The S&S Fan Thoughts

38. Take Over Negotiations (review)

So the chapter starts off right where it ended last time. With a marriage proposal! Lilly is all like... what? And so are we! Rik decides to become a dictionary and pull out the definition of marriage out of his arse (Riktionary to the rescue). He then proposes (he does this four times this chapter but who's counting?) Lilly unsurprisingly declines because of her morals and choice to remain single and strong. Mr. Ambrose can't seem to fathom the idea that Lilly doesn't want to marry him. Lilly asks why he would want to marry someone like her. After all Mr. Ambrose always does things for his advantage but there does not seem to be an obvious gain by marrying Lilly. Mr. Ambrose says stuff about heirs and a little about the L word. Lilly starts laughing and yells it while Mr. Ambrose freaks out because his enemies *cough cough dogleash, might be listening. Lilly and Ambrose go on about marriage until Lilly proposes that Mr. Ambrose and her frickle frackle instead of getting married. She tries seducing Rik and they get sooooooo close but then he bolts because he wants to be a gentleman.

So onto the details and analyzing part.

Lilly is a very sexually liberated woman. Now now I know that you probably have known this for like FOREVER but she really is. In a time that is so unnatural for a girl to be Lilly is centuries ahead in her thinking. In the Victorian era especially it was frowned upon for women to take control of themselves. Remember this is from the age were masturbation and sex was seen as the ultimate evil in society. So Lilly taking control is a majorly huge thing.

Ambrose is very very interesting this chapter. He proposed marriage no less than 4 times and practically begged her to marry him. This doesn't come as a surprise because in his mind he always has a plan and telling Lilly he loves her and then getting married was in his plan. I think he didn't account for how much her morals came into play though. Also it was interesting to see how much of a gentleman Amby was.

Throughout the books Amby has never hesitated about lying or killing someone but mostly doesn't try to take advantage of a woman. Even when Lilly is at her max seduction and nearly no clothes (all of Silence is Golden) he still restrains himself even when it is most difficult for him like in the waterfall scene. Even when Lilly is being liberated and taking control and wrapping herself and serving herself to him on a silver plater he still is spooked and runs. That still remains part of his old chauvinist ways that a woman should not initiate things and that a gentleman should not take advantage of a lady even when she throws herself at him. "But he's killed people and that's not very gentleman like?" Well yes but in those instances it was because it benefited him (see all of Lilly's suitors) What would having sex with a woman bring him? Scandal and perhaps a pregnancy.

Also when were the gloves coming out? They are starting to REALLY heat up and Lilly even straight up proposes that they have sex. Like what is happening? In the first book Lilly was disgusted to even be in the same room as a man but now she is proposing an amorous relationship? I think that Lilly has learned that sexual liberation does not make you less of a feminist.

Also that title! Lilly is taking over! You go girl!

I'm so sorry for how all over this review is. I tried writing it on Wednesday but then the feels caught up to me and then on Thursday I was super sick. Today I felt better but went to go see the god of cellos Yo Yo Ma. I know I know it's not very organized but hey I'll upload a new fun part soon!