ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛᴇꜱꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴀᴄᴋᴇᴛᴇᴇʀ

Author's Note

Welcome, readers!

Note: as with all my works, do not skip the blurb or Author's Note unless you enjoy being confused!

This novel is technically a "scrubbed" rewrite of my fanfiction novel "The Rose of Birmingham," but sooooo much more! Many parts have been altered, many new scenes have been added, and I've expanded on the characters' backgrounds and the story's themes exponentially. So, if you've read RoB, this will be a whole different experience for you!

Although the title may imply a forbidden love/enemies-to-lovers kind of storyline, that is only the very tip of the proverbial iceberg. The main themes of the novel encompass a much larger, less romantic scope. Namely, the class struggle and the inherent flaws in human nature.

World War I ended in 1918, and the people who'd fought in the war became disillusioned with life as they'd known it, striving to better themselves through achievements and higher income. The brutal carnage that they'd faced on the battlefield made the Victorian social morality of the early twentieth century seem like stuffy, empty hypocrisy. The second Industrial Revolution was in full swing, contributing to the slow deterioration and death of the peerage and creating further conflict between "old money" and "new money" (prestigious aristocratic families versus the self-made rich).

I've always found the class struggle to be fascinating, especially considering that the wealthy seemed to detest the wealthy more than they did the working class. Thus the theme herein of the sociology of wealth, specifically how the newly minted millionaires of the 1920s differ from the antiquated aristocracy of the country's richest families. Post WWI, a person from any social background could, potentially, make a fortune, but the peerage ("old money" upper class) scorned the newly rich industrialists, treating them as flash-in-the-pan second tier citizens. Likewise, the newly rich strove to be accepted as equals by the upper class while simultaneously resenting them.

1925 seemed an ideal year for my novel to take place, as the Victorian Era had ended, and social and moral values had decayed, as evidenced in the overt cynicism, greed, and empty pursuit of pleasure demonstrated throughout the "Roarin' 20s." Additionally, the passage of the 18th Amendment in 1919 banned the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcohol in the United States. This created a thriving underworld designed to satisfy the massive demand for bootleg liquor among the rich and poor alike, and much of this liquor came from Britain, as it lie beyond the reach of Prohibition.

As class (and the distinction thereof) plays such an important role in this novel, I have written the dialogue to reflect each character's class upbringing and geographical origin. The Manchester regional accent and terminology are very specific, and I've done my best to capture that and show how it differs from the more sophisticated turn of phrase of the aristocracy.

For example, the aristocrat would say:
"I suppose I should invite you over to mine for a cup of tea."
Whereas the working class Manchester native would say:
"I s'pose I should have ya over to me house for a brew."

I realize this is not every reader's cup of tea (bad puns?! Already?? Yep!), but it's very necessary to the story, and therefore will appear throughout. Consider yourself warned! *wink*

As always, thank you so much for reading. I appreciate each and every one of you. A bonus thanks to anyone who is reading this because they first read "The Rose of Birmingham." Love you all!

~ Mar

【♖】

This novel is dedicated to AJ & Ann.
Your constant support, appreciation, and love for my written works has made me a better writer, and your amazing friendship has made me a better person. I can never thank you enough. This piece, which I consider my best to date, is for you.

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© Notice:
The Countess and the Racketeer is my original creation and is published exclusively on Wattpad. If you are reading this novel on any other platform, it has been posted without my knowledge or consent.

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