The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels

The novel is set during the Victorian era in England. The Victorian period lasted from around 1820 until 1901, which roughly corresponds with the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901), from whom the time period obtained its name. The British Empire grew in global significance during these years as it maintained colonial control over a number of territories such as Scotland, India, and Australia and gained control over 30% of Africa, including Egypt, Kenya, and Sudan. Colonialism and the Industrial Revolution greatly improved the economy and trade of the empire, as mercantilism allowed manufacturers and traders to maximize their exports and minimize their imports. The empire also aided the propagation of British cultural ideals. 

Victorian culture had strong ideas of gender roles that stem from the idea of “separate spheres” dividing men and women. Victorians believed that men and women were meant for different things, most notably that men were meant for the public sphere and women for the private sphere. Men should hold jobs and serve in positions of power, while women should be homemakers and raise children. Men were also believed to have sexual desires, while respectable middle- and upper-class women did not. These beliefs led to differences in the perceptions of men and women, forcing the ideals of chastity and purity onto women, which put severe constraints upon their behavior. Victorian England also maintained a strict social etiquette: Decorous behavior was highly encouraged, especially proper behavior between men and women that favored sexual purity. 

This preference for sexual purity is demonstrated within The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels. Cecilia is concerned with her reputation when she spends the night with Ned and then kisses him. However, this concern is not shared by all women, namely Miss Darlington, who is not shy about the mystery surrounding Morvath’s fatherhood because of her numerous sexual partners. This complicates the Victorian purity ideals presented by Cecilia in her relationship with Ned. The idea of separate spheres is also challenged by India Holton. In her alternative Victorian England, it is the women who are in control of the sphere of piracy. Men like Ned are allowed to be pirates, but it is the women they answer to (e.g., Lady Armitage, Queen Victoria, etc.). 

The Victorian aesthetic is also important to The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels. Literature plays an important role in the narrative arc of the text; Morvath thinks himself a Brontë and yearns to emulate the success of his supposed aunts. Holton frequently references the Brontës’ work throughout the novel. The novel itself is an example of adventure fiction, or books that focus on narratives that feature danger and excitement. The Victorians loved adventure narratives by authors such as Robert Lewis Stevenson and Jules Verne. This creates a metatextual conversation between Holton and the adventure fiction genre that she participates in: She has written an adventure fiction novel set within a culture that both valued the exoticism and excitement of adventure while adhering to repressive moral ideals about gender roles and sexual expression. In her universe, though, Holton is free to play with reality and include aspects of Victorian culture that she finds interesting while changing the script on others.