Hi there,
Welcome back to The History Edit, my monthly history and all-other-interesting-things-based newsletter!
This month I have been mostly writing, and of course binge-watching the new series of Bridgerton. More on that below. ( 🚨 I will be discussing overall themes in the show but no specific plot spoilers. I cannot vouch for any links to trailers or reviews, so click at caution!)
At Revell HQ we had one super hot Sunday where we had a bbq and I got a sunburnt arm, but the weather has taken a U-turn and gone a bit nippy again. So the nearest I’ve got to the garden since then was when pressure washing the patio (a much underrated and extremely satisfying job indeed)!
I’m off to the UK next month for a very brief visit but if I get any time in my old Cambridge haunts or indeed anywhere else exciting, I will share all with you here.
As ever you can message me on here with any burning questions, catch me over on Instagram, or read more of my writing on Medium.
Bridgerton Series 2!
Who else was waiting for this to come back on our telly boxes with great anticipation? I will admit to binge watching the entire series over two evenings and do not regret a thing. Neither do others either it seems; various forums and twitterers are full of swooning admirers, filthy comments, and witty memes. Among people I know a few are still more fans of the first series, but an equal amount are showing a preference for series two. I love them both but am definitely a bigger fan of Anthony Bridgerton’s turn on the promenade.
What was right with it?
Anyone who knows me knows I’m a big fan of period dramas and Agatha Christie-style mysteries, so it was probably a given that I would enjoy this. However, The Pursuit of Love last May really floated my TV-viewing boat and was going to be hard to top. See my love letter to the Nancy Mitford-born drama here.
Like with The Pursuit of Love I was glued to the TV and found myself enjoying a well-written and funny storyline. Unlike last series, the rather frequent sex scenes were absent, though it did not suffer for it. In fact it thrived for it, and I was getting massive Darcy and Elizabeth vibes for the whole series. You know the sort of thing - lingering looks, the almost touch, and the frisson of the enemy-turned-lovers trope.
The Featheringtons and Lady Whistledown also had great side plots, making it an all round entertaining watch.
The casting of the show is diverse and some great actors are doing brilliant turns in their roles, such as Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury and Claudia Jessie as the strong-willed Eloise Bridgerton.
The Pursuit of Love had an absolute stellar modern soundtrack which really fitted in with the themes of the show and made it stand out, which Bridgerton has also done. However, the chosen songs, such as Madonna’s Material Girl and Miley Cyrus’ Wrecking Ball are all instrumental string covers, which not only really fits the era but gets you trying to think about what you’re listening to. Here is a list of the songs and a few words from the Bridgerton show runner Chris Van Dusen, explaining the choice of songs.
What was wrong with it?
Nothing! Ha ha!
Well nothing part from the fact I have to wait a whole year for another series! 😩
I’m off to download the books…
Reviews
In the spirit of giving things a fair trial and not just giving my very biased view of a regency romance, here are some links to some reviews: (May contain spoilers!!!)
PS…
The Monthly Edit
Regency-style holiday accommodation
If you’ve been inspired by Bridgerton’s beautiful building backdrops and fancy an epic staycation, then this list will offer you up a variety of beautiful properties to give you a Regency fix.
5,000 year-old bone found in London
A femur dating to the Neolithic era preserved by mud was found by a rower on the banks of the Thames. According to this article it is one of the oldest objects to have ever been found in the Thames.
Oxford V. Cambridge
I spotted this article about how staff from Oxbridge had their own version of the Boat Race and immediately thought of my time as a Constable at the University of Cambridge.
The job, which I did alongside my library job, was mainly ceremonial and required me to wear a top hat and a cape. I’ll describe it more at a later date as there’s too much to detail to do it justice here.
Anyway, once a year the Cambridge Constables met up with their Oxford counterparts to have a game of bowls. Each year alternated between the two cities and the host provided sports facilities, afternoon tea, a cultural activity, and a Harry Potter-style dinner at one of the colleges. They were some of the nicest and funniest days I’ve had.
Of course the score was always a draw. 😂
Hope you enjoyed this months History Edit! Have you binged Bridgerton yet? What are your thoughts?
Let me know if there’s anything you want me to cover in the newsletter or if you’d like to see a more in-depth piece on something published on Medium.
See you soon!