Bookish Mumma

So you know how yesterday I didn’t want to cut out a chapter from Red, White & Royal Blue because it would make it uneven? Yeah, well, I am doing it this time! Essentially, there wasn’t enough that I could quote in chapter 14 that wouldn’t give away the sub plot of the story. It’s definitely worth the read, though, I didn’t see the twist coming

As always, if you would like to follow along or fill in the gaps, you can get the book here.

To read any of my previous posts about this book or any of the others, you can find those here.

He runs through pro and con lists, models of different outcomes, fucking charts and graphs and more data than he has ever wanted to see about his own relationship and it’s ramifications for the world around him. ‘This is the damage you case, Alex’ it all seems to say, right there in hard facts and figures. ‘This is who you hurt.’
He hates himself, but he doesn’t regret anything, and maybe that makes him a bad person and a worse politician, but he doesn’t regret Henry.

It says a whole damn lot about the social climate of real world America and fictional America that this is the first thing that Alex thinks of. He didn’t cause damage to anyone, he found someone that he loved and chased it. He jumped off that cliff and landed in the arms of the man he loves. That doesn’t make him a bad person or politician. It makes him a human who can fight for those that aren’t in a position to fight for themselves.

“Just hold on until I get there; we’re gonna figure this out.”
“I will.”
“I’m coming. I’ll be there soon,”
Henry exhales a wet, broken laugh. “Please, do hurry.”

You can just feel how much they want to – and need to – be there for one another. It’s not all rainbows and sunshine, but there is dark times and desperation and hopelessness too.

Henry drifts asleep at some point, and Alex is thankful for it, but he can still feel tension in every part of Henry’s body against him.
“He hasn’t slept since the news,” Bea tells him quietly.
Alex nods slightly, searching her face. “Can I ask you something?”
“Always.”
“I feel like he’s not telling me something,” Alex whispers. “I believe him when he says he’s in, and he wants to tell everyone the truth. But there’s something else he’s not saying, and it’s freaking me out that I can’t figure out what it is.”
Bea looks up, he fingers stilling. “Oh, love,” she says simply. “He misses Dad.”

There is so much of this book that I can relate to and this is no exception. My mother was killed when I was 8 years old. If there is something I know with absolute certainty, it is that there is no time that you miss a parent that isn’t here anymore, more than when life gets so desperately dark and hopeless. I can imagine that the desire magnifies for Henry. Given that he doesn’t have much support with the family that he has in this moment with the exception of Bea.

“This is the life we live, Henry. You’ve always known it. I’ve tried to tell you. I wanted to be a good brother to you, but you don’t bloody listen. It’s time to remember your place in this family. Be a man. Stand up and take responsibility. Fix this. For once in your life, don’t be a coward.”

Firstly, the ‘Be a man’ line and mentality is bullshit. Men have thoughts and feelings and weaknesses that they are allowed and should be encouraged to express. They don’t need to hold the world on their shoulders. They are allowed and should be encouraged to share the load with others at all times. Not just when they are having a hard time. Secondly, it is so easy for others to tell you what they think is best for you. But those same people won’t listen to you when you say otherwise. Then make out like you will thank them later even if they hurt you. Sometimes people just need you to sit in the dark with them and listen, not try to blast them with brutal truths and cruelty.

“What are we even defending here, Philip? What kind of legacy? What kind of family, that says, we’ll take the murder, we’ll take the raping and pillaging and the colonizing, we’ll scrub it up nice and neat in a museum, but oh no, you’re a bloody poof? That’s beyond our sense of decorum! I’ve bloody well had it. I’ve sat about long enough letting you and Gran and the weight of the damned world keep me pinned, and I’m finished. I don’t care. You can take your legacy and your decorum and you can shove it up your fucking arse, Philip. I’m done.”

Yes, go off, Henry! I was mentally clapping at this moment and I loved seeing him stand up against his brother who is so high and bloody mighty. He has a good point too. Put up with the dark history, but you can put up with one gay family member? That’s some bullshit.

Henry looks Philip square in the face and says, “I’ve been gay as a maypole since the day I came out of mum, Philip.”
In the silence that follows, Alex has to bite down very hard on his tongue to suppress the urge to laugh hysterically.

Alex has more composure than I do. I may have snorted while I was laughing.

conclusion

As you can see, even with the exclusion of chapter 14, there was a lot to include in 13. This was a very serious chapter which makes sense given that their relationship is now out in the open at this point. Managing the ramifications of that is on everyone’s minds. Not that I think it needs to be that big of a deal. But that’s also not the political or social landscape for way too many even in 2025. This post is also coming out late because I have a trip to the hospital planned tomorrow and I needed to have my last meal for the next 24+ hours. I also have a job interview in an hour, so I have to be quick.

The final review for Red, White & Royal Blue will get written tonight, but posted tomorrow instead of tonight so that there is some content for tomorrow.