opposed to the frightening experiences of the younger characters. Drawing on how Augusta was able to shine some light on their stories.
This led to the discussion on the action scenes in The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies. Alison said, ‘The key to action is to really put it through the character’s point of view.’ Some of Augusta’s actions are ‘quite dark…the danger that she’s taking on.’ Alison explained, ‘But throughout the whole novel, including the action scenes, you need to balance dark with light.’ While there is this layer of darkness within the ‘subject matter of the novel, it is an adventure novel, and it is a novel of hope…[with] moments of humour.’ The balance is ‘terrible things are happening to women at the time, but here are a couple of women, strong women who are going to do something about it.’ Alison was particularly interested in playing around with the darkness as well as the lightness because the regency is seen as ‘this gorgeous era of high civility and beautiful gowns.’ She added, ‘The truth was it was very grubby, it was very dirty…extreme poverty and great unrest.’
The audience will be engaged from the beginning of The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies. Alison discussed how a series is being set up. She said, ‘A lot is hanging on those first two pages, but the first chapter as well.’ She added you are ‘creating that sense of mystery, that sense of character, that sense of setting in a kind of lively manner…to engage the reader.’ Lord Evan, a male character that is taken on Augusta and Julia’s journey is introduced early but not so early to shift the genre. Alison said, ‘It was important for me to set up and signal to the reader that this was about two strong sisters moving through the world. Yes, there may be some romantic entanglements along the way, but they are not the focus.’
The second book of The Ill-Mannered Ladies Series is currently in the editing stages. Alison is also doing research for book three and said, ‘I’m enjoying myself so much so I’m hoping that the readers will come along with me.’ Taking the journey with the characters in The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies is part of the readership’s experience. There are highs and lows, moments that will trigger heartache but also a sense of warmth as you experience two women who desire to make a difference. However, the audience sees the light at the end of the tunnel and that there is hope. This creates moments where the reader can smile and even laugh, wholeheartedly knowing someone is looking after their best interests.
Alison Goodman is a Melbourne based writer of fantasy and historical fiction. She is the author of eight novels including her latest release The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies which was a Washington Post and an Amazon Best Mystery Book of 2023. Her novels also include the award-winning Lady Helen trilogy, and EON and EONA, a New York Times bestselling fantasy duology. Alison has recently completed her PhD focusing on creative writing, historical research and the Regency era and is currently working on the third novel in the Ill-Mannered Ladies series. She is fuelled by strong coffee and air-fried chips, and will travel a long way for a good high tea.
Website: www.alisongoodman.com.au
Instagram: alisongoodmanauthor
Facebook: AlisonGoodmanAuthorPage