By: Marthe Jocelyn
Received from Around the World Tours
Synopsis (From Goodreads):
Three fates intertwine in this moving and passionate love story set in Victorian London.
Mary Finn: country girl, maid to a lord in London
Caden Tucker: liar, scoundrel, and heart's delight
James Nelligan: age six, tossed into a herd of boys
When Mary Finn falls into the arms of handsome Caden Tucker, their frolic changes the course of her life. What possesses her? She's been a girl of common sense until now. Mary's tale alternates with that of young James Nelligan, a new boy in an enormous foundling home.
My Review:
I knew very little about this book going into it. All I knew was that it was historical fiction. And... honestly, I'm not the biggest fan of historical fiction. I like my stories with a bit of the impossible mixed in.
I was not expecting the emotional reaction that I had to this book.
I got absolutely sucked into Mary's story. And for the four hours that I spent reading this book I shared in her happiness, vulnerability, and intense sadness. Marthe Jocelyn has created a masterpiece of historical fiction that I will not soon forget.
I was engrossed in every character's story. I was concerned at first since the book is told from four different perspectives. It definitely has the potential to get very confusing. Especially since I read very fast and sometimes skip over important parts, thus losing details. But, I was able to follow each story and keep all the characters separated.
And little James. Oh how I wanted to reach through the pages of this book and cuddle that poor boy. Marthe captured beautifully the emotions and sadness of a six year-old boy. I had never heard of the "foundlings" before, even though I did take a European history class. I felt such an intense sadness for these children who never knew their mothers and were taken away from their foster parents at such an early age. It was really eye-opening to see how unwed mothers were treated. In many cases, they were left with very few options.
The end of this book left me in tears. I cried for every single character in this story, even the ones I hated. Even the characters that I hated were so beautifully crafted that I felt like they deserved a chance at happiness as well.
Thank you so much Marthe Jocelyn for sharing this story. I can't wait to read more of your work.
Book-A-Likes: The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman, Chains
by Laurie Halse AndersonMy Rating:
5 Stars!
Profanity: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild
Sexuality: Moderate
Violence: Mild
