Fans of the Montague siblings have a good deal to look forward to in the near future. Not only is there a film adaptation of the first book in production, but there will also be a third installment of the series entitled “The Nobleman’s Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks.”
For those unfamiliar with these stories, the Montague Siblings series consists of two Young Adult (YA) novels and one novella, all of which center around the children of a wealthy, 18th-century, English family called the Montagues. The author is Mackenzi Lee, who published her first novel in 2015 and has been gracing the YA scene ever since.
The series begins with “The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue,” which focuses on the eldest son Henry Montague, or Monty for short. Monty is a bisexual disaster, a hedonistic yet lovable character whose grand tour of continental Europe is thrown into disarray when he becomes implicated in an alchemical scandal. The series continues with “The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy,” following Monty’s sister, Felicity Montague, as she explores the field of medicine and her lack of romantic and sexual attraction. As an added bonus for any animal-lovers interested in this series, Mackenzi Lee writes a glorious Saint Bernard named Max, who features prominently in the second story. These novels are full of witty repartee and heart-wrenching dialogue, toeing the line between historical fiction and magical realism.
The anticipated third novel, “The Nobleman’s Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks,” is currently scheduled to be released on August 18th, 2020. The novel will center around another of Monty’s siblings, Adrian, who was only a baby in “The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue.” Now, Adrian is a teenager who breaks down at his engagement party and leaves in search of his two older siblings, hoping that one of them will take the responsibility of running the family estate off of his shoulders.
There is also a companion novella to the series, taking place between the first and second novels, titled “The Gentleman’s Guide to Getting Lucky.” Though the novella was originally an exclusive e-book given only to those who pre-ordered “The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy” back in 2018, it is now available to be purchased by anyone.
As for the upcoming “Gentleman’s Guide” movie, those involved include Greg Berlanti, director of “Love Simon,” and Matthew Barry, writer and producer of two seasons of “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.” No casting information is available yet. The release date is also unclear, but a recent article announced it will debut on HBO Max, a streaming service to be released in May 2020. This website will require a subscription-like Netflix, making it difficult for some people to access the film. Luckily, the sequel is called “The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy” for a reason.