I’ve been thinking about everything that led me here, because Mr Dickens wants to know. But a fall is swift, sudden, when really it isn’t like that at all. They imagine it to be a seduction or a moment of weakness, as if we carry this precious thing in a little box on our person. But it isn’t a single thing, a single moment. It’s more like a series of little deaths. Don’t you think?
Page 105
In a nutshell
Set in London, 1847, a quiet house in Shepherd’s bush is about to open to a group of young women. Financed by millionairess Angela Burdett-Coutts and set up by Mister Dickens, the house is a secret and the girls are unknown to each other, but they have one thing in common: they are fallen. Urania cottage offers Angela a distraction from her stalker and offers the girls a second chance at life but when their lives collide in unexpected ways, they discover freedom always comes at a price.
Book Club Notes
This book is based on the real Urania Cottage, a home for homeless women, Charles Dickens and Angela Burdett-Coutts established in 1847. It was a halfway house between a refuge and a social experiment which took in poor women, some destitute and some convicted criminals, and aimed to educate and train them in housekeeping for emigration to the colonies.
The true story inspired a magnificent read about less than savory characters and
Stacey Halls did a great job at humanising those who were treated as the dregs of society. Although the main storyline focused on Angela, it was her parts that I enjoyed the least. It was the story of the girls that ultimately created all the twists and made the book great.
Read If
You love historical fiction centered around strong trailblazing women.
Rating
Writing – 8/10
Character Development – 8/10
Plot Twist – 9/10
Shareability – 7/10
The Nitty Gritty
Published by: Bonnier Books UK, Distributed by Jonathon Ball
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Historical
ISBN: 978-1-838-77848-4
Pages: 372
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A note on our book ratings
Storyline: How good is the storyline? Is it believable and complex or does it make you shake your head in its ridiculousness?
Writing: How well written is the book? Do you find yourself wowed by the writing or unimpressed?
Character Development: Do the characters evolve and grow through the book and are they multi-dimensional?
Plot Twist: Were you able to predict the end, or did the author give you some surprises along the way to keep you on your toes?
Shareability: How likely are you to share the book?
