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A Grand Man ( Mary Ann series 1)
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
75 of 220
Book
A Grand Man ( Mary Ann series 1)
By Catherine Cookson
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Set on Tyneside, the part of the world which Catherine Cookson knew and understood so well, this heartwarming and humorously observed book skillfully weds an authentic and unsentimentalized background to the kind of fairytale story that we all like to believe could come true and which the Mary Ann Shaughnessys of this world know to be true.

A little girls love for her Da is priceless. Catherine Cookson brings live and determination to all her books. This is the first in the Mary Ann Shaughnessy books a little girls journey in a tough environment. Love this author.
  
Rebecca's Children: A saga of love and betrayal in 19th century Wales
Rebecca's Children: A saga of love and betrayal in 19th century Wales
Kate Dunn | 2019 | History & Politics
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Not at all what I had expected!
Honestly, I didn't think that I was going to like this book, mainly because of the subtitle: 'love and betrayal' sounded a bit Catherine Cookson, and whilst I liked Cookson as a teenager, not so much now. BUT this is NOTHING like her books! There is a bit of romance, but I didn't find that it overwhelmed the story, and I really the historical detail fascinating. I'd never heard of the Rebecca Riots before, and I found the descriptions really interesting (and the English reaction completely unsurprising). Dare I say that I completely empathised with them?
Mary and William's story alone was interesting, but I really enjoyed the other sides to the story: the other Rebecca-ites, the Law and Mary's rather unfortunate, and slightly toe-curling, employer Hugh. There's a large cast of characters, as we meet a fair few Rebecca-ites, soldiers, policemen and politicians, but it didn't put me off or confuse me. It was all a clear, well-told, touching story. And I learnt something. So all good!
Many thanks to Sapere Books for giving me a copy of this book to read and honestly review.