The Virtues of Scandal: A Novel of Lord Byron

The Virtues of Scandal: A Novel of Lord Byron by Richard Henry Abramson takes readers through bedrooms, battles, and Parliament with Lord Byron.  The book starts with the scandalous poet’s real actions, like an affair with Caroline Lamb and a snark-filled spat with poet laureate Robert Southey, and then imagines the unknown parts of Byron’s life as further hedonism, drama and adventure.

This version of Lord Byron ignores his banker’s financial advice, smokes a joint, drinks raki, and mouths off in the House of Lords, which may all not be completely accurate but, come on, he absolutely would have done it if the opportunity presented itself.  Byron couldn’t keep it in his pants or keep his mouth closed.  He embraces trouble in this book, whether that’s physical danger, starting a fight, overspending, or another inappropriate affair, for the sensation, making a page-turning historical novel, full of famous names. This is a wonderful look at the Byron who famously said: “The great object of life is Sensation – to feel that we exist – even though in pain – it is this “craving void” which drives us to gaming – to battle – to travel – to intemperate but keenly felt pursuits of every description whose principal attraction is the agitation inseparable from their accomplishment.” In his political statements, we see a Byron who thinks deeply and feels strongly, even if he’s not always able to control himself.

There’s a secondary storyline here, with Bryon writing Don Juan. Actual Byron wrote verses about Don Juan’s exploits, and here, Byron writes a prose version where women just can’t stop throwing themselves at Don Juan. Don Juan is a traveler, like Byron. At a time of so much self-insert fic (Looking at you, Glenarvon), I absolutely believed he’d write an entire novel about a famous playboy and just drop references to whoever he was banging at the time.

Purists may not like the modifications to Byron’s life, but I’m here for the historical scandal,  so I don’t much care if there are some liberties with the details. I just want to see Lord Byron having scandalous hookups and landing in trouble, and this book absolutely delivered, with a fun side of Byron’s school friends trying to rein him in a little.  Plus, the novel adds some political activism, in a mouthy, dramatic sort of way, and gives him a more dramatic role in the Ottoman-Greek wars, all additions I’m sure Byron wouldn’t mind.

Crossposted here. Thanks to Reedsy for the ARC. Opinions on my blog are my own, as always. Bookblogger friends, you can sign up for Reedsy here.